//------------------------------//
// Chapter - 4 - Turbulence 
// Story: To Be A Wonderbolt 
// by Hawker Hurricane 
//------------------------------//

"But I have more nights already paid for!"

"You're no longer welcome to stay here," the manager replied, scowling at me like I was dirt beneath his hooves, "After your comments regarding our great and wonderful Princess Celestia and your ludicrous claims of being from another world, you're too much of a liability."

"But I've nowhere to go."

"That's not my problem."

"But-"

"Leave! Now!"

Hanging my head to my fate, I quickly packed up what few belongings I had and headed for the room door. The manager and security guard followed me out, the manager deliberately speaking loudly, "Make sure the ex-blank flank leaves. Through the main entrance."

Great. Force me out to face ravenous unhinged crackpots who want to flay me alive. How kind of you.

I zipped up my Wonderbolt fleece and put the hood up, trying to conceal myself from the crowd, even though the Equestrian papers had been so kind as to already show my mugshot to the nation. I slowly approached the entrance where the noise of the crowd grew louder. I could see them chanting and waving banners with various slogans and some with my picture behind a red circled with diagonal line through it.

"Don't ever come back," the hotel manager said, "You're banned for life from this hotel chain."

"If this is how you treat guests who have different opinions, then I choose to never to stay here again."

"OUT!"

I walked forward to the open entrance and was met with the furious crowd as I heard the entrance door behind me close and lock. As I turned back around to face the crowd, the same pony from last night was in front of me with cameras flashing away behind her.

"Standing in front of me right now is the ex-blank flank colt who defiled the name of our great princess. Have you no shame?" she said, reporting live on air as she shoved a mike into my face.

"Piss off."

The crowd gasped.

"You will not swear! We are live on air!"

"Get that fucking mike out of my face then."

The crowd again gasped angrily. If they keep doing it I'll probably die from brain asphyxiation because the simpletons have breathed in all the precious oxygen.

Thieves. 

"I don't have time for your bullshit, good day," I said as I took to the air.

"He's escaping!" one of the crowd shouted.

"Don't let him get away!" cried another.

I gained as much altitude as I could but natural born Pegasi were quick on my tail. 

"GET BACK HERE!"

I turned back and saw that crazy press pony.

"NO PONY IGNORES QUESTIONS FROM CNN!"

Looks like I'm gonna have to get creative. Noting the many tall skyscrapers of Las Pegasus, I descended rapidly and decided to use aerobatics rather than speed to try and lose them.

"DON'T LET THE HERETIC GET AWAY!"

Approaching a tall skyscraper, I went half way down before suddenly pulling level and turning left, executing a barrel roll to take the turn more easily and maintain speed. I then quickly changed direction again, taking a sharp right and another right and then left.

This carried on for several minutes throughout the skyscrapers of Las Pegasus, no doubt putting on a show for the ponies below.

Despite my best efforts though, while I had lengthened the gap between myself and my pursuers, they were still chasing me and I was beginning to get tired.

A few more twists and turns and I had at least got out of their line of sight and I found myself on the strip, quickly gaining the looks of locals.

"It's him!"

I ignored them and quickly made my way along the strip, eager to find a way out of town. The train station was a fair way away, and those psycho press ponies and baying mob would find me before I would even get close.

To make matters worse, my stomach rumbled.

"Great," I mumbled, "Just what I need."

I continued to make my way down the strip, keeping an eye out for a place to eat and quite quickly found a Hay King. Wasting no time I went inside and to my relief it was fairly empty and with only a couple of ponies ahead of me in the queue. I quickly joined in behind them and decided on what I would have, desperately hoping that I would at least be left alone long enough to have some breakfast.

I eventually was seen to and had a Double Cheese Hayburger with fries and lemonade. I paid for my meal and went to sit at a table away from the windows where, whilst eating, I began to contemplate my life from now on.

It wasn't enough I was dumped in pastel midget horse land looking like one of the brain dead locals, I've also been stigmatised as a 'blank flank', pissed off the rulers and their six pets, been demeaned and humiliated by said six pets, made to look like a crackpot in front of tens of thousands by the rulers who won't believe anything I tell them purely because it's to outrageous to believe; and now I have angry press ponies harassing me for having different opinions.

But I did meet Spitfire. Speaking of whom offered me a job.

And Spitfire is a trustworthy name with great history and heritage to it.

Remembering her offer, I decided that Wonderbolts HQ would be my next destination. All I had to do is get out of Las Pegasus without being seen. I finished my meal and left, eager to make my move while I still could. I opened the door to Hay King and went outside.

"THERE HE IS!"

Jesus wept.

Before I knew it, a microphone was shoved in my face.

"Why are you trying to run from us? Are you afraid to answer for your crimes?"

"What crimes?"

"The crime of disrespecting our great and wonderful princess!"

"That's not a crime. What is a crime is what you are doing."

"Disrespecting the princess is a crime, and what supposed crime have we committed against you?"

"Harassment! You keep chasing me around and will not leave me alone! Now get lost, I have business to attend to."

"What kind of business?" the press pony asked, "Going to make a call to your home planet?"

The crowd laughed heartily.

Having no time for these simpletons, I turned and began to leave.

"Where do you think you're going? I haven't finished asking you questions!"

"I'm under no obligation to answer anything to you. Now get lost, leave me alone."

I took to the air again and was once again followed by the press pony.

"You just won't give up, will you?"

"No. I'm not resting until you answer my questions."

"You'll be waiting for a hell of a long time then. Now beat it!"

"Make me."

I decided to pick up speed, to see if I could out fly the stupid bimbo, though the burger I just had would probably hold me back a little bit.

"Don't fly away from me!"

I ignored her and began to gain altitude and speed as rapidly as possible.

"GET BACK HERE!"

I didn't look back but I could tell she was being left behind so I pushed harder onwards. Seeing cloudier skies above, as soon as I thought I lost her I quickly changed course to make a direct approach to Wonderbolt HQ.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!"





Fortunately, I had no more run-ins with that crazy press pony and managed to fly to Wonderbolt HQ with no further incident. As I approached however, I was greeted by a welcoming committee.

"Hey there, homeless bum."

"Fuck off, Soarin."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!"

"Don't call me a homeless bum then."

"Why you little-"

"Hawker!"

I looked up and saw what was probably the only pony I had on my side right now.

"Spitfire."

"So, you decided to come?"

"Yeah. There was an...incident, at the hotel."

"So I heard," Spitfire replied, "I also heard you gave some press ponies the fly around."

"I did what I had to to lose them."

"From what I was told you did some pretty advanced moves for an amateur."

"As I said, I did what I had to."

"I'm not complaining, besides...if you can fly like that with little practice it makes me wonder what you could do if you were one of us."

"You cannot be serious!" Soarin yelled.

"Enough Soarin," Spitfire replied, turning back to me, "Come on, I'll chat to you in my office, go over the paperwork for the job. That's why you came, right?"

I nodded.

"Great, follow me."

I followed her as instructed, and was in turn followed by the other Wonderbolts.

"What the Tartarus does your cutie mark mean?" asked Misty Fly.

"Don't know, don't care. These arse tattoos mean nothing to me."

"It appeared on his flanks when he made up those stories," Soarin added, "His special talent is probably making stories up."

"Give us a story, Hawky," Fleetfloot mocked.

"Yeah," Soarin added, "Come on, Hawky."

"Shut your pie hole, Soarin."

"That's not very nice," Soarin replied.

"Neither is mocking me for being homeless or formerly a blank flank."

"We were only joking."

"Yeah, 'cause that makes it OK."

"Jeez, lighten up," Misty replied.

"I won't lighten up. You try 'lightening up' when you have been ripped from everything and everyone you've ever known and loved."

"Come on guys," Spitfire said, "Leave him be."

The other Bolts flew away, leaving me alone with Spitfire, who was now flying alongside me, very close.

"Thanks."

"Anytime. I do have one question though, Hawker."

"What's that?"

"Do you like banana milkshake?" she asked with a big, unnerving grin.





I watched as Spitfire opened her private fridge in her office and saw it full to the brim with banana milkshakes.

"You weren't kidding," I said, looking at it all.

"Nope," Spitfire replied, taking two bottles out, "Here."

I took it as she closed the fridge door and walked back over to her desk.

"Take a seat," she said.

"Thanks," I replied, doing so.

"So, about being our personal helper. You're still interested?"

I nodded, "So long as the others stop treating me like crap, then yes."

"Don't worry about them, I'll tell them to knock it off."

"They'll still take the piss."

"Then respond in kind. Show them you have the spine I believe you to have and they'll back off. But on to the job itself. Essentially, you'll be assisting the core members with things such as making sure our flight suits and goggles are ready and prepped on show days, lunch preparation unless arrangements have already been made, packing and unpacking bags, that sort of thing."

"And what of being ordered around like a personal lackey?"

"You won't have to go to Hay King to collect burgers if that's what you mean. We usually take turns in that regard."

"OK. What about uniform, will I have anything to wear? So ponies know I'm with you?"

"No, but well think of something so ponies you know your with us in an official capacity."

"What about wages? What will I be paid?"

"You'll be paid twenty bits per hour and you'll work Monday to Friday, 0900 to 1700, when there's show days you'll need to travel with us, but accommodation, travel and food expenses will be paid for in addition to being paid fifty bits per hour."

"Sounds good. Anything else I need to know?"

"Whilst you won't be a Wonderbolt per se, you will still be a part of the team and your actions reflect on us accordingly."

"I'm not the one who goes looking for trouble," I said, scowling; knowing what she was implying.

"I never said you did," Spitfire raising her hooves defensively, "Only that your claims to your origin could reflect negatively on the Bolts and affect the livelihoods on not just us, but everyone involved with us."

"So you want me to keep my mouth shut about it?"

"I wouldn't quite put it like that, but...yes."

"Fine. It's getting tiresome no-one believing me anyway."

I looked back to Spitfire who looked at me with what I could only describe as concern.

"What?"

"....nothing. If you could wait here though while I go and get the paperwork to get you signed up."

"Sure." 

I watched as Spitfire left the room and closed the door, a small feeling op optimism finally starting to kick in.

Maybe things were finally beginning to improve.





First task of the first day; prepare the locker rooms so the flight team can get changed. I got up and out of bed, quickly making it to look tidy and headed to the canteen for breakfast. They have what is essentially Shredded Wheat as an option, I know because I stocked the canteen last night as a favour for Spitfire as the kitchen team 'forgot'.

Anyway, three Shredded Wheat with plenty of sugar and a cup of tea was my usual breakfast of choice. One that I have missed for months.

Feeling somewhat more confident that things might actually improve for once since I cam to Little Horseland, I opened the door to the canteen and walked in.

Only to be greeted by a thud to my head and the sound of hysterical laughter.

I saw very quickly the source of the impact.

A metal bucket.

That had until three seconds ago been full of treacle.

Treacle which now covered my mane and head.

"Nice look, Mr Human," Soarin mocked.

I'm guessing he was the ringleader in this pathetic and immature prank.

"What's the matter, Hawky?" Misty Fly mocked, "Are you gonna cry?"

I said nothing. Reacting to them will give them the response they want. So instead I turned around and walked away.

"Where're you gong?" asked Rainbow, "Can't take a little prank?"

I again said nothing and continued walking to the building exit. As I did so, Spitfire came from around the approaching corridor and her eyes went to pinpricks as soon as she saw me.

"What happened?"

"What does it look like?!" I snapped back and continued to walk past her.

"Hawker! Wait!"

"You can shove your job up your plot! I'm leaving! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find a way to get this rank shit out of my mane and fur!"

I exited the building and immediately took to the air, ignoring Spitfire's pleas.

"Hawker! Please wait!"





Of all the places to decided to go to get cleaned up, I decided to go to Ponyville. Why? Because I knew of at least one pony there who I was certain would be sympathetic to what was done to me. Taking the long route and flying over the Everfree Forest to avoid being seen by the townsfolk, I landed in front of Fluttershy's cottage and knocked on the door.

After a few seconds, the door opened.

"MY GOODNESS!"

"Hey, Fluttershy."

"Hawker! What happened?"

"I was pranked by the Wonderbolts, including Rainbow."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because they hate me and enjoy seeing me suffer. I hate pranks," I added through gritted teeth.

"I know how you feel, I hate pranks too."

"Could you help me please? You're the only one who thought might be able to help."

"Of course," she replied, standing back and opening the door fully, "Come on in and I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," I replied, taking up her offer.





*PERSPECTIVE SHIFT*

"Still funny," Soaring said as he mopped the locker room floor.

"Totally worth it," Rainbow added, the pair sharing a laugh.





"Now, you wait right here while I run you a bath," Fluttershy said as she did whatever it was she was doing.

"Sure."

I was soon on my own with only her animals for company, all of them gawking at me like I was a zoo animal.

Quickly, one in particular came up to me.  A small white rabbit.

"Hey there."

It just stayed still right in front of me, looking me square in the eyes like it was scrutinising my very existence.

Until it burst into laughter, pointing at me.

"Little shit."