Sad 300-word contest entry, option C. Thanks for reading this; I know you have a lot of entries to go through, and I will have to say that I have put a lot of time into this despite its length. I also hope to get a bit further involved in the fanfiction community on Equestria Daily after this.

When it Rains, it Pours

Nopony could remember a time when it had rained so hard. That wasn’t surprising, though; the pegasi typically did not slip in their jobs and were rather diligent in keeping the skies clear, lest they be banished to the Everfree Forest (they wouldn’t be, really, but the threat still loomed over their heads and, well, it was best to be safe than sorry).

However, that day was different. Sure, the pegasi would absolutely love to just kick those clouds and make them disappear and make the day all the more brighter again for the earth ponies, and no doubt it was niggling and tickling at them that they weren’t. One’s wants, no, one’s needs, however, can conflict with reality. In this day it was very much like that, because the pegasi, no matter how much they wanted to make the clouds disappear, and the earth ponies, no matter how much they needed the weather to clear, couldn’t contend with Ponyville’s cloud of the storm.

Specifically, it was the largest cloud of all. And it was not a cloud they could possibly remove. It was the home of a pegasus.

A certain sobbing, secluded pegasus by the name of Rainbow Dash.

Nopony knew the circumstances of what was bothering her. Questions arose, sure, and her five best friends asked around, but the problem still remained muddy at best. Everypony wanted to reach toward her, but the speedy flier remained by herself, tight-lipped, the rain still pouring without respite. Tirelessly they puzzled, but no closer to the solution did they come.

And so, they stopped doing anything. They just let her cry. Maybe it would all fix itself, and the rain would stop.

Bookish Twilight Sparkle eventually figured it out, though, and she realized the rain wouldn’t stop soon. … Rainbow Dash…

There’s no easy fix to a warm, comforting fire burning out.