Spitfire was lying in bed beside Fleetfoot, the two had fallen asleep in Spitfire's bed. Spitfire woke up and rolled over, blinking her eyes to focus her vision. Spitfire nuzzled Fleetfoot affectionately, then reached over to the bedside table, grabbing the twin-bell alarm clock positioned there. It was 5:00 in the morning, Spitfire normally woke the others up at 6. Her alarm clock was about to go off, and it did. Fleetfoot yelped, waking up because of the ringing.
"What'th going on?" Fleetfoot asked, wrapping her forelegs around Spitfire's shoulders.
"Nothing Fleet, my alarm clock just went off." Spitfire replied, turning it off.
"Why? It'th not time to get up yet." Fleetfoot said with a yawn.
"I normally get up at five, get myself ready, and then wake you guys." Spitfire explained
"When do you uthually get to thleep? You tell uth lightth out at 9:00, but do you thtay up later?" Fleetfoot asked
"Well, yeah, I normally go to bed at 11 or 12." Spitfire answered
"Tho you only get four or five hourth of thleep? Thpitty, that'th not healthy." Fleetfoot said
"Why does it matter Fleety? As long as I'm awake and ready to practice." Spitfire responded, then yawned, covering her mouth with her wing.
"It matterth becauthe you're going to end up wearing yourthelf down eventually, you could get hurt." Fleetfoot nuzzled Spitfire, who pulled her in for a hug.
"I know you're worried, but there's no need to be Fleety, I'll be fine." Spitfire then kissed Fleetfoot on the tip of her muzzle, and she giggled.
"A-alright. But you should get thome more retht thome time." Fleetfoot said
"I do on breaks, unless I'm busy." Spitfire assured her, then yawned again.
During practice that day, the stallions were all goofing around, except for Soarin, who was trying to help Spitfire handle them.
"Soarin, go ahead and get some lunch with the others, I can take care of these guys." Spitfire told him
"Well, okay. I did want to have some more of the apple pie that Thunderlane made yesterday." Soarin said slowly
"You can't be kept away from that stuff with a ten-yard rope." Spitfire teased, and he shrugged.
"When you're right, you're right. You sure you won't lose your temper?" Soarin asked
"It'll be fine." Spitfire assured him, and Soarin nodded, leaving to catch up with Rainbow.
"Alright, form a line!" Spitfire yelled, and they all obeyed "Now, I want you all to understand this simple concept." Spitfire began.
"Is it that the sky is blue?" Thunderlane whispered
"Or water's wet?" Wave Chill added, and the stallions burst out laughing.
"Shut your mouths right now or you all get chore duty for a month!" Spitfire screamed, making the stallions freeze "Now, as I was saying, the concept is this: this is not the time or place for goofing off! When I want you to act silly I will say so! If you don't shape up and take things seriously none of you will get off time for a whole month! I don't care who the worst flyer of the day was, you'll be the ones doing all the chores, cleaning the whole compound, and doing extra exercise!" Spitfire yelled loudly.
"We understand ma'am!" Rapidfire called, then took off, followed by the others. Spitfire glared off after them, then sighed in exasperation.
"Those stupid stallions." She muttered, then realized her throat was sore from all the yelling, her voice also was a little raspy. "Great." Spitfire spat, stalking inside.
"Hey Thpitfire, you okay? I heard you yelling." Fleetfoot asked, meeting her inside.
"Yeah, 'm fine, my throat's just a little sore." Spitfire replied, clearing her throat.
"That doesn't sound good." Rainbow said, coming up with Soarin, who was eating a piece of pie.
"I'm fine, it just hurts a little." Spitfire insisted
"Once Big Macintosh lost his voice and he couldn't talk for a whole week." Rainbow said
"How'd he lose his voice?" Soarin asked, swallowing the pie.
"I wasn't there, but Pinkie said it was because he lost a turkey call competition to her." Rainbow answered
"Well I've yelled plenty of times before, and I haven't lost my voice yet. It should just hurt for a little while." Spitfire assured them, trotting towards her office. That night, Fleetfoot went to the Captain's room, going in to find Spitfire pacing around in her room.
"What'th wrong Thpitfire?" Fleetfoot asked
"Nothing, just thinking about if those stallions will actually listen to me." Spitfire said, Fleetfoot was surprised to hear that Spitfire's voice was still pretty raspy.
"Your voice thtill thoundth pretty bad, are you sure it'th fine? Fleetfoot pressured
"Yeah, I'm sure Fleety" Spitfire said, her voice was pretty hoarse, and Fleetfoot nuzzled her.
"Alright then, ready for bed?" Fleetfoot asked her.
"It's only eight o-clock." Spitfire objected
"You should go to bed then." Fleetfoot said, leading Spitfire over to her bed.
"But-but I still have to take care of some paperwork." Spitfire objected, as Fleetfoot pushed her into the bed and got in beside her.
"Thpitfire, when ith the paperwork due?" Fleetfoot asked
"N-not for a while." Spitfire admitted, and Fleetfoot hugged her.
"Then you can retht." Fleetfoot decided, holding Spitfire against her. "Your voice ith about to give out and there are lineth under your eyeth. You need to thleep baby." She added before Spitfire could respond.
Spitfire sighed and pressed against Fleetfoot, who held her close. Spitfire closed her eyes, which were heavy with fatigue. Spitfire woke up late the next morning, sitting up to see Fleetfoot sleeping beside her. Spitfire checked the clock and gasped, it was nine-thirty.
"Fleety." Spitfire croaked, shaking Fleetfoot, who woke with a yawn.
"Morning Thpitfire, how'd you thleep?" Fleetfoot asked
"Why didn't my alarm clock go off?" Spitfire demanded, her voice so low it was almost a whisper.
"Oh baby, your voice thoundth awful. I put the alarm clock in the drawer tho you wouldn't hear it. You needed that thleep." Fleetfoot said, nuzzling her.
"I would be mad, but I'm too..." Spitfire yawned and laid back down. "sleepy..." She closed her eyes and fell back asleep, finally getting the rest she'd needed for a long time. Then, Soarin and Rainbow came in.
"Oh, hey guyth, what'th up?" Fleetfoot asked, sitting up.
"Just wondering why Spit let us sleep in." Rainbow said
"Becauthe I let her thleep in, look." Fleetfoot took off, careful not to disturb her marefriend, then landed by the bed. Spitfire was curled up in bed, fast asleep.
"I don't think I've ever seen Spits so content, remember when we used to have sleepovers together as cadets? She never looked that peaceful at night" Soarin commented.
"You guys had sleepovers? Aw, I miss out on all the fun stuff." Rainbow said, and Soarin nuzzled her.
"That was years ago Dashie, and if we had had another sleepover since you joined the 'bolts, we'd have invited you." He assured her.
"Thpitfire told me she hadn't gotten a full night'th thleep in a long time, tho I put her alarm clock in a drawer tho she wouldn't hear it. She woke up once but fell back athleep." Fleetfoot explained
"We should let her sleep." Soarin said, turning to leave
"I'll help Soarin control the other 'bolts if you want to stay here Fleet." Rainbow promised
"Thankth guyth, I'll watch over Thpitfire while she thleepth." Fleetfoot agreed. Rainbow and Soarin left the Captain's bedroom. Fleetfoot moved over and kissed Spitfire in the forehead "Retht well my baby, love you." Fleetfoot whispered, slipping back into the bed so that Spitfire could snuggle up to her while she slept.