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// A Cloudy Day 
// Story: A Change of Weather 
// by Brolkier 
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	“Come on, come on! Almost there. Just work!” The Pegasus looked on, desperately waiting for his device to work. The fuse on the homemade rocket had almost reached its base. “Yes! Now fire!” The last bit of sparks from the fuse worked their way into the barrel of the device. However, instead of producing a shooting rocket, a slight fizzling sound could be heard, and was followed by a small ‘poof’ of smoke out of the end of the barrel. “Not again.” The Pegasus said distraughtly.

“Ha! And another great failure, by our very own ‘Cloudy Airhead’! When are you going to give up on those little projects of yours? You should know by now, that things like that will never work.” One of the other Pegasus ponies on the cloud edge said to him. The Pegasus didn’t care much for this Pegasi, named Red Rocket, who seemed to get enjoyment out of his failures.

The Pegasus took his device, and wheeled it back towards the warehouse on the middle of the floating cloud. The warehouse was built into the side of a mountain peak that protruded up through the cloud, and was the base of the Cloudsdale Weather Research Facility (CWRF), where all of Cloudsdale’s new weather technological advancements were made. As he reached the entrance to the warehouse, the Pegasus’ research manager, Daisy Drizzle, emerged from the opened double doors. “At it again, huh? Cloudy Airy? This is the fifth time this week that you’ve tried shooting off, one of those…things. Only to have it smoke in your face.” The seasoned research Pegasi said to him. When she had agreed to hire Cloudy, she had hoped that he would help the research team to find new ways to control the clouds, so that they could help make the work of the weather ponies easier. Instead, he only appeared to spend his time making small machines, which were similar to the fireworks stands down with the Earth ponies.

Cloudy turned his head away a bit, as he pulled his device back into the warehouse. “It’s just a minor difficulty. I’ve almost got it.” He headed towards the section of the warehouse that housed all of the weather technology developments, and pulled into the stall where he worked. He unhooked the device from the reigns, and tossed it into a corner of the stall, onto a large pile of other failed devices. Cloudy removed his glasses and set them to the side of his work table, before proceeding to bang his head on the table, speaking to himself in between slams. “What. The. Buck. Am. I. Doing. Wrong?”

Cloudy’s work at the (CWRF) was much different than that of every other weather pony. Whereas other Pegasus ponies tried working with the clouds themselves, Cloudy tried working with machines he had built, so that he could cut down the amount of work required of the weather ponies. However, this way of thinking wasn’t anything new to the ponies of Cloudsdale. Even back in weather school, Cloudy always questioned the methods on how to control the weather in Equestria.

He figured that there could be faster ways to get work done, rather than by flying around all day in the sky. It was this thinking that made him want to join the weather ponies at (CWRF). Although, as the months have gone by since he first started working there, Cloudy had yet to find any way to successfully change the weather. His latest device had been an attempt to artificially recreate the weather effects in clouds that, up until this point, weather ponies had to do themselves.

Cloudy stopped banging his head on the table, put his glasses back on, and turned his attention to his blueprints board. “Let’s see. The design should’ve been right. I used the correct amount of powder. The angle wasn’t off to launch the rocket.”

“I just don’t know what went wrong, right?” Suddenly, Windy Thunderclap, the facilities top weather pony walked into Cloudy’s stall. “You’re always saying that whenever you mess up, and that’s pretty often. Why not let my father’s business help you with your designs? You could obviously use the help.” 

Windy Thunderclap belonged to the famous Thunderclap family, which had been on the forefront of all of the cloud technology used all over Equestria. She was also, one of the few Pegasus ponies that didn’t ridicule Cloudy for what he was doing, or trying to achieve. She would often come by his stall to see what new ideas Cloudy had come up with, and to get away from all the other male ponies who were constantly flirting with her. Perhaps it was because Cloudy was always so involved in his work, but he seemed to be the only pony who wasn’t constantly chasing after her, either to win her heart, or her family’s.

Cloudy adjusted his glasses and let out an annoyed sigh, before turning to speak to Windy. “I’ve told you before, I don’t want, nor need, your family’s help. All of the technology of the Thunderclap family is too…simple and safe. Sure, it’s meant to be that way, so that all of the clouds and weather of Equestria can be handled without much problem, but it doesn’t have the capability to evolve.”

Windy let out a sigh of her own before responding. “And it’s your stubbornness that’s keeping you from evolving. I mean, you’re always working with such dangerous things. Explosive powder from fireworks, chemicals that I’m pretty sure half of which you can’t even pronounce, and more importantly, the patience of the entire research team. If you don’t start working with the other ponies more often, you’re going to find yourself sitting on a cloud somewhere without a bit to your name.”

“I have to take risks, otherwise, nothing will be accomplished! Even your family took risks, when they made all of the technological advances that we have up here today. They didn’t slowly build their way up to it. They built it, threw it in the air, and prayed to Celestia that it worked. And you know what? It did, and it didn’t. The Thunderclap family has had their fair share of failures, just as I’ve had mine, but that didn’t stop them from taking more risky endeavors. If somepony like me won’t take the chance to make something new, then who will?” Cloudy exclaimed to Windy, stamping his hoof on the ground.

“And that’s why you should accept my fathers’ help. You could be working in an environment where you could take all the risk you want, but more controlled, and safe. The longer you stay here, the more you’re going to lose the trust of the other ponies.” Windy replied back.

“Then why are you here, huh? Why aren’t you working with your father in a real weather development environment? Why work in research, when you could just go and make the technology that solves research?” Cloudy retorted back with.

“Because, what good would making the technology do, if you didn’t have somepony to understand it, and know what it needs to do? You’re brighter than this Cloudy, you shouldn’t be wasting your time here waiting to blow yourself up over your own stubbornness. What would any of us do if you accidently killed yourself doing this?” Windy tried to reason back with.

Cloudy had gotten frustrated enough, after having yet another failed device, now he had to be lectured, yet again, by the ‘ideal weather mare’. “I think you’ve overstayed your welcome! Why can’t you just let me work in peace? I don’t want to work for your father, I still don’t understand why you’re working here, and I’m getting bucking tired of why you, and everypony else, can’t just leave me the buck alone! Say what you will, but I’m not going to stop working on my endeavors, even if it kills me. Now if you don’t at all mind, I’d like to get back to my ‘failed’ research.” The failure of his latest device caused Cloudy to verbally lash out at Windy, instead of casually shaking off whatever was said.

Windy could do nothing but stand in shock and disgusted awe, at the way that one of the few ponies she had considered her friend, had just treated her. She turned and left in an angry silence, but not before kicking at one of Cloudy’s work tables, causing one of the jars on it to fall and break on the floor. Cloudy quickly turned and went to clean up the mess that Windy had just made, all the while gritting his teeth in anger, as she disappeared from behind the stable wall. He didn’t think about it at the moment, but in time, he would come to see that he had made a mistake in what he had said, and would have to apologize. However, as with most things that made him angry, it would take a good while until that came into play.

Having cleaned up the mess, Cloudy returned to his blueprint board, and continued to ponder what exactly had gone wrong this time. “What am I missing? What is it that causes my devices to fail every time? I’ve built everything to the specifications that should allow the devices to function properly, yet they continue to fail. Perhaps I should take another look at my source, to see if I’ve missed something. It wouldn’t surprise me if that Earth pony screwed something up in the plans he gave me.” Cloudy left his stall, and headed for the main entrance to the warehouse. It was starting to get late, and he always worked past the clock to work on his devices. So he decided to punch out, on his way down to the ground beneath the clouds.

The receptionist had just started to make her way out herself, and waved to Cloudy as he passed by and punched his card into the machine. “Have a goodnight Cloudy.”

Perhaps it was the clicking of the punch machine, or maybe the storm still rolling in his head, but the words she spoke were deaf to Cloudy as he continued out the door. He took a few more steps away from the building, before spreading his wings, and taking off in flight. He flew over to the edge, before diving down to the ground below. 

The pony that he was on his way to see, lived near the outskirts of Ponyville, but was still involved enough with the town to not be considered an outcast. Although, one might think otherwise, upon meeting him. Cloudy had originally met the pony when he ventured down to Ponyville once, in the hopes to find something to help achieve his dream of finding an easier way to manipulate the weather. At the time of his visit, he was introduced to what would be the catalyst of his work: fireworks.

While he had lived up in the clouds his whole life, he had only seen fireworks as they exploded up in the sky, but he didn’t know how they worked. When he saw the machine that they were fired from, inspiration immediately struck Cloudy. Here was something that was capable of firing off a projectile that, at the end of its line/fuse, would explode into something to have a desired effect. If he could find a way to manipulate the properties of the fireworks and their launching station, then he might be able to create a form of remote cloud control, so to speak. All he needed now was, to find out how to build these machines.

There was however, one problem. All of the fireworks stands that he found were run and operated by Earth ponies. In his time living in the clouds, Cloudy had always been very judgmental of the Earth ponies below. While he was intrigued at the Unicorns for their magic and intelligence, he thought that Earth ponies were nothing more than brutes without a brain. Because of this mentality, Cloudy evaded Earth ponies at all cost and never spoke with one unless he absolutely had to. Ironically, when Cloudy had about given up hope finding somepony to show him how to make the fireworks, he happened upon the one Earth pony that he could stand working with.

Cloudy landed near a small shack just outside of Ponyville, and took a few steps up to the door to listen if the pony he was looking for was even home. He pushed his ear to the door and listened for any movement inside.

“He he. Oh, Mr. Tanner, you’re so big and strong.” Cloudy could hear a young mare’s voice inside.

And then another mare’s voice spoke up. “Oh yes, show us another one of your famous rockets, Mr. Tanner.”

“Please, please my wonderful mares, it is Rrrrrural Tanner. Owner of the finest, and most impressive, fireworks in all the lands.” And finally, there was the pony Cloudy came for, Rural Tanner. The way he always rolled the ‘R’ on his name annoyed Cloudy, but then again, just having to talk to an Earth pony always seemed to get on his nerves. 

Satisfied that Rural was home, but frustrated that he’d already be distracted, Cloudy turned around, and kicked at the door to get the attention of the ponies inside. “Tanner! Quit horsing around and open up!” Cloudy took a step to the side, as he heard hurried rustling from inside, which was quickly followed by the two mares running out, covered in what appeared to be cheap drapes.

Tanner followed from behind, stopping at the door and extending a hoof out, as if to call them back. “Wait! Come back my lovelies! Gah, must you always interrupt me when I’m working? Don’t you know its bad luck to rush a fireworks display?”

Cloudy watched as the stallion looked around, trying to figure out where he was. It was rather ironic, and reckless to boot, that the owner of a fireworks stand…was blind. “I’m right here Tanner. Besides, I’m sure I did them a favor, saving them from having to watch your sparkler show. Now let me in, we need to talk about those design plans you gave me before.” The only reason that Cloudy could stand working with Tanner, was simply because of the fact that he was blind. He figured, as long as the pony couldn’t see what he looked like, then it wasn’t a problem being associated with him. Even if Tanner told other ponies about him, as long as he couldn’t point him out to others, then he could hide the fact that he knew him.

“Ah Cloudy! My friend from the skies above! So nice of you to visit again, although, you could’ve given me a few more minutes to finish my display. How are my fireworks looking in the land of the clouds?” Tanner stepped out of the way of the door inside, slightly relieved that it was Cloudy whom knocked at his door, rather than the collection ponies.

Cloudy walked inside. The shop hadn’t changed much since his last visit to the Earth pony’s shack. Things were still scattered around the room, the shades half closed, and yet somehow, there were completed boxes of fireworks stacked against the walls. Windy had called him reckless, but it still surprised Cloudy how this blind Earth pony was able to make all of these fireworks, and actually have them work. “They’re going about as well as this shack of yours appears to be doing. Are you sure you gave me the right blueprints the last time I was here? I’ve had countless of my devices blow up in my face, and I get the feeling that you gave me defective plans.”

Tanner couldn’t help but laugh at the Pegasus pony’s complaining. “Ha ha ha, and ponies call me blind! Even I can see that you’re doing something wrong. There’s nothing wrong with my plans. They were written and designed by my father, his father, and his forefathers before him. They’ve never failed.”

Cloudy was starting to get hot under the collar again, listening to an Earth pony tell him that he was wrong. “Well I’m here to say that there ‘is’ something wrong, and I demand that you give me plans that will actually work. My whole career is at stake, and I’m not going to lose everything I’ve worked for, just because somepony who can’t even see their hoof in front of their face has given me defective plans.”

Tanner just shrugged as he answered the Pegasus. “I’m sorry my friend, but the problem isn’t in the plans. I think you’re still missing that certain something that allows everything to come together.”

Cloudy gritted his teeth in frustration, before stamping his hooves on the ground. As a result, a small box that was on a higher shelf, fell to the ground. Cloudy saw that there seemed to be blueprints inside, and walked over to take a look.

The sound of the box falling caused Tanner’s ears to perk up, and he turned towards the sound, talking to Cloudy at the same time. “That box fell from up…don’t look in that box Cloudy!”

Cloudy was amazed at what he held in his hooves. The blueprints appeared to be unlike any of the others that he had seen before, or even tried to make himself. They were archaic, yet seemed more advanced than anything that was being used today. He looked at the date at the top of the paper, and it appeared to pre-date the banishment of Nightmare Moon. These were plans that had existed in the same time of the Drachonis attacks against the Alicorns! How Tanner’s family had managed to keep these, without them ending up in the royal archives was amazing. “Ta…Tanner. What are these? J…Jav...Javel...Javelin. What is a Javelin? I’ve never seen anything like this before. This design, the propulsion system, the way it’s fired. This is even better than anything you’ve showed me before! I…I think I could probably build this!”

Tanner walked over, and surprising managed to snatch the blueprints out of Cloudy’s hooves without ripping it. “I told you not to look in that box! These designs, my great grandfather once told me that they will only bring forth nothing but destruction. That’s why they’ve never been used since the time of the Drachonis. They’re simply too dangerous. I’m actually glad though, that you found them. I’d been forgetting to get rid of these, like my great grandfather had asked me to. I don’t know why he didn’t just get rid of them himself, but I see that they need to be destroyed now, more than ever.” Tanner reached around for the box that the blueprints were in, and stuffed it back in the box before picking it up.

“Tanner wait! Those plans could be used for good! I’ve never actually been making your fireworks launchers up in the clouds, I’ve been modifying them to be used for weather manipulation. I could do the same for those plans. Make them from something destructive, into something that could benefit all ponykind.” Cloudy tried to reason back to Tanner.

Tanner seem shocked at what Cloudy had just told him. “You…You weren’t making my fireworks displays? You’ve just been changing them to suit your own needs? Well no wonder they’ve never worked for you! Fireworks are meant to be just that; Fireworks. If you try to change something from what it’s supposed to be, into something else, it will never work for you. That settles it, I’m no longer giving you any of my family’s designs! If you can’t even be trusted to bring joy to other ponies, than you’re no longer permitted to work with these wonderful machines!” In a fit of rage and disappointment that a pony he called a friend had betrayed him, Tanner collected all of the blueprints that he had stashed around the shack, and tossed them all in his furnace. It was surprising how Tanner was able to move about the shack, tucking his hooves and face into crannies and specific places all throughout the shack. For a big blind pony, he was moving as if he had never lost his sight at all.

Cloudy tried to physically stop the pony from burning all of the plans, but his light Pegasus body wasn’t enough to stop the sheer strength of the Earth pony from shacking him off. “Just give me one more chance Tanner!”

“For the last time, it’s Rrrrural Tanner!” Tanner exclaimed, before shacking off Cloudy again, and giving him a strong buck kick to the stomach, sending him flying out the door. He then tossed the last of the blueprints into the furnace, and started the fire. With that, all of Tanners’ family designs, and Cloudy’s hopes and dreams, went up in smoke.

Cloudy managed to catch his breath outside the shack, only to look up and see smoke coming from the chimney of Tanner’s shack. He couldn’t believe that ignorant Earth pony would just destroy all of that hard work and all those possibilities. Cloudy got to his feet, and readjusted his hat and glasses, before yelling back at Tanner in his shack. “You’ll never understand what you’ve done, you stupid earth walker! Those plans could’ve been used for good, and now they’ve gone up in smoke, just like your dream to see fireworks ever again! You better have a good memory, because if not, you’ll never make fireworks again!” He watched as Tanner walked to the door, a stern, yet sad look on his face, before closing the door. Cloudy just stared angrily at the shack, not noticing the other ponies approaching to see what all the commotion was about. He turned away from the shack, finally seeing the residents of Ponyville that had formed around him. Most of them were looking at him, while others were staring at the shack behind him. He didn’t bother wasting any of his time talking to any of them, instead, he spread his wings and took off up into the sky.

The sun had just finished setting, giving way to the now rising moon, as Cloudy arrived back at the warehouse. The building had already been locked up for the night, but Cloudy knew where the spare key was kept, and opened up the side door, letting himself in. He made his way down the halls, and to his stall in the weather technology developments wing. He cleared off all the things on his desk and wiped away what was previously on his blueprint board. He then picked up a marker off the ground and wrote on the board: Javelin.