Chapters Vine ran out of the house holding a small letter. As nervous as he was, he was bursting with excitement. This was the first time he cared for another pony that wasn't family. As he trotted down the dark brown, dusty, dirt road, his mind pondered on with daydreams of joy and happiness. Vine lived in a... Interesting house. His father was a scary stallion, he was bigger than your average earth pony, which wasn't a good thing. He also had these cold, silver eyes that could pierce through anypony in seconds. His father had always demand so much from Vine, as if he was suppose to be the perfect son. His father never even bothered to force his brother All-Star to do 5000 word essays on why the leaves change colors in the fall, or to do anything really. Vine let a small sigh escape from him as he reached Ponyville. It was a Saturday so, a lot of fillies and colts were running around. Some foals where ice skating, others there playing in the snow. They all had hats and scarfs that seems brand new, Vine looked down an examined his old scarf. It was grey and worn out, and he didn't have a hat. He let out another small sigh as his white breath floated up in his face to greet him. That always cheered Vine up for some reason, maybe because it was funny? He didn't know.
~~~~~~~~
Vine climbed up the doorsteps and knocked on the door. Taking a step back, the door opened and he was greeted by warmth and the smell of sugar cookies as Green pegasus with a crazy brown and orange mane had answered the door and looked down at Vine with a warm, friendly smile.
"Hi Vine! I suppose you're here to see Flower, right?" The green pegasus asked.
"Is she home by any chance Mr. Click?" Vine looked up at him.
"She sure is, come on in." Click ushered Vine threw the door and called out for Flower. The house was light up in a warm yellow light Ora and Hearts Warming Eve lights were strung all over the house. There was a large tree in the corner of the living room with different colored lights dangling from it, along with an arrangement of bright and beautiful adornments. Vine smiled as a filly pegasus slid down the railing and jumped off, dashing over to greet him.
"Hey Vine!" The filly said with a smile across her face as a goofy grin was slapped across his face.
"Hey Flower! Do you wanna go ice skating or build Snowstallions or something?" His goofy grin widened as she nodded happily. They both took off towards the door and click stopped them.
"Now Now you two, Flower, you need a hat and scarf before you go running off." Click said as Flower rolled her eyes and smiled and got her a hat and scarf on. The two darted out the door and trotted to the park talking.
"So, what do you want to do first?" Vine asked as Flower zipped off towards Sweet Apple Acres with a big grin.
"Follow me and you'll find out!" She shouted and Vine spread his wings and flew off after her.
~a few minutes later~
Flower knocked on the door to Applejacks home. After a few brief moments, A cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane answered the door.
"Hey squirt. What's up?" The mare smiled down at flower.
"Can me and Vine play in the apple orchard Aunt Rainbow Dash?" Flower asked as applejack shouted from inside.
"Rainbow! Who the hay is at the door?!" Applejack asked as Rainbow Dash shouted back.
"Clicks kid and her friend. They what to know if they can play in the apple orchard." Flower grabbed Rainbow Dashes leg and whispered something into her ear. Rainbow Dash quickly trotted away from the door and Vine could hear Dash and Applejack talking. When Rainbow Dash returned she had a bright smile on her face as she shooed them away.
"AJ said it was fine, you kids go have fun." Rainbow Dash said and closed to door. Curiosity nipped at Vine as Flower and him trotted out into the endless rows of apple trees. What had Flower told Rainbow Dash? Why was it so important she didn't say it out loud? Questions bugged at Vine but eventually he just forgot as Flower took random turns here and there. The rows of apple trees seemed to be getting more dense and things look more like forest than just an apple orchard. But the sight was beautiful, snow and icicles hung down from the bare branches and made it look like a winter wonderland. Vines ears perked up as they reached a snow covered clearing leading out to a cliff.
"Whoa..." Vine said breathlessly as he trotted out to the edge. As he looked over he saw all of Ponyville and the Everfree forest. He even saw Applejacks barn and her apple orchard.
"Awesome, right? Aunt Applejack took me here one time in the summer when she was watching me, we had a picnic and we made shapes out of the clouds." Flower and trotting up next to Vine and sat down.
Now's your chance Vine, give her the letter! Vine thought to himself as he took the letter he was carrying earlier out of his scarf and put it on the ground. Flower looked over at him with big, sparkly yellow eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.
"What's that Vine?" She asked and smiled at Vine. He thought that would melt him for sure if he was a Snowstallion. Vine didn't even have to force himself to gaze at flower happily as he pushed the letter over with a somewhat shaky hoof as he spoke in his somewhat shaky voice.
"I-I... J-just... O-open i-it please." He said as Flower carefully open the letter and read the half-crumbled piece of paper.
Take a second to ask.
By: Vine Triple-trot
I don't know what it is,
But sometimes,
I feel like I can't breath,
like I can't make those white little clouds
that leap of of your mouth
during winter.
I feel like my hooves are stuck to the ground.
Or my hearts going to break out of my chest.
The thing is though,
this only happens
when I'm with you.
You bring on good feelings
and embarrassing feelings.
But I like you.
You're cool,
really cool.
You're funny,
you're smart,
you're the only pony I know,
that can stand up to my father
and doesn't get the glare of death.
You're brave.
You're one of a kind.
So,
I'm going to try and be brave,
and one of a kind for a second.
and take a second to
ask you something...
Vine watched as Flowers big, sparkly, yellow eyes re-read over the note a few times then she looked up at Vine and blushed, but smiled. She put the note back in the letter and tucked it behind her scarf. She looked back up at Vine and smiled softly and warmly as she spoke in a voice so hushed it was almost a whisper, like nopony but her and Vine could hear.
"So what do you need to ask me?" Flower asked as Vine realized how close he was to her, he realized that they where pretty much leaning against each other. He gulped his blush becoming deeper by the moment,
"Flower... Will you be my Special Somepony this Hearts Warming Eve?" Vine stared right into Flowers eyes as she rested her head against Vines chest and snuggled against him. Vine drapped one of his medium, teen-aged sized, wings over Flower and nuzzled the back of her head as Flower spoke this time in a whisper he barley heard.
"Yes, of course I will Vine."
(Note: these are different ponies than the last chapter!)
Lightning Storm zipped through the winter air her black coat shimmering and her grey and white bangs from her mane blowing in her face. A small smile appeared across her face as she dove into a cloud sending it scattering into cloud pieces and evaporating. She had gotten better at flying ever since she came to Equestria. You see, Lightning Storm wasn't really from Equestria, or anywhere in this world. She was once a human, one year into her college studies of medication. When one night she was on Facebook when her chair fell backwards and she passed out, somehow ending up as a mare in Cloudsdaile. Now, 2 years later, she's a weather pony in Ponyville. A small sigh escaped from her mouth as she decided to practice her tricks. She folded her wings and plummeted towards a shallow river at high speeds. To a unicorn or earth pony, this would seem like a perfect way to die. But, to a skilled pegasus, this would seem like the perfect way to practice a trick. At the last moment she pulled up centimeters from the river and look down at it with a smirk, her reflection smirking back. Skimming her hooves over the surface, she pulled up somewhat and flipped over so she could look up at the clouds. It was a beautiful day out, the sun was shining just right and there was the perfect amount of clouds in the sky, not enough to make the day grey, but just enough to cause a nice amount of shade. Her small grin turned into a bright, gleaming, happy smile as she flipped back over and noticed a orange stallion with a brown mane sitting by the river.
"Lowell!" Lightning Storm shouted happily as the stallion turned his head quickly and Lightning crashed into him. The stallion laughed as Lighting Storm rolled off of him cracking up.
"Hey Lighting." Lowell said as he got up and helped up Lightning Storm.
"So, what are you up to on this fine day?" Lighting Storm asked taking up his offer for help up.
"Oh nothing much. Applejack's away on some vacation with her friends, so I'm stuck here. What are you up to?" He smiled as they started to trot alongside the river.
"I was just practicing some the new moves Rainbow Dash taught me, you wanna see them?" Lightning Storm unfolded her wings as Lowell nodded and took off to the sky. Lowell chuckled slightly at the energetic mare and flew off after her. The chilly air nipped at Lightning Storm as she looked behind herself to see Lowell seeming to be struggling to keep up. Lightning Storm slowed down at and flipped upside down, looking at him. Lowell chuckled and poked her nose.
"It's seems that Rainbow Dash taught you well, young grasshopper." Lowell said in a fake, raspy voice. Lightning storm giggled as she flipped back over and flew next to Lowell's side. Something about him just reminded her of home, back when she was a human. He just, made her wonder if anyone missed her. How her family and friends were doing without her. Lowell must'v noticed her smile dimmed somewhat because he looked at her confusedly.
"You ok Storm?" He asked as Lightning Storm snapped back into reality and nodded slightly.
"Y-yea... Just thinking about home."
"Which home? Cloudsdaile or your cloud house?"
"C..Cloudsdaile... Yea... Cloudsdaile's totally the place I'm thinkin' of..." Lightning Storm sighed as Lowell gave her another confused look.
"I.. Don't think I understand..." Lowell said as Lightning Storm grumbled something and shot up to the sky like a rocket. In a few seconds she was about a mile away sitting on a cloud ranting to herself. Lowell took a moment to consider flying over there to comfort her, but she seemed really angry so he decided to give her some space.
~Later that day~
Lightning Storm hadn't moved a muscle for the rest of that day. Right as the sun was just about to set, Lightning Storm felt someone fly up and sit next to her.
"Hey..." Lightning storm said quietly.
"What did I do?" Lowell asked in utter confusion. Lightning Storm turned away from him so he couldn't see her crying as she spoke.
"I-it's nothing... Look, sorry for flying off... Do you wanna do something.. or... something...?" Lightning asked and smiled weakly at Lowell and he smiled and nodded.
"Applejack showed me this really neat trail that look amazing during winter. You wanna go?"
"Sure... Why not. I haven't gone for a jog in at least a month."
~~~
Lightning Storm smiled as she and Lowell trotted side by side. She couldn't help smiling at the crazy stallion she fell head over hooves for, he was one of the most funniest ponies she'd ever met. Lowell just was.. Lowell. His yellow coat, brown mane, and his green eyes that were always full of happiness,silliness, and adventure. But there was more to Lowell than what was on the outside. If anything, Lightning Storm wouldn't care about what he looked like if he wasn't one of the funniest, nicest stallions she'd ever met. Lowell was perfect to Lightning storm, that's why he was so amazing. Lowell's face grew from a happy grin to a questionable look as he stared at Lighting Storm.
"Uh.. Storm.. Your wings... Are you planning on taking off or something?" Lowell slowed down to a stop and pointed his hoof at Lightning Storms wings, which were sticking straight up. A deep blush appeared across Lightning Storms face as she forced the traitorous wings down with all her willpower.
"I...Uh.. Oh Look, there's a clearing ahead!" Lightning said quickly changing the subject and trotting up to the clearing with Lowell behind. The two sat down under a large oak tree and talked for awhile. Eventually, Lightning Storm found herself wanting to confess her feelings, so she did.
"Lowell, I need to tell you something..." Lightning Storm said as she stared into Lowell's green, goofy eyes.
"What's up?" Lowell asked staring back at her. Lightning took a deep breath and let it all out.
"I'm just going to come out and say it, I think I'm in love with you." Lightning Storm paused for a second, trying to take in what she was actually saying, and trying to stop herself. But her mind got the best of her and she continued.
"I'm so head over hooves for you, I can barley think straight sometimes. At first, I wasn't sure if this wasn't just some filly crush or not, but just sitting here with you, being able to talk to you about anything and everything, helped me realize that I'm in love with you." Lightning Storm was now blushing uncontrollably and turned her head away from Lowell, who was staring at her with wide eyes. Everything was silent for awhile, then Lowell spoke up.
"Lightning Storm I..."
TO BE CONTINUED....
“Lighting....I'm.....with Jackie..I....I didn't know...you....well...liked me..”Lowell said, watching Lightning as she only took a step back before looking around.
“I....I...didn't know Lowell...I..” Lightning said as she took another step back, flattening her ears and taking off into the sky before Lowell could said anything. He only reached his hoof out and watched her fly off over the distance.
"I...had no idea......great now she is upset some friend I am." Lowell said as he closed his eyes and looked to the ground.
~~~
Tears streamed down Lightning's face and she tried to bury herself deep into the storm cloud like it would make all of her problems disappear.
"I'm such a bucking idiot! I should have known he was with AJ, considering the fact he's been living at her house for the last few bucking weeks! Ugh, why did I not see this coming!" Lightning storm yelled at herself as she stuck her head deep into the cloud, and in return got zapped with lightning. Quickly leaping off, rage coursed through Lightning as she dove head first into the storm cloud, sending storm pieces scattering. She then quickly flew off and landed by a river, not caring if some ponies were watching or not. As she stared at her reflection and noticed how different she looked. Her light grey and white bang-like mane dreadly hung over her tear stained face instead of pointing out in a half-brushed mess, and her eyes were red and puffy. It made her look like she hadn't slept in days, that or was really depressed. She let out a small sigh and zoned off into space on her reflection, not really noticing the cyan mare that had taken notice in Lightning and had trotted up next to her.
"Hey Lightning." Rainbow Dash said as Lightning Storm snapped back into reality.
"Oh... Hey..." Lightning weakly sat up as Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.
"Uh... Are you ok? You look as if you have been crying..." Rainbow said softly as Lightning Storm tried everything in her will-power not to break down again.
"Yea, I have.... But I-It's nothing though..." Lightning Storm looked away from Dash as she spoke and Rainbow smiled sympathetically and wrapped her wing around her.
"Hey.. Come on.. We all have are moments... Well expect for me, I don't cry." Dash had started but Lightning gave her a tiny glare but couldn't help but smile as RD rolled her eyes and smiled too.
"Ok, I'm going to tell you something. But, if you ever tell any pony else... I'm... going to deny it. Even I get my moments... Sometimes I break down and I got no pony to cheer me up, because, ya know, me plus crying plus going out in public equals my reputation down the drain. But, don't want you sitting out here alone crying.... ok? Now, you can tell me what's wrong, or I'll simply fly away and forget this ever happened." Dash told her as Lightning Storm was silent for a moment or two. Soon she threw her forehooves around the rainbow-maned pegasus and sobbed into her shoulder as she explained everything. Dash just silently listened and wrapped both of her wings around the black pegasus as she spoke with a soft, quite voice.
"Huh... Well... I'll have a talk with AJ and everything can easily be sorted out for you." Rainbow Dash said and Lightning Pulled away from Dashes shoulder and stared at her.
"No no no! I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened.. I want Lowell to be happy, and if being with Applejack makes him happy then it makes me happy." LS sighed as Rainbow Dash looked at her confusedly.
"But Storm... You're not happy..."
"I'll be happy... Sooner or later I'll move on. Besides, I don't wanna lose Lowell as a best friend..."
Lightning Storm sighed as Rainbow Dash started to pull her wings away, but before she could completely pull them away Lightning Storm wrapped her forehooves Around RD again and pulled her in for a tight hug. Rainbow blushed somewhat, quickly accepting the hug and they sat there like this for awhile.
"Thank you Dash." Lightning Storm whispered before pulling away. The two mares sat there silently and somewhat awkwardly until Lightning spoke up again.
"I better go find Lowell..." Lightning sighed as she smiled slightly at Dash before taking off.
~~~
Lightning Storm whizzed through the sky all sadness and sorrow forgotten. Sure, she knew she was going to hurt for awhile, everyone does after being turned down by someone they fell in love with. And yea, there was a chance that her and Lowell's friendship wasn't going to be as strong the second time around. But, Lightning Storm had a feeling inside of her that everything would be fine at the end of the day, that everything would be all right if she played her cards the way she planned. As Storm came across Sweet Apple Arces she smiled and dove down to spot Lowell watching two fillies. He hadn't noticed her yet, but that was about to change shortly.
"Cute kids." Lightning storm smiled and leaned against an apple tree as Lowell turned around obviously surprised.
"O-oh! They LS, I wasn't suspecting you to drop by...!" Lowell stuttered out as he got to his hooves. The two fillies had stopped playing to watch them, listening silently.
"Look, Low, I might like you a lot, but I don't want you thinking that you're a a bad person. Because you're not... You're the awesomest pers- I mean, pony I have ever met. Yea, I'm going to hurt for awhile but I'll get better, as long as you're happy then I'll be happy. And trust me, I rather have you have you as a best friend and not end up loosing you then have you as a coltfriend and end up loosing you in the end." Lightning Storm smiled and looked up at the sky as every pony was silent. she gave a small happy sigh and watched a rainbow streak breakout through the sky before she continued.
"Besides, I think I found some pony else that's not taken, and is not my BPF." She just simply smiled before sitting down and watching the fillies play tag as she and Lowell chatted.
My Rays of light in the dark
Fire Flicker laughed lightly as she scrambled up and hid in a tree.
"5 bits says you can't find me!" Fire Flicker called out to the golden filly below.
"Oh really?"
"Really!"
And with that, Fire Flicker fell out of the tree and right in front of the golden filly.
"Ok ok... You win... But.. I don't have any money so... Ha!" Fire Flicker to scrunched up her nose and crossed her eyes, sticking out her tongue at the filly, who responded with a chuckle and held out her hand offering help up. Fire quickly took advantage of this and dragged the filly down and tumbled over her, pinning the filly to the ground.
"I win again! 5 Fire Flicker, 2 Golden Rays." Fire grinned as Golden Rays smiled lightly and blushed some, chuckling.
"I've never met a pony as competitive as you." Rays chuckled and Fire Flicker got off of the golden filly, leaning against an apple tree.
"Because you never met a pony like me before." She smiled and Golden Rays just shook her head and laughed lightly, getting up and sitting next to Fire Flicker closely.
"I guess I haven't." Rays smiled up at Fire, who simply smiled back and stared at her softly. Golden Rays was a pale yellow filly with a golden mane with light blue eyes. She wore a black tee-shirt underneath of a denim jacket and had dark blue jeans on. Fire Flicker on the other hand had was a light pink filly with a black, shaggy mane and had dark purple eyes. She was wearing a black hoodie overtop of a dark grey shirt and had black, ripped jeans. Your classic troublemaker, she remember her old teacher called her. It was true, Fire loved to goof around an have fun, which used to always land her in the principles office at her old school in Cloudsdale. But that was before her parents had left her to defend for herself on the street, then she hardly ever ate anything and it was a surprise she had clothes on her back or a makeshift shack to sleep in. But that didn't really matter to Rays, she supposed. The filly seemed to like Fire for the way she was, and not where she lived.
"So uh, you said you had something to tell me Rays?" Fire Got up and Rays leapt to her feet.
"I um... I'll tell you later..." Rays looked away attempting to hid a blush that Fire Flicker quickly caught notice of.
"Okie Dokie then..." she playfully wrapped her arm around blushing filly and put her in a gentle headlock and started to nogie her.
"Hey, hey! Ow! Fire! Stop!" Ray chuckled and Fire released to squirming filly and took off towards a small lake. "hey wait! Fire Flicker!"
~a few hours later~
Fire Flicker smiled as she threw some sticks into the small fire she and Rays have started and looked out at the lake, sitting right next to Rays so there was hardly an inch between the two.
"So, we campin' out here tonight..?" Rays looked up at her and Flicker shrugged.
"Want me to run back to your house and get some sleeping bags?"
"Sure.. But.. Why don't you wait a bit... I um... Need to tell you something..."
"Sure what's up?"
Fire Flicker watched as Golden Rays stared off out at the lake and then sighed, turning back to Fire and staring into her eyes.
"I... Fire... I like you a lot... And I like you as in 'I want you to be my fillyfriend' like you..." Ray kept her stare as Fire's face light up like a Christmas tree and she blinked. Fire Flicker had always been a Fillyfooler, and Rays knew that since day one. And even though Rays herself told Fire she was a Fillyfooler as well on that same faithful day, Fire kind of just pushed it aside and doubted she ever had a chance with the beautiful farmer's daughter. Fire Flicker was never good at relationships, really. They always seemed like a waist of her time and she saw racing as a much more valuable thing. But ever since she met Rays she had been falling hard for the golden filly, even though her brain kept telling her to move on and that it would never happen.
"R-really?" Fire Flicker finally stuttered out sounding as shocked and surprised as some pony would be if they won the lottery.
"I... Yeah... I get it if you don't feel the same way though..." Rays finally looked away but she felt her head turned back to Fire and before she could respond, she felt Fire Flicker's lips against hers.
It all felt strange to Fire Flicker, kissing Rays, that is. Sure, she had kissed tons of fillies and colts back in her school days. But this felt different... Like, the whole world had stopped moving for that blissful moment and everything felt perfect. Fire forgot everything at that moment. All her troubles, her problems, heck, she even forgot her name and where she was. All that mattered right now was the golden filly in front of her.
