//------------------------------// // Starting on the Right Hoof // Story: One of a Kind // by cpthitsugaya //------------------------------// Coming down to land, Lightning and Dash touched down on a small patch of grass near the center of town, after their flight from Cloudsdale. Still fresh from their final flight camp, both Lightning and Dash were eager to get going, and see how the next few years of their lives would play out. Looking around, Lightning thought to himself, "Ponyville seemed to have grown quite a bit since their last visit." A whole group of new mares and stallions were wondering the newly built market, and a few new structures had been added since their last visit. One in particular, was still being built; however the sign read, “Sugarcube Corner.” "Must be some type of bakery" thought Lightning. They both began to wander around a bit, until the mayor trotted up to greet them. “Good afternoon! Welcome to... wait, I know you fellas...” They looked at her and laughed a bit. “We were here a while back on a school field trip ma’am.” “Ohhh that’s right! You were the young colt whom broke his shoulder! Aww glad to see you’re all better!” He nodded and replied, “thanks.” “So how can I help you two?” Dash replied, “Well, we were assigned to be here for the weather pegasi, we just came out of our training camp, and they told us that we would be stationed here.” She scratched her chin for a second thinking, then came to her realization. “OH! You two are with the weather group!” They nodded and she reached her hoof out. The two shook it and looked back to her as she said, “Well, it’s a relief you’re here! Up until now, we’ve only had one poor pegasi controlling the weather out here.” Lightning looked at her in a bit of surprise. “Another? What would their name be?” “A young stallion named Renoc Baers. He’s been doing a fine job for us, and hasn’t complained even once about working the clouds all alone!” And almost as if on cue, a brown stallion with a messy, long brown mane stuck a nice landing on the ground next to them. “Hey Miss Mayor! Who are the new fellas?” “Oh, well these are the new recruits from Cloudsdale.” “New recruits?" He turned his attention to Lightning and Dash. "You guys just came out of the academy?” Dash replied with, “Yeah, actually we were told yesterday to be here, so here we are.” Baer laughed a bit and looked at them, holding his hoof out to shake. Lightning shook as Baer said, “well it’s a pleasure to have you both here, especially with what’s going on right now!” Both Lightning and Dash looked puzzled with his statement. “What’s going on around here?” “A climate change has been making the weather go completely berserk! I’ve been working hard to stop it, but it’s going to be so much easier with your guys’ help!” They both agreed and asked, “what do you want us to do first?” “Well first, you guys should go find a place to live, don’t you think?” They both had a stunned expression on their faces, because they had completely forgotten about that. “Hehe... I guess we do..” Admitted Lightning. Baer snickered a bit, and wrapped his arms around them both. “You guys are going to love it here. It’s really chill and relaxed, and fun to fly around the open areas.” Lightning knew that a relaxed job, with open flight space was simply too good to be true. "What was the catch?" Lightning thought. Baer then launched up into the air, and beckoned both he and Dash for follow. Baer had lead them both to a small cloud house just behind a few trees, which was less than a minute away from town. The cloud house seemed to be a good three stories tall, and had a nice amount of space, judging from the space outside. It fit onto about twelve clouds by estimation, and was a good twenty clouds tall. To put it into perspective, a "cloud" unit of measurement was about three times as long as a full grown pegasus. Looking back onto the house, it seemed like a great size for a starting career. Baer then showed them inside, where they stumbled upon a large couch, a few posters hanging from the walls, and a small kitchen. The windows in the front of the house had a breathtaking view of Ponyville’s town square, and the windows in the rear had a perfect view of the mountains behind it. “Alright, this is just the cooking and chilling room. We’ve got a good five rooms upstairs if you want to check it out.” He flew up a small opening in the ceiling, with Lightning and Dash joining him. Upstairs they ended up in a small center room, with two small room attached to the main hallway. “You guys can hang out here for now if you want, I’ve got the room upstairs for now. They thanked him for the rooms, as they both took another look out the window. "Thanks again Baer! Sorry to impede on you." “Nah it’s cool! I’ve been hoping a few new pegasi could show up, being the only weather pegasus here is a bit lonely and awkward." All three of them had laughed a bit, while Baer turned and flew to his room. Dash turned to Lightning and said, “Well, here we are. All those years we spent getting ready for this, and this is where we end up. Is it worth it?” Lightning thought for a split second. He had the opportunity to become a Wonderbolt, but turned it down so Spitfire could achieve her dream. Sure it was a bit disappointing, but where he was now was perfect. With his friends, in an easy, all flying job. “Yeah, I can’t complain one bit. I think we’re extremely lucky to end up here.” Dash nodded and said, “well I’m going to go check out the town. I guess i’ll catch ya later.” “Alright, see ya later bro.” They bumped hooves, as Dash flew down the opening in the floor, and out the front of the house. Lightning could see him out his window, he looked so happy and free to be away from those restricting rules and camps of Cloudsdale. Looking out to the horizon, he could see the sun, just setting on the horizon, as Lightning laid down on the small bed new to the window. The sudden rush of memories came to him like in a surging storm, as he laid down in bed, tired from such a long day. Memories of his encounter with the Wonderbolt’s recruiter, the stunt he pulled in the stadium, even Ms. Starshine’s camp came to him. So far, he had accomplished everything he has strived for, and now it’s time to continue doing his best, and making a good name for himself in the new town of Ponyville.