Thunder Struck

by Synthetic Soul

Chapter 12.

As the sun rose into the early morning sky, Rainbow Dash found little reason to get out of her bed. Though she was indeed wide awake, she had yet to even remove the sheets covering her body. She just lay there, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling above her.

The guilt of what she had done to Anon compounded with the anxiety caused by her now completely uncertain future, rendering her nearly catatonic. Time lost it’s meaning as it passed. If she had been lying there for minutes or hours, she couldn’t tell. It all blended together.

What would she do now? She was officially unemployed. Her dreams of joining the Wonder Bolts had been shot down permanently, something she still had trouble accepting. And she wasn’t even allowed to apologize to her friend, the one she had hurt! So what could she do other then lie in her bed, useless?

The pegasus’s ear twitched as she heard the puttering sound of the propellor carrying her beloved pet, Tank the Tortoise through the air. Rainbow’s head flopped to the side to see the airborne reptile hovering towards her. When he got close enough, Rainbow reached out and pulled her pet close, cradling him in her arms. She began to stroke his shell in an attempt to find comfort. Tank didn’t seem to mind at all, and began nuzzling his owner. They both laid like that for a few minutes before Rainbow noticed that Tank had begun chewing on her mane.

“Ow! Tank stop it!” Rainbow sat up from her bed, and held the tortoise in front of her so that she could look him in the eyes. “Hungry huh?” He nodded in response, and immediately after that, Rainbow heard and felt her own stomach rumble. “I guess that makes two of us.” She released Tank into the air and removed her bedsheets. Rather then use her wings to fly down to kitchen per usual, Rainbow instead opted to walk. She did not feel like flying right now.

Rainbow slowly and methodically made her way down the stairs and to the kitchen. Each step upon the cloud interior of her home was careful. The clouds had been charmed to make sure they wouldn’t send off any unintended lightning bolts, but Rainbow felt the need to be as careful equinely possible.

‘Never again,’ she thought to herself.

When she reached the kitchen, she quickly got to work sorting a bowl of lettuce for Tank along with another bowl of water. She laid them out for him, and as he began munching on his breakfast, Rainbow made the way to her refrigerator. She looked at the assorted fruits and vegetables with disinterest. Though she recognized her own hunger, she felt little desire to put in the effort to actually eat. She gazed into the the fridge with half lidded eyes for several minutes before shutting the door.

“I wish there was somepony I could talk to. But they all know what happened, and they…they all hate me for it! Even Flutter-“ but that’s when she realized that Fluttershy was the one pony in the group who didn’t even know what had happened, as she was out of town.

“That’s it! Fluttershy, she’ll listen! I can explain everything and then maybe she can convince the others to give me a chance to make things right!” With renewed energy, Rainbow wracked her brain to recall when it was that Fluttershy would be returning. She knocked her hoof against her skull, and then recalled that she would be home tomorrow.

“Oh, tomorrow! I don’t know if I can wait that long!” She exclaimed.

‘But…I do know where her parents live…maybe I could go to her instead?” Rainbow tried to mull it over in her mind rationally, however the anxiety and the desperate need for everything to be resolved as soon as possible made up her mind for her.

“Tank, I’m going out!” She told her pet as she dashed to the front door. She quickly stepped out onto her front porch, turning her head in the approximate direction of Cloudsdale. With energy she hadn’t felt in days, she took to the sky with all the power her wings could manage.

---

You walk with a spring in your step through the outskirts of Ponyville. Nature walks were something you’ve always appreciated, but ever since you came to Equestria you’ve taken to them even more. Perhaps its Equestria’s lack of Television and internet access. That certainly left you with less options for entertainment. But there was something different about the natural beauty of Equestria. The grass was literally greener here, the sky clearer, the sunshine less abrasive. Even the air smelled better here. It was cleaner.

Compared to Earth, this was was a paradise. It was a veritable Garden of Eden, just with ponies. You didn’t mind though. They were all so friendly and kind. So supportive. You knew that they would stand by your side and help you through even the darkest of times. Not that there really could be dark times. This wasn’t like Earth. Bad things don’t happen here in Equestria. That’s why you liked it so much.

You continued to walk along the coast of Ponyville until you came across a picture of beauty. Before you was a large patch of flowers. They were varied in type and color, showing off every color of the rainbow. They were arranged in a radial pattern, the outer layer comprised of red roses, followed by orange marigolds, yellow daffodils, green zinnias, blue iris’s, indigo morning glory’s and in the center was a circular arrangement of violets.

Such an arrangement had to have been the work a passionate gardener. However, it puzzled you that this arrangement was so far detached from the rest of Ponyville. Who had put this here, so far away from the rest of town?

You supposed it didn’t really matter. Walking to the edge of the flower arrangement, you stooped down to smell one of the red roses on the outer layer. As you inhaled, you reared back in surprise. Rather than the normal fragrance associated with roses, what you smelled was more akin to burnt rubber.

Confusion turned to shock as the flowers began to wilt and die. The blue sky above turned dark, grey and stormy. You took a step back in confusion. That confusion turned to fear as the sound of laughing filled the air. It was loud and echoey. It seemed as thought the sound waves were reflecting off of everything, every tree and blade of grass. You looked around in terror, trying to pinpoint the source of the sinister laughing.

But you weren’t able to, as a loud strike of thunder could be heard. The world around you exploded into loud noises and bright light. As your eyes and ears were overwhelmed, you felt the pain of lightning.

You jolted awake. Well, as much as your crippled body allowed. With wide eyes, you surveyed your surroundings, your breathing heavy and heart beating wildly. A carved wooden ceiling lay above you. With an awkward turn of your head, you saw that you were in Twilight’s Library. You were laying on her couch, and looking through the windows you could see it was early in the morning.

‘It…was just a dream.’ You turned your head to look back up at the ceiling. You could still hear the sound of the mysterious laughing echoing in your head, and phantom pains jolting through your otherwise numb body.

‘Too bad this isn’t.’

Author's Note:

Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out, and thanks for your patience.

BUYMEACOFFEE
KO-FI

Comments

[Wooden Wheel]

Interesting to know that Fluttershy found out what happened from Dash instead of Twilight.

With these are now two scenes with Dash that take place days before the current time.

[Twidashlover123]

Nice chapter. I wonder what fluttershy has to say about the lightning incident

[StormKingNexus]

The laughing he must’ve heard was from Rainbow Dash even though he himself never registered laughter in the first place. Well, this outta be a fun time when he figures it out, and then his nightmares worsen because of it.

[Jack14]

Can they not use magic to heal him?

[ObsPerson]

11888153
They can't even fix Derpy's cross eye or Scootaloo's flightlessness, let alone someone who's paralysed from the neck down.

[Pete100]

Did they purposely not tell fluttershy?

[Seamserb]

Oh my goddd you got us thinking he recovered somwhat i hate you

[Synthetic Soul]

11888253
I hate you more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alyarin9000]

11888153
Give Twi time...

[darklight731]

Very nice, as always. Flutters will likely be very helpful in regards to RD`s mental state. And Anon`s, now that I think about it.

[coopda]

That is not how you use the word 'gait'
Gait is the walking pattern, how a creature moves it's limbs in sequence

[Mister-H]

A dream to wake to a nightmare...

[Okie Brony]

Aww, dangit, now I'm caught up. Now I've gotta wait for the next chapter like everypony else.

Awesome story; some of the best Author's Notes ever.

[Synthetic Soul]

11889644
I was thinking more the OBAMA meme

[Ezekiel Namuh]

Man, I really like the way this story is structured. It goes a little slower than most, but it gets the perspective of almost everyone involved and it just feels refreshing, especially for a story like this. Keep up the good work, I have no doubt you'll be able to!

[Synthetic Soul]

11892103
Thanks!