Through his Eyes
By Playbitz
The air was thick. Heavy with heat and humidity. Machines were whirring to life around us. I and the stallion next to me were crouched low, both our wings stretched straight back and ready for the mark. We had been working the whole day for this moment. Every drop of sweat, cursed word and broken feather had been in an effort for this very moment.
The nerves were holding pretty well, but the copious amounts of sweat dripping through my mane were making it harder and harder to hold still. I had to resist the urge to shake my head out or even wipe my brow. I didn't want to move because I feared if I moved I would trigger the device too early.
The Wonderbolts were an acrobatic team devoted to airshows and stunt flying as well as a secret military air force. A few members thought that having a device to aid in faster takeoff would boost performance.The large blue pegasus stallion and I were both holding a launch ready position on the new contraption our technician/Engineer was developing for faster deployment.
Looking at him from the corner of my eye, his build was very large. He was a light blue pegasus stallion, heavier from the copious amounts of muscles he took a lot of pride with maintaining.
Don’t get me wrong now, I’m not small in any way shape or form, but comparing my size to the blue hulk there, is like comparing an apple to an orange. If somepony were to ask, I would describe myself as a sophisticated pegasus full of ambition and drive. Amazingly good looking and suave. But if you asked anypony else, I would be a light brown pegasus stallion with a messy black mane and tail.
Though something to point out is that my wings seem to get a bit more attention than most pegasi. They are two toned in color. Primaries are jet black while my coverts, the little ones on top, were light brown like my coat. The other fun fact about them is that they are a bit big.
Think in terms of having wings that would fit a pony 3 times my size.
I blame my father for that. Steel Blitz was a very large pegasus.
“Hold steady, the both of you. Just a little more adjustment on the control springs…” came a voice from behind the control box.
A smaller light tan pegasus stallion popped out from behind the box, lifting goggles off his face as he spoke again “Sorry to keep you two waiting. Are you both ready?”
“Just waiting on you.” Said the blue pegasus
“Lock, Stock and Itching to fire.” I was ready to go, hoping that at least this time the contraption wasn’t so high strung that I’d be able to at least get somewhat airborne.
The small pegasus, Rivet, cleared his throat and readied himself at the console. “Alright. At the count of three you two.”
The blue pegasus, Calm Wind hunkered down a bit further and stretched his wings out further in anticipation for the countdown.
The two of us were ready. We’ve been working on this thing all morning.
I was ready. There was an open corridor ahead of the two of us. The plan was that we’d get launched then have enough room to brake to a stop. The two of us would record how far we were launched and finally we'd fly back to Rivet and give our report on how effective the system was.
That is if we launched at all.
“One.”
As Rivet started his count, time began to slow.
The machine started giving off a whirring whine, slowly speeding up in its pitch as the machine warmed up.
“Two!”
Each second taking longer than the last.
Calm’s eyes were narrow, forward and focused. Stealing my gaze back to the space in front of me, I pushed myself to slow my thinking.
Focus Peanut, focus. Gotta keep the legs springy. Stiff enough to carry me through, loose enough to not break at launch.
Rivet took in a slow breath.
Calm and I were posed, ready to feel the rush of wind as we were propelled forward.
“THREE--- no no NO! AWE, Son of a . . . HORSEFEATHERS!!” Rivet yelled as the machine made a startlingly loud band and started whirring to a near deafening roar.
Calm and I turned to look back after hearing Rivet curse. I assumed it was going to be an aborted test due to equipment failure.
Sweet Luna was I wrong.
The machines noise stopped suddenly and with the loud sound of a crash-clang, the two catapults launched Calm and I at a much higher rate of speed than we had anticipated.
I didn’t even have enough time for my stomach to catch up to my body before I had my wings cupped in an attempt to stop myself.
I braced my legs in an awkward attempt to protect my body from getting destroyed by the concrete wall fast approaching. I gave my wings a few good hard flaps and regained control but only just barely. I came into contact with the wall hard, but nothing that a good stretch couldn’t fix.
Calm Wind on the other hand, I didn’t know who to feel worse for;
Him or the wall he just went through.
As Calm went through the wall, a plume of dust, insulation and a couple light blue feathers burst from the hole.
I came to a slow soft landing in front of the hole, reaching a forehoof to my right shoulder to rub it from the hard impact.
Good grief! Calm? are you alright in there?”
There was a few seconds of silence. I was starting to get a little worried until I finally heard some grunting.
“I . . . I’m alright. Little wobbly but I’m okay. Ugh!”
I sighed and shook out my wings as I put my hoof to my face. “You put another hole in the wall Calm… another one. Thats two for the day and eight for the week!”
Calm grunted again and fell backward out the hole, landing on his back looking upwards. He was still slightly dazed and had one of his eyes closed.
“Awe.. another? I ‘calmed’ it?”
I couldn’t help but to smile a little bit at that. “Yes, you goob. You ‘calmed’ another hole.”
‘Calmed’ was an inside term we had in our little group that usually meant that we, or rather, Calm broke something. We had enough inside terms to fill a dictionary.
I reached down and grabbed Calm by the arms. “Come on you big lug. Let's go report in and try avoid any more testing.”
I paused for a bit as my stomach growled.
"Maybe even try to grab some lunch too."
Calm got to his hooves and shook out his wings. "Sounds good to me. Lead the way."
We took off back to the workshop end of the “Arena” to where we knew a very unhappy Rivet lay in wait.
As we approached, Rivet was head over hooves deep into the catapult system. Cursing as tiny smoke trails came out from the hole he was working in.
“Hey Rivet, There was a bit of a pro -” I started when I was cut off.
“Yes yes I know there was a --- Dammit” Rivet had started as he ducked back out of the hole as it sparked at him. “Problem." He paused and took a drawn out breath
" Why don’t you two take a break for now and we’ll see what we can do after an hour or so.”
Rivet grabbed a rag and wiped his face before looking at the two of us. He kept rubbing his hooves with the rag as he stared at the two of us.
“Are you guys alright?” Rivet eyed us up and down cautiously. “You both look like you were caught with a hoof in the cookie jar. What did you do?”
I figured we may as well just rip the bandaid off gently. No need to cause our engineer an aneurysm.
“Well, good news is that the catapult launcher system worked. Shortly but worked. It may need some adjustments to be a bit softer on the launch but otherwise its good!”
There was an awkward five seconds of silence before Rivet gave the two of us an eye quirk.
“You guys ‘calm’d’ the wall again.” Rivet said knowingly and with as much monotone as possible.
“I calm’d it yes.” Calm said reservedly.
Rivet just closed his eyes and put a hoof to his face. Slowly he took in a breath and let out a very slow sigh. “Just, just go and we’ll deal with that when you guys get back.” He turned his attention back to the smoking opening to the launcher.
“I have more important matters to deal with at the moment.”
Calm Wind and I just stood at mock attention for a moment, looked at each other and slowly backed out of the workshop.
The two of us made it to the elevator lift in peace and made our way up to the main levels of the compound. The ride up was pretty quiet as it normally is. I was silent to my own thoughts and Celestia only knows whats going through Calms mind.
The elevator stopped at the ground floor and we stepped out.
It always amazed me with how my stomach knew that I was getting close to food. And not just being around food. It'll sound silly but I was getting excited knowing I was going to eat.
I understand that I'm a bit weird. My wife has pointed this out to me on multiple occasions.
Calm took off for a line as I took quick stock of the Hall itself.
Wonderbolts of all sorts were all over the place, balancing trays of food to a table. That or trays of rubbish to trash bins to leave. We all didn’t take lunch at the same time so as not to cause a bottleneck on the poor cooks.
Luna knows that here soon, there will be enough strain on them. But that's a problem to deal with later in the future. For now, my biggest dilemma was trying to figure out what I wanted to eat.
There were a few different lines for different tastes. One for light but healthy snacks, another for a balanced meal and another for a more backward flare. That was the line for the cooks who did nothing but breakfast all day.
My stomach growled at the thought of breakfast. That was a fast decision.
I had made my selection and found an empty spot near a few of the other wonderbolts, who were a bit wrapped up in some of their own antics.
The conversations around were a nice distraction from the antics I had dealt with through the entire morning. Not saying that it's bad or anything, just sometimes it's nice to have a bit of peace… or in this case, close to peace while eating.
I had just got comfy, eating a bit of the side chips before taking hold of my egg sandwich. Just as I was about to take a bite, I felt somepony behind me brush up against my back and slip their arms around my barrel. They gave my cheek a nuzzle while letting out a very soft but content sigh.
“Hi baby.” the mare said.
I turned and gave her a soft nuzzle and a kiss on her lips. “Hi sweetie. Busy day so far?"
The mare gave a more pronounced sigh as she rested her head against mine for a bit. "It never ends. I swear they're hurting themselves on purpose now. I just want to go home, have a long bath and read some of my books. Is that too much to ask for?"
"Sweetheart, I hate to break it to you but these are the wonderbolts were talking about. I have a very bad feeling that the answer is yes. Yes it is."
If you don't know, the mare is Siren Bliss, my wife. She's the resident head trainer for the Wonderbolts. While I don't have problems with a few other ponies being touchy feely, I don't normally let a random pony hug me from behind and give me nuzzles.
At least not without at least taking me to dinner first.
"So, To what do I owe this pleasure? Is this one of those really rare moments where I get to actually eat lunch with my special somepony?"
I gave her the best goo goo eyes I could muster. It never fails!
“No, just out to grab some coffee, say Hi to my husband and head back to my office to tackle mount paperwork.”
There goes that record. Oh well.
“Thats a shame. You conquer that mountain and I'll see you later ok?”
Bliss bent and gave me another kiss and nuzzle while stealing a few chips from my tray. “You got it ticklebutt.”
My brain stopped working for a bit. It had seemed that the conversations around us had stopped at the right moment for those close by to hear my nickname. Thankfully she used one of the lesser ones. But still I just knew it'd be weeks before I would hear the end of that name.
Bliss made her way out of the mess hall and back to her office while I sat back at the table, my brain slowly coming back to the present day.
“See you sweetie. Hey! No fair, chip stealer!”
One of the eavesdropping wonderbolts leaned close to me and gave off a few snickers.
“TickleButt eh? Gettin some fancy tickles there Playbitz… I mean Ticklebutt?”
And so it starts. Just my luck that it'd be Lightning Streak sitting nearby. I slowly turned to him with a large smile on my face.
“Ha… haha, yes. I'm not going to hear the end of that for a while am I?”
The others around the table started laughing when Surprise, a bouncy white pegasus mare with yellow hair floated over.
“No. Knowing Lightning here, he'll most likely start adding 'butt' to everyponies names."
The bubbly white pegasus stopped for a moment. She had a very large innocent yet unnerving smile. "Something I wanted to ask for a while now Uh...?”
"Playbitz, PB works too or Peanut."
"Peanut, right. So I'm curious, How did you and Bliss get together?"
The others around agreed to varying degrees.
Lightning Streak leaned in closer. "I, myself am very curious as to how you even got a nickname like Ticklebutt in the first place. Specially from a mare like Bliss! Thats a gal that would rather throw you out the window than give out a simple and subtle answer to a date request."
Another pegasus who was sitting nearby, Fire Streak, chimed in. "Because, my dear brother. A simple or Subtle answer for you would have to be as subtle as a train hitting a parasprite head-on for it to click."
I turned to lean back against the table and smiled. "Well, Bliss and I weren't always in Canterlot. We were actually a pretty decent distance away from each other. But, if y'all are game for sitting for a bit, I don't mind telling you how it happened."
No matter how many times I get asked, its a story I love to tell.