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 oder not he dreamt of Cloudchaser he couldn’t remember). He sat comfortably on his bed, once again Schreiben in his little black book. He wasn’t frustrated oder upset at his lack of creativity, anymore – in fact, he was quite amused Von Cloudchaser’s ability to leave his inner monologue speechless.

He simply wrote what came to mind, careless of its eloquence oder coherence.

A grey Pegasus
Yes, that’s true
Quite familiar, actually
As the rosa 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 Von a harsh knock on his door. Once again he shuffled over to answer it, and once again it was regenbogen Dash.

Stylo gave a weak smile and a halfhearted salute. “Good morning, Cap’n.”

“You’re in trouble, Stylo,” regenbogen 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 feuer told me all about your work yesterday. She sagte Du spent your whole shift lazing around, trying to convince her to stop working, and Schreiben in your little book. She sagte Du were unmotivated, lazy, and crazy rude.”

Stylo nodded. “Those would be accurate observations.”

“Ugh, Stylo! When I came to your house and dragged Du 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 pony is going to make a whole lot of difference, here.”

regenbogen 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 Du need a little incentive to get Du working.”

Quick as a flash, regenbogen 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, Du can’t-!”

“What’s the matter? Where’s all that sarcasm and wit Du were dishing out, earlier?” regenbogen mocked with a smirk.

“IN THERE!” Stylo cried, pointing a hoof at his precious book.

“Come on, chop-chop! Go eat some breakfast. Wild feuer should be waiting for Du out west Von 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 Minuten 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 Tag before. Wild feuer was talking with Trixie when he arrived.

“There Du are, Stylo!” Wild feuer called, standing up, “Rainbow assigned Trixie to our troop because she sagte Du two seemed to get along.”

“With the Great and Powerful Trixie and the Wild and Fiery Wild feuer on your side, our cloud-clearing might will increase tenfold!” Trixie proclaimed.

“You think you-… Stylo… Du look awful…” Wild feuer 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 feuer looked confused. “Where’s your little book?”

“She… took it.”

“Oooooh, ouch!” Wild feuer teased, eyes screwed shut, “Looks like you’ll actually have to help me today, huh?”

Stylo sagte nothing.

Trixie trotted over. “Oh Stylo, I’ve been meaning to ask you, do Du 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 Du should sit this one out,” Wild feuer 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. regenbogen 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 feuer 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, oder torn up, oder thrown away, oder set on fire… good heavens! The thought was too much to bear.

Occasionally he tried to give a nearby wolke a nudge oder push, but Mehr often than not he opted to rest his head on them oder bury it in their fluffy wetness, emerging damp and even Mehr pathetic looking.

“Stylo…” Wild feuer called with a sigh as he plunged his head into another cloud, “It’s not that bad. I’m sure regenbogen 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 feuer 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 feuer 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 feuer and Stylo afterward.

“Did Du say something?”

“Yeah… I think Stylo’s had enough. Let’s wickeln, wickeln sie this up.”

“…No!” Stylo cried, still smoking, “We have to keep going!”

“Look at yourself, man!” Wild feuer yelled back, “You were drooling on paper and sticking your head in storm clouds!”

“I AM A BROKEN HORSE!!!”

“Didn’t somepony break Du last night?”

Stylo and Wild feuer whirled around to see Pinkie Pie.

“Remember? Du sagte somepony broke you, and I came in and was like, ‘Who broke you?’ and Du were like ‘AHH!’ because I broke into your hut, and then I asked Du about Cloudcha-“

“Cloudchaser…” Stylo whispered to himself. He reached into his mantel pocket and pulled out the hand mirror Wild feuer had gegeben 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 feuer 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 feuer 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 feuer were practically nose to nose when regenbogen Dash showed up. Stylo turned to regenbogen and saw someone standing behind her. That beautiful creature Cloudchaser had come, too.

“Stylo! Du look both terrible and amazing!” regenbogen 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 Von my office – she’s been watching Du all day. She sagte Du looked miserable, so I… came to give Du 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!” regenbogen and Cloudchaser sagte 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 regenbogen and batting her eyelashes.

regenbogen 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.