A Rainbow Colored Heart

There was silence in the room, a peaceful type of serenity that seemed to be enhanced with the soft music playing from the TV, candles lit all over the room filled the small living space with the light scent of vanilla. However the peace was suddenly broken with the sound of two young adults coughing violently breaking the silence of the room. What had began as a simple cold progressed into a full on sickness; turns out when you have a heart condition, sacrificing your jacket to a small pony to keep her warm while dealing with negative 5 degree weather makes you ill. Matthew didn’t get off easy either, much of his symptoms matching mine in nature.

Applejack adapted quickly to her new life style, quickly finding her place among her friends as they worked around the apartment. However ever since we arrived home from the previous day’s escapade, Rainbow Dash avoided me, not even bothering to meet my gaze or respond when I asked her a question, it was apparent she was angry at me, that was just a given. Unlike Rainbow Dash however Fluttershy and Applejack seemed to make every effort to get us back into tip-top shape, going as far as to make us soup out of whatever they could find in Matthews kitchen that wasn’t rotten or passed its expiration date.

A blanket fell over my shoulders just as Fluttershy flew over to Matthew who sat sprawled out in his leather chair asleep covering him in a blanket as well.

“Thanks Fluttershy” I called as Fluttershy smiled and landed on an open spot on the sofa near Rainbow Dash who idly watched the television not bothering to pay me any notice.

“D’ ya need anythin else sugar cube?” Applejack asked

“No, I appreciate it though” I said weakly, struggling to keep my eyes open.

Applejack had been curious about our way of life, even on our way back it was always “What was this” or “How can you do that?” like a young child curious about everything, and those questions only seemed to increase when we reached the apartment, wondering how many of the electronics worked and how she could help to work them learning almost faster than we could teach her.

The day began to grow late as everyone stayed stationary for the most part. I must have fallen asleep once or twice, letting time drift away. If my condition had taught me anything, it was patience, especially when it came to sickness; and boy could I feel its effects.

“And now for our five day forecast” I heard the weatherman said.

Leaning my head up I could see the progression of what seemed to be like another ice storm. However, tonight seemed to be warmer than others, which would melt some of the previous days remnants of snow, more than likely the falling snow would turn into rain which would in turn freeze the next day to create yet another problem; ice. Not to mention another snow fall in the days to follow.

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” I playfully sang making the three ponies turn to me in confusion which in turn made me stop. Applejack and Fluttershy chuckled slightly at my embarrassment before turning back to face the TV, Rainbow Dash ignored me completely.

I rolled onto my back, draping the back of my arm over my eyes to block out the light coming from the windows, as well as the nearby lamp, crossing my feet and relaxing them. Before I knew it I was fighting the urge to fall asleep again, struggling to keep my eyes open as I tried to focus on the sound from the TV. Yet much to my protest sleep managed to claim my thoughts.

Thunder boomed through the sky waking me from my slumber, and even shaking the house slightly with the effects of its boom. I looked around the room which was now pitch black, the TV was off, as was the lamp. Matthew had moved from his spot on the chair and could be heard snoring from his room. Fluttershy and the others were nowhere to be seen either but it seemed as if they were asleep in the two guest rooms on either side of the hallway since both doors were now shut. Suddenly thunder boomed again once again shaking the house.

I had always loved storms. Ever since I was little I would often find myself starring out at the storm, watching as lightning danced across the sky. The sound was relaxing to an extent, whether it was the rain hitting the roof, or the lightning itself, I had grown accustomed to the sound treating it as a sort of lullaby whenever I tried to fall asleep, counting after each thunder clap until the next sounded.

Another boom sounded. “1…2…3…4”- another sounded and I began to count again starting back at one. “1…2…3”- another sounded. However a light shuffling came from nearby, different from the other sounds caused by the lightning. I fell silent listening for the sound again, but to no avail, the apartment remained silent. I pushed the thought to the back of my head turning over onto my side, now facing the back of the cushion, sighing slightly waiting for the next thunder clap to sound.

The familiar sound came not a minute later, this time a little softer than the others yet still loud enough to be noticeable, the unusual rustle sounded again. I got up this time looking around the room hoping to find the source of the sound but to no avail. All in all something just felt off, as if something wasn’t right in the apartment. Grabbing the blanket I got up from the sofa and began to lightly step across the carpet. I took note of Matthew door which was slightly cracked but not enough to see inside. Walking passed the two closed guest room doors I approached Matthews room taking hold of the small metal door knob and pushing it open. Matthew was sprawled out on his side under all the covers his bed could provide snoring as loud as usual, seemingly unfazed by the storm outside. Pulling the door back until I heard the knob slide back into place, I moved to the guest room across from where I had been staying, the door completely closed this time. On the inside I could see Applejack and Fluttershy turned back to back on the edges of the bed, both tucked under the white sheets, neither seemed to be fazed by the storm either.

Another clap of thunder sounded; this one louder than the others which even made me jump a little. A small gasp like sound came from the guest room behind me; the one I stayed in. Cracking the door enough so I could peek inside I could see the covers on the bed bunched together to create a sort of cocoon in the middle with a small lump on the inside. Slowly I walked into the room taking care not to draw attention to myself.

Walking up to the bed I knelt down at the side noticing the small lump shaking violently, seemingly unaware of my presence. It was Rainbow Dash, I figured that out when she was nowhere to be seen in the other rooms, but this wasn’t like her, not at all.

“Dash?” I called in a calm soothing tone.

“GO AWAY!” She yelled back, her voice shaky, with unfamiliar hint of fear in it.

I Ignored her reaching a hand out and placing it on her side feeling her wings under the many covers she had managed to wrap herself in. I immediately could feel her trembling before she shape shifted and my hand was met with a blunt punch from the inside of the blanket cocoon, not enough to hurt, but it did cause me to flinch my hand back. I sat down on the edge of the bed looking out the window, watching as the rain hit the glass.

“Why are you here Matthias?!” she demanded.

“I heard you from the living room” I answered picking my words carefully as not to set her off again.

We fell silent again as more thunder claps sounded. I could feel her jump slightly as each clap sounded, shifting violently creating the familiar rustling sound. I had no idea what to say to her, I felt as though she didn’t even want me there, but I couldn’t live with myself if I just left, it wasn’t the right thing to do. We must have sat in silence for at least an hour, neither of us talking. In a way she reminded me of myself when I was a kid. Back then, I cried a lot, and in many ways she acted just as I did when I was younger; hiding from that which I was afraid of. In my case it had been the disease as well as the fear of death itself that made me want hide from the world.

Getting up from the edge of the bed I crawled over to the wall the bed was put against leaning up against it and stretching my legs out until my feet cleared the edge. Back then, my Mother would sit on the bed just as I was now. She wouldn’t speak but instead; she would comfort me, just by her presence, and when my tears stopped she would hold me close and lightly sing to me until I fell asleep. I could still remember her lullaby word for word. I looked up at the ceiling listening to the rain as I began sway my foot back and forth in time as I began to sing.

Come stop your crying, it’ll be alright

Just take my hand, hold it tight.

I will protect you from all around you

I will be here, don’t you cry.

Rainbow Dash began to shift under the covers, a light sniffle came from her head as it poked out from underneath the sheets. I turned my gaze to look into her ruby eyes which were still red from the tears. Knowing I was finally getting to her I continued.

For one so small, you seem so strong

My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm

This bond between us, can’t be broken

I will be here don’t you cry.

Rainbow Dash sniffled again as she seemed to lie down resting her head on her forelegs as she crossed them, closing her eyes. I placed a hand on her head, stroking her mane as I continued.

Cause you’ll be in my heart

Yes you’ll be in my heart

From this day on, now and forever more.

I closed my eyes just I felt Rainbow Dash move slightly and place the side of her head on my leg shifting her body to lay on her side to get more comfortable. I continued to stoke her mane gaining a pleased sigh from Rainbow Dash as I continued.

You’ll be in my heart

No matter what they say

You’ll be here in my heart

Always.

I let out a soft sigh as I finished the song letting the room fall silent. I continued running my hand along her mane, down the back of her neck, taking great care to stop before I reached her wings. It was funny; I never noticed how silky smooth it was, or how the colors never seemed to get out of sequence even after I ran my hand over them. I couldn’t tell if she had fallen asleep but her trembling seemed to have stopped.

Suddenly she sighed, as if to take a breath of courage before speaking. “When I was just a filly, before I earned my cutie mark, I used to be afraid of storms.” She explained. “Silly for somepony of my stature to be afraid of something so small, especially since pegasus ponies are often the ones to cause them.” She paused for a moment or two. I stopped stroking her mane to allow her to think. “What scared me the most is not knowing how to control it. It’s why I actually joined the weather team in PonyVille; to control the chaos, if that makes sense.” She paused again taking another breath before turning to look out the window as the rain continued to hit the glass without mercy. “It’s funny, after I joined the weather team, all the fear seemed to vanish, because I knew how those storms where created, even if I didn’t cause them myself, I knew the ponies that did. But these, I don’t know.” Her voice began to crack again as she raised a hoof to wipe her eyes.

“I’m sorry” she apologized lifting her head up to meet my gaze.

“Don’t be” I answered as I placed a hand on her head again causing her to smile. Part of me wanted to just pull her in and hug her, but in the back of my mind I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Rainbow Dash suddenly began to stare at me, her face seemed to change again.

“What?” I asked with a chuckle

“Why are you doing this?”

I shrugged. “I guess it’s just the right thing to do”

Shifting her position again she got up and turned to face me, standing by my waist. Her face carried a slight smile as she looked into my eyes, her head tilted down slightly.

“Thanks Matthias, for everything” she said getting a tad closer before jumping towards my chest wrapping her hooves under my open arms and squeezing, pressing her head up against my chest.

I felt my face begin to blush, I was thankful for the darkness which shrouded my face, however my heart began to race a little. Slowly I wrapped my arms around the small blue pegasus, returning her embrace with the same amount of strength she held me with. I no longer cared if it seemed wrong, for whatever reason, I just wanted to hold her as close as I could, and never let this feeling stop.

We held the embrace what seemed like hours before a sudden yawn from Rainbow Dash caused me to look down. Her embrace had lightening before she let go completely and moved to lay her head on my foreleg again stretching out towards the end of the bed and allowing her wings to unfold and relax.

“Tired?” I asked.

She merely nodded letting out a small content “uh-huh” as she rested a single hoof across my leg as if it was a pillow.

I leaned up from the wall and grabbed the pillow from the head of the bed, carefully maneuvering my leg from under Rainbow Dash’s head placing the pillow in its stead under her head. Getting up from the bed I proceeded to cover her body with the white sheets she had cocooned herself in before, earning a pleased sigh from the small pegasus. I knelt down, running a hand through her mane one last time before I got up to leave to return to my place on the couch, however I was stopped with a sudden tug on the back of my sleeveless undershirt.

Stopping I turned to see a small blue hoof wrapped up in the un-tucked portion of the fabric not in my jeans. I looked at Rainbow Dash who still seemed to be lost in her sleep, completely unaware that she had grabbed me. I chuckled slightly as I turned around, her hoof falling from my shirt as I went to kneel down. I looked out the window one more time just as another clap of thunder sounded in the distance.

“Fine, just for tonight” I whispered as I got up and crawled over Rainbow Dash to an open part of the twin size mattress settling underneath the covers, resting my head on my arm as I closed my eyes focusing on the sound of the rain falling outside. Another clap of thunder sounded.

“1…2…3…”