//------------------------------// // SpitFire // Story: Where Did They Start? // by Lyre4Lyra //------------------------------// Chapter 3 - Spitfire         Spitfire slowly rose from the ashes (her bed) and began her daily routine. Get up.Eat breakfast.Brush teeth.Go to Flight School.         As she was eating breakfast, she heard a familiar ‘rapping’  sound on the door. This isn’t unusual, as the mail is usually coming by about this time. She heard her mom yell from the front door, “Spitfire, there’s a letter for you. It’s from the academy.” She got up from the table to go the front door to acquire the letter in question. Instead, her mother, Fire Song told her to remain seated and she will bring the letter to Spitfire. Fire Song hoofed her the letter. It read as follows : Dear Mrs Spitfire, We are sorry to inform you, but you have been denied access to attend the Wonderbolts Academy. You failed the initial flight test as your wing got caught in the Ring of Clouds. This mistake alone would have generally not failed you, but with all of your minor mistakes included, you fell below our passing standards. We hope you can improve on your skills and we hope to one day, see you attend the Wonderbolts Academy!!                                 Sincerely,                                                 The Wonderbolts Captain,  Soaring Skies         Spitfire read over the letter a few more times before she finally registered what it said.         “I … I … I didn’t get in.”         …         …         … … … Spitfire decided to go for a fly around Cloudsdale. She stopped by the rainbow factory for some reason. Her uncle works there or something. After a while, she went back home to start training for the next flight test. She knew she could pass the history test as she nailed it the first time. The written test was even easier as she always had a history of writing. The physical exam was her forte as wing-ups, laps, stretches, and everything else were part of her daily warm-up routine anyway. Her training consisted of a full-out, full-scale obstacle course like the one at the academy. Starting with the barrel race, contestants must fly around alternating barrel-shaped clouds. If you knock a barrel, points will be removed from your final score. Next, we have the Ring of Clouds. Contestants must fly through ten different sized clouds ranging from four feet in diameter to six feet in radius at different altitudes shaped like rings. After that, we have the wing ring. contestants have to use their wings to transverse six rings of different altitudes without falling below the cloud layer placed below. points will be deducted for falling. Finally, we have the free fall. Contestants must fall more than five-hundred yards in thirty seconds or less, quickly change velocity, and climb back up in twenty seconds or less. additional points will be given for spare time. Three points for every five seconds will be deducted for being late. Spitfire trained on the Ring of Clouds until she was certain she couldn’t falter like last time.  After about three hours of training, Fire Song called her for dinner. They had volcano rocks (jalapeno poppers wrapped in daisies.) Spitfire went to eat and was too tired afterwards to continue training so she went to bed. Three weeks later Spitfire went to go pick up some milk from the supermarket when she saw a poster advertising the next recruitment session. Summarized, it said that mares and stallions who have previously participated are not required to do the history test, writing test, or physical exam as long as the pony in question  passed the first time. The flight test course was the same as before. The only catch - they only had five spots available for new recruits. Only the best of the best get selected. If more than five potential recruits are chosen, a race will be held including Soaring Skies. Anyone who places ahead of her is automatically placed on the team, no further training. No ‘recruit’ time. End of story. Spitfire participated in the flight test and received the fifth spot out of 9 total “best”. In the race, she placed third, one behind soaring skies. First place was a mare named Fleetfoot. After a year in the academy, she was promoted to private and placed on the team. Six months later, a recruit named Soarin’ was placed on the team and took her spot. Shortly later, Soaring Skies resigned the position as captain.Spitfire was promoted to captain, as Soaring skies requested Spitfire become captain upon Her resignation. Fleetfoot became lieutenant. The captain, lieutenant, and private positions on the team have not changed since. Fire Song died a week before Spitfire’s promotion due to a heart attack. Too many volcano rocks, I suppose.