Spitfire ran blindly as she held her precious cargo. Her cargo, Firefly’s daughter, did not want to cooperate. Despite being wrapped up in an oversized wet Wonderbolt blazer, she squirmed, kicked and screamed bloody murder in Spitfire’s ear.
Spitfire had other problems to worry about. The route in which she had entered had now collapsed as the building crumbled around them. If she wanted to get the girl out and then go back in for Firefly she had to move fast to find an available exit.
She had no other option except to fly, the stairs were far too weakened, and from the way the child was connecting each kick with her thigh, the leg might go out from under her. She took off, praying that her wings won’t catch fire.
With a start Spitfire realised the child had stopped kicking, and instead buried her head into the crook of her neck, accepting her fate. She felt her heart break as the child began wailing, calling for her mother.
Spitfire cursed as she came to the fire exit: It was on fire.
The child suddenly started coughing, violently. It was only then did Spitfire notice the dense strata of smoke filling the room – they needed to get out. Now.
Clutching the child close to her chest, she made a run for the fire door and connected, shoulder first. Pain ripped her arm as fire flicked all around them.
The girl jumped in fright at the impact and the sudden rush of heat.
~
Rainbow Dash sat up sharply, hyperventilating. She was drenched in a clammy sweat and suddenly felt freezing cold as the cool night air gently blew through the room. Rainbow exhaled as she remembered where she was; Wonderbolt Academy. It must have approaching dawn; the room was dark still and all the occupants of the bunk beds were fast asleep. She rubbed her shoulder and glared up at the person that had poked her quite hard.
‘Y’alright Dash?’ Lightning Dust hung upside down from her bunk above Rainbow.
‘Y-yeah, I’m good.’ Rainbow quickly turned away from her, conscious her cheeks were wet with tears.
The weight of the bed suddenly shifted and Rainbow was suddenly very aware that Lightning was lying next to her.
‘You were crying in your sleep.’ She said, matter-of-factly.
‘Get out of my bed, Left-in-the Dust.’
‘Make me, Rainbow Crash.’
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed – well she asked for it.
Lightning squealed as fingers assaulted her, digging into every known ticklish spot. With as much as she could muster, Lightning managed to hook a finger underneath Rainbow’s knee in an attempt to retaliate. The result was immediate, Rainbow’s squeal was louder than her own. Their laughter reverberated through the dorm and several voices joined their own; they had managed to wake up the entire dorm – although really, it would have been a miracle to sleep through the ruckus.
The lights suddenly came on, blinding everybody. ‘What the hell?’
Rainbow and Lightning froze from where they had ended up on the floor. That voice meant trouble.
‘Rainbow started it!’ Lightning was quick to blurt,
‘Lightning...!’ Rainbow tried to retaliate.
‘I DON’T CARE!’
Everyone winced as Spitfire unleashed her fury, the girls falling silent.
‘...who started it.’ Spitfire continued as if she hadn’t reached a deafening volume just a few seconds ago. ‘The entire bunk can go outside, dressed as they are and do laps until I say to stop.’
A communal groan echoed, but Spitfire wasn’t budging. Standard punishment, the entire team took responsibility. That’s how the academy operated and that’s how things run around here.
~
Spitfire fought the urge to apologise and change that rule. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were running rings around the others, and had no sign of slowing down even after an hour of continuous flying. The others, weary from little sleep, and hindered by some, frankly ridiculous, nightwear and were struggling to stay in the air, some of the girls having had tucked their nightgowns between their legs.
But Spitfire set on her poker face and blew the whistle sharply.
Two thuds in succession and Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust stood at attention. Spitfire found herself highly amused as their nightwear was matching, both wearing boy-cut underwear and a tight singlet that, quite frankly, left nothing to the imagination. Not that Rainbow Dash had much to show off, mind you. Lightning was definitely the bigger of the two, although not by much.
Spitfire shook herself out of her thought trail as the others collapsed in front of her. ‘Breakfast is in an hour.’ Spitfire said, focusing on maintaining a straight face, praying she wasn’t blushing and that Rainbow and Lightning were oblivious to her inspecting their “form”. ‘This morning’s little exercise does not exclude you from normal training regime.’ Spitfire paused, allowing for the inevitable groan. ‘Your regular trainers will be informed of what has transpired, and that if you do not turn up then you have me to answer to. You two.’ Spitfire pointed at the culprits. ‘You have five minutes to put your uniforms on and report to my office – dismissed.’
‘Yes ma’am!’ Lightning and Rainbow yelled in unison and shot off in the direction of the dorms as everyone else lumbered clumsily through the air.
~
‘This is ridiculous.’ Rainbow grumbled, her stomach growling in agreement.
Rainbow and Lightning had been assigned to Spitfire’s office to sort and file paperwork, unable to leave until they finished or were dismissed by Spitfire. It was plain to the two girls that the mountain of papers were not going to be done in a hurry, both of them hoping in vain that Spitfire would be back after breakfast to tell them to come to morning drills.
Breakfast passed, and the faint distant sound of whistles and shouting signified that training was in full force.
‘This is going to take forever!’ Lightning whined, her fingers tapping at the computer’s keys far too slow for her liking.
‘I know.’ Rainbow deposited a stack of paper onto the documents Lightning was entering into the system. ‘And I’m sorry, this is my fault.’
‘I know.’ Lightning echoed, sounding irritated, ‘I’m sorry for being concerned for you – I’ll ignore you next time.’
Rainbow stood there for a moment, not sure how to respond. In the end she turned and went back to paper sorting and filing.
The girls worked in relative silence, only being interrupted twice with things being delivered to Spitfire’s desk. One was the Wonderbolt in charge of admin. She brought in another box, and set it by Rainbow without a word, despite a meek “Hi” and “Thanks, Ma’am” from Rainbow.
‘Gee, uptight much?’ Rainbow asked Lightning after she had left.
Lightning chuckled. ‘I think Streamline is a rather straightforward person. Likes to get things done.’
‘You worked with her before?’
‘Yeah, after the incident.’ Lightning said, sadly.
‘Oh.’ Rainbow chewed her lip. Lightning was referring to when she had nearly killed Rainbow’s friends, and the whole drama that happened after. Rainbow knew that after she had been promoted to Lead, Spitfire had brought down a heavy punishment on Lightning before she was instated as Rainbow’s Wingman. Rainbow thought she was rather subdued afterwards and Lightning didn’t really want to talk about any of it.
‘I don’t think she likes anyone much – very much a rule stickler. I saw her give Spitfire the greasiest glare I’ve ever seen when Spitfire gave her a whole lot of papers that she had signed and wasn’t supposed to without being witnessed. And I believe Spitfire gave her the disbelieving look you’re giving me now.’
The door handle suddenly turned and both girls whipped around quickly to focus back on task; they didn’t want to get into trouble for talking when they supposed to be working.
They didn’t need to fret though, the person wandering through the door wasn’t a Wonderbolt – heck she wasn’t even part of the academy.
‘Derpy?’ Rainbow asked in surprise.
‘Rainbow Dash!’ Derpy’s face, although it had been cheery before, stretched into a wider grin. ‘Wasn’t expecting you here. How’s training going?’
‘It’s, um, not.’ Rainbow said, holding up a pile of documents. ‘We’re Spitfire’s personal pen-pushers for the day.’
‘That would be awesome – oof!’
‘Careful, Derpy!’ Rainbow said in alarm as a chair fell over with a clatter.
‘Ah, it’s alright, I always walk into that.’ Derpy stopped to look, cross eyed, at a stack of letters she held in her hand.
‘Doesn’t the mail go through the security downstairs?’ Lightning Dust asked, frowning as Derpy placed several letters and a package on Spitfire’s desk.
‘Not on Fridays.’ Derpy said airily. ‘Seeya Rainbow!’
‘Derpy look-‘ Rainbow cringed as Derpy ran headlong into the doorframe. ‘-out.’
‘Oop, my bad.’ And then she was gone.
‘Who was that?’
‘Derpy Hooves – she’s a postgirl, and a weather-worker, and, well, any odd job she’ll take – whether or not it’s done well is a different thing.’ Rainbow shrugged, ‘She doesn’t mean any harm, trying to support her family and whatnot.’
‘Spitfire’s coming!’ Lightning hissed, voices echoing through the open door.
Rainbow turned to her pile and felt very anxious at how little she had seemed to have gone through. She ducked her head and put pen to paper. The voices passed the door, obviously not Spitfire.
‘Don’t do that to me.’ Rainbow hissed.
‘Shut up and let’s get this done.’ Lightning said, obviously feeling the same as Rainbow.
For the next hour the only noises in the air the typing of the keys and the scratching of Rainbow’s pen were only heard. Both girls were highly bored, but pushed through in hopes that Spitfire would come and relieve them. That was, until the ink in Rainbow’s pen ran out.
‘I’m out of ink.’ She commented.
‘So get another pen, Crash.’
‘Where?’
‘Spitfire’s desk, I dunno.’ Lightning was hunched over the keyboard, punching out numbers a bit harder than she needed to be.
Feeling a bit conscious, Rainbow picked up the few pages that needed filling out and walked non-chalantly around Spitfire’s desk. It felt weird to be on this side of it. Feeling daring, Rainbow pushed the mail to one side, placed the papers down, picked up a pen and with a deep breath sat down on the big chair.
‘You did not.’ Lightning looked at Rainbow in disbelief, a grin growing on her face. ‘You cheeky...’
Lightning was interrupted by a voice outside Spitfire’s office, literally just outside. As a reflex, Rainbow and Lightning leant over their work and furiously typed and wrote. Rainbow realised too late it was the wrong reflex to have, Spitfire and Surprise were already in the room, madly talking about their plan of action for their newest Wonderbolts.
‘You comfortable there, newbie?’
‘No Ma’am, sorry Ma’am.’ Rainbow, red-faced was quick to reply, practically leaping to her feet and scrambled to the other side of the desk, realising too late she’d left the forms behind.
Spitfire was observant though and handed them to her with a chuckle. It abruptly stopped. ‘What’s this?’ Spitfire picked up the package Derpy had left on her desk.
Rainbow saw the postal address was the only thing on it. No return address, no processing marks, no name. Rainbow saw Spitfire and Surprise exchange a fearful glance out of the corner of her eye.
‘I’ll take it.’ Surprise said, grinning forcedly. ‘I love me a surprise.’ She threw a wink at Rainbow and promptly left.
‘Front and centre – both of you.’
Lightning and Rainbow clambered to stand in front of Spitfire.
‘Now,’ Sptifire took off her aviators and leaned against her desk, ‘What was this morning all about?’
~
Rainbow Dash felt frustrated and betrayed. She didn’t want to cause a fuss over something so trivial and yet here Lightning poured out every last embarrassing detail, even the parts she didn’t know, like how she had been thrashing in her sleep – fighting against the blanket that had been tucked around her.
‘Was there anything you wanted to add, Rainbow?’
Rainbow couldn’t look at Spitfire, the gentle, concerned tone too much for her. She shook her head.
‘OK,’ Spitfire said, understanding. ‘I don’t want this to happen again, I’ve got more important things to deal with.’
‘Yes Ma’am.’
‘Shoo.’ Spitfire waved a hand dismissively before turning and settling into her chair.
Lightning had high-tailed it out of there quickly, but Rainbow had to put back the papers and as she saw Spitfire turn over the mail in her hands, her mind brought forth the earlier exchange between the Wonderbolts and she hesitated in the door.
‘What is it, Rainbow Dash?’ The voice was weary, not like Rainbow had heard before.
‘I was wondering about that package...’
‘Not your place, Dash,’ Spitfire said, warning clear in her voice.
‘Are you in trouble, Captain?’
‘Dismissed, newbie.’
Dash searched her captain’s eyes for a response, but all she got was blank silence.
With a half-hearted salute, Dash walked out. Whatever the issue was, Spitfire didn’t want her to know about it, and with a bowed head she decided to respect that.
~
Rainbow Dash couldn’t sleep.
When she closed her eyes all she could see was flame, all she could hear was the screams of someone burning. She found herself hyperventilating and overheating.
Rainbow swung her feet over the side of the bed, her toes coming into contact with the cool floor. The boards creaking under her small weight, she stole to the doorway, briefly glancing over her shoulder to see that no one had stirred, everyone tired from the extra work they had had to put in yesterday.
She was envious that they could sleep so peacefully. Desperation for sleep drove her to the empty bathroom across the hall. No one really used this bathroom, except for perhaps morning ablutions. Everyone showered at the shower block closer to the training grounds, it meant no one had to wait, and you could enjoy listening to Fleetfoot’s trainees have a whine about how much of a hard-assed trainer she was.
Rainbow couldn’t look at her reflection, she knew she looked small and pathetic, that her eyes would be dark and hair limp and unusually faded. She knew if she didn’t feel awesome, then she probably wouldn’t look awesome too.
Her eyes drooped heavily, begging her to close. But Rainbow wanted to clear her head before she attempted sleep. Her hands fumbled around the numerous bags under the sink before finding her own hidden up the back. Her hand slipped in and closed around a familiar shaped bottle.
The golden apple cider slid easily down her throat and settled warmly in her stomach, a nice contrast to the cold water beating down on her. She gasped in relief, and slid down the wall of the shower until she sat in the puddle at the bottom.
Her eyes closed, visions of fire were ebbing away as the cold water cooled her down and calmed her. Another swig of cider and Rainbow felt herself relaxing, every droplet of water felt like a massage on tired muscles. Her sleepwear clung to her, hugging her wings and hips tight, holding her together.
Her wet tongue ran around the edge of the bottle, tasting cider and fresh cloud-water. It was certainly refreshing, reminding her of her friends at home, reminding her that she was not alone.
‘Rainbow Dash.’
Rainbow’s eyes flew open.
Spitfire stood, arms crossed, leaning against the open door of the bathroom – she had forgot to lock it.
Rainbow cringed - she had been caught consuming alcohol in the shower when she was meant to be in her bed. That was breaking at least three academy rules, and she knew others had been suspended for less.
‘Are you having nightmares again?’
Rainbow hadn’t been sure what Spitfire was going to say, but she certainly wasn’t expecting that. ‘Uh, no?’ she said hoarsely.
Spitfire opened the shower and turned it off and held out her hand.
With a sigh, Rainbow made to hand the half empty bottle of cider over, but much to her surprise, Spitfire took her by the arm and lifted her to her feet.
‘Does anyone know you’re in here?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Good. Now as much as I hate to see a good half full bottle of cider go to waste, you’d better bin that before I report you.’
Rainbow looked at Spitfire in surprise, why was she being so lenient? ‘Yes, ma’am?’ The bottle slid into the bathroom bin with a clunk.
Spitfire turned the bathroom light off and glanced up and down the hall. ‘Alright, listen carefully – go get dressed, I don’t care what in. Just do it quickly and quietly and be back here ASAP, hurry up, we only have an hour.’
Thoroughly confused, Rainbow Dash tip-toed quickly back into the dorm. With a quick flurry of a towel and only the sound of rustling feathers, Dash quickly donned shorts and a t-shirt and crept back out.
Spitfire immediately took her by the arm to the end of the corridor and into the main academy building.
Rainbow Dash knew the academy by night, several trips to the ice cream fridge and a few dares to visit the boys dorms, but Spitfire obviously knew it better and didn’t slow down, even in patches of zero visibility, even taking Rainbow through some secret passageways. It took Rainbow a moment, but then she realised the route Spitfire had taken meant that they were completely hidden from any security cameras.
A thousand questions ran through Rainbow’s mind, but she kept her mouth shut and let herself be pulled along, blindly. After several twists and turns and down staircases, Spitfire drew to a halt. She placed a finger to Rainbow’s lips and bade her remain quiet. She pulled out a key and inserted it into a hidden crack in the wall.
Rainbow heard a soft click as she turned it. The crack that ran from the roof to the floor widened, Rainbow’s eyes followed suit. It had already been a strange night, but now it was getting ridiculous. She peered into the gap; it was pitch black, ominous.
‘Stick close,’ Spitfire whispered. ‘I don’t know what surprises are in store.’
‘You haven’t been here before?’ Rainbow asked dubiously.
Spitfire shrugged a little too nonchalantly for Rainbow’s tastes, and without second thought slid through the gap and disappeared into the black.
‘Spitfire!’ Rainbow leapt in behind, her hand reaching out for her, but only finding air.
SLAM! Rainbow swirled on the spot and put her hand on where she had come through – it had closed over, leaving her in complete darkness. ‘Spitfire?’ Rainbow’s breaths echoed against the emptiness.
Rainbow tried to calm herself, and she stepped forward, her hands raised in front of her. Suddenly she felt a presence, it was like another sense, that she realised she was not alone in this room, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
We’ve walked into a trap!
‘Who’s there?!’ Rainbow said steadily, ‘Show yourself! What have you done with my Captain?’
Hands suddenly gripped her wrists with surprising force and twisted them behind her back. With a soft chink and the cold bite of steel, Rainbow knew she was in handcuffs. Well she wasn’t going to have any of that. She tried to fly out of their grip – “tried” being key word as the hands gripped her ankles and brought her back down to the concrete ground – off balance.
Rainbow tried to use the hands that attacked her as leverage, but found herself on a crash course toward the floor. Rainbow reflexively winced but cried out in surprise as she landed on something that was very soft and not the concrete floor she was standing on seconds ago.
Rainbow seized up and twisted, flapping madly and kicking as the hands grabbed her wings. For a moment, Rainbow felt like she succeeded as the hands let go, but her victory was short lived, the hands grabbed her again and someone heavy sat on her so she couldn’t move, skilled hands clamped her wings together and tied a blindfold around her eyes – rather pointlessly as she was already blinded by the total darkness.
Rainbow’s brain was on overload, if she couldn’t fight her attackers, maybe she could reason with them. Most importantly though, was her concern for Spitfire, she hadn’t made a sound since entering, what if she was hurt or something? ‘Spitfi-mmph!’ Rainbow almost choked as the gag was shoved in her mouth.
Rainbow heard an echo in her head that sounded a lot like Applejack. ‘There ya are! Trussed up like a turkey, a turkey that can’t fly...’ Rainbow gave a grunt and lashed out with the thing her attackers had forgotten; her legs.
Her first kick connected, and the squeak that it caused confirmed in Rainbow’s head that at least one of them were female. With a flick of her legs and a clever roll with her body, Rainbow managed to be up on her feet, ready to karate kick anyone that laid a hand on her.
She momentarily wondered why her attackers had backed off when suddenly something cold, metal and very gun shaped pressed into the back of her neck.