Haunted Memories 2 (AiE; Rainbow Dash)

>Once she settled down and closed her eyes

>Dash slept like she hadn't in years

>Her sleep was deep and dreamless

>Considering everything going on in her life, she couldn't be more grateful

>When she finally did wake, she yawned and stretched, her wings and legs reaching all corners of the mattress

>Blinking the grogginess away, she lifted her head slowly and looked around

>How'd she end up in this strange place?

>After such a  slumber, memories from the previous night came to her slowly

>The train ride, the diner, the creepy living room with its spooky pictures and noisy appliances

>Her hoof felt an empty part of the bed

>Oh hell

 >And Anon

>This was his place and this was his bed

>She sat up with a start, very awake now

>What a fool she made of herself last night

>Scared of pictures and some creepy noises?

>Running into his room yelling and...

>Dash swallowed and pulled her wings tight to her body

>Running into his arms for comfort!?

>What the heck was she thinking!?

>She felt so embarrassed she wanted to crawl under the bed

"Ugh, come on, Rainbow Dash.  It's not that bad.  Least it was...comfortable."

>Considering she had been juggling the idea of using a drunk stallion for a warm bed

>Sharing one willingly offered by a respectful human wasn't that terrible now that the initial shock passed

>It just wasn't something she was used to

>Relying on someone and being that vulnerable

>And he had said just the right thing too

>Right before running his fingers through her hair and...

>She shook her head and flapped her wings

>That wasn't like her at all and she wanted to escape the predicament

>Maybe if she gathered her things and left quietly she won't have to deal with him

>Just quietly slip out of the bedroom, grab her bags, and get the heck out of here

>Dash slowly climbed out of the bed, the old wooden floor betraying every movement she made

>Every hoof step accentuated by a creak or a groan of the wood

>Crud...

>Maybe she'll get lucky and he's out or in the bathroom or something

>Deciding being quiet wasn't going to happen, Dash clicked the bedroom door open

>No sign of Anon in the living room, maybe--

>"Finally awake, eh?"

>Double crud

>He was in the kitchen

>Sitting on a stool eating a sandwich

>"Hope you didn't have anything to do today.  I was going to wake you when I woke up but you looked like you could use the rest."

>Dash grumbled something and walked to her saddlebags

>Pretending like she was looking for something

>"I threw out the old stuff in the fridge and bought some food.  Feel free to help yourself before you go."

"What do you mean, before I go!?"

>Anon was about to take another bite of his sandwich but Dash's outburst froze him in place

>His comment, as innocent as it was, touched a nerve somewhere

>Cause in an instant, Dash had turned around and was thrusting a hoof at him

>Her wings flared and her stance very aggressive

"First you convince me to stay here, then you act like my friend, then you trick me into thinking the place is haunted, then you kick me out in the morning!?  What kinda weirdo are you?"

>He blinked a few times but went back to eating like nothing happened

"What the matter?  Nothing to say to that?"

>Dash puffed her chest out a little, glaring at him like he had set her house on fire

>He didn't seem phased

>"I don't entertain crazy on an empty stomach.  Neither should you."

>Dash's entire train of thought, what little of it she had to be honest, derailed and exploded in a gorge

>That was not the kinda reaction she wanted at all

>A bunch of apologies, or maybe even a fight but...what the heck do you even say to that?

>Dash stared, mouth half open, accusing hoof still pointing, as Anon walked into the living room and plopped on the couch

>He put his feet on the coffee table and nodded toward the kitchen

>"Eat something, if you're still mad after then you can yell all you want."

>Dash scoffed and looked away

"Whatever, egghead..."

>That was the best Dash could manage as she swore under her breath and went to the kitchen

>A big part of her wanted to pick up her bags and storm out of there

>Slamming the door behind her, making a big scene like in the movies

>But watching Anon eat made her tummy rumble

>Plus, dramatic exits and huffing were more Rarity's thing

>So Dash, instead, continued to swear under her breath for the next few minutes while she slapped peanut butter and jelly between two pieces of bread

>When she was done, she sat on the stool and ate in silence

>Anon had finished his sandwich and was paying her no mind, reading a newspaper

>As much as she hated to admit it

>With every bite of food her temper cooled

>She was still a little mad but the more she thought about it, Anon wasn't really why

>It was a lot more...complicated than that

>But he didn't have to suggest she leave so soon!

>Didn't he know that...well, no, he didn't know much of anything

>Darnit Dash, way to be a jerk

>Least he doesn't seem all that angry

>She was licking some peanut butter off her hoof when Anon spoke again

>"You can stay as long as you need to.  It took me a few days to find this place so I get that it's tough to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be outta here before you know it."

>Anon shrugged

>"Just in case, I'll keep the front door unlocked.  I'm done with my errands today."

>Dash hopped off the stool and returned to her bags

>She hefted her saddlebags on and tossed the strap of her suitcase over her neck

>"You might have a little trouble finding a place tonight.  It's like 3pm.  And a Sunday"

"Jeez, Anon, I'll be fine.  This is a big city, there has to be a bajillion apartments!"

>Dash tosses her mane and gives her wings a flap

>Belly full, confidence back

>And most of all, angry jerkiness replaced with her usual cockiness

"Don't worry, I'll come visit once I'm settled in.  You owe me a drink for all the ghost hunting I did last night!"

>He chuckled and sets the news paper aside, walking over to Dash

>He extends a hand and she places her hoof in it to shake

>"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Rainbow Dash"

"Likewise, Egghead"

>Anon smirks and tightens his grip a little

>Dash is surprised for a moment, a very tiny blush creeping on her cheeks

>But she takes her hoof back with a quiet snort

>She wasn't about to give Anon the satisfaction of knowing he impressed her

>"Take care"

"You too!"

 >With another toss of her mane, she trots out the door, closing it behind her with a kick of her leg

"I bet I can find an apartment anywhere!  Maybe even this building!  Imagine Anon's face if I get something down the hall!"

>Filled with confidence, she flew down the stairs

>Which one of the rooms was the office, she thought

>She found it pretty easy

>Along with the sign that told her they were closed on weekends

"Whatever, this building is all haunted anyhow..."

>Leaving and taking to the skies, Dash knew she'd find somewhere to stay

>Maybe even nicer than Anon's place!   Bigger rooms and a fridge that doesn't make a ton of noise!

>Yea, she'll show him!

>Several hours later, Dash was sitting on a stray cloud, a defeated look on her face

>Things did not go nearly as well as she hoped

>Anon was right, between the time and the day, every office was closed

>And when she did see some posted rates, the prices were a little out of her range for a cloud pusher

>She considered building a cloud house on the outskirts of the city but it wouldn't be like Ponyville

>Zoning laws or some junk about where it is and how high she could have the clouds and...

>It gave her a headache to think about

>Plus flying over an hour one way to work would suck

>Lousy speed limits over cities meant she had to fly all slow and boring

>Sighing, Dash felt her stomach rumble

>The last and only thing she ate was that sandwich from hours ago

>And after flying around all day her stomach wanted dinner and it wasn't going to take no for an answer much longer

>Besides, maybe some food and a good cider or two will make her feel a little better

>Leaping from the cloud, Dash glided back to the streets of Baltimare

>During her search earlier, she saw Baltimare was full of diners and foodmarkets

>It was a little overwhelming, how many places you had to pick from just to eat

>Nothing like Ponyville, they had maybe three restaurants

>City life, right?

>Setting down, she went to the nearest diner

> It was full of ponies so she had to sit at the counter, they couldn't afford to use a table for just one pony

>Another little reminder how alone she was in this big place

>The cider she ordered didn't help either, it only reminded her of Sweet Apple Acres

>Thinking of that made her think of Applejack

>And thinking of Applejack only reminded her of why she was in Baltimare in the first place

>'Come on, Dash'  she thought, 'Don't think about that, enjoy your salad'

>The salad was alright, worth the extra few bits for the cheese

>But the longer she stayed in the diner the worse she felt

>The place was full of ponies all out in couples or groups

>It wasn't long ago she would have been at one of those bigger tables with her best friends and...

>Ugh, get a grip!

>She reminded herself who she was, one of the best fliers in Equestria, one of the Elements of Harmony

>All the ponies in here would be in changeling cocoons if it wasn't for her

>Her...and her friends

>Her former friends

>No matter how much she tried not to think about that it never lasted long

>Why was her mind so insistent about bringing up the past

>That's all it was now.  Past.  

>It'll never be like that..

>Never again..

>Son of a...this was ridiculous!

>Annoyed with herself, Dash tossed some bits on the counter and left

>The day had been a waste and tomorrow was only going to be worse

>First day of work

>First day of dealing with the weather team that was ordered to take her by Celestia

>Who knows what they're saying about her already, let alone when she gets there

>Cursing under her breath she took off and flew back to Anon's apartment

>The sun had set long ago, least she could get a good night sleep before tomorrow

>She didn't fly nearly as fast as she could, even with the speed limits

>She wasn't looking forward to hearing Anon gloat about her failing to find anywhere to stay

>Then again, he didn't seem like the type to do that

>She let herself in the building, walking up the stairs this time around

>He wouldn't make fun or be angry, would he?

>Why would it matter if he did?  

>He said she could come back, he'd be a jerk if he went back on his word!

>When Dash got to the door

>There was a note with her initials, taped onto the doornob

>Curious, she took the note down and unfolded it

>"Got tired and went to bed.  Left the door unlocked.  Lock it behind you please"

>That's it?

>Though she wasn't exactly sure what she had been expecting

>The bluntness of the note still disappointed her

>Maybe something a little nicer than 'lock the door'

>She shrugged and let herself in

>Being sure to lock the door behind her

>Least she could do, all things considered

>Anon's bedroom door was closed, and a single candle was lit on the kitchen counter

>Dash's mood brightened when she saw the couch

>She couldn't help but smile

>Anon had left a pillow, sheets, and a blanket for her

>Dropping her bags, she went to the bathroom to wash up before settling in

>Somehow, when she landed back on the couch, it felt fluffier

>As if Anon had somehow made the cushions new again

>She laid down on her stomach, resting her head on the pillow

>With a tug of her wing, she pulled the blanket over herself

>The grandfather clock wasn't ticking

>The pictures were all gone

>Especially the big old one in the brass frame

>Even the radiator seemed quieter

>She smiled a little more, using her wings to hug herself with the blanket

>Anon knew she was going to come back and made the living room less spooky for her

>He really did care, even if he just met her a day ago and she'd been a bit of a snapping turtle

>Or maybe he didn't want her coming in his bed again so he made sure she'd be more comfortable

>Or maybe the pictures were just creepy, the clock noisy, and he was going to do this stuff whether she came back or not

>Dash rolled on her back

>Her eyes followed the cracks in the ceiling while she wrestled with her thoughts

>Why did she care what the reason was?

>Or how Anon thought of her?

>He probably didn't think much of any of this

>He's just nice and this is what nice people did

>It's only  worked out in her favor

>She had somewhere to stay that should be all that mattered

>With luck this'll be the last night and tomorrow she can get on with her life

>She yawned and closed her eyes

>What life...

>Ugh, don't go there Dash...

>Just go to sleep

>It didn't take long for the day's worth of flying to catch up with her and sleep to come

>But not before she heard the sound of rain outside...

 

*   *   *

 

>The wind was blowing wildly, howling like a pack of timberwolves

>Rain was coming down in sheets

>Lightning lit the sky and thunder followed not a second behind it

>Rainbow Dash was flying as fast as she could against the torrential downpour

>Fighting both the wind and the sting of the rain

>Flitter is trying to keep up, shouting about something but Dash couldn't hear her

>She didn't have time to talk, she had to get to town

>A bolt of lightning nearly hits them both, sending them diving toward the ground

>She closes her eyes as hail pelts her coat, wincing when a few pieces of ice hit her body

>When they landed, Flitter ran to her

>Just as Thunderlane touched down near them both  

>Once he made sure they were alright, he asked the obvious

>"What the heck happened?!  Where did this storm come from!?"

"Everfree!"

>Dash yelled back, the wind making it impossible to talk at normal levels

>"How did it get so big!?  I thought if we catch them then they--"

>He stopped mid-sentence, eyes going wide

>Thunderlane backed up, terrified

>Rainbow Dash turned around in a hurry

>Thunderlane wasn't the bravest colt on earth but even he--

>Her heart froze in her chest

>No way, it couldn't...

>"Dash!  DASH!!"

>Flitter was screaming, thrusting her hoof in the same direction

>Right at the edge of the storm was Sweet Apple Acres

>And tearing its way toward Applejack's house was--

 

*   *   *

 

>Rainbow Dash jolted awake

>She sat up in a hurry, wings flaring, mane messily covering her face

>Her breaths came in quick gasps as she gripped the blanket tight to her body

>Her heart was racing

>And she was damp with sweat

>She looked around the room in a panic, trying to make sense of what just happened

>She wasn't in Ponyville and this wasn't Sweet Apple Acres

>It was just a nightmare

>She kept telling herself this over and over while trying to calm down

>Taking deeper, longer breaths and loosening her grip on the covers

>It wasn't the first time bad thoughts crept into her dreams

>In fact, come to think of it, the night before was the only time she--

>Lightning flashed outside, the entire room filling with white light despite the blinds being closed

>Thunder followed, the rumble so loud and violent she nearly fell from the couch

>The sound of pouring rain against the glass completed the ambiance

>A night storm, no wonder her dream had been so intense

>Well, more intense than normal, anyhow

>With the clock stopped, she had no idea what time it was or how long she'd been asleep

>She was still tired and rolled onto her side, away from the window and closed her eyes

>That worked for the lightning

>But the thunder clashed loudly afterward

>Why was it so darned loud in Baltimare?

>Even the worst planned storms in Ponyville were kept to a decent volume

>She got up, sighing as even the simplest pleasure of sleep was denied from her that night

>Her eyes drifted to Anon's door

"I bet he's sleeping like a rock..."

>She climbed off the couch, thoughts of a glass of water crossing her mind

>Another thunderbolt jolted her closer to the door to the bedroom

>She grabbed her pillow with her wing and looked at the old brass doorknob

>When she slept there last night she hadn't had any nightmares

>Her hoof touched the doorknob

>It had been the first night in awhile she got a decent night's sleep

>She really could use the rest before her first day of work

>The knob began to twist

>Why should she sleep on the couch anyhow?  Isn't a guy supposed to let the girl have the bed?

>The door creaked open

>That's what Rarity used to say

>She quietly walked into his room

>It was even darker than the living room

>Anon must have put up curtains to keep the light out

>"The storm keeping you up?"

>His voice startled her, and her wings jumped open

>Swallowing, Dash looked toward Anon's bed

>He was up, rubbing his eyes and looking right at her

"N-no!  I...well....you turned the radiator and it's cold now!"

>He tilted his head to the side

"And you only left me one blanket!  How am I supposed to--"

>Thunder rumbled from outside and Dash found herself a foot off the ground, looking behind her

>This wasn't helping her case at all

>"You can sleep here if you're cold, I'll sleep on the couch and--"

"No!  I mean...then you'd be cold and then you'd want more blankets and then I'd be cold!  That'd be silly, Egghead."

>She could barely make out his eyes blinking a few times before he flopped back onto the bed

>Dash took that as a "get in" and did so, tossing her pillow on the bed before climbing in herself

>Anon leaned out of bed and grabbed a very old looking wind up alarm clock

>"When do you need to be awake?"

"Huh?"

>"You work tomorrow right?  When do you need to be up?"

>He thinks of everything...

"Umm...I dunno, 9?"

>Truthfully, she had no idea

>Anon was too tired to notice so after twisting a few cranks and giving the clock a good wind, he laid back down

>Dash scoffed when he rolled onto his stomach

"What are you doing?"

>"Sleeping..."

"Yea but, you've gotta be the dumbest Egghead ever.  I said I was cold"

>"...And?"

"So lay on your side so I can warm up"

>Anon grunted but did what he was told

>Dash pressed her back to his chest as she pulled the blankets over them both

>Anon draped an arm over her and she pulled his hand to her chest

>She felt her heart finally slowing down to a normal rhythm, even when she saw a flash of lightning from behind the curtains  

>Anon fell back asleep in a minute, the thunder not even phasing him

>Dash waited till she was sure he was completely asleep before shimming closer to his body

>Even if it just her excuse, he was quite warm and comfortable

>Soft too

>Sighing, she closed her eyes and willed herself to fall back asleep

"Thanks Egghead..."

>She whispered before yawning a final time

>It didn't take too long before she was snoring softly

>Her hooves wrapped tightly around Anon's arm

>Holding him tightly

>Keeping the nightmares away