Just Like Old Times

It had taken a little longer than she'd expected, but ShadowFall had finally made it to Cloudsdale. She thought she might stay for at least a few days, maybe see if any of the weather ponies knew where she could find some work. She liked the pegasus city a lot, since in reminded her of days at camp. She'd been nervous at first, but had grown to love flying and being somewhere where she could be more herself. Maybe she would stay here, but she hadn't quite decided yet.

The Main Street was still just the way she remembered it. She wandered down slowly, enjoying the old sites while she made her way to the weather factories. The cloud factory was her best bet, but she wanted to see them all anyway. She might even meet some of her old camp friends. She didn't need to rush though, and wandered over to a shop selling cookies that looked like snowflakes. They looked delicious! Maybe she some for a snack while she walked.

"Did I ever tell you I love my job?"

Golden said while he was pushing a particularly dull cloud into the collection bay of the cloud factories.

"And do you know why? Its because I don't have to worry about other ponies bugging me. Up here there is nopony else, just me, the sky and you clouds."

Golden gave a small laugh. It was good he worked alone. Imagine what ponies would think of him if they caught him talking to clouds. They would probably throw him off Cloudsdale. Not that, it would do anything... Golden snapped back to reality, quickly wiping his muzzle with his hoof in an attempt to get himself to focus. With a flap of his wings he was soon pushing the dull cloud into the collection bay.

"Phew! Time for a break."

Golden mused, before flying out to the main street in Cloudsdale. There was a certain shop that sold the most delicious snowflake cookies you had ever tasted. It didn't take long for Golden to find the shop. He was hovering above it when he saw a gray mare with a black mane that had a white highlight going through it enter the shop.

"heh... Reminds me off Shado-"

A sudden burst of wind caught Golden off guard and was sending him plummeting towards the street. He flailed aimlessly as he attempted to right himself.

"Look out!"

Golden shouted, as he continued to try and right himself as he fell.

ShadowFall was just entering the shop when she heard a cry above her. "Wha..?" She turned around in time to see a familiar looking pony tumbling out of the sky. Her eyes widen and her wings carried her into the air on instinct. The poor pony, she hoped he wasn't hurt. Maybe if she'd been quicker she could have done something. "Are you alright?" she asked uncertainly, drifting closer. "Golden Bolt? Is that you?"

It seems that luck was on Golden's side today. He hadn't managed to right himself, but somehow managed to land in a small pile of clouds left near the side of the street, providing Golden with a relatively soft landing. Golden sat up quickly, before falling over again.

"Ok life... I'd like to get off this spinning ride. I'm getting dizzy.

Golden said as he lay on his side. A smile etched into his face.

"Although that was quite fun.

An even wider grin crept across Goldens muzzle, before he slowly pushed himself onto his hind quarters allowing him to sit comfortably.

"Are you alright?"

"Right as rain! Don't worry this happens all the time."

Golden said as he slowly got up dusting himself off and shaking his wings out, not paying much attention to the voice.

"Golden Bolt? Is that you?"

Suddenly everything in Goldens head stopped. Memories started to flicker in front of his eyes so that it could place the voice. Finlay it stopped on a certain grey mare.

Holy Celestia... Shadow Fall! What are you doing in Cloudsdale?!

Golden immediately got up and put his hoof around the grey mare in front of him giving her a quick, tight hug and was surprised by how soft her coat felt.

ShadowFall smiled warmly. It looked like her friend wasn't hurt at all and it was good to see him. She remembered him well from summers spent in Cloudsdale. They seemed to be running into each other more often of late. Only the other day she'd met him in Canterlot and she'd nearly forgotten he would be working in here too. She returned the quick hug, landing gently next to him.

"I thought I would pay a visit," she explained, a little surprised. She tried to recall if she'd told him she was coming or not. It had been quite exciting the last time they'd met, so maybe it had slipped her mind. "Are you working?" she asked uncertainly. She would hate to be taken up his time, but it would be nice to talk a bit. Maybe even share a few cookies.

"Are you working?"

"Well not at the moment. I'm having a lunch break. But I'm glad you decided to come visit Cloudsdale. There so much to do here, as I'm sure you remember from camp. But that's for another time."

Golden looked over Shadows shoulder to the cookie store across the street. As he gazed over the delicious cookies in the window his stomach decided now would be a great time to remind him that he was hungry and gave an evil gurgle. Golden gave a sheepish grin to shadow, as his cheeks started to heat slightly

"hehe, um..." Golden began nervously, "The store there behind you has some of the most amazing cookies you have ever tasted, would you care to join me? My treat."

Golden gave a warm smile to Shadow, as he pointed towards the store behind her.

ShadowFall felt her stomach growling at the reminder of the delicious smelling cookies. She was hungry and she could hardly say no when Golden Bolt had offered so nicely. Maybe he would be able to tell her more about being a weather pony too. She liked to work with clouds, though she also liked to work mostly at night. "Alright," she agreed with a smile. "And thanks!" She trotted back to the store and waited for him to follow.

"And thanks!"

"Hey, anytime."

Golden said, with a slight chuckle as he trotted behind Shadow into the sweet smelling store. As he entered the store his senses were assaulted by everything imaginable and for a moment he traveled into his own world of ectacy. His eyes had trouble focusing on just one cookie, while the only thing he could smell was the smell of freshly baked cookies. He could almost taste each cookie, as he drifted over the glass counter. Behind the counter stood a small but well built stallion, eying Golden suspiciously, as if Golden were to lunge over the counter in an attempt to eat as many cookies as possible. Golden regained his composure after a few failed attempts to drag his gaze away from the cookies.

"I'll take two earthpony flakes, and a rain flake."

Golden ordered, before digging around in a worn saddle bag for a few bits.

"Get anything you like."

Golden said, as he looked towards Shadow.

"So, you never really said why it was that you are in Cloudsdale. You visiting family? Looking for a job? Or you here for the race thats going to be held at the airdrome soon?"

Golden asked, his mouth moving quickly as to allow more time to eat the amazing cookies that were being handed over the counter. Golden put the cookies down, before paying the stallion.

"This is for me and whatever she's having."

Golden said indicating in Shadows direction. After which he opened the bag on the floor and devoured the first cookie.

ShadowFall walked inside the shop, breathing deeply of the tasty smells. How would she ever choose what to eat when they all looked so good? She eyed eat cookie hungrily as Golden Bolt made his selections. "Can I have a cloud flake and a rain flake," she asked shyly. Happily taking her order from the shop pony, she wandered over to an empty table. Golden was certainly excited. She smiled, trying to recall all the questions he'd asked.

"No, my family is from Canterlot," she answered first. She didn't add that they were unicorns and couldn't usually visit Cloudsdale without special magic. It usually led to too many other questions. "I came to see if I could find work," she admitted, nibbling on one of the cookies. They really were as good as they smelled. She wasn't sure she wanted to work in Cloudsdale, since she liked living on the ground, but it was a start. "A race?" She shook her head. "Not me. Will you enter?"

Golden followed closely behind shadow, listening carefully as they both sat down. Golden was already on his last cookie, but decided that he would eat it slowly, as to not rush shadow. Golden smiled warmly at shadow before continuing with the conversation.

"Ah Canterlot, what a nice place. I remember opening up deluge on you by acident."

Golden chuckled at the memory. Then suddenly stopped as he remembered the foul string of insults he received from the unicorn he unintentionally drenched too.

"But yes work... Well the weather factory is always in need of help. Most pegasi prefer to work inside the factory, so that leaves a lot of work for the pegasi who collect and distribute the clouds. So much so that we are often split into groups of one and sent to collect and distribute entire cloud banks! Hehe, but because theres so little of us, the pay is much better than the factory workers, although everytime I go in the factory they're always singing. Makes me wonder just how much they actually get paid compared to us."

Golden chuckled again as he took a bite out of his cookie. The rain flakes were by far the best tasting.

"But if you want to work on collecting and distributing I can get you in within a heart beat. The supervisor owes me a big favor. Just know that if you do this kind of work, you won't be spending a lot of time here in Cloudsdale. You're always on the move from one place to the next. Sometimes you even stay over at places, because you have a night run. luckily you get bits for accommodation so I won't really complain about it, but you spend a lot more time on the ground than you think or near it in any case."

Golden took another bite out of his cookie and was little saddened by the fact that half of its tasty goodness was already in his belly.

"But the race, now that's a different story completely. I don't race, I don't have anywhere near the speed some of those pegasi have. But what I do, and few others is quite fun actually. There are two kinds of races, the simple track races, and the more advanced and way more exciting challenge race. In the challenge race we create obsticals that the participants have to get past in order to win the race. I usually create dark thunder tunnels that the participants have to fly through. Its pretty creepy for some pegasi, and some struggle to fly into it. But in the end its all fun and games and the winner of the challenge race gets a chance to spend a day with the WonderBolts, and us creators get a fat about of bits for it, but they do have auditions for the creators, so that they get new and interesting obsticals in the race."

Golden was getting excited, talking about the things he loved so much, he hardly realized he had talked non-stop for five minuets, but when he did he smiled sheepishly at shadow, his cheeks starting to glow a rose red.

"Sorry... I really get into things when it comes to clouds. So what do you think?"

ShadowFall giggled a little. Looking back now, it had been rather funny getting dumped with rain on a sunny day. Elegance had been less than pleased, but at least Golden Bolt hadn't ruined any of her stuff, unlike ShadowFall herself. She nibbled thoughtfully at her cookies as Golden went on. He was certainly talkative today, but she didn't mind. She liked listening.

She shook her head as he apologized. "It's alright," she assured him, still thinking over what he had said. She did like to work with clouds and be outside most of the time. It would also giver her a reason to see more of Equestria and maybe settle somewhere someday. "I think working with clouds might be nice for a while," she admitted. "Do you ever get to make fog?" She was really good at that, but maybe it wasn't called for very often. She couldn't recall many foggy mornings in Canterlot.

The race sounded like it might be fun to watch. She would never race herself. Competing with other ponies made her nervous, but maybe someday she would make obstacles. A nice fog bank or a sneaky mist could be tricky to fly through if she did it right.

"I think working with clouds might be nice for a while," she admitted. "Do you ever get to make fog?"

You can make fog? Like proper thick fog?

Golden exclaimed, almost choking on the last bite of his cookie out of surprise.

"Thats great! ManeHatten is right next to a huge lake and the inhabitants have been complaining that there is not enough fog early in the morning. Its a beautiful place and I'm sure with some fog coming in from the lake it would look even more beautiful."

Goldens obvious excitement about the situation was there for a good reason. The supervisor had been asking the pegasi to be on the look out for any natural occurring fog and to bring it back to the factory for study. It seems the art of making fog was lost in the pegasai's history. But here in front of him was a mare who seemed eager to make it. Golden gave Shadow a huge smile.

"Come on, we should speak to the supervisor. We've got a city fog."

Golden said, as he slowly got up from the table, while unintentionally locking eyes with Shadow for a second longer than what was socially acceptable between friends.

ShadowFall felt herself blushing a little at Golden Bolt's reaction, but nodded. She hadn't thought her talent was all that special. She'd never been to Manehatten either, but ponies said it was one of the biggest cities in Equestria. She wasn't sure she wanted to live in a big city, but she wouldn't have to stay there all the time. ShadowFall smiled back tentatively, finishing the last few bites of her last cookie. She would have to get more of these sometime. They really were delicious.

"Are you sure?" she asked, standing up herself. "I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy." Maybe they should wait until after the work day was done.

"Are you sure?" she asked, standing up herself. "I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy."

"Hmm..."

Golden thought for a bit. Shadow had a point the supervisor was busy at this time of day and there would be an influx of clouds soon. He would talk with shadow and Golden, but he would be easily distracted and would proberbly not even get around to hiring Shadow. But he was always around in his office near the end of the day. Golden decided that then would be a good time to ask him about hiring Shadow. Golden looked at Shadow flashing her a smile.

"You know what your right. Curse you mares and always being right."

Golden said joking while laughing. As he slowly started to walk out the store, looking longing at the rain flakes... Those were best.

"So while you here you wanna have a quick tour of the Cloudsdale factory and what I do? I'll gladly show you around, or we could go to the park. Your choice."

ShadowFall giggled a little. She didn't think she was always right, but her father was always saying that about her mother. She trotted out after Golden Bolt, nodding as they went. She wasn't sorrow for the reprieve before talking to the supervisor. She wanted to make a good impression and the idea had come so fast.

"I'd like to see the factory," she admitted hopefully. They'd taken a tour with at camp, but she'd never gotten to see all that much of it. If she might be working weather in the future, learning about the factory was a must.

"I'd like to see the factory,"

Golden smiled broadly, before opening his wings.

"Right! Then to the factory we go. Hope you can keep up."

Golden said as he stuck his tongue out playfully at Shadow, before taking off with a giant flap from his wings.

"We'll go to the location office first. Its where you always want to go to first. As it tells you where you need to go, and what needs to happen while your there. It also has a huge map on one of the walls. That way you can plan a very accurate path to your destination. Its quite easy actually once you get the hang of it.

Golden explained, while he was flying towards the factory.

ShadowFall gave a wry smile and spread her own wings. A few flaps and she was in the air at Golden Bolt's side. She could fly well, after all, and keeping up was no trouble. She nodded as he spoke, agreeing. It sounded like the factory was more complicated than it first appeared. She wondered what it would be actually work there. She couldn't get ahead of herself though. She wasn't a weather pony yet.

"Sounds almost like a train station," she commented brightly.

"Sounds almost like a train station"

Golden laughed heartily.

"If you mean a hot, busy and loud train station then ye, I think it could say that.

Golden, started to back slightly as the two ponies came round a cloud pillar.

"Its over here to the left, just behind the low cloud wall."

As they came over the last cloud wall. The factory showed its-self loud and proud. The building its-self was relatively small, but the chimney pipes were always pumping out clouds, creating what looked like an endless conveyer belt as Pegasi gathered the clouds they needed from the rising pillars. While near the bottom a great big door hung wide open, inside it looked like a hanger for planes, except the planes in this case where Pegasi bringing in small old clouds or chatting near the machinery that pumped out new clouds. To the left was a small extrusion from the building. It looked like a wide open porch without the roof covering it. Against one of the walls was giant map and next to the map a small notice board. Gently Golden glided in onto the open porch of the location office and walked over to the notice board.

"Right, so it looks like I have a clean up after a storm over Canterlot later, should be relatively easy."

Golden looked over his shoulder at Shadow a smile on his muzzle,

"Want me to teach you how to read the chart quick?"

The main floor of the factory was amazing. It was full of busy ponies rushing to and fro with clouds and other equipment. ShadowFall followed Golden Bolt to the board, admiring the map. It all looked like a jumble to her, but she supposed she would get used to it in time.

"Try not to soak anymore unicorns," she suggested wryly. She didn't often jest, but it was just too tempting to resist. All in good fun though, as her smile would show. "And yes please," she added willingly.

"Try not to soak anymore unicorns,"

Golden laughed. He still remembered taking Shadow and the unicorn to the 'Luna's Moon'.

"And yes please,"

"I promise I wont wet anymore unicorns,"

Laughed Golden, a twinkle in his eyes.

"But grey pegasai on the other hand..."

Golden winked at Shadow before pointing at the chart.

"The whole weather map is controlled by an 'Awaiting', 'Underway' and 'Completed' basis. Any areas that are still awaiting weather changes are marked with a blue circle. Those that are underway are green and those that are completed are yellow. Inside each colour circle is a picture. It can range from a light wind to a heavy hailstorm.
Winds are marked by wavy lines. The more lines the stronger the wind. For instance, a single line means a light breeze, two lines means a strong wind, while three lines means a gale. The next is a cloud. A white cloud means its cloudy but no rain. A dark cloud means its overcast, but still no rain. A dark cloud with rain underneath means its raining, if there's a thunder bolt underneath it, its also a thunderstorm. I'm sure you can guess what hail, and snow would look like. If the circle is blank and there is nothing inside, it means its a clear day. Also, each pegasus is marked with a pin, These pins have our pictures on them so you can see which pegasus is going where. Whats very cool about this map is the fact that its been blessed by Celestia, so each pin changes in real time with what is happening in the land of Equstira. When a pegasus decides to go somewhere the pins will draw a line in their respective colour to the location to which they are traveling. Just have a look at Cloudsdale and you should see me there. Or find a pegasus and watch the pin move as they fly over Equstria."

Golden took a few steps back to admire the map, before smiling at Shadow.

"Nothing to hard right?"

Golden chuckled.

"but if you ever do get confused there is a key to the map in the bottom right corner."

ShadowFall listened carefully, but she almost didn't need explanation. The map made a lot of sense in its design and the simplicity of the symbols helped a great deal. It was truly amazing though. To be able to see so much of what was happening across Equestria. Now she knew why so many pegasi wanted to be weather ponies. You got to be a small part of something really amazing.

"No," she shook her head in answer to the question. "It's fantastic though," she added with a grin. Maybe she was getting just a little excited. Some day they might even have fog markers on the map.

"It's fantastic though,"

Golden nodded his head.

"All too true."

Golden quickly scanned the map. All the thunderstorms were taken, Golden cursed silently, but there was a cloudy sky that needed Clearing near Manehatten. Golden couldn't believe his luck. But deep inside, Golden wanted to see a pin of Shadow moving across the map.

"Manehatten needs a clear sky. We can quickly do that before bugging the supervisor and maybe see how you make your fog and mist, or we can hazard visiting him now while we are here. What do you think?"

"Hmmm..." ShadowFall pondered for a while. She didn't think anyone would mind her helping out before talking to the supervisor, but maybe she aught to do that first. It was all happening much faster than she'd anticipated. She did want to help though and the supervisor was probably still very busy. Maybe she could clear a sky with Golden Bolt first to get a little head start on what being a weather pony would be like. If they had time, she might even try out fog making like he suggested.

"Clearing the sky sounds like fun," she answered at last. She gave a small smile. "How do we start?"

"Clearing the sky sounds like fun," she answered at last. She gave a small smile. "How do we start?"

"Simple,"

Golden flashed a sly smile at shadow.

"We fly there."

Golden chuckled and then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, but before I forget."

Golden turned to the map. A smile on his face.

"I'm off to Manehatten."

Suddenly a line on the map was drawn from the pin that had a picture of Golden to the center of the circle over Manehatten. The line that was drawn was coloured yellow with a white strip through the middle. Golden looked over to shadow and then at the map.

"Thank you map."

Once Golden had turned and was about to take off alongside Shadow, he spoke again.

"Never forget to say thank you to the map. She likes it when you thank her."

"Thanks, I'll remember," ShadowFall promised, giving the map a little smile as they left. She turned to start after Golden Bolt on their way to Manehatten. The job didn't sound hard, so she figured they would have plenty of time to talk while they worked. She could also worked up the courage to talk to the supervisor later. He probably was a perfectly nice pony, but meeting new people made her so nervous.