Rainbow After The Storm
by milesprower06

Chapter 2
Memories and Meetings

SWEET APPLE ACRES
THREE YEARS AGO

Applejack awoke to the crowing rooster as the sun began to break above the horizon. Rubbing her eyes, she flung the covers off her, and got up to greet the day. There were chores to be done. Making sure her hair was presentable, she went down the hall to get Applebloom up and ready for fillygarten. Once her little sister was up and getting ready, she went down and started making herself some breakfast. As the sunny side up eggs began to sizzle in the pan, Big Macintosh came into the kitchen.

“Uh, AJ, we may have a problem.” he said.

“Can it wait, big bro? I just started makin' breakfast.” Applejack replied.

“Eeenope. Not if you want your new strawberry bushes to stay intact.”

That did it. “What? I just planted those last month!” she objected.

“Then you might want ta' get outside.” Big Mac suggested again. Applejack turned off the stove, and ran to the side door of the farmhouse, and stepped out onto the lawn, where her eyes widened at the scene before her.

At least two dozen bunnies were hopping to and from her new strawberry bushes, snatching the fresh strawberries that had grown through the summer.

“You darn thievin' pests! Get outta here!” AJ yelled, charging the group of bunnies. They scattered as soon as she got close, and when AJ had to pick a smaller group to go after, the rest just re-convened at the bushes. Big Mac had followed her out to her patch of bushes.

“Um, AJ, I'm thinkin' we might need some help on this one. I heard there was some kind of animal handler that moved to Ponyville not too long ago. She specializes in this sort of thing.” Big Mac suggested.

“Now hold on there, big brother. This here's our farm, and we can handle any problems on this farm without any outside help.” Applejack protested. Big Mac gave her his usual blank stare.

“Well, alright. If ya change yer mind, just let me know.”

Big Mac wasn't even back to the doorstep before his sister gave out her first frustrated yell. He was hoping this wasn't going to take long, but knowing AJ's stubborn streak, it may be awhile before she gave in. Not wanting his sister's eggs to go to waste, he went back inside and turned the stove back on to finish cooking them. By the time he had them fully cooked with sides of toast and hash, and about to enjoy them at the table, AJ came back through the side door, covered in thistles and brush, and had spots of strawberry stains in her hair.

“Alright, who's this animal handler in Ponyville?” she asked, disgruntled. Big Mac couldn't help but chuckle. He had to admit, he was impressed, it only took 30 minutes for Applejack to see reason this time.

“I'll go into town and get her. Be back before ya know it.” he said, leaving the breakfast for it's original intended owner. AJ was only too glad to sit down and enjoy her breakfast.

“Enjoy my crops while ya can, pests.” she grumbled, while Big Mac left for Ponyville.

PONYVILLE OUTSKIRTS
20 MINUTES LATER

One of Ponyville's newer residents, a Pegasus by the name of Fluttershy, was also getting started with her day. She was in the middle of getting her animals fed when there was a knock at the door.

“Who could that be this early?” she asked herself. She went to the door and opened it. There stood a solidly built red stallion, with apple green eyes.

“G'morning, Miss...” he began to greet her, prompting her for her name.

“Um...Fluttershy.” she replied sheepishly.

“Miss Fluttershy, they call me Big Macintosh. I've heard you're the best animal handler in Ponyville, and we've got a bit of a bunny problem back at our farm.” Big Mac explained.

“Oh, my. Um, well, give me a few moments, and I'll have something ready to help.” Fluttershy said. It was only a few moments before Fluttershy came out from the side of her tree home pulling a small wagon with a plastic cover on it. Stocked full of delicious looking carrots. With that, she and Big Mac headed back across town to the farm.

By the time they got there, it was high noon, the strawberry bushes had been all but picked clean, and now the bouncing bunnies were trying to get after the apple trees, which were fortunately out of their reach.

“Thanks so much for comin' on such short notice” Applejack greeted the newcomer gratuitously.

“Not a problem at all. I've been working on a habitat for little critters, and these guys will make perfect first residents.” she replied.

“Better work fast, by the looks of those clouds, the Pegasi have got one doozey of a storm a'comin” AJ warned.

“I'll have them rounded up and out of here in a jiffy.” Fluttershy said, a bit more assertive, compared to when Big Mac showed up. She briefly opened up her wagon, and took out one of the carrots, and set it on the ground. A handful of bunnies immediately took notice, and rushed over to it, nibbling it to pieces in no time. Then, as expected, they caught wind of the several dozen carrots in the enclosed wagon.

“You seemed to like that carrot, little ones. But you have to make a choice. You can come back with me, and have all the carrots you want, or you can stay here, and eat somepony else's crops.” she said. The hopping trespassers were indeed far more interested in Fluttershy's enticing carrots over what they could scrounge up around Applejack's crops.

“Not only that, but you can stay in a wonderful little habitat I've built back at my house, so you don't have to bother these nice farmers again. Now, where are the rest of your friends?” Fluttershy asked, walking around to where she saw another small group of bunnies.

The wind began to pick up, as the afternoon storm clouds loomed ever closer.

“We want to hurry up, my little friends. Looks like we have quite the rainstorm coming.” Fluttershy said, pointing to the sky.

Applejack and Big Mac were astounded at Fluttershy's ability to communicate with these pesky bunnies. Once she approached them, they fell right in step around her and the wagon. Within ten minutes, she had them all rounded up.

“I-I'm speechless!” Applejack said, simply amazed. “Uh, so how much do we owe ya?” she asked the light yellow Pegasus.

“Oh, I don't charge for this work. Mayor Mare gives me enough to cover the costs of the habitat necessities. In return, I offer my animal control services to all of Ponyville. I'll give these guys a good home, don't worry.” Fluttershy said.

“I'd offer ya somethin' ta drink at least, but at the rate that storm's coming, I'm guessing you want to get back as soon as ya can.” Big Mac assumed.

“Yes, you're absolutely right. Come on, bunnies, we don't want to get caught in this storm.”

And with that, Fluttershy was off at a quick trot's pace to try and make it home before the storm hit. Sure enough, ten minutes later, the first light drizzles of rain started to pelt the house, just as Applebloom was getting home from school. Within another few minutes, the sky was alive with thunder and lightning, amidst a downpour.

“Whoo-ee. Well, the crops sure needed this, that's for sure.” Applejack commented, looking out the window from the dining table as the Apple family sat down to dinner. After the meal was finished, and the dishes were done, the rain finally died down as the storm completed its pass over Ponyville. The storm clouds parted to show the stars and moon, with the etching of the Mare in the Moon on it's surface. Not even waiting for the grounds to be relatively dry, Applejack went and performed a quick check of the farm grounds. Checking the barn last of all, she was surprised to see the barn's front door open just a few feet.

“I coulda swore I closed that” Applejac mused, hoping no barn animals got out and were panicked in the storm. As she got closer, she heard the mooing of the milking cows. Slowly opening the door just enough so she could get inside, she took a look around, and was surprised to find the source of the disturbed animals, and the cause of the open barn door.

A cyan Pegasus was asleep in a bale of hay in the front corner of the barn. A couple fully eaten apple cores were on the ground in front of her. She was wet from the storm, and judging from the way she was curled up on the pile of hay, and the way her ruffled feathers shivered in the breeze from the open door, quite cold. She looked to be about Applejack's age, and her most striking feature was her multicolored mane. Her bangs were red, yellow, and orange, and streaks of green, blue, and purple went down her neck. Even in it's wet, unkempt state, it was beautiful, AJ had to admit.

Knowing there had to be a reason this Pegasus had taken shelter from the storm in her barn, Applejack opted not to disturb her for the time being. Instead, she went to one of the far corners of the barn, got a barn blanket, and gently and quietly covered her with it, and sat on one of the stools among the cow stalls, and waited for her new guest to wake up.