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E-27 R Equestrian wings academy

by Sir Hat

Chapter 1: Day 1

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Day 1

I sat alone in the shower, the only lights in the room from the switch on the wall. I waited under the searing water until the Druid's intercom came online, "Attention, attention, CRS: Druid is approaching E-27. All cadets are to report to their assigned dorms."

I turned the shower off and slowly turning the lights on. I watched as the steam rolled off my skin, entranced by the strange dance it did along my painted skin. I stepped out of the tub and wiped off my mirror. The royal blue band across my eyes always made me feel strange, even more strange than the lines painted into my skin. Royal blue lines danced across my skin in celtic designs. It didn't matter to me, I never let the lines dominate who I was.

As I dried off my face I contemplated the backwards step humanity had taken. We'd come from throwing stick and stones to flying giant hunks of metal through space, exploring its depths and meeting new races. Yet still we put such sentiment on things such as painting our skin and honoring the dead.

As much as it confused me it was rather appealing, the intricate swirls and symbols made my arms and chest rather imposing, the band across my eyes was rather royal looking, in a barbaric kind of way, the final piece to this madness was my hair. It was snow white, it made me mad that the nation forced their colors into every aspect of our lives. Such thoughts always invaded my mind in the shower.

I finished with my drying and pulled my uniform on. It seemed to defeat the purpose to cover the paint with such a simple uniform, but who was I to argue. White and blue, always white and blue, why did this ship have such a fascination with white and blue. I walked out of my shower and into my room. I stood in front of my door and waited until the instructor came to check on me.

I didn't have to wait long. The instructor in all his pompous glory strolled into my room. "Issac, hello." He walked towards me and looked down on me. "Happy birthday," He smiled at me as he handed me a card. "You'll be able to spend it on solid ground for once." I looked down and thought about my last few birthdays, twelve was spent in training, thirteen was spent in training, fourteen, training. Well at least sixteen would be on the ground.

"Thank you sir. So I'll be going to the surface on arrival?" I asked with a grumble, still annoyed at my past few birthdays.

The instructor looked around my room. "Yes, you're going to be part of a recruitment program for the locals. What is this?" He picked up a carving I had been working on, "Did you do this?"

I nodded, "Yes sir I did. I'm sorry sir."

The instructor walked over to me, pressing the carving into my hands. "Don't be, it's good. I don't want you to hate me Issac, I know you've had a hard life but I want you to remember I care about you."

"Thank you sir."

The instructor gave a drawn out sigh. "You know my name...why do you never use it? Anyways, I want you to get at least four, no more than ten, but no less than four."

Recruitment time again. I suppose that was the whole reason we were here. To train the locals and help them build on their own tech. From what I heard about them they were horses, talking horses. "When will we be leaving?"

The instructor looked at his watch in jest, "Well you look ready now. But you'll be staying down there for a week until we come to pick you and your recruits up. We've already talked about setting up an appointment with a school planetside. Pack for a week. I'll be waiting outside." he turned on his heel and walked out.

Once the door slid shut I broke my posture, "Jesus." I swore as I turned to my desk, setting the carving down and staring blankly at the desk top, "How did I forget about my birthday...another year...another damn year." Six years of my life spent on this ship, six years since I've lost them all, six years today.

I wiped my face and started packing. Clothes, toothbrush, and my phone. Everything was ready as I slung my backpack over my shoulder and walked into the barracks hall. The instructor smiled and lead me into the main bay and into a shuttle.

The door closed slowly, giving me a good view of the blue green planet below. "Beautiful isn't it?" the instructor asked as he stared out the window once the door closed. "The region we'll be setting you down at is rather nice. Do you know what you're going to be doing?"

I joined him in looking out the window, "Speaking with local youths, trying to recruit any willing to attend a military university."

"Correct. Now this region is still rather rural, I'm not expecting you to come back with an army, just bring in who you can alright?"

"Aye-aye sir." I spoke my last words as I waited for the ship to touch down.


The ship touched down lightly. "Well, this is it," The instructor opened the door for me. "We'll be back here in one week."

I stepped out and onto the martian soil. "Wait, you're just leaving me here? What about accommodations or food!?" I snapped as the instructor started smiling.

"You're a smart kid Issac, you'll be fine."

I ran back to the shuttle, slamming my hands into the closed window, "Asshole!" I was thrown back as the shuttle took off, kicking up dust and temporarily blinding me, "Son of a-" I wiped the dust out of my eyes and looked around.

"Oh my, are you alright?" I swung my head towards the noise and found a mauve horse standing over me, "Are you the human?" The tall mare walked over and smiled at me, "They told me you'd be coming to talk to my students...I thought you'd be older."

I held onto her neck and cleared my eyes, "Uh...no," I let her go and righted myself, "They usually send a cadet with an escort...but it would appear they decided I could do it alone."

"Oh dear." The mare gave me an apologetic look.

I gave a deep sigh, "Yeah ... But you were expecting a presentation. And I'm supposed to give it." I straightened my posture and gave her a salute, "Cadet Issac Harding, at your service."

The mare smiled wide at my display, "Well, you sure do look the part." She turned away from me and patted me along with her tail, "I like your markings by the way,"

"Thank you ma'am...I like your...uh...thing...on your...uh..." I stopped and drew a circle in the air towards her flank.

The teacher just smiled, "Thank you. You're much more well mannered than the first human I've met."

"I try." I walked with the mare along a dirt path. Things got quiet as we walked along, "So what can I expect, age, genders, general intelligence?"

"Oh! Well they're mostly girls, budding young mares and stallions, and...honestly there are a few that are...well...rather..."

"Simple?"

"Yeah...that's a nice way of putting it." The mare shoved a hoof into her cheek, "You know how it is...you never wanna talk bad about your students."

I just nodded and hurried along the path.


"Is this real?" I asked as we walked towards the red schoolhouse, "I mean...this is something out of an old joke. What's next an old thyme carr-" I was shut up as a horse drawn cart hurried past the building, "Okay..." I turned to the mare, "I'll shut up before someone starts playing a freaking banjo."

She gave a short laugh before walking into the door frame of the building and holding the door open for me. I walked in, immediately greeted with a room full of thirty horses, all staring at me, "Students, this is Issac." The mare walked behind a large oak desk and sat down, "He's here to tell you all about space."

I walked in and stood next to the desk, "Yes, I am Issac Harding. I have been sent to offer anyone willing a chance to futher their education, learn practical skills in space flight, maintenance of ship parts, system wide training, advanced biology, or cultural studies aboard the CRS: Druid. We are a Caledonian ship, sent to help advance your planets technology and teach you all about the fast paced life of a space faring race. Any questions?"

A pink coated mare stood up, "You look funny!"

I cringed before furrowing my brow and staring at her, "That's not a question."

She stared back, "Why do you look funny?"

The teacher stood up, "Diamond Tiara, that's very-" I stuck my arm out.

"I look 'funny' because I am a different species. Caledonians are also rather distinct due to our markings...any other questions?" A wave of hooves flung into the air, "Any that aren't about how I look?" Most of the hooves dropped, "You, red hair, yellow coat."

The mare with the bow smiled, "What's a Caledonian?" Her drawl fumbled the word like a hot potato.

"A Caledonian is a race of human beings raised on a planet where it never stops raining, we're well known for-" I drew up my sleeve, "Our blue markings. They are permanent and as you can see," I turned my arm over, "Rather distinctive."

The mare sat back down calmly, still looking at my face. I scanned the room and pointed to a thin stallion, "What do they teach?"

I laughed, "What do you want to learn? We can teach you just about everything, from cooking in a galley, to piloting a dreadnought. Our required courses are advanced mathematics, cultural studies, applied mechanics, and piloting. We offer courses ranging from six years to a little as two."

"What's piloting?"

"Uh...I'm not actually sure how to describe it. How many of you have seen a ship of any kind?" Most of the classes hooves shot up, "Flying one of those ships, but not limited to that kind of ship. Different courses will teach you how to fly any vessel you choose."

An orange hoof shot up at last, "When can I start?"

I shot upright, "Well I- uh...now." I reached into the case the instructor had given me, "I have enough applications for ten students." I set them down on the large oak desk, "Before you take them please be sure you want to go through with this. We require a minimum of two years. We will provide housing, food, water, medical and augmentation services for anyone willing. I think that's it." I turned to the teacher and bowed, "I am available for personal questions at any time."

The teacher nodded, "Alright everypony, time for lunch." The class started bustling as most of the students filtered out. Seven of them stayed. The orange mare from before walked straight to me and stood in front of me. She was about the same height as me.

She stared at me, "You're a lot different than the first one."

I cocked an eyebrow, "Sorry to disappoint."

"Who said I was disappointed?" She turned to the desk and pulled a form off of it, "Where do I sign?"

I took the paper from her and set it down on a desk, "Signature here and here," I waited as the mare took a pen into her mouth and left her mark on the paper, "Wow...that's...impressive." Her signature was perfectly legible even after being written with her mouth, "Scootaloo? Is that your full name?"

"Yes. It. Is." She nodded hard, her mane throwing itself around.

"Ooo the permanent blank flank trying once again." The rude pink mare strolled over with a grey companion, "Give it up, you're never gonna get your cutiemark."

"Excuse me." I walked over to the rude one, "Is there a reason you're harassing an enrolled student?!" I yelled in her face, "Pestering Druid's students will not be tolerated!"

The mare took a step back, "What ya gonna do about it blue face?"

I swung my head around, cracking my neck, "I could toss you through that window there. We are a military academy, we don't put up with dissonance."

"Well you'll still have a blue face, you blue faced weirdo!" The pink horse continued to get under my skin. I was moments away from headbutting her when a small herd ran over.

"Diamond why do you always have to pick fights." A white mare walked between us. "Play nice."

"Yeah!" The red head with the bow joined her.

The pink one gave a quick huff before walking off. "Come on Silver, let's leave them with their blank flank friend."

The grey coated one gave her a quick look before walking over to me, looking at my hair, "So uh...so...math."

I adjusted my posture as the white coated one and the redhead walked over to Scootaloo, leaving me face to face with the grey one. "Math, what about it?"

"I like math, a lot. They'll teach me more about math? Cause, they don't teach us much."

I nodded twice and pulled a form for her, "We have all schools of math, from algebra to theoretical calculus."

The grey mare stared at the form, "I'm uh," She took it with her mouth and tucked it into her sidebag, "I'll get that back to you...my name's Silver Spoon by the way." She gave a curt nod and ran off.

"Huh. Odd." I turned to the trio off to my side. Scootaloo was sitting on her haunches while the other two were talking to her. I walked over, "Is everything alright?"

The standing duo looked at me. Scootaloo stood up and looked at the two, "It's because I'm the only one without my cutiemark."

"I don't know what that is." I shifted slightly at my admission.

The white one walked to me, turned her back to me and pointing at her flank. A musical note was imbedded in her coat. The redhead did the same. Her's of an apple with a gear in the center. She eventually turned around and faced me, her bow bouncing as she did, "Scootaloo just doesn't have her's yet. I'm Apple Bloom by the way."

"Issac." I held my hand out before quickly pulling it back, "Sorry...uh..." I eventually just scratched along her neck, "I don't really know how to..."

She stepped back and smiled, "It's fine, heck of a way to say hello."

"Hey! Me too!" The white one bumped Apple Bloom out of the way and held her neck out for me. I took a step back and pet along her neck, "That does feel good. Oh- uh...I'm Sweetie Belle."

"Issac." I stepped back and looked at the trio, "So are you interested in signing up?"

They looked at each other, Apple Bloom breaking the silence, "Well I don't know...Scootaloo signed up...Sweetie?"

"It sounds fun but...I don't know..." She walked over and looked at the form, "Do you need these back today?"

I shook my head, "I'll be around all week." I pulled two forms and handed them to the prospective mares.

Apple Bloom looked over it, "So where do we take these if we say yes?"

"Uh..." I scratched the back of my head.

"Uh?" Apple Bloom started laughing.

"I don't- I guess here. I'm not actually staying anywhere." I looked to the side in shame.

"Wait a sec, they just dumped ya here?" Apple Bloom's expression soured, "Well hay ya could stay with the Apples!"

"The Apples?"

Sweetie cut in, "The Apple Family,"

"Ah...still doesn't explain much."

"Ponies that run the local orchard."

I bowed to Sweetie, "Thank you." I turned to Apple Bloom, "I don't want to impos-"

"Nonsense! We used to have a human hanging around a few years ago!" She smiled wide and trotted over to me.

I looked around the room, "Well I suppose. Wait, where's Scootaloo gone?" She had snuck away while we were talking. I looked on the oak desk and found her papers. She was serious at least.

"Okay everypony, time for class!" The teacher walked back in, "Issac do you want to sit in?"

I looked around the room, "I don't want to be a burden, I'll be outside." I brought the form and walked outside. The air was rather brisk, the view of a calm autumn afternoon.

"Hey." I turned back to the voice, Scootaloo walked over, "So why is your hair white?"

I looked back to the School house, "Shouldn't you be in class?"

Scootaloo frowned, "I'm not a student here anymore. So why is your hair white."

I ran my hand through my hair, "I was born like this...most Caledonians are."

She walked close to me, "And the blue stuff?"

"Painted into my skin. It's done when we turn five, it grows with us. Why the curiosity?"

Scootaloo looked around, "Follow me." She walked off, jumping over a fence and sitting behind a tree. I joined her, leaning into the tree, "I met the last human...he brought me into space." She leaned forward and flared her wings, "I can't fly. But up there...without gravity I can fly."

"Is that why you signed up?"

She lowered her head, "My cutiemark hasn't shown up down here. It must be out there somewhere, and I'm gonna find it!"

I just nodded, "Well if you want to fly, I can direct you to our piloting program. The Druid is also developing ships made for your people so you couldn't pick a better place."

"Good. I'm gonna fly, no matter what!" She stared at the sky and smiled, "No matter what."

I let my hand fall on her shoulder and walked back towards the school. I wanted Apple Bloom to show up quicker, a family that runs an orchard sounds amazing right now. Fresh fruit sounded even better.


I hard taken to carving celt markings into a fencepost while I waited, "Issac...what'r ya doing to the fence?"

I slipped my knife away, "Nothing..."

Apple Bloom looked at the post, "Neat." She looked me in the face, "Don't do that on the acres." She started walking on, "Well come on, gonna miss dinner!" She started trotting quickly down the path. I hurried after her.


We hurried along a dirt path until another cartoonishly stereotypical building popped up on the horizon. "So...you live on a farm."

"Sweet apple acres! Farm, ranch, and orchard." She quickly lead me to the farmhouse and walked inside, "Applejack, I brought a friend!"

I walked my way behind Apple Bloom as she lead me into a dining room, "Wait here." I took a seat in the oddly large chair and waited, "-human!...school...dinner..."

"Well that's fine and all but ya should tell me first." A large orange mare with a stetson and a large stomach walked in, "Howdy there."

"Hello." I stood and fumbled with my hands, I eventually just did the same as before and ran my hand along her neck, "Still not sure what the usual greeting is."

She gave a hearty Chuckle, "Doin' good so far." Apple Bloom walked in with a large red stallion trailing behind her, "We weren't expectin' guests...but feel free to grab a few apples." She leaned her head towards a large bowl in the center of the table. She quickly went over and sat next to the large red stallion.

The family quickly got to eating. I took two apples and quickly cored them with my knife. The flesh of the apple was very sweet, a nice change from the usually salty food they served on the Druid. Getting brave I decided to ask, "So how far along?"

Applejack's ears perked up, "Eh hyuk, guess it's kinda hard ta hide now aint it...got about three months left."

I looked at the stallion, "Congratulations."

The whole family started shooting me strange looks, "Uh...he ain't the father. He's our brother."

I nearly inhaled a chunk of apple, having to slam my fist into my chest to dislodge it, "Oh my god. I am so sorry."

The two mares at the table started laughing, "You had no way a' knowin," Applejack smiled at me, "Ma husbands in Dodge for the week."

"I see...well give him my congratulations...minus the social fumble."

"Eeyup." The red stallion finally said something.

Applejack leaned over the table, "So you're callin' ponies to some spaceship to teach em?"

"Aye, part of a joint agreement to help push this planet into space travel. I have to admit, half the reason I showed up today is to try and convince Apple Bloom to join up."

"So whadya' teach? Apple Bloom tends ta fiddle around with the train whenever the ponies bring er' in fer repairs."

"Perfect- ow." I accidentally cut my thumb with my knife, "Bugger. We have an excellent mechanical engineering course as well as physical repair courses. We're also building ships meant for your people so she could easily help our engineers design something. Man...I'm bleeding a lot." I grabbed my thumb and held it tight, "Bathroom?"

"Last door on the left."

"Thanks." I hurried out of my chair and ran into the bathroom. I quickly ran cold water over the cut. It was already almost healed but it still hurt like a mother. As I finished up I could hear the ponies in the other room talking.

I hurried back and took my seat as they all looked back at me, "So Issac," Applejack took her hat off, "If'in she went up there with ya, where would ya go?"

"The Druid is commissioned to stay on the moon until a permanent base can be established, so probably about ten to twenty years. We'll probably head through the gate they just finished at some point for a short time, but we won't be gone for more than a month. And each student gets one week out of each month on leave, which can either be spend on ship or planetside."

Applejack smiled at me, "Smart one here. Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom stared at the floor, "So ah can come back an visit?" I nodded, "And I can quit after two years?"

"Two years on the Georgian calendar, from what I was told it would be about six hundred days here."

Apple Bloom stared at her sister, "Scootaloo did it...an she's ma friend..."

Applejack looked at me and nodded. I nodded back, completely ignored by the fretting Apple Bloom, "Yeah, I'll do it!" She looked at the red one, "Gotta finish apple buckin thou."

I smiled wide as Applejack stood up. The other two in the room starting to discuss apple trees. Applejack gestured for me to follow her, leading me into the hall, "We ain't got a guest room but yall can bunk with one of us tonight."

"Bunk?" I took a step back, "Oh god...it's gonna be like basic all over again." I gave a quick laugh, "Communal housing." Applejack finally joined in on the joke before lumbering upstairs. She gave a long groan as she reached the top, "Are you alright? Cause I remember when my old instructor was this pregnant, was not good time."

"I'm fine...just a bit heavy."

I frowned before reaching into my bag. I kept a few tablets for motion sickness in my bag, "Here try this. They're meant for ships but they really helped."

I held two tablets in my hand, "What do they do?"

"My instructor said they got rid of morning sickness." Applejack's eyes lit up as she nearly bit my hand off as she went for the pills, "Oi!" I pulled my hand back, "Easy. I need this hand ya know."

Applejack gave a drawn out sigh, "Grief and pony feathers that's better. Baby's takin' my lunch and ma apatite sometimes."

"I can only imagine." I looked around the doors, "So who's room is whose?"

I was cut off, being thrown into the bannister as Apple Bloom came rocketing up the stairs, "This one." She bit the neck of my uniform and started dragging me into the far room.

I was quickly yanked in the other direction, "Nope." The red stallion pulled me away.

"Big Mac he's not a stallion!" Apple Bloom quickly pulled me back.

"Please stop, you're gonna tear my-" I was cut off once again as my collar dug into my throat.

"Nope...no boys."

The two quickly butt heads, "What if I wanna have a boy in ma room!?"

"Nope, no boys!"

"You had mares in your room!"

"Tain't the point..." The two kept bickering as I felt Applejack tap my shoulder and walk me into a room.

She quickly closed the door and turned a deadbolt, "Them two," She shook her head, "Anyways, if ya don't mind sharin a bed I won't." She quickly climbed up and laid into the obviously plush bed. I just stood in the middle of the room, "Issac? It's Issac right?"

"Yes it is."

Applejack looked over at me, "If'in I ask ya ta do me a favor...would ya do it?"

I looked at her, "Depends."

"Backrub?" She put on her widest smile as she asked. "Ma back is achin like crazy."

I looked at the orange mare's stomach. "This is because of the kid?" She smiled even wider, "Fine." I sat on the edge of the bed and pressed my thumbs into her back. She let out a soft whimper as I worked the muscles of her back. "For the record, I'm doing this because you had the courtesy not to pull me around by my collar."

I continued my kneading, "Lower please." I complied working the very center of her back, "Lower..." I slowly made my back to her lower back, making sure to mind my hands, "Little lower please...just...a little...there!"

My hands were in what would normally be seen as a compromising position, if not for the large bulging stomach just beneath them. I could feel her hip bones through the hardened muscle. I kept going until I could hear Applejack snoring loudly.

I decided to force a few pillows between her and I and tried to get some rest. Next Chapter: Day 2 Estimated time remaining: 60 Minutes

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