> Rising from the Fall
>  by Darkhanos
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was almost dawn, and the normally busy Canterlot Train Station was practically empty as the moon slowly began its descent to make way for the sun. In the distance, a hooded stallion was making his way to the train station, taking care to not draw too much attention to himself.

Then again, the station was considerably slower at this hour, and for him, that was just fine. The less ponies around the better. When he got inside, he saw a bored teal earth pony mare in the ticket booth, lazily flipping through an old issue of ‘Cosmarepolitan’ completely oblivious to her surroundings, and she didn’t see him approach her.

"Excuse me," he called. The mare nearly jumped out of her skin and shrieked as she was snapped her out of her thoughts. It took her a moment to regain her senses and see that there was a customer waiting for her.

"H...hello, sir, how can I help...you..?" She thought there was something very familiar about the hooded stallion.

"I'd like a first class ticket for Ponyville, please." The stallion responded hurriedly and pulled his hood lower before she could get a better look at him.
"First Class ticket for Ponyville? Okay!" The mare began to process the ticket while occasionally stealing a glance at the mysterious stallion. Normally, he wouldn’t mind this kind of behavior, but he didn’t have the time or patience to deal with it right now.

"Is there a problem ma'am?" The stallion asked with a hint of irritation voice. It was then that the mare realized that she was staring and tried to play it off.

"O...oh, um...I...was just thinking. Not a lot of ponies go to Ponyville unless they know somepony or have some business there. Any special reason why you're going?" 
The stallion just wanted his train ticket and leave, but this mare wanted to start a pointless conversation, and it was beginning annoy him. He wasn't a rude pony, but this mare was really pushing his patience.

"It's a good spot to unwind from the city life. Celestia knows I could use a break." Actually it was the first train out of Canterlot so he planned on booking it as fast as he could.

"Oh, I know what you mean!" The mare agreed, " I know that I could really use a..."

"Can I just have the ticket please?!" he asked rather harshly.

To say the the mare was surprised would be an understatement. She shuddered as if she was slapped across the face...hard.

"Uh...s...sure. J...just one moment." The earth pony quickly processed the ticket and handed it over. "That'll be 20 bits." With that the stallion paid his fee and walked off.

It left a sour taste in his mouth to be so harsh to the poor mare, she was just doing her job after all. But the sooner he got out of Canterlot, the better. Even though he was born and raised here, he couldn't stand the sight of it anymore. After walking for a few minutes, he found a nearby bench and took a seat as he placed his saddle bags next to him, double checking his ticket to make sure he was in the right spot. He glanced at the clock to see how much longer his train would take.

Not much longer. At least it'll get here before it starts getting busy, he thought to himself. With all that he's been through in the last couple of months, he really didn't want to be around anypony right now.

After a couple of minutes of idle sitting, he reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a crystal plaque with the Wonderbolts insignia on both sides of it with a message etched on it: This award is hereby presented to 2nd Lieutenant Jetstream for years of selfless service and dedication. May we all strive to follow your example. 


Jetstream didn't choose retirement, they were the ones who retired him.
Can I really blame them? I mean, what good is a... he suddenly felt a searing pain on his back and fell onto the ground, writhing in agony.

“No! Not now!" he said to himself as the agonizing pain was spreading throughout his body. It felt as if he was on fire and the pain intensified to the point that he couldn't move...just like that fateful night. He was starting to feel light headed from the intense pain and his eyes began to grow heavy.
He mustered what strength he could and crawled to the bench. He frantically dumped the contents of his saddlebags and retrieved a prescription bottle and swallowed a large pill. After a few minutes, the bitter tasting medicine took effect and the pain was slowly subsiding. When it was completely gone, he stayed on the ground for a few moments, gasping for air. Every time he went through this, it always left him weak.

When he was strong enough to stand, he slowly got on his hooves again, his steel blue fur and silver mane matted with sweat from the painful experience.

"Damn phantom pains," he muttered under his breath as he began to return his belongings to his saddlebags.

"Are you okay, Jetstream?!" His eyes shot wide open and his blood froze when he heard the all too familiar voice.

He slowly turned around and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw his former captain, Spitfire, with a worried look in her eyes. She was the last pony he wanted to see, and he was in no mood to deal with her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered curtly.

"Is that so? Then why are you trembling?" Spitfire shot back, clearly annoyed with the way he answered her.

"How much did you see?" Jetstream asked as he picked up his plaque and put it away.

"I saw everything," she answered, "how often does that happen?"

"Not as much as it used to. I at least have that to be thankful for...considering. So how'd you know where to find me?"

"I followed you," she answered, "I came by the hotel you were at to talk to you and saw that you were making your way here. How dare you just leave without saying anything to the team!?"

"Not happy about that? Get over it! I don't have to explain myself to you anymore, Spitfire!" Jetstream shouted, making no attempt to hide his contempt for the mare.

"Please just talk to me! I haven't seen or spoken to you since the accident and I'm worried sick about you! Are you leaving because you're still angry with me? Is it because we retired you from the Wonderbolts?"

This was the reason why he didn't want to see anypony before he left. All of the annoying, never ending questions. Jetstream was beginning to feel anger building in the pit of his stomach, and wanted nothing more than to get as far away from her as possible.

"This conversation is over." The steel blue stallion turned to the bench to retrieve his belongings but Spitfire stood in his way.

"Jetstream...we're all worried about you. We can't even begin to imagine what you're going through, but you should know that the Wonderbolts still consider you part of the team..."

"Well I'm not anymore and you know damn well why!" he snapped, his patience finally reaching its limit. "You, Soarin and Fleetfoot saw to that! On top of that, I can't even look at you without being reminded of what you and Soarin did that night I proposed to you, and quite frankly it's sickening! Now what the hell do you want from me?!" Jetstream snapped. The harsh tone and truth cut Spitfire deep, and it took every ounce of willpower to not break down right then and there in shame.
She'll never forget that look of betrayal she saw in his eyes and the rage that followed soon after he discovered her infidelity.  She knew she deserved every ounce of his anger and she only felt worse when she found out about the tragic events that followed that soon after.

"Look...I know that Soarin and I betrayed you in the worst possible way, and we'll regret that mistake for the rest of our lives! There's nothing I could ever do to make it up to you and believe me when I say that nopony feels worse about your accident than we do!"

"If you're finished then I have more important matters to attend to."

"Please at least tell me why you're leaving or when you're coming back. At least do me that favor," she pleaded.

"Why should I?!"

"Please...for old times sake."
Spitfire and Soarin were his closest friends before all of this mess happened. They've been through thick and thin together, and no matter how bad things seemed to get they were always there for one another.

Things were even better when he and Spitfire became a couple. It was one of the best times of his life; almost as good as the day he became a Wonderbolt... almost. She was all he could ever ask for in a mare and she took good care of him and vice versa. It wasn't all perfect, no relationship was, but they were willing to sacrifice and compromise for one another, and that was more than enough for him back then.

Against his better judgement, he decided to tell her. He took a long and shaky breath as the memories of the past several weeks played through his mind.

"Because there's nothing left for me here. The longer I stay here, the more I'm reminded of what I lost...it hurts too much and I can't stand this place anymore. I just want to be as far away from here as possible as quick as possible. As for when I'll come back...I don't know if I will," Jetstream answered somberly. Those words shattered Spitfire's heart into a million pieces. She had hoped that he would stay and, by some miracle, earn his trust again and get back together with him. Then again...did she really expect it to play out like that? It was a fool's hope to begin with.

"So that's it, huh? You're just going to abandon us? It may not seem like it right now, but there are ponies who still care and worry about you. Please, just stay here, we'll find a way to help you through this," she said as she choked back sobs. Her inner strength was fading fast and her sight started to blur with tears.
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, they could hear the train begin to pull into the station. When it stopped, the conductor hopped out, calling for the passengers to prepare for departure.

"My train's here. I should get going." Jetstream said and he gathered his things and prepared to board the train.

He was stopped by a shaky hoof on his shoulder before he took could take another step towards to train. He turned around with every intention to swat her hoof off of him, but stopped when he saw his former lover sobbing.
Even with everything that transpired between them, the sight of her crying tore away at his soul.

"Jetstream.... " Spitfire choked out. "You're the best stallion that I know. I know I screwed everything up between us and for that I'm so, so sorry. I still love you with all of my heart, and the worst part is that I know that I don't deserve a second chance with a wonderful stallion like you. I won't blame you if you can't forgive me, but I really hope you do one day. I hope...I hope you find the peace and happiness that you deserve." Spitfire then ran out of the train station with as fast as her legs could carry her.

The steel blue stallion just stood there for a few moments processing what he just saw and heard. Spitfire was never one to freely show her emotions yet there she was doing just that. On top of that she was still in love with him. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel the same way, even though he knew he shouldn't.

Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to go after her and give her another chance. Maybe things could...

"All aboard!" Yelled the conductor for the last time.
Jetstream took a few steps towards the train, but stopped and looked at the exit of the station. He was tempted to drop everything and go after her, but in the end he decided that he should let her go so he walked on board and presented his ticket to the conductor. 

He looked towards the exit and mentally cursed himself for being so cold towards Spitfire. He had every right to be angry with her, but that didn't mean he should be hostile towards her.

"Sir, I must ask you to take your seat please. The train will be departing in a few moments," the conductor politely advised.

"Oh, sorry."

"It's quite all right. Umm... if it's not too much to ask, may I have autograph, Mr. Jetstream?" the conductor asked as he pulled out a picture of him in the trademark Wonderbolts uniform, sporting a big smile and saluting. The image twisted his stomach in knots and made him sick.

"Oh, sure thing!" Jetstream answered with false enthusiasm as he grabbed a nearby pen in his mouth, "who do I make it out to?"

"Can you make it out to my daughter, Diamond Dust? She absolutely loves you! She keeps telling me that she hopes to be as great a flier as you one day!"

"Oh, trust me she will, just tell her I said to hit the books first and practice hard every day and she'll get there before she knows it!" Jetstream signed the autograph and handed it over to the conductor.

"Splendid! I'll tell her just that! Thank you very much Mr. Jetstream!"

"You can call me Jet. There's no need to be so formal with me, though I do appreciate it. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

"Absolutely! What would you have me do?"

"Could you keep my presence low key? I could really use some peace and quiet."

"Of course, sir...um...Jet. I can do that for you."

"Thanks a lot!"  With that the conductor nodded and Jet made his way to his private cabin.

He opened the door and placed his saddlebags on a nearby chair. The cabin was dimly lit and was cool, just the way he liked it.

He felt that it was time for a shower, since he was in too big a hurry to take one this morning. He stepped into the bathroom and removed his cloak as started to run the water until it was nice and warm.

Before he stepped in, he looked himself over at the mirror. He looked the same for the most part, or that's what some would say at first glance, but his amber eyes were focused on two small, scarred nubs on his sides where his wings used to be, along with some fur beginning to sprout from the scarred flesh.

Funny how even with advanced healing magic, the doctors couldn't save his wings.

To a pegasus, there is no worse fate than to be grounded. They may as well have bound him with a ball and chain.

Though there weren't many wingless pegasi, even the mightiest of them wept from the loss of wings, and Jetstream was no exception. He'd never get used to the sickening sight no matter how many times he saw it, yet it was always there, taunting him...mocking him.

As bad as losing his wings was, it served as a constant reminder of how he failed to... He shook his head to snap himself out of his thoughts. He didn't want to think of that right now...or ever. It wasn't until the bathroom was filled with steam that he realized he was so lost in thought that he lost track of time.

He stepped in the shower and just let the warm water hit him, savoring the relaxing sensation it gave him. As much as he would've loved to stay in there, his body had other plans as he let out a yawn, demanding some much needed rest.
When Jetstream finished cleaning himself up, he threw on his cloak again to rid himself of the horrid sight of his amputated wings. 

Only the Wonderbolts and the Royal Sisters knew about his disfigurement, and he was very thankful that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna protected his identity when the media caught wind of his accident. One day, they'd all know the truth, he knew, but he could only hope that he would be ready by the time that happened.

Jetstream made his way to the bed and let out a weary sigh as he laid down. As his eyes became heavy, Spitfire's parting words echoed through his mind.

I still love you with all of my heart...I hope you find the peace and happiness you deserve. 

I hope so too, but the way I feel right now...that won't be for a very long time, he thought to himself as sleep finally came to him.



> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jetstream's eyes shot open as the smell of smoke filled his nostrils. 
In a panic, he got to his hooves and saw that he was outside the city gates and, to his horror, all of Canterlot was up in flames, lighting up the night sky with a sinister orange hue as embers floated everywhere. He could feel the intense heat despite the fact that he was a good distance away from the fires, sending an ice could wave of fear throughout his body, as 
he remembered what happened the last time he saw a blaze like this.

What frightened him most of all were the all too familiar screams of fillies and colts coming from inside the gates. Wasting no time, he bucked the gates open, making short work of it thanks to his martial arts training and ran into the inferno despite his fear in search of the missing foals, hoping and praying that he could find them in time. He didn’t want another child’s life on his conscience. 

However, he was met with a deafening silence, with nothing but the crackling sounds of the fire and the moaning of unstable building structures surrounding him. 
"Hello?! Can anypony hear me?!" Jetstream screamed, frantically looking around for any signs of life.

"We hear you, son," a deep voice answered. The steel blue stallion turned around and his entire body froze in place, his heart beating like a war drum and his breathing becoming frantic at the sight before him.

He saw a Royal Guard earth pony in full armor, looking at him with a pride only a father can know. Next to him was a beige pegasus mare with a light pink mane and tail, sporting a loving smile that only a mother could pull off, and a white earth pony filly with an indigo mane with a silver streak running through it, looking at him with an admiration younger siblings have for their elders. It was as though they were completely unaware of the blaze, focusing only on him.

"Mom? Dad?" Jetstream choked out, his entire body trembling as an onslaught of shock, regret, and sorrow began tormenting his already fragile state of mind, "it can't be...you were.."

"It's us, Jet," the filly said softly as she stepped forward, giving him a gentle smile that could melt the heart of a manticore on a frenzy. 

"Starlight?" he said in disbelief. This couldn’t be real; he saw what happened to them with his own eyes.  He reached out his hoof to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, and sure enough, he made contact with her cheek, feeling her soft fur and a gentle warmth coming from her. 

He gently caressed her cheek, which she responded to by closing her eyes and leaning her head into his hoof, finding comfort from her brother’s loving touch. She opened her sapphire eyes and locked onto his with that same sweet smile. Immediately, he pulled her into a tight embrace as the floodgates of his emotions were released, a cascade of tears flowing from his eyes, afraid that if he were to let go, she'd fade away again.The burning city was all but forgotten as he embraced his beloved sister once more, savoring the moment as his silent tears flowed. 

Before long he saw a shadow emerge from the fire behind his parents, locking eyes with him as it walked towards them. Jetstream cringed when he sensed malevolence oozing out of its very being, his parents were seemingly unaware of the abomination's presence.

"What the..?! Who are you?! What do you want?!" he asked defensively, breaking the hug and standing in front of his sister. The shadow continued its unholy gait as he approached his unsuspecting parents, “MOM?! DAD?! MOVE! GET AWAY FROM IT!!!”

“I’m sorry, my son,”  the beige mare said somberly, the shadow standing directly behind his parents, placing a hoof on their shoulders.
Jetstream stared in horror as the two ponies burst into flames and collapsed on the ground, 

"NO!" he screamed as he saw his parents reduce to ash

"Jetstream! I'm scared!" The filly trembled.

"Jump on my back! We have to go now!" Starlight jumped on her brother's back and he took off running as far away from the shadow as possible.

However, no matter how hard he ran or where he turned, the fire seemed to block his path every time, forcing him to make a detour. They reached a dead end in a dark alleyway, the fire its only source of light.

"Damn it! We're trapped!" he screamed. As soon as he turned around, he saw the abomination turn the corner and give them a menacing stare, full of killing intent. Jetstream's heart was pounding hard as it got close, and he could feel Starlight trembling in fear. 

"Starlight,  I need you to listen very closely: when I tell you to, I need you to run as fast as you can and don't look back no matter what. Understand?" he instructed as the filly jumped off his back.

"But what about you?"

"Just do as I say!" Jetstream got on his hind hooves and got in a defensive, "You'd better back off! I'm warning you!" 

The shadow ignored the threat and kept its steady gait, like a lion closing in on its prey. Jetstream charged at it and delivered a flying knee strike, but his attack went through it as if it was a ghost.

What in Celestia's name is this thing!?

"Run, Starlight!" Wasting no time, the silver maned stallion charged once more, throwing a barrage of punches, kicks, elbows and knees, but no matter how many strikes he threw, they all hit thin air. Worse still, the shadow paid no mind to him at all, keeping its gaze on its target. He felt ice going through his veins when it clicked what it was looking at.

"Starlight!" He called out to her, but to his horror, the shadow was standing right in front her, sporting a sinister grin as it stared at her with its hollow blood red eyes, slowly creeping his right hoof towards the filly.

"Hush now, quiet now lay on down your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now it's time to go to bed...," the doppelganger sang in Jetstream’s voice, its hoof mere inches from her head.

"STARLIGHT!!!" Before he knew it, he saw a dark blue alicorn mare with a starry mane land between Starlight and the doppelganger.

"BEGONE!" The mare yelled in her Royal Canterlot Voice, knocking back the shadow. Her eyes became white and her horn glowed with powerful magic. In an instant, she released a powerful spell, blinding the stallion as the entire city faded into darkness.
When Jetstream opened his eyes, he noticed he was in a realm of endless space and stars, with nebulae of different colors and shapes off in the distance. Before he could bask in its wondrous beauty, he saw the alicorn gracefully walking towards him in all of her regal glory. 
Even though his body was shaking uncontrollably, he managed to bow before her.

"Princess Luna..."

"Thou may rise, Jetstream," Luna said in a motherly tone, placing a hoof on his shoulders. He looked up at her soft teal eyes and slowly rose to his hooves, "Thou hath been plagued with these horrific nightmares for some time now. We fear if this continues, thy sanity will break." 

The silver maned stallion was trembling from the onslaught of emotions that were running through him, but he tried to retain his composure nonetheless. 

"Thank you for your help, Princess Luna. I... I owe you so much for everything you and Princess Celestia have done for me."
"Thou owe us nothing. Thou hath displayed great courage and sacrifice, and suffered much in thy young life. Tis the least we can do for thee."

"I still couldn't save them,” he said, “it didn’t matter what I did or how hard I tried, I still failed them...I failed them as a brother and a son. If anypony deserved to survive that night, it was Starlight, not me. She was just a filly, she didn't deserve to die so young. " Jetstream sobbed as he collapsed, no longer able to contain his sorrow. It was the first time he ever talked so freely about his loss and it opened the floodgates of his sorrow and regret.
Princess Luna embraced the grief stricken stallion, wrapping her wings around him and craddling him.

"Tis not so, Jetstream.  We saw thy courage in thy attempt to save her and thou hath not failed anypony. Thou hath given everything of thyself, and thou shalt not blame thyself for the outcome. Twas beyond thy control," the lunar princess said as she gently rocked back and forth, stroking his mane with her hoof, like a mother would to comfort her foal. 

Her words, however, brought little comfort to the stallion.

"I miss them, Princess," he cried, "I feel so alone, so lost without them. I have nothing left..."

"Shhh. Thou art not alone. Thou must allow thyself to open thy heart to others, to weather this storm of sorrow. And the storm shall pass," Luna said. They held the embrace for a long while until the silver maned stallion had no more tears to shed. "Tis nearly time for thee to wake. We shall be by thy side should thou need us. We wish thee peace, Jetstream. We shall be watching thee." Luna broke the embrace and flew off as the stallion slowly started to regain consciousness.

He woke up with dried tears matted to his face, still very shaken from his nightmare.
He had been having nightmares of that nature ever since the accident and had not had a good night's sleep since. He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take before his mind would break completely. However, his talk with Princess Luna gave him some much needed solace. He was far from okay, but at least the world didn’t seem quite as dark and lonely now.
He looked out the window to see that they were nearly at the Ponyville station. 

I'm here then. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts when his stomach let out a very loud growl, demanding that it be fed. Under normal circumstances, he would've been very glad nopony else had heard the embarrassing noise. However, he couldn't care less at the moment. On the other hoof, the pain in his stomach still proved to be a nuisance. 

Maybe I could order something real quick...

"Attention fillies and gentlecolts, we will be arriving in Ponyville shortly. Please make your way to the exit and thank you for choosing the Ponyville Express," the conductor said over the intercom.

Scratch that, I'll have to get something in town. After that, I'll settle down at a hotel, Jetstream thought flatly as he gathered his luggage. 
He pulled his hood over his head and exited the train.
He was met with fresh country air the moment he stepped out of the train, a welcome change of scenery.  Thankfully, it was still early enough that the streets were practically empty, save for a few ponies running their stands in the marketplace so he wouldn't have to wait long to find some breakfast and be on his way.  
Jetstream walked through the marketplace, looking at the various goods each stand had to offer. He had to admit, all of the produce on display looked and smelled very delicious, more so than the crops from Canterlot did.

Probably because these crops are truly fresh, he thought to himself. When Jetstream pressed on, he saw an orange mare with a blonde mane sporting a Stetson hat at her stand with various types of apples for sale. Jetstream's stomach growled again once he saw the fruit, almost as if it was demanding that he get apples for breakfast.
I swear this thing has a mind of its own. He thought as he made his way to the stand. 
As he approached, the mare noticed him and gave him a friendly smile,

"Well, howdy partner! How can Ah help ya?" the mare asked with a southern accent.

"Good morning ma'am," Jetstream answered, "I was wondering if it'd be okay to sample one of your apples?"

"Why sure! Any apple in particular?" she asked cheerfully. As much as he would've liked to sample them all, he just stuck to his favorite one.

"Do you have a Red Delicious?"

"Sure do!" the mare said as she pulled out a platter of sliced Red Delicious. He grabbed a slice and took a small bite out of it. The moment the succulent juices hit his tongue, his mind went blank. 
His mind couldn't comprehend how incredible the apple tasted compared to the ones he would normally have. It was far more crisp, juicy, and it was somehow sweeter than any of its kind. It was, without a doubt, the most delicious fruit to ever grace his taste buds. It was a match made in Heaven. He could've sworn that his stomach was screaming that it must have more of this coveted fruit.

"You okay there, partner?" the orange mare giggled.

"This...is the most amazing apple I've ever tasted!" Jetstream said as he scarfed down the remainder of the sample which seemed to put him in a strangely good mood, "Did you grow these yourself?"

"Sure did! Mah family and Ah grow an' harvest our own apples on our farm, Sweet Apple Acres, just outside of town," she said with no small amount of pride.

"Wow! This is even better than anything I could ever find in Canterlot or any place for that matter!" the silver maned stallion exclaimed as he eyed the rest of her stock...well mostly.

"Really now? Yer pullin’ mah leg!” the blonde maned mare said, her interest now piqued.

"No ma'am. I searched everywhere in the city to find a decent apple but only a hoofful of merchants sold anything worth buying. As it turns out, the merchants never grew their own stock, they imported their goods from all over Equestria and they still don't compare to yours! If you were to sell your apples in Canterlot, you'd put the others out of business!"

"Well, Ah'll be. Ah rightly appreciate the compliment, sir. You just made mah day!" she said with a big smile, one that Jetstream found very endearing.

"So, did you ever consider branching out to Canterlot?" The mare's smile faded a little.

"Well, truth is Ah tried. It didn't turn out like Ah hoped it would," she said, remembering the disappointing turn of events at the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Why? What happened?" he asked out of surprise. "With apples this good, you should've sold out within minutes!"

"Well, it's a long story, and Ah wouldn’t want ta bore ya," she responded, scratching the back of her head with a forehoof.

"I've got time," Jetstream said with a smile. She couldn't help but stare at his amber eyes for a few moments. She didn't know why, but as she looked in his eyes, she felt that she could trust him, even though he was a complete stranger.

"Well, it started when mah friends and Ah were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala..." she recounted what she could remember that night, including her run in with the infamous Prince Blueblood and his less than polite reaction to her apple fritters, and how they wrecked the ballroom of the castle. The silver maned stallion listened intently, becoming intrigued by the unfortunate,  yet hilarious events, "...We all thought we ruined the Gala for Princess Celestia, but as it turns out she actually enjoyed it more than anythin'!"

"Wow, that sounds like a night to remember!" he chuckled, "but I see where you went wrong as far as selling your apples goes."

"Ya do? What'd Ah do wrong?" 

"Your choice for consumers. They were all stuck up nobles. If they were stuck on a desert island,  they wouldn't drink fresh water from an oasis to save their own flanks if the water wasn't imported from Prance," Jetstream answered with a smile on his lips.  The mare laughed hard at his comment on the nobles because he seemed to hit their attitudes right on the nail.

"Yer...yer sure right about that, sugarcube," the farm mare said in between breaths, her beautiful smile returning once more. He couldn't help but feel enticed by it.

"Trust me, if it was anypony else you were selling to, you would've been sold out within minutes. I know I'd be in line everyday."  

"Well, that's mighty kind of ya. Tell ya what, why doncha take a bushel of Red Delicious on the house?" Jetstream's eyes lit up on the proposition. An entire bushel of the most amazing apples for free? There had to be a catch, but when he looked into her emerald eyes, he saw nothing but sincerity in them, a trait he admired very much. But still, he had to at least give her something for them, he wouldn't feel right about it otherwise.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose."

"Ah'm sure, sugarcube. You ain't imposin' none," the orange mare said with a reassuring smile.

"I wouldn't feel right just taking it. Are you sure there isn't any way I could repay you?" She rubbed her chin in thought for a moment.

"Ah'll tell ya what, if ya feel that strongly about it, we could use some help 'round the farm for some harvestin'. Now Ah ain't gonna sugar coat it, it's hard work, but if ya think you can handle it you can swing by and help us for a day."

"You've got a deal Miss..." Jetstream drew a blank when he realized he made a very basic mistake. "I'm sorry, after all of this time I never caught your name," he said sheepishly.

"Name's Applejack," she smiled as she extended her hoof.

"Jetstream. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Applejack," he said as he accepted her hoofshake (which was far more firm than he would've anticipated from the blonde beauty.)

"Eeyup. Yer from Canterlot all right," Applejack chuckled, "Y'all are the only ponies Ah know who make those fancy greetins'. So what made ya come to Ponyville, Jetstream?" And there it was, that dreaded question he knew he'd be asked. But strangely, he wasn't bothered in the least. There was something about this mare that made him relaxed, like he didn't have to put up a façade with her. It was a nice change for once.

"I needed to get out of the city for a while and clear my head. I could use the peace and quiet," he answered. It surprised him how he was so forthcoming with her. But why? He was always so careful on what he told others as a Wonderbolt, yet here he was doing the exact opposite. Must be the apple she gave me, he reasoned.

"Ah hear ya. Ah cain't stay there for a day without gettin' all stressed out with all that hustle n' bustle that goes on over there. Ah prefer the quiet of the countryside."

"I can see why, it's very peaceful out here. That reminds me, is there a hotel or somewhere I can stay for the night nearby?"

"Hmm...there might be a room available at the Haympton Inn just 'round the corner. It's a bit pricey, but the rooms are real nice an' comfy."

"Sounds good. By the way, how do I find Sweet Apple Acres and what time should I come by?"

"Ah tell ya what, Ah finish workin' at five. Come by 'round then an' Ah'll show ya how ta get there and we'll discuss it then."

"Sounds good. I'll meet you here at five then. I'll be..." Jetstream's stomach growled so loud that several nearby ponies heard it, causing him to blush a bright shade of red and Applejack to stifle a laugh, "...going now. Thanks again," he said as he quickly trotted off to find the hotel. 
Damn! That was so embarrassing! Before he turned the corner, he risked one more glance at the farm mare. She had that same endearing smile on her face and waved before she turned back to her stand. He couldn't help but notice her cutie mark. I see...her talent lies with apples after all. Sure does show in her product. Jetstream trotted on as he found the posh hotel and quickly made his way to check in to feed his vengeful stomach and to avoid any further embarrassment.

"Heh heh, poor fella." Applejack chuckled to herself as she watched Jetstream trot off, completely unaware of the big smile she was wearing when he left. She couldn't tell if it was from his compliment, his little joke about the nobles, or his laid back attitude, but there was one thing for certain, she sure did enjoy his company. For the very first time, she was looking forward to the end of work if only to see him again.
When she turned back to her stand, she noticed a familiar cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail floating down from a nearby cloud, landing right next to her.

"What's up AJ?"  she asked.

"Well Ah'll be, I'm surprised ta see you up before noon, Rainbow Dash." Applejack chuckled.

"Hey! I don't always sleep past noon!" Rainbow shot back indignantly.

"Sorry, Ah couldn't resist!" Applejack chuckled, "So what's on yer mind, sugarcube? Did ya want some apples?" Rainbow Dash couldn't help but notice that the blonde mare had a big smile on her face, and that she had a pep in her step as well.

"Well, somepony's in a good mood! Care to explain why?"

"Huh? What makes ya say that?" Applejack asked in genuine confusion. Rainbow just gave her an incredulous look.

"Oh I dunno, maybe because you have that big goofy smile on your face," Rainbow answered sarcastically. It wasn't until it was mentioned that she felt her cheeks somewhat tense with that smile.

"Oh, heh, Ah guess I do don't Ah?" Applejack blushed a little, "Well Ah was just..."

"Hello, Applejack, darling!" A white unicorn with a stylized purple mane and tail called out with a yellow pegasus with a flowing pink mane and tail following close by.

"Hey there Rarity, you an' Fluttershy off for y'alls spa appointment?"

"Um...yes. There's a new oil treatment Aloe and Lotus have for Pegasi and I wanted to try it out...if they don't mind that is," Fluttershy said as she hid behind her pink mane.

"Well, enough about us, darling," Rarity interjected, giving Applejack a curious glance. "We were just wondering who that mysterious stallion you were talking to was. You two seemed to have been having a very delightful...conversation," she said with a teasing tone while fluttering her eyes. Applejack's cheeks blushed a light shade of red at Rarity's teasing.

"Oh, so that's why you're in such a good mood!" Rainbow teased with a sly smirk, causing Applejack to turn a shade darker, "since when were you into mysterious stallions?"

"I...it ain't like that! He just wanted ta buy some apples is all!" the farm mare said while frantically waving her front hooves.

"Is that so? Then why didn't you charge him for that bushel of apples?" Rarity rebutted.

"Consarnit, Rarity! It was just a gift for pleasin' me! " The moment she finished her sentence, it hit her that it didn't sound right at all. It only confirmed her suspicions when Fluttershy blushed hard and Rainbow Dash and Rarity busted out in a fit of laughter, "GRRRR! THAT AIN'T WHAT AH MEANT!"

"Oh! oh ho ho, forgive us darling," said Rarity  as she was fanning her face and catching her breath, "We were just curious about your new friend is all."

"What were you two talking about?" Fluttershy asked in genuine curiosity.

"Well, we were just talking about apples."

"Oh come off it!" Rainbow exclaimed, "There had to be more to it than that!"

"Let me finish, Dash! He asked ta sample one of the apples, when he did he said it was better than any apples he could find in Canterlot!" Applejack said with her smile returning.

"Oh! He's from Canterlot! Well that's quite the compliment considering the amount of goods are imported there!" Rarity chimed.

"Eeyup!" she chimed, just like her older brother.

"Wait a minute! How's that supposed to be some big compliment? How do you know he wasn't just trying to butter you up to get a free meal?" the cyan pegasus asked suspiciously.

"Because I saw nothin' but sincerity in his eyes, and Ah know when somepony's lyin' or hiding somethin'. Even then he didn't feel right just takin' them so he offered to repay me by helpin' 'round the farm for a day. Besides, y'all know how them ponies at the Gala were when Ah tried sellin' mah apples then, and for him ta say that the other’s didn't compare ta mine made me feel real good."

"Oh, my. That was certainly nice of him," Fluttershy said with a small smile.

"Ah think so too. It kinda surprised me ta see that he wasn't all snooty an' stuck up like most of them folks from Canterlot are."

"Not all ponies from Canterlot are obnoxious, Applejack," Rarity chastised, "by the way, did you manage to catch the gentlecolt's name and why he was here?"

"Oh yeah! His name's Jetstream. He said he..."  
Applejack said was cut off when Rainbow Dash immediately flew in front of the blonde mare's face and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Jetstream?! As in 2nd Lieutenant Jetstream from the Wonderbolts?!" Rainbow asked as she unintentionally shook a very nervous Applejack.

"W...well, A...Ah don't know. Ah d...didn't think ta ask...about his profession."

"Well what did he look like?!" Rainbow asked as she shook her almost impatiently.

"Dagnabit! Would ya stop shakin' me like that?!" Applejack threw Rainbow's front hooves off of her in annoyance, "Ah swear Ah cain't even think straight when ya do that!"

"Oh, heh heh, sorry." The cyan pegasus smiled sheepishly, "But seriously, what did he look like?"

"Hmm, well, he had blue fur, a silver mane and amber eyes," Applejack answered.

"That could fit the description of anypony!" the cyan mare said in annoyance, "Did you manage to see his cutie mark?" Applejack's face blushed hard when she asked that question.

"W...well, Ah...um..." Applejack was working up a sweat and was nervously rubbing her forehooves together.

"You were staring at his flank weren't you, Applejack?" Rarity asked as more of a statement than a question.

"Oh all right! I couldn't keep mah eyes offa them, ya happy?!" Applejack said with surprising volume, making Rarity and Dash laugh once more. "Anyways, his cutie mark looked like a light blue stream goin' through two dark blue rings." Rainbow's eyes went wide and she squealed in delight as if it was the opening of apple cider season.

"OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH! THAT'S HIM! HE'S REALLY HERE! DID HE SAY WHERE HE WAS STAYING?! WHAT HE PLANNED ON DOING OR..." Rainbow was cut short when Rarity put her hoof to her mouth.

"Really now, Dash, it's very unladylike to ramble on like that. I admit that I find having a celebrity staying here rather exciting, and as such a lady must make a good impression. Speaking of which, we really should get going Fluttershy, we wouldn't want to be late for our appointment now would we?"

"Oh, of course not. I have to get back soon to feed Angel his lunch. You know how cranky he gets when he misses a meal. See you guys later!" Fluttershy responded as the duo made their way to the spa.

"See ya Rares, see ya Flutters," Dash replied. When they were out of earshot, the rainbow maned mare turned to Applejack, "this is so awesome!"

"Well shoot! Ah cain't believe Ah didn't recognize him! He was just so down ta earth that Ah never woulda guessed he was a celebrity!"  said Applejack.

"Did he say where he was staying?" Dash asked, practically hopping in place with excitement, "I can't wait to meet him! I wanna show him some new tricks I've been working on! Better yet, I wanna see him in action!" Applejack gave the cyan pegasus a stern look.

"Look, Dash. He said he came ta Ponyville for some peace an' quiet. Doncha think we should wait a while before we start botherin' him with that stuff? He just got into town after all, so let him relax for a while. Besides, he'll have his hooves full with Pinkie Pie before long."
"Oh...crap. I totally forgot about her!"  As if on cue, a pink mare popped out of the apple stand, with two invitations in hoof.                               

 * * *

Applejack wasn't kidding when she said this hotel was pricey! 90 bits a night is a little steep! Jetstream thought to himself as he was walking down the hallway, looking for his room for the night. He stopped in front of room 223 and used the key to open the door and saw that it looked well equipped. 
It had a king sized mattress with big fluffy pillows, a full kitchen with tile floor and granite countertops, with a big refrigerator that came equipped with an ice and water dispenser, and a spacious bathroom. It looked more like he was a guest in a wealthy pony's guest room. But totally worth every bit.
Jetstream immediately took his bushel of apples to the kitchen and wasted no time devouring the delicious fruit. This batch tasted even better than the sample, if that was at all possible.
As he was eating, his thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Applejack. She seemed friendly enough, but he was still confused as to why he felt so at peace around her. On top of that he was pretty straightforward with her as well. He wasn't one to keep secrets, but he did value privacy due to his lack of it as a Wonderbolt. She was also beautiful, but he's been around beautiful mares all of the time and never got that feeling before with them, so why was she so different? 
Must be these apples. They put me in a good mood to begin with, he reasoned with himself.   
She did have three apples for her cutie mark. Her flank wasn’t a bad sight either... Woah, where did that come from? I'm better than that!
After his appetite was sated, he let out a contented sigh and was making his way to his luggage to unpack.  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, confetti burst out of the top drawer of the dresser along with a pink blur that landed right in front of him.

"HI!" a pink mare with a fluffy pink mane and tail practically yelled.

"GYAH! WHAT THE..?! WHO ARE YOU?!" Jetstream fell back on his haunches as a pair of light blue eyes stared at him with what he perceived as a menacing smile.

"I'm Pinkie Pie and I want to invite you to your 'Welcome to Ponyville' party because you're new! I know every pony in this town and I've never seen you before so I figured you were new and I just had to throw you a Welcome party! It's a great way to meet everypony and there'll be food, games, cake, and best of all, FUN!" Pinkie said with seemingly inexhaustible energy as she handed him a pink party card while he was still processing what was going on. "It'll be held at Sugarcube Corner at seven o'clock sharp! See you there!" With that the pink mare dove head first into the top drawer and was out of sight. Jetstream quickly ran to it and found that the pink mare was nowhere to be found.

"What...in Tartarus just happened?" He said in bewilderment. Choosing to forget the matter, he looked at the invitation again and sighed. If he was going to stay here, he may as well try to make a good impression with the townsfolk. 
The food and cake sure did sound appealing as well; it would save him the trouble of finding dinner later on.  Jetstream looked at the clock to check the time. Well, I've got plenty of time before Applejack gets off and the party starts a little while after. I don't want to stay cooped up here all day. Maybe I'll take a stroll through the town and get to know the area better. With that, he grabbed his key and saddlebags, heading out of the door.
> 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.

















                           
                                              


> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applejack was selling her stock at a feverish pace now that the lunch crowd was coming in. It was a pace she felt perfectly comfortable with, one that she often got her in her zone for. Unlike most ponies that caved under the pressure of seeing to the sometimes overwhelming need of all of their customers, she thrived off of it with years of practiced proficiency. She never made a face, nor got irritated with their high-and sometimes demanding- needs. She always did her business with a friendly smile and a spring in her step; a clear sign of her love and pride for her work. 

To most ponies that were at the stall or just passing by, Applejack seemed to be the same as always; her ever present smile and friendly attitude to all. To those who knew her, they noticed that her smile seemed a little bigger and her already high morale was a little higher than usual. It wasn't a bad thing, of course, but more often than not it was because something really good happened.  In this case, it's funny how something as small as a genuine compliment can really lift a pony's spirits, and pave the way for a better day.

Applejack was so focused on her task that she didn't realize that she lost track of time until the sizeable crowd was dispersing after getting their apples. Taking the opportunity to see how she did, she took a look to see how many apples she had left. To her delight, she was nearly sold out with only two lonely Honey Crisp apples left.

She couldn't help but smile, feeling a small sense of pride well within her from a good day's work. "Alright! That was the best lunch sale in a while!" She said to herself.

"Eeyup!" a familiar voice agreed. Applejack looked up to see her older brother, Big Mac, approaching the stall.

"Howdy, Big Mac!" she greeted,  "You done buckin' the southern fields already?"

"Eeyup. Ah got done a little earlier than Ah expected. Ah came to see if Ah can give ya a hoof with the market, but it looks like you're done already," he praised with a grin.


"Yup!" Applejack proudly proclaimed, "Ah didn't think Ah'd sell out so soon, but from the looks of it, we're both done a mite early today."


The burly stallion nodded, "So, ya goin' ta Pinkie's Party tonight? Apparently there's a new stallion in town, and you know how Pinkie gets with her usual greetin' and whatnot."

"Yeah, Ah met him earlier today. Seems like a nice enough stallion. He complimented our apples and made me laugh a little, so Ah gave him a bushel of Red Delicious, on the house." 


Big Mac raised his eyebrow, and a smirk was tugging at the corner of his lips, "Oh? Why'd   do that for? You gotta crush on 'em already?" He chuckled.  

Applejack gave him a bemused look, "No, Ah ain't gotta crush on him. That compliment made me feel good and Ah thought Ah'd give him a bushel to not only show mah appreciation, but to establish a good rapport with him. It's purely business." she said, perhaps a little too defensively 

"Eeyup, sure." said Big Mac with that same, accusing smirk, not at all convinced .He often enjoyed teasing her when it came to her stallion acquaintances. After all, she more often than not turned down her suitors, so when the opportunity came to do some teasing, he almost always jumped on it.

Applejack, however, returned the smirk in kind, "Ya know, Ah didn't say anything to you when you went all nincompoop with Cheerilee when Apple Bloom and her friends cooked up that potion for you. You and her did all that baby talk and pet naming. Now that was funny!" she chortled, causing Big Mac to grow a very visible blush through his already red coat, "Now, are ya gonna dial down that teasing of yours?"

With a gulp, he nodded, "Eeyup."

"Good! Since Ah'm all done here, Ah'll get started on taking this stand down and help out around the farm." 

"No need, AJ. Ah was able to take care of everything for today. We'll be okay for now."

"Imagine that," she said in a surprised manner. It was rare for the Apple family to be finished with their chores so early in the day. With the extra time they would have on their hooves, they would normally spend it at their house, just relaxing and spending some quality time together.

Recently, though, Applejack had been spending whatever free time she had with her friends, and started to feel a pang of guilt welling within her conscience for not spending that time with her beloved family, "Say, uh, Big Mac? Did ya have anything planned now that we have the afternoon to ourselves now?" She asked.

He rubbed his chin in thought as he considered his answer, "Nope. This evening will be a different story though."

"Oh? How so?" Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.

He gulped, unable to meet her eyes and blushed a little, fearing that his earlier teasing would bite back at him."Miss Cheerilee asked if Ah could pick her up for the party tonight, so Ah figured Ah'd swing by her place and do that."

At first she was a little surprised by his answer, but the she had a smug smile as she narrowed her eyes at her brother."Ah knew it! You do like her don't ya?" 

Big Mac glowered at her, his piercing eyes suddenly unnerving Applejack. "Heh, just asking." She said nervously. 

***

Big Mac and Applejack were making their way back the farm in relative silence with the empty buckets in tow. It wasn't an awkward or a tense silence, but one of comfort. Big Mac wasn't one for lengthy conversations, and Applejack respected that. They had an unspoken understanding with each other, one that other ponies in town probably wouldn't understand, and confuse for feuding. Not that either of them were bothered by this assumption. After all, only their friends and family knew the depths of how close not just Applejack and Big Mac were but the entire household of the Apple Family. 

"So, what's your new friend's name?" asked Big Mac.

Applejack was somewhat surprised to see him actually starting a conversation for once. It wasn't a bad thing, of course, but she certainly didn't expect it either. His name's Jetstream?" 

Mac gave her a sidelong glance. The Wonderbolt? What's he doing here then?"

She looked a little embarrassed. "Does everyone but me know about him being a Wonderbolt, cept me? Anyways, he said that he was looking for a place to unwind, and relax a little." 

"Are you sure?! He's at Twilight's place right now?!" a raspy voice questioned urgently

The siblings looked at each other with raised eyebrows, then realized that the voice was coming from above where McCloud usually hovers

"That's  Rainbow Dash, ain't it?" Applejack asked out loud,

"Yup! We literally ran in to each other and I must have dropped your mail in the park. My bad, "another voice said

"And that sounds like Derpy,"  Big Mac deduced.

"Wait! He's in the park?!" Rainbow asked

"He was, but he offered to return my library books for me. He's so nice." Derpy replied.

"So let me get this straight: You were in a hurry to return the books to the library because they were overdue; you crashed into Jetstream, and he offered to take them to the library for you?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yup, that about covers it!" Derpy replied.

"Thanks a lot, and don't worry about the mail! I'll find it later, bye!" Rainbow Dash said hurriedly, then flew off fast, leaving her trademark rainbow trail behind her.

"Dagnabit! Ah told her to let him relax a little before she goes and bothers him!" Applejack spat. "Big Mac? Ya mind taking the cart back? Ah'm gonna make sure Rainbow doesn't get too carried away."

"Nope. Go do what ya have to." 

With that, the farm mare made a beeline to Golden Oaks Library.

***
"Actually, yes, I did hear about how you saved your friends and my teammates when you performed the Sonic Rainboom. That feat was so impressive that Spitfire wouldn't shut up about it! She drilled every last detail in my head!" Jetstream laughed.

"So how come they still won't let me join them then?! I'd be a superb addition to the Wonderbolts!"

Jetstream shook his head, with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Dash. Even with that impressive display and your athletic ability,  you still need to train and tryout just like everypony else. However, that being said, it'll give you a much better chance to complete the course. In fact, I'm willing to bet you'd be the Lead Mare for your squad."

Rainbow's ego inflated when she heard those words leave his mouth, puffing out her chest at the compliment. "Yeah, well, I don't wanna brag, but I bet I'd blow away the competition!" 

Twilight rolled her eyes at her typical behavior. "Dash, you're good, but there's a lot more competition than you think there is. You'd be flying against the best in Equestria!"

"And? When it comes to flying I'm unbeatable! If it was a hoof-race on the other hoof, then maybe I'd have a lot to worry about!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed with the utmost confidence. 

"Ha, ha! I love your attitude!" Jetstream laughed. "Combine that with some get-to-it-tiveness, and there's nothing you can't accomplish! Hay, you already wow'd all of Equestria with that Sonic Rainboom!"

"Hay yeah I did! You'd better believe it!"

"Jetstream, don't encourage her! She has a bad habit of getting out of hoof!" Twilight scolded.

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport!" Both Jet and Dash said simultaneously.  They looked at each other for a moment and laughed upon realizing they were on the same wavelength. 

Twilight sneered at the duo upon their mocking laughter, "I am NOT a spoilsport!"

"Whatever you say, Twi," Jetstream teased with a wink.

Rainbow stopped her laughter, and looked suspiciously between two ponies, and realized something she should've caught onto from the beginning. "Twi?! Hold on a sec! You two *know* each other?!"

"Well, yeah. We're both from Canterlot," Jetstream answered.

"Yes, Dash," Twilight said matter-of-factly, "Jetstream and I knew each other as foals. Besides Shining Armor and Spike, he's one of my oldest friends." 

"That's not all we were, Twilight, " Jetstream said in a teasing tone with a suggestive wiggle in his eye.

"Not now, Jetty-Jet!" said Twilight with clenched teeth.

Rainbow Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing. The pet names, the body language, and now that statement he made and her reaction from it? "No way! You actually *dated* Jetstream, Twilight?! But...how?! How the hay did an egghead like you manage to have that kind of catch?!"

"Well, she lowered her standards...a lot," Jetstream joked.

"Hey! What are you implying, Dash?! That I can't get a coltfriend?!" Twilight asked indignantly.

"No, that I'd have expected that you'd date a bookworm, not a top-notch athlete!" Rainbow rebutted.

"Ha! Well, I did!" Twilight jabbed back.

"So did you two...you know...while you dated?" Dash asked, earning Twilight a hard blush

Jetstream looked at Dash in confusion, "Uh... do you mean if Captain Winky had an adventure in the Moist Cave?"

"JETSTREAM!!!" Twilight yelled, utterly mortified. Rainbow Dash laughed hard at both Jetstream's phrase for 'the deed' and Twilight's priceless expression upon hearing it.

"What?" he asked in confusion, "We didn't do anything so why should we be embarrassed by it?"

As Rainbow's laughter died down, another distinctive laugh could be heard. Applejack was wiping the tears from her eyes as she leaned against the door frame. "Twilight! Ah've never seen ya blush so hard before! You look like a ripe Red Delicious!"

Jetstream's expression lightened up a little when he saw Applejack. "Oh, you're done already? I thought you were supposed to be finished by five?"

Applejack smiled and trotted up to him, pointing at his saddlebags. "And Ah thought you were supposed to turn in Derpy's books for her.”

Jetstream blinked a few times, then the memory hit him like a ton of bricks. "Oh, crap! I completely forgot!" he said, pulling the books out and placing them and the bits on a nearby counter. "Derpy said they were overdue. She gave me some bits to cover the cost." 

"Oh, well that was nice of you...would've been nicer if you would've remembered that from the start. I mean really, some things never change!" Twilight chastised

"And that's why we're not together anymore..." he deadpanned.

"Well shoot, Twilight,  Ah still can't believe that you've ever had a coltfriend," Applejack stated.

Twilight's eye was beginning to twitch from irritation, "This is really  getting..."

"So, Jetstream, Ah reckon that she had 'dating you' on a checklist or something?"

"Ha, ha! Are you kidding? Back then her checklists had checklists!" he proclaimed

"She still does!" Spike chimed in, carrying several bags of groceries. 

"SPIKE! YOU TOO?!" Twilight shouted in exasperation.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but laugh. "It's the roast of Twilight Sparkle!"

"And the fire is just getting started!" Jetstream chortled. Twilight facehoofed, letting out a loud groan. This was going to be a long day for her.



 
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And then you should have seen the time when Twilight was in the third grade, and asked our teacher, 'If you are what you eat, then why aren't we all hay?' Can you believe that?" Jetstream asked, already rolling on the floor and laughing unceremoniously, followed by the combined laughter of everypony in the house...save for a single, very unamused mare



"Aw, lighten up, Twi," Applejack said, giving her a friendly bump on her shoulder, "It's all in good fun." 

"The fun tends to stop when it's at another pony's expense, and it borders going too far when it goes on for almost an hour and a half." Twilight deadpanned.

"An hour and three-quarters." Jetstream corrected with a smug smile. 

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Are you guys quite finished yet?"

"Oh, don't be such a spoil sport! It's not everyday we get to hear how you were as a filly!"

"But Twi, has a point. We've had our fun and we should really tone it down a bit." Applejack responded, "Besides, we can always hear more later at the party tonight."

"Oh, yeah, about that...um...what exactly is in store for me at that party?" Jetstream asked.

"It's nothing like your autograph sessions, Jet. You just go and mingle with everypony and have a good time." Rainbow Dash answered.

"But don't stay up too late. Don't forget ya have work tomorrow." Applejack reminded.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. I just need to know the way to the farm." 

"Wait, you're here on vacation, but you're gonna work on the farm tomorrow? What's up with that?" Rainbow Dash asked with a suspicious glint in her eye.

"It's to work off the free apples she gave me." Jet answered.

"Kinda defeats the purpose of a gift if you do that, isn't it?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, but I insisted. I'd much rather earn my keep."

"An' that's the kind of outlook Ah can respect. Just don't expect me ta take it easy on ya just 'cause you're a greenhorn." Applejack stated.

"Duly noted." Jet replied with a confident smile.

"I wouldn't be too sure about it if I were you, Jetstream. I know you're a Wonderbolt and all, but this is a different kind of physical exertion, and you're not used to it." Twilight said.

Jetstream chuckled and placed a hoof on her shoulder, "I appreciate the concern, Twilight, but I can handle it. Trust me on that, you little worry bug."

Twilight gave him an incredulous look, "The last time you told me to trust you was when we were on a date at the carnival and you blew all of your bits trying to win me a stuffed animal."

"Did he win it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No, he lost every. Single. Time. I ended up having to pull him away from that silly game. "

"Hey! In my defense, that game was rigged! How was I supposed to know that the darts were dull?" Jetstream asked indignantly. 

"Oh, I don't know, maybe when the balloons never popped despite the fact you hit them almost every time?" Twilight shot back with a wry smile, earning a laugh from Rainbow Dash and Spike.

"That’s right! I remember, you came home really annoyed and ranting that Jet was 'very stubborn and didn't know when to quit!' and that 'his inability to let go of his pride was preposterous!' ...you were really critical of him." Spike stated.

"Well, I did ruin the date, so I can't really say I blame her." 

"Ah disagree," Applejack said, "it sounds a lot like he was tryin' real hard ta win ya somethin', Twi, an' he wasn't gonna stop til he did. Ah think that was awful sweet of him, even if he did blow his money in a dumb way."

"You see, Twi?" Jetstream spoke up, "That's what I was...wait, you're agreeing but disagreeing with her at the same time?"

"Can't deny that it was painfully obvious that the game was rigged. What kind of animal were ya tryin' ta win 'er anyways?"

"...A giant chicken." Jetstream answered wistfully.

After a moment of silence, laughter was heard throughout the tree house.

“A chicken?! All of that wasted time and effort was for a chicken?!” Rainbow Dash asked before returning to her fit of laughter.


“Oh! That’s just too darn funny! An’ here I thought ya woulda tried ta get somethin’ a little more romantic-like!” said Applejack.


“Jetstream, romantic?" Twilight chuckled, "We're talking about a stallion that gets his ideas from cheesy romance novels!"


"That's funny, because those books just happened to belong to you!" Jetstream quipped, with a grin.


"Trust me, I know." Twilight deadpanned.


"Uh...I'll get the cookies started!" Spike said as he scurried off to the kitchen.





"Whoo-wee! This batch is better than the last time we tried 'em at the meteor shower!" Applejack praised.


"That’s because he's awesome like that. Just not as awesome as me!" said Rainbow Dash before taking another bite of her cookie. 


"Okay, I'll admit, these cookies of yours are probably the best I've had in a while." Jetstream admitted. 

"Hah! Then that means I win the bet! So pay up!" Spike said in a victorious manner.

Jet reached in his saddlebags and pulled out the agreed upon price: one sapphire, "Here ya go. Don't eat it all at once." He chuckled.


"Oh, I won't. I'm gonna try to save up and make something special when I have enough gems!" Spike proclaimed.


"Just don't go overboard, Spike," said Twilight, "The last time you took on more responsibilities than you could handle trying to get a hold of gems."


"I know, I know. I'll be more careful this time." Spike responded.


"Well, Ah hate to cut this visit short, but Ah gotta get back to the farm. Jet? Wanna come with me so ya know the way?" Applejack asked.


"Sure! Sounds good to me," Jetstream replied, getting to his hooves, "I'll see you guys at the party tonight."


"Bye, Jet. It's good to see you again." said Twilight, giving him a quick hug.


"Don't be late now!" Rainbow Dash said, before the two headed out the door, "...So WHY did you two break up?! I mean, I knew you were a dork, but come on! He seems like a totally neat guy!"


Twilight gave Dash an unamused look, "Another time, Dash."


"Eh, I don't blame ya. If I screwed up a relationship with a good catch, I'd be mad about it too." 


Twilight let out a groan, "You're not going to let this go, are you?"


"Nope!"







The walk back to Sweet Apple Acres was filled with relative silence, with Jetstream stealing a glance from the farm mare once in a while. Normally, he would attempt to make some small talk, but for some reason beyond him, he just couldn't find anything other than mundane topics off the top of his head, and of he would just talk about himself all this time, he would come off as vain and conceited. 


"Damn it! Why is trying to break the ice with her like a damn chess game? Like if I say the wrong thing, I may as well be at checkmate?" 


"So, uh, how long did ya date Twilight?" asked Applejack, though judging from her expression, she wasn't entirely sure how to break the ice either. 


For some reason, that helped Jetstream relax a little, "About two years. Give or take a  month or two." 


"Oh, Ah was just wonderin', 'cause Twi didn't strike me as the type to have a coltfriend back then, seein' as she get caught up with 'er studyin' and all."


"Well, it surprised me too to be honest," he chuckles, "especially because of the way we got together."


"Well, spit it out!"


"I made a bet with her that I'd get a better grade on a science exam we had going on at school."


Applejack raised an eyebrow, "No offense, partner, but Ah find that a little hard to believe."


"Well, you better believe it, because I did. But I kinda had some inside help. You see, her friend Minuette overheard our bet and she made photocopies of Twilight's notes under the pretenses that she was gonna use them, but gave them to me."


Applejack chuckles, "Now that Ah believe, but then somethin" ain't addin' up. If ya had 'er notes an' all, wouldn't ya have made the same grade as 'er?"


"You'd think that, but I have it on good authority that she intentionally missed the last question on that test. That's how I knew she liked me too," Jetstream laughed, "Good times. Good times."


Applejack smiles, "Well ain't that just the nicest thing she did? So, is it true that ya never did farm work before?"


"Yes, ma'am, it's true. I never had to, so I didn't."


"Alright, Ah just don't wanna hear no complainin' outta ya. It's gonna be rough on ya."


"Heh, I sure I can manage."


Just then, they were approaching the fence line of the farm, the scent of fresh, ripe apples filling Jet's nostrils as they trotted further down the path, "This is it. Home, sweet home." Applejack said,


"Woah...this place is huge!" Jetstream said, marveling at the sight of the rows upon rows of fresh apple trees, "And you have to buck all of these?! 


"What's the matter? Yer not losin' yer nerves, are ya?" Applejack asked wryly.


"Not at all, I'm just a little surprised. It's bigger than I would've thought."


"It's not like we gotta do every one of 'em, so don't sweat it. We do still gotta lot to do though," she turns to him, "Now that ya know where Sweet Apple Acres is, Ah expect ya to show up at six in the mornin'. If yer late, then the deal's off an' ya gotta work for another day."


"Yes, ma'am. So...see you at the party?"


"You bet. I'll see ya then." Applejack answered as she stared down the paved road to her house. 


Jetstream watched her until she entered her house, totally oblivious to the goofy grin that was spreading across his face. He then walked back towards town, with a slight spring in his step.


Whether it was because of the party, or seeing Applejack again was a mystery, even to him. Either way, he couldn't stop smiling at the anticipation that was welling within the very core of his being; a feeling he hasn't felt in a long while. It was a welcome distraction, and one he hoped would last for a while.