Rising from the Fall

by Darkhanos

Chapter 3

Jetstream was surprised to see just how lively the town got in such a short amount of time. For a small town it was more crowded than he would have thought, but it was nothing like the hectic pace in Canterlot. Over there you'd be lucky if nopony ran into you, even then they would give you a poisonous glare, or rudely shout at you as if you've commited some kind of travesty before trotting off.

That didn't stop the townsfolk from throwing a curious glance his way, but to his surprise, they would give him a friendly smile and wave despite the fact that he was an outsider in their town. He simply returned their waves and trotted on as they went about their business.

The atmosphere here was different, pleasant but different. He much preferred this welcoming atmosphere to the ones he faced everywhere else. Of course, none directly disrespected him because of his status as a Wonderbolt lieutenant, but he saw the treatment of others though, and more often than not, it left a sour taste in his mouth

"It's beyond me why most ponies don't visit this place very often, the atmosphere here is quite tranquil." Jetstream thought to himself as he was expertly weaving his way through the crowd to explore the rest of the town.

Once he was out of the marketplace, he slowed his pace and took in the peaceful scenery. There was a soft breeze blowing through the town, making the tree branches sway softly through its gentle touch. The birds were happily chirping as they hunted for tiny insects, while others sang contentedly on their nests. It was indeed a beautiful day.

Jetstream didn't realize that he was lost in thought until he crossed the bridge into the park. He sat down on a nearby bench and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh air, and let out a contented sigh. He looked and admired the clear skies, save for one lonely cloud, and closed his eyes shortly afterwards as he soaked in the gentle warmth of the sun. It was a very serene environment for him, one that was greatly appreciated. No crowds, no insane fans, just peace and...

"LOOK OUT!!!" A frantic voice yelled, snapping Jetstream out of his relaxed state.

"Wha-OOF!" A blur crashed into him, knocking him over before he could react. The impact made the world around him spin as he felt his head ringing like a school bell. Once the noise subsided and his eyes regained focus, he saw a wall eyed, gray pegasus mare with a blonde mane and tail rubbing her head from the collision. She was looking at all of the scattered letters that fell from her bag as she got her bearings. Under normal circumstances he would've been very annoyed, but there was something very familiar about her, evaporating whatever anger he had towards her as he tried to remember her face.

"Are you okay ma'am?" He asked with concern as he made his way to the mare, his discomfort forgotten.

"I'm so sorry! I just don't know what happened!" the gray mare said looking rather embarrassed, "I was in a hurry to get to the library because I noticed the books I checked out were overdue, and the next thing I know I run into some stray cloud and lose control! You're not hurt are you?!" She asked with a concerned look.

"No, I'm fine." He replied as he helped her to her hooves. She immediately started to pick up the scattered mail, "Here let me give you a hoof."

"Thank you, sir" She said graciously as the duo searched for lost mail. Once they were certain they had picked the last of the mail up, the mare looked to him with an appreciative smile, extending her hoof in greeting, "I'm Derpy Hooves."

"Jetstream. It's pleasure to meet you." he answered as he accepted her hoofshake. Derpy's eyes went wide as she heard his name.

"Oh! You're the lieutenant for the Wonderbolts!" Derpy said in a pleasant but surprisingly calm voice, making sure not to draw too much attention to them, "I saw you perform in Cloudsdale a few months back! You were incredible!" Jetstream looked at her a little closer. As the gears in his mind finally started rolling, he realized why she was so familiar to him.

"Oh, now I remember you! You were in the front row with your adorable filly, Dinky!" He said with enthusiasm, happy to finally get the nagging feeling out from his mind.

"Wow, with as many fans as you have I'm surprised you remember us."

"Are you kidding? It warmed my heart so much when Dinky was trying to ask for my autograph, I'll never forget it." Jetstream laughed as he remembered the timid young filly staring at him in awe, completely starstruck when they caught up with him after the show. When she could finally speak again, she talked so fast that she fumbled her words, forming a barely coherent run-on sentence. There was no way he could only give her an autograph. He took it a step further and pulled off a large feather from his right wing as a gift for Dinky.

"Yeah, she really admires you. She was so happy when you gave her one of your feathers that she couldn't stop talking about it for nearly a week! In fact, she has it framed and hanging in her room, its her most prized possession," Derpy said and looked at the Town Hall clock for the time, "I should get going, I have to return the books and get to work. I have a lot of mail to deliver."

"If you'd like, I could return the books for you." Jetstream offered, "You seem to be on a tight schedule and I was just strolling through town anyways, so it wouldn't be a problem."

"Thanks! They go to the Golden Oaks Library four blocks down the road from the park. Just tell the librarian, Twilight, that I sent you to return them for me."

Jetstream's ears perked up at the name.

"It couldn't be her, could it?" He thought to himself, "Twilight? As in Twilight Sparkle?" He asked, hoping it was indeed the lavender mare.

"Yeah! You know her?" Derpy asked excitedly.

Jetstream's heart fluttered a bit as both excitement and nervousness coursed through his body. His first marefriend...Just the thought of her brought a sense of nostalgia. It was a good time for both of them, sharing many good memories with one another as their relationship grew. Even after it ended, they still remained good friends, promising each other to stay in contact over the years. A promise he felt that failed he to keep.

"Yes, ma'am, she's an old friend of mine. Maybe I can convince her to forgive your late fee for you."

"Oh, no, I couldn't ask you to do that." Derpy said, handing him four bits. "Here's what I owe for the late fee."

"Well, if you insist. I'll head over there now. See you later, Derpy."

"Bye, Jetstream, I'll see you at the party tonight!"

Derpy's parting words sent a shiver down his spine as images of the pink menace from earlier ran through his mind.

"I probably shouldn't be so critical. After all, first impressions aren't always correct...as I've learned."

He began walking down the path where Derpy directed him, feeling a twinge of nervousness at the thought of seeing Twilight again. "How much time has passed since we lost contact with one another? With everything I had going on with the Wonderbolts: the shows, the fans, and the insane schedule made it virturally impossible to do so, and most of my time was taken up by...Spitfire. Come to think of it, she really didn't keep in contact with me either. If I had to take a guess, I'd say that she was so wrapped up in her studies that it slipped her mind entirely." he chuckled at the thought.

Before long, he saw a giant tree house with a large 'Golden Oaks Library' sign in front with an acorn insignia. His heart began beating a little faster as he walked to the doorway, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves a little.

"I hope she isn't angry with me for losing contact with her for all of this time. I'd hate to lose a friend like her." he knocked three times, bracing himself for what could be a long lecture.

"I got it!" He heard a familiar young male voice call out.

"Is that Spike? He's still her assistant after all this time?" his suspicions were confirmed when the door opened to reveal a baby dragon with purple scales and lime green spines,

"Hi, how can I help..." Spike stopped dead in his tracks, staring in disbelief at the stallion with his green eyes.

"It's been a very long time, Spike." He said with a warm smile.

"Jetstream?! Oh wow! I can't believe you're here!" The drake said excitedly as he gave his old friend a hug.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again little buddy!" He said, "how've you been?"

"Oh man! It's been great! Twilight finally managed to break out of her shell and made some good friends along the way, and I'm still her number one assistant! I'll tell you more later, but first, come in! I'm sure Twilight will be glad to see you again.”

"I hope so... " He thought to himself as he stepped in. The library, as he suspected, was very well organized. The scent of parchment and potpourri filled his nostrils as the warm, inviting atmosphere surrounded him.

"Twilight! We've got company!" The drake called out.

"Just a minute!" She responded from upstairs, obviously occupied with something if her tone was any indication. Jetstream chuckled and looked to Spike.

"Let me guess, she's doing one of Princess Celestia's assignments?"

"Heh, heh, yeah. She's been at it all morning." The two shared a quick laugh.

"Well, it's good to see that Twilight hasn't changed much."

"Yeah, you can say that again. So how are things?" The question struck a chord in Jetstream's heart, grimly reminding him of why he was there to begin with.

"Um...things have been...hectic, to say the least." He answered, carefully choosing his words. 'A nightmare' would've been a more precise answer.

"I can imagine."

After a moment, they heard hoofsteps coming from the stairs

"Spike! Did you say that we had company?" When Twilight made it to the last step, she gasped and put a hoof over her mouth in a mix of surprise and happy shock, "Jetstream?" She asked just above a whisper. He could only smile as he saw her again, still as beautiful and quirky as he remembered her.

"Twilight...It's good to see you again." He said, responding with a smile. She went to him and gave him a firm, yet comforting hug, holding one another for what seemed like an eternity. The familiar embrace was nostalgic, bringing him a sense of security, despite the nagging question that was in his head, "You're not mad at me for losing contact with you?"

"No, I'm not," she responded, breaking the hug. "If anything, I'm the one who's sorry for losing contact with you." Twilight said apologetically.

"We both had our hooves full. Me with the Wonderbolts and you with Princess Celestia's studies and whatnot." Jetstream responded with a dismissive hoof.

"Yes, you know how I get," Twilight chuckled, "Come and have a seat while I make some tea for us." Twilight said, gesturing to the kitchen.

"I'll get the tea, Twilight, you two just kick back and catch up." Spike suggested, scampering off to the kitchen before there were any objections.

With that, the two made their way to the table and took a seat across from one another, while Spike expertly worked his way around the kitchen.

While they were waiting, Twilight was nervously playing with her hooves, looking as if she was trying to choose her next words carefully, a fact not lost upon Jetstream.

"Something on your mind, Twilight?" He asked.

"I was just thinking...the last time we saw each other was at my parents' house almost four years ago now. It seems like so long ago now, doesn't it?"

"I remember, we were celebrating Shining Armor's promotion to Captian that night," He responded, "Your mother made the best eggplant lasagna I've ever tasted, and Spike graced us with his incredible triple fudge cookies for dessert."

"Ha! If you thought they were good then you should try them now!" Spike said while puffing out his chest, his ego now inflated.

"Is that right? I'd like to see that!" He responded with a challenging smirk.

"Is that a challenge?" The dragon said in a playful manner.

"I didn't stutter now did I? I'll tell you what," Jetstream then pulled a large sapphire out from his saddle bag, "I'll bet you my sapphire that you can't impress me with your new recipe. What do you say?"

Spike looked at the coveted gem with hungry eyes, barely keeping his composure.

"When and where?" The drake asked, narrowing his eyes.

"How about at Pinkie Pie's party tonight? If you're one minute late, or if I'm not blown away by those cookies, then the bet is off. Then the platter will belong to me, and you get nothing."

"Oh ho! You're on! That sapphire is as good as mine!" Spike proclaimed as he set the tea on the table, "I'm heading out to get the ingredients for my cookies, then. I'll be back!"

"Be careful, Spike, and don't tell anypony that Jetstream is here. Last thing we want is for all of Ponyville to cram into the library trying to get a peek at him." Twilight said. Spike gave her a thumbs up, acknowledging her request as he walked out of the front door. "You do realize that you set yourself up for failure, don't you, Jetstream?"

"Oh yeah, I know, I just wanted some more of those cookies. If they're as good as he says they are then I gotta have some! I was going to give him the gem, but I figured I could make him earn it instead." Jetstream said with a victorious smirk. Twilight giggled at his antics while serving them both a cup of tea.

"Nice to see you haven't changed much." She said as she took a sip from her cup.

"I could say the same about you, Twilight. I was wondering...now that Spike isn't here what was really on you mind?" The silver maned stallion asked. The lavender mare was caught off guard with such a direct question. Then again, she never was good at hiding things, and Jetstream did know her pretty well from their time together as a couple. She took a shaky breath, looking nervously in his eyes.

"Did you...ever resent me for...breaking up with you that night at my house?" She asked hesitantly. It was Jetstream's turn to be caught off guard this time.

"What? Of course not, it was a mutual decision." He said, reaching out and grabbing her hoof, "We both chose our paths in life and we wouldn't have had time for each other, you know that. I could never resent you for that, Twilight. I'm just glad to have you in my life as a friend than not in my life at all." Twilight's eyes were brimming with tears and gave a shaky sigh of relief as he gave his answer.

"I'm glad to hear that. I thought it was the main reason why we lost contact with one another."

"No, it wasn't. I went on a two month tour all over Equestria a few days later. When I got back, I found out from your father that you had moved and that you were on an assignment from Princess Celestia. I never found out where, and I was just so busy with the Wonderbolts I never had the chance to find you."

"Same here. Only I figured you'd forget about me, being a celebrity and all."

"You're one of my dearest friends. I could never forget you or your family."

"The feeling's mutual. So how long are you planning on staying in Ponyville?" The lavender mare asked. Before he could answer the question, they heard three loud and frantic knocks at the door, "I wonder who that could be?" She asked as she got up to answer the door. As soon as she entered the living room, a cyan blur flew through her window, landing right in front of her.

Twilight was caught off guard when she saw Rainbow Dash grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Twilight! Big news! Jetstream from the Wonderbolts is in town!" Rainbow Dash said excitedly. After a few moments, Twilight got her bearings, trying to find a way to dodge the question.

"Dash! Slow down a minute! How do you know he's here?" She asked.

"Applejack saw him this morning! He got a bushel of apples from her and they were chatting it up for a good while too! I heard from Derpy that he was headed here to the library! Is he still here?" The rainbow mare asked, looking around like a dog trying to pick up a scent.

"Not good! If she finds out then everypony will know that he's here" she thought to herself, "Look, I don't think that..."

"It's okay, Twilight. Everypony will find out I'm here eventually." He said as he stepped out of the kitchen, revealing himself. He looked at the cyan mare with a friendly smile, "Your reputation precedes you, Rainbow Dash. It's an honor to meet the only pony in Equestria capable of doing the Sonic Rainboom." He said with his usual laid-back tone, extending his hoof in greeting.

Rainbow Dash could only stare at him wide eyed as she received such praise from a decorated Wonderbolt officer, starstruck for a brief moment. In a very uncool fashion, she squealed like a little filly, jumping up and down in glee before shaking his hoof vigorously.

"OHMYGOSHIT'SSOAWESOMETOMEETYOUICAN'BELIEVEIT!THISISSOAWESOME! I THINKYOU'RESOAWESOMEANDIWANNASHOWYOU...."

"Wow...I hope she doesn't get a heart attack before she's done." Jetstream thought to himself as the cyan mare continued her excited rant, struggling to comprehend what she was saying.

Twilight could only give him an apologetic smile, nervously laughing.

Author's Note:

Finally! An update! I'd like to apologize for taking so long to update, and I'd also like to apologize to SolidFire for forgetting to thank him for his help on Chapter 2. Sorry, buddy, I hope you aren't too mad at me

Thanks a million to Pinkamena and Pals for editing, you're awesome!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

Comments

[Drake Grey]

/5

Now I am just waiting for the main 6 reaction to his wings being gone.

Keep up the good work.

[Darkhanos]

3495611
*looks at the rating*
How awesome! Thanks a lot!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[Xion_Stellar]

Please more chapters!

[Darkhanos]

3502669
No problem! Working in chapter 4 as we speak

[Darkhanos]

4825724

Holy crap! Has it really been 37 going on 38 weeks since I updated this?!

But yes, there's a huge difference between this Jetstream and the Jetstream from the Mare-a-thon huh?

[Tatsurou]

4825759
Hmm...
Actually, the only difference between Jetstream for the two stories as far as I can tell is the tragedy this one is suffering from. His core personality seems to be the same.

And I notice he hasn't actually returned the books for Derpy yet.