Tale of Soarin McLighting

by Electuroo

Chapter 6: Two Sides of a Coin

Tale of Soarin McLighting
Chapter 6: Two Sides of a Coin

“No, you won't Soarin, because it’s your first real dream in 15 years and, even though I am not really Mist, you are my love and there is one thing you should know about me, I can be very stubborn at times.”

Soarin took a sip of his tea, thinking about the amazing dream he had after blacking out from the crash. He remembered those words Mist spoke to him all too well. It was something she would really say to him, and one of the few things that really kept him going while he was stuck in Equestria.

“Excuse me, are you Soarin McLightning?”

Soarin was sitting with Fluttershy, enjoying lunch with a new found friend. He turned to the pink, green eyed earth pony who had walked up to their table.

“Oh hi Cheerilee, why are you looking for Soarin?”

“A good question Fluttershy.” Soarin was curious now.

Cheerilee sat with them at the table outside the café. “I was wondering if it was alright to bring my class to your flying machine tomorrow for a school field trip. It’s not everyday you see something from another world, especially when it is brought here by a pony such as yourself. You might look like the Soarin we all know, but from listening to the way you speak, I can see you are clearly nothing like him.”

Soarin chuckled. “I guess with the barrier and guards, you haven't been able to get close to it right?” Cheerilee nodded. “Well, I guess there’s no harm in showing the kids my plane.” Soarin picked up the sandwich and just before he ate it he said one more thing.

“The plane is called a spitfire, a name given that make of plane during a war in my world. It was first used to defend the skies of United Kingdom in the name of queen and country.”

“It’s no more than a flight display craft nowadays, but Blue Lightning has new life in her. I spent a lot of hours and money putting her back together after Mist pointed her out to me at a scrapheap. The original name of the plane was Lucky Spit. I changed the name after replacing almost everything about the plane and installing a personally designed fuel converter that I had designed during my career with the RAF as a test pilot.”

“You’ve really got to know a lot about planes and their engines when you do something like that. It was during that time when I first met Mist. That day was the most memorable day of my life. We’d got into this fight about a new plane that had just come through. In the end it came down to a bet on and I won it. We’ve been going out with each other since then, until about 10 or so days ago that is, when I got stuck in that fog and ended up landing here.”

“Now I’ve got two sets of memories in my head, I’ll probably never see my friends again and despite all of that, I am sitting here, enjoying this bloody great lunch on an amazing sunny day. Back home it’d be a bloody miracle to get weather like this.”

As Soarin spoke, he was beginning to somewhat erratically wave his hooves around, almost dropping his sandwich multiple times, he noticed a small crowd had gathered around him but he kept on speaking regardless. Fluttershy was listening intently and even Rainbow Dash had joined the masses.

“Also, unlike in Equestria, nopony controlled the weather, it does it all itself.” He crossed his forelegs with a smirk, looking at Fluttershy, completely oblivious to the crowd around him.

“Really? Why the hay not?” Soarin looked up to see Rainbow Dash.

Soarin looked around at the ponies, all waiting patiently for an answer. “Wow, that’s quite a crowd. There must be at least 30 ponies here...”

With a shrug as he took his sandwich again. “Because the politics wouldn’t allow it, too many countries, too many problems and too much mistrust between them. If any one country controlled the weather, there would be nothing stopping them from dumping it on another country. A treaty was signed so that no pony controlled the weather and that’s how it been since. Although not everypony agrees, especially since the 2013 flooding and tidal surge. That’s why loads of ponies want Britain to break away from Europe and the UN and all that crap.”

He paused and rubbed his head as he realised what he had just said.

“Talk about two sides of a coin...” He muttered. “In the human version there’s no way to control the weather but in the Pony version of my memory, pegasi can't control it because they’re not allowed too. Very confusing...” He gazed at his sandwich and begin to eat it.

“Thank you for telling that interesting tale Soarin. It is absolutely fascinating to hear about other places and how things work there.” Cheerilee smiled as she stood up. “I bid you farewell, Soarin McLightning.”

“Ok everypony you heard what you needed to! Back to whatever you’re doing!” Rainbow Dash ordered, scooting them all away and breaking up the crowd. She turned to Soarin. “Catch ya at Sweet Apple Acres, I’ve got some moves to practice.”

“Oh, erm… Wait Rainbow,” Fluttershy timidly called up at Rainbow Dash, as she was about to fly off. “How did your date go with our Soarin?”

Rainbow Dash froze and turn to the two. “Oh that, well... Erm... It... Kinda well, I guess.”

“And by that you mean that It went better than expected and you can't wait to see him again.” Soarin bluntly replied and took a defined sip of his tea, without looking up at the rainbow maned pony.

Rainbow Dash’s cheeks went bright red, “Erm, yeah… Gotta dash!”

As Rainbow Dash flew away in a burst of colour, fluttershy giggled. “You sure are witty Soarin.”

“Well, if you can't be chilled about life then what fun is there in living?” Soarin replied, finishing the last of his sandwich. “Mist always told me to just sit back and chill.”

He looked sadly at Fluttershy. “She was right too. I just wish that it hadn’t taken knowing that I will never see her again for me to figure that out...” He sighed. “Guess I am lucky to at least remember who I am and not the fake life that was almost imposed on me, right?”

“I guess, Soarin.” Futtershy replied and then asked. “What are your plans for today?”

Soarin finished off his tea as Fluttershy finished her meal. “I was planning on checking on my plane, I need to see the amount of damage that was done to it and see if I can find a place for it. I don't like the idea of it being in a middle of a field.” Soarin got off the seat flexing his wings. “Also I wouldn't mind trying these out. Care to fly with me?”

Fluttershy got off the stall. “Sure, I wouldn't mind a gentle short flight to Sweet Apple Acres.” Fluttershy opening her wings up.

Soarin pulled the zip up a little on his jacket. “Ladies first.” He put a hoof out.

“Thank you.” She took off and he took flight alongside her. “Erm... It’s mares first.”

Soarin shrugged. “Ladies, mares. They mean the same thing to me.” He chuckled.

“I guess.” Fluttershy was laughing a little as they flew off to Sweet Apple Acres.

Upon arriving at the site, he could see the barrier with two guards by it. Both of them unicorns. Soarin and Fluttershy landed a few meters in front of them. He step up and addressed the two ponies. “Name’s Soarin McLightning, I’d like to enter to inspect my plane please.”

The unicorn guards look at each other, then at Fluttershy and Soarin. “Princess Celestia said you would come to inspect this strange machine.”

“A plane huh?” The other said, looking at it. “So that’s the name for this flying machine?” He turned to Soarin.

“Sure is, it’s make is called a spitfire, name of the plane is Blue Lightning. I personally named the old girl after restoring it with a lot of hard work.” Soarin said, looking at the plane with pride.

The guards nodded without saying a word and opened up the barrier like a door, letting them in. “Thank you guards.” Fluttershy smiled to them.

“No trouble at all ma'am.” The guard saluted and they stood back into position, closing the barrier behind the two pegasi as they stepped up to the plane.

Soarin walked around to the clearly damaged part of the plane. The landing gear was bent and buckled with the wheel and other pieces missing, from the drag marks in the ground he could see the damage gear had dug into the mud. Thankfully the wing hadn’t been ripped off, although as Soarin checked it he could see it had been damaged and dented by the impact.

“Blue Lightning, you crafty plane, you’ve done it again.” He smiled, flying up and landing on the wing, tapping it with an hoof. “The lucky streak continues.” He chuckled. “Only problem though...” Soarin climbed into the cockpit and, flipping a few switches, brought up the systems on the plane and the roaring sound of the engine coming to life.

“Epp!” Fluttershy squeaked, quickly backing off from the plane.

Soarin quickly cut the engines and climbed out. “Sorry about that Fluttershy, just checking the engine still works and it’s safe to say it does.”

“That was rather noisy...” Fluttershy replied. “But how does it take off?”

Soarin look to the damage and shook his head. “A runway, it just needs enough speed and a wing with a landing gear.” Soarin landed beside her. “The plane needs to be repaired before it can fly again. The electrics are working fine, it’s just the wing and the landing gear that need fixing, and I most likely need fuel to fill up the tank...” Soarin turned to his plane. “All three things which won't be easy to do. Especially if you don't have anything like this in Equestria.”

“Maybe we can make them for ya.” Fluttershy and Soarin turned to see Applejack standing there before them.

Soarin looked at the plane and then back at Applejack. “I highly doubt you can fix the plane with what you’ve got around here. The stuff I need will most likely have to come from cities like Manehatten, which will not come cheap.” He stared at his plane once more. “It will take finding parts that are the right size to replace the damaged parts and some sort of replacement fuel for the engine to run on...” Soarin sighed. “This is going to take a lot of bloody work... Once again.” He put a hoof to the side of the plane. “You never make it easy for me, Blue Lightning...”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are ya talkin' to that machine?”

Soarin chuckled. “Sure am, Blue Lightning is a stubborn spitfire, she’s old and grumpy. Always needs attention to keep her in the air.” Soarin turned to Applejack. “By any chance is there a place to put my plane? Somewhere that’s not in the open like this.”

Applejack thought about it, putting a hoof to her snout. “Ah might have a place. It’s not been used for quite some time but with some TLC ah think it might do for this flyin' machine of yer's.”

“What the catch?” Soarin gave Applejack a suspicious look.

“No catch, the princesses already compensated for this thin' bein' in mah field. The building is never used, and it sits close to this field as well. Ah believe it’d be perfect for this thin',” Applejack tap the forcefield. “Open up fellows.”

Applejack stepped out, turning to both pegasi. “So what are yer waitin' for? Hearth Warmin'?” Soarin shrugged. Along with Fluttershy, they followed Applejack out the forcefield and to where ever she was taking them.

Wonderbolt Academy

Soarin finished putting his uniform on for the academy. Looking at himself in the mirror, he smiled. “Looking good Soarin.” He turned to see Spitfire standing at the door way. “You’re right on time.”

“Well, I can't let you have all the fun teaching the new recruits, right?” Soarin straightened his tie. “Also, thanks for the last few days off. I really needed it.” Soarin stared at his reflection. “I got to talk to him.”

“Oh? What’s is he like?” Spitfire asked.

Soarin laughed a little. “Nothing like me, that’s for sure. He has some crazy accent behind his voice and he’s seriously loyal to his own team back in his world. You wouldn't believe what it’s called though.”

“Enlighten me.” Spitfire replied, curious.

“Team Spitfire.”

“Seriously!?”

“Yeah I am, it’s a team of three ponies flying those machines, they’re call spitfires. Some sort of very old plane, that’s what he call the flying machines,” Soarin explained as they walked out of the changing room down to the offices. “From what I heard before I left for here, those things used to be used for some war about 80 odd years ago, during this big fight in the sky called the 'Battle of Britain'. There were a lot of those spitfires back then and they battled it out in the skies over his home country to protect the lands from some force called ‘Nazi Germany’. Not sure what Nazi is but it sounds really evil if you ask me.”

Spitfire chuckled. “Sound like a load of old horsetales if you ask me.”

Soarin shrugged. “Maybe, Spits, but you can't prove or disprove it, to him it’s history, to us it could be no more than horsetales. To him we were nothing more than that, until he found himself talking to me.” Soarin pointed out, recalling the talk on the roof and the breakfast party. “It was pretty awesome hanging out with Rainbow Dash though, sitting under the stars at Winsome Falls. It was a really cool date.”

“Date!?” Spitfire turned to face him. “Did you just say you went on a date with Rainbow Dash!?”

Soarin stood proud. “Sure did, and I enjoyed it too. Next time I’ve got some leave, I am going on another with her. This time I’m picking the settings though.”

Spitfire laughed as she walked on with him. “Soarin, you’re one of a kind you know that?” Spitfire opened the door, letting him in. “But it’s good to know you finally found somepony you like. I won't hold it against ya. You’ve always been a close buddy of mine Soarin, even if I have occasionally ated like a total jerk towards ya.”

“Hey, Spits, I told ya, I'm not holding what happened at the tryouts against you. We all learned a powerful lesson from Rainbow Dash and you respect her for what she is.” Soarin stepped up to his desk, opening the draw to find the folders of the recruits that he would be teaching.

Spitfire stood by the door, still smiling at her friend and co-captain. “Soarin, even if there is second you here in Equestria, he’s nothing like you at all. But I would still like to see what sort of skills he’s got, you know, just for comparison.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying? You want him to come to the HQ?” Soarin looked at her with a frown.

“Sure do Soarin. It’s better to let the rest of the team face him directly, than just tell them that Soarin McLightning is living in Ponyville until he finds a way home.” Spitfire said, putting on her shades.

Soarin thought about it for a moment. “You make a good point Spitfire but I doubt he will come if we ask him via letter.”

Spitfire smirked as she turned to leave the office. “Oh I’ve got that covered.” And she was gone.

Soarin opened the folder and stared at it for a second. “I wonder what she’s got planned... I bet it’s something good.” Soarin smiled and continued checking out the cadets he would be training.

Mist

Mist walked to the office at the airbase with her fist closed up in a ball on her right hand, she was seeing red at this point and storming towards the commander's office. Five guards stood before her with their hands placed carefully on the weapons they each carried. “Sorry miss, but the commander is...” He put a hand out to her and the next thing he got was a punch right in the face followed by a roundhouse kick, knocking him flat on the ground.

The other guards quickly stepped back as she pinned him to the floor with her hands on his arm pulling it back and digging a knee into his back. “You don't want to mess with me, you bloody idiot. I am not in the mood for the 'too busy' crap. If you want to keep using this hand to drink your beer you will shut up and not stop me.”

“Y-yes ma'am...” The guard replied. She let go of him and stood up, being sure to step on him as she walked towards the door that the other guards had hastily abandoned.

She lifted her right leg up and, with a mighty push, kicked the door open, smashing the lock and splintering the wooden frame of the door. “You’d better have a bloody good reason for trying to force me off this base!”

The grey-haired man behind the desk, wearing a blue uniform, sat calmly, looking at her. “Mist, I am sorry to say but your services are no longer required. This operation is now under military control. It’s been almost two weeks since the disappearance of the spitfire and her pilot Soarin McLighting...”

“McLightning...” She said coldly to him.

“Yes...” He cleared his throat and stood up, looking out of the window at the fog bank at the end of the runway that stretched out for a few miles either way and about a mile high. “His disappearance and the strange behaviour of this fog bank has attracted quite the media attention.”

Mist glared at him, then at the fog bank.

“That fog made the plane simply disappear, we now believe that it is some sort of static fog bank that somehow caused Soarin to crash into the North Sea.”

“Then why is there no wreckage or a body!?” She snapped at him, slamming her fist into the desk. “Tell me that, you stupid prick!”

“I can't, but I’m afraid there is still no sign of him, he is dead... Simple as that.” The commander said, turning to her. “Now you have till the end of the week to clear out your stuff and to leave this airfield.”

Mist took him by the shirt, pulling him close to her. “You listen here you prick! One. He is not dead.” She raise a finger up. “Two. That is not normal atmospheric behaviour! She pointed at the fog bank. “And Three, you will have to shoot me personally to get me off this airbase, sunshine.” She released him, pushing him forcefully into his chair. “Now, if you’re done with your empty threats I’ve got to go back to his team mates and figure out what that fog bank really did to him.” She turned to leave the room.

The man shook his head. “I don't have to shoot you all I have to do is...” Before he could finish a knife landed with a thud on the desk, right between his hands. He stared at it, and then at Mist.

“Try it, and next time it won't miss...” Mist gave him a cold, dark look and stormed out.

The commander took the knife out of his desk, looking at the sharp blade. “It seems we are at a stalemate...” He tossed the knife into the wall. “Again... I really can't stand that woman but she and her friends are holding all the cards... And I am holding their planes. All we can do is let the threats between us continue.”

Ruby chuckled as Mist walked by her and Nathan down the corridor. “Let me guess, empty threats again?”

“Like always.” Mist replied.

“So what’s the plan, Mist?” Nathan asked.

Mist turned her eyes to Ruby then to Nathan. “I am going after him. But I will need my plane.”

Ruby smirked. “Leave that to us sugar. I’ve got a plan that will really liven this place up, and boy howdy it’ll be a show!”

Nathan looked over to Ruby. “You don't mean what I think your thinking...”

Ruby gave him that sly smile. “Sure thin' partner, this is goin' to be a ho down like no other.”

“Oh this is going to be sweet.” Nathan liked this idea already. “So, when do we move?”

Mist stopped and turned around, facing both of them. She said one word. “Midnight.”

Author's Note:

It been sometime since I started doing these stories specially the ones Zaps Apple and this story. I enjoy creating both these stories and the fun thing is, I have no idea how they will end at the moment! It a working stories that continue to grow with each passing chapter!

I got two to three ideas on what the 'Lightbulbs' as Soarin calls them. It all depends how the chapters progress! So if you got a guess or two be welcomed to here it or any other comments ^_^

Comments

[Buckwood]

You know, I get the distinct feeling that Misty's unhappy, not sure why.

[Electuroo]

3892053

Lol I all too well know how that felt! Happened ages ago and just stood there in the rain soaked muttering to myself 'bloody weather...'

[Crescent-087]

3892131 I remember one time it just randomly started snowing! Bloody 15 degrees outside, and it starts to snow!! I though I saw all but that! that made me fall on the ground laughing! my friend thought I went crazy!