At the Cloudsdale weather factory, many pegasi were finishing their duties. A green one with a green and blue mane in a perpetual windblown style with a tornado cutie mark was with his team finishing getting the clouds to the appropriate size and shape for the night and the following morning. After they were done, they all gathered their belongings and punched out.
“All right, everyone I’ll see you tomorrow,” the green pegasus said.
“Good night Gale,” his boss replied.
Gale Twister was an average pegasus working at the weather factory. However, he had a special gift: a certain connection to the winds. That day he gained that connection is a very special one for him: the day he got his cutie mark. There was a runaway tornado that could have easily destroyed a town but through sheer perseverance and the help of other pegasi the tornado was quelled and Gale earned his cutie mark. Arriving back at home he grabbed his mail, and unceremoniously tossed his saddle bags on the couch.
He sifted through his mail, mostly junk with one or two bills and finally came across a letter with what appeared to be a royal seal attached to it. Curious, he immediately opened it and saw it was a ticket for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala. There was a note inside the envelope. “Gale, take this as a reward for all the hard work you put in at the factory.”
Gale stared at the golden ticket in his hoof, his mouth agape. “How...did he get tickets to THE Grand Galloping Gala?”
His thoughts spun with excitement as he put the ticket to the side and went into his kitchen to see what he could make for dinner. Looking in his cabinets, he noticed he was low on quite a few things.
“Guess I need to go to the store,” he sighed. Gale descended to the grounded town of Ponyville to stop by the farmer’s market. He picked up some fruits and vegetables as well as miscellaneous items like parsley.
“All right, this should do for a while,” He then dropped an apple out of his bag.
“Oh shoot!”
As it began to roll away it was stopped by a magenta tipped hoof. The owner of said hoof then picked up the apple. “Did you drop this?” The voice made it pretty apparent it was a mare.
“Yes, I did thank…” As Gale stood up to meet the mare’s face. He was at a loss for words. She was a zebra but completely unlike any he had ever seen. Instead of a grey body with black stripes her body was mainly yellow with blue covering her muzzle, blue stripes on her cheeks, on the outside of her ears and along her back. Her legs had rings of magenta around them. Her mane and tail were shades of faded white and pink with 2 pink ribbons wrapped around her tail. Finally, atop her head was a yellow ornament with a pink jewel that Gale thought could be a crown. Gale was astounded, she was gorgeous in his eyes. With a blush on his face he accepted the apple from the mare. “W-well, I guess I’ll be off.” Gale left before he could make things awkward.
“What a peculiar pegasus,” The zebra thought aloud as she went on her own way.
After Gale returned home, he put his groceries away and started to make a salad to have for dinner. However, he had a difficult time concentrating on the task. The zebra mare from the market kept invading his thoughts. “She was just so gorgeous. Should I have said something instead of leaving like that?” He then noticed that the head of lettuce he was chopping was gone. Looking to the left, he found that it had rolled into the sink at some point. He sighed as he did his best to try and focus on finishing his meal.
Once he was satisfied with his salad he brought it to the table and dug in, his mind still occupied solely by the zebra. “Am I even in her league? Would I even stand a chance with somepony like her? Aggh!” He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and finish his dinner. After that he went off to bed, hoping to sleep off these odd feelings. However, his dreams were perpetually filled with visions of the gorgeous zebra.
The next morning Gale was feeling less than stellar, but he sucked it up and grabbed his saddlebag before flying off to work. Upon arriving he saw the familiar, friendly faces of his coworkers.
“Hey there Gale, good morning,” one greeted.
“Hey,” Gale replied with somewhat forced vigor.
His boss then came up to greet him. “Gale, did you get my little gift?”
“Yeah, how did you manage to get me a ticket to the Gala?”
“Well, I have my connections. It’s a reward for all the hard work you do around here.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep it up.”
“So… do you have a date you’re going to bring?” He asked with a small smirk. Gale to stiffened like a board as he remembered the zebra he met that had effectively stolen his heart.
“Uhh…I have to get cracking on work,” Gale said as he left, leaving his boss somewhat confused.
The day went on like any other at the weather factory. Gale had hoped that work would keep his mind off his feelings. It did help for the most part but every once in a while he would zone out, thinking about the zebra. Near the end of the day, Gale and his coworkers were prepping a light mist for the evening. Once they were finished, Gale didn’t notice as he continued to pat where his cloud was even though there was nothing left. His coworker, Cloud Bank, noticed this.
“Hey Gale!” He exclaimed, making Gale jump.
“What is it?”
“We’re done man, you were making mist out of nothing.”
Gale looked to the full tank. “Oh so we are.”
“What’s with you Gale? You’re usually more diligent than this.”
“It’s nothing.” Gale started to walk away but Cloud went in front of him.
“It’s obviously not. Look, let’s go punch out then you can tell me all about it.”
Knowing how stubborn Cloud Bank was, Gale knew he didn’t exactly have much of a choice. “Fine...” he groaned. They went to their lockers to gather their belongings, punched out and flew off to a plaza in Cloudsdale so they could chat.
“All right Gale, spill it. I’ve known you long enough to know when you got something on your mind other than feeling the wind in your face.”
Gale sighed and then began. “Yesterday, when I was in Ponyville to pick up food I met this zebra mare. And ever since then, I’ve been having these weird feelings.”
Cloud smiled in amusement. “Ah, I remember my first crush.”
“This isn’t funny Cloud!”
“I’m not saying it is,” Cloud put his hooves up. “I don’t really see the issue here. Can’t you just push her out of your mind?”
“Don’t you think I tried that? Whenever I’m alone with my thoughts, she always pops into my head. I don’t know what I should do.”
“Well, my suggestion is to just grow a spine, find her and talk to her.”
“So what, ask her out on a date out of the blue?”
Cloud waved his hoof. “Ah ah ah, I did not say that. Just talk to her. Get to know her a little bit. Start out as just an acquaintance and see what happens.”
“You know Cloud, that’s actually pretty good advice.”
“Hey, it worked for me with my girlfriend. Just go for it man.”
“You’re right, thanks buddy.”
“Any time.” They hoof bumped and Gale went down to the surface to find the zebra.
Gale went back to Ponyville and asked around to find the peculiar zebra. He was directed to a shop she ran near the town’s edge.
Gale stood in front of the shop, took a deep breath and steeled his nerves. “Okay, here goes nothing.” He walked in and was assaulted with a multitude of scents. All around him were cases of different incense and spices. The zebra mare was behind the counter, tending to her wares. “Uh, excuse me?” Gale stuttered.
The mare turned to him. “Yes, can I help you? Oh, you’re the pegasus I saw yesterday at the market. Why have you come here?”
“Well, I wanted to see what you do because...I don’t see many zebras around,” Gale said, although his voice was a bit shaky.
“Well, as you can see I make all kinds of incense and sell them.”
“This place smells really nice.”
“Why thank you,” the zebra said with a bashful smile.
“I never did get your name by the way. My name is Gale, Gale Twister.”
“I am called Cygnus, pleased to meet you. Would you like to buy some incense before you go?”
“That sounds nice, I’ll take this.” Gale picked out a maple scented incense and paid for it.
“Thank you Gale, have a nice day.”
“You too, I’ll see you around Cygnus,” Gale said with a smile as he left the shop and returned home. Once he made it back he wasted little time in lighting an incense stick to try it out. “Heavenly...” Gale smiled as he took a deep breath.
Over the next few weeks Gale made frequent visits to Cygnus’ incense shop. He wouldn’t always buy something but Cygnus certainly enjoyed his company. After a while, Gale decided he would take it up a small notch. He arrived at the shop as always and Cygnus smiled upon seeing him.
“Hello there Gale, how are you doing today?” She asked with a sweet smile.
“I’m doing fine. Listen, if you’re not doing anything tonight do you want to grab a bite or something?”
“My, are you asking me out on a date Gale?” Cygnus said with a small smirk
Gale chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. “I’m that transparent huh?”
“Quite, I find it cute,” Cygnus giggled. “Alright Gale, I will accompany you.”
“Great, I’ll see you tonight when you close up,” Gale left the shop, with a huge smile on his face and stars in his eyes. “She said yes! All right!”
Later that night Gale was outside waiting for Cygnus to finish closing for the night and come out. After a few minutes the lights were turned off and Cygnus emerged. Gale thought she looked even better in the moonlight.
“Well then Cygnus, shall we be off?” Gale asked like a gentlecolt.
“We shall,” Cygnus replied with grace. With that, Gale led Cygnus to a nice outside diner by a lake, which bore a beautiful reflection of the moon. They sat down at a table and a waiter came to take their orders. Gale ordered a simple sandwich with lettuce and daisies and Cygnus ordered a salad with lettuce, strawberries and tree nuts.
After a little bit, Cygnus took a break from eating her salad and gazed up at the moon and stars. “It really is such a beautiful night,” She said with adoration.
“Well, I made sure that I asked you out on a clear night,” Gale replied with a bashful smile and a small blush. Cygnus giggled at his reaction. “I hope you don’t mind my asking Cygnus but why do you look so different from other zebras?” Gale asked with some worry.
“No, it’s alright. As you know I sell all kinds of incense. As a child I was very interested in plant life. Often, I would make trips to the forest outside my village to look at all the varieties of flowers and other plants. My family was okay with my trips but they gave me a warning: do not approach the Sacred Moon Grove. Naturally I did my best to adhere to that. But one faithful day, everything changed. It was getting dark and I was returning home from one of my trips when my eye caught the glow of a peculiar flower. Unbeknownst to my young self I had wandered into the Sacred Moon Grove and the glow I saw came from the patch of Lunar Flowers that grew there. When I approached the patch they let loose a bright flash of light and then I blacked out. When I awoke, I was back in my village and my family was all around me, clearly worried sick. When I asked what happened my mother simply directed me towards a mirror, and I saw my body. The Lunar Flowers had imbued me with the power of the Sacred Moon Grove.”
“But why did your parents not want you to go there?”
“You see, the grove is a spiritual place for my village. Every 500 years, a new guardian of the grove has to be appointed and my family knew what that would entail. Since I made contact with the Lunar Flowers I unknowingly accepted their power, becoming a guardian. This… tainted my body and also significantly increased my lifespan. It may not appear so but I am 488 years old. This ornament I wear on my head was a gift from my mother before she passed on.”
Gale didn’t know what to say. He shed a tear at the tragic story. “So you don’t have any family left?”
“Sadly no, I have outlasted everyone in my family. I couldn’t stand the emptiness of my home, so I decided to relocate. My village understood and chose another to appoint at the guardian of the grove. I opened my incense shop here in Ponyville, and the rest is history. I do get a solid amount of business, but I never really was able to find a friend. I assume others are dissuaded from connecting with me due to my odd appearance.”
Gale stood up and walked over to Cygnus, putting a hoof on her shoulder and giving her a warm, gentle smile. “Well, just know you're not alone anymore. I’m here for you.”
“Thank you Gale,” Cygnus replied with a warm smile of her own. They then returned to their meals. Once they were done, Gale paid for dinner and escorted Cygnus back to her shop. Cygnus explained that she lived in a loft above the shop. “Thank you for a wonderful night Gale. It has been so long since I spent time like that with someone.”
“It was my pleasure Cygnus,” said Gale.
Before Cygnus went back inside she went and placed a quick kiss on Gale’s cheek, making Gale blush like a tomato. “Good night Gale.”
“Good night Cygnus,” Gale managed to say. Still stunned by the kiss, he couldn’t help but have a huge smile on his face. He flew back home and laid on his bed and let out a lovesick sigh, Cygnus’ kiss still fresh on his cheek.
As time passed Gale visited Cygnus many times and even took her out on a couple more dates. Eventually, the day for the Grand Galloping Gala was almost upon them, and Gale was ready to make his move. He entered her shop like he normally did.
“Hello there Gale, how are you this fine day?” Cygnus asked with her usual grace.
“I’m doing just perfect,” Gale replied, a slight fidget in his step. “I...I got something special to show you.” Gale shakily took out his ticket for the Gala.
“You have a ticket for the Grand Galloping Gala?” Cygnus gasped.
“Y-yeah, my boss gave it to me as a gift,” Gale smiled.
“But why are you showing me this?”
“Because Cygnus… I would like you to be my date… for the Gala,” Gale managed to say over his rapidly beating heart.
Cygnus put a hoof over her chest as she smiled ear to ear. “Oh Gale, of course I’ll accompany you.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you on that night, my date.” As Gale left the store he couldn’t contain his elation. He flew up into the sky and made several loops nearly squealing with excitement. Once he calmed down he left to return home.
Finally, the night of the Gala had arrived. Gale was at Carousel Boutique getting his suit tailored. His suit was a black ensemble with purple markings on it resembling wind. He had also done his mane for the occasion, considering his normal windblown style would be a tad too wild. He used some hair gel to comb his mane down around his head with a portion of it parted towards the left side.
“I never thought I’d see somepony like you getting a fancy suit, let alone something this personalized,” Rarity said as she continued her work.
“Well, this is a very special occasion,” Gale said bashfully as he stood still, letting Rarity hem the sleeves of his suit. “I’ve been given the opportunity to attend the Grand Galloping Gala. Plus, I’m bringing a very special date.”
“Oh, do tell darling,” Rarity said with intrigue.
“A chance encounter led me to meeting such a beautiful zebra that stole my heart. And I helped show her that she isn’t alone in this world.”
“My, how touching,” Rarity said with a smile.
“Yeah,” Gale held up the gift he prepared. It was a small green box with a pink ribbon, and it gave off a faint peculiar scent. “And I made this special gift to show her how I feel.”
Once Gale’s suit was tailored, he left and took the next train to Canterlot. Once he arrived, he went outside Canterlot Castle to wait for his date. Cygnus soon arrived, walking down the street and emerging into the moonlight. Gale thought she looked stunning. Her dress was a beautiful purple with a yellow trim with stars and moons along the trim in multiple shades of pink. There were also 3 pink rings around the rear and a pink ring extending out the middle from a yellow band. Finally, the front was blue with a pink gem. She had also had her mane done up into a bun.
“Oh wow Cygnus, you look amazing,” Gale smiled.
“Thank you, Gale,” Cygnus blushed.
Gale held out the gift box. “Here, this is for you.”
Cygnus opened the box and inside were sticks of incense. “Oh Gale, this is so sweet.”
“I know how much you love plants and incense, so I decided to give you a gift from the heart. This is a special blend of incense I made myself from sunflowers, to symbolize the light that I bring to you, and you bring to me. It certainly wasn’t easy, but I knew it would mean a lot.”
Cygnus went up and embraced Gale. “Thank you so much.”
“Now then, shall we go in?” Gale gently wrapped his wing around Cygnus as they trotted up the steps to the castle. It appeared that his boss not only scored a ticket for him, but the rest of his team too. He saw Cloud Bank and his other coworkers had already arrived. Gale went over and introduced them to Cygnus. After a bit of socializing, the perfect song for couples came on. Gale took Cygnus’ hoof. “May I have this dance?” he asked with a bow.
“You may,” Cygnus replied with a curtsey. The two began a slow, romantic dance.
“I’m sure you don’t feel as lonely anymore.”
“No, I don’t. Because you’re in my life now Gale. Thank you.”
Gale gave a simple smile to Cygnus and they shared a passionate kiss on the lips. Afterwards, they continued their dance, happy to be with one another on this special night.
Author's Note
This was my first attempt at a story of my own. I thought it would something cute to go along with the commission you see as the cover art, hope it turned out well. Once again, huge thanks to Shadowbolt96 for helping out on this. He has an ongoing story on his page so go check that out.
In case you're wondering this is what Gale and Cygnus normally look like
https://www.deviantart.com/vector-brony/art/Gale-Twister-758817285
https://www.deviantart.com/spokenmind93/art/SOLD-488-Cresselia-ADOPTABLE-785950520
