Aviator

Chapters

Prologue: The North Docks
End of a Lazy Summer
Windigo
Scramble
Briar
The Grey Mare

Prologue: The North Docks

Aviator

Prologue

There was a reason most ponies tended to stay away from Manehattan’s North Docks after midnight. The place was creepy enough, with old hulks rusting away and broken, battered ships which had undergone repairs during the day, but it was its reputation as a hub for criminal activity that made it truly foreboding. Even police made their rounds as quickly as possible. Nopony dared stay at the docks for too long.

Yet it was here where a pony wearing a dark, sea-sprayed rain jacket stood, teeth chattering from cold, nervousness, or perhaps a combination of the two as he surveyed his surroundings. For a former Equestrian Army sharpshooter like himself, there was surprisingly little to see. Manehattan was shrouded in fog, and the docks weren’t much better. Spotting the pony he was supposed to meet would be next to impossible, and he was sure his contact preferred it that way.

Shivering and drawing his jacket tighter around himself, he thought about how he’d wound up in this position. Serving in the Armed Forces had been interesting enough, he supposed, but the pay was mediocre at best. He’d served his time and left for Manehattan. Most ponies, he reasoned, pursued a life of crime because they had no choice. He, on the other hoof, simply chose the life. Petty crime paid the bills and then some, or so he’d heard. This contact might finally be his chance for an entrance into Manehattan’s criminal underworld. And the job had been so simple…

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement amongst several derelict, grounded ships. It was a group of ponies moving steadily closer. Taking a gulp and trying to relax, the pony stood up straight and put his hoof in his jacket pocket, making sure the rolled-up soft binder was still there. He shuddered to imagine what might have happened if he’d met these ponies without holding up his end of the bargain. As the group drew closer, the pony in the lead spoke.

“You have it, I trust?”

The sharpshooter pulled the binder out of his jacket pocket. “Documents saved from the Hurricane Coast Air Base file shredder, just as promised.”

The pony snatched the binder and slid a bag of bits to the sharpshooter. “Your payment, as promised.”

The sharpshooter eyed the bits. It was a considerable sum, which would make what he planned to do next considerably harder to go through with.

“In lieu of payment, I would ask that you consider a different offer of mine.”

The pony froze, and in the darkness the sharpshooter thought he could see him narrowing his eyes.

“Oh? And what might that be, exactly?”

Taking a deep breath, the sharpshooter spoke. “I’m good with a bow, ex-military, like I told you before. I could be a great benefit to your group.”

The pony chuckled- a dry, deadly sound. “You seek a life of crime, do you? You probably think us petty thieves who rob banks for a living as well.”

“Is that not what crime is?” the sharpshooter said, taking a few cautious steps back.

“We currently have no openings,” the pony said, and while the sharpshooter couldn’t see his face, he imagined a thin sneer. “I hire by invitation only. And as for your so-called ‘irreplaceable’ skills-“

Without warning, there was a “click” and a crossbow bolt flew through the air, pinning a flap of the sharpshooter’s jacket to the boat behind him.

“Our sharpshooter position is more than filled. Good night.”

The ponies sank back into the darkness without a sound. Once he was sure they were gone, the sharpshooter wrenched his jacket free of the bolt. He wasn’t sure what the pony had wanted with the documents. He’d had a look himself- they were just pictures of some old, dusty mountain in the Badlands.

“That’s it,” he grumbled to himself as he left the docks, “from now on, it’s the straight and narrow. Criminals are crazy.”

The sharpshooter faded into the misty night; he’d played his small part in the grand scheme of things, but what the mysterious pony he’d met had planned was only beginning.

End of a Lazy Summer

Book One: Windigo

The End of a Lazy Summer

Nimbus glanced frantically in all directions as he hovered behind a small cumulus cloud. His pursuers couldn’t be far behind. He had no backup, no MADAR to assist him, and no defensive weaponry, not to mention being outnumbered five to one.

In other words, he was in a considerably bad position.

Not that he minded, of course. He’d faced similar odds before, in very serious circumstances, but these ponies knew exactly how he flew, and they had one edge he didn’t- they were taking this much more seriously than he was.

“Tally-ho!” he heard a high-pitched voice squeak from above. He dove through the cloud, rolling out of the way as a young Pegasus filly blew past him, laughing all the way.

“Missed him!” she called out.

Two faint vapor trails were rapidly climbing up from the ground towards Nimbus. He reversed direction and climbed, gaining distance.

“I have a visual!”

Nimbus recognized the voice- it was his brother, Whirlwind, trying his best to catch him and “shoot him down” by tagging him.

“I repeat, I have a visual. This is Dragon Warrior One, moving to engage!”

Nimbus bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting out with laughter. Dragon Warrior One? Only a pony with the mind of his brother could come up with such a callsign. He decided to have a little fun with this one.

“Dragon Warrior?” he called back, “but… he’s the ace of aces! I don’t stand a chance!”

“Your days are numbered, Griffon!” Whirlwind called back as he and one of his friends moved into a two-pony attack formation. Nimbus turned around, pretending to engage the two. The other three Pegasi were also rapidly closing in. Nimbus twisted his wings and fell in a helical pattern, but Whirlwind was ready, diving down on top of him and tapping him on the head.

“Ha ha! Equestria is safe once again, thanks to the heroes of Dragon Warrior squadron!” Whirlwind whooped as Nimbus faked a death plummet. As he neared the ground he positioned his wings for a soft fall and rolled to a stop, closing his eyes and sticking out his tongue for added effect. Whirlwind performed a victory roll over him and landed by his side.

“Alright, Nimbus! I won, which means it’s time to go get ice cream!”

Nimbus cracked his eyes open. “You know, the deal still stands. We could still go grab hot pepper sandwiches.”

Whirlwind made a disgusted face. “No way. Besides, I won fair and square.”

“Ice cream it is,” Nimbus said, getting back up onto his hooves and bidding farewell to Whirlwind’s grade school friends. The two set off towards the town of Hollow Shades. It was a perfect summer day- not too hot, not too cool- and they’d taken advantage of it to play “Aviator” for a while. This, as Nimbus had quickly found out, consisted of one pony, always himself, being the Griffon while the “Aviators” chased him down. Little fillies and colts had the most violent ideas sometimes…

“Hey Nimbus,” Whirlwind said as the two crossed over a bridge into town, “you said something about the ace of aces. Who’s that?”

Nimbus nodded as they passed by small, family-owned stores preparing for the afternoon. Ponies from out of town had a tendency to come through and buy assorted wares from the “mountain ponies.” Nimbus had always wondered why the shopping was more important than hiking the mountains nearby, which fewer ponies actually did, but he gave up guessing long ago.

“The ace of aces,” he answered, “is the pony with the most aerial kills in combat. Right now, the record stands at fifty-two. The pony in question was Thunder Stride, a veteran of the Great Griffon War. Even though he was shot down before the war ended, his record stands.”

“Wow,” Whirlwind said, his eyes wide with awe, “so are you going to be the next ace of aces?”

Nimbus frowned, “no, I certainly don’t think so.”

“But you have six kills!”

Nimbus had told his brother about the battle over Canterlot a while ago, and ever since then, Whirlwind had kept track of his figures.

“Yes,” he sighed, “yes I do. Please though, Whirly, keep your voice down. That’s supposed to be a secret. Now, are we going to tell Mom I told you about what an ace of aces is?”

“Nope,” Whirlwind answered obediently.

Nimbus ruffled his brother’s mane. “That’s right. Exactly what I want to hear.”

The two ponies took a right turn once they reached the town square and headed into the Sweet Sunrise Ice Cream Parlor- one of Hollow Shades’ biggest attractions. Their ice cream was completely homemade, and tasted like nothing else in Equestria. Inside, Lemon Twist, the owner, greeted them warmly.

“Afternoon, boys,” she said, whipping out two tall, metal ice cream cups, “what can I get for you today?”

“Vanilla cookie dough, please,” Nimbus said, licking his lips.

“Chocolate chunk for me!” Whirlwind said, “did you know that I shot down Nimbus today? I’m an ace of aces!”

Lemon chuckled, “I never doubted you for a second, Whirlwind. You’re tough as nails, and a darn good flier. Seeing as you’re ‘ace of aces’ and all, I’d better make your ice cream two scoops.”

Nimbus grinned and kicked back with his ice cream as the door to the parlor opened up. Sunset Ridge, the town’s mailmare, entered.

“Hey Sunset,” Nimbus said between mouthfuls, “how are your rounds going today?”

“Oh, just fine,” Sunset said, putting her mail bag on the floor and having a seat next to Nimbus, “Mr. and Mrs. Hoofmender should really see about finding a more secure place for their dog, though. Patty was chasing me again today.”

Nimbus nodded. “Yeah, Patty’s certainly the most enthusiastic dog I’ve ever come across.”

“Say,” Sunset added in her low drawl typical of mountain ponies, “Nimbus, I don’t suppose you’d be interested in taking this off my hooves.” She pulled an envelope out of her bag, “it came in this morning.”

Nimbus took the envelope and checked the writing on it. It was addressed to him from Canterlot Air Command- the center for Royal Equestrian Air Force operations. Excitedly, he tore open the envelope to reveal a letter on official Air Force stationary inside.

“Second Lieutenant Nimbus,” he read aloud, “the following are your first official orders. You are to report to Bayside Air Base in Manehattan in three weeks to arrange your lodging and inprocessing. You are hereby assigned to the 132nd Aviator Squadron. When you arrive, you are to head to the inprocessing building, located inside the base gate, and meet your squadron representative. The 132nd has expressed that they look forward to meeting you. Very respectfully, General Stratus.”

Nimbus set down the note while Lemon, Sunset, and Whirlwind gazed at him, waiting for a reaction.

“Well?” Lemon said at last.

“Manehattan,” Nimbus said at last, “did they really have to send me to a big city right off the bat?”

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” Sunset pointed out, “Manehattan’s the Crown Jewel of Equestria, or so they say.”

“But it’s so big,” Nimbus said, “why couldn’t they have stationed me somewhere close, like Cliffrun, just north of here?”

“I’m sure it’s where the Air Force needs you to be,” Lemon said, “you’ll probably get more of a choice later on.”

Nimbus absently twirled his spoon around in his ice cream. “Maybe so. I’ve never heard of the 132nd before, but maybe they’ll be a good squadron.”

Nimbus and Whirlwind finished their ice creams in silence as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Nimbus couldn’t stop thinking about just what was in store for him on the Equestrian coast. Would his squadron welcome him? From what his orders had said, they were looking forward to meeting him. Regardless of what he thought, it was his job now to do what was asked of him. He’d find a way to like Manehattan if it killed him.

…

The two stallions arrived home just in time to catch a whiff of fresh tomato soup coming from the kitchen. Nimbus immediately perked up. Tomato soup was one of his mom’s specialties. He trotted into the kitchen, where his parents were preparing the delicious dish, and held up his orders.

“Looks like I’m going to Manehattan,” he said, pretending to be excited about it.

“Are those- oh, let me see!” Comet Stream said, snatching the paper from her son’s hooves. “In three weeks? But you’ve only been back a month!”

Nimbus shrugged, “I guess they don’t give much time off, what with all the Griffon activity on the coast.”

“That’s for sure,” Updraft said, “they’ve been flying around, pestering some of our ships going into Manehattan. With an Aviator force up there, they might think twice about harassing us.”

“You’ll have to start packing soon,” Comet added, “I wonder if they’ll have you staying in the city… you know how to catch a commuter carriage, right Nimbus? Oh, and groceries- buy your own and make your own food. And you should write to us as often as pos-“

“I’ve got it, Mom,” Nimbus chuckled, “it’s not going to be that tough to get adjusted to living on my own.”

“Of course not,” Comet Stream said, “but it’s my duty as a parent to make sure I’ve got all bases covered.”

Nimbus passed out some bowls and sat down at the table as his mother brought the soup over. “It’ll be close to home as well, only about an hour-long train ride. And if you ever need something from the big city, you can just stop by and visit.”

“You know, Bayside’s the location for the Equestrian Aeronautical Research Center,” Updraft said, “you might get a chance to see the Sol while you’re there.”

“The Sol’s stationed there?” Nimbus said, suddenly brightening up, “really?”

The Sol was Equestria’s latest airship, and it represented the pinnacle of non-winged flight technology. More than twice the length of Equestria’s largest airships, it was in a class of its own, with a gondola longer than a city block mounted between and underneath two huge gas envelopes. It was new, luxurious, and the biggest thing in the sky. The chance to see it up close would be incredible.

Updraft nodded, “apparently they’re conducting preflight tests on it. Odds are you may even get the chance to see it on its maiden flight.”

“I want to see the Sol,” Whirlwind piped in, “can I come?”

“Perhaps you can,” Nimbus said, tasting some of the soup. The rich, creamy tomato dish went down with ease, filling his belly with warmth. This new information about the Sol was beginning to make his situation a bit more desirable. It would be worth living close to such a large, intimidating city just to watch the giant airship take flight.

“I’ll get train tickets tomorrow,” Updraft said, “we’ll come with you to the base, and help you get settled in.”

“That’d be great,” Nimbus said, finishing up his soup and running down a mental list of what he’d need. He looked around the table at his family, excusing himself.

“I’d stay and chat a little longer," he said, stretching as he pushed his chair in, "but it looks like I’m going to have quite a bit of packing to do.”

Windigo

Windigo

The nine a.m. Manehattan train chugged on through the dissipating morning mist, bouncing up and down along the old track. Inside, Nimbus groaned and rolled over in his seat. He hated trains. They were loud, uncoordinated, and impossible to get any rest on. He’d mentioned to his parents the previous week that perhaps renting a carriage and flying out would be easier. His parents quickly refused.

“It’s pretty hard to be raided by Buffalo when you’re in the air,” Nimbus had pointed out matter-of-factly, to which his mother responded that she knew for a fact “where the Buffalo roamed,” and it was most certainly not in the Northeast mountains of Equestria. Five days later, here Nimbus was, teeth rattled by the motion of the steel goliath he was now riding in.

“Hey.” A hoof tapped him on the shoulder and Nimbus looked over at the seat next to him which was currently occupied by Whirlwind.

“What’s up, Whirly?” he said.

“Look out the window on the other side of the train,” Whirlwind said, “you can see Manehattan!”

Sighing heavily, Nimbus rubbed his eyes and decided to see what all the fuss was about. Whirlwind’s trembling hoof was pointed out the opposite window, and when Nimbus followed the gesture, his jaw nearly hit the floor. Rising majestically out of the morning fog, he could see the silhouettes of the Manehatten skyline. While he’d been to the city before, it had been years ago, and the sight was something a pony from a small town never quite got used to. Massive skyscrapers faded into view, seeming to grow from out of the very air, and above it all towered the Starswirl Building, named after the famous Starswirl the Bearded. It was Equestria’s tallest structure by far, and to actually see it made one wonder whether its creator was either ingenious or incredibly insane to construct something of its magnitude.

“Okay,” Nimbus said to his brother, “I’m awake now.”

…

The train chugged to a stop at Manehattan station and Nimbus and his family exited, taking with them most of the contents of Nimbus’s room, contained within two suitcases and a trunk. His mother was an efficient packer, to say the least.

Looking around the train station platform, Nimbus took in the new world he’d be living in. The air had a distinct industrial smell to it, but it wasn’t necessarily unpleasant. Ponies rushed to and fro everywhere; there was nowhere he could go where he wasn’t surrounded. He wasn’t particularly fond of crowds, but Nimbus supposed it was something he could get used to.

“There’s our carriage,” Updraft said, pointing towards a checkered yellow taxi carriage at the entrance to the station.

“Or that’s our carriage, or maybe those over there,” Nimbus said drily, pointing to a line of identical taxi carriages behind it. Manehattan was confusing.

“Nimbus and family?”

Nimbus looked over the crowd at the voice who’d called him. It was a taxi-puller on one of the carriages at the front of the line. “Over here,” he called back, waving. He motioned for his family as he raced ahead.

“Welcome to Manehattan, Nimbus,” the puller said, “let me help you with some of your things.” The two ponies were loading items onto the taxi carriage, and were nearly done by the time the rest of the family showed up.

“Hello, everypony,” the taxi puller said to the family, “I understand you’ve got a particularly special trip to make today?”

“My brother’s in the Air Force!” Whirlwind piped up, “we’re going to the base!”

The puller chuckled, “well, that’s quite an accomplishment. If you folks would like to climb up in the back, we’ll be off shortly.”

Nimbus stepped up into the carriage and took the farthest seat from the door, right next to the window. He wanted to see as much of his new city as he could. A slight jerk indicated that the carriage was rolling.

“So you’re an Aviator, then?” the puller called back, “my brother applied for that, but found out his heart was elsewhere. Became a sky carriage chauffer up in the Starswirl District of Manehattan, and he visits Cloudsdale every day, but I digress. You’re on a noble path, Nimbus.”

“Thanks,” Nimbus said, “I really appreciate that.” His words were directed at the puller, but his eyes wandered out the window. The city of Manehattan was amazing. The streets were alive with bustling ponies, musicians played at street corners, vendors had stands set up, selling their wares, and taxi carriages raced every which way, carrying ponies to work. Hollow Shades simply didn’t compare on a scale of sheer magnitude and activity.

“Like the city?” the puller called.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Nimbus answered, to which the pony chuckled.

“I’d imagine it is. I grew up here, so I guess you could say I’m used to it. Give us about twenty seconds or so and you’ll be able to see the bay.”

Nimbus craned his neck, trying to look around a department store they were approaching. As the building passed, a huge, shining blue bay was revealed, filled with boats of all shapes, sizes and colors- some civilian, some military. On the beach, several ponies were enjoying their summer vacations; fillies and colts ran and played in the sand while older ponies swam and sunbathed.

“Whoa, can we stay here?” Whirlwind asked. Comet Stream rubbed her son’s mane playfully.

“Maybe later this summer, kiddo. We’d need some reservations first.”

As they passed closer to the outskirts, the buildings dwindled in size, eventually working down to a few small suburban houses. They were getting closer to the base. Outside, they passed by older, smaller buildings. Nimbus was immediately feeling more comfortable. This part of town felt like a larger version of Hollow Shades. The big city influence was still present- ponies dressed and acted the same way- but the atmosphere was much less intimidating. Nimbus’s head shot up as two distinct rushing, tearing noises split through the sky above. He poked his head out of the carriage just in time to see two Pegasi in full Aviator gear fly by in formation overhead. Following their flight path, he could see them lining up for a formation landing, though the airfield was still blocked from view by a few scattered buildings. His heart began to beat faster. His career was only moments away now. The carriage took a sharp turn and stopped just outside of the city buildings.

“This is it- Bayside Air Base.”

Nimbus stepped down from the carriage, looking around. If Manehattan had been enormous, this was nothing short of scrubland. Not that he minded, of course. The flying weather would be perfect here. A few buildings dotted the airbase, including several houses, and the entire complex was surrounded by a simple wire fence. The most impressive construct, however, was a massive hangar overshadowing the airstrip. There could only be one thing in Equestria that a hangar of that size would have been built for- the Sol.

“Second Lieutenant Nimbus?”

Nimbus looked up as a guard pony approached from the gate entrance. “Yes sir?”

“Good morning, and technically I’m the one who should be calling you ‘sir.’”

Nimbus blushed. He’d known this moment would come, but it was still tough to get used to the fact that he was considered senior to a pony with much more experience than himself.

“If you’d follow me please,” the guard continued, “I’ll start your inprocessing and arrange for some visitor passes for your family.”

“Thank you,” Nimbus said, hefting his saddlebag and heading towards the small office building just inside the main gate. As he crossed through the entrance, he felt a sense of pride. To him, it was as if he’d passed through a gateway into a new life- one he hoped would be full of exciting experiences and promise.

…

Thirty minutes later, Nimbus decided that life had determined that his ‘exciting experiences and promise’ would have to wait behind mountains of paperwork and bags upon bags of new gear and uniforms. By the time he’d exited the inprocessing building, he could have sworn he’d been carrying more than twice his weight in clothing alone. The taxi puller had been kind enough to stay by the front gate with the luggage- Nimbus’s family’s plan was to drop him off at his squadron building and leave his luggage in his off-base apartment for later.

Now, Nimbus found himself walking down a dirt path in his dress blues with all of the arid summer heat bearing down on him. There were next to no trees on the base, and Nimbus could already feel the beginnings of a sunburn.

“How much farther?” Whirlwind panted, melodramatically leaning against his mother.

Nimbus consulted his map, scratching his mane. “Looks like… we’re nearly there.” He looked up, then pointed to a dull, square building ahead, near the airstrip. “That’s the one.” The side of the building appeared to bear a representation of the squadron patch on it. Interested, Nimbus squinted his eyes to make out what it was. The patch bore a white upward streak in the background, with a Windigo as the centerpiece. The ancient beast seemed to fix Nimbus with its steely, cool stare, and the Pegasus inadvertently shivered. Of all of the creatures from Equestria’s folklore, Windigos were some of the most feared. Their reputation was strengthened by confirmation that they had, in fact, existed in early Equestrian history, unlike many other beasts that still held mythical status.

“Aw cool, a Windigo!” Whirlwind said, “hey Nimbus, race ya!”

Without a warning, Whirlwind took off for the building, leaving Nimbus choking on a cloud of dust. “Alright,” the orange Pegasus said, spitting grit out of his mouth, “you’re on.”

“Don’t destroy your uniform!” Comet Stream called after her son as he took flight, still wearing his dress blues. Nimbus pumped his wings, gaining on his brother, but Whirlwind was quick. Just as he was about to overtake Whirlwind, the colt managed to land a hoof on the building. He’d made it first. Unable to stop, Nimbus took the corner at full speed. Rounding it, he came face to face with what seemed to be a walking pile of luggage. Gasping, Nimbus dug his hooves in and screeched to a stop in front of the pile.

“Bravo, good sir,” the pile said, “I applaud your stopping skills.”

Nimbus raised an eyebrow. The voice was familiar. He removed two flight suits from the top of the pile, revealing an equally familiar grey mane. Combining this with the blue hooves he could see beneath the pile, Nimbus did a complete double take.

“Wait a minute- Storm Runner?”

“The one and only!” Storm Runner said, popping his head up over the uniforms, “how’s it going, featherbrain?”

“Not too bad, how about yourself?”

“Hi, Storm Runner!” Whirlwind said, galloping up to the two. “How was your summer?”

“Oh, you know…” Storm Runner smirked, “saved Equestria, fought some Griffons, had dinner with Celestia and Luna-“

“Oh come on,” Nimbus groaned, poking him in the ribs with his hoof, “he’s seven and still impressionable. He’s gonna believe you.”

“Sounds like a fib to me,” Whirlwind admitted.

“Sure is,” Nimbus agreed, “and don’t believe a single word that comes out of Storm’s mouth. He’s-“

“Oh hello Storm Runner!”

Nimbus turned around as his parents joined them at the front of the building. Storm Runner nodded courteously to them.

“Comet Stream, Updraft, pleased to see you again.”

“That’s quite a stack of things you’ve got there,” Updraft said, indicating the pile of laundry and equipment Storm Runner was standing by, “we could take that for you if you’d like.”

Storm Runner glanced back at his things. Offering them up to Nimbus’s parents felt like forcing more work on them- something he could never bring himself to do. On the other hoof, he and Nimbus were both expected to be inside in the next five minutes…

“It’s really no trouble,” Comet Stream added.

“Okay,” Storm Runner said hesitantly, “thank you very much.” He looked up at Nimbus, “so now we’re heading inside, then?”

“Might as well get it over with,” Nimbus admitted, waving goodbye to his parents and brother, “can’t help but admit I’ve been a bit apprehensive about this meeting.”

“With our Squadron Commander?” Storm Runner said, pushing open the building’s double glass doors, “yeah, I agree. But you never know. Maybe he’ll be cool.”

Just inside the front door, a mare wearing blues and bearing the ranks of a Colonel looked up from the receptionist desk she was leaning against. “Lieutenant Nimbus and Lieutenant Storm Runner, I assume.”

“Or she,” Nimbus whispered.

The mare walked slowly over to the two stallions, sizing them up. “So you’re the two newcomers from the Royal Equestrian Air College, eh? I happen to know Dusk Shine very well, and he spoke highly of both of you. Have you had a chance to get a look around the base yet?”

“No ma’am, to be honest,” Nimbus said, “I arrived about an hour ago.”

“Same with me,” Storm Runner said. The mare nodded.

“Follow me, then. I’ll take you around the flight line and show you a few of our facilities. If you two are feeling up to it, we’re on patrol over Manehattan tonight. It’s a good way to meet the squadron and the learning curve’s short.”

Nimbus looked to Storm Runner and back to his commander, “yes, Ma’am. I think we can both do that.”

“Good to hear. The name’s Cloudsplitter. I’m your Squadron Commander. You’ve both done your inprocessing, so it’s my pleasure to welcome you both to the 132nd Aviator Squadron, or ‘Windigo’ as we call it here.”

Nimbus nodded excitedly to Storm Runner as they walked out the building’s back door and headed to the flightline. A few Pegasi were taking off from the runway at high speed. “We’re official now,” he whispered, grinning like a lunatic.

Storm Runner rolled his eyes “don’t let it get to your head.”

“Too late,” Nimbus countered, “it’s already there.” The ponies crossed the runway and made a beeline for the large hangar. Up close, it was even bigger than Nimbus had first thought. He was about to make a comment to Storm Runner when he noticed his friends eyes wandering to Cloudsplitter’s flank. Frowning, he kicked Storm Runner, who shook his head quickly and focused back on the hangar, grinning sheepishly. This time it was Nimbus who rolled his eyes. For a pony who’d lost his marefriend just a few months ago, the stallion was bouncing back from the edge of depression like a champ. Nimbus still hadn’t told him the truth about Sun Blaze, of course- that he’d been forced to kill her in defense of Canterlot- and he intended to keep things that way. Sighing, he suppressed his thoughts. The subject of Sun Blaze had a tendency to get him thinking deep thoughts, and he was not in the mood for such things at the moment.

Cloudsplitter stopped in front of the hangar, knocking once on the door. A slit opened up on the steel door and two eyes appeared.

“Good morning, Colonel. Who is accompanying you?”

“The newest squadron members. I’ll vouch for them.”

“Very well.” The door’s lock opened with a heavy “click,” and it swung open slowly.

“Stallions, allow me to introduce you to the Sol,” Cloudsplitter said, “the primary reason Windigo exists.”

Nimbus stepped inside the door, letting his eyes adjust to the dimly-lit hangar. Slowly, a massive shape began to form in front of his eyes. He’d read about the Sol before, and he knew exactly what to look for. First, the massive envelopes came into focus. Journalists hadn’t been lying when they’d said the envelopes were longer than two city blocks. Between them hung the most ornate and sleek gondola Nimbus had ever seen. Even in the darkness, its polished wood and gleaming brushed metal and chrome shone like beacons. Cloudsplitter smirked at Nimbus’s and Storm Runner’s slackjawed awe.

“You two stallions look like you’ve never seen a record-breaking airship before.”

Nimbus blinked, shaking his head. “Ma’am, this is impressive. Has it already-“

“Flown? No. Though I can assure you that when it does, we’ll be going up with it. You see, Windigo squadron was created to-“

Cloudsplitter was cut off by the sound of a siren, wailing to life outside.

“That’s a scramble siren. You two are fresh, and the others aren’t on alert at the moment. I assume your flight suits are back at the squad building?”

Both Nimbus and Storm Runner nodded yes.

“Good. Tour's over for now. Suit up and meet me on the runway. We launch in five minutes.”

“M- ma’am?” Nimbus stammered. Cloudsplitter glowered at him.

“You heard me, Lieutenant. You’re not in training anymore. Equestria’s relying on you to do a job, and I’m here to make sure you do it. Meet me in five.”

Nimbus didn’t need to hear it again. He was out the door of the hangar in less than a second, hooves clacking hard against the concrete as he dashed for the squadron building. Griffons, Dragons… he didn’t know what he was about to face. Either way, he was certain this was the fastest anypony had been introduced to the Aviator life. He raced past his surprised family, digging through his gear and slipping on his uniform and helmet. Storm Runner did the same nearby. Nimbus tightened his helmet and nodded to his parents.

“Duty calls,” he said, grinning, “I’ll be back for dinner later. Bye!”

And Nimbus was off with Storm Runner, leaving his parents as completely befuddled as he found them. Whirlwind, however, had something else to say.

“Go get ‘em, big brother!”

Nimbus smiled. Up ahead he could see Cloudsplitter waiting for him.

It was time to finally show off some true Equestrian airpower.

Scramble

How could he have possibly become this out of shape within a few months?

This thought ran through Nimbus’s mind on an endless loop as he stopped in front of his squadron commander. Cloudsplitter raised an eyebrow at the panting Lieutenant, but said nothing. In the short distance between the squadron building and the runway, Nimbus felt like he’d flown across the length of Equestria.

“Feeling alright, Lieutenant?” Cloudsplitter asked with a very slight hint of playful mockery in her tone.

“Yes ma’am,” Nimbus said, gathering himself as Storm Runner joined them, “not used to the heat, that’s all.”

“Visors down, then. Again, our callsign from here on out is ‘Windigo.’ Nimbus, you are Windigo Two, Storm Runner you will be Three. You will refer to me as Windigo One. How copy?”

“Solid copy,” the new Lieutenants responded, lowering their visors. Nimbus’s HUD flickered to life in front of him, green figures and lines crisscrossing here and there as his artificial horizon adjusted itself. The three Pegasi assembled in an arrowhead formation on the runway with Cloudsplitter at the tip.

“Typhoons remain choked unless I say otherwise, clear?” Cloudsplitter said. She was met by confused radio silence from the two. The mare sighed.

“Look, the CAL-2s- you know, the little lightning-spitting death buzzers over your right shoulder- were just given the designation ‘Typhoon’ by the royal armory. Try to keep up. When I say I want them choked, I want the intake ports closed. Weapons safe.”

“Right,” Storm Runner said, “I mean affirmative.”

Cloudsplitter turned her attention back to the runway. “Bayside Tower, Windigo One request clearance for formation takeoff, rapid departure.”

“Roger, Windigo One,” the tower controller responded, “cleared for takeoff. Celestia’s light guide you.”

“Let’s go,” Cloudsplitter said, launching herself forward. Nimbus followed, building momentum as he galloped down the runway’s length. He transitioned smoothly to level flight just off Cloudsplitter’s right wing. The three Pegasi floated above the runway for a moment, then Cloudsplitter pulled up sharply, going almost vertical. Nimbus and Storm Runner followed, doing their best to align themselves with their squad leader as she called the tower to confirm their departure and distance to target.

“Tower, Windigo One. I’d like a sitrep please.”

“Windigo, a merchant vessel spotted a flight of two Griffons off the coast of Manehatten at three thousand feet MSL, heading west to the coast at around one hundred and ten knots. Looks like a routine patrol. Harbor authority just wanted us to check it out.”

“Understood, waiting for coordinates.”

Moments later, two small triangles appeared on Nimbus’s MADAR display. He blinked in amazement. They’d never had the chance to use anything like this in training.

“Coordinates received,” Cloudsplitter called back, “we are en route. Windigo out.”

The flight of ponies leveled off just beneath the layer of scattered clouds dotting the sky. From here, Nimbus could see the Manehattan coast, as well as the watercraft that lined it. Calling it the busiest harbor in Equestria was not an exaggeration. He couldn’t help but imagine himself deftly weaving through the city’s skyscrapers as they flew past as well. Perhaps some other time.

“Eyes sharp,” Cloudsplitter called out, “we’re about three miles to the target.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Storm Runner responded, then as what Nimbus could only assume was an attempt at an icebreaker added, “it’s really great weather for flying today, isn’t it ma’am?”

Nimbus cringed, awaiting what he felt was inevitable backlash, but the backlash never came. Instead, Cloudsplitter seemed to welcome the conversation.

“Actually, it is,” she said, “you two will find that the weather up here doesn’t always like to cooperate. We have weather mod Pegasi, of course, but they can only do so much. To have a day like this is truly rare.”

“Is this a hotspot for turbulence?” Nimbus asked.

Cloudsplitter nodded, “on summer days like today, yes. In the winter the air stabilizes a bit, but then you have blowing snow and the occasional blizzard to worry about. Oh, hang on- is that- yes, contact two o’ clock.”

Nimbus checked to the front right sector of his vision. At first, he saw nothing, but as his vision adjusted for the distance, he could make out two faint specks traveling towards them: Griffons. They were clothed in streamlined armor, and their helmets did not cover their full faces, instead terminating at the beak line. They were nothing if not intimidating.

“Keep your calm,” Cloudsplitter said, “remember- keep weapons safe. We don’t want to start a war.”

The Griffons passed by, not altering direction. It was as if they weren’t even acknowledging the Aviators’ presence. Cloudsplitter led the formation up in a slow half-loop as they passed, rolling level just behind the Griffons. Slowly, they picked up speed, falling into a kind of formation with the Griffons.

“Switch to frequency 127.5, that’s our international one. If the Griffons want to talk, that’s where they’ll be.”

“Switching,” Nimbus said, activating the respective frequency. Almost instantly, the Griffons acknowledged.

“New ponies?” one said, voice tinted with the typical Griffon accent, “don’t rattle them now, Colonel. Wouldn’t want to be responsible for the next war, would we?”

To Nimbus’s utmost surprise, Cloudsplitter chuckled, “good to see you again, Arthaz. Yes, these are my new Aviators. I roped ‘em into the mission since none of the rest of Windigo was around.”

The other Griffon shook his head. “Windigo’s not getting lazy, is it?”

“Ha,” Storm Runner piped up, “lazy? We’re Aviators. We’re always ready.”

Cloudsplitter shot Storm Runner a scathing glare and the blue pony immediately shut up. “Apologies, Gelred. Like I said, they’re new.”

Gelred shook it off. “It’s not a problem. We just came out under orders to fly around the docks a little bit until we were intercepted by you guys. Looks like we’ve been intercepted.”

“How long?” Cloudsplitter said.

“By my timer, you were up in the air and on our tails within ten minutes. Not bad.”

“But certainly not a record,” Cloudsplitter cut in. The Griffon Nimbus identified as Gelred turned to him.

“You’ve been awfully quiet. In fact, I’d say you look as if you’ve never seen a Griffon before.”

“I- I haven’t,” Nimbus stuttered, “and… no offense… I thought you’d be a bit-“

“Meaner?” Arthaz said, finishing his sentence for him. “That’s understandable. Thing is- we don’t want a war any more than you do.”

“I guess I can see that,” Nimbus said. The group banked into a shallow right turn, cruising along the Manehattan coast. Several ponies on the beaches looked up and pointed in awe at the Griffons, no doubt praising the actions of the heroic Aviators above as they escorted the “terrible” Griffons back towards their homeland.

“New Aviators,” Arthaz continued as he banked his wings and turned for the Griffon coast, “remember- it will serve you well to keep in mind that all the preconceived notions you may have about the world around you are not necessarily true. Perhaps one day we will meet above the field of battle, but it will not be by my choosing. Colonel-“ he nodded to Cloudsplitter, “-it was a pleasure seeing you again. Until the next interception, then.”

“Goodbye, my friend,” Cloudsplitter said, veering away with Nimbus and Storm Runner as the Griffons flew back out to sea. Some loud cheers could be heard from the beaches below, but Nimbus wasn’t so sure he felt like celebrating. The Griffons didn’t fit what he’d expected of them at all. Where was the bloodthirsty rage? The lust for dominance? All he saw was fellow fliers enjoying a warm summer day. What was so wrong about that? Catching movement on his HUD, Nimbus focused his attention to the MADAR display. Two more blips were approaching from Manehattan.

“Two unknowns inbound from heading zero one five,” he radioed to his squadmates. Cloudsplitter looked at him, confused, then chuckled, shaking her head.

“No threat, Two. They’re squawking Windigo identification. Prepare to meet the squad.”

Both Nimbus and Storm Runner turned their heads to the approaching signals just in time to see two Pegasi shoot past the formation- one directly above and the other below. Slowly, with an almost lazy grace, they formed up off Nimbus’s and Storm Runner’s wings, making a large “v” in the sky.

“Four and Five requesting permission to join the squadron,” one of the ponies called.

“Granted,” Cloudsplitter radioed back, “would you like to introduce yourselves to these new gentlecolts?”

The stallion next to Nimbus nodded slowly, speaking with a rather soft voice, “yes, ma’am. I can do that. My name is Star Burst. I’m from Ponyville originally.”

“And I’m Cyclone Sprint from Cloudsdale,” the stallion by Storm Runner added with a touch more bravado. “You two seem to have already met Mom.”

“Mom?” Storm Runner asked.

Cloudsplitter sighed as the group turned back towards the base, putting the slowly setting sun and lights of Manehattan behind them. “Yes, they’ve taken to calling me Mom. It’s hardly professional, but a callsign’s a callsign and I suppose I’m stuck with it as long as I’m with this squadron.”

“Which at the rate things are going,” Cyclone said, “should only be for another month or so.”

“Really?” Nimbus said, “are you deploying somewhere else?”

“We all are,” Star Burst said, “Windigo’s a temporary squadron. We escort the Sol until she’s airworthy and under the control of the Canterlot Transportation Department. Then we all go our separate ways. Weren’t you briefed?”

“No…” Nimbus said softly. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It all felt like the biggest slap in the face he’d received since disenrollment from the Wonderbolt Academy. He’d graduated the Royal Equestrian Air College with high marks, practically helped save Canterlot, and won last year’s Cloudsdale Meet. Now here he was, finally on top of his game and in the career of his dreams with a pony who was turning out to be a great squadron commander, when all of a sudden he was supposed to believe he’d be leaving in just over a month. He liked his squadron, from what he could tell so far. They all seemed like decent ponies. It simply wasn’t fair that he was being asked to leave practically just after saying hello.

The runway lights of the airbase shone brightly ahead of them as Cloudsplitter radioed for clearance to land. The ponies took their turns in the pattern. Nimbus let everypony else get down first before he finally descended. It was a good landing, but he felt contact with the ground in every bone of his body. He felt heavier now, burdened with the injustice of the situation. He only half paid attention while Cloudsplitter debriefed on the runway.

“Good flight today, everypony. We’ve got a few briefings tomorrow, so I want you all here no later than 0930. We’ve got about two weeks until the Sol’s maiden flight, so start prepping your flight suits. We need to look sharp when she rolls out. Don’t forget to pack up, and have a good night. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Nimbus started to walk away, but Storm Runner caught up to him.

“Hey,” the Pegasus said, “would you mind if I tagged along? I’ve got some of my stuff in your apartment, I think.”

“Sure,” Nimbus said simply, “let’s go.” Nimbus nodded one final time to his squadron commander and turned back towards the squadron building with Storm Runner. One day down, and only a scant few more to go.

…

Cloudsplitter sighed as she watched the two new Aviators slowly trot away. She’d meant to tell them about the squadron’s temporary status, of course. Things had just gotten in the way. The military was known for demanding flexibility, and this situation was no different. Still, she couldn’t help but feel she’d personally disappointed them. They seemed like fine Lieutenants. They’d been respectful and, courteous, yet still with enough personality to avoid being brick walls. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the five of them would make an excellent squadron.

“But that’s not for me to decide,” she breathed, taking off her helmet and heading back to the squadron building. It wasn’t the first time she’d been disappointed, and it probably wasn’t going to be the last. The newbies would find that out soon, and eventually, perhaps, they’d come to accept it. Until then, she decided, she would at least try to make their month in Manehattan worthwhile.

Briar

Briar

Average height, dark brown coat, maroon mane, scary. That was about as far as any description of Briar ever got. The pony had a reputation, to say the least. Some called him a mobster, others a terrorist. Perhaps they were right, but the pony was just too enigmatic, even to his closest allies, to tell.

Briar leaned back in the comfortable, padded captain’s seat of a recently “borrowed” yacht and took out the pictures the sharpshooter he’d met a few weeks ago gave him. The earth pony perused the photos for a few moments. To the untrained eye, they were simply some aerial pictures of the desert. Not much to see there- certainly nothing worthy of classified material. Briar knew otherwise, though, and what he saw was opportunity.

“Briar?”

The pony looked up calmly as a Unicorn walked in from the deck. “Yes?”

The Unicorn cleared his throat. “That, uh, squadron they dispatched to defend the Sol- they added two more Pegasi to their ranks. We just sighted them over the coast.”

Briar raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Two more… tell me, Spyglass, do you trust me?”

The stallion was slightly taken aback by this. “Yes sir,” he answered, “but what-“

“Do you trust me implicitly?”

Spyglass gulped. “Yes, sir.”

“Then do you not think I might have planned for something like this?!”

The Unicorn backed away slowly, “of course, Briar. I’ll leave you be, sir.”

“That would be best,” Briar growled as the pony left. He kept up the fierce glare as long as possible, but as soon as the cabin door closed, he sighed and rubbed his eyes. He was getting too old for this. Thirty-five years after a life of high-class, organized crime, and here he was. As far as he knew, he was the only pony who’d made it this far. Most never made it past twenty years in the business, and when they came to the end of their careers, “retirement” usually consisted of a knife in the back, or a fast, one-way trip to the bottom of Manehattan Bay. He liked to think he’d played his cards well; that his life was a shining example of how to play the game and survive. After all, there was something to be said for being in the mob business as long as he had without actually killing a single pony. His reputation, it seemed, preceded him.

This, of course, was Briar’s greatest asset. He was still one of the most feared criminals in Manehattan, and was working his way up the wanted lists across the country as well. Briar got up from his seat and trotted over to the yacht’s mini bar, helping himself to a glass of wine.

“Manehattan’s most wanted,” he mumbled to himself, “I couldn’t have asked for anything else.”

His career had started out in what most considered to be a unique manner. While most of Manehattan’s known thieves started out stealing simply to stay alive, Briar had thought of stealing more as a game. He vividly recalled walking past an apple cart on Main Street in his younger years and asking himself how easy it would be to snag just one shiny, red fruit. While this thought alone wasn’t an entirely villainous act, he chose to act upon it, surprising himself with how easy stealing one little apple had been. Thus began his criminal life. From the apple, he worked his way up to books, or fancy silverware, before moving on to bigger and more expensive items. He never resorted to violence in his work; it ruined the fun. For nearly thirty years he’d been at it, and for nearly thirty years his conscience nagged at him each night. Stealing was wrong- Everypony with half a brain knew that- but it was just too much fun to quit. He’d even tried stealing items and returning them later, but it simply wasn’t enough; not to mention that any self-respecting group of assistants would be hesitant to follow a thief who simply gave back the spoils of their endeavors. To this end, Briar had decided that he’d had enough of the criminal life. He’d known for a while now that Manehattan’s justice system would never let him go with a slap on the wrist; in fact, he’d be lucky if he’d only see one life sentence. He’d actually sat down and done the math a few weeks ago. In the time he’d been a thief, he’d stolen exactly 2.6 percent of the city’s revenue. That was an unforgivable number, he’d decided, and it demanded that he instead retire as an anonymous figure, albeit a figure with a nice island somewhere in the Griffon Sea and a good yacht- preferably one that hadn’t been stolen. He liked yachts.

Yet even with retirement on the horizon, he’d been itching for just one more job- one that would combine the greatest heist of the century, or perhaps even the greatest of all time, with a single act- the one good thing he felt he could do for ponykind. Would it redeem him? Briar smirked as he slid back into his chair. Doubtful, but there was always a chance. Even if it didn’t, it’d ease the weight on his conscience. No one in his current crew knew, of course, but that wasn’t an issue. Money fixed problems, plain and simple, and he had a lot of it. The real trick would be avoiding being caught and branded a terrorist. The stakes were nothing if not high.

Briar went back to studying the photos he’d been given. The desert called to him, and its deeply buried secret was practically screaming to be discovered. Somewhere in the sandy, dusty cliffs the photo showed, his redemption lay in wait. He turned his head back towards the Manehattan shoreline, following the faint contrails left by the Aviator squadron that had flown over minutes ago. He was getting ahead of himself. He had to put the heist first.

After all, if life had taught him anything, it was that the heist always came first.

The Grey Mare

The Grey Mare

Nimbus gathered up the last of Storm Runner’s belongings from his apartment floor. He and his friend had arrived only a few minutes ago to find no trace of his parents, save a single note. It read:

Dear Nimbus,

Sorry we couldn’t meet you here. As you know, we had a train to catch, and we’ll just make it there as it is. We tidied up a bit and left Storm Runner’s things by the kitchen table. Whirly was excited to see you in action today. Write us back as soon as you can!

Love,

Your Parents.

The note didn’t help improve his mood at all. He’d wanted the chance to say goodbye in person, but the quick scramble earlier that day had made it impossible. Now he’d have to wait for leave to go home.

“You okay?” Storm Runner asked, taking the bag of books Nimbus had been carrying and shaking the stallion out of his stupor, “you’ve been kind of out of it ever since we landed.”

Nimbus sighed. “Yeah, I’m good. It’s just this whole ‘temporary squadron’ situation. I mean look at what we did for Equestria-“

“You mean the things we did back in school that don’t go on our records because Colonel Dusk Shine said, and I quote, ‘they’ll get our flanks fired faster than stealing an airship, no matter what our intent was?’ Yes, I remember what we did for Equestria.”

“Yeah, never mind,” Nimbus said, frowning. “I just feel kind of cheated. I wanted the chance to be in a real squadron- one where I could feel comfortable knowing I’d be working with the same ponies for a few years, instead of a few weeks.”

Storm Runner smiled and patted his friend on the back. “Don’t worry about it, Nimbus. Look, I know this is kind of upsetting, but look at the bright side! We’ll be making history when we escort the Sol on her maiden voyage. We were placed here because the REAF knew we wouldn’t disappoint. Look at everypony else in our squadron. They’ve all got years of experience, and we’re fresh out of college. When we transfer, we’ll end up somewhere nice, I guarantee it.”

“If you say so,” Nimbus said.

“Hey, cheer up, buddy. Look, I’ve got to head back to my place now, but swing by if you ever want to chat.” Storm Runner started down towards the street, but stopped and turned back. “By the way,” he added, “I hear there’s a music café not far down the road. Just sayin’. Might be worth checking out.”

Nimbus’s ears perked up a bit as he waved goodbye to his friend. A music café? It didn’t solve all of his problems, but it would be a nice distraction. If nothing else, he reasoned, he could get a half-decent cup of coffee there. He closed the door to his apartment building and headed back up to his room on the second floor. As he shut his own door he stole a quick glance at his tenor saxophone case in the corner of his room and smiled slightly. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to hear some live music. Might inspire him to work on the song he’d been writing.

Which just so happens to be a blues song, he reminded himself, sinking slowly back into depression. Wonderful. Right back to square one. He needed that coffee. He turned off his lights and left the room, making sure to close the door quietly, so as not to disturb the occupants of the nearby rooms. As he walked downstairs and stepped out into the Manehattan air, a crisp breeze ruffled his coat. The sun was now below the horizon, and the city was starting to cool down. He had to admit- it felt nice. It wasn’t exactly the mountain air he was used to, but the scent of the salty water coupled with the cool touch of the wind wasn’t half as terrible as he might have expected.

Storm Runner’s directions hadn’t been terribly specific, but Nimbus had a pretty good idea of where he was heading. He’d spotted a small café on the way in, and judging by the faint sounds of music in the air, it was almost certainly the one his friend had been talking about. Nimbus headed down the street at a slow trot, nodding to other ponies as he passed. Some returned his gesture while others just kept walking. It didn’t phase him. Back home, he was used to everypony he met returning his greeting, but this was a bigger city. Other ponies didn’t necessarily have the time to respond, or simply weren’t comfortable with greeting an unfamiliar face. He had bigger concerns anyway.

As he drew closer, he knew he was heading in the right direction. The music’s volume increased considerably, and he could now make out smooth jazz being played. While it didn’t completely help his mood, it was a good start. He pushed open the door to the small café, smiling a little at the quaint tinkling of a cluster of bells above the door. A few ponies were seated around the café, and the musicians stood in the center. It was a small jazz ensemble, by the looks of it, with a trombone player, a drummer, a saxophonist, and a trumpeter. Noting a sign which read “take a seat, and we’ll take your order!” Nimbus headed over to a line of bar stools and took a seat next to a grey mare who was absently flipping through a book. A cheerful-looking barista trotted over and set a notepad down by Nimbus.

“Hello, sir,” she said, “what can I get for you tonight?”

Nimbus rubbed his chin, checking out the menu, which was written in chalk on a blackboard behind the bar top.

“A medium coffee, please,” he said with a yawn, “correction- a large.”

The barista nodded. “Right away.”

Nimbus heard a light chuckle next to himself. The mare beside him was smiling and nodding. “Rough day?”

Nimbus nodded. “Yeah, I’m just tired. I’ve got way too much to think about right now.”

His coffee arrived and Nimbus immediately took a few gulps, forcing the hot liquid down. To say it felt good would be an understatement. As he drank some more, the jazz band broke into a smooth blues melody, and he absently reached back into his squadron saddlebag. He began writing out a smattering of notes on his napkin, thinking through the blues chart he’d been working on. As he scribbled, he felt somepony watching him, and turned around. It was the grey mare again, eyeing his work.

“An Aviator and a musician, then?” she asked, then shook her head. “I’m sorry- I don’t mean to pry. It’s just that I’ve only been here for a month or so, and I’m trying to make the most of my stay.”

“I’m sorry if it looked like I was ignoring you,” Nimbus said, “I’m just winding down a bit. Had a pretty busy day, and I’m new here as well.”

“Manehattan has that effect on most ponies,” the mare said. “You’ll get used to it soon.” The two ponies awkwardly eyed each other for a moment before Nimbus cleared his throat and extended his hoof.

“I’m Nimbus,” he said, “Nimbus, er, Flare.” He gulped. In all of his life, Nimbus had told next to nopony his last name. In his mind’s eye, the two names never quite fit together. “Nimbus” simply rolled off the tongue better. He wasn’t sure why he’d chosen to abandon tradition now, but what was done was done.

“Octavia,” the mare said, shaking his hoof firmly, “the name is Octavia Melody. And don’t worry,” she added as if reading Nimbus’s mind, “I tend to only go by my first name as well. Now what brings you to Manehattan?”

“My job,” Nimbus answered, the memories of his talk with his squadron commander coming back in a rush and putting a damper on his steadily improving mood. “I’m with the 132nd Aviator Squadron. We were assigned to the Sol as its escorts, and we run harbor patrols from time to time. We’re… temporaries really.”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “You don’t say- the Sol? Why, that’s exactly the reason I’m here!”

The coffee was almost gone now, and Nimbus was feeling considerably more awake than he had been five minutes ago. Socializing was good, or so his family had told him time and time again. It certainly couldn’t hurt to listen to this mare’s story and possibly pick up a new friend.

“Well, I’ve told you my story,” he said, “what’s your involvement with the Sol, then?”

The mare smiled and closed her book, which Nimbus now noted was full of musical compositions. “I’m from Ponyville, first of all.”

Nimbus raised his eyebrows, surprised. Evidently his assumption that she was from Canterlot based on the accent had been wrong.

“I know,” Octavia said, picking up on his gesture, “I really don’t sound at all like a Ponyville resident. I was born in Canterlot, but moved to Ponyville only a few years ago. I just felt I needed somewhere quiet to concentrate on writing music and perfecting my own cello work, but I digress. A few weeks ago, I was invited here to attend a six-week music study with several of Equestria’s top musicians and composers. Our goal was- or rather is- to create a theme for Equestria’s largest airship on her maiden flight. We’ll then have the honor of being on the Sol when she leaves the ground. The best part, of course, will be that the orchestra will be set up on the observation deck. They say the view is supposed to be truly magnificent.”

Nimbus nodded. “My little brother would probably give his wings to be in your position when that day comes. He’s been obsessed with the Sol ever since he found out about it. It’s all he ever seems to talk about now.”

“Oh, you have a brother?” Octavia said, “that’s fantastic. I rather love children myself. I was an only child.”

Nimbus reclined a bit as he considered this. He’d always wondered how differently his life might have turned out if he’d been an only child. Whirlwind, while a great brother, had been nothing short of high maintenance as a little colt. Still, it was Whirlwind who had also inspired him to get back up on his hooves and try for an Aviator slot after flunking out of the Wonderbolt Academy...

“He’s great,” Nimbus said finally, “really a lot of fun. If he’s ever up here, I’ll have to introduce the two of y-“ he paused, realizing he’d completely overstepped his position as a stranger. “Really sorry about that,” he said, correcting himself, “I barely know you. Didn’t mean to impose at all.” Octavia dismissed his concerns with a wave.

“And you’re certainly not imposing. In fact, this is perhaps one of the most enlightening conversations I’ve had since coming to this city. I’d love to meet your brother, Nimbus. I suspect of course, that he might find me a bit… boring. Most ponies do.”

Nimbus shook his head. “Not at all, and I certainly don’t. I’m actually quite glad we met. Do you come here often?”

Octavia glanced over at a wall clock, then turned back to Nimbus. “I do, actually. I make a point of coming here most every day around seven p.m. I’ve found it’s a wonderful place to unwind and reflect on the day. Are you planning on stopping by?”

“If you’re up for conversation, I’ll see what I can do,” Nimbus replied, then yawned. “Coffee only works so well, I guess.”

Octavia chuckled, “yes, well after a busy day no amount of caffeine can stop the big collapse. You should really get home to bed.”

“I certainly will,” Nimbus said, “it was a pleasure meeting you. Thanks for an outstanding, uh, coffee break!”

Octavia smiled, “pleasure meeting you as well. See you tomorrow then?”

“Around seven thirty,” Nimbus said, backing out of the shop door, “until next time.”

The grey mare waved as he closed the door, and Nimbus waved back. It made him realize just how nice having and making friends really was. He had Storm Runner, obviously, but he knew next to nopony else here. Finding a mare like Octavia was a nice break from familiarity, and Nimbus began to feel much more optimistic about his next few weeks in Manehattan. It was then that a thought occurred to him- not once had he even stopped to think about the very subject which had upset him earlier- his squadron’s temporary status. Nimbus shook his head in disbelief as he trotted back to his apartment. Ponies could say what they wanted, but it seemed that once again, some hot coffee and friendly conversation were more than a match for any bad mood.