//------------------------------// // Spitfire's Past // Story: Fleetfire // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Fleetfoot paced around anxiously as the doctor examined Spitfire. He bandaged her up, then turned to the others. "She'll be alright in a couple of days, but her wings may take more time to heal. Do any of you know where she could have gotten the burns from?" He asked "Thpitfire told me she hath fire magic, but I don't thee why she'd uthe it on herthelf, and part of it can heal injurieth, tho I wonder why she didn't heal herthelf with it." Fleetfoot said "Well, when she wakes up, ask her." The doctor advised, then left the room. "So, you really don't have any idea who could have done this?" Soarin asked his friend. "No. I did thee thompepony flying away from HQ, but they were too far away for me to get a good look." Fleetfoot replied, trotting over to the mare and resting a hoof gently on Spitfire's. "What if they hurt her?" High Winds asked "Maybe, but the question isn't who, it's why." Wave Chill argued, and Rainbow nodded "Yeah, I don't think we should worry about who did this, just why in Equestria they would attack Spitfire?" Rainbow agreed "Why was she even outside? To enjoy the night air?" Rapidfire asked sarcastically. "I don't think so. But..." Fire Streak trailed off and jerked his head towards the door. They all looked to see a fire-colored mane duck out of sight. "Spark, we see you, come out." Sun Chaser said, and the mini Spitfire emerged, followed by Scootaloo and Rumble. "W-we heard you all running somewhere, and wanted to see what was going on." Sparkfire confessed "What's going on bro?" Rumble asked, but explanation was not needed as Sparkfire noticed her sister. "Spitfire!" she shrieked, taking off and flying to Spitfire, landing by her. Sparkfire burrowed up under Spitfire's foreleg, nuzzling her. "What happened to my sister?" she demanded "We don't know Spark, but we'll find out once she wakes up." Soarin replied "Doc said it might take a few hours, why don't you three go back to sleep?" High Winds suggested kindly, holding out her wing to Sparkfire. High Winds and Sun Chaser normally took on a maternal role when Sparkfire was at HQ. "No. I'm staying here with her." Sparkfire insisted "I'll thtay with them." Fleetfoot offered "Alright then. Bolts, we'd better head back to bed. Come get us if she wakes up, Fleet." Soarin instructed, then led them out. "C'mon Scoot." Rainbow said "Will Spitfire be okay?" Scootaloo asked "Of course she will. Spits is tough, she can pull through anything." Rainbow assured her little sister as they left the room behind the other Wonderbolts. "Rainbow'th right. She'll be fine." Fleetfoot whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting her hoof on Spitfire's forehead, sweeping Spitfire's mane back out of her eyes. An hour later, Sparkfire was dozing off, and nuzzled up to her sister. Fleetfoot had pulled Spitfire into her hooves, leaning against the wall. "Sis? Please wake up soon." Sparkfire breathed, about to close her eyes. Her sister suddenly shifted, groaning. "Thpitty? Baby?" Fleetfoot asked, shaking her a little, and Spitfire's eyes flickered open. Spitfire blinked as the room came into focus. Sparkfire was curled up beside her, almost asleep. Spitfire looked up, wincing a little as pain coursed through her head, to see Fleetfoot was holding her. "F-Fleety?"Spitfire asked, and she nuzzled her. "Thpark, go wake up the otherth." Fleetfoot ordered, and Sparkfire took off. "Others?" Spitfire asked, cuddling up to Fleetfoot and wincing again. "The other 'boltth. They're worried about you too. Clipper told them to go back to bed but I doubt they lithened." Fleetfoot answered, hugging Spitfire gently. The two lay beside each other until the others came back, Soarin and Rainbow in the lead with Sparkfire. "Spits, good to see you're awake. What happened?" Soarin asked, as Sparkfire returned to her spot beside Spitfire. "I was beat up, what do you think happened?" Spitfire responded "He means who did this? And why couldn't you fight them off?" Rainbow said "Who it was isn't important. As for how they beat me, they pinned me against the side of HQ, I couldn't get free. Then, once they'd beaten me up they dropped me, while ten feet above the ground. Then I passed out." Spitfire explained "That explains your injuries, but what about the burns?" Blaze asked, as Fleetfoot extended a wing to gently touch the burn mark on Spitfire's cheek. "I was fighting them with-" Spitfire was interrupted by Lightning Streak. "Your fire magic, we know, Fleet mentioned it earlier. But how did you burn yourself?" Lightning forestalled her "I didn't. The pony I was fighting had fire magic too." Spitfire explained "But you told me only the ponieth in your family have that magic. Wath the pony related to you?" Fleetfoot asked "Yes, and no." Spitfire responded "Huh?" Rapidfire grunted "So you know them?" Rainbow asked "All to well." Spitfire sighed and shifted in Fleetfoot's hooves "The pony who attacked me was...my father." she explained "Your what?!" they all exclaimed "What? But I thought you and mom said dad died before I was born." Sparkfire objected "That was a lie. We were trying to protect you." Spitfire told her "So, who is your father? He must be bad if you didn't tell Spark about him." Misty Fly commented "My father, well, our father...is Flame Rider." Spitfire confessed "You mean the stallion who's under armed guard in the Canterlot Prison?!" Rainbow cried "Wait, he's in jail? That's why you didn't tell me?!" Sparkfire asked "I'm sorry Spark, I didn't want you to find out like this." Spitfire said "Why did he attack you?" Soarin asked "Because he hates me, why do you think he's in jail? He used to abuse me, and...and my brother." Spitfire hesitated "We don't have a brother. Unless you were lying to me about that too." Sparkfire snapped "Spark..." Spitfire tried to say, but Spark leapt off the bed and flew out of the room. Spitfire tried to get up and follow her, but winced and fell backwards. "Eathy Thpitty, he hurt you pretty badly, you need to retht." Fleetfoot warned "Do you mind explaining about this 'brother'? And your dad?" Soarin pressed. Spitfire gave a sigh and told them everything. "The first time I remember my father was when I was two. He was abusing me all the time. My mother had to work two jobs, and my father stayed with me and my brother. His name was Smoke Flare, and he was my best friend before I met Soarin and Fleet. He always protected me, no matter what. When our father was beating us he'd try his best to never let me get hurt. Though it didn't always work, I was still hurt badly, both physically and emotionally. One day, however, my father...he'd had enough. While I was playing in my room, he began yelling at Smoke. When I found them, he had dragged Smoke into the kitchen and was holding a knife. Flame Rider slashed Smoke across the chest, then left to make up a cover story. I wanted to help, but I was four, I didn't know what to do, I could only watch him die. I did tell my mother a little while after, and he was arrested. Though he was released a few years later, and mom had Spark with him. Then he tried abusing me again and was sent to the Canterlot Prison." Spitfire said "But what about the fire magic?" High Winds asked "He stole the magic from my mother, he's not a real member of the Flare family." Spitfire responded "Don't worry, we'll make sure he never comes back." Silver Zoom said "You're right. We'll surround HQ until we're sure he's gone." Soarin agreed "I'll contact Twi, she can get word to Celestia that Flame Rider's escaped, then they can send guards after him." Rainbow added "Can you uthe your healing fire to heal your injurieth?" Fleetfoot asked "No. It's weird, but I can only heal other ponies with it, I've tried healing myself before, but I can't." Spitfire replied "Don't worry, I bet I could convince Twi to come up here and cast a healing spell on your wings Spits." Rainbow assured her. "Hopefully she will, we need our Captain back." Soarin agreed, he and Rainbow leaving the room with the others. "Thanks guys." Spitfire called after them. "Sis?" Sparkfire trotted back in, looking sheepish "I heard everything, I get it now. I'm sorry I got mad. I understand you'd never want me to find out." She jumped up beside Spitfire and hugged her. "It's alright sis. I would have done the same thing had I been in your place." Spitfire said, hugging back. Sparkfire closed her eyes and fell asleep against her sister, it was late after all. "You should go to thleep too." Fleetfoot said, lying down with Spitfire. Spitfire turned and snuggled up to her. "I hope Rainbow convinces Princess Twilight to heal me." she murmured "She will." Fleetfoot assured her marefriend, who sighed a little before falling asleep.