Chapter 7
Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts and one of the most talented fliers in Equestria, finally got back to the room she was sharing with her close friend and teammate Soarin’ around noon, the day after the disastrous party. “Free publicity”, her agent had said. “Just sign some autographs.” He said. Yeah. Spitfire was pretty sure she wasn’t doing parties like this again, not for a LONG while.
Soarin’ looked up from what was apparently the fifth in a line of pies, judging by the empty pie tins on the table. “Spitfire!” He exclaimed in relief, giving her a hug. “I was worried about you.”
“So I see.” Spitfire said teasingly, gesturing with her head to the empty pie tins. She hugged him back and gave him an affectionate jab with her hoof. “Not so worried that you couldn’t gorge yourself on pie, huh?”
“Hey, being nervous makes me hungry.” Soarin’ said defensively.
“Everything makes you hungry, Soarin’.” Spitfire said lightly, plopping on her bed tiredly. “Besides, what’s there to be nervous about? I was just getting some tests done. You know those egghead unicorns, they looove their tests.”
Soarin’ scuffed a hoof on the floor. “It’s just... you were taking so long, I thought something was wrong. You know, I heard some ponies got some really... you know, weird mutations. This one colt I saw looks like he turned into solid rock!” He paused, giving his friend an odd look. “Say... is that why the eggheads kept you so long? Did you... ya’know...”
“Mutate?” Spitfire asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s okay, you can say it. It’s not a disease, Soarin’. It’s just... I dunno, they used a lotta big words I didn’t really get, but what I could get it’s just like the way we fly or move clouds. Just... a little extra.”
Soarin’ looked profoundly uncomfortable. “Aw, come on, chief. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just... weird, is all. I mean, it’s like something out of a comic book; it’s not the kinda thing you ever expect to really see.” He paused, giving his captain an inquisitive look. “So, uh.... did you?”
Spitfire’s face broke into a wide grin. “Yup. Wanna see?”
Soarin’ looked nervous, but he resolved to be excited, for Spitfire’s sake. “Sure!” He said, his enthusiasm at least partly real. “Uh, it’s not... dangerous or anything, is it?”
“Not if I’m careful.” Spitfire said, hoping off the bed. “That’s why I was with the docs so long; took a little while to figure out how to get it under control. But I’ve got it now, so no worries. Watch my mane.” Her brow furrowed in concentration.
Soarin’ obediently watched her flame-colored mane carefully, waiting for... something. Several awkwardly silent moments passed before he saw something. Her mane began to move and shimmer as though alive... and then, suddenly, it burst into flame.
Soarin’ leapt back with a yell, his eyes wide as saucers, but Spitfire just grinned at him. “Take it easy, you big baby. I’ve got it under control.” Soarin’ blinked, somewhat shocked to see his friend unharmed despite the fact that her mane was seemingly made of fire now. “Pretty neat, huh? I think it suits me. I can control it, too. Watch!” Soarin’ watched in awe as Spitfire concentrated again, raising a hoof and pointing it forward. A jet of flame shot out from it, burning briefly before going out. Spitfire grinned, firing another jet. This time, she formed it into a burning ring and made it hover in air for several seconds before allowing it to disperse.
“That’s... amazing, chief!” Soarin’ said, with honest admiration in his voice. “Kinda scary, but amazing! I wonder if we can work it into our routines?”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Spitfire said, her mane returning to normal. “I think I should probably practice with it a bit more first, though. Fire’s pretty dangerous, I don’t want anypony getting hurt.” She grinned broadly. “Still, think of the stunts we could pull, huh?”
Soarin’ grinned with her. “It really does suit you, too.” He gave a small sigh. “Aw colt... now I wish I got a cool mutation, too.”
Spitfire put a hoof around her friend comfortingly. “Aw, sorry Soarin’. You didn’t get anything?”
“Nothing. I mean, I guess I should be happy. Lots of ponies got some pretty awful mutations; better nothing than something bad, right?” Soarin’ grimaced as he remembered that blue earth pony that had been teleporting around the testing room when he’d gone to see the doctors to check for mutations. Teleporting might be cool, but the poor pony had looked like something out of a nightmare. He hadn’t seemed terribly bothered by it, though. “Still, I guess I’m kinda... jealous.”
“Jealous?” Spitfire asked, genuinely surprised. “What do you have to be jealous of? You’re still one of the best stunt fliers I know. And I don’t know any pony who can put away pies like you can; that’s practically a superpower in itself.” That got a chuckle out of him. “Don’t worry so much, Soarin’. I may have some new tricks, but you’ll always be my wingcolt.”
“Thanks, chief.” Soarin’ said with a smile. “That means a lot, coming from you. Oh! I just remembered! Now that you’re finally back, me and the rest of the ‘Bolts were gonna go down to Pony Joe’s for some doughnuts. You wanna come?”
Spitfire shrugged. “Eh, I dunno, I’m kinda beat. I was thinking about just getting some rest, why don’t you... go... with...out...” Her vision swam suddenly, and her legs buckled and collapsed beneath her. She could barely hear Soarin’s panicked yells as her vision faded away and was replaced with... something else.
-----------------
She could see the rubble of Pony Joe’s, with the bodies of ponies lying scattered around on the floor. Right in front of her was Soarin’, his back bent in a way backs shouldn’t bend. Just beyond Soarin’ was a massive earth pony, larger even than an Alicorn, with bulging muscles and a green coat. With a furious roar, the enormous green pony reared up, and brought his hooves down on Soarin’s skull.
-----------------
“-ief? You okay, chief?”
Spitfire’s vision came back into focus to see Soarin’s concerned face looking down at her. “Soarin’...?” She murmured. Her head was aching. “What... what happened?”
“I dunno, you just blacked out for a second there.” Soarin’ helped her to her hooves. “It was just a few seconds though. Maybe you’re more tired than you thought?”
“Probably.” Spitfire tried to laugh it off, but she felt uneasy. The beast’s roar from her hallucination still echoed in her head. “The docs said I might get kinda dizzy if I used my powers too much. I better get some rest, huh?”
“Yeah, you’d better.” Soarin’ said, helping her into bed. “You want me to stick around, keep an eye on you?”
“You’re a sweetheart, Soarin’. I’ll be fine.” She waved a hoof at him and smiled with a cheerfulness she didn’t feel. “You go get your doughnuts, though how you can still eat after all those pies I’ll never understand. Bring me back a chocolate glaze, huh?”
“You got it, chief!” Soarin’ replied, snapping a smart salute out of habit. Spitfire chuckled. “You get some rest, I’ll be back later.” He left, and Spitfire snuggled into her blankets.
It’ll be fine, she told herself. It was just a hallucination. You’re just tired, that’s all. Maybe that craziness at the party left you a bit more shaken than you thought. But it’s nothing. It’ll be fine.
Right?
-----------------
Spitfire awoke suddenly to the feeling of being watched. She nervously glanced around. The room seemed empty. She laid back down... and suddenly there was a pink mare in her bed with her.
Spitfire stared. The pink mare stared back. “Hi!” She said cheerfully.
Spitfire gave a loud yell and jerked backwards, falling off the bed in her surprise. “Who the hay are you, and why are you in my room?” She demanded angrily, scrambling to her hooves.
“Whoops, sorry!” The mare giggled, hopping out of bed. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Pinkie Pie, and you’re Spitfire! My bestest-best friend in the world Rainbow Dash is your biggest fan EVER!”
Spitfire felt herself relax a bit. This mare was clearly not entirely all there, but she seemed relatively harmless. “You’re... friends with Rainbow Dash?” She asked, remembering the rainbow-maned pegasus who’d pulled off the Sonic Rainboom at the Best Young Fliers competition. She was a bit rowdy, but a good kid. Her friends probably weren’t dangerous.
Probably.
“Yup! We’re best friends FOREVER!” Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically. “Anyway, sorry about sneaking into your room and waking you up and scaring you and eating your last pie...”
“Those are Soarin’s.”
“But I thought I should tell you that you should listen to it.” Pinkie finished.
“Listen?” Spitfire was confused. “Listen to what?”
“Your Spitfire Sense, of course!” Pinkie said cheerfully. “See, I have a Pinkie Pie sense that tells me when things are gonna happen, and my right back hoof starting itching which usually means I’m ignoring my Pinkie Sense and I need to listen to it, except I haven’t gotten a twitch all day! Than my neck got crampy, which meant I was thinking about the wrong pony, so I just kept thinking about alllllllll the different ponies I know until I thought of you and it stopped aching! It took a looooong time though, because I know a LOT of ponies.”
Spitfire blinked, her brain trying to process what the energetic mare was trying to say. “So... you think I have something like your... Pinkie Sense? Something that predicts the future? Isn’t that... I dunno, impossible?”
Pinkie shrugged. “I dunno. Twilight said it was impossible and she got really upset about it but eventually she just gave up and said it worked anyway. Besides, I never let being ‘impossible’ stop me, and that was even before all sorts of impossible stuff started happening all over the place!” Suddenly, Pinkie got really, uncomfertably close to Spitfire’s face. “Soooo? Did your Spitfire Sense go off? Any twitches or itches or floppy ears or-”
Spitfire backed up a bit, holding up a hoof. “I... got a hallucination. Or I thought it was. Like... some kind of vision...” Her mouth suddenly went dry.
“Really? That’s so cool! My Pinkie Sense never does that!” Pinkie paused, and cocked her head to the side. “Oh! My hoof stopped itching! That must be it! I better get going now, before Rainbow Dash misses me! She gets kinda lonely at night, you know! Bye!” She bounced away, right out the door and down the hall. Spitfire barely noticed, as the implications of Pinkie’s visit slowly dawned on her.
“Oh Celestia...” She whispered. “I’ve got to get to Pony Joe’s.” She threw open the room’s window and leapt into the air, streaking out over Canterlot.
-----------------
Pony Joe’s didn’t look ruined. Spitfire flew towards the small doughnut shop, her racing heartbeat beginning to calm. Everything looked calm, orderly, under control.
Maybe it was just a hallucination. Maybe that crazy pink mare was just a crazy mare. Maybe nothing was wrong, and she was panicking over nothing. The worst danger Soarin’ was in was danger of getting a bellyache.
So why did all her instincts scream that something was horribly, horribly wrong? It was the feeling she got when she watched a cocky pegasus trainee leave a dive too late to pull out, or when an amateur stuntpony tried to pull a trick that was going to land him in the hospital. Every bone in Spitfire’s body screamed that something bad was about to happen.
Fine. She’d go in, tell Soarin’ she was feeling better, have a few doughnuts, and go home. Everything would be fine, she’d prove to herself that nothing was wrong, and she could put this nonsense behind her.
She began her descent towards the shop as the sun finished setting behind her.
Suddenly, the entire front of Pony Joe’s erupted outward under a kick from the enormous green monster from Spitfire’s vision. He - it - roared it’s anger to the skies, screaming something incoherent to the ponies inside the shop.
Spitfire didn’t think. She just acted. Her mane ignited covering her body in flame and propelling her forward many times faster than she had ever managed alone. She went into a steep dive and collided with the roaring green beast at a speed that would’ve pancaked a lesser pegasus. As it were, ramming the mutated pony was like hitting a brick wall, but Spitfire loosed an explosion of flame at the moment of impact, knocking the monster across Pony Joe’s and through the other wall.
Spitfire landed, running into the ruined store. Injured ponies lie all over the floor. Joe was slumped over the counter, moaning fitfully. And there, on the floor near the center of the store, was Soarin’.
It was just like in her vision. Soarin’ back was bent in a way a pony’s back was not meant to bend. Bruises and cuts covered his body and her wings were splayed out, one clearly broken. Spitfire knelt down, putting her ear next to his mouth. He was breathing, if only barely.
Another roar distracted Spitfire from her fallen friend as the monster tore his way back into the shop, widening the hole his exit had made. “HULK SMASH PUNY FIRE PONY!” he roared, his massive hind legs bunching up. He leapt at her, at a speed no earth pony was ever meant to obtain, his front hooves outstretched to pound the much smaller pony into dust.
Once again, Spitfire acted on instinct. Her instincts saved her life on more than one stunt gone bad, and she’d learned to trust them. She obeyed them now. “Smash this, flankhole!” She yelled, a torrent of flame erupting from her and smashing into the oncoming green juggernaut. The sheer force of the flame forced him back, knocking him from the store once again. This time, Spitfire followed him out, smoke pouring from her eyes as her tears evaporated on contact with the flames surrounding her.
“You hurt my friend.” She growled out, as the massive beast got back on it’s hooves. “I am going to burn you to ash.”
“HULK HATE FIRE! HATE FIRE!” The beast yelled. It certainly wasn’t the most intelligent being in Equestria. It charged Spitfire with an earth-shaking yell, each hoofstep cracking the pavement beneath it.
Spitfire flared her wings, enormous wings of flame extending out from them. The fire covered her whole body, transforming her from a mere pony to a living avatar of flame. She exploded forward, the force of her flames driving her forward into the green giant and knocking it off its’ hooves. She flared her flames, driving the beast further, through two brick walls and into the hard stone of Canterlot Castle. The beast grunted at the impact, trying to swat Spitfire away with it’s hooves, but it was slow and clumsy. Spitfire backed away and loosed another torrent of flame, pouring all the flame she could summon onto the beast. The stone around him began to melt into molten slag, and the steam from her eyes grew so thick as to obscure her vision.
“BURN!” She screamed, not caring that her own fiery aura was dying, that her wings felt like they were made of lead. “Burn burn burn BURN!”
She felt a hoof on her shoulder, and suddenly her mind resurfaced. Her burning assault ceased, and she turned to look who had touched her. Through the steam around her eyes, she could see Thor flying just behind her, a gentle look on his face.
“That is enough.” He said in a quiet, but commanding tone. “The beast is defeated. Your friend is safe. Rest now.”
As though her body had merely been awaiting permission, Spitfire felt herself losing consciousness. The docs had warned her, she remembered dimly. She couldn’t overuse her powers or she ran the risk of exhausting her supply of magic. She vaguely felt hooves catching her as her wings faltered and her world went black.
-----------------
The doctors tried to tell Spitfire she needed to rest, but she refused to listen. Her wings felt like lead weights, making flight impossible, but she managed to find her way to Soarin’s bedside. She stayed there, watching Soarin’s battered body struggle to live. He was hooked up to several machines, filling the room with whirs and beeps, and the soft glow of healing magic covered his body in a gentle blue light.
It was all her fault. She should’ve gone with Soarin’. Or convinced him to stay in the room with her. She should’ve taken her vision seriously. But she ignored it and now Soarin’ was hurt. Maybe dying. What would she do if Soarin’ died? He was her closest friend, her most trusted confidante, not to mention an important part of the Wonderbolts. Oh Celestia, what would happen to the team if Soarin’... no. No, he’d be fine. She had to believe that. Even if his breathing was shallow and heartbeat uneven and his spine broken, she had to believe he’d get better.
“Ya’ll should be resting, ya know.” Spitfire spun around to see an unusually large stallion with a bright red coat and a Cutie Mark shaped like a large green apple. There was a sympathetic look on his face, and he exuded a sense of calm and stability; Spitfire felt herself relaxing in his presence. “The docs said you’ve got some pretty bad magic exhaustion. Ya’ll need lots of rest if’n yer gonna recover.”
Spitfire turned away in shame, turning back towards her fallen friend. “I can’t rest. It’s my fault Soarin’ got hurt. He’s my best friend and I let him get hurt.”
“See, that’s just not true.” The stallion said comforting, walking over to stand beside her. “Th’ way Ah heard it, yer the only reason yer friend is still alive at all. Ya’ll aught to be proud.”
Spitfire shook her head slowly. “I knew what was going to happen. I don’t know how but I did. I had a... a vision, I guess, of that... monster killing Soarin’. I just... ignored it. I just assumed it was a hallucination. If I’d taken it seriously, then... then Soarin’ would be...” Her voice caught, and she couldn’t speak.
“Hey now.” The larger pony put a comforting hoof around her. “Thinkin’ about what coulda’ been won’t get you nowhere. Ya’ll saved his life, that’s what’s important here. And really, yer friend’s real lucky. Ah just talked to the docs and they found somethin’ real interesting: Yer friend’s a mutant.”
Spitfire gave him a surprised look. “A mutant? But... he said he didn’t...”
“Yeah, well, they missed it before.” The other pony said with a nonchalant shrug. “One of the problems with mutations is that we’ve got no clue what to look for. But the brainiacs from Celestia’s school took a look at him, and he’s definitely a mutant - specifically, he’s got what they’re callin’ a “low-level regenerative ability” which near as Ah can figure means he heals real good. It’ll take weeks, maybe months, but yer friend’s gonna make a full recovery.”
Spitfire felt a massive weight lifting from her, and she gave a massive sigh of relief, slumping against Soarin’s bed. “Oh thank Celestia.” She whispered, a few tears slipping from her eyes. Both she and the other pony were silent for several moments, before she turned to him, wiping her eyes. “Thank you.” She said softly. “Who are you?”
“Yer welcome, miss. Mah name’s Macintosh. Macintosh Apple. Most ponies call me Big Macintosh, or Big Mac, or just Mac.” He extended a hoof towards her, and she shook it slowly. “Princess Luna sent me ta’ talk to you about this team Ah’m helpin’ her put together.”
“A... team?” Spitfire asked, curiously. “What kind of team? I’m already a member of the Wonderbolts...”
“Ah understand; ya’ll got responsibilities ya’ll need to attend to. Believe me, Ah felt the same way. But this is important stuff, so at least hear me out.” At Spitfire’s hesitant nod, Big Mac continued. “It’s not gonna be a big team, ‘least not at first. Four, five ponies at the most. Smaller teams bond faster, makes it easier for them all to get used to each other; that’s what she told me. Th’ team’s gonna be headed by Thor, and it’s gonna be made up of what th’ Princess calls ‘exceptional ponies’. Ponies with power, like you, but also with th’ spirit and courage to stand up to a rampagin’ green monster to protect yer friends.”
Spitfire certainly didn’t feel very brave at the moment. “And what exactly is this team for?”
“Welll... at the moment, it’s mostly gonna be for fighting Loki. That’s the pony who planned that attack on the castle two days ago. But officially, our job’ll be to protect Equestria from all the stuff normal ponies can’t handle. With the mutants all over the place now, there’s going to be ponies out there that the normal peace-keeping force just isn’t able to cope with. That’s why th’ Princess is puttin’ this team together. To deal with it.” He gestured towards the sleeping Soarin’. “So that what happened ta Soarin’ won’t happen to some other pony who can’t heal. To protect Equestria from those who can’t control their mutations, like this ‘Hulk’ fella, or those who use their mutations to hurt others.” He looked straight into Spitfire’s eyes, with an intensity that startled Spitfire. “You in?”
Spitfire took a deep breath and glanced at Soain’. “I want to make sure what happened to Soarin’ will never happen again.” She said finally, looking back at Big Mac. “I’m in.”
“Good.” Big Mac said, his intensely serious expression replaced by an easygoing grin. “Glad ta’ have you on board. Just one thing; it’s probably kinda pointless, what with you bein’ a celebrity, but th’ Princess thinks we all oughta have ‘secret identities’, like in the comic books. Costumes, code names, the whole nine yards. Personally Ah don’t see the point, but Ah ain’t in charge, am Ah? Anyway, the Princess already picked a name out for you, if’n you want it. How’s ‘Firebird’ sound?”
Spitfire looked thoughtful, than she grinned. “Firebird. I like it.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.02 seconds
Total duration
1,007 users online
2,005,802 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
The Hulk and the Human Torch. Sweet. Who's next? Captain America?
Firebird sounds nice but I was hoping that you would have gone for the "Equin Torch"
Lol!! I could see it now. Twilight Sparkle as the Iron Mane and her BBBFF Shining Armour as Captain Equestria.
Firebird, you stay here and think of a better commando name
Firebird: mehhhhh
I really hope that Supermare/Supermane is next.
667631>>1352655
Firebird is entirely unrelated to the human torch. Remember, this is focused on the Avengers- Firebird might not be as famous, but she is one.
1980564
Wrong universe. Superman is DC, Avengers are Marvel.
And what did her and Rainbow Dash's sleeping together have to do with anything? NOTHING.
Again, that just feels like it comes out of nowhere (even for Pinkie) and it really means NOTHING to the plot.
I've gotta stop before I ruin the story for myself bitching about such small details. Kinda like going to the Ritz and then complaining that the ice cubes are round and not cubed.
Nice to see Firebird getting some love. Most folk forget she exists entirely.
This isn't exactly the most well written story I've read, but it's certainly interesting, and it's keeping me going from chapter to chapter. Good show.
DEADPOOL?!?!?!?!?!?!
3020146
nightcrawler
Behold! One of the things I am most grateful for this fic introducing me to Firebird! I mean, we ar talking about a gal who I have never even heard of. Even EMH, a great series that did have some c-listers show up, didn't even show her. She doesn't pop up in any events/crisis crossovers, and is rarely spoken of. I love having a rare character show up, gets me excited and makes me want to rea more about them. Its kind o like how Batman Brave and the Bold worked or certain Flash episodes (Bug eyed bandit and Cisco being some of myfaves)
667631 dont you mean captain equestria
3020146
no, that's Nightcrawler
I can think of 5 different fire related songs to fit this chapter