> Blast From The Past
>  by Blazer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I blinked hard as the camera flash went off again. 

“Hey! Jetstream! Can ya look over here a second?!” Another flash. “Thanks! This’ll make front-page news!” 

For as long as I’ve been the captain of Manehattan’s Meteors, I’ve never really gotten used to the paparazzi. Although it had only been four months, I thought I would’ve at least been able to bear the flashes from the camera by now. 

The flurry of flashes continued, supported by an onslaught of questions that assailed me from all sides. 

“Jetstream! How many hours a day do you have your team practice?!”
“Jetstream, what’s your opinion on the outlawing of Griffons competing in the annual ‘Flyby 500’?!”
“Hey, Jetstream! Weatherhouse Gaming Inc. has requested that you be a character in their new Virtual Reality Simulator! Are you going to accept!?
“There’s been a lot of talk that you’re still single, Jetstream! Is this true?!” 

I closed my eyes hard, shaking my head furiously. Ugh. None of these questions will work. How does Windchaser even do it?! Especially with the cameras flashing every two seconds!

“Jetstream, who was your inspiration?” 

Finally! A question I could answer. 

I raised a hoof for silence, desperately hoping that it would work. I was relieved when the reporters died down, readying their notepads. 

“That’s a good question. In my opinion, there were dozens of great flyers I met in my experiences as a captain. However…” My voice lowered as it gained a tone of warm recollection. “The flying team that started it all was the Canterlot Wonderbolts.” The flashing of the cameras started up again, although I was so deep into my storytelling that it didn’t really matter anymore.

“It was sixteen years ago. I hadn’t really taken an interest in flying until my granddad, one of the Pegasi on the Wonderbolts, showed me some old movies from his days as a flyer. 

“After that day, I knew what I wanted to do in this lifetime. Although the popularity of flying teams had faded long ago, I was still motivated to practice.” I jabbed a hoof at the reporter who had asked one of the questions earlier. “Here’s the answer to your question, so listen carefully, buddy.” 

Clearing my throat, I went on. “I practiced day in and day out. There wasn’t a week of inactivity that year. Flying through my hometown of Manehattan helped a lot, as the buildings provided perfect obstacles to test my maneuvering. Initially, I wanted to be JUST like my granddad. I even told him myself, claiming that I’d become the fastest flyer in Equestria.

“That’s when he told me I reminded me of a young mare that had joined the team before he had left. When I asked for an explanation as to why a mare would remind him of a colt, he told me that she had the same attitude. She was passionate about what she did, putting time, heart and devotion in her flying. That’s what led to her being the youngest mare to ever join the Wonderbolts. He then went on to show me a picture she had given him upon his retirement.”

“What I read there was the quote that made me what I am today.” 

I closed my eyes, picturing the faded image of a smiling mare, the camera’s reflection appearing in the mirrors of her goggles. A hastily-written note was scribbled in the bottom right-hoof corner.

“Find a dream worth fighting for. Then give it everything you've got."

A long, pregnant pause followed. However, the silence was disturbed by a murmuring towards the back. I opened my eyes, my jaw dropping open when an all-too familiar mare slowly trotted forward.

Her mane was exactly as I remembered it in the photo, except it wasn’t sepia tone. The colors, while faded, still resembled her namesake. Her sky-blue coat had a grayer tone to it and was partially covered by a light sweater-jacket. Heavy bags hung under her eyes, indicating her age. However, her mouth remained free of wrinkles, which had curved into a weak smile. 

“Rainbow… Dash?” I murmured aloud. 

Her drooping ears perked up at the name, her fuchsia irises glowing brightly among the dull colors of her mane. “Jet… is it really you?” She asked hesitantly. Her voice was somewhat raspy, but still retained a spark of youth to it. 

Unsure of what to say, shocked to find that my childhood hero knew my name, I mumbled, “Th-that’s my name.” 

Suddenly envigorated, the filly galloped up to the top of the stairs I was standing on. Throwing her forelegs over my back in a tight embrace, she pulled me close. “It's really you! You haven't aged a day!” She exclaimed in a voice that didn’t seem to match her apparent age.

Confused, I quickly pushed her off. “Whoa, whoa! Easy there, Mrs. Dash!” I cried, stepping back. “How do you know me? Did my grandpa tell you?” I asked. 

Rainbow Dash looked horribly confused. "Jet, it’s me! Don’t you remember?!” 

I raised an eyebrow. “Remember? Have we met?"

I regretted what I said in an instant. Her expression switched from confusion to despair. “Jet..? You really don't remember anything?” She asked, now seeming desperate.

"Did Granddad Soarin' have you visit me when I was a foal?" I offered. "Besides that, I wanted to say that it's an honor to..." 

I froze at her lost expression. She stared at me with deep, emotional conflict. Her legs began to shake, her breathing now accelerating. Suddenly worried, I took a tentative hoofstep towards her. “Mrs. Dash?” I asked.

Her knees buckled, causing her to crumple to the ground. She began to convulse, gripping her chest tightly. “N-not now…” She groaned weakly, her mouth clamping shut as another wave of pain hit her.

I had seen this before. My Granddad Soarin’ was killed by the very illness that provoked these kinds of spasms. Rushing to the old mare’s side, I rolled her so she was on her back. 

“She’s having a heart attack! You!” I pointed at the reporter who had asked me about my inspiration. “Call a doctor! Now!” 

I quickly looked down at the mare, who was clutching her chest, struggling to work through the pain. “Hang in there, ma’am. You’re going to be just fine.” I said in the most comforting tone possible. To be honest, I really didn’t know if she was going to be fine. Granddad Soarin’ died in my father’s arms after several seconds. 

"Do you have anything to help? Nitroglycerin pills? Miss Dash!" Fearing that she was passing, I gave her a brisk shake. “Miss Dash, stay with me. The paramedics are on their way!” I advised, putting my hoof on hers. 

Sure enough, several paramedic ponies burst through the entrance, clearing the way for two unicorns. Rainbow was enveloped in twin auras of a golden yellow and spearmint green, her faded sweater-jacket tumbling from her shoulders. “Whoa, wait!” I cried, scooping up the sweater-jacket and following the paramedics out the door. 

They quickly loaded the blue Pegasus on the cart, two sturdy-looking Pegasi manning the front. I tried to approach the vehicle, but two paramedics blocked my advance. “Sorry, sir. There’s only room for the patient and the two unicorns. You’ll need to wait here.” One of them advised. I tried to butt in with an explanation, but they quickly cut me off. “No exceptions. Even for you, Mr. Jetstream.” 

“Can’t I just fly with you guys to the hospital?”

“Even if you did, you’d have to wait outside. You’d need to check in at the front desk on the first floor. This Pegasus needs to get to our urgent care unit on the top floor.” I looked up, searching for a loophole in his explanation. 

However, none came to mind as the cart drifted away, pulled by the two male Pegasi attached to the front. I watched them go, feeling defeated and somewhat helpless. 

Doubt and worry bubbled between my ears.
--
I lay in my double-queen-sized bed, eyes wide open. Rainbow Dash’s rosy irises were burned into my memory, staring back at me with a disconcerting amount of familiarity. How did she recognize me if she’d never met me before? I immediately berated myself for quickly forgetting about my fame. Television. Duh. 

However, I recalled her next words: 'You really don’t remember me?'

They sent a chill down my spine. While it was partially intriguing that we had some sort of history, it made no sense. We had at least a couple generations of ponies between us. While Granddad Soarin had known her personally, he had retired from the Wonderbolts long before I was even born. 

Rolling back towards my nightstand, I glanced back at the clock. 4AM I rolled back over, rubbing my eyes furiously. Morning weights starts in two hours! I don’t have time for this! I thought exasperatedly.  

A few seconds later, I rolled out of bed, grabbing the sweater-jacket off of the nightstand. 
--
Manehatten Central Hospital sat before me, the front lobby lights still shining brightly among the other city buildings. Celestia’s sun was already warming the skies with its rays, the red-hot orb slowly emerging over the mountains in the distance. 

The automatic glass doors hissed open, a small chime announcing my entrance. The clean, alabaster-white interior of the hospital temporarily blinded me as my eyes adjusted. I gave the room a quick glance. Two rows of benches sat back-to-back in four columns. Most of the chairs were empty; only a few scattered occupants sat in the far corner, all looking quite upset. I couldn’t help but feel bad for them as I approached the front desk.

“Uh, ma’am?” I asked the receptionist hesitantly. 

“Oh, hello, Jetstream!” She exclaimed happily. 

“SHH!” I hissed. I glanced back at those in the waiting area. They didn’t even glance up at us. I turned back to the confused receptionist and sighed. “Sorry. I don’t want anypony knowing that I’m here,” I explained.

“No, I'm sorry. I admit I got carried away.” She whispered, giving me a sheepish grin. 

“Anyways, I was wondering if I could check up on a Pegasus that checked in here earlier.” I said, keeping my voice low. 

The receptionist looked perturbed. “The one that came from your Q&A Session?” She asked. 

I grinned. “That’s the one.” 

Looking around, the filly suddenly looked awfully nervous. “Look… I don’t know how to break this to you, Jetstream…” She started.

My grin disappeared. “Did she get worse?” I asked.

“She died two hours ago.” The receptionist answered.
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stared at her in disbelief, jaw agape.

The receptionist looked back at me hesitantly, unsure of what to say. “Look, I don’t know what else to tell you, Mr. Jestream.” 

I gulped. “Two hours…?” I managed to croak. She nodded.

I licked my lips nervously. “H-how… did she…?” I started.

“She arrived in a bad state. Nonresponsive, staring blankly at the ceiling, etcetera. According to the reports…” She ducked behind her desk, digging through multiple files in the drawers. She returned with a folder, sifting through its contents. “Our best heart surgeon was called in to operate. After three and a half hours, the operation was finished and declared a success.” 

“Success? Then what happened...?"

“It says here that she never got better. She should’ve recovered from surgery a few hours afterwards, but her condition progressively deteriorated.” The receptionist frowned. "There aren't any definitive causes, although it was assumed she lost the will to live." 

She trailed off as she read the last sentence. “She died at 3:47AM this morning.” 

I immediately tore away from the counter, not wanting to hear any more. “Jetstream, wait!” The receptionist yelled, her cries fading as I ran. Pulling the sweater-jacket a little higher on my shoulders, I took off, speeding towards the morning horizon. 

The roaring wind quickly died down as I withdrew into my thoughts. 

Lost the will to live?! The memory of the Q&A session resurfaced. My cruel words to her. The expression of shock and despair on her face. Then the heart attack. 

My nose stung as the realization hit me. She died because of me. I blinked hard, trying to dislodge the tears that fogged up my vision. A horrible nausea bubbled in my stomach, threatening to jump into my throat. I had to land. 

She died because of me.

I banked towards a vista point positioned on a large hill in the outskirts of the city. After a rather ungraceful landing, I galloped to the rail, the nausea leaving my stomach.

She died because of me.

I slammed into the rail, gagging and coughing. I threw up, emptying last night’s dinner over the rail. I spat several times, trying to get the acidic taste out of my mouth.

She died because of me.

I stared blankly at the sparse landscape below, a grassy plain dotted with trees and rocks the glaciers from long ago had left behind. My gaze slowly drifted upwards, setting on the city of Manehatten. My vision fogged again, the hot tears burning my frozen cheeks.

All I could do was stare as the tears continued to fall.
--
“Jet, you listening?”

I didn’t answer, too sullen to respond.

My co-captain frowned slightly. “Look, I know you feel like you should be here, but you can’t practice if you’re going to be bumping into us half of the time.” She explained, as if talking to a child. “It’s dangerous for you and us if you’re flying distracted.” She said, her condescending tone boring into my quickly-thinning patience.

My anger quickly faded when she gave me a disarming smile. “Take the week off, Jet. The race isn’t for another four months.” She said simply. 

I snapped out of my brooding, finding comfort in her words. “Y-you’re right. You’re totally right. Sorry about today.” I stuttered, standing up. 

“Take it easy, Jet.” She added as I left the field, the door thumping closed behind me.

I trudged to the locker room, easing off my Manehatten Meteor uniform. Stretching my wings a few times experimentally, I strode to the mirror, staring my reflection in the face.

A tall, broad-shouldered colt sporting a wild, dark-green mane and a neutral beige coat stared back at me. Its once-fiery eyes had now dulled to twin coals in a dying fire, their look an equivalent to a broken smile. 

What happened to you, Jetstream?

“Heeey! The stallion of the hour!” A familiar voice rang out.

I couldn’t help a grin as a maroon colt with luminous blue eyes gave me a mischievous grin through the mirror’s reflection.

“Hello to you, too, Windchaser.” I chuckled.

The colt looked at me through the mirror, laying a foreleg over my shoulers. “Why the long face, buddy?” He asked.

I sighed at the oldest joke in the book. “I’m a pony. My face is always—”

“No, no. You know what I mean.” Windchaser nudged me, his tone completely serious. His gaze was even more so, the blue eyes staring into the very fibers of my being.

“Tired of your favorite joke?” I asked, already knowing what he was about to say. 

“Typhoon told me what’s going on, as well as what happened with Rainbow Dash at the Q & A sesh.” 

I flinched, struggling to keep my emotions down. “Y-you can read me like a book.” I replied shakily. 

Windchaser shook his head. “I think just about anypony can tell that you’re either mentally insane or having a hay of an off-day. You look terrible.” He sighed.

I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I may not look 100%, but I’m not going insane.” I said dismissively. “I’m fine.” I insisted. 

"Anyways, Typhoon also told me I should give you this.” Pulling his locker door open, Windchaser tossed me a small business card. I caught it deftly in my wing, depositing it onto the bench. I scanned the bold red lettering in the top. 

“Dr. Bell: Hypnotist and Psycologist.” I read aloud. “You’re recommending me a shrink?” I asked, raising my brow. 

“I’m not recommending. I’m making you see this guy.” Windchaser stated flatly. “If this guy could get me to stop thinking about my divorce with Grassleaf, he can solve this issue without incident. Besides, it’s the best thing for you now. If you’re not going to talk about it to us, maybe he’ll fare better.”

“Chase, you know I wouldn’t keep anything from you. We’ve been friends since we were foals. You’re probably the one colt I trust more than my late mother.” 

Windchaser sighed as he squared himself towards me. 

“You were right about that first part. I really can read you like a book. You’re keeping everything bottled up. The pain, emotions, thoughts, you name it. The only thing you’ve been honest about is what happened at the Q&A session. Not what happened in your head," Windchaser replied. 

My sudden desire to go home pushing me to submit, I pulled on my hoodie, hastily stuffing the business card into my pocket. “Alright, alright. No need to get your uniform all mussed over this.”

“Jet, I’m sorry. I’m just unhappy that you’re so broken up over this.” 

I paused in the doorway, giving him a sidelong glance. "What is it you want to say?"

"You were like this when your mom died. I thought I saw a pattern, and I was scared to lose you to that sadness again. I mean, you recovered from that eight months ago. I didn’t want to see you down again.” He said. 

“I miss the old Jet from flight school."

His words stung me, but I couldn’t put my hoof on why. 

"Okay. I'll check out this Dr. Bell. Sorry for whining about you helping me. When is my appointment, anyways?” I asked, glancing at the clock positioned over the door to the flying field.

Chase blinked. “You’ve got about twenty minutes to get there.” He said, nodding to the pocket containing the business card. “we thought you should get started right away.” 

Grabbing the business card from my pocket, I read the address, my mouth opening in shock. “This… This is halfway across the city!” I gasped.

Chase gave me the mischievous grin again. “Your ‘practice’ for the day.” He said, chuckling.

With no time to spare, I tore out of the locker room. Sprinting towards the edge of the clouds, I leapt off and spread my wings, speeding towards the far side of the city. 
--
I burst into the abnormally quiet waiting room, my ragged breathing filling the silence. 

I took a quick glance around the empty room. It was similar to the hospital’s waiting room, except it was much more homey-looking. The wallpaper was made to look like the walls of a log cabin, despite the outside having a relatively modern touch. A single portrait broke the continuous patterns of the intertwined tree trunks that encircled the room. 

It was an older pony sporting a messy brown beard lined with numerous streaks of grey hair. A beaten hat with a medium-length brim sat on his head at an informal angle. The pony gave the camera a confident grin, although his mouth remained closed. His face looked weathered, and his eyes kind but strong, like that of a hard worker.

My gaze lingering on the strange stallion, I trotted up to the desk, nodding to the receptionist. 

“Hello. I’m here to see Dr. Bell.” I said quickly. 

The receptionist smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, but Dr. Bell is out today. He’s bedridden with a severe case of the Cutie Pox.” 

I winced. Bedridden, or potentially creating some horrifying disaster somewhere with that illness. I thought. I turned to leave. “Okay. I guess I’ll come by, same time tomorrow.”

“Oh, but sir! His understudy, Ryan Syllabus, is available at the moment. Your appointment will still happen, but you’ll be talking to him instead.” She explained. 

Complications already on the rise, huh? I thought. I was already starting to like this place less and less. I quickly buried my dissatisfaction with a small smile. “That’s fine. At least I didn’t fly halfway across the city for nothing.” I replied.

The receptionist gave me the double-take. “W-what?” She asked. 

“Nothing at all.” I shot back in an attempt to cover up my previous comment. 

The receptionist got up from her desk, smiling. “Okay, then. Just follow me to Ryan’s office, and we’ll get you started right away.” She replied, ushering me to the door on her left. 

Passing more portraits of more grizzled-looking ponies, we traveled down the length of the hallway, arriving at two doors. One was obviously Dr. Bell’s office, marked “Ronald J. Bell” on a gold plaque. The other was marked by a hastily written note covering another gold plaque that read “Storage.” The note itself read “Ryan Syllabus: We’ll turn that frown upside-down!” 

The receptionist rapped three times on the second door, then opened it, stepping aside for me. “Dr. Syllabus is ready for you.” She said.

I hesitantly stepped inside, distracted by a loud shuffling and flurry of papers behind a desk to my immediate left. A messy-looking yellow tail danced about, flicking left and right as its attached body scurried to organize the cluttered desk.

When this “Dr. Syllabus” finally appeared, I wasn’t surprised when his look was similar to his clean space-keeping skills. The unicorn’s messy head of hair was scarcely combed, and he wore an unbuttoned collar and loosened tie. A pair of rectangular lenses sat across his nose, lacking rims entirely. However, they did little to improve his already unsophisticated image. 

He gave me a toothy grin as the receptionist left. “Hello! New patient?” He asked cheerfully. 

I smiled nervously. “That’s me.” I said.

He immediately stood up, offering his hoof. “Welcome to Dr. Bell’s psychiatric services. I’m his understudy, Dr. Syllabus.” He said, still grinning. 

I shook it, still wearing a stupid smile on my face. “So I’ve heard.” I said.

Ryan motioned to a chair with several stacks of papers. “Just take a seat, and we can get this party started.” I took a tentative glance at the papers. They look pretty important…

“Oh, just set ‘em on the ground. Actually…” The unicorn’s silver aura surrounded the stacks, tossing them haphazardly behind a couch at the far side of the room. Ryan gestured to the seat again. “Okay, try it now. Should be more comfortable.” He added, winking.

I plopped gently into the red armchair, finding it hard not to slouch as I sank into the cushions by a few inches. It was surprisingly comfortable. 

Ryan chuckled when he saw the satisfied expression on my face. “Yeah. Nice, huh? They’re nicer than my couch at my college dorm. I’ve asked Bell where he got these, but he told me he brought them from his house. He still won’t let me buy one from him.” 

I sat unmoving, still too nervous to speak. Ryan took notice to this, frowning. “So… you gonna make me do all the talking, or…?”

I grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. Didn’t know when I was supposed to start.” I said. 

Ryan gave me a peculiar look. “You’re a funny one, arent’cha?” He asked, a grin visibly tugging at the side of his mouth. He reclined in his chair, his aura levitating a pencil and notepad at his head level. “So, let’s talk about why you’re here. Can’t fix the problem if I don’t know what’s bothering you.” He said. 

I looked down, still not comfortable in explaining myself to somepony that I had talked to for about several seconds. “I-it’s a long story.” I said dismissively. 

“Well, this appointment doesn’t end for another two hours, so I think we’ve got enough time to hear it.” He replied, not even looking up from his notepad. 

I scowled. I had never liked it when somepony gets involved in a battle of wittiness. I mentally caught myself, abashed at the way my thought process had deviated from my regular nice-guy attitude. He wants to help you, Jet. Pissing him off isn’t going to do you any good. 

“It happened yesterday.” I began.
--
“You missed her by two hours?!” Ryan exclaimed, the possessed pencil scribbling madly on the notepad. 

“Yeah. And I was so close to asking her why.” I said. I swallowed hard as the nausea started to work its way back into my stomach. Forcing myself to talk about it was taking its toll on me.

“So now you’re an insomniac because you want to find out when this ‘relationship’ ever happened?” Ryan asked, reviewing his notes.

I nodded. “Correct.”

“But you can’t now because she passed.”

“Yep.”

Ryan put a hoof to his chin. “And you haven’t considered going to a séance for this or something?” 

“No, because it hasn't even been twelve hours since it happened," I sighed. The nerve of this guy... 

"Just throwing ideas out there. Please, continue."

I leaned back in the armchair, rubbing at my eyes. “So, like you said, now I’m stuck awake for all eternity unless I investigate this further.” 

Ryan scratched his head, scanning through the several pages of notes he had jotted down. I risked a glance at his face. His lips moved, mouthing different possibilities of potential solutions or mental calculations that one only learns when studying the psyche of a pony. 

I quickly looked away when his gaze returned to me, his face serious. “Well, there is one way.” Ryan mused. “However, I’m still studying it myself, so I’m not sure if it’ll work.”

I stared at him expectantly. “What is it?” I asked. 

Ryan scratched at his head again. “It’s more of a theory, unfortunately. You see, to get a PHD, you need to write a two-hundred page paper on a study that you conduct. My theory was the abandoned attempts of Self-suggested time travel.” 

I shifted in my chair, eying Ryan dubiously. He held up a hoof. “Gimme a chance. Let me explain the physics. It’s basically a form of hypnotism that can allow the patient to transcend the time/space barrier. At least, not physically. Sound interesting?” 

My curiosity aroused, I nodded slowly. 

“Anyways, the way it would work is I hypnotize you, then put your brain into functional stasis." 

“You’re going to make me brain-dead?” I asked.

“It just means your body won’t function, but will continue involuntary processes like breathing. Meanwhile, your conscious mind will settle into whatever your subconscious imagines for you. With a little bit of manipulation from me, I can get you to the desired time period, so long as you have stimulus to induce your subconscious to imagine it for you.” He continued. 

“Stimulus?” I asked.

“A photo, period-appropriate clothing, etcetera." 

Ryan frowned at me suddenly. 

"I’ve been studying this method for quite some time now. It was abandoned awhile ago because several ponies died from ‘losing their consciousness’ to th nether, or received lobotomies because of severe brain trauma. I wanted to continue my research in the subject, and Bell seems to know more about this than anypony, so I chose him to study under while I write report. However… I’ve never been able to test it on anypony. Bell’s been sick with the Cutie Pox ever since I arrived a week ago, so I haven’t ever been able to ask him to hypnotize me. But…”

Ryan put a thoughtful hoof to his chin. “I might be able to hypnotize you. However, you must realize that this is still a work in progress, and that you’ll be the first pony to do this in forty-two years.” He warned. 

I gulped audibly. Seeing my discomfort, Ryan tried again. “But, this may be your only ticket to seeing into Rainbow Dash’s memories; maybe even reliving them.” 

My eyes flashed with sudden determination. I guess it wouldn’t hurt. He’s been nothing but nice to me this far; the last thing he’d want to do is put me in harm’s way. I also would like to sleep again…

“I’m in.”
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryan checked the clock. “Okay. Hour and a half. Plenty of time.” He said to himself. He sat me down on the couch, pulling his chair closer so he was sitting at my side. “One more thing before we start. When one is going to be hypnotized, it only works if the patient wants to be hypnotized. So, just to make sure…”

He put a hoof on my shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this? Once we start, there’s no going back.”

My will still resolute, I nodded swiftly. “Yep.” I replied. 

Ryan returned a deft nod, then closed his eyes. His voice softened as he spoke. “Imagine you’re in a broad green field. Your rear hooves have rooted themselves into the ground, keeping you completely still. A gentle breeze caresses your cheeks, and your breathing becomes deeper, almost slowing to a stop..”

He paused to allow me to visualize the imagery. “And now, imagine the place you want to go.” He paused again as the old photo materialized in my head. The young, grinning mare reappeared, the background suddenly so clear now that I had actually thought about it. It was in the midst of an apple orchard, the spring apple blossoms filling the boughs of the apple tree behind her. 

“And now, you look up and you see a lone cloud. Just an ordinary cloud. However, when you try and concentrate on it, it starts to drift away. You watch as the cloud becomes smaller and smaller, concentrating hard on the lonely dot in the sky. 
3…
2…
1…
You
Are
Asleep…”
--
The picture still floated in front of me, the mare still staring at me in the face. I could now almost hear the birds chirping in the neighboring trees. The apple blossoms swayed in the breeze, shaking me out of my trance. Did… did the picture just move?

The soft breeze caressed my face, bringing the sweet aroma of the petals to my nose. The birds’ chirping was audible now, their melodies carrying across the rosy-smelling breeze. The mare’s smile widened, her lips moving now.

Wake up.

I cracked an eye open hesitantly. The mare had disappeared, but the background remained in place. 

And it was in color. 

I shifted marginally, my face receiving a douse of the bright sunlight when I moved into a parting of the leaves. I sat up quickly upon realizing where I was. Ryan’s office had disappeared, leaving me in the apple orchard. All the nonsense the guy was spouting wasn’t a lie…

I quickly lay back down, suddenly giddy with excitement. I was in the past! Albeit a little different from the Buck to the Future movies, but still in a place where nopony had ever dared set hoof in.

I couldn’t help a loud laugh, my heart aflutter with joy and triumph. The laugh continued on its own, pouring forth from the pure excitement that almost seemed too great to contain. I felt like I could laugh forever, and nopony would—

“What’s so funny?” Came a voice.

I clamped my mouth shut, causing the laughter to quickly die off. I quickly rubbed the tears from my eyes, whirling on the source of the voice.

An orange mare stood several feet away, an unfriendly scowl on her face. Freckles dotted her cheeks, which were partially covered by her blonde bangs parting right above her eye level. A large Stetson hat sat on the back of her head, the brim framing her face like a saintly semi-circle.

I gave her my best smile, which really wasn’t that great. “H-hello…” 

“I’d say howdy too if ya weren’t tresspassin’!” She shot back, her eyes narrowing. 

Trespassing? Perfect…

“I’m sorry. I’m…” I paused thinking hard. “I was… flying from Manehatten. The shade down here looked nice, so I decided to rest in what I thought was just a forest. I guess it really was an orchard after all…” I trailed off, her venomous glare silencing my explanation. 

After a long silence, she turned away, trotting towards the sunrise. “Manehatten, huh? Well, this ain’t Manehatten, city-slicker. I dunno what yall do in Manehatten, but here in Ponyville, we don’t go bargin’ into another pony’s property without their permission.” She huffed.

Where is this?

“Anyways, unless you got business with the Apple Family, you’d best git. You’ve got wings, don’tcha?” She asked, starting off towards a large farmhouse. 

Suddenly worried I was losing my only potential guide, I trotted after the farmpony. “Hey, do you know where I could find the nearest town? I need to find a certain… uh… Pegasus.” 

She nodded to a path that traveled eastwards from the farmhouse. “That should take ya straight to Ponyville. Nearest town for miles. It shouldn’t be a long flight.” She explained, a little calmer after learning I was a victim of circumstance. However, something about me being from Manehatten irked her, which kept her on the defensive. 

Ignoring her irritation, I expressed my gratitude. “Okay, thanks, Miss…?” 

“Applejack.” She blurted out. “Although I h’ain’t lettin’ ya leave until you give me your name, city-slicker.” She said, fixing me with a disapproving stare. 

“Oh, it’s Jetstream.” I replied quickly. “Sorry for not introducing myself earlier.” 

“Jetstream, huh? Figures. Fittin’ name for a pegasus, I guess.” She said, shrugging.

I forced a smile. “Thanks."

She gave a half-hearted grunt before mild curiosity sparked behind her green eyes. “S’pose I can ask about this Pegasus yer lookin’ for before ya leave?” 

I hesitated, biting my lip. “I… uh… I’m looking for… A certain mare.” I stuttered.

Her eyebrow raised. “That don’t narrow it down very much, now does it?” She said expectantly.

“A certain Pegasus mare?” 

“You said those already.” 

“Alright, alright. Her name’s Rainbow Dash." I offered.

Applejack’s eyes widened visibly before quickly returning to normal. "And might I ask what'cha be wantin' with her?

"Huh? Well, doesn't everypony want to meet her?" I asked, surprised by her nonchalant reaction.

Applejack cocked her head.

"And why would that be?"
"Well, she's gonna... Uh..."

Maybe she hasn't joined the Wonderbolts yet... But how does she know about Rainbow Dash?

"Gonna what?"
"I... I know her from flight school!"

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "A childhood aquaintaince? She never told me about somepony from Manehatten."

I gulped. 

I'm really in for it now. How does she know Rainbow so well?

I let out a sigh. Better to come clean. 

"She’s my inspiration. I'm following my dreams to become an acrobatic flyer because of her." 

Applejack froze, eyes wide. Her mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. 

A few awkward seconds passed before she let out a low chuckle. “H’actually, that’s really weird! Heehee!” 

I frowned, my cheeks burning. “It's not weird. She's a great flyer!” 

Applejack’s chuckle escalated into a fit of laughter. She fell on her back, laughing obnoxiously. “Ahahaha! That klutz?! Great flyer?! Hahaha! Ah, I never thought I’d hear it!” 

I inhaled sharply, anger flaring in my chest. "She’s one of the best! She's one of the hardest workers I've ever known."

This only encouraged Applejack’s gales of laughter. “Pfft—hahaha! Hard worker! Oh, that’s rich!” 

I gritted my teeth, turning away. "You just don't get it. You work your orchard for a living. Sure, maybe it's your dream job, but no one will question your choice. Athletes like me and Rainbow gotta fight to do what we love. Everyone tells us we'll never make it. Everyone says it's impossible. But we do what we do because we know we've got what it takes!"

I felt a presence behind me as Applejack approached. 

"Whoa, whoa, now I ain't sayin' your dream was dumb! Now Rainbow, on the other hand..."

Refusing to hear her explanation, I crouched low before leaping upwards. The roar of the winds filled my ears again as my muscles pumped my wings faster, propelling me upward at a rapid pace. The heated anger pushed them further, making me ignore the pained screams of protest of my tortured muscles. However, as my anger cooled, I slowed down, letting the wind resistance pull me back. I spread my wings wide as I glided lazily, the wind dying down and allowing me to think properly. 

So much for negotiating with the locals. I thought, looking down at the road that snaked between the rolling hills beneath me. I banked to the left as the road followed a riverbank; a blue ribbon against the green expanse of the rolling hills and meadows, the occasional dark green splotch of a tree breaking the monotony of the seemingly barren grasslands. The smooth, undulating plains of grass eased the memories of the argument out of my mind, calming me. The intense burning in my wings slowly eased to a dull ache, and my heart no longer beat in my throat. The cool air caressed my face, brushing away the embarrassment and tears that had stung them before. 

As I continued to relax, my eyes settled on a small village that lay at the end of the road, the sun now at its apex and giving the town a homey glow. I smiled unconsciously. Don’t forget that you’ve got a job to do, Jet. And a mare to find. 

I cursed aloud when a sky-blue blur whizzed past me, a gust of wind sending me tumbling in midair. I steadied myself by rapidly flapping my wings, allowing me to get a glimpse of whatever had just passed me. 

I blinked away the tears, watching as the polychromatic streak began to disappear into the distance. Coming to my senses, the wing muscles began pumping again, sending me on a beeline towards the very mare that was pronounced dead the day before. I wasn’t going to lose her this time. 

Oxygen filling my lungs in controlled breaths, I slowly sped up the flapping of my wings, which scooped out the air in front of me and pulled it back, propelling me forward. The violent crashing of the wind rushed past my ears, assailing my eardrums with pure noise. Muscle memory kicked in as years of practice took over, bringing me closer and closer to the Pegasus that sped ahead of me. 

My eyes flicked downwards as she flipped upside-down, pulling towards the ground in a sudden dive. I pulled my own wings close to my body, flipping myself upside-down as well to join her. 

We both fell for several seconds, the wind screaming past us. She suddenly pulled up, her hooves seemingly brushing the treetops. I threw my wings open, gritting my teeth as they clawed at the air and slowed my descent. I pulled my head back, throwing my weight backwards as I pulled up as well, my pectorals now on fire from the effort of flapping and holding my wings open. Fighting through the pain, I pushed myself a little further, giving me a small burst of speed to allow me to close the distance between her and I. 

I grinned victoriously as I pulled up to her hind legs, and then sidled up next to her. I turned to face her, practically shouting over the wind. “Heh! Caught you!”

The same magenta eyes from yesterday turned to meet my jade ones, glazing over momentarily in confusion. Both of our eyes widened in shock as we collided with what seemed like concrete, skipping over the surface of a large lake. We had both been slowly descending, and it had only taken a moment of distraction for us to simply hit the water. 

I bounced across the surface, while she did the same, almost imitating the graceful dance of flying fish that leap across a lake’s surface. The world spun into a colorful blur, sending my senses reeling into shock. 

Suddenly, everything was underwater, and a giant hand squeezed my consciousness from behind, causing me to black out.
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I gasped, sitting upright in my chair. 

I was back in the storage closet-turned-office. Ryan’s concerned gaze bored into the side of my head. 

“You’re back. So soon…?”

I blinked rapidly, a sudden loss of equilibrium pulling me back into my seat. My held my face with a shaky hoof.

“Oof… Whoa.”
“Did it work? Were you there?”

I nodded slowly, the wonder of it all slowly seeping into me. 

“Y-yeah. I was there, in the picture. I saw her…”
“I see! And how long were you there?”

I glanced at Ryan’s furiously-scribbling pencil. “Maybe ten minutes? I’m not quite sure. It was a lot to take in…”

“Of course, of course! And how are you feeling now?”
“A slight headache, I guess? And lightheaded. Not much else.”
“I see…” 

Ryan’s pencil stopped as he leaned back in his chair, eyes sparkling with excitement. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke. 

“And just like that… It’s truly as simple as following the steps…”

We sat in silence for a few seconds, both awestruck at our respective goals having been reached so easily. 

“How long was I out?”

“The better part of ten seconds,” Ryan mused, his eyes finally meeting mine again. “Looks like time seems to move faster in the past than it does the present.”

My eyes darted to the clock, forgetting that I hadn’t checked the time before going under. 

“Then there’s still time to send me back, right?”
“Oh, no! No, no, no. We can’t risk another trip within twenty-four hours.” 
“What? Why?”
“Did you miss my earlier explanation? This is experimental! While you’re not the first to have walked this road, not all had a smooth maiden voyage like you!”

I bit back a reply. Ryan shook his head. 

“Trauma to your cognitive and physical abilities may be the cause of excessive duration of being under, but many subjects suffered severe side effects after their first trials. Unless you want to be sent home with a minder, I’ll be ending your session here today.”

I sank in my chair, defeated by his sound logic. My eyes shifted back to the photo on the table between us, Rainbow’s cheerful expression almost seeming to taunt me. 

“I think it goes without saying that I’ll be back tomorrow?”

“No can do, unfortunately. We’ll be closed over the weekend.”

I sank further into my chair as I let out a quiet, “Oh.”

“Unless you’d be willing to take me out to lunch tomorrow afternoon? Your treat, of course.”

I scowled at Ryan, who held up his hooves as if being threatened by an armed robber. 

“Hey, just a joke. Truth be told, I’d like to see where this goes as well.” He scratched his head, grinning sheepishly. “It’s just that I don’t get paid for this…”

Despite my disdainful expression, I still knew my answer.

“Sure. It’s on me.”


***


My hooves clopped gently against the sidewalk. “Lovelle’s Diner” blinked obnoxiously on the neon sign over a comparatively quaint cornerside restaurant. Pushing through the door, I smiled at a familiar figure sitting at the counter.

“Knew I’d find you here.”
“Hello, Chase.”

He patted the stool next to him. I perched myself atop it with a quick flap of my wings before setting my elbows on the countertop. A dimpled griffon waitress sidled up as I did, beaming a warm smile. 

“Welcome in, sweetie. The usual?”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Darla.”

Darla removed my menu and walked to the kitchen window, rapping the side of it with her leathery footclaws.

“Jet’s here! He wants the usual!”
“Hey, Jet! Long time no see!”

I forced a smile in the direction of the window before turning back to Windchaser.

“How’d practice go? Hopefully Twister didn’t have you guys on conditioning with no routine to work on.”
“Not really. Everyone partnered up for some mock dogfights. Nothing like a little competition to fire everyone up again.”

I clenched and unclenched my jaw at the prospect. Dogfighting didn't serve any tangible purpose, but it served as an opportunity for everyone to show off against each other. It was a great way to motivate everyone to work on their flying outside of practice—or dig up a new move for a future routine. 

Sounded like fun.

“Only been half a day and I already miss it.”
“That’s why you’re the captain, I guess. Everyone else is pretty envious that you’re getting the week off, although it’s safe to say that nopony would actually want to be in your hooves considering the circumstances.”

I looked back at Windchaser who was now eyeing me up and down. 

“You look a lot better. That Dr. Bell sure is something, right?”

I opened my mouth before suddenly closing it, reconsidering my words. Ultimately, I decided on a white lie—who knows what he’d think about my ‘arrangement’ with Dr. Bell’s scruffy intern.

“Uh, yeah, he’s… Uh… Definitely that.”
“I’m telling you, man. He knows exactly what to say—what words are needed to piece you back together. You’ll be back to your old self in no time.”

I pushed down the unease I felt at those words as Darla returned with a hay burger and sweet potato fries. 

“Your favorite: Lovelle Classic Combo. This one’s on the house, honey.”
“Thanks.”

Windchaser scoffed, munching on a fry he had swiped as she had set it down. 

“Sheesh. Why does everyone forget that I’m on the Meteors too?”
“Maybe try paying off your tab first, Chasey,” Darla snapped as she returned to the window. 
I smiled, leaning down to take my first bite. 


***


It was almost two o’clock when I entered the Manehatten Public Library. I yawned unabashedly loud—the consequences kf another sleepless night. The building itself was pretty standard—square, composed entirely of worn red bricks and faded white mortar. The interior was similarly aged, little having changed from when it had first been built almost eighty years ago: Numerous dark brown and neutral khaki bookshelves blocked in a large, open sitting area filled with armchair semicircles. A mixture of tacky white linoleum and severely worn rugs separated the sitting area from the book aisles, separated by rubber stoppers that hid the borders between the flooring changes. An upper level displayed the closeness of the shelves and properly illustrated the scale of one of the largest literary collections in the country—not to mention several more floors stretched above and below the current floor. 

I found myself in the autobiographical section, finding only two books on the subject I was here to research. Taking a solitary desk situated at the end of one of the aisles, I nosed the first book open to the title page. 


Rainbow Dash
From Weather Pony to Wonderbolt 


Skipping the lengthy foreword by the author, I began to skim the book in earnest. While I knew about Rainbow Dash and her many accomplishments and accolades, it was obvious that there was more to learn in the writings of someone much more knowledgeable than I. 

My eyes scanned the various paragraphs and photo captions documenting her early life in Cloudsdale—again, familiar territory even for the uninitiated. While there were a couple of specific dates I was unaware of, there wasn’t anything that stood out. Setting a record for the youngest to achieve a Sonic Rainboom at Flight Summer Camp, starting her part-time job as a Weather Pegasus in Ponyville, not to mention achieving her second Sonic Rainboom while saving a fellow competitor in a flight contest in Cloudsdale. 

Most of the book’s contents centered on her time in Ponyville, repeatedly citing a quote from Rainbow Dash herself: 


“Out of all my time spent living, some of the most important ones were before I even became a Wonderbolt!”


While familiar with Ponyville from Rainbow Dash’s life story, it was only in name. Reading through the several chapters describing various formative events elapsed during her time there, I learned of a few important places: Sugarcube Corner, Carousel Boutique, Castle of Friendship. My brow raised at the last one. A princess? In Ponyville? The town was a random countryside settlement in the middle of nowhere. 

I took pause as I read more about Rainbow Dash’s interactions with the townsfolk. One of these ponies was a farmer named Applejack—proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres just outside of town. 

“Whoa. It’s her,” I breathed, eyes focused on the familiar farmpony grinning happily in the yellowed photo. I frowned at how kind she looked in comparison to the ugly faces she’d given me upon our initial meeting.

Closing that book, I opened the other one I had picked out: 


Rainbow Dash: The Element of Loyalty
A Biography by Twilight Sparkle


This book seemed newer than the other by several years. It even had events after her retirement from the Wonderbolts: Visits to the Grand Galloping Gala with her friends, touring the country from cloud to cloud with Tank (her pet tortoise?), frequent visits to Ponyville from her new home in Canterlot… 

I closed the book, satisfied with my findings. I glanced at the clock. About an hour before I would have to leave for my appointment with Ryan. Looking back down at my two books, I knew there was one more I had to find before I flew over.


***


“Goodness, I haven’t had Neighponese food that good in a long time.”
“Glad you enjoyed yourself.”

Ryan sighed, leaning back in his chair. We were in the converted storage room, having just returned from lunch at a local place down the street. 

“In all honesty I could go for a nap now.”
“Can we please focus?”

The drowsy unicorn suddenly perked up, nodding emphatically. 

“Of course, of course. I didn’t mean to alarm you,” he began. The familiar notepad and pencil appeared from behind his seat as he continued talking. 

“Once again, I wanted to state my gratitude for your enthusiasm for this risky procedure. I just want to confirm that you’re still willing to put yourself under.”
I nodded. His smile faded. 
“After our appointment yesterday, I realized something. While I can induce your hypnosis, I cannot simply tell you to ‘wake up.’ That signal comes from you—you have to want to return.”
My brow furrowed. 
“What? So how do I get back?”
“Do you remember how you got back last time?”
“I got knocked unconscious while in the past.”
“Then you have your method for returning to the present. But take care not to push it too far. There aren’t any recorded incidents of subjects ending their lives while under the hypnosis, but there are plenty who have simply gone brain-dead—I think we can both safely assume what happened.”

I sighed, butterflies abuzz in my stomach. 

“This is a lot to think about right before sending me back.”
“Well? Do you want to go back?”

I looked at him incredulously, as if expecting him to know of my two hours of frenzied research and ten hours of restless waiting. 

“Of course.”
“Very well. Relax your neck and lean back into your chair. I’ll start the countdown.”

Nodding, I pulled a book from my satchel with my mouth, easing in onto the table and gazing at the cover. 


Ponyville: Foundations of Friendship



***


This time, I felt my surroundings first. It was cold. 

Very cold.

A shiver coursed through my soaked body, my jaw chattering as I exhaled. I immediately opened my eyes, blinking away the water that blurred my vision. 

The pitter-patter of heavy raindrops obscured my immediate surroundings in a grey-white mist. It was daytime, but the middle of an intense downpour. Behind me lay the lake Rainbow and I had crashed into during my last visit. Its surface bubbled angrily as the torrential downpour continued its onslaught on its once placid waters. I looked skyward briefly—immediately regretting it as I was pelted with grape-sized droplets on my face. 

The clouds were abnormally dark—it had to be the bi-monthly showers from the local weather team. The practice had become much more complicated in recent times. Rain was dispersed and delivered with pinpoint quantities and accuracy based on local precipitation reports to ensure most cities enjoyed a similar climate to their surroundings, allowing wildlife to freely move in and out of populated areas without being affected by such drastic meteorological change. 

But I was a few dozen years in the past—and the good old method of “water it all every now and then” seemed to be the current approach. 

Blowing the water from my lips, I slowly stood to shake the soreness from my limbs—but not before the loud peal of thunder shook me to my core. 

Lightning meant I would be walking to my next destination. I sighed as I trudged towards a muddy ribbon of road snaking along the nearby shoreline, bracing myself for a lengthy walk in cold, soaked misery. 

Much to my relief, I spotted the fringes of a town almost immediately—attributing the difficulty in seeing something so obvious to the inclement weather. Squinting through the deluge, I could just make out the lights of windows glimmering between the crowded droplets. Glancing at a sign erected at the side of the road, I grinned. Passing the sign and crossing the stone bridge that marked the city limits, I took my first steps into Ponyville proper. 

It looked much less welcoming than the pictures in the biographies I had read. With the rain coming down so fiercely and the window lights wavering like candles threatened by a stiff breeze, the town was downright creepy. It was as if I had stepped into a horror film—stranded in a town harboring a terrible cult attempting to bring some monster to life. 

When I heard somepony shouting at me, I almost leapt out of my fur.

“You! Come here, quick!” 

Shaking my matted mane out of my eyes, I could just make out the outline of a pony framed by the light of an open door. It waved a hoof frantically in my direction.

“Yes! You! Mister Pegasus! Come inside!”

The voice sounded feminine and spoke with an urgent tone. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are, ma’am!” I yelled back. “I can wait until the rain stops!”

“It’s just started, darling! I can assure you you’ll be waiting for a long time,” she shouted in reply. “I insist! Please come inside so we can both get out of this unpleasantness!” 

Mildly worried at the circumstances of either risking illness or being abducted by an as-of-yet unnamed mare, I approached the cylindrical building. It had the appearance of a large wedding cake, a small sign bearing “Carousel Boutique” hanging from the roof by gaudy brass fastenings. One of my brows raised upon recognizing the name from Rainbow’s autobiography. 

My mysterious benefactor was a unicorn—a stark-white coat with deep purple locks that cascaded down the side of her face. Her sky-blue eyes were locked onto me, a worried expression twisting her snout into a frown. 

“Come, let’s get you dried off and out of this dreadful weather. You must be freezing!” 

Resisting the urge to shake off the water, I nodded and gingerly stepped inside the warmth of the shop. As the door closed behind me with a squeak and a jingle of a small bell above the door, I studied the elegant interior of the store. 

Fanciful gowns and outfits compiled of stylish articles graced more than a dozen mannequins on display around the shop. Various accessories such as ribbons, belts and scarves hung from the walls while enormous rolls of fabric were tucked away into numerous cubbies located towards the top of the walls like giant colored scrolls. I would’ve been in awe if I wasn’t so preoccupied with dripping all over my rescuer’s pink carpet. 

“Here, darling.”

A soft, fragrant towel mooshed gently onto my head. Standing on my hind legs, I rubbed the soft fiber vigorously across my soaked fur, obscuring my vision for a moment as I dried myself off. I felt a hoof on my back. 

“Goodness, you’re chilled to the bone! I’ll get you something warm to drink.” 
“Thank you.”

Unsure if she heard my muffled reply, I could hear rescinding hoofsteps as she moved away. Her voice rang out again, more distant than before. 

“Sweetie Belle! We have a guest! Would you mind getting another towel from the laundry room?” 
“O-oh, you don’t have to…”
“Okay!” 

My protests dying halfway, I continued to rid myself of excess moisture. Wiping my muddied hooves off on the towel, I dried my fetlocks as best as I could before stepping to the side, unsure if I should proceed any further onto the otherwise undisturbed pink swathes before me. 

It wasn’t long before the white pony returned with a smaller one in tow—a filly no taller than my chest carrying a much drier twin to the damp, disheveled one I sat upon near the door. 

“Tea should be out shortly. In the meantime, you’re welcome to hop into the tub and get yourself cleaned up.”

I took a step back, shaking my head. 

“Oh, no, I think I’m okay just standing over here—!”
“The water’s already running so it should be warm very soon. By the time you’re finished, we can all enjoy some tea and some late lunch. I’ve got some cucumber sandwiches from Café Hay that you’ll absolutely love.”
“Just go along with it, Mister. She always does this for new faces getting caught in the scheduled rain days.”

I gave a worried smile as the towel was deposited on my back. How did they know I was a new face? Was this town so small that everypony knew each other?  

The taller pony nodded towards an open door, steam billowing out of the frame. 

“And don’t you come out until you’re squeaky clean! The water should be hot by now—you’ll see the plug is by the drain.” 

Giving a stiff nod, I quickly trod past the two unicorns and into the bathroom. The door swung shut behind me, only adding to my frayed nerves. 

All of it seemed like a routine abduction—draw me in with false kindness and whisk me away to who knows where once I’ve let my guard down. 

I had no idea who this pony was or how she could benefit from taking in random strangers. And was the little one in on it, too? 

I stared hungrily at the warm bath, savoring the thawing effect the steamy air had on my body. 

Bath first. 


***


Opening the door, I relished the cooler, steam-free air of the small sitting room as I stepped out of the washroom. The young filly sat on an armchair facing me, already munching on her cucumber sandwich. The purple-haired mare stood next to the table, regarding me with her attentive gaze.

“All done? I hope there was enough hot water for you.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks. It was great. I haven’t had a bath in a long time.”

The mare raised an eyebrow, a look of disbelief crossing her face.

“O-oh, no! I meant I mostly shower these days.”

She chuckled at my reply before sitting down on a luxurious chaise near her younger counterpart, gesturing towards the armchair opposite the two of them.

“Please, sit. I’d love it if you told us a little about yourself!”

I gulped, moving to the seat before perching on the edge of the cushion. The mare frowned. 

“Are you alright? You seem… anxious.”
“Oh, me? Never better. Yup.”

An awkward silence passed before she cleared her throat. 

“Well, I suppose I’ll introduce myself first. My name is Rarity. This is my sister, Sweetie Belle. I wish to welcome you to Ponyville, as well as to my boutique!”

Her disarming smile loosened me up, giving me the courage to reciprocate. 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jetstream. From Manehatten.”
“Jetstream…” 

Rarity tapped her hoof against her chin. 

“It sounds familiar, although I just can’t place it…”

I forced a smile to hide my surprise. 

She remembers me?

“Are you gonna eat your sandwich?”

Sweetie Belle had finished hers, looking at me with her fishbowl eyes. 

“All yours.”
“Okay!”

She took the second of the three sandwiches. Rarity suddenly perked up. 

“Ah! Yes! Applejack told me she met somepony a couple of days ago with the same name!”

So continuity is a thing in the past…

“O-oh.”
“I apologize. She’s a dear friend of mine. I heard that your discussion was a… prickly one.”
“I didn’t mean to trespass,” I blurted out. “It was a long flight from Manehatten so I thought I’d take a quick rest in her orchard. I overslept, and she found me there.”
“Oh, you don’t have to explain yourself to me, Jet. Her parting sentiment was guilt rather than anger—she realized she hadn’t been very polite regarding your inspiration.”

Uh oh.

“Although I must admit, I would also like to hear why you wish to see Rainbow. We’re all friends, you see.”

I licked my lips, wracking my brain how best to explain it without mentioning I was from the future.
“Well, I mean… I’m just a fan. She likes to fly fast and I like to fly fast too. And she’s pulled off the Sonic Rainboom.”

Rarity smiled again. “Well, regarding that one—I was one of the ponies she saved that day.”
“Really?!”
“You could say that my peril brought out the best in her.” 
“Wow… What was it like? I mean, to be going that fast…!”
“I assure you, I don’t remember very much of anything. It’s like my mind wanted to forget all about that dreadful fall.” 

Reining in my excitement, I leaned back in my chair. 

“Wow. I had no idea.”
“Well, of course! We’ve only just met.”

I nestled myself into the cushions a bit more. I had to ask her.

“So, could you tell me more about her?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll see her more if you stick around. She’ll be clearing up these clouds later.”
“Right, right. Guess I’ll wait till then.”

Darn. My eyes fell to the teacup sitting on the table’s edge nearest to my chair. The surface of the amber liquid wobbled as Sweetie Belle grabbed the last of the sandwiches with her magic. 

“You seem very… focused on her.” 
“Hm?”
“I will admit that you are one of very few ponies to admit their admiration for Rainbow.”

My face flushed with heat. 

“While her deeds in Cloudsdale brought her some fame, her only ‘fans’ are local ones. You’re the first pony who’s traveled as far as Manehatten just to see her.”
“She’s the reason I started my career as a flyer. I think she’s a pretty big deal.”
“I heard as much from Applejack. It’s just…” 

I glanced up from my teacup vigil to see Rarity wearing a knowing smirk.

“I think there’s something more, don’t you?”
“What? No!”
“It all adds up, darling. But no need to fret—I won’t tell anypony!”
“There’s nothing to tell!”
“Say what you want, my dear. But I know romantic interest when I see it.”
“Eugh.”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes as she wiped her mouth with a lavender napkin. 

“You’ll understand one day, Sweetie. To wander the wonder that is ‘life’ alone is too much for anypony to bear!”
“I haven’t fallen for her,” I argued. 
“Just know that your big sister Rarity is rooting for you!” 
“Big sister? I’m probably the same age as you!”

Rarity hid her giggle behind her hoof. “You certainly don’t act like a big brother, so it’s only right for me to assume the role.” 

I narrowed my eyes before ruefully sipping my tea, forgetting I wasn’t a tea drinker. While the taste wasn’t bad, I quickly set the cup back on the table. Suddenly I realized how immature I was—in both attitude and palate.

“So, how long do you plan on staying here?”
“Hm? I’m not sure.”
“Well, surely you can’t return in the same day! It’s almost four o’clock.”

My eyes darted to the clock before replying.

“I guess not.”
“You are welcome to return here if you’re unable to find a place to stay. This sitting room makes for a cozy bedroom in a pinch!”
“Thank you, I didn’t even think about that.” 

Rarity adjusted herself on the chaise, setting down her teacup as she focused on me again.

“So now that we’ve shared our connections to Rainbow, why don’t we tell each other a little more about ourselves?”


***


“Remember! If you can’t find anywhere to stay, just knock!”
“Thanks. You’re too kind.”
“See ya, Mister!” 

My hooves squelched in the muddy roads as I trotted away from the boutique, my eyes scanning the rapidly dispersing clouds for a specific mare. Among the dozen or so pegasi clearing the sky, it wasn’t hard for me to find her. For the first time, I got a good look at Rainbow Dash in what I assumed to be her prime: Her youthful face sagged with boredom as she followed a couple other pegasi with their respective clumps of rain clouds. Her mane and coat shone brilliantly in comparison to the elderly yet spirited mare that confronted me several weeks ago. She wore a pair of goggles up on her head—the minimalistic uniform of most weather teams. 

I opened my mouth to shout before suddenly realizing I had no plan of attack, my gaze dropping to my hooves. Would she think it creepy if I said she was a fan? Or maybe she already knew because of Applejack or Rarity? If she did, how would I try and salvage it? 

“Hey,” came a voice just above me.

I glanced up to see her regarding me with a concerned stare.

“Do I know you from somewhere?”
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow Dash studied my face as I stammered stupidly at her, my brain struggling to catch up to my mouth.

“Me? Oh, uh… Maybe?” 

There was a pause.

“I mean, I know who you are, of course!”

That seemed to distract her from her initial curiosity. 

“Heh. Of course you would.”
“Yeah. Big fan.”
“Well, why wouldn’t you be?”

I blinked as she shrugged her wings. She was… not as humble as I thought she’d be.

“R-right. I, uh, I actually had a question for you…”
“Yeah, right. I getcha. Autograph. Lemme ask you one first.”
“Oh? Shoot.” 
“Were you in Ponyville a few days ago?”

Ah. That’s why she recognized me.

“Uh, yeah, actually. I ran into an acquaintance of yours—!”
“Right! Applejack says she caught you napping in her orchard.”
“Yeah. I’m… Not proud to admit that.”
“Psh, don’t worry about it, kiddo.”

I flinched at her choice of words. Thankfully, she had missed it as she rambled on.

“AJ’s alright; sometimes she’s just a little too strait-laced. It’s not like you were stealing apples or something.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Oh, yeah. You still want that autograph, right?”
“No, that’s not…!”
“What? Oh. That’s kinda disappointing.”
“Well, as I was saying, I actually had a question—!”
“You sure you don’t?”
“Yes. I’m sure. I wanted to—!”
“Cuz AJ told me about how you were singing my praises and stuff; I thought somepony like you would at least want something to—!”
“Can we not talk about that?!”

Her eyes went wide, as if noticing me for the first time. Her eyebrows furrowed, frustration seeping into her expression.

“Then what do you want?”
“I wanted to ask you…”

Briefly bracing myself with a deep breath, I spat it out.

“…do you remember me at all?”

Her irritated scowl shifted to a suspicious one. 

“What? No.”

What?!

“How would I remember somepony like you? Did we meet?”

What did she mean when she asked me all those questions that day?

“Hello? Earth to colt?!”

I blinked, my confused expression meeting her angry scowl. 

“What do you mean remember you?!”
“I…”
“Spit it out!”
“I… Just… Forget it!”

I took off at full gallop, my wings flapping rapidly in a hasty takeoff. 

“Hey! Get back here!” 

I glanced back, seeing a flash of a furious polychromatic mare speeding after me—and rapidly gaining. 

“I said forget about it!”

I leveled out in an attempt to gain some speed, my eyes starting to squint as my pace went from brisk to blistering. However, without my goggles, I couldn’t reach my top speed. Tears brimmed under my eyes as the wind battered my corneas, my lack of visibility keeping me from going any faster.

“Forget about what?”

I could hear her getting closer with every word. Unlike me, Rainbow Dash had goggles.

“It’s none of your business!”
“Oh, I think it’s definitely my business!”
“Leave me alone!”

Flaring out my wings, I pulled my head back and kicked my legs forward—narrowly brushing past a speeding Rainbow Dash as my air-brake forced us to switch places. As she began her lengthy turn, I pulled my wings in for a dive to regain the speed I had just sacrificed. Through my squinted eyes, I could see the town of Ponyville rapidly approaching from below. Adrenaline pumped in my veins as I screamed towards the ground—instinct forcing me to open my wings and gingerly angle them upwards. Pulling up just above the heads of several unfortunate townsponies, I tucked my legs into my body to avoid clipping any raised faces as I buzzed overhead. 

As I weaved between the buildings, my heart pounded in my chest as my thoughts attempted to out-race my current pace. 

What was the point of coming here?! She doesn’t even remember me! But why did she say what she did at the Q&A session?! Was I mistaken? Was she?

“Stop!”

She was on my tail again—no more than a few seconds behind me. I shook my head, dismissing my racer’s instincts of estimating the time gap as I cut around a large, spindly structure I had seen in the book from the library earlier today. I needed to find things that would slow her down.

“Don’t try to run! You can’t outfly me!”

Oh, she did not just say that.

“I’m the fastest flyer in Ponyville! Or did you forget that?!”

Gritting my teeth, I aimed myself towards one of the larger two-story cottages—the sturdier-looking the building, the better. Briefly flaring my wings to bleed off some speed, I bent all four legs as I braced for a heavy landing. 

“Are you blind?! Look out!”

With a solid WHUMP, my hooves met the cream plaster of the cottage. I exhaled as I bent my legs, wincing as my joints groaned in pain from the teeth-chattering impact. With a final, forceful huff, I jumped—sideways. Propelling myself off the building like a pony-shaped torpedo, I rocketed past a bewildered-looking Rainbow Dash—once again forced to take a wider, more time-consuming turn. Blood pumping in my eardrums, I grinned as I savored that shocked expression she wore as I had passed.

Having gained a few precious seconds to myself, I beelined it for the edge of the town as fast as my poor visibility allowed. It wouldn’t be long before—!

“C’mere!”

Something slammed into my side, sending me spinning helplessly to the ground. I glanced down at the offender—Rainbow’s vibrant mane whipping me in the face. We crashed into the road, forcing us to grunt and groan in a chaotic chorus of pain as we tumbled flank-over-teakettle. The world spun and blurred as our momentum seemed to carry us on forever in a clumsy dance of tangled limbs. 

We stopped suddenly—my left foreleg blossoming in pain as it took the brunt of my impact and cushioned her fall. I cried out as I cradled it gingerly, hissing with rapid breaths as shock began to set in. As I rolled to the side, a sky-blue hoof slammed down next to me. Rainbow Dash glared daggers at me, blood trickling from one of her nostrils. 

“Alright! Who the hay are you?! And where do you remember me from?!” 

“Aw, I… I don’t know,” I lied pathetically. 

“The way you fly, too! You’re no ordinary pegasus! I knew I recognized you from somewhere! You chased me down a few days ago over the lake but disappeared after we crashed!”

So she did remember.

"Tell me who you are!”

“I’m just a fan! A fan! Gah!” I cradled my foreleg as a jolt of discomfort lanced through it. 

“You’re hurt? Aw, horseapples… Lemme see.”
“Don’t touch it!” 
“Just shut up and lemme look!”
“Rainbow Dash, what’s going on?!”

My head whipped to the left, my crazed stare resting on a purple unicorn regarding the two of us with a concerned gaze. 

“Twilight!”
“Rainbow! You’re bleeding!”
“What? Oh. Nevermind that! He’s got a broken foreleg.”
“Oof! Yep. That looks broken.”
“Help me get him on his hooves.”
“Was it you two that hit the side of the library?”
“I was chasing him through the town and… got a little carried away.”

The purple unicorn called Twilight leaned down, her eyes locking with mine for a moment.

“Hey. I’m going to lift you up with magic. It’ll be the best way to transport you without risking any more damage to your leg. I’m going to need you to stay very, very still.”

I gave a halfhearted nod before grunting as I felt myself hoisted by invisible hooves. I glanced around, a mixture of disapproving and confused ponies looking up at me while Twilight cantered ahead—Rainbow hovering close behind. 

“You okay, Rainbow?”
“I’ll be fine; maybe a couple bruises but nothing I can’t handle.”
“What made you chase him through Ponyville? There’s damage everywhere…!”
“He asked me if I ‘remembered’ him.”
“That’s… strange. Do you?”
“No! And when I asked him why he would say that, he told me to ‘forget it’ and flew off!”
“Curious. Where did he come from?”
“Applejack told me he’s from Manehatten.”
“That’s so far! That’s almost a day by train.”
“See why I chased him down? He’s just weird! Everything about him doesn’t seem right!”

Rainbow hovered above me, wiping her bloodied nose with a free foreleg as she stared suspiciously at me. 

“Applejack said your name was ‘Jet’ or something, right? How do you know me?”

“I… I’m just a fan.”

“Too late to lead with that. You turned down that autograph pretty hard.”
“Since when were you a detective, Rainbow?”
“I know most of my fans by name. Plus, he doesn’t give off that vibe at all.”

My exhausted brain finally gave out. 

“I… I can’t tell you.”
“Hah. I knew it. I knew you were hiding something!”
“Wow. I’m impressed, Rainbow. We didn’t even need to bring him to Applejack.”
“You could be a little more supportive of me in front of strangers, Twilight.”
“Can you at least tell us why you can’t tell us about it?”
“No.”
“Then what can you tell us?”
“…That my leg hurts.”
“Then you won’t mind if we turn you over to the authorities.”
“Wait, what?”

Twilight nodded to the ponies inspecting a small crater I had left in their cottage’s plaster from one of my ‘maneuvers.’ 

“I’m sure that damaging somepony’s property is a pretty common crime in Manehatten, if not all of Equestria.”
“Whoa. Who’s the bad cop, here?”
“Seriously?!”
“As a last resort, of course! We won’t need to go to them if you tell us why.”

I gulped, rubbing at my aching foreleg as I stared at the sky. I had waited too long just to end it all prematurely by blabbing about my true reason for being here.

“I’m… I’m a spy.”
“Ah, I see. Wait, what?!”
“Who for?! Spill the beans!”
“For the Manehatten Meteors!”
“The who?!”
“We’re an up-and-coming flying team based in Manehatten. We heard the Wonderbolts had a promising candidate lined up and they sent me.”
“Huh.”

“There. Happy?” I asked, mildly proud of my improvised excuse. 

“Does that satisfy you, Rainbow?”
“I guess it does. Wow, all I had to do was pull off that Sonic Rainboom and now I’m world-famous! So, what did you think? How do I hold up to these ‘Manehatten Meteors?’”

I scoffed before answering, “You’ve got potential, I guess.”

The pegasus wrinkled her nose but said nothing. Twilight cleared her throat. 

“Well, that’s one mystery solved. Congratulations, I guess?”
“Uh, thanks?”


***


“You’re lucky a foreleg was all that was broken. Pegasi have lighter bones than most ponies—and while the magic you all innately possess protects you from most falls, that isn’t to say that you won’t suffer a permanent minor injury from crashes at full speed.”

I nodded slowly, yawning unabashedly loud as the stern-looking nursepony droned on about staying off of it for two weeks before returning for a follow-up. It was almost nine o’clock—while the hospital staff were eager to get the bones realigned for proper healing, it had been almost two hours before anypony had come to give the low-down and let us go. 

“Elevate it at night; the best way is to lay on your back and put pillows on your stomach. You shouldn’t need any painkillers, but the doctor has prescribed some to you if the aches get too severe. You can collect those on the way out. Other than that, you’re all good to go.”
“Thank you, Nurse Redheart.”
“Oh, think nothing of it, Miss Sparkle. We owe you quite a lot.”

Thinking better than to ask after a pony who carried me to the hospital, I ignored the suspicious statement and turned to give the unicorn a polite nod. 

“Thanks. Sorry for being so secretive earlier.”
“Forgiven, Jetstream. I’d really appreciate it if you apologize to the ponies whose property you damaged once you’re feeling better.”
“Done.”
“You too, Rainbow.”
“What? Come on!”
“You drove him into a corner—he wouldn’t have flown so aggressively if you weren’t so dogged in your pursuit.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You scared him into flying like that by chasing him.”
“Yeah, but he was the one acting all suspicious!”
“Rainbow Dash.”

The pegasus sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Thanks. I’m sure everypony will appreciate your ability to empathize.”

Twilight yawned suddenly, blinking away tears. 

“Goodness. It’s been a long day. I’ll see you both tomorrow. Be at the library at 11AM sharp.”
“Okay, Twilight.”
“I’ll be there.”

Nodding politely, she turned towards the entrance to start her trek back home.

I felt a nudge from Rainbow.

“C’mon. I’ll walk ya back…” She glanced at my leg, “Er… fly you back to Ponyville proper.”

Giving her a curt nod, I limped behind her out into the road. The hospital was on the edge of town—it lacked the rustic charm of the rest of Ponyville’s buildings. Judging by the construction surrounding one side of the hospital, it was one of the newer establishments. 

Despite my wings and chest being sore from being pushed to their limits a couple hours earlier, I managed to get my wings working. Rainbow stayed at my pace—the two of us flying abreast of the other. 

“Where’d you learn to fly like that?”
“Manehatten Racing Academy.”
“Ooh. Rich parents?”
“Let’s just say they’re supportive.”
“Heh. Sure. So, who else is on your team?”
“Just because I told you why I was here doesn’t mean I’m gonna tell you anything else.”
“Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“I guess.”

We flew in silence for what felt like the longest minute of my life. Finally, I worked up the courage to ask.

“What made you want to start flying fast?”
“Is this the ‘spy’ talking or the pegasus?”
“Both, I guess.”

She hummed to herself as she cocked her head.

“I think I’ve always searched for something I could succeed in with pure effort. Flying was always something that rewarded those who hustled—although there are a lot of other pegasi who had the same idea.”
“So you settled on the sport of competitive flying?”
“No! Of course not!”

She stared up at the darkened sky, the first few stars starting to wink into existence in the fading daylight.

“I bet you won’t believe me when I say this, but that Sonic Rainboom I did in Cloudsdale a few months back—that was the second time I’ve done it.”

“No way,” I replied, hoping my feigned interest masked my knowledge on the matter.

“The first time was when I was just a filly—I gained my cutie mark and had one of the greatest experiences a foal could have. I felt like I could do something right, for once. I was good at something. And it felt good. It was everything I needed to see to send me straight into competitive flying.”

She smiled sadly as she looked down at Ponyville below us.

“Of course, it wouldn’t be for a long while before I would get another sign that I was on the right track.”
“I wouldn’t take my arrival as seriously if I were you.”
“Not that, featherbrain! The second Sonic Rainboom!”
“I know, I know.”

Her cocky grin quickly returned to the somber smile from before. 

“A lot of ponies were worried for me. Worried that my dream was too big. Even those that were close to me—they meant well, but the fact that they were saying they were worried made me realize they didn’t even believe I could do it in the first place.”

She vacantly stared into the now-indigo horizon, almost seeming to be looking past it all. Her eyes turned glassy as her ears drooped. 

“After I moved to Ponyville, I sorta lost who I was. Everypony thought what I wanted was unreachable. All the voices of my friends and family only had doubts that I could even do any of it.”
“But the strongest voice telling you to stop was your own…?”

I paused for a second, unsure if I should continue.

“Yeah, actually.”

I felt a bit of relief as she continued.

“And that was the voice that wouldn’t be quiet, either. No matter how much praise or success I enjoyed, that voice always made me think twice about what I could do.”

I looked back down towards Ponyville. 

“But now, you’re here. With the attention of the world on your back.”
“Heh. Pretty much.”
“I’d say you’re well on your way. At least, I don’t know anypony who’s pulled off two Sonic Rainbooms, let alone one.”
“Well, you know me, so there’s that.”

I couldn’t help but smile. 

“Yeah. You’re right. Oh, here’s my stop.”

Rainbow followed my gaze, her eyes resting on the Carousel Boutique shining like an elaborate birthday cake full of candles.

“Wait, you know Rarity?”
“She took me in during the scheduled rain earlier today.”
“Psh. Sounds like her.” 

We regarded each other with equally curious stares. She broke the silence with a hum.

“Welp, I’ll leave you to your ‘recuperating.’ See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. See ya.”

With a mighty flap, Rainbow sped off towards the horizon. I watched her go for a moment before taking a deep breath. 

“Wow,” I breathed. 

That was awesome.

I glided down towards the boutique, warmth filling my cheeks as I smiled to myself. While I didn’t have any answers regarding her memories of me in the future, today wasn’t too bad.

A painful throb from my injured foreleg put pause to my thoughts.

Could have gone better.

Hovering at the door, I pawed at the bell hanging just above it. The cascading rings echoed in my ears as I thought back to my little heart-to-heart moments before. 

The door swung open, a familiar marshmallow unicorn stepping out. 

“Welcome back! Turns out I’ve unknowingly purchased a pull-out couch, so you’re in…” 

She eyed the cast wrapped around my foreleg.

“I, uh… Met Rainbow Dash.”
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing I noticed was my aching back. I shifted onto my side, nuzzling the pillow next to me. I took a deep breath, noting the gentle floral aroma of my bed. Next, I heard a gentle ticking of a large clock in the distance. Immediately, I knew I was not at home—the unfamiliar smells and sounds sparking excitement and caution.

My eyes slowly widened as my memory caught up—I was on Rarity’s couch. In the Carousel Boutique. In Ponyville. In the past. 

I stared at my hooves in disbelief, studying how they looked in the twilight peeking through the window. I frowned at my unwieldy cast before glancing at the clock, barely managing to read the hands in the low light. 

5:27.

I yawned, stretching my good foreleg while arching my back. My eyes drifted towards one of the high windows, recalling the troubling dreams that still bumped around in my mind. Having been too excited to sleep hadn’t helped, nor had the glass of milk that Rarity had offered. 

Shaking off my worries, I decided some morning exercise would be best. 

I rose quickly, hastily folding the blanket and tidying up the couch the best I could. A glint from the coffee table next to my makeshift bed caught my eye, my gaze drawn downwards to a pair of goggles that hadn’t been there when I had fallen asleep. A small note was tucked underneath them. 


In case I miss you tomorrow morning. Thanks for visiting the Carousel Boutique!
-R


I couldn’t help a smile, an endearing sigh escaping my nose. Grabbing the strap in my mouth, I made a quick adjustment, setting it on my head briefly before tugging at it on the table with my teeth to tighten it. With a practiced flourish, I pulled them down over my eyes, walking towards one of the many mirrors around the sitting area. 

From what I could tell, the goggles looked normal in the limited light. Some further inspection garnered a few bits of extra detail—the strap was a deep purple and wonderfully soft while the goggles were made of burnished brass, the metal glinting brightly even with such low light conditions. 

After nodding with approval at how they looked, I made my way to the door and opened it. Gingerly limping out, I eased it shut behind me before turning to face the horizon. 

The cool morning air greeted me with a brisk gust of wind, a low fog creeping in from the nearby lake. Giving my wings a quick stretch, I took off as quietly as I could, making my way out of Ponyville proper and into the fringes of the town. 

First, I had to warm up. Then some serious stretches. Then some serious flying. If my foreleg bothered me at any point, I would know my limit and stay below it. 

First, I began to climb. I breathed in rhythm with my wing flaps, both relishing and hating the way the cold air burned my throat as I sucked it down. The pumping of blood joined the roaring of the wind in my ears as I picked up the pace, my climb turning into a rapid ascent. I glanced at a nearby cloud, using it as a reference to keep track of my height as I continued to climb. The buildings below shrank rapidly, the air somehow growing even colder as I started to approach the cloud layer. Aiming myself towards one of the wispy stragglers, I grinned as I enjoyed the freedom of flight with goggles—my eyes wide open and invulnerable to the frigid air slicing at my muzzle.

With a last burst of speed, I crested my desired altitude, leveling out as I looked back down. Ponyville was almost imperceptibly small below me—my eyes barely catching a couple of darkened outlines of houses in the limited light. Plenty of room to avoid buzzing anyone like yesterday. 

I continued my warm up with tight descending turns, slaloming down an invisible slope as I gradually picked up speed. I counted out the repetitions in my head as I dodged an imaginary set of training posts, the distance between them becoming wider and wider as the turns became more and more difficult due to increased speed at the end of every run. Soon, my tight turns had devolved into lengthier sustained turns, my wings starting to burn ever so slightly. 

Climbing back up to the cloud layer, I started pushing together some of the wispier clouds to form a big enough platform for me to stand on. Next was stretching—gone were the days of jumping straight into my flight activities with no consequences from cold muscles. While I missed the more carefree approach to flying in my youth, the routine of stretching gave me time to get into the zone before an exhibition. 

I settled onto the small platform, putting a small amount of pressure to test the resilience of my foreleg cast. It didn’t seem to hurt at all yet—thankfully the nurse was right about probably not needing painkillers. 

Letting a satisfied smirk leak onto my muzzle, I leaned forward, planting my hooves and chest against the cloud. Leaning my head back into a lengthy pectoral stretch, I eased out a breath from my strained esophagus as I counted to twenty in my head. Rolling back upright, I alternated wing stretches—stretching one towards the sky and the other towards the ground. I soon found a rhythm, rocking my body left and right as I shifted my weight from hoof to hoof. 

Then I heard it. The sound of wind tearing around a pair of wings. Barely audible at first, but quickly ramping up to obnoxiously loud. 

“Boo!” 
“Waah!”

The cloud beneath me suddenly gave way as it was dispersed by a swift kick. Tumbling for a half second, I righted myself by flapping my wings rapidly. 

“Hahaha! Oh, man! You looked so scared! Heehee!”

Rainbow Dash held her stomach as she laughed at my expense, my glare doing nothing to phase her mirth. She pointed at me with a foreleg, still laughing. 

“It’s l-like you forgot y-you had wings! Oohoohoohaha!”
“Quit it!” 

The mare wiped a tear as she regarded my frustrated scowl with a sassy grin. 

“Oh, relax. Nopony saw that but me.”

I bit back a retort as I tried to calm myself down. I still needed answers from her—it wouldn’t do if I drove her away by overreacting. I started moving more clouds together to reform the platform. Rainbow started gathering some nearby wisps, pushing her contributions to mine. 

“What’re you doing up this early, Jet?” 
“Morning flight.”
“Figures. You just got started?”
“Were you already up?”
“I like to start a little earlier—never liked flying with the sunrise blinding me.”

Settling onto our platform, I glanced around, briefly forgetting I wasn’t in Manehatten. There would be no buildings to hide the sun’s rays. 

“So what’s with the goggles? You actually need those things?”

I scoffed. Wearing goggles in casual flying usually meant one of two things: You were either scared to fly or were so cocky you thought you flew fast enough to need them.

“You bring yours?”
“Don’t need ‘em. I’m not afraid of a little wind tickling my eyes.”
“Suit yourself.”

I pulled my new goggles down with my good foreleg, eyeing the gradually brightening horizon ahead. I felt a light breeze as Rainbow opened her wings, her body tensed like a spring.

“Need a partner?”
“For what?”
“Racing, duh.”
“Huh. Thought you meant something else.”
“Psh. In your dreams, creep.”
“Says the one who flew over to my patch of sky.”
“Alright, buster. Get this show on the road.”

A hoof playfully shoved my left shoulder. “I wanna see you put your money where that big fat mouth is.”

“Hmm… Why don’t we make a bet.”

Rainbow smirked. “Shoot.”

“You catch me, then I try to catch you. Whoever takes longer buys breakfast.”
“Heh. You’re on.”
“Alright. Ready?”
“Of course I am!” 
“Just don’t want to hear any of your excuses later!” 

Not waiting for her to reply, I leapt off the edge, starting in a steep dive. Already, I could hear her behind me—the roaring of the wind in my ears barely hiding the whistling of a second pegasus riding in my slipstream. If I let her stay there, she’d catch me for sure. 

I broke off, turning away from Ponyville and towards the countryside. I briefly thought about going for another air-brake but decided against it—while she didn’t seem like an analytical mare, she certainly knew how to fly. She wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice. With goggles, I could put her legendary speed to the test. 

I steepened my dive, sacrificing maneuverability for more speed as I dropped like a stone. Keeping my mouth closed to keep my lips from flapping, I smirked as the noise informing me of her presence got quieter and quieter. Nopony could fly comfortably at speeds like this without eye protection. 

The ground got closer and closer, my altitude slowly starting to run out. I pulled out of my dive early—I did not want to risk another crash while my foreleg was still in a cast. Zipping left and right to keep her off my tail and out of my slipstream, I cut across a wide swathe of grassy fields populated with small copses of trees. Keeping myself low, I began to cut between the tree trunks—breaking left and right randomly after threading the needle in hopes of throwing her off. 
Despite my best efforts, I could hear her getting closer as I weaved through the trees. She was reeling me in. Her speed really was something else. Without the “pinball” technique, I was a sitting duck. While I hated admitting I was slower than somepony, Rainbow Dash was just wicked fast when it came to flying level—not to mention not needing goggles to fly as fast as she was. While I had lost a lot of speed from weaving, the pace would still be eyewatering for me without goggles—she pursued me like a mare possessed while suffering from low visibility from her current airspeed.

I didn’t even last thirty seconds. 

There was a tap on my shoulder as I straightened out from one of my turns. I glanced over—finding empty space. Realizing I’d been tricked again, I looked the other way to find a smug Rainbow Dash looking back. She pointed up before starting to climb—back up to the starting altitude. I grimaced, following her up. If she had managed to catch me that easily, this was not going to be a fun final half. 

I joined her at the cloud layer once more as she shouted and waved. 

“Hey! Just so you know, I like the Cheese n’ Chives sandwich from Café Hay!”
“Oh, don’t you start!”


***


“Why’d you make such a bold claim if you didn’t have any bits on you?!”
“Spur of the moment, I guess. The fact that I had nothing to lose made it easier than usual…”
“Whatever, dude. I’ll get you this time—you got me craving that dang sandwich now…”
“It’s your fault for not holding back on this cripple.”
“Nice try, Mr. Guilt Tripper, but you could’ve just settled for a simple race with no stakes. You asked for it.”
“…Touché.”

We flitted towards the café, nodding in greeting towards the pony at the host desk. The orange earth pony acknowledged us with a nod of her own before directing us to one of the exterior tables, leaving us with one other older couple sitting nearby. 

I took a seat in the elegant wire chair—all the outdoor furniture was painted black like an old iron-wrought fence, giving it an upscale yet classical vibe. Each table was decorated with a single candle and pristine white tablecloths that billowed gently in the morning breeze.

A waiter approached, dropping off some menus and a bowl of complementary daisies before leaving us alone.

“What’re you thinking about getting? Anything you’ve got a hankering for?”

I sighed, my stomach approving of almost everything I saw printed on the pages. “No idea, really.”

“Ooh, the mint waffles are pretty bomb—the vanilla whip that goes on top is killer.” 
“Anything savory I can get with those?”
“Get a side of their country hash. I’ll help you with that.”
“Hey, you’re the boss, boss. You’re paying for this, after all.”
“Quit reminding me.”

The waiter returned, skillfully balancing a tray with a pitcher of water and two glasses across his back. 

“Are we ready to order?”
“Yeah! Cheese & Chive Egg Sandwich, sub a brioche bun for the sourdough slices and a glass of orange juice. Oh, and an order of mint waffles and a side of country hash for this mug right here.”
“Of course, Miss Dash. Will there be anything else?”
“Need an apple juice to sip on, kid?”
“…We’re fine. Thank you, sir.”
“Of course.”

The waiter trotted off—his burden deposited onto the table. Grasping the glass with both hooves, Rainbow emptied hers in a single long draught while I took a decidedly dainty sip. The pegasus shoved her snout into the bowl, grabbing a few daisies with her mouth before asking me a question.

“Mmf… So. How long you been flyin’ wild?”
“Been awhile now… Almost six years.”
“Oh, nice. Late start, but you’re not half bad.”
“Since you’ve got my breakfast I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Rainbow swallowed her daisies as she wrung her hooves.

“Sorry, I mean you surprised me with your flying. You’ve got a good base—good fundamentals. I can tell you practice what you preach.”
“Oh.”
“What you don’t have in speed, you make up for with tricks for turning and diving faster. Also, the fact that you could pull off that crazy ‘bouncing-off-buildings’ thing in a pinch means you’ve got a lot of experience with it. And I’m all for the crazy stuff.”
“Whoa. You got all that just from those two times we flew together?”

She shrugged her wings. “I love flying. It’s sorta all I know.”

“And where’d you learn all of that?”

Rainbow set her glass down with a loud THUNK, jolting the two elderly ponies out of their polite conversation. 

“The Canterlot Wonderbolts!”
“Ah, right.” 
“Not just ‘alright,’ they’re the best!”
“So I’ve heard.”
“And I get to see them tomorrow!”
“Very nice, very… Huh?!”

The pegasus grinned at me. “Got your attention now, do I?”

I doused my enthusiasm before cautiously replying, “Er, that’s great, Rainbow. Glad you’re getting the recognition you deserve.”

Her grin evolved into a big smile. “I’ve been looking forward to it all month. It’s my prize for winning the Young Flyer Competition in Cloudsdale!”

The waiter returned, setting down our two entrées and side of county hash before departing. Both unable to resist, we dug in for several minutes—unable to even entertain the thought of discussion. The waffles were on the dry side, but between the melted butter and whipped cream they quickly became flavorful sponges that drowned my tongue with a wonderful balance of savory sweetness. I glanced up eagerly at the country hash—my interest falling into mild disappointment upon seeing an empty plate. Rainbow wiped her mouth with the back of her foreleg as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes turning skyward. 

“Ah, good.”
“Glad you enjoyed that country hash.”
“Hey, pays to be fast.”
“Whatever. Guess you can buy it for me next time.”
“You mean you’re gonna be buying it next time.”
“Next time, I’ll have my leg back and it’ll be fair game again.”
“Did you forget about how I totally whooped you yesterday?”
“I wasn’t thinking straight. I was flying out of desperation.”
“Not sure about you but that sounds like you’re making excuses.”

I sat back in my chair as I mentally swapped my upcoming retort for a question.

“So, you’re going to Canterlot today?”
“Tonight. Gonna do whatever Twilight wants us to do before I go.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, Rainbow.”
“I’m cool with you being jealous, too.”
“Of course I’m jealous. What self-respecting flyer wouldn’t be?”
“Just wanted to hear you say it.”

I leaned onto the table, my eagerness bubbling back to the surface. “What’re you gonna do tomorrow? Did they give you an itinerary or schedule?”
“Just to meet at the Canterlot Stadium tomorrow morning.”
“Wow. So you’ll be doing literally whatever you want?”
“I guess so. Maybe we’ll race! If I beat one of ‘em, they’ll have to put me on their team!”
“I would say that’s a very, very optimistic outcome.”
“Alright, nerd. Sheesh, you sound like an egghead using all those big words.”
“You gonna ask them any questions?”
“Yeah.”
“Like what?”
“Like… I dunno. About how to join their team?”
“That’s…. kinda desperate, don’t you think?”
“Alright, smart guy! What would you ask them?”

I tapped my chin thoughtfully, a grin sneaking onto my muzzle. “Maybe ask them about bringing a plus one?”
“Hah! Yeah, sure. Feel free to win your own Young Flyer Competition, ya mooch.”

I glanced down at the breakfast she had just bought for me. “Touché. That was a little too soon for my liking.”

The mare’s laugh rang out across the front patio, the elderly couple glaring towards us with an irritated stare. 

“You’re a fun dude, Jet.”

A grin tugged at the side of my mouth. “Likewise, Rainbow.”

“When are you going back to Manehatten?”
“After enduring my sentence of community service with Judge Sparkle, I guess.”
“What’re you gonna tell your team?”
“That we’ve got some mean competition in Ponyville.”

Rainbow nodded approvingly. “I like the sound of that.”

I shrugged. “I got my flank handed to me twice—that’s two more times than any other pegasi in Equestria.”

Rainbow’s ears perked up as the clock tower began to chime. Her ears drooped as she heard eleven bongs. 

“Oh, crap. We’re late!”
“W-wait, we still have to pay!”
“Check please!”


***


“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Only you would think that wasn’t the most boring thing in the world.”
“Trust me, those townsponies will be much more willing to cheer for you if you ever perform in another flying event.”
“I guess you’re right, Twi.”
“So… I’m good?”

The unicorn turned to me, flashing an innocent smile. 

“Of course. Thanks for cooperating with me, Jetstream.”
“Even if I did have a choice in the matter, I would do it again in a heartbeat, Miss Sparkle.”
“Just call me Twilight. Everypony else does. Miss Sparkle makes me sound like a teacher or something.”
“I mean you definitely love explaining stuff to any pony willing to listen.”

The unicorn nodded towards me, ignoring the irritable mare’s goads with a patience I wished I had.

“Take care, Jetstream. And don’t hesitate to come visit. I’m sure Rainbow would love it.”
“What?! No! That’s not… Well, I guess that’s accurate. Never mind.”

I smiled and bowed my head. “Noted. And tell Rarity I said ‘thanks.’ I’ll cherish these new goggles.”

“Safe trip home, Jet.” 
“Bye Jet! Maybe I’ll come to Manehatten and visit you!”

I forced a smile as I started towards the nearest passenger car. “Might be too busy training to beat you, Rainbow.” 

“Good luck with that,” she teased back. 

Boarding the train, I quickly moved to a window seat facing the platform. Twilight gave a polite wave while Rainbow gave a knowing smirk. I gave a curt nod back just as the train lurched forward. 

Turning my head, I watched as Twilight and Rainbow became small dots on the horizon before disappearing from view. The slow chugging of the steam engine ramped up in its pace as the train gained speed, taking me further and further from Ponyville. 

My muzzle hurt from smiling but I didn’t care. While her words were mildly disturbing at how true they would ring some fifty years later, Rainbow’s enthusiasm made my apprehension melt away. She was excited to see me. 

Before I could even take a look out the window, I suddenly felt drained—settling back into my seat. My eyes slid closed, fatigue washing over me.
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I snapped awake, gasping as I sat up in my chair. Looking around, I found myself in the darkened office of Ryan Syllabus. 

I looked over at the cluttered desk to my right, the understudy dozing on top of a half-full legal pad. A small puddle of drool soaked the yellow paper—his messy notes now completely unrecognizable. 

Suddenly, I felt weak. Letting out a croak of surprise, I fell back into my chair as my strength left as quickly as it came. While it felt like my body was shutting down, my brain was ablaze with panic. 

“H-help… Help…” 

Ryan stirred, but did not wake up. I began to sweat as I willed my deadened limbs to move but having little success. It was as if I was trapped thousands of feet underwater—a crushing pressure keeping me completely paralyzed. 

Crazed with desperation, I began to gently rock in my seat. Barely managing a smidgeon of movement, I threw myself against my bodily prison as the panic boiled over into full-fledged terror. One of my forelegs began to slip out from underneath me, my body starting to slide forward on the chair. As my weight shifted forward, my leg slipped free—sending me careening into the desk head-first. 

Seeing stars, I looked up just in time to see a pair of scissors falling from a cup of pencils that had gotten knocked over from my impact. Everything slowed to a crawl as I saw them gleaming in my peripheral—helpless and unable to move away. 

I shut my eyes. A hot flash of pain jabbed into my right cheekbone, just below my eye. 

“nnnMMMAAAAAHHHH!”
“WHOA, NELLY!”

I clawed at my face, patting at where the scissors had struck my cheek. A small streak of blood was left behind on my hoof but my eye was intact. I could still see. I even had depth perception. 

I could also move. 

“Jet! You’re awake!” 

I looked about in a frenzy, bolting upright and patting myself down. The heaviness had left my limbs completely although I felt a great fatigue looming behind the adrenaline. 

“You’ve been out for awhile… How long were you there?”
“Y-you didn’t tell me paralysis was a symptom!” 
“I did tell you about the weakness, didn’t I? Loss of strength? That’s what it was, wasn’t it?”
“I mean, I guess you could say that—!”
“And you need to calm down! To go from practically hibernating to ready to fight for your life puts way too much stress on your heart! You could have a heart attack!” 

I gulped, forcing myself to take a couple of shaky breaths. 

“Easy, now.”
“Okay… Okay…”
“Sun’s getting low… Sun’s getting really low…”
“Alright! I get it!”

I wiped my brow with my foreleg—one that wasn’t broken anymore. Walking without a limp was going to take some getting used to. 

“Talk to me, Jet. How long were you there?”
“A-a day and a half. Maybe around 36 hours or so…?”
“Did you sleep while you were there?”
“Yeah… Not very long though. Had some bad dreams.”
“Interesting… As your therapist, I wanted to ask if you found any answers about Rainbow Dash.”

I stared at the assortment of books on the table, a monochrome picture of Ponyville’s town hall on the current page.

“No. She didn’t remember me at all.”

Ryan’s brow arched. “Really? But you’re sure she said what she said at that press conference?”
“I still remember it clearly.”
“I see… Well you can see how this raises far more questions than provides answers.” 

My legs felt wobbly and weak. I forced myself to sit as the fatigue finally crashed down. Ryan glanced over, his eyes darting over me.

“How bad is it?”

I winced as I felt the heaviness return in full force, “I’m… It doesn’t feel good…” I felt myself being forced into the floor by a giant hand as the last of the adrenaline burned off. 

“How so? Keep talking to me Jet.” 

I looked up, my vision darkening at the edges, “Doc?” 

He looked back, his expression progressing from worry into horror, “Jet, hey! Jet, stay—!” 

Ryan rushed forward as I fell over, unmoving. My eyes rolled back into my head, his muffled cries barely reaching me. 





“What were you thinking?” 

“I know. I’m sorry. I used to be able to do that one all the time. Got too comfortable with putting myself in harm’s way like that and… Yeah.”

Twister sighed, shaking her head. Thankfully, she believed my claim of attempting an Immelmann from low altitude—I wasn’t sure whether to be proud or disgusted with my newfound skill of coming up with tall tales.

“Well, I’m glad you’re fine, Jet. We were all worried sick.”

I glanced at the windowsill which was crowded with flowers, “I noticed. The nurses say they’re tired of watering my garden every day.”

“Jet.”
“Joking. I’m grateful. Really.” 

I stared at the ceiling, “I guess I’m losing my touch.”

Twister frowned, “That press conference really messed you up, didn’t it?”

I opened my mouth to respond but took pause, unsure of what to say. My co-captain stood from her chair, walking over to my bedside. 

“Can we talk for a bit?” 

My eyes fell to my bedsheets, heavy with guilt, “Sure.” 

As she rested her upper half on the bed, I realized I hadn’t ever seen her with her mane down, let alone with bangs. They draped across her normally unobscured forehead and joined the rest of her curls cascading down the side of her face. Her head nestled on top of her forelegs as her curious sapphires scanned my dull coals.

“What’s on your mind?” 

I broke eye contact with her, shrugging, “A lot of things.”

“Care to elaborate?”

I’d already told Windchaser and Typhoon. Maybe it was best to tell the co-captain.

“She said she knew me. She asked me if I remembered her.”

Twister’s eyes widened but her toned remained unchanged, “What’d you say?”

“I told her in a roundabout way that I didn’t. And she… She looked devastated.”
“I see. And then…?”

She had a heart attack and deteriorated until she died.

“I never saw her again,” I said with finality. 

My co-captain’s eyes fell. She got it. 

“And you never absolved yourself for making her feel that way.”
“Maybe? I don’t know.”
“Did you try talking about it to anypony?”
“Chase sent me to see a shrink. He said he wanted me to ‘get better.’”

Twister gave a sad smile, “He’s a bit too direct, sometimes.”

I nodded slowly, “It felt like he just wants me to feel better so he doesn’t have to worry about it.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Care to explain?”
“Maybe he doesn’t know what else to do when he sees a friend in pain.”
“Eh… Maybe.” 

I felt my chest tense as I recalled his seemingly careless confession of “wanting his friend back.”

“Mm. I get what you’re saying. I’ll just say I’m here to talk whenever you feel like it. I’m no shrink, but I like to listen.”

We shared a glance, her smile earning a small grin from me. 

“Thanks.”

The mare broke eye contact and stared towards the window, “So, what was it like talking to Rainbow Dash?”

I shrugged my wings, “Don’t really know. Overwhelming, I guess. Next thing I knew she was…”

Twister nodded to herself. Her eyes flicked down to her forelegs as she spoke, “Did she talk to you like a friend, or…?”

“Huh? Oh! Wow, I… I don’t know, actually.”

The mare looked up at me suddenly, a gentle blush on her cheeks, “Seriously? You’re not sure?”

I threw up my forelegs, shaking my head, “I dunno! I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before.”

“Pfft, and here I was thinking you were a grown-up like the rest of us,” Twister scoffed under a foreleg.

“Sheesh, no mercy even when I’m in the hospital,” I sighed, leaning against my pillows. 

“I mean, you’ve been in a relationship, right?” 

My face felt hot as I searched for the proper words.

“I was… I mean, I thought… A distraction…?”
“I mean, I know relationships are different for everypony, but I figured twenty years would be long enough for a colt like you to have at least one relationship.”
“What do you mean a ‘colt like me?’”

Twister blinked, looking as if she’d swallowed a fly. I nodded slowly, leaning forward with glee.

“Ah. Okay. I see you, Twist. I see you…”
“I mean, come on, Jet! You’re one of the captains of a professional flying team!”
“Sure, sure.” 
“Tch, dream on, Jet.”
“Alright, alright. Bad joke. Had to get you back.”

The pegasus rolled her eyes, a smirk curling up beneath her dismissive gesture, “Just don’t tell anypony I said that.”

I pointed at her with a foreleg, “Likewise. We’re in this together, now.”

She chuckled to herself as she formally took residence on the edge of my bed, “Right, right. I won’t say anything about how sad and single your entire life has been.”

I shrugged, “What can I say? I like my free time and my bits.”

“Yeesh, you’re such a child.”
“Says you.”

The beeping of my monitor reigned over the silence that followed. 

“…So you don’t know if it was like that or not?”

I stared at my legs beneath the blanket, “No idea.”

Twister propped her chin atop a foreleg, “It’s strange. She’s from a totally different generation of flyers and she talked to you as if you grew up with her. It’s almost like…”

I leaned in expectantly. Suddenly, she let out a snort. 

“What?”
“Nothing. It’s dumb.”
“Just say it. My lips are sealed, remember?”

She shrugged, shaking her head, “Like you time-traveled or something.”

As she began to dismiss her own notions, I felt a cold sweat beading on my brow. 





“Dr. Bell will see you now.”
“Thank you.”

I followed the receptionist halfheartedly, my mind abuzz with questions. I was troubled to learn that Ryan had taken a sudden sabbatical after Dr. Bell had returned to his office. I wondered how I hadn’t considered an outcome like this sooner—the real doctor returning was only inevitable. 

“Right in here.”
“Thanks.”

Stepping past the bright-eyed mare, I winced as the acrid stench of cigars and coffee burned my nostrils. Looking around the office, I took in its gaudy furnishings for the first time. 

It seemed more like the office of a literary professor than a psychiatrist: Dark wood bookshelves crowded the walls, the shelves packed with heavy hardcover tomes. The topics ranged from philosophy to history; I could only imagine how many dense discussions were held in each book. Elegant end tables holding a brass globe and a copper oil lamp flanked the edges of the room. In front of the desk itself were two faded maroon armchairs, matching the loveseat that was in Ryan’s ‘office.’ An oaken box filled with cigars along with a fountain pen and picture frame were the only furnishings atop the mighty mahogany desk at the room’s center. 

I glanced at the portly unicorn sitting behind the wooden desk. Lacking his hat from the portrait, his mane was fairly short yet bushy—flecks of grey starting to work their way into strands here and there. A pair of small circular wire spectacles rested on his stocky muzzle, a thick brown beard giving his face a natural frown. His beady eyes squinted over his nose as he regarded me with curiosity.

“You must be Jetstream.”
“Hello. Dr. Bell, right?”
“That is correct. Please, take a seat.”

His voice was terse, almost coming out like a growl. It was almost comedic with how it matched his grumpy appearance. I moved to one of the armchairs, hesitantly placing myself in its comfortable embrace.

“Now, I’ve collected Ryan’s notes on your sessions thus far. I’m afraid there isn’t much, so I may ask you to reiterate some things for me.”

“Mhmm,” I hummed absentmindedly. I held my breath as he sifted through a stack of papers on his desk, his horn giving off a soft amber glow. 

“So you had a bizarre interaction with a childhood hero?”
“You can say that.”
“She claimed to have known you.”
“Yeah.”
“After dismissing the notion, she suddenly passed—leaving you with questions that leave you unable to focus on your life in the present.”
“Uh-huh.”

Dr. Bell looked up from the papers, peering over his spectacles, “I can see why you took Ryan up on his offer.”

Oh, sugar-honey-iced-tea.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” 
“You know exactly what I mean.” 

I sighed. He knew.

“I’m sorry, doctor. At the time, it looked like all I had. Nothing else would satisfy my curiosity—or insomnia, for that matter. Your method of hypnosis sounded like the perfect method.”
“Hmm. I see. So he did put you under.”

I cocked my head. I wasn’t so sure if he knew what I was talking about.

“I had a feeling that he would have offered that method when presented with your strange circumstances. Forgive me, I may have manipulated you into telling me the truth.”

Oh, horseapples. He didn’t know. But now he does.

“You are not at fault, Jetstream. If anything, Ryan took advantage of a vulnerable psyche for his own personal gain.”
“No, wait. I was the one who agreed.”
“But you are not in your right mind. You were troubled and needed somepony to talk to—not to visit the past in your head for short-term relief.”
“Unless I found the answers I was looking for!”
“Which, you didn’t. Is that not why you are here? To be put under again?”
“I mean, yes…!”
“And I’m here to tell you it’s not worth putting your life at risk.” 

I scoffed as I turned away from the desk. Dr. Bell leaned forward as his expression became apologetic.

“The road will be difficult. It will be painful. But it will help you much more than living a fantasy scenario in your head. What Ryan offered was a dirty band-aid. What I offer you now is a full-scale operation.” 

My eyes dropped to the edge of the desk. My vision blurred at the edges as tears beaded at the corners of my eyes.

“You’re going to be okay, Jetstream. But you need to trust me.”

I was scared to lose you to that sadness again.

“All I want is to help. The question is will you allow me?”

I didn’t want to see you down again.

“Let’s get through this together.”

I miss the old Jet from flight school. 

“Forget it.”

Dr. Bell blinked, “Pardon?”

“I said ‘forget it.’ You just want me to move on like everypony else.”

The unicorn sighed, “I won’t tell you what to think Jetstream. But know that it’s much more complicated than just ‘moving on.’”

“Have you ever lost somepony, Doctor?”

Dr. Bell’s expression changed into a dark, glowering scowl, “Careful, young colt.”

“If you had the means to see them in the past, before the pain and sadness, wouldn’t you take it in a heartbeat?”

The doctor slammed his foreleg on the table. His horn sparked angrily, the lights in the office dimming. His eyes flashed with fury as he leaned over the desk.

“You… have no idea. No idea what kind of losses I’ve suffered.”

The picture frame on his desk turned to reveal a kind-eyed mare cradling a swaddled foal. My eyes widened as the doctor leaned back in his chair. 

“I’ve walked the path you walk, Jetstream. It was coincidence that I had been researching this specific method of hypnosis as a hobby—after their deaths, I saw it as providence. Salvation.” 

His glasses floated off his nose as he rubbed his eyes with his forelegs, “I nearly destroyed myself staying in the past. So great was my despair, I was willing to give up the present for the fantasy I had invented in my head. But in my darkest hour, I realized my talents in psychiatry would be needed—I held the responsibility to ensure nopony had to go through something like this alone ever again.” 

Dr. Bell replaced his glasses across his nose as his horn flared. The lights were brought back as he turned away from me. 

“Forgive my outburst. I will not hold you against your will, but I don’t want you making my mistakes. Nopony deserves a fate as dark as that. Call me anytime on my business card—I promise you I will do my best to help you.”

His horn glowed again, the door opening behind me. I stared at the back of his head with a mixture of frustration and curiosity. 

Then I trotted out of his office.





Jetstream, 

I hope you are doing well in your recovery. 

I must apologize for introducing the practice of self-suggested time travel. It has always been a dangerous method of hypnosis even in the most controlled environments. Despite this, I took advantage of you. 
I used you.

I am disgusted with my actions—having broken my Hippocratic oath in a selfish attempt to discover the limits of this forbidden practice firsthand. 

I hope you enjoy more success with Dr. Bell. He is a decent pony—you can trust him to help you find what you seek.

Should you wish to seek compensation for legal damages, my address is listed below. 

My deepest apologies, 
Ryan Syllabus

I pushed the letter away, leaning back in my chair. Strangely, I didn’t feel angry at him. While it had been a harrowing trip to the hospital, the time spent in the past was far from unpleasant. It had the desired effect, reinvigorating me and soothing the damage inflicted by the fateful morning in the urgent care center. It felt right.

I ran my foreleg through my mane as I massaged my scalp, anxiety bundling my stomach into a single corded knot. The doctor’s harsh words rang between my ears. I could feel the previously cooled anger beginning to bubble up again as I remembered his beady eyes glowering over the bridge of his muzzle. 

I wanted to say we were different—that his loss was straightforward. That Rainbow Dash held far more mystery than simple grief. What did he know of my circumstances?

The picture frame flashed behind my eyes, sobering my fiery anger back into an ashen heap. 

Maybe it was me who didn’t know anything.

I turned to the library book on the table, resting my chin on the edge as I halfheartedly scanned the interior. Pictures of Ponyville and Rainbow Dash stared back innocently, my eyes skimming the paragraph just below them.

…and I asked if she had any regrets. 

“Well, of course I do,” she explained. “Lots of little things here and there. Shouldn’t have eaten an entire box of Oat-E-O’s in one sitting, should’ve gone to bed early last night, , shouldn’t have forgotten to put the milk back in the icebox…” 

Her smile faded as she got serious for a moment, eyes unfocused as if staring at something far in the distance.

“…Should’ve said what I wanted to say to a special somepony.” 

When I countered she said she hadn’t told me about being in a relationship before, she shrugged her wings, “Guess I never mentioned it till now. He was a flyer, like me. From Manehatten. We just—”

I blinked. I read the sentence again. And again.

Grabbing Ryan’s letter in my mouth, I bolted out of my apartment.
> Chapter 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I glanced around the empty balcony as I waited at the door. Ryan lived in a small apartment complex in the heart of the city—the tiny two-story building resembling a motel rather than acceptable living quarters. It had taken longer than I had liked to find my way here due to being recognized several times, setting my nerves on edge. I kept my head on a swivel as I searched for any potential fans, simultaneously listening for signs of life inside the apartment.

A shuffling of hooves announced the presence of somepony standing just on the other side of the door. I smiled nervously as I stared at the eye-hole. 

A metal clacking noise announced the lock being disengaged. The door cracked open, a disheveled unicorn peering through the gap. 

“Jetstream? I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

My fake smile faded, “We need to talk. Can I come in?”

The door opened fully as Ryan beckoned me to follow. Giving the exterior one last glance, I followed him inside. His horn flashed and the door closed behind us. The light clicked on as I took a brief look around his home.

The apartment was insultingly small—studio-style with a single bathroom and just enough room for a mini fridge and microwave sitting atop it. A twin mattress lay in one corner, a queen-sized comforter having been thrown partially on top of it. A plastic tub full of clothing sat next to a half-empty hamper in the opposing corner. A trash can filled with a variety of used takeout boxes sat near the door, giving a off a faint sour odor that rivaled the funk of dirty laundry. 

“Sorry. You’re probably the first pony other than me to walk in here since I moved in,” Ryan apologized as he moved towards the bed. His head hung low as he trudged to the mattress, sitting down on top of it to face me. His horn lit up as his magic levitated an unused legal pad towards him—sourced from a pile of notebooks and notepads next to his bed, “I assume you’re here to talk about compensation.”

“Actually, no. I need to know if I can induce self-hypnosis.”

Ryan blinked, leaning forward in confusion. I shrugged my wings as I continued, “Self-hypnosis. If I can induce self-hypnosis, I won’t need to bother you or Dr. Bell for help.”

Finally, the dam broke. 

“Are you out of your mind,” Ryan began before holding up a hoof, “No offense. But after what happened, you should realize how… obsessed you sound!”

Ignoring him, I reached into my saddlebag, grabbing the book inside. Dropping it to the floor, I began flipping through the pages. 

“Think about it from my perspective: An injured patient comes back begging for painkillers to dull their symptoms. When the supply stops, they go to their doctor and ask for enough painkillers to last them for the rest of their life. If that doesn’t sound like malpractice—!”
“Look!” 

I tapped the offending paragraph. Ryan squinted at it for a few moments before his eyes widened.

“Flyer? Manehatten?”

I nodded, eyes just as wide as his, “That’s me, isn’t it?”

He blinked as he looked up at me. Then back at the page. He leaned closer, as if re-reading the words would result in a different outcome.

“And as far as linking you to helping me, I can just say I figured it out through research. Tell me what books I should get, help me frame myself for… whatever happens to me,” I began.

“Listen to yourself!”

I scrunched my muzzle in shock as he looked up from the page, eyes incredulous with shock.

“’Whatever happens?’ What’s going to happen is you waste away without anypony to help you!”

I shook my head, “I’ve figured out how to break it. If I move to an area I don’t know about, or simply tell somepony I’m from the future, I wake up. Easy.”

“But will you want to wake up, Jet?” 

I inhaled sharply as I started to answer, but no words came out. 

“I’ll admit, the fact that she claimed to recognize you and that she was looking for this ‘flyer from Manehatten’ makes a little too much sense. But you need to see that this could kill you.”
“What if you lay down some rules of engagement? Time limits?”

“I can’t help you,” he said, shaking his head, “Please. Please just go to Dr. Bell. He can help you. It’ll be tough, but he’ll be there every step of the way.”

“…Alright,” I nodded slowly as I took a seat, “Okay, then,” I stared down at the open book—a picture of Rainbow looking introspective sat at the bottom of the current page. I shut my eyes and hung my head. 

“Sometimes I wish she never found me.”

I let my realization hang there for a moment before everything spilled out.

“For the past week, it feels like I’ve had one hoof in the past and one hoof in the present. Common sense tells me to stop looking back. Every day, my friends all say they want me to get better. They ask me to move on. Everypony that knows about the hypnosis keeps telling me that it’s dangerous. It’s costly. It’s not worth it.”

My eyes opened again as I gazed back at the book. 

“But then I find things like this telling me there’s a story there. A life yet to be lived—something ahead of me that lives in the past. I know this will be my only chance to find out what that could be. If I walk away from this, I’ll always wonder if I left behind a significant chapter of my life; a chapter that would have made me a different pony—at least, somepony better than the shell of a stallion I am right now.”

I stood up as I moved to the book, “If I walk away… I don’t know if I’ll be able to move forward—forever split between the past and present.”

Ryan looked up as I closed the tome, biting the spine before dumping it into my saddlebag. 

“I refuse to spend the rest of my life as a broken stallion.” 

I briefly bowed my head before moving to the door. I glanced back, “You don’t need to compensate me for anything. I’ll be sure to send written requests to the Meteors’ legal team to leave you alone.” 

“Jet. I’m not saying this as your psychiatrist, but from one colt to another.”

My ears swiveled towards Ryan.

“Please. Don’t do this.”

Wordlessly, I pushed the door open, kicking it shut behind me.





I crept into the locker room, finding it emptied. Relieved to be alone, I trotted to my locker as I pulled it open—gingerly hanging my jersey inside.

Flying was both a relief and a reminder—it let me work out my frustrations and burn excess energy while simultaneously informing me of the glaring issue: A fellow flyer asking me to return to the past. I was afraid of returning to practice due to the concerns of the team—thankfully they were simply happy to see me there. Chase was a little suspicious but didn’t question my return after I put up the façade of the so-called “Jet from flight school.”

“Hey, Jet. Good work today.”

I perked up as I turned, finding Twister giving me a smile from her spot in the doorway of the locker room. I shrugged my wings as I turned back to my locker to hang up my jersey before speaking, “Hopefully I’ll be back to my old self soon.”

“I’d prefer you keep taking it slow. Honestly, if it didn’t make everypony on the team so happy, I’d rather you not worry about reconditioning with them until you’ve got things figured out.”

I heard her hoofsteps approach behind me as I nodded, “Right, right. I didn’t crash into anypony this time, though.”

“Famous last words," she chuckled. She was right behind me now, “Not gonna lie though, having you back makes me happy, too.”

I glanced in the locker’s mirror at her—her bangs were down again. I flashed a grin as I cocked an eyebrow, “I’ll just add that one to the ‘secrets’ pile.”

She moved to my side as she scoffed at the back of my head, “Is that what I get for saying something nice?”

I turned to face her, pouting my lips, “I’m sowwy. Pwease forgwive mwe.”

“Too late for that. Now, I’m adding that face to my secrets pile,” she sniggered. 

I shook my head as I shut my locker, “Is this what I get for apologizing?”

“Somepony doesn’t like the taste of his own medicine.”

I rolled my eyes as I picked up my saddlebags. Before I could start moving to the door, I felt her lean against me.

“Hey.”
“Hm?”

She didn’t turn her head as she replied, “What’s on your mind?”

I stared at my plaque on the locker but said nothing. 

“Even with that fancy flying I could see you were a lot more distracted today.”
“So I was that bad.”

“Jet,” she said simply, stopping me in my tracks. Her voice lacked the mirth it did previously. 

My gaze sank towards the floor. I suddenly started regretting telling her about everything.

“I… I don’t know. I don’t feel any better. I don’t feel any worse.”
“Can we talk about it some more?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You’ve said that more than a hundred times since my visit to the hospital, but I still don’t believe it.”
“What can I do to make you believe me?”

I wobbled as she pressed against me, one of her wings unfurling as she wrapped it around my shoulder.

“Come on. Let’s get something to eat. It’s on me.”

I looked at her wing as I sighed, shaking my head, “I’ve gotta get home.”

“I know a place that has pretty good coconut curry.”
“Twist, come on. Can we drop it?”
“No.” 

She looked up at me, her brow furrowed, “No, we can’t, Jet. I’ve watched you get worse over the past few days and I’d rather not keep wondering why.”

I looked at her, studying her blue eyes peeking from beneath her bangs. They looked fragile, as if a gentle breeze could scatter them. 

“…Okay. I’ll go to dinner with you.”
“And?”
“…Only if we just talk about other stuff.”

It was her turn to search my eyes for something. She smiled sadly as she nodded. 

“Okay.”

A smile crept back onto my muzzle. I pushed back into her side as we stood there, both of us letting the minutes fly by. 





A thick fog enveloped my lower body, obscuring my legs. I trotted forward, admiring how my chest parted it like a ship sailing over mist-covered waters. It looked cold, but I didn't feel it. I never felt temperature whenever I visited this place. 

It was dark above the fog. Everything was illuminated as if it was daytime—only there was no sunlight or light source. I could see no horizon, the soupy mist stretching out in every direction as far as I could see. 

Despite the mysterious nature of my surroundings, I wasn't afraid. Instead, a deep melancholy bloomed in my chest, earning a long sigh from my muzzle. 

Already, I could see her. 

The sky-blue pegasus faced away from me, head turning from side-to-side as if searching for something. Her tri-colored mane flopped gently as she scanned the mists for her target. 

I wanted to call out to her—to fly to her side. 

No, that wasn't it. 

It would be better if we both forgot about each other, right? 

She turned around, her eyes meeting mine. Magenta met onyx as she smiled, her mouth opening as she spoke inaudibly. I felt a tightness in my chest as I fought the urge to say her name. I could see her smile start to fade into confusion. She spoke her silent inquiry again, cocking her head. I gulped and broke eye contact. She moved in my peripheral, trotting closer. I turned my body to the side, looking away. The tightness turned into discomfort. 

It would be better this way.

A low rumble shook the ground beneath our hooves. We shared a look of confusion before a peal of thunder crackled around us. The fog began to shift and fade as the ground bucked and shook underneath us, like an animal trying to rid itself of flies tickling its hide. 

Suddenly, we were falling. We tumbled head over hooves, wings flapping wildly in a frantic attempt to grab the air rushing up around us. Rainbow managed to get airborne first as I continued to fall.

As everything seemed to slow, my fear began to revert into the melancholy from before. It would be better this way. If we continued like this, it would be too painful. Time isn't meant to be twisted or bent like this—our union defied reason and logic. I closed my eyes in resignation as I pulled my wings closed.

It wasn't supposed to exist. 

I felt an impact in my side as Rainbow slammed into me, hooking her forelegs under my back as she scooped me up in midair. I shouted at her to watch out as more of the floor above us collapsed despite knowing it would be futile. She flew with determination and desperation, but her best efforts were never enough. 

Her head jerked sideways as a rock collided with her temple, knocking her out cold. We fell to our end, our limbs entangled in an impromptu embrace. 

"She had the same dream." 

I blinked. Time seemed to freeze as an unfamiliar voice spoke between my ears.

"She never gave up trying to save you, despite the results always being the same."

A flash of sea-green accompanied the arrival of a regal outline approaching us. My eyes grew into a pair of awestruck dinner plates. 

Maneuvering between the frozen pieces of falling rock was Princess Luna. 

"It is strange to see this dream from the other side. We had always wondered about the colt that would be so cruel as to deny Rainbow Dash her reunion, but now we see it is more complicated than that." 

Her horn flashed as the rocks disappeared, the floor returned to its unbroken state. Rainbow lay quiet and still next to me as I scrambled to prostrate myself before the Princess of the Moon.

"There is no need for such formalities, Jetstream," she offered, a small smile on her muzzle. 

I gave a slow nod. Unsure of what else to do, I turned to Rainbow's sleeping form next to me. 

"What should I do, Princess," I looked up from Rainbow, searching the alicorn's face for my answer, "Everypony says I should forget about her, but for all those years she never forgot about me."

Princess Luna met my gaze unflinchingly as she spoke, "Perhaps they say these things because they do not believe there is merit in the past," she turned towards the sleeping Rainbow, "The past is always seen as something we cannot change: Consisting of bygone years that define and shape us as ponies, yet distracting us from our present and future. Significant, but only for the purpose of knowing oneself." 

Her eyes met mine once more, "That is where you find yourself: Wanting to know more about this unread chapter of your life. Without this knowledge, you find yourself with only a hint of something potentially life-defining. To you, the past is the future. As you say, 'A life yet to be lived.'" 

She turned towards Rainbow, her expression still unreadable, "Perhaps we can help you." 

My heart lept into my throat, excitement prickling my limbs as I contained myself to a simple, "Thank you, Princess." 

Her brilliant jades snapped to me once more, giving me a concerned look, "While we can assist you in returning there, know that you walk in the past—every action you take while there will have lasting consequences. The fact that Rainbow herself came to you is a prime example."

I gulped as I stared at the sleeping pegasus that had singlehandedly turned my entire life upside-down. 

"Along with promising not to make too many ripples, we ask only for one other stipulation." 

She faced me, her eyes bright and terrible as they burned into my own. 

"This will be painful—far more painful than any loss or heartbreak you will ever experience. You will forever be changed, but it is up to you to help it strengthen you instead of define you. Promise me this." 

Her wingtip tilted my chin upwards. 

"Promise me you are strong enough to shoulder this burden."

I gazed into the vast oceans before me, taken aback by their serenity and ominousity. My heart spoke before my mind could catch up.

"I promise." 

She studied my face for several long moments before retracting her wing. Her eyes flicked up to her now-glowing horn.

"Close your eyes."

I followed her instruction, lowering my head. A gentle tap brushed my mane before all of my senses faded. 

Suddenly, there was light—as if a door had been opened at the end of a tunnel. I found myself being shunted to the end of the ethereal hallway, unable to look away from the light as it rushed towards me. The speck rapidly grew into an all-encompassing whiteness, blinding me temporarily as my eyes adjusted. 

I blinked. I could hear the rushing of wind. Another blink. Blades of grass tickling my sides. I blinked again. Something cold and metal running from the back of my neck to my flank. 

The roar of a train horn shocked me into action—instinct rolling me to my feet and spreading my wings. I sped away from the train tracks below as a pastel-colored locomotive rushed past where I lay milliseconds earlier. I blinked, shaking my head as I began to look around. 

I found myself hovering above the train tracks about a mile from the train station. Beyond the humble platform lay a sizeable town basking in Celestia’s midday sun, the cream-colored plaster and thatch rooftops giving it a rustic countryside atmosphere. 

I was back in Ponyville. 

I glanced down at myself—the custom goggles still hung around my neck, but my cast was gone. I couldn't help a grin as I pulled the goggles on: I was back. 

Ignoring the concerned stares of the ponies on the platform, I darted into the skies over the town, scanning the streets for any familiar figures. My wings scooped the air furiously as I sped around the outskirts, my eyes catching a building I recognized. 

Banking towards the Carousel Boutique, I spread my wings wide as I braked hard before plopping gently to the ground at the door. The curtains were drawn back, various ponies moving about inside as they perused the displays surrounding them. The outfits in the windows had changed to ones more fitting for autumn—large, flowing cloaks and decadent jackets expertly fitted to each of the mannequins. I could see Rarity moving between the ponies browsing her displays, wearing a pair of stylish red-framed glasses.

Our last discussion bubbled to the surface of my memory. Everything she said made sense—even her childish teasing. How could I have been so dense, even going so far as to deny her emotional evaluation?

I would go in and tell her how she was right—and if she had any pointers. Trotting to the door, I lowered my head to bump it open. 

"Thought you could duck out on me, huh?" 

I froze, staring at the pegasus shaped shadow next to mine on the door. I turned around, unable to hold back my smile as I turned around. 

Hovering a few feet off the ground, eyes narrowed above a smug grin, was Rainbow Dash. 

"Hey—!" 

Something hard whipped into the back of my head, putting me out cold.