Chapter 1 - Delivery
“Goddamn, it’s a nice day!” the yellow pegasus yelled aloud, his thick blue faux-hawk flowing in the wind as he flew over his new home. It had only been a few days since Comet Chaser had moved to Ponyville to escape the busy life of Cloudsdale. Well, not necessarily busy, he only wanted to escape the watchful eyes of his parents; who had always wanted him to become just another weather maker.
‘Heh, conservative pegasi as always,’ Comet couldn’t help but think of his old home as he soared through the sky. How could he not? After all, moving to a new city, away from everything you’ve ever known, can be not only difficult, but intimidating. Though on the other hoof, this was a fresh start and Comet Chaser couldn’t wait to get going, not only with his career, but with friends, and maybe even a family...
As his daydreaming distracted him, he was caught off-guard by a ditzy grey mailpony flying directly across his path.
“Hey, watch where you’re flying!” Comet yelled, but she was far too distracted by her work to respond. ‘Well at least they have good work ethics in this town,’ he thought as he continued his course, ‘Now all I’ve gotta do is find somepony who is hiring. Maybe that chick knows of something... couldn’t be too difficult to catch up with her.’
Since he had first started flying, Comet had always been the fastest of not only his three brothers, but also the rest of his class. He had always been the modest kind, however, not only sitting out of class flying events, but even going as far as asking his instructors to change his times to be only milliseconds ahead of his competitors. Or more specifically, his long-time rival, Rainbow Dash. Not knowing what he saw in her as a colt, he just felt it fair to slow up a bit and give her a fighting chance, though he knew for a fact that nopony could beat him in an all-out sprint.
“Hey, you! Mailgirl! You kinda cut me off back there!” Comet stated with a smile, he wasn’t mad since he wasn’t in a hurry to get anywhere in particular, “Any other day, and I would have had to buck you into the dirt! Ha ha!” He caught up with his distractor in an instant, even going as far as flying upside-down, directly above her.
“WHOA,” the blonde pony screamed, clearly startled by the stranger above her. She instantly dropped down to the straw roof below her. “Hey!” She yelled up at Comet, dusting herself off, “Hey you guy, don’t scare me like that, I’m working!”
“Oh wow, I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention, honest!” Replied Comet as he descended upon the roof with her. “I just, uh, I’m new here...” he continued, unsure of how to introduce himself.
“New??” Asked the mailpony with a wide smile and bewildered eyes. “Oh wow that’s great! Welcome to Ponydale...! Uh... pony... ville...? Ponyville! ...Welcome here! I’m Ditzy Doo but everypony calls me Derpy!” She was obviously very happy to meet another pegasus, fluttering her wings as she was.
Comet wasn’t used to such friendliness, so he was a bit taken aback, but it didn’t bother him. “Hey there Derpy, I’m Comet Chaser. I just moved here from Cloudsdale, and I was wondering if you knew of anypony that needed an extra hoof or wing around the workplace? I see you’re a mailpony, so maybe I could join you-”
“NOPE!” She quickly answered with a smile.
“Oh, I uh... I see.” Replied a defeated Comet, “I’ll just be on my way then...” He started flying off, hanging his head.
“But the Cakes might need somepony to run deliveries for them!”
“Oh? Oh! That’s definitely something I can do!” Comet fluttered his wings in excitement. “Where are the Cakes, then?” He gave Derpy his toothiest grin in appreciation of her swift answer.
“They’re... they’re around somewhere!” Derpy answered, but hanging her head as if she had forgotten something important, she added, “I just... can’t remember exactly where... I’m sorry!”
Comet inched a bit nearer to her and lifted her head with his hoof, “No, no that’s fine, that’s all I needed! Honestly, thank you!” He gave her a hug and turned around, looking at the town from his rooftop perch. He noticed in the distance, a small shop with a cake-shaped sign out in front. “There she is,” Comet mumbled to himself, “Thanks a bunch Derpy, sorry about that scare!” And as quickly as he had shown up, he was gone.
In a flash of light, Comet was across town and in front of the Cakes’ door. But it wasn’t long until a pink blur burst from the saloon-style doors and knocked Comet clean on his ass.
It was almost like shell-shock, Comet had never been hit that hard! As he lay on his back, a heavy pressure on his chest, he blinked heavily and tried to make sense of what had just happened. While his hearing and vision both came back into focus, he was met with a happy pink earth pony yapping in his face. He tried to focus on what she was frantically trying to tell him.
“OmigoshareyounewtoPonyville?! Holy moley I can’t believe it, this is like the fifth new friend to show up at my doorstep in a week! AAAHHHHH you’re a pegasus pony?! Some of my best friends are pegasus ponies, maybe you know them! Omigosh but you don’t even know ME! Hi I’m Pinkie Pie and we’re gonna be great friends, you seem like a really nice guy!”
As she rambled, Comet struggled. She was obviously crushing his windpipe but she either didn’t know or did not care at all. By the end of her speech, Comet was choking, gasping for air, and kicking her off of his chest. After a minute of flailing, he eventually managed to ward her off a few steps so he could finally breathe. While still gasping for air, lying on his back, Comet tried to make sense of what she had just screamed at him.
“I... guh... I’m Comet Chaser...” He said, gasping as he stood up.
“Ooooooh! That’s a pretty name!” Pinkie instantly blurted, wide-eyed.
“Yeeeah... I actually came over here to see if you needed a delivery flyer...” Skeptically, he eyed her up and down, “You’re not... one of the Cakes, are you?”
“NO WAY, SILLY BILLY!” Pinkie yelled, almost simultaneously with the question.
“Okay! So uh...” Comet was overcome by a wave of relief. Thank Celestia this crazy hyper chick was not his employer-to-be. “So, can you introduce me to them...? Or...?”
“Well why didn’t you say so??!!” Pinkie yanked him into the Cakes’ store in an instant. Inside was a small front counter with a fairly quaint home and bakery behind it. In front was a kind of waiting area and gathering place for small parties. An adorable older earth pony stood behind the counter. Comet knew in an instant that she was the brains behind this little shop.
“Oh, hi there Pinkie, who is your new friend?” She asked, very happy to have an unseen face in her shop.
“Mrs. Cake, meet my newest friend, Comet Chaser! He’s here because... uh... well, he- why were you here again?” She directed her question at her “newest friend”. Comet took the new opportunity to overtake the conversation and phase the blabbermouth out. He flew over to Mrs. Cake, extending his hoof as he went.
“Hi, Comet Chaser, really glad to meet you,” he said with a smile, shaking the baker’s hoof, “I actually came over here because I just moved in-” Pinkie Pie zoomed up to Comet with a speech about the town obviously prepared, but his reflexes were too quick for her, as he stuck his hoof in her mouth and continued, “and I was wondering if you were looking for a delivery pegasus for your cake business. I have excellent references from the Cloudsdale Flying Academy, and I assure you that you won’t find anypony else with my endurance, work ethic, responsibility, and spee-” Mrs. Cake cut him off with an apologetic tone,
“That’s enough, dearie, this isn’t Canterlot!” She laughed a bit at Comet’s formality, then continued, “Of course we’re always happy to have another pegasus around the place! Why, we haven’t had a delivery pony since Rainbow Dash decided the responsibility was too much for her!” Comet Chaser couldn’t believe his ears; Rainbow Dash? His old pal and racing buddy from Cloudsdale? “Apparently napping on clouds and taking care of the weather is more her ‘style’,” Mrs. Cake continued, “but that’s not what you’re here for, is it?”
‘Classic Dash...’ the thought flashed across Comet’s brain before returning to reality. “N-no ma’am! In fact, I can start today, just tell me where I need to go!” He still couldn’t believe it, Rainbow Dash in Ponyville? He knew she had left Cloudsdale to find herself, but he never imagined she would have come to a place as quiet and relaxed as Ponyville. Where was she staying? She couldn’t be in an earth pony house. She wouldn’t be in an earth pony house. No, better search the clouds, she’s definitely somewhere in there. Or the trees. Mountains? Damn, there were so many places his friend could be, where els-
“Ghastly Gorge!”
“W-wha...?”
“Not daydreamin’ already, are we?” Mrs. Cake asked, shoving a cake box in Comet’s face.
“N-no ma’am! Ghastly Gorge you said?”
“Yepperoo! It comes to eighteen bits; just collect that from the customer.” Mrs. Cake went back to preparing more orders, cupcakes to be specific, “And it’s a cake for none other than our old delivery girl, Rainbow Dash! Hey, you may know her if you’re from Cloudsdale too, ya look about the same age!”
‘You have no idea,’ Comet thought. “Yes, ma’am! I’ll be back quicker than you can say raxacoricofallapatorius!” He threw the saddle bag on, carefully stored the cake inside, and quicker than the flash of a camera, he was gone.