The Storm

by The_Last_Centurion

Chapter 7

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Part Seven: Downpour

When I woke up, I was extremely refreshed, but I knew something was wrong. I sleepily rubbed my wet face with a pair of wet hooves and my brain started to register everything. ‘Why am I wet?’ I asked myself casually before my eyes shot open and adrenaline shot through my veins. I looked around the room and knew I would be in a lot of trouble if anypony saw this.

The thundercloud I had summoned last night to help heal my injuries had floated off on its own, off towards a secluded part of the circular room, and had done what it was created to do: rain. And when it rains, it pours. The thundercloud happily thundered when it noticed I saw its work. It seemed to ask ‘did I do well?’

I facehoofed and dispersed the happy little thundercloud and looked around my water-logged room and sighed. How was I supposed to clean this up?

I eased myself off my literal island in the middle of the room, all the time willing myself not to get wet. I waded around in the water, staying dry the whole time-which was extremely strange-thinking about how I could dry the room out. I thought about opening the roof-window and letting everything dry out by itself, but I just couldn’t do that. It would take way too long. Nevertheless, I went into thunderbird form and opened up the ceiling, not knowing what would be better. ‘It would be a better idea to tell Celestia…’ said a quickly quashed conscience. There was no way I was letting the sisters know about this. I’d never live it down. So I hovered there for a minute, thinking.

As I did, another small storm was created around my hooves from my hovering. This was the last thing I needed, but the storm didn’t rain. Instead, it was made of twisting clouds and howling winds. I marveled at it and thought for a second.

“It might work…” I said to myself, knowing this idea was better than nothing.

I started to hover faster, willing the storm around my hooves to convulse and twist faster and faster. Soon the little storm was howling louder than any timber wolf alive and it elongated, touching down upon the water in the room. I pumped a victorious hoof as the twisting little devil sucked up the water. However, it spewed it back at me, which would have covered me in water if I wasn’t forcing myself to stay dry. I flew over to the opening in the ceiling and flapped harder, making the storm get larger. It started to suck the water up and shoot it out of the room by way of the open ceiling. Slowly but surely, this room would be dry.

The water rushed around me without actually getting me wet and it felt amazing. I was encapsulated in a small bead of air around a rush of spraying water. I reached out to touch the water, but it spread around my hoof as I reached out. It flowed around it, and I could feel the warm water, but I was never touched by it. I followed the spray with my sight, looking up and watching as the spray turned into a fine mist after it left the room, creating a large rainbow above my room and my room alone.

When the water was mostly gone, I willed myself to get wet from the water. Of course it became mush harder to fly, but I felt like I deserved a reverse-shower. The water rushed up from beneath me and through my wings and fur. I happily clipped at the flowing water and enjoyed the feeling of the cleansing water.

The water stopped in a matter of minutes and I looked around my room. Everything was damp; including me, but that could be solved by some quick wind. I flew up again and flapped my wings, creating a strong breeze that air-dried everything in the room, except for me. I nodded at my work and decided to go for a morning fly to dry myself out. I left the ceiling open and shot out of the room, blasting through the rainbow in the air outside my room. I flew higher and higher into the sky, the water trailing behind me, creating more rainbows while I flew. I laughed happily and I knew today would be a good day.

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“So you’re going back to Ponyville today?” I asked Blueblood at breakfast.

“Of course! A gentlecolt never leaves a lady waiting.” He replied over a bowl of cereal.

I looked down to Celestia, who was trying to hide behind her newspaper, even though I knew she was listening in to our conversation. “So what am I doing today?” I asked her.

“If you must know,” she said, folding the newspaper with magic, “we we’re going to work on the different storms you can create, but from what I saw this morning and the reports of a random major snowstorm in Stalliongrad, I think you might have that covered.”

I guiltily put another slice of melon into my mouth quickly, but she continued.

“Today you may go have your fun, but I would suggest coming home early. My sister would like to give you some lessons tonight and she is much harder of a teacher than I.” she said raising the newspaper again.

I was both enthralled and scared at the prospect. Maybe Luna would teach me how to do that darkness thing? But then again, it was Princess Luna…hopefully she would be in a good mood.

“So are you going to be coming with me?” Blueblood asked.

“I think I’ll stop by a little earlier,” I replied. “There’s somepony I have to visit.”

“Really?” Blueblood asked with a raise eyebrow. “A special somepony?”

I would have blushed, if I wasn’t feeling guilty. “No…well she’s more of my first friend. She got hurt when that monster attacked us, so I need to go see how she is.”

“Oh. I hope she’s doing well.” Blueblood said quietly.

I stood up from the table. “Well, I’m going to go find out.”

Blueblood looked surprised. “You’re leaving now?”

“Yep.” I answered. “I’m going to fly to Ponyville.”

“Well, goodbye for now.” Blueblood said. I saluted to him and Celestia and left the room.

I walked down the corridors of the castle in silence thinking about how much of a jerk I must have been. Rainbow Dash had been hurt and all I had done was run away to Canterlot. That’s just disgraceful.

I stopped in the middle of a corridor, realizing I had become lost in the maze of hallways and turns again. I shrugged and went down another corridor, which led to a long staircase. I went up it and followed some more lefts and rights and came to a wooden door. I went into the room and found out it was much larger than it appeared on the outside. The walls were covered in books and a giant-sized window made up the opposing wall. I walked around the room slowly, seeing a large globe in the middle of the room and a purple and pink bed off in the corner of the room. Next to it was a small basket. One look at the bedspread told me who this room once belonged to.

I walked further into the room, towards the window. I found out the large window was made up of a bunch of smaller ones, but each individual window was still large enough for a pony to fit through. I started checking the windows, pushing on them gently to see if they would open. Success finally came with a window that was at the edge of the window-wall. It cracked open and I squeezed out of the window. I quickly summoned a few storm clouds to walk on so that I would not plummet straight out of the window.

I closed the window behind me and breathed in heavily. The morning smelled fresh and new, and I was ready to take on anything. I backed up on the clouds and took a running leap, extending my wings as far as they could go. I concentrated on a place that could use a good storm (Fillydelphia) and I started my journey.
Remembering what Spitfire taught me, I dove first to build up speed and then rose higher into the air for sustained flight. Up near the clouds, the air currents would help carry me so I wouldn’t tire myself out from flapping my wings. I relaxed and let the winds carry me along, only really adjusting my wings for directional purposes. I felt the morning sun on my back and its warmth spread to me, and to the storm in Fillydelphia, which quickly became a warm drizzle. I was amazed that my feelings registered with a storm so far away, but then I remembered yesterday and the storm in Stalliongrad. I had flown faster and the snow had fallen faster and harder as well.

‘It is no coincidence.’ said Storm in my mind. ‘Thunderbirds are forever connected to the storm, to every storm. Thus the storms are equally connected to us.’ he said.

“So even if I created a million different storms in a million different places, they would all respond to me?” I asked.

‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘but I would suggest against it.’

“Why?”

‘As they say, 'absolute power corrupts absolutely.' Thunderbirds are a powerful species, but misuse of this power can have drastic repercussions. A thunderbird can become consumed by the own storm he creates if he misuses his power.’

“But how could you misuse your power? Don’t we balance out the world with our storms?”

‘Yes, but there are many ways to misuse the power of the storm. Take this tale as an example.’ He said, clearing his voice mentally. ‘Long ago, even before the race before you truly ruled this earth, there was one of our kind who misused his powers. He had become smitten by a woman, a female of the species before your kind, and he revealed himself to her in the form of a man. He promised her the anything she could desire if only she would marry him. She accepted, but she demanded that she receive one thing as her wedding gift. She wanted the world.

So, the thunderbird, in all his terrible glory went across the earth striking down the enemies of his wife, but also ruining the crops, homes, and lives of the innocent. The other thunderbirds saw this and knew he must be stopped; he was destroying the balance with his foolish actions. So many of us confronted him, to try to talk him out of his ways, but he would not listen. The fight that ensued created holes in the earth and the tears shed by each thunderbird over having to fight a fellow thunderbird was enough to fill these holes with water. These holes became the oceans.’

“So what happened to the rogue thunderbird?” I asked.

‘He was defeated and his body was put to rest. It was a sad day for all of our kind and we vowed to make sure something like that never happened again.’

“Damn…” I said incredulously. I could understand the want to do everything for a mare you loved, but that…it was a bit much. I didn’t know that thunderbirds held so much power. Making seas? That’s insane.

‘I understand your disbelief, but when the time comes, I will teach you about your full powers. Then you will understand. For now though, enjoy your time with your friends. We will speak of this later.’ Storm said in my mind, leaving as Ponyville came into sight. I numbly angled myself downward and coasted, letting myself glide down to the Ponyville Square. I felt the storm in Fillydelphia disappear as I walked towards Ponyville general hospital.

Lost in thought, I walked on. A thunderbird really held that much power? But then how did Storm become the last of his kind? More than that, how were they not immortal beings? I understood that Storm’s conciseness lived on in my mind, along with all the power he granted me, but why was he not truly immortal?

My trance broke as I heard a pony scream and I looked up. I saw the tail-end of Roseluck running into her house, casting scared glances back at me. I looked behind me, confused, but realized she had seen me. She was scared because she saw me in my thunderbird form. I looked down at my coat and talloned hooves. I wasn’t that scary, right? Nonetheless, I started to canter away towards the hospital, changing back into my pony form as I ran.

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“Room 206. Take those stairs and then take a left. It’ll be the third door on your left.” said the receptionist when I asked where Rainbow Dash was. “Knock first, she might be still asleep.” she reminded me.
I thanked her and followed the directions she had given me. The cement stairs were cold under my hooves, but the constant sunlight from many windows in the hospital warmed me while I walked. However, the sun couldn’t shake the cold, sick feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. As I approached her room, I felt extremely guilty for endangering her, and the rest of the mares. What would I do if one of them got hurt very badly? No, I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let something like this happen either. Never again.

I knocked on the door and heard a sandy “Come in” from inside. I opened up the door to find Rainbow laying on a bed with her broken hoof in a cast. The sight of it sent shivers down my spine, but the sunlight spilling into the room and Rainbow’s smile brightened my day. She looked strange in a hospital gown, but the fresh smell of lilacs gave the room the appearance of a fresh spring field, making it seem like I was just meeting her like on any other day.

“I was wondering when you would come by.” Rainbow said as she put the book she was reading away quickly. She pulled herself up and bunched up a few pillows so she could sit up better. “Don’t just stand there all day, come on in.” she said signaling for me to enter.

I walked in and closed the door behind me. Then I grabbed the only chair in the room and pulled it up next to her bed. I sat down and guiltily looked at her. Other than the cast, she looked completely fine, energized even.

“How is it?” I asked her, nodding to the cast.

“It’s nothing too bad,” she said snorting. “Yep, I’m officially too cool to be beaten by a simple broken leg. Plus, I’ve been here so many times, I have reward points.” she joked.

“It’s good that you still have your spirits.” I said.
Rainbow looked at me. “It’s not like I’m gonna die or anything,” she said punching me on the shoulder. “What’s gotten into you hoof, huh?”

“Rainbow, this is more serious than you think.” I said, my voice rising. “You could have died.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t give me that dramatic stuff Wing. I’ve known you for too long to be scared by that stuff.” She said before grabbing my face between her front hooves, making me blush. “Look, if I wanna fight alongside you, if anypony wants to help you by fighting, they know what they’re getting into. I’m not too glad about getting this broken leg, but I’m really happy nopony was hurt badly. If somepony was to be hurt, I’d rather it be me, so stop your sulking. Stuff happens.” She said, releasing me.

“But you don’t know how strong they…”

“We beat one together, right?” she said cockily.

“Yes, but they’re…”

“So think about this: next time, we’ll all be ready. Those giant snakes won’t stand a chance.”

I shook my head and smiled at Rainbow. For as long as I had known her, she had always been like this. Strong, determined, faithful, and loyal. She could always help me out, be it with some sort of labor or a mood I was in.

I stood up and walked over to the window. I opened it, letting a fresh breeze roll into the room. Even though it was nearing fall, the winds still carried summer’s heat and spring’s freshness.

“So was that…you know the wings and all, was it a spell?” Rainbow asked.

“Nope.” I said, turning around to face her. I stood there and let myself take my thunderbird form. The breeze through the window picked up as I changed and the air smelled of coming rains for a flashing second.

“That’s awesome!” Rainbow squealed as I walked closer towards her. She eyed me up and down a few times. I took a few mock-poses for her and she laughed.

“Talons, wings, and that coat…” she said motioning a hoof from the floor to my head. As she did a small jolt of lighting traveled along my coat. “…and that! That’s so cool!” she said as she whistled appreciatively. I looked at her smiling face and found that she was staring into my eyes.

“It’s weird though,” she said, a hoof to her chin. “Your eyes didn’t change at all. Still the stormy gray they always were.”

I blinked and a few static charges raced down my body from my eye. “You sure about that?” I asked.

“Nah, that was always there.” She replied. “That’s why I wasn’t surprised when you revealed that you were the source of the storm. You always were shocking.” She said jokingly.

“Really? Like how?” I asked.

“Remember when Stratus and some of his other friends started to pick on Scoots. You came out of the blue and told them off right away.” She said.

“Yeah, but then that little punk had his brothers come and ‘talk to me’.” I replied, remembering the day.

“Yeah and even though they beat you good, when you saw Stratus bothering Scoots, you stopped him again.” Rainbow said, a strange look in her eye. “I can see why Flutters has such a crush on you.”

“What?” I said as I backpedaled and fell to the ground.

“She’s crazy about you dude. She always was one to fall for those heroic types.” She mused while resting her head on a hoof.

“B…but I’m no hero…” I stuttered out.

“Oh really? You saved all of us not two days ago.” She said.

“You guys helped…” I argued pitifully.

“You see how Twilight’s magic didn’t do a thing? And how that monster got up AFTER Pinkie’s cannon hit him? Heck, the only thing that worked on him cost me a leg.” She said, jiggling her cast. “Your attacks were the only ones that worked.” she said pointing at me. “YOU were the only one that pushed that monster back. And YOU dealt the final blow. Without you, we wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“But I…”

“Oh, just shut up and accept it.” Rainbow said lying back down on her bed, exhausted from arguing with me. She cast a sidelong glance towards me. “You’re a hero whether you like it or not.”

My argument was cut short by a knocking at the door. “Um, Rainbow?” said a demure voice.

“Haha! Speak of the devil and she shall appear!” Rainbow said, sitting up. “Come in Flutters. There’s somepony here that wants to talk to you!” I looked at the evil smiling mare in terror as the doorknob turned. My eyes pleaded ‘Why?’ as her smile grew bigger and more devilish.

And that’s when a beautiful butter-yellow mare entered the room. She was carrying a basket of wildflowers in her moth and her mane was swept back. From where I was standing, I could smell her, the scent of spring itself in all its beauty. The second she came into the room, I was trapped in her gaze.

“Hello Little Wing.”

Comments

[The_Last_Centurion]

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Thank you kindly, good sir.