”Cloud…”
“Cloud formation begins with… no… begins when…” Twilight groaned. ‘Why can’t I finish this report already,' she thought. Twilight had been tasked to write a report on pegasi weather control. ‘I don’t even know why Princess Celestia wants me to write about weather control.’ The strange request had plagued the thoughts of the studious mare and what was worse was the lack of literature her library held on the subject.
“Twilight, when’s that weather pony going to get here?” Spike asked. Twilight had sent a request for weather documents from the Royal Archives, but the princess decided to send a Pegasus from the Equestrian Weather Service.
“Should be here soon… I hope.” Twilight began to clean up her work area. “I guess I’ll take a break before he gets here. If you are done with your chores you can take the rest of the night off,” the mare said.
“I’m going to see if Rarity needs any help,” the dragon said making his way to the door.
With Spike gone Twilight returned to organizing her notes. ‘Ok, this page is about the founding of the Weather Service, so it goes in history. Formation of clouds goes in theory and Weather Service training guide is with methodology…’
*knock* *knock*
“Yes, I think that’s him,” Twilight said to herself as she trotted over to the door. ‘I can finally finish this report.’ When she opened the door wasn’t greeted by a Pegasus, but by a blue earth pony. “Uh… Noteworthy, can I help you with something?” she asked.
“Hey, Twilight. I was just thinking. You’re a mare, I’m a stallion, and I was wondering if you wanted to get some dinner with me,” the stallion said puffing out his chest.
“Did Rarity send you?” she asked with a deadpan expression.
The blue pony’s confident smirk immediately faded. ”Yes,” he answered nervously.
“Oh… Uh no offense Noteworthy, I’m sure you’re a nice colt, but I don’t have time for dating and stallions. I am sorry, but I am going to have to say no,” she explained.
“Ok, I’m sorry for bothering you… I’ll see you around,” she stammered, his disappointment evident in the face.
‘Why does Rarity keep trying to set me up with stallions? She knows I’m busy with my studies.’ Rarity wasn’t the only one trying to play matchmaker for Twilight. She remembers a few months ago Applejack tried to get her with her brother, Big Mac, and not too long ago with her cousin Braeburn. ‘The future of Equestria doesn’t depend on me finding a coltfriend. I need to finish my studies on the magic of friendship and this darn weather report.’ It’s not that she never wanted to settle down with a nice colt, it just wasn’t a priority at the moment. There was so much to study and too little time and maybe in a few years she figured she would start dating.
*knock* *knock*
“Ugh, this better not be another stallion trying to ask me out,” she groaned as she made her way to the door. Opening the door she said, “Listen, tell, Rarity to stop sending…” She was shocked to meet by a light blue Pegasus stallion with a navy blue, swept-back mane. He was wearing the trademark Wonderbolt's flight suit.
“Ms. Sparkle?” the Pegasus asked.
“Yes, I’m Twilight Sparkle. Is there something I can do for you?” Twilight asked her head cocked in confusion. ‘This must be the weather pony.’
“My name is Soarin’ and I’m…”
Twilight felt her jaw drop. “Wait, aren’t you the Wonderbolt?” the mare interrupted.
“Well, yes I am a Wonderbolt. I received a letter from the Princess stating that her student needed some help with some research,” he explained.
“Well, I’m researching weather, not stunt flying. I don’t know how you can help,” she said. She wasn’t sure how a Wonderbolt could help with her report, unless… “Is this a prank? Did somepony put you up to this because if so…”
“Ma’am, I am not just a stunt flyer. I’m also the Wonderbolt’s Chief Weather Officer, and I hold the rank of Supervisory Weather Patroller with the Equestrian Weather Service,” Soarin’ explained. “So, I have plenty of experience with weather.”
“I’m sorry about that… Would you like to come in?” she asked welcoming the stallion in. They made their way slowly to Twilight's notes. “Also, you can just call me, Twilight.”
“Ok, Twilight let’s get started,” he happily offered.
The two ponies began their work. Twilight was determined to learn everything possible from this pony. They started with the intricate process of turning an ordinary rain cloud into a thunder cloud. Twilight always assumed that forming and controlling weather was a fairly simple process; she had no idea that even a small change in the cloud formation process could drastically change the type of cloud formed. After hours of picking Soarin’s brain, the lavender unicorn finally had enough research to finish her report.
“I think that is everything Ms. Sparkle,” Soarin’ said. As he was standing up he heard the tell-tale sign of a empty stomach begging for nourishment. “I guess I’ll get some food on my way back to Cloudsdale.”
“I said you can just call me, Twilight,” The mare said. “You can stay for dinner if you want.”
“Are you sure, Twilight? I don’t want to impose,” Soarin’ said nervously.
“It’s no problem. Spike isn’t here and I would like some company while I eat. I was just going to make some daisy sandwiches,” she explained. Twilight doesn’t like eating alone, she was fairly used to it, but since Spike was gone she wanted Soarin' to eat with her.
“That sounds nice, Twilight. Thanks.”
“I’ll go get them ready. You can go sit at the table,” she said pointing her hoof to a small table in the corner of the library.
As Twilight trotted off to the kitchen, Soarin’ made his way to the small table and sat down. ‘Twilight seems like a nice mare and very smart.’ Soarin’ was amazed how fast Twilight picked up some the concepts they discussed. It took him a year to master some of that material, and Twilight seemed to pick it up so quickly. ‘I guess she is the Princess’s student for a reason,’ he thought.
After a few minutes Twilight returned from the small kitchen holding two bottles of apple juice and a plate of daisy sandwiches with her magic.
The two ponies sat and enjoyed the simple dinner. Twilight told Soarin’ about her time as Princess Celestia’s student, and about her various adventures in Ponyville. How she and the other elements stopped Nightmare Moon from corrupting Princess Luna, and even about the incident with Trixie. Soarin’ was amazed by her accomplishments, even though he already knew about the Elements of Harmony thing. He felt overshadowed by the mare’s credentials. Sure he was a Wonderbolt and half of Equestria knew his name. Twilight has helped saved Equestria dozens of times now, which is far more important than anything he has done. Soarin’ talked about his adventures with the Wonderbolts, but all his stories seemed mundane compared to Twilight’s ones.
But what struck Soarin’ the most was when Twilight talked about how close she was to her parents and her big brother, Shining Armor. Soarin’ didn’t like thinking about his parents, especially after what they did to him. So he told Twilight about how he was close to the Wonderbolt’s captain Spitfire. Soarin’ felt kind of weird. Part of him felt really comfortable talking to Twilight, the other half was dead nervous worrying he was going to say something wrong. ‘Why am I so nervous, I just met her?’
Unbeknownst to Soarin’, Twilight was also feeling nervous. She felt sweat forming on her forehead and her front hooves were shaking slightly. ‘Why am I feeling like this,’ groaned in her head. It reminded her of the whole want-it need-it incident and the future Twilight ordeal. ‘Is Soarin’ the reason I am feeling nervous?’ she asked herself. No matter how nervous she felt with the Pegasus, she didn’t want him to leave. She liked his company. She couldn’t quite explain what she was feeling, but then it donned on her. ‘Could I like Soarin’? He is quite the gentlecolt and he is handsome, but I just met him.’ Her thoughts started to become frantic. She needed to excuse herself so she could calm down. “Uh, Soarin’ I need to use the little filly’s room,” she lied.
“Ok, I’ll be here when you get back.”
‘Why am I feeling like this? Why is Twilight making me so nervous?,’ Soarin’ thought. He didn’t know why, but he couldn't help but feel like he really liked the studious mare. He wanted to get closer to the mare, and then he remembered the big gala coming up in Canterlot. ‘Next week is the big Winter Solstice celebration. Maybe I can ask her to go with me,’ he thought. Confident with his plan, all he had to do now is to wait for Twilight to return. ‘It’s been about ten minutes, where is she?’ Soarin’ was getting a little nervous and he deiced to go check on her. He made his way up the stairs in the back of the library and he heard something that sounded like… crying? He trotted to the door which the sound was coming from. ‘I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I want to make sure Twilight is ok.’
In the room Twilight was lying on her bed sobbing using her alone time to let her tears out. She was confused about her feelings for Soarin’ and she hated being confused. “Why am I feeling like this,” she cried. “I just met Soarin’, but I think I like him. I really do. I can't like him, it doesn't make sense, but why does my heart continue to tell me that I do," Twilight cried. She sighed. "Even if he wasn’t with Spitfire, he probably wouldn’t want to date somepony like me. He is so famous and I am just a nopony.”
“That’s not true, Twilight,” Soarin’ said as he made his way into the room.
“Soarin’…. What are you doing here?” she asked. Twilight was surprised the stallion’s presence, she didn’t want him to see her like this.
“You’re not a nopony, Twilight,” he said as he trotted over to the startled mare.
“What are you talking about? You’re a Wonderbolt and I am just a boring librarian,” Twilight said hanging her head.
“You are important. You are Princess Celestia’s personal student and the Element of Magic. If anything I’m the one that is not worthy of you,” he said.
Twilight was confused by his statement.
“I mean, you are like the smartest pony I have ever met, and well I’m just dumb old Soarin,” he said trying to hide his embarrassment.
“What do you mean, Soarin’? You’re not stupid.”
The two ponies sat in silence for a while before Soarin’ broke it.
“So is it true… That you think you like me?” Soarin’ asked.
“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. Aren’t you with Spitfire?”
“I think I like you too Twilight, and when I said I was close to Spitfire I didn’t mean we were dating. She is like a sister to me,” he explained.
Twilight felt a little stupid for assuming that Soarin’ was dating Spitfire. Now that she thinks about it, he mentioned it after she told him about her brother and how she is close to him.
“So, Twilight since we both kind of like each other, would like to go to the Winter Solstice gala with me, and then we can see what happens from there?” he asked.
“That sounds nice,” Twilight responded feeling a blush spread across her face. “So does that make you my coltfriend?”
“I guess so,” Soarin’ said with a smirk. “I have time off tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would like to get some lunch with me?”
“I was going to be getting lunch with my friends, but I am sure they would like to meet you.”
“That sounds nice. I’ll see you tomorrow, Twilight,” Soarin’ said as he pulled the unicorn into a hug.
After Soarin’ finally left all Twilight could think about is the past day. Twilight knows she said she wasn’t going to be dating anytime soon, but something was different about Soarin’. He wasn’t like some of the other colts that asked her out. ‘Soarin’ really is a gentlecolt and he is handsome. I just can’t wait for tomorrow.’ With that Twilight decided to get some rest, her dreams filled with thoughts of the Pegasus who was starting to steal her heart.
***
Princess Cadence sat with her aunt, Princess Luna on one the grand castle's many balcony's. Sitting between them sat a couple scrolls that bared Celestia's royal seal. They were soon joined by the regal white alicorn.
"Something quite strange just happened," Celestia said.
"What do you mean sister?", the moon princess asked.
"Twilight just send me a report on weather, and a letter thanking me for allowing the Wonderbolt Soarin' to help in her research," Celestia answered.
"How is that strange? Twilight is quite the studious mare," Cadence said.
"I don't remember assigning the report to her, and certainly don't remember sending Soarin' to help her," the white alicorn explained. "She also said something about have a date for the solstice celebration. You wouldn't happen to know about that. Would you?"
"Well... I-I can explain..." Cadence stammered.
"No need to worry. Next time you and my sister want to borrow some of my seals you can just ask," Celestia said. "Oh, and tomorrow you need to tell me about the spell you used on the scroll you sent to my student."
Celestia left the two alicorns in shock. They had no idea how she found out about their plan, but at least it seemed it was successful.