Equestrian Aviation

by MrTyreste

Rock me like a Wagon Wheel.

"So you're a human, too?" Colton trotted beside the tall, tan stallion while carrying a barrel of apples clumsily on his back. He was still getting used to his pony form's movement, but the heavy barrel seemed to stabilize his balance a bit more than usual. Johnny had just recently managed to master his new look, though he occasionally tripped or knocked something over trying to maneuver, but he knew that they both had a lot of work to do. One-hundred moons had nearly passed, and it was nearly time for the Apple Family reunion once again. Fortunately there was a smaller group coming this year, much to Johnny and Applejack's relief seeing as they still were unsure what the other Apples would think of their impending foal, so there wasn't much pressure in terms of decoration or festivities. However Johnny still wanted things to be as perfect as he could make them, though not as "perfect" as Applejack had tried to make things when she was in charge.

"Oh yeah, well I have a little trick, see?" He stopped for a moment and put a hoof to his left-foreleg onto a golden band with runic markings on it. "One...two...three!" In one motion he slid the band off of his leg and what was once a stallion immediately transformed into a tall, tan twenty-one year old man in a plaid shirt, boots, and jeans with short black hair. His face transformed into a stupid grin as he twirled in place in front of the Pegasus stallion. "Ta-da!" Colton's jaw dropped as Johnny slid the band back around his arm, turning him back into the tan stallion wearing a stetson.

"How...how?" Colton had no words. "How can you go from a horse to a person just like that?" He pouted.

"A little something Princess Celestia and Twilight cooked up. There have been enough humans tumble through here that a few have actually allowed the ponies to study them and create what Twilight calls Ponysona." He cringed at the name. "It's a work in progress, especially the name, but it allows us who choose to stay in this world to blend in better." He looked over towards his wife as she was still talking to Rainbow Dash, noticing that she had never stopped smiling even once.

"So, you and that orange mare? You're married?" Colton asked, still in disbelief. "How does that even work? I mean, you're different species. Surely it's kind of weird, I mean-" Johnny raised a hoof in an attempt to stop him.

"Mister Colton, let me give you some advice. This isn't Earth, or even our universe. Everything here is different. Now if you had asked me on our world what I thought about being someone like her, I'd probably be grossed out, but..." He broke eye contact to look at his wife again. He still remembered the day he had wound up in Equestria and the two hadn't been too trusting of one another, yet here they were a married couple. "There's nothing different, man. Trust me." He smiled and picked up the planks of wood and placed them back onto his back and started walking towards the site of the reunion. Colton had begun to understand where he was coming from. Despite the change, he still felt the same kind of attraction towards Rainbow Dash that he would feel towards an attractive woman. Part of him wanted to get to know her, but at the same time part of him still wanted to restore the rest of his memories.

"So...you guys are expecting a child, right?" Colton finally said after a few feet of walking.

"Yep." Johnny winked, doing his best to mimic his new brother-in-law.

"So that means you two..."

Johnny blushed a bit before smirking and turning to Colton. "You know any other ways to knock a girl up?" He laughed.

"How is it? Is it like..." Colton asked, a bit embarrassed.

Johnny stopped for a moment and turned to face his new friend. Colton had to admit, despite being a larger than average pony (from what he had seen) Johnny practically towered over him. Rainbow Dash had even made the comment that he was almost as tall as a "Princess Celestia," whoever that was.

"Already planning on getting with one of 'em, huh?" Johnny laughed a bit. "Well I'm not a great source of knowledge considering, besides my darlin, I've only slept with one woman in my life. But man oh MAN was that mare good in bed. I'm telling you, there ain't no goin' back after you've-"

"Easy there, cowboy." Colton laughed at Johnny slowly slipping into his usual Southern drawl when he got excited or worked up. "I get the idea, but I was just curious. I doubt I'll be here long enough for getting with her."

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Who in particular?" He looked back at his wife and Rainbow Dash walking into the barn. "Her? You serious?" He nudged Colton playfully. "Go get her, brother. Rainbow Dash is a pretty awesome mare. I went on a date with her and Applejack once, and somepony I'd rather not talk about..." He grumbled, remembering the bitter details of how Rainbow Dash had actually shown up with the one and only stallion Applejack had been with besides him.

Colton only smiled. "She's cute, man. I'm not even gonna deny it." He thought about her for a while. It would be nice to at least get to know her.

"So, enough of the personal talk, let's talk about you." Johnny said. "What do you do for a living?"

"Oh, well..." Colton began. "I'm a pilot."

---

"So...what do you think?" Applejack spun around, her hair now undone from the braids and spilling down her shoulders. But what she was really trying to show Rainbow Dash was the newest addition to the farmhouse. A beautiful bedroom with a queen-sized bed sat right in the middle of the back wall and was surrounded by a dresser, nightstand, hat-rack with workboots sitting in pairs along the wall, and a small crib fit for a newborn foal sat perfectly on the opposite side of the room. Rainbow Dash took a minute to let it all sink in. Wow, they're serious. Rainbow Dash thought to herself before she opened her mouth.

"I like it, and I'm really happy for you, AJ." She grinned reluctantly. "It's just...you're..." Rainbow Dash would never admit it herself, but part of her was scared she would lose her friend like this some day. Applejack had never been one for dating or just casual encounters, she had always been looking for a more long term interest. She had turned down many of RD's suggestions for a mate, especially one-nighters, because she hadn't wanted to let that get between her and her family and friends. But then Johnny came along and AJ just had to up and fall in love with the guy, and to top it off they were married with a foal on the way now. Rainbow, in a way, was just scared that their friendship would end.

"You think this is gonna mess with our friendship?" Applejack said bluntly. Wow, talk about a mind-reader. RD thought to herself and chuckled a bit. "Rainbow, you know ah ain't ever gonna stop being your friend. You know that. But ah am going to be a mother and a wife while ah'm at it. Don't think of me as ending our friendship, ah'm just sharing it with a few more ponies. Nothin' to it." She beamed. She was right, despite the fact that she'd likely be a lot busier when the foal came, but AJ would always be her best friend. No matter what happened, she knew Applejack wouldn't leave her no matter what. "Now, about this Colton guy, you think you're gonna get with him?"

Rainbow blushed. Yeah, she found him cute and all, but she hadn't given it any more thought than that. "Well... He is kind of cute, and he's a natural flier. I mean even in the human world he's a freakin PILOT, AJ!" She grinned.

"Sounds like ya'll got more in common than me and my stallion." Applejack laughed, sitting on the bed motioning for RD to join her. "Well, why not? You keep tellin' me that you haven't gotten laid in quite a while. What's stoppin' ya?" Rainbow Dash blushed furiously before pushing AJ playfully, albeit a little too hard. "Hey! No pushing the pregnant mare, here." Applejack giggled.

"Applejack, that mare is long gone, ok?" Rainbow said confidently, though with a slight hint of shame in her voice. There had been a time when Rainbow Dash had been considered by many ponies to be a bit too promiscuous with her body and behavior. Rumors spread like wildfire every time she went on a date and was seen the next morning coming out of a different house. Sure, Rainbow did have a few partners, but despite this she didn't want to be an easy score anymore. That mare was long since buried after the incident with Thunderlane. "I want a meaningful relationship, not a one-night stand or somepony just in it for sex. I want.." She tried to find the words. "I want what you and Johnny have, ok?" Applejack wrapped one foreleg around her friend's neck and smiled towards her.

"Ah understand, Rainbow, and ah'll help you if ah can, but you gotta do me a favor." She smirked. "If ah go into labor any time soon, rush me to the hospital, got it?" She laughed. "That'll be payment enough for finding a mister right for ya." Rainbow punched her in the foreleg and chuckled.

"Good one, AJ." She grinned.

---

The stage was set and the food had been placed on the tables as Colton and Johnny laid down the last of the supplies. "Looks like the Apples are showing up early this year." Johnny pointed towards the dirt road. He could make out Apple Fitter, Fiddlesticks, and Braeburn galloping down the road towards the field they were setting up in. "Hey, ya'll! Glad you could make it!" Johnny yelled.

"Wouldn't miss it, Johnny, or should I say 'cousin?'" Apple Fritter said as she nudged him. "Who's this guy?" She pointed at Colton.

"That's a friend of mine, he's helping out with the reunion this evening."

"Oh, well any friend of Applejack and her husband is a friend of ours. We Apples sure do love making new friends. I'm Apple Fritter, this is Braeburn for Appleoosa and Fiddlesticks from up in Canterlot." Colton lowered his head and smiled.

"I'm Colton Miller, nice to meet you, Miss Fritter." He smiled at the now slightly blushing mare. Hey if things didn't work out with Rainbow maybe he'd have a shot with this one, he thought to himself.

"Nice to meet you, sir, but we've got a bit of a problem. Bushel couldn't make it this year due to an injury on our orchard up north." Fiddlesticks said sadly. "We're going to have to cancel the performance." Johnny was shocked, he had been planning this since his marriage to Applejack.

"Wait, we have someone." He turned to Colton and led him off the stage. "Hey, can you play guitar?" He asked bluntly.

"Uh, I did band in college before going to the Air Force Academy, why?"

"The Apple Family is hosting a country music festival at the same time as the reunion this year. I...kind of mentioned the idea to drum up some business for the farm, not to mention it turns out Earth ponies naturally love country, especially the kind from out world." Johnny was speaking fast, one could tell he was excited. "So, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind playing a few songs. Just three or four and then we're done, what do you say?" Colton didn't know what to think. He was good on the guitar, but he never really played in front of anyone, and with hooves it was going to be even harder.

"Uh..." He looked down at his front hooves.

"Don't worry, it'll come to ya. You in?" Johnny stretched out a hoof to meet his.

"Ok, but if I embarrass myself, don't say I didn't warn you!" He bumped hooves and smiled before grabbing the guitar propped up against the stage. It felt weird, but he managed to slide the little band that held the guitar pick around his hoof and held the guitar in one foreleg.

"You boys doin' alright?" Applejack and Rainbow Dash came trotting towards the stage.

"Wow, you guys went all out this year." Rainbow Dash said, admiring the rows of seats and spread of awesome food just waiting to be eaten.

"A few problems, but we found our guitarist for the evenin." Johnny smiled.

"You play?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "You sure you can do it?"

"Yeah, I think so." He said. "Might be a little rough at first, but it should work."

"I like it rough." She winked. Was she coming on to him? "Haha! The look on your face right now." He felt a little hotter as the mare was just a few inches from his face. "I play a bit of the piano myself, but I'm not that great." She said. "I know you'll do fine, Colton. Knock 'em dead." She smiled to him.

"Ok, come on you two, time for rehearsal." Fiddlesticks motioned for the two to get on stage as Johnny reached for his banjo resting by the stage.

"Duty calls." He kissed his wife, Applejack, for good luck before jumping up onto the stage. "Love you, honey!" He grinned as he adjusted the mic. "Coming, Colton?" He motioned for the Pegasus stallion to join him.

"Don't I get a kiss, too?" He chuckled as he stuck his cheek out. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes before kissing him quickly on the lips, forcing an embarrassed reaction out of him.

"Get up there, slowpoke, before I have to resort to more drastic methods of motivation." She winked at him again before turning around to sit beside Applejack, flicking her tail in an attempt to flirt. Without thinking Colton jumped onto the stage so fast that he nearly landed on Johnny, but quietly walked to his spot.

"Hey Colton, first one up is Wagon Wheel. You know that, right?" Johnny said. How could he not, Colton loved Country music as much as the next cowboy, and Old Crow Medicine Show was one of his favorite oldies. "Take us out, big guy." Colton took a deep breath and stood up clumsily on his hind-legs and began to strum the guitar. What he expected to be a cacaphony of hellish noise was actually what he wanted to play. He was amazed at how well he was doing, despite trying to play with hooves. Was it some kind of magic? No, he didn't think so, but he liked it. After a few measures the other band members joined in, and the song started.

Heading down south to the land of the pines

I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline

Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights

I made it down the coast in seventeen hours

Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers

And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight

"Wow, he's not bad." Applejack said. Rainbow Dash only kept staring up on stage as the other Apples continued to set the rest of the decorations up.

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel

Rock me momma any way you feel

Hey momma rock me

Rock me momma like the wind and the rain

Rock me momma like a south bound train

Hey momma rock me

Colton was smiling away as he continued the song. Here he was, a pony, and playing the guitar like he'd been doing it every other day. He could feel his memories slowly returning from the moment he set foot, or rather hoof, on that farm and he loved it.

[bRunning from the cold up in New England

I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band

My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now

Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down

I lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town

But I ain't turning back to living that old life no more]

They kept playing, and when they hit the second chorus Colton was pretty much into it. "Take it, Colton!" He heard Johnny shout over the band. Colton didn't think twice, he stepped up to the mic and sang in his best country accent.

Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke

I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke

But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap

To Johnson City, Tennessee

And I gotta get a move on before the sun

I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one

And if I died in Raleigh at least I will die free

"Rock me, mama like a wagon wheel. Rock me mama any way you feel." Rainbow was singing right along, her face practically lit up with excitement as the song came to and end as the last chorus was sung. When the song finally ended the ponies that were there cheered loudly and the field rumbled with applause. Even a few ponies who weren't Apples had shown up just to hear the music. Colton was happy, he felt like he was starting to get used to his life as a pony. He still wanted to go home, of course, but despite that he was enjoying this world of Equestria.

"Applejack?" RD finally said.

"Yeah, RD?"

"You don't have to find me a mister right anymore." She said, almost mesmerized.

"Oh, why's that?"

It felt like ages before she spoke again, her eyes still fixated on the Pegasus stallion holding the guitar and smiling as he looked down at her. Their eyes locked for what seemed like forever until she finally broke the silence between her and her friend.

"i think I may have found him."

Comments

[MidnightLunaRunner]

love this story please continue