'I can see them, mommy'

'That's good, Storm Cloud'

'...Mommy, why are there stars?'

'To light up the night sky, dear.'

'Then...when I make my storm clouds,

Do I send the stars away?'

'Of course not, dear. The stars are always there.'

-X-

"Storm Cloud, you've been brought to this court because the storms you make are getting out of control. I understand it's hard to control them, but if they continue this way, we have no choice but to stop you living in cloudsdale, for all our sakes." Explained judge spring. "I'm sorry, judge spring, but I can't control those storms. It was all because of a storm that I got these powers, which sounds sort of ironic considering these circumstances." Replied storm Cloud. "I'm sorry, Storm Cloud, but your storms put everypony in danger. You can't stay here unless you learn to control them." Replied judge spring. "I understand, judge spring. " answered Storm Cloud, walking out of the court and out into the cold air. His dark gray coat and lighter gray mane and tail were instantly soaked by the rain from his own storm.

Storm Cloud sat on one of his own clouds, wondering what he was going to do next. He looked up at the stars, remembering something his mother had told a long time ago.

-x-

'Mommy, why do I make storms?'

'Because you're special, Storm Cloud.'

'But my storms make trouble for everypony.

Why would they give me a power like that? '

'Well, Storm Cloud, maybe it was because storms are

Still important.'

-x-

Storm Cloud wondered now, for what reason had he been given this power to create storms, yet have no control over them. He pawed at the cloud he sat on, wondering how he controlled it now. A distant rumble in the distance shook him out of his thoughts. Another storm was coming, and it was heading right for ponyville. Storm Cloud knew that the crops and flowers were just starting to grow, and that a storm could spell disaster after all the hard work the earth ponies had done to clear up after a harsh winter.

Storm Cloud flew towards the dark expanse above ponyville, the once blue sky now gray and dull, crackling with lightning. It reminded Storm Cloud of his own cutie mark, a dark cloud with two identical bolts of lightning below it. The pegasus flew through the storm clouds, disintigrating them. Storm Cloud looked around, trying to figure out why a storm woild begin now, when spring was here. Rushing to get rid of another cloud, the pegasus didn't see the bolt of lightning rushing towards him...

-x-

"Storm Cloud, dear? Where are you?"

"Over here, mommy!"

"Oh, Storm cloud! Are you alright?

What happened?"

"There was all this lightning,

And I think it nearly got me."

"Oh, my sweet storm Cloud...

Thank celestia you weren't hurt."

"Me too. I'll go inside now, mommy."

"Storm Cloud...you have a cutie mark..."

-x-

"Are you alright? Wake up!"

Storm Cloud awoke to see a light gray mare with a pink mane standing over him. "Yeh. What happened? I was flying..." Storm Cloud suddenly realized what must have happened. "You were hit by a lightning bolt. I was running from the storm when I saw it happen. Are you sure you're OK?" Asked the mare. Storm Cloud nodded to the earth pony, picking himself up. "I feel fine now. But thanks for asking. I'm Storm Cloud. What's your name?" Asked Storm Cloud. "I'm Silver Bloom. Nice to meet you. I've never met anypony this way before, though." Replied the mare, Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud knew he'd have to rest his wings for a few minutes before flying again, so he decided to ask Silver Bloom to show him around. She replied she'd love to.

-x-

"Mommy, look! Storm clouds,

Just like my name!"

"Storm Cloud...how are you

Making those?"

"I don't know, mommy!

Isn't it amazing?"

"It's quite amazing,

Storm Cloud."

-x-

Storm Cloud marvelled at how peaceful pomyville was compared to cloudsdale, where his storm clouds had often caused trouble. "Honestly, Storm Cloud, ponyville really is a great place. But I bet cloudsdale is even better." Said Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud pondered telling her about his storms and the havoc they caused, but decided against it. He had only just met her, he didn't want to tell her something like that. Besides, it was partly because of his storms that he had met her.

Later on, Storm Cloud could feel that his wings had mostly healed, and decided to go back to cloudsdale. He promised Silver Bloom he would meet her the next day, and she promised the same thing.

Flying back home, Storm Cloud saw that, where as usually small clouds would appear behind him from his wings, there were none there now. Then Storm Cloud got a bigger shock. His cutie mark had vanished too! Storm Cloud hovered there for a fes minutes, trying to figure out what had happened. When the lightning struck him...it must have taken his power to create storms too. He flew back to cloudsdale, knowing he could tell judge Spring about this.

Walking into the office, Storm Cloud saw judge Spring. "Judge Spring, please, I'd like to live in cloudsdale again. I can't even make storms anymore, I can't cause trouble or hurt anypony." Said Storm Cloud. "How can I be sure, Storm Cloud? I might need some proof." Replied judge Spring. Storm cloud moved a little so the judge could see his blank flank. "Oh, your cutie mark. I'm sorry, Storm cloud. Of course, welcome back." Said judge Spring. Thanking her, Storm cloud went back home to relax, and think about what had happened.

The next day, the sky was still a little dark after the rain, but it looked like the sun would eventually come out, so Storm Cloud went to ponyville to meet Silver Bloom. She asked him to come to the forest with her, and wondering what it was about, he agreed. Silver Bloom led him to a forest, the one where they'd met. "Why did we come here, Silver Bloom?" Asked Storm Cloud. Silver Bloom walked into the clearing she had found him in. "I want to show you something. I have something I need to check on, anyway." Replied Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud saw some flowers growing steadily from the ground, though the earth was charred from the lightning bolt that had fallen earlier. "I've always grown flowers in this clearing. I was going to plant more, but then I met you." Said Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud apologised for it, but replied that she didn't mind. "I'm glad I met you, Storm Cloud. You seem like a good friend." Said Silver Bloom. "I could say the same thing about you. Looking around now, I think your flowers are alright. Maybe when it rains, the ground will heal and they'll grow faster, stronger." Replied Storm Cloud. Silver Bloom had to agree. "Still, I feel bad for the other earth ponies. The crops they planted were right in the open, in the path of the storm. This clearing was a little safer, but these are just flowers. Storms can get pretty hectic around here, especially at this time of year." Replied Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud knew why. "So, you said you had something to show me?" Asked Storm Cloud. "Yeah. You see, I always come to this clearing to plant a flower, in memory of...my parents. I usually plant them around spring, and I was wondering if you'd help me. It's been a long time since they left, and I think I need some company this time." Explained Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud smiled, knowing how hard it was to lose someone like that. "Of course. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Replied the pegasus.

-x-

"Look, mommy! I can make storm clouds!"

"Be careful, sweetie, storms can be dangerous!"

"I'll be fine, mommy!"

"Oh, Storm cloud..."

-x-

For the next few weeks, it rained a lot, and storms still came and went. But somehow, Storm Cloud and Silver Bloom would always find a way to meet, whether it was in Sun Blooms home, where they'd talk about general things like the weather conditions or which flowera they liked best, or in the moderate safety of the forest, where they'd admire the small flowers that were trying to grow.

One day, Storm Cloud was asked to come with Silver Bloom to the clearing. "I thought since the weather looks like it'll be nice for a while, we could plant those flowers now." Said Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud agreed. "Good idea. Besides, it looks like the earth has healed now, thanks to the rain." Replied Storm Cloud. "You know, I've always wanted to ask, why is your name Storm Cloud? It seems like such a strong name for a gentle pegasus like you." Said Silver Bloom. "I guess it was because my parents wanted me to be strong. I was usually shy as a colt." Replied Storm Cloud. "Same with me. I guess we have a lot in common." Replied Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud had almost forgotten that he had once been able to create storms. Now he wondered, since he couldn't create them anymore, if he should tell Silver Bloom. "Silver Bloom, can I tell you something important?" The Pegasus asked. "Of course." Replied Silver Bloom. Storm Cloud took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.

"I bet you've realized that I'm a blank flank by now. The truth is, I used to have a cutie mark. It was two lightning bolts under a storm cloud, like my name. When I was young, I was hit by lightning, like when I met you. Instead of hurting me, it gave me the ability to creare storms and dark clouds, but without being able to control them. I always wondered why, or how, it gave me that power. I still don't know why, but it must have had something to do with my cutie mark, because now that it's gone, I can't create storms anymore." Explained Storm Cloud. Silver Bloom thought about it for a while, taking in what she'd just learnt about her friend. "Storm Cloud, that doesn't change the fact that you're my friend." Silver Bloom finally replied. Storm Cloud found himself smiling. Silver did the same. "Now, choose a seed. You can plant it for any reason you want, or even for no reason at all." Said Silver Bloom, handing Storm Cloud a collection of different seeds. "Well, your cutie mark is a dandelion, so I think I'll plant one of them, for my best friend." Said Storm Cloud, taking a dandelion seed and getting ready to plant it. Silver Bloom continued to smile as she started planting a rose, one of her parents favorite flowers. "I just hope that the rain doesn't ruin them." Said Storm Cloud. "I don't think it will. My parents always said, if you plant a flower for someone you love, like a dear friend or a family member, nothing can harm it." Replied Silver Bloom. The two were about to walk back home before the rain started, when a Pegasus landed close to them. "Storm Cloud, Judge Spring needs to see you." The Pegasus explained. "OK. Silver Bloom, I'll meet you later." Said Storm Cloud.

Storm Cloud landed outside the office, and looked out to the distant sky before walking in. There were dark clouds on the horizon, heading for ponyville. He walked inside, to see judge Spring. "Storm Cloud, thank Celestia you're here. The weather team has alerted me to a huge storm heading for both us and ponyville. You are the only one fast enough to warn everyone in pomyville before it reaches them. There are other pegasi taking care of cloudsdale, so we'll probably be fine." Said Judge Spring. Storm Cloud nodded in reply, wondering why so many storms were coming through when spring had only just arrived. He flew back to ponyville, ready to warn everyome, as well as Silver Bloom, about the incoming storm.

"I can warn everyone on this side of ponyville, that means you can do the other side and get to cloudsdale faster." Said Silver Bloom. "Got it. Just promise me you'll get to safety too." Said Storm Cloud. "Of course, as long as you promise too." Replied Silver Bloom. "I promise." Answered Storm Cloud. Then he went off to cover one side of ponyville and get everyone safe from the stoem.

Storm Cloud had gotten everyone to safety, but as he was about to head back to cloudsdale, he heard a voice calling for help. He could also hear the rumble of thunder, and he knew the storm was already here. Rushing into the forest where the voice had come from, Storm Cloud saw a young colt running through, who bumped into him. "Sorry." Said the colt. "That's alright, but your mother's over there, you'd better get inside and out of this storm." Replied Storm Cloud, seeing a mare peaking out of a door, clearly looking to see if her son was coming back. The young colt ran into his mothers arms, and she looked at Storm Cloud and nodded in thanks, to which Storm Cloud replied with a simple smile.

Storm Cloud began to fly back to cloudsdale, but he couldn't stop thinking of how violent this storm was. Lightning fell all around him, and the thunder was almost deafening. But Storm Cloud knew that the only way back to cloudsdale was through this storm, so he remained strong and ignored its cries.

It was then, when Storm Cloud realized that the violence and intensity of this storm could spelll disastee, especially for the earth ponies, but for cloudsdale too. Storm Cloud knew there was almost nothing he could do...unless...

Storm Cloud flew through the storm, ignoring the bolts of lightning that hit him, seemingly aiming for him. "This is the only way...I'm sorry, Silver Bloom. You really were a great friend." Thought Storm Cloud, as he reached the center of the storm.

-x-

"Storm cloud, I feel tired."

"I was gonna say the same thing, Mom.

I know what'll happen if you go to sleep now.

But...I think I'll be OK."

"I love you, Storm cloud.

You know that right?"

"Of course. I love you too, Mom."

"My sweet Storm Cloud..."

-x-