//------------------------------// // Broken heart, broken feathers... // Story: The Cream // by Nightyy //------------------------------// “Finally waking up, Captain?” asked familiar voice. Shining Armor raised his head and looked around. When he saw Feather Grip sitting not far from him, he let his head fall down on the desk. Another moments of silence passed by. “You look sick, Captain. No surprise. Do you remember anything from yesterday?” Feather continued. Shining again raised his head and looked straight at Feather. Or, at least he tried. He wanted to say something, but suddenly he felt something wrong in his stomach. In no time he realized that he is going to see what is making him feel so bad. He put hoof on his mouth and tried to be as much focused as he could. “There is a bucket under your table. There, on the right. Just please, don’t-” said Feather, but stopped when he heard that his captain is just vomiting. “-don’t,” he said slowly, “fall into that bucket. I’m not going to wash your face again.” Shining stopped for a while and looked at Feather. “Again?” he asked. Feather just nodded and Shining again hugged his bucket. After few minutes, Shining laid on the ground. “I… I am done!” he said and pushed away almost full bucket. Grip came to his captain and looked at product he made. “Well, as I see, you really had enough when you said so. I will go and empty it, maybe you will need it once more,” he said and carefully levitated the bucket with his magic. As he approached the door, with the bucket in front of him, someone rushed in. “Cadet Crimson Strike ready for duty!” shouted saluting Crimson Strike. “Captain, are you all right?” he asked with shocked expression in his eyes. Then he mentioned Feather lying on the ground, covered in Shining’s vomits and empty bucket next to him. “What? I think it will be best if I will go and guard the door,” he said and slowly walked out of the room. Feather stood up and tried to get off as much of the fluid as he could. “Argh, I have to take a shower before I could do anything else.” Shining was not arguing so Feather went to showers. As he closed the door to office, Crimson Strike immediately started asking him. “What was that- that everything? What’s with captain? What’s with you? You smell like… like a homeless pony who’s permanently drunk. Hmm, whiskey, beer, and something else. What that might be? It’s not alco-” “Shut up already!” shouted Feather. “Captain is-” ‘It’s not a good idea to tell him that he is drunk. Yes Crimson is stupid, but he is able to find out what’s going on. He smelled all that alcohol and saw everything.’ “Captain is just exhausted. He needs some time. Yesterday was a great party and he… he was taking me home at about six o’clock in the morning because I got kinda drunk.” “Exhausted?” asked curiously Crimson. “It’s almost noon.” “Yes, it’s almost noon and you just came to serve your duty. You should be glad to have such a captain!” shouted back Feather. Crimson was shocked by Feather’s argument and he didn’t know what to say. When he finally found a good response, he mentioned some is coming. As he focused his eyes and saw Spitfire. He immediately remembered what happened to him and tried to leave the doors exposed as much as they could be. “Good day to you Feather. As I see you really like to be covered in everything what is at least a little bit liquid, right?” she asked sarcastically. “What actually happened to you?” “Captain,” he saluted, “I think that it will be better if you will discuss it with my captain personally. But you should come later, captain is exh-.” Spitfire looked at Feather with confused expression, but then just waved her hoof. “Ah, it’s fine,” she said and entered the office. “Well, good luck,” said Feather when Spitfire closed the door and then continued to showers. “Good day, CAPTAIN! Or perhaps morning?” shouted sarcastically Spitfire on barely moving Shining Armor. “You don’t seem right to me. How is it even possible?” she said with ironic smile and waited for Shining’s response, but he did absolutely nothing. “Hey, Shining, are you alive? Do something! It’s not funny anymore!” she said in worried voice, urging his response. Finally, Shining moved with his front hoof. “Ah, so you are alive,” she said and looked around the room. Her eyes got caught by a bucket, which Feather Grip left in the room. She picked it and went to showers. “Need some help?” said Spitfire when she saw Grip washing his coat and slowly approached him. He turned around and saw elegantly moving Spitfire with bucket in her mouth. His eyes opened wide and he couldn’t move. ‘Oh, shit. Why in showers? And what is she doing in here anyway? I mustn’t think about her. But why is she… NO! Concentrate! Do not think about her hindquarters, her… fuck it…’ Suddenly, Feather felt that his member also wants to see what’s going on. ‘Come on! Think! She might find it suspicious if I will stand here and stare.’ “Do you know what was in that bucket?” Spitfire came next to Feather, put the bucket down and smiled. “Yes, I do. It’s not the worst thing I had in my mouth, if you know what I mean,” she said seductively. Warm drops of water were falling on Feather coat. His heartbeats increased and sweat was forming on his forehead as he felt his member getting harder. Spitfire put her hoof on Feather back, close to his tail. “Do you know what I’m going to do now, cadet?” she said as she moved her hoof closer to Feather more private parts. Feather tried to hold himself and his member, but it was getting very hard for him. Suddenly Spitfire made a quick move and turned water from warm to very cold. The shock Feather felt was terrible. His eyes got even wider and erection was immediately gone. “I’m going to fill this bucket with ice cold water. Oh, and you don’t have to thank me for saving you from embarrassment.” she said, winked and left showers with filled bucked. When Grip finally realized what’s happened, he quickly turned off the water. “Saving me from embarrassment, huh? Not at all.” He wanted to leave showers, but then he realized that he didn’t finish his cleanup, so he turned on the water. He didn’t forget to switch it back to warm, but there still was cold water in pipes. “FUCK IT!” --- *Few hours earlier in Cadance’s room* ‘Umm, my head aches. That was a terrible-’ “-dream,” said Cadance, looking around her room. When Twilight heard her, she immediately trotted to her bedroom. “Ah, Cadance, you’re a-” “Awake? Alive? Angry?” she said with irony in her voice. “To be honest, all of that. If you are as smart as others say, tell me Twilight, where is your brother? Why is he not in here? Why is he not in OUR bed? Is he with my aunt, or even with that whore who call herself a Wonderbolt?” Twilight didn’t know what to say. Cadence spit out so many questions and she seemed really pissed. “Cadance, I really don’t know where he is. I was with you the whole time.” “Alright, that’s okay. FINE! Is the sun shining or the moon still rules this land?” “What?” asked Twilight confused from her strangely formed sentence. “Nothing. I just tried to sound like Luna. She is the only normal pony in this royal family.” Disappointed Cadance got up from her bed and walked to her window spreading the curtains and letting light in. “The sun is up.” “You were in depression few seconds ago and now you want to sound like Luna?” “Depression is gone. I have a plan that can fix everything. Or at least make me feel better. Twilight, can you clean this room, please? I have to visit Princess Celestia.” --- Grip was on his way back to the office. He opened the door and saw Crimson Strike cleaning after Shining. Spitfire was sitting in the chair behind Shining’s table. Another interesting thing was bucked at the edge of the table. “Good, you can go cadet,” said Spitfire. “Yes madam!” shouted Strike in return and left the room with a piece of some old cloth and bucket. Grip closed the door behind Strike and looked back at Spitfire who spread her left wing and gently touched bucket standing at the edge of the table. “Hmm, still cold. Anyway, as you can see I made that new cadet clean the mess you made here. You don’t have to thank me. But tell me, how you felt in that shower. I mean, when I switched your water.” Grip thought for a while. “Well, it was like- wait! You are not going to spill the water in that bucket on Shining?!” Spitfire put on her innocent face, “oh of course I’m not! What did you thought?” she said, when she suddenly started smiling, “it will be an accident.” Grips eyes were once again widely opened. Spitfire touched with her wing the bucket once again and smiled toward Grip. And then, she pushed it. “Oh, fuck!” shouted Shining, who seemed way more sober than before. “Glad to see you finally awake,” sarcastically said Spitfire. “We were wondering if you will ever get up.” Shining shook his head and without telling something he went to his armchair and fell into it. “I feel terrible! What happened?” Suddenly both, Spitfire and Grip, froze and looked at themselves. After a while Spitfire started explaining. “Well, ehm, nothing interesting. You just got a little bit drunk.” Shining looked curiously at them, but they just smiled. It was obvious that their smile was faked, but luckily for them, someone knocked on the door. “Come in.” said Shining. Doors opened and a unicorn, holding Shining’s officer suit, came in. “Sorry to interrupt you captain Shining Armor, but I have a delivery for you.” Shining stood from his armchair and went to pick up his suit. “Oh, thanks. I was wondering where it has been,” he said and took the suit with his magic, revealing another dress. A maiden dress. Blood in his veins got as cold as ice and he couldn’t believe it. ‘Oh no. No, no, no! Don’t tell me it that it really happened.’ Spitfire and Griped were confusedly looking at the dress. “Ehm, mister, this one is also for you,” said the delivery pony. Spitfire couldn’t hold herself and started laughing. “Thanks!” said Shining in deep tone. “Dismissed.” Delivery pony bowed and left the room. “Can you stop laughing, please?” She stopped for a while and looked at Shining, holding his black and white maiden dress close to his body. She immediately imagined how could he look in it and again laughed so fiercely, that she even fell out of the chair. Shining came above her and stared at her for a while until she finally stopped laughing. “Finished?” Spitfire just laid on her back and tried not the think about that dress. “Almost. I just thought how good you can look in that,” she spit the end of the sentence and again started laughing and rolling on the floor. “Don’t you have some business to do in your academy?” asked Shining trying to make Spitfire leave. Spitfire stopped laughing for a while. “Nope, Soarin is in the charge today. Although, he might look interesting in that dress too. Would you mind lending it to me for tonight?” “Take it,” he said and let the dress fall on her. Spitfire slowly uncovered herself. “Aaaand, would you mind it getting back a little bit dirty? You never know what can happen, right?” she said and slightly giggled. “You can have it- wait! Dirty? How dirty?” Spitfire smiled. “You know, like, uhm- from wine! Yes,” she said and faked her smile even more. “Wine? You’re going to force Soarin to put this on and then drink wine?” “Well,” said Spitfire and stopped for a few seconds. “Oh, I’ve almost forgotten Shining,” she said with joy in her voice and stood up. “You didn’t even ask me why I came here. ‘Why did you come here, Spitfire?’” she imitated Shining’s voice in way deeper tone than he normally talks. “Thanks for reminding me, Shining!” she continued with her monologue. “I came because I want you to do something for me. If you remember, I think that you don’t, but it doesn’t matter, yesterday I told you about a rookie from the academy who I accidently threw out of the window. ‘Oh sorry Spitfire, I can’t remember it because I got drunk like a bitch!’” she imitated him once more. “That’s okay. It may happen to anyone. So I threw him away and he flew so bad- it clearly wasn’t my fault- that he landed on his right wing and broke it.” “No,” said Shining with strict tone. “But, come on! I need you! And I am going to give you VIP tickets for our shows! Huh, what do you say?” she said and smiled. “I said no. I don’t have time to watch over a ‘rookie’ of yours. And I have more than VIP access to all your shows, because princess, I repeat, PRINCESS Cadance is my wife,” he said turning his back to Spitfire and slowly walking to his armchair. “Well, that’s true, but she won’t be your wife for a long time from now on, so you can take it as an inves-” “SPITFIRE?!” shouted Grip. Shining turned and gazed upon Spitfire, who was slowly backing. “Uhm, oh gosh! Loot at the time! Grip? Could you go with me and somehow distract Soarin’s attention, so I could get into his room unseen?” she said still looking at shocked ‘soon ex-prince’ Shining Armor, while opening door with her hind leg. Grip slowly walked to Spitfire, trying not to make quick moves, like if his captain was some kind of wild, ferocious beast. “Sure, but you have to fly me there, I don’t have wings,” he said and both suddenly disappeared behind the door. “What? This can’t be true!” mumbled Shining. --- Princess Celestia was just having her morning tea when Cadance rushed into her room. “Good morning auntie, how was your night? With my husband!” she shouted at Celestia, who almost spilled her tea. “And don’t try saying that you wasn’t with him!” “Cadance,” she calmly said, “sit down and let’s talk about it.” “So you don’t deny it! How could you?” “Cadance, sit down. I swear he wasn’t with me during the night. You can ask Luna if you don’t trust me. He left when you came and didn’t return.” Cadance finally calmed a little and sat down on a pillow. “How can I know that I can trust you, after what you have done?” “I just had to tell Shining the truth about him. Tell him how he became the captain.” Celestia explained while filling another cup with tea and passing it to Cadance. “You must understand that I did it all for you! I did it to protect you!” “You did it for me?” said Cadance more to herself than to Celestia. “I don’t believe you. But if you really did it for me then you can prove it. I know about a thing what you could do to regain my trust. There is a certain pegasus, a Wonderbolt. Captain of the Wonderbolts, to be specific. Her name is Spitfire. Let’s say, that I have some royal problems with her. I want you to discharge her. Completely. No more captain, no more Wonderbolt.” Celestia was shocked by Cadance’s request. “I can’t discharge my best Wonderbolt. What have she done to you that you want me to discharge her?” “She,” said Cadance and deeply inhaled. “She slept with my husband.” There was a brief moment of silence and Cadance started crying. “Cadance, I have no proof of this. I can’t do it until you give me a single proof.” said Celestia in calm voice and took a sip from her cup. “Guards!” shouted Cadance. Immediately, two unicorns rushed in. “Find Feather Grip and bring him to us.” Both nodded their heads and left princesses alone. Minutes of silence passed by. Celestia was meanwhile drinking her tea. Finally, a knocking sound came from the corridor. “Com- ehm” Celestia cleared her throat. “Come in.” Guards opened the door. “Here he is, princess.” Cadance smiled. “Thanks, dismissed.” Both nodded once again and left. “So, Feather Grip.” Cadance turned on the other side to face Feather. “All you have to do is to answer me few simple question.” Celestia was just quietly watching. Her nervousness was becoming stronger with each second. Dismissing Spitfire would mean disrespecting Wonderbolts as her guards and making whole Empire face potential threats. “You remember my yesterday visit into your ‘pub’, do you?” Feather also seemed nervous and he could only nod in agreement. “Good. Spitfire, the Captain of the Wonderbolts, was there too, right?” he again nodded with his head. “Great. Oh, what was she talking about, hmm. About things she has done with my husband, am I right?” Feather started sweating. He knew this is taking a very bad way. After a while he did the same movement as he did after previous questions. “Excellent. Now the last question. Be sure that you will tell nothing else than truth.” Feather could feel his heart racing. “Spitfire had sex with my husband.” Feather’s heart almost stopped. He couldn’t say anything. He was just heavily breathing. Cadance had to break this moment of silence. “What? Why you don’t say something? Do you want to say that I am not telling the truth?” Grip looked to the ground. “No, my princess.” Celestia’s mouth almost got opened while Cadance’s smile got even more malicious. “So, you are saying that she is guilty!” Grip was still looking on the ground and nodded his head. Cadance turned back to Celestia. “Here is your proof. Now you can discharge her.” Feather heard Cadance and his head immediately rose. Celestia closed her eyes and slowly put her hoof on forehead. “Alright,” she said slowly. “I will send her letter whe-” “No.” interrupted Cadance. “Do it now!” “If you want it so bad, come later. You are dismissed, both.” Cadance stood up and looked very satisfied. All her tears were long gone. “Cadance? Please, think about it. You can solve this in another way.” Cadance looked towards Celestia, but when she finished her sentence, she turned back and continued. Feather Grip left the room first and waited for Cadance. “What have you done?!” he immediately shouted when Cadance closed the door behind her. “Watch your mouth young stallion. Such tone can bring you only problems. You may also lose your job. When we are talking about problems, I think it will be better if you keep this as our little secret.” “Princess, please. Wonderbolts are everything for her. She lives for them. Don’t do it!” plead Feather almost falling on his knees. “Pathetic,” heartlessly said Cadance and turned around, walking away. “She lives for the Wonderbolts you say? Didn’t you mean she lived?” --- “Oh, this can’t be happening, this can’t be happening!” repeated Shining to himself as he trotted to Cadance’s room. “No, she can’t just let me be. It was Celestia’s order to dress like that!” “Shining Armor.” Shining woke up from his thoughts. “Princess Luna?” She stood there with scars all over her body. “What happened to you?” “That’s not important,” she said in a serious tone. “I need to talk to you. Can we speak in my room?” 'Why now? I need to see Cadance. But Luna is also a princess and refusing her is not a good idea, furthermore, that scars are probably also my fault.' Shining didn’t say anything and followed Princess Luna to her room. “Close the door.” Shining did as she said and sit on a pillow. Luna wasn’t facing him. She deeply exhaled. “You’ve got to help me!” she shouted as she faced him. Shining felt on his back from the shock and Luna immediately caught his shoulders and held him on the ground, standing above him. Her tone wasn’t serious anymore. She spoke fast and nervously. “My sister! She will have birthday in two days.” “Really? I thought it’s next month.” “No!” she shouted getting her body even closer to his. “Well, yes. It’s- complicated. Her REAL birthday is in two days, but nopony knows about it. Well, nopony expect some of the guards, royal family, Wonderbolts and maybe- that’s not important anyway!” Shining was getting really confused. “But what about the Summer Sun Celebration? I thought it’s birthday of you two. You are twins, right?” Luna got even closer to Shining almost lying on him. Shining could feel her heart racing and see panic in Luna’s face. “Just, don’t tell this to anypony. Sister pretends that we are twins. She is afraid that ponies wouldn’t obey me. I need you to get some candles for me. Oh, not for me, for her! I am missing some.” Her face suddenly turned from panicked to confused. “I thought you didn’t wear your armor,” she said and looked towards her hind legs, increasing gap between Shining and her. “Because I feel something is pushing my be-” she stopped when she saw Shining erection and gulped, “belly.” “Oh I am really sorry my princess,” said Shining trying to get from Luna’s hold. “I- I- I don’t know how this could happen. I’m-” “Stop with that apologizing,” said Luna calmly looking on the other side of the room. “It-” she turned her head back to Shining, “may happen. Although, it’s not that bad to see and feel that somepony still can get excited from me. Yes, I saw it many times in dreams of other ponies, oh the things they were doing with me, but it’s different in real. But you have wife. You should try to hold yourself. If she would find out, you would have a lot to explain. And so would I. Do you know what it is like to be alone like I am? For more than thousand years! Everypony is afraid of me! All I have is my magic and my toys.” Shining’s eyes went wide open. “Toys?” “Yes, toys. I didn’t have them on moon, but they are kind of useful. I still do have to use my imagination, but it is way easier with them. But do you know how hard is for me to imagine some good stallion? There are just few and even less to imagine while I am ‘playing’. Of course some of my guard ponies are good-looking and also pretty big down there. But it was starting to be stereotype and I needed other ponies. So then there were guards of my sister. I didn’t know them as good as I knew my guards, but few glances when they were not expecting it were useful for me. But it also bored me after a while. So I looked after other stallions in barracks of the Royal Canterlot Guards. They really disappointed me. I had to find somepony else. And then, one day on the show, I found them. The Wonderbolts! Oh how I love their moves, their tricks and most of all, their tight suits! They are so tight that they reveal every curve of its wearer and also other parts of his body. Do you know how often they get ‘excited’? Mostly during the training if you want to know. But then-” “Princess,” Shining cut Luna’s monologue. “Candles.” Luna now didn’t know what Shining meant. “Candles? No I don’t use candles as toys- oh wait! Ah, this is embarrassing.” Luna slowed her voice. “I will need two thousand of them.” “Two thousand?” If Shining would be eating or drinking something, he would definitely choke himself. “How can I get them?” “I don’t know. Ask your relatives, your friends-” Shining gave an awkward look to Luna. “Alright, it’s a bad idea. So send letter to… I don’t know, SOMEWHRE! Please get them.” “I will try, but now I really have to go,” said Shining and stood up. As he was opening the door, Luna stopped him. “Shining?” He turned around. “Please, let’s never talk about this.” Shining nod his head and left the room. --- “Come in!” ordered Princess Celestia after she heard knocking on her door. Cadance came in. “Have you changed your mind, Cadance?” “No, I didn’t,” immediately responded Cadance. Celestia levitated rolled scroll and sealed it with her magic. “I will send the letter in an hour. You can still change your mind,” said Celestia and put the letter on the corner of her table. Cadance immediately took it. “I will bring it to her by myself. I want to see her face!” she said and left the room back to the hallway. “Cadance! I was looking for you!” familiar voice greeted her. She looked around and saw her husband. “Yes? Now you care about me,” she said in angered tone and hid the letter. “And what did you want from me?” “I- wanted to see you!” smiled Shining like when he was young and had crush on Cadance. “And ask how are you doing.” Cadance smiled for a while as she remembered her foalhood, but her smile was instantly changed to her angered expression. “How am I? I’m fine! Everything’s fine! And now excuse me, I have work to do.” Cadance left Shining in the hallway, proceeding to her destination, the Wonderbolts Academy. When she finally reached it nopony was training at the moment. Probably a lunch pause, she said to herself. Going to Captain’s office seemed as best idea to Cadance. When she got to door with sign ‘Captain’s office’ on it, she felt way better than before. It was little suspicious that she didn’t met anypony the whole time, but that thought quickly disappeared when she realized that only one door is between her and her revenge. Cadance knocked on the door and immediately opened them. Spitfire was sitting behind her desk and reading letters. “Oh, Princess Cadance,” she said with smile. “Come in. What brought you here?” Cadance tried to hide her malefic smile and closed the door. “How do you like your work, Spitfire? Do you like being a Wondebolt, or even a Captain of the Wonderbolts?” Cadance took a seat on the other side of the desk. “Yes, I love it! Being Wonderbolt is awesome! It was my dream since I was a little filly. And captain? Oh, gosh! I didn’t think I could EVER make it so far!” “Is that so? I have a letter from Princess Celestia. It’s about future. And your job,” she handed letter to Spitfire. Spitfire opened the letter and looked at it with smile on her face. As she went through the letter, her smile slowly faded away. She couldn’t say anything. Soarin rushed in the office and Feather Grip stood quietly behind him. “What does THIS mean, Spitfire? What are you and that unicorn hiding from me?” he asked in offended voice. After a while he realized that something is wrong. “Captain? What happened?” “Captain?!” said Cadance and stood from her chair. “Not even that you dare to ignore your princess, but you are addressing your ‘captain’ wrong. Try it once again.” Soarin firstly didn’t know what Princess Cadance meant, but when he saw Spitfire holding the letter with Celestial seal and her expression, even his slow mind figured what was happening. Soarin now looked like he just saw a ghost. None of them could believe this. Spitfire finally spoke. “Get out, Cadance. Get out of my office!” Cadance just arrogantly smiled. “This is not your office and you will address me as Princess Cadance!” Spitfire was even more angered and threw the letter at Cadance. She immediately covered behind her majestic wing. “You are lucky that you didn’t hurt me. Well, I have some things to do,” she said, pushed Feather aside and left the rest of them alone. Soarin took the letter from the ground and looked at it. After a while he looked at Spitfire, who seemed pretty calmed. She had wet eyes, but she was holding back her tears. “Spitfire, I’m really sorry. I-” “That’s fine,” she said quietly, holding her broken voice. “I-” she paused for a while, “I will just start living a new life. It’s like a second chance. But before I leave, could you do me a favor? When you will have time, fly Feather back to barracks of the Royal Canterlot Guard.” Spitfire’s voice was almost emotionless. She stood from her chair and mind-absently walked towards the door. “One more thing. Find Misty Fly and tell her about her new rank. She will be happy that she became a captain.” “Misty Fly? Why her? I though you hate her!” “I do, Soarin. But it’s Princess Celestia’s order.” Spitfire was broken more and more with every word she said. Her head was almost touching the floor. “Now, please leave me alone. I need to- think.” First drop of salty liquid fell on the floor and Spitfire immediately wiped her eyes. She left the office of the captain and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath to get some fresh air and clean her mind. --- Spitfire walked through the dark woods of the Everfree Forest. Most of the ponies were scared of this place, but it suited Spitfire and her mood. Some would say that graveyards are quiet places. Everfree Forest was way more dead. Not only that there were no birds singing in the trees or rabbits running around, but it seemed that even wind was afraid of this place. There was absolutely no sound. Spitfire heard her heart beats, her breath and even blood flowing through her veins. Listening to this for longer time would make you go crazy. Spitfire slowly walked with her head down. Her mind was far away from her. As she walked another tear came to her eye. ----- Sun Flare was in front of her cloud house. It looked way more like a palace than a house. Her family was well known through the Equestria. She walked from her door to post box and back to the door, waiting for a letter. “Where is it? How long I have to wait?” She was getting more nervous with each second. Finally a mail pony appeared from behind the clouds. He landed near the post box. Sun Flare looked at him and her eyes were sparking with excitement. “Miss Sun Flare?” said the mail pony. “Yes, that’s me!” she said and ran to him. “Do you have the letter?” “And which letter do you mean? I have many letters with me.” The mail pony liked to tease ponies. He didn’t mean it in a bad way; he just wanted to make little fillies more excited. “The one from the academy!” shouted Sun Flare and came closer to mail pony. “From the academy? Wait, I will look.” Mail pony opened his saddle bag, searched it. Nothing. He opened the second one and again searched. Sun Flare’s smile was slowly fading away. Finally, he raised his head, but looked sad. “I am sorry Miss Flare, but I have no letter from the academy.” Sun Flare’s smile was gone and she just stood there and stared at him. “But maybe you will like this letter with the Wonderbolts seal. It’s not from the academy itself, but I think you will like it.” he said and gave the letter to her. She exhaled in relief, took the letter and ran inside her home. “Miss Sun Flare We are sorry to tell you that you weren’t accepted into the Wonderbolts Academy. You can spend this year improving you physical condition and try your luck once more! We hope to see you next year at the enrollment. -Captain Mighty Hoof” Sun Flare started trembling. “I-I wasn’t accepted? How could it? No, that must be a mistake! It must be!” she threw the letter away and rushed to the Wonderbolts Academy. ----- Spitfire continued on her way through the forest, thinking about recent events. Even though she was tough and denied her tears and inner feelings for the whole time, they were slowly getting the better of her. Another tears formed in her now bloody red eyes. ----- Sun Flare ran into captain’s office in the academy. “How could you?!” she shouted. Guards immediately came after her and caught her. “We are sorry, sir. We couldn’t hold her,” they excused. Captain put his hooves on the table and looked them. “You can’t hold one stupid filly out of my office? You are worthless bunch of maggots! I think I will have to give you a lesson how to hold someone. You there!” he pointed on the second guard. The guard looked around and then confusedly pointed at himself. “Yes, you. Do you know how to hold something?” The guard nodded in agreement. “Great. And do you know how to choke someone?” The guard hesitated for a while, but then nodded. “Alright, prove it. Choke him.” The guard was shocked and did nothing. “I said CHOKE HIM! Or I will do it personally to both of you!” Suddenly, Sun Flare didn’t feel the hoof which was holding her before and heard a loud slam. She looked and saw how one of the guards is choking the other one with his specially improved armor. The guard on the ground was resisting for a while, but his resistance was decreasing as he was losing his breath. Sun Flare couldn’t stand it anymore. “Stop it!” she shouted. Captain looked at her and cruelly smiled. “Didn’t you hear her? Stop it.” Guard immediately stopped and released his victim, who gasped for air. “Now get the hell out of here!” The second guard helped the first one get back on his hooves and they left as soon as they could, closing the doors behind. “What brings you here, brave, young filly?” Sun Flare was nervous, but she tried to deny it. “You didn’t accept me to the academy! I was the best!” He looked at her with even bigger smile. “Why wouldn’t I accept the best flyer? Maybe you weren’t the best. But if you want to become a Wonderbold so bad,” he slowly walked to her, “we can try to fix it. But tell me, do you really want to become one of us after what you’ve seen?” Sun Flare was still looking straight as Mighty Hoof walked past her. She just moved her eyes, but not her head. “I want to deserve the name of my family. To be somepony, not just because of my birth, but because I am good!” she said, slowly losing Mighty Hoof from her sight as he walked behind her. She felt his hoof on her back, slowly going down to her tail. His hoof reached her tail and continued down. Spitfire just closed her eyes and her breathed faster. “Name of the family?” asked the captain as he reached her marehood. “What is your name?” She took a deep breath. “Sun Flare, captain.” “Flare?!” said Mighty Hoof with surprised tone and put his hoof back on the ground. Sun Flare’s breath calmed a little. “I think I will find a very special place for you in here, Miss Flare.” Suddenly, Flare felt something warm and wet again touching her marehood. She fiercely closed her eyes and trembled. “I must admit that you are good. If you will be good the whole time you may even get higher rank.” ----- Spitfire couldn’t hold her feelings anymore. She felt on the ground and started crying. “I gave them EVERYTHING! And they took it and threw it away! My friends, my family, my pride, my ENTIRE life! They took it all!” Spitfire screamed as loud as she could and then cried again. After few minutes she gathered her strength and stood up. She continued to her favorite place. It wasn’t far from her and she tried to focus on things that wouldn’t make her cry. After few meter she finally heard it. The sound of flowing water. She followed the sound and got to the source. A huge waterfall. She looked down. It was at least twenty meters high. River down the waterfall was wild and filled with huge and sharp rocks. Spitfire took some steps back and looked around. She was in this place before and hid something precious to her. Spitfire went closer to the biggest dead tree near the waterfall. There were few thorny bushes around the tree. Spitfire put her hoof in one of them. She leaned closer to the bush, looking elsewhere, trying to protect her eyes. She had to search just with her hoof. After a while, she took a bottle of booze. She put it on the ground and looked on her hoof. It had scars all over. Spitfire opened the bottle and immediately drank half of its content. “Mighty Hoof’s now ninety-four years old booze. Nopony remembers what this is,” she said as she looked at the bottle and then put it next to her. She rested herself against a tree and looked at the branches which were blocking her view of the sky. Seconds passed by and Spitfire started feeling something wrong in her stomach. Her head started spinning. She put her fore hooves on ground and held her balance as hard as she could. Stomach protested even more and Spitfire knew she can’t hold it any longer. She leaned forward and vomited out most of the booze. ----- “Well done, cadet. From now on, you are one of the Wonderbolts,” said Mighty Hoof, sarcastically motivating Sun Flare. “Tell my guards to show you where barracks are and where you can get your new suit and the emblem.” Sun Flare left the office without even saying a word. Her dream was fulfilled, but she was broken. She passed by the guards. Mind-absented, she continued her way to… nowhere. “Hey! Hey you!” Sun Flare finally focused her mind and looked around. She saw a yellow pegasus with light blue mane in the Wondebolt suit trotting to her. “Finally. I thought you are deaf. My name is Misty Fly. Who are you?” “I- I’m Sun Flare.” Misty’s wings quickly spread. “Flare? Like THAT Flare? That’s amazing! So what? Are you one of us?” Her hype made Sun Flare feel more comfortable. “Yes, I am a Wonderbolt now and yes, I am ‘THAT’ Flare.” “Whoa, sweet! Where is your uniform? Oh, you have none. Come, I will show you where you will get it!” she shouted and ran towards one of the buildings, the one which was way wider than others. ----- When Spitfire got her strength back, she again rested herself against a tree and took another swig of her booze. She wasn’t crying at all. Her eyes, her heath, her head, they were all filled with hatred. ----- “Mom, dad, I’m home!” shouted Sun Flare, but heard no response. “Hello?” She continued into the kitchen. Her mother and father were sitting there, looking at her. Quietly. “What’s happening?” After another quiet moment her mother finally spoke. “Come and take a seat. We need to talk.” Sun Flare slowly came to her parents and sat down. “Please, be calm,” she said to her husband and walked behind him, holding his shoulder. Sun Flare was getting unconfident. “So, daughter, do you have something to tell us about this day?” asked Sun’s father. “Yes,” she said nervously. “I became one of the Wonderbolts.” “They accepted you?” he continued with his questioning. “How? Why?” “What? You aren’t happy?” “You sold your body! Tell me it’s a lie!” Sun Flare’s heart almost stopped. “I- I had no choice!” she started crying. Her father stood from his chair and so did she. “No choice! There always is a choice! You are nothing but a whore! Get out of my house! And NEVER return! Don’t even DARE to call yourself a Flare! You aren’t one of us, you’ve never been! Now get out! I don’t want to hear about you ever again, you are dead to me!” Broken, Flare went to the only place they could accept her as at least something. ----- From hatred, back to tears. Memories she lost long time ago has returned. Spitfire drank the rest of the bottle and mentioned that her right leg is still bleeding. “I’ve spent years in pubs to forget what was meant to be forgotten,” she sniffed. “And now, it returns. That traitorous Misty Fly! SHE is the only whore! To make it even better, I ran out of BOOZE!” she shouted and threw the bottle against nearby rock. It shattered to pieces. ----- “You will do whatever he wants, understand?!” Mighty Hoof shouted at Sun Flare. “Yes, sir!” she said quietly with still wet eyes. Mighty Hoof opened door to one of the rooms in living quarters. Inside was a blue stallion drinking some kind of strong alcohol. “So I heard you saved some little filly and shits like that, Soarin! I brought you a gift, your personal toy for tonight. Do whatever you want to her and show her what being a Wonderbolt means!” said Mighty Hoof and pushed Sun Flare inside. “Good night.” Sun Flare fell on the ground and refused to stand up. She just kept her eyes tightly closed and trembled. She knew what will come and she was slowly getting used to it. To her surprise, she felt his hoof comfortably holding her shoulder. Her trembles were fading and she looked above. The blue pegasus stood above her and held her shoulder. It felt so safe, so calming. “I’m Soarin,” he said and helped Sun Flare stand up. “Not the best circumstances to meet someone new, right?” he said trying to make her feel more comfortable. “What’s your name?” “I don’t know,” she responded and looked on the ground. “How can you not know your name? You don’t trust me?” “It’s- complicated.” “No story is complicated enough. We have plenty of time. Plus, there is no fun with me when I get drunk, but I can still listen to you,” said Soarin and took a swig of his booze. Sun Flare walked to Soarin’s bed and sat on it. Soarin soon followed her and sat next to her. “I followed my dream and ruined my entire life. I sold my body to the Captain. Well, he just took it, but I couldn’t resist him. He raped me! When I came home my own father called me a whore and told me not to dare to use his name. I came back to academy where I was raped by other Wonderbolts. ‘Personal gift!’ That should be my new name.” Another tear formed in her eyes and dropped on the floor. “The whole time I’m here I think about a suicide. When that idiot won’t be watching or dragging me around I will run away and kill myself!” “Don’t say that!” shouted Soarin. “You are still living. The whole world wants you down, but you are still alive! That IS something! You must stay strong! Just spit into fate’s face and go on. But NEVER think about ending your life in such way. Suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems. There is always something worth to live for and I will ALWAYS be here for you.” Sun Flare tightly hugged Soarin and cried even more. “Spitfire.” “Pardon?” “My name is Spitfire.” ----- “Now there is nothing worth to live for!” shouted Spitfire with mind corrupted from alcohol. She looked around and saw shattered bottle. She came closer to it and saw that its shards are pretty big. Spitfire ran over one of them with her left hoof and looked at it. She was bleeding. She deeply inhaled, took the stained shard in her mouth and put it close to veins on her left leg. ‘I will miss you…’ Spitfire closed her eyes and put the shard closer to her veins. With focused mind, she slowly cut her veins open. She could felt warm blood dripping from her leg. When she was in half of her leg she stopped and threw the shard away, falling on the ground. “I can’t do it!” Spitfire was just lying in there, motionless. She felt how her blood was still running from her veins and a large puddle it created. Her vision was getting darker and darker and her mind was flowing away. “I- I can’t take it anymore!” she screamed in agony.