The Calm and the Storm

Temp and Rainbow Dash made their way through Ponyville and arrived at the marketplace, where food and material stalls lined the entire street.  "Great, we can grab a bite to eat before we get to my place."  Rainbow trotted into the amalgam of ponies as Temp followed behind with a minutely confused expression on his face.

"Forgive me Rainbow, but I am still confused.  Is this a part of our training or..."  Temp trailed off and expected Rainbow to answer back.

Rainbow looked back and let out a brief chuckle. "Temp, relax.  We've got all of next moon to train.  This is just a casual stroll through where you'll be staying.  After all, what's the point of working out if you don't know the best spots to do it?"  Temp looked down in contemplation before determined Dash's logic as sound and continued to follow her.

The two continued walking until they reached a stall run by an orange earth pony mare with a blonde mane and tail, three apples for a cutie mark, and a stetson hat.  "Howdy Rainbow.  Good to see you back.  Who's this you got with ya?"  The mare spoke in a country drawl as she seemed to know Dash quite well.

"Hey Applejack.  This is Tempest Stronghold.  He's a new recruit that Spitfire asked me to train privately.  I'm just showing him around Ponyville before we head to my place."  She then turned to Tempest.  "Temp, this is Applejack.  Her family makes the best apple-products in Ponyville.  My personal favorite is their cider."

Applejack rolled her eyes as she extended a friendly hoof to Temp.  "Nice to meet you Temp.  And like Rainbow said, we make the best Apple treats in town.  Go ahead, take your pick."  Temp accepted the hoofshake and looked at the apple pies, turnovers, fritters, and other apple treats that the stand had to offer.

"Very well.  I suppose I will have that apple pie and a bottle of juice as well."  Applejack put the pie and the juice on the counter as Temp reached into his saddlebags for his bit pouch.

He was about to take a few out when Applejack's hoof stopped him.  "No need, partner.  This is on the house."

Temp seemed surprise that this pony was giving her products for free.  "But it wouldn't feel right if I didn't pay for my order."

"Ah, don't you fret none.  Newcomers get free samples.  Besides, any friend of Rainbow's is a friend of mine.  Go on, take it."

Temp looked on with contemplation before shrugging.  "Very well.  Thank you miss Applejack, much obliged."

"No problem, Temp.  And please, call me Applejack."  Applejack waved goodbye as Temp and Dash walked on.

Rainbow saw that Temp was looking at his pie skeptically as they got further away.  "What's the matter Temp?  Did you lose your appetite?"

"No, nothing like that.  I am just unable to process why that pony gave away these products to some pony she doesn't even know."

"Eh, that's just who Applejack is.  She gives free samples of her food to all sorts of ponies if they rub her the right way."  Rainbow flew ahead and took point as Temp looked at his food again.  After a bit, he decided it was best to not waste good-looking food so he ate the pie and found that it was very flavorful and the texture was smooth as silk.  The apple juice was the same.  The two spent the next couple hours touring the Ponyville skies while Rainbow pointed out some great flying spots where they could get in some effective training.

Soon, they landed on the ground again just outside a building that looked to be modeled after a gingerbread house, with all the decorations to boot.  Temp eyed the building profoundly as Rainbow took note and addressed his upcoming question.  "I know what you're thinking and yes, it does look like it's made of sweets and no, it is not actually.  Come on, Pinkie said she had something for you in here."  Rainbow started walking up as Temp snapped out of his trance and followed her inside.  Upon entering, they found the place to be almost pitch-black until the lights flashed on, revealing an entire crowd of ponies yelling "surprise" and the room decorated as if there was a party going on.

Temp looked around the room in a confused state.  "Pardon me, but what is the meaning of this?"  At that moment, Pinkie rushed up in another blur of pink as she wrapped her hoof around Temp's back.  "Don't be silly, silly.  This is your Ponyville welcome party!  I throw one for every new pony in Ponyville.  After our meeting, I went around town and told everyone that there was a new pony in town and then I decorated Sugarcube Corner, got treats, and made sure that everyone was in place to yell 'SURPRISE'.  Don't tell me that you've never been to a party before."  As pinkie spoke, she bounced around excitedly and with an upbeat, enthusiastic tone of voice.

Temp looked to her and the room with confused awe.  "You were able to set up this entire event in the mere span of 2-3 hours?!  And you managed to notify every single pony here and get them to attend?!  How were you able to accomplish this?!"

Rainbow then stepped in.  "Don't worry about it Temp.  This is just Pinkie being Pinkie.  She's always doing crazy stuff like this.  It's best that you get used to it while you're here.  Trust me, the crazy stuff that happens around her hasn't even begun."  Temp looked at pinkie with skeptic worry.

He soon decided to put those thoughts aside for the time being and enjoy the party.  As he walked by the dessert table, Pinkie approached him again.  "What's the matter Temp?  You look like you've never seen a cupcake before.  Or any kind of sweet treat for that matter."

"Actually, that assumption of yours is absolutely correct.  I have never had anything sweet in my life."  Upon hearing that, Pinkie gasped so heavily that her mane almost exploded before retaining its original shape.

"You've never had anything sweet or delicious?!  What the heck kind of pony would live such a life?!?!"  Pinkie then circled the table in a blur and gathered several plates, each one filled with a different treat.  She then grabbed hold of Tempest and sat him down at one of the guest tables and laid out the plates in front of him.  "There, now you can try whatever treat you want in any order you want!"  Pinkie then flashed Temp a wide grin as he eyed his food.

He picked up a cookie and took a tentative bite, letting it sit in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it.  "Oh my!  This is much better than what I initially thought."  He finished the cookie and then went for a cupcake.  As he continued however, he suddenly stopped and rose from his seat before turning to address Pinkie.  "Thank you for the refreshments Ms. Pie.  They were very enjoyable."  Temp then walked to the door and stepped out.

"That's weird.  Usually whenever a pony tries one of Sugarcube Corner's special treats, they at least have a bigger smile than that."  Pinkie took Temp's seat and finished the treats that she picked out for him.

"Eh, it is getting pretty late.  I'll take him home with me and he'll probably feel better when we get to training tomorrow."  Rainbow flew out the door and affectionately placed her hoof on Temp's shoulder.  "Come on, we'd better get to my place."  The two then flew off towards the edge of Ponyville.

Soon, they arrived at Rainbow's cloud home and she welcomed Temp inside.  They then made their way up the stairs and stopped at the door near the end.  "So this is your room.  If you need anything, mine is a few doors back.  We'll get some breakfast at about 0700 and begin our training at 0800, so make sure that you get plenty of rest."  Rainbow bid him good night as she went off to her own room for the night.  As she prepared herself for bed, she remembered Temp's behavior at the party and wondered what it was about.  However, she soon decided to put it off for now and get some sleep.

Temp entered his room and got situated.  "My, that was rather close.  I nearly compromised my entire progress because of that party."  From his saddlebag, he then pulled out a picture frame depicting a younger version of himself alongside two pegasi, one mare and the other a stallion.  The mare had his mane and tail in a darker shade, a pinkish-white coat, and a cutie mark consisting of the sun being mostly blocked out by two storm clouds.  The stallion has Temp's coat with a deep orange mane and tail and a cutie mark showing two trees bending profusely as if they were in the middle of a raging windstorm.  The three of them were standing outside a small suburban-looking house with the older ponies looking with stern indifference while Temp seemed to have a look of innocent indifference on his face.  He then placed the picture on the dresser across from his bed.  "Just wait mother and father.  I will become a son that you can be proud of and look on with confidence."  Temp sighed and plopped onto his bed before switching off the light and going to sleep.