It was a delightful sunny afternoon in Canterlot. A Pegasus stallion named Lindy Fogg was walking down the street when he noticed a package fall from the saddlebag of an Earth Pony mare who was walking a little further ahead of him. She hadn't realized that she had lost her parcel.
Lindy scooped it up with one of his wings. "Hey, miss, you dropped this," he called out. He started after her to return it. "Excuse me, miss? You dropped something."
His call had caught the mare's attention. She paused and began to turn to see who had called out to her. Just before Lindy could see her face, he woke up.
In his home in Cloudsdale, Lindy rubbed his eyes, sat up in his bed, and stretched. He pondered the meaning of his dream. Who was that mare? he asked himself. He may not have given it too much thought had this been the first time he had this dream, but it wasn't. He had this same dream once before. Surely there is meaning here. It must mean something that I've had this dream before.
Interpreting would have to wait, though. Right now, Lindy must get ready for his job at the Weather Factory. He had been working there for a few months now. Previously, he was a member of the Wonderbolts, that is until a flying accident put him out of commission. Though his injury led to an early retirement, he hadn't let it keep him from flying. He found that he could still soar through the clouds with the wind in his face by piloting his own flying machine. He's even become somewhat of an airship enthusiast. He had miniature airship models in glass bottles on his shelves. On the wall was a poster advertising the upcoming Equestria Airship Expo, an event he planned on attending.
He got out of bed and opened the blinds to let in the sunshine. Nothing but blue skies all around Cloudsdale. He opened his closet and reached past his Wonderbolts jumpsuit for his Weather Factory uniform. He brushed his teeth and got dressed, packed his metal dome lunchbox and vacuum flask, ate up his pancakes and eggs, and drank down his coffee. Donning his worker's cap, he was out the door. He went to his garage where he inspected the gears and chain of his rotorcraft. Then he hopped in the seat and began to pedal. As the propellers began to spin, the rotorcraft began to hover and he set out for the Weather Factory. Lindy loved the views. A magnificent place Cloudsdale is. The streets are lined with tufts of clouds and the views of Equestria are amazing.
Arriving at the Weather Factory, Lindy landed his rotorcraft and went inside. It is here where clouds are crafted and winds are wisped. Lindy was at his locker where he was met by his friend, Derecho.
"Lindy, amigo!" Derecho greeted. "What's up?"
"Hey, Derecho," Lindy returned the greeting with a hoof bump.
"We've got ourselves some cumulus nimbus clouds to pump out. You ready?"
"Sure am!" Lindy shut his locker. Walking with Derecho to their station, he began, "Derecho, let me ask you something. Have you ever had the same dream more than once?"
"No. Can't say that I have. Have you?"
Lindy explained, "A while ago, I had this dream that I was in Canterlot. I was walking when I saw a mare ahead of me. A package fell from her saddlebag. I picked it up and started to give it back to her. I called and she began to turn around, and just before I could see her face, I woke up. Last night, I had that same dream."
Derecho thought about it.
"I'm just thinking there's got to be something to it," Lindy continued. "I mean, I can't be having this same dream for nothing, right? It's got to mean something."
"Maybe," Derecho replied.
"And that mare. I'm curious to know who she is."
Lindy and Derecho stopped at the time clock and punched their time cards. The work whistle blew and they went to work.
In Canterlot, an Earth Pony mare named Parfum Spritz was on her way to work. She owned a little perfume shop at the Canterlot Mall. On her way there, she stopped by a malt shop to see her friend, Sweet Scoop, a waitress and the owner. The bells jingled as she opened the door. Music from the jukebox filled the diner.
"Hello-o-o!" Parfum Spritz called out in a sing-song voice.
Sweet Scoop glided across the floor on her roller skates. "Parfum! What brings you here?"
"I just stopped by to say hello."
"Well, while you're here, can I get you anything to drink? A smoothie? Milkshake? Can I flip you up some flapjacks?"
"Mmm! That sounds delicious!" Parfum licked her lips.
"Comin' right up!" She turned to the stallion in the kitchen, "Hey, Silver Dollar, one number one, please."
As Silver Dollar whipped up her meal, Parfum told Sweet Scoop about a dream she had. "I had the most peculiar dream last night. In fact, it's a dream I've had before. You and I are walking when I hear somepony calling out to me. I turn around, but before I see who's there, I wake up."
"Hmm, interesting," commented Sweet Scoop.
"It's just a silly dream, right?"
"I don't know. It could be telling you something."
"Telling me something? Something like what? Absolutely nothing happened."
"You said somepony called you, right? Who was it?"
"I don't know. I didn't see who it was. I didn't recognize his voice either."
"His? Well there's your answer, girl. He's the stallion of your dreams."
Parfum couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, Sweet Scoop. The stallion of my dreams?"
"What else could it mean?"
"He's a stallion in my dreams, not of my dreams."
Ding! Silver Dollar rang the counter bell. "Order up!"
Sweet Scoop served Parfum her pancakes. "In your dreams or of them, there's a stallion out there and you two are made for each other."
Parfum gave Sweet Scoop a look of minute amusement. She just didn't see the probability of her theory.
At the Cloudsdale Weather Factory, Lindy and Derecho were hard at work. They took the collected water and vaporized it so that the liquid water would become water vapor. The vapor is then subjected to atmospheric pressure and temperatures. From there, the vapor becomes little droplets, which when accumulated into a single mass, becomes a cloud. The factory workers were all moving like clockwork. They were a well-oiled machine. That is, until the factory became filled with thick fog.
"Lights on!" a worker hollered.
The workers turned on lights to cut through the fog.
"Vent it out! Vent it out!" another worker called out.
The hoses were turned on and sucked the fog out like a vacuum.
"Lindy Fogg!" the foreman bellowed as he marched in.
"Yes, sir?" Lindy responded.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"I-I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"Mr. Fogg, if you want to be a weather pony, you need to get your head out of the clouds. We need to get these snow clouds above Canterlot and Ponyville. Back to work, everypony."
Derecho approached Lindy. "What's up? Are you all right?"
"I can't stop thinking about the mare in my dream," Lindy replied. "She's all I can think about."
At her perfume shop in Canterlot, Parfum was busy helping customers. With Hearth's Warming approaching, the holiday rush was upon her.
"You're sure going to love this scent," she said to a customer. "It's perfect for the holidays."
She sprayed a spritz of the perfume for her customer to smell.
"Ooh! How lovely!" exclaimed the customer. "I'll take your biggest bottle!"
Parfum was on a roll, making sale after sale. "If you keep this up, you're sure to make a hundred bits," she told herself.
Not once did she ever think about her dream or the stallion in it. She was too busy to ponder over such nonsense.
Whoo! The whistle sounded, marking the end of the work day at the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. Lindy and Derecho punched out at the time clock then gathered their belongings from their lockers.
"Ponyville and Canterlot are going to have themselves a white winter," said Lindy.
"Yup, sure are!" Derecho agreed.
Having collected their effects, they shut their lockers and headed outside. Lindy prepared his rotorcraft for takeoff.
"Any plans for the weekend, Lindy?" Derecho asked.
"Tomorrow, I'm flying down to Canterlot," replied Lindy. "I'm getting my ticket to the Equestria Airship Expo."
"The Equestria Airship Expo, huh? I've never been to one."
"Me neither, but since I've been flying my rotorcraft here, I've become an airship enthusiast."
"You know, ponies enter their flying machines in the Expo. Are you gonna enter yours?"
"I've thought about it. What do you think?"
"Amigo, I say go for it!"
Lindy smiled. "All right. I'll do it!"
"Excellente! I believe in you, Lindy!"
The two friends bumped hooves.
"Thanks for the support, Derecho," said Lindy. The propellers of his rotorcraft started to turn as he began to pedal. "Have a good night. I'll see you later."
"Adios!" Derecho waved as Lindy took flight.
As Lindy flew home, he admired the evening sky. It was a beautiful sight with its blended hues of pink and orange as the sun began to set. Wisps of clouds were neatly dispersed throughout. This is surely a sight you couldn't see anywhere else.
In Canterlot, it was the end of the work day for Parfum Spritz, too.
"Happy holidays!" Parfum wished glad tidings to the last of her customers before she closed shop. "Another satisfied customer, Parfum," she said to herself. "Great job!"
As she headed for home, Sweet Scoop ran after her. "Parfum! Parfum, wait up!"
Parfum paused so Sweet Scoop could catch up.
"Did you meet him?" Sweet Scoop asked.
"Meet who?" Parfum inquired.
"The stallion of your dreams, of course."
"Pfft! It's just a dream, Sweet Scoop. It means nothing."
"Girl, you still think it's only a dream?"
"Well, yeah. It's not some hocus pocus that can predict the future."
"No wonder you haven't met him. You'll never meet anypony with that attitude."
"Attitude?!"
"That's right, girl, and it'll get you nowhere."
Parfum once again brushed off Sweet Scoop's suggestion that her dream was showing her who her special somepony is. She laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Sweet Scoop," she began, "you're my best friend and I trust your opinion, but this... I have to disagree. Maybe I'll meet somepony some day, but it's not today and it probably won't be tomorrow, either."
"If that's how you feel..." started Sweet Scoop, "I can't change your mind." Though they may not see eye-to-eye on this, they were good enough friends to respect each others' opinions. "But just know that he's out there," she quickly added.
"All right. I'll keep an eye out for him." Parfum looked at Sweet Scoop with a smirk and minute amusement, then started for home.
"Don't you be sassing me, girl!" Sweet Scoop called out.
Parfum went home and made a list of the gifts she would be getting for her family and friends. Meanwhile, Lindy wondered if he would have his dream, again. Both he and Parfum went to bed, unaware of the other's existence outside their dreams.
The next morning, Lindy was getting ready to fly his rotorcraft down to Canterlot so he could get his ticket and register for the Equestria Airship Expo. In his garage, he made a few adjustments to his rotorcraft. He inspected the gears and chain to make sure they were suitable for flying. He oiled the mechanics. Once it was to his liking, he saddled up and flew to Canterlot. How festive and beautiful the capital city looked! With the fresh blanket of snow, the holiday decorations, and the smell of peppermint and cocoa in the air, what wasn't there to like? When Lindy got there, he went straight to register his rotorcraft and get his ticket. When all was said and done, he decided to go for a stroll around the city. It was, after all, a perfect afternoon.
As Lindy took in all the sights and sounds, Parfum and Sweet Scoop were getting a head start on their holiday shopping. They both wore saddlebags which were filled with gifts.
Parfum adjusted her saddlebags. "Wow, we've got so much stuff. I hope I don't lose anything."
The two mares made their way along the row of shops. They stopped at a kiosk and bought themselves some nice, hot pretzels. Not too far behind them was Lindy on his constitutional. As they were walking, a package fell from one of Parfum's saddlebags, unbeknownst to her. Lindy took notice and, using one of his wings, recovered the parcel.
"Hey, miss, you dropped this," Lindy called out.
Parfum didn't hear him.
Lindy hurried after her and called out again, "Excuse me, miss? You dropped something."
Hearing a voice behind her, Parfum stopped and proceeded to turn around.
"Now just what is going on?" asked Sweet Scoop.
Parfum looked to see who was calling her. There before her stood a stallion. Lindy looked upon the face of the mare. Their eyes met.
"Can I help you?" Parfum asked.
"Extending his wing to return her parcel, Lindy replied, "Miss, I believe this is yours."
There was a brief pause.
Parfum stared at Lindy. "Have we met before?" she asked.
Lindy stared back at Parfum. "I don't think so," he answered, "but it seems like we have. Like I've seen you somewhere."
There was another awkward silence.
"Oh! Uh, thank you," Parfum stumbled over her words. She took her package. "I hadn't realized I dropped this."
"You're welcome," said Lindy. After another pause, he wished her a happy holiday.
"Happy holiday to you, too," said Parfum.
They went their separate ways. They hadn't gone too far when a storm of realization swept over them. They paused in their steps. They turned back around to each other. "I know you!" they exclaimed. They hurried back to each other. "You're the pony in my dreams."
