High Hopes and Speeding Spirits

by Discombobulated Soul

Overdue Confessions and Changed Relations

The skies above Wonderbolt Headquarters were alive with the roar of wind.

Turbulent gales battered the air as two forces moved in tandem. Dual contrails wrapped around each other before splitting off, forming a massive arc miles in length.

At the head of the first contrail, a dark teal stallion flew at speeds nearing his maximum, grinning like a maniac as he angled his body in a punishing turn. The sheer forces were enough to make a weaker pony puke and they tore at his spiky turquoise mane. Similarly-colored, piercing eyes narrowed in determination and the pegasus gritted his teeth, keeping a tight hold on his body's momentum as he maneuvered through the turn.

Only after rotating a full one-hundred and eighty degrees did the stallion straighten out, following his fading contrail back the way it came. Through the aviator goggles strapped to his face, he saw his partner finishing a similar turn, blazing through the air like a fiery comet before heading his way.

Together, the two angled downwards, but this time they shot past each other instead of winding a tight spiral. Both pegasi arrowed straight for a set of predetermined cloud targets, channeling their magic as they approached. As one, the power of the sky was unleashed and the unsuspecting clouds had no choice but to release their burdens in surrender.

Ripples of magic traveled through the air and the recoil was enough to slow both stuntponies to a near-stop. The fruits of their efforts--tiny, white falling specks of ice that dazzled the eye and brought joy to the soul--began to fill the air with a steady supply.

After observing the snowfall with satisfaction, the stallion gave a few powerful flaps and made his significantly-slower way back to his companion: A goggled white mare with a greenish-white-and-yellow striped mane.

"Nice work, Sky!" She called out as they grouped back together. Sky Stinger nodded with all the humility of a preening peacock, looking once more across the beautiful snowfall he'd created. The two were hovering above the cloud layer, but gaps in it allowed them to see the results perfectly. Sky didn't need to glance over his wingpony's side for very long to come up with a response.

"You too, Vapor! How'd you get them in that formation?"

Vapor Trail's bundle of clouds had not just been activated, but somehow arranged to form what looked like a giant, two-dimensional Hearth's Warming tree. It stretched over a wide area and the clouds compacted to make it were left room to expand--likely to prevent creating a storm or another such danger. Snow-producers had a tendency to be volatile and pegasi usually didn't play around with them all too much, as it took great skill to prevent disaster. Despite both ponies knowing this, the mare's response was bashful:

"Aw, it's just a bit of air control," she dismissed, waving a hoof, "I'm sure you could do the same with practice." Sky shook his head and hovered closer, still admiring the creation spanning several hundred feet.

"Heck no! Not without a lot of training!" He looked up at her with a wry grin across his muzzle. "One day, I hope to eventually be almost as good at using pegasus magic as you, Vapor." She flushed, easily recognizing the words, and pointed back the way they'd come.

"Yeah, well, that flying was incredible, too! I still have no idea how you pull off turns so well. I had to loop all the way around, but you just came right back!" Sky nodded his agreement rather smugly, but soon caught himself being prideful and shook his head in attempts to clear it. Spending minutes boasting about his skills was not something he wanted to take part in, especially not today.

"You're getting so skilled, I don't think it'll be very long before you surpass me. Who knows, maybe we'll have to trade places and I'll be your wingpony!" Vapor Trail balked and stammered, likely shocked so much by the idea that she couldn't think of a proper response. Sky grinned and gestured back out at the clouds they had yet to activate, saving her the effort. "Let's get back to work, shall we? There's a lot more snow to make. Lieutenant Soarin' wants a full snowing in time for the party."

At her shaky nod, the pair separated again.

Truthfully speaking, the labor itself was pretty boring: Lt. Soarin' had ordered a bunch of high-altitude snow-producers for the day and their job was to go around using pegasus magic to start them up so H.Q. could have snowfall. Spur-of-the-moment stunts and collaborative tricks interspersed throughout the work helped it be more interesting, though, especially since Sky Stinger got to truly appreciate just how skilled his wingpony was.

The way Vapor wove through the air, using bursts of wind and spontaneous surges of magic to pull off tight corners all while her contrail followed behind for an incredible distance, was truly dazzling. The stallion knew he'd been telling the truth during their brief exchange, which only made her surprise less sensical.

As Sky blazed through his namesake, finishing up his half of clouds, he found himself stealing increasingly more glances at his friend. An idea formed among the turbulent thoughts swirling through his mind and the stallion suddenly formed a scheming smile. It wasn't long before the clouds were all finished and the pair of trainees met up again on their way back. Sky had to yell to be heard over the wind, but it was worth the strained voice to see Vapor's eyes bulge.

"You could be lead pony!" He called before flipping under her and preparing his wings. Vapor obviously anticipated exactly what he was about to do and frantically shook her head, an expression of horror overtaking her face.

"Sky, no! Don--"

Too late. With one massive pulse of magic, poor Vapor Trail was sent rocketing straight to the stratosphere like a demented flying squirrel catching an oversized thermal. Her screaming grew weaker the further she got, but Sky was able to give chase before the mare traveled out of sight and earshot. Eventually, Vapor stabilized and he watched with awe as she pinwheeled, expertly regaining control.

Panicked screeching turned to cheers and giggles while she looped through the air, maneuvering with skill despite the high altitude. Finally, Vapor dove back down to Sky's level, laughing happily even after noticing his impossibly-smug expression. Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, the mare gave one last parting shot before jetting away:

"Enough goofing off. We have other chores to do. Race you back!"

Sky Stinger blinked, open-mouthed, as she zoomed further and further away, back toward H.Q. Finally, he regained his senses and zipped after, but at that point he'd need to work quite hard to catch up with her lead.

"Oh no, you don't!"

For all her aerial skill, Vapor was simply not fast enough to stay ahead for very long. The chilly winter winds whipped at Sky's face and tore at his goggles, but the high-quality material held strong. Pumping wings and magic in equal measure created an acceleration unmatched by any force save perhaps his superiors and the world was quickly reduced to a pale blur. The Wonderbolt-in-training felt his blood rushing, his heart pulsing, his breath heaving. His grin grew ever wider. The exertion made him feel more alive than anything else.

Suddenly, he caught up. Vapor Trail seemed to know exactly when he did, because she immediately gave up and returned to a more comfortable pace. Rather than zip past her like he usually would, Sky fell in beside and matched her speed. The mare shot him a questioning look, but simply shrugged and opted not to ask. So it was that the pegasi traveled together on their way back.

After flying a distance they both nonverbally agreed was sufficient, they dove in sync down through the clouds, channeling magic to their hooves to punch through instead of impacting the surface. Once below, they could see all the new snowfall and truly appreciate its beauty, but more importantly, take notice of the structured buildings and giant, flattened mountain peak with a runway that made up Wonderbolt Headquarters.

Festive decorations, including garlands, giant candy canes, and colorful lights hung on just about every surface, came into focus the closer they approached. Sky let out a whistle as he took in the sights and Vapor's open jaw must have caught an impressive number of snowflakes.

"How'd they get this all up so fast? We were barely gone an hour!" She said as they coasted to a neat landing, still observing the surroundings.

"I mean, they are Wonderbolts," pointed out Sky, who spotted a uniformed pony up ahead and began trotting over. His wingpony followed, but didn't stop twisting every which way to study every last new decoration. Really, upon closer inspection, they weren't too ostentatious and did look pretty simple to set up, but she was likely more surprised at the sheer number and speed at which they'd been installed.

Slowing to a walk as they closed the distance to the mare he only now recognized, Sky snapped into a crisp salute. "Ms. Fleetfoot, ma'am!" He greeted, noting Vapor adopting a similar pose in the corner of his eye, "we've finished with our assigned duties and await further orders!" The arctic blue mare smirked and reached up with a foreleg, pushing her goggles into her white mane to reveal squinted dark pink eyes and raised brows.

"I've noticed, rookie," she droned with a meaningful glance around at the surrounding, omnipresent, impossible-to-miss snowfall. Sky Stinger flushed, but managed to keep a straight face even while his wingpony tried and failed to stifle a giggling fit. Fleetfoot let out a small chuckle at his expense, but just as quickly brushed past it to address them again: "Your next few jobs are simple, but we do need you to split up. Vapor Trail," the trainee in question straightened and nodded, "you're to head to the kitchens and help Thunderlane with food preparation. Do whatever he says and help with anything he needs, but don't get in the way of dinner or you'll have a bunch of hangry elite flyers to answer to."

Conspiratorially, their superior glanced from side to side and lifted a hoof to her muzzle, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the wind. "Between you and me, you don't wanna see Lt. Soarin' on an empty stomach." Somehow, Vapor's blanching face turned white enough to notice the difference despite her coat's color as she nodded much more vigorously than before. Satisfied, Fleetfoot gestured to the cafeteria--a medium-sized structure built on one of the specialized clouds that formed a ring around the mountain--and released her with a simple, "dismissed."

Once Vapor Trail took off to the right building and made it about halfway there, the uniformed mare turned to face Sky, who still stood at attention. "Sky Stinger, you will assist Wave Chill and me with final preparations and decorations for the dance tonight. He's waiting for us at the main hall, so we'd best get going."

A nod of affirmation was all it took for the two to jet off, Sky following Fleetfoot's lead. The pair soared through wintry skies, unbothered by the low temperature or somewhat-heavy snowfall thanks to their pegasus plumage. The elite Wonderbolt's pace was quick, but not hurried or anywhere near her maximum--Sky had seen what these ponies could do, and flapping almost lazily through the air was no strain.

Soon, Wonderbolt Headquarters' main hall appeared ahead: A towering structure that seemed barely to have enough room on the gargantuan cloud it was built on. Ornate pillars, wide arches, and frilly accents, all inspired by Ancient Roam, presented a monument that managed to be every bit as gaudy as it was massive.

This was the only building of its kind at H.Q., and Sky knew it served a very distinct purpose: Distracting the stuffy nobles who sometimes came to visit so they'd stay away from all the important areas where business actually went down. Still, the enormous building did occasionally have a legitimate reason for existing, such as when a certain stunt team comprised of the best fliers in Equestria needed room to dance.

Fleetfoot touched down on the marble steps and Sky followed suit, flicking the snow from his ears and tail. The pair of massive doors before them looked far too imposing for a mere two pegasi to operate, but their light design was shown when the mare simply nudged one open with her muzzle. Inside, decorations covered two out of five walls shaped like a cut diamond, while nearly all of the displays and statues normally covering the floor had been moved aside.

A greyish-blue stallion--his uniform noticeably absent--zipped around, tirelessly hanging what had to be hundreds of decorations at incredible speed. Without further comment, Fleetfoot gave a mighty flap and joined right in, pulling lights, various plants, and strings of bells from a group of boxes set against the far wall. After taking a deep breath of preparation, Sky dove in as well, mostly relying on where the others placed their decorations as a guide for what to do.

If activating snow-producers in the air above had been boring, this was one of the most dull, repetitive, and mind-numbing tasks he remembered ever doing. Still, on some level, Sky was glad for the simplicity of the task--if only because it let his mind wander and mull over the party to come. Tonight, he reaffirmed, was the night. There would be no more dancing around his feelings, no matter how anxious that thought made him.

Once enough time passed and the three of them got four of the five giant walls all finished, things slowed down. Both elite flyers coasted to the floor for a short break and the trainee was happy to join them. His muscles and wings especially ached from the strain, but it was the good kind of soreness trademark of a job well done. After surveying their work with a satisfied smile, the grey-blue stallion sent a sidelong glance Sky's way.

"You may be wondering why we bother to do all this." At the rookie's nod, he continued: "Hearth's Warming has been the most important celebration for us Wonderbolts for as long as I can remember. No other holiday takes nearly as much precedence." Fleetfoot smirked again and nudged his shoulder, earning a raised brow.

"Almost as important as new member initiations, eh, Wave?" Wave Chill rolled his eyes, returning attention back to the attentive Sky Stinger.

"Point is, we don't put nearly as much effort into any other celebration as this one, and for good reason. You see, we used to not celebrate any holidays at all! Any guesses why?"

Sky tapped his hoof against his chin, deep in thought, but couldn't come up with a genuine reason. Glancing around at the surrounding decorations didn't seem to help him come up with answers, either. A thought popped into his mind--a dangerous one that could end up getting him in trouble, but after gauging his present company, it was one he decided to try anyway.

"Because Captain Spitfire is a tyrant who doesn't let anyone have any fun?" He guessed innocently, fluttering his eyelashes in an approximation of what his younger siblings often did to butter up his parents. The risky joke turned out to be a huge success; Fleetfoot burst into crazed cackling, falling to the floor and clutching her stomach, while even the stoic Wave Chill couldn't stop a snort and a grin.

"Close, and actually partially correct, strange as it may seem." Sky's innocent act dropped at these words and he raised a brow, stepping closer. Wave Chill nodded, steadfastly ignoring Fleetfoot, who continued to wheeze and pound at the ground. "You see, the Wonderbolts are not just a group of elite flyers, but also the highest branch of Equestria's military power. We need to stay on call twenty-four seven, in case there are ever any emergencies that need our attention." Sky's muzzle formed an 'O' as the pieces clicked together. He'd heard about the 'Bolts being more than a stunt team, of course--his time at the academy had ensured he knew at least that much--but connecting dots was more Vapor's thing.

Wave gave him a few moments more to process the information, then spoke again. "There never used to be any kind of celebration for us, essentially ever. Sure, plenty of events and shows we performed at, but back at H.Q., the captain wouldn't stand for any distractions. We had to be ready to deal with threats when the Elements of Harmony couldn't." Fleetfoot seemed to recover then, but she didn't stand and instead gazed up at Sky from where she sat, a massive grin on her face.

"It's thanks to Soarin' that we get to do anything fun. Some time back, he managed to convince Ol' Spits to let us have a small party, and over the years it's gradually grown into this huge thing." The mare absently scratched at her leg, making her deep blue, lightning-bolt-covered uniform rustle. "The celebration is more or less a victory over our crotchety captain in that way, which is why we love to have it so much. Spitfire knows it, but allows it to happen anyway for 'purely strategic and rational reasons,'" she said that part in a--frankly impressive--impression of the fiery leader and a familiar, satisfied smirk settled on her mouth immediately after. "We all know she just loooves to dance with the lieutenant, though." Wave Chill snorted and gave the mare a light shove, shaking his head before cantering back over to the boxes of decorations.

"Now is no time to gossip about our captain's love life; we have a job to finish, in case you forgot." Fleetfoot rose and flapped over, but something about the way he said those words pricked alarm in Sky's mind.

"Wait, are relationships between members frowned upon?" Both elite flyers turned to look at him and Sky found blood rushing to his cheeks. He glanced away, unable to face them, as he trotted closer. The idea that Wonderbolts couldn't date was silly, but if there was even a chance that he wouldn't be able to--

"--Nope," said Wave Chill, interrupting the thought-spiral before it could even really start. "There's not even really anything about it in the rulebook. We're allowed to pursue interests in ponies and even each other, so long as it doesn't distract the couple or the others when it matters." Sky Stinger breathed out a sigh of relief that he really, really hoped went unnoticed by his superiors. Fleetfoot grabbed a coiled string of lights and began to head over to the last wall, letting out a small chuckle.

"Matter of fact, Wave and I once had a little thing going. Those were some...interesting times." The stallions retrieved decorations of their own and followed in kind. Sky's muzzle began to open in the beginnings of a question, but Wave saw it and shut him down before any sound escaped.

"It didn't last long. We were incompatible. The real question is why you're still around." The subject change was abrupt and the trainee blinked, whiplash hitting him hard. Wave seemed determined to steer away from the topic of his relationship, so Sky opted for clarification.

"I'm sorry?" His confusion was palpable and the Wonderbolt sighed, facing the wall and starting to unload his decorations in a pattern Sky recognized.

"Every other trainee left for the holidays--even Rainbow Dash got leave for being an Element of Harmony. Something about 'keeping the Six together' and whatnot. But you and your wingpony stayed. Why?" Wave Chill was clearly at least somewhat invested in the answer, though for what reason Sky had no idea. Fleetfoot cocked an ear back as well, pausing her draping of the strip of lights across the upper third of the wall.

"Is it so strange that we'd want to be here for Hearth's Warming?" Sky asked, genuinely curious. At that point, muscle memory did all the work of hanging wreaths in the right places, so he was free to focus on the conversation.

"Frankly: Yes," Responded Wave Chill, who began listing things with his primaries. "You're a trainee, so you have a bigger workload expected of you. You don't get to see your family or other loved ones, who I'm sure would prefer to have you home. Most importantly, you don't get any kind of break to rest and recuperate over winter, which must have been something you looked forward to during training." Having finished his load, the stallion straightened his wings and jetted back to the boxes, returning with more shortly after. "So what gives?"

Sky ran out of decorations as well and was glad for the trip back--however short it was--letting him collect his thoughts. By the time he returned with more wreaths, he'd come up with a response and started with a nonchalant shrug.

"It's pretty simple, really: I didn't want to go home and disappear into a mass of seven siblings over the holidays. I don't feel burnt out, so I figured I'd just keep training and the extra work's a great way to do that." Both elite flyers looked thoughtful at this, slowing their work as a result. Sky found all he could do was shrug again as he continued. "Vapor only said she wanted to stick by me, but I get the feeling she doesn't want to go home either. Her parents get really clingy and it'd be a lot to handle for so many weeks."

The Wonderbolts seemed to accept these answers, but Sky wasn't really paying attention anymore. Instead, he found his thoughts turning to Vapor and the night to come. He found his every cell buzzing with nervousness, but also anticipation of the catharsis he knew would arrive afterwards. Success or failure, growing closer or falling out entirely, at least the stress would be over.

It would happen tonight. He would tell her tonight, at the dance.

All that was left was to wait until then.

---

"That's some great hot chocolate--almost as great as Vapor makes it!"

"Nice sweater, Thunderlane! It's nearly as nice as the one Vapor knitted!"

"He's got sick moves, but they don't come close to what Vapor can do."

Vapor Trail felt her light blue eyes squint more with each comment made by her lead pony. Sky was bordering on obnoxious with all the praise at this point. She'd known something was up the moment he started going out of his way to compliment her, but she never expected it to get this bad.

Dinner had gone smoothly enough; Thunderlane was an excellent cook--a great supervisor, too, she'd been relieved to discover--and everypony had dug into the Hearth's Warming meal with great zeal. It had been a brief affair, as every Wonderbolt had seemed eager to start the dance. Baked potatoes, hearty soup, steamed veggies, they'd all vanished with immense speed thanks to the athletes' metabolisms.

Now, Vapor trailed behind Sky as lights flashed and festive music played. The dance hadn't yet officially started, so everypony was more or less milling around and chatting in post-meal cheer. Drinks were passed around--which, after a sniff test, she confirmed to be non-alcoholic--gossip was exchanged, and dance partners were being established. It was a lot to process, especially since Vapor usually didn't do very well at parties, but it would have been fine and even fun if not for--

"That's such a neat trick, Surprise! But Vapor can do it even better. This one time--!" Sky was silenced when the trainee in question shoved a hoof in his mouth. She gave him a stern look that he responded to with faked, innocent blinking. Vapor softly grumbled in irritation and turned to the mare he'd been speaking to, whose expression reflected her name.

"Excuse us for a minute." At Surprise's nod, Vapor forcibly dragged her friend away to an unoccupied corner before releasing him with a huff. "Alright, spill. What's going on with you today?" Sky Stinger rubbed at his jaw, steadfastly avoiding eye contact.

"I, uh, don't know what you mean?" She narrowed her eyes, watching sweat accumulate on his brow despite the relative coldness of the main hall.

"You've been acting weird all day. First it was the lead pony comments while we were activating clouds. Now you won't quit spouting my praises to anypony you talk to, even if they're not true. You do realize I can't knit, right? I don't even own a sweater." Vapor raised an imperious brow while Sky blanched, his face becoming a similar color to hers. He stood there, uselessly flapping his jaw, for some time. The stallion's usual confidence was absolutely nowhere; he looked like a foal standing at a podium, trying to give a speech to all Equestria.

"I...fine," he said at length. "The truth is that I feel guilty for using you. I figured if I could raise you up, like you've done for me all these years, I could repay you somehow. All that time gone by as you slipped into obscurity helping me and--and I'm only now seeing just how amazing you are! That..." he faltered, but his voice returned stronger than before, "that needs to be shown. To everypony. And I feel like I'm the only one who can do it! It's silly--and stupid, but..." just like that, the confidence vanished again. Touched, Vapor leaned forward and wrapped her hooves around her best friend in a crushing hug.

"It's sweet and generous, Sky! Thank you for trying to help. I understand where you're coming from, but you have to realize--" she squeezed, waiting for him to return the hug before she continued, "helping you through all those years was my choice. I never wanted the spotlight, and it's something I still have a hard time being in. I don't regret those moments for any reason other than they ended up hurting your progress, so you shouldn't either. Okay?"

They sat there, in the corner of the hall, for quite a while. Sky showed his agreeance by nodding his head and she let out a pleased hum, not breaking the hug. Out on the floor, the dance started and each Wonderbolt pair took to the air as 'Rockin' Around the Hearth's Warmin' Tree' began playing. At first, it was strange to think of Wonderbolts dancing, but upon longer consideration it did make a fair bit of sense. What was a stunt routine, after all, but an advanced, choreographed dance?

Watching them, Vapor's eyes lit up with awe. Her friend could boast about her all he wanted, but she felt she could never pull off what they were doing. All three dimensions of airspace were used in what looked to be a complicated version of swing dancing. After long enough, though, she began to pick out various moves being reused and even felt she might be able to replicate some of the simpler ones.

"There's something else," Sky Stinger abruptly said. He pulled his head off her shoulder and made enough distance for eye contact, though their forelegs stayed wrapped around each other as she followed suit. Curiosity sparkled in her eyes, while anxiety and some amount of resignation showed in his. He breathed deeply a few times and she patiently waited, tilting her head. "The thing is, Vapor: You're amazing. Like, amazing. So awesome. More so than you could ever realize. And I..." he faltered again, seeing something in her eyes that seemed to be discouraging. "I've taken longer than I should've to recognize that. Longer than is acceptable, really, and even longer than that to get myself to say anything. B-but..."

Sky swallowed dryly, breaking into a nervous grin as a hint of irritation showed in Vapor's expression. "...But I realize it now. And since I s-see how utterly amazing you are, I-I've c-come to a..." Vapor Trail was practically glowering at this point. If there'd ever been any shred of confidence within Sky Stinger, there was no trace of it now. "...a decision. A-and I need to tell you t-this decision, since it s-sorta requires your input, s-s-so..."

Rolling her eyes with what was almost straight anger, Vapor interrupted.

"Oh, shut up and kiss me already."

Sky blinked stupidly, stunned, so she took the initiative and practically lunged her head forward. Obviously, once he recovered his wits, the stallion returned with gusto. A prolonged, passionate, purposeful smooch took place in the corner of the main hall. Eventually, they had to separate, panting for breath, and rise to their hooves. Both ponies had the most giant smiles on their faces and, the dancing having caught her eye again, Vapor gestured to the paired Wonderbolts.

"Wanna try it?"

Sky Stinger glanced between the advanced moves, clearly beyond both their abilities, and his special somepony.

"With you?" At her nod, his grin only widened. "With you, I can do anything."

The pair took to the air, joining the others just as a new song started playing.

And in the spirit of the holidays, together, they danced.

Comments

[Darkblaze15]

Thank you for accepting and envisioning my Jinglemas prompt into such a fantastic and fun story to read! In the interest of giving a brief spoiler-free review here, here are my overall thoughts:

I really enjoyed the character interactions and how you built upon the dynamic between Sky and Vapor following the events of Top Bolt. The other Wonderbolts characters you added were fun touches and helped to flesh out little details that would come into play later in the story. I enjoyed the way everything culminated together towards the end as well as showcasing sides of the characters we may not have been used to seeing before.

Thanks again for helping to make this story happen!