Hearts of Harmony

by Obigity

Chapter 2

(Three Months Later)

Spitfire sighed as she opened her locker thinking about today's event. Her concentration broke again today when she tried flying in formation, nearly crashed into another Wonderbolt member into the bleachers. She was glad it was just practice before the actual event was to take place tomorrow, but she couldn't get her mind off of this bad feeling she's been getting for the past last three days. It's usually like this when she about to perform before a crowd, but this gut-wrenching feeling she's been getting has been growing worse. Spitfire would chalk it up to her being nervous like she usually is before she performs but this feeling been getting her distracted even on practice days and that never happened before.

She finished her hygiene, drying off as she walked to the door before she was stopped by a young gruff male voice,

"Hey Spitfire, the Leader wants to see you."

Once more she sighed as she made her way to the Wonderbolts chief flyer.

Captain Motorsports a strict but fair stallion, his team referred to him as the lead-from-the-front pony that earned the respect of ponies from all over Equestria throughout the years but none more so than his team.

During his time as Wonderbolt Captain Motorsports has made many excellent flyers from all over Equestria and even finer citizens when they are integrated back into civilian life which he always believes that they are to be outstanding ponies both professional and personal.

His slightly sagging blue-grey fur and brown mane with a patch of white reflected his age along with some battle scars that lay hidden told stories of his time as a Wonderbolt. In a few months, he'll retire, and the mantle will be passed down to the Vice Captain who he sent another member to fetch a while ago.

Speaking of, his office door opened, and Spitfire came walking in with a neutral look on her face.

"Good Afternoon sir, you wished to speak to me?"

She saluted and cut when he waved his hoof.

"Yes, please take a seat."

His words crackled like a fireplace from his younger years at yelling at new recruits. Spitfire clopped on over to the empty stool sitting directly in front of her Leader without looking too worried she sat without a sound and waited for Motorsports to begin.

Anypony would feel intimidated sitting directly in front of their boss but not her, after all the things both of them went through she could confidently say she felt comfortable when he stared at her likely thinking how to start the talk.

"How are feeling Spitfire?" The Captain of the Wonderbolt's began politely.

"Fine sir, thanks for asking." It was a curtly answer, very much not like her to give a short answer that lacked her fiery tempter she always displays even when she talks.

He raised an thinly eyebrow at her in disbelief, "Really? Because from what I saw today, you didn't look ‘fine' it seems like you were distracted and what I've seen this week you've been looking like something terrible happened. You want to talk about it?"

Spitfire's shifted uncomfortably; she could never hide anything from her superior especially one that knew her since she joined. It was obvious from the beginning he would always see through her, another sigh left her as she contemplated how to begin to describe herself.

"It's just... I've been getting this feeling. Like-This really bad feeling that's been throwing me off the game."

She said in a dry voice as she laid it thick. Spitfire was never much of the ‘feely' type and thought best to get this counseling session over with.

Captain Motorsports put a hoof to his chin as he hummed in thought.

"Do you know around the time it started?"

Spitfire tilted her head while recalling,

"Around when I left the hospital."

The Captain gave her a solemn stare,

"Is it about Coltsville?"

The memory of a burning town danced across her mind as she could still remember the rain as it poured down on the burning remains of the inhabitant and the inhabitants as if in mock pity. The stench of death and wet smoke filled her nostrils as she searched for…she blinked hard ridding herself of those memories.

"No, sir."

He saw the conflicted look on her face, "Are you sure? I told you if you needed time I could give you the month-"

"I promise you, sir, it has nothing to do with that." Interrupted, again her words sounded too wooden even to her.

"Spitfire."

Her friend's face twisted in deep concern, "You came back to work too soon. Everypony else took the month off to collect themselves, but you didn't, and I'm worried."

Both recalling the day they were sent out in response to an all hands emergency response from the Princess that everypony in the country knew it to be the greatest incident of the millennium. Anypony in Equestria knew about the fire or what it's now called ‘The Great Coltsville Fire'.

It was the first recorded major lose they had in over a thousand years. The lone Pegasus who delivered the message was so exhausted from the miles of travel and in an heightened sense of desperation that when the mare finally made sense, emergency rescue units were sent and the word was passed to the princess who had immediately called for the messenger.

Nopony knew when it started, later on from the accounts of the remaining survivors said it came out of nowhere without warning. One account from a unicorn stallion who was enjoying his lunch outside when it happened, dark clouds formed above them and fire fell from the sky like rain and it didn't stop for hours until the town and lands around them became the new Tartarus. Three hundred lives were taken that day with only ten survivors, there would've been more but the wounds were too severe for the victims either from the physical pain of having their flesh melt to their bones or their will to live on as they watched their loved ones turn to ashes.

Due to the severity of the situation, Celestia had made the decision to abuse her power by pulling the sun to midday to overpower the smoldering clouds with pure beams of sunlight. The clouds and smoke refused to disassemble even when magic was tried. Not wasting any time ground forces were sent in, and flyers were told to keep low and not breath in the fumes if they couldn't help it.

After many struggles, the unicorns killed the smoke, and the pegasi kicked the rest of the dark clouds away, but it was too late. Everything was burned to the ground and what was left didn't remain for long after the ponies were scavenging through.

Days have passed as the bodies were taken away and rescue teams were sent away for the cleanup crew to work. The following weeks were miserable, to say the least, family and friends were in mourning, a mass funeral service was held the names of the ponies that died were released to the public as Princess Celestia herself read every one.

A month passed, and a memorial was built in Canterlot for those who died. The ones that survived stayed at the Canterlot hospital, best health services in all Equestria and most were released within a week or some cases months until their next of kin had been contacted.

Spitfire had been visiting the hospital daily to check up on the ponies making sure that they were in good health.

"I know, but work helps me keep my mind clear and focused. Although, now things haven't been clear when I left the hospital."

The Captain seemed confused before he realized, "Ah, it's about him isn't? The one you saved."

Of all ten ponies that survived the only one that gave them trouble happened to be the healthiest out of all the survivors. This particular case was brought to attention by the hospital staff that the patient has suffered from severe trauma during the incident and has not yet been able to remember anything about his identity. They concluded that he has what they could closely call DSM-V which happens when a pony has been exposed to so much trauma that the mind represses the memory, but in this case, his entire life before was locked away.

With nopony able to identify him or records that weren't burned away there was no hope for finding his relatives, he would be given to the nearest orphanage.

Spitfire regularly checked up on him seeing how he's doing, making small talk and filling him up on Equestria or taking him out to gain back his motor functions. It became apparent he needed physical therapy when he started to have trouble moving properly, Spitfire overheard this from the doctor and asked to become his trainer which they thought was strange coming from a Wonderbolt, but they sent the request up. A few days later she got the green light from the hospital after they reviewed her profile seeing as she had many recommendations and a certificate in therapy. Since then she regularly visited and helped the little one regain his strength.

She lifted her head, "Yeah, he had to undergo another test to determine if he could regain his memory; it's more of a shot in the dark method than standard practice."

It was his final week in the hospital before the ward would take him. Spitfire has been having an internal struggle about it, sure she was glad that the kid's in fair condition and would be given proper care and in the unforeseen future a suitable home.

She was the one to explain it to him, but when she finished there was no sadness or even a look of shock, he knew what was going happen, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The only reason she could think of was he ran of tears that day and the only thing left was to accept what came next and it hurt her so much she didn't know why.

Her inner self clashed against what her mind and feelings were telling her what to do, but that was her problem; she didn't know what to do.

‘Faust, I hate this.'

Although it seemed Captain Motorsports knew exactly what she was going through because he gave her a knowing look, "How the kid holding up?"

Spitfire puffed out her wings with a smile stitched onto her face, "He's doing fine for somepony who doesn't know what's happening to him. He hates being stuck in the hospital, but only allowed to walk around with adult supervision; it's not necessary when he knows where he's going. I swear that colt acts more like an adult than most ponies I know."

A fond smile made its way across her face, "Like the other day we were walking down the hallways when these two elder ponies were fighting over who wanted to sit next to the window to look outside when he talked to them, and they agreed peacefully to take turns. Heh, he's always been like that: helping anypony in need or doing random things like cleaning or fixing things. I asked him if he wanted to be a butler I could have him meet with one of Princess Celestia servants, but he told me he didn't want to be a bother."

Spitfire had to give it to him; the colt knew what he was doing as a Repair-Pony. She couldn't be more proud of the little guy when he helps others complaint or without thinking twice at times it worried her thinking he'll overexert himself, but so far he's not been showing any signs of struggle. So she left him to his own device and it seems to be doing well for his growing reputation as an unofficial staff aide.

"You seem to get along with him quite well; he's really grown on you?"

Spitfire felt the smile on her face grow up and sprout out blended between a smirk and a grin,

"Well we do have some chemistry, he's got a lot of talent in that little body of his, it would be a shame to waste~"

Captain Motorsports shook his head chuckling at his Vice Captain antics. Always a teaser that one, never shying away from
the opportunity to embarrass others one thing she did pick up from him.

"By Faust, Celestia help him then." Laughter echoed from both ponies.

Her Captain's eye twinkled with hidden intentions, "Planning to make him hate his life from such a young age?"

He shook his head mockingly, "You truly are heartless."

Spitfire shrugs her shoulders, "Hey with a brick personality like his, that's the only reaction I can get out of him. You have to keep pushing his buttons until he decides to do something about it."

"Well, I hope he learns fast if you're going to stick around."

Spitfire mood instantly changed by how she stiffened up and laughed nervously, "Yeah…"

Hearing the uncertainly in her voice, Captain Motorsports smile went back into a straight line, "You are going to visit him before he gets medically separated right?"

Spitfire nodded her quickly, "Of course I am! I wouldn't leave him alone after all the time we had together. It's just…" She trailed off and refused to look at him like she was afraid of what he would see.

It didn't take a scholar to put together what Spitfire was trying to get at. After getting to know the colt she had grown attached from the way she speaks animatedly about, it would leave her heartbroken state when he left her and from one pony to another he could understand that feeling like a parent would being forced to watch as their child is taken from them.

The more he thought about it and judging by the way Spitfire acted; she was thinking the same thing. Captain Motorsports knew what he had to do and as both team leader and her longtime friend.

"There are no right choices here." Captain Motorsports said calmly.

Spitfire flattened her eyes, "I know, It's been eating at me every night, and I-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." Motorsport interrupted with an authoritative voice that mad Spitfire automatically locked her body up and paid full attention to like a fresh new recruit,

"You're not as clueless when you first joined the Wonderbolts and you already know what to except you don't have the nerve's to act on it."

He moved out his chair talking to her as he maneuvered around his office in a militaristic fashion.

"I know I'd taught you to always show confidence in everything you do, even when you're wrong. True, this situation isn't like any I've ever seen so I can't help you, all I can do is offer counseling and support. You Spitfire, are stuck between a choice and choosing either one terrifies you."

He stopped behind Spitfire as her head sunk lower and lower with every word that came from his mouth, "There's no easy answer to this, and I don't expect there to be. But it doesn't matter, any action that you take I will not think bad of you."

He layed a hoof on her shoulder, "It's best to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hoof and turns into something you'll regret. However you want to do this, remember nopony will judge you."

At those words, Captain Motorsports turned around and walked out, as he was about to close the door he heard a small voice, "How do I know I made the right choice?"

He didn't miss a beat when he answered closing the door, "What makes you happy."

Spitfire looked down on the floor for a couple of minutes when her leader left thinking about everything he just said. She's been through this for days, and it hasn't gotten her anywhere now that she has advice it cleared up a few things, but the issue remained. Getting nowhere she got off the seat and headed off hopefully some fresh air would shed some light on her struggles.