"Good evening, Captain."
"Good evening, Shining Armor. Captain Spitfire has requested that you visit her office before you start your shift."
"... What does she want, sir?"
"Beats me. She didn't explain the why, she just wanted you."
"... I'll visit her, sir."
"Good. The daily report will be waiting for you when you get back."
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Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor's face showed great puzzlement as he traveled to the office that had long been reserved for short-term use by the Wonderbolt Captain - a privilege Spitfire had not been afraid to exercise. Misty Fly's short term as Acting Captain did not involve using this office, so that added to the impression Shining had it was acting as a refuge for Spitfire from the turmoil that had enveloped the Wonderbolts as a result of the show sabotage.
Shining was aware of the disorder within the Wonderbolts, and desperately tried to avoid getting involved in it, dreading that the conversation would quickly turn its focus onto his sister and the degree of her involvement in it. Now, it seemed, Wonderbolt Captain Spitfire was determined to bring him in, regardless of Shining's efforts otherwise.
The sense of dread only increases in Shining when he arrives to a very irritated expression on Captain Spitfire's face. He opens his mouth to greet her, but Spitfire slams a hoof down on the desk, prompting a quick salute instead. The Wonderbolt Captain practically leaps over her desk and lands in front of Shining Armor, who is sweating nervously but retains his salute.
"Do you know why I summoned you here, Lieutenant Captain?" Spitfire challenges with fiery eyes.
"I can't say I do, ma'am." Shining replies honestly.
"It's because you're a symbol. A symbol of everything wrong with Equestria. A unicorn releases parasprites to wreak havoc and Celestia lets her off easy. A pegasus releases parasprites to wreak havoc and gets jail time and fines in the tens of thousands of bits! The favoritism is all too obvious, Lieutenant Captain, and I will not stand for it any more!"
Shining stands in stunned silence as Spitfire rips into him, knowing that she is mimicking Aten's own charges of prejudice and inequality and quite surprised by it. The rage in Spitfire's ranting continues on: "It's obvious you will be the next Captain of the Guard, and I will not stand for that either! You haven't earned that rank, and maybe even not your current one! I would rather resign as Captain of the Wonderbolts than ever accept you as an equal, but I'm hoping that Aten will succeed in making sure that never happens. Buck the Princesses and buck you for showing how pegasi are treated as second-class citizens!"
Spitfire finally pauses to catch her breath, and Shining can barely believe what he's just heard - Spitfire has abruptly pivoted back into Aten's "faction" in the Royal Guard, and it seems like she won't switch back. He opens his mouth to say something again, but a growl from Spitfire shuts his mouth again.
"Don't say anything! Get out of my office, and don't ever come back in here again!" Spitfire roars out in a final blast of anger.
Shining pauses, trying to figure out how to respond to this, but in the end he decides to just turn and leave. He half expects another berating, but all he hears is Spitfire snorting like a bull as he leaves the office.
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The snorting continues for a minute, then it slowly transitions to heavy breathing. Spitfire lowers her face to the desk, the heavy breathing continuing. She does not regret what she has said and done, but knows she just set herself up for much trouble.
Spitfire jolts back up straight when she hears another male voice: "Quite impressive, Captain. You've made your position quite clear."
"Aten?! What are you doing here?! Get out of my office!" Spitfire exclaims when she recognizes the speaker, after sitting back up.
"That would be a mistake, Captain, considering you've now made enemies out of just about every other high-ranking officer in the Royal Guard. Maybe even the Princesses too. I'm sure you don't want to get zapped by Princess Celestia?" Aten points out.
"Well... no. Of course not." Spitfire replies in an indignant quiet tone, realizing she couldn't escape Aten's logic.
"Then join me again. I am the only one that can protect you from their prejudice. What other choice do you have?" Aten again points out, giving Spitfire a (completely insincere) smile.
Spitfire looks back and forth between the walls and Aten looming over her desk, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. Aten has made a convincing argument for joining with him again, but their past bad blood between them makes that idea loathsome. There are two different voices - her voice of reason saying no, and the voice of powerful hatred saying yes. She is at a crossroads, and the way she chooses will impact Canterlot and the Royal Guard forever...