"Did I went too far?"
Only a few minutes passed since she finally calmed down after her recent outburst on 'whatshisface'. In a hindsight, blowing up and insulting an innocent, if a little annoying, stallion from her new work was a little too much.
No, she thought. He had his chance to reply and prove her wrong, twice in fact, but decided not to. Which probably meant that she hit all the right buttons. She shrugged. No use caring about some shmucks from backwater village like this. He'll probably forget it and act like nothing ever happened, content with his life as nopony in nowhere. Besides, not like anypony even listened or cared to what she has to say anyway.
In a way, he was lucky to be that simple. He didn't have to work that hard to earn his happiness, spend his entire life scraping from the bottom of the barrel and trying to achieve a goal that only one in thousands ever does. Of course, only one in thousand is as awesome as she is, but these other ponies decided to have 'lives' beyond flying. Life that she had no use for.
She shook her head, trying to get that 'dog' out of her mind. He had it coming, she rationalized. He should have stayed out of somepony else's business. And he crossed the line first.
'Didn't your parents teach you any manners?'
She was fuming, just remembering him saying it. What did that guy know? Nothing, that's what!
...he knew nothing. He didn't realize what he was saying and wasn't angering her on purpose.
...still, not answering her meant that she was completely right on every corner, which makes it all okay. After all, she wasn't lying or anything, just guessing. He had it coming! It's hardly HER fault he was so weak. He wouldn't last a day in Canterlot with that kind of personality, so he can consider himself lucky to be born in Ponyville, happiest place in Equestria. She felt a little sad having to leave it already, but whatever. Nopony wanted her here anyway, so she would do them a favor and keep her promise. Just one more thing to do and she'd have no more reasons to stay. Picking this place because of some local celebrity was a stupid idea anyway.
"UGH!"
Lightning Dust landed on her hind, massaging her head after the impact. That's what she got when she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. Stupid doormats, leave my damn head alone!
She noticed some things rolling around her. Among them several tomatoes, few bread rolls, some carrots and all sorts of groceries. The source of them happened to be a dropped brown bag, previously held by now panicked light yellow mare with impressively long, light pink mane.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean to, please don't be mad!" said the mare, squeaking adorably as she tried and failed to multitask apologizing, retrieving her lost groceries, all while hiding behind her own hair.
"Nah, it's cool," Lightning Dust waved a hoof and grabbed a stray carrot, putting it bag in the bag "I should've watched where I was going."
"No, it's all my fault, I wasn't..." the mare apologized, still collecting.
"Nonono, it was totally my fault! I was lost in thoughts and wasn't looking, my bad!"
"But..."
"No buts!" She extended her wings and flew around the street, gathering what was left in a heartbeat, gently tugging it back where it was supposed to be. "Look, let's just call it a draw, neither of us were paying attention."
"Umm, okay, I guess?" The mare smiled at Lightning Dust, though quickly blushed and looked away.
Lightning dust giggled at her reaction. If only at least one of her new co-workers was anything remotely similar, her job would've been a ton more pleasant. She coughed and extended her hoof.
"Name's Lightning Dust. And you are?"
The other mare looked around and hesitated, before opening her mouth.
"..."
"Excuse me, can you say it again?"
"..."
"Still didn't hear ya."
"...Fluttershy..."
Lightning Dust rolled her eyes and just grabbed her hoof, shaking it in spite of the other.
"Well nice to meet ya, Fluttershy. Hopefully, we won't be bumping into each other too often..." a small silence made her realize her faux pax "... I mean, not that violently, just normally, figuratively speaking and, uhm, you know."
And now it was Fluttershy's time to giggle in response. All of a sudden the initial shyness was gone.
"Oh, I get what you mean, don't worry. Are you new in town?"
"Kinda," she reached in her memory for that conversation and a promise she made "only for a few more days, though. I'll be transferring any time now."
"Oh, that's too bad! Well, maybe we could go out before that, if that's okay with you?"
Lightning Dust thought for a moment and analyzed the situation. Fluttershy seemed like a nice pony and she didn't have anything else to do most of the time. Maybe spending some time with her, inviting her to a coffee or something would be enough to pay back for the incident.
"Sure, why not?"
"Alright then, I'll be meeting you soon. But I'm sorry, I need to go now, my little friends are waiting for me home. Angel Bunny must be starving by now!"
And with that, the two said their goodbyes and went their own ways. Fluttershy went back to her cottage. Lightning Dust, however, had some business to attend to, which is why her next destination, was the office.
Pinkie Pie glared at the pie. She tried to make some sort of connection, find some common grounds and start on the right hoof, but her new acquaintance proved to be mostly unable to cooperate. She wasn't asking too much of it and could eat it any time, but the threat was there and the only way to find out if it was real, was to go at it, after which it could be too late. Maybe if she covered it with more whipped cream? No, she thought. That would be just hiding its true intentions, which could be even worse. In situation like these, she'd rather deal with honesty than sugarcoated danger.
"Hiya Pinkie, what's up?" Cloud Kicker suddenly appeared behind her.
"Oh, hey." Pinkie answered in an unusually calm manner, barely taking her gaze away from the pie. The strange behavior confused Cloud Kicker, before she inspected the culprit.
"What's with the Jerk Pie?" She asked, hoping there wasn't anypony with that name in her family.
"I don't know if I should eat it. Or not." Pinkie answered simply. She hummed, soon joined by Cloud Kicker who also tried to solve said riddle.
"Whose pie is it?"
"Thunderlane's. But Blossomforth bought it for him."
"Ah, go figure." She shook her head, chastising herself for not realizing it sooner. "Anyway Pinkie Pie, are there any parties planned for tommorow?"
"No, I don't think so." She answered not even bothering to turn to Cloud Kicker.
"Good. See, there's this new mare in town..." She started, but before she could say any more, Pinkie suddenly gave her all the attention and grabbed her shoulders.
"What? What new girl?"
"Her name's Lightning Dust, she's working with Weather Patrol..."
"When? When did she arrived?"
"This Monday."
"Drat! I'm already four days late! I need to..."
"That'll have to wait, Pinkie." Cloud Kicker put a hoof on Pinkie's back and smiled. "There's something big coming on tommorow. And I can't think of a single pony more suited for doing it than you."
And then Cloud Kicker told Pinkie Pie everything. With each word spoken, Pinkie's smile grew, while other patrons jaws dropped lower and lower. Tomorrow was going to be a day that this town waited for a long, long time...