//------------------------------// // Pie's Rock Farm to Las Pegasus // Story: Ex-Bolts Rising // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Fleetfoot flew towards Las Pegasus in the distance, where Spitfire was waiting. Twister was fast behind her. He shot forward. "You'll never beat me!" he shouted "Won't I?" Fleetfoot called back. She stopped herself from saying more. "Come on Fleet, hold it in. If he knew..." Fleetfoot thought. Twister suddenly flew up beside her and spun into a corkscrew. "What in the name of-" Fleetfoot cut herself off before she said 'Celestia'. He made a small twister appear before her. Fleetfoot swerved to the side, avoiding it. "What's wrong? Can't handle a little wind...lesbian freak!?" he called, and Fleetfoot gasped, skidding to a halt. "How do you know-" "That you're sleeping with the Captain? How else would anypony explain that a loser like you is the third in command?" he laughed, and Fleetfoot bit back a sob. "I earned my title, I worked hard for everything I have!" "Oh really? My Captain did a little digging on you. Apparently you're the daughter of two highly influential ponies. They probably paid your way into this ridiculous team." "That'th not true!!!" Fleetfoot lost it and yelled, then gasped. She had just revealed to him her biggest secret. "Oh, so you've got a speech defect, that's why you're so quiet. Wait until I tell my team!" Fleetfoot was furious, wiping her eyes and biting back her tears. Twister shoved her hard, and she landed on a cloud. Fleetfoot couldn't take it. She allowed a tear to fall. Fleetfoot sighed. She had just been beaten by her parents. She was nineteen and still got abused by them. Spitfire and Soarin didn't know, Fleetfoot knew they had their own problems going on. Soarin's family was nearly bankrupt and he was working harder than ever to help them. Spitfire was probably overwhelmed with all the problems of a Captain. They didn't need to know about her problems on top of theirs. "Fleet, what happened to your eye?" Soarin asked, passing by. "I-I ran into thomething." Fleetfoot lied "Was it a wrestling match?" Rapid joked as he walked past. "Can it Rapid." Spitfire said, trotting over. "Fleet, can I talk to you?" Fleetfoot sighed and nodded, following Spitfire to the Captain's office. Spitfire sat down behind the desk, beckoning for Fleetfoot to take the seat before her. Fleetfoot sat and looked at anything near the desk except Spitfire. "Fleet, look at me." Spitfire said, but Fleetfoot shook her head. "Alright, then we're both going to sit here in silence until you do." "I-I can't." Fleetfoot whispered. "What?" "I can't look you in the eye." "Why not?" "Because every time you lecture me, I see my parent's eyes instead of yours." Fleetfoot thought, biting back the words and tears that made her throat raw. "Fleet, something's wrong. Every break you keep coming back to HQ with unexplained injuries. I don't know what you do when you're not here but it's obviously killing you." Spitfire said, apparently unable to keep her word. "And I can't let my friend get hurt. Tell me what's going on, please." "I can't." Fleetfoot replied, voice breaking. She glanced up, seeing Spitfire's eyes soften. "Fleet, you can tell me anything, you know that. I'm here for you." "You've got your own problemth. I don't want to bother you." Fleetfoot said "Fleetfoot, I want to be bothered by this. You're hurt for Celestia's sake!" "It'th not that bad." Fleetfoot mumbled, closing her unswollen eye. "But it can get worse." Fleetfoot's bottom lip trembled. "Fleet, just tell me what's going on. Please. I don't want to see you get hurt." Fleetfoot broke down completely, tears streaming down her face. The next thing she knew, Spitfire's hooves were around her. Spitfire was rubbing her back gently and soothing her. Fleetfoot cried into Spitfire's shoulder, pressing hard against her friend. Spitfire put her muzzle by Fleetfoot's ear. "Shh. Fleet, it's okay. It's going to be alright." Spitfire murmured "N-no, it'th not. I-I'm thcared." Fleetfoot admitted, still crying. "Every time I go home thomething happenth. I did thomething wrong. I'm wrong." "Fleet, you haven't done anything wrong. Look at me." Fleetfoot finally looked up at her. Their eyes locked, and for once, Fleetfoot saw not the cold, frozen eyes of her mother, but the soft, gentle brown of her friend. "It's okay. You're okay." "It'th not Thpitfire, I-I shouldn't be upthet. I can't cry." Fleetfoot objected. "Yes, you can. You can cry Fleetfoot, it's okay. But in the end you have to be able to know you're upset, to let out the tears, and then stand again. Every time you cry, you should rise again twice as strong." "Rise again." Spitfire's words echoed in her mind. Fleetfoot stood and glared at Twister, he was nearly out of sight. "I can do thith." she muttered. Fleetfoot took off, wiping her tears and flying fast after Twister. "Where did you come from?!" Twister yelled, and Fleetfoot grinned. "Thought you knocked me down, but I'm not giving up." They could see Spitfire and Lightning Dust at the gates of Las Pegasus. Fleetfoot sped up and flew towards Spitfire like a shot. She reached the mare and held out the horseshoe. "Fleet. Have you been crying?" Spitfire asked, eyeing her "I'll explain later. Go win thith for uth honey." Fleetfoot replied, and Spitfire smiled. She nodded, taking the horseshoe. "I love you." Spitfire breathed, kissing her cheek swiftly. "I love you too." Fleetfoot said, watching as Spitfire flew off, followed by Lightning Dust. "So, he got under your wings to distract you." Celestia summed up. "Yeth Princethth. I wath upthet, but then I remembered thomething Thpitfire told me three yearth ago." "What is this thing she told you?" Luna asked, stepping into the frame and making Celestia move to the side. "She told me that every time I cry, to rise up twice ath thtrong." Fleetfoot replied "That's very wise." Luna remarked, looking to Raven, who nodded, writing it on the paper. "Thpitfire alwayth knowth what to thay to make me feel better."