//------------------------------//
// 15: The Training Begins 
// Story: A Dream That Wasn't 
// by Another Army Brony 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Fifteen
The Training Begins




        The next morning was quite different from any before it, and so shocking was the change that at first I’d thought I was still dreaming. After pinching myself (quite the feat with hooves, let me tell you) to verify that I was not in fact still sleeping, I sat bolt upright for a few moments as I tried to process the paradigm shift that had taken place. I was awake, sitting up on the futon-couch-bed that had become my home in the last two weeks. Check. The sun was not yet up, and the entire world seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation of the coming day. Also check. Joy was still asleep beside me. Check.

        Wait… what? I did a double take as the source of the paradigm shift became evident, and another moment of observation provided supplementary confirmation. Not only was Joy still asleep, but there was no sound of breakfast being prepared in the kitchen; the telltale aromas were likewise absent.

        What could possibly have caused such a dramatic shift? What was different? I reached up to run a hoof through my mane as I tried to piece the clues together, though I stopped short as I caught sight of my watch.

        Zero four twenty-two.

        Well, that could be a reason. I’d woken up a little under two hours earlier than usual, likely due to my excitement to begin my flight training this evening. Regardless of the reason for the awakening in the wee small hours of the morning, there was no doubt that I was wide awake. Even before I’d realized that something was massively different from the normal, I was full of energy that seemed entirely out of place for me.

        Thus, I faced a conundrum… it was zero-dark-thirty, and I was wide awake and pumped up. What was a pony to do? Even as the thought crossed my consciousness, the answer was being formed in my mind. I was going to do some physical training. A month ago, back when I was a regular guy, if you’d asked me if I was going to wake up early to do PT before I went to work (aside from the fact that it was required), I’d have given you the penis-growing-out-of-forehead look.  And yet, here I was, resolving to do just that. My, how times change. As I peeled the covers off of myself to climb out of bed, a small grumble came from beside me as the still-sleeping Joy voiced her disgruntlement at being disturbed.

        At this point, I was struck by a thought (I wasn’t expecting it either…). Never before had I really noticed, but I suddenly found it unusual that Joy would have taken to “sleeping with me” after knowing me for such a short time. I couldn’t fathom what would have compelled her to adopt such an intimate sleeping arrangement after only knowing me for a day or two. Despite my confusion, I didn’t mind it at all (in fact, I rather enjoyed it), but that didn’t change the fact that it was still unusual. Ah well, you know how the saying goes… “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

        Heh. Horse.

        I was suddenly and viciously mauled by yet another idea, fulfilling my “idea” quota for the next three months. I recalled a deal that I’d made with Joy, a deal pertaining to exercise. I was sporting a devious gleam in my eye as I turned to face her; if she’d been awake, she might’ve been a little perturbed. As it was, however, she was asleep and unsuspecting… the perfect time for me to strike. Had I been feeling a little more devious, I might have gone for a bucket of water or a noise-making device, but on this morning I was in too chipper of a mood to be unduly mean.  In lieu of the aforementioned methods of awakening, I decided a simpler, gentler awakening would be the best course of action. After all, I had no idea what Joy was like upon first rousing from slumber, and I was loathe to find out the hard way that the pony with cheating unicorn magic wasn't a morning pony.

        I stealthily extricated myself from the bed and made my way to the foot of the sleeping apparatus, exercising caution so that I didn't wake Joy. Once in position, I grabbed the corner of the blanket and slowly pulled it away from the sleeping mare. Though she didn't react for a few seconds, my patience was rewarded by a pitiful mewl from her as she smacked a hoof across the bed, in search of the missing blanket. As her searching hoof passed the area that I usually occupied, its rhythm was uninterrupted, my absence seemingly unnoticed. Just before I escalated the measures I'd taken to wake her, the searching hoof was back with a vengeance swiping through my customary position. The hoof was moving swiftly enough to leave a definite bruise, had I been unfortunate enough to actually occupy the space at the time. Joy rolled over onto her other side, trying to blink the sleep from her eyes as she tried to ascertain my whereabouts.

        Joy's horn lit with a faint blue glow, the wan light chasing away only the most meager of shadows as she searched for me. As much as I would have liked to revel in her confusion, I was running short on the patience required for such an act. From the foot of the bed, I cleared my throat. Joy jumped at least a half-meter into the air at the sudden noise, and her horn flared into a miniature sun and bathed the entire room in a pale blue light. I shielded my eyes with my foreleg, still seeing stars from the flash. From the other end of the bed there came a heavy sigh and a dimming of the light, prompting me to remove my leg from my face.

        "Dave… what are you doing up? And don't scare me like that; I was really worried for a second there."

        "Well, I woke up feeling a bit froggy this morning. I was going to do some PT, and I wanted to see if you were willing to participate."

        Joy yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "PT? What's P… never mind, I remember now. Why so early?"

        I chuckled and shook my head. "I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself the same question. The easy answer is because we need time to get a good burn going and still have time to shower and eat before work."

        "Well, I guess that makes sense. Are you feeling okay? You're making sense early in the morning… are you sick?"

        "Har har har” i proclaimed sarcastically. “Are you ready to sweat or not?"

        "When you say sweat… how do you plan to make me sweat?" Joy ended her sentence with a raised eyebrow and a suggestive smile.

        "Well, let's just say I'll be making you feel things you've never felt before, and leave it at that." I winked to emphasize my point.

        "Well, I can't argue with that. So, when do we start?"

        "Meet me out front in ten minutes with a water source. Today is muscle failure."

        Ten minutes later on the dot I was met by Joy, who was sporting a sweatband on her head and on each of her ankles… she looked for all the world like she was about to play a round of tennis. The mental image of Joy in a polo-shirt and a tennis skirt popped into my head, and I had to chase the thought away before I became distracted.

        "You ready, Joy?"

        She greeted me with a cocky smile. "Are we going to exercise, or are you going to keep asking me if I'm ready?"

        I smiled back. "Feisty. I like it."

        We did a quick warm up before jumping into a pretty decent muscle failure regimen. Pushups, sit-ups, crunches, squats, front-back-go's, pyramids, and wing-ups for me… it all blended together into a flurry of activity and exertion as the world narrowed to the extent of my limbs and the ground they touched. There was nothing that existed other than the burn, the constant struggle against gravity as I fought to complete the next repetition. Joy was having a much harder time of it all than I was, but to her credit, she kept pushing herself. An hour and a half after we began, I called it all to an end with some cool down stretching. As we stretched the soreness out of our limbs, Joy informed me multiple times and in no uncertain terms that she was not fond of me at all when I made her exercise. I simply replied by striking a pose and flexing.

        "Can't argue with results like this, can you?"

        Rolling her eyes, she replied "Showoff."

        "I prefer the term 'Inspirational Leader', thank you kindly. And believe me; I started off right where you are now… sucking at life and everything I did. But you know what? I kept at it, and hated every minute of it. It never got any easier, because the ones in charge made things harder every day, pushing us all to our limits and then beyond them… they showed us our true potential. Once I broke through the wall that my mind had built, the wall of what I thought I could be; it was like somepony turned on the lights for the first time. I saw what I was truly capable of, and it was a moving experience. Now, I just try to push myself to the limit as much as I can, to catch a glimpse of what I know I can be. It will be different for you… it's different for everypony. Aside from that, you are doing this for self-improvement. I was in the process of being broken down and built back up into something useful."

        "I was expecting a smart aleck response, not some sort of motivational speech. Dave, you are full of surprises."

        I wagged my eyebrows at her and flashed a cheesy grin. "You haven't the slightest, love. Anyways, let's go hit the showers and get ready for the day."

        Joy didn't seem satisfied by my answer, but I'd already begun to turn and walk back inside by that time, so she simply swallowed her question and followed suit.

        The day passed as normally as any day could; I had breakfast with Joy before work, we chatted on the way to work, and upon arrival we parted ways. I followed Tech around all day, absorbing every bit of information that I possible could, and more than once I was able to correctly diagnose a malfunction on the first attempt.  We broke for lunch, during which time Joy and I traded stories and kisses, simply reveling on the company of the other before the bell sounded and we once more returned to our duties. The day drew to a close, and I tracked down Joy to give her a quick kiss and wish her luck before she set off to class. So far, the day had been more or less what I would consider "business", as subjective of a term as that may be.  All of that, however, was soon to change.

        Immediately after work, I'd made a beeline to Berry's to pick up a pair of the glorious frozen beverages, earning a befuddled look as I grabbed them and immediately set off for the door, sparing even the minimal small talk that I usually engaged in. I had no time for small talk, for there was a much more significant event on my horizon: learning to fly.

        As I practically skipped to the meadow, I was mentally reviewing all of the things that I'd learned from the book and re-imagining the maneuvers I'd visualized the night before at the smoothie joint. By the time I arrived at the field to met Derpy, I had envisioned the entire lesson twice over. No sooner had I set the smoothies down than I jumped out of my skin; Derpy was apparently quite stealthy when she flies up to and drops out of the sky right in front of ponies.

        "Holy mackerel, you scared the soup out of me. Whoa… anyways, how are you? Ready to watch me fail miserably?"

        Sh beamed at me. "Yup yup. Didn't mean to scare you though, I thought you might have heard me coming."

        "I surely did not, I'll tell you what.  Well, let's get started, shall we? I brought the book for reference, so be sure to tell me if I'm doing something wrong."

        At this, I removed the book from my saddlebags and deposited said saddlebags on the ground in the shade of a large oak tree, where I'd be able to find them later. Derpy nodded in agreement, sporting a bright smile. Everything settled as it was, I immediately launched into the ten minutes of prescribed stretching as I did my best to loosen up my shoulders, back, and chest for the exertion to come. The culmination of the warm up was to do forty wing-ups and then run in place for a minute, to really get the blood pumping. After the workout that morning, even this was a bit taxing. By the time that I'd finished the warm up, I was not only warmed up, but slightly worn out… not that I'd ever let this interfere. Taking a deep breath, I began Flight Drill One.

        I sprinted for ten meters before flaring my wings and taking flight to coast; for this to be successful I'd have to coast for at least twenty meters before touching down. Using the rocks I'd stacked up as markers beforehand, I was able to see the finish line, though it seemed to be a dozen kilometers away. It took me four tries before I finally managed to get to the end point, and that was only because of Derpy's pointers. Turns out, it's pretty darn difficult to manage lift, airspeed, and drag on the fly, so to speak. With the help of Derpy (whom I'd taken to addressing as "Coach"), I managed to coast the prescribed distance three times, managing a somewhat smooth landing on the last run. FD One completed, I moved on to FD Two, which was more of the same, essentially. The only difference was that I had to flap twice and coast a distance of forty meters while landing smoothly. Using the tips that Coach had given me on the previous runs, I managed to knock this one out on the second try.

        The feeling of my wings flapping and propelling me through the atmosphere, the way the wind whistled around my wings, and the way my feathers cupped the air and pushed against it to provide lift… I wish there was something I could compare it to. It was every bit as exhilarating as doing 260 kilometers an hour down the expressway, yet it sated a carnal desire that could only be likened to intercourse. The way I was able to free myself of the oppression of gravity to soar under my own power… there is just no analogue with which to compare this emotion.

        Feeling a bit cocky at this point, I moved on to Drill Three, which was to fly for a hundred meters in a fixed direction and altitude before using my tail to kick into a gentle counter-clockwise turn while maintaining zero roll.  This one gave me a bit of trouble, seeing as how I'd essentially neglected my tail in my mobility drills. A few clumsy attempts later, I finally managed to pull the maneuver off with some level of grace. I had to do this thrice upon each side, switching between counter-clockwise and clockwise maneuvers.  After a bit of a struggle, I finally managed to pull it off the way that it was described in the book.

        Much to my surprise, Derpy had adopted the role of flying coach with ease, and was enforcing a strict standard of adherence to the book. If my execution was less than spectacular, I was made to try it again until I had completed the task to the letter, as described by the book. Despite my desire to be cross at her for this, I remained thrilled and somewhat humbled by her dedication to perfection, as I knew that in the long run, she was doing me a favor by ensuring I was performing to the standards set forth in the manual.  By the time I'd managed to do the six repetitions consecutively to Coach’s approval, the light was beginning to fade. The sun had set a while ago, but the waning light of the dusk provided sufficient illumination by which to navigate, so the training continued. Drill Four was a bit of cardio combined with precision flight, calling for me to hover in place for an entire minute with less than one meter's deviation in any direction.

        For those of you who don't think this is difficult, just imagine running ten kilometers, doing a hundred oblique crunches (on each side) and then holding the plank for a minute with a twenty kilo weight on your back. By the time Derpy blew the whistle to signify my successful completion of the task, I felt like I was on fire, burning alive from the inside out… there were molten pools of hot lead that had taken the place of my flight muscles; simply a burning, heavy mass that threatened to drag me to the ground and punish me for shirking gravity. I was allowed thirty seconds to recover before Coach blew the whistle to usher me into the final drill of the day: Drill Five, The Climb and Dive.

        It is essentially what it sounds like. I'll start off like I was doing Drill Three, getting aloft and holding a steady bearing and altitude at a steady pace, but that's where the similarities end. As soon as the whistle blows, I am to angle my ailerons to pitch upwards and climb at a forty-five to seventy degree angle of inclination until the whistle blows again. When it does, I am to pitch forward and begin a dive in the same forty-five to seventy degree window, pulling up between fifty and one hundred meters above ground level, or AGL.

        I got a running start, flapping my tired wings to get some lift as I coasted towards the horizon. I was careful to maintain my speed and altitude, picking a spot on the horizon and flying towards it at an even pace. The biggest landmark around was the luminous shape of the rising moon, and as I flew towards it, I felt a calm sensation overtake me as all of my fatigue left me.

        "Lullay, Moon Princess, goodnight Princess mine."

        The peace that had wrapped around me like a warm blanket was shattered by the shrill screech of a whistle far below. With renewed vigor, I adjusted my trajectory to what I believed to be around sixty degrees and beat my wings for all I was worth, the fatigue of the previous drills seeping into my muscles like ice water as I pushed myself harder and harder. I heard what I thought might have been the sound of a whistle, though I couldn’t be sure over the roar of the wind past my ears. I slowed slightly, focusing on the sound. Once more, there came a triplet of bleats from a whistle. In response, I tilted my ailerons in the opposite direction and pitched towards the ground at a steep forty-five degree angle. I locked my wings out at their fullest extent, allowing myself to be called back to the earth by the siren song of gravity as it beckoned me to rest in the soft green grass. As I coasted back to earth, my inner peace was again disturbed by the sharp shriek of a whistle, beckoning me to once more level out and fly in a straight line.

        This cycle of rising and falling was done twice more, three times in all; a single, drawn out shriek of the whistle calling the exercises to a close. I came in for a landing (one that was by far the smoothest yet) to stretch out and cool down. Coach Derpy seemed to take disproportionate amounts of enjoyment from my disbelief of her coaching capabilities, and after about ten minutes of badgering I finally got her to crack and reveal the reason for her dedication to standards.

        Wouldn’t you know it; I would have picked the mare who trained the new mail-ponies as my teacher. It would seem that her easy-go-lucky demeanor was not applicable when she was teaching; she apparently had a reputation for being a terror to the trainees until they could perform to standard.  Now, I wasn’t quite sure how difficult being a post-pony could be, but after even just this one session with Coach, I could tell that anypony who made it through the training phase would be well equipped to handle anything that was thrown at them.

        As I concluded my cool-down stretches and wiped the sweat from my brow, I took another moment to thank Derpy for her services as a coach, indispensable as they were. With the promise of another lesson the following day at the same time and place, we parted ways for the evening. I took the longer path back to Joy’s house in order to avoid as many ponies as possible in my trek. After all, I was a hot, sweaty mess at that time, and I would require a good shower before being even close to presentable to the general population. I managed to get home just after twenty-hundred, and after unceremoniously depositing my saddlebags at the foot of the couch-bed; I set off to take a desperately needed shower.

        I happened to catch sight of myself in the mirror before I stepped into the shower, and by golly I was a mess. My mane was completely disheveled, protruding from my skull at odd angles as if trying to flee but unsure of a direction; my wings were in similar condition, though with feathers in lieu of hair. Many of the smaller locks of hair and feathers were plastered to my body by dried sweat, adding an even more unkempt appearance. All in all, I looked like I had been soaked and thrown into a tumble-dryer for a half cycle. In ten minutes and with no small amount of scrubbing, I had changed all of that. Once again I bore a striking resemblance to a presentable pony, complete with publically-acceptable scents.

        I completed these hygiene rituals just in time, for just as soon as I had settled down on the couch rose the sound of the front door closing behind somepony. A moment later, a delightful mass of blue and alabaster rounded the corner to greet me with a weary smile. I returned the gesture with an equally-exhausted grin as Joy made her way to my side.

        “You know, for the last few days when I come home, I just see you sitting here on the couch. On my way home tonight, I couldn’t help but wonder just what it is that you do when I’m not around.”

        I adopted my casual smile and professional demeanor I used when I was stonewalling somepony. “I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you. And I like you, so I don’t want to do that.”

        Joy looked quite taken aback, blinking in silence for a moment before replying. “That’s a bit… extreme, don’t you think? What do you do when I leave you to your own devices?”

        Again, I gave up nothing. “I’m not at liberty to comment on ongoing investigations.”

        Joy pouted, looking hurt at my refusal to tell her about my day. “So, you aren’t going to tell me then?”

        “I’m just messing with you. Honestly, it’s not that interesting. I get a smoothie, and then I wander around and harass passerby. So, tell me it wasn’t more interesting when I was being all evasive.”

        She looked quite disappointed at my explanation. “Really? That’s it? Wow… I was expecting more from you, somehow. Yeah, it was a lot cooler as a mystery.”

        I just nodded. “I save all of the good shenanigans for when you’re around. Keeps it interesting.”

        “I’m not sure I like that concept, but I’m pretty sure that you aren’t going to change your ways based on my misgivings.”

        I patted her on the head with a smile. “See? That’s why you’re the smart one.”

        “Oh hush, before I give you a case of the ‘rubber-face-itis’.”

        “Promises, promises… “

        She cocked an eyebrow, daring me to call her bluff. “Tempt me not, Dave. I have no compunction about it.”

        I had to admit, no part of having my face paralyzed sounded like fun. “I give, I give. So, how was your day?”

        Joy nestled herself into her customary position on my lap as she laid out the highlights of her day. As was quickly becoming second nature to me, I slid the brush onto my hoof and began stroking away at the alabaster and cerulean mane in front of me. Stroke by stroke, I slowly teased free the tangles of the day, both in the mane and in the psyche of the delightful mare in my hooves. As many times as I have said it, it bears repeating; this ritual of brushing her mane is therapeutic for the both of us. The time slowly slipped past the both of us as a gentle stream flows round a stone.

        Soon enough, the flow of time gently eroded away my excitement for the day, leaving me contented about the day and eager for the morrow. Despite my enthusiasm for the upcoming evening, the lullaby of the night was louder than the call of flight and soon I too was swept into blissful oblivion.

        My dreams that night were ethereal landscapes of a most brilliant white, slender cloud towers spiraling gracefully into the deep blue sky. I was lofted about upon a gentle breeze as the sun shone warmly across my back. There was a sweet smell carried aloft by the wind; the smell of wildflowers in bloom carried from the valley below. I swept to my left in a lazy arc, descending to the ground below. My gentle descent came to a halt as I neared my target, a lone bastion of azure and white amidst a sea of warm pastels.

        Joy stood before me, a vision of utopist beauty in immaculate form. The sun glistened like diamonds in her mane, and a gentle summer's breeze teased strands of cerulean out of place. There was no sound but that of the wind sweetly singing as it strummed the leaves of the trees; gently caressed the blades of grass to draw forth a peaceful melody. Somewhere, a bird was singing.

        When she spoke, her voice was woven of the finest silk, words washing over me and speaking a deep calm to the very core of me. The scene melted away from a daylight scene to one of dusk, the sunlight dimming to a wan amber glow. Joy's eyes were prisms that seemed to trap and amplify the light until they glowed from within. In that golden light, we embraced, our bodies flowing together as our lips tried to speak the language of our hearts.

        The setting sun gave way to the light of the moon as it cast a soft glow upon the world, gilding all it touched in quicksilver. In the pale beams of the crescent moon, we kissed; we embraced, and we spoke the language of our hearts without uttering a single word. Never before had I ever been overcome by such a sense of peace as I was just then. Joy and I broke our embrace to lay upon the bed of wildflowers that we had made, casting our gaze upwards into the spectacular night sky. The sight of so many stars in the sky, unseen forces at play in a cosmic ballet...the sight kindled within me something that I was sure had died away long ago: wonder. The beauty of the cosmos was awe-inspiring, like millions of miniscule diamonds scattered across black velvet. Near the horizon there hovered a single cloud, forlorn and forsaken. I cast my gaze upon the unusual cloud, and I could swear that I saw a pony sitting on it. As I stared at the figure to get a better idea of its' form, said creature unfurled massive wings, silhouetted against the moon.

        As the form took to the skies, its slender legs caught my eye, and somewhat confused me. The legs gave the creature an undeniably feminine appearance, though the wingspan was far larger than anymore I'd seen so far. That is, other than the Pr--

        My thoughts were derailed once more by the shrill beeping of my alarm. I desperately fought to remain asleep as the dreamscape evaporated around me, pierced by the blinding rays of the accursed sun. I rolled over in protest, wishing for all I was worth to return to the realm I had just left. As I shifted position, something brushed against my wing, sending a jolt of electricity through me. Riding atop this wave of current was a mote if enlightenment, one that struck a chord within me.

        Why should I desire to return to a dream of the loveliest mare in the world, when I can simply roll over and behold her with my own two eyes? And not only that, but partake in the sweet embrace of lip upon lip?
 
        My dismay at being roused from my slumber evanesced instantly, and I no longer cursed the sun, but thanked it instead. Much more gently than I had first done, I rolled back to my side to gaze upon beauty incarnate. Having adjusted my sleep schedule so that I may rise earlier for morning exercise, the sun was not yet present on the horizon. In the stead of the Celestial orb, there was the other heavenly body, the centerpiece of Luna's dominion. The magnificent orb cast its soft light upon the world, gilding all it touched with quicksilver. As beautiful as she had been in my dream, Joy was more so in consciousness. Once more that night, I found myself awestruck by her beauty.

        Within my breast were warring notions; my intense and deepening desire to kiss this angelic beauty was pitting itself against my deep desire not to disturb such a beautiful scene. In the end, as in most cases, the more primal of desires triumphed. I slowly leaned in and placed a gentle, passionate kiss upon her lips, savoring the flavor of them. Her eyes fluttered open like butterflies; our kiss was broken by the smile spreading across her features. Wordlessly, she leaned forward and re-initiated the kiss. In that moment, I had come to know happiness, and sweet was the taste of it. I could have stayed there, locked in that embrace until the sky rained ashes and time itself ceased to exist.

        All too soon, she again broke the kiss to bid me good morning, to which I replied with a smile.

        "Good morning indeed, my dear."

        Joy chuckled at this for a moment before she excused herself to the restroom. I did the same (though in a different latrine) and when the both of us were finished, we met up in the living room to begin our exercise regimen for the morning. After some warm up exercises and stretches, we took off at a moderate pace for a ten kilometer circuit. About an hour later, we returned to our starting point beside the house to cool down. Joy had done a marvelous job at maintaining a steady pace and controlling her breathing. So marked was her improvement that she hadn't really begun to display signs of exertion until we were a click and a half into the run. While we were still running a bit slower than I would like, there was certainly improvement from last time. At this rate, we should be running a fifteen kilometer per hour pace by the fall.

        Once we'd cooled down from the run and stretched out our sore muscles, we ventured inside to perform personal hygiene before breakfast. This portion of our lives had fallen into a routine: shower, eat, and go to work. On this day, I found that work was a good deal more interesting than usual. Over the night, Tech had taken it upon herself to orchestrate system failures in several non-critical devices, with faults ranging from simple fixes to complex problems. It had taken me the entire day (to include working through my lunch break) to address all of the issues. As I tinkered away at a feverish pace, Tech stood silently by as she evaluated my progress with a critical eye. Just before the final bell rung to announce the end of the work day, I had returned to the Boss's office to report my completion of the task and receive my evaluation from Tech, an evaluation that was better than I had hoped.

        "Not bad, Dave, not bad at all. There were a few mistakes you made at the beginning, but you sorted them out on your own and did the rest right the first time. That said; I have full confidence in your abilities to do what's asked of you. Congratulations."

        "Thank you, Technia. I couldn't have done it without you."

        Tech nodded sarcastically. I don't really understand how she did it, but she did. "No, you couldn't. But you can now, and that's what matters."

        I smiled at her before turning to face my boss. "Indeed. So, back to business as usual, Brass?"

        Technia took this as her opportunity to leave, dismissing herself with a wave of her hoof. Brass turned to me, the golden flecks in her eyes catching the light as she did so.

        "Not quite, Dave. I have something special in mind for you. Over this last week, you may or may not have noticed a few extra bodies running around the halls. Those extra bodies are going to be moved over to the new clinic when it opens on Monday, along with a good number of the medical staff and other essential ponies. Sweeps and I will be among those numbers."

        I was a bit puzzled at this, as I tried to mentally work out exactly how that was going to pan out as Brass continued.

        "Since I'll be gone, I'm transferring Scruffy to dayshift manager. Are you seeing where this is going yet?"

        "But, who will be manager for night... shift. It's me, isn't it?" The pieces began to fall into place.

        "You catch on quickly. Yes, you will be on night shift with one of the newbies, a mare named Buffy."

        How I managed to hold a straight face, I'll never know. Surely, there had to be some greater force out there that just liked to have fun at my expense. "So, her name is Buffy?"

        "Yep, and she has shown the most promise out of all the new hires. She can shine anything. And I mean anything, it's a little spooky. Ever see a sparkly banana?"

        I smiled at the mental image. "Yes, but that's irrelevant. Cool, I have a coworker who already knows the ropes. Wait... that means I have to take over as a manager. What are the additional duties I'll have as a manager?"

        "Small stuff, really. You'll take care of the work orders that can't be handled during peak hours, while Buffy cleans. You will also be in charge of ordering supplies as needed, as well as handling anything else that may come up. You also bear the distinction of being the only pony in town with the knowledge and authorization to work on Tech's machinery, so regardless of the time of day or night; you are on call for immediate assistance in the event that something goes wrong that can't wait until the evening."

        I sighed, glad it wasn't overly complicated. "Okay, that's not too bad at all. What are some of the problems you encountered as a shift leader that I should look out for?"

        "Dave, you continue to impress me. As long as I've worked here, you are the first pony who has asked that question. To be honest, my biggest issue is a breakdown in communication, usually when we run out of supplies or somepony breaks something and doesn't tell me about it. At the end of your shift, you'll need to stay a little bit longer and double check that everything is as it should be. Whatever you haven't been able to finish as far as taskings go, or anything that pops up at the end of your shift will need to be reported to the next shift leader so that they aren't caught off guard by it. They will do the same for you."

        "Alright, that I can do. Brief the oncoming shift about the current situation, essentially doing a change-over. Also, I'd like to take a moment to thank you for putting me on the night shift to start off with. I appreciate not being thrown to the wolves my first day."

        "Not a problem at all. Just remember that as you come on to your shift, you need to go by the front desk and see if they have any work orders for you. This is also where you drop of supply requests; you can find the forms in the top right-hoof-side drawer of the desk. Any questions?"

        "None off the top of my head. Mind if I hang around after my shift so you can walk me through your end-of-shift checks?"

        "Not in the slightest. I won't begin them for about ten minutes though, so feel free to take a few minutes to yourself."

        Once more, I nodded. "Can do, I'll see you in a few."

        "Alright, see you then."

        I excused myself from the office and made my way to the lobby, where I caught up with a not-so-slightly perturbed Joy. I was about to give her a hug when I caught sight of the stink-eye I was receiving. I instantly faltered a bit as I tried to figure out what exactly I'd done. Luckily, she was in no mood to let me stew.

        "What the heck was that earlier, Dave? I thought we were going to have lunch together? Not only did you stand me up for lunch, you didn't even look at me when I called out to you this afternoon. Instead, you just cantered on like you hadn't even heard me. Care to explain?"

        I didn't allow myself the obligatory 'oh shit' moment before I began my explanation; there would be time for such things later.

        "Yes, love, I would. Turns out that since today was the last day of my training, it was time to put what I'd learned into practice. Last night, Tech laid out a whole slew of problems in the machines that I had to find and fix today. The reason I didn't show up for lunch is simply that I didn't have time to, and I still haven't eaten. And when I ran by you like I didn't hear you... it's because I didn't. I was so busy focusing on where the next failure was and what I would have to do to fix it, that I barely took notice of anything external to that. I'm sorry I made you feel that way, love. Tell you what; I'll make it up to you. I'll take you out to lunch this weekend in celebration, okay?"

        Cognition wrote itself across her face, and the stink eye she'd been giving me faltered. "Ohhh, that explains it. Guess I got my feelings a bit hurt and let my judgment get clouded. It all makes sense in retrospect. And celebration? For what?"

        I couldn't help but smile at this. My time had finally come! "Oh, you didn't know? Finally, I knew something before you did! Well, they are opening a new clinic next week--"

        "I already knew that, but why would you celebrate that?"

        I held up a hoof to bar further interruptions. "Shush, please. I'm not done. As I was saying, once the clinic opens, a lot of the staff here are being transferred. When that happens, I've just been informed that I'll be promoted to the night shift manager."

         About as soon as I had finished my sentence, I found myself in a crushing hug.

        "Oh my Sun, Dave! That's great news! I'm so happy for you and proud of you all at the same time!" I attempted to reply, but my words were mangled into some unrecognizable garble by the crushing force being applied to my ribs. Joy immediately released me, allowing me to suck in a large gulp of fresh air. "Oops, I'm sorry Dave. I just got excited is all. You'll have to tell me all about this when I come home tonight. Right now, I have to go to class. Have fun, be safe, and I'll see you at home!"

        "Alright, it's a deal. See you then, love."

        And just like that, she was off. I slowly turned about, my head still slightly spinning from the oxygen deprivation. I stood in the lobby for a moment as I allowed my head to settle back onto my shoulders before I set off for the office. Once I arrived, I found Brass waiting for me by the desk. Beckoning me over with a hoof, she opened a drawer and pulled out a simple piece of lined paper.

        "Alright, Dave. This is where you get the supply requests, and this is what they look like. I've got to order some more soap and broom heads, so I'll walk you through how to fill it out the right way."

        As it turns out, the form was almost self explanatory despite the fact that there were no words anywhere on the darn thing. The lines on the page formed boxes that were appropriately sized for what would go in there. The "Quantity" box was the smallest of the all, only accommodating two numbers unless you wrote very small. The "Item" box was the largest, allowing one to write in a simple description of the item needed. The last column was a medium-sized one, and that was to allow one to print the name of the pony making the request. Being that the boxes were so simple to fill out properly, I spent at least half of the time I was there simply staring at the way that Brass was writing all of this.

        She held the end of the pen in her mouth and pinched it between her teeth, her lips pulled slightly back so they didn't touch the pen. My best guess is that this would have interfered with her writing. The way she actually directed the pen to form these elegant swirls on the paper was by using her tongue to gently nudge the back of her pen and swish the tip around the paper. The accuracy and swiftness of these movements was far more impressive than it should have been. Once more, I knew that I'd have a good amount of secret self-training to pull off if I wanted to accomplish such a feat in a legible manner. I sighed, mentally reviewing my growing list of things I'd have to do sooner or later.

        My sigh drew a sideways glance from Brass, though I waved it off with a hoof. As soon as we had dropped off the supply request, we did a quick circuit of the clinic to try and see if there were any new tasks to be done, or if the new ponies on day shift had missed anything. Satisfied at the state of the clinic, Brass returned to the office to meet Scruffy. Scruffy was in his customary place in almost the exact same pose I'd always seen him in, though instead of leafing through a magazine or newspaper, he instead held a sheaf of work orders. I stood by; out of the way as the night shift janitor-in-training got his assignment and set out to begin mopping. Once he'd left, Brass gave a quick run-down of the clinic and work orders that hadn't been closed out yet for some reason or another. Scruffy nodded and gave that grunt of affirmation that was his trademark, at which time Brass nodded and walked out.

        I joined Brass at her side, trying to pry any additional helpful information out of her and failing miserably. Each time I asked a question it was met by some cryptic answer or another. By the time we got to the door, she had had enough of my questions and told me that I would find out the answers to all of my questions soon enough, and that she didn't want to spoil the "joy" of discovering these answers on my own. In my experience, that is never a good sign. I was in the middle of trying to contemplate what fresh hell I had just gotten myself into when I was slapped in the face by the remembrance of the flight lesson I was soon to be late for.

        By the time I had arrived at the field, I only had a few minutes to spare and would need every one of them to catch my breath again. I had almost gotten my heart rate under control when I felt the world slowing around me as my nervous system kicked into overdrive. I had a deep and primal fear growing within me, the feeling that something very bad was very close to me and getting closer by the second. I don't know how I knew this, or what it was that was spooking me so badly, and I didn't have time to figure it out. The urgency within me was growing exponentially, and less than a second and a half had passed from the emergence of the feeling and what came next.

        I felt as if I weighed a thousand kilos, every fiber of my being felt as if it was being placed into an ever-closing vice. The weight upon my torso seemed to be concentrated on my wings, and I was simply waiting for flesh to sunder beneath the strain. And yet, even as I was sure that I was to be torn asunder by whatever terrible beast had me in its clutches, the strain and the agony accompanying it began to fade noticeably. As the pain began to recede, I became aware of a low growl that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. As logic and reason began to reassert themselves in my mind and re-establish order from chaos, I noticed that I was not only airborne, but ascending at a rapid pace judging by the wind roaring past my head. Still riding high on the wave of adrenaline that was tearing through my veins, I processed all of this in an instant as I rocketed steadily skyward. Looking down at the place I had occupied but a fraction of a second ago, I could see nothing through the spreading ring of dust kicked up by my rapid launch.

        I was beginning to form the answer in my mind, even as I was carried upwards on my momentum from the initial flap. It would seem that something had triggered an alarm mechanism embedded deep within the primal part of my brain, engaging a literal "fight or flight" response and prompting me to launch myself into the air with all my strength. Apparently, I was stronger than I thought, seeing as how I was over twenty meters in the air and still rising. If I were to ride this ascent to its apogee and flare my wings at the moment I hit it, the gesture would be utterly ineffective since there was no air flowing over my wings. Should I try to flap and force air to move over my wings, there is no telling how that would turn out, amped up as I was on adrenaline. For all I knew, I'd send myself in a powered dive and smear myself on the ground below. If I were to hit the apogee and let gravity take its course and glide to the ground, I had no idea how far I'd plummet before my wings caught enough air to provide lift. I had no idea what exactly I'd fled from, so I was more than happy to stay as far away from it as possible while I figured out what I was going to do next.

        As my upward speed kept bleeding off, I was quickly running out of time to think. I hit upon a solution just in time, and I angled my wings up to send me forward onto a level plane. I just barely had enough airspeed to maintain lift at this point, so I pitched downward at a very slight angle and began a slow and sweeping corkscrew descent. I figured this would give me ample time to identify the aggressor and take appropriate action. If whatever had snuck up on me was looking for a fight, by golly I'd give them o—it's Derpy. The terrifying and menacing creature that has spooked me nearly thirty meters into the sky was Derpy, sitting just behind where I'd been seated and looking really confused.

        All of that... the launch, the aerial maneuver, the thought of a fight... and it was Derpy. Right about then, I felt pretty foalish. It was kind of cool, the way I'd shot into the air like that on instinct... but that just made it all the more disappointing that it had been for nothing. The realization had hit me quite suddenly, and the recognition had taken all of the fight out of me. I hung my head and angled to the ground at a steeper angle, not wishing to draw out my humiliation by lingering in the air any longer than necessary. I landed roughly a couple meters in front of Derpy, hanging my head in shame for the chiding I knew was inbound.

        Derpy, however, appeared to be genuinely impressed. "Wow, Dave. That was pretty awesome."

        I waved it off with a hoof, unsure if this was a joke of some sort. "Bah. A glorious overreaction at best."

        She shook her head earnestly. "No, I really mean it. You probably cleared twenty-five meters with a single flap... that's almost unheard of."

        "Huh. Well then. In my defense, I was scared senseless; I had no control over it... and doubt I could do it again if I tried."

        Derpy shrugged. "Yeah, but it was still pretty cool. I didn't think you would hear me, I was gliding as quietly as I could."

        "That explains it. I don't know how to phrase it, exactly, but I had a feeling that something was coming to get me and that I needed to move and fast. Next thing I know, I'm moving upwards at a high rate of speed."

        "Good instincts... I was going to tackle-hug you. Guess I have to settle for a regular one, then."

        I grinned at her, opening my arms wide. "Awww... you say it like it's a bad thing."

        With a smile, she obliged, wrapping me in a comfortable embrace. "Any hug is a good hug."

        I wanted to point out that a bear hug from an actual bear might be somewhat less comfortable, but I decided not to spoil the moment. "Hmm... meh, close enough for me. So, training?"

        "I was just about to say that. So, stretch out like I taught you yesterday, then give me forty wingers, run in place for thirty seconds, and then hover for one minute. Got it?"

        Habitually, I back briefed her. "Stretch, forty wingers, jog for thirty seconds, and hover for a minute. Can do, let's go!"

        "You're awful excited."

        I shot her my cockiest grin. "I have so much adrenaline still in my veins I can taste colors. Let's boogie."

        "Suit yourself."

        I began the warm-up drills I'd learned the day before, taking care to stretch in exactly the way it was described in the book. Not only did this prevent Coach from getting on to me, but the exercises really did provide a much better result when they were done right. Flight Drill One is all about learning the basic "controls" and how to maneuver at a basic level; drills one, two, three, and seven are constant throughout the rest of the program as a pre-flight warm-up. Once I completed these four things, the real fun would begin. Considering the amount of cardio I'd had by the time the block of instruction started, I was pretty well warmed up to start with. First the run this morning, then the run to the field, and finally my impression of a skittish kangaroo hopped on methamphetamines... yeah, I was already warmed up.

        As soon as the whistle blew at the end of the hovering exercise, Coach laid out the first Drill in FD-Two: the aileron roll.

        "When I blow the whistle, you will fly to an altitude of ten meters AGL and initiate a clockwise spiral as you climb to one-hundred meters AGL. Once at altitude, you will level out and assume an east-to-west bearing. I'll let you know if you are too high or low, and once you are where you need to be I'll blow the whistle three times in rapid succession. At the signal, you will perform an aileron roll to your right as you maintain a steady bearing and altitude. Plus or minus five meters in any direction will fail you and require another attempt. Look straight up, and then to the west."

        I did as instructed, marveling at the deepening yellow and orange of the evening sky. The sky was entirely clear with the exception of two small and incredibly puffy white clouds.

        "See the clouds?"

        I nodded to the affirmative.

        "Good. In the event you fail to complete the task to my satisfaction, you will not have to start over from the ground. Instead, you will begin at one of these clouds. I will be set up on one of them in order to watch over you should something happen. Don't worry, I have a good deal of experience with this part and I won't let you get hurt."

        At this, Derpy paused for a second and shot me a determined glare. No matter what happened, I knew that there was nothing she wouldn't do for me if I was in trouble. Something stirred within me, a deep sense of gratitude and confidence. I had no reason to be afraid; she would not let me fall.

        "Once you have reached the clouds, which are at exactly one-hundred meters AGL, you will fly as directed and perform the right-side aileron roll until such time as you can complete it properly five consecutive times. Any questions so far?"

        I shook my head. After all, I'd memorized every one of the flight drills.

        "Good. When you hear one long bleat of the whistle, that will signal that you have completed the right portion, and you will then begin to do the exact same maneuver, but in the opposite direction. Again, as soon as you do it right five times in a row, we move on to the next one. Ready?"

        I took a deep breath to clear my head before looking Coach in the eyes and giving a slight nod. She returned the nod and brought the whistle to her lips. The taste of honey tried to dominate my consciousness, and almost succeeded for a moment before the whistle's shrill cry shattered its hold over me. I launched myself into the air, reaching the first checkpoint and beginning my upward spiral. As I rose, I made sure to keep an eye on the clouds to ensure I ended up where I needed to be. As I rose, I could feel how far away the ground was from me. I can't really explain it or how it works, but the best I can compare it to is an internal clock. Some people can tell you the time within a few minutes regardless of the time of day or night, and I could tell you to within a half meter just how far I was off of the ground. In the back of my head, the pony playing video games pumped a hoof in the air and hollered "level up!" This was so incredibly funny to me that I almost missed my mark.

        As soon as that pony in my head said it, I couldn't help but reflect back on these last weeks and pick out "achievement" worthy events.

        Achievement get: Crash Landing (+1)
        Achievement get: Possessed by Ice Demon (+1)
        Achievement get: Facehoof Trifecta (+3)
        Achievement get: Playground Savior (+1)
        Achievement get: Hometown Hero (+15)
        Level Up! You are now Level Two: Luxury Dave (With Cup-holders!)
        Achievement get: Get a job, Hippie! (+1)
        Unlocked: Character - Dave-Ferno (+5)
        Achievement get: Creeper Status! (+5)
        Achievement get: Mmm... Toasty (+1)
        ==>Perk Added: Why so Sear-ious? - You are now somewhat more fire resistant, but you probably shouldn't test that.
        Achievement get: Escalation of Force (+1)
        Achievement get: Coltsanova (+5)
        Perk Added: Dapper Attire – You are now Dapper. +1 to Charisma.
        Achievement get: Private Concert (+10)
        Achievement get: Guest of Honor (+5)
        Unlocked: Weapon – Mighty Smiting Key! +3 Attack.
         Achievement get: Spa Treatment (+1)
         Achievement get: Shadows of the Past (+2)
         Achievement get: Crash Landing 2: The Tree-boot (+2)
        Perk Added: Flight Training – You suck at flying, but not for long. You now earn double EXP for two weeks.
         Achievement get: Behold, the Glorious A-S-S. (+4)
        Level Up! You are now Level Three: The Little Dave who Could.
        Perk Added: Pony Senses – You now have the ability to determine altitude AGL to a half-meter and can sense moving objects in a ten-meter radius.

        By the time I'd run out of events, I'd finished my climbing spiral and had just begun to level out. Goodness, I crack myself up sometimes. I had only just leveled out when the whistle signaled the start of the drill. I pointed myself directly at the cloud ahead of me to use it as a marker and began my roll, tilting my primaries up on my left and down on my right. I immediately began to roll in the intended direction, but that was the only thing that went right. As soon as I began to roll, I began drifting towards my low wing at a rate that increased with my degree of roll. Almost before I knew it, my nose was facing the ground and I was dropping rapidly. I pulled back up into a level heading and began to climb back to the cloud that marked my starting point.

        As I began to fly back towards the cloud, I took notice of the gray shadow that was trailing me. True to her vow, as soon as I'd begun to veer off course, Derpy had sprung into action to assist me if need be. I couldn't have asked for a better Coach. As I drew near the cloud again, I was seized by an irresistible urge and was powerless to stop myself: I landed on the cloud. As every logical bone in my body screamed in protest, I simply stood in awe of what lay beneath my hooves. Everything I knew about clouds was a lie... they were not cold, wet, and amorphous masses of vapor as I had been led to believe. I stood on a warm and fluffy substance, about the consistency of cotton batting, though infinitely softer and smoother. My wonder and revelation was cut short by another blast of the whistle, and I set back out to complete the task before me.

        After another half-dozen attempts, I had nearly gotten the hang of it. Once I initiated the roll, I had to apply left rudder to counteract the slipping to the right and maintain my heading. Past that, I had to curl my secondary feathers to apply "negative lift", or lift pushing against the top of the wing instead of the bottom of it. After that, it was a simple matter of repeating the steps in reverse on the other side; apply right rudder and return to "positive" lift. Once I'd completed the maneuver successfully three times, I got a little cocky and decided to try it a bit faster. I doubled my speed and began the maneuver when something strange happened. Instead of rolling slowly and sliding to the right as my roll increased, I simply pivoted around a central axis at a very high rate of speed. The maneuver was so swift, in fact, that I had completed a full two rolls before I realized what was going on and leveled out.

        Only the fact that I hadn't shifted my trajectory at all during the roll saved me from having to do it all over again. Had I emerged from the roll while I was inverted, I would have been well on my way to the ground before I would even have noticed that something was not quite right. This was not the case, however, and both of the rolls counted and permitted me to move onto the next portion of the drill. Using the lessons from the previous attempts and with a good mixture of speed, I completed the drill very swiftly compared to the first half. Once I heard the whistle decree that I'd done well enough to pass, I made my way to the cloud and landed next to Coach.

        "Not bad, Dave. Seems like you got the hang of it there towards the end. For the next drill, you'll start out just like the last one by rolling to the right, but that's where the similarities end. Once you reach ninety degrees of roll and are perpendicular to the horizon, you will halt your roll and pitch your nose up to initiate the turn. You will perform a ninety-degree turn parallel with the ground before leveling out and holding a steady heading. I'll blow the whistle once to signal the next turn, and a long one to tell you to reverse the direction of your turn. Got it?"

        "Yes, Coach. Good copy."

        She blinked at me for a second, before just accepting it and carrying on. "Huh? Okay, then. Get out there and do it."

        The whistle blew, and I was off. While this one was a little more difficult that the previous one, I again found out that speed was my friend. If I was going fast enough, I'd pull two or three times the force of gravity with my inertia, and that was enough to keep me in the turn as if I were riding on rails. Thus, I made short work of that particular exercise. I again returned to Coach's position on the cloud.

        "For this next one, all you have to do is fly inverted in a figure eight configuration that is parallel to the ground. The turns will be the same ones you just practiced. Ready?"

        I simply nodded. The whistle followed shortly after, and I once more stepped off of the cloud and into the nothing. The wind filled my wings, and I was off. I nailed this one on the first try, returning with a triumphant grin to a straight-faced Coach.

        "Not bad, Dave. I'll give you the next two at the same time, since you are doing so well at this. First is a simple inverted loop. Fly forward and pitch your nose up until you come all the way back around the way you were going. The next one is essentially the same, but instead of going up so your back is on the inside of the loop, you pitch down so that you enter the loop from the top, with your back to the outside of the loop. Do two of each. Hop to it!"

        That was all the encouragement I needed. I sped forward at a pretty good clip, remembering how speed had been helpful in my previous drills. As soon as I pulled up to initiate the turn, I realized that I was going to be in for a hell of a ride. As fast as I had been going, and as tight as I had tried to turn... they added up and compounded each other. As I hit the loop, I was quickly pulling well past six times the force of gravity, and I could feel my muscles straining under the force of my inertia. I was whipped around the loop in a flash, and I used my second loop to bleed off my speed by making a much larger loop. Since I was not only climbing during this loop but also taking a much more gradual pitch, I managed to bleed off a good deal of my excess speed and take the loop at less than half the force of the previous loop. Satisfied with my performance on the inverted loop, I then attempted the outward loop, with moderate success.

        Turns out, my wings can push down a lot better than they can pull up. I entered my first outward loop going entirely too fast as I came directly off of the second inverted loop without bleeding off any speed at all. Under the strain of about three negative Gs (three times the force of gravity, pushing me towards my head instead of towards my hooves) my wings simply folded down, pinned flat against my sides. In an instant, I'd gone from cocky to terrified as I struggled for all I was worth to free my wings from my sides. My internal altimeter was moving rapidly towards zero, and I was panicking. This would most likely be the end of me if I didn't get my wings back open.

        I was oddly detached from this whole scenario from the moment my wings collapsed... it was as if I was simply some other pony watching this tragedy unfold in slow motion. I saw a gray streak approaching fast, and in a fraction of a second it had arrived. Whoever this brown pegasus was that was falling to his death needed to stop flailing like a ninny... the gray one looked like she knew what she was doing. A quick buck to the hooves of the falling one caused him to roll about a quarter-turn to his left, but that was all it took. Suddenly, I was no longer a bystander; I was again the brown pegasus. Now however, instead of falling spine-first towards certain doom I was falling sideways towards the ground. And that was all I needed. With my wings no longer pinned to my sides by the force of my fall, I was able to spread them and again take control over my trajectory. I fanned them as wide as I could and immediately began to pull up into a banked turn. Based off of my intuition, I was less than ten meters from the ground when I leveled out.

        Flapping furiously to get as much space between myself and the ground as possible, I rocketed up to the fluffy perch from earlier and sat down hard upon it as I struggled to catch my breath and calm my racing pulse. I felt the cloud shift slightly as Derpy took her place next to me.

        "I told you I'd be there for you."

        I couldn't pry my eyes away from the ground below. "I never doubted you. I'd just hoped I wouldn't need you to be."

        "I know. I was hoping the same thing. I'm going to call this a day, Dave. I could tell that you were exhausted before we even started, and I don't think it would be anything but a bad idea to keep going with you like this. Besides, we've completed all the Drills for FD-Two. Let's head to the ground and stretch, alright?"

        "Ordinarily, I'd argue that we can't let one bad experience stop the whole process, but I know that you know what you are doing. You say stop, I trust you. Alright, let's head down."

        Derpy and I coasted to the meadow below, coming to rest gently in the grass and beginning the cool-down process. I stretched in silence, still somewhat shocked and generally shaken by what had taken place. Derpy kept asking if I was okay, and the best answer I could give her is that I thought I was. Though she was reluctant to leave me on my own after such an experience, when I told her that I'd like some time to myself to think, she simply nodded, hugged me good night, and flew off into the rising moon. Since we'd wrapped up a little earlier than usual, I had some time to kill and headed to Berry's.

        I walked in and was met by an almost angry look from Berry. I simply raised an eyebrow.

        "Flyboy, what happened to you today? You are usually here a few hours earlier than this. I thought you might have gotten hurt or something. I can't afford to lose a habitual customer like yourself."

        Distracted as I was, I barely noticed her chiding. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'll take the usual, please."

        Berry picked up on this straight away. "Yeah... no problem. Flyboy... are you... are you okay?"

        "Me? Oh, yeah. I'm fine... just a little... preoccupied is all."

        There was no hiding the genuine concern Berry wore on her face or that permeated her voice. She could see that something was not right at all, and she wanted to help make it better. She prepared my smoothie but did not furnish it to me; instead, she carried it to a booth and gestured for me to join her, which I did.

        "Just preoccupied? Dave, you look like you just lost your foalhood pet. Something is wrong, and not just a little bit. Do you want to talk about it?"

        As much as I did want to talk, wanted to get this off of my chest, there was no way for me to explain what had happened without raising a lot of tricky questions. I was not prepared to answer any of those questions, nor did I wish to try and explain any more than necessary. I decided that a vague answer was my best bet for the moment.

        Shrugging, I deflected as best I could. "There's not much to talk about, really. I had a little bit of a scare while flying. Happens to everypony, it's no big deal."

        "If it's got you shook up like this, it had to be something pretty bad. Are you physically okay?"

        "Yeah, I'm fine, actually."

        Berry shrugged, unsure of where to go next with the conversation. "Well, at least there's that."

        I shrugged again. "Yeah, at least I'm still kicking."

        Berry looked up from where she was gazing at the table, eyes wide. "Whoa... Dave, are you saying it was that bad?"

        Sighing, I stared at the table as I traced a hoof along the grain. "I guess so. Things could have ended up a lot differently, that's for sure. I just... can we drop this? It's not something I really want to talk about."

        Placing a hoof on my shoulder, Berry apologized. "Oh, I'm sorry. Of course we can, I didn't mean to pry. I was just worried about you is all."

        "I know, and I thank you for that. If you don't mind though, I think I need to head home and lay down for a bit." As I said this, I rose from the table, prompting Berry to do the same.

        "Absolutely. I hope you feel better soon, Dave. I miss harassing you."

        For the first time since the incident, I smiled a little. "As odd as it is, I kind of miss that too. I'll see you later, Berry."

        "See you then, Dave. Take care."

        "I'll try. You too."

        I left Berry at the counter and set off for home, using the time to myself to push away the things that weighed me down. Yes, I was in a life threatening situation; I also had somepony with me who was uniquely qualified to ensure my safety in such a situation, and who did so without a moment's hesitation. I couldn't help but wonder... how long would Derpy have stayed with me, trying to help me? When would she have made the call to let me go to save herself before she hit the ground with me?

        Even as I formulated the question, I knew the answer, and it made me sick. She wouldn't have. She would have stuck with me until the end; she would not have left me to die alone after vowing to protect me. The thought that there was anypony willing to go even half as far for me was just... it was overwhelming. I didn't know how to handle that, how to deal with the fact that there was somepony who was willing to die with me, to die for me.

        The Hero of Ponyville, the Savior of the Fallen; willing to risk his life at the drop of a hat to help those in need, yet unsure of how to deal with somepony doing the same for him. Some hero HE is.

        I pushed all of this away from me, instead choosing to focus on my triumphs for the day, of which there were several. Chief among them was my pending promotion to night shift manager, the prospect of which was enough to make me giddy just by thinking about it. On some level, we all enjoy a little bit of power. Some let it go to their heads and get on a power trip, lashing out at those under them. Others try to rebuke the notion, trying to treat others as equals until they are placed in a position where they need to step up or step down and failing to rise to the challenge. Then, you have the rest of them, the majority. Those who rise to the challenge of being in charge without letting it go to their head and corrupt them; those who are able to put aside the hierarchical differences and treat others like living, breathing ponies instead of a lesser animal.

        In my past, I have had to deal with people from across the spectrum, both good and bad; it is from them that I draw inspiration for who I wish to become, for what I wish to be and not to be. This promotion promises me the chance to do just that, to be the leader I know I can be. Now, all I have to do is live up to the image I have made for myself.

        That... that is much easier said than done. With a deep sigh, I dropped my saddlebags by the couch and headed to the shower to wash away the grime of the day. I toweled off in front of the mirror, taking a moment to stop and stare at the face looking back at me. Who are you? What makes you you? What does Joy see in you, in me? I know exactly what it is that she sees... she sees the lies I've told, the picture of a past that never existed that I've painted with a brush of fabrications. Does she love me, or does she love the lies I've told her? I suppose there is only one way to find out... sooner or later, I'll have to tell her. Better do it later though... She's going through a lot of stress with school right now, and I need to support her. But I will tell her, eventually.

        When the time is right...

        I hung my head with a sigh. There was no way I could tell her any time soon... I just didn't have the courage for it. Sighing in defeat and feeling like slime, I did my best to affix the promotion in the forefront of my mind so that I could be happy when Joy came home.

        With another deep sigh, I sat on the edge of the couch and waited.