Rise Above a Wounded Heart

Spring Shower layed on a small cloud drifting over Ponyville. Her head and heart were abuzz with feelings. She really cared for Thunderclap, she had really enjoyed their time together, and had had no feelings about not being with him. But then-- he lost it-- Arpeggio had struck her-- but-- what Thunder did-- it was horrible...

Spring had lead Thunderclap to the hospital, where Thunder had wanted to stay with Arpeggio-- that was admirable-- but what he did to Arpe-- how could a pony have so much rage so suddenly-- the thought scared her. She did not stay at the hospital. She hated Arpeggio for the things he had said and done-- and with what Thunder had done-- she just couldn't stay there-- she had to spend some time by herself...

And thats what she's done for the past few days-- mindlessly gone about her cloud work-- and when she wasn't moving around weather, she layed in the clouds thinking about what she was going to do-- and so far-- bubckus... Her tail hung lazily off the edge of the small cloud she was on today as she lay sadly.

"Oh Thunder..." she said weakly, "what am I going to do...?"

"Deplorable stars becross a pretty mare," cooed some peripheral voice. She had been passing, this mare in black lace, carrying cakes which rested in a cradle beneath the foreleg and which were destined for no place in particular. A keen eye and ear were proficient instruments by which she could discern the figure above; delicate wings, but adequate means to her ascent.

"You must be the Spring Shower of whom they've spoken at length. Ah, doth spring showers precipitate next moon's flowers. Relevant, I think." Her gentle tone reconciled what mockery had she in intention.

An adjacent cloud hosted Victoria's landing. This cloud, she persuaded in the direction of her counterpart before receding to take inventory of her basket. When within reach, Victoria grasped a porcelain dish, upon which lay some creamed delight, and set it casually before Spring.

"It is said of a solitary mare 'zat her own ideas shall destroy her." resumed Victoria insistently. "Won't you share your 'zoughts, poor sister?"

Spring Shower looked up in surprise and turned around on her cloud to see Victoria. She had seen this mare around town before, but never spoken to her. "Do I-- know you...?" she asked Vicky questionably, raising an eyebrow. She could not place ever meeting this pony-- It is possible that they shared a common friend somewhere and that Spring had been pointed out to her before.

Spring looked down at the place questionably before shaking her head and pushing it away a little, "No thank you," she said with a bit of a sad smile, trying to politely decline the dish, "I'm not very hungry right now..." she said.

She blinked at the other pegasus' request for information on what was bothering her-- She didn't even know thus pony-- sharing private stuff like this with her would probably be a bad idea. "It's just-- uh-- relationship issues..." she said waving her hoof dismissively.

In reply, she tipped her muzzle courteously."No dear, you do not yet know me. But, as it stands, a mare need not know another to tell that she is in distress."

A hoof idly traced the edge of the dish where it lay. Clearly, her thoughts had left the pastry entirely at the moment it had been set out. Head pitched downward, Victoria offered the mare a comprehensive smile; one indicative of restrained sympathy.

"He said you're lovely, 'zat stallion of yours," she resumed despite the mare's reluctance. "And all was to be perfect as you two were meant for one another." Her glance diverted to the landscape below. "A 'relationship issue' is a splendid way to recognize 'zat 'the best laid plans of pidgeons and ponies go oft' awry'. As I've heard, they have."

"I hope," she added softly, "'zat you aren't too taken by it all. Enraged stallions have done it before and shall do it again."

"Oh - and I'm Victoria. Pleased to meet you."

Spring raised an eyebrow and looked upward as Vicky began talking about Thunderclap. Vicky had certainly gotten her attention with her knowledge of whats going on. "You spoke to Thunder...?" she asked curiously, "was this-- before a couple days ago...?" she questioned.

Spring narrowed her brow as she tried to follow Vicky's logic-- she didn't speak with many ponies with accents so she was struggling to pick up everything Vicky was saying. "You-- know what he did...?" she asked a bit nervously as Vicky spoke of Thunder being enraged.

She didn't bother introducing herself to Vicky, nor saying it was a pleasure to meet her. She knew Vicky knew who she was-- and at this point she was more involved in trying to figure out why this odd talking pegasus knew so much about her relationship than worrying about pleasantries.

She was quick to perceive Spring's concern. Victoria's eyes, in turn, shimmered with apparent dismay. 

"You could perhaps say 'zat I know him; for but a title and an intention make a stallion. He and I conversed at length in the comfort of a prior night, yes." She spoke with the intention of ambiguity. 

Presently, her expression graduated to that of remorse. "It is not unlikely 'zat one should know what it is he has done. Ah, but you and I know why he has done it, do we not? Perhaps," she pondered whilst scanning the vast horizon, "Even only I do." 

She removed a loose strand of fair blue from Spring Shower's face, seemingly in admiration. When she reestablished eye-contact, hers were bright and delibetate. "Why, my dear, do you suppose he has forsaken a friendship - brutalized another - in the name of your affections?"

"He did it because another pony was harassing us and struck me," Spring growled a little bit, "He was lucky I am as nice as I am, even I was about ready to hit that nutjob" Spring spoke of Arpeggio, remembering the way he had been acting.

"Thunderclap did not forsake a friendship", Spring sighed, "it was Arpeggio that refused to try and work anything out with Thunderclap, Thunderclap tried as hard as he could to salvage their friendship but that fool would have none of it..." she said shaking her head.

"The thing that concerns me most is that Thunder could be angered to the point that he'd beat someone like that--" Spring bit her lip nervously, "I mean-- regardless of how rude Arpeggio was acting-- and the fact that he hit me-- I just don't know what I feel about that-- that rage..."

"Exactly what did you and Thunder say to one another...?" Spring questioned, raising her eyebrow.

Victoria pressed her lips together in demonstration of recollection.

"He described you precisely, on that evening, as some sort of prized doll," Victoria began, careful to select advantageous words. "Emphasis was placed upon your physical appeal -- Oui, and your capacity to give."

Victoria proceeded to inspect her own hoof in nonchalance. "Ah, dolls, delicate and small. Mere possessions. Nora of Ibsen's A Doll's House endured much the same, mind you. Torvald attested to her virtues so readily, whereas in truth his motives proved ulterior. He pampered little Nora because he wanted to own her. Do you follow? Thee' effect of his 'love' was 'zat she came to be his pet. And he, too, fought for his pretty little animal; but violence in ones behalf all too often devolves into violence to ones detriment."

In retroactive reference to the topic of Arpeggio, Victoria developed her analogy further yet."Yes, he struck first. So suspected Nora of her immediate villain, Krogstad. Little did she know 'zat his wrongdoings had, in turn, been initiated by the wrongdoings of her very own Torvald. Love and loyalty, at last discovered she, are not as 'zey seem."

"Now sister, the purpose of this allusion is to remind you of all 'zat which you already know and ought to be aware of." concluded the mare in a tender voice.

Spring struggled to follow the explanation and examples, she grew wary of Victoria's constant riddles and analogys, "I am not some delicate creature, some doll to be protected!" She growled angrily as she his her hoof upon the cloud she was sitting, "I could have easily stood up for myself when Arpeggio hit me, Thunder didn't need to get involved, I CAN HANDLE THINGS MYSELF!" she said, beginning to raise her voice at the last bit.

"So Arpeggio hit me a little, so what? big deal" she began to rant about the scenario, "I'm used to getting hit, I play air hockey, hoofball, it's not like I've never taken a tackle before, but then he runs up and just beats the poor dolt, what on earth was he thinking!?" she said, waving an arm a little bit.

"Is 'zat so?" She replied, feigning doubt and dejection, embracing Spring's anger. "A porcelain doll is what bonded life shall make of you." Sighing, she tasted the frosting on the cake which had been set aside for a while now. "And you'll only remember how sweet independence tasted."

These words, she allowed to settle in the mind of her counterpart before speaking again. Such was her way of probing for insecurities. Such was her way of passively infecting the minds of others.

" -- Or so I've heard, 'zat is. Pardieu, if you aren't as hard to please as you seem," she taunted in playful advocacy of the devil, "perhaps you will do well to settle for something less 'san the stallion of your dreams." Her ensuing grin was dark. "If so, you would not be one to mind what others will think -- have thought -- of you."