Cloudsdale Love

Firestar

I stepped off the train in Ponyville’s station, and breathed in the crisp, mid-day air. I looked around, seeing nothing but a whole lot of unfamiliar ponies greeting each other warmly. Positivity abound.

I picked up my stuff, completed all of the necessary procedures with the station’s personnel, and walked out into the town.

“Firestar!” A familiar voice called out my name.

I turned just in time to see rainbow-colored blur crash into me. “Oof!”

I was squished into the ground by a monstrous hug. “You made it!”

I chuckled. “Well, I almost didn’t. There was this really neat-looking house over in Zebrica…” I teased, making something up. I awaited the friendly punch that was her response.

“Shut up, you big doofus!” Rainbow said, chuckling.

We untangled ourselves and got up. “So,” I began, “since you’re here, want to help carry my stuff?”

“Sure!” We picked up my things, and set off.

After we’d dropped my various things off at my new home, Rainbow dragged me over the the town’s library. It’d been rebuilt, since Tirek had destroyed it, though the castle next to it remained. When we entered, it was dark.

“Um…” I said, “I don’t think anypony’s-”

“SURPRISE!!!” A whole lot of ponies suddenly sprung into existence around the room, as the lights came on.

“Woah!” I jumped.

Rainbow laughed. “Yeah, that’s how we do it, in Ponyville! Welcome, newcomer!”

A pink mare bounced - and I mean that literally - over to me. “Hiya!” She exclaimed. “I’m Pinkie Pie! You’re Firestar, right?” Without waiting for me to even nod my head, she continued in her rapid-fire pace. “Great! This is your ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ surprise party! So, were you surprised? Were you? Were you? Were you?”

“Uh-Y-Yeah!” I stammered, trying (and failing) to will my heartbeat down an acceptable level.

“Great!” She exclaimed. “There’s punch, cupcakes, hot sauce, and flowers, if you want anything! Have fun!”

“Um… Okay!” I replied, but she was already gone. I turned to Rainbow. “You weren’t kidding, when you said hyper.”

She chuckled. “Oh, you have no idea. She’s always like that. It’s weird, but she grows on you.”

An orange mare in a stetson trotted up. “Mighty pleased ta meet ya, pardner.” She said, extending a hoof. “Ah’m Applejack.”

We shook. “Pleasure’s all mine.” I replied. “How’s the farm coming?” I asked her, recalling what Rainbow had said about the farmer pony.

“Pretty good, thanks.” She smiled. “Ah brought some apples, and there’s cider, if ya want any.”

“Hard?” I asked.

“Nah, sorry.”

“Don’t be. I don’t drink, actually. But I do love me a good cup of soft apple cider.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right town, then!” Applejack replied. “Best apples and apple cider in Equestria, right from the local Sweet Apple Acres farm!”

“Awesome!”

“Hey, Applejack,” Rainbow said, “how’s Applebloom doing?”

“She’s at home. The school gave her more work than she could get done in class.”

I grimaced. “Homework. Ugh.”

“You said it.” Rainbow agreed.

The three of us chatted a little more, then Applejack wandered off. Rainbow and I grabbed some punch.

“Seems like a nice place, already!” I stated, taking a sip.

“You bet it is!” Rainbow replied. “Everypony’s nice, I’ve got a lot of trick-practicing space, and nothing too bad usually ever happens. What’s to complain about?”

I grinned. “Gotta have that practice space, huh?” I joked.

She playfully bumped me. “Shut up!”

The two of us chuckled.

A lavender-colored, alicorn mare walked up to us. “Hey, Rainbow.” She greeted my marefriend. The newcomer turned to me. “You must be Firestar?”

“That I am.” I replied. I set my cup drink down, and extended a hoof. “A pleasure to meet you, Princess Sparkle.”

The shook my hoof, and smiled. “Twilight.” She corrected me. “I’m not one for formalities, if I can help it.”

I nodded. “I can respect that.” I replied. “Never been one for them, myself.”

“Enjoying the party?” She asked.

“You bet!” I exclaimed, picking my drink back up.

“Great!” Twilight shuffled awkwardly on her hooves for a moment. “Um… Things to talk about, things to talk about…”

I chuckled. “Do you run this library, still?”

“Not with as much micro-management as I used to, but yes.”

“Cool. You’ll probably see a lot of me.” I said.

“You like books?” Twilight lit up.

“Love ‘em! Ever since I was a small colt. When I didn’t have anything to do, and I wasn’t hanging out with Rainbow, I was usually reading.”

“What’s your favorite genre?”

“Action-Adventure. Daring Do’s my favorite.”

“Mine, too! And Rainbow’s.”

I chuckled. “It was a little amusing, when Rainbow told me she’d gotten into that series. She used to tease me all the time for reading it. I was her lovable egghead.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “She gave you the nickname ‘egghead,’ too?”

I laughed. “Yep! She saw me reading one, one day, and the first thing she said was ‘shut that book, and let’s go get some lunch, egghead!’”

The three of us chuckled. We spent the next couple of minutes discussing various book or education-related topics.

The rest of the party passed like a lovely breeze. I met all of Rainbow’s friends, and had some good talks with all of them. Eventually, I glanced at a clock, and sighed. “I’d better head on home.” I said. “Nothing’s been unpacked, and it’s almost dinnertime.”

“Okay.” Rainbow said, just as unhappy about it as I was.

“It was nice meeting you.” Rarity said.

“You as well, mademoiselle.” I replied. “Au revoir! Adios! Hasta mañana! See you all tomorrow!” I called out.

Dash, who was going to help me unpack, followed me out. “Alright, show-off.” She said. “Let’s go.”

“Well, look who’s talking!” I exclaimed, teasing her.

“Yeah, whatever!” She grinned, and batted my face with her tail. She giggled as my face turned red. “Who knows? If you’re good, and you feel up to it, you might even see more of that, tonight!”

“Well, I’d certainly enjoy that!” I tripped her. She went sprawling. Her high-pitched yelp made me crack up.

“Oh, you’re in for it, now!” Rainbow exclaimed. She lunged at me, but I sidestepped. She crashed into the dirt, again.

However, I didn’t expect her to change direction mid-lunge. “Woah-Oof!” We went down.

We rolled around on the dirt for a few seconds, fake-wrestling. When we finished, we laid there, laughing.

When we’d quieted down, Rainbow stroked my hoof. “I missed hanging out with you.” She admitted.

“Me too.” I replied. “I guess we’ll just have to hang out a lot more often, to make up for it!”

She chuckled. “I can roll with that.” She replied. Then, she gave me a seductive look, and murmured “I know of something else I can roll with, too. Especially in bed.” As my face went red, again, she laughed. “Too easy!”

“Oh, you suck!” I exclaimed jokingly.

“I can do that, too.” She replied.

I hung my head. “I walked right into that one.”

“Yep, you did.”

“Let’s just go home, before I do something even more stupid.”

“Fat chance of that.”

Our teasings and laughter filled the walk to my new house. I couldn’t wait for my life to get a whole lot better. I lived less than a mile away from the best mare in my life, and the town itself looked promising, as well.