On The Wings of Wind

by Chazonic

Chapter 8 Part 1 - Interruptions Galore (Rarity)

I woke up after another night of dreamless sleep, when yesterday I woke to a nightmare.

If the pattern is a nightmare every odd night, I'm not looking forward to tonight. The fact that I cannot seem to control my own dream scape does not help.

Checking the clock, I figured that a quick breakfast, followed by a quick letter to my mom before work, would be the best way of doing things.

Unfortunately, my idea of a quick breakfast involves eating two apples. Luckily, it usually takes three before I become high-strung to the point of attaching myself to a ceiling without the need for flying.

My quill was already unpacked from yesterday, but I had gotten regular letter paper and envelopes, just so that my letters don't look like a royal delivery.

Sitting at the table, I wrote:

April 23, 20XX

Dear Mom;

Sorry, again, for not writing to you right away, but I had things to take care of. I got hired as Ponyville's Wind Manager, with part of the deal being that they get me a new house for the duration I'm staying here. As much as I dislike it, I'm here for an entire year before I can move on to Vanhoover. I guess I kinda got guilt tripped into doing it primary because they were unable to find another pegasus or unicorn qualified to do it. But another reason, albeit a much lesser one, is the fact that I couldn't let the town simply get blown over every time the currents get looked at funny.

I digress, I'm no stranger with working alongside Weather Managers, but the one here is irritating as all Tartarus. Rainbow Dash is just a cocky, egotistical, and ill-tempered mare who keeps insisting on racing me in order to 'prove I'm wrong.' At least, that's how I think it is. Seriously, one comment about speed being useless in a massive windstorm and she takes it like a personal attack. Since she can't take 'no' for an answer, I've been humoring her about it, hoping she would get off my wings about it.

There is something I need to get off my chest, though. Truth is, I'm scared of myself. I've gone through the most severe personality shift ever since high school. I went from really timid, to easily irritated, to snarky in a span of two days. Not only that, but my nightmares seem to be getting worse ever since I got here.

Anyways, I also got set up to help the apple farm that is situated right near Ponyville. Since I won't be going anywhere anytime soon, I'll have my mailing address on the back of this letter. For now, I'll write to you again when I feel like it.

Love; Zephyr.

After writing the mailing address and folding the letter into an envelope, I check the clock.

Good thing I woke up early enough to write that. It's almost time to start 'primary work' as I will call it.

After putting the letter inside of my mailbox and raising the flag, I set off towards the plaza. Once again, Rainbow Dash was standing there, tapping her hoof in impatience. And, like yesterday, as soon as I landed, we started another glaring contest.

This time, however, she was the one to speak first, with a grin.

"You better be ready. After wind and weather, we are going to settle this."

I sigh. "Once again, fine. At least I got nothing planned for after this other than going to Sweet Apple Acres to help there."

She raised an eyebrow. "You got hired by AJ?"

"AJ? Oh, Applejack. Nah, her brother did, though."

"You do realize that you need Applejack's approval as well."

I shrug. "I'll worry about it when it comes. For now, lets get our job done so we can get the race out of the way." She simply nodded and took off with me.

---

The both of us were lined up on the lone cloud that we set aside as our starting point. During the job, Rainbow Dash was making note of what the race will be like.

"So, quick recap. We start here in the plaza, go straight before curving AROUND the library, U-turn around the Carousel Boutique, go to Whitetail Woods and hit a tree, before finishing at Sweet Apple Acres."

She nodded. "The gate sign over the entrance is the finish line."

"Alright. A quick stretch and we should be--"

"ZEPHYR, DEAR!" I almost fell off the cloud. Looking down with Rainbow Dash, we see Rarity with a pleading look on her face. "Could you come with me to my boutique? I know I promised to make you something good yesterday, but I was busy with Sapphire Shores' order."

Sapphire Shores? She rubs my mom the wrong way, but from what I've heard, she is very popular in a good way. If she goes to Rarity for her fashion, it must be halfway decent.

Irritation flashed across Rainbow Dash's visage before adopting a... look in an attempt to be convincing. "Rarity, were were just about to start something important. Can't you wait until after we are done?"

"Oh, I just feel so bad about promising I'd make something for him, yet because of those brutes yesterday, as well as Sapphire Shores' order, I could never get around to bringing him to my shop."

She feels bad because she never gave me anything? I never did anything for it, and yet...

"Oh please, please, PLEASE, come with me! I can't stand not being able to make you anything!"

I flashed a nervous look to Rainbow Dash, who now wore full irritation on her face. After a bit, she sighed and said, "you better go. She could be hounding you for a while if you don't."

"Yeah, I think I should." My voice was sounding higher pitched than normal. When I flew down to Rarity, she gave a very unladylike squee and started dragging me. It wasn't enough to really warrant injury or dirtiness, but the way I was being dragged apparently made Rainbow Dash burst into laughter.

I'm still going to get her one of these days...

---

The carousel place I saw yesterday was where we went. This surprised me, but I never commented about it.

"Here we are, darling. Just wait a moment while I get things ready." Rarity went off to the back of the shop. Not knowing where I wasn't supposed to be, I decided to have a look at the dresses that were currently out in the 'lobby.'

All of these are actually pretty good, even with my very limited knowledge on dress...es...

One of the doors was wide open, and I can see six very well made dresses. They all looked like they had been stylized to a certain theme. These dress looked so well made, even I was gaping at them in utter astonishment.

"Admiring my work, Zephyr?" I spun to face Rarity in surprise. She had an assortment of measuring tools and materials floating by her.

"I have never seen such well made dresses before. I've been to enough formal parties to at least get some opinions on them, albeit slightly poor."

She giggled. "Well I made those dresses especially for my friends and I. You wouldn't believe the trouble I had to go through to have those made." She motioned for me to stand on a pedestal in front of some mirrors, probably to measure me.

"Rare materials? Details kept going a-wire?"

"No, darling. The materials were common enough, and I had a very easy time making them. It's what happened after they were made the first time."

She made these EASILY? Ok, I may avoid being friends with her, but at the very least I should respect her skill.

"The first time?"

She sighed. "Believe it or not, my friends didn't seem to like them at that time."

"Wait... WHAT? How could they-- are you for real? And my voice keeps cracking."

She giggled, but then nodded solemnly. "From what they told me, they liked the dress, but were not what they had in mind."

"Oh this is going to be good..."

---

A few minutes later, after telling the events of Suited For Success

---

"... And that's how that ordeal went." Rarity had taken my measurements and was looking over color choices for my dress-coat while she told the story.

"So basically, even though they liked the first dresses, they wanted it more in 'their style' which forced you into making horrible outfits that lead to your embarrassment. After that, they coaxed you out by finishing YOUR dress and allowed you to make the original dresses, which redeemed you in Hoity Toity's eyes?"

She nods and she narrows the color choices down.

"I feel kind of bad for you now... I mean, I don't think I have the bits to pay you with for the suit you're making me."

"Oh, hosh posh, dear. I'm making this suit free of charge!"

This caught me off guard. "What? But you--"

"Hush now, I won't take no for an answer. Plus, consider this my way of thanking you for saving my store from that dreadful windstorm."

Oh, that explains some of it. I highly doubt something like that would be enough to really 'pay' for a high-caliber suit...

"It's also customary of me to make a dress or suit for each new pony who moves to Ponyville."

"..."

"Hm? Something wrong?"

I shook my head. She shrugged and went back to picking out a color for my suit outside of the stereotypical black.

If she's doing this to be my friend, if her story is any indication, she's really reaching there... Maybe I should avoid her after this.

"Hmm picking a color is going to be difficult. That green of your coat would go wonderfully with most colors, but picking just the right one will... IDEEEEAAAA!" She takes a piece of midnight blue cloth and puts it against my side. "Yes, this will work just fine. I'll have your suit ready by tomorrow."

I nod nervously as she takes everything to the back room, presumably her work station. Deciding I've overstayed my welcome, I exited the shop.

Author's Note:

The first of a few parts for this chapter. I didn't want to cram all the events into one chapter, but I wanted to keep with the chapter title.

Let me know if this works out, or if I should have each part it's own chapter.

Comments

[Neutral Boy]

New event will begin with Zephyr joining the girls at the Gala for the first time and seeing Princess Celestia. Eh what could go wrong?

[Snazzygoose]

You didn't have to have that bit telling us it was suited for success, we'd of got that through context. Also saying that the year was 20XX was kinda odd. It's a pretty good story though, if a bit clunky in places. I know I'm somewhat late to the Pinkie-party, so I won't keep giving advice.

[Amos Anon]

Irritation flashed across Rainbow Dash's visage before adopting a... look in an attempt to be convincing. "Rarity, were were just about to start something important. Can't you wait until after we are done?"

They're never going to have that race, are they?