Aces High 3: Going Downtime.


                                            =Aces High 3=


                                            "Okay, that goes there and this goes here..."

                                            >You tighten a bolt and secure a pump on your pack as your hands flutter about in the routine motions of maintenance.

                                            >You wanted to shape a few things up, you felt a bit wobbly in the race the other day...

                                            >The rest of the Wonderbolts may have wings and bodies that they train to keep themselves in top shape, but you were lucky enough to need something additional.

                                            >While you had to keep yourself in shape to be able to resist the air pressure and withstand the G's you were pulling, you also had to make sure that your equipment was in top shape.

                                            >And that meant staying inside most of your first day back.

                                            >You lean back and wipe the sweat from your brow, looking out the window of your penthouse.

                                            >Canterlot bustles and moves below you as the sun hangs high in the sky, unobstructed by any clouds for miles and miles around. The thermostat on your wall read a comfortable 68 degrees.

                                            >A shame to be stuck inside on this perfect day...

                                            >You reach back into your pack and connect some wires from the power source to the main engines.

                                            >The pack had been trashed when you first arrived in Equestria, but a smart little unicorn who was a...friend of a "friend" helped you fix it back up.

                                            >The pain generator was a crystal lattice made by magic that functioned like a sort of super-battery. That powered the engines which used Rosestone actuators to achieve thrust.

                                            >But literally almost no one understood that when you said it, so you just stopped explaining.

                                            > a knock comes at your door, a rhythmic knock that follows a familiar tune. He always used that tune.

                                            "Come on in, Soarin."


                                            >The door opens and Soar trots in, wearing a flight jacket and his goggles resting on his head.

                                            >"Hey Anonymous." he says.

                                            >You grunt an affirmative as you fine tune your ignition circuit.

                                            >"Still playing with your toys?" he chides.

                                            "This "toy" got me a better time than you at the last race, I wouldn't judge."

                                            >"Most of the fans who come out to our races expect a meat headed athlete, not some alien who knows about engineering."

                                            "Most of our fans who come out to our races don't expect to see a flying singer, either."

                                            >Soarin snaps his mouth shut and stares off to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

                                            >You lean back and tap your chin with your sprocket.

                                            "Really? Because I seem to remember one of the Wonderbolts putting out an album a few years ago..."

                                            >"Must be imagining things."

                                            "What was it called? "Something Vengeance" or some crap?"

                                            >"Wouldn't know, never heard of it."

                                            "Ah well, it was probably shit."

                                            >"No way, it was probably awesome."

                                            >You smirk and get back into your pack, you hear Soarin look over your shoulder.

                                            >"That thing okay?"

                                            "Yeah she's fine, just a bit of fine tuning. Think I can coax some more speed out of her."

                                            >"Have you been at it all day?"

                                            "I have, but...I'm just about-" you tighten one last screw and close the casing. "-done!"

                                            >You lift it up and check the weight. It felt a little bottom heavy, but you liked it like that.

                                            >"Good! Wanna do something?"

                                            >You cock an eyebrow.

                                            "Don't you have other friends? Why you gotta bother me?"

                                            >He jabs you with a hoof. "Hey new blood, I got seniority so don't be giving me any lip, you hear?"  he says with a smirk.

                                            >You roll your eyes and throw your pack on.

                                            "Let me get my gloves."


                                            -Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uakPJhG9kYU-

                                            >"Okay go!"

                                            >You take a running leap over the guard railing of your patio and enter momentary freefall.

                                            >That'd usually be enough to make any neighbors you had move out, an ape jumping from that height, but they were used to it.

                                            >You clench your fists and release after a few seconds, igniting your jets and letting you climb into the air.

                                            >Soarin takes off from your patio just after you do, his smoky trail tailing behind him as his freakishly huge wings carry him just as fast as your pack.

                                            >The two of you soar over the city, waving to the ponies who waved back down below on the ground.

                                            >You show off your synchronized flying skills by weaving in and our of buildings as you keep formation, sometimes even intertwining your trails and eliciting a few gasps from down below.

                                            >That was a publicity stunt. The tabloids had gotten a hold of pictures of you and Soarin hanging out together so much and were CONVINVCED that you two were an item. It was unfounded, but you were told it was goof publicity.

                                            >You had even come across some amateur fiction of the two of you. That stuff was...weird.

                                            >Passing under the shadow of a flying carriage, you look up and squint at the golden reflection coming off it.

                                            >Gold? Flying? that can only mean one thing. And those who dare, win.

                                            >You arc yourself up and come up on the side of the carriage, coming eye to eye with Princess Celestia herself and also meeting eyes with several of her surprised guards.

                                            >Before you get tossed off into the dungeon or something, you throw off a salute and smile.

                                            "Princess."

                                            >Before anyone can react, you pull away and pull a hard right over the rest of the city and high tailing out of there.

                                            >Soarin comes up beside you shaking his head. "You're a braver guy than I, Anon."

                                            "Oh it's cool. She was totally smiling."


                                            >You and Soarin' snagged some ice cream and resigned to chilling at your usual spot. On top of the Canterlot City Stadium.

                                            >You were just regaling him with tails of past exploits.

                                            "So I wake up after her and I don't even -know- what's going on. All I know is that she's made breakfast and speaks a language I can't understand."

                                            >Soarin licks his cone. "Nice deal. So what happened to her."

                                            >You scratch your cheek. "I uh...think she's with Fancy now."

                                            >His eyes bug out of his head. "Shut. Up."

                                            "I think so, yeah. I mean, I don't see Fancy much out of work, but when I do, she's there."

                                            >"Is it awkward?"

                                            "It was at -first-, but I mean, I'm not gonna say something if she's not. Besides, this was a while ago."

                                            >You finish off your cup. You'd always liked your ice cream in a cup.

                                            "So how about you, Saorin. Any crazy stories to share with your old buddy?"

                                            >He keeps eating and looks over the city. "You know me, I've got my fans."

                                            "Any fans who are inexplicably tied to our manager? An ex? A cousin? Perhaps a long lost daughter?"

                                            >Soarin just bites away at his cone silently.

                                            "Aw come on, man!"

                                            >"No way! That's how you never see someone again, kissing and telling."

                                            "As if there'd be that much kissing with you."

                                            >"I kiss enough people, Mister Cuckold."

                                            "Oh shut it."

                                            >You both sit in silence for a minute before he speaks up.

                                            >"That does remind me though, Fancypants said where he's announcing the new rules."


                                            >That got your attention. The announcement of the new rules would be a big deal.

                                            "Oh yeah? Where is it?"

                                            >He sighs. "You're not gonna like it..."

                                            >Oh no...

                                            "Not..."

                                            >He nods.

                                            "No..."

                                            >"Yup...Ponyville."

                                            >You put the palms of your hands in your eyes and groan.

                                            "Of all the places..."

                                            >Soarin pats you on the back. "Can't run forever, man."

                                            "I can sure try."

                                            >"Will it be that bad?"

                                            "She hates me, man."

                                            >"She can't -hate- you."

                                            "Ooooohhh yes she can."

                                            >"Can't you just ignore her? You have other friends there."

                                            "All of -my- other friends are also hers, no way I can avoid them."

                                            >Soarin is quiet for a bit. "...Sorry man, I don't know what to say."

                                            >You groan again.

                                            "Neither do I."

                                            >You weren't looking forward to a return trip to Ponyville.

                                            >You had come there first and stayed there for a while before you went off to the academy.

                                            >Leaving wasn't on the...best of terms.

                                            >You sigh.

                                            "What am I gonna do, Soar...?"

                                            >He shrugs. "Just gonna have to deal, I guess."

                                            >You look out over the city, dreading the announcement tomorrow.

                                            "Yeah...deal."

                                            >Here's hoping.