"Girls, could you all get back to your room and collect your things? I'm sure the captain would enjoy us being off as soon as possible once we land."
"I could get off before then!" Rainbow yelled as she charged down the hallway. "With these babies-"
"Now, now, Rainbow Dash, although I'm sure we could all use a few moments of silence, it would be in everyone's best interests if you stayed away from open engines of any sort."
The elegant unicorn spun at the noise of a stifled giggle. Celestia immediately stood stock-still, staring straight ahead.
"What was so funny about that, Princess?"
"Well, um..." Celestia's cheeks flushed red as her smile grew. "You have n-n-no idea how many pegasus almost g-g-g-got run over when-n-n I was picking you guys up..." She snickered.
"You did what?!"
"Well, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to get the blimp anyway, so-"
"You didn't tell our citizens to get out of the sky?!" Luna protested from further down the hallway.
"It seemed like a better idea before I started driving!"
The ship suddenly lurched, sending Celestia crashing forward and Rainbow into a closed door. Rarity managed to keep her balance, muttering something about her runway lessons finally paying off.
"He had a heart attack!" Pinkie shouted, rushing down the hallway. "I'll fix him!"
"I didn't have a heart attack, you crazy dimwit! I'm fine! We just hit some turbulence, that's all. I'm fine, get out of the cabin! GO!"
Pinkie trotted back down the hallway. "He says he's okay! We just hit some turbowhatsits. I wonder if you can eat them..."
"Luna, didn't you say something about a balance spell?"
She nodded towards Twilight, who had come out of her room with an obvious bruise. "This shouldn't have happened. We're sure it was just a flaw somewhere, no problem, really. We bet that we'll be landed in no time."
"If you say so..." Twilight muttered, lifting a hoof to poke at her swelling forehead.
The pressure changed as the blimp lifted again. "Girls, something's going on." The pilot sounded different, almost... scared. "We're losing cabin pressure, and that turbulence isn't showing up on the detectors. I don't know if I'll be able to land. Do any of you have enough magic to make synthetic wings? I don't have enough parachutes, and if that's real wind, you'd be out of control. I'll take the blimp around and figure out where I can meet you later."
"I've only ever made on set of wings, and I passed out..." Twilight admitted.
Rarity nodded, blushing. "I can barely teleport downstairs."
Luna looked around at the four wingless ponies. "We think we can handle this one, 'Tia."
"If you wish, sister. If you need me, I'm right here."
Luna smiled weakly, closing her eyes. Her horn sparked and the stars in her mane shone brighter. The air started to smell like rain, growing cooler and lighter. It faded almost instantly as the Princess opened her eyes with a wide grin.
Rarity squealed, stroking the same wings she had before. "They're beautiful, Luna!"
Twilight shook out a pair of violet dragon's wings, looking over them with a smile. "They do look great!"
"Ah'm mighty pleased, Princess." Applejack complimented, sporting a pair of pegasus wings that looked stronger than Dash's.
Pinkie, however, seemed unchanged. Until she waved her front hooves around and rose into the air.
Celestia and Luna gaped at the pink pony, while all of her friends shook their heads with a simultaneous sigh.
"What?" Pinkie asked, striking a pose. "You guys can't do this?"
-----
After a complete circle of the turbulent patch - which seemed to cover the entire area below them with a rapidly-forming mist - the previously down-to-earth ponies had gotten the hang of their wings.
"Girls, the second you jump out, focus on staying away from the engines. The propeller in the back probably won't hit you, it's massive and slow. The air force from the front engines will try to pull you up. The second you leave, I'm going to fly up, and try to get out of the way. Chances are, none of you will get torn to shreds. I'll land around here somewhere. Are you ready?"
"Yes." Fluttershy whispered, strangely determined. "Yes, we are."
"Starboard door unlocking." The captain dictated. "Port door unlocking. Doors opening. Cabin door sealing - good luck out there!" He yelled over the engines as his door shut.
Twilight shared the honor with Rarity on being the first to jump, her having studied aerodynamics and Rarity having flown before, neither being particularly amazing at it. After them came Pinkie and Applejack, never flown before. As their safeguards, Rainbow and Fluttershy followed, dropping like stones to catch up to their friends.
Luna and Celestia hovered outside the blimp, each kicking the doors shut as they fell. The back wings tilted as the roar of the engines grew louder, the blimp lifting up and away from the group.
Twilight soared up to meet her teacher, leathery wings holding up quite well. "There he goes." She muttered. "Do either of you have any idea what's going on?"
Celestia shrugged.
Luna rolled her eyes. "We do not know what events may be taking place below. Perhaps this place just has odd weather we did not foresee. I am sure that our stay will be quite enjoyable."
"Odd? Odd?! There's absolutely no wind. Or noise!" Twilight protested, shoving a hoof down angrily.
CLUNK
"Owowowow..." Twilight whimpered, holding her hoof up against her chest.
"Clunk?" Luna repeated, slowly flying down beside Twilight, hooves outstretched. Within moments, she was standing, apping a hoof on the air below her.
"Hey, girls, come here." Celestia called.
There was a resounding thud as Rainbow Dash dashed into the bottom of the pathway. Celestia doubled over laughing.
As the others landed - and Rainbow unhappily climbed over the edge - a shiver went through the entire group. The ponies looked around, instantly noticing the entire party's lack of wings, and horns.
"Ohpleaseno." Twilight muttered, rubbing her forehead.
Celestia was poking her shoulders, muttering something about a good long banishment, while Luna tossed her head angrily. Within mere seconds, Luna's mane fell limp and blue around her neck, and Celestia's doing the same with a bit more pink.
"Oh, he is so dead." Celestia growled. "Come on girls, we have a little score to settle."
Flipping her fuzzy mane in annoyance, she started cantering down the invisible path, the surface shimmering as her hooves touched it. Luna nodded after her. "Stay a bit back when you follow. Sister has a tendency to kick when she's angry."