It was just another performance for Spitfire. She pushed herself time and time again to be the best flier and her performances showed this in spades. It was why she was captain of the Wonderbolts and why she had been alienated by so many other ponies. She gave her flying 110% but it was not just because she was competitive. Oh, she was very competitive but that was not the only reason. She just loved flying. She loved to feel the wind soar past her and zip along her stretched wings. It was an exhilarating life.
It was an exhilarating life. She had recently come down with a tiny bit of depression and the other Wonderbolts had noticed it. Minor deviations in the performance may not have caught the attention of the audience but her fellow aces flew on the same millisecond reaction times that she did. Soarin’ just chalked it down as “Spring Blues.” Or was that “Fall Blues?” He was probably not the kind of pegasus to go to for psychological analysis.
Currently, Spitfire was resting discreetly at a cafe after their latest show. Her minor depression had never meant much before but it almost caused a problem with this latest show. Her mind had wandered during one of the death drops that they performed in practically all of their shows. A Wonderbolt never let their mind wander - not if they wanted to live. She had almost missed her mark to pull up.
The death-defying tricks never rattled her will of steel but it terrified her that she might not be able to focus her thoughts during a show. Why had her mind wandered in the first place? Why was there some minor depression? There was nothing bad going on in her professional or personal life. Maybe I’m just bored, she thought.
Their performances were extreme as always but they hadn’t come up with a new could-die stunt in a while. Maybe Blaze was right and she was getting too attached to the adrenaline. Seeing as how extreme stunts were her way of life, it would be difficult to overcome such a problem. Right?
Well I’ve had enough chill time, she decided. She left the cafe after paying for the purified water she had ordered. The waiter had been surprised at first as most were when she chose plain old water over the caffeine rich delicacies. Too many ponies thought that sugar and caffeine would help in a performance. In reality, such things would only make her reflexes “jumpy” and it was critical to not be “jumpy” during a death drop. Even after a performance, she wouldn’t have any of it - not when she was parched with thirst and her heart was thumping at lightspeed. Social gatherings, such as the oh-so-dull Gala, were perfect opportunity to indulge in such things.
She had one thing in mind as she left the cafe: Train. She had to blow away her boredom with some new trick and the best way to do that was to go back to the basics. At least, that was something that her old trainer had believed in. In general, she found it to be true in her own stunt work. The difficult thing would be finding a place away from other ponies where she could train in peace. Such was not an easy thing since the Wonderbolts were currently in Canterlot. She heard a unicorn shout “Wonderbolt” and for a moment she thought her lazy disguise had fallen through. Thankfully, he simply bowled by her.
Spitfire snickered as she looked behind her just in time to see Fleetfoot escaping a rabid pack of fanponies. Served her right for forgetting to take off the signature goggles.
The Wonderbolts were in a “chilling time” after their performance, which meant that they could just go and do anything they wanted. For Spitfire, that meant more flying. Hey, you didn’t get to be captain by hugging the ground, she thought. Such zeal for practice may actually reinforce Blaze’s earlier comment but that was something Spitfire didn’t want to consider.
Finding a suitable spot behind one of Canterlot’s larger storage complexes, she began her warm-up. One, two, three. Her wings were back in business for extreme flying. She got ready to bolt into a loop that would get her velocity started. Ready, set, g-
“Fire! I knew I’d find you doing something like this. Don’t you ever take a break?” Misty berated her captain. How she found her was anypony’s guess but it was probably something mundane such as mare’s intuition.
Spitfire had almost careened into the ground. “How did you know it was me?”
“That,” Misty pointed a hoof at Spitfire’s disguise, “is not enough to fool another ‘Bolt.”
“Well that’s not really necessary,” the captain retorted in a fit of pride. The thought that anything about her might be inadequate was insulting.
Ignoring the remark, the yellow pegasus continued to make her original point. “DJ PON-3 is having a live concert in an hour. Fleetfoot wanted me to tell you that - though I’ll doubt she’ll make it. She still hasn’t shaken her battle brigade.”
Spitfire almost laughed. The sorry ‘Bolt was not the best at handling her fans. It took finesse, such as Spitfire’s own disguise. “I thought she only did concerts at night.”
“Yeah, but you couldn’t tell it was daytime where she’s playing. It’s one of those dim light clubs. Respectable though. This is Canterlot after all.”
“Well, I’ll pass.”
“I thought you were a fan...” Misty wondered aloud.
“I am but I’m just not in the mood for a beat. All I want is some wind.”
“Suit yourself,” she shrugged it off as she left to whatever entertainment she had lined up for herself.
Spitfire readied herself once again and took off. The first few loops got her some velocity but it was far from enough. The problem gradually became clear that she did not know just what to do to make it interesting - to get her heart racing. She continued going through basic movements. A corkscrew. A dime turn. A seamless high speed somersault.
Nothing was coming to her yet. Thirty minutes later and she was still at a loss. She slid into a dust-rising landing and almost considered giving up. But then what else would she do? Nothing sounded interesting to her at the moment. It was as she began wondering if she was bored with life that somepony unexpected interrupted her.
“I see you’re still obsessed with the rush. You’ll never improve if you don’t slow down.”
Spitfire whirled around to face the only mare that the voice could belong to. She had heard it many times from past events and performances in Canterlot. She almost forgot to bow. “Highness!”
“You don’t need to call me that,” Princess Celestia frowned. “I’m taking the day off to get away from the grind that is Canterlot nobility.”
“M-my apologies. I wasn’t expecting you...”
“And I wasn’t expecting to see you either, to be honest. I was just taking a pleasure flight when I saw your little practice session.”
Spitfire’s gaze lowered even further. She was no longer bowing but she couldn’t quite lock eyes with the Princess. There was a difference between the intimidation of a celebrity like herself and nobility like the Princess. Celestia’s eyes held a calm intensity...the kind of intensity that the ‘Bolt captain wanted to experience anew in her stunts.
“I was just going through the basics like my old teach’ used to go on about,” the pegasus tried to explain.
Celestia just stood there. There was almost an awkward moment as some wheels turned behind the alicorn’s eyes. “Good,” she finally said. “Perhaps I could show you a few things. The kind of things your instructor never even knew.”
The Princess was glowing with an inner excitement. This was just the sort of stress-relief she had wanted. She even got to strut her stuff as a bonus. No cameras or agendas. Just a little private show off - with magical assistance.
Spitfire was first surprised and then anxious. The Princess of the Sun was going to teach her something? Her fellow ‘Bolts would be insanely jealous. Even big time celebrities like them never got private lessons from the alicorn ruler. But no. She would not tell anyone. It would just be her little secret. “Like what?” she recklessly asked in her moment of happiness.
“The importance of patience...and show tricks,” she stated as she began trotting in place.
Spitfire was about to ask what that was supposed to mean - or insinuate - when Celestia suddenly lifted off the ground. She had suddenly stretched out her wings and climbed a good thirty hooves straight upwards in a single beat.
“I like the synchronization that your team uses but it should have that from the start. If you all lift off vertically at the start of the show then it gives you more space for the starting tricks while impressing the crowd with a clean rhythm,” Celestia lectured as Spitfire joined her in the air.
The captain had to keep her jaw from dropping. First, her team had just been criticized. Second, it was constructive criticism. Third, why did Princess Celestia know such things?
In response to Spitfire’s questioning look, the Princess responded simply with a sigh, “The Wonderbolts are only one of the hundreds of trick-flying groups I’ve seen throughout my many years. I even participated in a few in the past.”
That was surprising. “I had no idea...” Spitfire half mumbled.
“That I ever had a life apart from rulership and noble drudgery?” Celestia finished her unspoken comment.
Spitfire was mortified. “N-no! I didn’t mean to-”
“Oh, calm down. I didn’t mean to ruffle your little orange feathers,” she sighed once again. “It always feel like I’m carrying lead bricks on my back. Nopony save Luna knows what being a ruler is really like.”
“That’s what vacations are for,” Spitfire tried to encourage her.
Celestia only looked at her with a somber expression.
“...no vacations, huh?”
“Only the ones I sneak in,” she finally smiled again. “Anyways, I’ve been rambling. You ready to see some real speed?”
“Only if you can handle it,” the pegasus challenged.
Just you watch you silly filly, Celestia thought. But then she was off and only an afterimage of her was left beside a dumbfounded Spitfire. The pegasus could only make out blurs in spite of the fact that she had a mach-speed sense of perception. Celestia was just getting warmed up - literally.
It was as she started a long straightaway that she finally felt relaxed. It had indeed been a good idea to get the day off even if Luna had to help her do it. She didn’t like pushing things onto her sister after all. No matter. It was time to take things up a notch. With one massive push from her wings and a little magic to boost, she ignited.
Spitfire watched in awe as the blur of Celestia, shooting straight across the sky, suddenly ignited into flames and shot out into the distance like a bullet. Unbelievable, she thought. It was a trick nearly on par with the sonic rainboom. The ‘Bolt captain began to wonder what else the Princess was capable of. She probably had some tricks even more spectacular than the Element of Loyalty’s signature move.
Speaking of which, Spitfire had only seen it once during the last royal wedding. What was the name of the pegasus again? I think I met her at the gala that one time, she thought. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden alicorn’s voice.
“Did you catch that?”
Spitfire practically jumped in the air then spun around to face the Princess behind her. “When did you get back?!”
“I’ve been here all along watching that adorable look on your face,” she giggled.
Spitfire finally remembered to get her jaw off the ground. She had been open-mouthed ever since watching Celestia’s trick flying.
“So I’m guessing you want to learn it?”
“Y-yes! Of course! But can I? I mean, it doesn’t take magic does it? Because...”
The Princess shook her head. “I used some but it’s possible to do it without magic. But it will be more difficult. It’s going to take a lot of work to learn.”
“I’ll do it!”
Celestia smiled and reached over to Spitfire. Grabbing the ‘Bolt’s right wing in her hooves, she took a guess at its strength. “We have to train these first.”