Rainbow was in a rush to eat breakfast in the morning, before heading off to help with the beginning of the heavy snows to roll in winter. She looked happy and well rested, I tried to give the impression of being the same, though I couldn't avoid a few yawns. After she left, though, I had a nice leisurely shower before bracing myself for the cold.

I didn't have fur of my own, at least nothing worth mentioning, and the silk dress was a horrible choice in the snow. So I hurried to Rarity's boutique to get some winter wear, letting the activity keep me from freezing entirely. I should have been better prepared, but the seasons changed so swiftly here. The fashionista already had my order and the materials were in, but she hadn't been able to complete them before the snows came.

I knocked on the door as a courtesy, but didn't wait for an answer, letting myself into the little shop, and closing the door swiftly to keep out the snow. "Hey, Rarity? Do you have my coat ready yet?"

"Cloud? I've finished the cuts, but I'm still stitching it, darling," she called down from the second floor. "Do stay inside while you wait. It will only be an hour, two at the most. Sweetie, dear, will you see to our guest?"

"Of course, sis!" the younger unicorn agreed before making her way down the stairs. "Hi, Cloud! Would you like some tea?"

"Please," I accepted. "I've gotten quite a taste for tea parties lately." I laughed a bit.

"How could you not?" she said as she lead the way, starting the water to boil and bringing everything else into position. I was surprised for a moment to see her doing so like an earth pony would with hooves and mouth, before remembering that she was too young to use her horn yet. "Oh, that's right. I forgot. You used to be a colt, right?"

"Close enough," I allowed, taking a seat. "Are you out of school while the snow falls?"

"Mmmhmm," she confirmed. "Which is great, because now my new club can have plenty of time to meet. Well, if our caretakers will let us." She glanced up at Rarity's approximate location as a gesture.

"New club? What's all this then?" I inquired, glad for the small talk to keep things moving. I didn't want to work out in my silk dress, which was about my only other idea to pass the time without distracting Rarity.

"Well, it all started at Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera," she began. Before I could ask the obvious she clarified. "It's a party to celebrate a colt or filly discovering their special talent and earning their cutie mark. I umm... well, Spike was looking for a chance to hang out, so I invited him along to it."

"Dragons don't get cutie marks, do they? It seems like an awkward event for him, unless everyone had dates," I mused.

"Not everypony," Sweetie Belle admitted. "Okay, I was the only one. Honestly, though? I was just hoping he would distract everypony from my umm... blank flank."

"Blank flank?" I asked. "Aren't those really common in your age group?"

"Well, kind of. So many of our classmates have already gotten their cutie marks. I was starting to think I was the only one who hadn't! But at least I had a date!" she explained. "Was it... wrong to use Spike like that?"

"Yes. But did he at least have a good time?" I asked as I poured the tea for us. "Anyways, Apple Bloom doesn't have her cutie mark either, last I saw. Isn't she in your class?"

"You already know Apple Bloom?" she asked before facehoofing. "Of course you do, you've been living with the Apples. I didn't notice her at first. Spike actually proved to be quite the attention getter. Nopony else there had actually ever met a dragon before, not up close at any rate. They all wanted to get to know him, but he was sweet enough to fend them off and try to keep his attention on me. But then Diamond Tiara got upset."

"I don't believe I've met her. You said it was her party?" I prompted.

"Yeah... she and her friend just got their cutie marks recently. Their parents are quite rich, so they invited everypony to come celebrate, rather than just a few friends and family," she said. "But when they saw Spike and I were getting a lot of attention, they came and started teasing us, saying my flank would be blank just as long as his, things like that. Spike was moving to defend me when Scootaloo leapt to my defense instead. She's a pegasus filly from my class, who's a blank flank just like me. She said we were just full of potential, and we could be anything! Then Apple Bloom joined in, along with Spike. Everypony cheered us on."

She paused a moment, remembering her triumph happily. I let her savor it a minute or so before I prompted her further. "And then what happened?"

"Oh, the spoiled rich foals kicked us out," Sweetie said with a shrug. "We decided to make ourselves a club to go develop our potential together, just the four of us. We're going to try all kinds of things and see what we like, and what we're good at. And then work hard to become the best ponies in all of Ponyville. Actually we named ourselves after your group."

"Really?" I asked. Did our group even have a name?

"The 'Elements of Greatness'," Sweetie Belle announced triumphantly.

I couldn't help but smile. I reached in and ruffled her mane a bit, laughing. "I'm sure you'll live up to that in no time."

"Thanks-" she began before Rarity's voice interrupted.

"Oh, Cloud,~" she requested. "Can you come up here for your final fitting? We'll have this looking perfect on you in a second!"

Tromping through the snow in my new boots, I wondered why I hadn't thought to have Rarity make shoes for me before this point. I'd need to work with her on more practical designs in general though, as these were well suited to handling the cold snow, but would be awful in a fight. Even in the snow, I'd probably kick them off and go barefoot. On the other hand, they went beautifully with my heavy fur coat, itself a light blue that matched my eyes, highlighted with fluffy cloud-white lining. That it resembled my marefriend's fur was probably not a coincidence, even if it was a noticeably different shade.

I considered stopping by the library to check in with Spike, but I felt a need to make more progress on my house, so I left it alone for now. It took long enough swinging by Sweet Apple Acres for a change of clothing and to pick up my tools.

When I had left it, the house consisted of a large square of concrete with four large wooden poles in the corners, the main supports around which the rest would be built. When I arrived, vines had crept all over both, the rest of the clearing was considerably shrunken, and there was a mess of wood in the middle of my foundation.

As I reached the edge of the concrete, a fierce breeze made me suddenly upwind and the mass of wood began to stir, rising and separating into a half dozen four-legged forms that began to snarl at me, spreading out to encircle me. My sword was quick to enter my hand, despite the fleeting thought that the axe might be a better choice. In combat, familiarity counted for a lot, and I was much more familiar with the heft of a sword in my hands.

The wooden creatures charged at me, starting from the two in front of me. My first swing smashed the first one to bits, but the second was able to close enough to bite into my arm, doing little harm but hanging onto it in a spot that made it troublesome to engage. I ignored it for the moment, favoring easier targets.

With a surge of magic, I lit the next one on my left on fire, hoping wooden monsters would be quite vulnerable to fire. It was, in a sense, but being bitten on the leg by a wooden creature that was on fire hurt more, rather than less. Whatever sense of pain it might have had was not enough to deter it.

With a roundhouse kick, I wielded the flaming predator as a weapon, slamming it into the two beasts approaching me from behind, shattering both and leaving some of their component sticks aflame. That was enough to dislodge the first burning beast, but another of the creatures leaped onto my back, biting at the back of my head and giving me a nasty headache to go with my wounds.

I rushed a nearby tree, swinging my arm to smash the one wolf-like creature into it, and spinning to slam the one on my back into it. The former splintered into pieces, while the second was merely painfully dislodged. I paused to cast another spell, pouring more fire on the flaming creature charging toward me, finally burning it badly enough for it to collapse into a pile of ashes.

I turned back to the larger creature I had knocked off my back, only to see I had to look up at it now. The loose branches and sticks from those I had smashed apart were gathering into it, combining into a massive beast, even more distinctly wolf like in shape than before. I had to do something fast, something dramatic to turn the fight.

The mako began to stir within me. The magic. I knew what to do. Pushing myself to the limit, I rushed the beast, magic flowing through me, through my arms, through my blade. With a quick sequence of slashes, I carved air and wood, marking the sigil. 凶 Misfortune. The curse bled into the monster's body, freezing it up, leaving it unable to fight, at least for a short time. But a short time was all I would need.

Even as I was finishing the job, the wind went decidedly still, and a feeling of being watched became noticeably only from its sudden absence. I looked around when I could afford the moment to do so, but there were no tracks but my own in the lightly snow-dusted ground.

"Cloud? Cloud! Are you okay?" Fluttershy called out, much louder than she normally spoke. She rushed forward when she saw me, sitting by my firepit.

"I'm fine, 'Shy. A few scratches and burns, nothing that won't heal easily enough," I said. I turned the spits with the few rodents I had caught, self consciously. The animal lover didn't seem to notice.

"I saw the smoke coming from where you were building, and I just got worried," she said. "But I guess it was just your firepit. Are you going to eat all those?"

"I was planning on it. I didn't think ponies liked meat," I replied.

"Oh, we don't," she said, but seemed satisfied with my answer. "You really should let somepony check your injuries though. How did you get them?"

"Same way I got the firewood," I said. "Some wood monsters attacked me."

"Timberwolves!" she named. "You should be careful, they can be really dangerous..." she let the thought fade as she looked at the firepit with new understanding. "I guess... I forget sometimes how strong you are."

The fire crackled on for a few moments of silence as the wind moaned through the surrounding trees.

"I'm stronger with friends. I wish somepony had been there to help me," I admitted. "I'm still going to need Rarity's help," I said, pointing out my ill fated coat hanging from a branch nearby.

She frowned at the damaged clothing before nuzzling my arm. I started gently petting her head, enjoying the softness of her fur, the closeness of her company. It felt like a hug, but without the pain that a hug would likely entail at that moment.

"You better not be cheating on me!" a familiar voice rang out before Rainbow Dash swooped down, threatening to put out the fire with the gush of wind from her rapid descent, nearly starting a fire with the embers she blew free. Fluttershy pulled away, looking cowed, while Dash came and gave me a hug, earning a grunt of pain from me.

"Hi Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said quietly. "I was just checking on Cloud because of the smoke. She was attacked by timberwolves!"

"I thought you were supposed to be fast, but you missed the fight entirely," I teased as I rescued my meal from the fire.

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Rainbow asked, finally checking me over.

"I'm fine, though I could use some barbecue sauce," I said.

"Why?" she said, looking confused and glancing at my skewers of cooked flesh. I doubt she knew what she was looking at, but she gave a nod and flew away.

"Well, maybe I should get going," Fluttershy said, turning to leave.

"Thanks for checking on me," I said. "Things can get rough out here. You know that better than most ponies."

Fluttershy nodded, pointing at the skewers. "You're not my only friend who eats meat," she pointed out. "I know how it is out here. Be safe, Cloud."

She barely made it out of the clearing before Rainbow returned, the speedster earning the respect she demanded in that regards at least. "Here you go, babe. Mind if I have one?"

I applied the packets of sauce to my meal. "No, but are you sure you want to? This isn't exactly pony cuisine," I said.

"Why wouldn't I want to try my marefriends' cooking?" she challenged, taking one and biting into it. "This is... this is really, what's the word? Savory? What's in this, anyways? Tastes a little like a hayburger."

"Pure muscle," I said before starting into my own.

"Hahah, I can see how this would help you build muscle, but seriously, what's it made of?" she asked again.

"Cooked rat muscles," I clarified. "'Meat', for short."

To her credit, she swallowed what was left in her mouth before setting the rest down and looking away. "Well... that's kind of a mood killer."

I waved dismissively. "It's a bad time anyways. My 'monthly visitor' is coming," I said unhappily. The cramps had already started, though I knew it would just get worse.

"Oh yeah. How's Zecora doing?" Rainbow asked.

I blinked at the change of subject. "I haven't spoken to her in some time, but I should see her tomorrow. I promised to help her bring her supplies to sell to the spa ponies. You should come with us, we can have a spa day together while we're there."

"No thanks, it's always awkward being around you when you have your monthly visitor," Rainbow pointed out. "Look, I- I'll see you around, okay?" And as was her way, she was gone in a rainbow blur before I could respond.

"It's awfully bitter," I commented between sips of the dark concoction my host had given me. It wasn't stopping me though. The sharp, dark chocolate flavor was pretty overwhelming, but there were other, less identifiable flavors underneath in what was essentially a chocolaty tea. "Some cream or milk would probably help the flavor."

"Medicine can be bitter, true, but still you know it's good for you," Zecora replied as she continued packing her things. "Unless you'd rather take your chances, with painful cramps and bloody prances."

"Humans don't prance," I teased. The insistence on always rhyming could make for some limited word choices, I knew. Steeling myself I downed the rest of the beverage in one swig. It was a bit much, and left me in a bit of a coughing fit for a moment, but at least it was done. I could already feel the cramps easing up.

"But humans do burn and humans do bleed. This human can call me upon any need," she said pointing a hoof toward my injuries.

"The timberwolves didn't give me time to wait for backup," I said. "They don't bother you?"

She shrugged. "My hooves are strong, my scent is weak. When trouble comes, I am far from meek."

I nodded, taking a moment to finish recovering before getting to my feet, and taking up the package she had put together. "Well, that pack won't be bothering anyone again. Actually, the Everfree's kind of a nice place to live for someone like me. Free training."

"Battle is in your heart, 'tis true. But I warn you now, winter comes for you," she said ominously.

But I wasn't worried. "I'll be fine, Zecora. I'm putting up the walls now, and I'll be getting a wood burning stove within the week." I gestured with the empty mug. "Thanks again for the medicine. I should get going though."

My words seemed to calm her a bit. "If that is all you need to do, then let my prayers go with you," she said as I parted.

The battles and other obstacles the Everfree threw my way became routine in a way, despite the variety to them. I found that letting some of them escape with their lives left a kind of buffer, monsters who kept others at bay with their own territorial behavior while staying out of my way, and eventually things settled down enough for me to get some real progress on my construction.

Crossbeams connecting the four corners of my house. Walls came up, slat by slat, and a nice sloped wooden roof. It was weeks of hard labor, but the weather cooperated well enough. It was winter already in Ponyville, but the Everfree felt more like late fall. Chilly and occasionally rainy, keeping me cool as I worked hard and fast.

By the time I finished hinging my door, winter had come to the Everfree as well. It was a small house, about four hundred square feet, and I still needed to divide it up with interior walls. I had managed to bring in a wood burning stove from Ponyville, and a nice leather sofa. My bed was still being constructed, custom ordered to account for how much longer I was than an average pony. For a bathroom I had to make do with an outhouse nearby. I had plenty more work to do before I was truly satisfied, but at least I had a place to call home.

Woe unto any monster that dared interrupt me on the way to the outhouse.

Fortunately the next interruption came on the way back from gathering firewood, and was far more welcome than any monster. "Yo, Cloud! Got us a couple hayburgers to break in your new house right," Rainbow greeted as she descended, grease stained bag in hoof.

"Dash! Thanks for coming over," I said, trying to ignore the trepidation I felt at the little bundles of fiber within. I knew now they weren't the cause of my cramps, but they would ultimately make for a rather urgent run to the outhouse, for me at least. Humans didn't process hay like ponies did. But I didn't want to hurt her feelings, or seem afraid of a meal. "Come in, come in."

Stepping inside, I took a seat on the end of my couch, as Dash joined me. "I know it's pretty modest. I still need to get some decent flooring in here. What do you think? Carpet or wood floors?" My fingers wove through the hairs of her mane, stroking down her neck as she looked up at me from my lap.

"Carpet, definitely. Nice and fluffy," she said. "Of course it won't be as soft as my cloud house, but you do what you can. I really wish I could take you there sometime. You know, without you just falling through the floor."

"Maybe our researcher can figure out some magic to help," I said with a shrug.

"Egghead? Well, if she can figure out how to race from a book, maybe she can figure that out too," she admitted. "It's kind of cold in here though. Don't you have any heat?"

"Give me a minute," I said, getting some wood into the stove and calling on my fire materia to light it. Once it got going, I returned to the couch, accepting her head back into my lap. "Of course, I need some better insulation in here. If you're going to stay long we'll probably have to cuddle up for warmth," I suggested

"Mmm, I bet I can get you nice and warm," Dash said, nuzzling my thighs. "We should eat first, though, before the food gets cold." She pulled away far enough to distribute fast food and start to eat. I started in on the fried potatoes. If I was going to get too full to finish, I wanted it to be the hay I didn't get through. Dash was the opposite, starting with her burger.

We ate in silence for a bit, which I rather enjoyed. The file crackled warmly. My hand strayed to Dash's back, enjoying the soft feel of her fur. The couch was quite comfortable. I was able to just let all my stress melt away and simply enjoy the moment.

"I guess this means you're here for good, huh?" the pegasus said, breaking the silence. I hadn't really thought about it, but she was right. Shinra, AVALANCHE, Tifa, Aeris. Gaia itself. I'd left it all behind. And other than the occasional nagging concern about the girls' well being, I didn't really regret it. The ponies' world was so much nicer than the one I left behind. A lot less monsters, for one. The only thing I really missed was being male, but I'd come to accept that change, with Rainbow's rather aggressive help. "Living in the Everfree, even deeper than Fluttershy," she clarified after a long draw on her milkshake.

I snapped my focus back to this world, and smiled at her. "It's not bad here. It'll be better when I've had time to do more work on the house, especially once my bed is finished. But the monsters are starting to leave me alone, the weather's been pleasantly mild, and Fluttershy and Zecora both live nearby."

I must have said something wrong, because Rainbow tensed a bit. I might have missed it if my hand hadn't been on her back. "I could move my house, you know. Not too close, as the wild weather could damage it, but about as close as Fluttershy."

"That'd be nice. I like having you close," I said, smiling.

"How close?" she asked, with a playful growl, pushing the remains of her meal away from us.

"As close as possible," I said, kissing her, and pushing her onto her back. But as much as she obvious enjoyed the attention, it wasn't long before she rolled us over, getting herself on top. Oh, Rainbow Dash.

Not everything has to be a competition.