Author's note
I finally have a laptop!!! As a result, I am no longer limited to 1000 or so words per chapter like I was when I did it all on my phone. Congrats to everypony who was able to endure the short chapters and the rushed plot that came with it. No more "parts" from now on.
It was mid afternoon as the train pulled into the Ponyville Trainstation. Everypony was eager to get off the train and get some fresh air and reunite with their loved ones. As everypony disembarked from the train they made their way through the checkpoint set up by the royal guard. It had been set up to pass out refunds to all the passengers, though it also served to catch any Sons of Pegasopholus trying to hide among the crowd. Lightning and his friends were led out through another area, to ensure that both them and the book safely made it into town. A guard went up to Lightning. "Sorry you had to experience all that on the train." The guard said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, I highly suggest you get the book to the library as soon as possible."
Lightning looked up at the guard. "Where is the library?" He asked.
"It's that way, towards the center of town." The guard said, pointing down the road with a foreleg. "It's a giant tree so you can't miss it."
"Thanks!" Lightning said to the guard, then turning to his friends. "This town is amazing!" Lightning said excitedly. "Guess I need to get this book to the library."
"I'm going to find us a place to stay." Rainbow Dash said.
"I'll go with you, besides I want to look around town! This could be fun!" Flash said, a look of excitement on his face.
"Hang on there, Lighting." Applejack said, grabbing Lighting before he could leave. "Y'all owe me a date! And besides, Ah want you to meet mah family!" She then started to push Lightning down the road. "It's not like that book is goin' anywhere on it's own anyway. Ah just know mah family will like ya!"
As Lightning was pushed off Flash couldn't help but let out a chuckle. Rainbow Dash then interrupted him. "Our house isn't going to find itself you know. So let's get looking!" Rainbow said.
"Point taken...still, Lightning...in love! Ha! This is sooo rich!" Flash said. They then took off and flew over the buildings, Flash slightly struggling to keep up with Rainbow.
"Are you OK back there?" Rainbow said looking back at Flash. "You look a little tired."
"I'm fine it's just I haven't flown much since Lightning broke his wing a few weeks ago. I'm a little rusty is all." Flash said, nearly panting.
Just as they came to the edge of town something in the sky caught their eyes. They could only gasp at what was in front of them. Just a few hundred yards away from them was an old abandoned cloud house. They began to fly towards it full speed. As they closed distance with it, it's features began to come into view. Overall it was a decently sized house, and it was even of Cloudsdale style columbs and all. As they got closer more was visible, such as that it even sported a few rainbow fountains, though from the look of it they were in disrepair, and that they let out little more than a trikle. At last they set hoof on the soft cloud of the edge of the house. Many of the windows were broken, and some parts of the walls had evaporated away, indicating that this house was definatly very old. The door was missing, and it was dark inside. Very dark, with an occasional flash accompanied by a low rumble, giving the hint that this old house was starting to break down and turn into a thunderstorm. "So..." Flash said, looking into the darkness. "Wanna look around?"
"I don't know Flash...this place looks like it's ready to rain out at any time." Rainbow said, looking inside.
"Oh come on. Besides, this place doesn't look like it'll cost us anything to move in." Flash said, taking a few steps inside. "All this place needs TLC."
"Tender love and care? Or totally lost cause?" Rainbow said, following him in.
"Well...first we need to stop this lightning. Let's go to the basement." Flash said as he trotted in deeper. Using the light of the lightning to find their way through, they cautiously moved down the hallways, being careful not to knock anything over. They also had to dodge the occasional stray bolt of lightining that occasionally arced between walls. As they got closer to the basement stairs the thunder got louder. As the two reached the stairs they saw the source of the problem. The basement had already broken down into thunder cloud. "Soooo...any ideas?"
Rainbow looked at the dark cloud and thought on it for a moment. "Well...we could knock out some cloud underneath and drain it out...but that would take an entire weather team." She said. "And theres no way we could pay for it."
Flash then remembered when he heard a jingle in his saddlebag. He still had a lot of money from when the Oranges gave him and his friends the money for travel expenses. "Maybe we do have a way." Flash said as he started digging through his bag.
"Unless you randomly have a few hundred bits on you, how in the hay are we going to pay a weather team help us with this?" Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow.
"Because I do have a few hundred bits!" Flash excitedly said as he pulled out his coinbag. "Applejack's aunt gave us some money to help us on our way."
"That's so awsome! Now we need to find the local weather station!" Rainbow exclaimed, bouncing on the cloud.
They then left the house and flew off in search of the Ponyville Weather Center. They decided to start their search in Ponyville Town Hall. "So who should we ask?" Flash asked as they landed and canterted up to the door.
"I'd think the receptionist?" Rainbow sarcastically said.
They then entered the building into it's main chamber, a very high ceilinged round room with a small stage at the opposite side. Along the walls were many doors with gold plates two thirds high, with words engraved into them. The hall was really busy, as ponies of all types trotted across the large central room as they went from room to room, going about their business. They had to hover over the crowd to get close enough to the doors to read them. Eventually they found the receptionist's room, and managed to slip inside. "Can I help you? I'm afraid we're not answering walk ins today. Are you aware that tomorrow is election day? If you have official business, get in line." The receptionist said. She then looked over her desk to see two foals. "Oh forgive me I'm terribly sorry. For a moment there I thought you were another politician. What can I do for you?"
"I'm Flash Firestorm and this is Rainbow Dash, and we're looking for the Ponyville Weather Station. Do you know where it is?" Flash asked.
"It's a cloud building that sits over the west side of town...but might I ask why you're looking for it?" The receptionist asked.
"We're just curious is all. Thanks!" Rainbow said as they left. The receptionist just shrugged and went back to work. Rainbow and Flash then made their way back outside and then took off west. The building the were looking for was not hard to find. Considering that besides the house they wanted to find it was the only other cloud building in Ponyville. They found it in no time, and immediately sped towards it. When they arrived multiple teams of pegasi were coming and going. Some were headed in the direction of Cloudsdale while others headed over to Ponyville. Overall this place was really mostly a weather planning and weather pony rest station. The weather itself was made in Cloudsdale and imported to stations like this to help with weather distribution. Flash and Rainbow entered the lobby of the station.
"Can I help you?" The reception pony said.
Ugh...another receptionist. Rainbow thought as they approached her. "I'm Rainbow Dash and this is Flash. We were wondering if you guys did weather requests." Rainbow said. They both then crossed their hooves.
"Yes we do...but um...this isn't for a prank is it? I know how you foals can get..." The receptionist said, giving them a dead pan.
"No we uhh need help with a thunderstorm." Flash said.
"UGH. I knew it. you want a little thunder cloud to scare somepony with, don't you!?" She said, getting riled.
"NO!" Rainbow yelled. "We need one removed!"
"Oh...um...yes well...we can do that. Though it's three hundred bits for thunderstorm removal. It's dangerous work after all." The receptionist said, relaxing.
"And we just so happen to have that much." Flash said, taking out his coinbag. "Three hundred bits." He dropped the bag onto the desk, the bag making a jingle as it lands.
"Where is this thunderstorm?" The receptionist asked.
"It's part of an old house on the edge of town." Flash said.
"Oh finally! Somepony finally want's that hazard taken down!" The receptionist was now bouncing up and down behind her desk.
"Actually we just want the house made safe to live in." Rainbow Dash said.
"Oh. Well as long as it's no longer a flying hazard then we'll do it. I'll let the manager know." The receptionist said as she darted off. They then heard excited voices behind the manager's door. A few moments later she came back out. "We will need you to lead us to the house. Since it became a rogue cloud it tends to drift around that area, and we haven't been tracking it since it started to break down into a full fledged storm. Lead the way for the team and they'll have the house in shape in no time."
"We have a home! I can't wait to tell Lightning about it!" Flash said.
"So awsome! Our own place!" Rainbow said. They then left the lobby and found the team. "Alright everpony, Follow me!"
Flash and Rainbow took off and flew off towards the house with the weather team close behind.
-----//////////-----
Lightning had been pushed across the entire town before they reached the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. "We're almost there Lightning!" Applejack said as she continued to shove him down the road. She then finally stopped, causing Lightning to face plant into the road. "Opps, sorry Lightning..." She said as she helped Lightning up. "We're here!" She announced. But before they could go any further, Applejack stopped in her tracks. Her eyes grew large and her ears perked nearly enough to explode off her head. She then took off into a gallop towards two ponies who were seemingly waiting for her at the front entry. Tears of joy flowed from her eyes as she flew into their embrace. As she nuzzled them a bright light began to form on her flank. Within seconds there was a small flash followed by three white shapes arranged in a triangle appeared on her flank. After another few seconds the white light started to fade as they started to take on a red hue. On the top of each of the three red shapes there was a small amount of green in the shape of a leaf. They were apples.
Lightning then galloped up to the trio. "Applejack! You got your cutie mark!" He said as he hugged her.
"Who's this now, Applejack? A new friend?" Said the first pony, an old mare with a light green coat and grey mane. On her flank was a pie.
"This here's mah colt friend Lightning Ace. He's from Cloudsdale." Applejack said, putting a foreleg around Lightning.
"Hello everypony. I'm from Cloudsdale but I can't go back, considering I broke my wing." Lightning said as he turned so they could see his cast.
"Eeyup." Was all the large red colt said.
"Anyway, this here is Granny Smith, and Big Macintosh." Applejack said pridefully, pointing at them. "And this is Sweet Apple Acres!" She then motioned at the farm. "Come on Lightning Ah want to show y'all around!" She then grabbed him and dragged him first to the house.
Lightning looked up at the house. "Woah...nice house Applejack! It looks like it has a few stories of it's own to tell." Lightning said, his eyes looking things over.
"Eeyup! There sure are some stories to tell, but Ah don't know any...you'd haf ta ask Granny Smith about it. All Ah know is that it all started because of our world famous zap apple jam." Applejack said. Ah'll show you the inside! Come on!" She then cantered up to her house, then stopped at the door to wait for Lightning.
Lightning then cantered up to the house as well, then followed her inside. The inside of the house had all the charm of a country house. Hard wood furniture with plush cushions, warm colors, and a cozy fireplace for winter. She then led Lightning to the kitchen first. The first thing to catch Lightning's eyes was a jar sitting on the kitchen table. "Is that zap apple jam!?" Lightning was suprised. "I've actually never had any. But I've always wanted to."
"Did y'all want some? It's the last jar from this year's batch, but Ah don't think anypony will mind." Applejack said.
"I'd love to have some!" Lightning said excitedly.
"One zap apple jam sandwich comin' right up!" Applejack said as she got out some bread. She then spread some jam on the bread and put another slice on top. "Here y'all go...the best jam in the world!" She said as she hoofed the sandwich over to Lightning, who took it without hesitation. She then made one for herself.
Lightning then beheld the sandwich before him. Sandwiched between the soft slices of bread was the world famous zap apple jam, the tastiest fruit in all of Equestria. He then without delay took a huge bite. His tongue was in complete bliss. Then something started to happen. Lightning then felt a tingling sensation throughout his body. Like the feeling he got whenever he was close to a thunderstorm. Only the feeling was fleeting, and did not last. He wrote it off as part of the jam's flavor. "That was the most amazing thing I've ever eaten! Thanks Applejack!" Lightning said as he hugged her then finished the sandwich.
After lunch Applejack led Lightning upstairs. "And up here are the bedrooms." She said as she led him to the first door. "In here is mah little sister's room."
"You have a sister?" Lightning asked.
"Eeyup! though she's only a month old. Her name is Apple Bloom. Isn't she cute?" Applejack said, giggling.
Lightning could't help but d'aww. "She's so adorable!" He exclaimed.
"Isn't she?" Applejack said as she closed the door to Apple Blooms room. She then led him down to the end of the hallway to the final door. "And this here is mah room. Now come on, there's more to show y'all!" Applejack continued as she once again pushed Lightning along. "And this is our barn!" She proudly exclaimed as she pushed open the large wooden door.
"It's huge in here!" Lightning said as they went inside. The inside was spacious, high ceiling, and had numerous piles of hay scattered about the room. On the walls were various tools for different farm tasks. "You guys must really work hard around here." Lightning said as he admired the tools.
"Well, mah brother works hard. After mah parents got an offer to start a farm way out west, we had to hire a few farm hooves to help out round here." Applejack then walked over to a window, the evening sun now coming through. "Ah'm inheriting the farm once Ah'm old enough, Lightning."
"Is that why you left? That sounds like a lot to bear." Lightning said.
"It...it was..." Applejack studdered, looking at the floor. "Ah just couldn't do it yet. Ah then heard about mah relatives livin' the easy life an Ah just took the idea and just ran with it."
"So what changed your mind?" Lightning asked.
Applejack then turned to Lightning. "When you came to Manehattan...Ah remembered why Ah loved mah home. Then that rainbow we watched that led us here. It all just made sense at that point. Ah realized what Ah had to do. Ah had to go home." She said. The setting sun the reminded them as to how late it was. "It's gettin' a mighty bit late...maybe y'all should set here for a spell."
"Well I've got nowhere to go so I suppose I'll stay for the night. Though I wonder how Rainbow and Flash are doing." Lightning said, looking back out the window.
"Ah'm sure they're fine Lightning. The guest room's this way." Applejack said as she led Lightning to the room across from hers. "Night Lightning." She said to Lightning as he went in.
"Good night Applejack." Lightning said as Applejack closed the door. He turned to get a look at the room. It was a charming country bedroom, with warm colors and soft looking furniture. The bed quickly caught his eyes as he grew tired. It had been a very long day, and the bed was the most welcoming thing he's seen all day. Well, almost the most welcoming thing. As he slipped into the bed and drifted to sleep, the last thing on his mind was an orange filly with a blond mane and tail.