My alarm clock starts buzzing, what I wouldn’t give to wake up to a rooster’s crow it’s far more subtle than alarms. But the burst of adrenaline and the thought that I may be late for something tends to do the trick well enough. It’s exactly 5:30AM, a time where the moon begins to fall and the sun begins to poke its head from the horizon. In other words, Princess Celestia is waking up and Princess Luna is about to go to sleep. Good morning, princess of the night and hello to a brand new day! I’m really tired, but you tend to get used to waking up at this hour every day for the past four years. Wake up then shower, I pull back the shower curtain to my stand-in shower and twist the hot water knob first then the cold water knob. I’m not one for hot showers, you tend to find that cold showers are much more refreshing and wake up the spirit twice as fast. Never understood why ponies like hot showers so much. If you take a hot shower it feels good and if it feels good you’re less inclined to leave even risking to be late for work just so they can feel the warm embrace of water on a cold morning. Well, different strokes for different folks I guess; I rinse off my vanilla-scented shampoo and step out of the shower to dry my mane and coat off with a Twenty-gee Tornado Twist.

I look over to my kitchen...sigh...what I wouldn’t give for somepony to make me some breakfast for once while I get ready for work, priorities Heavy Rain, priorities. Crack a couple of eggs, set some hay bacon bits into the eggs. Mix them up a bit and glaze it with syrup and I got myself a nice breakfast omelet, an apple, and good OJ. Better than porridge, thank goodness I can cook! By the time I finish and dress in uniform, it’s 6:30AM and time to head out to work.

A bit brisk this morning, it’s nice and tends to put a smile on my face. I never get tired of seeing Ponyville during the early hours before everypony wakes up. If I fly to work it would take no less than ten minutes to get to my job, about a half-hour if I trot. Though I wake up at this hour just to walk and take the scenic routes to work where the trees are all sorts of colors and I can see the flower buds getting ready to bloom. There’s just something magical about walking the streets at the end of dawn; see a few ponies walking around, coffee wrapped in magic, yawning earth ponies with tired eyes, the occasional “Hello, how do you do?” on a fine end of Fall; I love it.

Ponyville Weather Control Pegasi HQ aka The PWCP, in charge of the weather forecast directed straight from the Weather Factory. A yawn escapes my lips, “My livelihood…” I enter the building and head to my locker to put on my vest.

“Morning, Heavy Rain! Bright and early as usual aye?” A teal stallion with a purple mane and blue eyes greeted me with an uplifting smile.

“Oh, hi Open Skies! Good morning to you too. I just got here, have you seen Clear Skies yet?” I questioned, wondering where our co-worker was.

“Yeah, it’s been clear skies all morning since I flew here, I tell you that wind is chilly if I knew flying here today was going to be that cold I would have grabbed my jacket, haha!” Open SKies laughed.

“I bet you would haha, but I meant our co-worker Clear Skies have you seen her yet? Not the weather, Open Skies” I grinned for confusing her with the weather. Sometimes that happens in this line of work when most of us are named after specific weather, it’s pretty funny; though I never made that mistake.

“Oh, Clear Skies! No, not yet but I hope she doesn’t fly in late again or we might have to hear Fluffy Clouds cry again.” He rolled his eyes.

“Fluffy needs to grow a backbone,” I retorted apathetically.

“Well don’t let him hear you say that or he’ll definitely cry,” Open Skies makes his best impression of a weeping face. I zip up my orange work jacket over my uniform and close my locker door as Open Skies gets ready for work by his locker. I lean on the locker next to him. “So, how’s your son?” I cocked an eyebrow up anticipating a good story.

“HA! My son, oh my son, where do I even start?!” His face lit up, already excited to tell his friend a story to get a reaction. I couldn’t help but be interested in what he was about to say now. “Oh? I bet this will be a humorous one.”

“Funny for you maybe, let me tell you! I get off my bed to wake my colt up for school and my colt says he’s too sick to go to school. Now you know how it is, I’m not buying it, so I tell him to get up and get ready. So I head to the kitchen to make pepper red hot chili omelets with the chili peppers I bought yesterday but there were none. I look at my son and say‘son...where are the chili peppers I was saving?’ Thinking that he ate it for a snack or something. And the little rascal looks at me with an expression like he’s seen a ghost!” Open Skies babbled on.

The story was amusing I could only imagine this is what it must be like to have foals. “Pfft hahaha, then what happened next! Did it turn out that he ate them all?” I hadn’t noticed that I invested myself in his story as he closes his locker and we both headed off to the conference room to be briefed on today’s weather forecast and our assignments for today. He answered unexpectedly, “Then I notice his bulge-” I couldn’t help but blush in my surprise, “-What?! I’m sorry what? Um…” my ears folded back and I was left speechless. Of course, Open Skies is completely unaware of my discomfort.

“I tell my son, ‘pull down your pants!’ Something was definitely off.” He looked at me for a sec before continuing.

“Um, wh-where-what even! Where is this story going?” I whispered, “This is not safe for work…”

“A bunch of red hot chili pepper starts falling everywhere and I mean everywhere! Chili peppers, chili peppers all over my floor!” I looked at him blankly, “You have got to be kidding me?” And so he continues on. “That’s what I’m saying and I tell him, ‘Son wha-why did you do all this?’ and he says, ‘I thought if I shove chili peppers in my underwear it would give me fever!’ AAHAHAHAHAH! Oh boy, my child.” His laughter bellows through the small hallway.

“Foals these days am I right?!” I shrug with a wink. Though I wouldn’t really know to be honest. I never took care of a foal before. “My wife wasn’t happy, HA! Had to leave early just to avoid her stink eye, when I told her ‘this colt is all you’...I’m sleeping on the couch tonight for sure,” he head lowered in uncertainty.

I wince a bit, why would you say that to your wife stupid stallion. “Oh yes definitely; better come home with flowers~” I chimed playfully as we walked into the conference room where we find a cream-colored pony with a mane of various shades of blue and sky blue eyes waiting to be briefed on today’s work.

“Hey, you two! Open Skies, Heavy Rain, good morning!” she smiles, so happily yet relaxed carrying a cheerful yet understanding attitude. If I had a sister, she would be it; somepony I can rely on and has my back. Considering she’s a veteran at this weather job, she holds not only merit but the wisdom behind her kind, sunny smile. “Good morning to you too, Sunshower.” I respectfully reply meanwhile-

“Sunshower, I got to tell you what happened to me this morning I tell you it’s a doozy!” Open Skies practically dive bombed onto the conference table ready to regale the same morning story he just finished telling me. Sunshower looked at me with worry and immediately crossed my hooves in an X formation while shaking my head frantically to say no. She then smiled at me appreciatively. I mean, his story was good except for the inappropriate parts. I think one mare hearing that is enough; why did it have to be me though?

“U-um no thanks,” a blush creeps on her face, “I heard half of it and I rather not” Not safe...this is a workspace; poor mare started listening to it at the wrong time. “Okay suit yourself,” Open Skies shrugged and took a seat; I took the seat next to him.

Right about now the time is 7:50AM and briefing starts at eight. With just ten minutes of spare time, our boss walks in to prepare the briefing. A skinny stallion with buck teeth, blue coat, a mane as white and fluffy as a stratus cloud, green eyes, and a cute bowtie his name is Fluffy Clouds; some of us call him the Sad Delegate, sort of an inside joke. Soon enough, the briefing starts.

“Okay everypony and good morning to you all! Ready for another fine day of work?” Sad Delegate smiles from cheek to cheek, he honestly loves his job; I just want to get paid.

“Of course Fluffy Clouds! What’s the assignment for today?” Sunshower assured.
“Yeah, what clouds the Weather Factory wants us to push to today?” Open Skies added.

“Firstly, the good news, we’re going to have great weather as usual! First off, uh-um where’s Clear Skies?” Sad Delegate took a minute to look around.

“Oh Celestia not again...” I face-hoofed, she’s late again. What is with this mare, do I need to start waking up even earlier to go to her house and pick her up or something? Just as the others were rolling their eyes, yeah I’m not the only one tired of this, Clear Skies bursts open the conference room door. “Sorry I’m late it won’t happen again I swear it, aaaah!!” She flies in and a bunch of papers she was holding scattered all over the place leaving a trail for office ponies to pick up and hoof over to her. I’m only hoping more that Sad Delegate doesn’t give his nickname justice and starts crying.

“You’re late Clear Skies! You’re late late late again why that makes it the ninth time this month!” He whines, teary-eyed, as he looks at Clear Skies with an annoyed expression.

“Ten bits, he starts crying.” Open Skies whispered in my ear. I roll my eyes and smile at him giving him a nudge on the foreleg. “I’m sorry but y-you see w-what happened was-”One painfully long and bizarre story later…“-And then I rushed here as fast as I could…I swears it!” Clear Skies looked our division boss in distress.

“Just...sit down Clear Skies I’ll talk to you in private later” Sad Delegate said feeling his patience was exhausted. “...Yes sir…” Clear Skies sat, head down in shame for her constant tardiness and underperforming.

“Now back to the forecast!” Sad Delegate’s smile returned and clopped his hooves “We’re going to have a good weather forecast today. Sunny skies all around and partially cloudy. That means Open Skies is taking point today, Clear Skies, you get rid of any access clouds and leave the little ones and do it right this time, please. Open Skies, spread the clouds out. And Sunshower if you happen to see any clouds that may have too much water in them dump the water into a river, a lake or something but not on ponies like Rainbow Dash tends to do,” that remark got a snicker out of the staff, myself included. “Okay everypony, let's get to work and make a beautiful day happen!”

I couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t right. Then it dawned me and I look at everypony with a puzzled expression. “W-what about me?”

“Hmm, o-oh yes, Heavy Rain…” Sad Delegate scratches his neck uncomfortably. “Uh Manehattan is getting a bit dry...due to the industrialism of the city and the air pollution they could use some heavy rain clouds. Regular nimbostratus clouds will do. The problem is that there’s a festival and it’s a really important one for friends and families. And you can just...I’m sorry, Heavy Rain,” he looked at me pitifully.

“No no, I get it, pretty much do what I do best; ruin everypony’s day. Especially on Manehattan pony’s heads. I’ll be sure to grab a pair of earplugs,” I replied with a sullen smile.

“If it makes you feel any better Heavy Rain,” Sunshower approaches, “I get rain on ponies too sometimes...but you’re really good at handling upset ponies, I think I would cry if all those ponies yell at me. You’re an angel sent from Celestia herself!” She smiles faintly. Hearing her say those words made me actually feel like I can do this. Like I can handle today, she may not know how much it meant by how I replied. “Gee, thanks that make me feel a bit better,” I smile back at her, it’s nice to have friends like her.

“Okay everypony let's go go go!” Sad Delegate said with so much spirit.

“Yes Sir!” We all said in unison.

I once read in a pony’s tale that there was once a mare who delivers the clouds that harbor her love creating her gift of rain that pours over the land and feeds Equestria’s soil so that flowers may bloom in her path to create a colorful, prettier Equestria. That’s where my mother got my name from. At least the earth thanks me, but the ponies who inhabit it don’t really appreciate my efforts. My rain is gloomy, it’s dark and cold, hard to see through, and spreads sadness to the hearts of fillies. I can’t help how they feel, to me the rain is calm, refreshing, makes one think and clears the mind of worry and sorrow. The pitter-patter of droplets against grass or pavement makes a nice melody and is good for sleep. That’s fine though, it doesn’t really matter what other ponies think because in the end I get paid; it’s my job to do this every now and then.

Approaching Manehattan with heavy rain clouds, I notice the festival going on down below. It slipped my mind that today was the Summer Sun Outing Festival where ponies gather to appreciate the sun and time with the ponies they love. Not to be confused with the Summer Sun Celebration. Naturally, it’s more of an excuse for hardworking ponies to have one day off from work. Which means…

A moment of hesitation, I let out a sigh, ”...sorry everypony, it’s just business,” I whispered.

The sky starts to turn dark. Heavy clouds start to block out the beautiful sun as the wind starts to pick up. The dark horrors of the clouds swallow the sun’s radiance and soon enough water droplets trickle out from the sky and hit many pony’s snouts. Taken aback, some look up to see that heavy rain clouds have formed over their city. Some were wise enough to carry an umbrella at least, looks like someponies actually read the newspapers today. That makes just a tiny bit relieved at the very least; not so much at the festival though because a few ponies have already spotted me. You know what they say, the worker in orange is the one who manages and by this decree, I am obligated to hear what they have to say. A form of customer service, more like banter on why I ruined their day.

My ears fold back as I wince at the angry crowd of ponies looking at me. It just dawned on me that I forgot my earplugs, “Okay, let's get this over with.” I start to descend from high up the atmosphere to the festival grounds.

“Hello, everypony, may I help you?” I look at them with a bewildered expression, as if I couldn’t possibly know what’s the problem. As soon as I utter the words a list of complaints came in drones.

“May you help us?”
“You have some nerve”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Why is it raining?!”
“Bring the sun back, jerk!”

I was bombarded with inquiries and try to keep my brave face but it’s wavering at this point.

“Do you have any idea what you just did?” A mare said ticked off.

“M-my job ma’am…” I look at the mare almost sheepishly, but I realize it’s important to keep eye contact can’t show that I'm the weak one here, that I can’t hold my ground, they’ll step all over me like everypony used to.

“Well your job just ruined a very important day, and you have the gull to come down here and act like you did nothing wrong? How dare you!” A stallion retorted.

“To be fair sir,” I look at the stallion now, “The festival could have been postponed, almost every day is sunny so why does it matter?” I answered annoyed.

“You ruined our merchandise,” a vendor mare told me off, “you better pay for the damages!”

“S-sorry ma’am but I-I’m ahem I am NOT responsible for any damaged products when delivering the weather system when it is at the designated location. This is mother nature”, I pointed up at the dark rain clouds; my gift, “and mother nature doesn’t pay for what it has done, I’m sorry you feel that I should be accountable but that’s not gonna happen.” I addressed to the vendor

“Why do we even need rain! It’s better when it’s always sunny!” An arrogant stallion said.

“Okay, firstly, you have no idea how bad that would be for Equestria, and secondly, maybe if you cut back on the air pollution I wouldn’t be here giving Manehattan the water it desperately needs.” I rebutted.

“My family was so looking forward to this festival all year! ALL YEAR!” A mother wept.

That one hit me a little in my soft spot. I have a thing for families, and of all ponies, I really dislike to ruin their days. I try my best not to confront them when I deliver heavy rain but to see their sad faces...it’s heartbreaking.

“I’m-I’m so sorry for your family, I wish I can make it up to you and yours but I just can’t this is my job and-”

“-Maybe you stink at your job!” A colt yelled at me. Shocked by the comment from a little colt my wings flared up almost hitting the pony next to me before I immediately put them away. That was a breaking point for me, however.

“Don’t you ponies every read the newspaper?!” I yelled, all my patience and coolness has left me, no, now it’s my turn to be mad. “I mean seriously, it only takes a minute to go to the weather forecast section and just LOOK AT IT! They’re printed every morning at 7:00AM on the dot before any of you wake up for your nine to five jobs!” I show them the article of the day where it says that Manehattan would get heavy rain today. Though it’s just drizzling right now, it’ll be pouring buckets soon enough. “You cannot be so lazy that you can’t take five minutes while making breakfast to read general articles if anypony here should be blamed it’s the manager of this festival who neglected this information and decided to go ahead with the festival instead of postponing it. Now you’re mad, I’m mad, we’re all mad!”

The ponies around me look at each other with puzzled expressions, thinking to themselves, looking left and right wondering if they should still be angry or accept their own fault for not reading a piece of paper. I can’t blame them though, if I waited so long for a festival I wouldn’t really read the news either. Soon enough the crowd starts to disperse and as I ready to fly away; I hear a mare in the crowd.

“You’ll regret this, hmph!”

I look behind me, but I can’t pinpoint who said it. The crowd continues to disperse a bit faster now. The drizzle has reached a crescendo and the sky looks as if it’s weeping. I tell it that it’s okay to cry...there’s no shame in crying. Water flows down from my eyes and I’m filled with a sense of deep melancholy. The day in Manehattan gets quiet save for the honking of carts, signs, and neon lights light up the sky, making it feel more...serene. My job here is done, time to go home…

Back at the PWCP I report my assignment was successful to Sad Delegate and that Manehattan is getting the rain it needs. He looks at me with a pitiful smile; don’t look at me like that. I head over to my locker and put my orange work coat away and head out of the building. Unlike Manehattan, that’s getting drenched in my heavy rain, here in Ponyville it’s still a lovely day and the ponies are so happy as usual it’s so in contrast to my work. It looks like the other Weather Control Ponies finished way early, looks like open skies all around.

Perfect time to just sit on a bench and unwind. Today was tough, those clouds weighed a ton and the ponies down under were worse for wear when I rained on their festival. I sigh, full glad the day is done. For a while, I just sat there indulging in my hobby of pony watching. The Cakes seem to be going somewhere leaving Pinkie Pie in charge. The Carousel Boutique seems to be busy today, I wonder what’s the fashion trend now? I’ve been so busy I haven’t really paid attention to the latest styles. Maybe I should buy a dress, no no no, not right now! Heheh, not with my salary.

I look around more when I heard some gossip; something about Wonderbolts event? The Wonderbolts never really piqued my interest though. A teal-colored mare with the same color mane that has a white streak and golden yellow eyes sits next to me on the bench in a very odd position, with a sandwich in her hooves, and gives me a warm welcoming smile. “Hi Heavy Rain how are you today?” She asks.

“Hey Lyra, it was the same old same old. The same thing it has been since I joined the PWCP. Take my clouds, rain on some poor ponies, they get mad, I move on.” I give her a faint smile in return.

Lyra ears fold back “I guess…but each experience is different in some way and your face kinda shows it.” I look at Lyra blankly. “What happened this time Heavy Rainy?” She asked.

“It’s nothing, forget about it.” I averted my gaze but didn’t bother to hide what I felt from her.

“Well if you ever want to speak up, I’m always here to listen. Would it cheer you up if I told you how my day went? I know you’re curious about how other pony’s day goes. That’s what makes you a good listener.” Lyra gives me a gentle smile.

I sigh, “Sure Lyra, that would cheer me up actually. I could use a good story right now.”

“But it’s not a story, it’s about the significance of number two pencils.” Lyra looks at me in a pouty face. “Pencils? Really Lyra?” I look at her quizzically.

“Yeah, my studies gives me a reason to believe that number two pencils were not originally created by ponies but humans dating way back before Equestria was formed. Back to a time where man ruled the earth in ancient times, a place called England found graphite deposits. Back then the humans didn’t have magic so they used what we call chemistry to put lead into sticks! Or something like that, isn’t that cool?!” Lyra beamed at me with starry eyes.

“I-it’s something. Interesting to say the least, Lyra.” I gave her a feigned smile.

“Aaw, you don’t believe me, do you?” she pouted.

“I believe you been seeing Casual Conspiracy a bit too often.” I shrugged at her with one eye open, “Humans don’t exist Lyra, they never have.”

Lyra got close to my face, “Then how do you explain why a number two pencil is held by the eraser end when clearly it’s supposed to be held with hands. That’s why it’s manufactured that way!”

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence?” I wondered.

“Whatever, everypony will see one day. I’ll work hard to show Equestria that humans once walked among us! That’s why I study anthropology so hard.” Lyra says with determination and takes a bite of her sandwich, making its contents spill out the other side. “Aaw... my sandwich.” I can’t help but admire her passion to do what she loves. In that aspect, she might be the most courageous pony I ever met. I can’t help but wonder…

“Hey, Lyra…?” I asked. “Yeah?” She looks back at me from her ruined sandwich. “Why do you do what you do?” I questioned nonchalantly. “That’s vague Heavy Rain,” she raised an eyebrow at me.

“I-I mean, why do you, you know, follow this weird dream of yours? Studying these human creatures even though nopony believes you. And you get looked at like you’re crazy. Doesn’t it bother you?” Lyra takes time to ponder my question as if I asked her what the meaning of life is. It takes her a few minutes to think which sorta makes the atmosphere awkward for me.

“Y-you know what nevermind f-forget I-” Lyra interjected “-Well, to put it bluntly, It’s fun proving the world wrong, so why would I follow the status quo?” Lyra smiled. Her answer left me befuddled “Wha-I I mean.”

Lyra continued, “The secret of living is giving, if you follow your dreams then you will have something worth sharing with others, hope, inspiration, and a meaning to live, and that to me, is a great contribution. Don’t you think Heavy Rain? That’s why I’ll never stop dreaming and believing that humans existed.”

I don’t even know what to say to her. I just stared at her completely dumbfounded. I blush and hang my head a bit embarrassed. How could I even argue with that logic? It just makes me look like the foolish nonbeliever.

“Heavy Rain, I never asked you this out of respect for, you know, your privacy and all but, are you happy?” I gasped, “WHAT?!” My ears shot backwards, before I can even make a rebuttal Lyra started talking faster.

“You go to the same job every day for years, get yelled at by some ponies you don’t even know, you act like you enjoy your work but you’re miserable! Then you sit on this bench and talk to me just so you can hear something new for once, n-not that I mind. But I can only imagine how...Heavy Rain don’t you have a dream?” Lyra looks at me genuinely worried for my well being- stop looking at me like that. Don’t pity me!

I snort at her which takes her by surprise. Tears started to well up in my eyes and my vision begins to blur and I swear I started to see red. I try my best to calm down, Lyra of all ponies doesn’t deserve being lashed out at. My own crescendo is brought down to a softer tune but not enough to keep my attitude in check. I scoff…

“Happy? I’m satisfied. Does that count for happiness, Lyra?!” I leered. “Not exactly but-” I stopped her talking as I continued “-It doesn’t matter, I have a job I’m good at and one that needs doing. I don’t have time to dream. Besides dreaming sounds riskier than maintaining a stable life I already have. Who are you to question my happiness?!” Before I could stop myself I let my feelings be known and immediately felt regret for what I have said. Lyra looked at me with pain in her heart and yet she still smiled at me.

“I’m your friend, like any other, who cares for my friend’s well being. It’s okay to have a dream Rainy,” we both sat in silence till I whispered in my soft sobs, “I don’t have the luxury too.” After that I was tired of talking but Lyra spoke up again “We all may not have the luxury to be dreamers but we are allowed to dream anyways. I gotta go, Bon Bon is gonna be home soon so I’d like to catch up with her when she gets home. I’ll c’ya later Heavy Rain. And please think about what I said okay, like, if you’re not happy I’ll be sad.”

“Y-yeah okay, I’ll c’ya later…” I say to Lyra before she turned her back and starts to head on home meanwhile I’m still reflecting on her words about dreams and happiness. I’ll think about it before bed.

Back at my own humble abode I couldn’t help but stretch my wings. Today was just another day at work but I can’t help but feel emotionally drained which is odd. I don’t normally come home so tired at night. I slip out of my uniform and prepare dinner. A salad bowl and a protein shake is enough before I hop into the shower to wash off today’s musk. Feeling refreshed I turn on my TV to see what’s on. I admittedly like to watch the sports channel, cooking, and music; sometimes even the Wonderbolts to see what they’re up to but they’re all on commercial break.

“Commercials ruin everything!” I say to myself. If only commercials didn’t exist I would be able to enjoy my shows. I turn off the TV and head to bed for a good night's sleep...

Author's Note

Revised Chapter 2. I fixed some dialogue errors, added some detail. Criticism appreciated!