I woke up in the medical unit, Gilda was watching over me.
"How long was I out?" I asked.
"A good hour and a half," she replied, "What did you see anyway?"
"My old life," I said, "Well, everything really important in it anyway."
"Like a near-death experience?" She asked.
"More like a near-my-old-life-experience," I replied.
"Makes sense," she said, "it happened right after we saw Commander Easy Glider's display. It was the first time you saw your old friends face in like six hundred years."
"I guess that would do it," I said.
"Come on," she said, "There's still plenty to do before going home. Unless you just wanna bail. I wouldn't blame you after that."
"I think I need one more look at Easy Glider's display," I said, "it's the least I can do."
"OK," she said, "There is one pony that wanted to meet you before you left though."
"Really?" I asked, "who?"
"Come on in!" Gilda yelled.
I nearly shit myself. I could swear Easy Glider himself just walked in the room wearing a scrub version of the modern Wonderbolts uniform.
"Hello," he said, "my name is Commander Calm Glider, of the Wonderbolts medical unit. My family has been telling the story of how you helped my ancestor make commander since he had his own son. I knew growing up that his hoofsteps were not the ones I wanted to follow. I liked the look of your's better. I am honored to meet you Commander Dreamer. I hope I'm keeping things how you liked them. We may not get too many applicants that can't fly anymore, but I am excited to work with Gilda. I don't want Griffins to forget they are welcome in my unit."
I couldn't stop myself from getting down on my knees and hugging him, "You're doing great. Easy Glider would be very proud. Just so you know, the feeling was mutual. This unit wouldn't exist if not for him."
He put a hoof around me before we let go and I stood back up, "Thank you," he was shedding a tear, "that means a lot coming from you."
"Now let's do this properly. I have not been able to say this in a long time," I stood at attention and saluted him, "It's an honor to be your friend, Commander Glider."
He straightened up and saluted back, "It's an honor to be your friend, Commander Dreamer."
-
I had made my way back to the shelf containing the tribute to my old best friend. I had asked the others for some time alone to think.
I took a good moment to look his picture in the eye and give a salute.
"We really did something, didn't we?" I asked it, "Rest in peace, my old friend. If it weren't for you. Nopony could. You deserve it."
"Do you always sell yourself short like that?" came a shy voice behind me, "he retired a long time ago. From what I hear, you started at the same time, and here you are still at it."
"Where did you come from?" I asked Sweet Harvest who was hiding her orange face behind her midnight blue mane. Her resemblance to Sweet Dreams was only made more profound after seeing my daughter in that vision.
"I'm sorry," she shied away, "I'll go."
"NO!" I didn't mean. to shout, "Please, stay. I'd like to talk."
"Really?" she asked, "I was just hoping to thank you again for what you said. I just got a letter from my father saying he was happy for me. I wasn't going to bother you when I heard you wanted to be alone, but Commander Glider seemed to think I should."
"I'm glad he did," I said. I couldn't believe it, six centuries later and that family still gets me, "Have you ever heard of a Wonderbolt known as Sweet Dreams?"
"You mean the pony that set the original speed record on the obstacle course," She asked, "she was my inspiration. I'm told I look kinda like her."
"She was my daughter," I said, "you look just like her. Would you mind going for a walk with me?"
"I'd like that," she smiled.
I let her lead the way as we wandered the grounds. We ended up by the obstacle course.
"I hear that you were even faster than Sweet Dreams," Sweet Harvest said, "but we didn't keep records back then."
"That's actually not true," I said, "I actually was still around when the first record was taken. I came in third. I can fly pretty fast, but my real strengths are agility and stamina. Not for doing tricks, for dodging things and weaving around the woods. If you were paying attention, I bet the others started catching up when we hit the sprint. I'm also willing to bet Spitfire and Soarin were either distracted or intentionally holding back to make it more interesting. Hell, they all were likely distracted. Only Gilda knew exactly what was gonna happen when I drank that potion."
"I guess I did notice them catching up," she said, "but you were so far ahead by the end of the first couple obstacles, it didn't matter."
"That's because I learned how to accelerate into the turns while everypony else slows down," I said, "It's not easy, but it can be done."
"Do you think you could teach me?" she asked.
"I'll try," I said. It's not like me to say 'no' to that question.
She actually caught on really fast. I had been concerned since I had no way to show her what I was talking about. I didn't have wings at that time.
Once she had the idea I timed her on the obstacle course.
"Two minutes, fifty seconds," I said as she landed. It was one minute and forty seconds over my time but I wasn't about to say that, "how does that compare to your last run?"
"That's better than anyone in the group did," she looked down, "I was over five minutes before."
I stared at her wide-eyed, "That's almost twice as fast. I'm impressed."
"I guess I had a good teacher," she smiled at me.
"Dweeb!" Gilda called across the field as she flew up to us, "I think it's about time we head out. It's getting late, the hot air balloons are gonna stop for the day soon."
"Alright, Babe," I turned to Sweet Harvest, "Just keep doing what you love and you're gonna go far. Give my regards to your father."
"Alright," she said, "thank you so much Commander Dreamer."
"What did I say about that?" I said.
"Thank you, Commander Jerry," she smiled so wide I couldn't help but think of Feather and Sweet Dreams.
"I guess that works," I laughed, "I hope to meet you again, Sweet Harvest. Until then, I hope you achieve your sweetest dreams."
We were almost to the balloon when we were stopped by Spitfire, "Could I talk to you alone?" she asked.
A wave of anger flashed over me as I remembered the last time I spoke alone with a pony matching her description.
"You alright? Dweeb?" Gilda pulled me back into the moment. I realized six centuries separated Commander Spitfire from Commander Firestorm.
"I'm fine, just heartburn," I tried to cover, "Mind giving us a moment?"
"Sure," Gilda said, "but if you wait too long I'll have to carry you."
"We can talk in my office," Spitfire led me to her office and shut the door behind us. She was nowhere near as chipper as she had been at lunch.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.
"I was going to ask how much you remembered about Easy Gliders promotion while you were out," she hung her head, "but I got your answer when I asked to talk. I know heartburn, and I know rage. They don't look the same."
"So this is about Commander Firestorm?" I asked.
She took a deep breath before saying, "I didn't even learn about my ancestor until my own promotion. I had wondered why they were hesitant to give me access to the files on Commander Easy Glider. I grew up wanting to be a Wonderbolt after hearing about his choreography. I wanted to learn all about him... I didn't know how many ponies were erased from most of history. Or how much of his own past went with it."
"It was a troubled time," I said.
"And ponies like Firestorm only made it worse," she was hanging her head, I could see tears fall, "Easy Glider was my filly-hood hero. Now that I know the whole story, I have to admit I admire his wing pony a little more. So I have to know." She clenched her eyes shut as if bracing herself, "Do you hate me?" She asked through her teeth.
"Raise your head and look me in the eye," I said calmly crossing my arms.
Slowly Spitfire lifted her head revealing two giant bloodshot, tear stained eyes. She was frantically trying to wipe her nose. I handed her a napkin I had grabbed in the mess hall.
"I don't know what to say," she said, "I was hoping you just didn't remember, but then you passed out and Gilda said you were probably having a flashback..." she started crying again.
"Did you burn down my hut?" I had to ask. I may not have seen it yet but the shape of the journal that should have been safely under the floor made the huts fate clear.
"That would have been Firestorms son, Blazing Trail," she was still crying, "he burned down a whole section of the woods so it would burn down without him having to get close. He was caught up in the blaze. His son was actually the one who decided to just erase the whole embarrassing thing from the family records."
"So what you're saying is you feel guilty for what your family did?" I asked.
She just nodded and hung her head again.
"Cut it the fuck out," I said, "It was hundreds of years ago, and you're supposed to be the commander of the most awesome flying team around. You shouldn't be moping about what your ancestors did. You should be making a new name for your family. One you can be proud of. One that Easy Glider would be proud of. I already am." I gave her a reassuring smile and wink, "Now dry those tears, blow that snotty nose, and lift that head high!" I was doing my best to sound like I was shouting at a new recruit, "YOU'RE A WONDERBOLT!!! NOT A CRYBABY!!"
She cleaned herself up and smiled at me, "Thank you. I needed to hear that."
"No problem," I said, "I better go or Gilda is gonna have to carry me home."
"About that," Spitfire said, "I made arrangements..."
She led me to the runway where Soarin was waiting next to a pegasus chariot.
"We thought you may prefer this over a balloon," Soarin said, "If you ever want to visit again, we can arrange for you to be picked up as well."
-
We got back home just a little before sundown. At Scootaloo's request, Spitfire and Soarin did a fly-over of Ponyville making sure a few other school fillies saw on their way home to bed.
"That was so awesome," Scootaloo went on, "and in just a couple days I may be able to fly too. It's gonna be great."
"Speaking of that," I said, "We better eat, It's time for the third potion."
"Yea," Scootaloo said excited, "how early can I drink the green one tomorrow?"
"After school," I said, "you shouldn't miss too much of that."
"Fair enough," Scootaloo sighed.
"So what was so special about that filly?" Gilda asked, "and what did Spitfire want to talk about."
"The filly looked just like Sweet Dreams," I answered, "Spitfire was just starstruck. I was getting annoyed." I didn't want to tarnish Spitfires family name in front of the filly. I made a note to talk to Gilda about it in private.
"Who was Sweet Dreams?" Gilda asked.
"You don't know about the first Wonderbolt to set the speed record on the obstacle course?" Scootaloo asked, "It lasted thirty years."
"I guess I did hear that before," Gilda said, "but that doesn't explain why Calm Glider wanted her to talk to you. Or why you were giving her flying lessons."
"Sweet Dreams was Daylight's daughter," I made a point to use the third person. I didn't want Gilda to think she had to compete with Feather Dreamer. She was Daylight's wife, I was Jerry.
"You had a daughter?" Gilda asked.
"Well, I am his great great great, whatever, granddaughter," Scootaloo said.
"You're shitting me," Gilda didn't know what to think.
"No," I said, "it's true, I guess you deserve to know I was married as a pony."
She seemed to roll this around, "That's interesting. Not like I didn't already know you had a human wife before meeting me, so I guess it doesn't really matter. Unless you're still in love with her..."
"I have to admit that I cannot ignore that piece of my old heart Feather stole," I sighed, "but I am not the pony she fell for anymore, and she's not the griffin I did."
Gilda smiled at me, "That's all I needed to hear, Dweeb. Let's eat and get some sleep."
I got the impression Gilda didn't really want to sleep. If you know what I mean.