Masquerade rubs her foreleg for a moment, then she tugs at her collar. Flight suits are okay, basic combats or utility uniforms are ok, but these dress uniforms bug the absolute heck out of her. It feels tight in all the wrong places. Though this uniform is designed for her pony form, even as a human she preferred to be in her flight suit over a dress uniform.

Looking at herself one last time in the mirror, she turns and exits the bathroom. Walking down the hall, she stops at the office door. While Andrews Air Force base is the home of Air Transport Command, different groups operate out of different bases. Nellis Air Force base has been the home of Pony Air Transport group from it’s recent formation. Now, she needs to face the music and job problems of being a newly minted (or stamped) pony. With one last deep breath she walks up and knocks on the door.

Officially, they are part of the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group, 994th Test and Evaluation Squadron – transport, that is just for the books. They are testing new aircraft, flying ponies around the country, as well as newer VIP Transports.

“Enter.” Comes a deep masculine voice.

Keeping her wings tight to her side, her cover underwing, Masquerade trots in and stops in front of the desk, she salutes, “Sir, Lt Sanders, Masquerade, reporting for duty.”

The general puts down his paper and sighs, “At ease.” Shaking his head slowly, the general looks sternly at the little pegasus, “What are we going to do with you?”

The general sits behind his desk, a career Air Force officer, he has service ribbons, but few decorations. Over the years he had become more politician and paper-pusher than pilot. This doesn’t mean that he’s a bad person, just not one who cares about the love of flight.

His aid is a Lieutenant who doesn’t even have her wings. She’s supply and administration, rather than pilot. She sits smiling though at the little pegasus, taking notes on a pad and paper. For all the advances, charcoal and dead trees will always remain, it seems. At least for the United States Armed Forces.

“Sir? I’m still an Air Force officer, right?” Masquerade smiles innocently as she looks at the higher ranking officer, her tail twitching nervously with a mind of its own. She still has a lot of learning to do about being a pony.

“The problem is, you’re a pilot and you can’t fly a plane in your current state.” The general says firmly, “Our first choice is to transfer you to the 520th, they are still in need of pegasi.”

Masquerade flinches at the suggestion, she looks back at her cutie mark, then at the general, “Sir, I’m not a policemare. Don’t get me wrong, the 520th do great work, but it’s not me. Sitting, guarding an airport. Chasing down and ticketing other pegasi,” Her ears flatten and she opens her mouth wide, sticking out her tongue in disgust, “That isn’t what I signed up to do.

“Technically, we could retire you, especially after that accident.” The general says sternly, “No shame in that, but at the same time it’s not like you are one of the cursed ponies. You became this by choice.”

Shaking her head vigorously, “No sir, please don’t. I’d like to keep with Pony Air if I can. We do such important work, not just moving ponies around but making them feel like they belong, and in cases pulling them out of danger. What other air service will pull ponies out of an embassy in Kuwait, or from a small town in Alaska? What other group flies’ ponies from around the USA so they don’t cause a panic in public air service?”

“Well you can’t fly a plane. All you could do is be a stewardess, serving drinks and putting away baggage.” The general shakes his head, “I’m not sure if you’d want that job.”

Masquerade sighs, looking down, “It’s about being in the air, but being a simple stewardess? It would help, but I wouldn’t feel right.” Looking at her sides, she shakes her head, “Besides, I don’t think I have the legs or butt to pull off a flight attendant’s uniform.”

The general rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Looking down at the pegasus sternly, he clears his throat.

“Actually sir,” The aid says and flips a few pages on her pad, “There might be another option.”

Looking at the aid, the general blinks, “Go on.”

“Well, our evaluation squadron just acquired an air-cart or flying chariot for testing and evaluation from the pony settlement in Montana. It’s small, no frills, two person or pony, meant to be pulled by a single pony.” The aid says softly.

Nodding slowly, the general looks at her, then at Masquerade. “We were considering buying a handful for ponies use on small scale, for transporting things around base.” Looking back at his aid he shakes his head, “I don’t see how that helps the problem though, its only really good for short hops apparently.”

“Yes but we also have that CASA C-295 sitting on the runway. We are evaluating it for border security patrols, and multi-use. It has that forward looking camera on the front, flairs, extra fuel tanks. But it also has that big garage door and ramp on the back.” The aid says with a smile.

“You’re not thinking…” The general trails off, blinking. Then he chuckles, “Its smaller than the 650-ER, has in-air refueling, so it can go anywhere in the world, then the air cart could be used to bring ponies up to the plane without the plane even landing.”

“We could list it as SAR evaluation. Transfer it to Pony Air. Use the front part of the aircraft for the information center, the middle we could configure for VIP Passenger, eight to twelve seats, convertible to beds, for medical cases, or long flights, and don’t forget a bathroom. Then the back could hold the air cart.” The aid flips the pad, showing the General the basic layout.

“What do you think? Up for becoming a Pony Air SAR officer?” The general asks.

Masquerade blinks, taking one step back, then she nods quickly and salutes, “Sir, yes, sir.”

“Good, now, you need to take a few days off, get yourself certified as a pegasus. Then we can get you put to work.”

“Certified? How?” Masquerade blinks, confused.

The General smiles, “Simple, you need to pass muster with White Lightning, Fleetfoot, and Rainbow Blaze.”

Masquerade blinked for several long seconds, then she groans, “I can tell now; my wings are going to be sore in the morning.”

***

“… Do you know your all my very best friends.”

It’s been raining for three days straight now. Full Steam had pulled the wagon off the road and into the trees when the rain got to be too much. While a little rest is good, they have food, the rain barrel is catching fresh water, and Ambrosia has set up a little wind generator for power, they are still not getting any closer to the USA.

“I still don’t like you stealing something like this.” Ambrosia chides the filly gently.

Sunny looks up sadly, “Ambrosia, I never steal. You know that.”

“But something like this must have cost thousands of pesos.” Ambrosia says looking at the cell phone, “Not to mention the contract and such.”

“It’s Korean made, almost seven years old, there are two newer generations out after this model. It’s considered junk to most. I got it in a trade. It isn’t hooked up to any network or anything.” Sunny chirps, her tail wagging.

“Then how… where did you get these videos?” Full Steam asks.

“The phone can store about a hundred episodes on it, I was able to download them in low quality. While it isn’t connected to the phone lines, when you go near a school or library you can connect to their internet.” Sunny giggles, her tail wiggling even more energetically.

“What’s the catch?” Ambrosia asks, looking down at the filly.

“Eh, the battery is a little wonky, so I just need to keep it plugged in. Luckily the school had a plug outside for gardening work that I could use.” Sunny smiles, “So now we can watch some of the episodes.”

“Some? This is really a thing? Kids cartoons based on our lives?” Ambrosia asks, “Is this even our lives?”

“I think it is, I think it was inspired by one or more of us who somehow remembered.” Sunny says and sets her head against Ambrosia’s foreleg.

“If we were banished in 1995, how does that work? Pony stories were around before that?” Drill mutters before touching the screen with a forehoof.

“I have no idea.” Full Steam says somberly, his ears flicking, “but, for now, we can learn a few things, help fill in some of the gaps.” He stops and chuckles, “Pulling a full train and engine, no wonder a wagon is so easy.”

“There’s one thing I don’t understand.” Ambrosia said shaking her head. “My names Ambrosia, which turns out to be a type of apple, my cutie mark is three apples, so why am I a construction pony?”

Sunny giggled, “Oh that’s obvious, part time job. You probably worked with apples, during the apple season, then did construction work to keep busy. Applejack runs a full farm; you probably buy from her to do whatever it takes follow your cutie mark talent after the harvest.”

“We see Big Mac hauling wagons of apples in town, so he might have been delivering a shipment to you.” Drill Bit says.

“So my special skill is some kind of cooking? Wouldn’t I do that year round then?” Ambrosia huffs, shaking her head.

“Not if it was something like apple cider or such.” Sunny says with a smile.

Ambrosia shakes her head, “But the Apples make apple cider, why would they sell me apples just to compete with them?”

“Ambrosia, Ponyville’s only hard apple cider.” Full Steam says with a chuckle.

“In clear, and sparkling versions, perfect for weddings and special events.” Ambrosia says softly, then shakes her head vigorously, blinking.

“Wow, maybe you did do that.” Sunny said, “See, these shows helped!”

***

“So how are you feeling?” Fleur asks, smiling brightly, her horn lit as she carries a few bags beside her.

Looking sideways at Fleur I flick my tail in annoyance while I walk. “Tired, grumpy, heavy, and about fifteen other names of the dwarf smurf crew. And the little ones haven’t even started moving yet.”

Fleetfoot laughs softly, “Hey you’ve been through this before, you’ve already had two. What about me? This is my first.”

“Yeah but at least you don’t have twenty-five years’ worth of guy memories banging around inside your brain.” I say with a huff.

“Yep no foals for me, no stallions getting near my tail.” Cookie says with a firm nod.

“So when are you getting back to work?” I say, looking at Fleur.

Laughing, Fleur looks around, “I am at work, this is my weekend. Do you know how hard it is to get good business or court fitting suits in Quantico?” Wiggling her four shopping bags, “I came here to shop.”

“Oh what’cha get?” Cookie squeaks, looking at the bags.

“And there you have the proof, US Marines squee at the thought of new clothing.” I say with a giggle.

“It’s things to wear in court. As well as at official functions.” Fleur says seriously, “I could just walk in with my fur, but humans aren’t used to that yet.”

“Humans aren’t used to ponies yet at all.” I say and shake my head.

Fleetfoot spreads her wings and shakes herself out, her fur coat puffing out as she does. Smiling brightly, she giggles, “Handy that we don’t need coats too much. So, how’s the wedding plans going?”

Cookie blinks and giggled, “Plans? She was planning on getting married in uniform. Now she’s got a gown.”

Fleetfoot looks at me and laughs, “Well, at least you have the club for your bridesmaids.”

“Bridesmaids?” I say, tilting my head. “I still hadn’t decided; don’t I choose one like a best mare or something?”

All the girls stop walking, looking at each other. Pure shock on their faces.

I find myself stopped as Fleetfoot lands in front of me, her muzzle almost against mine. “Haven’t you ever been to a wedding?”

“Yes, a few, the Donavon’s at the base justice office in Afghanistan. Herb’s short lived one at the base in Iraq.” I say.

“Casualty of war?” Cookie asks.

Shaking my head, I giggle, “Casualty: Divorce.”

Cookie laughed, “Most Justice weddings are judge, bride, groom, a best man, and a few witnesses.”

“Oh hell no.” Fleur said, “That’s not a wedding, that’s a legal proceeding. Fleets?”

Shaking her head, Fleet starts walking forward, pushing me back into the herd. “No, that is not acceptable, not acceptable at all. Let’s do this by the cutie marks. Fleur, you get to work on the bridesmaid’s dresses. Cookie, you and Ah-Pee handle the food. I’ll get Cipher on the invitations, bookings, seating, and some of the decorations.”

Cookie blinked, “Wait, Me?”

“Yes, you. It’s time you started working with your cutie mark.” Fleetfoot turns, “I’ll get Sugarberry to handle the jewelry, she can coordinate with Fleur to make sure the girls jewelry fits too. Ballad will handle the musical arrangements, during the wedding as well as the reception.”

All the girls salute Fleetfoot together, “Yes Ma’am.”

“Meep.” Is about the only thing I can say at this time.

***

“Come right fifteen degrees to course zero-four-five, keep speed steady at nine knots, condition one.” Captain Stevenson calls out as he walks over to the window.

“Rudder answering fifteen degrees, coming right.” Calls out the helmsman.

“Lookouts still report no signs of debris.” The XO says and shakes his head. “Sonar says the tow-fish is holding depth, still no sign, cables at max length.”

“Keep our speed at nine knots, we don’t want to pull the tow-fish up. We need to keep it as deep as possible to hear the pinger from black boxes.” Captain Stevenson says as he reviews information on his tablet.

“Nether patrol boat has seen anything.” The radio operator calls over. “Not even oil slicks.”

Captain Stevenson grumbles, “We need more eyes out there. Any news from the Seahawks?”

“Strawberry-One is just reaching the final arc of its run and is beginning back, Strawberry-Two is five minutes out for landing and refueling.” The Radar operator calls out, leaning back in his chair.

“Okay everyone, our mascot is Daring Do. She can find anything she puts her mind to, so let’s put our minds to this, and find that downed aircraft.” Captain Stevenson says.

“I always wonder why there is the bother of spending millions of dollars just to find a downed aircraft.” One of the younger lookouts muses quietly. But not quiet enough to get a glance from the Captain.

“It’s two-fold. First, it’s for closure. Families need closure, they need to put their loved ones to rest if possible. Otherwise there is always doubt. The what if’s begin, what if they didn’t get on that airplane? What if they are still out there, but unable to call home?” Looking back out at the gray ocean, the Captain sighs.

“And also, it’s to find out what happened, and see if we can stop it from happening again.” The XO says, “Was it a bomb blast? Was it a fire? Was it a failure of the airplane itself?”

“So it’s not about some hope of finding survivors?”

Shaking his head, the captain sighs, “Chances are almost nil for survivors at this point, but we’ve seen stranger.”

***

Landing on the cloud, Masquerade prances a bit, looking around. She had flown past the 520th barracks a few times but this is the first time she is actually here for a purpose.

It still feels strange however, in a way it seems natural to be around other ponies. Even if she is different.

“Masquerade!” Spinning, she sees the pony waving at her.

Blinking Masquerade laughs and charges over, hugging the blueish pony, “Drizzle, you look great in the 520th uniform.”

“I umm… thanks, did we know each other in Ponyville?” Blinking she tilts her head, “I knew you because of the picture I was given. Was told to meet you here.”

Rearing up on her hind legs, Masquerade holds a hoof in front of her muzzle as if it were a microphone, “And remember, the emergency doors are for emergency only, my bad flying does NOT constitute an emergency so unless you see flames, wings falling off, or me jumping out of the plane first, do not open them. And once again, thank you for flying Pony Air, because we know, you don’t have any other choice.”

“Sanders!” Drizzle shouts, spreading her wings wide in shock.

Dropping back to all fours Masquerade strikes a pose, “The one, the only…”

Drizzle giggles and wraps her forelegs and wings around the other pegasus, “Wow, I heard about the crash, what happened to you?”

“Well long story short, to save me they changed me into a pony, I earned my cutie mark and found my place.” Masquerade giggles.

“Wow, just… Wow, so its permanent?” Drizzle asks as she trots around Masquerade.

Nodding, “Well as long as I don’t go through the gate and come back. Yeah, but then I’d be a female human.”

“Why female? If you don’t mind me asking? And the CO’s this way.” Turning, Drizzle starts walking towards a cloud house.

“It’s sort of what the spell did, but it’s also who I really am. I remember… kind of…” Closing her eyes Masquerade shakes her head slowly, “I remember being my ponyself, I remember flying through a great city with other pegasi. I remember some kind of battle or war… and I remember two eyes… misshapen eyes, then laughter.” Turning her head away Masquerade violently shudders.

“Ugg, Discord… So are you joining the 520th? Air Force doesn’t usually keep ponies.” Drizzle says.

Smiling Masquerade shakes her head, “Nope, they are keeping me, I’m going to be part of a Pony Air Search and Rescue. Picking up ponies where our planes can’t land.” Holding her head high Masquerade swishes her tail.

“Oh, so you are just here to get certified.” Drizzle prances into the house, “Well should be a breeze for you.”

“huh? Why’s that?” Masquerade asks as she follows the other pony.

“Because most of it is transponder codes, how to use your foreleg transponder, and such.” Drizzle says, holding up her foreleg. “As well as flight rules and such. Oh, and then there’s cloud shaping and weather control. Need to be certified in that too.”

“Eep… Cloud shaping? I… I don’t know about…” Masquerade blinks and shakes her head.

“Hey if you can walk on clouds, you can cloud shape.” Drizzle chuckles.

Blinking Masquerade looks at Drizzle, then down at the cloud she is standing on, “Cloud… walk… EEEK.”

Drizzle blinks as Masquerade spreads her wings in shock, then she falls through the cloud. Quickly leaning downm she sticks her head though the cloud cover looking for the other pegasus, “Masquerade!”

Just under the cloud Masquerade hovers, flapping her wings slowly, trying hard to look innocent. “Yes, Drizzle?”

“Not cool.”

***

The sound was deafening. A thunderous crack, followed by the ripping of aluminum, the outrush of air. The explosion caused a blinding flash of light in the cargo bay… boxes, shipping containers, and luggage was pushed away from the center of the hold by the force of the blast. Cargo straps were snapped, containers closest to the blast ere disintegrated immediately, others were crushed by the pulse wave.

Silence. It was it was if time stopped for a moment, the shipping container had been partially crushed. Light streamed in from the tarp that acted as the door to the container. A brief change from the normal darkness before the noise again.

This time the noise sounded eerily like a train. All the air inside the cargo bay and passenger compartment rushed out the new hole. Anything that wasn’t strapped down, or more correctly everything that had just been blasted free now changed directions. Shipping containers, luggage even a cargo pallet hurtled and spun towards the hole.

Containers began to come apart as they hit each other violently. This turned single large objects into multiple smaller ones as their contents, luggage, boxes, mail, even pet cages, were sent flying out through the hole. Some hitting the sides of the hole and breaking open while others flew through cleanly. Each impact, though, opened the hole wider. But it was already too late.

The world was spinning, wind whistling. Above, the airliners wing, with its main spar destroyed, could no longer take the aerodynamic forces and ripped off. The loss of lift on one side causing the other to rise, flipping the plane on its side as the plane’s nose started to point down. Smoke and flames trailing out the side of the aircraft as its speed increases.

There is darkness again, before the foal was flung out of the cage. All around, the contents of the cargo bay littered the sky, falling. To the right, the plane continued on its dive towards the sea, its speed and tumble exceeding anything the airframe had been built for. The tail gave way, and the other wing ripping off as the plane continues to break up in flight.

Spinning, the foal fell towards the ocean. She couldn’t fly, she didn’t know how. And being thrown around the cage had hurt her wing and leg. Her wings were too small to lift her. Too small. Spreading her wings, she stopped her spin, but the pain was blinding.

It was all she could do to slow her descent into a spiral glide. Minutes later she saw the water coming at her, she didn’t know how to slow down, so instead she just altered her spiral to be shallower. Her legs touching the water and skipping across the top of it a few times before she tumbled and came to a stop in a large splash.

It’s quiet again, the only sound is the water. Waves occasionally splashing against debris. She pulls herself onto a piece of insulation foam. Her wing hurts every time she tries to move it. Coughing, she lets her body fall down onto the bed of debris. She doesn’t know if she is dead or not, wondering if she had died in the explosion and all this was some dream. She is lost, there is nothing she can do, though.

Out in the middle of the ocean, even if she knows how to fly, her wing hurts too much to try. Spent, all she can do is drift off to sleep. Alone.

***

“Hey girls.” Cipher says as she trots into the store.

Ballad and Sugarberry both wave, standing in the clothing store. Ballad stands wearing a wicker hat, with a white flower on it, while Sugarberry is playing around with a scarf. Both mares toss their items back in the bargain bin before trotting up to Cipher.

“You got called too huh?” Ballad says with a smile.

Nodding, Sugarberry smiles, “Fleur is in the back with Ah-Pee. They should be out…”

“No. No way, no how, there is no way in tar-nation ahm I walking around in this.”

“Ah-Pee disapproves.” Cipher giggles.

Ballad blinks, “If she’s disapproving, I’d hate to hear Cookie.”

“Ah ain’t some fru fru flowery type Fleur, there is no way I’m going out in public.”

“Really disapproves,” Sugarberry says, her ears flicking towards the voices, “Now I’m curious.”

“Hey, in the show, each girl got their own design dress. How come I’m stuck in this?”

“Because we don’t have the money, or the time, for custom dresses for each of us.” Fleur says with a loud stomp.

“Sounds like she just put her foot down.” Cipher says. “I’m starting to worry.”

“Ah don’t care what you say, it’s not an apple, doesn’t look like one… HEY! Put me down!”

Walking out of the back, Fleur trots, holding Ah-Pee tightly in her magical aura. Ah-Pee struggles a bit, flailing her legs before giving up with a sigh and drooping. “I hate unicorns.” She says dejectedly.

Wearing a bi-color dress, her front had a mix of creamy white silk with a pink lace trim. Over her flank is a peach colored half skirt that has white lace trim. To top things off, Ah-Pee is wearing a ring, or wreath, of white fake flowers on her head, that have three large peach blossoms as its focal point.

“They call it the Peaches and Cream Bridlemares dress.” Fleur says.

Ah-Pee droops her tail even further as the girls’ giggle, “Ah don’t like it.”

“Yep, it’s a proper Bridesmaids or bridlemares dress. We’ll all hate it.” Ballad says, then she laughs.

“Sorry I’m late.” Cookie says, opening the door and stopping halfway in, her ears folded back as she takes in the sights, “Umm…” She looks from side to side as she slowly backs up, “actually I think I left my stuff in the car.”

Looking over, Ah-Pee narrows her eyes, “Oh no, if I need to suffer this, so do you.”

“Trust me, it could be worse.” Ballad says, “Trust me on this, we are actually lucky.”

Cipher nods vigorously, “Human bridesmaids’ dresses are just awful most times. Especially the strapless ones.”

“Ugh,” Ballad shakes her head, “I was flat chested compared to most of the other bridesmaids at my sis’s wedding, I spent half the time pulling the front up, it kept wanting to fall off.”

“When my mom got married for the third, or was it the fourth time?” She rolls her eyes side to side, then smiles, “It was the third time, mom has us wearing these blue half strap numbers, the problem is, they were supposed to have a slit in the side to walk. But mom decided THAT was too much, so we were walking around in these tube dresses that only give us about sixteen inches of leg movement.” Cipher says and shakes her head.

“Four weddings? You know, that explains so much about you.” Sugarberry says, smiling innocently.

“What? Just cuz I never wanted to leave my room growing up cuz I didn’t l like my replacement dads?” Cipher laughs, “Every four years or so, a new dad. Ah, the long nights spent with my headphones on playing Quake, Team Fortress and Diablo, trying to ignore the thumping sounds.”

“That…was too much info.” Cookie says, shaking her head. “And now I think I’m lucky I never had to do the bridesmaid thing.”

“Oh I don’t know; you might have looked cute in a dress as a human.” Cipher says, thumping her hip against Cookies.

***

Spike hums as he pushes the cart up to the door before stopping. Leaving the cart for a moment he walks around to turn the handle and peek inside. Continuing to hum softly, he pulls the cart though the opening before closing the door once he's inside. 'The downside to being short is having to take extra steps to do things. At least I still have hands, Or claws, or whatever.'

“What are you doing?”

“Same thing I do every night,” Spike says, holding a wooden spoon in front of him like a sword, standing at attention. “Trying to cheer up a princess.”

Turning Spike brings the food cart up and sets the bowl down on the bed tray. “Today we start off with some hearty comfort food. A nice soup, made with cabbage, cubed carrot, cubed potatoes, cubed beets. And no I didn’t use beef stock or bacon for yours. Served with fresh cut garden tomatoes, trust me those were tricky to cube, so they don’t look as pretty, and healthy dollop of sour cream on top.”

“Cabbage and beet soup?” Cadence says with a sigh.

“Yep, we’ll make you American style mac and cheese tonight.” Spike says smiling, then points to the tray, “Once you’re done with the soup, we have some dumplings for you, filled with potato, mushroom, and Quark cheese topped with fried onion, and butter.”

“You are trying to make me fat aren’t you?” Cadance says, looking out the window again.

“Of course, it’s the dragon’s duty after all. And for dessert, we have some Napoleon cake from the bakery.” Spike says with a big smile, “Trust me, it’s so good.”

“Spike, why do you insist on spending so much time with me?” Cadence asks, looking at the little dragon.

Climbing up behind Cadance, Spike shakes his head, picking up a brush and comb he gets to work on her mane. “To make myself feel useful. I can’t really fly anymore, well I can fly that helicopter drone they rigged up with a seat, and that micro jet they made, neither have a purpose other than me having some fun. Remember though, as a dragon, I spent all my life helping princesses. And now, since they went back and didn’t need me…”

“You know that’s not true.” Cadance says, closing her eyes as Spike gently works out the tangles.

“They have their own lives now, twenty-five years as humans changed all of us. Twilight now just does everything on computer. Thought sometimes, I wonder if she ever did need me.” Spike says with a sigh.

“You know; I wonder what she’s going to do when her batteries run out on her laptop.” Cadence asks wistfully.

“She’ll probably come up with a charging spell.” Spike says, taking the comb to work out some knots.

“But, knowing her luck, she’ll overcharge it the first time, blow it up, then panic because she doesn’t have a replacement. I wonder if she remembers the breathing techniques I taught her.” Cadence says and lays her head back down on her forelegs

“Was that… a joke?” Spike says in mock shock as he feigns ignorance.

Looking back, Cadance shrugs, “Maybe… just a little.”

Spike smiles, “For now though, I’m going to serve you and stay with you. Well that, and handle the paperwork for the company.”

“For such a little dragon you seem to try and take on huge responsibilities.” Lifting her wing a bit, she stretches it out.

“Well, I do what I can. Now then, we have you scheduled on a diplomatic flight with me and Spitfire to Africa. You won’t need to do much unless you want to. But it’s a chance to see how the Zebras and Thestrals are holding out.” Spike speaks quietly, but firmly. “And I will be there by your side. I promise.”

Cadenced looked back at the little dragon. “Spike…. Thank you.”