"Clear Skies" trotted calmly and almost completely unnoticed out of the royal castle, nodding lightly to the guards as she passed by them. She held a highly respectable position under Princess Celestia after all, so it wasn't odd to see her make her way around the castle. Celestia often entrusted her with the most important, top secret affairs that she wouldn't be able to handle herself. Of course, this never really meant that violence was involved. Usually it was to resolve disputes that could put a big hold on an important part of Pony society. Petty arguments between business and such.
So it wasn't suspicious when she left the castle, smiling brightly when the warmth of Celestia's sun touched her face. Clear Skies had a great respect for both of the Princesses, and she had sworn her loyalty and utmost respect for both of them, ready to give up anything and everything for the wishes of the two deities. But this wasn't the same Clear Skies. This wasn't the Clear Skies who had a wonderful loving family back home. This wasn't the Clear Skies who joked and grew a great friendship with Luna.
This Clear Skies had different motives.
The mare entered the royal gardens, glancing around to see if anypony was out. The gardens were a popular spot in Canterlot, and many of those with links to nobility and royalty often held small social gatherings. Most of the time it was to flaunt around their status and money.
However, the earth pony was hardly concerned with that. What had gone on in her previous life didn't matter anymore. Family, friends, she cared none for that. She didn't even care for any of the small fillies that she had seen running around the silly city. And with a demented grin, she carried herself on with no worries. Her hooves treading softly on the grass, she quickly scanned the gardens for a certain special item....
It didn't take long for her to find it. It was somewhat of a relic to the history of Ponyville, but it had been moved. She crept lightly up to it, taking in the form of the statue. The figure that it was portraying was...odd to say in the least. It looked to be an animal made up of many different creatures, and Clear Skies had a hard time even trying to take it seriously. It looked like a bad villain from a children's show.
But the dark power emanating from it was no joke. The power was strong, but it was being released in a way that probably the princesses wouldn't be able to notice. It was cast in more of a shadowy way, and it was obvious that the statue was trapping the evil being within. Clear Skies grinned, her mission finishing up at last. Infiltrating the ridiculous castle was way too easy...they probably wouldn't even notice that she wasn't actually Clear Skies until it was too late.
The earth pony gave a small chuckle before it began to change. A series of cracks was heard, and its body began to change shape grotesquely. It's legs became elongated, its teeth sharpening and its jaw growing. It's body seemed to be twisting horridly, no longer resembling anything close to a pony. It looked monstrous, crude tentacles emerging from its body as it grew in size. Strange claws appendages burst from its body, wrapping around the cold statue. With a hiss and a bloodcurdling growl, the statue began to lift up into the air.
And in a few moments, the creature and Discord had completely disappeared.
Cloud grunted in satisfaction as the familiar black collared shirt hugged his torso, his arms sliding out the sleeveless holes. He was fully clothed in his combat clothing, and made note to make sure to wash it as fast as he could. Wearing the new clothes Rarity had made him just gave him a ridiculous feeling. Still, he was thankful that she had made them for free. Well, she did owe him for saving her ass after all.
He slipped on his black leather gloves and emerged from the basement, his large sword on his harness as usual. He was surprised to know that the ponies were beginning to stop seeing him as much of a threat...And that was much too fast. It had only been a day since they had known him, and already they were much too trusting. They still shied away from him, but they didn't panic whenever they saw him. As long as they left him alone, that was just fine.
The garage was coming pretty quickly, and it was only a little bit ago when Big Macintosh had said that he needed to head back to the farm for the day. The red stallion was probably the only pony Cloud could really tolerate...he didn't say much, and he didn't ask annoying questions. It was still strange to have a horse help him build a garage. Cloud didn't even know if he could get used to it.
His hands found the door, and he swiftly pulled it open. Before he could even register the warmth of the sunlight on his face, he felt something lightly run into his boot. Blinking, the blonde warrior glanced down.
"What the...." He said aloud, looking at the strange green and purple creature. It had a dazed look in its eyes, and it eventually shook it out.
"Hey!" It exclaimed, "Watch where you're- The creature finally realized what it was talking to, and its jaw practically hit the floor. Cloud's eye twitched before he stepped over the small lizard-being, definitely not feeling like conversing with another odd talking creature. He could deal with red talking wolves, and he could partially deal with cartoonish talking ponies. At the moment, he didn't feel like getting to know another talking creature from the strange planet.
"H-Hey! You can't just walk away after bumping into me! You weird monster!" The purple lizard yelled out, "I deserve an apology!"
Cloud sighed, glancing back, "You bumped into me."
"N-Not true!" The lizard grunted, standing back up and pointing a scaly finger at Cloud, "You better watch it! I'm Twilight Sparkle's number one assistant! And she's the most powerful unicorn around! If she knew what you did, she would-
"I'm pretty sure I wouldn't Spike." Twilight laughed lightly, coming out of the library, "And I'm pretty sure I saw you bump into him." She looked over at Cloud and smiled, "By the way, this is Spike the dragon. Like he said, he's my number one assistant."
"A...Dragon?..." Cloud blinked, looking back down at the creature.
"Well, he's a baby dragon." Twilight giggled, "He'll get bigger eventually though!"
"Yeah! And you better watch it!" Spike grunted, crossing his arms, "I guess I should be polite if Twilight wants me to be..."
"By the way, Spike..." Twilight looked at the dragon, "Where have you been?! You've been missing out on your chores today!"
"Well...Rarity sent me gem hunting!"
"And...seeing how you don't have any...you either gave them to her already...or you ate them..."
"Um...Well....eheheh...."
Cloud ignored the two Ponyville citizens for now. At the moment, he just wanted to explore a little. He didn't want to interact with the ponies that much, but he should at least get to know the town a little. It wasn't too massive, and maybe it was a bit smaller then Kalm. Either way, knowing the terrain and surrounding area would be an advantage to him. Especially if something attacked again...And he couldn't shake the feeling in his gut that something bad was going to happen.
While he was distracted by his thoughts, his SOLDIER reflexes picked up something flying towards him at a fast speed. Reacting, his hand quickly came up, catching something thin and...papery between his fingers. Blinking, he brought it in front of his mako infused eyes to see what it said.
Cloud's Super Awesome Way Cool Welcoming Party BASH! At Sugarcube Corner, 7:00 p.m. SHARP! Bring your friends, your friend's friend's, and yourself!
Cloud groaned, crumpling up the paper and tossing it into a nearby wastebasket.
"Hey!" A high pitched, over-egotistical voice called out, "You didn't just throw the invitation away!" For a second, he thought it was Yuffie...but then he turned around to see eye to eye with a familiar blue pegasus.
"So what?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, "I don't have time for such things." The rainbow pegasus crossed her ar- forehooves and pouted.
"No time?! What else are you going to do today?! Work on your weird garage thing?!" Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but the blue pony began to interrupt him by prodding him in the chest with her hoof.
"C'mon! You're being such a little party pooper! And no one likes those!" He frowned, blocking her hoof with he hand.
"Whatever. I'm not interested." He turned his back, only to have the pony zip right in front of his face.
"Look...you don't understand the importance of Pinkie's parties!" Rainbow Dash growled, shoving her face into his...which was kinda hard seeing how her muzzle was poking into his nose. He pushed her face away, but she just kept pressing in.
"Last time the pony didn't show up..." She looked left to right, a horrible scary expression written on her face before she floated towards his ear, "Let's just say...the cupcakes were almost made from something a little more...alive..."
"Fine. I get it." He sighed, "Only for a bit."
"Good!" Rainbow grinned, "Now...seeing how its about four o'clock...and we have about three hours until then...."
"No." Cloud dismissed, turning around definitely not wanting to hear what she had to say.
"What?!" Rainbow blinked, flying right beside his head, "You didn't even know what I was gonna say!"
"I'm not interested." Cloud growled, his dark black boots pounding in the dirt on the street.
"I just want to ask you a few questions!" Rainbow groaned, flying back in front of his face. Cloud frowned, his frustration starting to build up. From spending time with Yuffie, he had obtained a great patience for dealing with girls like her. This Rainbow Dash was pushing it, but he was still able to keep his cool. But for how long?
"Just one." Cloud said, "And that's it."
"Just one?! Gah...Fine..." Rainbow Dash sighed, before realizing that she needed to think of the question that took priority. And that was going to make her head hurt.
"Um...Erm....hm..." She began to ponder, resting her chin on her hoof, "Let's see...." She looked him up head to hoof, her eyes taking in his appearance. Like the other mares, she found him strangely...attractive. It was that...dare she say it?...Cool aura that he gave off. And his eyes...Her point of interest shifted from his face down to the only brightly colored fabric that he wore.
"That...pink ribbon on your arm...." She said, pointing her hoof to said ribbon on Cloud's appendage, "Why do you wear that? It's kinda girly if you ask me."
Cloud immediately stiffened, his heart taking a light fall. Of all things she was going to ask...why did she ask about that?
"Well?..." She asked, fluttering in front of his face, "Why is it there? Did your special somepony give it to you?"
"No..." Cloud muttered, clenching his hand into a fist, "It's...it's to remember." Rainbow Dash was going to questions what he meant, but when he looked up with his eyes filled with the deepest remorse and regret, she couldn't bring herself to ask. She actually felt a few tears trying to leak from her eyes as she watched him walk right by her.
Cloud stood on the hilltop, the sight of the large crater off in the distance. The Everfree Forest was close by as well, and Ponyville was only a short walk behind him. This is where it had began...where he first touched down on the strange planet. There had been many times that his life had been forever changed...And this was most recent. He mysteriously found himself on the strange planet, and he couldn't even remember the last thing that happened to him. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, becoming a massive beautiful red fireball.
He took in a deep breath, reaching for the large sword in the harness on his back. Unsheathing it, he pulled it in front of him, manipulating the heavy object as though it was a twig. Closing his eyes, Cloud slowly released the air in his lungs. He felt the breeze on his face, heard the sound of the leaves rustling, and he could smell the pollen from the flowers. He could taste the cupcakes that were being baked back in town, and he could visualize the beautiful valleys and grasslands before him.
His blue eyes suddenly opened, and he delivered a swing so fast that even Princess Celestia couldn't see it. His eyes could no longer see the valleys, they could no longer see the sunset that was dimming in the distance.
All the could see was a silver-haired man with an evil smile.
Cloud's bulky sword danced through the air, and even with its size it could be considered elegant and graceful. His massive blade twirled in his hands, his footwork keeping his balance proper and excellent. His breathe was short yet full, and muscles tightened and flexed with every sword movement.
When half an hour had gone by of him fighting nothing but air, he pierced the sword into the earth, leaning on his sword. Being like that of a SOLDIER, Cloud wouldn't get exhausted so easily. In fact, he wasn't even breathing hard, and he hadn't even broken a sweat. He was just mentally exhausted at the moment, a huge overwhelming feeling of being far away from home finally taking a toll on him.
"Nice little dance you had. I wish I brought popcorn." Cloud turned his head to the side gently, seeing a pony similar to that of Princess Celestia. She had a horn and wings, but she was darker and a bit smaller. Her mane was a shimmering dark blue, and on her flank was the symbol of a crescent moon. She was smiling at him, and Cloud looked away.
"It wasn't a dance." He said quietly.
"Then what was it?" She asked, walking up beside him, "Were you...fighting something?..."
"You could say that." Cloud replied, his eyes on the dying light of the sun on the horizon.
"My name is Princess Luna. My sister, Princess Celestia, has told me much about you Cloud. " Luna greeted, the shining moonlight finding their forms on the hill. Cloud pulled his sword out from the ground, placing it back into the harness.
"Something tells me that you aren't just here to say hello." Cloud turned towards her and crossed his arms, his eyes glowing in the growing darkness, "State your business."
"Cold and straight to the point." Luna chuckled lightly, "I like you." Cloud answered her with a stare and she turned her head to look at the moon.
"Cloud...I am not much of a talker as Celestia...and I do not have one ounce of her influence. But..." She looked back at the human, "Please. Hear me out." Cloud gave her a nod and his arms dropped back to his sides.
"I may be a goddess like my sister...but in the end, we are all ponies. I'm not sure what you have been through, but judging by the way you carry yourself and the way you act...it must have been terrible." Cloud said nothing, his glowing eyes also on the moon.
"But there is something that I can tell that you have experienced, Cloud. Something that I have felt as well." Her sad eyes turned to see his face, "The feeling of being a tool. A puppet."
"Stop." Cloud growled, "You don't know anything."
"Because you refuse to tell anybody about anything!" Luna snapped, advancing on Cloud, "Twilight has told me! You've gone into some silly shell and you won't share a thing about your life! All you've done is given the ponies a cold shoulder!" Cloud stayed silent, gripping his sword with his hand tighter and tighter.
"Look, Cloud..." Luna sighed, sitting down on her haunches next to him, "These ponies...They just want to help you. They want to be your friends. Why is it so hard not to let anyone in? What's keeping you from talking?"
The two beings sat in a silence that even Pinkie Pie couldn't break. Their gazes were both locked onto the moon, and the night breeze was as sharp and cold as ever. They were lost in their own thoughts, and for a few moments it seemed like their silence would never end.
"I just..." Cloud started, "I just...don't want anyone close to me getting hurt. Ever again."
"And to do that, you don't let anyone get close." Luna finished, "I understand." Luna began to see Cloud in a new light. At first when she heard of him, she thought of him as a young punk who thought himself above the ponies, who tried to stay away because he thought that it was wrong to be near strange creatures like them. She thought he was weak. After seeing him and talking with him, she began to understand. He wanted to do what was best for others while keeping himself in the cold. However, he was bad at it and he hurt those around him more than he knew.
"Cloud..." Luna smiled, standing back up, "I believe you have somewhere you need to be. The party is going on right now, you know." Cloud stayed stiff and silent, and Luna felt a sad smile creep on her face.
"Us ponies are stronger than we look, Cloud. The stronger our bonds of friendship, the stronger we become." She came up and nuzzled his neck a little bit, making Cloud ease away with a confused look on his face.
"And I'm sure that you will become stronger as well. Maybe someday, you will be the one that needs to be protected." Cloud took her words in, turning around so that he faced Ponyville. Luna smiled, staring at the back of his blonde head. Cloud was quiet, but that meant he had been listening. He glanced back at her and nodded before he began to proceed down the hill.
"Wait, Cloud..." Luna cleared her throat, "One more thing. And its urgent."
Twilight sipped the delicious punch lightly, sitting at the table with the rest of her friends. It seemed like half of Ponyville was also in Sugarcube corner, wearing colorful party hats and talking amongst each other. The purple unicorn sighed before glancing up to the clock in the corner of the room.
"Eight Fifteen...." She said outloud before looking back down the long table. It was miraculous that none of the other ponies had actually left, but at the same time the party was as depressing as a funeral. The music wasn't playing, and Pinkie refused to actually start anything until the guest of honor arrived. Or if he arrived.
Pinkie was probably experiencing the worst party she had ever started. Her mane was completely deflated, hanging off her head completely deflated. She was sitting in the corner of the room on her haunches, her eyes never leaving the ground. Seeing the pink pony like this was so disheartening...how could Cloud just completely ignore the party like this?
"That's it!" Rainbow Dash yelled, slamming her hooves onto the table, "I've had it with the stupid blonde jerk! All he's done is push us away like freaking mosquitos! I say we find him and knock the sense into him!"
"Rainbow, Darling, let's be sensible here!" Rarity stated, standing up, "Maybe something's caught him up! Maybe he's fighting some monsters-
"Yeah right!" Rainbow growled, "That totally didn't happen! He's asleep in Twilight's basement! Why I outta-
"Calm down, Sugarcube!" Applejack exclaimed, slamming her own hooves onto the table, "We're all upset here! This is a party for crying out loud! I'm sure there's a good reason why he didn't show up, or if he's late!"
"Maybe...he doesn't like my parties..." Pinkie said in a weak voice, but somehow catching the attention of all the ponies in the room, "Maybe...he just hates me..."
"No Pinkie! Of course not!" Fluttershy smiled sadly, trotting up to her, "Please don't say that! I'm positive that he would want to be here!"
"That guy? Please..." Spike yawned, wiping the residue of cupcake off his face, "I didn't see that guy for very long, but he's probably nothing but trouble anyway."
"Don't say that Spike!" Twilight growled, "He could come through that door any minute now! I'm sure he was held up by something important! He'll be here! I know it!"
"Whatever!" Rainbow Dash grunted, flying towards the door turning her body to face the ponies, "Anyways, I'm done with this party! He ruined one of Pinkie's greatest parties ever...and I'm never going to forgive him! And at this moment I'm going to go and I'm going to beat his pretty face so bad that we can't even look at him straight!"
"Who has a pretty face?" A cold familiar voice asked behind Rainbow.
"You know who! It's- Cloud?!" The blue pegasus found herself face to face with the blonde human, her blood freezing in her veins.
Cloud glanced around, pushing away the blue pegasus who suddenly fell onto the ground in complete shock. The room was deathly silent, and the big eyes of the ponies were even larger when they saw him. A few even dropped their cups of punch onto the ground...How they held them in their hooves was a bit of a mystery to him. Twilight Sparkle was grinning wide at him, and Cloud suddenly felt uncomfortable as he looked away, spotting Pinkie in the corner. He had never seen something so sad and defeated.
She didn't look up when Cloud approached her, keeping her eyes on the ground. He dropped to one knee, still towering slightly over her. The sound in the room was dead like before, and the air was so tense that nobody could blink.
"Cloud..." Pinkie said quietly, tracing a circle with her hoof on the ground, "Do...Do you hate my parties?..." Cloud blinked at her before ruffling her hair a little, making the pink pony look up at him with two sad eyes.
"How could I...." He said, giving her a smile that only she could see, "If my first one hasn't even started yet?" A blush flashed across her face for an instant, and then disappeared when her hair suddenly popped up, exploding into its familiar balloon like appearance.
"OH YEAH!" She exclaimed, "Everypony...It's time to PARTY!"