Phantom's at the bar with his signature drink, and Ivan, well, he and a bunch of other older Russian ponies are drunk and laughing. There's a few ponies they took an entire booth that was large enough for Mriya and Buran to share with the other shuttles, not that KC minded, the ponies payed for what they ordered.
"Hey KC, how's the bar today?"
"Ah've been a might bit busy Osprey, who's the friend?"
"Oh, right. This is Erwin, my boyfriend."
"No offence hon, but ya mind runnin that by me again?"
"Erwin here is my boyfriend." Osprey said as she was a little embarrassed.
"Pleasure ta meet ya. Ah'm KC, an the big gal huckin them nuisances out fer me is Sadie, try not ta talk to her, ya might jus lose yer ears."
"Likewise, nice place you've got here. Can't say I've ever been in here before."
"Well, Ah'd love ta stay an chat with y'all, but Ah've got mah work cut out fer me today." KC said before returning to his busy bar to set out drink orders and send food around. A very busy pony, who can make enough income in this week alone to cover almost all of his expenses, if he does it smart.
"Oh would you look at that, he left my favorite drink here."
"Huh? What is that?"
"What my drink? It's just a Downwash, a lot of the helipones like it. Since I'm kind of an awkward helipony, I like it too." Osprey said as she raised her drink for Erwin to see.
"Oh, what's that Phantom got over there?"
"Napalm in the Morning. Phantom usually only gets two or three of them, he really only just likes how it smells."
"And what does that smell like?"
"Napalm in the Morning." Osprey said getting a less than amused look from Erwin.
"Well, can I just get a beer?"
"Ah can get ya a beer son, whaddya like?"
"Do you have any halfway decent German beers?"
"Well, mah selection's pretty limited, but ah think ah got ah Bock, an ah Schwarzbier, an ah Weizenbier. Ah can't pronounce tha names of 'em, but them old German fighters sure like 'em."
"What do they usually drink?"
"Weizenbier." KC said
"Well, I'll have one of them."
"Standard er sissy?"
"Standard, I'm not some coward." Erwin said as the other German fighters, a Tornado, and the old Bf-109s and FW-190s all gave him an approving nod.
Shortly after, KC returned with a good sized mug of beer for Erwin.
"Ain't bad. Germans always do have a good taste in beer." Erwin said eliciting a chuckle from all the Germans in the bar.
For as busy as the bar is, there's no problems, and it's all lighthearted talk of Sun 'n Fun, actually seeing Rex out before everyone, and watching his family fly as part of the competitions.
 
1300 Hrs. Your home.
You decided that today you just weren't going to work, you had enough stress for the coming week and you'd rather just rest now and be on emergency call than in your office sweating the details.
"Hey dad, you mind if Purple and I go on a short flight?"
"Go ahead. She ok with being called Purple, Falken?"
"She has yet to complain again. I believe she has no problem with it."
"Well, go out and enjoy your flight, I'll be here with your mother and the other Princess. Morgan should be back soon." You say as you look at him from the couch
"Alright, it is ok if I go right?"
"Yes, I already said you could. Just be smart, and don't let anything happen to her."
"To whom?"
"Purple."
"Oh right. See ya in a bit dad." Falken said as you wave him out the door and just sigh.
"Well, you weren't kidding when you said he was a dumb as a post on occasion."
"Thunder, when am I ever wrong about those two?"
"Rarely."
"Exactly. How are you holding up Luna?" You say as you hear a completely different set of hooves crossing the floor.
"I am alright. Where did you say Morgan was?"
"Flyin with the Sukhois for the moment, she's probably on her way home now. She said they weren't doing much, just flying around using their airspace slot."
"So is she competing with you or them?"
"She knows its family first, then her friends and relatives."
"She's a very smart mare." Luna said as you just smile.
"Yea, Morgan is. I'm just glad that she has a friend that has dealt with a troubled past."
"It tis nice to meet another mare who is capable of putting fear into those around her, by her presence alone."
"Except you don't scare me. Even Nightmare Moon wouldn't. Morgan doesn't scare you, it's more interesting to you than frightening. I know you don't scare her." You say as you laugh a little as Morgan walks in your home.
"Dad, I'm home!"
"Morgan, you know as well as I do, you don't have to announce that."
"I know, I just do it anyways." Morgan said as you laugh a little.
"Luna was wondering where you were."
"I was out flying with Terminator and the other Sukhois."
"I know, and that's what I told her."
"Did you remember me telling you that or did you spy on me a little?"
"I knew where you were. I don't spy on you that frequently." You say as Morgan was just giving you a bit of a hard time.
"I know, can't I joke with you every now and again?"
"Yea, you can. I'm just giving you a hard time too." You say as Morgan laughs and walks over to Luna.
"So what would you like to do today Princess?"
"I would like to relax, there is much to do in the coming week, the festival is very hard on ponies like me. We do not have your stamina in the air."
"Well, alright. Hey! Did ya want to go up to the top of the Dam?"
"I do not know Morgan, is that a good idea?"
"Dad?" Morgan asked.
"I'll go with you two, make sure nothing happens, besides I haven't hung out with you for a while Morgan." You say as you hop off the couch and grab a parachute before joining them outside.
 
1400 Hrs. Avalon Dam
"You can see everything from up here, all the booths and the temporary hangars, it's even better at sunset, when the moon rises right behind us as we watch the sun go down."
"But it tis only two in the afternoon? Are we going to stay that long? To where I must raise the moon here?"
"No, I'd get a little too bored just staring down at everypony." Morgan said as you were sitting on the edge of the dam
"You would be bored watching them all day?"
"Yup. When I visit you in canterlot it's different because they're actual ponies, and we're more a mix. Sometimes it's just fun to see how other ponies live."
"I see, and what of you Rex?" Luna asked as you smile and turn to her
"Well, being away from it all allows me to think. Sometimes I don't always have the time to think about anything. When I'm out here, I can. Sometimes it's just to think over stupid little things, and others it's because I can't come to a decision on what needs to be done" You say as you're still on the edge of the dam looking down into the city. All the booths being visited or just now opening this afternoon, your phone still silent, not being needed to go and repair anypony. You're away from all the noise and partying of the city below. You know tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day, as you've got to declare the festival open, and then you've got to sit around talking to everypony that wants to talk to you. There's both a sense of dread and relief going with this, as the sooner it's over, the faster everything is back to normal.
"Rex, are you alright?"
"Yea, I'm fine Princess, just thinking that's all."
"Of what?"
"Of the days to come, tomorrow's kickoff, that's going to be interesting, then we have the next couple of days devoted to just having fun and playing in the sky, and the final days are devoted to the family fly off, which your Wonderbolts are competing in."
"Well, it certainly sounds like you have quite a bit to do." Luna said as you laugh a little and roll backwards, away from the edge of the dam.
"Guess I do, I'd say let's go get ice cream, but Thunder might be mad if we went all the way to Canterlot to get some and didn't bring her any."
"Nonsense! Where ever my sister is, there is always ice cream or at least many cakes and sweets! We shall raid her personal supply!" Luna said making both you and Morgan laugh.
"Alright so lets go steal from Sunbutt."You say climbing up Morgan
1530 Hrs. Outside of Edge of Space, near Celestia's personal supply of cake.
"Alright, what's the plan Luna?"
"Rex, you distract Celestia while Morgan and I grab the some cake and run back to your hangar."
"Alright, I'll go and distract her." You say as you walk around the tent that was set up to hide them all from the public's eye.
"Hey I didn't expect to see you back here."
"Rex! What are you doing here?"
"Taking a walk. You know, Falken and Twilight are friends."
"Who are what now?"
"My son and your student, well former student, are friends." You say as you get Celestia's attention and get her facing away from her stash of cakes.
"That is interesting, what do those two have in common?"
"They're both nerds. Books, Falken just doesn't stop reading, and it's messed up his sleep cycles."
"Books? Well, that would certainly explain why Twilight has been checking so many books out of the Canterlot library. Is that all Rex? I've really got something I should be doing?" Celestia said as she looked over her back and towards the tent.
"No, there's something else I wanted to know."
"Oh?"
"Yea, why are you so concerned about anything happening here? I mean it's not like Avalon's a terrible place."
"Oh that's just old princessly paranoia. I really must be going." Celestia said as she broke away from you as you heard Morgan giggling in your head, very much the signal that they got away with some of the cake, or cakes.
You walk away smiling and laughing a little to yourself only to break into a dead sprint when you hear Celestia scream.
 
1545 Hrs. Your home.
"Anon, where did these cakes come from?"
"A gift from Celestia. She said she couldn't eat all of them."
"Well that was very kind of her, but what was she screaming about just now?" Thunderbolt asked as you start to laugh.
"She got trolled, Luna moved a few of the cakes around, after asking me to distract her for a minute."
"I didn't take Luna as a jokester."
"She's definitely a wild card." You say as you laugh a little
"Well, what are we going to do with all this?"
"Eat it."
"Besides eating it." Thunderbolt asked as you laugh a little.
"Save it for later. I guess."
"Alright I'll put two of these in the fridge."
"Alright, I'll help ya in a minute." you say as the two who stole the cakes were laughing in Morgan's room.
You peek in the room and then just laugh.
"Did you hear her scream?"
"How could I not? She almost used the Royal Canterlot Voice on the attendant. Poor pony."
"Yea as bad as I feel for that poor guy, I can't help but find it hysterical." Morgan said as the two of them started laughing again.
 
After you help Thunderbolt put the cakes in the fridge, there's a frantic knocking on your door.
"That's yours Rex."
"I know. I'll get it." You say as Thunderbolt more or less told you to answer it.
It was Celestia, she looked a little sweaty and panicked.
"Can I help you Princess?"
"Something's gone missing."
"What?"
"Something very dear to me."
"Is your crown missing?"
"No."
"Your pet?"
"No."
"Then what?" You ask as you're trying to play off the fact of stolen cake.
"Three cakes were stolen. From my personal supply."
"Cake?"
"Yes."
"As in baked goods?"
"Yes."
"Get over it." You say shocking Celestia.
"Get over it?"
"Yes, cake can be replaced, it is just food. It has very little value compared to your crown, or the elements."
"Just food? THAT WAS MY FOOD THEY STOLE!" Celestia yelled at you.
"Well, since you don't want to act rational about this, I'm going to say that's enough. Most of the ponies here don't like sweets. We get those out here so rarely they're more of a very pricey treat than anything else. Perhaps you could contact Pinkie to make you more."
"I'm not acting rational? I brought enough cakes to get me through this week without having to be annoyed at anypony."
"Then be grumpy tomorrow. I know I will. Will that be all Princess?" You say as you're about ready to slam the door in her face.
"Very well, that shall be all." Celestia said walking off
You wait a few minutes to make sure she's out of earshot, before walking back in and entering Morgan's room.
"Well, you pulled it off. Managed to get those cakes from her. I told her not to make such a big fuss over them."
"Tis what I've been trying to tell her."
"Are you trying to say something a little more subtly Luna?"
"Have you not seen her? She used to be much thinner, nowhere near as thin as I, but she must have drowned her guilt in sweets while I was banished."
"Everyone deals in their own ways, that's not particularly healthy." You say as you realize Luna was calling her sister chubby.
"Anon, who was it?"
"It was Celestia, said something about stolen cake."
"Like the cakes we have?"
"Do you want to know the answer?"
"No."
"Not the ones we got if that's better for ya." You say as Thunderbolt laughs knowing these were the stolen cakes in question.
"Well, you three did good. Not that I condone stealing from royalty, but you did good."
"Thunder, it was a sister pranking the other, and we benefited with cake."
"So long as it was just a family prank." Thunder said as you all start to laugh.
"What is so amusing?"
"Oh, Luna pulled a prank on her sister, relocated some cake. Good to have ya home in one piece Falken."
"Ah. Well, even Purple says that Celestia needs to lay off the cake. She seems a bit pudgy." Falken said as the hangar erupted with laughter.
 
1800 Hrs. Temporary Helipone hangar
"For once they aren't arguing. Ain't that nice Hind?"
"Da, but for how long? Day, week? Who I kidding, not last more than few hours."
"Try to look on the bright side, don't want Ludmila coming here to shut you all up do you?"
"Be best if she not involved. I just enjoy peace when it here." Hind said as he attempted to relax, hoping that it would stay this way.
Hokum was more than happy with the silence that was filling the hangar, he actually got to sleep decently due to no arguing. Without all the yelling, the place was rather tranquil
Hind and Helen could actually hear themselves think, and not be interrupted by the argument.
"Why do you think they argue so much?"
"Don't know don't care. But argue like married. If Havoc like that dumbass Apache, so be it, but I not pleased."
"Well, what does it really matter to ya? I mean if she likes him what's the problem? You don't want her to be happy?"
"Of course I want Havoc to be happy. Prefer if she like Hokum, or another helipone like her and I."
"Same nationality?"
"Da." Hind said as he looked at his younger sister and sighed.
"Not good if you holdings old ways over Havoc. Hind, let go. Only reason Helix not here because I know soon as this over, those two argue like always."
"Da, but can't help it. Is what I wantings for her. No get wrong, Helen very nice. Not like Apache."
"Because they different. Helen is Bell, Apache is McDonald Douglas/Boeing. Very different family. You'd like AH-1. Cobra not asshole like Apache." Hokum said as he stirred from his nap.
"Yea, my brother is a halfway decent guy. Sometimes he gets on my nerves though." Helen said as they all just went to make something to eat.
 
2000 Hrs. Osprey's Hangar.
"Well, how'd you like dinner?"
"It was interesting to say the least."
"Did you not like it?"
"No, it was good. I guess I just didn't know what to expect from it Erwin." Osprey said as the two of them were sitting at her table.
"Well, next time I won't try something so different than what you're used to."
"You don't have to. It was just different that's all."
"Well, I was kinda hoping you'd like it." Erwin said as Osprey got up to do the dishes.
"Erwin, it's ok. I'm not going to like everything you make. Like you don't like some of the things I make. It's going to happen you know that right?"
"so are you going to do the dishes yourself?"
"Get over here and help me if that's what you're saying."
"Alright, Comin to help." Erwin said as he got up to help Osprey with the dishes.
After their dishes were done, Osprey and Erwin sat on the couch, rather bored.
"So, what's there to do?"
"Night before the big start? Next to nothing, unless you like being drunk and missing the opening."
"So, no night flights or anything of that nature?"
"Pretty much. It's either rest or go and drink. The bar is way too crowded, and I can take up a lot of space. This is one of those times when KC can make a whole lot of bits in a short amount of time. I'd rather not be a burden on him."
"You've got a pretty big heart Osprey, knowing you take up space and willingly give it up. You're a good pony" Erwin said making Osprey blush.
"Oh, you're just saying that. I don't go because I usually get my feelings hurt and have to run off to Rex to talk them over."
"Wow didn't know you were that sensitive."
"I don't talk about it. I don't like it when ponies make fun of my appearance. Even the non planes."
"I kinda know how you feel. I'm supposed to be an interceptor, but the project got scrapped, and I'm probably the only one of me here, but hell, least we got eachother." Erwin said trying to make Osprey feel less awkward for saying what she did.
"Erwin, how about we rest, the whole festival start really early tomorrow, and we should probably sleep if we want to get a halfway decent spot to see Rex." Osprey said ending the conversation and going to her room.
 
0530 Your hangar.
You wake up sounding like someone just awoke the dead. You did not sleep very much last night, since Celestia made you look for the missing cakes with her, thankfully you and the rest of your family ate them before she raided your fridge looking for them.
Being up this early meant one thing, you were preparing to start the festival, which meant you were going to be sitting in a stuffy uniform while you sat on the wing of your ADFX talking to everypony, plane and helipone that wanted to talk to you. You shudder at the thought.
"Thanks for the sleep loss Sunbutt." You mumble as you get dressed.
It's now 0600 Hrs, you're still very cranky as you grab breakfast to go and head out to move your ADFX into position. Though you'd prefer to be asleep. You try as quietly as you can to get your ADFX into position at an edge of the runway, since there were not supposed to be any ponies flying in today. Though in the early morning you hear eight turbines, only to look up and see the outline of four F-14 ponies against the now rising sun
"Well, if it ain't the four that helped my ass destroy the SOLG. What are you four doing here?" You ask as they approach you after landing
"We came for Sun 'n Fun sir. Didn't want to be late for the grand opening done by you sir."
"Well, you're early I'll give you four that. Mind giving me a bit of help here? Need to get the ADFX out by the runway, one of you mind giving it a push? Gently of course"
"We'll give ya a hoof." Blaze said speaking for the group
"Alright then, just let me climb up and in so I can steer while one of you push, and remember gentle. Don't break this." You say as they laugh
Within a few minutes and a few good pushes later, the ADFX is in place, and the whole thing doesn't start until 0800. Which gives you time to talk to these four
"So how've you all been and that's an individual question I want answers from each of you."
"Right, well it's pretty quiet in Hornet, and I really haven't been doing much." Blaze said, his quiet nature now taking over
"Blaze you're such a liar. Sure we haven't been doing much as our team, but you and I have been busy"
"Busy with what Edge?"
"I uhh, I think I said a little too much at one time." Edge said as you start to laugh
"Blaze is kinda right, we haven't been doing much of anything. I mean other than patrols along the rivers and such"
"Archer, ain't there somethin else on your mind?"
"S... shut up!"
"Aww hell I'm just teasin ya kid."
"Well that's not nice!"
"Hell, I've done my share of trying to chase tail, turned out pretty bad" Snow said after he finished harassing Archer