In Pursuit of Happiness

by Spice of Life

When it rains...

Long, menacing, black tendrils extended from the dark clouds looming on the horizon. Brief flickers of lightning danced along the edges of the clouds as they grew bigger.

"Gosh, Ah ain't never seen a storm like that. Maybe we oughta land back at the rest site and hunker down. Those clouds seem to be movin' pretty fast. Ah ain't sure we can make it back to Backwoods Glenn before it hits."

Rarity stood up at the front of the balloon and watched the dark sky in the distance. "As much as I hate to stay in this forest another night I am inclined to agree, Applejack."

"HELLO AGAIN!"

Rarity and Applejack turned to look at Pinkie, she was leaning over the edge of the basket waving at something.

Rarity poked her head over the side. Down below them a cockatrice was in the middle of the rest area glaring up at them. The balloon was floating over the tops of the trees, but even from this distance; looking into the cockatrice's eyes made Rarity feel like the world was beginning to slow down. She pulled her head back over the side and saw Applejack also sitting back down in the basket.

"Ah guess we ain't going back down there," said Applejack as she sighed and adjusted her brown Stetson hat.

"I am afraid so. Are you positive we won't make it to Backwoods Glenn?"

Applejack shrugged, "Ah don't think so, but...maybe? Probably the best thing we can do..." She trailed off as she looked at Pinkie Pie; who just sat against the side of the basket, smiling at them. "Err, everythin' alright sugarcube?"

Pinkie grinned and nodded. "Yepyepyep, couldn't be better, I got my Rarity back and there are sunny skies all around," she said as she waved her hoof around, pointing at the blue sky.

Rarity rubbed her hoof against her temple. "I hate to be a downer darling, but have you seen the storm clouds on the horizon? Unfortunately, I doubt they are planning on giving us a 'welcome party'."

Pinkie giggled and patted Rarity's head. "Silly Rarity, don't let those mean old clouds get you down. There is still sooooo much sunny day. Besides," she leaned over and pressed her nose up against Rarity's, "you can just use your magic to make the fan push us faster."

"Fan?"

Pinkie Pie grinned again and nodded. "Yeppers! We got a big fan. It's tied to the basket," she hopped over to the side and hit her hoof against something metallic several times.

Rarity moved to see what Pinkie was hitting. "That... that's a fantastic idea Pinkie!" She leaned over the edge trying to get a better look at the mechanism the fan used to store unicorn magic. "Hmmm, it looks like a much bigger capacitor gem than my sewing machine. I think it might be the kind that needs several unicorns to charge it." She tapped her hoof on her chin and a light aqua glow formed around her horn. "I... think... I think it has just over half a charge in it." She pulled herself back into the basket. "It's a larger capacitor than I am accustomed to working with, but I should be able to give us a bit of a boost."

Pinkie bounced up and down, smiling. "See, I told you that everything couldn't be better."

Applejack grinned. "Well shoot, Rarity, that's tha kinda news I like ta hear."

Rarity sat down at the rear of the basket, next to where the fan was tied. "Then let us be on our way from this forest." Once again her horn glowed and its illumination spread over the fan before it encircled a hoof sized round sea green gem set in the middle of the blades of the fan. As her magic touched it the blades began to spin, faster than they could on stored magic. The balloon suddenly lurched forwards as the fan blades caught the air and Rarity noticed something odd about the basket. "Pinkie, what are these green dots along the rim of the basket?"

Applejack's eyes widened as Pinkie answered her.

"Ohhhhhh those must be from the hydra sneeze."

Rarity's pupils shrunk. "Hydra sn-sneeze?"

Time seemed to slowed down for Applejack as she dove forward to tackle Pinkie or cover her mouth; anything to stop her from finishing the story. But, she was too late.

"A hydra sneezed on us on the way to you and that's how we got to you so fast." Pinkie finished with a smile.

Applejack jerked her head to watch Rarity's reaction to the news. Her rear leg slid on one of the dresses Rarity had picked up from the camp site and kicked a hole in the basket. At the same time Rarity hopped away from the side of the basket and the glowing aura around her horn faltered and cut out as she slammed against Pinkie Pie at the front.

"THAT'S HYDRA SNOT!" shrieked Rarity as she huddled against Pinkie.

"Oh you don't have to worry about it Rarity," cooed Pinkie and hugged the unicorn. "It's gotta be all dried up by now."

Rarity took a moment to compose herself, then ran her hoof though her mane. "Be that as it may, I simply refuse to sit next to... boogers," she shuddered as she said the last word. "I shall power the fan from here." Her horn glowed again but her magic flickered and she gritted with the effort required. The balloon was propelled forwards but the thrust was much weaker than before. "Oh my," her horn flickered before the glow surrounding it vanished and she slumped down against the front of the basket. "It would seem that proximity really matters with the larger capacitor gems."

Pinkie nuzzled her cheek, "I'm sure you can do it Rarity, you're the prettiest most super unicorn ever."

Rarity nuzzled back. "Thank you darling but I'm afraid being pretty has nothing to do with it. My magic simply isn't strong enough to 'overpower' the capacitor from this distance."

Applejack rubbed her hoof against her chin as she thought. "Maybe we could cover the side with somethin'. Ah know, how bout we cover it with one of these," she said as she lifted the hem of a dress with her hoof.

Rarity stared at her in shock. "How could you even consider such a thing! I cannot allow somepony else's prized possessions to be used in such a way. I shall endure if I must." She let out a deep sigh and slowly moved to the back of the basket again, cringing as she once again sat next to the disgusting hydra mucus. "Sometimes I wish I had the raw power Twilight possesses," she mumbled as her magic encircled the gem and the balloon was thrust forwards again. "I am sure she could power the fan from the ground if she wished."

Pinkie Pie and Applejack both sat down next to Rarity and Pinkie wrapped her foreleg's around the white unicorns neck. Then Pinkie started to hum one of her songs. *Hmmm hmmm hm hmm hmmm hm hm hmm hmmmm hmmmmmm hmmm hmmm hmmmm*

Rarity closed her eyes and rested her head on Pinkie's neck, listening to the song and feeling the vibrations of the pink pony's humming against her cheek.

The quiet moment was interrupted when Applejack asked, "Where did ya learn to tussle like that?"

Rarity opened her left eye and looked at Applejack. "Tussle?"

"Ya know, fight. Ah've see ya take on some mean critters a couple times before but never single hoofed like that and ya never use yer magic."

Rarity sighed and lifted her head off of Pinkie, who kept humming. "I'll tell you but you have to promise to keep it and my fight with the chimera a secret."

Applejack gave her a skeptical look. "Alright, Ah won't tell anypony, but Ah don't see why ya want to keep it a secret."

"Because it is unseemly for a lady."

"Says who?"

"Says..." Rarity shook her head and glared at Applejack. "It does not matter, it simply is." She sighed again. "Now then, before I discovered my passion for couture, I wanted to be a Royal Guard-"

"HAHAA! A Royal Guard, you?"

Rarity rubbed her front hooves against her temples. "This will take all day if you continue to interrupt. Yes, when I was a filly I wanted to be a Royal Guard. My mother was a member before she and my father moved to Ponyville and I wanted to follow in her hoof steps."

Pinkie Pie stopped humming and switched to nuzzling her nose against Rarity's cheek.

"The Royal Guard teaches all ponies how to fight hoof to hoof without wings or magic. My mother began teaching me before my magic came in. Even after I became proficient with my magic, I was better hoof to hoof."

Applejack adjusted her hat. "That explains why ya wanted to become a Royal Guard, but Ah don't see why yer embarrassed by it."

"Because I never stopped the hoof to hoof training. After a long day of working, I'll often go a few rounds of sparing with... Actually I'm not at liberty to say, but if word of it got to Canterlot then my career would be ruined."

Pinkie Pie had her front legs wrapped around Rarity's neck and Rarity was casually stroking Pinkie's leg with her hoof. Applejack noticed, for the first time, the muscles working under Rarity's white coat each time her leg moved against Pinkie. She suddenly had the feeling that Rarity might be stronger than she was, at least in the front.

Rarity noticed Applejack staring at her. "Is something wrong darling?"

Applejack shook her head. "Err nah, nothing. So what made ya stop wantin' to join tha' guard?"

Rarity moved her stroking to Pinkie's back as she responded. "Well, my mother took me to Canterlot before I got my cutie mark, so we could watch the Royal Guard parade. I remember seeing a pony in the most lovely violet ensemble and her mane was done in a fabulous coiffure." She gazed up at the heavens. She would have liked a single ray of light to shine down on her, but the sun was blocked, completely ruined the effect she desired. "Uhh darlings, I believe we may have a problem," she said and pointed her hoof at the horizon.

The large mass of dark clouds were still covering the horizon far away, but the strange tendrils that extended from the mass of clouds had approached far enough for them to obscure the late morning sun that had shown down on the balloon.

Applejack stood up and moved to the front of the basket. "Gosh, those things sure moved fast."

In the distance the three ponies could hear the rumble of thunder and even see lightning fork from the long tendrils.

"Perhaps we should look for a place to land," said Rarity as a worried look crossed her face.

Pinkie and Applejack both nodded and stood up at the edge of the basket, soon followed by Rarity, the glow around her horn flickering then going out as she let her magical spell lapse from the gem in the fan.

Pinkie began hopping up and down. "Oohoohooh, look!"

Rarity and Applejack moved to her side of the basket. "Ah don't know, Pinkie," said Applejack. "That don't look quite big enough for the balloon."

"I think it might be our only option, Applejack. I could not see anything but trees on my side." Rarity put her front leg around Pinkie's neck. "Darling, do you think you can get us down there?"

A grin spread over Pinkie's face and she nodded her head vigorously. "SURE! It'll be noooooo proble-"

Something big slammed into the basked and knocked them off their hooves. Before any of them could get back up, a large claw grasped the top edge of the basket, followed by another. Then a large dark brown eagle like head popped up over the side. A pair of large golden eyes scanned the ponies. "Eeeeeey ladies, wha-chu doiiing out this far? Don't chu know a storm eess schedul-"

Another impact shook the basket and the claws dug into the wicker as the eagle headed creature hung on tightly. A storm-cloud-grey pegasus head; with bright, sun-yellow mane popped up on the opposite side. "Hey Gentzo, did you tell them about the storm?"

"I was just doiiing that."

"Hahahahaheeheeheehee *snort* You two are funny." Pinkie sprung to her hooves. "HI! I'm Pinkie Pie, who are you?" she said as her head swung back and forth between the two new arrivals.

The pegasus spoke up first. "Hi Pinkie Pie, I'm Gale and that big lug," she pointed her hoof at the eagle head, "Is Gentzo."

"Eeeeello ladies," said Gentzo as he smiled at them.

Pinkie hopped up in front of the eagle. "Oh neat, I never met a talking eagle before."

"Ba... gle... urpp..." stuttered Gentzo. "I ain't no eagle. I am a griffiiin." He pulled himself up revealing a muscular orange cat body, covered in circular black spots.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh neat," Pinkie held up both of her front hooves. "I've only met two other griffins." She reached down and picked up Applejack in one of her front legs and Rarity with her other. "This is my friend Applejack," she said, lifting the orange pony up.

Applejack struggled then finally relented once it became apparent she could not escape Pinky's vice-like grip. "Pleased ta meet'cha," she said and tipped her hat to the new arrivals.

"Aaand this is my very special somepony, Rarity," she said then hugged and kissed the white unicorn on the cheek, emphasizing her point.

A light blush crept along Rarity's face before she regained her composure. "A pleasure to meet you both. I must say, I have never seen a griffin with such a striking coat before."

The griffin puffed out his chest. "Eeeey you hear that Gale? I'm strik-"

A loud squeal from Gale interrupted him. "Oooooh you two make suuuuch a cute couple," she said as she stood on the tips of her front hooves, using her enormous wings to balance herself on the rim of the basket.

Pinkie gasped. "Oh wow, your wings are super huge."

"Ah'll say," chimed in Applejack. "They look like they're almost as big as Princess Celestia's."

"Yeah! I'll bet you can fly super duper fast with wings that big. Ohhhhh, my pal Rainbow Dash would be soooooo jealous if she was here."

Gale glanced back at her wings. "Oh, my wings are great, but they aren't good for speed. Since the're so big they have a lot of drag which keeps my speed limited. But, they're perfect for soaring at high altitudes, which is great for cloud seeding."

"Is that what ya'll are doin' out here? Cloud seeding?" said Applejack, scratching her chin.

"Oh," the pegasus exclaimed and giggled. "Yeah. I'm sorry, I forgot to give the whole introduction." Gale cleared her throat and stood at attention. "I'm Captain Gale of the Cloud Dusters." The distant sound of thunder could be heard as she said the word 'Dusters.'

All the ponies and the griffin looked at the dark clouds in the distance.

Gentzo let go of the basket and flew quickly over to the other side where Gale was. "Eeeey, as much fun as this talking isss, we should probably get this balloon where itss going, eehh?"

Gale nodded to the griffin. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Go tell Stormchaser to try and give us a path to..." She turned and looked at the three ponies in the basket. "Ummm where are you girls heading anyway?"

Rarity spoke up first. "Well, we were heading to Backwoods Glenn, but..." An enchanting quality entering her voice as she leaned forward and batted her eyes at the pegasus. "I don't suppose you would be able to take us back to Ponyville?"

Gale pulled back looking rather sheepish as she glanced this way and that. "Umm, I errr, I don't know where Ponyville is."

"It is right near Canterlot. Can you take us there?" Rarity asked, the charming tones from her voice absent almost as soon as it had appeared.

"Ohhhhh okay. Well we can't take you all the way to Canterlot, but we can probably make it to Backwoods Glenn before the worst of the storm develops." Gale turned to the griffin. "Hey Gentzo, go tell Stormchaser to hold off on the number..." she trailed off and looked at the long tendrils emerging from the storm in the distance. "To hold off on four, five and six. Yeah that should give us a relatively calm corridor."

The griffin saluted and with a flap of his wings, propelled himself high into the sky, directly towards one of the tendrils.

Gale clapped her hooves together. "Ok, that's taken care of. Let's get you girls to Backwoods Glenn." She flew around to the back of the basket. "Oh, you put a fan back here, that was clever. I'll bet that gave you a nice speed boost."

Pinkie hopped up next to Gale as she started pushing the balloon, her big wings quickly propelling them though the air. "The fan really helped a lot, but a hydra helped even more."

"A hydra," Gale raised an eyebrow at Pinkie, "helped?"

"Oh sure, it gave us a sneeze powered boost!" Exclaimed Pinkie.

Gale stopped and the balloon kept going a little ways before it slowed to a stop as well. "Then... that green stuff isssss." Suddenly she started shaking her hooves like she was trying to wipe them off on the air. "EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW GROSSGROSSGROSSGROSSGROSS!!! All that green stuff is hydra SNOT!? SOOOO GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSS!"

Applejack couldn't contain herself and rolled on the floor laughing. "Ah never thought Ah'd see a pegasus as persnickety as Rarity." Then she remembered who else was in the balloon and was currently glaring daggers at her. She shrunk back and quickly added, "No offence, Rare."

Rarity turned away from Applejack with a huff and called out to the pegasus. "Oh darling, I know just how you feel, come to this side," she pointed her hoof at the side opposite the fan. "I'm sure it's cleaner over here."

Gale swooped under the basket and took position at the side Rarity pointed to. "Okay, yeah that's much better, thanks." She gripped the sides with her hooves and began to turn the balloon around. "Sorry about that everypony, I have a bit of a thing about... things like that."

"Pshaw," Rarity waved her hoof, "it's no bother. As I said, I understand perfectly."

"Thanks uhhh Rarity, glad to see somepony else understands." Gale resumed propelling the balloon toward the dark clouds.

A silence fell over the occupants of the balloon and the pegasus pushing them. The only sounds that could be heard was the wind whipping around the basket, the rustling of leaves from far below, and the distant rumble of thunder. Lightning began to flash along the cloud tendrils and a stiff wind began to knock the balloon around.

Applejack took off her hat and shook her mane, letting the warm breeze flow though it before placing her hat back on her head. She turned to the pegasus that was pushing them and asked. "So what's this cloud seedin' anyway?

Rarity turned her head to the pegasus also. "I was wondering that as well. I assume it has something to do with spreading clouds, correct?"

"I'm glad you asked," said Gale as a smile spread across her lips, "and you're right, it's all about spreading clouds." She cleared her throat and tried to take a professorial stance, if said professor was currently flying though the sky while pushing three ponies in a balloon. "You know how weather is regulated in cities and towns, right?"

The three mares nodded. "Ya'll just have pegasuses fly around and put clouds up," said Applejack.

"There is more to it than that but you're essentially right, although in unicorn cities they tend to use magic to move the clouds, I mean it works and its efficient but..." Gale's voice trailed off into mumbling. After a moment she shook her head and smiled again. "Sorry, lost my train of thought. Anyway, clouds over towns and cities tend to be very tightly controlled and are hoof made for the town. But, when a forest or someplace far away from a town needs rain they call in the 'cloud seeders'." She raised her front legs as she said it and ran into the side of the basket. "Ooof, I'm not used to talking about this while pushing something. In cities and towns they have clouds made specifically for them from a cloud city like Cloudsdale, but for a big wilderness like this," she pointed her hoof this way and that, indicating the forest they floated over "it would take hundreds of pegasuses to do it by hoof and the sheer number of clouds we would need would take all of a cloud city's production."

Gentzo swooped down and hovered next to Gale. "Eeeeey Gale.."

She cut him off. "Welcome back Gentzo, I was just telling our friends about cloud seeding." Upon hearing the word 'friend' Pinkie let out a giggle.

The griffin waved a claw in dismissal. "Yeah, dat's great. We gots a problem eeey. Four and five are on hold but six is really unstable. Whoever made that core messed it up something baaad. It's already really strong and if we hold it then it'll go super cell fer sure."

Gale stared at the dark-feathered griffin for a moment. "Wow, that is bad." She thought for a moment then finally said "Ok, who's on four? Oh right, its Coldfront. Tell her to switch off with Stiff Breeze. He doesn't have any experience with an unstable core, and tell Breeze to come down here with you. We need to get these ponies to Backwoods Glenn quick, then we can take care of the storm."

Gentzo gave Gale a quick salute and rocketed back into the sky. Gale pushed against the basket even harder, propelling the balloon faster.

"What in tarnation was that about?" asked Applejack with a hint of worry creeping into her voice.

Gale didn't look up, she just kept pushing the balloon faster. "To spread clouds over a large area we use special concentrated clouds called 'storm cores.' Instead of moving a whole cloud we can just carry a 'storm core' and let the storm clouds grow behind us. That's what those weird lines of clouds you see in the sky are, the storm will spread out from those. Anyway, it sounds like core number six is unstable. Usually the cores are pretty solid and allow a nice line of storms to develop behind you but an unstable one is tricky; it can blow up into a really bad storm if you aren't careful with it."

Rarity held her hoof to her forehead. "Oh my. Will we be alright? Should we land somewhere and wait it out?"

"Don't you worry, we're gonna get you back to Backwoods Glenn. Search and rescue comes before cloud seeding."

Right as Gale finished saying it Gentzo swooped back down followed by a sky blue pegasus stallion. Both of them took up position next to Gale and began helping her push the balloon though the sky. The three passengers could feel the wind whipping around them from the high speed of the Cloud Dusters.

The ponies began to hear the gradually accelerating pitter-patter of rain drops on the canvas of the balloon as a stiff cross wind began to blow, causing the balloon to gently sway from side to side. Gale let go of the basket and moved up beside the balloon while the other pegaus and Gentzo tried to steady the basket as they flew.

Rarity looked up, trying to see what had caught Gale's attention. The storm still hung on the horizon, much larger than it had been, which was understandable considering they were flying towards it. Examining it more carefully, she saw there were 15 tendrils of clouds extended from the dark clouds on the horizon. They were spread out along the bases where they connected to the large mass of clouds on the horizon and each one tapered into a thin, mostly straight line where the pegasus must be pulling them. Two tendrils were being pushed to the side but the one next to them wasn't straight, it seemed to start out like the others but as it got closer to the tip, it began to zigzag and lightning was arcing between it and the other tendrils.

Gale swooped back down. "Hey Breeze, go back up and help Coldfront out. It looks like the contrail from number six is going bad."

The pegasus opened his mouth, but Gale interrupted him. "I know you're not experienced, but Coldfront knows how to deal with an unstable core like that. Listen to what she says. I'm betting she will have you help straighten the contrail behind her, but she will tell you what you'll be doing when you go up there."

Again, the pegasus opened his mouth and the barest squeak of a noise was emitted before Gale interrupted him again. "Well? What are you waiting for?" The pegasus rolled his eyes and took off into the sky.

"I am sorry that we are causing such difficulties for you both." Rarity said as she lay against the side of the basket.

"Eeeey, no problem," said Gentzo with a smile.

"Yeah, it's no trouble." Said Gale. "As I said before, search and rescue is our main duty before seeding and always comes first. It feels good to be able to help ponies out, instead of just making a storm."

"Ah understand that completely." Piped in Applejack.

The light pitter-patter of rain became a loud din as the storm opened up. "Looks like number six started early," mumbled Gale under her breath.

Rarity curled up next to Pinkie Pie and the pink pony held the white unicorn tightly to her. The sound of the rain on the canvas was soothing and Rarity felt her eyelids begin to droop. "I don't believe I managed to get any sleep last night, darling. Would you mind if I took a quick nap?"

Pinkie smiled and giggled at her. "Of course not, you go ahead and get some rest. Let mamma Pinkie look out for you." Applejack raised an eyebrow at the two of them.

"I do wish you wouldn't call yourself 'mamma'." Rarity closed her eyes and said. "It sounds peculiar." The last thing she heard before the darkness took her was another giggle from Pinkie.

-------------------

Rarity was awoken by her head banging against something. She raised her hoof to her aching head and looked around, bleary eyed. She was still in the balloon basket, but it was being violently shaken. There was a loud and constant roar, and the spray of heavy rain had drenched her. She whimpered and could feel her previously luxurious mane sagging, completely soaked and limply hanging from her head. There was something soft and warm wrapped around her, she blinked and looked beside her. "Oh, hello Pinkie."

The pink pony smiled at her. "Hiya Rarity, did you have a good sleep?"

Rarity lightly poked her limp mane with her hoof as she replied. "I did, at least until this storm so rudely interrupted it."

"Sorry Rarity, the wind is blowing so hard..." A bolt of lightning cut her off and lit up the sky, followed closely by the crash of thunder. Rarity held on tightly to Pinkie. "It's ok Rarity, it's just some mean ol' thunder and lightning, nothing to be worried about."

"Speak fer yer self."

Rarity looked over and could see Applejack huddled up against Pinkie's other side. "Applejack?"

"AH AIN'T SCARED!" Shouted Applejack before another bolt of lightning caused her to jump and cling onto Pinkie tighter. "Okay okay, maybe a little bit." Another roar of thunder rumbled though the sky.

Rarity heard a yell behind her. "HOLD ON TIGHT!"

A huge gust of wind blew the basket almost sideways and the three mares clung to each other for dear life.

"DONT WORRY, WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" Gale yelled from behind them as the storm buffeted the balloon around.

"Ah don't know how ya stayed asleep through most of this, wish Ah coulda," said Applejack as she hugged Pinkie.

Gale and Gentzo's heads moved around to the sides of the balloon as they tried to stop it from swinging. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky and the three mares covered their ears from the boom of thunder that came shortly after.

Gentzo pointed a talon ahead of them. "EEEEY, THEEEERE IT ISSSS."

"GOOD EYE!" Gale looked into the basket at the three passengers. "WE'RE TAKING IT DOWN NOW. BE READY TO DEFLATE THIS THING AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH DOWN. DON'T WANT THIS WIND BLOWING YOU AWAY AGAIN!"

Pinkie nodded at Gale and squeezed out from between Applejack and Rarity. She stood up with her front legs holding herself steady as she tried to grab the rip cord in her mouth. After several tries she managed to catch it then quickly waved to Gale before holding herself steady again.

Rarity couldn't tell if the balloon was descending or not. The sheets of rain obscured everything around them. She suddenly felt a jolt and the basket finally stopped moving.

"OK, WE'RE DOWN!" Shouted Gale over the roar of the rain and wind. Gentzo landed with the basket but Gale continued to hover as she held it down.

Pinkie pulled on the cord and the balloon rapidly deflated. Rarity and Applejack leapt out of the basket followed closely by Pinkie, dodging the rapidly descending soaked canvas.

Gentzo gave the ponies a quick salute and shouted. "GOOD LUCK GETTING HOME EEEEY." Then he took off into the cloudy sky.

Gale lingered a bit longer. She leaned forwards so they could hear her without her having to yell. "It was nice meeting you all, have safe travels." With one strong flap of her huge wings she rocketed into the clouds after Gentzo.

The three ponies watched the sky for a moment before Rarity shrieked. "THE DRESSES!" and dove back into the basket. She quickly jumped back out as the balloon collapsed into the basket, a pile of dresses and a white box hovering behind her. She ran to a nearby building with a large awning over the entrance, Pinkie and Applejack galloping behind her .

The building appeared to be some sort of shop, but the windows were covered in thick droplets of water from the heavy rain and Rarity couldn't see inside. "I suppose I should be glad I can't see myself in the window." She flipped her limp, dripping mane with her hoof. "I must look simply horrible right now." A shiver shook her body at the thought of her appearance.

"Aww cmon Rarity, I like your mane all wet," Pinkie said as she patted Rarity's back with her hoof.

Rarity jumped back and shrieked. "Careful Pinkie! I'm sure your hooves are muddy."

Pinkie just giggled then pounced on Rarity resulting in another shriek from her and a long string of complaining that was muffled by Pinkie as she kissed Rarity.

"Hey Girls... GIRLS!"

Pinkie and Rarity stopped struggling and looked up at the orange earth pony.

"Ah think the train's still here."

Rarity and Pinkie both looked at where her hoof was pointing. Making out anything in a downpour like this was difficult. The buildings across the street were almost completely obscured by a sheet of white. "Are you sure?" Rarity asked.

"Ah think so. Pretty sure that buildin' over there is the ticket station and," she squinted her eyes, "Ah reckon I can see that weird tube shaped train next ta it."

With a look of trepidation, Rarity examined the storm just beyond the awning. At the very least she couldn't get any wetter than she already was, plus the rain would wash off any mud Pinkie had left on her. "Alright, let's run to the ticket station. At least the lightning seems to have stopped." She dug her hooves into the ground, ready to sprint as fast as she could to the station. To her left was Applejack, casually standing and waiting for Rarity to go. Behind her a pile of dresses and a white box floated. And on her right was Pinkie, who had her front end lowered to the ground and her rear sticking into the air, wiggling as she awaited the impending race. Rarity could only roll her eyes at her ridiculous yet oddly charming display.

The three of them galloped though the torrent of rain, fat droplets pelting them as they sped forward. Pinkie hopped ahead of Rarity and Applejack. "Looklooklook, you're right, Applejack, it's right there."

As they got closer Rarity could make out the odd cylindrical train Applejack had been talking about. "Are you certain that is a train?"

"Sure as hay is, we rode it here after all." Applejack's voice had a certain lightness in it that Rarity hadn't heard from her since Rarity had last seen her working on her farm.

They skidded to a halt in front of a ticket window, a small over hang keeping the area around the booth dry. Rarity could see a light brown earth pony stallion sitting with his head resting on his front legs, lazily looking out at the rain through half lidded eyes. He looked like he was about to fall asleep.

Rarity reared up and slammed her front hooves on the counter with a loud bang, startling the brown pony and causing him to almost fall out of his chair. "We need three tickets to Canterlot," she said with a flick of her mane, causing it to hang behind her ear instead of covering her face.

The brown pony steadied himself then looked up at Rarity. "Uhhhh I don't think we have anymore tickets."

"WHAT! But we simply must return to Canterlot."

"Sorry, but the last ticket is uhhhhhh, reserved."

Pinkie hopped up next to Rarity. "Hiya again, are you suuuuuure we can't have that ticket? You said it was for Rarity and this is Rarity." She picked up Rarity and held her in front of the ticket window.

"EEEEEEEK, PINKIE!" squealed Rarity.

"Uhhh oh yeah..." He paused and looked Rarity up and down. "Are you sure you're Rarity?" He looked back at Pinkie. "I thought you said she was beautiful?"

The thick glass of the ticket booth managed to stop Rarity's horn just short of the ticket pony. "You are very lucky this glass is here, uuuhhhhhhh." She struggled to free herself. "Pinkie, a little help please."

Pinkie giggled. "Okey dokey loki." She pulled hard till Rarity's horn finally came loose and they both cart wheeled together into the mud, resulting in another shriek from Rarity.

While Pinkie and Rarity recovered, Applejack stepped up to the counter and smiled at the cowering ticket clerk. "Ya might wanna give me her ticket. She's had a rough coupla days an' you managed to say just the wrong thing at the wrong time."

The ticket pony, still shaking, retrieved Rarity's ticket and gave it to Applejack without a word.

"Thank ya kindly. Oh, also can ya make sure these get to their rightful owners?" Applejack picked up the pile of dresses from beside the booth where Rarity had set them and put them onto the counter. "We got these from the site of the hydra attack on the caravan and it would be mighty kind of ya to see they got back to their owners." She looked behind her at the white unicorn, who was now covered in mud, and still struggling to untangle herself from Pinkie. Rarity rose to her hooves and glared daggers at the ticket pony. "Plus if they didn't find their way home then Rarity would be mighty sore. And we wouldn't want that," she smiled at the ticket pony, "would we?"

The ticket pony tried to duck down to escape Rarity's gaze. "Uhhh yeahyeahyeah, we don't want Rarity to be sore." He reached out from the hole at the bottom of the glass and pulled the dresses in with him. "I'll uhh, make sure these get to Spokes. He'll know where they go. Anything to make sure, uuhhh, Rarity is happy." The brown ticket pony gave Applejack a nervous grin then ducked down behind the counter as Rarity came trotting up, still covered in mud and with a look of pandemonium in her eyes.

Applejack headed her off. "Easy there sug, Ah got yer ticket, lets jus' git on the train and go home." She held up the ticket to Rarity.

"Fine," huffed Rarity and took the ticket with her magic. She spun on her hoof and trotted towards the train, ignoring the heavy rain pelting her.

Pinkie hopped up next to Rarity. "So we get to go back on the train? We get to go home?"

Rarity nudged her as she walked to the train. "Yes Pinkie, we get to go home."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!" Squealed Pinkie. "I'll go get my balloon." She was about to race off before Rarity grabbed her tail using her magic.

"Be a dear and bring me my bag, would you? I left it in the basket."

Pinkie saluted and sped off into the storm.

Rarity shook her head. "I hope she can find her way back." She looked up into the sky and let the rain cascade over her. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she felt the mud wash away. Applejack came up beside her with a white box on her back.

"Ya fergot yer cake."

Rarity opened her eyes and looked at Applejack, the earth pony had a stern expression across her face. "Thank you, darling."

"Ya really shouldn't have done that ta the ticket pony."

Rarity sighed. "I know." She flicked her head, flipping her main back. "He just.... raghhh, he said the wrong thing at the wrong time. I don't need to be reminded that I look horrible." She and Applejack slowed as they reached the side of the train.

"Ah ain't gonna say he wasn't rude but ya could'ave really hurt somepony." Applejack's expression softened. "Jus' be more careful in the future, sug."

"I will, thank you, Applejack."

Rarity knocked on the door to the passenger car. It slid open, revealing an annoyed looking peach colored mare wearing a blue conductor's hat. She glared at the two ponies standing out in the rain in front of her. "Please tell me you're Rarity?"

Rarity nodded and presented her ticket. "Yes I am."

The mare gave a relieved sigh. "Finaly, we've been waiting for you for hours." She took the ticket and pulled out a hole punch and punched a hole in the ticket then gave it back to Rarity, who took it with her magic. "I don't know why they put a hold on your ticket, I didn't even know we still did that. You must be a very important pony." The mare looked at Applejack. "Ticket?"

Rarity stepped forward. "She's with me."

"But she has to have a... actually never mind, you have your own cabin, if you want to share it that's fine. I don't want to hold up the train any longer." She stepped back to let the ponies onto the train. "All aboard," she said with a smile.

"One moment, we are waiting for somepony."

The conductor visibly sagged as soon as Rarity said it and began hitting her head on the doorway. "Never *bang* going *bang* to *bang* get *bang* home *bang*"

"Easy there sug," said Applejack. "She'll be here any minute now... An there she is."

As Rarity and the conductor followed Applejack's gaze and through the pouring rain, they could make out a pink pony shape pushing something onto one of the train cars further down. Rarity waved her hoof and called out. "Pinkieeeeeee over here." It was unlikely that Pinkie would hear her, but she felt the gesture was important. As soon as she put her hoof down the pink pony galloped over.

Pinkie's normally poofy mane was plastered against her neck and she was carrying a mauve bag in her mouth. Which she brought to Rarity who took it with her magic and hovered it beside herself. "Okey dokie, the balloon is loaded into the train."

"Thank you, darling, would you be a dear and carry this for me?" asked Rarity and she levitated the white box into Pinkie's back then turned to the conductor. "Shall we?"

The conductor grinned. "Finally! All aboard!"

Applejack stepped inside followed by Rarity and Pinkie. As soon as Pinkie got out of the rain she shook her self off, spraying everything and everypony around her with water.

"ACK, PINKIE!"

"Oooops, sorry Rarity."

Rarity huffed and she set down her bag. The light blue glow of her magic enveloped her. Her wet coat was quickly dryed with a *ffffttttzzzzz*. "There we go, much better." She looked at the conductor. "Lead on please."

The conductor led them through a car full of passengers most of which were stallions that looked angry, annoyed or just plain tired. As they were walking through they could hear murmurs from them.

"About time."

"I hope these are the ones we're waiting for."

"What makes them so special?"

They passed through a door at the far end of the car leading to a narrow hallway with doors on one side. "What was those ponies' problems?" asked Applejack.

"They're mostly railway workers on the way back home to Canterlot or wherever. They've been waiting for the train to leave since about noon." The conductor stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway. "And here we are."

The cabin was surprisingly roomy, with wall to wall plush mauve carpet. On one side was a bed big enough for two ponies and on the other was a rectangular table in front of a long sofa that wrapped along one side of the room. There were paintings of the Princesses and other important looking ponies that Rarity was ashamed to realize she didn't know. Well, aside from a certain handsome, white, smirking unicorn stallion, who also just happened to be the most ill-mannered pony she ever had the misfortune of meeting. She made a quick mental note to cover that painting with something. At the back of the cabin, just over the sofa, was a large window that would have allowed for a spectacular view on a less stormy day. "Oh my, Lady Amethyst said I would have a lovely cabin, but I hardly expected this. I did not even realize trains had cabins as luxurious as this."

"Yes, this is the princess suite. This is the first train to have one," she puffed her chest out with pride. "I think the idea is to get some of the wealthy ponies who refuse to ride in anything, but an airship back on trains." The conductor shrugged and tipped her hat. "I hope you three have a pleasant trip. Now I must see to the train." With that she closed the door and left the three mares alone in their cabin.

From inside the luxurious cabin they could barely even hear the rain as it continued to hammer the town.

"Ah don't like it, feels like a room for Princess Celestia." Applejack said as she looked around the room.

Rarity trotted forward and shook her limp mane. "I'll admit, it does seem like a bit much, but at least there is more than enough room for all three of us." She placed her bag on the table and used her magic to open it and levitate out a brush and some mane products. "Now, I simply must fix my mane."

Pinkie put the box of cake next to the sofa then hopped up onto it. "Awww, c'mon Rarity. I like your mane down." She batted her eye lashes at the unicorn and gave her the biggest Pinkie puppy dog eyes she could.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Yes yes yes, I know you like it but I have not felt fabulous in days. I simply must rectify that." She started working on her mane, carefully brushing her long hair.

Applejack sat on the sofa under the window. "Pinkie's right, sug. Yer mane does look mighty purdy down like that."

A train whistle interrupted their conversation. As soon as the sound of the whistle died down, the train lurched forward and slowly began to pick up speed. Applejack turned to look out of the window, Rarity continued working on her mane, but she stepped closer to the window and watched as the droplets of water began to blow sideways across the glass. The rain-hidden buildings of the village rushed past them as the train passed the wall surrounding the small town.

A loud bang shook the floor and almost caused Rarity to fall over.

Applejack looked out the window. "That wasn't thunder, was it? Ah didn't see no lightning." As soon as she had finished saying it an enormous roar filled the air.

Comments

[Avatar of Shadow]

No offence to Pinkie, but Rarity is worried about her reputation when shes dating such a crazy pony?

[Spice of Life]

2677661

Never let it be said love makes you smarter.