Mushroom Cloud: Hopeless

First Impressions

Mushroom Cloud awoke even earlier than she expected. Unsure about where she was, she looked around. Noticing the picture of Fluttershy and her friends reminded her. She gave a sigh and decided to get up and look around. The room was just as small as she remembered, but this time she noticed a closet door. A little curious she went to open it up. Inside was an assortment of dresses, including a stunning green dress. It was so finely stitched and even decorated in jewels. Cloud knew it was a special dress and not sure if she should ask Fluttershy about it. She decided to just close the closet door and move over to the window. She just now noticed that the sun’s rays could be seen in the distance. Celestia was right on time as usual. Cloud felt so tired and stressed out. She trotted back over to the bed and just fell face first into the soft bed and let out a muffled groan.

She looked back up at the picture to take a closer look. There was a purple unicorn with a pink stripe in her hair smiling back at cloud. For some reason she couldn’t let her focus off her, to the point her eyes started to cross eye and she shut them to correct her vision. The next pony she noticed was the light blue Pegasus. She absolutely loved her rainbow mane and tail. She looked really familiar, like Cloud had met her before. Then she remembered that her name was Rainbow Dash. Cloud got to see her preform a sonic rainboom. Cloud thought ‘why would this shy pony living here be friends with a famous flyer?’ She shrugged and saw that there was a little purple dragon in the picture. Cloud loved dragons; she’s always wanted to hold one. Her eye moved over the picture and noticed the tannish orange pony. She had a cowboy hat on, and both her mane and tail were done up in a ponytail. She always thought that ponytails were ironic, but never really knew why. Looking around the picture, she saw this pink earth pony jumping in the background. She wanted to smile back at this pony, but felt the need to look somewhere else. As she looked at the white unicorn, the sun peeked over the horizon, and she heard the animals starting to stir. Curious, she went to the window and looked outside. There were chickens that had just woken up, and the morning cock was about to begin his song. Fluttershy must have woken up by now, because she heard hoof steps outside her door. There was a gentle knock.

“Are you awake?” Fluttershy said softly. Cloud went over to open the door, and put on the best smile she could manage. Cloud opened the door to see Fluttershy with a massive grin on her face.

“Good morning Fluttershy” Cloud managed to keep her smile going

“And a great morning to you” Cloud doubted it’s greatness, but decided not to ask her why. “I was wondering if you wanted to maybe meet some of my friends today? They would find it nice to meet you, especially Pinkie Pie.”

“Well, I…” Cloud seriously considered rejecting the offer, but remembered that she was trying to change “Okay, I’ll meet your friends. I was just noticing them in your picture over there.”

“Oh, yea I forgot I had an extra in here. I keep one by my bedside too.” Fluttershy looked over at the picture. “We really have developed a special relationship between us, and I have learned so much from each of them. You would not believe the adventures we have been on.” Cloud felt an all too familiar lump in her throat, but she swallowed it back and kept her focus on Fluttershy.

“Well, I was able to identify one of your friends. Are you really friends with Rainbow Dash?” Cloud should have changed subject, but her curiosity got the best of her.

“Yes, we have been friends for a really long time. She and I went to flight school together, and she always stuck up for me. I’m not too sure about this, but if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have made any friends at all.” Fluttershy’s smile faded and she looked at Cloud. “I know it’s tough being friendless, because until I met Rainbow Dash I was too shy to talk to anypony. “

“Well, I wasn’t always shy, the ponies in school made me shy, but I guess it was for the better. I was literally a rain cloud to everyone, which is probably why no pony wanted me around.” Cloud looked down, and noticed that her hooves were cracked and in need of some attention. She thought ‘I really have let myself go, I never even noticed.’

“It’s okay Mushroom Cloud, that was the past and this is now, unless you like living in the past.” Fluttershy turned around. “Well, when you are ready I can take you to see Zecora. I might have somepony else come with us, it’s in the Everfree forest and I don’t like walking through there alone.” Fluttershy started to head downstairs.

“Hey, Fluttershy” Cloud called

“Yes?”

“Where is your wash room?”

“The door to the right” Cloud went to the first door on the right and opened it.

The bathroom had a decent sized tub with a pretty big porcelain sink. The walls were the same tannish color as the rest of the house, and the mirror was an oval shape. Cloud closed the door behind her, turned on the sink water, and stuck her front hooves in the running water. The water had turned warm, and she rinsed her face from the salty mess left behind by her tears. She refused to look into the mirror and dried her face off with a wash cloth hanging behind her. She opened the door and trotted downstairs. Fluttershy was sitting on the red pillow cloud was sitting in last night. She had made another pot of tea, and was quietly listening to the song birds outside. Cloud came over and sat next to Fluttershy on the red couch against the window.

“So, is there anything I need to know about Zecora?” Cloud hated to interrupt Fluttershy’s peace, but she wanted to make a decent impression on Zecora.

“She speaks in rhyme, and she can be a little scary at first, only because she isn’t from here originally.” Fluttershy sipped at her tea.

“Where could she be from?”

“I’m not totally sure, but she isn’t a pony, she is a zebra.” Fluttershy sipped at her tea some more. Cloud was surprised by this information, she thought Zecora was a pony, even her cousins described her as a pony.

“So, she’s a zebra. I had no idea who she really was; I just knew she dealt with plants and potions.”

“Mhm, one of the best, she really knows her stuff.  We were all scared of her at first, Pinkie even called her an evil enchatress.” Fluttershy snickered and looked over at Cloud “Well, I was going to head out to find someone to come with us. You can come along, but only if that’s okay by you.” Fluttershy set her tea mug down and stood up.

“Yea, sure I can come along.” Cloud stood up and followed Fluttershy to the front door.

Cloud stepped out into the light and was a little dazed by it. She spread her ragged wings and let them absorb the sunlight. She then stretched them out a little bit, but right before she took flight; she noticed that Fluttershy was walking. She thought ‘why on earth would any pegasus no fly everywhere. It’s a lot quicker to fly.’ Out of curiosity she asked Fluttershy

“Why are you walking?” Cloud was hovering above the ground a little bit behind her. Fluttershy turned around and smiled

“Well I prefer to walk, I’m not a very strong flyer. Trust me I’ve tried to better my flying abilities, but I am a much better walker. I’m not quite so clumsy on my four hooves. If you really want me to I will though.” Fluttershy was still smiling at Cloud.

“Um, no it’s fine I’ll just keep up with my wings. I’m not much of a flyer. Just I’ve always flown everywhere I go. It’s now kind of a habit when I get outside.” Cloud flew a little closer to Fluttershy. It also keeps me healthy, which is probably the only good thing about me.” Cloud looked down at her body, she was pretty thin, but she was able to hide it with her small body.

“It sounds like you fly pretty well, so that’s another good thing, only if you think so however.” Fluttershy turned around and started walking into Ponyville. Cloud decided to let the last thing go, because she really couldn’t rebut it.

It took them about ten minutes to get to the edge of Ponyville. Over in the distance was an extremely pink pony sniffing some flowers. The pony looked up and cloud recognized her as Fluttershy’s friend. This pony must be that Pinkie Pie character she mentioned earlier. No other pony would be named that and not be pink. Then all the sudden the pony smiled really big and wasted no time hoping over to them.

“Hiya Fluttershy, whose your friend here?”  Pinkie looked over at Cloud with a big smile. The pony had the most heartwarming smile Cloud has ever seen. It was too much for Cloud to bear and she had to look down. Cloud landed softly and waited for Fluttershy to introduce them.

“Pinkie Pie, this is Mushroom Cloud. She has had such a rough time in the last day or so. She isn’t much of a talker around strangers.” Cloud felt a little embarrassed that Fluttershy already knew that.

“Well, it’s really great to meet you. I’m Pinkie Pie, and like parties, cakes, balloons, and anything making new pony friends. I especially enjoy making them smile. It’s sort of my job. So, how old are you, what do you like, is there anything cool and interesting about you, when is your birthday…” Cloud interrupted Pinkie

“Please, one question at a time. I’m not much of a talker, and even then I’m not that interesting to listen to.” Cloud looked up with the same frown she always has. It must have startled Pinkie pretty bad, because she just sat there with a confused look on her face.

“Oh no, another Cranky Doodle, I know how to fix that frown right up.” Out of nowhere Pinkie pulled out a blue cannon with flower wheels and shot confetti all over Cloud and yelled “Pow, right in tha kissa!” Cloud just had to laugh as she shook off the confetti.

“You are one crazy pony Pinkie.” Cloud was still giggling at her.

“I’m not crazy, just happy. It hasn’t changed and never will. So, are you ready to loosen those lips yet?” Pinkie got in Clouds face and grinned a huge grin. Cloud backed away a little and shook her head

“Pinkie I have a favor to ask, if that’s okay” Fluttershy said softly.

“Sure Flutters, what ya need from ol’ Pinkie here.” Pinkie turned her attention on Fluttershy, and this made cloud sigh in relief. She knew it would be tough to be around this happy pony.

“Could you maybe come with us to Zecora’s hut? Cloud here wanted to meet her, because she thinks that her special talent may be in herbal remedy. If you can’t that’s okay I don’t mind.” Fluttershy gave Cloud a look of reassurance. The last thing Cloud really wanted was this energetic and overly happy pony going with them, but she didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

“Okie Doki Loki Flutters. It would be no problem to accompany you two. Maybe then I can find out about Shroom over there.” Cloud looked down, having bad memories flood back into her head. She didn’t mind that nick name, but it usually meant she was being made fun of. The bubbly pink pony hopped a circle around them and situated next to Cloud. This put Cloud on edge, because she knew what was coming next.

They set off back toward Fluttershy’s house, she must live kind of close to the Everfree forest. Pinkie had begun talking and asking a lot of questions Cloud just started to ignore at first, but then Pinkie paused.

“Oh yea, you need me to go a little slower. I’ll start with my first curious question of my friend questionnaire. Where are you from?”

“Cloudsdale” Cloud had already begun to get annoyed, but figured what harm could be done.

“Second question,” Pinkie giggled “I feel like Twilight every time I do this. How old are you?”

“I’m eighteen”

“Really?!?” Pinkie gasped “You are still a young pony in my books, why do you not have a cutie mark yet?” Pinkie looked back at her flank. Cloud looked back at pinkies and saw three balloons, two light blue and one yellow. It was hard to focus, because Pinkie kept hopping instead of walking.

“Um, I haven’t discovered who I am yet. You can blame my father for that.” Cloud looked down and a lump started to form in her throat.

“Oh, your father? Did you not get along?” Pinkie actually frowned for the first time since Cloud has seen her.

“Yea, and honestly I’d rather not talk about it. I’ll probably cry if I do.” Cloud looked up at Pinkie to let her know that she meant it.

“Oh Okay, we can talk about it some other time, like over hot cocoa  and a nice tasty cupcake.” Pinkie began to smile again “Say, that actually made me hungry. She dashed off to a random tree and pulled out a pink cupcake with light blue sprinkles and devoured it.

“Where did you… Why was there a cupcake in that tree?” Cloud was thoroughly lost by this pink crazy pony

“Oh, I keep stashes of sweets all over the place. They are my emergency hunger stashes.” Pinkie smiled at Cloud as she hopped back in stride with them.

“How many of those do you have?”

“More than you would ever know. In fact I’m not even sure anymore, I’ve lost so many stashes out of plain forgetfulness, so I make new ones all the time. Anyways, when is you birthday?” Pinkie was now hopping along with her eyes closed and giant smile as she continued her questionnaire.

“It was yesterday actually” Pinkie gasped at this and had an even bigger smile than before.

“I must throw you a late birthday party. You have to come back and see us, I’ll get all my friends together you have to meet them. This will be great, a birthday party and a welcome party. I can’t wait to set everything up!” Pinkie’s grin never faded, and in the distance there was a feint light and a giant tree with a door and two windows.

Cloud thought ‘this must be Zecora’s place, it is really spooky. No wonder Fluttershy wanted company. Speaking of, she hasn’t said one word to neither me nor Pinkie. She must be one quiet pony. Either that, or a really good listener.’ Cloud stopped outside the door, and she could smell something brewing. It smelled like lavender mixed with vanilla. There was some chanting from inside the door too muffled to make out. Cloud turned to Pinkie and Fluttershy.

“Thank you guys for bringing me here, and I hope I’ll get done soon, I don’t want to keep you guys waiting too long.” Cloud gave them a reassuring smile

“No problem at all, especially for a new friend.” Fluttershy smiled back at Cloud. Cloud was a little confused thinking ‘am I really her friend now?’ Cloud shrugged it off and gave a knock on the door.

“Who is that outside, friend or foe? If I don’t answer I will never know.”  The door opened and Zecora came out with a smile “My my, its dear Fluttershy and one Ms. Pinkie Pie. You have come with a friend I see, and who might you be?”

“I’m Mushroom Cloud.” Cloud’s mind was boggled by this rhyming stuff. She wondered how she was able to do that.

“Ah, one Mushroom Cloud. Why here at my doorstep, are you found?” Zecora gave Cloud a smile.

“I’m here to seek knowledge in remedies and potions.” Cloud swallowed, she felt herself start to get nervous.

“Ah it is knowledge that you seek, please come in and we shall speak.” Zecora stepped aside to let Cloud in. Cloud trotted inside and Zecora looked at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “You too my friends, my hospitality has no ends.” Fluttershy and Pinkie followed Cloud inside and Zecora shut the door behind them.