//------------------------------// // Cloudy Skies on the Rim: Exploration and Abduction // Story: Gazing at the Sky // by Fullmetal Pony //------------------------------//         “It’s not that bad,” Dream said. Both she and Star were currently walking— if you can call multiple stumbles and shuffling walking— through Canterlot’s streets. They got a few looks, but then again, adolescent dragons making their way down the road and falling every couple of steps tended to draw attention.         “Dream,” Star pouted, “ignoring the fact that we can’t even walk straight, I’m really not looking forward to being found out by real dragons and then roasted alive! Getting stuck as a girl just tops off this cake.”         “Well...uh...” Dream mentally flailed for a something to say. “You don’t need your glasses.”         “Oh joy, I’ll be able to see with 20/20 vision as flames consume me. Thanks Dream,” Star sarcastically droned.         “Well, you’re stuck with it, so deal,” Dream chided. She then unfurled the piece of paper that was crumpled in her right claw and looked at it. “Now where is this place?”         Star glanced over at the paper and noted the directions listed on it as well as the red arrows drawn over the Canterlot map. “You’re sure it’s in this part of town?” All around them, the sound of hammers, saws, and roaring fires filled the air, along with a somehow pleasant burning smell. “I’ve never heard of a restaurant in the industrial sector. I’ve never even heard of this ‘Sparkler’s’ place either.         “Hmm,” Dream mused, “neither have I. Maybe it’s one of the boss’s old hangouts. That’s probably how he got tickets for free meals there.” Dream turned left at an intersection and craned her head up. “It should be around here somewhere.”         “Wait...” Star squinted her eyes and scanned the end of the street. He enthusiastically pointed a talon at a corner shop. “There it is!” He then focused back on his extended talon. “That’s freaky.”         “It’s neat!” Dream smiled. “It’s like having a spell at the end of your hooves.”         “Don’t try anything with magic!” Star yelled. “You’ll end up burning down half the city.”         “That was an accident! C’mon, you’re not just a little curious about it?”         “No, ponies don’t breathe fire.”         “Well,” Dream said with a smug grin, “you heard the boss, we’re not ponies right now, we’re dragons. So until you snort flames, you’re not getting lunch.” Dream reached into her pack and pulled out the tickets for lunch.         “I hate you Dream, I hate you so much,” Star sulked. She took a deep breath and focused. She felt a bubbling sensation in her stomach which quickly crawled up her throat. I’m blaming Dream for the inferno. She opened her mouth and let out a rather large blech.         Dream stood there for a second, before a grin spread across her face, fully showing off her sharp teeth. She started laughing, lost her balance, and rolled on the ground. “Good job Star, you managed to make the air smell a little more burnt,” she wheezed between laughs. Star turned beet red. “S-shut up! I’m glad I can’t do it! At least I didn’t nearly kill somepony!” Dream pushed herself off the ground and took a breath to compose herself. “Fine fine. Guess it’s just easier for me since it’s a lot like channeling magic.” Dream’s eyes then lit up with curiosity. “Ooh! Try flying at least!” “What am I, your pet?” Star’s stomach grumbled as well. “Fine.” She looked back at her wings and gave them a few flaps. When she didn’t lift off the ground she pushed them faster. However, while she managed to get off of the ground, she instantly did a one-eighty and fell on her head. “Ow!” Dream stopped smiling and helped pick up her friend. “What happened?” “Er!” Star fumed, little jets of smoke coming out of her nose. “My center of gravity is off!” She lunged forward and grabbed one of the meal tickets. “Darn it, this is all your fault!” “Star...” “No! Don’t say anything! I am eating and then I’m going home, you have fun with your stupid migration!” Star then stomped off to the shop, leaving Dream alone in the street. “I just thought it’d be fun,” she whimpered. “Ah, bummer, your friend sounded lame anyway,” came a voice from a nearby ally. Out of its shadows came a lanky red dragon. “Not much my style anyway.” “I dunno boss,” said another dragon, this one purple and green with yellow spines covering his eyes. “She looked pretty good to me. When do you ever see silver on an underbelly?” “Heh-heh, well, I know where you were looking,” the red dragon cackled. “Like you were doing anything different with this one,” replied the purple dragon. The red one shot out a wing and smacked the purple one in the face. Then he focused back on Dream, who was shaking a little. “Don’t listen to him, he couldn’t get his mind off mating if he tried. Anyway, what’s a girl like you doing in this namby-pamby stink-hole?” “I... I’m j-just resting a bit... before the migration!” Dream flailed. Oh Celestia, they’re gonna roast me! “Huh,” the red dragon mused. “We’re pretty much here for the same reason.” He glared back at the purple dragon. “Some idiot decided to stuff himself with gems before we left and was too loaded down to make it all the way.” “Shut up Garble!” The purple dragon raised its tail in brought it down on Garble’s. “Ow! Blister you son of a...” Grable lunged at Blister and they both started to quarrel with each other. Dream slowly backed away. “Well... I should probably be going.” Garble pinned Blister down and shoved his aside. He then rushed over to Dream and used his tail to block her path. “Hey-hey, didn’t mean to offend. We’re all just a little pent up from the migration is all. You know how it is, right?” “L-look, I’m not r-really sure I want to go now,” Dream stuttered. “I s-should really get back to my friend.” “Why? She’ll be at the migration too. She’s even got wings; I see you don’t.” Garble playfully slapped at Dream’s back. Dream let out a little yelp. “Let me guess, you’re from the east, right?”         Dream just shook.         Garble didn’t seem to notice. “My pal and I are from the north. Haven’t got a lot of females up there. So...” He moved in a little closer. “How about I give you a free ride?”         “H-how about you...” Dream quivered. “Back off!” She sent a small flame right at Garble’s face. It looked a little blackened, but he just gave her a smiled that showed of his jagged teeth.         “Ooh, feisty.” He took hold of her claw. “That’s a good fire you got there.” He spread out his wings and leaped into the sky. “This is gonna be a fun.” He turned and looked at Blister, who had finally regained his footing. “Come on, we’re leaving this lame town and joining the rest of the group. We might actually enjoy the migration this year.”         Dream squirmed and thrashed in Garble’s iron grip. She sent out spouts of flame, each weaker than the last to no avail. When she dared look down, she saw she was far above the city. Instead of struggling, she now grasped at Garble’s claw and shivered.         “Don’t be scared,” said Garble. “We’ll be there before you know it.”         “Help,” Dream cried. ~~~         Guh, stupid Dream, stupid dragons, stupid stomach! Star’s stomach grumbled again. “Shut up!”         She stomped into the store. “Oi! I need a ta...” Hundreds of gems and diamonds sparkled around her. “...ble.”         “Hello?” came a sophisticated voice from the back of the store. “Is somepony there?”         “No,” Star said as she turned around. “Sorry, I must have the wrong place.” Darn it! I knew those directions were wrong! Screw it, I’ll just get lunch at somewhere I know.          “Oh, that’s a shame,” said the voice. “Do you need help with directions? I could... Oh!” The sound of hooves rapidly hitting ground came from behind Star. Suddenly, her claw was being shaken enthusiastically by a beige hoof. The hoof in question belonged to an equally beige unicorn with a purple and magenta mane. “You must be one of Wingy’s employees! First off, let me say that what you’re doing is just great! Second, you can have your pick of whatever you want here! Almost forgot, I’m Sparkler, pleasure to meet you...” She paused and waited for Star’s response.         “Um... what?” Star replied.         “Well, I assumed since you have the meal ticket, you’re working for Wingy,” Sparkler explained. “Besides, I haven’t had a dragon in here since little Spikey-wikey left.”         Star distinctly recalled a few library visits in which he’d overheard Spike gushing about the nickname to Twilight. “Do you... have any relatives in Ponyville?”         “Indeed!” Sparkler smiled. “My cousin lives there. Why just last week, she sent me an order for forty sets of rubies, can you believe that? Are you a customer of hers too? Ooh!” she squealed. “This is so exciting! Please tell me your name!”         Star backed up and nearly fell on her tail. “S-star... can you watch it on the personal space?”         “I’m sorry dear.” Sparkler bowed her head and backed away a little. “I just get a little over dramatic sometimes.”         I think it’s genetic. Star sighed. “Well, it’s great meeting Rarity’s extended family, but I’m looking for lunch, not jewlery.”         Sparkler chuckled.         “What’s funny?” Star snorted.         “Well, it seems Wingy didn’t give you a full breakdown of dragons. Jewelry is you lunch.”         “What?” Star deadpanned.         “Lets see...” Sparkler’s horn lit up. “If I remember correctly, Spikey-wikey just loved starting off with these!” Two pieces of turquoise and a sizeable emerald floated over to Star.         “What?” Star repeated.         “I know, I know,” said Sparkle as she vainly waved a hoof. “They’d do much better as earrings or part of a necklace, but Spikey-wikey always said they were good. A shame, that emerald goes perfect with your eyes.”         “Let me get this straight.” Star took a deep breath. “You want me to eat these?”         “It is what dragons like.”         Star picked the rocks and jewel from out of the air and held them in her claws. They were just as solid as they looked. “These are rocks.”         “Not just any rocks!” Sparkler drew back her face in mock horror. “These are some of the finest gems in Equestria. Elegance and class run in my family’s blood you know. We would have nothing less than the utmost best. Please, try them, I’m sure you’ll love it!”         “Well...” Star eyed the emerald that reflected back her own image. She took note of her sharp teeth. But more than that, she noticed how succulent the gem looked. It was perfectly sculpted and before that it’d been shaped exquisitely by the earth through hundreds of years.         “I think that’s a yes.” Sparkler’s horn lit up again and a small cloth flew over and dabbed the drool that had accumulated around Star’s lips. “A little class doesn’t hurt either though.” “Oh.” Star turned a little red. “I’m just a little hungry and this looks really good.” Star ran her forked tongue over her lips. “Well, I guess a bite couldn’t hurt.” She raised up the emerald with one claw and brought it over to her mouth. However, she paused before taking a bite and looked at Sparkler. “This won’t break my teeth?” “Sweetie, Spikey-wikey was tearing through granite with his gums.” “Okay.” Star gulped. “Here goes nothing.” She opened her mouth again and bit down on the gem. Her eyes then went wide. “Oh my gosh! This is amazing! It’s so crisp and juicy! How is an emerald juicy?” “Couldn’t tell you,” Sparkler said with a smile. “Hmm, maybe I should ask Wingy to cook me up one of those medallions so I can find out.” She then focussed back on Star. “Anyway, how’s the...” All the stones, had disappeared out of Star’s claws. “...gems.” “Amazing!” Star happily exclaimed. “You gotta let me try the rubies, or maybe the sapphires. Ooh! What about diamond? Or Obsidian! Maybe even...” A hoof fell on her mouth. “Careful darling,” Sparkler chided. “Don’t get carried away. I don’t know how authentic those medallions make you, but if you’re even close to full dragon, you don’t want to get too greedy.” Images of a peaceful morning being disrupted by a fifty foot monster flashed through Star’s mind. A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined the beast being brown and silver rather than purple and green. “Right.” Star’s stomach grumbled a little. “I’m still a little hungry though. Would you mind getting me some gems? You probably know what’s good better than I do.” “Why thank you, dear,” Sparkler said with a smile. “Anyway, let me get you the smorgasbord. You’ll probably also need some stuff for the road from what Wingy said.” “Thanks,” Star said with a smile. ~~~         An hour or so later, Star emerged from the shop carrying a rather hefty bag. “Ah, that hit the spot.” She happily rubbed her stomach a little.         “Wait!” Sparkler called out as she rushed out of the store. She ran over to Star, levitating a small piece of paper. “You had another ticket. Was a friend supposed to meet you?”         “Oh...” Star frowned a little. “My friend and I had a bit of a fight right before we got here... I may have gotten a little mad.” Hope I didn’t upset her too much.         “Dear, my advice would be to make amends.” Sparkler then somehow smiled. “Besides, I’m sure she’ll feel better after a good meal.”         “Right, I’d better go look for her. Just hold onto that ticket if she shows up, she’ll probably be your second dragon customer today. Thanks again Sparkler.”         “Anytime dear, and when you’re back to normal, come in and buy some jewels to wear rather than eat.”         Star awkwardly chuckled. “Right.”         “And make sure to say hi to Spikey-wikey for me.” ~~~         “Um, yeah, I’m here to see a Ms. Weaver,” Star said to the receptionist at the apartment complex.         “She hasn’t checked back from work,” replied the receptionist.         “Has a pink dragon with green and yellow spines come through?”         “Sorry, we don’t have any dragons here...” The receptionist tapped her hoof. “Actually, you’re the first dragon I’ve seen since Princess Celestia’s student left town.”         “I see, well, if you see that dragon or Dream just tell her Star said he’s sorry.”         “Can’t dragons send stuff with their flame?”         “I think the only thing that would accomplish would be making myself sick.”         “Okay, I’ll keep the message for her. Have a nice day.”         “Thanks.” Star turned around and left.         She quickly made her way to the train station and waited for her trip back to Ponyville. She shuffled her feet as she did, however, they kept catching and tearing up the wooden platform. Star sighed and went to sit on a bench, but even that felt a little off. Can’t even sit right. This is gonna be a rough week.         Her wings flapped a little. Crap, how am I gonna get up to my house? ~~~         The sun was beginning to sink into the western horizon by the time the train made it to Ponyville. Star got off and stretched, producing a few audible cracks. Okay, I’m really gonna need some help with this. She sighed. Probably gonna have to go to the spa.          She was so distracted with figuring out how to deal with her body that she didn’t see the shape in front of her. “Oof!” Star tripped and fell right onto the ground. “Should have seen that coming.” She felt something flail under her. She jumped up and hovered in the air for a second before crashing back down. She’d perfectly crushed a small purple and green dragon. “Oh my gosh! Spike! I didn’t mean to do that!” She helped him up and kept him balanced. Spike used a claw to massage his head. “Wha huh?” His eyes went wide when he saw Star. “Whoa! Another dragon! What brings you to Ponyville?” “Spike, it—” “You already know my name? Heh, I knew my awesomeness would one day make me famous.” He grinned a little. Star resisted the urge to facepalm. “Spike it’s—” “Let me guess, you’re here cause you heard I was going on the migration and wanted to accompany me. Already got that talk from Twilight. Don’t get me wrong, other dragons are nice, bu—” This time, Star did facepalm. “Spike it’s Star.” “What?” “I’m Star,” Star grumbled. “My boss and my friend thought it’d be a fun joke to send me to the migration with everypony else.” “How come you sound like...” Spike awkwardly wrung his tail. “They didn’t think my other issues would mess with the spell. So now I’m stuck like this for the rest of the week.” Star looked at Spike wringing his tail. “How do you sit with that thing anyway?” “I... uh... well,” Spike stuttered. “Okay, this is weird.” “Preaching to the choir,” Star sighed. “Oh yeah, Sparkler says hi.” Spike’s eyes lit up with delight. “You saw Sparky? Wow, I loved it when Twilight saved up enough to buy me something from there. Did she give you good stuff? She did, right?” “Yeah, actually...” Star walked over and picked up the bag she’d dropped when she falled. She reached in and pulled out an amber colored crystalline rock. “I didn’t want to be rude, but she kept saying I’d love garnet, but the stuff’s not for me.” “You kidding?” Spike happily took the gem and ate it in one bite. “I love garnet!” “No way, the beryls are the best!” Star argued. “Heh, you just haven’t developed better tastes,” Spike chuckled. “Although, this does beat having nopony to talk to about gems.” “Well, I’ll be here ‘till Friday.” “You’re not going on the migration?” “No,” Star sighed. “Look at me Spike, like you said, I don’t even know what gems are good. The other dragons would sniff me out in an instant.” “Didn’t you say your boss did this? So isn’t it part of your job?” “I didn’t ask for this.” Star crossed her arms. She then looked down and dropped them. “Er, my claws keep doing that. What did I even just do?” “You crossed your arms.” “Ponies don’t cross their arms. We don’t even have those. See Spike? I just can’t get used to this.” She flapped her wings. “Probably gonna spend the rest of the day trying to get  up to my house.” “Oh yeah, you got wings! Lucky,” Spike exclaimed. “Twilight did a little research and it sounds like it’ll hurt when I get mine.” Star looked back at her wings. “Sorry Spike. Guess the wings stay no matter what I look like.” “Well, I’m still going on the migration tomorrow morning.” Spike turned around to leave. “If you need help with anything, just ask me before that.” “Thanks Spike.” Star turned to leave as well. “Good luck, you’ll probably do better than I did.” “Hey don’t be too harsh on yourself. You got me fooled.” “See ya.” Star waved and then made her way to her home... or rather below her home. “Okay.” Star glanced up at the cloud and the sky that separated her from it. She raised her bag and grabbed it with her teeth. “Just got remember the basics... maybe if I get on all fours, it’ll be more like normal.” She crouched down and adjusted her stance until she was about as close as she could get to a pony’s posture. “Well, that’s step one.” She looked up again and then back at her wings. “Now on to step two.” She took slow and careful flaps at first, just enough to cause a slight breeze. Then she picked up her speed, causing the grass around her to rustle. Gravity started losing its hold on her and she began to rise. “Okay, got airborne. Just gotta go straight up.” She kept her wings going at the same speed and got higher and higher. She smiled as her house was just a few feet away from her. Finally, she crested over the cloud and got a view of her house. “Yes! I did it!” She shifted her wings a little and tried to move forward. “Now I just need to...” Her tail cut through the currents her wings were generating and she turned into a floating rock. “Nononono!” She rapidly flailed her claws and managed to catch onto the edge of the cloud. She looked down and gulped. “Oh crap, oh crap! Gotta get up!” She grasped the cloud with both her claws and pulled with all her might. She raised herself up and then collapsed on the cloud. “Thank you!” she wheezed at the setting sun and the rising moon. “Thank you Celestia! Thank you Luna! Thank you whoever’s listening!” Star then realized she was resting on her cloud. “Wait...” She dropped her bag and pushed herself up. “I’m a dragon, but I can still walk on cloud... hmm. Maybe I’ll ask Spike tomorrow morning or when he gets back about that.” She reached out and grabbed the bag with a claw. Her eyes then went wide and she frowned. “How am I gonna get down?”