Have I mentioned that the room service at that beach side resort was excellent? Discrete too. The ponies that came up to deliver breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late night snack, didn't mention anything at all. Though I'll admit, I'm going to be keeping my eyes on the newspapers here for a while just to make sure they keep their traps shut. I mean a princess and a stallion closeting themselves away in a honeymoon suite could be considered scandalous. I brought it up to Twilight who dismissed my concerns,
"We were there under Rainbow Dash's name, there is nothing official saying I was there, and in case you didn't notice, I cast a small spell whenever we were in the public areas of the hotel, it simply guarantees privacy by having ponies simply not notice us. And remember, the only pony they saw when delivering the food was you." So, I had no worries. Well, not many worries that is. I look out the windows of the train as it speeds on to Ponyville, Twilight is taking advantage of her royal privilege, we are in a private royal car. Equestria, I had never heard about this strange and wonderful land. Yet, here I am. And for the first time in my life, I'm actually happy. I have even found love. And I'll tell you, THAT is something I never thought would happen. I turn to Twilight.
"Love, I want to do some flying, I miss being in the air."
She huffs, "You are such a pegasus, every pegasus I know is claustrophobic. With the exception of one." She glanced at her friends and pulled out a train schedule, "We'll be stopping for water soon. We're about a hundred miles from Ponyville. You can make that distance pretty easily, right?"
That got a reaction from me. "That sounds awesome."
Shortly the train stops by a large tank, the steam locomotive needing water periodically to keep going. I trot towards the exit.
"Hey, Nick, what ya doin?"
"Rainbow, I'm tired of being cooped up, I want to fly for a bit."
"Oh man, I thought you would never ask."
"I didn't ask," looking back at Twilight, she encouraged me with her hooves, I know she heard Rainbow, "I, uhhhh, guess it's okay if
you want fly with me."
Once in the air I took off, I know Rainbow Dash is a speed demon, but I've got a pretty good turn of speed myself. Relishing the feelings of flight I climbed to just underneath the cloud layer. North-east is the direction I've got to go, and I'm powering at a pretty good speed.
"I'm glad to get some time to talk to you Nick." I look over and the multi-hued pegasus is flying close, and she's upside down with her forehooves behind her head.
"Rainbow, Twilight's reaction to you asking before is my reaction too."
Her wings stutter for a bit as she looks at me, surprised. She flips over and flies normal. "Twilight is your lead mare, I'd have to approach her before I ever asked you to join. I'm not asking about that. Though I know a couple other mares that have had their eyes on you." She waggled her eyes suggestively.
I roll mine, "I'm happy with Twilight, Rainbow Dash. So, if that's not why you tagged along, then why?"
She banks and I follow her naturally, "I'm talking about your job. Ya know the one where you push clouds around all day."
"And?"
"Well, with you being with Twilight, you'll be resigning, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I can push through the paperwork and you wouldn't even have to show up tomorrow."
"I'm not quitting my job."
That got her attention. "What? You’re with Twilight now."
"And that changes what with my job?"
She shakes her head violently, "Nick, most stallions get a job so they can meet the mare of their dreams, then quit and let the mare take care of him."
"I'm not most stallions, now am I, Skittles?"
"Don't you want to let Twilight take care of you? I don't think she told you, in fact, she didn't tell any pony. I had to dig up the info myself, but Twilight's family is loaded, I mean seriously loaded with bits. Her entire birth herd is connected to Canterlot high society. And then you add in the fact she's a Princess now, and if she chose, could spend whatever she wished of the royal treasury, and she gets a monthly stipend that's about ten times our salaries combined. You wouldn't have to work a day for the rest of your life, and that is if she didn't get another bit."
I thought about what Rainbow Dash just told me, "Rainbow, I don't care how much money Twilight has, and I know its traditional in your society to have the mares take care of the stallions. But I'm not built that way. If she brings that up, I'll have to stonewall her. I like working, I feel good working. 'Six days shalt thou work and do all thou art able; the seventh day the same, and pound the cable.' Remember Skittles, I was navy, salt water in the blood."
She started a hard climb, once again, I followed her, staying in formation. "Nick, you don't have to do that. Your life can be easy."
"I would be so bored, Rainbow. I'm actually enjoying the work. That big rogue storm a few weeks ago from the Everfree, that was a rush. I almost find myself wanting another one, just so I can pound it down."
She grumbles, I think I caught what she said, "Be careful what you wish for dude."
I smile and do an aileron roll, I know, I don't have ailerons, but the effect is the same. She mirrors my actions. This pony is a natural in the air.
We bank again and glide down to Ponyville, we are a good hour ahead of the train, I arrow for my house. Once again, Rainbow is right next to me, only moving aside so I can flare my wings and land gently, rear hooves first. I turn to her.
"I love flying. I kind of wish that I had wings before I got here, there is no feeling like flying on your own wings."
"Well, Nick, from what you've said, I wouldn't mind piloting an airplane off an aircraft carrier, that catapult takeoff sounds like an absolute rush."
I look at her, "So, why did you follow me home?"
Now it's Rainbow Dash tracing circles in the dirt with a hoof. "I've seen how you are in the air. You can really fly, Nick."
"Well, a good deal of that is thanks to you, Rainbow. You've taught me a lot."
She blushes, "I know, Nick. But I taught you things that only a pegasus should know. But your instincts in the air are more than that. You've had years of training, you can do formation flying like nopony I've ever seen. In case you didn't notice while we were flying, I was performing maneuvers and you were keeping with me better than most wingponies."
"I noticed you were doing some moves, yes."
"Well, I've been talking to some of the Wonderbolts, I'm a member of the Wonderbolts reserves. And one thing we have been told is keep an eye out for any potential new recruits."
I narrowed my eyes. "And?"
"Well, I think you would do good to attend the Wonderbolt Academy. The performance team is full of excellent flyers, but you could join the reserves like I did."
"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, I can't do that."
She just looks at me, her eyes wide. After a moment she shakes her head, "Wait, what? Why?"
I heave a sigh as I open my door and gesture her to come in. Once I close the door and move to the living room, I gesture for her to sit as I make myself comfortable.
"Rainbow, I was a pilot, I was approved to join the Blue Angels."
"The Blue Angels?"
"They are the US Navy's performance team, only six pilots at a time are allowed in that elite squadron. I got the letter a few weeks before I went on the flight that landed me here. I was scheduled to report to Pensacola Air Force Base upon my return from Kuwait."
"Well, that's perfect then."
I waved a hoof to cut her off, "I love to fly, and with these wings on my back, I can fly whenever I want. And I assure you, I fly a lot, even if it's just hovering around like you do quite often. But that is a part of my life that is no more. I've lost a lot." I stop a moment to gather my emotions, "I have to close that chapter of my life. I'm no longer human. I'm no longer at home. What little there is left of my family thinks I'm dead, so do my friends, my commanding officer…" I trail off as I remember those I've lost. I feel a tear start to trace a path down my cheek, "all the people that meant so much to me think that I died in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean." I stop for a moment to look at her.
"But what about the life you've made here, Nick?"
I have to smile at that, "Rainbow. I am in love with Twilight. I have made a new life here. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. But…"
"So, getting into the Wonderbolts would be opening an old wound that you would rather leave alone?"
A sad smile from me, and a short nod.
"Okay, I understand. See you at work tomorrow?"
"You know I'll be at work before you are, Dash."
She smiles at me, "You are such a morning pony." She trots close to me as she heads to the door, "I hate mornings."
"I know you do. I'll get with Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth in the morning."
She smiles again as she heads out the door.
I flop down on my comfy sofa and close my eyes. I've got a bit over an hour until the train arrives. Twilight was planning on coming over after we got back to Ponyville. So I'll just close my eyes for a bit.
***
I snap awake. Looking around, disoriented. I must have fallen asleep.
Somepony knocks again. So, that is what woke me up. I shake my head and move to open the door, and am immediately assaulted with a hug.
"Nick, I've missed you this weekend." I look down at the unicorn filly attached to my foreleg, I look up at her big sister and mother.
"Well, good afternoon Derpy, Sparkler." I pry the enthusiastic filly off my foreleg and give her a proper hug, "And I have to say hi to you Dinky."
I swear my blood sugar goes up being in proximity to this sweet filly. "What brings you guys here?"
"You missed our weekly tea." Derpy says.
I lowered my ears, "I'm sorry Derpy. Twilight came over and suggested we go away for the weekend. I didn't get a chance to even leave a note for you. In fact, I flew ahead of the train, and when it gets here, we are going to spend some time together."
A very girlish squeal came from the gray pegasus, "You and Princess Twilight are dating?"
I smile.
"You have got to tell me everything," she says as she draws me into the living room and takes up residence on the couch, "Sparkler, could you make tea?"
Her elder daughter moved into the kitchen, and I found myself sitting on my couch with a bouncing little filly on my side and Derpy in front of me as I recounted most of my weekend, excluding private time with Twilight.
***
"Sparkler, you make pretty damned good tea." I smile at the teenager. She sits next to her mom and leans against her, getting a wing hug out of it.
"So, you and Twilight are forming a herd, huh?" Derpy asks.
"I guess so, customs here in Equestria are different than what I'm used to, but I guess that's the long and short of it." The prevailing story in Ponyville is that I was from a land outside of Equestria, as the red eyes are pretty rare in Equestria. I've done nothing to confirm or deny the story, so it remains. I don't like lying to the friends I've made here, but I've been commanded by Twilight to not divulge the rather exotic locale I hail from.
She squeals and claps her hooves, "I thought you two would be good together. I've seen you two walking around town from time to time. You two seem to fit pretty good together."
She's still smiling as somepony knocks on the door. Sparkler jumps up to get the door and we find it's Twilight.
I smile and move up to kiss her. She stops me with a hoof to the chest. "Nick, I sent a letter to Celestia and Luna responded. She wants to see the two of us in Canterlot immediately."