Late Night Showers

Private Drifting Blossom peered out from under the awning at the torrential rain that thundered down from the nighttime sky. Randomly brilliant flashes of lightning lit the sky like a giant flashbulb. Being assigned to late night guard duty was never a choice assignment, but this evening was being worse from several reasons:

First it had been unusually hot in Canterlot. Normally the capitol was spared the worse of the summer heat, but apparently somepony at the Royal Equestria Weather Service (REWS) had calculated that to balance the Grand Model that Canterlot area would be required to endure a few days of significantly above average temperatures.

Then right after the heat bubble began the central HVAC in the Royal Palace had promptly conked out. Even worse this breakdown wasn't a case simply replacing a broken part, so it wouldn't until be tomorrow afternoon before the HVAC would be back online. In the general public some felt it was only appropriate for the Royal Sisters to suffer along with the general population for letting this heat wave descend upon the city. The Royal Sisters were just getting there comeuppance for letting this happen to their fair city.

Of course that ignored the fact that the ordinary ponies, including Private Drifting Blossom, were suffering along with the Royal Sisters in the palace. Windows had been opened where possibly and electric fans set up to circulate air in the halls, but that could only do so much to keep the temperatures down in the palace.

Unfortunately the act of opening all these windows resulted numerous potential security breaches. This required additional security forces be assigned to guard these sudden weak points. This included the balcony the private was currently guarding. At least the private had an awning that they she could get under and out of the rain.

The rain was suppose to herald the end the of the heat wave and it had started in the late afternoon, but at the moment the only thing it resulted was that it was still hot and now muggy. In 24 hrs things would improve, but in the meantime it was miserable.

The private was adjusting the shoulder strap on her rifle when she heard the sound of a door open to her right. Peering over the private saw that one of the patio doors to Princess Luna's private quarters had opened. A faint light from within the quarters illuminated the patio.

Slowly stepping out onto the patio was the silhouette of the Princess of the Moon. Much to the private's surprise the alicorn appeared to be relishing the downpour and slowly twirls letting the rain drench her. It was then that another brilliant bolt of lightning lit the sky, for a brief moment the private could see that princess was only wearing a white babydoll t-shirt and that was it. Luna stood there for a few seconds. Then thoroughly soaked she slowly strolled back into her quarters. The private stood there stunned, then she went back to watching her post.

This had been a very different watch.

This is a patron reward for Octavia Melody.