Flying in a Blue Dream

by DeerTrax

Chapter 1 - Dreams of a Filly

Flying in a Blue Dream

Chapter One - Dreams of a Filly

The sun shone into the room through closed blinds. A yellow-gold filly stirred in her bed, the brightness causing her to wake. As she sat up the sheets fell off her, revealing a brilliant mane that resembled a burning fire. Giving a yawn and stretching her wings, she lifted herself lazily off the mattress.

Floating herself down next to her vanity table, she looked herself over in the mirror. The reflection that stared back at her was a groggy pony sporting a messy bed-mane. Yawning again, she picked up her brush and began dressing her hair into the same manestyle that she had worn since her earliest years.

As she prepared herself for the new day, her gaze wandered to a photograph tucked into the edge of the mirror. The image depicted a group of ponies clad in blue and yellow jumpsuits, aviator goggles atop their heads – the Wonderbolts. They were the greatest fliers in Equestria, and had long been her greatest idols. Moving from the photo to the cloud-walls of her room, the pony surveyed dozens of posters that she had tacked up everywhere. Each depicted the Wonderbolts in various acts of aerial aerobatics. One read “See the greatest performance of a lifetime!” Another, “A must-see experience!”

Finally, her gaze came to rest on a sweater that sat upon the head of her dresser. It was a perfect replication of the flight group's outfit; there was even a pair of goggles to match. She trotted over to the costume, admiring it for a moment before slipping it on. She then walked back over to the mirror and began posing in front of it, taking pleasure in how good she thought it looked on her.

“Spitfire!” came her mother’s voice, calling to her from elsewhere in the house. “Time for breakfast!”

“Just a second, Mom!” the filly called back. She flaunted herself before her reflection once more and then bounded off to get some breakfast.

She had never actually seen the Wonderbolts perform live. The only times she had watched them was from a great distance as they practiced high above the clouds. While Spitfire had grown up in Cloudsdale, she had never really flown more than a few feet off the white, fluffy clouds that the city was built on. Today was a special day for her, however. Today, her mom was taking her to see their show at the local stadium. She was super excited and the filly showed it as she came bounding down the stairs from her room and into the kitchen.

“Good morning, sleepy head,” her mom chimed. “I thought maybe you’d sleep through the big day.”

“Mornin’ Mom! Are you kiddin’? I wouldn’t miss this day for anything!”

Her mom let out a small chuckle. She knew how much Spitfire had been looking forward to this day. The filly hadn’t stopped talking about it for nearly a week after she had been told that they were going.

Spitfire sat down at their dining room table as a plate of pancakes and eggs and a glass of milk was placed in front of her. The meal looked positively delicious.

“Thanks, Mom!”

“Sure thing, honey. Eat up!”

The young pegasus did just that. Her breakfast was gone in a matter of minutes. It didn’t take her long to start bugging her mother to hurry up so they could go. Eventually, her pleas were answered and they were on their way. Stepping out the door, she was bouncing as she went.

The walk to the stadium was a long one as the venue’s location was all the way across the city. Cloudsdale was wonderful this time of year, though, so the trip was more than enjoyable. The sun was bright and the streets were filled with ponies. It was a good day for an airshow.

Every once in awhile, her mom would stop and talk to somepony she knew. And all through these conversations, Spitfire would impatiently pester her to speed up. Her protests grew more and more frustrated with each one. They did, much to her relief, reach the stadium on time though.

The ticket-master took their stubs and allowed them entry. As they passed through the gate and into the open-air arena, Spitfire’s eyes went wide in amazement. The stadium was ringed with ponies seated all around. The center of the structure dropped off, an empty portal to the ground below. Rising out of the center of that emptiness were pillar-like clouds. The place was most definitely set up for flight exhibitions. The filly even started to flap her own wings as if to test her own skills. She only stopped hovering when they got to their seats.

For a while, the only sounds were those of the ponies in the crowd talking amongst themselves. Then they all went quiet as a small band began to play a bit of music. It was only a short intro piece, but as the last note was struck on the bass drum, the crowd erupted into a cheer so loud that all their voices became one. Above the stadium, two smoke streaks criss-crossed each other; one blue and the other yellow. Spitfire’s eyes grew wider-still as she watched in awe at the spectacle.

The two pegasi that had flown across at supersonic speeds slowed ever so slightly and doubled back, this time flying in parallel as their trailing essence sketched a blue and yellow zig-zag overtop the stadium. Two more pegasi flew in and joined them in their effort. And then two more. The entire flight squad then turned once more toward the stadium and etched the words “The Wonderbolts” into the sky with their brilliant trails, and the crowd roared again. The fliers slowed considerably before landing softly on the main balcony of the stadium.

One of them stepped forward to a podium at the edge of the balcony. Her windswept mane that stuck through the jumpsuit was a gorgeous aqua-marine. Her wings and muzzle, and by extension, her coat, were all a brilliant sky blue. As she lifted her flight goggles, her eyes shone bright with a vibrant hue of magenta.

“Fillies and gentlecolts!” The crowd fell silent as she made her announcement into the microphone. “I, Jetstream, on behalf of all of the fine fliers of the Wonderbolts, want to welcome you to the thirteenth annual Wings of Wonder airshow! We have some spectacular displays planned for you today, and we hope you enjoy the show!”

Again, the audience burst into an uproar, applauding Jetstream’s speech. They were certainly ready for a show, and by Celestia’s grace, her flight team was going to give them one.

She stepped back to her squad. Slipping the goggles back on and giving a nod, she told them to give it their all. They nodded back, and then, one-by-one, they shot off from the platform with unimaginable acceleration. Jetstream watched as they took off, analyzing each one to ensure they were following form. When the last of her comrades had left the balcony, she turned to face the open sky again. And like that, she was airborne once more.

From the stands, that little filly named Spitfire watched with unblinking eyes as her idols took flight. Even way up above her, where speed and time is distorted, they looked fast. Now that they were much closer, their speed and control was unfathomable to her young mind. It was an incredible sight to see indeed.

She watched intently as they performed maneuvers she could only dream of. Supersonic passes, turns, loops, rolls, eights, whatever trick one could think of, they pulled it off without a hitch. The show was going perfectly. Fate always has a funny way of changing that, however.

As they prepared to do their most difficult gambit, Jetstream and her wingpony, Mist Flash, took their positions like normal. The maneuver called for the two pegasi to criss-cross their paths multiple times as they looped around each other at supersonic speeds and in such a way that they would be unable to see each other at any given moment; it was entirely fly-by-feel. They had done it a hundred times over at other shows, and even more during practice. They had no reason to be too worried. The ponies began their procedure the same as they always had.

From a slow hover they started off. Jetstream took a slight lead over Mist Flash as they flew side by side, then they both turned over on their backs. An ear shattering boom resounded through the sky behind them as they broke through the sound barrier. Next, they began to revolve around one another, backs still facing. Then they split apart, each still spinning around their own axis.

A normal pegasi would have gotten dizzy from this excessive motion, but they weren’t normal pegasi. They had trained for months for this trick, and had years of practice before it had even been dreamed up. They knew their limits. They were ready for this. No amount of training could have prepared them though for what happened during the next phase of the stunt.

As the pony’s paths started to cross, Jetstream’s eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of something in the distance. Though she only saw it for a second, during the next couple of rotations she could tell that it was something reflective. Eventually, the light that bounced off whatever it was hit her eyes, effectively blinding her.

Nopony on the ground could tell that anything was wrong at first, however. But then she recoiled in flight, and lost control, unable to see where she was going. One of the other pegasi called out to her from above.

“Jetstream, what’s wrong‽ Watch where you’re goi—”

His words fell upon ears deafened by the wind rushing past them; it was too late anyway. Unable to watch the direction of her flight, the lead pony’s body slammed into Mist Flash’s, knocking them both unconscious. Their limp bodies plummeted towards the ground at break-neck speeds. Two of the wonderbolts who were below the falling pegasi were able to catch Mist as he fell, though it took some effort to slow him down. The other two sprung into action from above, but it quickly became apparent that they would be unable to catch their flight leader before she crashed into the stands of the stadium.

Hundreds of ponies watched in horror as the incident unfolded in the skies above them. One of those ponies was the young Spitfire, who had a look of terror upon her face as her hero came hurtling right toward her. The other ponies around her had scattered in the stands so as not to be hit by the living projectile.

Spitfire’s mother urged her to move, but to no avail. The little yellow pegasus would not budge. Instead, she spread her wings and began to flap them. She seemed to be in a trance, as if being directed by a will that was not her own. The filly lifted herself up off the stands. Her mom reached out for her, but Spitfire escaped her grasp. The young pegasus flew upward, directly toward the Wonderbolt’s leader.

Spitfire put her hooves out before her, and their two bodies interlocked. The weight of Jetstream's falling athletic frame hit the filly with an overwhelming force. Spitfire had managed to slow the fall considerably, yet they continued onward toward the stands. She kept her wings spread, acting as resistance to diminish their speed and steady their descent. Eventually, it proved too much for her to handle, and she passed out.

It was around this time that Jetstream began to come to. As she opened her eyes, the sense of falling rushed to her mind. She did not panic, though. Instead, she took in what was happening, and she felt the pressure of her would-be savior wrapped around her. Looking to the unconscious Spitfire, she closed her eyes. Thank you for trying.

The older pegasus attempted to unfold her wings, but a pain rushed through her body. One of her wings was horribly mangled; probably broken. She couldn’t stop their inevitable collision, but she could manage to protect the life that was in her hooves. Using the one good wing she had, Jetstream manipulated herself through the air until that she was between Spitfire and the bleachers.

Crash!

The sound reverberated all through the arena. While the stands were made of clouds, they were by no means cushy. It may have been better than striking metal, but the impact was still a violent one.

“Spitfire‽ Spitfire‽” A mare pushed her way through the dust clouds, calling for her daughter until she came across the two ponies, curled together in a ball. “Spitfire!”

The pegasus in the blue and yellow jumpsuit began to stir. She looked to the mare that approached her, and unfolded her body to reveal the younger pony, who lay unconscious still. Spitfire’s mother paused for a minute and then reached out to nuzzle her daughter. The filly was still alive, and miraculously uninjured. The mother turned her gaze to the Wonderbolt.

“Thank you, Jetstream, for protecting her. What about you, though. Are you alright?”

Jetstream smiled weakly. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m glad I could keep her safe.” She knew she certainly wasn’t fine though. Both of her wings were definitely broken now, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if more than that had been broken as well. Then she felt the filly, still in her caress, begin to move.

Spitfire took a minute to realize where she was and what happened, then her eyes widened and she turned to Jetstream; she was in the embrace of her greatest idol. A gasp left her mouth. Jetstream put a hoof to her lips and gave a soft shush.

“Easy there, kiddo.” She told the filly with a chuckle. “No need to get worked up. It was foalish to act so recklessly. However, you saved me, and I am very grateful. Thanks. I owe you one, Squirt.”

“My name’s Spitfire!” the filly huffed.

“Haha, okay, well, I owe you one, Spitfire. Tell you what, we could use somepony like you in the squad. In a few years, when you’ve passed flightschool, come to the academy and we’ll see how much talent you’ve really got.”

Spitfire’s eyes grew wider and wider the entire time her idol was talking. She needn't have said anything with the expression that encompassed her face. Nevertheless, she let out a great big “You bet!” Her mother just giggled to herself.

“Cool. Now, go with your mom. I’ll be alright.” Relinquishing her hold on the yellow-gold pegasus, Jetstream failed to catch the filly before she got away from her. “Also, Spitfire, some advice. Never, ever give up on your dreams, no matter what. They’ll always guide you in the right direction.”

Spitfire nodded in assurance, and then retreated to her mother. The family turned and disappeared out of the stadium, as the dust finally settled.

Jetstream slowly and carefully got to her hooves. She stood, but not without tremendous pain. Her wingmates landed around her and started checking her injuries. As they did so, they questioned her about what happened. She explained everything. How the filly had saved her, how she had told her to come to the academy, and about her injuries. The squad quickly took action and had her rushed to a hospital.

There was a pair of eyes that watched all this unfold though, their owner unwavering from his seat higher up in the stands.

The pale-blue pegasus to whom they belonged just sat and watched with admiration through the whole feat. He had spotted Spitfire when she first entered the stadium and instantly took a liking to her. Her fire-like mane struck him as unique and he found her beautiful. She also had this aura of being brave and fun and nice about her. It may not have been love at first sight, since he didn’t believe in such things, but it was close enough to make him question those beliefs.

He pushed his long blue mane out of his eyes constantly during the performance in order to stare at her. He really hadn’t even been watching the show much at all, in fact. His gaze had been transfixed on Spitfire until somepony suddenly gasped as the accident unfolded high above them.

He looked up to see the Wonderbolt’s lead pony tumbling toward the ground and the others trying to rush to save her, but to no avail. He too had idolized Jetstream and her squadron from an even younger age, and found the sight too gut-wrenching to turn away from. He wanted to help, but didn’t know what to do. He had been frozen in place. Then he heard a mare call out to her daughter.

“Spitfire! Please move, darling!” the mare urged.

It was the mother of the filly he had been watching before. She was trying to get her daughter to move, but was unable to before having to move herself. The yellow-gold beauty then opened her wing and took to the skies. He was amazed by her figure as it took flight. He watched as Spitfire and Jetstream made contact with each other and then the ground. As the dust cleared, he even watched as they conversed and as Jetstream personally invited her to the Wonderbolts academy.

He couldn’t help but feel a little jealous, but also envied her for being so courageous. She had saved his idol.

“Soarin!” A gruff male voice called out as the other Wonderbolts got Jetstream off her hooves and set off on their way to the hospital. “Soarin, son, come on. The show’s over, we should be going.”

It was Soarin’s father. He and the colt’s mother were waiting for him at the entrance to the stands.

“Coming, dad!”

No longer rooted to his seat, he got to his hooves and trotted back to his family. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever see that lovely yellow-gold filly again, but he knew that if he did, he wasn’t gonna just sit back this time.

---

Jetstream next awoke in a hospital bed. She still felt winded and her wings still hurt tremendously. She sighed. Well, at least I’m still alive.

“Ah, I see you’re awake.”

She turned to see who had spoken, though she knew quite well just from the voice. It was her Mist Flash. She smiled at him. He was her wing pony, not just in the Wonderbolts, but in life as well.

“Hey sweetie, I guess I am,” she said as Mist Flash stepped into the room and sat next to her bed. “So, what’ve the doctors said?”

“Well, good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

“Give me the good news.”

“Well, you’re going to be okay. The bad news though...” Mist Flash hung his head as tears began to form. He had told himself he was going to be strong, but he couldn’t bear the burden any longer. Jetstream put a hoof to his chin and pulled his gaze to meet her eyes.

“It’s okay, Mist Flash. I can take whatever it is.”

“The – the doctors say that while you’ll be okay, the injuries to your wings were extensive. You’ll be able to fly again, just—” He started crying harder. He was only able to speak again after Jetstream pulled him in closer and gave him a reassuring kiss. “Just not with us.”

His fiancé leaned back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes; it felt like hours to the stallion. She finally broke the silence with a sigh.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” she said. “I’ll be okay, Mist Flash. I want you to do something for me though.” She looked at him again. He had run out of tears now, but still looked to be sobbing.

“What’s that, darling?” he asked.

“I want you to keep going, without me. I’m promoting you to flight leader. You’ll take my place and you’ll lead those fine ponies as good as, if not better, than I ever did.”

He stumbled back a bit in shock, but quickly regained his composure. He nodded to his special somepony, and took her hoof in his.

“Thank you. I will lead them in your honor.”

“One more thing. The filly that saved me. See that she gets accepted into the academy when she’s old enough. Put her through the training like any other pony though. Don’t go easy on her. She has more potential than any of us ever did, she need only unlock it.”

“I understand.”

Mist Flash said his goodbyes, knowing his partner would be fine and would be released from the hospital as soon as she was ready. As he walked out the door and flew home, the tears came to his eyes once more. He would tell the others in the morning.

Author's Note:

While this chapter rounds off nicely, this is NOT complete. There is a good bit yet to come!

Comments

[DeerTrax]

2296373
Haha, thanks man.

[FirestormFIM]

yah there'd better be more to come

[psp7master]

Upvoted for the Joe Satriani reference

[DeerTrax]

2297087
Haha, don't worry. I only put that there cause my pre-reader actually thought this was a one-shot after reading it until I reminded him it wasn't.

[DeerTrax]

2297183
Haha, thanks. This story was actually spawned simply by listening to that song of the same name.

[psp7master]

2297365
Yeah, I know, it's very inspirational. My next chapter for that Lightning Dust fic is gonna bear the same title

[DeerTrax]

2297372
Haha, nice. I'm glad somepony actually got the reference. Satriani really is amazing. I'll have to check out your fic when I get some time!

[psp7master]

2297377
Sure, take your time. You'll find it difficult finding it among all those OctaScratches, heh.
And Satriani is, like, my hero. He's the reason why I started playing the guitar in the first place.

[DeerTrax]

2297386
Haha, alright. I think I found it already, actually.
And cool. Well, more power to you. I wish I could play, but I have zero musical talent.

[pieguy1]

Indeed