Fluttershy trotted along the soft, fluffy, clouds, averting her eyes from those of the other pegasi trotting around the Cloudsdale streets. If you could call them streets. They were nothing like Ponyville's street. In Ponyville, the streets were solid, provided support for your hooves, and made you confident in every step, but Cloudsdale was an entire city of clouds, clouds were soft, cushy, and unbalanced.
Since she had moved here a few days ago, Fluttershy had been living in a small house on the edge of town, she had a part-time job at the small pet shop on the corner of the street, it was a good job, with decent pay at ten bits an hour. She had a good life, but she missed her friends. As mentioned before, Cloudsdale was an entire city of clouds, and only pegasus ponies can walk on clouds, which made it virtually impossible for her friends to visit her.
Fluttershy walked into the small cloud house and closed the door behind her with a gentle kick. She set the bags she was carrying down on the counter, she'd put the groceries away later. in the meantime, she'd watch the news. Apparently, Celestia's court gaurd were doing a tribute to Rainbow Dash by creating a rainbow out of colored smoke, and hanging a banner with her cutie on it over the usual one featuring Celestia's. They would also be wearing badges sporting the same symbol. Shining Armor even spoke a few words, or, to put it better, a four minute speech.
Seh sat there watching the newest developments across Equestria for about a half hour, and then, there was a knock on her door. Well, not really a knock so to speak, more of a soft thud.
"Who's there?" asked Fluttershy, still watching the projector.
"Applejack,"
Fluttershy stopped the projector, got up, and ran to the door, and sure enough, the orange earth pony was standing there.
"Hey," said Applejack, lamely.
"Hey,' replied Fluttershy "Come on in," Applejack walked into the small house, awestruck.
"Wow, I never thought thatcha could make clouds so smooth,"
"Yeah, you get used to it. Say, how are you walking on clouds? Only pegasus ponies can do that, did you have Twilight cast that spell again?"
"Nah, Celestia sent us each one of these magical runes," she said, indicating her necklace. "They work like a constant version of that spell,"
"Ah...Oh! Can I get you something to drink?"
"Huh? Oh, yea, just water,"
"Okay," the pegasus went into her kitchen, got two cups, and began to fill them with water. "So how's ponyville been?"
"It's been pretty dull, everypony has been pretty bummed out, half the apple family dropped by to apologize, and Braeburn even dropped of some flowers at her grave,"
"To think so many ponies cared so much about her,"
"Well she was kind of a town celebrity,"
"True, so how is everypony else?"
"Well...Rarity hasn't made a dress in four days, Pinkie Pie moved out, I've been taking a break from the farm and Twilight hasn't left the library since the funeral,"
"That bad, huh?"
"Yeah,"
"So what about the Elements of Harmony? We need the element of loyalty,"
"Celestia and Luna will wield them again,"
"Oh," Fluttershy set down one glass in front of Applejack.
"Thanks," Applejack drank the water in several large gulps, set the empty glass on the table, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hoof. "So how's Cloudsdale?"
"Lonely, but at least I get the chance to move on. I wouldn't be able to do that in my cottage back in ponyville, but here...,"
"Here you can?"
Fluttershy nodded "Yeah, back in Ponyville, there's plenty to remind me of Rainbow Dash, but not here,"
"But didn't you and Rainbow Dash used to live here together?"
"Yes, but to me, they're to different ponies," Applejack gave Fluttershy a confused look. "I knew her back when she lived here, we went our seperate ways, and then we met again in ponyville, but she had a completely different attitude towards many things, so I never saw any connection to them, other than their looks,"
"Ah, I see,"
"So yeah, here I can finally forget,"
"Forget? Why'n the hay would ya want to forget?"
"Because I don't like being tortued by all the memories about her,"
"Tortured? You're looking at this from the wrong angle,"
"How so?"
"I'll put it this way, how would you feel if everypony suddenly forgot about you?"
"Wow, I guess I never thought of it that way. Thanks Applejack,"
The two ponies sat there silently, contemplating a way to continue the conversation, and then Fluttershy spoke.
"You know, I expected she'd at least outlast Granny Smith,"
"Yeah, talk about bad luck,'
"Yeah...Hey! Are the girls back from Manehattan yet?"
"I dunno, but Applejack wasn't back when I left, so probably not. I'd just hate to be the one who tells Scootaloo,"
"Agreed. So what was that earlier bit about Twilight?"
"Oh, she ran home at about 8:00 on Sunday, and hasn't left her home since,"
"I hope she's alright,"
"Well, according to Rarity, she's studying ancient magic, so she's at least partway back to normal,"
"Well that's good,"
Again the two ponies dropped to an awkward silence, but this time, it was broken by Applejack.
"Well, I'd best be getting back to the farm, Everypony will be expectin' me"
"Wait! it's already past six o'clock, and it's a long way back to ponyville, why don't you stay for dinner?"
"Ah, well, I don't wanna impose,"
"Oh it's no trouble, really. It'll be nice to have somepony to talk to over dinner,"
"Well, if'n ya insist,"
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"Ya know Fluttershy," said Applejack, picking up a forkful of the steamed veggies "If you went out there, said hello to some ponies, be friendly, you could probably get yerself a few new friends, maybe even a colt-friend, or mare-friend, if that's what yer into,"
"I don't know, I don't think anypony would like to date me,"
"Ah, c'mon your sellin' yerself short, there's plenty of colts and mares that go for the gentle, silent type, and yer extremely cute to boot, you'd probably stand a better chance than most of the other mares in cloudsdale,"
"You think so?" asked Fluttershy.
"Definetly,"
"Thanks Applejack,'
"No problem, Ya take care of yerself,"
"I will, and you do the same,"
"Later Fluttershy,"
"Goodbye,"
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"Okay, Carbon, water, pictures, assorted chemicals, runes, looks like I'm all set, now I just wait for Spike to go to sleep, and then I can get started," Twilight walked up the stairs, and closed the door to her basement.