I looked up at a knock on my office door. Well, okay, my closet-turned-office. Man, I can’t wait for spring so we can get started on the new substation. “Yeah, come on in.” I called out.

Twilight poked her head in politely. “Shane, I got the reports back from Manehattan and Los Pegasus,” she said as she carried in two folders held in her purple magical glow. You know I had been here now over six months and that still just blew me away.

“Let me guess, like the ones from Canterlot and Cloudsdale. No major thefts matching the bit?”

She frowned. “Exactly. It is as if the bit came from thin air. That is just not possible, Shane.”

I leaned back and thought about that, looking at the folders on the desk. I spotted her purple magic light up once more and start to organise the piles on my desk. I chuckled softly. “Will you stop that? You are going to mess up my system.”

The princess fluttered her wings in annoyance. “This isn’t a system, it is a mess!” she protested, but smiled and settled down, sitting and looking at me over the desk. “How are things with you and Applejack?”

I blinked and exhaled. “Well enough. I am still… well, you know, dealing with my issues.”

She gave a nod. “Still, you two looked comfortable at the party.”

I smiled a bit to myself. “Yeah, I, well,” I paused and kind of mulled my words over. “It is hard for me to explain, Twi. I love her, but I feel guilty for loving her.”

Twilight stood and moved around the desk, setting her wing on my arm and looking up. “Give it time, Shane, your heart knows the truth. You just have to get your mind to listen to it.”

Moving my hand up, I gave her a little scritch on her ear. This caused her to get that silly head tilted, eyes scrunched up look ponies suddenly resort to when I do that. After a moment, she began to slap at my hand with her wings. Nothing hard, just a playful thing. “Stop that,” she said, backing up a step but with a smile.

Settling her wings back to her side again, she plopped down next to my chair. I noted her staring at the stack of folders on the desk. “Shane, something is bothering me, and I want you to tell me I am crazy, or flat out wrong.”

Turning my head, I glanced down at her, curious. “Let’s hear it.”

The purple alicorn grew quiet a moment before she spilled out her idea. “All right, we know the bit is old. Really old. It does not appear to be stolen, so that leaves only two things. One, it came from a private collection, but why? Why would anyone let that happen? That bit has to be worth a good ten thousand on the collector’s market.”

I nodded comprehensively and continued to listen. “The only other place it could have come from… is the royal reserve. That is locked up in a safe deep under Canterlot. Only ten or twelve ponies in the world have access to it. Not even I have direct access.”

Frowning, thinking on her words, I decided to keep following. “Who?”

She glanced up at me. “Well, the princesses, their seneschals, the prince and his seneschal, Two of the royal accountants, the noble house treasurer and her assistant, the captain of the Guard—”

Swiftly, I cut her off. “Back up. You said the prince, as in... Blueblood?”

Twilight froze, then returned a little nod. “Yes.”

I kicked that around for a couple of seconds, then asked, “Who is the Treasurer?”

She stopped to ponder for a moment. “That would be Cloudy Tempest and the assistant Treasurer is Arrowhead Trident…” her voice trailed off, mostly because I had just slammed my fist into the desk.

“Of all the stupid fucking rookie moments!” I grunted, smacking my head with the palm of my hand.

She gasped, eyes growing wide. “Shane, come on! You said you would work on that!”

I frowned, retorting with, “Now is not the time,” as I dug through the folders and pulled one out, flipping it open. “This is the best description we got of the unicorn that paid the gryphons.”

She skimmed it. “So?”

I reached up to my inbox and pulled down a paper. “This just came in with the morning dispatches and alerts.”

I watched her read, muttering out loud as she did. “Pony found. Description is kind of close, I agree. Apparent suicide by hanging, note found admitting guilt of theft of bits, victim name…” her ears plastered down and the color rushed from her face. “Arrowhead Trident,” she whispered.

Looking down at her, I nodded. “I need the report on this. Think you can get it for me?”

Twilight returned a gentle nod. “If I have to, I will ask Celestia to order it handed over to the Rangers.”

With that, she was gone in a flash. This time I didn’t complain much, simply sitting back in the chair and glared at the door with far, far too much on my mind in that instance. The cold realization that, if this was true, they didn’t target the Apples; they were targeting, me. The Apples were merely collateral damage.

---

“Shane?”

I blinked and turned my head, looking right at the orange mare standing in the door to my room. “Jackie! Sorry, I... didn’t hear you come in.”

Applejack frowned as she closed the door and walked over to the stove. Using an iron handle, she flipped the door open and looked in. “Ya plum forgot ta’ stoke yer fire, almost just coals. It’s gonna be colder than Sombra’s heart tonight.” As she talked, she slid a few logs in and closed it. “Shane, what is bugging you?” she asked, turning and walking over to me, reading me just like a book.

Putting my arms around her neck and looking into her eyes as I sat the bed, being just about head height with her. “For now, I don’t want to talk about it, okay? It’s about a case.”

She exhaled in the form of a sigh, then gave a nod of understanding. “Okay. But ya best be talking ta’ me when ya can.”

I nodded and leaned in, pressing my forehead to the top of her head. “Jackie…”

Applejack drew her head back and looked up at me, and right then, I was lost in her emerald irides. I don’t know what came over me; maybe it was how alone I felt, perhaps it was the stress and worry of what I had found. Perhaps it is just the fact I did what Twilight suggested and listened to my heart, not my brain.

I leaned forward, and in that moment our lips touched. Our first kiss was one soft, very light, just really a peck; but it was real. She didn’t shove me away, nor did I freak out. She did open her eyes wide and a bright blush blew up across her face. She lifted one leg and brought her hoof to rest it on my chest. “W… wow.”

I gave a nod and I suspect was blushing just as hard. “Y-yeah.”

She leaned up and rubbed her head under my chin, and we just remained like that. Pressed close, enjoying each other in the silence of the room.

---

The next night was a big one, and I was looking forward to it. I was still waiting on the report, as Twilight noted it would take a few days. I however had other plans in place for tonight. It was almost two weeks in the planning and creation to pull this off.

Right now I could hear the rowdy talk and laughter of a good fifty ponies in the next room. I glanced at Twilight, then over to Celestia and lastly to Luna who all gave a nod.

Opening the door to the big room in the crystal castle, to find almost every one of the Wonderbolts sitting in chairs, or standing around talking. I grinned as they all snapped to attention. Spitfire bellowed authoritatively. “Princess on deck, A-ten-hut!”

Celestia spoke warmly. “Please, relax my little ponies, please. Tonight is meant to be fun for everypony.” As she walked down to her seat with her sister, Twilight took up a spot up at the end of the room. I walked down the center ‘aisle’ and turned facing the room of pegasi, a few unicorns, and a couple of earth ponies to boot.

“Alright, I know you have all been sworn to secrecy by the princess,” I paused. “Thank you to both of you for agreeing to let me do this tonight,” offering a smile to Luna and Celestia.

“Twilight has been working non stop to make things work for tonight, so let's all thank her too,” I added as everyone in the room stomped hooves.

Spitfire spoke up. “What in the hay are you up to, human?”

I didn’t mind her calling me that, one she didn’t know me well, and two this was Spitfire we are talking about. “Well, ma’am, tonight I am going to show you all a movie, from my world.”

Some gasped, others started to talk, meanwhile one particular rainbow-maned mare up front pumped her hoof in the air giddily. “Ah, yeah!”

I chuckled and held my hand up, and they quieted down. “Now, before we get to the movie, I need you to understand a few things. First, everything you see in this is simply action. No one gets hurt, and while the things you see here are quite real, the people in this are actors, just playing a part, and special effects.”

Most were nodding in understanding, Spitfire lifted her hoof. “So, what is this movie about?”

I grinned some at that. “First, Spitfire, do bear in mind my people can’t fly on our own. We have created vehicles to help us get to and from places, some faster than others, called jet aircraft. They fly faster than sound, and some carry weapons far beyond anything here. I think you are going to really like this movie, and after I can answer any questions you have, okay?”

A white pegasus stallion piped up. “So, what is the name of this movie, may I ask?”

With a smirk, I looked at him. “Top Gun.”

---

“You know, the finger?” said Goose as he proceeded to flip Charlie off.

“Yes, Goose, I know the finger,” the woman replied, almost monotone.

Twilight glared at me from where she sat. I had her on my left, and Rainbow Dash on my right.

Twilight hissed in a low tone. “You do that to Cortland all the time, that is a rude gesture! You told me it was a sign of friendship!”

I chuckled and muttered. “Shut up and watch the movie, Twi.”

---

I knew what was coming and promptly looked around, studying those present. Every single pony in the room was on the edge of their seats. Even Luna and Celestia sat forward, ears pinned. Even a few sobs could be heard as Maverick held a lifeless Goose in the water after ejecting.

Luna, a few seats down, whispered in a choked sob, “His best friend.” She wasn’t the only one I heard holding in her emotions. I sort of guessed that most here would understand the impact of the scene.

Rainbow mumbled next to me. “N… not c-c-cool, dude, y-y-you can’t make me cry!” I put my arm around her lightly, as the tears streamed down her cheek. Twilight was shoved up under my other arm, burying her face into my shirt that I was pretty sure would have permanent tear stains on it.

---

It was a surprise to me, along with many, I suspect, that Twilight leapt up on her chair and shouted at the screen. “No, Maverick you have to help your friends, get in the fight!”

I yanked her down with a chuckle. “Twi, relax, watch. It is just a movie, okay?”

She grunted, but did as told, and when the credits kicked on, she was up and cheering right alongside all the Wonderbolts. I stood up and smiled at the princesses, who both looked like they too had enjoyed the show.

I really was thankful to Twilight, she had come up with the spell to record what my tablet showed, then play it back in the air along with sound. She said it was a modification of the spell she used to record RaRa’s manager with.

Walking up to the front again as the lights came back up. I waited for them to calm down. Looking around the room, I pointed at a fiery-maned pegasus who put her hoof up first. “Yes, Spitfire?”

She grinned. “Alright, so I have to ask, the things they were in, jet aircraft you called them. Are they real? Do your people really have things that big you fly in and can go that fast?”

I gave her a nod. “Very real. The ones used in the movie are called F-14 jets, known by the name Tomcats.”

I pointed to Rainbow next. “How come when the jets broke the sound barrier, they didn’t do sonic rainbooms?”

A mare up front looked over at her fellow Wonderbolt. “Because, Crash, I am pretty sure you are the only pony alive that can fly that fast. Perhaps in their world, you wouldn’t create such the colorful explosion.”

Before I could continue, Rainbow smirked. “I am pretty awesome,” only to get empty, balled-up paper bags once holding popcorn thrown at her by ten or twelve of her fellow Wonderbolts.

Celestia lifted her hoof. “Shane.” I looked at her. “This… Top Gun, the school, it is something your world has for real?”

I nodded my head. “As far as I know, yes, ma’am.”

She pondered a bit as she tapped her chin with her hoof. “A school where the best of the best pegasi train the new best of the best?”

Well, crap, I did not expect she would go that direction.

Author's Notes:

Highway to the Danger zone!