Beyond Equestria

Chapter III

Success and Bliss

The familiar feeling of déjà vu rang out in Colts' mind as the two pegasus stepped off a Canterlot train in Manehatten. Though last time Firefly was not with him, the whole scene felt very repetitive. Soon though, he hoped the ship would be finished and the crew assembled for the journeys ahead could be endless.

The large brick buildings of Hoofington Yards seemed worse for wear under the gloomy overcast. But the chimneys still puffed their black smoke high into the sky with the sounds of construction echoing around them. The place was busier than ever and Colts was please to hear what he hoped was progress on his ship.

Within the reception area of the building the two pegasus waited. This time Colts did not want to upset Madam Allora Winds with booking an entire day. But he chuckled looking back at what he had done last time.

"What are you snickering about Colts?" Firefly interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh... nothing, just last time I kind of used my Canterlot position to get the whole office for a day." he grinned.

"You're crazy." with that reply came the sound of Allora's office doors opening. She walked up to the pegasus with two earth ponies in close tow.

A smile upon her face "Nice to see you have learned how to plan a proper business meting now Captain Colts. Follow me now I wish to show you what we have accomplished in only a few months."

They continued into the streets that lead to the many yards and building owned by Hoofington Yards. Allora lead up front with a rather quick business pace to her hoof steps. Behind followed Colts and Firefly, and bringing up the rear, the two earth ponies. Both had the same colour of orange coats and brown manes. They would look like a perfect pair of twins if it wasn't for the fact one was a mare, and the other a stallion. Covered in dirt and spots of oil with goggles adorned on their heads and blue shirts they look like that of the site foremen.

"Here we are, the site of a new era." Madam Allora spoke as if selling the idea to future business partners. The brick building was huge and the front face had been cut open with large metal doors now hiding the hole of what was clearly a makeshift hanger. But a small metal pony door on the side would be the way they entered.

Within the make shift hanger lay the imposing metal frame of the airship. Pegasus flew with ease high above with tools and rigging. Below a team of unicorns and earth ponies assembled the gondola with care. Unicorns worked in teams to lift large pieces with their magic in place while the earth ponies secured them tight as could be. A beautiful ballet of ponies worked without a beat missed as the small group continued to walk though to a tiny site office on the other side of the hanger.

Within the office the deafening sounds of the construction were almost all but muted. Allora moved to introduce the two earth ponies to Colts.

"May I introduce my help, in fact if it wasn't for these two, your Airship would be just a massive paper weight. Gears and Cog Forge, Airship specialist."

"Airship specialist?" Colts questioned and the mare stepped forward and replied with a Maritime accent. "Aye, my brother and I build and design airships for the Equestrian elite. But when Madam Allora came to us for help on this here design even we were a bit apprehensive at such a massive project. Nothin' like this has been done before and we're the closest thing Equestria's got specialist on this little matter." she continued with a smile and nudge her brother. "He's the propulsion genius and I'm the light than air specialist." Gears loved to boast about her profession. Her brother on the other hoof was silent, not a single word nor nod was ever given.

With a deep breath and quick sit Colts replied to the two "So how is it coming along?"

"Well to be honest, if it wasn't for miss Allora here bringing all the right ponies into things, we'd still be arguing over the plans. There was some major flaws in the original plans but we as you can see have solved them and started work about a week ago."

Firefly sighed "I can see this is going to talk a while, I'm going for a fly about." with that she left and Colts continued asking questions.

"So what were the flaws?"

"The Gondola." Allora replied rather quickly.

Gears fixed her goggles to rest better upon her head and continued on Allora's words. "Right, it's was to big, and still is. The size of it presents to much weight for even a Hydrogen bag to lift."

"Magic solved that." Allora chimed in. "This is were the bill is going to get high... We had to mix crystal dust into the aluminum so it would hold a magic charge. The trick was balancing the mix so the aluminum would not become brittle. Now however with a simple featherweight spell infused into the aluminum we shaved off 78% of the weight. Allowing the vessel to be light than air when filled with helium or.... hydrogen."

Colts was amazed at the solutions Allora, and Gears were coming up with to make this dream a reality. Not even the occasional loud bangs of construction could phase him. The room was heating up with discussion and Colts was enjoying hearing how it was all coming together.

"There's a problem still... and a bad one." whispered Allora while Gears sighed. "The vessel would require three times the amount of helium we can produce in 5years within Equestria... So the only other alternative is Hydrogen. Even though it is fairly easy to produce, and can lift more providing a longer range, It is dangerously unsafe."

Captain Colts stood up and answered. "I am aware of the flaws of hydrogen over helium, but for this vessel to be more self sufficient it needs hydrogen and My reasons why should be made clear. But I do have a Idea of how to solve the problems of hydrogen gas. A simple containment spell would work, but that would require constant recharge from powerful unicorns. I know crystals may also hold magic and spells, could we possible use them around the vessel?"

Gears pondered, "That could work, if it was set to lay dormant until a say, fire or explosion, so that way the spell would not lose it charge but be deploy for emergencies."

All within the office seem to agree and continued talking.

***

That boring mumble jumble was not meant for Firefly, it was not her style. She weave and bobbed in-between the workers while heading to the door. "WATCH OUT" scream a Unicorn as a metal beam gazed Firefly's mane while she ducked. "Whoa, that was a little close, time to get out of here." With that she galloped to the door and she heard the unicorn yelling behind her.

The metal door slammed behind her and with that she was free of the chaos within the building. A sigh of joy left her muzzle as she looked up into the sky still overcast. It had been a while since she tested herself for fun. "I'm gonna break my recorded today." peeking at her arm she look at what most would mistake for an old wristwatch. This was more than a that however, it was a pegasus altimeter for Firefly prided herself in flying higher than any other pegasus. Under the stained and weather glass lay two hands like that of a watch. One in white lay at the zero mark, the other in red was sitting about three quarters of the way around the dial and a number in the middle read "eleven thousand seven hundred and fifty meters". It was her old record, she never reset the device nor did she show it to anypony. She wanted to first break the pegasus official record of fourteen thousand three hundred meters.

A crack of her neck that lead down her back and into her wings as she stretched out for flight would make anypony cringe. With quick thrust she rocketed into the sky and broke the overcast with ease. She climb but slowed to a steady pace and with front hooves stretch forward she could read the altimeter. The arm moved slowly around the face and the numbers counted, five thousand, seven thousand, nine thousand, ten, the higher she climb the thinner the air became. Her body struggle as she pushed herself higher, the steady flap of her wings and the pacing of her breath was the only sound within the ever reaching blue skies.

The dial continued to climb in a steady manner, 10200,10300,10400,10500,10750,11000,11100... Her muscles began to cry for oxygen as she gained on her old record. She focused on the dial with dagger eyes. Determined to push to that recorded she dreamed of, 15000meters. The extreme height of these climbs would be foolish to anypony who was not only trained for the dangers but any pegasus who could get it in there head it was easy. Her eyes became heavy with fatigue, the altitude was catching up to her under her struggling wing beats and heavy breath.

"Just a little more and that will be it" She thought. The mare was no fool though, she stopped herself  after that "little more" mark and puff for oxygen. With a satisfied grin she gazed at the altimeter with heavy breathing and optimism, the numbers now read within the lower box "twelve thousand seven hundred and forty meters."

The pegasus slowly descended so to enjoyed the view from the extreme height. The view up here calmed the brazen and tough pony. If she could, she would stay but before long the altitude would bring her back to terra firma in a not so pleasant way. For now she enjoyed what she could of the solitude and beauty of it all within the endless skies of cerulean blue and sea of endless clouds below. Even the City of Manehatten could not touch her within the sky as the towering buildings only seemed like saplings growing from the underbrush jutting from the clouds. With a close of her eyes, wings and legs, she fell strait as an arrow toward the ground.

***

Colts stepped out of the hanger and noticed Firefly gently landing in the street in front. He smiled as he notice the bliss and happiness on the harden face. He knew only one thing made her smile like that.

"Did you break your recorded this time?" He spoke.

A soft sigh, "Yup, twelve thousand six hundred and thirty meters." She beamed with confidence.

"Twelve thousand what?" Gears ask in shock. The reply was a snap to hide the altimeter and she growled. "None of your business." The pegasus quickly adopted a rough and tough posture. Colt's laughed, "Well ponies, we still have a lot to do."