Flying With New Wings

You know those reality shows on MTV where they show the characters, and it sometimes shows them in those backrooms with the comfy chairs and couches and they’re chatting? Yeah... that’s just a TV set. The three of us currently sat in one of the backrooms. I think it might’ve been some sort of large walk-in closet at one point. At the moment though, we were currently just waiting to be called on set for the interview we were no doubt going to be getting.

...Or the producer was going to walk in with some FBI goons at his sides. Whichever comes first.

Glancing at my comrades and friends, I noticed that Spitfire appeared to be somewhat tense. She might’ve also said something, but I had completely missed it, being too lost in my own thoughts on what was going on. I was about to ask what was on her mind, but that was when the door opened. Standing there in the opening was, as expected, Jon Stewart and a bunch of other people carrying clipboards. I smirked at the look on his face.

Spitfire stepped forward, ignoring the group’s expressions. “Hello, Mister Stewart. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts. This is Soarin’, my second in command. And this is Zecora, my -- ” She seemed to pause as a thought came to mind, a sad look crossing her face. “My... friend.”

I could only hope that she was alright and wonder what had occurred to her before she trotted over to the man.

“You know, I’ve always been a big fan of your show.”

Despite my slight worry for her, I could only chuckle. “Don’t go all fanfilly on him already, Spits! Give him a second to recover!”

I smiled as she chuckled and continued. “So are you gonna interview us to see if we’re good enough for your show, or are we already in?”

That seemed to snap him out of it. “Uh, sorry. When someone told me there were talking horses in the building and asking to be on the show, I thought they were joking.”

“Nope, no joke! We’ve been looking to get an interview with you for a few days now, actually. And we’re ponies, not horses.”

“Alright.” He shrugged and grabbed a chair, taking a clipboard from one of the assistants, muttering a quick thanks. He took a minute to write a few things, before returning the clipboard and whatever was on it. “So here’s the deal. With everything that’s been happening recently, like that incident in Canada, we were originally planning on just playing a prerecorded interview with Lady Gaga.”

I couldn’t help but wince slightly and chuckle. “Ohh... how did that go?”

He smirked and shrugged. “Could’ve been worse. Now, the show starts in an hour. Is there anything you three need before then?”

Spitfire smirked, and I just knew what she was going to say. “Yeah... how good’s your wardrobe department?”

I rolled my eyes. “Spitfire, go easy on them, we don’t have to go all out with this. At least, not for what we wear or anything. I mean, getting the Wonderbolt flight suits back would be nice, but we could probably get away with just our uniforms. You know, like the one shown back in season three.”

“Good point. And don’t talk about Wonderbolts Academy, okay?” She turned to one of the assistants, going on to explain how to look it up.

“Oh!” One of the assistants in the back says. “You mean those military-like uniforms you wore in Wonderbolts Academy, and the one Soarin’ wore in that one snapshot in the Canterlot Wedding?”

I blinked before chuckling. “Looks like we got a fan among us, Spits. I’m gonna go ahead and congratulate you on holding back.”

The young man blushed a bit and rubbed his neck. “Uh... I just... got into it when I watched it with my little sis...”

Spitfire walked over to him, “Don’t worry, I don’t think anybody will make fun of a brony or pegasister ever again after this.”

He smiled and promised to deliver the designs to the costume director, giving us a warning of the impending measurements that they’d need. Shortly after, he left with everybody else to get the show ready. It took a few moments for that warning to process properly.

“Oh! Oh.” I made a face at the thought. “That’s gonna be... awkward...”

Zecora chuckled. “It’s times like these that make me glad, that I already found what clothing I had.”

“Well.” Spitfire smiled. “That was easy.”

Zecora nodded, smiling as well. “Yes, probably thanks to Soarin’s argument. And I haven’t seen any government.”

“Yet,” I warned. “They might arrive during the middle of the show.”

“Well I have a surprise for the government folk,” Zecora said. “A pouch full of poison joke.”

I frowned. “Okay, two things. One, where did you even get that? Two, no. If you throw that at them, it’ll just prove their point -- that we’re something to be afraid of. We’re here trying to prove them wrong, not give them another reason to go after all of us.”

Zecora looked away, a shameful look coming over her eyes. “One, I mixed up plants in the earlier days. And you’re right, I’m sorry I fell back on old ways.”

I gently placed a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s alright, this is a fairly stressful time for all of us.”

It took a few moments for Zecora to speak again. “Thank you Soarin’ for your understanding, and also for how well this situation you’ve been handling.”

I shrugged. “I got my panicking out when I started transforming. Decided it would be too much of a pain to panic anymore afterwards.”

“Well, now that we’ve got that cleared up,” Spitfire started, smiling. “We can move on to the next challenge which is -- ” She turned and looked at the door -- “wardrobe.”

Just like I had predicted, the entire process was, indeed, awkward. First there was the fact that the designers had a hard time getting past the fact that we were actually real. Then there was the part where they didn’t know that Pegasi wings are incredibly sensitive. So... yeah, it was awkward.

“Okay...” Spitfire began to say once they’d left. “I’m pretty sure fitting back in Equestria weren’t that awkward.”

“Hopefully it means we’ll be going on soon.”

“Yeah... how do you think the audience will react when we go on?” Spitfire grinned rather deviously. I could only do the same.

“Ten minutes to showtime!”

“Thank you, ten!” I paused as I realized I called that purely on reflex. “Uhh... it’s something I picked up here in drama club.”

“Why Soarin’, I didn’t know you were into the fine arts!” Spitfire teased.

I just grinned as we headed out towards the costume rooms. We ended up simply skipping the stage make-up. Fur and all that. We did, however, end up getting a quick grooming instead. It took a good few minutes struggling into the uniforms -- well, for me, anyway. Not long after, we were waiting off-stage for our cue to enter stage left.

“You two excited to be revealed to the world?” Spitfire asked.

“Yes, in fact I’m quite excited, that we are about to be spotlighted,” Zecora said.

“It’s just gonna be a bigger audience than what I’m used to,” I shrugged. Then I grinned. “I wish I could see my friends’ faces when they see this, though!”

My ears twitched slightly as I tuned in to Jon Stewart, hearing him start to wind up his introduction of us.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you know from the news and various videos on YouTube, there has been a rather strange phenomenon occurring around the world. There have been eyewitness accounts of ponies being seen. Whether or not these accounts are real is still up for discussion. Or, at least, they were until earlier today, when three ponies arrived here and made a very convincing argument to guest star on this show tonight. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce Spitfire, Soarin’, and Zecora!”

With those words, the three of us trotted onto the stage calmly. The audience’s applause grew only louder as we took our seats.

At least they haven’t called for our hanging or some --

“What are you idiots clapping for?!” Some man stood up in the rows further back. He glared and pointed at us. “These... these... things are a danger to us all! If we stay here, we’re all going to become one of them!”

I couldn’t help but sigh and let one of my hooves slap my forehead in my annoyance. “No, you won’t.” The microphones the backstage crew had hidden in our clothes and clipped to my uniform’s collar picked up my voice quite well. Not sure how it was hidden on Zecora.

“But --”

“No. It’s not going to happen unless you meet a few very specific requirements. First of all, if you were not born during the first week of May, then you are fine. Second, if you are did not turn twenty-five during that time, then you are fine. And finally, if you do fit those requirements but you have not changed at all yet, then it’s not going to happen to you. Ever.”

With those words, the audience stared at the man. He grumbled as he sat back down, and Jon Stewart finally spoke.

“Well, with that out of the way, let’s begin the interview, shall we?”

“Sounds good to me,” Spitfire agreed. It was obvious to me that we were both glad the FBI hadn’t shown up yet.

“Okay, well, it’s a rather obvious question, but... you three are talking ponies from a television show for little kids. Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourselves?”

“Guess I’ll start,” Spitfire said. I smirked, having had a feeling she’d jump on this chance. “I’m Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts, one of the fastest fliers in Equestria. I’m from Cloudsdale, and when I wasn’t performing or on a mission for the princesses or training new recruits, I was either with friends or family, or just hanging out in Cloudsdale or Los Pegasus.”

I chuckled, “Sheesh, Spits, give ‘em your whole life story while you’re at it, why don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes, smirking. “Alright Soarin’, why don’t you tell these fine people a little bit about yourself?”

“Brag about myself? If you insist!” I grinned. “Alright, seriously, I’m from Cloudsdale as well. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s a floating cloud city in Equestria. No, I’m not kidding, Mr. Stewart. A floating cloud city. I’m co-captain of the Wonderbolts, making me one of the fastest fliers as well. I tend to just take things easy as much as I can, because outside of flying for the team, I’m too lazy to work harder than necessary. That’s... pretty much it, really.”

The host motioned to Zecora and said. “And you miss?”

She smiled and began. “The name Zecora is how I am known, and in the land of Zebgypt I was grown. A land far beyond the Everfree, it was never very appealing to me. And, after some incidents I’d rather not mention, I came to realize destinies intention. I traveled forth from the place of my birth, and crossed many, many miles of earth. Until I reached Equestrian soil, and there for ten years I did toil, in the Everfree, hidden away, from the ponies I met on my very first day. They feared my appearance, so it would seem, or at least that’s what I gathered from their screams. Until a little filly by the name of Apple Bloom, came to me ignoring what the others did assume. And she was the one who helped them all see, that there was nothing evil about me. And since that day I lived in peace, until I got sent here, at least.”

There was a short pause after her speech. Then the audience, including that one guy from earlier, broke into a loud and enthusiastic applause.

“Okay,” Jon Stewart said, stunned. “That... was amazing. Do you always talk like that?”

“If to my rhymes you refer, then they are normal I assure. I can’t seem to stop them even if I try, but then again, why would I?”

I smiled as I watched this happen. It reminded me of watching the show and seeing --

“So you just got off another Equestria-wide tour! How do you feel this time?”

I grinned at the reporter interviewing us after our last show for the season. “How I always feel: awesome!”

“And what do you plan to do now that it’s over?”

“Do the same thing we always do, of course. Continue flying.”

I rubbed a hoof against my temple, annoyed slightly by this sudden flash of memory. I was able to return my focus to the interview in time to hear Jon ask about what it meant to be Wonderbolts.

“Well,” Spitfire began. “We’re a part of Equestria’s military, think along the lines of the air force, but we’re more of a sports and air show team. Kinda like those Blue Angels I’ve heard of.”

“Yes, that’s their name. And I believe you gave a little air show over Rockford, Illinois, correct?” Jon asked. I smiled.

“I guess I did, I just thought the publicity would be good,” Spitfire shrugged.

“Actually, can we pull that footage up on the screen?”

Immediately, the boss’ video of her aerial maneuvers were on the big screen behind us, and finished with some polite applause from the audience. I chuckled.

“Of course you ended with writing your name in the air. Never could resist that little trick, could you?”

She just smiled. “When you find something that works...”

Jon smiled and continued. “Zecora, what did you do back in Equestria?”

“Back home in Equestria I was a brewer of herbs, and I made to enchant them with Zebrican words.”

Our show host was confused. “So you were something like a witch doctor?”

Zecora just smiled patiently. “I understand where everyone keeps getting that notion, and yes I am a maker of potions.”

And then came the question that everyone had to have been waiting for. “Alright... and now for the obvious one. How did you get here?”

Spitfire looked away. “That certainly is the million bit question, isn’t? Well, I’d hate to disappoint.. Zecora, if you would...?”

Then our friend pulled out a small pouch and dumped its contents. Shortly after, a green mist filled the air, and quickly gave the viewers a visual explanation of what had happened -- along with Spitfire’s commentary.

She talked about how Discord had warned Celestia of the incoming demon, helping fight him, and then subsequently turning traitor...

And shortly after starting to banish us all to this world. I barely paid attention as the memories of those times -- having already returned to me -- consumed my attention.

“For two decades and five years,” Zecora said, to finish the presentation up. “We have hidden in plain sight, many guessed that we used to be humans -- and they’re right.”

There was a stunned silence among the audience at that. So I decided to speak up. “She’s not lying. Hardly a week ago, I was human myself. And I’m fairly certain that there were a lot of other ponies out there who could testify to the same thing.”

“Yeah,” Spitfire agreed. “If we’re right, then everyone who was banished, has spent the last twenty-five years as a human.”

“And who were you when you were human?” Jon asked.

From the silence, I could tell Spitfire hadn’t expected this one. So Zecora spoke instead.

“While I don’t know what’s on either of my friends’ minds, I’d rather not answer questions of this kind.” I didn’t even have to look to know she was a bit embarrassed by the question.

“Eh, I’ll answer,” I shrugged. “I was going through college back on the west coast to be a video game designer. I’m a huge gamer. Grew up on the SNES, and I haven’t looked back since.”

“I’ll go next.” Spitfire volunteered immediately after. I snorted, smirking. “I was just working some part time job when this started. At the time I was considering enlisting, and I practically grew up with David --”

I didn’t know who David was, but I’m sure everyone here could guess. She thankfully realized what she’d said right away.

Our host looked confused. “Who’s David?”

Spitfire looked nervous about this, but Zecora just sighed and spoke up. “Since everypony else shared, I guess it’s down to me. I won’t say much, but my name used to be David, you see.”

The discomfort on Mr. Stewart’s face was obvious. “That’s a boy’s name, though, isn’t it?”

Zecora was equally uncomfortable as she looked away from the audience. “Yes. The name’s male, and while it seems unfair, the truth is my transformation made me a mare.”

“Well, this is Discord we’re talking about here,” I mentioned. “I’m sorry it happened to you, but keep in mind: chaos is what he does. It’s who he is. So really, unfair though it is, it’s kinda what he’d do...”

Thankfully, that seemed to help calm everyone, and Zecora spoke again. “It’s alright. I’ve accepted this, though strange. But I beseech you, can the subject please be changed?”

Jon seemed to accept that as a good cue, thankfully. “What is it that you hope to accomplish now that you’re ponies again?”

Okay, now this is where I just couldn’t keep quiet. “I don’t know about Spitfire here, but I’m going to find the rest of the Wonderbolts and the rest of my Equestrian friends. I haven’t seen them in twenty-five years, it’s about time we get together for a good, old fashioned party!” I paused. “And to find a way back to Equestria, of course. But that’s after the party.”

Spitfire smiled. “That’s pretty much my plan too.” Zecora just nodded, smiling as well.

“Okay, but... how?”

I couldn’t help this one either. As a natural nerd, my sarcastic side was well honed because of the internet... and now my eyes were half-lidded at this question. “Really?” I fanned out my wings. “Really?”

Jon chuckled. “Alright, I earned that one. Now, one last question before we’re out of time: how will your family and friends react.”

This was a question that was a bit harder for me to respond to... but not by much. “Well... I don’t know how my family will react, but seeing this will probably be a nice way of getting started. As for my friends, those that didn’t watch me transform, will probably have already told my other friends.”

Spitfire was just as calm as I. “My family either know already, or probably suspect what happened. They did show pictures of us on the news as well as my apartment.”

Zecora, however, did not seem so calm about this one. She frowned, explaining. “My father will most likely be freaking out, and as for my mother that part I doubt. She always managed to keep a calm head... and... she always did want a daughter to tuck in bed.”

Jon nodded calmly. He paused for only a moment, before turning to the audience. “Thank you for your time, ponies, and I hope you succeed in your goals. Unfortunately, that is all that we have time for today, ladies and gentlemen. So I say to you all, farewell, and have a good night.”

The show ended with thunderous applause as the cameras were shut off, and while the audience slowly shuffled out the exit doors, we went backstage.