Shapes in the Mist

Being a weather pony was more fun than ShadowFall had thought. Especially when she got to use her special talent on a large scale. Today she was up before dawn, readying a lovely morning fog to blanket Centrot Park in Manehatten. It had taken a while to get the fog to sit just right, but she thought the results would be worth it. The first rays of morning were coming up and the trees and meadows looked beautiful in the drifting mists. Maybe it wasn't too every pony's taste, but ShadowFall liked the eery effect it had on the landscape. Some of the trees were hardly recognizable and the large buildings of Manehatten could barely be seen. If she didn't know better, she might have thought she was in a very different part of Equestria.

Finished, ShadowFall perched herself on a tree branch to relax and enjoy the morning. "Not bad at all," she said, smiling to herself.

"Shouldn't we go home now, White?" a timid voice said.

"Nonsense, Something-Something!" came the cheerful reply, "After being stuck in a bed for ages, there's nothing more wonderful than a brisk morning stroll! Either way, I bet that today is going to be a bright shiny day!"

Two maids, a young mare and a young filly turned the corner. The mare, though cheerful, walked with as though she had a bit of a limp, while the concerned filly guided her.

"The pegasus forecast says it's going to be heavy fog," the filly said softly, "And it is rather dark already."

The mare faltered for a moment, then reverted to her happy state, "Well, you know how it is with pegasi. Horrible management. Can't even get a simple sunshine right." Her tone was that of a pony who was only joking, but the filly saw the pegasus in the tree and her eyes widened in a state of shock. Meanwhile, the mare continued, "You would think, wouldn't you, that the pegasi would have a bit of a grasp over their schedule, but it's always delay this, cancellation that, and they end up having to run a storm and somehow it always occurs on a Sunday picnic! What's the point of fog, anyway? Do you know, Something-Something?"

"There is a pegasi in that tree, White," came the soft reply.

White turned to the tree in question and looked up. "Oh, hello there! Didn't quite see you! Do you know what the point of fog is? My colleague and I are only humble earth ponies, and we are stumped!" she said with a grin.

'Something-Something' looked away, trying to hide her embarassment.

"Not bad at all,"

"oooo~"

moaned Golden, trying his best to sound like a ghost and not burst out laughing at him-self.

"I'm the ghost of~... Ghost of the blind~ ooooo~"

Golden gave trying to spook Shadow as he started chuckling uncontrollably.

"Ok not really, but seriously shadow, I'm blind in all this fog. I can't see 5 hoofs in front of me!"

Golden paused as he pawed the fog in front of him.

"Err... Where exactly are you?"

"Oh, hello there! Didn't quite see you! Do you know what the point of fog is? My colleague and I are only humble earth ponies, and we are stumped!"

"I thought you made it? and 'we'?"

Golden was confused, so he decided to move towards the direction of the voice

"You know Shadow, if you don't know why it is you made the fog. Then why did you make it in the fir-"

Golden suddenly stopped as he came face to face with two Earth Ponies he'd never met before.

"Well this is embarrassing..."

Said Golden as he flashed a sheepish smile.

ShadowFall hadn't expected other ponies to be awake this early. She supposed she should have expected it, though, the sun was rising after all. She shrank back a little as they approached. It didn't sound like they liked her fog much. Had she made it too thick? Sometimes it was hard to just exactly how thick to make it. She was just thinking about leaving when one of them addressed her. She jumped with a little squeak. "Oh...um...well...I think it's pretty," she answered quietly, blushing. They probably wanted a better reason, but she couldn't think of one right now.

She pricked up her ears at a familiar voice, smiling softly to herself at Golden Bolt's attempts to scare her. She was jumpy, but not that jumpy. She started to call him over when he appeared next to the other two ponies. "Oh dear," she said, hopping out of the tree. "Maybe I did make it too thick," she added nervously. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you kindly, sir, but the fog was not my creation!" White replied to the golden stallion, "Nor is my name Shadow! My name is White Woods, and my colleague..." she turned to the filly who was trying to hide behind her, "Is being a little shy. Come on, Something-Something. Think of it as greeting guests to a house party, you are good at that sort of thing." Better than Loyal, at least.

There was a pause, then the filly appeared from behind White, and bowed professionally. "Good morning sir and ma'am. I hope you are well this foggy day."

"Ma'am?" White asked, turning to the other pegasus, "Oh, the greetings have been doubled! Hello, miss!"

Something fiddled with her outfit, feeling decidedly awkward as Shadow apologised.

"You don't need to apologise," White said cheerfully, "It's just hard to see how pretty it is when, well, you can't exactly see anything more than a metre away. I just don't see- haha- why you would even bother with fog if all it does is cause accidents and such, but I'm sure I'm missing something here."

"Good morning sir and ma'am. I hope you are well this foggy day."

It was the first time Golden had even been greeted in such a manner. No pony had ever bowed when greeting Golden. So he thought he'd return the favour of such a elegant greeting. Golden smiled while he bowed back echoing the stance the smaller pony had taken.

"Good morning to you too ma'ams."

"Ma'am?"

Golden lifted up his head and saw what looked like Shadow floating down next to all the ponies.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologies," White said cheerfully, "It's just hard to see how pretty it is when, well, you can't exactly see anything more than a metre away. I just don't see- haha- why you would even bother with fog if all it does is cause accidents and such, but I'm sure I'm missing something here."

"Agreed, there is no need to apologies fair maiden."

Golden winked at the smaller pony and then turned to the older one.

"But the fog is actually a much needed phenomenon. You see up until Shadow became a weather Pegasia, we've never been able to create fog and that upset a bit of the balance here in Equestria. You see Fog it's self is in essence low laying cloud, but its more than that. Its also natures feather duster if you will. It scrubs the air clean of any dirt hanging in the air as well as picking up acids from soil and such. Fog is used to clean the land in a slow but effective measure, but as I'm sure you know, fog can't pick up large objects. Thats where you Earth ponies come in. The running of the leaves for instance. Us Pegasia can't create weather that would strip the trees of their leaves, like that of your hoofs. Its quite a complex cycle... That is now making my head hurt... But anyway, what would such fine maidens such as your-self's be doing out here so early in the morning?

Well, I..." ShadowFall hesitated. There were reasons for fog, but for some reason her mind would not remember them right now. She berated herself for her nerves and her shyness. At least the little filly seemed to share her uncertainty. Golden Bolt had no trouble it seemed and Shadow offered him a grateful smile as he explained. She blushed a little as he called her "fair maiden". She didn't often have people calling her such nice things.

"It should fade with the sun," she added. "So it'll be gone before too many ponies are about." She honestly hoped it didn't cause accidents. That would be dreadful and all her fault!

"All seems rather complex to me," White Woods laughed, shaking her head, "I'm more familiar with actual feather dusters. Anyway, we're out here because I haven't been outside for the longest while, and Something-Something is here so that I don't fall over. Had a bad accident, I'm afraid."

Something mumbled in response.

"What was that, Something?"

The filly looked up, eyes wide and shook her head. "N-nothing, White!"

"Now try honesty, Nameless," White scolded, a little cross.

A pause, then, "Making mist must be pretty hard if you're the only pony that can do it, miss," she said, "But the weather ponies must be pretty slack if they can only do it now."

White sighed. "I think these ponies would understand if you have an opinion, Something-Something. There's no need to be embarrassed about it."

"Making mist must be pretty hard if you're the only pony that can do it, miss," she said, "But the weather ponies must be pretty slack if they can only do it now."

Golden leaned in as the smaller pony talked softer and softer. Only catching small bits of what she said. 'weather ponies', 'slack' 'only now'. Golden put one and one together and laughed heartily.

"I think these ponies would understand if you have an opinion, Something-Something. There's no need to be embarrassed about it."

Golden smiled at the ponies before talking further.

"She's right. You do have a right to your own opinion and I also agree. The art of making fog and mist had been lost by the pegasia many years ago and I was always searching for the key to making it, mean while, my key was in fact Shadow. I'm all to proud to say she's part of the weather team. and as you can see, shes does a great job of it."

ShadowFall nodded at Something, blushing a little at being singled out. She didn't mind opinions at all, frankly, though she wasn't sure how to respond to it. Being raised in Canterlot, she was still learning the ins and outs of weather ponies, much less they'd been doing in previous years. Golden Bolt had no such trouble of course, so she let him talking, pawing the ground nervously at the praise. "It's nothing really," she insisted. "I just try my best."

Hoping to change the subject, Shadow offered White Woods a small smile. "How...how do you like walking in the park?" she asked. She almost asked how the other pony had hurt herself, but that might not have been a good subject. Her alternative probably wasn't very interesting though.

"Can't stand it. Boring as Tartarus," White joked, before bursting into laughter, "No, seriously, it's fine. You meet interesting ponies, that's for sure. Especially..." She motioned to the maid outfits she and Nameless were wearing. "...in these. Sometimes strange glances, other times wolf whistles...one time a firery one called me a sl- mare of negotiable affection." She looked at Nameless cautiously, but the filly was too busy being wary.

"And Something-Something doesn't go outside for mere fun do you? Eh?" White grabbed her in a half embrace half leaning on position, "No, it's always 'task this', 'duty that'. Loyal has you on too tight a leash, foal."

"And you have me in too tight a hug, Miss Woods."

White laughed and let the filly go.

"No, it's always 'task this', 'duty that'. Loyal has you on too tight a leash, foal."

Golden smiled as the two, mares gave a small embrace and suddenly felt a little chilly. So he sidled up to Shadow and gave her a warm hug, hoping to gather some heat into his bones from the embrace.

"If you don't mind me asking. Whose Loyal?"

Asked Golden, completely forgetting he was hugging Shadow. The warmth from her body allowed his mind to drift off into its own world.

"Really?" ShadowFall took a moment to look at White and Something's outfits. They didn't look so bad to her, though she hardly wore clothes except for formal occasions. The idea of strange stallions calling out to her in such a fashion was frightening though. "I don't think they look bad," she said softly.

She glanced at Golden Bolt as he moved closer. She didn't mind the cold so much, but that was probably because she spent so much time out at night. She shrugged with a small smile, and looked back at the other mares, curious to see how they would answer his question.

The maids glanced at each other, then around the park, as though looking for something.

"She isn't there, is she?" White asked, carefully.

"It is foggy," Nameless responded calmly, "But she did have duties inside, so she shouldn't be following us."

"You can't be too sure, with her," White sighed, " She's our boss. The head maid, mare of steel. She's a lot of things, but kind and forgiving do not appear on that particular list."

"But she's not a bad mare," Nameless said defensibly, "I'd trust her with my life."

"If she likes you, she's alright," White admitted, "Loyal by name and all that. She just doesn't like many ponies." She was still looking around uncertainly, feeling very awkward and wanting the subject to change.

Nameless sensed her uneasiness, and decided to take lead of the conversation despite her nervousness. "So are you two- um, are you two...together?"

"So are you two- um, are you two...together?"

There was a sudden realization for Golden that his hoof was still around Shadows neck. He slowly put his hoof back on the ground, smiling sheepishly. He could feel how his cheeks were heating up and turning a very telling red. Thoughts of Shadow danced around Golden's head. He remembered when he was with Shadow the first time she cleared clouds from the sky, he remembered her blushing face when he was so surprised at how well she cleared the skies. He remembered dumping a rain cloud on her head in Canterlot. He remembered camp, when he first met Shadow. He remembered how she looked when she first became a weather pony. He remembered how she looked into his eyes with her beautiful dark blue eyes. He remembered wanting to kiss her, but not having the guts to do it.

The thought of being with Shadow sent butterflies into Golden's stomach. He opened his mouth to say "yes". Everything in his body told him to, but his head was fighting a war with his body. 'Saying yes after not even asking her opinion on the matter? Are you crazy?! You'll never be able to be with her if you do that!'

Going with his head, Golden decided to say something else.

"Well yes, together in the sense that we've always known each other, but, but as friends."

Stammered Golden.

"We've known each other since we were foals. We went to flight camp together. We even both became weather pegasia. So I guess you can say, we've always been together, but not really 'together'."

Golden smiled at Shadow, looking her gently in the eyes, hoping he hadn't embarrassed her, or hurt her feelings.

"She sounds a little scary," ShadowFall agreed, shaking her head. She was glad her supervisor wasn't like that at all, though he could get cranky if ponies were behind schedule. She jumped a little at the next question, her face turning a little pink.

"Well, uh," Shadow watched Golden as he spoke, nodding in agreement. She liked him as a friend, but she wasn't sure about being that close to him just now. "We are very good friends," she agreed.

White looked between the two and chuckled. The stallion's reaction and overanswering suggested something more, and the mare wasn't indifferent, but it was still an amusing question.

"White."

"Hmm, yes, Something-Something?"

"You better keep walking, we can talk whilst you're moving."

"Yeeees, Miss Naameless," White replied, drawing out the phrase like she was answering a school teacher, and started to totter forward. "So, what can we expect from the sky in the next week, weatherponies?"

They would be the only ones in the world who you can talk about the weather with and not feel awkward, White thought.

Golden chuckled nervously, he hoped he hadn't given him-self away.

"So, what can we expect from the sky in the next week, weatherponies?"

Golden smiled, this was more his style.

"Well, this area is under Shadow's control, so you'll have to ask here about the future of the weather her, but for the rest of Equestria, its actually quite calm. No storms are planned anywhere any time soon."

ShadowFall relaxed a little as the subject turned to safer matters. She wouldn't mind a walk herself. It would give her a chance to see more of Centrot Park from ground level instead of above. She nodded as Golden Bolt spoke. "Well," she added, with a shy smile. "The fog should fade by mid morning, then clear skies the rest of the day. I think tomorrow might have a few clouds and light showers though."

"What's the rest of Manehatten like?" she ventured to ask. She'd seen it from the air and it always look so big and crowded. She was curious what it was like to actually live here.

"When it is good, it is very very good, when it is bad, it is horrid," White said simply. "Yes, we might not have the glamour of the other two great cities of Canterlot and Cloudsdale, but what we lack in prettiness we make up for in trade. Almost every resource in Equestria passes through Manehattan, and ponies have become very very rich of the profits? Make it here, and you won't need to make it anywhere else. But..." her voice became quieter. "You know what bits can do to ponies. Especially without a helpful princess keeping eye on things, the rich simply get richer, whilst the poor suffer. Everything has a price here."

"That's why we were...concerned with the fog," Nameless said cautiously, still not sure about voicing her opinion, "Bad ponies like doing...things whilst hidden." the filly looked at Shadow, hoping that her words weren't offensive. White looked unhappy, but didn't object.

"Bad ponies like doing...things whilst hidden."

Golden looked around, peering into the wall of fog. Sure it was quite, but it wasn't eery quiet. Maybe that was just what the ponies wanted just before they striked.

Suddenly Golden felt a bit nervous about the fog.

"Nothing bad happens here right?"

Golden asked. A twang of doubtfulness in his voice.

ShadowFall listened with interest. She'd always wondered about places beyond the two she knew well. She'd heard Manehatten was a trade city, but White's description confirmed it. No wonder they could afford to build such large buildings. It seemed it wasn't without it's own costs though. Shadow was glad she lived in Cloudsdale, where ponies so far were fairly nice.

Shadow looked a little crestfallen at the idea that bad ponies might misuse her pretty fog. She'd never imagined such a thing, but she knew she was young still. "Oh dear," she said sadly. "I...I hadn't thought of that." She glanced around. It looked safe enough for now and she could always pull the fog away if it wasn't. She looked back at Nameless. "Is there a way it could be safer?" she asked tentatively. She wasn't sure it was possible to make the fog safer, but it didn't hurt to ask.

Nameless looked back at Shadow. "With the fog? I don't know, I'm just an earth foal. Central park is mostly free from thugs, though." She shrugged. "It's why we chose to walk here. It's the slums where you don't go. Suicide is fairly common there."

White shot the filly a quick glare then sighed. "Inside joke. We told you that upper class Manehattanite humour isn't funny, Something-Something."

Again, there was a pause.

"By the way..." White started, "You two don't happen to know any snowflake artists personally do you? It's just that our masters are Snowflake collectors, and, well, you know..."

"By the way..." White started, "You two don't happen to know any snowflake artists personally do you? It's just that our masters are Snowflake collectors, and, well, you know..."

Golden shrugged his shoulders at the two ponies.

Sorry, I don't know any of them personally, I just transport the flakes across Equestria."

He gave an apologetic smile.