Blossoming: Learning How To Fly

by nanashi_jones

I'm Not A Celebrity, But I Play One On TV

Manuel’s Tavern did indeed have salad. As well as numerous fried non-meat things that were heaven. Even though I was doing the eating, Blossomforth was doing a fair bit of pleased moaning in my skull over a plate of mozzarella sticks.

Sipping my cider from a straw, I smiled wickedly.

Enjoying pub food? I thought.

If I ever get home, I’m building a deep frier. This is AMAZING.

I laughed and turned to check on Jess.

We had a corner table to ourselves with the three actors and sound effects guy and they were making various toasts to their hard work and commiserating over the suddenly cut-short run. I was contributing to the conversation, but only peripherally. This was their night and I didn’t want to butt in too much.

I felt a little in the spotlight when Raye started asking about me. Jess had apparently been talking up her girlfriend and this was the second show she’d done with the actress.

“So, what were you before a pony?” she asked, her charm graceful.

“Human,” I said with a smirk and a sip of cider.

“Oookay,” she laughed. “I mean what did you do?”

I gave her the short version: I was hiding out in tech support until I was a decent enough writer.

“Ooo, whatcha write?”

I was quiet for a few moments, thinking about how much to share and how much they’d actually want to listen to me.

“Fantastic realism,” I said. “I like... The fantastic rendered mundane or silly. Zeus having Starbucks with an angel and they bitch about traffic kind of thing.”

“‘Fantastic rendered mundane,’ huh?” Raye said. “This must be a dream come true for you then. You’re a... Pegasus now?”

“Yeah. It’s interesting. Not as interesting as how you guys put up with the- What happened with the bug show again?”

Conversation redirected away from me, I tuned out a little to just enjoy my food and the pub atmosphere. I’d probably not be going to as many of these now. Shame, they were my favorite style of restaurant. All smoky and old and comfortable, like a chair handed down through a family.

“Can I get you anything?” said Kate the friendly waitress with the Pinkie Pie cutie mark hair dec.

“I’m good,” I said with a smile.

“How’s the cider?”

“Applejack’s is better, but you figured that, right?”

Kate shook her head, grinning. “It’s so trippy you can talk about that.”

“It’s been a pretty trippy day,” I admitted.

Kate had practically jumped over the first waiter to serve us, but once she’d gotten her brony babble out, she’d calmed down considerably. She was delighted I had so much access to “background pony” gossip and was willing to share.

“Anything else I can get you?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Guys?”

“I’m good.”

“Same here.”

“Thanks.”

Kate smiled and said she’d be nearby if we needed anything.

“I’ve been doing this for years,” Raye said, shaking her head, amused. “And I can’t believe the most famous person I know right now is a pony.”

“Think of it as me mooching fame. I had a doozy of a one liner in a big movie. Y’all are the real craftspersons here.” I saluted with my bottle.

The cast and sound effects guy saluted back, conversation going now to difficult and interesting performances.

That is twice you’ve done that, Blossomforth thought at me. How did you- Oh. Well, that’s kind of insulting.

Jess put a hoof on my hind leg and smiled a little at me. I returned the grin, sipping my drink.

It’s not insulting, I replied. People, ponies, we like to talk about ourselves.

Yeah, but you’re not even listening.

I don’t have to. The rest of the group is.

I could feel Blossomforth shaking her head within me.

You’re a strange pony, January. You’re so good with everyone and you use it to keep them at a distance.

I’m private, I thought defensively.

Jess caught my expression’s shift and I tapped my head. She nodded.

If you say so.

I grunted and removed the straw from my drink to slug my cider a bit harder.

Blossomforth had gone quiet.

“‘Scuse me. Little mare’s room,” I said, backing away from the table.

After I used the bathroom, I wondered what it was like for other ponies who couldn’t just hover over the toilet. Must have been rough. As I pondered the implications of what my fellow earth ponies and unicorns were coping with in terms of bathrooms, I noticed CNN over the bar.

Pony news was running.

Catching the bartender’s attention I asked if he could turn on Closed Captioning or turn up the sound, please. He hit the CC system and I watched.

Celestia was still missing. Luna was spotted near Tara Strong’s home, but nothing confirmed. Discord rumors swelled. Twilight was in ICU in New York. Elements of Harmony were making themselves known and advertising their progress to the Big Apple via the internet.

New ponies were appearing every day.

“Hey.”

Jess had floated up to me. Somewhere between show and now, she’d gotten a handle on her wings and could fly or hover, whichever she preferred. I was glad. She’d told me how much she liked the idea of flying on her own.

“Hey,” I replied, taking my eyes off the screen, since the stories had changed focus.

“Something wrong? You got really quiet there.”

I sighed, running a hoof through my mane.

“It’s nothing. I think.” I put on a smile for her, meant to be reassuring. Jess saw through me so often, I didn’t doubt she saw I was wearing it for her, but she’d take that I was attempting to be less a problem. “Can we talk about it later?”

She nodded, hugging me. I returned the gesture and we just floated in a pegasi embrace. I was vaguely aware of a few eyes on us.

We were apparently within range of the group because I heard Rudy said, “That is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life.”

The celebratory dinner lasted another twenty minutes before we all left. Jess and I took a picture with Kate and I gave her my Facebook information so she could tag it and I could confirm she wasn’t making stuff up.

Since she was more confident with her wings, Jess and I both flew home, taking it easy as I was still a little woozy from the cider. It didn’t take long for it to clear though. Flying through a night sky will do that to a pony.

“Is there such a thing as drunk flying?” Jess called across the night sky.

“Yes and I wouldn’t be doing it if I had more than one drink,” I replied, crisply. “I’m supposed to be a role model for children after all.”

“You’re a background character,” Jess replied, circling me lazily.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “If I show up on Scandal Report or whatever, I don’t want to be the pixelated pony face telling the cops not to touch my cigarettes.”

Jess laughed. “This. Is. Amazing!” she crowed, dropping into a low dive before coming up beside me.

I smiled at her. “Wanna do something fun?” I asked.

“What?”

“Follow my lead!”

I tucked my wings and dove down. We were nearing Buckhead, using the highways as our ground guidance to get back home. Part of the main drag of 400 went under buildings in the area with a nice little tunnel, perfect for a newly made pegasus to try something crazy.

Blossomforth was laughing giddily as Jess and I leveled off and shot through the tunnel at high speed.

This is nuts! she yelled. I’d never do something like this!

“Live a little!” I sang as I shot out the otherside.

Jess cheered her elation just behind me.

Back at home, we both cantered around the dog, sharing in her excitement at our return. Jess grabbed the leash and I offered to accompany her.

As she hovered behind Phouka, letting her inspect the “wilderness” that wrapped around our side of the complex, she glanced at me.

“So. Care to share what was on your mind back at Manny’s?”

I frowned. Jess was a good stage manager. That meant she could hold random bits of information better than anypony I knew. This included marking when I’d said talking about something later. Truth be told, it was one of the myriad reasons I loved her. She paid attention.

Tonight, though, I wished she’d drank enough to clear that thought.

“I’m thinking about the other ponies. Discord. The whole thing.”

Phouka had wrapped herself around a tree. Jess flew around it to unwind the confused creature.

“And?” she said.

“How I’m worrying that all this going on would be prime time for a quieter villain to set up shop elsewhere. Everypony and person is focusing on New York. We have ponies as far as Israel popping up. And changelings too.” I sat on the fence between complex and trees while Phouka sniffed intently through the fallen leaves. “Which is to say nothing of the random cartoon villains going up left and right. I’m having trouble telling whether I’m checking newsfeeds or reading some massive fanfic gone wild.”

Jess sat next to me, letting the leash play out and roll back on its spring.

“You want to help, don’t you?” she said.

“Well... Yeah,” I said.

Jess nodded once. “Me too.”

I glanced at her.

“I just feel like... I should be doing something,” Jess went on. “Other ponies are hurting. I don’t know what we could do though.”

“Travel,” I said. “Two weeks in the air over the states. I’m on leave, you can probably get time off too. We use my laptop and your iPad to check in with newly changed ponies and make sure they have contact with the Lunar and Solar guard.”

“The what?”

“Thing I found online. They’re fans of the show who’ve offered to protect newly changed ponies.”

Jess nodded, her eyes darting back and forth as she started organizing our trip in her head.

“Okay. Sounds good. Just... Fly around. Make sure ponies are safe?”

“And keep our eyes open. I can’t shake this feeling that something else may be going on.”

“You always think something else may be going on,” Jess chided.

“Something’s always going on!” I yelled with a wide grin.

“Of course, dear,” she said, stroking my face with her hoof.

I smiled at her.

She clicked her tongue and brought Phouka back to us. We started floating back to our door.

“Let’s sleep on it though,” she said. “I have some ideas, but I am very tired.”

“It’s been an impressive day,” I confirmed. “You want me to make some sleepy tea in case you have trouble nodding off?”

She shook her head. “I should be fine.” She yawned as if to underline this point and she drooped a foot from where she hovered.

“Oooookay, let’s get the Jess to bed,” I said, guiding her over.

“I should shower first...” she mumbled.

“Nah. It’s complicated and you need to sleep. Sleep is good.”

“You’re good,” She said, nuzzling my cheek.

I blushed. Blossomforth went stone still again.

Pulling back the comforters and blankets, I got Jess tucked in.

“Joining me?”

“After I lock up,” I replied. I kissed her on her forehead.

“Love you,” she said.

“Love you back,” I replied.

I floated out and turned off lights and made sure the doors were locked. Phouka followed me the whole way.

You were pushing her to sleep, Blossomforth said.

I have a feeling Cloud Kicker will want to talk.

Like we did? Blossom asked.

I nodded, turning off the last light and floating into bed. Scooching over, I laid a hoof across Jess’s shoulder and she murred happily.

Like we may again. Sweet dreams, Blossom.

See you soon, January.

Sleep took me.

Comments

[drone_r0m-3]

“Which is to say nothing of the random cartoon villains going up left and right. I’m having trouble telling whether I’m checking newsfeeds or reading some massive fanfic gone wild.”

*cough* Cute.

[Hope]

2375560 hehe, admittedly the villains have gotten pretty insane in the wider PEV.

[Pinklestia]

They should a cool team name, like Silver Volts or something!
Suprise: But thats my team name!
Firefly: Our teams name