fyre-flye

by uhrora

Virus

"No. Absolutely not," Rarity snapped, bringing one hoof down on the floor of her shuttle sharply. "That is completely inappropriate and… and against the law!"

Applejack stared at her, unable to come up with a rebuttal.

Rainbow Dash had advised her to go alone after Fancy Pants had called them, claiming it would be easier to ask for Rarity's… er, skills to be loaned one-pony-on-one. But maybe the pilot had just been trying to avoid this exact situation.

The captain had known it would be bad, but somehow she had been too happy about the favorable coincidence to really think things through. A stallion was offering them a cheap shuttle in exchange for hiring a Coltpanion? Of course, depending on his needs it might end up being rather expensive, but a night or two with somepony wasn't going to cost more than a shuttle. Especially when the crew had a Coltpanion for hire, right on board! And maybe for a friendly discount, too!

…or not. Rarity continued: "I don't know who—or what—you think I am. Look, Applejack, you're from the Outer Rim." She took a breath, calming herself, then continued to speak, her tone patronizing: "I understand that. You're used to common whores there. But Coltpanions are different. We don't appreciate being treated like objects in a bartering war. We choose who our clients are. And we set our own prices, in accordance with Coltpanion standard rates and services offered."

AJ searched for something to say. Anything. "…His wife just up’n left him," she managed.

Rarity frowned, unimpressed. "And?"

"And… and he's lonely. He needs… a special mare. Right now," Applejack fumbled. "Come on, Rare. He's chompin' at the bit to meet you."

"Charming. Well, if he wants to hire me, he shall have to do it legally, through the Coltpanion database!"

"He asked us to hire you. For him."

Rarity had been pacing and now she turned to face the captain, tail swishing behind her. "I am not one of your crew members. I am a respected businessmare, and you cannot order me around!"

"Ain't ordering, just… er, asking. Very respectfully and politely and whatnot."

"Yes, well, despite your impeccable manners, I believe I've made my answer extremely clear." Rarity turned away from her again, using levitation magic to adjust the decorative pillows on her lounging sofa.

Applejack didn't respond. She had nothing to say.

"Now, please leave my shuttle. If you are confirming Celehnon as our location, I shall see which eligible ponies are requesting my services."

"Look, Rare, you know I can't confirm it. The only way we're buyin' that shuttle is if we hire a Coltpanion for this stallion. We just ain't got the bits to afford something so new and all."

The unicorn moved through the room, dusting off a mirror atop an end table absentmindedly. "If it's funds you need, I would be willing to lend you some. With interest, of course."

AJ shook her head. "I ain’t in the practice of borrowin’ bits. Especially not from friends. Gets too messy."

Rarity turned to face her, a coy smile alighting on her face. "Oh, so now we're friends? I was under the impression I was simply your tenant."

"Well…" Applejack's eyes met the ground. "No rule sayin' tenants and landmares can't be friends."

"Hmm. And I suppose you want me to do this as your friend, do you?"

"Look. I wasn't kicked in the head by a mule as a filly. I get it. It ain't gonna work out. I'll tell Fancy Pants it's off and we'll go to—"

"Who?" Rarity interrupted.

"Fancy Pants? The stallion that contacted us."

"Fancy… Pants," Rarity repeated. "But he is… But he has a wonderful relationship… How can that be possible?"

"Well, I just don't know, but somehow it is," Applejack replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I mean that he's quite the celebrity. He's not married. He has a personal, long-term Coltpanion. She's living the dream of every pony in the Guild, I suppose. And she's quite the legend. Many Coltpanions treat her as their hero or idol."

"Buckin' a celebrity is quite heroic."

"Oh, stop." Rarity took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

Applejack's eyes widened. "You'll what now? I thought you just said—"

"It shan't be too horrible," Rarity said too quickly, though with a shrug that implied she didn't care. "And anyway, I've always been interested in the private life of Fancy Pants."

"All right," AJ replied slowly. "If you really mean it. I wouldn't want to, y'know, treat you like an object or nothin’."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know. I can handle it. I choose to accept Fancy Pants as my client." She could hardly keep from beaming.

"Thanks, Rare."

"It will be my pleasure."

Applejack stared at her. "I'm sure," she snorted.

"Oh, enough! You're terribly… uncouth," Rarity accused, though she couldn't keep the amusement from her face.

"I ain't sayin' no more. Except… you better watch out. I hear his pants are real fancy."

"Out!"

Rumbling through the black had never been quite so beautiful, Rainbow thought to herself. Being stuck on a fuel station for a week was the closest thing to hell she'd experienced—after the war, anyway. Now that they were back in the sky, with a course set for Celehnon, things felt much more certain. Still, she kept feeling the pangs of paranoia that reminded her Gilda could be somewhere out there, ready to finish the job.

But hunger was stronger than paranoia, especially for a pony like Rainbow Dash. Her stomach grumbled and she slid out of her chair, heading towards the back of the ship to the dining area. The others were already gathered there: Derpy and Rarity chatting at the table, the Doctor and Soarin scrambling together a very awkward meal, and Applejack and Mac playing a card game.

"Hey, RD," AJ greeted Dash as she made her way to the table. "Want me to deal you in?"

"No, I'm fine." She looked around, puzzled. "Hey… where's Twi?" she asked.

Applejack shrugged. "She must not be hungry."

"She must be crazy! I'm starved. Hurry up, husband!" Rainbow Dash turned to grin at Rarity. "Thanks, by the way. For agreeing to sleep with that colt."

The unicorn glared at her. "Honestly, was everypony on this ship raised by Diamond Dogs? I agreed to a mutually beneficial business arrangement. The same sort of thing I always do. And it's not with just any old colt. This is Fancy Pants, the most gallant stallion on Celehnon."

At that second, a faint alert was heard at the com in the dining area. Rainbow's ears twitched and she unfolded her wings, rising into the air and flying over to the transmitter. "Looks like we have a call. Do I ever get to leave the bridge?" she added with a scowl. "I'll go see who it is." She narrowed her eyes and took off at top speed, leaving behind her rainbow trail.

"Oh, do you suppose it's him?" Rarity gasped.

"Whoa, nelly. Don't get too starry-eyed, now. You'll be seein' a big ol' heap of him soon," Applejack chuckled.

"Fancy Pants, you said?" the Doctor asked from the kitchen before Rarity could reply. "Well, that is quite a smart business move. Even I know him. And… and… Fleur?"

Rarity nodded. "Yes, but don't bring that up around him," she said in a quiet voice. "It seems she's left him, the poor dear."

"Don't imagine the Doc will be spending time with him. That's your bread and butter, missy," AJ reminded her.

"And don't make me regret doing it," the Coltpanion snapped.

Before Applejack could reply, there was a thud towards the door. All heads turned to see Twi, slumped against the doorframe. Her coloring was pale, and she was gasping for breath.

"Darling, whatever is the matter?" Rarity asked, rising from her seat and making her way towards the door.

"You all right, sugar cube?" Applejack was frowning.

"I… I… don't feel so good," Twi stammered. She shook her head. "I mean… well! I don't feel so well! I can't believe I just… my grammar… What's wrong with me?!"

The Doctor had set down his food and was walking over. "It hasn't gotten any better?" he asked, concerned expression on his face. "Have you been overexerting yourself?"

"No! I haven't used any magic—except a levitation spell or two—since last night."

Rainbow Dash's voice came booming over the com: "Mac, it's for you. Cheerilee."

Several heads—those in the know—turned to Mac for a moment. But no gaze was as heated, or as lingering, as Applejack's. Big Mac got up quickly, avoiding his sister's suspicious glare. She watched him as he left, shaking her head. "Always ditchin' everypony," she muttered to herself, throwing down her cards.

The Doctor was looking closely at Twi's face. "I suspect it's a fever. That can be part of the common cold. You should stay in bed; it'll make you feel better."

"But… I feel like there's something wrong with my head. I can't think clearly."

"Yes, that can happen. Why don't you return to your quarters and I'll bring you some food?"

Twi exhaled. "Fine," she said. "I'll just… go read. I did want to get back to my chapter on conjuring shields within vacuums, anyway."

"Feel better, dear!" Rarity called as the unicorn walked away.

Applejack shook her head once Twi had vanished. "That filly is a force to be reckoned with, I reckon."

"I sure got to say, you're powerful quick." Big Mac closed the door to the bridge behind him, much to Rainbow's annoyance. She'd been sent back to the dining area, mumbling about how she went back and forth incessantly—with a few more swears thrown in.

The image of Cheerilee smiled from across the 'verse. "Thank you, Macintosh. I do try. Lately, it's been… well, chaos around here. One would think Discord's on the loose again."

"Nah, I expect him and all Celestia's other war trophies are sittin' pretty in her rock garden, all shined up. So, you got results for me?"

"I do." The smile wavered. "Macintosh, I need to preface this a little. I… I'll tell you the information you want. But I need to ask you to stay away from this mare."

Big Mac could only stare at her for a moment. What was the point of this, then? "Ain't sure I understand."

Cheerilee ran a hoof through her mane. "She's dangerous. I don't want you going near her. Or her fillyfriend, for that matter."

"Whatcha think I do for a livin'? It's dangerous this and dangerous that out here in the black. Little ol' Persepony filly don't scare me more'n a bugbite."

She shook her head. "Well, not all bugs are born equally. Parasprites can cause quite the damage, you know."

"Only if you got something edible to look after. I ain't got no apple trees anymore, Cheers."

The mare stared at him, frustrated. "Why don't you listen to me? This Octavia mare alone is a Coltpanion-turned-Alliance-agent. Celestia knows how many things you've done to incur the wrath of Harmony!"

"Well, I sure hope Celestia don't," Mac chuckled.

"Take this seriously! You're on a suicide mission, Macintosh."

"That's funny. Seein' as Octavia's the one who asked me to help her."

Cheerilee looked like the wind had been knocked out of her. "You… you're helping a government agent? Mac, what's…?"

"Can you just tell me this fillyfriend's name already?"

The mare closed her eyes. "Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch."

"Vinyl Scratch. Got it. And who is this?"

"She… well, she was once a performer. Musically, you know. And now… She's apparently on house arrest. Indefinitely."

"What the hay? What happened to get that?" Mac was really frowning now. Celestia didn't just hoof out house arrest punishments to ponies. Those were reserved for those in her inner circle who'd fallen. Not those who'd fallen so far they deserved something else entirely, though—not like Luna.

"I don't know."

"You know something."

"You're correct. But believe me, I have no idea why this filly fell from Celestia’s grace. I just know how she earned it in the first place." She exhaled for a long moment. "Remember when we first met?" Cheerilee asked gently.

Big Mac felt a cold sensation creeping up over his shoulders.

Cheerilee continued without waiting for a reply. "She… Vinyl Scratch is the one behind bassbombs. She created them."

Big Mac couldn't reply. The very word left him on the brink of nausea. He ended the communication without another thought, Cheerilee's face freezing on the screen.

Bassbombs.

It had been the middle of the war. Things were tough but the Independents were tougher. The Harmony Alliance ponies might have more horsepower, better technology, but they were coddled and not used to hardship. That was where the browncolts excelled.

Applejack had gone offplanet to fight in the big battles. She wanted to travel. She wanted to be part of anything where gunfire was exchanged with the enemy. Applejack's sights were set on heroism; of winning the war out of the world and coming back home safe and sound, victorious—or not at all.

Big Mac was not one for great feats. Besides, with AJ gone he had the family and the farm to take care of. He'd stayed on green Horsperides, the "apple planet," one of the crop staple worlds relied on by everypony in the 'verse. Yes, Mac had stayed at Sweet Apple Acres, ready to protect his family. His planet.

The attack came when Applejack was preparing for what would be her final battle, in Sereinity Valley. Mac was working on the farm, with Apple Bloom and Granny Smith helping. It was warm that day, and sweat kept clouding Big Mac's eyes.

There was a sound nearby; a blast. Back in those days, the war was so far away that nopony expected anything. Apple Bloom thought it was a stampede or some mechanical problem, and she would have been right any other time. What else could it be on the apple planet?

The ships bore down on Horsperides, blocking the sun from the farmers' faces.

As soon as he knew what was going on, Big Mac galloped to the barn. Granny Smith and Apple Bloom hardly made it inside, and the stallion had hardly saddled up, when the first bomb hit their orchard.

A wave of terrible, deep, booming sound came rippling out from the bomb, tearing the apples and leaves from the trees and leaving a deafening trail. Big Mac found himself thrown back from the blast, back connecting with the outside of the barn, lungs empty like a closed bellows.

That's when he realized his entire body was aflame.

Or it felt like it, anyway. Every inch of the stallion was burning, an excruciating, white-hot pain that forced him to the ground, rolling back and forth on the dust and blasted shards of branches, trying to alleviate the agony of burning alive. He cried out, not knowing what he was saying, screaming, praying for—the blast had taken his hearing. His eyes were filled with water, dust, little pieces of torn-up apple parts. He writhed on the ground for what felt like a century before the invisible fire began to subside. Mac lay still, blood trickling from his mouth, and then he remembered his family.

That was when Big Mac realized he was truly selfish.

Deaf, half-blind, itching with pain, the stallion hauled himself to his hooves, staggered into the barn, tried not to notice the structural damage from the trees, and went to save his family. He made it two steps into the barn before he toppled over, unconscious. When Mac woke up again, his hearing restored, he found himself being nursed back to health by a filly from the Core working as a Celestia missionary with foals in one of Horseperides' big trade cities. In the devastation of the planet, she didn't care whose side she was on. Everypony on-planet who wasn't injured pitched in; everypony became an emergency medic. Big Mac had just been lucky enough to wake up in the capable hooves of Cheerilee.

The battle of Horsperides was a small one. It was hardly a battle at all. Nopony had the insanity to think that Harmony would stage an assault there. All browncolt efforts were focused on winning the battle at Sereinity Valley. Horsperides had nothing vital to protect, anyway. Why would Harmony want to destroy its own food source?

The battle was small. But not to the ponies who lived there.

Big Mac and Apple Bloom buried Granny Smith at the edge of the once-orchard, below soil that had turned gray. Her memorial service was a gathering of extended family, but her eldest granddaughter was nowhere to be seen.

A few days later Applejack returned home. The war was over.

Bassbombs had been a deciding factor in that.

"Oops. Ouch. Sorry."

"Sorry."

"Ow! Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I'm sorry… I'll stop!"

The Doctor sighed. Moving Fluttershy was a lot harder without Twi's levitation powers. Damn that pesky virus of hers. "It's all right. Look, we're almost there." He pushed the makeshift stretcher along slowly, careful not to jostle it too much.

"Hear that, Fluttershy? Almost to your new room!" Derpy informed the other pegasus cheerfully, flying over the stretcher.

The Doctor slowed in his tracks, feeling the breeze over his head from Derpy's flying. He took a breath. "Derpy, maybe you could stay on the ground? For a bit?"

Derpy landed behind him. From what he could hear, she didn't make the most graceful landing. "Oh! Yeah, sure!"

The earth pony nodded, pleased, and began to push Fluttershy gently towards the spare passenger dorm again. It wasn't that Derpy was annoying, really—in fact, she was a refreshing change from many others on board. Applejack, for example, who hadn't exactly warmed much to the Doctor and Pinkie. Or how about Twi? After that whole teleportation thing, he'd had his guard up around her. Something about Big Mac made him rather uneasy, too. And Rainbow Dash had recently been in a huff, storming around the ship ever since they'd been grounded.

No, the Doctor was rather relieved that Derpy—since she seemed to spend the most time with him, for some reason—was easier to get along with than those ponies. And she really wasn't annoying.

Mostly.

Except when she'd brought him the wrong medicine to give Fluttershy. Or nearly dropped a scalpel on his hoof. He'd narrowly averted both disasters in time, but still. Derpy wasn't exactly a dependable medical assistant. And yet she really tried to be.

"Should I get anything else from the infirmary?" Derpy asked. Case in point.

"Actually, if you could bring any of Fluttershy's things, that would be excellent," the Doctor replied.

Derpy leapt into the air. "No problem!"

The Doctor heard her fly away and eased Fluttershy's stretcher through the narrow hallway of the passenger quarters. The spare room was already open before them, and he brought her gently inside. In peace.

"There you go," he said, nodding to the yellow pegasus once he'd finished lining up the stretcher with the room's bed. "Do you need help, or…?"

Fluttershy shook her head, interrupting his question. "No… I'm really okay… but thank you." She rose shakily to a sitting position, then began to scoot over onto the bed. It was obvious it was taking much of her strength, but far be it from the Doctor to ruin her determination. The next few days were about recovering her energy now that the wound had mainly healed. The earth pony watched as she struggled, then smiled with relief as she completed her task and relaxed onto the bed.

"I must say, you're recovering quickly. You're already using your abdominal muscles quite well for somepony who's been shot in the stomach."

The pegasus dragged her blanket from the stretcher and pulled it around her, covering herself up to her big teal eyes. "Well, it hurts," she said simply, embarrassed at the attention.

"I know it does." The Doctor smiled. "That's just it. That's what makes you so strong."

"No… n-no, you're wrong. I mean, I don't want to be rude, but I think maybe you're thinking of somepony else, because I'm really not very strong at all; in fact, I'm probably the weakest pony on board, and, actually, forget the probably." Fluttershy took a deep breath. "I am definitely the weakest. Oh, and I'm just talking your ear off! I do that all the time. I'm so sorry."

The Doctor shook his head. "You've done nothing for which you need to apologize. But I'm no idiot. I can see past that soft shell of yours to the rock-hard Fluttershy within." He chuckled. "And that real Fluttershy is the one who's not afraid to take a bullet for my sister, or spend that much time with her without thinking you're going to catch the crazy. I think you're just about fearless."

Fluttershy shook her head from beneath the blanket. "No! I'm really not. And I didn't even actually take a bullet for Pinkie, I just—"

"Thank you, Fluttershy," he interrupted. "Thank you for being so kind to my sister." And, with that, the Doctor leaned down to the only exposed part of Fluttershy—her hoof—and kissed it.

With an "eep!" the hoof immediately disappeared beneath the blanket. Fluttershy was, effectively, a blanketed corpse in a morgue. If she weren't lying in the fetal position.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile. "I'll check on you in a few hours. I'll leave this com here in case you need to get in touch with anypony." He picked up the com in his teeth and set it down on the table beside her bed.

"…okay," came a tiny whisper from beneath the blanket.

In the hallway, the Doctor nearly tripped over something. He peered down, surprised, to see that a green book had appeared there since he'd been inside the room. "Derpy?" he asked, glancing around. But nopony was there.

How odd.

"Eeee!"

Applejack blinked as a white flash of a unicorn raced past her, squealing as she ran.

"Uh. Rarity?"

But the unicorn had already vanished down the hallway. She was headed for the passenger quarters, and was working up quite the unladylike sweat in her hurry. She nearly knocked over the Doctor as he ascended the stairs, then she galloped down them and to the door of Twi's quarters, before she stopped, took a breath, and checked her mane by touch. Flawless, as usual.

Rarity rapped one hoof against the door. "Twi, dear? How are you feeling? Oh, I simply have to speak with you!"

"Huh?" came a congested voice from the other side.

"Darling, you sound a bit hoarse," Rarity quipped, giggling to herself. "Are you feeling any better?"

"No. I'll open the door. Just give me one minute." Then, under her breath, "Everything's so much harder without magic. How do earth ponies do this?"

Rarity smiled to herself. She couldn't contain the news any longer. "Well, I just received a welcome letter and a bit of an itinerary from my next client, Fancy Pants!"

"Uh huh," Twi said after a moment.

Rarity could hear her moving around in the room. What was taking her so long? Oh, she didn't even care, this was such important news! "Apparently I'm his date to the Royal Harmony Tea Party. Can you believe it?! One of the biggest parties of the year in the entire 'verse! I… I mean, ahem, the universe."

"You have my condolences," came Twi's flat response.

"Beg pardon?" Rarity replied, startled.

"I hate that event. I don't know how it got so popular."

The door finally opened. Rarity opened her mouth to rebut Twi's claim, then left it hanging open when she saw Twi's appearance.

The unicorn's mane and tail were limp. Her eyes were bloodshot and she seemed to be having trouble keeping her balance. And, strangest of all, her horn was gray at the tip, its lavender hue fading down the length of it.

"Twi. Are you all right?"

"I'm sick," Twi replied. "So, no. Not really."

Rarity stared at her for a moment longer. "Shall I get the Doctor?"

"No. Thanks. He already gave me a diagnosis. I'm just supposed to rest. So I'd like to be alone, without having to hear about any of that Celestinium nonsense from you. There's a reason I left, you know!" The unicorn turned, closing the door behind her.

Rarity's eyebrows rose. "Well, yes! I can take the hint, your Highness!" She swiveled around, muzzle in the air. Passing an open door, she glanced in to see Fluttershy. The pegasus met her gaze, then quickly averted her eyes.

"I didn't hear anything," she said quickly.

"Well, it's quite all right if you did!" Rarity stepped into Fluttershy's temporary room. "How are you feeling? You look quite red. Perhaps I should get the Doctor for you?"

"No!" Fluttershy gasped, uncharacteristically loud. Her face deepened in hue.

"Fluttershy…?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just, um, kind of warm. Right now. You're going to Princess Celestia's tea party?"

Only something this important to Rarity could kill her suspicions about Fluttershy's odd behavior. "Yes, as the date of Fancy Pants. Quite the social move, isn't it?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm sure it'll be just wonderful. But… be careful, okay?"

"Darling, I have nothing to hide. I'm from the Core anyway. And you know what side I supported during the war." Rarity's eyes flickered down to the ground. "That's why the two of us never talk about the war."

The pegasus smiled. "You can't really talk about the war with anypony on board, I don't think."

"Well, maybe Twi and the Doctor, now that we have them. Maybe Pinkie, too, but I'd hate to bring up anything that dark around the poor filly. Her brother's a saint to take such good care of her. I only wish I had the time…" Rarity cleared her throat. "It will be nice to be back in the Core for a bit. I think I'll see Sweetie Belle."

"Oh, that's a great idea! I'm sure she misses you."

"Yes… I know the feeling."

There was a silence between them, and Fluttershy searched for something to change the subject.

"Is Twi okay?" she asked, almost in a whisper. "She seemed a little… out of sorts."

Rarity shrugged, tossing her mane to complete the motion. "She's certainly in a bad mood. I'd leave her alone, if I were you. Just because she's not feeling well, it doesn't mean she can treat the rest of us like common rocks in a diamond mine."

"Maybe… oh, nothing," Fluttershy said quickly.

"What is it?"

"Well… I was just thinking. I used to take care of animals before the war."

Rarity frowned. "Darling, you're from Bellerophon. What creatures besides ponies and griffins live there?"

Fluttershy examined her friend's hooves, unable to meet her eyes. "I took a little trip to another planet. For awhile. Um, but anyway, I took care of some animals. Bears, birds, squirrels… and some bunnies." She looked at Rarity, gauging her reaction.

The unicorn stared back at her. Why hadn't Fluttershy ever mentioned this before? And what exactly had she done? Bunnies were… Well, not just anypony was allowed to interact with them. Especially before and during the war.

But she dismissed it, though she was dying to know more. Rarity was a lot of things, but she wasn't judgmental.

Well, not about something like this. Just fashion, or manners, or certain stallions… but that wasn't the point.

"Go on, dear."

"All I know is that when animals are sick, or injured, they lash out at everypony around them. It's just their way. I think ponies are a lot like that too. Maybe Twi needs help."

Rarity frowned. As much as her feathers had been ruffled by Twi, she understood Fluttershy's point.

"I'll get the Doctor. See if he can do anything."

Fluttershy nodded. As Rarity turned to go, she called, "Um, and please don't tell anypony. What I said. Also I'm going to be asleep. So tell the Doctor that. In case he wanted to check up on me, or anything…"

"Of course not. Your secret's safe with me." Funny how many secrets she was burdened with. That was the life of a Coltpanion, Rarity supposed.

"I think we should quit."

The words hung in the air between Rainbow Dash and Soarin. She'd been trying to fix the gorram television screen in their quarters and he was being useless as always, lazing on their bed and looking through some old vids. She'd been grunting away back here in the wires for almost an hour now and only once had he offered to help.

He wouldn't know where to begin, anyway. She was doing it herself because she had a certain fear of letting Derpy into her room, but she was ready to give up. This was hard, and boring.

Until her husband had opened his mouth, that is.

"Excuse me?" Dash finally spat out, looking out from behind the monitor at him. "Quit?"

"Yeah. This job is great and all, but look. It's causing enough problems in our marriage. We should settle down somewhere, you know?" The way he said it made it sound like it was such a logical conclusion.

Rainbow stared gobsmacked at her husband as if he were speaking zebra. Where the buck had this come from?! This was Soarin, the first mate. He couldn't just quit. He practically knelt to the ground in worship every time Applejack came in the room! Hadn't they just fought about that?

"Settle... down?" She was so shocked she could only manage to repeat after him. Like get a place and start a family or some kind of insanity like that?

"Right. I was thinking in Persepony. We're going to the Celehnon anyway. It’ll be close." He sounded like he was discussing his latest mission with the captain.

Dash grit her teeth, frustrated. "Oh, of course! Of course Persepony. Where we have so many friends, like the Reasonable and Loving Trixie, and, and where Celestia practically has her backyard!"

Or something. That last part didn't really make sense, but Rainbow was beyond caring if she was making sense. Soarin certainly wasn't making any sort of it.

Soarin frowned, looking up from the vids. "I thought you'd be happy. I thought this was… I don't know, me putting you over Applejack. Like you said you wanted me to do."

God, how stupid! Why couldn't stallions ever figure this kind of stuff out? "You thought I'd be happy giving up my perfectly well-paying job with a crew I like and settling down on some Harmony-infested rock with no ground skills and no ability to work."

"What? You could work."

"Yeah, doing what? I'm a pilot, for buck's sake! What could I possibly do that would allow me to not travel around the ‘verse in a spaceship?"

"I… I don't know," came his sheepish reply. "You could fly things in-world."

"Delivery mare Dash, that's me!" Rainbow snorted. "Do you ever think anything through or do you just say things as soon as they appear in your tiny little mind?"

Soarin sat up, shaking his head. "You think that just because we're married you can talk to me however you want," he began, his voice low. "I always have to be the peacemaker and concede everything just because you can't. You start fights but you can never seem to get out of them." He slid off the bed, facing his wife. "Have you ever once apologized to me for anything you've said? Any insults you've flung my way?"

"I stand up for myself. So what? If you wanted some lame mare who doesn't speak her mind, you should have gone for Fluttershy!"

"And now you owe her an apology, too. I don't get you, Rainbow."

She didn't get herself either. But then she'd never really been the loyal type. That went as far back as she could remember.

"All I'm asking is that you actually consider moving to Persepony when we're in the Core next. It wouldn't have to be a ground life. It doesn't have to be Persepony. It doesn’t even have to be soon.”

"Why don't we just move to Bellerophon?" Dash retorted. "At least that way you could rejoin the Wonderbolts and relive your glory days."

"I don't even know what that means."

"It means you apparently want us to hang up our hats and admit defeat to Harmony. Live like some beaten-down cowards."

"You're starting to sound like Applejack. And I don't just mean the hanging up your hat thing."

"Must be your dream come true," Rainbow Dash muttered.

Soarin uncurled his wings and pulled himself up into the air. "I'm not asking for much. You don't need to become an earth pony or a housemare or something. You don't even need to stop being pissed off at me." He hesitated, then added, "Though that would be nice. All I'm asking is that you consider it." He looked at her meaningfully. "We can't make selfish decisions all our lives, you know."

As her husband flew to their bedroom door, Rainbow Dash was about to start working on the monitor again—fueled by anger—when she remembered the vids Soarin had been looking at. She made her way to the bed, then looked down. The moving photograph on top of the pile showed a short clip of a pegasus filly jumping into the air. It played on a loop. Dash watched as the young pegasus tapped her cutie mark—a shooting star—once for good luck, then pumped her wings and made an arc through the sky.

Dammit. She hated to admit it to herself—and she'd rather eat griffin shit than admit it to her husband—but maybe Soarin was right.

"Twi?" the Doctor rapped on the unicorn's door with one hoof. "Twi, it's the Doctor. Rarity told me you weren't feeling so well and that some of your symptoms seemed to be getting worse? Why don't you let me in and I can do a short check-up?"

There was no answer.

Rarity, standing beside the earth pony, frowned. "Twi, darling, I'm here as well. Do be a dear and open the door."

Still nothing.

"Now, I know you didn't mean to be rude before. That was just the headache talking. I daresay I know that feeling!" Rarity laughed to herself, more nervously than anything.

"Twi?"

The Doctor knocked again. Then, he turned to Rarity. "Perhaps she's sleeping. I'll check back in a few minutes."

But the unicorn's eyes were narrowed. "A filly's intuition is never wrong, especially if she happens to be a trained and registered Coltpanion. I don't like this. She'd answer." That unicorn's been answering to questions of authority all her life, Rarity thought to herself. She hasn't gotten a royal upbringing to be so rude as to not say anything. "Stand aside."

Rarity stepped directly in front of the door and her horn lit up with magic. "I was the first one in my class at the academy to perfect lock magic." She began the spell, navigating her way through the inside of the lock. It wasn't too tricky; these old fyre-flye passenger quarters weren't exactly the Royal Archives.

"An odd skill to go with your healing magic."

"Yes, well, my magical specialty is a bit of an odd one. And a Coltpanion education teaches many different skills for ponies of all kinds. Now, though, I hardly use anything besides simple levitation and healing magic." She smiled as she concentrated on the lock's mechanisms. "It's rather fun to put some of these old tricks to practice."

"I can't imagine the captain not using this spell."

"Well, she certainly thinks it's amusing that a Coltpanion knows it, what with her lewd key-and-keyhole analogies. Perhaps that's why I don't let her use it for her own… salvaging, is the euphemism. I prefer not to engage myself in acts entirely illegal," Rarity retorted, her eyes closed now. She was almost there. Just another turn of the magical key and…

The lock clicked. Rarity opened her eyes, smiling as her aura fell away. "Twi, we're coming inside now."

There was still no answer. Rarity placed a hoof on the door and slid it open.

There, lying slumped on the ground, was Twi.

"Twi!" Rarity gasped, hurrying to her side. She placed a hoof gently on Twi's back. "Are you all right?"

The Doctor was right behind her. He leaned in, then turned Twi over onto her back. "She's unconscious," he said, frowning. The possibilities were racing through his head. Low blood sugar, or perhaps dehydration? Those were possibilities when a pony was sick and had no appetite. Or maybe the effects of the fever.

Then he saw it. Her horn. Nearly a fifth of it had grayed considerably from the point.

"We need to wake her up," he said. The Doctor had never seen anything like this. Could it be lack of oxygen? A bruise, maybe, from falling to the floor? Either way, it wasn't good.

"Twi!" Rarity cried, shaking the other unicorn's shoulders. "Wake up!"

Her eyelids flickered, then opened. Twi's bloodshot eyes stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment, then looked from Rarity to the Doctor. "Wh…what happened?" She struggled to sit up, and then curled over her abdomen, inhaling sharply.

Her breath came out ragged. And then she began to cough blood.