"Does anypony thinks that it was a good idea Rainbow inviting Lightning Dust?"
"I dunno Chaser, although if Rainbow thinks it's worth a chance maybe we should give her a chance." Thunderlane's voice was dragging his words along. The icy-colored mohawk pegasus was bored out of his mind while sitting along with his friends and his little brother Rumble.
Due the fact both Thunderlane and Rumble lived alone the black stallion was always keeping his little brother around, it was well know how overprotective Thunder was regarding the colt.
Most of the group that visited Rainbow Dash early in the morning had already split up to do their own affairs. The only reason Thunderlane and the rest were currently sitting at the main plaza of Ponyville was thanks to their day off.
Rumble was currently present for the main reason that he had no school today and prefered to hang with his brother than his own friends.
"Thunderlane's right, I totally agree." Cloud Chaser said right after unashamedly.
Flitter, Cloud Kicker, Blossomforth, Star Hunter, Helia and Pizelle glared annoyed back at Chaser.
"Wow, that doesn't make you totally biased towards anything Thunderlane says at all." Pizelle said with evident sarcasm.
"You're lucky he's so dense he can't realize how much you crush on him," Cloud Kicker said smirking maliciously.
"Shut up Kicker!"
"Are you mares talking about me?" Thunderlane asked confused. Luckily for Cloud Chaser the stallion had been busy talking with Rumble.
"Not at all, just Kicker being silly as usual. " Cloud Chaser replied nervously. Thunderlane stared at her for a second but just shrug it off, much to Chaser's relief.
"What do you think about Gilda?" Star Hunter asked out of curiosity.
"She seemed alright, would've been easier to talk with her if Cloud Kicker didn't start making stupid questions!" Blossomforth said while staring daggers at the younger mare.
"It was an innocent question, I don't see why all the fuss." Cloud Kicker huffed clearly upset.
"Innocent question? You literally asked out loud if Gilda and Rainbow ever had a make-up session back at Flight Camp!" Helia berated indignantly.
"What's a make-up session bro?" Rumble asked curiously.
"Helia!" Thunderlane exclaimed exasperated towards the olive pegasus. Helia quickly covered her mouth with both hoofs while staring apologetically back at the stallion."It's just something mares do to have better looks Rumble, something fancy. "
"Oh, so mare stuff." Rumble said as he finally managed to comprehend. "That might get confusing now. You told Dr.Whooves that's what it's said when mares kiss eachother. "
The whole atmosphere became incredibly cold as every single mare present stared venomeously at the black stallion. The only exception being Cloud Kicker, who was too busy hiding her giggles.
Thunderlane grinned nervously while sweating buckets as he saw himself on the receiving end of deadly mares stares.
Star Hunter, being the only other stallion presented, decided it was time to come for Thunder's rescue.
"Well, I still got very impressed with Gilda. I'm curious to see how she flies, I don't think I've ever seeing griffon in a competition before."
Thankfully this actually managed to bring the mare's attention away from Thunderlane, who seemed about to crack if he had to endure the evil stares for any longer.
"What, you already forgot the griffons back at the Equestrian Games?" Pizelle asked stunned. Star Hunter brought his hoof up in thought before answering.
"Well, something tells me that Gilda may be way different from those griffons we saw. Especially if it's Rainbow Dash who choose her to come to the team. She must've an incredible potential."
"If that's so, why wasn't she at the Games competing?" Helia asked intrigued.
"Not competing, but she was there." Cloud Kicker said much to everpony's surprise. "I remember seeing her among the spectators. I didn't know she was Rainbow's friend. If she was then I wonder why Gilda never spoke with Dash at the occasion."
"Maybe they had a misunderstanding?" Flitter wondered out loud. " Just like the one she had with Lightning Dust?"
"Very possible. Remember when I said she was the griffon that made Flutters cry few months back?" Cloud Chaser said, reminding the other ponies of that exact same comment from an hour ago. "Maybe Rainbow took it personally and broke their friendship."
"It's just me or Rainbow only has six friends?" Flitter asked innocently. The whole group eyed Chaser's sister with concern. "I mean...when was the last time she hang out with any of us aside work?"
This actually brought every pegasus to think hard on a suitable memory for the ocassion. Minutes went by as each pony slowly gave up on trying to remember any recent event they could've shared with Rainbow Dash.
"Well, not that I really blame her. She's an element bearer, she's always pushing so hard to make part of the Wonderbolts, and she's always with Pinkie, or Twilight, or Fluttershy, or Applejack, or somewhere else..." Cloud Chaser sighed sadly. "I miss the times when she would always hang out with us. She was truly egocentric at that time but she got much better. I really would like to know this new Rainbow ."
"Yeah, me too. She was a jock at times but I really liked how confident she tends to be." Thunderlane said in agreement.
"Oh, so you like confident, tomboyish mares Thundy?" Cloud Kicker asked naughty. The black stallion frowned.
"What if I do? Got a problem with that Kicker?" He spat back irritated.
"Oh, no. No problem at all." Kicker replied innocently. Even so she winked discretely at Cloud Chaser.
Chaser's face reddened in embarrassment. She would love, more than anything, to be able to shove Kicker's head into a barrel of fertilizers.
Though that might fill Kicker's mind with even dirtier ideas.
"Well, back to the point." Star Hunter said aggravated by Cloud Kicker's mannerisms. "This even might be a good chance for us to show Rainbow we're still around and we're good friends as much as the rest of the Mane Six."
"Pfffft, Mane Six. Sometimes I wonder where they come up with those names." Cloud Kicker said sarcastically.
"If we start questioning the name of things we'll be here the whole day Kicker, so don't bother coming up with that." Blossomforth said tiredly. The white mare found so difficult at times to deal with Kicker's fillyness.
"So how ab-
"Can you shut up already Kicker? All you do is make nonsense talk and annoy everypony." Thunderlane said frustrated.
Cloud Kicker bowed her head down into sadness, which only resulted on the mares staring upset at the stallion.
"Way to go Thunder." Star Hunter commented sarcastically.
"What?! Now it's my fault?! I know everypony here was thinking the same thing! Buck that!" Thunder responded indignated.
"Buck that!" Rumble said excitedly.
Thunderlane paled once he realized his bad slip up.
"Ah great! Now look what you have done. Urgh, mares."
An awkward silence prevailed after that. Star Hunter's eyes widened in alarm as he realised how his friend just doomed himself.
"Thunderlane..." Helia said whispering rather threateningly.
"What?" The black stallion asked oblivious to the mares slowly advancing on him.
"Run."
*****************************************
"You gotta be bucking kidding me!"
With the announcement of the Equestrian Flying Marathon few days back several Wonderbolt members have been chattering about it incessantly. Once the Wonderbolts made clear that they would be representing Cloudsdale there has been an increase on training sessions for it's full fledged members, courtesy of no other than Spitfire.
Which brought good and, unexpectedly, bad results for their group.
Much to Spitfire's astonishment few members of the Wonderbolts refused to fly for Cloudsdale and rather fly for their own hometowns. At first the Wonderbolt Captain understood their wishes and respected that, granting them permission to leave and gather with their respective teams.
What she could not accept, or even comprehend, was for Soarin to come ar her office and announce his own dismiss of the Cloudsdale team.
It just surprised and irritated her to no end. They've already lost Fleetfoot, Wind Rider and High Winds. The three were great fliers and losing Soarin aswell was just tragic.
For him to just flat out announce his dismiss provoked an indignated outburst from the Captain.
"Mind telling me why?!" Spitfire asked exasperated. She had more reasons to be upset. Soarin was a really close friend of hers, despite how goofy he could be at times she still appreciated having him around.
It just felt like yesterday when they joined the Wonderbolt Academy for the first time, both being respectively assigned as Wing and Lead Pony of eachother. Soarin was truly upset at the time but Spitfire managed to cheer him up once she promised him she would buy him his favorite pie.
Just to think how far they went togheter just for him to drop like that, possibly at the most important event the Wonderbolts would ever compete, on such short notice dissapointed Spitfire tremendously.
"Can we talk in private?" Soarin asked avoiding Spitfire's glare. For some reason the goofy stallion seemed upset.
With a quick glance and a nod from their Captain both pegasus that stood on guard left without a word and closed the door.
"I really wished I didn't have to do this, but these last months gave me a lot to think about and....I'm not sure if I even want to keep as a Wonderbolt any longer. "
Spitfire froze in utter shock. Did she just heard that right? Soarin was playing with the possibility of leaving the Wonderbolts definetely?!
The Captain let out a heavy breath she didn't even realize she's been holding, slowly adjusting herself on the chair she removed her sunglasses and stared apathetic towards her old friend.
"Is this...." Spitfire choose carefully her own words knowing well how delicate this conversation could get. Not that it could get worse anyways. "...because of me?"
Soarin's upset expression morphed into one of sadness and somewhat regret.
"Not totally....I have been granted a great opportunity and....I'm not really happy here anymore. Haven't been for a while...."
Spitfire nodded thought not really sure herself of what truly bothered the stallion. With a soreness Spitfire never thought possible to feel before she gave Soarin a quick salute.
"As for now I grant you permission to absent from taking part on Cloudsdale team. You're also dismissed from the Wonderbolt Academy until we request your presence for further clarification. Dismissed. "
Soarin stood quietly for a second before returning the salute and moving away towards the door.
"You changed." He said all of sudden stopping by the door. Spitfire's stern glance softened a bit.
"We all change someday."
"Never said you changed for the better."
Soarin's words brought an uneasy feeling into the Wonderbolt's Captain as she stood from her chair and approached the other stallion warily.
"Why would that be? I managed to accomplish everything I wanted to. Eve-
"Wrong. " Interrupted Soarin harshly. "You accomplished everything your parents wanted. As the years went by all this..." Soarin gestured the office with a wave of his hoof. "...got over your head more than it should. "
Spitfire frowned slightly as she thought carefully at what Soarin was implying.
"Being a leader takes a lot of responsibility Soarin." Spitfire said tiredly.
"You were never built to be a leader Spitfire. " Soarin retorted frustrated.
"And you never had what it takes to be a Wonderbolt!" She spat back without thinking. Soarin's eyes averted to the ground as he sighed on defeat.
A minute of silence went by as both pegasus stood awkwardly waiting for something else to be said. Once it was clear that Soarin had nothing to retort at his captain Spitfire finally let the guilt control her feelings.
"Soarin....I didn't...."
"See you soon, good luck Shyfire."
That was all Soarin said before opening the door and leaving without looking back.
Spitfire stood there watching perplexed as her old friend left the office with such bitterness, using that nickname she hasn't heard since so many years.
Was that what Soarin was hitting about? Their crumbled friendship? How Spitfire came to care more about being the Wonderbolt Captain than being his friend?
Or was something else?
"Why you're always hiding the truth from me Soarin?" Spitfire asked out loud to herself.
She had dealt with many problems before during her years as captain, but if there was one thing she never understood was why Soarin was always causing her trouble.
"Spitfire?"
A sudden voice calling her name brought the captain at full attention, much to her surprise it was Surprise standing at her door.
The irony.
"Anything to report Surprise?" Spitfire said regaining some firmness on her posture.
"Well, yes actually. I just returned from Cloudsdale and while I was there I saw Rainbow Dash flying through the town."
"Rainbow Dash?" Spitfire asked confused. "So what? She must have her own reasons to be there like any other pony."
"Yes, but..." Surprise paused unsure if her information was actually relevant somehow. "...I saw her accompanied by a griffon and that rookie from few months back. I think her name was Lightning Dust."
Spitfire nodded warily, inside her head many alarm bells were ringing furiously and threatening to give her a big headache.
Lightning Dust?! Just what in Tartarus was Rainbow Dash planning to do?!
Unless....
"Has you received any word if Ponyville has formed their team for the event?" Spitfire asked somberly to her team member. Surprise stood thoughtful for a second.
"Most likely they'll be doing it soon. I'm pretty sure Rainbow Dash and few other of our reserves residing at Ponyville will be joining her. If that griffon I saw is really with her then they already filled the gap for a different species member."
"Indeed....will that be all?"
"Yes, ma'm."
"Very well, thank you Surprise, dismissed."
After a quick salute Surprise left the office. Spitfire closed the door after she left and went back to her desk, her head already filled with distressing thoughts about Soarin only got worse after hearing about Lightning Dust again.
It felt like yesterday when the tornado incident happened. Spitfire was livid once she discovered what Lightning have been doing during her training exercises, while booting her out of the Academy was the appropriate procedure to follow, something has been eating at Spitfire's consciousness that she made a mistake.
Was booting her out? Maybe. Was setting her as Lead Pony for Rainbow Dash? Maybe. Was praising her incredible skills? Maybe.
Was being forced to mark her curriculum?
Definitely.
The immeasurable guilt of such action was justified, Spitfire was well aware of what could happen to a pony if they ever earned such mark.
The first mistake that lead that to happen was contacting Canterlot about the incident with Twilight Sparkle and her friends.
The second was complain about Twilight Sparkle and her friends invading the airspace of the Academy without permission.
Spitfire sworn that she would never forget Celestia's words chewing on her with unmistakable irritation. Once she made across her point of Twilight being authorized to be wherever she wanted, which Spitfire would love to prove otherwise, the next thing she ordered was for the pegasus responsible for the actions to be punished accordingly.
This is where things went too far, even for the Wonderbolt Captain. She respect Princess Celestia like no other pony, but the way she handled this punishment was, in Spitfire's opinion, totally biased because Twilight Sparkle has been involved.
Spitfire's thoughts moved towards her old mentor back at the academy. One of the greatest Wonderbolts of his time and a stallion that taught Spitfire everything she knows about flying techniques and stunts.
If he was still alive these days he would've been very dissapointed at Spitfire for ruining his granddaughter's career.
"I'm not like you Bolt," Spitfire whispered while staring at a particularly familiar picture frame. "I can't risk to lose everything because of one pony."