The once unfamiliar orange pegasus gave the blue mare his signature all-knowing grin. The 'S' on the shirt?" Rainbow Dash's head perked up almost by reflex. "It stands for 'super'." The sky blue mare’s heart started beating faster and faster as everything, from the voice to the wily twinkle in his eyes, started to finally register. Exactly one tear trailed down the ace flyers right cheek. "I told you not to say goodbye."
"Miles?" Tears now streamed from both eyes as she looked up to my face, hardly believing what she was before her.
"Hey, Rain," I said with little fanfare. I could barely believe it myself. "Did you miss me?"
It was a stupid question to ask, I know. But it got results. She jumped over the table to embrace me, knocking over any food that was on it and leaving me straight up stunned. I knew she'd be happy, but I didn't think that she'd show this kind of emotion. She was Rainbow Dash, after all. "I thought you-"
I cut her off midsentence. "I know a pony," I looked back to Rarity, who was barely keeping herself together. "She was able to pull some strings." Even unfamiliar with my new Equestrian body, I still knew where the heart was. And it was almost literally exploding out of my chest. "I missed y-"
Cut off mid sentence by a swift cross to my face, which was then quickly followed up by a kiss that seemed eerily familiar to the one I received when we said goodbye to each other in my world. "DON'T EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!" She wiped her tears from her streaming red-violet eyes, glowing brilliantly in this new world's sun. "EVER!"
I only smiled warmly as I took in all of it. Not just her and her rainbow mane and sky-blue coat, but the glow of the sun. The new smells and sounds and sights. Even the Ponyvillagers staring at us, a few getting the idea and moving on, while a few others wanted to watch as a form of cheap entertainment.
“Never, Rain…” I responded as I met her kiss in kind. I still couldn’t believe it. I was in Equestria! Even if I died right here and right now, I could honestly say that I was content. I have lived as few men have dreamed. But then, I did not plan on dying today. As our lips parted for what would no doubt be the second of many times, I put my arm over her shoulder. “So would you care to introduce me to your friends? For real, I mean. Not them just showing up telling me you have to leave.”
She gave me a wily grin. “Sounds like a plan." So we walked over to her friends and, both wearing an ear-to-ear grin, she introduced me. “Everypony? This is Miles! He’s new here.”
“Heya. I’m Miles,” Twilight shot a glare at Rarity, who was still drinking her punch like it was nothing, although it was something. It was everything. If not for her, I wouldn't even be here. "It's nice to meet you all in your, ah, natural surroundings."
"Well, we're all pleased as peaches ta see ya here, Partner!" Applejack said in a jovial drawl. "although we weren't really expectin' any company from another world!"
"Heh, yeah," I smiled as I put my hand, or hoof as it were now, on the back of my head, still embarrassed about my new body. Orange pegasus with stormy blue eyes? Oh hells yeah! "Well, I can't take all the credit for it, ya know. Rarity had to pull some strings with Princess Celestia and everything. And I still need to get a job and learn how to fly."
"You don't know how to fly?" Twilight seemingly forgot that I really shouldn't be here but was anyway. The violet mare had a questioning expression on her face. "But wouldn't the princess had helped you to learn?"
"Well..." I mused as I remembered back to a couple of days ago.
Two days ago...
"Alright, Mr. Miles..." The great white goddess horse said above me as we walked side by said. I'd only really been there for a couple of days, yet she'd made sure that I received the proper lessons in writing with my mouth and holding things without any actual hands. How did I learn to do that? Very carefully. It took some getting used to, but I pulled it off. "One of the last things I need to teach you is how to fly like a true pegasus." Princess Celestia warmly smiled down at me, like I'd been a romance novel come to life or something like that. "Are you ready?"
"Actually, your Highness," I slowly began to wonder if saying this would be disrespectful to her, then sided the thought. As princess of the land where love and happiness reigned supreme, I was sure she would understand. "I was hoping to save that for when I see Rain-" I suddenly stopped after I realized what I just said. She looked at me with a sly grin and my new orange coat became a little bit more vibrant. I'd only ever called the blue mare known as Rainbow Dash 'Rain' ever since I'd met her. To call her that in front of somebo-SOMEPONY else must have made it sound like I was calling her by a pet name. Screw it, I thought to myself. I'll go for it anyway. "I wanted to save flight lessons for when I finally met up with Rain, if it's all the same to you."
"Very well," she gave me an impressed smile, like I was some kind of sly fox. Well, I guess with my vibant orange coat, I guessed I was close enough.
Back to present...
I shook my head no. "I guess it just didn't come up." That, my dear friends, is what you would call a 'blatant lie'.
"Heh," Rainbow Dash said next to me, her arm still around my shoulder, looking me in the eye with her brilliant red-violet pupils. "I'll bet." She knew what I was going for, and I think she liked it, too. "So you wanna get started now, Hot Shot? Or you want me to show you around town, first?"
I smugly grinned. "I wouldn't mind getting a bite at the infamous sugarcube corner," then I thought of something. "I also wouldn't mind getting a new black jacket to replace the one that doesn't... fit anymore." I shot a wily glance at pink earth pony, Pinkie Pie, and the white unicorn, Rarity. "Too bad I don't know anypony that can help me out with either of those..." A twinkle showed up in both of their eyes. I actually meant both of those, too. It looked like we were in the beginning of the colder months of Equestria, so I actually would need a new coat.
"I think I can help ya with that, Miles." Rain just wouldn't stop smiling. Neither would I, come to think of it. She looked at her two friends that seemed to specialize in those respective fields. "I think I know just the mares that can help with that."
"Hold on..." Twilight spoke up, like there was something she actually wanted to get off of her chest first. "Before you go, there was something I wanted to ask, first."
I lifted a receptive eye-brow. "Alright. Shoot."
"Well," she began, unsure f how to ask without offending me. "You said this was a 'Television' show in your world meant for children. I didn't want to bring it up a few days ago because it didn't seem like the right time, but now that you're here... Why watch it when you're an adult?"
I only shrugged. "It's better than 'Jersey Shore'." Simple enough answer, although I forgot they wouldn't get the reference.
"What in tarnation's a 'Jersey Shore'?" AJ, the golden rod earth pony, asked in her classic twangy voice.
"I don't know," Fluttershy, the shy yellow pegusus with a pink mane, finally spoke up. "But it sounds just awful."
Ha. "All jokes aside. Wouldn't you all want to watch yourselves as entertainment? Redeeming Princess Luna, defeating King Sombra, Spike going berserk and breaking stuff. And Rain here executing the sonic rainboom, not once, not twice, but THREE time." She blushed with pride as I finished that. I could've gone on with examples but I didn't. "Point is, you guys- er, ponies- are some of the best characters on TV. Nothing makes me happier than, well," had to say this last part without sounding to awkward or to creepy. "You guys are just good ponies to even feel like you get to know. Even if you are fictional in my world." Twilight Sparkle seemed to satisfied with that answer as she smiled and drank her punch. The others did the same, all feeling the warmth of a compliment like that. I guess it's not everyday somepony takes you aside and says 'you're a good person'.
"Alright, ya big softy!" The rainbow maned mare called me out, smiling as she grabbing me by my magnificent new brown mane. "Let's get you a new jacket and somethin' ta eat. THEN we'll get you airborne. Got it?"
And I smiled back. "Sure thing, Ace."