A Landing Most Wibbly Wobbly

by Baffles

On the Ground

Air looked at the stallion. Sorry, ‘the Doctor’? What kind of name was that anyway? Surely he was the doctor of something, it couldn’t be his name. That was too… egotistical. She raised her eyebrow again, in a far more questioning manner.

“No seriously. What’s your name?” She deadpanned again, measuring her tone.
“Just the Doctor.” He smiled and shifted his tie again.
It struck her as strange that somepony didn’t have a ‘real’ name. What kind of pony was without a name? His looks though, he looked like a regular average stallion. His coat was just a simple brown, his dark mane ruffled and spiked. Nothing making him stand out, or striking. He was of average looks, handsome, but not overly so.

She slowly got to her hooves. Testing her weight on them, only minor pain. Seemed nothing was broken. Besides being sore, she seemed perfectly intact. Which bothered her. Where were the others? Had there been other survivors? Why was it she came out without injury, yet the rest of them…

She pushed the thought to the furthest part of her mind. It wasn’t something she could handle right now. If there was one survivor, she had to focus on them. If even one was alive, she had some hope, it wasn’t all lost.
“Where are the others?” She asked, getting to the Doctor. Hoping he had seen others, or maybe he knew.
“From what I’ve seen, gone.” Was his soft reply.
“How could they be gone? Are they gone, wandered off? Or gone...” Her voice trailed off, not wanting to admit her passengers may be dead.

Giving him a second look over. Not looking at his looks, but his coat, his mane more closely. He had not a cut, bruise. Nothing. Not a single sign of singeing.
Clean. Completely and utterly clean.
Her brows furrowed. He looked as if he walked off the street, nothing misaligned.
‘Okay... Air, pull it together. This is ridiculous... You have to focus on the survivors, if there are any... Not worry about this strange stallion..’

“Then how did you get here?” She asked, changing the subject, inquisitive, yet almost chiding. She really doubted this pony’s story, surely he was a passenger, if he wasn’t... No pony would have any reason to be out--- Here? Where was here...
Looking around, the full scale of the situation hitting her. Above her, were trees. Uncountable numbers of trees. Full of lush green leaves covering the canopy. The sun filtered through in dappled ripples of light, casting an eerie mist, above and around the two ponies.
Making a hazy, smoky light. Clear enough to see. No vision impairment, but it gave a foreboding shadow.
“Are we in a jungle?” She asked. She knew the answer, she wasn’t daft, but it was one of those questions that has to be asked, under the circumstances.
Looking at her hooves. The ground was damp, covered in fallen leaves. Like nothing she’d ever felt. Spongy rot under her, gave her some cushioning. Looking closer she saw grubs and other insects crawling over the mulch beneath her.

“A jungle? Yes, a very remote one, by the look of it.” Was the stallions reply. “As for how I got here, I told you. My transportation malfunctioned. She seemed to be in a terrible mood.”

Air thought this stallion was perhaps delusional or insane. Could he have hit his head so badly, he didn’t remember he was in a crash, or he was hurt? This was indeed a strange situation and wouldn’t be easy to solve, fix or cope with.
But she didn’t remember seeing his face on the flight and she was good with faces.
It was a skill she prided herself on. Something ponies needed to be able to do, in her line of work.
Making sure she could recognize, incase a troublesome stallion, or mare tried to sneak into first class.
She was trained to remember where everypony was seated on that aircraft.

“So, I’ll ask again, Miss. What’s your name. I’d really like to get passed the exchanging of names. I am dreadful when it comes to staying in one place. I must say, I dislike stagnation.” He smiled, offering her a hoof to shake.

“Air Fair.” She replied, unsure how to react. Giving him her hoof. It would be rude not to.
But then again, right now, who was to say it was rude or not. They were stranded in a jungle, no food, water, shelter. No pony for hundreds, if not thousands of miles from them.

“A pleasure Air Fair. But I’ll probably just call you Air.” Was his lighthearted reply, while shaking her hoof enthusiastically... His smile was warm, but hid something deep within. What it was, she couldn’t tell, but one thing was for sure. He had a long, perhaps hard past. She decided not to delve into that chasm. At least not until they had a base of operations, if they were to survive.

“Sir, I want you to stay right there while I look for survivors.” Taking her hoof back, she turned and started to trot towards where the faintest traces of smoke lingered.
Not only that, but she could still smell the results of the terrible event, plain as day.

“Hello? Is anyone there!” She cried. Putting her hooves to her mouth. To amplify her cry.
When she reached the first sections of rubble were. It stopped her right in her tracks.
Debris was spread around the area. Paper, clothes, luggage. All hanging from branches. Trees still smoldered, embers still glowing faintly under bits of aircraft, on or in trees. small pools of jet fuel, still posed a potential hazard. Bodies lay, some maimed or burned beyond recognition others still intact with very little visible damage. She checked each body with greuling and or morbid dedication, both trending on a fine line, to make sure every pony was checked. In case there was a survivor.

“Hello?” She called again, hoping somepony may hear her. That there was anypony, just one. She could help.
Her ears went back. This was terrible, it was indescribably awful. Bodies lay where they landed, some still twisted in pain, others looked as if they were just sleeping. But upon further inspection, resulted in no pulse.

She began to crawl over big pieces of rubble, to expand her search, hoping it would yield more success.
It was slippery going, between the damp, humid air and the jet fuel that still clung to the body, the parts that hadn’t burned. Every body she saw nearly every passenger she remembered where they sat, and which drinks they had ordered and every plate of food.

After getting to a higher position, she lifted small sections of plane in her unicorn magic, throwing them away from the bodies and the area she was inspecting.
She stopped dead, her hooves shaking, her magic flickering and going out. The piece she had been holding, fell to the side of her, sliding down the intact fuselage.
There. Under a collapsed seat was a little filly. The filly who she had talked to, just before the accident. The same filly, she had told that nothing bad would happen.
“Chocolate...”
Her ears went down, as she stared at the tiny white coat, and chocolate spotted hoof, that stuck out from under the seat.
A light drizzle, fell around her, and the bodies of her charges and so too her tears mixed with the drizzle that fell.
The haze thickened, with the hissing of embers being extinguished by the rain. Steam rising around the ruins.
She turned. And saw the Doctor. Standing in the rain. Watching her sadly.
“Do you want help burying them?” He asked. In a soft, hesitant voice.
Blinking, it took her a moment to process what he had said. Of course she wanted help. She couldn’t possibly do this all by herself. No pony could. Especially somepony like her, who had worked with them, made them comfortable.
“Yes. I’d like that very much..” She brought the chair up surrounded by her magic, showing her Chocolate Chip’s full body.
Her tiny body was still relatively intact, some burns, a broken leg, it looked at first sight.
The frail little body, just so easily broken... It was too much...

Air looked away, unable to stomach it. “If you really are the Doctor… can you fix things?” She looked at him, hoping he would give her an actual answer.

“Depends on the thing, I am not what you would know as a doctor, I fix things. Yes. But not ponies.” Was his solemn reply. Knowing it wasn’t the right answer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He watched her with his blue eyes.
She stood on top a part of the body of the aircraft. Her body obviously trembling. He couldn’t see what she saw, but it seemed to him, whatever it was, he didn’t want to find out, if he could help it.

“I know you want to help them, but I scanned everypony here. There wasn’t another soul, besides you, Air. You were the luc---”

Air’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t you dare finish that! How dare you! How could you think that would help me, knowing I survived, but they didn’t?!” Her voice was cracking, tears becoming more obvious.
“Do you the torment that can cause? It should have been me! Not this little filly, or any of these ponies! I should have died too!”

Holding up his hooves, his eyes wide.
“I’m sorry, Air. . . I suppose it was tactless, I’m sorry. Here. Let’s check once more, maybe my Sonic didn’t catch everypony.” He tried to sooth the poor pony.
Taking a look at the young Unicorn, she couldn’t be older than early twenties.
Cute for a pony, then again, he didn’t find ponies attractive. It was just one of those bridges he never crossed. Not since Rose Luck.
His own demeanor darkened, remembering his last companion.
Locking his eyes with Air’s again, he watched her mane become heavy with rain water.
Her eyes, as fiery as her passion.
Maybe she would be a new compain--- no! That was foolish, this poor mare just survived a air crash. What was he thinking. Was he getting so old, he was so selfish... Maybe he was. Play it by ear, he finally decided, but he wouldn’t get upset if she wasn’t interested.
Shaking his head and mane. He started to scramble up to her.

“I’m sorry, Air.” His eyes focused on her’s. Honesty plain in them.
Her anger and grief seemed to settle. Clearly as her muscles started to relax.
Her head hung, looking at something under her.

Coming closer, he saw a tiny hoof.
“Oh no...” Was his soft gasp. “That’s what upset you...”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air looked back at the body. “Can’t you check her? Please?”
Turning her gaze to him again, her voice was a whisper. “I told her before this happened, nothing bad wou--- Would happen...” More tears formed, making her eyes look bigger.

“Yes, if it would help.” He replied, bringing his Sonic out.
Air’s attention was momentarily taken from the grief of the scene around her.
“What’s that?” Was her question, clearly confused by it.
“It’s called a Sonic screwdriver. It scans things, giving me a stream of information about it, it can also unlock locks. I still haven’t gotten it to get a reading on wood. Still, you’d think, something as advanced as the Sonic would be able to open wooden doors.” He gave her a wry smile. “It could help.”

Waving it over the little filly. He brought it to his face, looking at the feed from it.
Raising an eyebrow, he stuffed it back in the neck part of the tie, and grabbed the filly as softly as he could, turning her over and listening to her chest.
“Looks like we have one survivor!” He said. His attention fully on the filly. “Air, I need some help moving her. You take her someplace safe, and I’ll look for more.”

A small short gasp came from Air. She was still alive! Her attention went to the filly too.
Lowering herself, she gave her back to the Doctor, to lift the filly on.
She’d take good care of her. If it killed her! That much she could promise.

After the Doctor had gotten the filly onto her back, after making a crude splint for her hind leg that was quite obviously broken. Air lifted herself back up to her hooves. Looking at the best way to get from the height they were.
“Thank you.” Was her soft voice, bringing the Doctor’s head up, to look at her.
“Of course, Air. I know your desire to help, believe me. I do.” With that a faint smile creeped across his lips.

Nodding she slowly started to descend, carefully putting her weight on sturdy sections. Being conscious of her tiny charge laying on her back. Barely weighing anything. A tiny frail feather, nothing more.
It brought Air’s ears down, head lowered. She looked back and saw the Doctor, start to scan more bodies, the ones she couldn’t see.
‘Thank you, who ever you are.’ She silently thanked him.

Returning to where she thought they had started, she slowly lowered herself down to her belly. Picking up, Chocolate Chip she rested her down beside her. Nuzzling her, hoping to rouse her.
Maybe if she could wake her up, she could somehow comfort the little filly. Making amends. Would that help? Would it matter? Maybe not, but... She had assured her.

Air’s mind wandered as she waited for Chocolate to wake. She began to think of when she first started training as a flight attendant.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the first day of stewardess training. Air stood, a broad smile plastering her face, the excitement too much to contain.
She stood in a line with other mares, who were starting their training too. All but Air were Pegasi...
“Isn’t this the best day ever?” She asked the nearest mare. Who looked at her and rolled her eyes, ignoring her.
Brushing it off, she stood, barely containing her joy.
When the instructor came in, she regarded the excited filly with vaguely concealed distain.
“Miss...” She looked at a clipboard. “Air Fair... What makes you think a unicorn can be a stewardess?” She asked with a cruel smile. Clearly taking an instant dislike to Air.
“Well... I love helping ponies, I think because I can use magic, it would be helpful on a flight, serving ponies...” Her smile never faded, obviously missing the racist comment.
Bitter Wing, the instructor, regarded her again. Making a scoffing sound.
“I highly doubt it, in the sky, the Pegasi reign supreme, we are the masters of the sky. Unicorns have no place in it. You may... Try... But I doubt you’ll get very far, land walker.” She walked past Air, with a flick of her tail.
“Now listen up, wannabes. This is a grueling job! Your happy go lucky attitudes end now. Your job is to help the passengers get from point A to point B. You’re not to be their best friends. No, you will serve them drinks, food, airsick bags.”
Giving a wicked glance at Air, she made a sneer. “This isn’t play time. Now! Let’s begin.”

“M...Mommy?”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air blinked, her memory broken. She looked down and saw Chocolate’s tiny eyes open, vivid blue eyes staring right back at hers.
“Oh... Chocolate, Mommy’s not here...” Was a soft reply. During a flurry of licks and nuzzles.
“Where is she?” Chocolate’s scared voice quivered.
Air’s heart shattered, how could she tell her. She couldn't lie, but she couldn't tell her, she was still too young to understand the concept of death.
“She... She’s gone, sweetie. I’m sorry, remember me? I gave you that coloring book?” Air asked, trying her best to smile, to reassure the little filly.

“But, how could she be...” Chocolate paused. “Gone?”
Air’s eyes began to water.
“Remember when I told you nothing bad would happen? Tu..Turns out, maybe I was wrong. . . We had an accident, and.. Lots of ponies are gone.” She summed up her courage.
Chocolate just stared not comprehending.
She looked around her. “Where are we? Are we in Saddle Arabia?”
“No, we’re...” Air looked too. The light was fading, plunging them into darkness. Slowly bring the dangers that lay in wait. “Far from Saddle Arabia. We’re in a jungle, I don’t know where, but somepl---”

“I buried some of them...” The Doctor’s voice came through the brush, as he emerged.
Air glared at him. Trying to give him the hint.
“O...Oh. I mean... Hello there, little one. Are you feeling alright?”

Author's Note:

So, I tried a new format. Hope this is easier to read.
Please stay tuned for more!

Comments

[LianneInkSpell]

4104739
I used to when I was young too! I'm still not as good today, but since you've been writing since you were young, you're really good!
Again, goodluck with your story, I'll read every update you make with it! :D

[AshBree]

Wow!
+1 Like!

[Iamsorry]

see! much better! with spaces! :D
though it does seem you rushed though it a bit nothing major just a missing word here and there but im starting to hate these cliff hangers! not to mention what happened to poor chocolate D:
i hope she has a happy ending then again i did see the tragedy tag so im expecting everyone to die horribly lol

[ElementOfFaith]

This is gettin' gooood!
Looking forward to more.