//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: ...Spitfire // Story: Race the Wind // by Skyblitz //------------------------------// Chapter 6: ...Spitfire "You watch my back and I'll watch yours..." The sun slowly began to creep above the eastern cloudbanks, casting a golden orange blanket over the sleepy city of Cloudsdale. Slowly, ponies of all ages started to wake up and began to file away to wherever they were supposed to be. The warm rays of the dawn beat down on Soarin's face as he awoke groggily, pulling his head out of the cloud. At first he had no idea where he was, with nothing but the open sky around him. "Where... What?" he groaned to himself, still half asleep, but he awoke fully when he felt the soft breathing form of Spitfire beneath his wing. His emerald eyes widened in shock and disbelief, but then he remembered the events of the previous night. His heart began to race again in memory of the magical event that transpired beneath the silvery embrace of Luna's moon. He smiled to himself. He almost fell off the cloud in surprise when Spitfire stirred beneath him, groaning softly as the olden fingers of sunlight touched her delicate face. Soarin' ran a forehoof through her silky flame coloured mane, causing her heavy eyelids to flutter open, revealing the arresting amber rings beneath them. The yellow mare rolled onto her back and smiled warmly as her gaze fell onto Soarin'. "Hey Soar..." The pale blue pegasus leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Spitfire's lips, a kiss which she gladly returned. "Mornin' Spitty, how d'you sleep?" "Like a foal... Did last night really happen?" she asked dreamily. Soarin' grinned hugely and continued to run his hoof through her mane, a sensation that Spitfire clearly enjoyed. "Well, I can't be sure, but I think it may have done. Can't imagine why I think so, though. I doubt its got anythin' to do with the fact that you and me are still on the same cloud after, well... sleeping together" he chuckled lightly. His heart melted when he saw Spitty smile, it truly was the most beautiful sight in Equestria, even more stunning than the dawn that radiated around them. "Do... Do you think Celestia saw us... last night, I mean?" she asked slyly. Soarin' laughed before turning away, blushing like a little school filly. "Um...I dunno, maybe?" he said before laughing. Spitfire propped herself up on her elbows, turning her gaze to Soarin's strong and toned body. Soarin' noticed this and he blushed profusely again. Spitfire smiled broadly. "Hey, you weren't that shy last night, as I recall!" "Ha, um, well, ya know... It was kinda... Well, I couldn't believe it. I still can't really believe that I'm here with you right now." The yellow mare caressed Soarin's rosy cheeks with a forehoof. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Soarin' shifted uncomfortably, his wings drawing in close to himself. "Cuz I was scared...I didn't want to change anythin' between us. Everythin' seemed so...right. Like, you're my best friend, and I was scared that I woulda kinda scared you off or somethin'". Soarin' was fiddling with his forehooves awkwardly, a sight which surprised Spitfire. He was so full of confidence usually, so vibrant and fun. But when it came to her, she realised how much he cared. She could reduce him to a babbling, timid little school colt. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. "Anyways, I'm glad you... Showed me, last night," she smiled. Soarin's tenseness seemed to slowly ebb away, the blue pegasus gradually becoming his fun loving self once again. "Plus, I think that you should change your special talent. That cutie mark doesn't suit you anymore, I think it should be a nice big heart instead," she giggled. Soarin' glanced at his flank and smiled. The winged lightning bolt shone in the dawn light, casting a reflective streak on the cloud. "Yeah, what'd you mean by that yesterday? When you said something about my talent?" "When the lightning appeared before you crashed. That was how you earned that mark Soar, remember? At Junior Speedsters Academy when we first raced each other..." Soarin's eyes widened in remembrance of the day and soon a huge grin appeared on his face. "Oh, I remember. That was scary," he chuckled. The pair lay next to each other in a comfortable silence for the next few moments. The serenity of the dawn wrapped around the two ponies, the silence saying more than mere words could ever say. "Soarin' opened his eyes again. it appeared that he had dozed off at some point, so had Spitfire by the look of it. The sun had risen higher now...very high. Soarin' cast his weary gaze to the fiery orb. "Buck..." He shook Spitfire awake, a bit harder than he meant to. "W-wha-? Soar what is i-" "Its almost midday! Looks like we gotta go Spitty, like now!" The blue pegasus scrambled to his hooves, Spitfire doing the same once Soarin's words had settled in. The two pegasi launched themselves from the cloud simultaneously, both pairs of expansive wings catching the air currents perfectly. Maybe they could make it to school before lunch... "Where in Equestria have you two been?!" thundered the Academy Headmaster, a tall old stallion by the name of Principal Zephyr. Soarin' and Spitfire glanced at each other, slight smiles pulling at their mouths. They considered silently whether to actually give a blow by blow account to the furious stallion of what transpired on the cloud. "Um, we overslept" said Spitfire at last. "Both of you?" "Err, yeah..." answered Soarin', scratching the back of his head lazily. Zephyr's angry brown eyes widened when he realised what they meant. "Its no business of mine what two of my students get up to after school, but it does become my problem if it means that they fail to show up until after lunch! I'll be sending letters to both of your parents about this case of tardiness!" Soarin' stifled a laughed and Spitfire suppressed a hysterical smile. The older stallion luckily didn't notice this, and sent the pair from his office with a contemptuous wave of the hoof. When they were outside, both ponies exploded into hysterical laughter. Soarin' could actually feel himself crying with mirth as Spitfire leant on him, almost falling over in amusement. "D'you think we should have told him?" she asked breathlessly. Soarin' put his foreleg around her. "I think if we did, he'll probably be dead from shock" he replied, wiping his eyes. The pair began trotting towards the main courtyard of the school, giggling and laughing all the way. "You two made up then?" came Rapidfire's voice from behind them. He approached the two ponies with a sly grin on his face. Soarin' glanced at Spitfire and then back at his friend, a dumb smile plastered on his face. "Um, I think so..." Rapidfire eyed the two pegasi until he realised what his friend meant. His mouth became an 'O' of surprise and his eyes lit up with happiness. "Wait, you two... Togeth- Oh, sweet Celestia, come here!" he hugged the two stunned ponies fiercely, squeezing the air from Soarin' and Spitfire. "But that’s like, Oh, you guys are so cute! Just wait till I tell Fleetfoot!" And with that, he dashed off to find the white maned pony. Spitfire looked up and Soarin' and gave him a firm kiss on the lips. Storm Rider saw it all... "But, awwww come here guys!" exclaimed Fleetfoot as she gave the happy couple a hug of her own, thankfully not as suffocating as Rapidfire's. Spitfire smiled broadly at her friend and returned the hug. Rapidfire trotted over and nudged Soarin' in his newly healed ribs. "Ow, don't do that!" "Oh, sorry... Nice one kid..." Rapidfire winked at his pale blue friend, until something not so welcome caught his eye behind Soarin'. "Uh oh. Here comes trouble..." Hurricane strode into the courtyard furiously. His dark indigo eyes scanned the scene before his angry gaze locked upon Soarin' and Spitfire. "YOU!" Everypony in the courtyard stopped and turned to the white stallion, flanked by three other colts. Neither Soarin' nor Spitfire flinched as the raging pegasus stampeded towards them, his eyes almost on fire with rage. "How, dare you. You ugly whore! You leave me in the club alone, and then fly off to go ruttin' him? You piece of horseshit. You slut! You are MY marefriend, you do as I say! You dare to go to him? You need to be taught a buckin' lesson on respect!" He raised his forehoof to strike her across the face. It was only then that Spitfire flinched. But the blow never came. Spitfire cautiously opened her eyes, and gasped. Soarin's foreleg was obstructing Hurricane's, both stallions straining to resist the force of the other. "Don't you touch her..." whispered Soarin' icily, a razor sharp edge in his voice. His emerald eyes were locked in a deadly stare of fury, his jaw set tight, making him look older than he was. The white stallion turned his equally fierce gaze to him. "What did you say..?" "I said, don't touch her." Hurricane suddenly burst out laughing, catching everypony off guard. "Ha! You give commands to me? You stupid mule faced-" Rapidfire smashed his forehoof into Hurricane's muzzle, knocking the taller stallion to the ground. Soarin' shot a glance to his friend, clearly stunned as much as Hurricane at his sudden intervention. "You threaten my cousin again and I'll cut your wings off, you piece of horseshit," Rapidfire angrily muttered. Cousin? Soarin' always knew that Spitfire and Rapidfire looked a little alike. Everypony had joked about it when they were foals, saying that the two were brother and sister. But Soarin' had no idea that they were actually related. Hurricane scrambled to his hooves and gave Soarin' and Rapidfire a venomous look. "I'll get you, both of you..." The bell rang out across the courtyard, signalling the end of lunch break. Soarin' groaned. It was drilling with Coach Cyclone. "ALRIGHT!" rang an all too familiar voice across the stadium. Soarin' silently groaned, Rapidfire most likely doing the same to his right. "Due to events that transpired the last time we did this," - he glared at Hurricane and Soarin' - "we will be doing things a little differently. We will still be doing a RACE, but this time we have a few extra additions to the group..." Cyclone raised a forehoof to the stadium entrance. Everypony gasped. Into the stadium strode seven magnificent pegasi, their muscular athletic forms hidden by blue skintight suits streaked with yellow lightning bolts. The Wonderbolts. The most talented flight team in all of Equestria, the fastest and most daring pegasi in history. They were in the stadium... Soarin' almost fainted. Their captain, a tall and powerfully built stallion by the name of Tempest Wind removed his flight goggles and stared at the class of colts before him. Soarin' stood frozen as his gaze fell on him. The Wonderbolt captain kept his gaze on Soarin' for a second longer than he had anypony else before turning away. "NOW, our esteemed guests are here to oversee your race. Should anything happen similar to last lesson, those ponies involved will be stricken from the list of those with the chance to join this amazing flight team." Soarin's heart stopped. Join? The Wonderbolts were here to recruit? Oh, sweet Celestia. Soarin's trance was broken by the sound of a large number of feminine voices echoing from the second entrance to the stadium. The pale blue pegasus turned behind and sighed with a mixture of confusion and happiness. A second class of ponies strutted onto the track, all mares. Spitfire was among them.