Chapter 1
It was a beautiful night in Canterlot. The warm summer nights kept it at a comfortable temperature outside. the crisp night air was wonderful, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky under the crescent moon. Out enjoying the night were two stallions, relaxing on the terrace of one of the two's home. One, a tan unicorn with a book and quill cutie mark, was laying down with a novel hovering inches from his face, fully immersed in his story. The other was not quite so calm, starring through his telescope intently, with a grimace slowly growing into a scowl in his face. Finally, he let out a sound of annoyance and turned away, flopping down opposite his friend on a couch. "Forget it! It's hopeless anyways, thanks to those cursed lights!" He his muzzle in a nearby pillow and let go another groan.
The other sighed and looked up from his book. "Sky, you have to relax, it not worth getting this worked up over." He was getting tired of the drama that had been brought about by this whole situation.
Sky looked up with an offended look on his face. "What?! Of course it's worth getting worked up about! This is my life, and its being destroyed by an army of demonic little street lamps! What about that is not big enough a deal to get worked up over?!"
"Quite down, you'll wake you'r entire neighborhood like that. And your life, seriously? I will agree that their nice to look at, but I never really got the big deal about stargazing like you do. A few lamps block out a few stars in the sky, its not that big a deal. There are plenty more right? Take a breath and just relax a little." He was hoping to get this over with without riling his friend up any farther. Night Sky was a great pony, but when he got like this, it was very hard to reel him back in before he went into a full blow panic attack. It was an art very few on the planet knew.
"Stargazing?" Sky looked about ready to blow. Then just when it looked like he might, he stopped, and with great effort, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. Once he was feeling a smidgen less explosive, he spoke. "Quick, it's not like I do this for fun... don't look at me like that... OK so not all the time. But its deeper than that. How would you like it if somepony came and, say, covered every other paragraph in your upcoming novel in black ink? It would suck right? Hinder progress, force you to go back and rewrite?"
Quick Write frowned. "I guess, yes. I wouldn't be able to get it exactly the same either. Did I ever tell you about the time that I lost the first three chapters of my next mystery novel? I took the entire-"
"FOCUS Quick!"
"Oh, right, stars, sorry, got sidetracked. I do have to tell you that story though. Yes, I can see where that could get annoying. Quite a nuisance I can imagine. But does getting so wound-up over it help at all?" Quick mentally crossed his hooves.'Please see logic, please see logic, not another theater incident, please...'
"But that's just it! There is absolutely nothing I can do to change it. THAT is the worst part. How do I study stars that are not out to be seen? It's a crescent moon! These are the second best conditions that I could have to study, and I can't even see Venus! ... What if it gets so bad they lower funding to the observatory? What if they close down altogether and change it into a laboratory of some kind! I know Professor Beakers has been pushing for a knew chem lab! What if they decide I don't have a place there anymore?! They would fire me! I wouldn't have anywhere else to go, and I would have to sell my house, and THEN-"
A large 'THUMP' entered the air as Sky suddenly had his head pounding. Once his eyes uncrossed, he looked up to uncover the identity of the offending object. A large book was hovering above his head, surrounded by and orange glow as Quick Writes horn trilled a soft note, showing it's activity.
"... Thank you. But you didn't have to hit so hard." Sky wasn't mad. he knew how he got when he was panicking, that's why he asked his friends to snap him out of it when he got that way.
Quick nodded, a light grin on his face. He didn't like to admit it, but the look on Sky's face whenever he did that was highly amusing. "I understand your worried, but don't worry. None of that could ever happen. And even if it did, you would have all the help to get back on your hooves a pony could ask for. Your family, me, Octavia, and of course Clockwork. How is the old stallion anyways, I know you visit his office every day."
Sky had first met Clockwork years ago when Sky himself was still just a young colt. Clockwork had been his science teacher at the time, and had taken it upon himself to befriend the young Sky and help him along his way. Sky still didn't know exactly why. Clockwork had always been a great friend and mentor, but the precise reason that he had chosen to pay such close attention to him of all ponies was a mystery left unsolved. After Sky had coincidentally been offered a job as headmaster at the University that he would be attending. By Princess Celestia no less. How a high school science teacher, even one as 'unique' as Clockwork, got a personal request from Celestia herself was beyond anypony. And considering that the Princess was the one that offered him the position, nopony had even bothered to question it. Now Sky worked there in the observatory, and he got to see Clockwork every day. Or evening, depending on what shift he had.
Sky smiled, momentarily forgetting his worries. "Still not showing any signs of aging. Mom still begs for his 'secret' every time she meets him. That cheeky old fool never says a word. I'm extremely curious myself actually, for academic reasons of course..."
"Ya, I'm starting to think that old stallion is going to outlive us!" They shared a laugh, doing so going far to settle Sky's nerves.
"Thanks Quick, I'm sorry you and the others have to deal with me when I'm like that."
"No worries, we both know I have my moments to. And to be honest, it not nearly as entertaining when we have to drag Octi out of her studio for a rest as it is to give you a good thwack." Another laugh, and Sky rubbing his head and winced. Then he frowned.
"Still... even if I don't get fired, it suck. It's my life my, even my cutie mark say so! The more they light up the city, the more the sky darkens, the more useless I feel..." Sky's ears drooped as he fell backwards onto the couch with his eyes closed. He sighed. "How am I going to fix this Quick? I can't just sit here doing nothing while the sky goes dark around me..."
Quick Write gave his best friend a look of sympathy, then turned to his book again. He had no response to that.
The next day, Sky got into his work with less vigor than usual. He had the morning shift, going through what the ponies on last night had observed and recorded; not his favorite job. There wasn't much, for obvious reasons, Sky thought. He lazily sifted through the data sheets and journal entries. Nope, nope, nothing knew here, no observable change there, we can't even SEE that cluster anymore. He soon felt the urge to pass it of to Star Chaser, but decided against it. That wasn't fair, Chaser was in the same boat he was, he didn't need more work.
The day began to slowly crawl by, consumed by checking, double checking, and triple checking all the data. Sky began to wonder if this day would ever end. Slowly, He began to lose the fight against boredom as his eyes began to rebel and close on their own. Just as he was about to fall asleep, a familiar voice called out.
"Oy, whats this? did I take a wrong turn and end up in the Polysomnography department? WAKE UP LAD!" Sky's eyes shot open, and he let out a tremendous yelp as he jumped out of his chair. In a rush to turn around, he's front left hoof landed on a piece of paper on the linoleum. His hoof gave out beneath him and he landed face first on the ground. As he lay there, he could hear laughing, but he wasn't sure if it was Star or Clockwork. Finally getting the stars to clear, he looked up to see Clockwork, not laughing but smiling broadly at his good work. Star had apparently joined him on the floor in his laughing fit.
"So, now that that's over, maybe you can tell me whats going on here?"
Sky slowly stood up, rubbing his chin. 'My friends are bringing me an unusual amount of pain lately,' He thought. "Well besides you scaring the daylights out of me, not much. Or anything for that matter. What about you? I can't remember the last time you came and visited my department. Something up?"
"What, you expect me to need something from you? That's what you think of me now? I thought we knew each other better Sky!" Clockwork put on a terrible pout face.
Sky gave him a deadpan look. "Be serious Clockwork. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't really feel up to it right now."
Clockwork very quickly stopped his charade. His expression turned serious, which was an uncommon enough occurrence to get the attention of anyone close to him. "Yes, I've heard that. Your friends came in earlier this morning and voiced their concern. Now that I see it for myself, I can say I feel the same. Came in here to try and cheer you up."
"So scaring me to death and causing physical pain was your attempt at humor?"
"Well Star here seamed to find it amusing. Isn't that right chap?"
Star, now recovered and wiping a tear from his eye, chuckled and continued in his efforts to reorganize his fallen papers. "Oh yes headmaster, it was just the thing I needed to make my day. Good to see you by the way."
"Indeed." Clockwork turned back to Sky momentarily, before looking back to Star Chaser. "Excuse us Star, but I need to talk to Sky here for a moment. You wouldn't mind would you?"
"No no, of course not, I was about to head out anyways, its getting around to quitting time." Star finished stacking everything up and grabbed his things, then moved to the door. "Have a good night!"
Both the other ponies said their goodbyes before turning to each other. Clockwork continued.
"Sorry Sky, you know that humor was never one of my strong suits."
Sky did know. He was around the stallion enough to know that Clockwork had not a single funny bone in his body. It was just his quirky behavior and occasional social awkwardness that made him fun to be around. "It's all right, really, no harm done. And I'm fine, really. Whatever the others told you it probably isn't as bad as all that."
"I'm not sure that's true Sky. Quick was quite concerned for you after your last discussion together. And she was trying to hid it, but Miss Octavia was rather put-out as well. You haven't been yourself lately, everyone can see that much."
Sky gave a sigh of exasperation. He didn't want this, none of it. The problem, his friends trying to be the solution, all he wanted was for his life to go back to the way it was. 'How could street lamps of all things be such a BOTHER?!'
"Sky, I'm not going to give you a lecture on what to do here. Your much to old for that and I don't think it's what you need in this situation. What I will say is that I, and all of your friends for that matter, are here to help. You know that right?"
"Help?" Sky asked with a disbelieving tone. "How can you, or anyone help? This isn't a social problem Clockwork, not even really a work one. The stars are going out!"
Clockwork shivered a little. That line brought back a some memories.
"And unless you can find me a pony who can fix that, there's not much you, or anypony can do." Sky turned back to his desk. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some work to do. Thanks for visiting Clockwork, I'll see you later."
Clockwork thought for a moment. 'Bring back the stars huh? I could go back in time and... no, that would be an absurd abuse of power, she would never allow it. So temperamental sometimes. Maybe Celestia would listen if I asked her to remove them. No, that wont work either. She's a friend but I'm sure she wouldn't take down all the lights in Canterlot for this. Maybe Luna could... no not that-No, WAIT! that's it!' A smile spread across Clockworks face, looking as if it where attempting to split his face, unseen by Sky. 'This, is, BRILLIANT!'
"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow, yes? Alright, see you then, Bye!" And with that, he bolted out of the observatory as fast as his legs would carry.
"...Ok, bye... Clockwork?" Sky saw that his friends was no longer present, and gave a mental shrug before begrudgingly returning to his work. 'The paperwork won't do itself.'
Clockwork was already to his office, and was grabbing his jacket. He then made his way out of the university and cut a path to his next stop. This would solve everything! Absolutely brilliant! Clockwork smiled to himself as he went along. Then he realized something that made him smile. 'After all this time, he's finally on his way, isn't he? Oh boy, if half the things he told me are true, he is in for quite the adventure.' He laughed. He almost felt bad for what he was about to do. But it had to be done, both for the good of Equestria, as well as for Sky. "Oh he is going to hate me later," he laughed.
And with that, Clockwork went about his plan, making his way to the royal palace.
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I have a friend that feels just like Sky. Too many lights blocking out the stars at night.
it sucks
pass it off to
seemed
this should be good.
Ooo, i was going to thumbs up already, but then you revealed that horrible spoiler about clockwork. Please use spoiler tags, it helps those of us who want to figure it out ourselves.