//------------------------------//
// Talking, Drama, And A Whole Lotta Onion Rings 
// Story: Not a Cloud In the Sky 
// by OutOfTheBlue 
//------------------------------//

  Cloud stared wide-eyed at Pandora after her third basket of onion rings. She had already eaten her hayburger and two full baskets of onion rings before Cloud even finished his.

"Dude... where are you putting those? You're starting to scare me a little."

Pandora sheepishly smiled in her disguised form and said,

"Well I did go six whole months without a proper meal after I was banished, so I just really want to eat actually food, not just apples I stole or stuff like that."

Cloud shook his head before realizing something,

"Wait, where did your bandages go! I just realized I didn't see you wearing them this morning!"

"I didn't need them anymore. Using the emotional energy you provided, my body quickly healed itself."

Cloud quietly mumbled something about wishing he had magic regenerative powers before asking,

"So how exactly did you and Beat know if you were twins, did somepony tell you?"

Pandora shook her head,

"Changelings in the hive can communicate telepathically, Beat and I could sense each other before that, and still can even though we are no long a member of the hive."

If it wasn't for the fact that the two were sitting in the corner of a very busy dinner, someone would have probably heard their strange conversation, however, unbeknownst to both Pandora was attracting a completely different kind of attention from a stallion at the bartop. After Cloud got up to use the restroom, this stallion saw his chance and walked over. As he seated himself across from Pandora, she couldn't help but notice the overwhelming emotion coming off of him, lust.

"Well, what's a hot mare like yourself doing in a joint like this?"

Upon hearing his question, Pandora stared fidgeting nervously before he continued.

"And a better question is, why are you with a pathetic excuse for a pony, when you could be with a real stallion."

He continued while eyeing Pandora up and down, he gave her a sensuous smirk before asking,

"Tell you what, why don't you dump the sap, and we can head to the bar for some drinks."

Pandora started shivering as the stallion started leaning over the table, his breath reeking of alcohol. As Pandora tried to slide out of the booth and away from the stallion, he quickly moved into her way.

"So, what's it gonna be, you gonna come with me, or stay with the emo jackass from before. Come on, you know you want to."

"P-please stop, y-you're m-making me uncomfortable."

Pandora stammered, know what his intentions were. When the stallion started leaning closer, he heard an irrated voice behind him say,

"Excuse me, I think she told you to leave."

He looked back to see an annoyed look Cloud glaring at him. The stallion sneered at him before getting up in his face, his alcohol breath almost making Cloud gag, before saying,

"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about you pansy,  why don't you go get some eyeliner to complete your stupid emo look and go write some pansy-ass poetry loke the joke you are."

Cloud gave him a deadpan stare before replying,

"Seriously?! That's what you go with? Whatever, at least learn to insult me properly before you start something."

Another stallion from across the bar trotted over before adding,

"Bronze, don't start something, please."

The earth pony stallion ignored his friend before saying,

"Yeah right, mares like a strong stallion who knows what he wants, not a hipster pushover like you. Admit it, you know she wants me, she probably was paid to do this with you, and you know it."

By this point the diner was dead silent and Pandora was on the verge of tears at what this pony was suggesting. Cloud narrowed his eyes and said,

"She's not some object to be won you dick, so don't start something you can't finish cause I really don't like what you're insinuating right now."

Before anyone could react, the earth pony stallion swung and punched Cloud dead in the face, causing his head to snap to the side and everyone in the diner to gasp. As the stallion leered and his friend looked on in horror, Pandora cried out,

"C-cloud! Are you-"

But was cut off when Cloud slowly turned his head to look at the stallion, his assailant grew confused to see not only was he still standing, but all emotion was gone from his face.

The stallion swung again, but was suprised when Cloud ducked below his punch, grabbed his foreleg and shoulder, and threw him into the wall. As Cloud motioned for Pandora to follow him and started to leave, the stallion stood back up amd shouted after them,

"Go on, take your little bitch and run away. She must be retarded to stick with a piece of trash like you!"

Before he could say more, Cloud walked back over to him with a dangerous look in his eyes. While the drunk's friend tried to stop his friend from further causing trouble, Cloud said,

"Listen here, I don't care if you hurt me or insult me, but the moment you lash out at her," Cloud pointed to the now crying Pandora, " I will intervene."

The drunk lurched foreward nut was stopped by Cloud shoving him into the wall and saying, with as much venom as he could muster,

" If you try that again, I will personally kick your ass so hard you won't be able to move for a week, ypu hear me!" 

And then turned and escorted his crying friend out of the restaurant. As the two flew home, Cloud couldn't help but notice how distraught Pandora looked and knew something else was going on. As soon as the two walked through the doors (after Cloud grabbed the box containing her hammock from beside the door) Pandora dropped her disguise and started shaking in fear. Cloud gently led her to the couch, and asked,

"Ok, something happened other than that  sleez being a jerk, what is it?"

Pandora started sobbing before looking up at Cloud.

"Wh-when he started l-looking at me like that, i-it  reminded me of when I was wandering from town to town, a-and a stallion..."

Cloud wrapped a wing around her and began to open his mouth when Pandora gasped out.

"H-he... tried to... force me t-to..."

Cloud's eyes widened in shock as the realization dawned on him, and he pulled her into a hug.

"I-it just reminded me so mych of that, and, I was so scared."

"Listen, I will never let somepony do that to you, you hear me, I told you I'd protect you and I did, so you don't have to worry about it. I-I can't believe somepony would do that, I-I... I'm so sorry."

Pandora hugged him tightly as her crying stopped. She wiped her eyes and laughed,

"Y-yeah, amd you total gave that guy what for. Um, I... I'm feeling kinda tired so I'm gonna go take one of those 'showers' you told me about and then I'll set up my hammock, if you don't mind."

Cloud shook his head and motioned for her to go ahead. Suddenly a thought occurred to Cloud on how to make her feel better, and he gave a small smile as he made a decision. After she got out of the bathroom and saw hin waiting for her, she gave him a confused look, before asking what he was doing, Cloud said,


" I think it's a little late to set up a hammock, you cam just share with me tonight."

Pandora nodded amd gave a sigh of relief, happy she wasn't going to have to be alone right now. As the two got on their opposing sides of the bed, Cloud rolled his eyes when he felt her carefully grab his wing and try to use it as a blanket.

Pandora looked over at Cloud and said,

"Thanks Cloud, I know how you feel about touching, but... well, just... thank you."

Cloud gave her an amused look before adding,

"Happy to see I make a good security blanket at least."

Pandora huffed and whined,

"It's not my fault your wings are so dang fluffy, or that your emotions are so dang tasty."

Cloud groaned, before saying with a smirk,

"Well well well, I've heard mares describe stallions as delicious before, but I never thought I would hear that I was literally delicious."

The two laughed before quieting down and trying to sleep.

Meanwhile, a little ways away, a black figure darted through the sky, head darting to and fro as he held his headphones onto his head with his hole-filled hoof, all the while mumbling,

"Where is she, she's gotta be around here somewhere!"