A Boring Day Off
Soarin' sighed as he laid on the couch during this afternoon time. He twisted and turned to place himself in a comfortable position. It was his day off from being a Wonderbolt he was, which he very much enjoyed since his career required extensive hours of training and performance, then left him exhausted at the end.
But there's one thing he didn't like on his day offs. One thing that made him stay on the couch: Boredom. Soarin' didn't have a bad side for boredom, or he didn't have a bad side for almost anything, really. He sighed again and let his head hang off the couch arm, then stared at the ceiling.
Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours. But then he let out a muffled chuckle as he noticed who he was acting like: Rainbow Dash. Rainbow really disliked the sense of being bored. Soarin' picked his head up and slowly rolled his eyes to the right, to see if an idea would come to his mind. But unfortunately nothing ever arrived to his head. He then glanced to the left, and warmly smiled at a photo he had placed on the living room stool, next to the couch.
The photo displayed the picture of his family. It showed both him and Rainbow in their uniforms, but Soarin' had his captain uniform and Rainbow wore her casual uniform. Which was a sky blue collar shirt with a black tie, and two gold bars on the shoulder sleeves. Aurora was also in the photo, right in between both them smiling. Aurora was a light greyish blue colored Pegasus but she was more on the blue side. She had Soarin's eyes, and navy blue mane and tail, with some baby blue streaks added into it. And she didn't have her cutie mark.
Soarin' gently picked up the photo and studied it closely. His daughter and her mother, which was his wife, was the most he absolutely cared about. Losing them would be a devastating result for him; a nightmare unleashed upon him. But his daughter's smile would bring him from the gloomiest mood to the most brightest and cheerful. Rainbow always kept Soarin' busy either at work or home. This wasn't because she was cruel or evil, she always made sure everypony was doing their best at everything. And that was the way Soarin' loved her, even if she became lazy once in awhile. Especially when Rainbow had the day off from work.
Soarin' placed the photo back in place, then continued back to observing the living room. He stretched his forlegs out and got off the couch. Soarin' slowly trotted toward the window, and stared off into Equestria below. The land was a green endless wave toward the horizon, valleys cut through the green figures like scissors. Nothing appeared to disturb the peaceful nature. But then he frowned when he felt the same ominous feeling come over him.
"Ugh, why isn't there anything to do today?" Soarin' groaned.
But then he made a suspicious look at something he saw below: A forest. Sure it sounded simple, since Equestria's forests were mostly concentrated in the center and on the outer edges of the country. But this one was something he never noticed, even if it was clearly visible from his cloud home in Cloudsdale. It was between the wide open Unicorn Ranges, which was on the outskirts of Cloudsdale, and the small town of Ponyville. He's heard of the infamous Everfree Forest and the others around it, but not this one.
But then he smirked as he thought of an idea, which then turned into a wide smile. Hmm... I've never been to that area down below. But... You know what? I'm gonna go see what's down there. It beats staying in here doing nothing! Soarin' thought to himself. He stared at the forest for a few more minutes, but then raised an eyebrow when he saw something at the edge of the forest standing, then run into it. Something tall.
"Hmm... It looked like a construction pony. Those guys are big and strong. But it didn't look like one at the same time."
Soarin' smiled as he saw a chance for adventure. He trotted away from the window and headed up the stairs. As he sailed down the hallway upstairs, it still concerned him what that thing was down there. Even though he felt joy that he freed himself from doing absolutely nothing. Soarin' then made a quick glide over to a doorway that was down on the left side of the hallway. He quietly peeked his head around the doorway, and smiled as he saw Aurora staring outside window in her room.
'She's just like me'. Soarin' frowned as he saw his daughter left fore hoof against her cheek, meaning she was also bored.
"Aurie?"
Aurora made a small shriek as she was caught off guard by her father's voice. "Dad! Do you have to sneak up on me like that?" his daughter said bluntly.
"Heh, sorry... But are you all right? You look sad."
"I'm not sad. It's just a boring day. But when is mom going to come back?"
"Is your mom the only thing you care about? What about your dad?" Soarin' casted a sad puppy face.
"Oh, no, no, no! It's just that... Uhhmm." Soarin's trick had worked. Aurora had fallen into her dad's innocent look. "...Usually mom has an idea to go do this or that."
"You don't think I'm fun?" Soarin' asked rhetorically.
"Well, of course I do! But you're kind of busy all the time, since you're a high ranked Wonderbolt. So you're usually not around and mom is."
Soarin' sighed and frowned in discontent. He understood that his career kept him away from home. Rainbow was also a Wonderbolt but she was a few ranks below him, so that meant she didn't have much work to do like him. Soarin' made a reassuring smile and flew over to his daughter, landing next to her and wrapping a foreleg her. "I understand what you mean. I know how your mom is always getting you into her crazy adventures and stunts..."
"Which I don't really like sometimes, but they're fun." Aurie didn't really adopt Rainbow's enthusiastic and adventurous demeanor. But she was enthusiastic but not that much like her mother, and she had fragments of adventure somewhere in her. The filly mostly inherited Soarin's calm behavior, but not his goofiness or crazed love for pie. Which she found funny most of the time.
"But what if I took you on one that will be surely awesome?"
Aurora stared at her dad with a confused and interested look. "What do you mean?"
"Well, let's just say there's a forest between Unicorn Ranges and Ponyville."
"Dad, there's forests everywhere." Aurora had an unimpressed stare. "Look around Cloudsdale or the other towns."
"Oh, this isn't just an ordinary forest." Soarin' smirked. "What if I told you there's things that look nothing like ponies or anything from Equestria?
Aurora now had a shocked look on her face. "Things that aren't from Equestria? So you're saying that..."
"They're something else than ponies, griffons, or dragons."
"That sounds cool! But I'd rather stay here. Because... We don't have any idea on what they are or anypony else." Aurora made a slight nervous smile. This time Soarin' gathered an unamused stare, he was hoping his daughter would be easily persuaded into going on a simple trip to a forest nearby. Just for fun. But she was a little timid at times, which was also a small trait of Soarin'.
Soarin' stared at the ceiling and shook his head. 'Man, what am I gonna do if she doesn't tag along. I'm going to lose it if this continues on, doing nothing for the whole day. Wait... Maybe I can...'
Soarin' slyly smirked and made his way out of the room "Well, I'm going to explore that forest with those strange things. You can stay here if you want. I really wish you can come with me. But if you don't... The 'Sky Demons' might get you."
Aurora scoffed. "Pffftt... Yeah right! You only told me that just to scare me! That's just an old mares tail." She crossed her forelegs and looked away annoyed.
"They're real, all right. They're absolutely real. They'll get any fillies or colts who don't listen to their parents. Later!"
Soarin' was gone in a second. Aurora still had an annoyed look. But then it slowly shrunk to one full of nervousness and doubt. She remembered when her dad told her about the story of the "Sky Demons". Demons that originated from another world, and came to this one to haunt pegasi children if they didn't obey their parents. Aurora bit her lips as she felt the fear creep upon her, the way they were described sent a chill down her spine: shockingly tall in height, were almost like skeletons but had a thin, transparent outline of flesh, and wore camouflage pants. They had wings, but they were also said to be made out of bones from pegasi.
"Darn it." Aurora grunted under her breath. "It's all fake. Just a story to scare me. Dad is just playing a joke, so I can go with him to some forest he thinks is all special..."
"AURORA..." A ghostly growl called her name.
"WAIT FOR ME!" she yelled.
Aurora bolted out of her room in a the blink of an eye. Her heart raced as she felt the paranormal figures creeping behind her. A demonic wail and shriek echoed in her ears. She carefully curved to the right and down the stairs, heading straight for the front door that was open, with Soarin' on the outside waiting. Soarin' hummed a small tune as he waited for his daughter to tag along. The story he made up about the Sky Demons was fake, he only did it just to scare his daughter whenever she disobeyed him or Rainbow, which was rare, and just for fun.
Soarin' continued to hum the tune, until he heard a small a soft thud sound next to him. He still had that sly smirk, and closed his eyes, shaking his head in content. "Did the 'Sky Demons' get you? Or were you just 'too' afraid to stay by yourself? He asked, trying to counter a laugh.
Aurora had her face planted against the cloud floor, but then she immediately picked her head back up by her father's sarcastic voice. "No! No, I wasn't afraid!" She snapped. "There's no such things as 'Sky Demons'!"
"Uh Huh, yeah. Then why are you out of breath?"
"Because... Uhmmm... 'Cause." Aurora frowned, she was about to admit defeat but then she coldly narrowed her eyes at him. "Why do you always have to give me a hard time!"
"Because that's my job as your dad." Soarin' wrapped his wing around her, and brought her closer toward him. "And it's alright if you're afraid. Don't be like your mom who can't admit that she's afraid or frightened." He then have a quick nuzzle to her. Aurora giggled, but then shoved him away and crossed her forelegs annoyed. "Hmpf..."
Soarin' smiled and rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go." And with a single swift leap, he was off. Aurora soon followed him and flew next to his side. The day still had some time to last before night fell. There was mild wind currents, and not much pegasi air activity in the direction they were heading. Aurora smiled as nopony came close to them, because if Soarin' had worn his performance uniform, there would have been fans swarming them by now since he would be easily recognizable.
But strangely no. Not a single fan came close for an autograph or photo. Aurora observed the land below with curiosity, she had been down there before, but not that much as her mom or dad. But she didn't understand why her dad just randomly chose a forest to got to. There was a bountiful of these natural features everywhere.
'Why did my dad choose a forest? We could've gone to Canterlot to see a sports game or something like that. But nah... A little too expensive. But why a forest? Meh, beats staying out home.' Aurora mentally shrugged, she looked down again but caught something moving through out the ground. She squinted her eyes to get a better look at the figure, but by that time it was gone
"Aurie?" Soarin' asked her.
"What is it?"
"Have you ever heard of the story 'Dead Men'?"
"No." Aurora had a confused look.
"Well its quite interesting actually." Soarin' had a hidden evil look. "It's about these creatures that once roamed these lands when Princess Celestia and Luna were children."
Aurora had an unimpressed stare inwardly. She suspected her dad was making up another story just to scare her. "Does it involve dead ponies coming back from the dead and they came from a group called 'Men'."
"No. Far worse than that! They weren't ponies at all."
"Is this another 'Sky Demon' story?" She asked bluntly.
"No. These creatures lived on the ground, they were advanced in almost of every way."
"So they used to live here in Equestria and advanced in everything?" Aurora asked again, a hint curiosity.
"Well, the story goes is that nopony knows where they came from. But all they knew was they were some type of powerful force. The used to stalk the lands if anyone came close to them." Aurora's expression came from unimpressed to shock and amazement. "The Everfree was nothing compared to them." Soarin' continued. "They easily swarmed anything that dared to attack them!"
"Woah." The filly was almost caught in the story.
"But the worst thing they did was... Until..."
"What!? What happened!?" Aurora hastily asked, now fully excited and interested in the story. Soarin' smiled and said the rest. "But something went wrong, they changed dramatical-"
"How!? How!" Aurora interrupted.
"I'm getting there... One of the creatures was contaminated with this strange energy. No one knew what this magic or energy was. Eventually it spreaded and they.. disappeared. Some of them actually remained, but they weren't so lucky. The creatures changed from the unknown energy, stronger... Deadlier. Some say they're dead but they are very much alive." Soarin' shot an intimidating stare at his daughter. "They say they still exist and roam these lands, but if seen or disturbed... They'll come after you."
Soarin' finished the story, but tried to hold his laughter as he saw Aurora staring at him with a wide gawking stare. But Aurora suddenly shook her head and shot a glare.
"You just made that up, didn't you? You probably watched some dumb science-fic movie at the theaters or at home, then made your own story up, so you can scare me again!"
"Here we go again... I'm telling you it's real."
"No it's not! 'Sky Demons' isn't real either!" Aurie retorted.
"Whatever you say, but look. We're here!"
Soarin' saw the forest and began to drop altitude, with his daughter in unison. The two landed in a clearing, waves of dirt particles burst from the sides of their hooves when they touched the ground. The area was quiet, not a single critter in sight, only the distance sound of a single bird chirping appeared to be the only sound of life. Soarin' smiled as he a spotted path leading more in to the forest.
He began to trot down the grass-covered road calmly, but Aurora didn't notice her dad leaving for she was curiously observing her surroundings. Since she wasn't on the ground that often. The forest was almost a dark place but also full of wonder at the same time for her.
'My dad was right, it beats staying at home being bored to death.' She thought.
Aurora was about to talk to her dad, but instead made a stunned stare when she realized he was gone. "D-Dad? Dad?" She frantically began to dart her head in every direction. "Dad? Dad!" A fear began to come over; the same fear she had about the Sky Demons. She grunted under her breath as the story managed to frighten her more. "Ugghh... They're not real. Why am I getting so scared about them? Man, why does he tell those stories!"
Aurora shook her head to set her mind straight, but then a ghostly wail of despair echoed throughout the forest. "Later!" The filly let out a small shriek, then bolted down the same path Soarin' took. She hopped and dodged low tree branches and overgrown vegetation.
"Oof!" Aurora bumped into the side of her father. She rubbed her head while she was against the ground. Soarin' was looking at an object on the floor infront of him. But when he felt something collide with him, he picked his head up with a confused expression.
"Huh? Aurorie, why'd you run into me like that? Did a 'Dead Man' scare you?" He began to laugh uncontrollably.
Aurora growled under her breath. "No! I just saw a...uhmm... A Bear!" She blurted out. "Yup. A large bear that looked unfriendly." Aurora felt an innocent smile creep up on her. However, Soarin' was not easily fooled. He knew his story intimated the filly he cared for.
"Oook. But look at this." Soarin' pointed a hoof at the object in front of them. Aurora got back up and approached the object, but she felt her heart stop for a second when she what it was.
"Sky Demons..." She whispered to herself..
The object was a small metal object or shard, that had a symbol of a bizarre skull with its lower jaws extended and twisting in the direction it was suppose to bend to, and it had wings on it. It exactly matched a Sky Demon's appearance... Or almost did. Soarin' picked up the metal part and brought it close to his face for better study. "Hmm... Don't know what this logo or symbol is, but it probably belongs to the Royal Guard.
Aurora began to whisper words to herself, the paranormal figures she feared by the story her father told was true. 'They're real... They're real... Why didn't I listen to dad! Why!?' She screamed in her mind.
"I wonder what guard thought of this to put it on his or her- Hey! Aurie!"
Aurora snatched the metal object with her mouth from her father's grip and flung it at a nearby bush. "Can't you see it belongs to the Sky Demons! They'll get mad if you grab what belongs to them!"
Soarin' frowned as he saw his filly beginning to panic and mumble words to herself. Her body was shaking by all the dread she felt. He felt remorse, realizing how Aurora was greatly petrified by his ghost story.
"Aurorie...?"
"They're real... They actually exist." The filly frantically mumbled to herself.
"Aurie?"
"They're going to get me.... They are!"
"Aurora!"
"Huh?" Aurora snapped put of her trance and glanced up at Soarin'.
"Aurie, I'm gonna admit it... Sky Demons aren't real." Soarin' said, he sighed and approached her.
"They're not?" Aurora asked tentatively.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It was all made up." Soarin' looked away, ashamed to put his daughter into a state of fear. Aurora meekly smiled, she knew her dad was punishing himself inwardly for scaring her. "Dad?" Soarin' slowly turned his head to face his daughter. "Yes?"
"It's alright, don't get mad at yourself because you scared me really badly. I actually enjoy the ghost stories you tell me, but they do get to me. But hey... Your my dad and that's what you do." Aurora warmly smiled at him, which was returned.
"Thanks, Aurie... And..."
"And what?" Aurora asked, confused.
"And... Tag! You're it!" Soarin' tapped her head, then bolted away leaving a dark trail of clouds with electrical currents. Aurora grinned and shook her head. "My dad and his crazy sense of humor." She chased after her father at top speed. Aurora steadily made progress as she caught up with the professional Wonderbolt. Aurora noticed her father didn't have a clue that she was nearly above him, she made an evil grin as she thought of an idea.
"Look above you!"
"Huh?! Oof!"
Soarin' felt a strong force collide on his backside. He immediately crashed against the grass floor, and made a broad dirt trial behind. Soarin' grunted and raised his head out of the ground, he rolled over onto his back. "Ugghhh... What happened?" he rubbed his head from the pain. Aurora came gently down and softly landed on his belly like a feather.
"That just happened." She replied firmly. Soarin' had a bewildered stare; his daughter had enough strength to knock him down?
"How did you even do that!?"
"Simple. I got you off guard."
"What!? That's impossible! You can't- or have enough force to push me down like that!" Soarin' was utterly confused. His daughter successfully managed to tackle him. She didn't even have the strength of a Wonderbolt or of an adult like him. "Are you using some form of dark magic?" He twisted a suspicious look.
"Pffftt...'Dark Magic'. Yeah right! I am Aurora! The one and only!" Aurora boasted and made a proud pose.
Soarin' rolled his eyes, but then formed a playful, evil smile. "If you think your 'so' tough... Then how about stopping this!" Soarin' tackled her back with a full brunt of tickles. Aurora was completely faltered by her dad's surprise tickle ambush.
"Haha! Dad- stop! Haha- No stop! Hahaha! I'm sorry! Hahaha!" Soarin' continued the tickles despite his daughter's laughing pleads to stop. "Stop! Dad- I give up! I give up! Hahaha!" Aurora managed to crack open an eye, she widely grinned at him, but then made a confused look when she saw a flight of eight objects in the sky. The tickling sensation stopped, her eyes and mind were concentrated on those things flying up high. "Dad, look!"
"What?" Soarin' noticed Aurora pointing a hoof at something above. He glanced upward and saw the strange objects flying. They were quiet and looked quite small in size but this was due by their altitude. The objects then split into two groups of four, and departed toward different directions. They vanished out of eyesight as these things were difficult to spot by their speed.
"What were those things?" Soarin asked, surprised by these bizarre objects.
"I don't know. But did you see how fast they went!" Aurora had an awed look.
"Yeah, but what were they? They don't look like Wonderbolts or pegasi, look at their altitude. If any Pegasus was up there, they would've been freezing or suffocating up there." Soarin' continued to gaze at the location where the objects disappeared.
The father and daughter continued to stare. Aurora was still dumbstruck on what those things were, but something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked to the left and saw a figure vanish into the brush. "Hey!" Aurora shouted. Soarin' immediately looked at Aurora by the volume of her voice. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"I saw something over there!" She pointed a fore hoof at the brush. "Come on!"
"Hey, wait!" Soarin said as his daughter tugged him by the right foreleg. "We'll go see what it is, but just stay behind me, okay?"
"Fine..."
Soarin' cautiously approached the area where Aurora saw the figure. Aurora sternly stared at the brush where she saw the anomaly. Soarin' took a few small steps until he was just a few feet from the brush, he extended a fore hoof and pushed the vegetation to the side.
"Huh? Aurie, are you sure you didn't just imagine something was there?" Soarin' glanced back at his daughter with a slight glare.
"No! I didn't!" Aurora shouted. "I swear I saw something!"
The area where the figure appeared was empty, just more of the forest in sight. The Wonderbolt shook his head and turned it back to face in front of him. But then he also caught a glimpse of something moving through the bushes and tress.
"What the?" Soarin' began to approach the anomaly.
Aurora smiled as her dad also saw what she saw a minute ago. She closely stuck behind his hind legs for protection, incase whatever it is was dangerous. Soarin' quietly pressed on through forest, any sound would possibly mean trouble. Aurora peeked around her dad's legs, but then both of them winced when the sound of a twig snapped. Soarin' quietly grunted and looked down at his fore hooves. He was the one that accidentally stepped on it.
"Dad!" Aurora hissed and glared at him.
Soarin' looked back at her, and sheepishly smiled. "Hehe... Sorry."
The two proceeded again, this time making sure not to step upon another small object. Soarin' suddenly stopped when his ears caught faint voices up ahead. Aurora also detected the small sounds, the voices came from behind a large wall of brush. The Wonderbolt carefully approached the direction where the sounds came from. He slowly pushed the vegetation aside like he did before, and saw a large clearing ahead.
Soarin' knew they would be easily spotted where they were, he grabbed Aurora and hid in a large bush.
"Dad, what is it? Why are we hiding here?" she whispered.
"Sshhh... I saw something."
Soarin' observed the clearing from their natural camouflage hiding spot. He made a suspicious like when he saw three figures standing in the open area. "Huh? Who are those guys?" Soarin' was able to notice two ponies and a tall creature. But there something different about the two ponies. One was a unicorn and the other an earth pony, but they wore black suits and dark sunglasses.
"Who are those two ponies?" Aurora asked her dad.
"I don't know. But let's see what they're doing. But what in the hay is the tall one?"
The tall figure was completely bizarre. Shockingly tall in height, the two ponies were at least up to its waist. It wore a breathing mask with tinted goggles, and also a digital grey helmet. Possibly to conceal its eyes or to shield them from the sunlight. The clothing it had appeared to be a grey and woodland hard plated suit that resembled its muscular system. The end of its arms we're gloved, and it also wore boots combined with its suit. Not a single trace of skin, scales, feathers, or anything imaginable was visible. The thing was completely covered. But it raised both of its arms slightly in the air like if it was surrendering.
Aurora noticed the two suited ponies were talking by their mouths moving. She was eager to know what they were conversing about. Soarin' carefully watched what was happening, but then his jaw slightly dropped when more of the ponies in black suits appeared from the other side of the clearing. They eventually surrounded the tall creature, and none of them looked happy at all. Soarin' was shocked to see what was going, his mind constantly debated whether they were going to arrest the thing, or do something else to it.
But the creature suddenly glanced in their direction, Soarin' eyes grew wide and his heart raced as he felt this thing knew their exact spot. All of the ponies in black suits also stared where he and Aurora were hiding. "Dad, they're looking at us!" Aurora hastily whispered to him.
"I know! I know! Let's get out of here!"
The Wonderbolt crept out of the bush, and retreated away from the area without trying to be spotted. Aurora kept her head low to also not be seen, and stood close to her father for protection. They followed the same path where they came from, the night was quickly approaching, the sunlight was barely shining above the treetops. Soarin' and Aurora eventually made it to the area where they landed earlier ago. Both of them immediately took off to escape the unknown creature and mysterious ponies in black suits.
"Dad! What was that thing?" Aurora asked as they both reached a safe altitude
"I don't know! But I swear it did not look like a pony or anything else. But who were those ponies in dark suits and sunglasses?"
"You think they're part of the Royal Guard or the military?"
"I don't have the answer, Aurie. But possibly."
After a few minutes of flying, the two pegasi reached the front door of their cloud home. The night had now completely fallen, the cold air swiftly moved across the sky and all over of Equestria. Aurora's teeth chattered and she shivered when the ghostly air touched her. "D-Dad, open the door! It's cold out here!"
Cloudsdale was very warm during the day, but when the night came after the sun had set, it almost becomes a freezer by how high up it was in the sky. But some pegasi weren't bothered by the cold temperatures, but the majority of them do get troubled. The door made a quiet creek as Soarin' opened it. The two stepped in, and Aurora flipped a light switch on to brighten the living room.
"Well, at least we made it back home without trouble," she said. "But mom isn't home yet."
"Yeah, she said she might be back by tomorrow morning. She's with your aunt Spitfire in Manehatten, remember?" Soarin' replied.
"Oh, yeah... Why is she there again?"
"Wonderbolt business. But you know what time it is?" Soarin asked with a smirk.
"What?"
"Bedtime!"
"What!? No way! I am not going to go to bed!" Aurora retorted. "I want to stay up late like you-"
"AURORA..."
Aurora felt a chill crawl down her spine when she heard the same ghostly wail call her name. "Yes, sir! Bedtime sounds great at this time!" she nervously smiled and saluted him.
"Uhhmm... Okay... Well great." Soarin' garnered a confused look as Aurora just suddenly obeyed him like if a switch controlled her. He was able to notice something was wrong about her, she appeared frightened by something. "Well, I'll see you in the morning then."
"Goodnight." Aurora said to Soarin' while she flew up the stairs. She entered her room, and laid on her bed, pulling the sheets over her. 'T-They can't be real. Dad said he made it up! But I heard them... I really heard their voices! Maybe it's just my imagination.' Aurora reassured her mind. She came out of the sheets and turned herself to the left, and stared at the crescent moon up in the starry sky surrounded by majestic and star-filled clouds. Aurora slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep for the night.
Soarin' stayed a few minutes in the living room after Aurora left, then turned off all the lighting in the house and headed for his room. He yawned and rested himself on the bed, pulling the covers over him. He also stared at the moon outside, but raised an eyebrow as he saw a formation of six lights moving across the sky. He tiredly watched the lights that looked like stars.
'Meh, must be some weird shooting stars. Man, I'm tired, but damn... Tomorrow I have to go back to work. But who were those ponies and that thing? Must be something from the Everfree, and those guys must be there to contain it.' He thought to himself, then quietly yawned.
Soarin' closed his eyes and faded away into a deep sleep.
********
"Soarin'."
Soarin' mumbled a few words while a voice called his name. "I'll be... there."
"Soarin'."
"Don't worry... I'm... Mmm... Pie," he mumbled and smiled, licking his lips.
"Soarin'!"
"Huh?! What!" He immediately shot up from the bed by a loud familiar voice. Which he knew was a bad sign by its volume. "What's... Dash?"
"About time... Soar'." Rainbow Dash playfully punched him in the shoulder. Soarin' rubbed his eyes and widely grinned to see the mare he loved, standing next to him by the bed. "You're back, I missed you while you were gone." Soarin' felt his lips connect with hers. That sensation he purely enjoyed enflamed him on the inside.
"I missed you too." Rainbow replied back, resting her head on the same pillow. Then picking it back up when Soarin' threw the bed sheets of off him and getting out of bed. "So, what happened while you were in Manehatten?" he asked.
"I'll explain later, but let me see if somepony else is better at waking up than their dad." Rainbow smugly smirked at him. Soarin' yawned and rolled his eyes, mumbling, "Whatever." The couple approached their daughter's room, and both of them gently smiled as they saw Aurora peacefully sleeping. Rainbow and Soarin' carefully approached her.
"Aurie... Aurora." Rainbow whispered into her small ear.
Aurora's small ear twitched at the sound, she mumbled and turned toward her mother. "Aurora." Dash continued to whisper in her other ear. The filly slowly cracked open an eye by the familiar voice she recognized. Her vision was hazy but quickly adjusted to the light, but then her eyes grew wide when she realized who it was. "M-mom?"
"The one and only."
"Mom!" Aurora sprung from her bed and hugged her mother. "I missed you."
Rainbow gently rubbed Aurora's mane. "Me, too... Me, too."
"While you guys get reacquainted, I'm going to get ready for work. I at least say," Soarin' stared at a clock on the wall in Aurora's room. The time marked 7:00 A.M. "I have an hour." He trotted out the room and headed for the kitchen downstairs. The Wonderbolt hummed a tune while he prepared coffee, then poured it into a mug that had the Wonderbolt logo proudly stamped on it. He smelled the sweet scent, and filled his nostrils with delight. "Good coffee." Soarin' said to himself.
He was about to take a sip of his drink, until...
Knock-Knock
...There was a knock on the door.
Soarin' put his coffee mug back on the kitchen table. "Coming," he said as he glided over to the door. He opened it, but felt his heart stop and a chill down his spine when he saw two pegasi ponies, that exactly wore black suits and sunglasses like the strange ponies the day before, standing on the doorstep. The one on the left had a dark grey coat color and a red mane. He had a stern stare behind those shades. And the one on the right had a navy blue coat and a khaki-colored mane. But he appeared expressionless.
"Uhhmm... Can I help you two?" Soarin' asked, trying to keep a firm look.
"Are you Captain Soarin' of the Wonderbolts?" the grey suited pegasus asked.
"Yes... I am Captain Soarin'. Is there something wrong?" Soarin' asked back.
"We need to talk about a few things."
"Can we postpone this later, because I'm kind of busy getting ready for work and..."
"NOW." the grey pegasus shouted.
"Okay..."