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Chapter 1: Surprise the Holiday Adviser2,325 words
Chapter 2: To Ponyville We Go!1,589 words
Chapter 3: The Friendship Castle2,139 words
Chapter 4: Making New Friends, Meeting Old Ones1,947 words
Chapter 5: Oh, well this is awkward...2,139 words

Chapter 1: Surprise the Holiday Adviser

The damp, dark corridors were just the beginning of the black abyss that was Sector X. Black Night slowly but steadily walked, each hoof making a clip-clop noise as it touched the ground. Occasionally glancing around, making sure not to be watched. Everything was going well until…

“What made you think you could sneak around without being noticed huh?” a voice came from his right. She walked out of the shadows into the dimly lit hallway. Night flinched and then groaned in response before facing the small mare.

“What do you want?” Night said, slightly glaring down at the smaller mare.

“You talking to me? What I wanna know is why my brother is out sneaking around the compound in the middle of the night!” she yelled quietly.

“It’s none of your business. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“Yes, I should but I’m not and neither are you. Now tell me where you’re going!” she shoved him slightly, signalling him to tell. Night stood still and sighed.

“What does it matter to you where I’m going? I could ask the same to you, Purple Dust.”

“I know you could but you’re not going to. Tell me where you’re going before I make you wish you never left your bed!” Purple Dust threatened, rearing up on her back-legs and making fist motions in the air.

Night chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Looks like somepony got up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

“Look, just because I’m a lot smaller than you, doesn’t mean you can joke about me. Got it!?” she glared up at him.

Night started to walk forward. “Look, just go away.”

“Well, that’s not a nice thing to say,” She said following him. “I’m not going to bed until you tell me where you’re going.”

“Bad luck for you then, I’m not going to tell you so you better hurry up and leave before Blitz or Moonlight find out you left.”

“I know you’re not going to tell me which is why I’m following you. Blitz and Moonlight won’t care if I leave. I do it all the time.”

Night stopped and sighed before bending down till he was at the same height as Dust. “Look, I know you want to investigate me, but I’m doing some investigating of my own and I really really don’t want to get caught doing what I’m about to do so please please will you just leave me.”

“Okay, I’ll leave, but only on one condition,” she smirked and flew up to face her brother directly, “You tell me exactly what you’re up to.”

Night growled slightly before continuing to walk.

“Hey, it’s not very nice to ignore people y’know!” Purple shouted.

Sure, Night loved his sister, not that he would ever say it out loud, but she was really really annoying and always knew how to get on his nerves.

Then again, he couldn’t blame her, it wasn’t her fault that she was like how she was. Things were different before, and he could only wish that someday they could be like that again. He doubted anything would be different again after all the stuff that happened to them, but maybe things would be better. If anything it was his fault for disturbing her time alone. She needed it. If only…

Night glanced behind him to see Dust running to catch up with him. He shuddered slightly and felt a wave of sympathy wash over him. The reason why she came out and wondered around late at night…

“Hey, look I’m sorry sis. It’s just, sometimes I forget y’know? I try not to think about…’it’ that often…” He trailed off.

“Look, it’s okay,” she looked down for a minute before looking up with a smirk on her face. “So, y’gonna tell me where you’re going or do I have to sneak around after you?”

“Urgh, fine I’ll tell you, but its best you don’t come with me. Okay?”

Silence was the only response that greeted him and Night was beginning to grow restless. His mission was only meant to take him half an hour at most and here he was, one hour later, having barely got halfway there yet.

“Dust, ignoring me isn’t going to do anything, look I said-“

“Shhh”

“What? No you can’t start shushing me and-“

“Shhhhhhhhh!”

“No, you-“Dust jumped up and clamped her hoof over his mouth to prevent him from talking. Her ears twitched and she flared out her wings and began to twitch each of them every few seconds.

“We need to leave. Now.” Dust said seriously and started to drag her brother, as best she could, in the opposite direction. Night was too strong and he pressed both legs firmly on the ground to prevent him being pulled. He had a mission and he intended to finish it.

Night shoved his sister’s hoof away from his mouth. “What’s the problem?” he whispered.

“Midnights coming,” she stated simply before tugging her brother along. Night didn’t resist and began to quickly and quietly make his way back to Sector A, the place he was supposed to be.

They both kept at a quick pace and walked through the winding passages of Sector X, sometimes taking a wrong turn from the lack of lighting and signage.

Night bent to be level with his sister, “Shouldn’t we be back in Sector A by now?” He had been following his sister for the journey and hadn’t stopped once to question where they were going. She was the one who knew most of the sectors like the back of her hoof.

Dust turned around slowly and gave her brother a sheepish grin. “Um, hehe, I was following you…”

“What?!”

“I. Was. Following. You.”

“WHY on earth were you following me? I’ve been here for longer than you and I still get lost going to the bathroom at night!”

“Well you were the one who came out here in the first place so I just thought you knew where to go…” She traced small circles on the ground with her hoof. Dust spread out her wings and continued with the small circles on the ground. “It should be this way,” she said as she pointed, with a hoof, in the direction they just came from.

“Urgh,” Night groaned in response and started to make his way down the hallway as Dust scampered after him to catch up. He could tell it was going to be a long night.
-----
Soarin whistled to himself as he trotted down the very dark blue hallway of the Wonderbolt compound. He often found himself going down this particular hallway as it was the hallway that led to the meeting room. Every week Spitfire would call them to meeting at some point where they would be informed of new shows, weird happenings and lots of boring stuff that he could never be bothered to listen too. It was always the same anyway.

“Hey Soarin,” Fleetfoot greeted as she caught up with him. “How’s it going?”

“Good…” Soarin replied raising an eyebrow at Fleetfoot as she failed to suppress her laughter. ”What’s so funny?”

“Oh.” She giggled, “Nothing you need to worry about…”

“Really?”

“Of course. Would I ever lie to you?” She smiled smugly.

“Yes.”

“You’re not meant to say that!” She subtly veered off the subject.

“So, remind me what she called us in for? I can’t really remember. I think my brains acting up.”

“Or maybe it’s because you’re getting old," she laughed.

“I’m not that old, I’m only 25.”

“Are you sure?”

Soarin stopped walking and turned to face Fleetfoot. “Yes, why would I not know my own birth date?”

“Because you lost your birth certificate…” She held in a laugh.

Soarin grunted and headed away. He’d rather not remember the embarrassing story of how he lost his birth certificate. Fleet had been teasing him ever since she found out about it.

“What did Spitfire call us in for?” Soarin repeated his question.

“Meh, I dunno, something about a show and possible holiday I think.”

“Holiday?” he questioned, slightly quickening his pace.

“Yeah, a holiday but I doubt that’s true. We’ve barely had a break since the changlings invaded Canterlot and, what was his name, Tirek? Yeah, he kinda destroyed that small town,” she sighed before smiling again.

It was true what she said, they hadn’t had much more than a week of in the past year. The Wonderbolts were meant to be able to handle pretty much anything that came in their way, but they weren’t enough to defeat changlings. Ever since then, Spitfire had been extending their training hours, having a much more strict diet and limiting their time doing much else really. And then the Equestria Games came up, which meant more training, well at least for the lead squad.

He’d never felt so tired. Usually he was quite good with his sleep but lately he either couldn’t get to sleep, or when he did, it was too little to gain back all his strength. All the extra training hadn’t been helping either. The more he thought about it, the more he thought he could really use a break.

He couldn’t blame her though. She just didn’t want to see anypony get hurt when it could have been prevented.
-----
Soarin and Fleetfoot entered the main hall and were instantly in a crowd of around sixty elites, twenty recruits and thirty staff members.

“We should’ve come earlier, I hate being at the back, you can’t see anything!” Fleetfoot complained.

Soarin chuckled, “We have wings remember.” He flapped his twice and hovered slightly above the crowd.
“Oh yeah, right.” Fleetfoot copied his actions just in time to see Spitfire walk out onto the stage in her Wonderbolt uniform.

“A-HEM!” Spitfire got all of the Wonderbolt’s attention before continuing. “Firstly, I would like to congratulate you all on keeping up on the training schedule and the new diet scheme in the mess hall. I would also like to say that, I think I speak for everypony when I say, we all deserve a break. That’s why, I’ve decided, that everyone in this room gets a two week holiday to wherever they want!”

Hoof-stomping erupted from the room as all the Wonderbolts and staff members cheered and whooped in delight.

“Aw yeah!” Fleetfoot cheered louder than the rest.

“YES!” Soarin shouted. He could finally have a well needed break. Now he just had to decide where.

“Train tickets for Manehatten, Fillydelphia and the Crystal Empire have already been booked. If you plan on staying elsewhere just come to my office before 6pm and I can arrange your tickets to there.”

“ERMERGERD I can see Flame, Shadows and Sky Dreams again!” Blaze shouted from behind Soarin, before doing a flip in the air. Soarin chuckled to himself. Blaze really did love birds. And her sister. Obviously.

The crowd started to quieten down as Spitfire waited to speak. “Once that break is over, we will go back to the normal training regime. Squads 1, 4 and 8 will have a show in Manehatten and squads 2, 7 and 9 will have a show in the Crystal Empire and a small one in Appleoosa."

“That’s all! I now suggest you all go and pack up your things. This break starts tomorrow morning!”

Ponies started to leave the hall and Fleetfoot and Soarin were quickly swept away with the crowd.

“Woah! Hey careful now!” Fleetfoot slightly glared at said pony that had pushed her. A pony called Surprise.

“Fleetfoot! There you are! Where’s Soarin?” Surprise asked excitedly.

“Let’s see, he’s over…er…over…” Fleetfoot looked around for Soarin in the crowd as it started to disperse.

Soarin pushed his way in the opposite direction of the group and walked over to greet them. “I’m here now.”

“There you are! Where are you staying for this break?”

“Um, I don’t know. I haven’t had time to think.”

“Yes! Precisely! And that’s where I come in!” Surprise smiled gleefully.

“You what?” asked Fleetfoot.

“I- Surprise Diapreme Monda Pie- am going to be your holiday advisor.”

“Um, okay?” Soarin would have questioned her but he had learnt early on in his Wonderbolt career to not.

“What kind of place would you like to stay?”

“Hmm,” Soarin thought out loud, “Someplace quiet, with not many ponies. Somewhere that’s a down-to-Equestria interesting town and-"

“No news reporters,” Fleetfoot added.

“I thought you liked the attention you got?” Out of all the Wonderbolts, Fleetfoot was the one loving the attention, flirting with the stallions and messing about.

“Of course I do! I just…want a change…”

Surprise brought out a quill and parchment from her mane and scribbled down notes before putting on glasses and pacing around. She stopped suddenly and smiled.

“I know where you can stay. Ponyville!” Surprise leapt in front of Soarin.

“Ponyville?” Soarin asked. He’d seen in in the newspaper before. Apparently it had become quite famous because Princess Twilight Sparkle lived there.

“Yeah, Ponyville. I’ll get Spitfire to book you two tickets.”

“Okay then. Thanks.”

“See’ya later alligator!” Surprise bounded off.

Fleetfoot burst out laughing.

“Wha- you know what, I’m not asking anymore,” Soarin groaned and left to go pack for his trip, leaving Fleetfoot rolling around the floor.

Ponyville. Sounds like a nice place. I hope it’s not too far from Canterlot though… I don’t fancy a long train journey.

Soarin yawned.

Maybe I can be treated as a normal pony for once….

Author's Note:

Well, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. And if you didn't then please tell me why so I can improve. I have no idea if people will like this story or not, but I just so happen to be crazy enough to submit this, so I guess I'll find out soon enough