I believe that with me inviting the Rustfeathers back to stay with me I set in motion the events that would lead my idea of a home. Sure I had rekindled friendships, made new ones and had resumed dating Celestia, but without that sense of familiarity that the Rustfeathers added to the mix the process of me settling in would likely have been much longer. What I’m trying to say is treasure those who genuinely care for you, and I mean in any and all possible meanings of the word care. They may not be able to stand by your side at all times, demanding such can easily enter the realm of the unreasonable. Although don’t be afraid to reach out to them in times of need either.

With Nightmare night having come and gone life once again found its way onto a more normal path. Well almost normal at least, the Rustfeathers had left for their inn in Gryphus on the airship about a week after the events of Nightmare night, but it wasn’t to return there
No, they had declared their intentions to move to Ponyville or Canterlot as they felt that Gryphus wasn’t as safe as it once had been for them. From what Ranger had told me when the two of us had discussed the matter, the trip back would serve two purposes. One being the selling of their old inn and the other was to bring back anything of value from their past home. I had protested at first of course, knowing full well the potential danger such a trip might entail. Only Ranger had been prepared for that and reassured me almost instantly that he still had more than a few favors to call in with the Gryphus guard. So I changed my approach angle and offered to accompany them to serve as extra security, only to be shot down by Ranger’s arguments once more. At that point I had conceded and had asked him about his plans for the future instead. He had just calmly responded that he had received a couple of job offers here in Ponyville and a few directly from Luna as well apparently. Placated, my only response had been to offer my home to them once they returned so that Ranger could figure out the best solution without having to worry about finding a place to live.

Now it had been almost two weeks since they left and I could only assume that things were going according to Ranger’s plans. As the saying went ‘no news are good news’ after all. That didn’t mean I was worried about them at times though, and I would often find myself staring out into empty space on particularly calm days. My home just felt so empty after having had the Rustfeathers living there for so long. The sudden silence that now filled my home seemed deafening at times, but it was by no means a constant, my friends and Tia saw to that I was never truly alone. Yet the times when I found myself staring out into empty space didn’t go away, instead they became more frequent starting to carry a strange sense of familiarity with them whenever I caught myself. It wasn’t until about a week after the Rustfeathers had left that I finally got a clue as to where the feeling of familiarity came from.

I had been visiting Fluttershy, well visiting Hisserton to be precise when I had experienced one of my new lapses in focus. My last action before I my mind had wandered had been to open the door in preparation to leave so I’m not sure if the yellow pegasus noticed that I froze for a moment but it was her voice that snapped me out of it.

“Oh my, seems like the weather team in Canterlot has put together quite the nasty storm for this evening,” She had remarked timidly from beside me as she had observed the mass of dark clouds over the capitol.

I had bid her farewell after that, managing to make it halfway to my home before the possible answer to my momentary lapses in focus struck me. Maybe, just maybe, was there a possibility that my senses were getting stronger. I had thought to myself. After all I had managed to connect my consciousness to the massive storm that had raged in Canterlot during the Star incident. So perhaps it was the storms that caused me to zone out. I had deduced. Intrigued I had closed my eyes and attempted to focus on the distant storm only for nothing to happen. At that point I had already discarded my theory and had resumed walking back to my home, enjoying the contrast of the golden sunset that was taking place in Ponyville and distant rumble of the brewing Canterlot storm.

Two days later I had all but forgotten about Fluttershy’s comment about storms and was about to end the nightshift at Berry’s bar. However this particular night it seemed that the Ponyville weather team had decided to make the sky imitate a massive waterfall. In fact I had already been offered to stay the night at Berry’s place, my stubborn side had made me refuse that though. So as soon my shift had ended I had darted out into the pouring rain intent on getting home as fast as possible, staying dry wasn’t an option though.

I made it about halfway through town when a flash lit up the night and as the following crash of thunder rumbled through the night so did the presence of the storm crash into my consciousness. Suddenly the pouring rain and my soaked clothes didn’t matter anymore, nor did my worries about the Rustfeathers. My world had become the storm, and what a world it was. I felt the raw natural force between the falling rain, the wind and the occasional discharge in the clouds. This ‘natural’ phenomena was uncaring about what it did to its surroundings, its only purpose being to rage until it reached its end. So there I stood, a conduit for the storm, feeling the thrill of the pure force behind the storm and with a mind clear of unnecessary worry. It was a feeling that I had only experienced once before in my life, on a stormy but very different night long ago in Canterlot. I welcomed the feeling back like a long lost friend.

My connection didn’t last long though, seeing how I lost it about four seconds later. And so I was left standing there in the rain, feeling humbled by what I had just been a part of. As I stood there I started to slowly come to the realization that this was very much a part of me, of my inheritance and it was likely that this incident was connected to all those times I had spaced out since coming back. Needless to say I wanted to know more about it, how did my consciousness merge with the storm and how long could I potentially stay merged? And since it was clear that the bouts of spacing out were related to the storms was there a way to block them out? More questions kept appearing so I did the only thing I could think of, I went to visit the most wellread individual I knew of, I went to visit Twilight in the middle of a stormy night to pester her about maps of Equestria and other things I’d need for my research.

Twilight awoke with a start at the sound of somepony alternating between hammering on her door and repeatedly ringing her doorbell. What the hay could be so Celestia darned important at…, she threw a glance at the clock in her room, at half past two? She groaned mentally as she crawled out from her warm, soft bed. A flash of light from outside the window momentarily brought her attention towards the storm currently raging outside before the incessant ringing of the doorbell brought her attention back to the nightly ‘guest’.

“Alright hold on for just one second will you?” She muttered irritably as she started to make her way down to the castle main door.

A few moments later she found herself by the big entrance door where whoever was outside had gone back to hammering on the door again. Stifling a yawn she lit her horn and opened the door slightly so that she could peek outside without the storm inviting itself inside too. What she found though caused her to groan with frustration again though as her nightly guest was none other than Cloud.

She opened the door a bit more so that she could talk to him, well hear his excuse for waking her really. “Cloud it’s in the middle of the night, it’s currently storming and I have to get up early tomorrow. Can’t whatever it is you want wait until tomorrow at least?”

Cloud flashed her a smile, not a sheepish one just his normal smile. “Hello Sparkle butt, do you have any maps of Equestria on hand, and could I borrow one if you do?” He asked, seemingly ignoring her own questions.

She gone from tired to tired and confused now. “I do have such a map, multiple actually. But why do you need a map?”

“Just for a bit of research,” He answered evasively.

Despite her tired state and her mounting confusion she managed to give him one of her best ‘really?’ looks, raised eyebrow and all.

Cloud seemed to notice the look she was giving him rather quickly although it seemed to have next to no effect on him. “Come now Sparkle butt I thought you liked research?” He chuckled.

“I do but-” She had time to say before Cloud suddenly slipped past her and into the castle.

“Great, then let’s get to it!” He proclaimed, marching towards her castle library.

Her feelings were a mix of exasperation and annoyance as she watched her human friend walk further into the castle. “Of course he won’t listen, why did I expect anything else?” She muttered as she started down the path Cloud had taken to her library.

Unfortunately for Twilight she hadn’t paid any attention to the fact that Cloud had in fact been soaked to the bone by the storm outside. And as lady Luck would have it one of Twilight’s hind hooves quickly found a spot were the water dripping off Cloud had pooled on the crystal floor. A surprised yelp escaped her as the aforementioned hoof slipped away under her, causing her to sit down painfully on her rump. The yelp seemed to have caught Cloud’s attention as his head appeared from around the bend where it had disappeared earlier.

“You okay there princess?” He asked as he walked over to where she was sitting, his long legs allowing him to cross the distance in about two seconds.

“Oh I’m just peachy, not at all frustrated that my friend is actively choosing to ignore my attempts to complain.” She replied, her voice thick with sarcasm.

Cloud adopted a weird expression, something between a smile and a frown. “Sarcasm isn’t like you Sparkle butt, now come on there is research to be done.”

She opened her mouth to rebuke him but was cut off as Cloud bent down and picked her up, placing her under one of his arms. She inhaled sharply as she immediately became aware of two things. The first one being just how wet Cloud and Cloud’s clothes were and the second being just how cold he was. With those two facts quickly established she wasn’t slow to voice her complaints.

“Cloud you’re completely drenched and ice cold could you please put me down?”

Cloud who had already begun to walk towards the castle library again came to a stop before looking down at her and then at his soaked clothes and finally back at the wet foot prints he was leaving behind him on the crystal floor. “Huh, so I am,” He said as if just now noticing that not a single part of him was dry.

Twilight found herself facehoofing as her friend set her back onto the floor. Its official, again, my friends are crazy. It was bad enough when I tried to figure out Pinkie, I don’t deserve to be tested like this. She bemoaned her situation as she tried her best to calm down.
Exhaling slowly she turned her gaze back towards Cloud who was currently just observing her, although he still seemed to be quite impatient.

Praying to all known deities on Equus she tried to coerce Cloud into making sense once again. “Alright, so here is how this can go down. One, you can tell me what you need the map for and if it seems important I’ll even help you with your research. If not I’ll just teleport you home so you can come borrow the map tomorrow. Two, you don’t tell me what you intend to do with the map and I teleport you back out into the rain and I’ll sound proof my bedroom so I get some sleep,”

For the first time since Cloud had entered the castle he seemed to lose some of the unnatural energy he had been running on. “Well, this goes all the way back to my first visit really,” He started but came to a contemplative pause, as if he wasn’t sure on how to continue. He was quick to resume talking though when she made an impatient gesture with her hoof. “Okay I’ll make a long story short. Last time I was here I managed to connect, for the lack of a better word, to storms. Well storm like weather really and the most stable and strongest connection I experienced back then was that night in Canterlot. While connected I was able to feel the static build ups before lightning struck, I could sense the air currents in the storm and so on. Since I returned I haven’t experienced anything like that until a few days ago. It started with me spacing out at random and it stayed that way until tonight when I somehow managed to connect with the storm that’s currently going on outside,” He quickly summarized for her, leaving her at a loss for words.

To her credit, or at least she thought so, she collected herself quickly. “I remember you mentioning this… this connection as you call it when you had just returned to Ponyville. I guess I forgot about due to everything else that happened that day,” She murmured mostly to herself before making a decision. “Alright, color me intrigued Cloud, I’m in, although you have yet to explain what you need the maps for. Wouldn’t actual literature pertaining to Storm paragons be of more help?” She relented.

Cloud looked as if he was mentally weighing what she had said before speaking again. “Well yes, although last time I asked about this Luna informed me that most literature related to Storm paragons had been lost ages ago. The maps were more to just confirm whether my lapses in focus are actually me sensing faraway storms or something else,”

She nodded thoughtfully when she heard his reasoning. “An apt assumption and a viable method of testing I suppose, however just a map is going to be next to useless without the Equestrian weather schedule for upcoming days,”

She resisted the urge to facehoof again when a light of realization appeared in Cloud’s eyes at the mention of the weather schedule. “Ah… I hadn’t thought about that,” He admitted sheepishly.

She sighed before speaking up again. “Well no matter, we can probably borrow and or make a copy of Rainbow Dash’s schedule tomorrow. For now why don’t you sit down in the library and start with writing down anything you can think of that might help us research this particular ability of yours,”

Cloud nodded in agreement as he listened to her plan. “Can do, just point me in the direction of your writing utensils,”

“They are in the cabinet just to the left just as you enter the library,” She provided quickly before continuing with a question. “Now I’m going to head over to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee, do you want any?”

“Sure I’ll have some coffee,” He said happily.

“Alright then, you just go ahead and get started and I’ll be with you momentarily,” She told him before walking off towards her new destination.

A few moments later she found herself in castle kitchen, reaching out with her magic to grab some instant coffee and a kettle to boil some water in. Using a quick heating spell she channeled a steady amount of heat towards the bottom of the kettle making the water boil within a minute. This spell, while simple, had helped her many a nights studying when she was still Celestia’s student as it had provided her with warm coffee with minimal downtime.

After adding the coffee powder to a large coffee pot she proceeded to quickly add the water, the steam carrying the pleasant smell of fresh coffee before she put a lid on it. Grabbing two cups form one of the many cupboards she was ready to head back to the library where Cloud had hopefully had some time to collect his thoughts. I’m surprised he came to me to ask for help, wouldn’t Luna or Celestia be the better choice to help him with his abilities. She pondered as her hooves carried her into the corridor that lead to the library. Eh, I guess I shouldn’t complain as I can now study the abilities of the closest thing to a live Storm paragon that I know of. She decided as she reached the door and pushed it open.

“Cloud I have the coffee,” She announced giddily only to find the library empty.

Did he go to the bathroom or something? She wondered as she trotted over to the large central table in the room. She put the coffee and the cups down at the table looking around for any clues as to where her human friend might’ve gone. Suddenly a chilly wind rushed through the library and as she shuddered her eyes were drawn to one of the library windows that was now slightly ajar. Hurrying over she closed the window before any more gusts could threaten her warmth or her precious books. I swear if Cloud doesn’t have a good reason for opening that window he’ll get no coffee from me. She grumbled to herself as she walked back to the table where she had left the thermos. Upon returning she took notice of a small slip of parchment on the floor beneath the table that the wind must’ve carried there. Her curiosity sparked she used her magic to hold it up in front of her. Two things quickly became apparent to her the moment she did that. The first one being that it was a note from Cloud and the second being that he was no longer in the castle. For a moment she wasn’t sure of how exactly she should proceed, but then she just shrugged her wings while magicking the note into a small ball. Said ball then found itself being magically thrown into a nearby trashcan while the alicorn of friendship poured herself some coffee.

“It’s not my problem right now,” She muttered before taking a sip of liquid wakefulness.

Now let’s see if I have any literature on hoof that might be useful. She thought, and soon Cloud’s short note was all but forgotten. A note that had read:

Went to get weather schedule, I’ll be back in a jiffy!

/Cloud

I stood outside Rainbow’s door, knocking on it incessantly as I wanted to get my hands on the weather schedule as soon as possible. The fact that I was more or less repeating the actions I had taken with Twilight just about 20 minutes earlier was completely lost to me. My knocking came to an abrupt stop though when I heard a window above me open with a slight creak. Any other time I would’ve wondered just how it was possible for a cloud to creak but this time I just turned my gaze upwards, just in time to see a groggy looking Rainbow stick her head out of the window. I couldn’t tell for sure due to the low light conditions and still falling rain but it looked like it took her a few seconds to realize that it was me standing down at her door.

“Huh, Cloud? What’s going on? What time is it? Where’s the fire?” She asked before yawning audibly.

I raised a hand to greet her as I flashed her a smile. “Yo Rainbow! It’s around three AM I think and I need to borrow your weather schedule for the entire Equestrian region,”

Silence reigned. “Uh? Rainbow could I borro-” I began but was cut off by the window violently slamming shut, Rainbow’s angry cussing still clearly heard from inside before everything went quiet once more. I was left standing outside Rainbow’s door wondering to myself, was it something I said?

Author's Notes:

Oh my what's this? I updated? Well all I can say is that life got in the way of my writing, and as a result this chapter was stuck on almost finished for far too long. I'd give the rundown of what happened but that's not the reason I'm here for. No I'm here to entertain and thus I hope that you enjoyed the chapter.

Now I haven't started writing the next chapter as of me typing this but I'll give you the preliminary title as always, One step sideways, one step back and one letter sent.