fyre-flye

by uhrora

Sereinity

Fire. Fire everywhere. It was violet, encapsulating their foxhole in a sickening pastel glow. The purple light fell across Applejack's dirtied face and she brought up one hoof to wipe away the sweat from above her nose. It was getting hot in here. Their enemies had been shooting this fire for several minutes now, and AJ could only curse the unicorn who was dispelling it all. This one attack was particularly long, and the air was burning up. Luckily there was no smoke—the one saving grace that had kept the few remaining rebels breathing and alive. It was, perhaps, the only failing of the unicorn spell. But, then, a unicorn wouldn't know how to properly smoke a fox out of a hole, would he? That was Outer Rim stuff.

"Sergeant. Just heard from Command," came a voice from behind her. Applejack turned to face the blue pegasus approaching, his gait steady. With the purple falling over his coat, it turned into a strange, ethereal shade of periwinkle. Like her, he was wearing a drab brown coat—his, though, was held back around his wings, allowing for flight. Soarin was not smiling as he continued: "The Shadowbolts aren't coming."

"And why the hay not?" Applejack snapped back.

"Not yet," Soarin added, ever faithful to his special forces troop. "They're waiting till they can assess our status."

AJ's glare was directed towards the purple veil. Shouldn't have trusted those pegasi further than she could kick them. Soarin was a different story. He was… well, he was Soarin. He'd left Celestia's Wonderbolts a long time ago. AJ looked up at the sky, at the unicorn ship that was firing at them. That was probably a good thing. They'd had their fair share of run-ins with the Wonderbolts, and it wasn't always pretty. This wasn't all that pretty either. If only the rebel Shadowbolts were somewhere to be found, they might stand a chance. But no, the cowards were too scared to come anywhere near Sereinity Valley right now. Even though Soarin, one of their own, was getting burnt to a crisp.

"It's letting up," Soarin noted, coming to stand beside her. Applejack saw that the fire was starting to pale, the sky turning back to navy blue. The stars were a welcome sight.

"All right, let's go," Applejack told him.

"Go where? With what cover?" Soarin asked. "I think the smoke is getting to your head, sir." He used the playful term that had become his special nickname for his sergeant. For a long time in training, Soarin had heard stories of the tough-as-nails “Jack.” Naturally, he’d thought she was a colt. Even now, after fighting alongside each other so long, the name stuck. Applejack didn't mind so much. Not anymore, anyway. There were times when she would have preferred Soarin think of her as a filly, but now was not the time for that.

Applejack scanned the foxhole behind them. Only a hoofful of soldiers had even made it inside with them. Now, it appeared AJ and Soarin were the only ones left standing.

"Just the two of us?" she asked him dismally.

"Well… not exactly. Fluttershy's here. I think."

"The medic?" AJ raised one eyebrow. "Fluttershy. Medic. You here?"

"Here!" said a rock.

Applejack groaned, crossing the ground over to it quickly. Poking her head around it, she saw the yellow pegasus curled up behind it, quivering. "Look, sugar cube, you gotta toughen up. You want to be Harmonized or what?"

"No!" Fluttershy said, opening her eyes and looking up at Applejack. "B-but, I… I tried to save them," she said, eyes filling with tears. Her hooves were covered with dried blood as she gestured towards the bodies of fallen ponies. "I couldn't," she added with a whisper.

AJ looked around at her troops. "I know. But you did your best."

"It wasn't enough!"

"And me tryin’ to protect them wasn't enough either, was it? We ain’t gods. But we already made Sereinity Valley a living hay for those Alliance bastards, see?"

It didn't seem to cheer Fluttershy up. Applejack supposed that was more the kind of talk meant for soldiers, not for medics. She sighed. "Sometimes a pony just can't be fixed," Applejack said gently. She hesitated, considering trying to comfort the pegasus more. But that would only make it worse. Sometimes, the best sympathy was none at all. "Fluttershy, we have somethin’ else for you to do now. Ever shot a gun?"

"N-no."

"Soarin, help her out. Get her saddled up."

"I don't know how to shoot! I… I don't think I can!" Fluttershy protested, voice rising in a panic as Soarin went to one of the lifeless bodies and began to pull off the saddle.

"Saddles make it real easy. Me and Soar just need some cover," AJ explained. She tightened her own saddle straps, narrowing her eyes. As Soarin fitted the saddle on Fluttershy and quickly explained how to use it, Applejack traced the gun turrets around the valley with her eyes. Yes, Celestia's guard unicorns were trained for war, but they could be stupid when they had no orders. She could easily get a shot at them once she was out of the foxhole. "Let's go, Soar. While it’s still all un-fiery like."

Soarin gave a reassuring smile to Fluttershy and leapt out of the foxhole, right behind Applejack. The shaking yellow pegasus came to stand in the opening of the foxhole, weighed down by the single gun on her back.

Applejack raced across the field, grinning as she ran. No more sitting still—this was what she was meant to be doing. Dodging shots, she located one of the gun turret guards and glanced through her scope. Bracing herself, she bit down on the mouth trigger hard. The shot rang out amid enemy fire and the guard operating the turret fell. AJ looked towards Soarin. "Go!"

He leapt into the air, flying as fast as he could towards the turret. AJ's eyes went to the unicorn ship, hovering over the valley, and then back to the soldiers on the field. Nearby, an earth pony in camouflage showed too much purple coat and she fired at him, hearing the cry as the pony went down.

Soarin reached the turret and spun it around towards the unicorn ship. He quickly located the targeting system and began to fire. The huge gun's shots rained against the ship, hardly denting the metal. Soarin turned the gun back to the field, where AJ was in an agility course, dodging bullets and taking out one soldier after another. Soarin beat her to one orange earth pony and was about to turn the gun on a pegasus that was approaching the sergeant, when all of a sudden he felt a searing pain through his side. He whipped around, leaning his weight against the gun turret, and saw a pegasus who’d snuck up on him. His vision blurred as he realized it was none other than Spitfire, his former Wonderbolt teammate.

"Soarin," she murmured, apparently surprised at seeing him.

Soarin's mouth locked onto his bit and he shot at her. He was slow, though, and she easily moved out of the way. He tried again, and again she evaded. With this pain in his side making his thoughts all syrupy, he was too predictable.

Spitfire's eyes narrowed. “Should have stuck with us, browncolt.” Evidently she had remembered the task at hoof, and no reunion was going to change that. Steely-eyed, she opened her mouth over the bit—and was suddenly blown away, back into the valley brush. Soarin blinked and blinked again, not understanding. He looked down at the blood seeping through his fur.

Then, Applejack was by his side. "Come on," she ordered, shoving him away from the gun. He shook his head, trying to clear it, as he saw where AJ was trying to take him. Back to the foxhole.

"Yes, sir," he said, head still hazy as he limped back towards the cover as fast as he could. He was semi-conscious of AJ at his back as they crossed the several yards of the valley.

Applejack pushed Soarin into the foxhole violently, turning around and firing at a few more enemy soldiers before backing into the entrance. Soarin was breathing heavily, sitting down on his haunches. Fluttershy, tears hardening on her cheeks, had run to his side.

"You did good. That was you, shootin’ at his attacker, wasn't it?" Applejack asked, panting.

Fluttershy nodded wordlessly. She seemed ashamed of her action. Applejack was surprised—first, because the filly was a good shot, and second because she didn’t understand what there was to be ashamed about. She had saved Soarin, hadn’t she?

"Looks like you got what you wanted, medic," Applejack said. "A patient." She walked towards Fluttershy and yanked the saddle off the yellow pegasus, throwing it down on the ground. "Soar, belly to the ground. That’s an order."

"I'm not very good at saving ponies," Fluttershy murmured, before she unbuckled Soarin's saddle and slowly pulled it off his back. His coat was next.

Applejack was trying hard not to feel desperate. But this wasn't just any pony bleeding all over the ground. "You have to," she replied quickly. She took a deep breath, composing herself. "I know you can, Fluttershy. Luna don't just let anypony be a medic, y’know. Just stay calm. I'll guard the entrance, and you do what you're meant to do."

"It's through his wing," Fluttershy said calmly. "Through his wing and straight through his body. Even if I could stop the bleeding I can’t save his wing. It's worse than a lot of the others." Her voice was softer now, fresh tears spilling out of her eyes.

AJ grit her teeth. "No, it ain’t," she growled. "Just fix him!"

"B-but… Applejack… Sometimes a pony just can't be fixed. Right?"

"Don't gimme that! You ain’t even tried!" Applejack stamped her hoof, face reddening. She felt so childish, but this… this was Soarin! Her best friend. AJ turned her back on Fluttershy and walked to the entrance of the foxhole.

"I'll try," the medic said back meekly.

"Will I ever fly again, doctor?" Soarin was asking in a strange voice. He sounded tired.

"I… I hope so," Fluttershy replied quietly. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, a look of determination crossing her face. She would do what she could for Soarin. He needed surgery, but that wasn't something she could do here. All she could do was prevent shock and blood loss.

The radio buzzed and Applejack strode over to it. "You better be sendin’ our angels. We're me and a medic right now."

"It's too hot, Sergeant. Command says they're pulling out. No Shadowbolts at all. The order is to lay down arms."

"What?" AJ demanded, stunned. "No. No, we can't do that."

"You're a medic and a soldier. You said so yourself."

"There must be somethin’. Anything. We lose here, we lose it all." Not just the war. But everything. She thought of the farm. Of Apple Bloom. Everything.

There was a sigh from the other side of the radio. "Shadowbolts are busy right now. The Wonderbolts showed up. They've got their hooves full. I can tell them to get to you as soon as possible."

"How long?"

"An hour, maybe. Three max. Who knows. Depends on their status after dealing with the Wonderbolts, AJ."

Applejack turned, looking back at Fluttershy. She looked up, the blood on her hooves fresh, her long pink mane hanging in her face. "Three hours?" she asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. "We have less than one," she murmured.

AJ turned away, looking back outside. She couldn't speak.

"Sergeant?" came the gravelly voice through the radio.

The earth pony took another step towards the valley. The unicorn ship was still hanging over it. She looked at the area where the control room would be and wondered what their next orders were. Why they weren’t shooting fire anymore. How Celestia would choose to celebrate this victory tonight. She could just hear her now. Her next live broadcast across the ‘verse—the 'verse that would soon be hers. Hello, my little ponies. I have wonderful news for you all!

"Applejack. You there?"

The powerful forces of good and friendship have managed to conquer the forces of evil. Those rebel forces that would keep us divided have surrendered to us tonight in Sereinity Valley!

Applejack still couldn't say anything. It wouldn't come out right. It would make her sick, having to make this decision.

"Sergeant. Do you read me?"

"Yes!" Applejack snapped. "Get us out. Soarin needs medical attention fast."

"Lay down arms and we'll be there as fast as possible."

But Celestia’s mocking voice wouldn’t stop playing in her head. I’m so delighted, my little ponies. Now peace can finally be restored to all the worlds. Your suffering can end. The light of friendship, of harmony, of Alliance—that can reach all worlds now. Even the furthest planets in the Outer Rim. After years of waiting, years of struggles... your time in the sun is here!

Applejack shook her head. The order was to lay down arms. She pulled off her saddle and placed it on the ground. She looked back at Fluttershy and Soarin. "Medic, I swear, if you can keep him alive til they come, I…" She didn't know how to finish that sentence. Applejack didn't even know how much longer she’d have to repay Fluttershy. Would she be a prisoner of war? Or would she be executed? "I'll do anything to keep him alive," she rephrased.

"I can tee dat," the medic replied, bandage in her teeth as she wrapped Soarin's wound.

Yes, it went without saying. Applejack turned from the pegasi again and looked out into the valley. She wondered how long it would take for the Harmony Alliance to call off their troops. Wondered if this was the end of the war.

We’re all going to have to work together. But I know we can do it. We have a great power on our side. Remember, my little ponies: friendship, harmony, alliance—they are all forces for good. And today begins the end of a seemingly eternal night for the Outer Rim. It is the dawn of a new era—an era in which Alliance is magic!

And that was when it began to rain purple fire again.

"Steady. Hold steady, now. That stuff's fragile. We gotta move quick now before Alliance comes along." Applejack was hauling a space wagon of gray cubes—miniature cargo holds to maximize space onboard a ship.

"Yes, captain," Fluttershy replied, wheeling along with a wagon of her own. The two ponies wore space suits, guns and flashlights attached to them, as they maneuvered through the narrow halls of the wrecked ship. They'd come to salvage goods requested by an associate of theirs. It wasn't heavy stuff, but the wreck was close enough to Persepony to have a cluster of Harmony Alliance cruisers around it. Luckily, it was not quite close enough that the feds had already come through and picked its bones. That was a job for AJ and her crew.

"Eeyup," came the sound of her brother's voice from behind them. Like the two fillies, he wore a space suit and hauled two wagons behind him. Big Mac was a workpony, and Applejack thanked the stars for that every time they had to bring back lots of haul.

"Careful now," AJ warned them. She opened the wrecked ship's door and stepped out onto the surface of another ship. Her ship. Inching around to the cargo opening, she dragged the wagon behind her through open space, using the side of her ship to pull her along. AJ entered through the airlock, then waited for Fluttershy and Big Mac before she pressed the button to close the door. The ponies looped their arms and legs around metal bars, setting down their wagons on the ground as the doors closed and gravity kicked in.

AJ grinned, pulling off her helmet and shaking out her blond mane. "Shiny." She opened the door to the rest of the ship and pulled the wagon through before wriggling out of her suit. Fluttershy and Big Mac did the same, and they lined up the four wagons full of goods to hide later. Right now, it just felt good to be back home.

"We got a lot," Fluttershy said with a smile.

"Eeyup," Big Mac replied.

Applejack rolled her eyes at her brother. Never one for many words. At least he could shoot a gun better than he could maintain a conversation. She guessed that went for Fluttershy, too. Funny how that was.

AJ had realized the former war medic's skill for firearms during the battle at Sereinity Valley. The first shot she'd ever fired had saved Soarin. And that wasn't something Applejack forgot. Fluttershy had only gotten better, quickly becoming fierce when it came to protecting her friends. She was a force to be reckoned with, even if she often cried after a fight. For many things, still, Applejack had to rely on her brother. He wasn't amoral, but he was not quite as sensitive as Fluttershy.

"AJ! AJ!" came the sound of their pilot's voice. The blue pegasus came flying out from the direction of the bridge, landing on the catwalk above them. Rainbow mane sticking straight up, Rainbow Dash’s eyes were wide. "Alliance ship approaching."

"Enateh tebeda," Applejack swore. "C’mon, get this stuff hidden. Dash, get us outta here."

"I can't do it fast enough," Rainbow replied.

AJ left Fluttershy and Big Mac to tuck their goods beneath the ship and ran upstairs towards Dash. She raced into the bridge as Rainbow explained the situation to her: "They're close. If we run, they see us."

Applejack remained in the door of the cockpit as Dash returned to her seat behind the helm. "Shut it down. All but the air."

Dash nodded, quickly flipping switches and hitting the com with one wing. "Hey, Derpy. Little emergency. You there?"

"Yup!" came a cheerful voice from the other end of the intercom.

"Turn everything off but the air. Alliance cruiser."

"Okay!" In the engine room, the gray pegasus flew from one side to another, flipping switches. She flipped one, then realized it was the air – "Oops!" she said, flipping it back on quickly with a grin. Derpy flew to the top of the engine, shutting off the lights. The ship went black.

"And now we wait," said Dash from the bridge. She frowned out the window as she watched the huge ship passed by.

"Must be lookin’ for survivors on the wreck," AJ said. "If Trixie gets us killed for this, I'll have her hide as a floormat."

Dash shrugged. "You can do anything once you're dead."

Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

"What's that?" AJ demanded.

"Molestia's horn, they're scanning us!" Dash exclaimed. "They know we're here. Probably that we're salvagers too."

"Pull a cryfoal."

Dash pressed buttons rapidly, using her wings again. "Derpy, we're on again. Now!" she barked on the intercom. "Cryfoal. Gotcha." With a smirk on her face, she jammed her hoof against a button.

For a few tense moments, captain and pilot watched as the Alliance ship hovered over them. The cryfoal—a small machine that sent out a distress signal to Harmony Alliance ships—was meant to lead them away. But would it be enough to pull these cruisers away from the illicit activity they'd surely discovered here?

And, then, the ship began moving again.

Dash sighed. "It's heading towards the cryfoal."

"Get us the hay outta here."

"Aye, captain," Rainbow Dash replied with a grin.

Their ship's bulbous exterior lit up, then blasted white heat as they sped away from the wreck and the Alliance ship.

"Ain't no Harmony cruiser that can catch Sereinity," Applejack declared with a smirk. She leaned against the wall of the bridge, crossing one leg over the other, pleased with it all. "I just wish Soarin was around to see all this."

As if by magic, the door to the cockpit opened and a blue pegasus stuck his head in. "What in the 'verse is going on?" he asked. "I was trying to eat my gorram pie and the lights kept going on and off."

AJ grinned, happy as always to see her first mate. "Playing tag with the feds. No big deal."

"We're all clear now. Go and eat your pie, dear," Rainbow Dash said with a snicker.

Soarin stared at them for a few more moments, then nodded decisively and left the bridge.

Rainbow sat back in the pilot chair, relaxing. "Where to now?"

"Persepony. ‘Bout time to pick up our lovely lady, ain't it?"

Dash spun around in her chair lazily. "Those Celestia-huggers on the cruiser most likely put out a bulletin for us. Might have trouble showing up to the Core in a fyre-flye."

Applejack shrugged. "Doubt they I.D.'d us. We'll unload the goods as soon as we touch down. Besides, we're not to go breakin’ commitments."

Dash turned back to the helm. "You're the captain, captain."

Persepony, like most central planets, prided itself on being "civilized." As one of the most powerful worlds, it certainly lived up to its name. One current fad among the gentry was embracing the lost cultures from Equestria-that-was. Parties, music, clothing: they were all inspired by old-fashioned things from the old home planet before it had been used up. Yet, at the same time, areas of Persepony were incredibly impoverished. The great cities were encircled with sprawling slums. Private family estates clashed with the tenements and Alliance-sponsored housing units for those struggling to get by.

And, of course, like any major planet Persepony had a great mixing of ponies and other creatures from all backgrounds. Wingsdown Docks was such a place where the 'verse came to buy, sell, trade and refuel. As Sereinity touched down at the docks, the atmosphere onboard was lively. Or maybe that was just Derpy.

"We're here! We're here!" she cheered, flying out into the sunlight as soon as the airlock opened. The mismatched golden eyes of the pegasus took it all in: the market, the stalls, the ships—oh, all the ships! That reminded her. "Captain, can I go hunt for a new compression coil?"

Applejack walked out, eyes half-closed in the new, bright light. "Don't have the bits for that just yet, sugar cube."

"I'll pay! I'll pay you back."

"You just keep Sereinity flyin’," AJ said, walking past her. Her mind was clearly on other things. "And find us some passengers. Their bits'll help us buy a new compression coil somewhere down the 'verse."

Derpy sighed, wings drooping as she landed on the ground. "Okay, captain." She looked back towards the ship as the rest of the crew exited. Dash came to stand next to her, watching as the rest of them left.

"So finding new passengers is all in your hooves," Rainbow said with a grin. "I'm to find out where in the world our second shuttle is. Think you can handle meeting all those new ponies? Or griffins, or zebras, or buffalo, or whatever the hay else."

Derpy's eyes lit up. "Yeah! But I don’t know if anypony-who’s-not-a-pony-else would fit, since Sereinity’s a pony-class ship. Maybe a zebra. Or a small griffin... But yeah! I can handle it!" Of course. No compression coil was one thing, but making new friends, hearing all those stories… that was enough to make her happy again.

"Good," Rainbow Dash replied with a wink before flying back into the ship. As she flew through Sereinity, she wondered if she'd ever take the stairs. Nah. Probably not. After all, why do all that work when she could just fly up? Derpy did the same, and Soarin did at times, too. Back in the war, he'd been injured pretty bad and couldn't fly all that well anymore. His flight was coming back, but it was still not as great as everypony said it was before the war. Rainbow Dash didn't know what she would do if she couldn't fly, but Soarin didn't seem to mind all that much. After all, he said, he'd gotten away with his life and that was the important part. She tried not to show off her superior flying abilities too much around him.

Dash settled into her seat behind the helm and punched onto the screen, hailing one of their shuttles. "You almost here?"

A few seconds later, a white unicorn with purple mane appeared on the other side of the screen. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, I'm just coming into the Docks. I can't wait to see you all. I have plenty of stories—"

"Yuck, spare us, Rarity. I'm sure nobody but Fluttershy and Derpy will listen," Dash groaned.

"Hmmph. We just need to get more males on this ship. I'm sure they'd be interested in my tales." A smirk appeared across Rarity's face. "I expect Soarin would be, really."

Dash reddened. "Thanks, but why don't you leave the dirty talk with my husband to me?"

Rarity laughed. "Oh, I was only joking, darling. You're so adorable when you're possessive. I do say I know what Soarin sees in you."

That only made her blush more. "Yeah, yeah. Save the uninterested flirting for your customers, Rare."

Rarity pouted. "You're no fun. Anyway, do try to get some new stallions on the ship. With Soarin busy with you all the time, and Big Mac so… virtuous, it's getting a bit boring."

"Derpy's in charge of that, and I expect it'll be whoever's got the bits."

"Yes, dear, the proper bits are what I’m looking for too.” Rarity winked across the screen.

“Bits as in money. Coin,” Rainbow Dash corrected, her voice flat.

“Yes, yes. That. How droll. Well, I'll see you in a few minutes, darling."

The screen blackened and Dash chuckled to herself. Rarity's pockets were never exactly as empty as the rest of them. But, then again, her profession was a bit more… lucrative than theirs. The unicorn rented one of their shuttles as her own quarters, from which she also ran most of her business. And her business stayed her business... or at least it did most of the time. If only Rarity wasn’t so gorram generous. She hardly spared a detail.

With her duty complete, Rainbow Dash leaned back in her chair and pressed a button on the helm. The pre-war, vintage video recording she’d bought recently was calling her name. Rainbow Dash watched in glee as her husband, as well as several other pegasi, streaked across the sky, smoke trailing behind them. The Wonderbolts, before they became Celestia’s pawns. This was the kind of thing she didn’t see very often, and she was glad to finally have some time to herself.

"Now this is just horseapples! We had a deal." Applejack slammed her hoof into the ground, glaring across the desk at the unicorn seated behind it.

The purple-clothed unicorn met her gaze's intensity. Looking down her nose at AJ, she laughed. "A deal? Oh, the deal was that you don't get seen by the feds. The deal was that you don't bring Trixie goods that the government can trace back to your little mistake!"

"They didn't I.D. us," Fluttershy informed her. "Um, I mean, I don't think they did, anyway."

"Harmony-stamped goods. Trixie doesn't want your business." The haughty unicorn turned away from them slightly, eyes closed in refusal.

Soarin shook his head. "Well, aren't you just miss high and mighty."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need to hear insults from you. Trixie, of all ponies, knows that neighsayers are going to neighsay. What Trixie doesn't like is your attitude, captain. You come into her place of business and let your lackeys call her names. It's insulting! Begone, now." Trixie waved her hoof at them airily.

Only Fluttershy turned to leave, then realized the others weren't. She hurried back to her spot, standing up straight again.

"Or should Trixie's guards escort you out? Snips, Snails?"

Two male unicorns stepped forward. One was yellow, the other green. Despite their nonthreatening appearance, the artillery floating before them in their magical auras was not exactly pleasant looking.

Applejack shook her head. "Don't think I won't be remembering this, Trixie."

"It's the Great and Powerful Trixie. Why don't you try the border planets? Go associate with the filth from whence you came, browncolt."

Big Mac stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "I've a mind to make you pay for that remark," he growled, mouth hovering dangerously close to the bit on his saddle.

"Don't be stupid," Trixie snapped. “Everypony knows browncolts never win.”

"We'll be leaving," Applejack replied, glancing towards her brother. She turned to go, Fluttershy and Soarin on her tail. “And as far as I remember, Trixie, you wore a particularly dashing shade of brown as well.” Big Mac gave one last look to Trixie, then turned and followed his sister as well.

"Welcome, y'all, to Sereinity. Glad to see three new faces along with us." Applejack had assembled the crew and new passengers in the dining room, and was delivering some sort of welcome speech. Soarin, Rainbow Dash, Big Mac, Fluttershy and Derpy sat around the table. It was a bit more cramped thanks to the new passengers who had joined them: one unicorn and two earth ponies. The unicorn had a purple coat and streaks through her dark hair. It seemed her only possessions were books and one small suitcase. The gray earth mare had a black mane and had brought a large case on board with her. The earth stallion was brown with a darker brown mane. His add to the cargo was a small blue box.

"Now, I know y'all were hoping to get to Borears ASAP, but we've been ordered by the Harmonic Union of Allied Planets to drop some medical supplies off at a border moon called Whitefoal first," Applejack continued. "Hope it won't be too much of a problem. Shouldn't take us away for too long. The only other thing is that we gotta ask you to stay in your quarters when we're moving. Could be dangerous with y'all walking around."

"What about if we have to get to our things?" asked the dark-maned earth mare. "I do have some personal belongings in cargo, and it’s crucial that I can access them."

"We'll help you get what you need," AJ replied.

Rarity entered the dining area at that time, smiling broadly. Her mane was pinned up and she wore an elaborately-designed purple silk robe. "Oh, hello everypony! Sorry I've taken so long. A bath and a quick cleaning of my quarters was truly necessary."

"This here is our Rarity. Sereinity's own Ambassador," Applejack snickered.

"Wow! It's such an honor to meet a state official," the purple unicorn said in awe. "My name is Twi—er, just Twi. It's nice to meet you."

“Twi, it’s a pleasure,” Rarity replied, smiling warmly at the other unicorn.

"Oh, don’t get too excited, Twi. ‘Ambassador’ is just the term we use. She's only a shermuta," AJ laughed. "A whore."

Twi's face blanked. "O-oh! Er… Well…"

"I believe they're called Coltpanions," the earth mare replied.

"Octy's right," Derpy cut in. "And don't make fun, AJ! It takes a lot of training to get such a respectable job."

"I prefer Octavia, actually."

"Lotsa places don't let you land without a Coltpanion," Big Mac drawled. "Rarity here helps us with that."

"Yes, I am certainly in demand," Rarity said with a strained smile. She sat down at the empty seat beside Fluttershy. "So, Twi and Octavia. And what, may I ask, is your name?" she asked of the earth stallion, offering him a coy smile.

"Doctor… ah, you can just call me the Doctor," he replied.

Fluttershy's eyes widened and she leaned over the table. "Are you a doctor? Really and truly?"

Rarity leaned back, smile vanishing as Fluttershy’s enthusiasm stole the show. The newcomers Twi and Octavia seemed a bit taken aback. Fluttershy had that effect when she suddenly went from silent to gushing.

Yet, for some reason, the Doctor didn't seem surprised. "No, actually, I'm not," he laughed. "I, uh… I fix clocks. Put things back together. So ponies just call me that." He shrugged.

"Actually, I'm a doctor," Twilight said with a small smile. “I just became one.”

"Ooh, what a coincidence!" Fluttershy gasped.

"But… not a medical one. I have a doctorate, that's all."

"And Octavia here must be the real medical doctor," Dash joked.

"No, I also only have my doctorate," replied the earth pony. “I happen to be a doctor of Musical Arts.”

Applejack shrugged. "Hayuva lot more fancy pedigree than we got."

"Speak for yourself," Rarity protested. "And besides, Rainbow Dash went to that technical school to learn piloting. And Fluttershy, didn't you do medical school?"

"N-no… Just certification…" Fluttershy looked down, timid again.

Twi's eyes bugged. "You mean none of you have your bachelor's?! Or master's?"

They all stared at her.

"All that fancy learnin’ is kinda a Persepony type thing," Applejack said. "Big Mac and I are from the Outer Rim, same as Derpy here."

"Coltpanions don't really have those sorts of degrees," Rarity replied. "But if it came down to it, I'm certainly a master of Coltpanionship. Which, by the way, doesn’t limit one to simply colts." She winked across the table at Twi.

"Your mechanic must have surely gone to engineering school, no?" Octavia asked.

Derpy shook her head. "Nope! Learned it all on my daddy's farm. Playing with engines and the like."

The three newcomers were silent, looking between the faces of the crew they'd just joined.

"Sometimes you don't need a fancy certificate to be good at something," Soarin cut in. "Derpy here is one of the best. Machines just speak to her. It's spooky, really."

"No, I understand that. That's what being a musician is all about," Octavia said after a moment. "With instruments, of course."

"Okay, enough talk about school," Rainbow Dash interjected. "Who else is hungry? I could eat the ship, I'm so famished."

"Don't you dare!" Derpy gasped.

"Come on, Mac. We better get cookin’ fast. We're gonna need a lot of canned crap to fill Rainbow's stomach." Applejack stuck her tongue out at the pegasus before heading into the kitchen, her brother following her.

After dinner, Rarity, Fluttershy and Derpy sat in the Coltpanion's shuttle as she told them stories of her last stint on Persepony. Rarity had invited their new passengers, too, but they'd all returned to their own sleeping areas. Probably Applejack had scared them away with all her whore talk.

"Wow! So he basically proposed!" Derpy gasped, at hearing Rarity's latest news.

"Well, essentially. But he was horrid. Thank Celestia he was handsome, or there was no way I was getting through that. Terrible personality." Rarity shook her head. "But… I must admit he had a nice body. Yes, I have certainly had worse." She laughed.

Fluttershy blushed. Rarity always told them stories when she returned, and the yellow pegasus found herself getting even more quiet than usual. When Rarity and Derpy weren't talking sex, Fluttershy felt relaxed around them. But when this all started… well, it was just like being around strangers. She clammed right up.

"So how'd you turn him down when he asked you to stay with him?" Derpy asked.

Rarity shrugged gracefully. "I didn't say anything, really. He figured out his mistake and stopped talking about that sort of thing."

"Oh, but how romantic if you did actually meet somepony who made you retire!"

“Darling, you know how it is. Personal marestress, yes, but no respectable stallion is going to actually marry a Coltpanion. We’re simply not for that sort of thing.”

“Well, then, say somepony took you on as a personal marestress.”

"I can't see that happening anytime soon," Rarity laughed. "And anyway, after living like this for so long, it'd be hard to stay with one pony."

"Not if you found the one for you!" Fluttershy piped up.

Rarity looked towards her, amused expression on her face. "Yes, dear. That's terribly sweet of you." She looked to Derpy. "You two and your sentimental notions. I suspect I don't have a romantic bone in my body. They must be in your wing bones."

"Wing boner!" Derpy gasped. "I definitely got one of those the other day. Big Mac was lifting boxes, and…" She trailed off with a grin.

"Hmm, yes. He's well-built enough. Too boring for my taste, though. Why, he can hardly keep a conversation going."

Fluttershy frowned. "B-but… some ponies are just more talkative than others. It doesn't make them boring…"

"Oh, not you, dear. I know you're not boring. But Mac… sometimes I think he hasn't got a thought in his head. It works out well, though, as he takes orders from Applejack so nicely. But I'm sure you know that, darling, seeing as you and Mac are AJ's personal bodyguards."

"Hired saddles," Fluttershy corrected flatly.

"The muscle!" Derpy laughed, poking at Fluttershy's skinny forelegs.

Fluttershy gave a slight shrug, feeling down all of a sudden for no reason she could explain. Well, she figured it maybe had something to do with the fact that Rarity found her boring. Or ponies like her boring. That wasn't exactly what one wanted to hear from her best friend. But, she decided, she would prove that she wasn't boring. She would talk to the new ponies on Sereinity! Make new friends. She would talk so much her mouth would fall off! With her new mission on her mind, Fluttershy steeled herself for the rest of the sex talk.

Applejack grumbled to Big Mac as the two cleaned up after dinner. "Those three go running off to all their… matin’ talk and leave the two of us up to our necks in dirty dishes. Tain't fair!"

"Shoulda told all them doctors to do the cleaning," her brother replied with a chuckle. "Put those shiny papers to good use."

"I've a mind to tell Soar to do it next time. But Rainbow Dash is always wailin’ about not gettin’ time with her husband. Oh, big whoop. Rainbow shoulda known she was getting me and Sereinity along with that big lump of stallion when she married him."

Big Mac glanced towards her as he dried dishes. "Easy, AJ. Somepony might think you're, well, jealous."

"Jealous!" Applejack laughed. "Of Rainbow Dash? Look, if I'd wanted to have Soarin I could’ve, back in the war." She scrubbed hard at a dish, scowling at the bits of food that were sticking to it. "And speaking of having colts all up in you, I'm sick and tired of Rarity distracting Fluttershy and Derpy from important things. She's… why, she's a plain bad influence!" AJ declared.

Big Mac couldn't help but laugh at his sister. "Now, come on. You think those two are gonna leave you for Coltpanion school? Derpy? And Fluttershy?"

“Coltpanion Houses don’t let a pony over a certain age in. You know that. Besides, they’d never take an Outer Rim filly like Derpy,” Applejack muttered.

“It was a joke, AJ.”

"I know that! It's just not good to be filling their heads with that whoring business, pushing out guns and gears and… and common sense!"

Big Mac set down the dish and turned to face Applejack. "Simmer down, now. Rarity's your friend, same as all the others. Shouldn't call her a whore. Now, I don't believe this is what you really feel. I think somepony is still a-fired up over Trixie."

"Gelding's tenders, Mac, 'course I am. So is Sereinity, going all the way to gorram Whitefoal to pawn off our goods for some measly Rim coin.”

"From a griffin who done shot you," Big Mac added.

"From the very same."

"Eeyup. But keep your voice down. Them doctors might be around," Mac reminded her.

"They got orders to stay in their quarters."

"Not sure doctors like followin’ orders."

"You're right." Applejack paused, glancing around. As if any of them would be spying on them from within plain sight. Still, she knew the creaks of this old ship better than anypony save Derpy. Applejack was almost sure they were alone. "I don't trust ‘em."

"Them doctors? Me neither."

"They seem a mite suspicious. All them boxes they brought in. I've a mind to cry ‘fed' on one of them."

Just at that moment, the intercom began to beep. "Dash here. AJ, you're gonna wanna see this."

"Go," Big Mac said before Applejack could reply. "I'll finish up."

The captain nodded at him. "Thanks, Mac," she said before taking off at a trot out of the dining area.

"Who the hay could have done this?" Applejack demanded.

"Can't tell for sure. Somepony on board." Rainbow Dash was glowering at the screen in front of her. "All I can tell is that somepony called Harmony on us. Not sure how much went through."

"You scrambled it?"

"Like eggs. But there's no doubt they got our location. Nearest Alliance cruiser will be on our tail soon."

AJ shook her head. I will not cuss. I will not cuss. I will not cuss. "And to think I was just jokin’ with my brother we'd taken a fed on board. How long we got?"

Rainbow shrugged, gritting her teeth. "About a half hour."

"Tebeda ena mut, Alliance assama," Applejack snapped. Oh well. There was only so long she could hold it back.

"Gimatam assama," Dash tacked on to the string of curses. "So, what should I do?"

"You stay here. Com Soar, Fluttershy and Mac, but be careful none of them doctors hear."

"And you?"

"I'm gonna go catch me a pig."