Tiff's Tall Tales (of Tricky, Thrilling Trials)

ABRUPT CHANGE OF CORE ATOMS AND PARTICLES. (Which is what I shall be calling a change of subject matter.)

Here is a short story!

The Little Cloud
One day, there was a little cloud floating in the sky with his parents.
"Mommy," he asked, "why aren't I big like you and daddy?"
"Because," his mother said, "you haven't absorbed enough water yet."
"But I thought we made water!" the little cloud said, confused. His father laughed.
"Some of us make water, son," he said, tousling the little cloud. "Others, like your Uncle Cirrus, make snow, which turns into water."
The little cloud pondered this. "Then what is our job?"
His mother sighed. "Well, we're Altocumulus. We're like the previews of a movie."

The little cloud stared blankly at his mother.

"Sometimes we get to bring rain, but not unless it's a party," his father explained.
The little cloud was downcast. "So I won't grow up to be like Aunt Stratus, and rain everywhere? Or like cousin Nimbo Stratus and make everyone unable to see?"
"Unfortunately no, son." His father turned. "It seems we're supposed to move on."
"But I like it here," the little cloud complained.
"Now, now, dear. You know how the South Wind gets when we don't listen."
They journeyed in silence. Finally, the little cloud spoke up angrily.

"I'm not gonna stay an Alto! I'm gonna be a giant cloud that makes lightning! I'll show everyone who says I can't do anything on my own!"

With that, the little cloud swooshed off. The East Wind, having heard this argument, decided to help the little cloud along on his journey. The little cloud's parents could only watch with despair as their son was swept away.

"So you want to be a big cloud, eh? You want to make lightning?" East Wind asked as it carried the little cloud.
"Yes! So I can be better than my mom and dad!" the little cloud said firmly.
"Well, let's see what you can do. You probably don't realize what you're asking..."
So the little cloud trained and trained. He moved up, he moved down, he moved north, east, and west. Never to the South, for otherwise his parents could find him.
"South Wind is a bit of a troublemaker," East Wind said dryly. "We can't let him get a hold of you."

The little cloud practiced hanging near tornadoes and cyclones, went out with the Fractonimbus (a terrible group indeed), and learned many things. However, try as he might, he couldn't create lightning.
"Why can't I do it?" he wailed on night in frustration. "Everyone else can! Why can't I?"
"Maybe because that isn't your purpose," East Wind said gently.
The little cloud stared at East Wind in disbelief.
"Liar! You said I would be able to do it!"
"I never said such a thing. I said I would help you become bigger, which you did."

The little cloud couldn't argue that. With all of his training, he had bulked up quite a bit and wasn't such a little cloud anymore. He could make it rain much more than his parents.
"But-but...I won't go back until I can make lightning!" he cried petulantly.
The East Wind had put up with the little cloud for many, many months. He had heard this cry so many times that he had had enough of it.

"That is quite enough! Do you even realize what has to happen for there to be lightning?!"
The little cloud stopped, surprised by his mentor's outburst.
"There has to be thunder before there is lightning. Do you know how thunder is made?"

The little cloud shook his head. He had never learned about this 'thunder'.

"Thunder is that booming noise made before lightning strikes. And do you know what happens when thunder is made?" East Wind blew a mighty gust at the little cloud, who went sailing off.

"It is when two clouds smash into each other!" East Wind laughed and laughed as the little cloud flew faster and faster, becoming a blur across the sky.

"No, no," he whimpered. "I don't want to hit another cloud!"

"Too late," East Wind said with a malicious grin. "You're getting what you wished for. Unfortunately, I don't know how this will turn out for you, since you're so...little."
And indeed, as the little cloud hurtled towards the clouds he had so envied, the Pyrocumulus clouds, he realized just how small he was.

And with a cccrraaaccck! the little cloud disappeared.

With that thunder there came lightning and rain. And with each raindrop, the little cloud reflected on what he had learned as he fell to the ground. He resolved to listen to his parents and learn more about what it was that he was supposed to do.

And so the little cloud waited patiently for the day when he would precipitate and rejoin his parents.
End

So the moral of the story is ensure you know what you're getting into before you decide to get all rebellious and stuff.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.

(B-ZAP! I just CC'd you. If you want to use this or anything else here, please let me know first.)