Caught in the rain


                                            >"Hey uhh, Dash?"

                                            >Your large cumbersome friend asks with a grunt while stretching his legs.

                                            "Whats up?"

                                            >"Are you positive today is the most solid day to go for an extended run?"

                                            "Anon, don't be such a little filly." You lean forward to stretch your core, "Hnnn-ah! Your talking to a Pegasus here... the weather captain of Ponyville too." You rock yourself back to stretch your flanks, "If /anypony/ knows... what the weather will be...  Nn! Yeah, get that stretch... its me!"

                                            >"Well," He shrugs, looking upward and not sounding confident in your answer "Okay..."

                                            >You stretch each leg, making sure to warm up the ligaments around the joints.

                                            "Do ALL humans worry as much as you?" You roll your eyes.

                                            >"No, they do- I'm not worried dammit!" He looks up again, "Its just... you said we were gonna run through Everfree and those are some dark clouds over Everfree is all."

                                            >He shrugs, "I mean don't get it twisted, the clouds look all pretty'n shit but..."

                                            >He shakes his head and crosses his arms.

                                            "Aww! Is somepony afraid?" You walk up next to him, "Don't sweat it big guy. Yeah its cloudy, yeah were gonna be cutting into the Everfree for a little bit, but if something goes wrong I can just fly us back to town in a matter of seconds."

                                            >"Look, I'm not saying anything would go wrong. I just wish I knew whether or not it was gonna rain so I could've brought running pants and a jacket rather then a pair of shorts and a shirt..."

                                            >Anon tugs at the fabric of his shirt.

                                            >For the past few weeks you had been offering up some time to whip Anon into better shape.

                                            >Plus a good run would help take your mind off everything going on with life right now. Busy busy busy...

                                            >The trail you picked out for today had been one you scouted out while on a routine cloud move.

                                            >Starting at your current location, the fountain in Ponyville, leading close by Applejack's farm and winding into a cart trail leading into the Everfree for a good length.

                                            >How long it was exactly you couldn't say, but it was a good and flat course with a few big hills. Perfect for working up endurance.

                                            >"Well, I'm about ready. You?"

                                            "Was waiting on you." You nudge his leg.

                                            >"Yeah, yeah." He rolls his eyes.

                                            >You both hit the road, not a full sprint but a moderate pace. For him at least.

                                            >He may have way longer legs but 4 legs are definitely better then two for running.

                                            >Keeping the steady pace you exit Ponyville and make way on the trail to the farm and eventually cut off into the Everfree.

                                            >The overcast slowly grows darker the further away from town you get.

                                            >Large grey clouds sluggishly moving about, blotting out the sun entirely and making the already dreary forest even more ominous.

                                            >Little rumbles of thunder echo here and there across the sky, not anything your not used to hearing in the weather factory.

                                            >You look to your side every few seconds, making sure to keep the same pace and not leave Anon in the dust.

                                            >Though every time you do, you see Anon looking at the sky.

                                            "Y'know... If you focused less on the clouds" You do your best to keep the rhythm of you breathing, "and more on the run... we could probably go faster!"

                                            >"Sorry!" He replies in between breaths, "I was just admiring the coloration... in the sky!"

                                            "Your totally hopeless!"

                                            >Now a little annoyed, you pick up the pace. Prompting him to do the same in order to keep up.

                                            >With him now behind you, you turn your head to taunt him.

                                            "Don't fall behind! Otherwise... I'll leave you out here!"

                                            >"I'm keeping up dammit!"

                                            >Nothing like a taunt to keep somepony focused.


                                            >>

                                            >Several minutes and at least two and a half miles later, you both keep the steady stride going.

                                            >Focusing more on breathing and maintaining the pace, you don't notice the ever darkening clouds and increasing breeze all around you.

                                            >The trees sway and rock violently, blowing leaves and small branches all over the trail.

                                            >"That wind..." Anon calls out, "Feels great!" He coughs and spits behind him.

                                            "It does! So cool and calming!" You reply.

                                            >Not but a few seconds after you both admire and enjoy the breeze, you begin hearing the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the ground.

                                            >"Thought you said..." He huffs and smirks, "It wasn't gonna rain!"

                                            "I never said that!"

                                            >The pattering sprinkles quickly turn into sheets of rain, dousing your coast and mane.

                                            "Yes! Woohoo!" You exclaim, "I love the rain!"

                                            >"Yeah, screw what I said earlier!" Anon throws his arms up, "This feels great."

                                            >Refreshed and rejuvenated, you pick up the pace yet again with Anon following in turn.

                                            >You both laugh and exchange about the cool embrace of the raindrops hitting your warm bodies.

                                            >"I'm actually glad!" He says laughing, "I feel like we can go for longer then what we normally do now."

                                            "Me too!"

                                            >You swish your mane from side to side, enjoying the flow of wind and rain streaming through your coat.

                                            >The feel of rain along with the adrenaline, this is one of the things you LIVE for.

                                            >A strong gust pushes against you, making you squint and slow down.

                                            >The crackling of thunder and lightning above rattles the earth beneath your hooves, briefly lighting everything in sight up in a white flash.

                                            >"Holy-did you hear that shit?" Anon laughs with angst.

                                            "I FELT that!" You yell back, the sounds of your voices being drowned out by the falling water and wind.

                                            >Another blast of wind pounds against you, taking you off balance.

                                            "Oh no you don't!" You bark at the gale.

                                            >A tree branch fractures and breaks off its limb with a loud crack and crashes into the ground a few short feet away.

                                            >"Whoa!" Anon jumps to avoid the branch and tripping over to eating a face full of mud.

                                            >The soothing rain quickly became bothersome. The strength of the wind was bearing the rain down with enough force to feel like little pricks with each hit against your face.

                                            >"Hey, Dash!" Anon calls, "I'm no chickenshit, but even I know that this is getting to be all kinds of fucked! No point in being in shape when your dead!"

                                            >You hesitantly agree, the thought of turning down a challenge didn't suit you but he had a point about possibly getting hurt. The wind was no longer soothing but forceful, not to mention the sky cracking open with thunder every few seconds to light up the whole trail every few seconds didn't make for the most inviting scene.

                                            "Yeah!" You huff, slowing down and getting close to him, "I don't know how far out we are exactly! We need to find something to hide under!"

                                            >He nods in agreement, and begins searching the brush to your sides for a suitable temporary shelter.

                                            >You do the same.

                                            >"Look! Up ahead!"

                                            >He points up ahead to an old rickety looking wooden carriage stop, long past it's prime.

                                            "I see it!" You call back, "Lets go!"

                                            >Both of you full on dead sprint to the stop.

                                            >Not the sturdiest looking place to hunker down but it was better then nothing at all.

                                            >You enter in, with Anon not but a few paces behind.

                                            >The wooden structure was at least large enough to accommodate you both with room to spare.

                                            >Fortunately, it was mostly closed in with an opening on the left side for ponies to enter or exit.

                                            >The age of the cover was clear, having already been reclaimed by nature. Vines, roots, and other plant life covered the walls.

                                            >"I guess this will have to do huh?"

                                            >Anon wipes water from his face.

                                            "Yeah," You swish your head side to side, "guess so."

                                            >You take a seat on the bench the abode housed.

                                            >"Great day for a run huh?" Anon says, sitting on the opposite end.

                                            "Right? The absolute best." You reply with sarcasm.

                                            >You both laugh.

                                            >The wind just outside howls, wafting the rain to bombard the damp and soaked wooden structure.

                                            >"So... the hell is this thing anyway?"

                                            "What do you mean? Its an old carriage stop."

                                            >"Uhhh, this?" Anon raises his hands to gesture at the decrepit walls surrounding you, "Why the hell is a carriage stop in the middle of the Everfree? I didn't know they ran through here ever."

                                            "Well it IS an old carriage trail. Maybe ponies probably still use it?"

                                            >He shakes his head.

                                            >"I'm just not gonna worry and be glad its here."

                                            >The sound of rain outside doesn't let up, rumbling thunder and pounding water would cause the frame to convulse.

                                            "Heh, would suck if this place came crashing down on us..."

                                            >You let out an anxious chuckle.

                                            >Of course storms aren't a foreign concept for a pony like you. But your accustomed to storms you can control. The Everfree always posed the feeling of the unknown with the weather...

                                            >"Hey Dash, question."

                                            "Whats up?"

                                            >"If your a Pegasus, then why not use your cloud moving..." He waves his hand, looking for the right words, "abilities, to clear us a path?"

                                            "Well duh," you roll your eyes, "a Pegasus can't control clouds in just any ol'place." You lean back against the wall and stare at the ceiling, "The weather in Ponyville is controlled because the clouds we get are from Cloudsdale. Where the ones out here in Everfree are natural."

                                            >He nods.

                                            >"So, Pegasus can only manipulate certain clouds?"

                                            "Yeah, you could say that."

                                            >You slump down to relax, crossing your forelegs behind your head.

                                            >"Ah..." He nods again, "Wait, hang on. Is it just Ponyville that gets the weather treatment or all of Equestria?"

                                            "Cloudsdale works around the clock all year to ensure that all of Equestria has clouds for pegasi to bring weather to each town."

                                            >You begin naming towns off.

                                            "Ponyville of course, Canterlot, Manehatten. Even Appleoosa needs a storm every now and then."

                                            >"What about that Crystal Empire place up north?"

                                            "Thats all natural too."

                                            >You sit back up, turning slightly to make it easier to hold the conversation.

                                            >Wasn't expecting to give a run down on how weather is made...

                                            "The weather that far north comes from the mountains, without the crystal heart protecting their kingdom they'd get swallowed up in a blizzard!" You raise your hooves up.

                                            >"Damn thats crazy as all hell..."

                                            "Yeah, we Pagasi have a preeeetty important job to do in Equestria," You puff your chest, "Without us, weather would be chaotic and unpredictable."

                                            >He sneers, "Sounds like home."

                                            "Home?"

                                            >"I mean Eart- whoa fuck!"

                                            >A defeaing crack of thunder roars through the sky being followed by a sudden gust of wind.

                                            >"Hell," He laughs, "even growing up my whole life with weather being like this, I will never get used to random ass loud thunder like THAT."

                                            "So, where your from humans can't control the weather?" You tilt your head.

                                            >"Nah, no way." He shakes his head and looks outside, "Shit. As bad as this is, this is just average to some of the really severe thunderstorms or hurricanes we get."

                                            "How bad can they get?"

                                            >You adjusts positions, now resting on your haunches.

                                            >"Well, an extreme example would be like a category five hurricane. I'm not sure of what a hurricane consists of here-AH-CHOO!" He wipes his nose, "Sorry. But anyway, A hurricane like that on earth would have enough power to bring rain and wind at hundreds of miles per hour. Sometimes for days."

                                            "What!?" you blurt out, "Days at a time? Just how big are storms in your world anyway?"

                                            >"Thats the thing, chaotic and unpredictable," He rubs his arms and fights back another sneeze, "sometimes we can get storms hundreds of miles wide in diameter, swirling around'n shit" He rotates his finger, "and sometimes we can get storms that last for barely five minutes."

                                            "Whoa... that sounds..."

                                            >"Heh, crazy right? Partially why I was nervous about the clouds earlier."

                                            "I was gonna say scary. And uhhh..." You rub your foreleg and stare at the ground, "sorry."

                                            >He squints and purses his lips, "For what?"

                                            "Teasing you earlier. If I knew!" You feel a wave of embarrassment, "If I knew... I wouldn't have said you were being a scaredy cat."

                                            >"Don't worry about it." He sniffles, still rubbing his arms, "Not like I can't handle a joke, c'mon now."

                                            "Yeah, heh." you take a breath and regain your composure, "So what would somepony do when one of those "big bad" hurricanes came through?"

                                            >"Normally," He shrugs, "Board up windows, stock supplies like; food, water, and so on, tie down valuables. And uhhh... yeah." He rubs his arms again, faster, "Just weather the storm. Essentially."

                                            >You cross your forelegs.

                                            "Why would somepony live somewhere where that kind of thing could happen?"

                                            >"Why would someone build a kingdom in a place where the only thing protecting them from being frozen is a crystal heart?"

                                            >He smirks.

                                            "The Crystal Heart is-! Ugh, nevermind."

                                            >"Yeah, besides. People are stubborn and its not so much that you weather the storm. Its more who you do it wi...with-AH-CHOO--fuck!"

                                            >He wipes his nose again, still rubbing his arms and now shivering.

                                            >You give him a concerned look.

                                            "Everything okay?"

                                            >"Yeah I'm good." He sniffles and shrugs his shoulders, "Just a little cold from the rain."

                                            "Hm."

                                            >You sit for a second, and finally scoot over to him and wrap your wings around his body.

                                            >"What're you--"

                                            "Don't get any ideas," You look away, "you don't have a coat like I do, so I'm just helping out."

                                            >You give his arm a tap, signaling him to raise it so you can envelop him in your wings further.

                                            >He wraps one arm around you and with the other, holds your wing.

                                            >"I uhh... thanks."

                                            >You both sit in silence, Letting the ambiance of the storm take over.

                                            >After a few moments he warms up. Comfortable...

                                            "I think I see what you mean." You take a deep breath and rest your head on the side of his chest, "About the 'who you do it with' part."

                                            >He nods and rests his head on top yours.

                                            >"Yeah..."

                                            >You both settle in each other's embrace and watch the storm pass outside, until flickers of sunlight eventually shimmer through and break up the storm.