//------------------------------//
// Day Dreamer 
// Story: Wind Chimes 
// by flutterspin 
//------------------------------//

Cloudsdale - A wonderful place to visit. A unique combination of elements inside the cloud's water crystals help forge the white pillars of this mighty city. Their chemical bonds merge perfectly within the clouds you see hovering over your head each day. It houses thousands of pegasi who help maintain and control the weather. In exchange for their efforts, the ponies that are not able to fly receive the much needed water and shelter for their crops in the field. This symbiotic relationship cycles throughout each of the four seasons every year.

Keeping things in order is no easy feat. A flight school is provided to assist the pegasi in learning the proper wing techniques for all the various weather conditions. Through their dedication, these young fillies and colts develop the skills to take on the heavy responsibility of supporting Ponyville, as well as other areas, at appointed times in the day. Certain ones with the right athletic prowess have the opportunity to join a special curriculum to entertain their fellow ponies. Only the strongest will be able to pass the rigorous testing and become one of the spectacular Wonderbolts we love watching perform at our enjoyable sporting events.

Yes, despite the lovely races and rampant activities that come from all of our dedicated flyers, we cannot forget this shining jewel of the heavens. May we continue to show our appreciation for all of their hard work. 




I just finished reading a chapter about Cloudsdale in Magic of Equestria when I lost feeling in my left hoof. I guess a normal pony would have known to sit up straight to avoid such a nuisance. I, however, refused to comply to such standards. Whenever I found myself engaged in such a fascinating book, my body tends to react accordingly no matter how foolish the act.
The skimpy book that my eyes were glued to rested on top of the living room table in front of me. The unmistakable wooden horse statue Twilight keeps in the center supplied the means to hold the book upright as I turned the pages. On occasion, I would place my right hoof down and turn my body over into another position to help balance my nerves. 
In my rustling, I spotted Twilight Sparkle sitting appropriately upright in a chair across the room reading a rather large red book covering over most of her face. My mind questioned whether or not she still lived, for her body remained ever motionless since she turned the page five minutes ago. I imagined that the sunlight, shining through the treehouse window, somehow magically turned her into a solidified state. 
"Twilight, have you read this book?" I asked, to confirm she still drew breath.
"Moonlight, I've already read all the books in here" - Twilight's smiling face peeked out from the side of the book - "except for this one of course."
"Right," I chuckled as I thought about my own inquiry. No question a seeker of knowledge like Twilight Sparkle would have allocated some of her spare time to reading all the books in the library. The mare does, in fact, live in one. My eyes veered upward as my focus immediately wandered over to the window. "Wouldn't it be interesting to live up in Cloudsdale? Just you up there in the clouds. I wonder what it would be like?"
Twilight responded in a monotone voice, "Not any different than Ponyville, I suppose. Plenty of things to do down here on the ground."
My legs crawled up the wooden cabinets as my back slouched farther onto the wooden floor. I turned my head towards Twilight again in hopes of grabbing her attention. "I may have only visited the place... maybe once or twice. What about you? Have you ever gone up there?"
Twilight hovered her magenta bookmark from the table and tucked it neatly into the book's spine. "I was up there one time to watch Rainbow Dash's performance."
"Were you in a balloon?" I inquired, hoping she would add a little more detail.
"No," Twilight quickly stated when closing the book.
"What?" I hastily asked while rolling onto my side.
Twilight approached one of the many bookcases behind her and pulled out another book very similar in shape and size to the one she left on the counter. "I was on the clouds like every other pony there."
My brow weighed heavy over my eyes. Twilight spoke to me without any hesitation, yet to my knowledge only pegasi and alicorns were capable of standing on clouds. "How were you able to do that?"
Twilight carefully held the book in place, preventing it from falling completely off the shelf. She slanted her head over her right shoulder. Her pleasant smile widened in the form of a playful smirk. "I found a spell that allows a pony to walk on clouds."
A bolt of excitement surged through my body as I leapt right up off the floor. The glisten in my eyes shined directly at Twilight as she turned around with the book in her hoof. "You mean you really found a spell that let's you walk on clouds?"
"Yep," Twilight responded, pushing her original book to the side and placing her current one on the table in its place. The spine on Twilight's book broke open as she rapidly turned its many pages.
"Is there any chance you could cast this spell on me?" I beseeched with a grin on my face.
Twilight lessened her grip when she heard my words. She looked at me with a confused expression. "What?"
My enthusiasm not only caught Twilight off-guard but myself as well. Her reaction indicated something was wrong. I felt obligated to quickly correct the matter. Before reiterating my question to Twilight, I decided to kick my brain into overdrive and retrace my steps.
I personally asked Twilight an evening off to train me. Due to her busy schedule, she instead offered me the opportunity to enjoy her company as she finished reading up something important for Princess Celestia. I chose to wake up early this morning, much earlier than I am accustomed to, in order to spend some quality time with one of my best friends. Perhaps Twilight's retort wasn't questioning whether or not she's capable of accomplishing such a task, but maybe she wanted to know why I would request such a thing after proportioning out some of my time to simply "hangout" with her this morning. Alas, the few seconds I spent trying to reach a resolution used up all my precious time to make a formal response.
"Weren't you just saying how you wanted to get an early start on your reading today?" Twilight rebutted.
"I'm done," I swiftly inserted, hoping my statement satisfied Twilight's scrutiny.
My heart skipped a beat. My eyes shifted away from Twilight. For a brief second, my conscience nagged at me. Though the words weighed some truth in the matter, the remaining number of chapters in my book told a completely different story. The gal always steered me into more practical applications. Guess my time with Applejack affected me more ways than one.
Twilight rocked her head onto her shoulder. "Moonlight, what's this all about?"
Twilight's posture matched that of a gesture all mares share in my experience. Without the need of saying a word, their body language shouts out their true feelings in the discussion. Miss Cherilee demonstrated it when catching a student without their homework. My mother would display it whenever I came home from school upset. On special occasions, even sweet Fluttershy could scare out a changeling with a simple stare. However, by evaluating the tone in Ms. Sparkle's voice in this particular case, her words insinuated genuine sincerity. Perhaps she felt it was somewhat her duty to discover and resolve the problem at hand.
"Lately I've been having these dreams," I stated, scuffing the ground with my hoof.
Twilight replied, "Dreams? What kind of dreams?"
"I don't know," I retorted, directing my focus away from Twilight. I straddled closer to the window for a better view of Cloudsdale. "Feelings... like I'm not alone." 
"In Cloudsdale?" Twilight asked.
Twilight would never know the full extent of my dreams. They were a jumbled mess of randomized locations. They weren't chaotic in nature as if played out by Discord. I can only recall and visualize small fragments of items - a bookcase from the Golden Oak Library, a fluffy column from Cloudsdale, flowers from Roseluck's booth, a window from the Carousal Boutique, and an apple tree from Sweet Apple Acres. None of it deemed pertinent enough to be out telling others about. My main problem rested somewhere between the consistency and emotional backlash I experienced after waking up from each of my dreams. Dwelling further on these relapses scared me out of informing Twilight of any of these specific details.
I wiped away the collected water in my eyes and looked directly at Twilight with a half-raised smile. "I know! How about you come with me?"
Twilight happily exclaimed, "What?!"
I restated, "How about you come with me to Cloudsdale? You can show me around."
Twilight shook her head and lifted her book. "Not today, Moonlight. Maybe some other time. I want to try and finish reading this new book I received from Princess Celestia. I can still cast the spell on you, if you want to go up by yourself." 
My lip quivered at Twilight's refusal. My recent recollection of dreams enveloped a form of loneliness I've been feeling for the past couple weeks. It is the real reason why I ultimately accepted Twilight's invitation for visiting the Golden Oak Library this morning. Reading in the same vicinity of Twilight wasn't quite the same satisfaction I wanted from being around her. I needed to do something more engaging.
I rolled my eyes to the checklist of magic abilities written out on the stand by the staircase. The loose penmanship of each item on the board could have only come from Twilight's pet dragon, Spike. Although he usually helps catalog the results of Twilight's unorthodox experiments, he was mysteriously missing from the vicinity of the library. I rose my hoof and shouted, "What if we had a magic duel?!"
Twilight laughed from behind her book. "Oh, Moonlight. You remember what happened last time."
Though my abilities have improved under Princess Luna's care, my reflexes were still no match to Twilight Sparkle's quick moves. In the past, my unique abilities manifested spontaneously and sporadically whenever the current situation called for them. As my knowledge of how a unicorn's magic operates through the use of their horn increased, so did my skill. However, having confidence in myself proved rather difficult without gaining direct control of all of its inner workings. The magnitude of my powers continue to fluctuate up to this day. The bruise left from our last sparring match proved this to be true.
I remonstrated, "Hey, I told you I needed some time to get ready."
Twilight objected, "I gave you three minutes to get ready. Admit it. You aren't the best when using magic."
I leaned my head over my left shoulder and stared at the ground. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Energy poured through me and jerked my head upright. "How about you teach me something new then?"
Twilight animated her book in conjunction with her speech. "You mean like levitation? Spike is still finding pieces of that pot you shattered." She broke eye contact and returned to reading her book.
"How about-"
Twilight's patience ran out. Before I could finish my sentence, a purple aura encompassed my entire body, freezing me in place with my mouth wide open and my right hoof pointing upwards. She gently placed her book down onto the table and meticulously stepped closer to me.
"Moonlight, I appreciate your company and your friendship, but you need to give me some time to finish my assignment. I'll listen to your suggestions after I'm done. Ok?" Twilight retracted her force. "You are welcome to stay in the library and read quietly, or you can find something else to do outside while you wait. Go see Rainbow Dash! Maybe she can show you some new tricks that will help you move around better the next time we train."
"Alright, Twilight. I can take a hint." I sauntered to the oak door, grabbed hold of the handle, and pulled it open. I turned around with my head weighed down and politely whispered, "Let me know when you are done." I eased backwards and gingerly pulled the door shut. 
Not quite sure why I suddenly acted the way I did in front of Twilight. I don't think my outburst strained our relationship any, but I did hear a bit of dissension in her voice on my way out. I might have exerted my opinions a little too much in there. From what I heard from her friends, she tends to lose her composure when things don't go according to plan. Maybe things will be better when she finishes her assignment.
As I distanced myself from the Golden Oak Library, my mind, once again, wandered away from me. Thoughts of past events flooded my soul. With things finally settling down from Ordain's intrusion, I reached out to discover where my next adventure would take me. Both Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle hosted a magic academy to help improve my skills, yet I still haven't made any further progress within these last few months of training. The highly-spirited Rainbow Dash helped me with physical combat, though I'd never surpass her stamina in a real fight. My drive was gone. My motivation had dried up. I don't even recall why I originally wanted them to teach me in the first place.
Traveling through Ponyville always lifted up my spirits. I felt relieved with each passing step. I enjoyed seeing the change in scenery, like my whole world changed before my very eyes. The soothing sounds of the water fountain, the bustling area of the market place, and a warm sun beating on my skin all helped curbed my feelings of depression. There is no limit on the number of possibilities, to explore things never before seen, and hear all the interesting stories from the ponies right here in Ponyville.
In the corner of my eye, I spotted Rainbow Dash twirling in the air. Her hooves held tight three small clouds. Despite their massive size, Rainbow Dash tried squeezing in a fourth cloud into her grasp. Her arms buckled under the strain.
With Twilight's sentiment still echoing in my head, I took the initiative to speak out, "Hey Rainbow Dash! What's the problem? Having trouble with those clouds?"
Rainbow Dash halted her progress and scanned the area. A hole eventually developed in between the clouds as they dissipated from her grip. She looked at me and waved nonchalantly. "Oh hey, Moonlight. Didn't see ya' there. Whatsup?"
"Well it looks like you, Rainbow Dash," I said playfully.
"Ha. Very funny." Rainbow Dash briefly smiled. "Did you need something?"
Very much like Twilight Sparkle, I felt uneasy being around Rainbow Dash this morning. Despite her friendly attitude and genuine smile, she seemed slightly agitated at my mere presence. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see she was currently preoccupied with something else. Still, I decided to take the opportunity to borrow her for a time. "I was hoping to see some of your aerobatics."
Rainbow Dash gave out a surprised look. "Now?"
"No... um... after you get done with whatever you are doing," I said in a panic. "What are you doing anyways?"
Rainbow Dash lunged after one of the drifting clouds. "I'm trying to get the clouds out of the way."
"Of what?" I asked.
With a tight hold of one cloud around her arm and another within her reach, Rainbow attempted to grab a third cloud with one of her hind legs. "Cloudsdale... has issued a rainbow... over Ponyville this afternoon."
"Wasn't there already one yesterday?" I asked as I attempted to cover my eyes from the sunlight.
Rainbow Dash asserted, "Schedule lists one for yesterday, today, and tomorrow."
I asked in a concerned tone, "Will it take long?"
Rainbow Dash quickly swung her legs around the clouds, but the resulting impact broke them all loose. Her head collapsed as she slowed the pace of her wings. She drifted towards me and contested, "If it was any other day, Moonlight, I would be more than happy to show you some moves, but I've got a lot of work to do today." She turned her back and flew around the clouds. She stopped mid-flight and added, "Why don't you go see Fluttershy?"
Rainbow Dash didn't know that I've already taken advantage of Fluttershy's hospitality twice this week. Her gentle heart never denied me entrance to her humble home before, but I knew the mare had responsibilities too. She cared for all of her woodland creatures, watered her beautiful garden in front of her cottage, and brought produce down to the marketplace. For some unknown reason, the thought of visiting her one more time this week bothered my conscience. The feeling only compounded my empathy toward intruding on Rainbow Dash's affairs.
The notion didn't last long before Rainbow Dash attempted to comfort me. "You know, you can always go check out the message board at Town Hall. I bet Mayor Mare has a few things that you can do while you wait."
Finding work was the last thing on my mind. It's only been a couple of days, but I still remember the exhaustion I had from Pinkie Pie's offer at Sugarcube Corner. That gal just doesn't stop. Must be from the amount of sugar dust she inhales working with all those cupcakes. I'm actually kind of relieved she took the day off to help babysit the Cake twins. 
Yet, I've exhausted my options. All my friends were too preoccupied with their own responsibilities to keep me entertained. I needed to have fun and seize the day in the process.
Before I could make a decision, I heard a small voice come up from behind me. "Hey, Moonlight."
I turned around and found myself facing the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Applebloom stood in front of the other two with her large pink bow neatly tied in her hair. Scootoloo nearly ran into her while watching Rainbow Dash drag the clouds away. Sweetie Belle no doubt had her mane neatly combed by her sister as she stood there happy as can be. The three of them carried small bags on their back. 
My thoughts must have drifted since Applebloom legitimately surprised me. "Hey C-M-C!" I thrillingly said. 
Applebloom smiled. "Pretty early to see you out and about."
I blushed. "Heh. Yeah. I guess it's true I don't usually get up this early. Hey, um, you aren't going on one of your adventures today, are you?"
Sweetie Belle spoke up, "Actually we just came from the Carousel Boutique. Rarity told us she had something in store for us."
"That's great!" I replied.
Sweetie Belle continued, "But it won't be ready for us until tomorrow."
Disappointed, I said, "Oh. Well. Feel like doing something right now?"
Scootaloo's right eye twitched as she slanted her head to the side. "Eh, you do know it's a school day, right?"
I grinned. "Right. Right. Well, maybe I'll meet up with you guys later then." 
The three of them replied in unison, "Ok!"
As the fillies made their way down the road, Applebloom turned and waved. "Catch ya' later, Moonlight."
I limped my leg up and muttered, "Ya. Later."
Applebloom added, "If you are looking for something to do, you can always see my sister out on the farm. She always has plenty to do out there."
I stood there watching the fillies slowly make their way towards the school with Applebloom's words still burning through the recesses of my brain. Applejack might have been a good candidate to visit this morning if it wasn't for the fact she too was working all the time. I've never seen a pony work as much as she does. Still, it would be a nice distraction for me until Twilight finishes her book.
I decided to heed Applebloom's advice and head over to Sweet Apple Acres. Granny Smith rocked back-and-forth in her wooden chair, fast asleep on the front porch in the distance. Big Macintosh was busy hauling a large crate full of apples in from the field. Applejack was nowhere in sight. 
"Hey Big Macintosh! Where is Applejack? Is she still out in the fields?"
Big Mac dropped the crate of apples next to the porch. He turned towards me and uttered, "Eeeyup."
"Ok, thanks," I stated, heading towards the multitude of apple trees up the hill.
I read in a book once that Earth ponies are defined by their special connection to nature, animals, and plants. I once believed the reason why I felt unfulfilled was due to my lack of appreciation in a hard day's work. Spending your day picking flowers from the fields or uprooting vegetables from a garden never appealed to me, yet somehow Applejack found joy in doing just that. 
From the day I met Applejack, I knew she wasn't just any ordinary pony. She took it upon herself to care for her family out on Sweet Apple Acres. This, in turn, helps build up Ponyville's morale when the entire town benefits from the farm's economy. The strength from both Big Macintosh and Applejack were exactly what keeps the businesses afloat.
The path of fruitless trees showed me where to find Applejack. There were still some apples left on the trees at the very top of the hill. I didn't travel far before hearing the pounding of a blunt object against the bark of a tree.
Once I saw nearly every apple fall from the tree in one fell swoop, I shouted, "Hey, Applejack!"
Applejack puffed out, "Is that Moonlight?" She placed her legs down onto the ground and faced me. "Well hey there, Moonlight. Fancy seeing you out and about so early."
I shook my head as I meandered closer to the wagon resting by the tree. "Why is every pony so surprised to see me? It can't be that early."
Applejack reached down and tossed an apple into a crate already near reaching its full capacity. "Well, you are Moonlight. We'd be saying the same thing if it was Princess Luna."
The mere sight of Applejack made me feel like I personally had worked a whole day out in the field. Sweat dripped down from the side of her face. Her breathing was irregular. She lacked the composure to stand still. What surprised me most was not how the trees remained intact after being delivered such a blow from Applejack's hooves but how her raggedy straw hat managed to not fall from her head.
Instead of saying a quick greeting and leaving, I felt obligated to help her out at least a little bit. I can't simply abandon my friend by the wayside. I gently brushed past her and leaned my hoof against the crate. "Mind if I tag along and help?"
Applejack mirrored my movement and leaned up against the crate alongside me. "I don't know, Moonlight. Remember what happened last time?"
The slight burning sensation from the scratch opposite to my bruise reminded me of the last time I tried helping with Applejack's chores. I reached back and briefly covered over the wound. "Hey those crates were heavy. At least let me try something easier this time around."
"Easier, eh?" Applejack moved over to a nearby tree and glanced upward. "See the apples on this tree?"
I retracted my hooves from the crate and moseyed on closer. "This one?"
"I want you to knock all of them down."
I smiled and playfully tapped her on the side. "Applejack!"
Applejack returned with a smile and grabbed hold of her rope. "Hey! You wanted easy." She wrapped the rope around the crate and pulled it up onto the wagon. Once the crate rested neatly in the cart, Applejack tucked the harness around her body and took a step forward. "Oh and make sure to get all the apples in the crate. I'll be back in a second."
I patiently waited until Applejack cleared my line of sight. I approached the tree, turned around, readied myself, and lifted up my hind legs. "This shouldn't be too hard." I reared up my legs and slammed both of them against the tree. The pressure from the tree's bark hit a nerve in the curvature of my left hoof. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes shut. I braced my front legs and mouthed, "Ow."
I winced my leg back and gently placed it on the ground. One red apple dropped from the very top of the tree and plopped directly onto my head, missing the tip of my horn. It rolled off and landed right next to the crate. A couple of leaves drooped down shortly thereafter. I limped to the apple, picked it up, and threw it into the crate. I sighed, "One."
My first strike drained all my energy. If I was to make any progress, I needed to be less forceful in my next attempt. I resolved in my heart that rattling the tree would do the trick.
I situated my front legs firmly on the bark of the tree and meticulously rocked back-and-forth. A bunch of leaves broke loose, but the apples wouldn't budge. I tried again, this time with more oomph. My efforts rewarded me with a single apple. It dropped straight down into the crate. I situated my legs back onto the ground. "Two," I uttered in disbelief.
I grew stubborn at the results of my labor. Applejack managed to do this type of work everyday. No way I was going to give up. It was time for a smarter approach.
I steadied myself and closed my eyes. My breath slowed to a near halt. I raised my hoof and visualized the tree. The fading green leaves covered over the red apples. The apples' cores held tight by the smooth branches. The only thing preventing gravity from grabbing hold was a tiny, thin stem attached to the center of the fruit. Snapping the trunk would easily allow the apples to fall gracefully down onto the grass.
My mane swayed as the wind cooled my face. My eyelids pressed together tighter as I focused on the round shape. The sun's light fluctuated as I heard the leaves crinkle overhead. I retracted my hoof in one quick motion and opened my eyes. I expected to hear a multitude of apples spill all around me. Instead, I observed the futility of my undertaking.
"Oh come on!" I shouted at the fruit still snug in the tree's clutches. I immediately reverted back to my aggressive nature and vigorously shook the tree. "Fall already!"
"Need some help?" 
I quickly tucked my head low, turned around, and noticed Applejack standing right behind me. "Oh, you're back."
"Heh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Applejack replied. "I take it things didn't go too well."
Adrenaline coursed through my body as I pushed off the tree. "I'm sorry, Applejack. I thought for sure I could do this."
Applejack adjusted her hat and looked inside the crate. "You got two. Better than none." She leaned over and touched my right shoulder. "Tell me. Why are you out here?"
Applejack's presence always provided me with a strong sense of security. The practical nature of her personality usually steered me in the right direction. The way she nurtures her sister Applebloom only reaffirms her role as a reliable mentor.
I combed over the top of my mane and commented, "I don't know. You all work so hard. I barely do anything at all. Twilight Sparkle is busy reading. Rainbow Dash had something to do in Cloudsdale. Applebloom and the gang are in school. I figured I'd come over here and see what you were up to."
"Nothing new, nothing different. What did you expect?"
"It's just... how are you able to do all this? Is it the hat? Does it give you super strength?"
"No, Moonlight." Applejack pulled off her country-style hat and purposely nudged it on my head, messing up my hair in the process. "But that doesn't mean it won't help."
Raising her hat up, I asked, "I mean, how do you know what you are supposed to do?"
"Well, I guess ya' do what you can. Be who you are. That kind of thing."
I grabbed Applejack's hat and held it in front of me. "And this hat represents who you are?"
Applejack retrieved her straw hat and grasped the outer lining. "You could say that."
"You think Rarity could make me a cool hat like yours?"
"Maybe you can try making your own cool hat." Applejack twirled the hat with her hoof and tossed it up into the air. The hat landed back in its proper place on her head. Taking a step forward and tenderly tapping my chest, she acknowledged, "You have a strong heart, Moonlight. I know you'll figure it out."
On the verge of giving Applejack a hug, I expressed, "Thanks, Applejack. Now if you don't mind, I'll leave you to your work."
Applejack smiled. "Not at all."