Cloudsdalian-Forged Friendships (RP)

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

OOC: http://mlpforums.com/topic/111837-cloudsdalian-forged-friendships-ooc/?p=3149094

 

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Riley looked up from his Neightendo GameColt and peered through the letter slot in his door. Nothing yet.

 

He once again looked up from his Neightendo GameColt and peered through the letter slot in his door. Still fruitless (like the snacks he usually ate whilst watching movies or playing video games).

 

He was expecting a gift from his aunt and uncle, who lived over in Winsome Falls. 'I'll have to visit them sometime,' he decided. However, this weekend was not an option, because he was going to Cloudsdale.

 

His train of thought was interrupted by a lick on the cheek from his faithful dog, Cookie. Riley chuckled and picked up his pet. "It's okay, Cookie, I haven't gone braindead," he said jovially as he wrapped a wing around Cookie.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Rainbow Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse 

 

Sailing over the wind, piercing through the clouds and flying over the blue ocean, the sound of waves meeting the shore and wind rushing around him filled Zephyr's ears. In the distance, barely visible through the fog and rain that was pouring down from the sky, he saw the grand city of manehatten, with surrounded by the ocean as if it were one giant moat. All the small ships on the water were quickly returning to the docks, as the waves grew larger and the weather more dangerous. Zephyr had waited for the last moment to drop down through the clouds, since above the sheet of clouds the sun shone just as brightly as during a summer's day.

 

Now he was drenched in mere seconds, and the strong currents of the wind made it hard for him to steer into the right direction. Luckily he managed to predict the flow of the wind to arrive on the safety of the ground without being flung off course by the powers of the elements. Having traveled all around equestria in a matter of days, Zephyr was tired, and even a little grumpy. This was the last package of the season. His routine of picking up and delivering messages, gifts and important documents had spread all around the continent, and sometimes even surpassing it's borders.

 

Canterlot, Baltimare, Las Pegasus, Ponyville, Canterlot, Crystal empire, Filly Delphia, Winsome falls, Gryffon Empire, and now Manehatten. One devastating set of destinations, at each location delivering and picking up a package. A carefully selected, efficient route. The courier office had made sure his long-range travelling capacity would be put to use properly, but unfortunately for him, it didn't make it easier for him. The pay was good though, and knowing that it would soon be over and he'd get a few weeks off, he felt happy.

 

Arriving at the final address, he took the package from his convenient flying backpack and rang the doorbell. The package was quite heavy, and he wondered what was inside it. Perhaps a whole lot of bits? Maybe a large book? Or a large bottle of liquor? Fairly often he'd had to deliver small, meaningless gifts to ponies who lives miles away. Long range deliveries, though expensive, seemed popular with everypony... Waiting for the inhabitant of this residence to open the door, he realized that he must look awful. He was drenched, hadn't washed himself in a week or so, and his flying suit wasn't very fashionable either. However, he didn't really care about this. As long as he just delivered this package properly he'd be off in a few minutes, and then he could go home.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Not even a second after the doorbell had been rung, Riley's excited waiting hoof opened it. "Thanks, man!" he said, and took the package. He was just about to open it, when he noticed how extremely drenched the stallion looked.

 

I am sorry to say that he could not stop a giggle escaping. "Oh dear..." he said. "Why don't you come in and get dry?" he offered. "That is, if there's nothing else you have to do today." Riley was a hospitable fellow, and it was the least he could do after this particular deliverypony had travelled all the way from Celestia-knows-where just to deposit this package.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Rainbow Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

Zephyr almost fell over from surprise when the door opened immediately. He hadn't expected this pegasus to be standing right in front of the door. The package was grabbed from his hooves and eagerly started to open it. Thinking that his delivery was completed, he was about to turn around, when the stallion let out a giggle, looking at him. Zephyr looked behind him, but saw nothin even remotely funny. Then he realised that he was propably laughing about him.

 

When Zephyr got offered to come inside, he was almost immediately inclined to decline, and he was about to open his mouth, but then he changed his mind. This was his last delivery, and it would be quite a while before he'd be home. It would be great to relax here for a moment, perhaps wait until the rain was over. "I uhh..." He muttered. Not sure if he should decline out of politeness anyway, he observed the pegasus in front of him. Eyes shining with sincerity and innocence, he knew that the stallion in front of him had meant his offer. "Sure. That'd be very nice..."

 

Slowly, and a bit uncertain, Zephyr stepped inside this unkown stallions house. The rain ticking against the windows and on the roof was a restful sound, and he immediately felt quite cosy, knowing that he was shielded away from the rain and the cold now. "Thanks a lot. I uhh... My name is Zephyr. Zephyr Stormwing." He said a little awkwardly, and he stood there for a moment, uncertain of what he should do or say next. His suit was still dripping with wetness, and so was his mane. He struggled to ignore the reflex of shaking it all out, since that would make this generous stallions' house a mess.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

"Nice to meet you, Zephyr. And thanks for delivering this package," said Riley appreciatively. "Riley. Riley Blythe," he introduced himself, shaking the deliverypony's hoof.

 

Riley left Cookie to inspect the new houseguest whilst the blonde-maned Pegasus eagerly unwrapped the package. It turned out to be a vase made from some of the rainbow in one of the many rainbowfalls in Winsome Falls. The colours could be seen shifting around.

 

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, and propped the vase onto the table in front of the sofa.

 

He looked back at Zephyr. "Want a towel?" he asked.

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

Shaking the enthusiastic pegasus hoof, who he now knew was called Riley, he wondered why someone so random, a total stranger, could be so kind to him. He zipped open his suit from his neck to the middle of his torso, giving him some air. He then took off his helmet and goggles and placed them carefully on a small cabinet nearby, making sure they didn't leave any dirty or wet spots on Riley's furniture.

 

While he heard Riley open up his package, a dog approached him and looked at him with curiosity. As the animal inspected him, he inspected it. He smiled and petted it gently. "Your dog is nice." He said a little absentmindedly. "What's he called?" He looked to see Riley place a rainbow-colored vase on his lounge table in front of his couch. That must've been in the package. Those were of high quality. Not an everyday gift.

 

Then Riley offered to bring him towel. "That would be great yeah. Thanks a lot again..." He answered. He wouldn't dare step away from the door too far before being properly dried down, otherwise he'd make a mess.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

"Your dog is nice. What's he called?"

 

"That's Cookie!" answered Riley. Cookie gave a happy bark of confirmation.

 

In response to Zephyr's acceptance of Riley's offer to give him a towel, Riley said, "Coming right up!" and flew upstairs. He came back down and handed Zephyr a towel.

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

Taking the towel off Riley's hooves, he quickly dried down his dripping mane and squeesed the rain out of his tail. Riley's doormat was quite wet now, but at least he didn't drench the entire house. Taking off his flight suit and hanging it over a coatrack to dry, he stepped further into Riley's house, being mostly dry now. Entering his living room he looked around, but his tiredness drew him almost immediately to the couch in the middle of the room. Looking at the peculiar vase that he had just delivered, he felt a little mesmerised. "So this vase..." He said a little dreamy. "Who sent it to you?"

 

He'd gone through a significant amount of trouble to get it here, so he would like to know where it had actually come from. He was always surprised that every delivery he made had a story to it. Sadly he didn't always get to hear it, but this time he got the oppertunity to get to know his client, so he seized it. "Just wondering..." He added softly.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

"That was from my aunt and uncle!" answered Riley, taking a glance at the pretty vase on the table. "Who, as you may or may not know already, live all the way over in Winsome Falls. I gotta think of something to send to them..."

 

Riley's uncle was an Earth Pony, and his aunt was a Unicorn. They had both expressed interest in seeing what life was like for the Pegasi high up in the sky. Perhaps he could use that in deciding what to do for them.

 

He trotted over to the couch and sat down in the butt-groove he had perfected there all that time ago. "Come on in, make yourself at home! I'm interested in hearing about your day, and what it's like for a deliverypony who has to do all that travelling around."

 

Riley hoped he was coming off as simply a kind, generous fellow, and not some creepy stalker...

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse,

 

 

 Riley's hospitality and kindness surprised Zephyr even more now. So much that he was getting slightly suspiscious. "Maybe this stallion wants something from me... He's a little strange." For a moment Zephyr hesitated, but then he disposed of the thought. He reckoned this was just Riley's way of getting to know other ponies, and to be honest he was perfectly fine with it. Relaxing a little and leaning back in the couch, enjoying the comfort of a warm house in the rain, he answered Riley's question.

 

"Well you see, I've got quite a strange flying technique. My wings are kind of big as you may have noticed..." He said as he rustled the feathers of the large wings that he had wrapped against his sides. "It makes speeding up quite hard, but I can reach greater heights and float on the currents of the wind." He explained. No matter how introverted he was, he loved explaining his strange but very useful talent. "Up in the sky above the clouds I can go really fast without much effort. Because of that I can travel long distances without getting too tired. That's why the courier service assigns me to almost all of the long range deliveries that have a high priority. Apparently your Aunt and Uncle wanted you to get that vase real quick, because I'm not the cheapest of couriers!" He said with a slight smile on his face.

 

"But being on the road..." he smirked. "Or moreso in the air all the time makes it hard to make some friends. I get one week off every month, but the other days I am usually just flying all around Equestria." He stared at the vase a little, losing himself in it's swirling colours. "But I guess sometimes you have these clients who are friendly enough to invite you in." Looking up at Riley he gave him a thankful look. "I really appreciate that."

 

Realising he had been talking far too much already, he quickly threw a question for Riley to answer. "But what do you do for a living? Are you studying or do you have a job? Or are you searching for work here in Manehatten?"

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Riley nodded as he listened intently to Zephyr's explanation. "Yup, didn't take long for me to notice those wings of yours," he commented.

 

"Are you studying or do you have a job? Or are you searching for work here in Manehatten?"

 

"I work at Manehattan Novelty Store," explained Riley. "As you may have figured, it's a joke shop. My parents often go 'tut-tut' and say I 'need to get a real job', but excuse me, it's my life and I'll do what I want with it, thank you very much."

 

"I go to Ponyville once a month," he went on. "Sometimes it's just your Plain Joe average weekend, or sometimes an adventure pops up." He smirked. "If you talk to my friend, Anala Elderberry, she'll tell you all about an adventure she once went on." He gave Zephyr a business card for Anala's archery business. It included her phone number. "By the way, I love her," he added.

 

"I leave tomorrow, but I'm thinking of going to Cloudsdale this time around."

Edited October 26, 2014 by Rainbow Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse

 

Zephyr could relate to Riley when he spoke of his parents. "Well as long as it pays enough for you to keep taking care of yourself. I mean you basically work in sales, how's that not a real job! T'might not be a very well-paid job but it's a job and it seems like a fun one too!" He reassured Riley, making sure he didn't feel uncomfortable about his occupation. He respected him for doing what he wanted. "My parents didn't agree with me joining the couriers either. They told me it would be too much of a 'lonesome job' and that I wouldn't meet enough ponies, but the pay is amazing and so is the view from up there! We made peace about it too though. I hope you have too. It's awful to be in conflict with your own parents..."

 

Riley talked a bit about his 'friend' and he struggled to keep in a chuckle, though again he could relate to Riley. Love was tough, so he wouldn't bother him with it. He took the card and placed it on the table, making a mental note to remember sticking it in his backpack later on. When Riley mentioned going to Cloudsdale for the weekend, his eyes brightened. "Well I live there! I could return you the favour and let you stay at my place for a night or two if you want. It's kind of a mess though..." He said, a little ashamed of his own sudden enthusiasm. He had already grown to like Riley a little. He seemed like a guy he could hang around with, and he didn't have a lot of friends anyway, so why not make a new one.

Edited October 19, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

'Well, isn't that convenient!' thought Riley.

 

"You do? Sure, I'd be happy to be your roommate for a couple days!" replied Riley enthusiastically. He pointed to his packed bags. "I'll need to ask Princess Twilight to cast a spell on my stuff so that it doesn't just fall through."

 

He looked at the clock. "Shall we catch a train now? Or wait until tomorrow?" he asked. "I'll need to ask my parents to look after Cookie," he said, gesturing to his dog.

 

"And don't take what I said the wrong way. I actually got on well with my parents most of the time," he added.

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse

 

Instinctively, Zephyr looked at the clock like Riley did. It was already quite late. "If we catch a train now we'll probably have to sleep on it." He said, still looking at the clock. "But uh... If it's okay with you I could crash here for one night. I can sleep on the couch. Otherwise both of us would have to sleep in the not-so-comfy trainbooths..." He explained, feeling a little awkward having to ask Riley to sleep over.

 

"If you don't want me to I could always search a hotel nearby. I mean it's quite a big city, there must be one fairly close." He said, looking out the window, the rain still pouring down, ticking against it. As always he found it a bit of a dreamy sound. It made him feel a little tired and sleepy. You always appreciated the shelter of a house much more when it rained outside.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

"Good point," said Riley. Trains weren't the comfiest place to sleep. Sure, he could always take a sleeping bag, but those would never be the same was warm, cosy beds.

 

"I'd be happy for you to sleep here tonight," Riley told Zephyr, smiling brightly. "The guest room is the door furthest from the stairs."

 

He yawned. "I'm sure you must be tired from all that delivering your job demands," he commented. "Still, anything else you wanna do tonight?"

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

Feeling relieved that Riley had a guest room in his house, he knew that he would get a good night's sleep tonight. "Yeah, flying around all day can be tiring. Like I said, I sometimes spend entire nights up in the air." Zephyr thought of all the nights he had spent flying under the night sky, amazed with all the stars and planets he could see when he flew above the clouds.

 

Suddendly he got an idea. "I have an idea! It's uh... A surprise. But we'll have to go outside and fly a little. Do you have something you can wear in the rain and cold to keep yourself warm and dry while you're flying like my flight suit? I promise you it'll be worth it!" He explained. An excited look adorned his face, hoping that Riley would give in. Flying in a storm was quite dangerous, but if he gave Riley a few directions they'd be fine... At least that's what he thought. "After that we can go to be and we'll go to Cloudsdale in the morning..."

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Riley thought about it for a few seconds. "Well, I do get rather warm when wearing my Nightmare Night costume..."

 

He flew upstairs and came back down with a costume of a pink fluffy bunny.

 

"But I'm not sure it would be very efficient for flying..." he said.

 

'Ooh, I wonder what he's got planned?' thought Riley. Zephyr had used "flying suit" as a comparison, so it could only involve flying.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Rainbow Eclipse

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

When Riley returned form upstairs with a very strangely colored flying suit in his hooves, he sat up straight. "Why is your-?" He started, but then he saw what it actually was. Bursting out in laughter, he could already imagine what Riley would look like flying in his costume in the rain outside. He quickly stopped however, trying not to insult Riley. "Well, I guess it would work... But if you catch a cold don't blame me..." He said, still fighting to keep in his laughter.

 

He stood up and walked back to the front door where he had left his own flying suit and started to put it on again. It was still quite wet, but it would keep him warm outside. And they wouldn't be out for long. "Hurry up!" He said in excitement. He opened the door but stood inside for just a moment. "You ready?" He asked Riley, with a grin adorning his face.

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

"In a sec!" called Riley from inside the house. One last limb to pop through the appropriate hole, and Riley's costume was on.

 

He hopped outside to Zephyr in his bunny costume. "How do I look?" he asked. He bent down and poised his rump into the air and shook the bunny tail. "I'm ready to... fly through the sky dressed as a bunny."

 

He stopped and thought. "Wait, that's not a pun."

[Scribblegroove 565]

@@Rainbow Eclipse, 

 

Zephyr was looking outside, trying to measure to which extent it would be difficult to fly for them. There was a very strong wind, but he could defnitely see a few upward air currents that they could make use of to fly fairly easily. It would of course be one hell of a flight. They would be cold and wet, and probably exhausted once they got back, but the weather wasn't anything life-threatening.

 

As consumed as he was with his preparations for the flight that at first he didn't really pay mind to Riley standing next to him. Hearing his voice dimly, it took him a few seconds to realise what Riley had actually said. "A bunny?" He thought. Looking down, he saw Riley in one of the most preposterous and hillarious costumes he could've ever seen. The fact that Riley genuinely thought that this would help him stay warm and dry in this weather, and that he seemed to enjoy wearing it made it even more funny. His lips curled up in a smile and he tried not to laugh. "PFFF... Well..." He giggled softly and was clearly struggling to stop himself from bursting out in a laughing fit. "I guess it's better than nothing." For a moment he was tempted to make fun of Riley, but he wasn't sure he would take it well. They had only just met, so he decided against it.

 

"Right then." He said with a more serious tone of voice. "If we're going to do this, you're going to have to follow me very closely. Fly exactly where I'm flying. I will guide you through the storm. Eventually we'll get really high, and it will be harder to fly there. If you can't take it anymore, just grab my tail and hang on..." He looked down at Riley with a smirk on his face. "Do try to keep yourself up in the air though. I'm not going to say it's not dangerous, but if you do as I say the chance of getting hurt is small."

 

Without warning, Zephyr jumped out into the rain, perched his flying goggles on his eyes and took off. Though at first flying slowly he gained speed rather quickly. First he headed a little bit to the left, across the street and over to a small park. From the open space there he started to fly almost straight up. He checked behind himself now and then to see if Riley was still following him. "Keep it up, it's only going to get worse from here!" He screamed through the clattering rain and howling wind. Then he tensed his muscles for a tough, steep climb to the clouds above them. In the distance the sound of thunder could be heard...

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Riley listened intently to Zephyr's instructions. "Got it!" he said at last, nodding. Clearly, this was going to be a tough task, so it was a good thing Zephyr was there to guide him through it and save his sorry flank if he ended up in trouble. He placed his flying goggles on in a way filled to the brim with swag.

 

And when the broad-winged Pegasus stallion took off, the regular-wing-sized Pegasus flew after him.

 

As his teacher picked up speed, so did Riley. He ended up knocking a stallion over. "Watch it!" the stallion yelled after him.

 

Riley turned his head and called, "Sorry!"

 

When he turned back around, he was headed straight for a tree, which he swerved past to dodge.

 

He put in the extra effort to catch up with Zephyr, and was now flying straight upwards. Knowing that the thunder would probably fry him to a crisp if he compromised even the slightest bit of focus, he concentrated.

 

This scene would look epic if he wasn't dressed as a pink bunny.

[Scribblegroove 565]

@Rainbow Eclipse

 

 

As they flew through the cloudbed, currents got stronger, air got lighter and temperatures dropped down rapidly. It became a lot heavier to keep going higher, and Zephyr began to breathe more heavily. He looked behind himself again and saw Riley in his wake. As hillarious as the situation looked, he was too concentrated to laugh about it now.

 

The sound of thunder suddendly seemed a lot closer. Still quite far, but unlike earlier there was a flash now too. Reckoning it would cause too much trouble for them as long as they kept ascending, he kept on flying steadily.

 

A few minutes they had flown, and temperatures had dropped to the point of freezing. Knowing that his wings would support him well enough to get all the way above the clouds, he wasn't too worried about himself. Riley however would soon run out of lift in the thin atmosphere, and with breathing becoming more difficult flying might become impossible for him in a moment. Slowing down a little, he neared Riley. The weather had calmed down a little at their current height, and it barely rained anymore, it was simply humid and cold, but he still had to shout over the wind rushing by. "Grab my tail!" He yelled, slowing down a little more to make sure Riley could reach it. "Now!" He screamed, a little worried that Riley would drop down in exhaustion. Looking up again, he saw their destination coming closer and closer. They were almost there...

Edited December 8, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove,

 

Riley could feel the various changes in the atmosphere. 'Now I know how a popsicle feels,' he mused as he felt the freezing temperature. He surely would have turned into a popsicle himself if it weren't for his thick bunny costume giving him that ever so slight bit of heat.

 

'How did Zephyr get those awesome wings anyway?' he wondered. He passed it off as a lucky gene incident, just as Riley himself had been born a Pegasus to two Earth Ponies.

 

Zephyr's wings certainly explained how the courier Pegasus was holding up in this sort of weather. 

 

When Riley was instructed to grab Zephyr's tail, Riley did so. There was no time to ask, "Promise not to fart?".

[Scribblegroove 565]

@Rainbow Eclipse

Starting to pull the extra weight out of the current of the wind and storm, he carried them to the eye of the storm, where the wind wouldn't be as strong. Still ever so slightly going up, they slowly flew through the mist of the clouds, it's humidity streaking against their faces, slowly drenching the clothing.

And then they surfaced, as if from an ocean, from the top of the clouds. Around and below them fluffy grey and white clouds swirled, but below them it seemed calm. There was no more howling wind, and the sounds of the city below them couldn't heard either. All they heard was the occasional rumbling of thunder in the background, and near-perfect silence, only a soft breeze breaking the illusion.

Above them, a bizzarely clear sky showed all the stars as bright as they could be. Withou any other lights or scenery obstructing their view, it was almost a piece of beautiful art. The sense of tranquility added to the effect of the night sky above them. This was the view Zephyr had almost every night. He smiled.

Looking at Riley dangling below him, he laughed and shouted. "WHOOOO!" His voice echoing over the vast emptiness of space. "Now isn't this view worth the flight!?" He said, looking at the clouds around him, lit up by the stars and the moon.

"This is my world Riley. Pretty cool isn't it!" He said softly, breathing heavily, his wings slowly flapping to keep them floating in the air. "I suppose you can fly by yourself here. Take your time and relax a little." He wouldn't admit it, but Riley hanging on to his tail started to hurt. "The way down will be even more difficult..."

Edited December 10, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Rainbow Eclipse 3,926]

@@Scribblegroove, 

 

If it weren't for his heavy panting, Riley would have gaped as he watched the view. It was extra-clear with stars twinkling bright, and the fact that the noises of the city were not audible adde to the effect that Zephyr had just taken him to an entireky new world, and a stunning one at that.

 

"Wow," was all that he managed to muster. "Thanks, Zephyr. This is awesome!"