An Afternoon With Rain

by Equin0x27

Pitter Patter

Author's Note:

Just a small story inspired by a rainy day.

An Afternoon With Rain

Ring-a-ding-ding! Chimed the store bell as Twilight Sparkle thanked the mare running the counter. Another month come and gone and she needed to replenish her supplies of ink and parchment, having run out surprisingly fast yet again. She breathed in the wonderful scent of fresh, unmarred paper once more and prepared her bags for the trip home when a small droplet of water hit her square on the end of her snout. She blinked and looked up before quickly ducking back under the cover of the store’s awning as more droplets began to descend upon the street, the pitter-patter of rain quickly filling the air. The rumble of thunder broke out overhead, prompting her to look up and watch the last few members of the weather team zip away as the final storm clouds were brought in place. “Right… Rainbow told me herself that they were scheduling a heavy rain for today.” She sighed and quickly fastened her bags tightly, preparing her spell of teleportation when something stopped her.

All across the streets of Ponyville, she could see ponies unfurling umbrellas, crowding under awnings and entering stores, or quickly running into their homes. Many were grumbling, others sighing, a generally sorrowful mood overtaking the afternoon as rain most commonly did. Except for one Unicorn of course. A light periwinkle with hazel eyes and an unkempt dark brown mane, they were closing the door to their house carefully. They had a small smile on their face as Twilight watched them walk down a few steps before sitting down, in the direct full force of the rain. Her curiosity peaked, she watched them for a few minutes as the rain only grew stronger, even stronger bursts of thunder booming throughout the sky as lightning flashed overhead. Quickly the rest of the street emptied and any remaining voices died down until it was only Twilight under the awning, the quickly-getting-soaked unicorn, and the rain splattering against the street. She quickly created an efficient and translucent magical umbrella over herself before she trotted out into the street.

As she approached the unicorn, she noticed that HIS smile had grown a little bit as his hair had started to mat down all over his head. The rain continued to pour as her hooves started to splash a little in the street. She cleared her throat as she reached him and let her umbrella extend a bit to cover him as well. “Excuse me? Are you alright?” The unicorn’s smile was replaced by a look of surprise as he pulled his hair out of his eyes, looking up at Twilight.

“O-oh! Princess! Yes, I’m fine. Sorry. How are you?” He awkwardly blustered out as he rose to his feet, shaking a bit of the water from his hair. She raised her eyebrow a little as more thunder boomed overhead.

“I’m doing just fine, or at least as well as everypony else until this rain started. I had completely forgotten about it.” She turned her head to watch the raindrops fall, the sheer amount creating a light haze across the entire street. The unicorn turned as well and stuck a hoof out into the rain, a smile quickly building back up on his face as the water patted against his hoof.

“I see. So you’re like everypony else then?” She turned back to him and saw that he had stepped a bit out of the umbrella, letting it run down his face one more as his eyes closed.

“I suppose so. What about you? You seem to be a bit different.”

“That’s because I am. I love the rain.” He smiled and wiped his face to no avail. “I think it one of the most wonderful things in the world.”

Twilight nodded and took out one of her pieces of parchment and a quill. “Really? What makes you love it so much when everypony else seems to avoid it?”

He laid back down and nestled into a comfortable position as his eyes glued to the streams now running along the road, following the flow and bends of the current. “Well...everything. The sight of the water pittering and pattering and currents running across the ground, of lightning arcing across the sky amidst the wonderfully and always different storm clouds.” Twilight looked up to see a great bolt flash inside the heavy storm clouds as droplets fell around her.

“The smells of the water and the moisture in the air, of the saturated soil and plant life. Of the wet metal and woodwork and other materials.” Twilight took a deep breath and suddenly realized the variety of smells in the air, gently soothing her senses like a firm yet gentle bouquet of hydration.

“The glorious sounds of the heavens, from the sharp CRACK of lightning to the great rumble of thunder that shakes the soul. The raindrops hitting the roofs, the awnings, the railings, the skin, the rest of the water in the street. The feeling of moisture and purity, of all the bad being washed away as life is given back.” Twilight let out a breath that seemed to carry something heavy in her body out with it, almost able to watch it as the rain took all of the mud, leaves, loose dirt and gravel that had accumulated along the sides of the road and slowly and tenderly washed them downstream. She watched as some of them formed little blockades that seemed to bar the water’s path, but it just went around it, or slowly built itself up until it collapsed and was carried away.

“All of it creates this wonderful atmosphere that you can rarely find anywhere else, one that everypony just seems to try and avoid.” The unicorn breathed in deep as a peaceful smile once again found its way to his muzzle. “They all are too busy, fretting over each and every problem they have to face in the coming days and weeks, worried about getting wet or their clothes getting damp, of the extra effort and trouble to get where they need to go. I’m the opposite. I embrace the rain, let it pour over and soak into me, letting it wash away everything I’m feeling and worrying about. As all the rain and sounds fill the air around me and fill my senses, I find myself at peace. As everything washes away downstream.” Twilight looked to the Unicorn as he laid down with his eyes closed, taking slow peaceful breaths whilst being pelted by the cold droplets, almost looking asleep. She looked at the paper she had pulled out, still blank with her quill at the ready. Instead, she simply smiled and tucked it away, looking up at the raindrops pattering against her umbrella.

“I hope you have a splendid afternoon with the rain.” She said as she began to head home, her umbrella breaking off into two separate ones over her saddlebags as she felt the rain begin to caress her face.

“You as well Princess.” Called out the stallion as he let out a small yawn, the booming of thunder bringing a smile to both of their faces.

Spike was whistling a small tune as he began preparing to start cooking dinner, the kitchen window open slightly to let in the sounds of the rain. He was carrying a few pans and almost dropped them when he saw Twilight smiling at the doorway, completely drenched. “Twilight! You’re soaked! Is everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I just felt like enjoying the rain a bit more today.” She walked over to the window and pulled it open a bit more as thunder boomed once more. “Besides Spike, I can always just dry off anyways.”

Comments

[TheMWord]

Really nice. Quietly calming and comforting.

[StormDancer]

I love the rain... never understood why so many people dislike it. Good on you for taking the time to write up a little slice of the experience.

[Zaten the Changeling]

How odd, since this was published today, and it was raining in the afternoon near where I live...
Who knows how close I could be living to the author of a great short story?

This would have been posted at 8:00 PM yesterday, but my internet cut out.

Anyways, this story is good.

[Equin0x27]

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Thank you all so much! It means a lot. I wasn't really thinking too much about how others would like this, but I am glad you all did! I love the rain and was thinking about how movies, books, and games always utilize it as a sense of doom and gloom. I thought showcasing a more positive outlook for others might be a nice thing to do.

[Zaten the Changeling]

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Your motives are greatly understandable by me. I have read many books, watched somewhat enough movies, and played way too many video games to understand that the majority of people portray rain as a bad thing. Your portrayal of it as a positive thing is unique, and unique in a good way.

Going to read that other story I see you have published.