The Mare of Tomorrow

by Eh

Chapter Three and a Half - "Getting Fitted!"

Mail. One of Pinkie's favorite times of the day. She sat alone, occasionally checking her watch which read Party Time all the time. It was nearly the moment in which the mailmare arrived. She loved greeting the mailmare everyday, usually from her room atop Sugarcube Corner. This time however, she wanted to give her what she called, "an extra special super duper extraordinary extravagant extra extra surprise" for today.

***

Ditzy Doo enjoyed her time in the Pony Express. It was good work, challenging but not too frustrating, and it paid well. Her usual route was all of Ponyville which, being a pegasus, she could cover in the whole morning. The rest of the day could be spent with her little daughter Dinky and otherwise simply relaxing. It was an amazing job.

Except for Pinkie.

For whatever reason, Pinkie Pie gets up even earlier than Ditzy does. She had mostly gotten used to getting surprised with a face full of confetti or getting showered in custard. Lately however, Pinkie had been getting a little more creative. Last week, Pinkie had made a trapdoor that Ditzy fell into just so she could be hugged in a pool of soda. The day after that, Pinkie enlisted the aid of Gummy so he could be shot out of a cannon and fired directly at Ditzy while covered in frosting. The day after that was surprisingly mundane until Pinkie shot up out of the ground covered in mustard. That last one confused the heck out of Ditzy because the way Pinkie ran away chased by aardvarks whom were also covered in mustard didn't indicate that it was intentional.

Today, Ditzy slowly approached Sugarcube Corner. She quickly examined the lot and found nothing out of the ordinary. She looked up at the windows, no Pinkie Pie in sight. Her usual battery of Party Cannons were also gone as well. She quietly approached the door and saw a note taped to the front.

Have stepped out for a few hours, Pinkie is out back with her flying machine if you need anything
- Cakes

With her non-lazy eye, Ditzy read over the note. She looked around cautiously and found no sign of Pinkie Pie anywhere, not a sprinkle or a cupcake in sight. Whatever it seemed, it meant that there shouldn't be a surprise. Ditzy smiled and let herself relax, for today would be a good day. She merrily skipped back to the mailbox, took out the letters for the Cakes and Pinkie, then opened it up.

Staring back at her from inside was Pinkie Pie. "Hi, Derpy!"

Ditzy screamed in fright and then immediately rocketed away until she was barely a dot in the sky. Pinkie giggled at another successful fright of Ponyville's favorite mailmare. She pulled herself out of the tiny mailbox and looked down at the letters Ditzy dropped. She put on her reading monocle then shifted through the letters.

"Bills, bills, bills, Bill's hat, bills..." Pinkie stuck her tongue out as she continued filing through letters. The bills were mostly the Cake's responsibility but she did incur a couple of bills from some manufacturing companies so she could build her latest flying machine. She improved upon various designs after her first one that, while successful, was destroyed after an incident involving Rainbow Dash's friend, Gilda. However, her latest design was a marked departure from her previous iterations. This is because her last design, while it worked and flew quite successfully, was a design exclusively built and patented by Sokolsky Aviation called the autogyro. Thus, she was liable to be sued, and as soon as she finished, cease and desist orders arrived in the mail. Pinkie's solution to this problem was quite simple however and the basic design was kept while method of flight and propulsion was switched up.

She gasped as she slowly held aloft a sealed envelope. She read the address, her eyes watered just a bit as she started uncontrollably bouncing. She tore the envelope open and unfolded the enclosed letter. She also took note of what appeared to be several tickets inside the envelope, but then began reading the letter.

Dear Pinkie Pie,

Hope you get this letter! Wonderbolt training is going great. I'm on track to graduate as a full-bird Wonderbolt by the end of the month! I am so so so so so sooo excited! It's gonna be awesome! But first things first, my training squadron got picked to perform in the Flim Flam Flying Circus! You probably remember those guys, the ones with the cider machine. Now they're making these flying machines, weird huh? Anyway, I get to lead up my training squadron and we're going to be doing all kinds of stunts there along with the graduated Wonderbolts! It's so awesome I can't take it! I called in a few favors and got you guys some tickets, so if it's not any trouble or anything, I want you guys to swing by and see me PUNCH HOLES IN THE FLUFFING SKY!!! Those planes and flying machines won't know what hit them! So really, just drop by, say hi, stuff like that! Hope to see you there!

Happy Trails,
Rainbow Dash

"A flying circus!" Pinkie screamed to no one. She quickly took out the tickets from the envelope. There were enough for her friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Spike to attend and so she began jumping for joy, squealing in delight, but immediately stopped when she realized. "I totally have an excuse for my flying machine! Woohoo! Yes! I gotta tell Twilight and Fluttershy and Rarity and Applejack!" She quickly trotted off down the street.

***

"Alright, Fluttershy! Prepare yourself!" Rarity pushed a full length mirror up to Fluttershy, whom for the past half hour she had been dressing up for their upcoming act as the Rocketmare. Fluttershy stood stock still, although she had seen what Rarity had been placing and sewing on her, she was nervous as to how she might look. "I'm sure your ensemble will complement the sleek and streamline nature of that rocket."

Fluttershy nodded. She noted that Rarity looked absolutely exhausted. Last night obviously would have been tiring but she knew that Rarity was working costumes for some kind of movie in Los Pegasus. Around Carousel Boutique was dozens of racks of various costumes of very different shapes, sizes, colors, fashions, and all were incredibly organized. Earlier, Rarity had actually told her those were the costumes that were sent back because they weren't what the director wanted. Only a select few outfits had actually been selected, which would then be replicated over at Los Pegasus. She felt butterflies in her stomach, for Rarity was doing all of that just to see her paycheck go to pay for Fluttershy's home.

The mirror came up to Fluttershy and instantly she shrunk back. She never did like looking at herself in a mirror. She wore a tan bodysuit salvaged from the Mare-Do-Well fiasco, a light brown bomber jacket made on the spot, and brown boots that just happened to be lying around. Her head and tail were the only parts not covered by anything. Fluttershy, after a moment's hesitation, stood just a slight bit taller on checking herself out. "My goodness," she said, "It certainly looks... interesting."

Rarity nodded, scratching her chin. "Really does look daring, does it not?"

"Well..." Fluttershy frowned. Daring wasn't exactly something you'd call her obviously. Indeed, she really regretted making the suggestion of keeping the rocket instead of trying to find its rightful owner. "At least no one will know who I am."

"Yes, I figured making your identity anonymous would help your confidence just a bit, darling." Rarity turned over as she heard a knock on the door. She walked up and opened it and found Twilight. "Ah! Twilight, good to see you!"

Twilight smiled as she walked inside. "Good to see you too, Rarity," she said. She was carrying a saddlebag full of books on aviation. She had also managed to secure a very popular thesis on yaw-roll-pitch directional control by powered flight innovator Kitty Hawk. Rarity closed the door and headed into the back of the Boutique where she kept the pièce de résistance of the costume. Twilight stopped to look at Fluttershy and snickered a bit. "Wow, Fluttershy, you're looking really dashing!"

Fluttershy smiled nervously. "Thanks."

Twilight pulled out a book and began flipping through. "So, did Amethyst Star gather up all your animals?" Fluttershy glanced away then slowly nodded. "Ah, how was it then?"

Fluttershy began remembering how Amethyst recalled it.

***

Arthur the Aardvark was scared out of his mind. Sure, he'd managed to escape the fiery inferno back at Fluttershy's house but he had managed to wander into the Everfree Forest. He silently walked along the forest floor, careful not to snap any loose twigs or rustle any fallen leaves. The only light that came down was the sporadic holes in the treetop ceiling of the forest. Then he froze, he smelled something, something horrible, alien, indescribable.

Timberwolves.

A pack of Timberwolves burst out of the brush and surrounded the meek aardvark. Their glowing eyes, their animated lumber bodies, their stench, it was all enough for the aardvark to try and dig a hole to escape. One Timberwolf picked up Arthur in its jaws and threw him up in the air. Arthur knew this was it, he closed his eyes and awaited the thorny teeth.

Then he felt himself get caught by something. When he opened his eyes, he was safely up in a tree branch. He looked down below and saw a violet unicorn mare. She was incredibly worn and disheveled. There were cuts in her coat, her mane was ripped up, and there were splotches of saliva on her tail as if she just braved a Quarray Eel devouring. He recognized this mare. She had taken care of him a couple of times when Fluttershy caught the feather flu. It was Amethyst Star. The Timberwolves barked at the unicorn, beginning to circle her, but the unicorn did not back down. Instead, she lowered herself, then pawed at the ground and snarled at them.

A Timberwolf leaped at her from behind. Amethyst bucked him into tiny pieces of wood. Another Timberwolf came at her from the side, low and fast. She deftly stepped backwards, dodging it then blasted him with a burst of magic, turning him into a pile of wood. The remaining Timberwolves then threw caution to the wind and immediately mobbed her with their superior numbers. It was a veritable pile of Timberwolves feasting on a pony, at least from Arthur's perspective.

Then, Amethyst's hoof burst up, knocking a Timberwolf in the chin and throwing him to the ground. Amethyst herself came up shortly after, bruised, cut, and her mane even more ripped up. The next few moments involved her punching and bucking Timberwolf after Timberwolf who tried to climb up the pile and bite at her. Then she quickly jumped up and, with all her weight, crashed down on the pile. Wooden sticks and logs scattered all over the place as the remaining Timberwolves ran for their lives, howling and barking in defeat.

Amethyst breathed heavily, her body rising up and down with every inhalation and exhalation. Arthur quickly found himself getting floated down from the branch and onto Amethyst's back. She wiped off some sweat from her brow, then turned over to Arthur and said, "Come on, Arthur. You're the last one today. Let's get you somewhere safe." Amethyst then walked the way she came, out of the Everfree forest. Another animal successfully secured.

***

Fluttershy sighed, then simply shrugged at Twilight. "She said it was nothing."

Twilight quirked her brow. She had actually seen Amethyst earlier on her walk over here and she looked like she had been in some kind of war. "That's good. Are the animals staying any place safe?"

"Amethyst called in a favor and they're keeping the animals at the local vet until we can get the house rebuilt. She's also going to watch the larger ones." Fluttershy frowned. Although it was duty for Animal Team Captain of Winter Wrap-Up to take care of animals, it was only for that particular day. Amethyst didn't even own any pets. "Twilight, can I ask you a question?"

Twilight nodded. "Sure, Fluttershy."

"Should we have really kept the rocket? I know it was my idea, but Applejack is right. It is stealing." Fluttershy noted Twilight's expression of worry. She knew Twilight had some qualms with this.

"Well, it is stealing, yes. But we're doing it for a good cause. We're rebuilding your house after all." Twilight sat down, trying to put a smile on her face. "Even then, if the owner does come and find it, we'll give it back. Even if we haven't paid off the house."

Fluttershy nodded. She knew that answer would have to suffice for now. Even though she hated stealing, she did admit the rocket might draw a pretty penny for those who want to come and see it or even try it out. She wanted to pay off her house yes, borrowing something was a stretch for her, but she didn't want her friends to sacrifice for her sake. Her thoughts drifted over to who would even build a rocket, ponies, griffons, or aliens. Before she could consider the matter further, Rarity walked back in.

"This," began Rarity as she carried in a bowling ball bag, "is what I have been working on last night. Thanks to some of Twilight's suggestions."

Twilight beamed, pulling out a stack of paper held together by a few clips. "Yep! This thesis on yaw-roll-pitch dynamics really helped influence the design. It'll help you be just a tad more maneuverable than the other pegasi in the air." Rarity dropped the bag down and unzipped it. She pulled out the last piece of the costume, the helmet.

The helmet was a bronze colored full faced helmet. There were two darkened holes for which she could see. The helmet was streamlined intensely, with lines spurring the side of it. For the mouth section, there was a grilled oval shaped hole. The most prominent feature was a large fin stretching back from the helmet. This helmet, to Fluttershy at least, looked incredibly alien and weird.

To Rarity, however, it was another story. "I salvaged this particular helmet from that terrible failure of Rainbow Dash's dress a year ago. I certainly like the way it looks however, very futuristic."

Twilight nodded. "And it should allow you to turn more effectively with that rocket on you, Fluttershy." Before Fluttershy could say anything in response, the door burst open. It was Pinkie Pie, who zoomed all over the place spouting gibberish too fast for the three ponies to comprehend. After a minute of Pinkie bouncing off the walls and causing mayhem, Twilight simply grabbed her by the tail and stopped her in her tracks. Pinkie still however, continued to babble at relativistic speeds until Twilight bopped her on the mouth and said, "Pinkie, a little more slowly please."

"There's a flying circus in Los Pegasus! We're invited! Rainbow Dash is gonna be there! We have tickets!" Pinkie beamed gloriously as she held up the tickets. Twilight curiously looked over the tickets, then an idea came to her.

"Serendipity!" Twilight shouted aloud. "We could do the Rocketmare act at the flying circus! I'd have to ask of course, then we'd have to do other stuff, but if we get in, we could totally make a lot of money! Enough to pay off Fluttershy's house!"

The four mares immediately began speculating on their new plans. They'd have to inform Applejack, they'd have to call their absence to others, Rarity would have to call ahead that she was coming over. Once they arrive at Los Pegasus they could see the moving pictures industries, the new aviation businesses, the gargantuan S-34 Skycruiser, the Applewood sign, and they'd be able to see Rainbow Dash after her taking over eight weeks at Wonderbolt training. Then it occurred to them that they needed a quick ride there.

Pinkie Pie quickly came up with the solution. "I got just the thing!"

Author's Note:

Seriously, Arthur is a freaking Aardvark. For the love of god, I didn't even know what freaking aardvarks were as a kid.

And speaking of Pinkie, I love writing Pinkie. If it weren't for the fact that Rainbow Dash was best pony, I'd be writing more about Pinkie. I might actually just do random tidbits of Pinkie dodging the Royal Police for no apparent reasons just for the slapstick potential. It really brings me back to the old cartoons I liked as a kid.

Also, contrary to popular belief, the Wright Brothers did not actually discover powered flight, they merely perfected it. In this case, they perfected the concept of Flight control and dynamics, roll-yaw-pitch. The reason I'd gather for why powered flight didn't work before this is because it's incredibly difficult to keep something in the air when it can't maneuver. The mantra that sticking wings and a big enough engine on something and it'll fly is essentially true as long as you can steer it.

Also, there's a reason this is only Chapter Three and a Half. Not a lot actually happens in this chapter, but I feel there needs to be some sort of reason for stuff. As it stands, I'm not exactly good with Slice of Life stuff. Yeah. Expect Chapter Four to advance the plot more than this did.

Also, MAN'S LIFE.

Comments

[Listie The Scribe Maid]

(Joke) Alt. Title: The Mare Of Tomorrow: The Deadly Battle Against The Mare Of Today!
She's the... Rocket!... Mare...

[Dusty Sage]

Aw, you're doing fine, and it helps that you know the subject cold, or at least cool.

[JT_Wri]

More chapters plz!!!