Spitfire sighed heavily as she trotted outside. A rainbow blur flashed by.
"Hey Spit!" Rainbow hung upside-down in front of her. "Whatcha doing?"
"Just checking on the Wonderbolt Museum."
"Woah, woah, hold up." Rainbow righted herself and stood in Spitfire's path. "Wonderbolt...Museum?! How have I never heard of this?! And...wait, isn't there one in Cloudsdale?"
"Yes, but this is the secret, on-campus museum. The museum in Cloudsdale's open to the public, while ours is private." Spitfire replied, then fixed Rainbow with a stern glare. "Meaning no bringing your friends up here."
"Aww, why nooot?" Rainbow asked
"Because it's for Wonderbolts only. The Cloudsdale Museum has perfect replicas of all the historical stuff in here-"
"Wait, replicas?!" Rainbow landed "I thought they were all real!"
"You really think the past Captains would let the real historical artifacts be placed in a museum with frankly awful security?"
"So all those things in the museum..."
"Amazingly accurate replicas." Spitfire winked as they approached a large building.
"So...do I get to see, or..."
"As a matter of fact, we've been meaning to bring you in. A kind of 'initiation' for new 'bolts. But then Thunderlane joined and your schedule's crazy enough as is. We never had the time."
"So I can check it out?!" Rainbow asked eagerly.
"...Okay, fine. You can come do a patrol of the building with me. But stay with me at all times, and don't touch anything."
"Okay, mom." Rainbow rolled her eyes. Spitfire chuckled and smirked, before they reached the building. She unlocked the door with the key she pulled from under her wing.
"Like I said, stick with me. This place is pretty big."
"Alright, alright." Rainbow followed her in.
Spitfire took a deep breath as she gazed around at pure Wonderbolt history. "See this Dash? All of this...we are walking in the hoofsteps of our Wonderbolt ancestors."
"Woah..." Rainbow took off and observed a low-hanging wooden glider. "What's this?"
"Commander Easyglider's original design for a glider that would allow unicorns to fly to our rescue, back before they had pegasus medics on hoof."
"How come I've never seen this before?"
"Aheh...I may have misspoke...not everything in here has a replica in the public museum..." Spitfire admitted with a slight blush.
"Typical Wonderbolts, keeping all the cool stuff for themselves." the sly, arrogant tone rang out.
"Sounds like it's coming from the left wing." Rainbow said
"That's the Hall of Heroes. Past Wonderbolts that have made a big difference." Spitfire told her.
"Oh, and would you look at that. Spitty's in here. What'd she do? Be the worst Captain ever?" the voice asked, and Spitfire growled.
"I recognize that voice...show your face, Dust!" Rainbow yelled.
"Oh, but I so love being in the shadows. After all, that's why you made sure I was kicked out, wasn't it?"
"You were kicked out due to reckless, unacceptable behavior!" Spitfire yelled back, walking forwards and snarling.
"Aww, is that what you tell yourself? You know I could have become your successor. I'm worthy of that title, you were just scared I'd rise to the top and kick you out."
"Dust, you weren't ready to be a Wonderbolt! A Wonderbolt needs to learn that her duty is to her team first, then herself! If winning a training exercise that I specifically told you wasn't a race is more important than ensuring the safety of innocent bystanders, then you're not a good captain!" Spitfire yelled, her eyes flashing with a strange red hue.
"You're right." Lightning Dust suddenly said. "I'm never going to be as good as you, Captain Spits."
Spitfire growled and lowered herself in an attack stance, while Rainbow hovered at her side, forelegs raised, ready to strike. Suddenly, she appeared. Lightning Dust was glaring at them, wearing her Washouts uniform, helmet discarded.
"I'll be even better." She snarled.
Then, Lightning Dust flew down and swerved, delivering a kick to Rainbow's stomach with her hind leg. Rainbow let out a yelp and shoved back, but Lightning Dust swiped up with an uppercut and got Rainbow on the jaw, sending her reeling back. Rainbow recovered with her training and shot towards Lightning Dust.
Spitfire was frozen. She couldn't move. All this... she closed her eyes and heard, not the sounds of two brawling Pegasi, but the screams of a colt, the metallic slicing of a knife... and louder screams of a small four-year-old filly.
"No..."
"Aw, is little Spitty scared? Is she gonna cry?" Lightning Dust suddenly taunted. Spitfire dropped her attack stance and sank to the ground, feeling tears beginning to trail down her face.
She remembered it all. Laughter and joy, running through a grassy field up a hill with a shining blue lake... the retreating form of a red pegasus... the soothing voice of a colt long gone... the beatings, the yelling, the screams of horror... and then... rushing to the mountains in search of the Ice Iris because she was so afraid of losing someone else...
"Cap?" Rainbow's limping steps echoed in the long, tall hallways. "Spit?"
"Face it Crash, your Captain's a weak little filly. How else do you explain how easily fooled she was by Rider? And she must be some kind of monster to replace her own second-in-command with a complete newbie who can't stay in the air long enough to make it through a single ring!"
Spitfire felt something ignite in her chest. She pressed down on her legs and forced her head up. "What. Did. You. Say?" her eyes flashed red.
"I called you a monster, Spitfire, why? Did it hurt your feewings?"
"It is one thing," Spitfire's voice wavered with a slight sob, "For you to call me names. But you do not insult my friend or teammate. Not on my watch."
"Um... Spit... your eyes are red." Rainbow pointed out, backing up.
"Oh, believe me Dash, I know." Spitfire snarled "I think I should stop holding it in."
"Holding what in?" Rainbow asked, suddenly sounding scared.
Spitfire's eyes gleamed red, and stayed that way. Her mane began to flicker and flow like flames. She bared her teeth to reveal fangs that hadn't been there before.
"My anger." she growled, then opened her wings.
Spitfire's wings spread open wide in a threat. The outer feathers suddenly became alight with flames, making Lightning Dust and Rainbow back up in fright. Spitfire stomped her hooves down in anger and they lit up with flames as well. Her cutie mark was glowing. Spitfire's eyes narrowed and she let out a feral growl.
"Sp-Spit?" Rainbow asked, eyes going wide.
"Get away Dash, I don't wanna hurt you." Spitfire growled, flinching and reaching to rub the side of her head.
"Gah! D-demon!" Lightning Dust screamed
Spitfire snarled and lunged. "I'm not a demon! I'm a normal pony!!" she screamed, and punched down. Lightning Dust fell backwards and rolled to the side as Spitfire's hooves came down.
"Ah! G-get away from me, you freak!" Lightning Dust screamed, taking off and flying away, out the door of the museum.
Spitfire raced after her and yelled after her. "I'm not a freak!"
"What's going on?" Soarin raced up, Fleetfoot beside him. Rainbow came up behind Spitfire to meet them. "What is that?!"
"Spit!" Rainbow raced back around, heading for her. Spitfire raced at her, headbutting her in the chest so she was pushed backwards. "Agh!"
The cry of pain did it. Spitfire's eyes widened and her gaze softened as she looked at Rainbow. The mare was sitting up, rubbing her chest and wincing. The flames around Spitfire's hooves and wings faded, and her fangs disappeared. Her mane's fire lessened and she reached up to rub her eyes.
"R-Rainbow?"
"Thpitty!" Fleetfoot raced forwards and threw her hooves around her neck. "What happened to you?"
"It..." Spitfire's eyes returned to their normal brown. "It's called my Phoenix State. It happens when I get genuinely angry... it's a drawback to my Phoenix Magic. I'm sorry Rainbow... I didn't mean to hurt you, I can't control my anger... when I warned you to move, I used the last bit of control I could manage. I lost control after that."
"So you didn't mean to hurt me?" Rainbow asked
"I would never hurt my friend on purpose." Spitfire rubbed her head. "I think I need to go lie down..."
"Okay. Come on Thpitty." Fleetfoot nuzzled her.
"Wait, you're not scared of me?"
"Not if you're not trying to hurt anyone." Rainbow said "I mean, losing control of your emotions is no big deal, happens to everyone. You just have a more... extreme reaction."
"Funny." Spitfire said dryly, then winced.
"Come on honey, you look like you need to lie down." Fleetfoot urged
"O-okay..." Spitfire followed Fleetfoot away, while Soarin helped Rainbow limp after them.
"So, what happened in there?" Soarin asked
"Dust showed up." Rainbow replied
"She what?!"
"I'll tell you once we're inside Soar." Rainbow said, nuzzling him.
"Alright." Soarin sighed
"One thing before we go inside..." Spitfire turned to them. "Don't tell anyone, please. Not even the others, okay?"
"Sure, but why?" Rainbow asked
"I just don't want them to know. You guys may not be scared of me but there's plenty of ponies who would be quick to call me a demon... evil... I'm not just talking about Dust, either."
"Poor baby. C'mon, let'th get you to bed." Fleetfoot kissed her on the cheek.
Spitfire snuggled up beside Fleetfoot in bed.
"So... you're really not scared of me?"
"Of courthe not honey. We know you, you'd never intentionally hurt anyone." Fleetfoot nuzzled the bigger mare, holding her in her hooves. "You're a beautiful mare, like Rainbow thaid, you jutht have trouble controlling your anger becauthe of your powerth. There'th nothing wrong with that."
"Even though I look evil?"
"But you aren't evil, that'th what matterth." Fleetfoot kissed her forehead.
"Thanks Fleety..." Spitfire cuddled up to her. "Love you."
"Love you too Thpitty."