//------------------------------//
// Hallways and Always 
// Story: Cryo-7 
// by Metal Pony Fan 
//------------------------------//

Radio stood in front of his door, and adjusted the collar of his suit.  Jasper had good taste, he had to admit, but the fit could use some adjustment.

After a fifteen minute visit to a barber, and a half-hour visit to a tailor, they had just spent nearly two hours on a video call going over various concerns of the Furian government via subnet.  He was only there to show that the Galactic Assembly was interested in including Furians in every step of the integration process, but he was still happy to be included.

There would be official negotiations later, but those mostly had to do with trade agreements, and import-export taxes, which had predetermined caps anyway.  Everything important had been ironed out already.  The galaxy would come to Furia's aid if ever necessary, and Furia agreed to do the same.  And towards that end, the Assembly would give them a headstart on building up their fleet.

It was difficult to believe that the Cruisers left in orbit over a week ago were going to be gifted to Furia, and military personnel trained to take over their operation and maintenance.  It was even more difficult to believe that Furia would be maintaining near total sovereignty, with the exception of a few core laws that were deemed universal within the Assembly.  It was non-negotiable that they be put into place,  but most of them were already in place within the current legal system.

But, the few extra laws were ones that would have saved him and Ribbon a whole lot of pain.  He rubbed his leg with a hoof.  How many times had he broken that bone?  Even ignoring the hairline crack he suffered on Sevus, it was well over a hundred.  Most of them self-inflicted at the urging of the scientist who was supposed to be his doctor.

His pain gave the galaxy bone paste.  But, it didn't end there.  There were more experiments run, all of them without approval or oversight.  They became more and more painful, but the promise of improving medical technology was a powerful lure for two foals who wanted to save their mother.

He and Ribbon put up with more than they ever should have for that goal.  His experiments centered on his lack of scar tissue.  Hers focused on her unique physicality and mental abilities.  It only ended when an experiment went too far, and hurt Ribbon with an experimental medication.

Radio sighed slowly.  Only, the scientist didn't technically do anything.  He talked brother and sister through a theory, coaxed them into designing and creating a serum to maximize their latent abilities.  He didn't even have to try convincing them to inject themselves with it.  By the time it was done, they couldn't be talked out of it.  It didn't seem affect the colt, but Ribbon reacted poorly.  Dad managed to stabilize her, and create an antidote for the medication, but most of the damage was done.  She gained a seven percent increase in muscle density at the cost of permanently stunting her growth, and increasing her telepathic range.

And even after all that, he and Ribbon tried to argue against the scientist being banished.  Nothing he did was technically illegal, as the scientist had argued, and it would help bring mom back, as he and Ribbon argued.  It took years to realize that what happened was wrong, and that healing their mother was never the goal.

All of which would have been illegal under Galactic law.  Modification of living beings for military purposes was completely banned.  He and Ribbon would only have received the minimum amount of augmentation to ensure that they could live healthy lives despite the leftover augments from their father's genetics.  So many therapy sessions, EM gene treatments, and even surgeries never would have happened.

He found himself thinking about the filly he met earlier, Stormy.  He asked her what it was like to be normal.  Under Galactic Assembly law, he would have known the answer, and perhaps he still could.  Or, at the very least his descendants might?

He suddenly went red in the face.  He had never thought of it before, but, he was free to fall in love now.  Ponies that fall in love sometimes get married.  Married ponies have foals.  He might someday have foals of his own, and they wouldn't be forced into military service, to defend their entire planet from outside incursion.  They would never know that stress, the conflict of hating something, despite being the only one that can protect it, and knowing that doing so is the only way to protect what little you love.

He could make sure they had happy childhoods, and did stupid stuff like playing in mud.  He could take them floatfishing, and flying, and help them with homework like any of the billions of regular parents across the Assembly.

He could be normal.

"Radio?" asked a quiet voice as a hoof softly settled on his back.  "Are you crying?"

"Huh?"  He looked up, blinking at the blurry figure beside him.  The colors were unmistakable.  "Stormy?"  He wiped a hoof at his face, clearing away more moisture than he would have expected.  "You snuck up on me."

She shook her head, bouncing the stylized loops in her mane.  "You were staring at your door.  I called you from the end of the hall."

Radio stared at those loops for a moment.  They trailed and looped back, clipped into place with simple gold clips that matched her coat.  Her mane was longer than he remembered, and the styling gave her mane the appearance of smooth windswept clouds.  Her dress shifted with every movement, no matter how small, like wheat in the wind.    Her hooves were bound in simple sandals whose strings wrapped high up her legs, and she wore a necklace.

The necklace was a plain thing, but Radio stared at it.  A simple gold chain with a single uncut crystal.  The crystal was clear, but caught the light with a ghost of a rainbow on its natural facets.  Against her golden fur, he was home again.  The crystal spires rising over the wheat fields of Furia, under the clouds of a summer storm, promising life giving rain.

Stormy was starting to feel a bit self-conscious about the colt's staring, but she was staring back as well.  He was wearing a clean, crisp looking suit, well-tailored to his athletic build, and his hair was slicked back.  It was well-combed, but refused to be completely tamed, splaying out slightly at the end.  And his tie seemed to be woven of holographic glass. He looked good, and her dad would approve of the suit.  He was picky about suits.

"So, uh," she chuckled, "you clean up nice."

Radio swallowed hard, ears burning at the complement.  He needed to say something back!  "You...  You are truly beautiful."  And she was.  But, there had to be a better way to tell her.  Some way to let her know how he felt.  How looking at her compared only to the grandest vistas of the crystal moon.  And, beyond her appearance, she had given him hope!  Hope for the future, that he might one day be free of his past, and normal.  "Thank you."

Stormy scratched her ear, holding her hoof there once she was done.  "You're welcome, I guess."  Her smile was stuck.  It was embarassing- walking around campus like this, but Radio's reaction was pretty nice.  She let her hoof fall, only to be surprised by Radio catching it.  She glanced down, at her sandalled hoof resting in his own sleeved hoof, then back up meeting eyes with him.  "Huh?"

He leaned in a little.  "I mean it.  You are beautiful as a storm over the crystal plains, and I appreciate even being allowed to know you."

Stormy swallowed hard.  She really liked the way Radio complemented her.  He was well spoken, and so sincere.  It wasn't like trying to talk with colts back home.  There was no social navigation, hidden meanings, or blunt vulgarity, in his words.  Radio was a step beyond any other colt she knew, being able to give a complement without insulting her at the same time.  And, she wanted more.  "Go on," she prodded.

"I...  I don't know what else to say," the colt admitted, "you are amazing, and interesting, and I...  I..."

Stormy felt herself blushing.  Maybe Chrysalis was onto something.  She wasn't in love with this colt, but it wasn't an impossible outcome.  "Yes?"

"I..."  Radio suddenly gave up on words, and gave her hoof a gentle tug.  His wing stretched towards her, bracing against her shoulder as he leaned in.  Their muzzles tapped for less than a second before he pulled back.  "I'm, um, really glad I met you."

Stormy, eyes wide and cheeks ablaze, brought a hoof to her mouth.  "Same," she squeaked out.  That was a kiss!  That was an honest to goodness, I really like you, kiss.  On the lips!  And she enjoyed it, a lot.  She was not expecting that.  She needed to think about this.  Now.  "I'm gonna wait downstairs."

Wait, um," Radio reached for her as she turned and ran, but she was down the hall in an impressively short amount of time.  "Dinner isn't for another hour," he told the empty hallway.

"And if she's that excited about it, you've done something right."

A reddening Radio looked over at the young earth pony stallion who lived across the hall from him.  He was standing in the doorway of his dorm room, beside  him was a pegasus mare who looked like she just took a shower.  He recognized them.  "Oh, you were ponies playing tug of war against those unicorns the other day."

"Well, he was," the mare said with a smile, poking her stallion in the ribs.  "I just hang around to watch.  Windy Whispers."

"Huh?"  Radio took a second to realize that was her name.  "Oh, Radio Dancer."

"Sod Buster," replied the earth pony.  "So, you've got a date?  Good for you."

"Yeah," Windy agreed, "after hearing that crystal plains line, I imagine you're really into her.  And the way she held her wings after that kiss, I bet she's just as into you."

"Really?"  Radio looked down the hall to where Stormy had disappeared around the corner.

"Oh, he's definitely into her," Sod Buster laughed.  "Remember how I used to be when I learned how to read wings?"

"You mean, always staring at mine?  Of course."

"Only because I wanted to understand you better," he pointed out.  "But, I meant how nervous I was that I may have missed some sort of cue or gesture."

"Ah, that," Windy nodded.  "You're right, he does look nervous.  So, Radio, how long have you known this filly?"

"We, um, only met today.  Well, we met briefly yesterday."  Radio chuckled.  "I know, it sounds crazy, but I crashed in on her in a classroom yesterday, and today we had lunch, and went shopping, and it was a lot of fun, so we're going to dinner in a bit."

"Not crazy at all," Sod Buster told the colt.  "Everypony has first dates.  The trick is to not have a last date."

"That's what we did," Windy laughed.  "But it isn't for everypony."

Radio shook his head, not following.  "What do you mean?"

Windy ducked back into the room, for just a moment.  She came back with an earring on, tilting her head to show it off.  "We're getting married."

"Oh!  Yeah, that makes sense now.  Congratulations."  Radio scratched his neck.  "Um, I hope this doesn't sound rude, but how long have you been together?  Like, how long did it take to get to the point where marriage was even brought up as an option?"

"Oh," Sod Buster leaned over Windy, "he is damn serious about this filly, isn't he?"

"I didn't mean like that!" Radio hastily clarified, feathers ruffling.  "I just, never really considered it before, and was curious, since you mentioned it."

"Damn serious, indeed," Windy deadpanned.  "Kid, if this is the first filly to make you think about marriage, then she's somethin' special.  Hell, Buster here asked me to marry him about an hour after we met."

"Two," he corrected with a shrug.  "Pretty sure it was two.  Anyway, she said yes, and we've been together ever since."

"Yep."  Windy leaned against the stallion.  "Best ten days of my life."

Radio was very bad at hiding his confusion.  "Uh..."

"I'm joking," she reassured him.  "It's been ten years.  Neither of us are that impulsive when it comes to big decisions.  In fact, we're kind of the opposite, we take a lot of pleasure in sitting down for planning sessions."

"And sometimes, laying down," Sod Buster added with a smirk, earning a swift nudge in the ribs.  "Anyway, we went from two kids playing house to big ponies looking for a house, running off a question I blurted out because I didn't want to walk home alone.  Think about how crazy that is, and ask yourself if it's too crazy to consider here."

A blushing Radio looked away.  "Pretty sure it is.  Where from different planets, I hardly know her, and she hardly knows me, and-"

"Get to know her," Windy interrupted.  "Let her get to know you.  Swap contact info, and keep in touch.  Visit each other when you can.  Try and make it work.  Thank her and move on if it doesn't.  Don't over think it, just go for it.  If you don't go into it with everything you've got, you don't deserve her."

"Oh," Sod Buster jumped in, "but don't lose yourself in it.  If she likes you, you kind of need to stay you, if that makes sense."

"I think it does," Radio nodded slowly as Windy ducked back into the room.  "Thanks."

"No problem," Sod Buster chuckled, "you have fun tonight."

Windy came trotting back with something metallic held in in her wing.  "To that end," she said as she held it out, "take these.  I like 'em, and so will she."

"Uh, thanks."  Radio took what looked like a zig-zagged foil Ribbon.  Bright colors contrasted with bold black letters spaced evenly down the line, listing, "Grape, Orange, Toofa, Banana, Surberry, Zarzanan, and Watermelon."  It wasn't until he turned them over, and saw the fine print, that he realized what he was holding.

He quickly shoved them in his suit pocket, hiding them from view.

Windy laughed at the colt's embarrassment before dragging Sod Buster back into the room.  "Better get going," she said as she closed the door, "good luck."

"Thanks," a blushing Radio muttered, alone in the hall.  He double checked that.  He had to make extra sure that he was alone before checking his pocket.  He gulped as he pulled on the foil, separating a single pouch from the others.  He stared at it a moment, contemplating the strange machinations of the universe that brought him here, to this awkward moment.

His second day setting hoof on his second alien planet, and he already got his first girlfriend, had his first date, ate his first pretzel, and had his first kiss.  And now, he was holding a watermelon flavored condom.

It was absurd.  He and Stormy were going on their second date, his second date ever.  It was way to early to even consider needing this.  But, he found himself considering it as he stared at the little foil square.  How beautiful she looked in that dress, how much fun she was to talk to, the sound of her voice, even that little flap of her wings whenever she notices him looking at her.  If there was anypony in the galaxy he would even consider, it would be her.

Would she consider him in the same way?  At some point far, far in the future?  She seemed embarrassed by the kiss, but she was smiling as she ran away.  Isn't that the big cliche in fictional romances?  Wanting to see your loved ones smile, no matter what it takes?  He understood now.  It was like all the mushy stuff in every piece of mindless entertainment he consumed over his short lifetime was no longer just mush.

It was clarity inducing mush.

And for some reason, that sounds illegal.










Stormy sighed as she leaned against the wall.  Chrysalis was right.  She was falling in love with a rainbow-headed colt from beyond the stars.  

The kiss played over and over in her mind.  It was way too buckin' short, for one thing, but it was messing with her head more than it should be.  So was the rest of it.  When she proposed the idea of dating earlier, she was thinking a little practice fling while they were both on Canterlot.  Something to help get used to this particular sort of interaction.

She wasn't expecting a serious colt-friend.

If this kept up, saying good bye in a few weeks would be tough.  Or would they even do that?  They could keep in touch over subnet.  They could visit each other.

She found herself wondering what the crystal plains looked like during a storm, since that was how he chose to describe her.  Would he be willing to take her there?  And she could take him to the solar domes.  Take him flying through the old mining canyons.  Even Spot was too chicken to go flying there, but something about Radio told her he would feel right at home.

She saw him come down the stairs, fussing with his suit.  His wings straightened, tugged the wrinkles out, and restraightened his tie several times more than necessary.  He was nervous, she could see that, but he was smiling.  Just like everything else about him, it was just so buckin' sincere.  There was no bravado.  He didn't look even vaguely confident.  And, there was nopony around for him to be smiling for.

He was just smiling for himself.  He was happy.  And it was a good look for him.  It reminded Stormy a lot of how her dad looked sometimes, usually while watching mom do some random thing.  Like the night before she left, when mom was singing one of her younger sisters to sleep.  Dad just happened to be walking by, and stopped in the doorway, watching, smiling, forgetting that he was supposed to be helping his oldest daughter pack.

Stormy shook her head.  It was unreal.  A hundred and eighty billion ponies in the galaxy, and somehow, they met.  They were both worlds away home, travelers passing through Canterlot, and somehow, they met.

She started walking over, and Radio waved when he saw her.  Stormy smiled as his smile widened.  She wasn't a believer in love at first sight, but after today, she realized that not instant doesn't have to mean slow.  She was really looking forward to tonight.  "I like you."  Radio went red in the face, and so did Stormy.  What the buck brain?!  She was going to complement his suit, then ask about dinner.  But, it looked like her infatuated mind decided to drop a few words.  "I- I mean..."

Radio silenced her with a touch of a hoof.  He leaned in, kissing her again, as softly as last time, but held it longer.  As he pulled away, Stormy had to keep herself from laughing.  As much as her heart was racing, it was painfully obvious that neither of them had a clue what they were doing.  They were doing nothing more than carefully touching their faces together.  It felt like there could be more, like there should be more.

And Radio felt it, too.  He scratched his neck, smiling nervously.  "I don't think I'm very good at that," he admitted, "but, I really like you back."

Stormy stared at him a moment.  Oh, by every deity, real or imagined, in this universe, he was adorable.  "We'll get better," she reassured him, only realizing how out of breath she was when she heard herself.

"Better?"  Radio gulped.  "That means..."

"Practice," Stormy said with a nod.  She felt like her entire body was on fire, a mix of adrenaline, hormones, and embarrassment.  "Can't improve any skill without training, right?"

"I guess not," Radio chuckled.  "Do, um...  Do you want to try again?  Just one more, real quick?"

"Jeez, Radio, I don't know..."  Stormy glanced around.  They were fairly alone in the dorm lobby.  She looked back at him.  "Only if you promise it won't be too quick."

He nodded slowly.  "I think I can handle that."

Before he could say or do anything else, the front door squeaked open.  It was a slow, agonizing squeal, and it did a good job of interrupting the two young pegasi.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," said an older pegasus, adjusting his sunglasses.  His black suit and tie were well pressed, and he moved with slow confidence.  "I dropped by a little early."

"You're not interrupting."  Stormy quickly straightened Radio's tie, giving herself an excuse for how close she was standing in front of the colt.  "We were just waiting.  You must be Mr. Jones?"

One eyebrow rose over the rim of his sunglasses.  "Jasper," he corrected, "the assistant.  Mr. Jones is waiting outside.  Please join us when you are done."

With that, he turned and walked out.

"Well, um," Stormy chuckled, glancing back at Radio, "maybe after dinner on that kiss?"

He responded with an energetic nod.  "I'd like that, thank you."

There's that sincerity again.  Stormy smiled.  "Well, let's not keep your friend waiting.  He must be some big wig to have a personal assistant to fetch his dinner guests."  Though, she was pretty sure she heard the name Jasper before somewhere.  But, where?  It seemed so familiar.

"Yeah, I guess he is pretty important."  Radio shrugged.  "Mr. Jones and my dad met back before I was born.  Some skirmish involving a pirate colony.  There were three sides involved, and he and my dad were on opposite sides until they figured out that the pirates were using them against each other to buy time for an escape.  His actions that day paved the way for Furia to open talks with the Galactic Assembly."

"Ok," Stormy nodded, "military big wig."  And probably the reason she and Radio were ever able to meet.  "He sounds like a good guy."

"Dad says he is."  The colt nodded to the door.  "And, he's buying us food, come on."

Stormy laughed as he bounded away, full of energy.  She would have followed right after him, but the colt had dropped something.  She picked it up, a small metal square with the word, "watermelon," on it.

She smiled.

She may have mentioned that watermelons were her favorite fruit while she and Radio were shirt shopping.  He must have remembered.  How thoughtful of him.  But, what was this?  Watermelon drink mix maybe?  It didn't feel like there was powder in the pouch, and it was sort of padded, so the surface of the foil was smooth.

She flipped it over.  "Oh."

She looked up as Radio reached the door, and he looked back.  His eyes went wide as he saw what she was holding.

Stormy pressed her lips together.  Looking away quickly as she tucked the thing away in a hidden pocket of her dress.  She swallowed hard, and started walking towards the door.  "You dropped something," she said quietly to Radio as she neared him.

The colt just stared at her, confused by the lack of reaction.  "Stormy?  You ok?"

Her wings shuffled as she looked up.  She couldn't stop it.  It was kind of embarrassing, knowing the colt was thinking about her like that.  But, his first concern was her.  He didn't apologize, make some lame excuse, or try to pass the thing off as not being his.  He was so much more mature than other colts she knew.  No, she corrected herself, it wasn't fair to him to be compared to those colts.  "You are a good stallion," she said quietly.

Radio was expecting a, "but..."  But, it never came.

Stallion.  He rolled the word around in his head.  It felt strange to hear it like this.  Not, "colt," not, "young stallion," just, "stallion."  Stormy was probably the first pony to ever call him that.  If not, it sure felt like it.

He watched her a moment.  She made no move to distance herself, or turn away.  She didn't hide her face, or say anything more about what he had dropped.  "I'm sorry, Stormy, but-."

Stormy shook her head.  "I don't want an apology."  She looked over, and managed a small smile.  "I want somepony who respects me, and you do.  If you asked, I..."  She swallowed hard.  "I might not say no."

Radio leaned in, not for a kiss, but to settle his muzzle alongside hers.  He wasn't sure that she was sure of her own words, but he felt a little more confident that they felt the same about each other.  "Not tonight, I won't ask tonight.  I'll wait until you're ready."  Radio could smell perfume now, and shampoo, coconuts and flowers.  He wasn't close enough earlier.  And he still wasn't close enough now.

Stormy gasped as he buried his snout in her neck, closing her eyes as he took a deep breath.  The flow of cool air on her neck was replaced by heat as he took in her scent, then let out a soft sigh.  She brought her hoof to his neck, softly caressing as he planted a small kiss on her own.  "And what if I asked you?"

Radio pulled back, bringing his hoof to the one on his neck.  He gave her hoof a small squeeze.  He was never planning on things going this far, but...  "How could I say no?"

Stormy sighed, and pulled her hoof back, trailing it along his fur.  She flicked his chin, and smiled.  "I'll hold you to that someday."

He nodded once, as if accepting a mission.  "I'll be waiting."  He opened the door, and offered his wing.  "Shall we?"

She extended her own wing, resting it on his.  "Yes," she whispered, "we shall."

They stepped outside, into a swarm of black clad security personnel.  Jasper stood in front of an aircar, one of several parked in a row, followed by a small space-worthy shuttle.

It was in that moment, as Jasper reached for the aircar's door that she remembered where she heard his name.  It was on the news.  He opened the car door, and a large, white gryphon stepped out.

Stormy's hoof reached up, found purchase in Radio's mane, and pulled.

With a yelp, Radio ducked down.

"Mr. Jones?"  Stormy hissed in his ear.  "Mr.  Jones?!  We're having dinner with Coriander Jones, President of the freakin' Galactic Assembly, and you've been calling him Mr. Jones?"

Radio shrugged sheepishly, wincing at how hard she was pulling his mane.  "Furia isn't part of the Assembly yet," he explained, "he's not my president."