//------------------------------// // Batten Down The Hatches! // Story: Not a Cloud In the Sky // by OutOfTheBlue //------------------------------// Cloud was very happy with the current turn of events. In order to cheer him up, Pandora decided to make out with him. Another good thing, she was using the nectar lipstick they saved for special occasions. Beat had moved his vigil to outside the room after about thirty seconds of enthusiastic kissing with a remark of "If I wanted to hear you trying to suck each others faces off I would hide in your closet." Only problem was they still needed to breathe so reluctantly he and Pandora separated. As Cloud licked the delicious substance off his lips, Pandora snuggled up to him. Cloud relaxed, simply enjoying the sensation of his fiancé pressed up against him. "Honestly, the perks of having a relationship with a changeling are so massive that I'm surprised more ponies don't try it." Cloud jokingly said. Pandora laughed, "Yeah, other ponies dating changelings, like that will ever happen." ---------------------------------------- High Keep bit his lip nervously as he awaited his priorly planned date. He hadn't known about the invasion at the time but Scyllia was so nice! Even if ponies and changelings were enemies, Scyllia was a nice changeling. A nervous looking mare sat down beside him on the park bench. He looked her over before she turned to him. "Um... hi, it's me Scyllia." Keep started before breaking into a large smile. "Hi! Ready to go on our date! I've been looking forward to it... because I've been on so many!" He nervously chuckled, hoping that the changeling actually knew how to go on a date. Scyllia nervously smiled back. "O-oh yeah! S-same here, Sooooooooo many d-dates." She smiled nervously in return. They both stared at each other awkwardly until Keep couldn't contain it anymore. "ILiedI'veNeverBeenOnADateBefore!" They both blurted out. They both paused, and then breathed a sigh of relief. They then laughed before Keep said, "Yeah, the only things I know is that dating ponies kiss, and the stallion keeps trying to get to something called home base." Scyllia nodded. "Yeah, the only thing I know about is the kissing." They stared at each other before Keep spoke up. "Um... what form are you gonna take? Are you gonna be a pony, changeling, gryphon, zebra...." He trailed off. They both thought for a bit before sighing and saying at the same time, "Dating's hard." ------------------------------------ Meanwhile, back at the castle, a carriage touched down in the designated landing area. A group of four pegasi stepped out and started taking in the scenery. Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence approached the group with broad smiles. Shining cleared his throat before saying, "Welcome to Canterlot! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Cloud is busy at the moment but me and my wife would be more than happy to show around the castle before we visit him. A tall pegasus with an orange coat and blue mane stepped forward and said in a brusque voice, "Yes, that will work nicely. Come along everypony, we don't want to keep royalty waiting." An older pink mare with a redish brown mane followed along after, quietly taking in the scenery. She was followed by a younger mare with a pink mane and turquoise coat and an athletic looking yellow stallion with a bright green mane styled in a mohawk. The younger mare turned to her brother, "At least we don't immediately have to visit that freak of nature. If only we didn't have to see him at all then this trip would be perfect." At her venomous remark, the stallion jerkily nodded before sighing and looking to the side. It seemed to him that his past mistakes were all coming back to bite him, and there was only one thing to do. -------------------------------------- Aqua hummed happily as he snuggled into Gleaming Silver's withers. She'd offered to escort him back to Cloud's room and had given him the go ahead to ride on her back. He laughed as she gently flicked his nose with one bat wing. As they approached the door they saw Beat sitting outside it while covering his ears with his hooves. He knocked on the door and waited a bit before escorting the two newcomers inside. Cloud and Pandora (now in pony form) were lounging comfortably on his bed. Silver turned to Beat, "Why were you covering your ears?" Beat shuddered. "The noises. It was like a sloppy wet sound crossed with an uncomfortable to hear moan. I couldn't stand the sounds of them sucking each other's faces anymore." Silver blushed while Aqua laughed and called out, "Eeeeewwww, that's nasty!" Cloud shrugged while Pandora moved to sit in the chair beside the bed. Suddenly, a knock was heard at the door. Princess Cadence poked her head in before smiling and saying, "Cloud! We have a special surprise for you! We pulled some strings and now... We brought your family to visit!" At that the last ponies Cloud ever wanted to see walked through the door, looking just as happy to see him as he was to have his snuggle time interrupted. Silver wisely chose then to slip out the door. Pandora worriedly looked at Cloud, knowing his less than stellar relationship with his parents. As the awkward silence descended, the Prince and Princess smiled nervously, clearly having expected a more enthusiastic welcome. One thing rang through Cloud's mind over and over again. WHY MUST YOU HURT ME THIS WAY! HAVE TOU NOT DONE ENOUGH!