Teamwork iS Awesome

by FestOfAmerican

DEPARTURE - ON TIME 11:35 AM

FimFiction.net presents

Written by FestOfAmerican

Based on the characters created by Lauren Faust, and the show “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”, owned by Hasbro Incorporated.

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Chapter Two: DEPARTURE – ON TIME 11:35 AM

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7:45 AM PST (10:45 AM EST)
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Los Angeles International Airport, California, U.S.A.
Second Floor – Departures

The bus merged from West Century Boulevard onto the airport’s World Way. In the unfiltered sunlight pouring in through the front windows, the control tower, parking garages, theme building and terminals slowly unfolded from the concrete horizon.

A massive buildup of traffic was also revealed; a gridlock of cars, hotel and rental car shuttles, stopping to pick up or drop off passenger ponies. The operator behind their bus however was quite adept at maneuvering this kind of congestion, a skill honed by decades of driving in Los Angeles. He swerved into the gaps of adjacent lanes with the agility of a vehicle that was half its length. Grinning in satisfaction, Mrs. Fyre-Flye could see Air Canada’s terminal coming up steadily. She turned her head towards the passenger cabin for an important decision they all had to make.

“Okay kids,” she began with a smirk. “We still have over an hour before AJ and the others arrive. They’re on an American Airlines flight, which docks at Terminal 4. We have two options: We can pull up at Terminal 2 and wait for them to come to us, or we can go to the American building and meet them at the exit.” As the cast members started to look around at one another, Mrs. Fyre-Flye continued.

“As you know, the reception we’ve gotten at the airport has grown considerably, now that more ponies are watching the show. And I know that some of you get a little anxious dealing with large crowds. I believe our best bet to avoid that is to stay inside T-2, where international travelers mean less chances of being recognized.”

Fluttershy topped the ranks of “Most camera-shy” in the group, but there was also Applebloom and the other “Crusaders”. Even stoic Big Macintosh reached the end of his patience with reporters before. Overall, the ex-producer’s greatest concern was for the young Princess Luna. This would be her first time in public without her sister, and without protective escort from the Royal Guards. She had herself partly to blame for the latter.

Several weeks earlier, when Mrs. Fyre-Flye determined that more time was needed to go over certain script details, the show’s budget was being renegotiated with Hasbro. The guards had to catch the initial flight out because it couldn’t be afforded to book them all for today. That decision had the approval from both princesses at the time. But when Celestia and four of the “Mane Six” went to BroNYCon Winter in New York City, they met a fan who –in an unprecedentedly generous way to express gratitude for their work– gave them AA flight vouchers for a 4-day trip to Miami, Florida. With the credit having a limited window of redemption, they made plans to go on January 3rd, and then meet the others at LAX on the 7th for their weekly filming in Vancouver.

Of course that now left Princess Luna entirely by herself. She was reclusive by nature; her on-screen performance wasn’t just impressive acting. Pairing her with Angel may have eased her isolation a bit, but the situation must have her very nervous.

Ohhh, this is all my fault! Why didn’t I see this coming? …Wait, how could I? You realize how expensive cross-country airline tickets are, and that brony had FIVE of them to give out? Who has that kind of money to spend freely these days? I wish I did...

Dwelling on the negative wasn’t getting her any closer to resolving this dilemma. In fact it was distracting her from finding an answer in the form of Twilight Sparkle raising her right foreleg, wagging it feverishly to get her attention.

“Mrs. Fyre-Flye!” Twilight called out to her. When at last the moniker got through to its owner, the lead star delivered her statement.

“I would like to say –with confidence that I also speak for the others– that we want to go and see our friends as soon as they disembark.”

The Alicorn was taken aback. Perhaps the bond they feel towards one another extended deeper than she previously believed.

“Are you sure that’s what you want? All of you?” she asked incredulously. There were rousing cheers and concurrences coming from the rest of the cast members.

“100%. It comes with the territory, and I don’t want to let our fans down,” Twilight replied.

“But of course, darling! We live in Los Angeles, after all. If there wasn’t a single reporter camping out at the airport, waiting for stars like us… Why, I cannot even fathom such a dreadful possibility!” Rarity gasped.

“You betcha! I want the ladies to get a look at the more suave version of Spike: international dragon of mystery,” the young boy crooned, tipping his bowler hat down to cover his left eye. Twilight buried her face in her front hooves to muffle her snickering.

“Hah, yeah right! It’s no mystery where you get your cheesy lines from,” said Scootaloo, rolling her eyes.

“Or what he’s named the teddy bear he goes to sleep with,” Applebloom taunted.

Cheeks blushing, Spike jumped up from his seat, hanging onto the backrest with one hand and brandishing the bowler hat in the other at the girls’ direction.

“Hold it right there! Don’t say mean things about James Bear!” he demanded hotly. “He’s twice the adventurer you three will ever be!” Right next to him, leaning against the sheet metal of the cabin, was a stuffed toy bear wearing a black tuxedo and bow-tie over a white dress shirt, with a tiny silenced pistol in one paw.

The fillies laughed. Spike returned to the correct seating position, puffs of smoke escaping his nostrils when he snorted in annoyance.

“Um, Mrs. Fyre-Flye? What we really meant to say is that the Cutie Mark Crusaders will always fight for our friends and loved ones. We’re not afraid of anything!” Sweetie Belle declared with such passion that momentarily stunned her team members.

“Wow, Sweetie Belle’s on fire today!” Scootaloo observed respectfully.

“I’ll say! And to the Apples, there’s nothing else worth fighting for than family,” Applebloom said, looking up at her brother for affirmation.

“Yes ma’am,” Big Macintosh agreed, smiling down at her.

The bus edged out of the heavy traffic and arrived at Terminal 2 curbside, where a cylindrical signpost was suspended overhead.

Mrs. Fyre-Flye got out of her seat, remotely aware that they’d arrived. She walked down the aisle, looking into their faces, with her own growing hot from the prolonged smiling and swelling admiration for her creations.

Remarkable. Simply remarkable. When did they get so strong in spirit? They couldn’t have gotten it from me alone. This must’ve happened as a result of working together for so long. They’ve taken on a life of their own, no doubt about it.

She stopped directly in front of the bed, where Princess Luna and Angel looked up at her attentively. The slightest wavering could not be found in their eyes. She already knew the answer, but she asked her question again as if to make the heavens above her witness.

“Et tu, Princess Luna?”

She arose from her seating position. A smile traced its way across her slender face. With sparkling eyes that could outshine stars, and a voice as clear and present as Earth’s natural satellite, she responded.

“Yes, Mrs. Fyre-Flye, Angel and I are quite sure. I shall embrace the public without fear. It is what my sister has always wished for. And Angel will go because he wishes to help Fluttershy one day find the same courage that beats within this regal heart.”

Angel hopped out of his basket and stood in line next to Luna’s two front hooves. He crossed his arms in front of him, furrowing his eyebrows and nodding silently.

Words became irrelevant. With bursting affection, Mrs. Fyre-Flye stepped her forelegs onto the bed, lowered her head and embraced Luna with the side of her neck, which the princess returned. She sniffed through her nose softly, tears running down her face. The scene was drawing a collective “Awww” from the rest of the cast.

You’ve grown up so fast. You’re light-years ahead of the Luna I conceived. No matter what happens, I will always be proud of you.

Mrs. Fyre-Flye stepped back, looking once again at the pony that she was once so fearful for. Luna’s character is one that continually defies your perceptions with underlying quality.

It’s not a mystery anymore as to what a supporting character needs to gain widespread appeal. Just look at “Derpy”. She’s about to have her first ever speaking role in this episode-

The word “episode” brought her back to her hectic, deadline-driven mindset. She was about to pull the watch out of her purse again to check the time when she heard two high-pitched siren chirps. Through the window of the emergency exit door, she was staring down a black-and-white Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor parked right behind them, the officer in the driver’s seat trying to signal the loitering bus. She knew instantly the only time that mattered: Time to move.

Forgetting the watch altogether, she snapped her head to the front, noticing the driver had also been witnessing the emotional exchange.

“Okay, Whoopee, you heard the princess! To Terminal 4, right away!” Mrs. Fyre-Flye said quickly.
He rapidly swerved back in his seat. Turning the key in the ignition, the engine churned to life. With a shifting of gears, the bus turned left into delved back into the river of cars, with the police cruiser following suit moments after.

Note: This picture is just a point of reference. There are no humans depicted in this story.

Past Terminal 3, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal, they arrived at a modernized portion of the complex. The steel and glass architecture rose high above the older portions, ending in an arched rooftop. A sign posted over on the closest doorway welcomed them to Terminal 4.

The hydraulic brakes hissed loudly from the vehicle’s undercarriage as it came to a stop. Mrs. Fyre-Flye scanned the curbside from left to right. As expected, it was congested with the activities of all kinds of commuters. There were business-ponies, couples, families, and swarms of uniformly-dressed students bound for a field trip.

No press yet on-site though. Thank goodness.

She felt relieved, well aware that it would only be momentary. All it takes is a single phone call, text message, Facebook or Twitter post from a passenger or employee, and they would be here within an hour or less; a well-oiled machine of responsive action that could rival the Postal Service.

She walked up to the double-doors on the right-hand side as the anticipant driver pulled them open. A crisp winter breeze wafted in through the opening, caressing her and inducing a slight chill.

“Go and find a spot in temporary parking. I’ll call you when we’ve linked up with the others,” Mrs. Fyre-Flye instructed him while still looking out the doorway. Confident that he acknowledged the command, she climbed down the steps. Liberated from the cramped dimensions of the bus, she outstretched her legs and wings to full length.

Right away, the first aspect of her appearance that drew everyone’s attention was that she was an Alicorn, similar to Princesses Celestia and Luna. Her coat and feathers were white and glowing in the sunlight, with her magic-casting horn poking out between bangs of long garnet hair. Her cutie mark –the unique defining trait of every single pony in existence– was the depiction of a feather quill dipped into an inkwell.

She breathed in and exhaled slowly, sequentially closing and reopening her blue eyes and smiling. Even the stale, pollutant-laced air of LAX’s curbside seemed wonderful to experience, remembering that less than a year back, she would’ve been so absorbed in the production of each episode that she could hardly recall what she’d had for breakfast, let alone determine the air quality.

She returned a glance to the loose semicircle of ponies that had been curiously studying her. Suddenly their faces lit up with excitement, hearing familiar voices next to her greeting them.

“Good morning, everypony.” Twilight winked at the crowd.

“Hey, how you guys doing? Today is a good day to fly.” Spike tipped his hat in emphasis of the quip.

“Oh my God, is that-?"

“It is! Twilight Sparkle and Spike, from ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic‘!”

“Oh wow, I love that show! I can’t believe they’re here!”

The unicorn and dragon stepped forward and started mingling with the fans, their crescent formation becoming denser and more tightly weaved. Cell phones and camcorders -wielded by either hooves or magic- were frenetically taking pictures. A new wave of clapping and cheering announced the appearance of two more cast members.

“Hey, look who’s coming out next! It’s Rarity and Sweetie Belle!”

“Aren’t they simply precious together? You’d never find a more magnificent pair of sisters!”

“That winter outfit is to die for! Just like Rarity; always one step ahead of the curve!”

“Thank you, thank you all! It’s my own personal ensemble called ‘Nouvelle Année’ or ‘New Year’. You’ll find plenty of wonderful winter selections online at CarouselBoutique.com! I also do custom tailoring!” Rarity advertised proudly, her sunglasses deflecting camera flashes.

“Hiya! Cutie Mark Crusader #3 here! Applebloom will be out in a minute, just as soon she coaxes the chicken out of her coop!” Sweetie Belle motioned with her head back to the bus, a sly expression on her face. One of the windows facing them was instantaneously ripped open by an exasperated Scootaloo, much to the audience’s shock.

“HEY! I heard that, cheesy breath!” she yelled before slamming the window shut and disappearing from view.

“That’s funny, her reaction time’s usually faster,” Applebloom documented aloud while climbing down the final stair. “Must be those eggs she’s eating. All that fat and cholesterol will slow anypony down eh, Big Mac?”

“Eeeyup,” he replied, chuckling. The crowd was uproarious after hearing another signature quote from the show.

“Awesome, it’s Applebloom and Big Macintosh!”

“Big Macintosh is the man!”

“Hay yeah! Can we have a brohoof over here, please?”

As they joined in the festivities, Princess Luna gingerly made her way down the staircase, carrying Angel on her back. She sat down next to Mrs. Fyre-Flye, bowing and waving at the crowd. Angel relocated to the top of her head, leaning outward by holding to her horn with one paw and waving with the other.

“Luna is here too? I must be dreaming!”

“I know! I’ve never met either of the princesses before!”

“And look, that must be Angel! They look so adorable together; total opposites, just like him and Fluttershy!”

After warmly acknowledging Luna and Angel, Mrs. Fyre-Flye spared another glance at her pocket watch: It was now 8:28 AM.

The flight will be landing soon. What’s taking the last two so long?

“No w-w-wait, Derpy! I’ve changed my mind about this! I-I don’t need to make a big entrance!”

Puzzled, she turned around, and then jumped in alarm when she witnessed several strong impacts rocking the vehicle’s chassis. The emergency exit hatch on the roof was punched open by a gray hoof, followed by more frantic pleading.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll get Apple and Sweet back another time! No need to be so hast-EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!”

A gray and orange mass blasted out of the hatch like a missile, spinning like a corkscrew. Once it breached 30 feet of air, the object stabilized and revealed itself to be a Pegasus mare and filly, their features drowning in the sunlight. She dived towards the crowd of ponies, the filly’s hooves were wrapped tightly around the neck and screaming at the top of her lungs.

“AAAAAAAAAHHH!!! SOMEPONY HELP MEEEEEEEE!!!”

She pulled out of the dive a little too close for comfort, forcing her co-stars and the fans to duck in cover. The Pegasus banked left and started flying in circles above the entire scene, slowly increasing the velocity of her revolutions.

“PUT ME DOWN, DITZY!!! PUT. ME. DOWN!!!”

Ignoring Scootaloo’s cries, her circling adapted into figure-8 maneuvers, culminating in a single vertical loop. Before she could perform another, a loud authoritative voice intervened.

“ENOUGH, DERPY! COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!”

Mrs. Fyre-Flye, bearing a fierce expression and voice, that only a very unlucky few have suffered, raised a collective flinch from the crowd. Derpy complied immediately, dropping straight down like a rock and landing at the epicenter of the gathering, before the former executive producer. The disoriented Scootaloo relinquished the death grip on her neck, sliding down the back and onto the pavement. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle rushed forward to aid their compatriot. Once turned upright, the Pegasus filly’s eyes snapped open and her cheeks popped with air as nausea started to take effect.

“Mm-muh-move! Out of my way!” she moaned, clamoring to her feet and running behind the bus. A vile duo of retching and splashing sounds could now be heard. Mrs. Fyre-Flye paid no mind, still glaring at the defeated-looking mare. She was a gray coated and feathered Pegasus, with a blond mane and tail. The cutie mark on both flanks was a collection of air bubbles.

"Derpy, what on earth were you two thinking? Just what was that stunt supposed to accomplish?" Mrs. Fyre-Flye demanded. A few tense seconds pass before she answered.

“Scootaloo gets pretty upset when ponies mock her about flying,” Derpy said slowly and fearfully, hanging her head in shame with her mane concealing her face.

“She told me Rainbow Dash would always fly her around on her back after each shooting, whenever she wanted,” she continued. “And since she wasn’t here right now, I thought I’d take her place.”

When she lifted her head to look at Mrs. Fyre-Flye, tears were already streaming downward, eyebrows arched upward in sadness. The orientation of her eyes would have been comical under different circumstances. Instead, everyone watching shared in her sorrow.

“I-I’m sorry, ma’am. All I wanted to do was to help her feel better. I thought I could be her Rainbow Dash, but I just don’t know what went wrong,” she murmured, hiccuping between sobs.

"I can answer that...urgh," groaned a voice that became clearer as it moved around the bus.

Scootaloo emerged from her indisposition with a green tinge fading from her complexion, her eyes squinting from a headache. She stumbled over, sitting down in between the two and facing the Alicorn.

"Everypony knows how much I admire Rainbow Dash. When I meet other fliers, I can't help but compare them to her, sometimes even forcing them to be more alike. That's what I did to Derpy when I told her about all the amazing things Rainbow Dash does for me; it made her question her own qualities and talents that make her special." She lifted and turned ninety degrees left so that she could take turns looking at Mrs. Fyre-Flye and Derpy.

"But Derpy already has her cutie mark, and so does Rainbow Dash. I see now that nopony can change theirs once it's earned. I don't have my cutie mark yet, but when I finally do, it's going to be through something I can do better than anypony else."

Derpy was lowering a hoof after wiping away tears when she saw Scootaloo turning to face her. Expectant of harsh words, she was caught off-guard to see the younger Pegasus smiling.

"I'm sorry, Derpy. You’re a great friend the way you are. Thank you for trying to cheer me up." Scootaloo held up her forelegs for a hug. Derpy accepted at once, snatching her up and squeezing her against her upper chest.

The crowd exploded in applause. It wasn’t long before they collaborated on a rhythmic chant.

"SCOO-TALOO!!! DERPY HOOVES!!! SCOO-TALOO!!! DERPY HOOVES!!! SCOO-TALOO!!! DERPY HOOVES!!!"

Derpy lowered Scootaloo back down. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle charged in and embraced her together, offering both their praise and apologies. Mrs. Fyre-Flye took in the whole event with an ever-increasing sense of pride. She left the show with a tremendous amount of uncertainty about the future of her creations, but they have proven to her more than once today that they were going in the right direction, both in their professional and personal relationships. In a sudden burst of longing, she looked back for the bus and its driver, surprised to find that it had left unnoticed.

Several minutes later, when the fans seemed content, she rallied her band of ponies and marched them into Terminal 4. To their right were long lines at the self-check-in kiosks. Straight ahead was an escalator that went up to the security checkpoint and the boarding gates beyond it. Mrs. Fyre-Flye darted over to the encased monitors that were bolted to the steel superstructure.

“Hmm, about 7 minutes left,” Twilight noted after coming up to join her.

“Is that 'til touchdown, or when they get to the gate?” Spike asked.

“Either way, it won’t be long. Let’s go find a good spot to meet them.” The show’s creator urged them all forth with a wave of her foreleg.

Because they didn’t check-in with Air Canada yet, the airline representative guarding the escalator’s foot wouldn't permit them to go up without a valid ticket. Instead they went through an underpass of the boarding level, finding another set of escalators on the other side that were closer to the concourse exit. With no seats at all nearby, they made due with a makeshift bench that was part of the terminal’s framework.

Rarity climbed up first, folding her hind legs underneath, but sat upright within a millisecond of lying down on the surface.

“Ooh, it’s so cold, and so hard! It makes those seats on the bus seem comfortable!” Shivering, she clenched her eyes behind her sunglasses, tucking her forelegs into herself to restore warmth.

“It’s concrete, my dear. You can’t expect it to be anything but,” Princess Luna reminded her as she lay down herself, giving off a slight shake upon contact. “Would you prefer the carpet over there? It seems to agree with those passengers sleeping on it.”

The fashionable unicorn grimaced at the sight that Luna was pointing to; ponies unashamedly lying on the heavily trampled carpeting with personal belongings in their unconscious grip.

“…No, thank you. Nothing wrong with a little perspective to better appreciate one’s lot in life,” Rarity stated flatly, giving off a muted whine when she rested herself on the freezing rock again.

When the minutes into their wait seemed to drag on, a prerecorded female voice made a delightfully mundane announcement over the intercom.

"American Airlines announces the arrival of flight two-nine-nine, with service from Miami. Arriving passengers can be met at baggage carousel four. Thank you."

“That's it. They're here," Mrs. Fyre-Flye said aloud.

Big Macintosh yawned and stretched all four legs, waking up from a nap he took against one of the diagonal steel columns. Spike sat forward from the glass window, grabbed the prone bowler hat and flipped it atop of his head, only for Angel (who was sleeping inside it) to pop it right off and onto Princess Luna's head, stirring her back to life. Twilight ceased perusing her copy of the "Episode 40" script, casting a spell to make it disappear at will. Sweetie Belle returned Rarity's smart-phone to her after she and her friends took turns playing "Angry Birds" on it. A fresh influx of passenger streamed down the escalator. The gang scanned intently through the crowd for their friends.

"Up there, girls! There she is! Good morning, Applejack!" Derpy shouted elatedly.

Everyone craned their heads up to look up at the third floor balcony, spotting the star of the new episode leaning against the railing, beaming and waving her cowboy hat at them on one forehoof.

"Howdy! And a g’morning to y’all too! Hope you weren't waiting long!"

“NOPE!” Applebloom and Big Macintosh yelled in unison, smiling.

Fitting the hat back on, she galloped towards the escalator, hopping nimbly down the steps. Slipping her saddlebags off and onto the floor, she moved in for a three-way hug with her family members. Mrs. Fyre-Flye and the rest of the cast converged to share in the embrace.

She was an earth pony with an orange coat and a trio of white freckles beneath each of her green eyes. Hay-colored mane and tail hair were tied together with red ribbons, ending in small, spiky bunches. She was crowned with a large brown Stetson hat that had a circular cut in the front brim. Three bright red apples are what her cutie mark comprised of.

“Welcome back, Applejack,” Princess Luna said after a courteous bow. “You look refreshed. How was Miami?”

“Aw it was incredible, Luna! I wish all of y’all could’ve been there! It was exactly as they say: Non-stop fun in the sun!”

“I’ll bet! The pictures you sent us online probably don’t do it justice!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Ooooh, what is that pretty flower?” Derpy asked, inching Applejack’s hat to one side with one limb, revealing delicate white petals sprouting from behind one ear.

“Why it’s an orange blossom,” Applejack said, plucking it out of her hair by the stem and passing it to Derpy. “I bought a packet of seeds for the backyard garden, so we can have real Florida orange juice anytime.”

The Pegasus closed her crossed eyes and deeply inhaled the sweet aroma of the flower several times before compulsively tossing it into her mouth. Savoring the flavor released with every chew, she gave a sigh of contentment after swallowing it. When she opened her eyes, she was facing a stunned Applejack.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry about your flower! It just smelled sooo good that I couldn’t help myself!” Derpy apologized quickly, holding a hoof to her mouth.

“Shucks, it’s all right, Derpy. I’ve got a bag full of seeds to grow more. Besides, I doubt Customs up north would’ a let it through anyway.” Applejack leaned in closer to Derpy’s visage, cupping a hoof to her own mouth as if to share a secret.

“Y’all promise not to tell nopony that I like oranges now, right?” She playfully whispered, glancing furtively at every one of her costars, to which they all broke out in laughter.

It was obvious what she was referring to. As insignificant and outright silly this revelation may be, everything they said and did held immense volume within the fan community and often taken extravagantly out of context. It was fun toying with them at first, but over time they learned to be careful with what they share outside of official performances.

“Applejack likes oranges? Oooh, that dirt’s worth its weight in gold! Wait ‘til Equestria Daily hears about this!” a female said in a high-pitched tone. While everyone jumped at the intruding outburst, it was the farmer who registered the threat.

“GAH!” Applejack yelped, leaping onto her hind legs and clawing feverously into the air with her forelegs. Losing her balance, she stumbled backward and tripped over her own saddlebag, collapsing on the ground in a heap.

“No fair, Pinkie! You stole my joke!” Spike lamented. He folded his arms in front of his chest, disappointed momentarily before remembering who he just spoke to.

“PINKIE PIE!” everyone yelled delightedly.

The laughing earth pony’s coat was light pink. A richer shade was reserved for her mane and tail, wild and curly like cotton candy. Her eyelids opened to reveal the most piercing baby blue eyes imaginable. Her cutie mark were three balloons; two blue and one yellow.

“Wow, Applejack! If you got that scared about the world finding out your taste for citrus, imagine how worse you’ll react for something bigger!” Pinkie Pie snickered as she helped her fallen friend.

“I didn’t get scared over that!” Applejack indignantly accepted Pinkie’s hoof to get back on her feet. “You just surprised me when you fell behind to check on Rainbow Dash. I forgot that you weren’t behind me anymore.” Pinkie’s amused stare was egging Applejack on, so she switched to an offensive stance.

“And for the record, y’all better not be serious about posting anything to Equestria Daily, or any other website! You know the rules Mrs. Fyre-Flye gave us!”

“I know, don’t worry! I feed those guys disinformation all the time, so they’ll never know what’s true or not! Look!” Pinkie reached into her saddlebag and pulled out her smart-phone, with equestriadaily.com refreshing itself as the browser’s homepage. She tapped the “SUBMIT” tab on the screen with her free hoof, then the appropriate email address, which prompted a new message to open up. She set the phone on the floor and began typing away at a blinding pace.

“Attention Equestria Daily,” Pinkie Pie read aloud. “Applejack likes bagels! Season 3 will be the last one ever! The Mane Six, Spike, and Mrs. Fyre-Flye are currently at a convention in Egypt called ‘SandyCon’ – Buy your tickets yesterday! Love, Pinkie Pie”

After sending the misdirecting email on its way, she gripped the edge of the phone with her teeth. With an upward pull of her neck, the phone flipped gracefully in mid-air before landing inside the open pocket of her saddlebag. Pinkie Pie beamed at the bewildered Applejack.

“If you really do that kind of stuff all the time, then I’m surprised they haven’t blocked your email address yet,” the cowgirl finally said.

“I know!” Pinkie yelled as she threw her forelegs straight out in disbelief. “Maybe they think it’s funny too! They’d never believe it was the REAL Pinkie Pie behind it, so anything I tell them is automatically not true! And I’m not the only rule-breaker here, isn’t that right, Ms. Twilicious?”

The party animal bopped her head in view of the studious unicorn, who got jittery and avoided eye contact when she became the conversational focus. Everyone on the show knew about Twilight’s impromptu, yet catchy little song, captured on film in the library set when the camera was accidentally left running. Preserved as part of an in-house blooper reel, Director Wootie notified them that the footage recently went missing.

“Pinkie, shhh!” Twilight hissed between her teeth. “It wasn’t me who stole that recording! Come on, what are the odds that someone will leak it online?” she whispered nervously. Applejack groaned and held a hoof up to her forehead in disbelief.

“Applejack, what did you mean when you said Pinkie was checking on Rainbow Dash? Is she all right?” asked Scootaloo, her wide eyes pleading for an answer. Grateful at the change of subject, she finished putting the saddlebags back on and obliged.

“Ain’t nothing serious to be worried about, sugarcube. That reckless daredevil really took a liking to Miami and didn’t want to leave. So on the last night of our stay she-“

“She started flying around town like a bat outta hay, looking for things to do, things she thought she missed out on!" Pinkie interrupted to tell her favorite part of the story, then started running circles around the group on her hind legs, with the fore ones stretched out in front, mimicking their co-star’s flying style. “Zoom, zoom!”

“Yeah,” Applejack continued. “Off she went into the sunset sky, going without food or rest; highly unusual for that pony. Must’ve been something in the beach water, I dunno. When we woke up at 4 AM to catch the return flight, she was back, hunched over and trying to close her suitcase, bursting with souvenirs. We had to buy her a new bag at the airport, paying extra to check all that junk under the plane,” she said, shaking her head at the exorbitant prices they needlessly paid at the end of their trip.

“But the real trouble began when we were halfway to LA. Flying around all night with no food took its toll on poor Dashie. Her blood sugar did a nose dive, her face getting real pale, and she started saying that she could barely see anything,” Pinkie said in a softer tone that unnerved Scootaloo. “A flight attendant quickly brought some snacks, and she got better after eating.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Scootaloo released the breath she was holding involuntarily.

“Thank Princess Celestia. She got help for me on the plane. I felt like such a jerk for making you guys pay extra at check-in to admit I was starving,” admitted a normally boisterous female voice.

Taken by surprise yet again, the cast members spun around to see a blue Pegasus with a new silver suitcase in tow. She lowered her head to one side in a pained expression. A yellow Pegasus trotted up from behind, unfurling her left wing and cradling her friend.

“Please stop beating yourself up. You’ve got to save your energy or you’ll be pulled off an episode again,” her miniscule voice uttered sternly.

“RAINBOW DASH!” Scootaloo galloped out first from the herd and squeezed her hero’s forelegs together with an embrace. A joyful squeak preceded Angel scampering back to his gentle owner.

“Hey, kiddo,” Rainbow nuzzled the top of the filly’s head with her snout.

The first winged pony’s coat and feathers were sky blue. The key identifier of course was the unmistakable six-color spectrum that composed her mane and tail, furnished in a ragged appearance, with neon pink eyes. Her cutie mark was immortalized as a puffy white cloud firing a massive red, yellow, and blue bolt of lightning.

“C’mon, Fluttershy, let go,” Rainbow Dash said while shaking off the extra wing. “I’ve survived worse.”

The second Pegasus’ teal eyes winced as her bedside manner was rejected, recoiling her light yellow body away. Angel climbed up her bright pink tail hair, rushing up to hug the back of her neck, passing a cutie mark on the flank of three blue and pink butterflies in a mid-air dance.

“Hello, Angel. Have you been a good boy while I was gone?” Angel nodded his head vigorously against her in response. Smiling, Fluttershy rolled her head back, nobly trying to requite the love, wrapping the bunny in a curly curtain of a mane.

“Tch, liar,” Spike said under his breath. He was preparing another rude sarcastic gesture, but withheld it when he saw Mrs. Fyre-Flye stroll past him towards the Pegasi.

“Rainbow, are you sure you’re fit to travel again? The studio won’t be happy to hear about another delay, but your well-being comes first,” the towering Alicorn asked.

The tomboy puffed up her chest and flared her wings wide open. Eyebrows arched down and with a defiant smirk, she replied.

“Hay yeah, ma’am! I’ll make it even if I have to fly there on my own two wings!”

“NO!!!” Her co-stars screamed collectively at her, with Princess Luna’s “Royal Canterlot Voice” knocking the blue mare flat on her back and raining dust from the ceiling. Passengers and employees alike stared at the noisy rabble.

“Sheesh, hasn’t anypony ever heard of a joke?” Rainbow asked, leaning up and trying to beat the ringing out of her ears.

“Yes, and that was an exceptionally good one to get a response like that,” said a powerful feminine voice with a chortle. The prankster shot her head upward and discovered that she was lying before the hooves of the Princess of the Sun, the equine monarch’s beautiful smile shining brilliantly upon her.

The eldest of Equestria’s ruling Alicorn sisters resembled Mrs. Fyre-Flye in slender height and snow white coat. Gold slippers capped all four hooves, the frontal design flowering up her ankles. An armored breastplate –decorated in ornate patterns and a large purple gemstone at the fulcrum– concealed the joint line between the neck and torso. Like her younger sister, her mane and tail were glistening, fluidic shrouds of otherworldly quality, streaked in four different colors. Baby pink is her eye color, ironic given the immortality gifted to her by the show’s backstory. A trident tiara, with the same etched figures and encrusted gem as the breastplate, is what she wore behind her mighty horn. A cutie mark of a sun with shimmering waves of heat completing the portrait of Princess Celestia; the title most of the world knew her by.

“BIG SISTER!” cried out the only pony who knew this next crucial role Celestia had to play. Princess Luna soared fast and low over the others towards her, the wind gust generated by her wings unbalancing Rainbow Dash as she was struggling to her feet, Then Twilight Sparkle and Spike stampeded past without warning, sending her to the floor again, face-first this time. The sibling, protégé, and envoy hugged the princess simultaneously.

“Welcome back, Princess,” Rarity said after a short bow. “I can’t wait to hear your stories about how marvelous Miami was.”

“All right, the whole gang’s back together!” Sweetie Belle yelled while hoping up and down happily. “That means we’re ready to shoot this new episode now right, Mrs. Fyre-Flye?”

She looked up at the legacy showrunner, noticing that she was holding up a cell phone with her magic and speaking to someone. Acknowledging the question, she gave a quick nod and winked an eye at the filly. Satisfied, Sweetie Belle returned to the reunion party.

“How much did y’all really see down there? Did you go to the beach every day?” Applebloom asked of Applejack.

“Nah, it would’ve been a waste of time to do just that! There’s WAY more to do in that town!” Rainbow interjected boastfully.

“Ooh, like what?” Scootaloo yearned to know more.

“We heard some great musical shows down there; a new one each night! Miami’s got some talent, I’ll give ‘em that!”

“That’s nothing compared to the kind of food they have! Congri y plantains, yucca frita, and tamales! And the desserts are even better! Dulce de leche, flan, and those pastelitos with cheese and guava filling!” Pinkie Pie pressed her forehooves against her cheeks and licked her lips, trying to remember each of those savory dishes.

While the others were mostly drawing blanks at their names, Twilight could recognize a few from the Mexican restaurants in LA. ‘Pinkie Pie’s an ambassador of food. Four days in Miami and she’s already got a native tongue,’ she humorously thought to herself.

“Well, my favorite parts were the museums, and the Miami Seaquarium. The manatees, sea lions, and dolphins were very cute and friendly, although I couldn’t bear to sit through the killer whale show. If only they didn’t have such a scary name,” Fluttershy shuddered while Angel smacked a paw to his forehead.

“I’d like to hear about some of those museum exhibits, Fluttershy,” Big Macintosh said stealthily. The yellow Pegasus snapped out of her catatonic state.

“Okay, you got it,” she said with a smile.

“What about you, Big sister? What did you do while you were over there?” Princess Luna inquired.

“Yeah, what did you like most about Miami?” Derpy flew up to Celestia to meet her eye-to-eye, or as best as she could manage anyway.

When she noticed that everyone’s attention was now on her, she smiled anxiously, a rare sight for the usually cool-headed actor.

“Oh, I was your typical beach bum. I loved South Beach too much to see anything else. Thus I am guilty as charged, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey, I think she had the right idea. The beach is where it’s at to meet that special somepony,” Spike said casually, once again displaying a level of maturity beyond his years. Rarity couldn’t contain herself. She picked him up in her forehooves.

“Ohhh, little Spikey-wikey has grown up so much since we started working together. I can’t wait to meet the lucky girl who gets this little charmer,” she cooed while cuddling him, the boy using the bowler to hide his visage, reddening in embarrassment. The group erupted in another round of raucous laughter.

“Which reminds me: I’m sure you’re wondering about that awesome dude we met in New York who made this trip possible in the first place. Plus I have to pass out all the souvenirs we collected from Florida. Most of it’s for us, but we got you guys a fridge magnet or two,” Rainbow Dash teased.

“Yeah, none of you ever really talked about him before! I’m curious to know what he was like!” Twilight said, intrigued.

“A real gentlecolt, that one,” Applejack affirmed, staring towards the ceiling as she recalled their meeting. “Never met anypony like him before. He definitely set himself apart from the bronies by the way he dressed.” Before they could go into further detail, Mrs. Fyre-Flye stepped in with a mission update.

“Okay, it’s 9:37 and the bus’s here! We have to hurry and get back to Terminal 2 to check-in for the fli-“

Mrs. Fyre-Flye’s eyes and mouth grew wide open as she left her sentence unfinished. When the cast members turned around, they understood why.

Though the 3rd floor underpass, at the other end of Terminal 4, an army of reporter and journalist ponies had descended upon LAX, fulfilling the dreaded prophecy the ex-producer had before setting foot outside the bus.

They’re here...

“Slackers,” Spike scoffed. “What took them so long?”

Mrs. Fyre-Flye let the crass remark slide. Her eyes shifted from the reporters, and then out the doorway to the bus parked out front.

Make a break for it or try to sneak out? Choose one, and fast.

“D-do you t-t-think they’re here for u-us? H-how m-m-many of them are there?” Fluttershy asked, stricken with terror.

“I'll count 'em, I'll count 'em!” said Pinkie Pie. She bounced around the group, counting the members of the press out loud. “Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-Oh, wait a minute! I think they see us! Say cheese, everypony!” She proceeded to make all sorts of funny faces towards the photographers, blissfully oblivious that they were now blitzing madly towards them, cameras and microphones at the ready.

“RUN!!!” Mrs. Fyre-Flye screamed, picking up and carrying Pinkie Pie away in a magical grasp. Twilight did the same for Spike, and Rarity with Sweetie Belle. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy respectively scooped up Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Angel. The princesses flew ahead and cleared the path outside for the others, standing at either side of the front doors until everyone else was aboard. The reporters continued to closing in and were shouting out questions.

“Drive, honey! Step on the gas!” A wheezing Mrs. Fyre-Flye choked out to the driver. The tires spun and screeched until traction was regained, leaving the paparazzi in a cloud of noxious smoke as their quarry pulled away.

Comments

[nemryn]

Past Terminal 3, and the Tom Bradley International Terminal

Wait, 'Tom Bradley'? What kind of weird name is that?

[FestOfAmerican]

1825863

D'oh, You got me! For the dual sake of authenticity and convenience, all of the location names will remain unaltered, such as "La Cienega Boulevard" in the previous chapter. I'm sure there's a pony pun I could make out of "Tom Bradley", but I don't have much time to be horsing around.

I just updated some of the dialogue and added more reference pictures. I also want to say thank you for sticking around the past eight months for this update. I really appreciate it. The next one won't be taking that long; I promise *laughs*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_International_Airport#Tom_Bradley_International_Terminal_.28TBIT.29