//------------------------------//
// chapter 50. Fasten your seatbelts. 
// Story: Becoming Fluttershy 
// by Hope 
//------------------------------//

"I must have missed something,” I declare, finally approaching the group. “So how is the planning going?"

I heard gilda’s paws and claws (Which should really be the name of a restaurant catering to the changed, now that I think about it) on the carpet behind me as she slowly makes her way into the room as well.

"Weeeeeeeeell... It... hasn't happened any further then what you know." Reid looks down, scuffing her hoof against the carpet.

I smile a little, not overly surprised by the lack of structured planning. "Oh... well I think so far it sounds like gilda, cadence, shining, pinkie and one or two humans will drive, but cadence and shining could fly,” I say with a relaxed shrug as I try to mentally count off all of our group while looking around to see if I missed anypony.

"I can't drive,” Reid says quickly, and Ginny pipes up too. “Neither can Jackie."

Jackie frowns immediately. "Oh come on!" She protests.

"Remember when we first met?" My number one fan crosses her arms, not budging on the subject.

“Wait, driving?” Gilda asks, completely lost, as I sort of zone out, lost in the hubbub as they all talk over each other.

"So... Jackie would fly with us?" I ask during a short lull in the many people and ponies talking.

“I'm not that bad of a driver,” she protests again, restarting the conversation. 

After a few more moments, Gilda rolls her eyes and grumbles. “Listening to you guys talk makes me feel like someone is walking over my grave.”

I resist the urge to laugh. "It's called banter. I'm terrible at it too."

"I already knew you were bad at driving.” The comment barely registers in my mind as who it was from, but I bow my head a little and lay my ears back in regret. One car crash and my years of being a great driver mean nothing... Pinkie probably would want to be nowhere near my car. Or me.

"So that's Shy, Ian, and Jackie definitely going on the plane, and probably Ginny because she's Shy's number one fan. Me and Shiny on the ground with Gilda... and Harold, because we need a driver."

"And since our elderly patron will probably fly, I'll stick with the ground crew." Pinkie says, as Gilda nods in agreement.

"Sounds fair,” she says.

I think over the plan, pondering the way it will all work out. "So gilda and the rest will get there a day later? Should give me time to start organizing and trying to get in contact with the princesses."

"...I guess? I dunno, I'm terrible with schedules.” Pinkie just shrugs, and the group starts to mobilize.

Ian speaks first. "Let's split our stuff up." He turns to head towards the pile of things we had prepared to go. "Check ta make sure all tha stuff you have is going with ya."

"I'll go with you, you're... kind of short now and somebody could run you over by accident." Cadence seems blunt, like she is talking to a foal. Definitely Cadence and not Linda. Linda would have been more understanding of Ian’s situation.

I see Gilda looking around with a look as though she had tasted something bitter. I wonder if she is unsure what to do, but I don’t have anything left to pack, so I cannot delay it any longer.

With a shrug, I speak up. "You just have Cale's stuff right? I could show you to the car so you can decide which vehicle to ride in."

"Actually, with the way things are set up, she's going to need to learn how to drive." Harold stands. "I'll move everything from the van to Ian's car so I can teach her."

Pinkie shivers and sticks her tongue out. “Driving. How normal people do it I'll never know... I tried once, but... it was... wrong."

Gilda just looks at us like we are all crazy. "... You want me to drive?"

Harold pantomimes holding onto the steering wheel of a car. “You have hands. Talons. You can grip the wheel.”

Gilda was less than convinced, still seeming to have an aversion to our plan and our technology. "And that's a good reason in what world?"

I was about to say “This one,” when I remembered something. Motivation to drive is most often self sufficiency, but Gilda has no real need for that type of transportation. So the other motivation to own a car comes into play. The coolness factor.

"Hey! Let me show you something." I trot over to my backpack and pull my laptop out by the edge with my mouth, before dragging it over to the conversation and opening it. After a few moments of awkward silence while I search for a video on Youtube, I find what I want.

The video is of a corvette, the most “Ego driven” car I can think of. In the video someone is taking it down a track at high speeds while the sun sets.

"That's what driving a car is like,” I lie. “There is a speed limit but you get to guide this huge machine on the road, and if you can drive then you can help out the others, letting them rest. I drive a lot and let me tell you, it is really wonderful when someone can take over to let you rest. It would mean a lot to us if you could help."                        	

I end my plea with a nervous smile, hoping that somehow she will not only drive safely, but happily.

"Also, apparently Pinkie can't drive. And between Linda and Cadance... one is still getting used to her body, and the other probably wouldn't have a clue. You though. You have the eagle eye, the instinct to keep that car safely on the road. Trust me, you'll need it." Harold adds this and I grin. Compliments to win a girls heart.

"Eagle instinct, eh?" Gilda rolls her eyes while she looks away, trying to think of any reason to decline our request. "Fine. I don't even know if Cale knows how to drive."

I smile and chuckle under my breath as I put my laptop away. "Who is going to meet with the lady. I'm assuming that shining would want to, you pinkie?"

"Well... we should all meet up and explain why we're splitting up. That sound okay?" Pinkie proposes, and I nod.

"Okay let me get shining." I zip up my backpack and trot away to find Julien, looking in two rooms before finding him leaving the restroom.

“Hey. So we have done a little planning, sort of. Ready for a gathering?” I ask with my trademark smile, it feels like my only expression is nervous hopefullness.

“Yeah. Hey, before we go, this may be the last chance we get for a little while to be... discrete.” He talks as though we are discussing the weather, but I can tell this is much more serious.

“Of course, what’s up?” I ask after a brief pause, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ve been in contact with the CIA. With the ongoing crisis, I figured we should be in communication with the highest authority I can get my hooves on.” He stops, gauging my reaction.

“Makes sense. Have they offered protection, or help of some sort?” I ask, a bit concerned that he doesn’t seem to want to tell everypony else, but I understand that the captain of the guard likely knows better than we do how to handle a situation like this.

“They can only offer limited oversight, due to the scope of the problem. Though I have been promised that there will be an undercover agent on our flight. They have also given me diplomatic immunity, which I can use to take care of some problems that have been bothering me.” He stops again, this time more meaningfully.

“W... What is it?” I ask, more worried now than anything.

“I got this back.” He floats out the black case that I immediately recognize as my pistol. Popping it open in his shimmering magic field, he shows me that it is loaded and cleaned.

“You have special permission to carry it in your carry on luggage, as a guarded member of a diplomatic envoy. I know it won’t be easy for you to use with your hooves, so I have also got you these.” He floats over what look like two metal plates, which fit into the frog of my forehooves snugly. They are rubberized and one has a metal protrusion, which fits into the fingerguard of the pistol, so that I can pull the trigger. I take them off and set them down. 

“I can’t.” I say it simply, looking away.

“It’s okay, just wanted to give you the option,” he says softly.

“I just...”

“It’s okay, Shy. I understand.” He puts it all into his bag with a smile. “If anything, it will be less paperwork when this is all over.” He gives me a hug and we trot out into the other room, in which I can hear Pinkie shouting.

"BECAUSE REASONS,” she squeaks at a defining pitch.

I move forward and they notice I have returned. "You two okay?" I ask.

"The reasons are?" Gilda continues, undeterred.

Pinkie turns to me with the worst “liarjack” face I have ever seen. "Hey there Shy we were just talking about Gilda's most embarrassing secret."

Gilda seems caught entirely by surprise, meaning that they weren’t talking about anything of the sort. "...Secret?"

"You should be happy Applejack isn't here," Shining calmly points out.

Everyone else makes their way into the room, until we have a packed bunch of ponies and humans. I look over to Ian quickly to see that he is still in charge, and still unhappy, before looking back to Pinkie.

"So. Take the floor, pinkie. What's up?" Julien asks.

"Well, you know.... things. And stuff. And birds--OHMYGOSH SHY YOU NEED TO TALK TO A PIGEON." Pinkie looks to me, but I have no idea how to respond. Before I can though, Gilda interrupts again.

"Pinkie... Tell me what my secret is..."

"No. It's secret."

“PIE! Tell me already, dang it!" Gilda snarls.

"...I... actually don't know."

The two glare at each other in aggravation and frustration, before Gilda gives up on the whole thing. Then I have to wonder, why would Pinkie be talking about secrets at all if Gilda didn’t have any? I look over to the pink mare with an inquisitive face.

"So, if Gilda doesn't have a secret, what's your secret, pinkie?" I ask.

Everything is silent for a moment, until she replies with a dismissive; “”I... am actually a big fan... of cats."

I raise an eyebrow, but after a bit of everyone sitting around, staring at me and her, Julien raises a hoof. "Well. Go ahead and explain the plan."

"We all drive over to our benefactor's house, and explain why we're splitting up. Then you, your semiwife, Gilda, me, and Harold continue the road trip while everybody else flies." Pinkie lists the plan in rapid succession, which is curious because a moment ago she had no idea what the plan was.

"Great. I'm packed, as is Shy. I think we are ready to go. This will be the last chance to get in some good hugs, take advantage of it,” he points out, before turning away.

I look up to pinkie, a thought shooting through my mind. “If only she would hold me. Everything would be okay.” Of course it is absurd, but it is a thought I have trouble banishing. I look away with a faint heat across the bridge of my muzzle, and a bit of moisture in my eyes.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...." She sounds like a computer locked up and rebooting. I step a tiny bit closer, shuffling my hooves on the gritty carpet.

"Hey,” I whisper.

"....hey,” she replies with a slight red tint to her face, that I am sure I am matching. "Uh... I... think I should, uh... maybe wash off this paint and get dressed before wegosoI'mgoingtodothatnowbye!"

For a moment, her forelegs wrap around me, and I can feel my coat brush against hers, her warmth surrounding me, and then she is gone.

I sit, staring at the carpet for a bit, vaguely aware of the dialogue around me.

"....Ten bucks says they don't start daten' till after this whole thang is fixed,” Ian says.

Gilda shrugs. "Ten bucks they're already thinking about banging."

Ian frowns. "No deal. Discord gave mah brother that whole sex thinken' thang, and ya just mentioned it now front of Erishy so of course she's thinken' bout it."

"Shells. Well, you saw through that plan." Gilda shakes her fist in mock frustration, and I move over to a corner, with my backpack. After unzipping it and re-zipping it at least ten times, I get it onto my back and pass by the cosplayers on my way to the parking lot.

"You know kung fu, you'll be okay." I hear Jackie telling Harold.

"There's room in my car, if you want." I tell Gilda, forgetting about the whole driving lesson in my rush to get someone into my car, someone to be near me and to talk to.

Harold remembers, though, grabbing Gilda before I can take her to my vehicle.

"Oh no, I've still got to teach you how to drive." He takes her to the van that all the cosplayers have been using, and they start to go over the mechanics of driving, and I stand alone by my car until Pinkie comes out with her clothes on. I can’t get over how odd it is to see her with jeans and a shirt on.

"We sharing a car again?" She asks, immediately giving me a feeling as though my chest had been stomped on repeatedly.

"You... don't have to... I could take shining and Cadance... you should go with the rest." I whisper, trying not to look up, trying not to imagine the scorn and disappointment she must have on her face.

"...hey, this is the last time we'll be together till we hit New York,” she says with a bit of regret in her voice. “Awkward emotions aside, I'm not letting you sit in that car alone. You are my friend at the very least.... and, um, I'm still figuring out the rest."

I try not to smile, any bad feelings soothed by the fact that she is willing to ride with me, to be close a little longer.

"Yeah... I guess I'm driving then... I'll try really hard to be safe... I promise,” I reassure her, getting up into the booster seat and taking the steering wheel in my hooves.

"I'm just really sensitive to acceleration. That's all,” she reassures me.

And so we leave the hotel behind, and with it all possibility of an uneventful trip.