FA+
Shop
1465
Views
Views
40
Favorites
Favorites
Category
All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 448
File Size 75.3 kB
Report this content
More from baroncoon
The rest of my first day in Cloudsdale went fairly uneventful in Equestria dreamscape. After filling out enough paperwork to feed the bureaucratic beast I had a date for my exam to become a full-time weather pony. From there Dash and I picked up the keys for our rooms at the Royal Equestria Weather Service Hostel. Before we went and the hit the cantina in the headquarters we dropped off our panniers and the parcel with the printer fliers in our rooms. Except for married couples housing in the hostel was segregated into quarters for mares and stallions. They weren’t completely off-limits to each other but visits by the opposite sex, especially in the evening, were discouraged. While we were there it also gave us each a chance to clean up a bit after a day’s flying.
My room was somewhat Spartan in appearance, but the bed was comfy and the linens were clean as was the rest of the room. The room did not have individual bathroom facilities but there were communal bathrooms and showers at the end of the hall.
What the room did have was a spectacular view. There was a balcony entrance to my room that provided me with a breathtaking view of Cloudsdale. Celestia’s sun had set hours ago and now the lights of city glowed like constellations in the nighttime sky.
I rendezvous with Dash back at cantina and enjoyed a pleasant dinner there. The food was hardly four-star fare, but I have had far worst. My mushroom and grilled onion Panini was very good. Also it was fascinating watching the kitchen staff using carefully controlled lightning as source of heating to cook the food
As we enjoyed our meal a fair number weather ponies who dropped by our table to say hi to Dash or the introduce themselves. Several things soon became obvious to me.
One, Ponyville has been a lot more laid back about the fact that it has all of Mane Six and the winner of last year Best Young Fliers Competition living there. Here in Cloudsdale Dash was something of local celebrity. Even Fluttershy was now viewed by many as a local mare who had made it good.
Second, Rainbow Dash had been a fairly popular pony even before all the events of the last year and a half. Many of the ponies who dropped out table had gone to school with Dash or had brothers or sisters who had been classmates of hers.
Third, a fair number of stallions and couple mares were very interested in introducing themselves to me. At first it seemed like they were just trying to be friendly to the new pony in town, but soon I started notice a pattern to their questions. They went something like this:
“So how long exactly have you and Dash been friends?”
“So you’ve been in Ponyville for a year and in the weather service for less but the word around the office is that Dash is looking to make you her assistant?”
“So how did you two meet?”
“Are the rumors really true that Dash has been acting as your personal flight instructor?”
None of the ponies asked outright if we were dating or having an affair but in my mind I could see ponies connecting dots in their mind.
After completing our meal Dash decided to take me over to her parent’s place on the offhand chance they actually were in town. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found there place unoccupied and a neighbor told us they were out of town again. After leaving an “I missed you note.” We headed back to hostel and called it a night.
The next day I got a thorough tour of the REWS headquarters and got to meet some of the ponies who generated the work orders I had to carry out back in Ponyville. The more I heard the more I marveled at how much coordination it required.
We had lunch in the cantina again. We were just leaving when a young, brilliantly violet stallion with four stark white socks came swooping in and landed in front us.
“Ha! The rumors around the office were true! Exclaimed the stallion. “Dash it’s good to see you!”
“Ice Hoofs!” Exclaimed Dash. “ How have you been? A little bird told me you got a sweet promotion.”
“Soon to be senior weather manager for Canterlot!” Said the stallion proudly. “Youngest pony ever assigned to such a prestigious post! Happy Sun was so surprised when I got it! She’s a little grumpy about moving to Canterlot but she admits it’s a great post!”
“Happy Sun?” Asked Dash.
“Oh right you don’t know yet!” Ice Hoofs cocked his head slightly and showed us a simple white gold earring. It took a second for me to recognize it as traditional pegasi wedding earring.
“We got married on New Years Day this year. Still get use to having this earring but even it was ten times heavier she’s worth it! We’re even thinking about starting a family in couple years.”
Dash reared up on her hind legs and gave Ice Hoofs a big hug. “I’m happy for you! She’s a very lucky mare!”
Ice Hoofs looked over at me and smiled. “And who is your stallion friend Dash?”
Dash giggled a little. “Oh this here is Sky Brush. He’s a good friend of mine from Ponyville and he’s one my best upcoming weather ponies. He’s never been to Cloudsdale so I’m showing him around town. Also he’s helping post some ads for the upcoming Best Young Fliers Competition. As the defending champion I want to make certain the stands are packed when I win it again! Brick here has been a big help getting me prepared this year.”
Ice Hoofs cocked a quizzical eyebrow at me. “Well best of luck. By way will you two be participating in the Lightning Lantern Festival this evening?”
“Is that tonight?” Exclaimed Dash. “That’s why I heard several ponies around headquarters talking about. Yeah, we’ll be there. Brick here should get a kick out it!”
Ice Hoofs smiled at us. “And course after the festival it is tradition to enjoy an excellent meal. Someplace other the headquarters cantina, which I can help with.”
The violet stallion quickly drew a business card from the satchel around his neck and then a fountain pen. He scribbled something on the back of it, and then presented it to us.
“I am good friends with the owner of the Starwing Café, I’ll send a clerk over to make reservations for you two tonight. Just present this card and your dinners will be on me tonight!”
Dash hugged Ice Hoofs again. “Thanks! Oh but if we’re going to participate in the festival I better go get us signed up for it! Brick I’ll be right back!”
Before I had a chance to reply prismatic mare shot off like a bolt. Ice Hoofs watched her go and then turned back to me.
“She’s one of the good ones Sky Brush. Equestria needs more like her and the Mane Six. I’ll be honest when I was in school with her I had a serious crush on Rainbow, but then again so did a lot of stallions and quite a few mares.”
“However I don’t know if she ever went on a serious date while she was in school. Many a pony tried to ask her out, but I don’t remember anypony having any success. Therefore the fact she’s hanging out with you has me and a lot of other ponies wondering around the office.”
Ice Hoofs looked where RD had flown off and resumed speaking.
“She has tons of raw potential and is probably one of the best fliers in all of Equestria, but she’s also one of the most naïve and socially dense ponies around.” He looked back at me. ”Between you and I do you have any designs for her?”
I shook my head. “No, we’re just friends.”
Ice Hoofs nodded his head. “Does Dash have any designs for you?”
“Not to my knowledge. She hasn’t made any known to me” I replied.
Ice Hoofs scuffed a front hoof on the cantina floor. “That’s because she might not yet know yet herself Sky Brush. Like I said her blind spots can be maddening at times. However I do know this, Dash’s mood can turn on a bit and if she suddenly decides she wants you in her life that way you better have your answer ready. Whether that answer is yes or no you better know in your heart what it is.”
Ice Hoofs suddenly had a serious look in his eyes. “If you don’t have a clear answer to that question you’ll just end up stringing her along and it’ll just make the final outcome harder for both of you. I have a mare of own now that I love more than anything in the world, but I still don’t want to see Dash take an unnecessary fall if it can be avoided. She is the Element of Loyalty and she instills that kind of loyalty in others almost instinctively.”
Ice Hoofs placed his right wing across my back and gave me brotherly hug. “So just remember this. If you break her heart, I’ll break your wings. Just keep that in mind.”
Then before I think of a reply he flew off.
To be continued.
My room was somewhat Spartan in appearance, but the bed was comfy and the linens were clean as was the rest of the room. The room did not have individual bathroom facilities but there were communal bathrooms and showers at the end of the hall.
What the room did have was a spectacular view. There was a balcony entrance to my room that provided me with a breathtaking view of Cloudsdale. Celestia’s sun had set hours ago and now the lights of city glowed like constellations in the nighttime sky.
I rendezvous with Dash back at cantina and enjoyed a pleasant dinner there. The food was hardly four-star fare, but I have had far worst. My mushroom and grilled onion Panini was very good. Also it was fascinating watching the kitchen staff using carefully controlled lightning as source of heating to cook the food
As we enjoyed our meal a fair number weather ponies who dropped by our table to say hi to Dash or the introduce themselves. Several things soon became obvious to me.
One, Ponyville has been a lot more laid back about the fact that it has all of Mane Six and the winner of last year Best Young Fliers Competition living there. Here in Cloudsdale Dash was something of local celebrity. Even Fluttershy was now viewed by many as a local mare who had made it good.
Second, Rainbow Dash had been a fairly popular pony even before all the events of the last year and a half. Many of the ponies who dropped out table had gone to school with Dash or had brothers or sisters who had been classmates of hers.
Third, a fair number of stallions and couple mares were very interested in introducing themselves to me. At first it seemed like they were just trying to be friendly to the new pony in town, but soon I started notice a pattern to their questions. They went something like this:
“So how long exactly have you and Dash been friends?”
“So you’ve been in Ponyville for a year and in the weather service for less but the word around the office is that Dash is looking to make you her assistant?”
“So how did you two meet?”
“Are the rumors really true that Dash has been acting as your personal flight instructor?”
None of the ponies asked outright if we were dating or having an affair but in my mind I could see ponies connecting dots in their mind.
After completing our meal Dash decided to take me over to her parent’s place on the offhand chance they actually were in town. Her suspicions were confirmed when she found there place unoccupied and a neighbor told us they were out of town again. After leaving an “I missed you note.” We headed back to hostel and called it a night.
The next day I got a thorough tour of the REWS headquarters and got to meet some of the ponies who generated the work orders I had to carry out back in Ponyville. The more I heard the more I marveled at how much coordination it required.
We had lunch in the cantina again. We were just leaving when a young, brilliantly violet stallion with four stark white socks came swooping in and landed in front us.
“Ha! The rumors around the office were true! Exclaimed the stallion. “Dash it’s good to see you!”
“Ice Hoofs!” Exclaimed Dash. “ How have you been? A little bird told me you got a sweet promotion.”
“Soon to be senior weather manager for Canterlot!” Said the stallion proudly. “Youngest pony ever assigned to such a prestigious post! Happy Sun was so surprised when I got it! She’s a little grumpy about moving to Canterlot but she admits it’s a great post!”
“Happy Sun?” Asked Dash.
“Oh right you don’t know yet!” Ice Hoofs cocked his head slightly and showed us a simple white gold earring. It took a second for me to recognize it as traditional pegasi wedding earring.
“We got married on New Years Day this year. Still get use to having this earring but even it was ten times heavier she’s worth it! We’re even thinking about starting a family in couple years.”
Dash reared up on her hind legs and gave Ice Hoofs a big hug. “I’m happy for you! She’s a very lucky mare!”
Ice Hoofs looked over at me and smiled. “And who is your stallion friend Dash?”
Dash giggled a little. “Oh this here is Sky Brush. He’s a good friend of mine from Ponyville and he’s one my best upcoming weather ponies. He’s never been to Cloudsdale so I’m showing him around town. Also he’s helping post some ads for the upcoming Best Young Fliers Competition. As the defending champion I want to make certain the stands are packed when I win it again! Brick here has been a big help getting me prepared this year.”
Ice Hoofs cocked a quizzical eyebrow at me. “Well best of luck. By way will you two be participating in the Lightning Lantern Festival this evening?”
“Is that tonight?” Exclaimed Dash. “That’s why I heard several ponies around headquarters talking about. Yeah, we’ll be there. Brick here should get a kick out it!”
Ice Hoofs smiled at us. “And course after the festival it is tradition to enjoy an excellent meal. Someplace other the headquarters cantina, which I can help with.”
The violet stallion quickly drew a business card from the satchel around his neck and then a fountain pen. He scribbled something on the back of it, and then presented it to us.
“I am good friends with the owner of the Starwing Café, I’ll send a clerk over to make reservations for you two tonight. Just present this card and your dinners will be on me tonight!”
Dash hugged Ice Hoofs again. “Thanks! Oh but if we’re going to participate in the festival I better go get us signed up for it! Brick I’ll be right back!”
Before I had a chance to reply prismatic mare shot off like a bolt. Ice Hoofs watched her go and then turned back to me.
“She’s one of the good ones Sky Brush. Equestria needs more like her and the Mane Six. I’ll be honest when I was in school with her I had a serious crush on Rainbow, but then again so did a lot of stallions and quite a few mares.”
“However I don’t know if she ever went on a serious date while she was in school. Many a pony tried to ask her out, but I don’t remember anypony having any success. Therefore the fact she’s hanging out with you has me and a lot of other ponies wondering around the office.”
Ice Hoofs looked where RD had flown off and resumed speaking.
“She has tons of raw potential and is probably one of the best fliers in all of Equestria, but she’s also one of the most naïve and socially dense ponies around.” He looked back at me. ”Between you and I do you have any designs for her?”
I shook my head. “No, we’re just friends.”
Ice Hoofs nodded his head. “Does Dash have any designs for you?”
“Not to my knowledge. She hasn’t made any known to me” I replied.
Ice Hoofs scuffed a front hoof on the cantina floor. “That’s because she might not yet know yet herself Sky Brush. Like I said her blind spots can be maddening at times. However I do know this, Dash’s mood can turn on a bit and if she suddenly decides she wants you in her life that way you better have your answer ready. Whether that answer is yes or no you better know in your heart what it is.”
Ice Hoofs suddenly had a serious look in his eyes. “If you don’t have a clear answer to that question you’ll just end up stringing her along and it’ll just make the final outcome harder for both of you. I have a mare of own now that I love more than anything in the world, but I still don’t want to see Dash take an unnecessary fall if it can be avoided. She is the Element of Loyalty and she instills that kind of loyalty in others almost instinctively.”
Ice Hoofs placed his right wing across my back and gave me brotherly hug. “So just remember this. If you break her heart, I’ll break your wings. Just keep that in mind.”
Then before I think of a reply he flew off.
To be continued.
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 448px
File Size 75.3 kB
Well, the implication is 'this person means that much to me', and in extreme cases 'they will not find the body'.
It is an old idea, of course, basically making sure the new boyfriend is not in it for a quick roll in the hay. This often falls to the father, who will be polishing the shotgun on the front porch until the young couple get home. Other times it is a brother, or male friend. In addition, there is a general 'sizing up' of the suitor. The crushing handshake, the puffing up, displays of machismo... I suppose it ties back to proto-humans fighting for dominance and ensuring a proper gene pool.
My father tells the tale of meeting my mother's family. My mother's family is... somewhat red of neck. Not ten seconds elapsed from my father walking in the door then when my Uncle Mike challenged him to a wrasslin' match. Now, Unka Mike is no fool. He had a long career as a NASA engineer, after all. But he did not know that the scrawny son of an english professor was also a blackbelt in judo. The match lasted fifteen seconds, ten of which was Mike refusing to give up.
My own experience was meeting my sister's fiance. I went to the door, chest out and ready to deliver an obligatory handshake and threatening glares, but when the door opened, he handed me two mason jars of homebrewed oatmeal stout. That was good enough for me!
It is an old idea, of course, basically making sure the new boyfriend is not in it for a quick roll in the hay. This often falls to the father, who will be polishing the shotgun on the front porch until the young couple get home. Other times it is a brother, or male friend. In addition, there is a general 'sizing up' of the suitor. The crushing handshake, the puffing up, displays of machismo... I suppose it ties back to proto-humans fighting for dominance and ensuring a proper gene pool.
My father tells the tale of meeting my mother's family. My mother's family is... somewhat red of neck. Not ten seconds elapsed from my father walking in the door then when my Uncle Mike challenged him to a wrasslin' match. Now, Unka Mike is no fool. He had a long career as a NASA engineer, after all. But he did not know that the scrawny son of an english professor was also a blackbelt in judo. The match lasted fifteen seconds, ten of which was Mike refusing to give up.
My own experience was meeting my sister's fiance. I went to the door, chest out and ready to deliver an obligatory handshake and threatening glares, but when the door opened, he handed me two mason jars of homebrewed oatmeal stout. That was good enough for me!
So this brings up a question... If someone asks about your past, exactly what do you tell them as Sky Brush? "I'm actually a dreaming non-equine life form who comes here in my sleep after having been entangled in a malevolent entity's attempt to conquer Equestria. I turned into a unicorn at first but then when the bad guy was beaten I ended up a pegasus." Or something more like, "Um, I'm from... Veryfarawayville, you probably never heard of it. Earth pony parents so I never learned a lot of pegasus cultural stuff. Really."
I am reminded of an old Changeling: the Dreaming game. One of the characters, Drake, was a Troll. Sort of. He had blue-green scales, wings, and would snort fire when angered. Questions regarding this were met with "Ah, I am from Milan, yes?"...
... which worked shockingly well. It was only the Pooka who recognized a BS answer when they heard it, and we were all too busy giggling at the joke to tell anyone else...
... which worked shockingly well. It was only the Pooka who recognized a BS answer when they heard it, and we were all too busy giggling at the joke to tell anyone else...
Well Dash was there when I had my transformation from unicorn to pegasi the aftermath but she was initially a bit confused by the process Acceptance
I was just thinking that upon going to Cloudsdale, you might encounter a lot more ponies curious about your lack of familiarity with things that they'd expect any pegasus to have known since they were foals, and the 'from Manehattan' excuse might be showing some holes. But, if they're all still buying that story, good!
I get the idea that most of those Cloudsdale ponies are just about ready to set the date, ask if they can be best stallion, and 'so what will you be naming the foals'?
Oh man, I just thought of a way this could be worse; if it was you and AJ rather than you and Dash, and you start getting invited to all these Apple family functions and Granny Smith delighted because "Looks like Ah''ll finally git those great-grandfoals Ah've been hopin' for!"
Oh man, I just thought of a way this could be worse; if it was you and AJ rather than you and Dash, and you start getting invited to all these Apple family functions and Granny Smith delighted because "Looks like Ah''ll finally git those great-grandfoals Ah've been hopin' for!"
I would be so tempted to start telling the random conversationalists some rather outrageous answers to their probing questions.
“So how long exactly have you and Dash been friends?” "Longer than the Royal Sisters have sat upon their thrones. Dash is the lucky one, she keeps reincarnating every century, unlike myself. I try to erase any record of her from the history books before she's reborn, a pony can't take that kind of revelation. She's definitely going to make it hard for me this time around."
“So you’ve been in Ponyville for a year and in the weather service for less but the word around the office is that Dash is looking to make you her assistant?” "Well, 'assistant' is not the word I'd use. I merely consult the Elder Ones in their mind-rending palatine realms from beyond the ken of mere mortals whenever she needs to know what kind of strange weather is going to form over the Everfree Forest or if she needs to win a bet."
“So how did you two meet?” "In my dreams. Seriously, I'm dreaming right now. I'm actually a human who's currently asleep in a world like this one, only ponies are mere animals."
“Are the rumors really true that Dash has been acting as your personal flight instructor?” "Yup! Best one I've ever had, too! She's taught me a lot, like a dozen different ways to eliminate an unsuspecting target, some nice and quick, others very, very, painfully sl--oh! Flight instructor! Right, right, that too."
And for the bonus "pep talk" from Ice Hooves: "Noted, but I'm afraid you'll have to get in line. If I make Dash cry, there will be at least two other ponies who will leave me on death's door, and a third that will make me wish I was on the other side of the threshold."
“So how long exactly have you and Dash been friends?” "Longer than the Royal Sisters have sat upon their thrones. Dash is the lucky one, she keeps reincarnating every century, unlike myself. I try to erase any record of her from the history books before she's reborn, a pony can't take that kind of revelation. She's definitely going to make it hard for me this time around."
“So you’ve been in Ponyville for a year and in the weather service for less but the word around the office is that Dash is looking to make you her assistant?” "Well, 'assistant' is not the word I'd use. I merely consult the Elder Ones in their mind-rending palatine realms from beyond the ken of mere mortals whenever she needs to know what kind of strange weather is going to form over the Everfree Forest or if she needs to win a bet."
“So how did you two meet?” "In my dreams. Seriously, I'm dreaming right now. I'm actually a human who's currently asleep in a world like this one, only ponies are mere animals."
“Are the rumors really true that Dash has been acting as your personal flight instructor?” "Yup! Best one I've ever had, too! She's taught me a lot, like a dozen different ways to eliminate an unsuspecting target, some nice and quick, others very, very, painfully sl--oh! Flight instructor! Right, right, that too."
And for the bonus "pep talk" from Ice Hooves: "Noted, but I'm afraid you'll have to get in line. If I make Dash cry, there will be at least two other ponies who will leave me on death's door, and a third that will make me wish I was on the other side of the threshold."
Comments