Stylo slept quite soundly that night, waking up bright and early as the soft light of early sunrise began drifting in through the window (whether یا not he dreamt of Cloudchaser he couldn’t remember). He sat comfortably on his bed, once again writing in his little black book. He wasn’t frustrated یا upset at his lack of creativity, anymore – in fact, he was quite amused سے طرف کی Cloudchaser’s ability to leave his inner monologue speechless.
He simply wrote what came to mind, careless of its eloquence یا coherence.
A grey Pegasus
Yes, that’s true
Quite familiar, actually
As the گلابی one would say
Beauty
She beholds in the book
In which I attempt to mold
Some hardened clay into
That fa
His stream of consciousness was once again broken سے طرف کی a harsh knock on his door. Once again he shuffled over to answer it, and once again it was قوس قزح Dash.
Stylo gave a weak smile and a halfhearted salute. “Good morning, Cap’n.”
“You’re in trouble, Stylo,” قوس قزح began, “…and I really don’t want to do this.”
Stylo’s smile faded to a frown of concern. Trouble? What could he possibly have done?
“Wild آگ کے, آگ told me all about your work yesterday. She کہا آپ spent your whole shift lazing around, trying to convince her to stop working, and writing in your little book. She کہا آپ were unmotivated, lazy, and crazy rude.”
Stylo nodded. “Those would be accurate observations.”
“Ugh, Stylo! When I came to your house and dragged آپ up here, I wasn’t messing around. We need everybody on the ball if we’re going to get this mess sorted out. “
Stylo rolled his eyes. “I don’t think one ٹٹو is going to make a whole lot of difference, here.”
قوس قزح leaned in and glared at him. “If everypony had THAT mindset, we might as well quit right now!”
His mouth spread into a toothy grin. “Alright! Let’s all go home, then!”
“Ugh…” she grunted, rubbing her temples, “I thought we could get along, Stylo, but I guess that’s not happening. Looks like آپ need a little incentive to get آپ working.”
Quick as a flash, قوس قزح snatched Stylo’s notebook and pen from his hooves.
“Whaaaa-aaaa-AAAAAAHH?!” Stylo was absolutely horrified.
“You’ll get these back when I see that you’ve at least TRIED to help us.”
“M-my… my life! Rainbow, آپ can’t-!”
“What’s the matter? Where’s all that sarcasm and wit آپ were dishing out, earlier?” قوس قزح mocked with a smirk.
“IN THERE!” Stylo cried, pointing a hoof at his precious book.
“Come on, chop-chop! Go eat some breakfast. Wild آگ کے, آگ should be waiting for آپ out west سے طرف کی the time you’re through.” And with that, she took off to who-knows-where with blinding speed, clutching Stylo’s most prized possessions.
Stylo stood in silence for a few moments. He was having such a good morning. Now he was watching his purpose in life fly away.
After a few منٹ he shuffled out, heading west. He didn’t eat breakfast.
---
Stylo managed to reach his co-workers after walking like a zombie for what seemed like an eternity. The Weather Team was hard at work kicking at the mighty thunderheads – their fearsome size and bassy rumble much reduced from the دن before. Wild آگ کے, آگ was talking with Trixie when he arrived.
“There آپ are, Stylo!” Wild آگ کے, آگ called, standing up, “Rainbow assigned Trixie to our troop because she کہا آپ two seemed to get along.”
“With the Great and Powerful Trixie and the Wild and Fiery Wild آگ کے, آگ on your side, our cloud-clearing might will increase tenfold!” Trixie proclaimed.
“You think you-… Stylo… آپ look awful…” Wild آگ کے, آگ remarked, stepping over and examining her partner. During his west-bound walk, a crumpled up piece of paper had blown across his path. He was nervously clutching it and muttering to himself. His windswept mane had lost much of its shape, and his eyes looked strained and unhinged.
“I… found this paper. That’s one. One down. Now… now all I need is a… pen. Ink. A substance. A runny, runny substance…”
Wild آگ کے, آگ looked confused. “Where’s your little book?”
“She… took it.”
“Oooooh, ouch!” Wild آگ کے, آگ teased, eyes screwed shut, “Looks like you’ll actually have to help me today, huh?”
Stylo کہا nothing.
Trixie trotted over. “Oh Stylo, I’ve been meaning to ask you, do آپ think we could- AH! Are you… drooling?”
He was.
“Yes, yes!” Stylo perked up, “Drool! Of course! It’s just like ink… it has the same properties…”
Stylo held the crumpled paper below his mouth and began to drool on it. The two mares were repulsed.
“AGH! Ohhh, don-… Okay. Maybe آپ should sit this one out,” Wild آگ کے, آگ suggested.
“NO!” Stylo stopped “writing” and dashed over to a frightened Wild Fire, “IF I DO, SHE’LL NEVER LET ME HAVE THEM!”
“Okay, okay!” she cried, “Let’s… get to work…I guess!”
Stylo’s work ethic was a lost cause. قوس قزح had hoped to motivate Stylo with her book napping, but all she had done was destroy him. He feebly poked at nearby clouds while Wild آگ کے, آگ and Trixie gave it their all. He was simply unable to function while his life’s work lay in some unknown location – dropped on the floor, یا torn up, یا thrown away, یا set on fire… good heavens! The thought was too much to bear.
Occasionally he tried to give a nearby بادل a nudge یا push, but مزید often than not he opted to rest his head on them یا bury it in their fluffy wetness, emerging damp and even مزید pathetic looking.
“Stylo…” Wild آگ کے, آگ called with a sigh as he plunged his head into another cloud, “It’s not that bad. I’m sure قوس قزح will-Stylo, look out!”
Stylo had unfortunately plunged his face into a thunderhead. With a mighty rumble, a jolt of electricity found Stylo to be a wonderful conductor.
“AAAAAAAGH!” he bellowed, shaking and smoking. Wild آگ کے, آگ hurriedly rushed over and pulled his head out to find him singed and soot-covered.
“Maybe if I do that enough… I’ll forget!” he hopelessly remarked.
Wild آگ کے, آگ breathed a worry-filled sigh. “…Okay. Trixie?”
Trixie was attempting to shave off a chunk of a nearby thunderhead. “Oof! Agh! Clearing out these clouds while maintaining my walk-on-clouds spell is not easy. How does Twilight give Pinkie one jolt that lasts her the…whole… day?!” She managed to sever a large chunk while finishing her sentence, flying down to Wild آگ کے, آگ and Stylo afterward.
“Did آپ say something?”
“Yeah… I think Stylo’s had enough. Let’s لپیٹ, لفاف کریں this up.”
“…No!” Stylo cried, still smoking, “We have to keep going!”
“Look at yourself, man!” Wild آگ کے, آگ yelled back, “You were drooling on paper and sticking your head in storm clouds!”
“I AM A BROKEN HORSE!!!”
“Didn’t somepony break آپ last night?”
Stylo and Wild آگ کے, آگ whirled around to see Pinkie Pie.
“Remember? آپ کہا somepony broke you, and I came in and was like, ‘Who broke you?’ and آپ were like ‘AHH!’ because I broke into your hut, and then I asked آپ about Cloudcha-“
“Cloudchaser…” Stylo whispered to himself. He reached into his کوٹ pocket and pulled out the hand mirror Wild آگ کے, آگ had دیا to him. His face was a disaster. His eyes were bloodshot, his mane was blackened and charged with electricity, his hair matted, his cheeks stained with rain and tears… what if Cloudchaser saw him like this? Babbling and crying over a little book like some kind of spoiled child? No… he was better than this. He would do his time and get his book back!
Stylo wiped his face and stared intently at his reflection. Wild آگ کے, آگ looked over his shoulder at the mirror.
“Stylo…” she said, putting a hoof on his shoulder.
He puffed out his chest and held his mirror high. “I can DO it!”
Wild آگ کے, آگ was stunned. Stylo was motivating himself… and taking her advice, no less!
“YEAH!” she cried, pumping a hoof, “YOU CAN DO IT!”
“I CAN DO IT!” he cried back.
“YOU CAN DO IT!”
“LET’S DO IT!”
“YEAH!”
“YEAH!”
“Woah!”
Stylo and Wild آگ کے, آگ were practically nose to nose when قوس قزح Dash showed up. Stylo turned to قوس قزح and saw someone standing behind her. That beautiful creature Cloudchaser had come, too.
“Stylo! آپ look both terrible and amazing!” قوس قزح yelled, throwing up her hooves.
“I feel alive! Then again, that may be the electricity talking!” he replied, wiping some of the soot from his mane. He was speaking to Rainbow, but couldn’t keep his gaze from Cloudchaser’s stunning presence.
“Cloudchaser came سے طرف کی my office – she’s been watching آپ all day. She کہا آپ looked miserable, so I… came to give آپ your things back.” She held his book and pen in outstretched hooves.
Stylo couldn’t believe his eyes. He carefully reached out and scooped them up, holding them close to his chest and consoling them. He looked up at Cloudchaser – his hero. She had made his life whole again. He was immeasurably grateful.
“…Thank you…” he choked out, eyes tearing up.
“No problem!” قوس قزح and Cloudchaser کہا simultaneously.
“Does this mean you’re not broken, anymore?!” Pinkie asked eagerly.
Stylo took a deep breath. “I think so.”
“Yay, yay, yay! Nopony is broken! That HAS to deserve a party, right?” she asked, beaming up at قوس قزح and batting her eyelashes.
قوس قزح grinned and scratched her head. “Well… cleanup progress was a lot better today than we thought it would be. I think we’ve got a handle on these clouds. I guess we could spare some time for a party.”
Pinkie promptly took off into the air like a rocket, leaving a bright jetstream behind her.
Stylo wasn’t so happy. He hated parties.
He simply wrote what came to mind, careless of its eloquence یا coherence.
A grey Pegasus
Yes, that’s true
Quite familiar, actually
As the گلابی one would say
Beauty
She beholds in the book
In which I attempt to mold
Some hardened clay into
That fa
His stream of consciousness was once again broken سے طرف کی a harsh knock on his door. Once again he shuffled over to answer it, and once again it was قوس قزح Dash.
Stylo gave a weak smile and a halfhearted salute. “Good morning, Cap’n.”
“You’re in trouble, Stylo,” قوس قزح began, “…and I really don’t want to do this.”
Stylo’s smile faded to a frown of concern. Trouble? What could he possibly have done?
“Wild آگ کے, آگ told me all about your work yesterday. She کہا آپ spent your whole shift lazing around, trying to convince her to stop working, and writing in your little book. She کہا آپ were unmotivated, lazy, and crazy rude.”
Stylo nodded. “Those would be accurate observations.”
“Ugh, Stylo! When I came to your house and dragged آپ up here, I wasn’t messing around. We need everybody on the ball if we’re going to get this mess sorted out. “
Stylo rolled his eyes. “I don’t think one ٹٹو is going to make a whole lot of difference, here.”
قوس قزح leaned in and glared at him. “If everypony had THAT mindset, we might as well quit right now!”
His mouth spread into a toothy grin. “Alright! Let’s all go home, then!”
“Ugh…” she grunted, rubbing her temples, “I thought we could get along, Stylo, but I guess that’s not happening. Looks like آپ need a little incentive to get آپ working.”
Quick as a flash, قوس قزح snatched Stylo’s notebook and pen from his hooves.
“Whaaaa-aaaa-AAAAAAHH?!” Stylo was absolutely horrified.
“You’ll get these back when I see that you’ve at least TRIED to help us.”
“M-my… my life! Rainbow, آپ can’t-!”
“What’s the matter? Where’s all that sarcasm and wit آپ were dishing out, earlier?” قوس قزح mocked with a smirk.
“IN THERE!” Stylo cried, pointing a hoof at his precious book.
“Come on, chop-chop! Go eat some breakfast. Wild آگ کے, آگ should be waiting for آپ out west سے طرف کی the time you’re through.” And with that, she took off to who-knows-where with blinding speed, clutching Stylo’s most prized possessions.
Stylo stood in silence for a few moments. He was having such a good morning. Now he was watching his purpose in life fly away.
After a few منٹ he shuffled out, heading west. He didn’t eat breakfast.
---
Stylo managed to reach his co-workers after walking like a zombie for what seemed like an eternity. The Weather Team was hard at work kicking at the mighty thunderheads – their fearsome size and bassy rumble much reduced from the دن before. Wild آگ کے, آگ was talking with Trixie when he arrived.
“There آپ are, Stylo!” Wild آگ کے, آگ called, standing up, “Rainbow assigned Trixie to our troop because she کہا آپ two seemed to get along.”
“With the Great and Powerful Trixie and the Wild and Fiery Wild آگ کے, آگ on your side, our cloud-clearing might will increase tenfold!” Trixie proclaimed.
“You think you-… Stylo… آپ look awful…” Wild آگ کے, آگ remarked, stepping over and examining her partner. During his west-bound walk, a crumpled up piece of paper had blown across his path. He was nervously clutching it and muttering to himself. His windswept mane had lost much of its shape, and his eyes looked strained and unhinged.
“I… found this paper. That’s one. One down. Now… now all I need is a… pen. Ink. A substance. A runny, runny substance…”
Wild آگ کے, آگ looked confused. “Where’s your little book?”
“She… took it.”
“Oooooh, ouch!” Wild آگ کے, آگ teased, eyes screwed shut, “Looks like you’ll actually have to help me today, huh?”
Stylo کہا nothing.
Trixie trotted over. “Oh Stylo, I’ve been meaning to ask you, do آپ think we could- AH! Are you… drooling?”
He was.
“Yes, yes!” Stylo perked up, “Drool! Of course! It’s just like ink… it has the same properties…”
Stylo held the crumpled paper below his mouth and began to drool on it. The two mares were repulsed.
“AGH! Ohhh, don-… Okay. Maybe آپ should sit this one out,” Wild آگ کے, آگ suggested.
“NO!” Stylo stopped “writing” and dashed over to a frightened Wild Fire, “IF I DO, SHE’LL NEVER LET ME HAVE THEM!”
“Okay, okay!” she cried, “Let’s… get to work…I guess!”
Stylo’s work ethic was a lost cause. قوس قزح had hoped to motivate Stylo with her book napping, but all she had done was destroy him. He feebly poked at nearby clouds while Wild آگ کے, آگ and Trixie gave it their all. He was simply unable to function while his life’s work lay in some unknown location – dropped on the floor, یا torn up, یا thrown away, یا set on fire… good heavens! The thought was too much to bear.
Occasionally he tried to give a nearby بادل a nudge یا push, but مزید often than not he opted to rest his head on them یا bury it in their fluffy wetness, emerging damp and even مزید pathetic looking.
“Stylo…” Wild آگ کے, آگ called with a sigh as he plunged his head into another cloud, “It’s not that bad. I’m sure قوس قزح will-Stylo, look out!”
Stylo had unfortunately plunged his face into a thunderhead. With a mighty rumble, a jolt of electricity found Stylo to be a wonderful conductor.
“AAAAAAAGH!” he bellowed, shaking and smoking. Wild آگ کے, آگ hurriedly rushed over and pulled his head out to find him singed and soot-covered.
“Maybe if I do that enough… I’ll forget!” he hopelessly remarked.
Wild آگ کے, آگ breathed a worry-filled sigh. “…Okay. Trixie?”
Trixie was attempting to shave off a chunk of a nearby thunderhead. “Oof! Agh! Clearing out these clouds while maintaining my walk-on-clouds spell is not easy. How does Twilight give Pinkie one jolt that lasts her the…whole… day?!” She managed to sever a large chunk while finishing her sentence, flying down to Wild آگ کے, آگ and Stylo afterward.
“Did آپ say something?”
“Yeah… I think Stylo’s had enough. Let’s لپیٹ, لفاف کریں this up.”
“…No!” Stylo cried, still smoking, “We have to keep going!”
“Look at yourself, man!” Wild آگ کے, آگ yelled back, “You were drooling on paper and sticking your head in storm clouds!”
“I AM A BROKEN HORSE!!!”
“Didn’t somepony break آپ last night?”
Stylo and Wild آگ کے, آگ whirled around to see Pinkie Pie.
“Remember? آپ کہا somepony broke you, and I came in and was like, ‘Who broke you?’ and آپ were like ‘AHH!’ because I broke into your hut, and then I asked آپ about Cloudcha-“
“Cloudchaser…” Stylo whispered to himself. He reached into his کوٹ pocket and pulled out the hand mirror Wild آگ کے, آگ had دیا to him. His face was a disaster. His eyes were bloodshot, his mane was blackened and charged with electricity, his hair matted, his cheeks stained with rain and tears… what if Cloudchaser saw him like this? Babbling and crying over a little book like some kind of spoiled child? No… he was better than this. He would do his time and get his book back!
Stylo wiped his face and stared intently at his reflection. Wild آگ کے, آگ looked over his shoulder at the mirror.
“Stylo…” she said, putting a hoof on his shoulder.
He puffed out his chest and held his mirror high. “I can DO it!”
Wild آگ کے, آگ was stunned. Stylo was motivating himself… and taking her advice, no less!
“YEAH!” she cried, pumping a hoof, “YOU CAN DO IT!”
“I CAN DO IT!” he cried back.
“YOU CAN DO IT!”
“LET’S DO IT!”
“YEAH!”
“YEAH!”
“Woah!”
Stylo and Wild آگ کے, آگ were practically nose to nose when قوس قزح Dash showed up. Stylo turned to قوس قزح and saw someone standing behind her. That beautiful creature Cloudchaser had come, too.
“Stylo! آپ look both terrible and amazing!” قوس قزح yelled, throwing up her hooves.
“I feel alive! Then again, that may be the electricity talking!” he replied, wiping some of the soot from his mane. He was speaking to Rainbow, but couldn’t keep his gaze from Cloudchaser’s stunning presence.
“Cloudchaser came سے طرف کی my office – she’s been watching آپ all day. She کہا آپ looked miserable, so I… came to give آپ your things back.” She held his book and pen in outstretched hooves.
Stylo couldn’t believe his eyes. He carefully reached out and scooped them up, holding them close to his chest and consoling them. He looked up at Cloudchaser – his hero. She had made his life whole again. He was immeasurably grateful.
“…Thank you…” he choked out, eyes tearing up.
“No problem!” قوس قزح and Cloudchaser کہا simultaneously.
“Does this mean you’re not broken, anymore?!” Pinkie asked eagerly.
Stylo took a deep breath. “I think so.”
“Yay, yay, yay! Nopony is broken! That HAS to deserve a party, right?” she asked, beaming up at قوس قزح and batting her eyelashes.
قوس قزح grinned and scratched her head. “Well… cleanup progress was a lot better today than we thought it would be. I think we’ve got a handle on these clouds. I guess we could spare some time for a party.”
Pinkie promptly took off into the air like a rocket, leaving a bright jetstream behind her.
Stylo wasn’t so happy. He hated parties.