Surprising Reunion
"Wonderbolts! Wonderbolts! Wonderbolts!"
Spitfire had done it hundreds of times... may be even thousands of times. And it had always been like this. The roaring of the crowd, their beating hooves that sent powerful tremors rippling throughout the stadium, and the long tunnel that lead to the heart of the show. It was always dark, and the muffled screams of the crowd echoed rambunctiously in its hollowed body. Like Soarin, she had experienced it more times than anypony else on the team. They were the veterans, the leaders, and the best flyers on the whole time.
And just like the last time and the time before that, her heart pounded in her chest, and her spine constantly tingled with chills of excitement and anxiety. The blue uniform that snugly fit over her athletic body covered her nervous sweat, but her eyes remained focused and determined. She took in a deep breath, feeling the building anticipation coursing through her veins. For her, this feeling was what it was like to be a wonderbolt... the only kind of excitement one could get from being seen by thousands of eyes and the princesses themselves.
She briefly glanced over to her right. Soarin stood firm and still, his eyes forward. Physically, he seemed fine, but he was going through the exact same thing. She took a moment to look around at the others. Misty was looking a little nervous, and was quietly pepping herself up. Fleetfoot and Rapidfire paced back and forth, staring silently at the floor. The rookies of the team were letting out slow and easy breaths, and the other wonderbolts were shuffling around anxiously, their wings twitching. The only two with their eyes focused on the light at the end of the tunnel was her and Soarin. The thought made her chuckle, and she ran a hoof over her spiked up mane.
"You nervous at all, Soarin?" she asked him, watching a smirk curve the stallion's lips.
"Are you?" Soarin asked back, watching her mimic his exact grin.
The feeling was mutual. They didn't even have to ask.
"And now, ladies and gentlecolts, the moment you have all been waiting for!"
"Here it comes!" Spitfire shouted, going into full captain mode. Her eyes sparked with a blazing passion, her muscles tensing in the moment. All the wonderbolts got into their positions, moving into two lines in front of Soarin and Spitfire. The noises and rumblings from the crowd had grown to staggering amounts, their hooves beating into the stadium floor in sync and causing gentle tremors to ripple the ground.
"Just like we all practiced, wonderbolts!" Spitfire shouted, aiming her words to fellow fliers. "You all know the drill! Stick with the plan, and we'll leave both the princesses asking for our autographs!"
"Yes captain!" They all barked back at her. The two captains shared a knowing smile and nodded at one another, their wings spreading out to their sides. Loud, energetic music had started playing, but it was no match for the incredible cheering and yelling.
"Everypony give it up for... Misty and Fleetfoot!" The two wonderbolts in front shared a hoofbump before launching down the hallway like two rockets, disappearing into the brilliance of the sunlight at the end of the tunnel.
The announcer continued to list off the wonderbolts two by two, launching the wonderbolts out with his every sentence. Spitfire and Soarin watched them calmly, the anticipation building more and more as each moment passed. Soon, it was just them standing side by side.
"Like always, it's just us two." Spitfire smiled, hearing the awe and amazement of the crowd already. No doubt that the other wonderbolts were still busy doing their improvised flying introductions. Soarin smirked, his eyes completely focused at the end of the tunnel.
"Just us two?" he asked with a grin. "What do you mean?"
"And now, introducing the captain and vice-captain of the team..."
Spitfire blinked in confusion, glancing around the tunnel. "Well, I don't see anypony else in here. Are you so nervous you forgot?" The smile remained on her face, expecting a comedic rebuke of some kind.
"The two wonderbolts who have led the team even farther than we could have ever imagined..."
Soarin chuckled, sliding the goggles down to cover his eyes. "No, Spit. Have you forgotten?" It took her a moment, but then she chuckled, shaking her head.
"Right." She smirked, straightening her pose.
"Mares and gentlecolts... I am proud to bring you the two greatest fliers in all of Equestria..." Their
"There's always been three." They both said together in unison.
"Spitfire... and Soarin!"
With mirroring smiles, the two wonderbolts fired down the dark hallway, the rippling air kicking back their manes and tails. The light at the end of the tunnel only grew bigger and brighter, and the cheering only got louder and louder. When the reached the end of the hallway, the burst of line and sound instantly hit them. But the two veteran wonderbolts only shrugged it off, firing off at a staggering speed towards the bright blue sky, corkscrewing around each other like they had done so many times before.
Yes... Spitfire smiled, closing her eyes.
This is what it's like to be a wonderbolt!
The rest of the wonderbolts suddenly came from around them, circling the two captains as they soared higher and higher towards the sun. They then shot off in all directions, magical fireworks exploding in the sky at the exact moment they dispersed. The crowd went insane, their cheering the loudest it's ever been. Both Spitfire and Soarin basked in the noise and sunshine, their life absorbing everything to its fullest.
They both looked at one another.
And took it on from there.
Hours before the show...
Rainbow Dash yawned, staggering out of the room in Wulfwind's home. After the small chase in the city yesterday, Wulfind took both her and her father back to his home. Which happened to be a multi-floored mansion that had been owned by his family for generations and generations. She rubbed at her eyes and started down the long, long hallway with the morning sunshine peering out from the windows. Her stomach growled, and a sudden craving for daisy sandwiches filled up her brain.
She passed numerous giant paintings and uncountable antique decorations before coming up to the ridiculously large dining room door. She heard a few voices and suddenly paused, her hoof just an inch away from the door knob. She recognized both Sky Strike and Wulfwind talking.
"Still?" She frowned to herself. She had stayed up with the two for a long time, and both friends would just not stop talking for the entire night. Either they slept for a short while, or they had stayed up for the entire time.
"...you sure that will be okay?" Sky Strike asked nervously. "The more I keep thinking about this, the more it unnerves me..."
"Sky Strike, you've been saying that all night. I know you're nervous, and you're going to continue to be until you see her. Earlier you told me that you were going to see her no matter what." Wulfwind answered him back quite sternly.
"...You're right..." Sky Strike sighed. "But how should I do it? Should I just knock on the door of her mansion? Catch her when she's done with her after her job?"
"It probably shouldn't be in public." Wulfwind responded. "And make sure that it isn't... you have a strange way of making flashy entrances when there doesn't need to be."
They both laughed, with Rainbow Dash lightly chuckling. "Now that's true." She said quietly to herself, reaching to grab the doorknob.
"But first, you're seeing the Wonderbolts, right?" Wulfwind asked cheerfully. Rainbow Dash stopped her hoof once again.
"That's the plan," Sky Strike answered, "I'm sure that'll be incredible! I just can't believe how famous they are! Sonic Speed is a household name, but those two are in almost every magazine I've seen!"
"Oh, you should have seen them when they started! They took the entire team by storm when they were just rookies, and they quickly became the highlights of every show. They flew with Sonic Speed in his retiring year, and even he said that they were setting the bar for the next generation wonderbolts."
"I can't wait to see them," Sky Strike laughed. "Setting the bar, huh? Well, just wait untill Rainbow Dash gets in. As soon as she does, she'll be breaking all the records."
"Your daughter really is incredible. Not only as a flier, but as an element of harmony who saved Equestria. Many times over, I might add."
"Your daughter and my daughter both, Wulfwind." Sky Strike replied with a light laugh. Smiling, Rainbow Dash grabbed the door knob and opened the door. Sky Strike and Wulfwind were seated at a small table in the middle of the large dining room. Rainbow quickly caught their attention when she entered and waved her over.
"Morning, kiddo." Sky Strike smiled, ruffling her mane when she sat down. "Sleep well?"
"As well as I could with you two talking all night." She yawned, rubbing her tired eyes with her hoof. "Have you two been up all night?..."
"Nah, we slept for a few hours. We're used to operating on a few hours of sleep per day." Sky Strike smirked.
"You're used to it." Wulfwind huffed. "I'm ten years out of practice." He reached over and took a sip of coffee from his mug, setting it back down lightly onto the table.
"Well you've loosened up a little," Rainbow Dash smiled, "I'll take the calm, gentle Wulfwind over the assertive, grouchy Colonel anyday!"
"The Colonel is really just an act." Wulfwind explained, clearing his throat. "If I'm normally not stern, stubborn, and aggressive, I have to fake it. For a while I was forgetting who I was, and Fluttershy stopped coming to visit because of it." He sighed, running his hoof over his soft, perfect mane. "Even today, I curse these looks of mine... if I take one step outside, the next stallion that sees me quickly assumes that I'm some sort of mare model. So I have to be a terrifying, nasty military officer just to give myself a breather."
"You know, there's still better ways to go about it." Sky Strike shook his head. "I'd hate to leave just for you to revert back to that."
"Believe it or not, the Equestrian military is filled with ambitious political figures." Wulfwind began, taking another sip from his mug. "If I show a sign of weakness, they'll surely go on the attack. But those are my problems, Sky Strike. In my eyes, yours are definitely more important."
"Right..." Sky Strike grumbled, running a hoof through his mane. "Patching things up with Starlight isn't going to be easy..."
"We've only been over that a thousand times, Sky Strike." Wulfwind said quietly, staring down at the coffee in his hoof. "But you should be fine. You always deal with problems head on and find someway to fix them."
"Well, I can't fix this one. I'm just going to learn to live with it." Sky Strike sighed, casting his eyes over at his daughter. Rainbow Dash yawned, her bed-mane splitting off into multiple directions. He cracked a small smile and reached a hoof over to ruffle it.
"Anyways, the two of us are gonna have to head off soon. I'd like to be a little early to the wonderbolts show." Sky Strike grinned, his heart already thumping with anticipation.
"...Can we have breakfast first?" Rainbow Dash, her gurgling stomach becoming unbearable. "I don't think I can wait another minute."
Wulfind and Sky Strike laughed, standing up from the table. "Sure, kiddo." Sky Strike chuckled. "Time to see what's been cookin'!"
"Hmmm..." Tesla Coil hummed quietly to himself. "It's still moving..." The stallion, bent over his desk, was observing a strange magical thermometer. The illuminating blue liquid didn't appear to be moving, but it's slow movement wouldn't escape the stallion's keen eyes. He frowned, pulling his face away and readjusting his glasses. He scratched his brown mane in confusion before jotting down a few more notes onto his journal.
"Day 18, 9 am." He said outloud. "The magical essence concentration continues to fluctuate, but gradually rises in its instability. There has been no notable magical storm since day one, but the confusing nature of this strange phenomenon leaves me unable to predict the next occurrence." Tesla sighed, setting down his quill to rub his temples.
"What does this all mean?..." He breathed quietly, glancing over at the numerous magical devices spinning about on his desk. "It's obvious that magical essence is being thrown out of whack, but I have no idea why! I can measure it all I want, but if I don't know the source how am I suppose to find out how to fix it?" He groaned, letting his head drop down onto the table.
"Equestria could be rocked by the storm of the century by tomorrow... and we'll all be doomed because I'm too incompetent to figure out why..." He muttered quietly. "I'm the worst scientist ever..."
"Only if you keep that attitude." A slightly amused familiar voice called out from behind.
His eyes widened. "C-Celestia?!" He spun around in his chair, meeting face to face with the glorious princess herself. His surprise caused him to slam his knee into the table, knocking over all of his delicate magical devices onto the dirtied, cemented floor below.
"Uh..." He stammered, quickly scampering to the floor to scoop up all the pieces. "Y-Your highness! You should have s-sent word that you would be here... I-I would have p-prepared for-"
"That's alright, Tesla." She smiled, her gleaming grin showering him with a ray of comfort. "I didn't mean to startle you." She peaked around, looking over his dim, dusty room. It was barely big enough for two ponies, not to mention an alicorn of her size. The room had only one small window, a desk, a single chair, and an old dusty clock. The cement floor was cracked in numerous places, and the air was stale and dry.
"Was this really the only room they had for you?" She frowned, tapping her hoof to the floor to watch a small cloud of dust appear and dissipate.
"I-It's understandable..." Tesla Coil nodded, dropping a hoof-full of his broken devices onto the desk. "I-I really haven't done much for pony society... all I've done is lock myself in here to work on my failing experiments."
Celestia smiled once more and shook her head. "Tesla, you're doing more than those rich old coots ever did. You're actually trying to help Equestria. All they did is sit around in comfy chairs, sip tea, and talk about how to do it. You're taking action, and you have my eternal gratitude." Tesla's cheeks igniting into a burning read and he coughed, adjusting awkwardly in his chair.
"T-Thank you, Princess..." He said quietly, averting his eyes. "A-Anyways, why have you come down to see me? Has it something to do with the scientific conference?"
"That's exactly why." Celestia replied, giving him a slight nod. "It took a bit of effort, but I managed to make them schedule a conference in exactly one week."
"O-One week?!" Tesla's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. "D-Don't they know how seriously this could be?! Equestria could be rattled with something horrible by the time a week as gone by!... Wait..." A sudden thought crossed his mind, making his eyes widen even more. "One week may not be enough time... I haven't even find out why the magical essence is suddenly unstable... how am I supposed to find the source within one week?! There's no way I can convince them! But... but maybe by then Equestria will be ruined! T-There could be some sort of powerful earthquake that knocks Canterlot off of the mountain... but even by then, I wouldn't be able to figure out what's happening and-"
"Tesla." Princess stating firmly, instantly quieting the scientist. "Please calm down. Panicking will not help the situation at all."
"Y-You're right..." Tesla nodded, looking down at his hooves. "Thanks..." He took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Do you think we could convince them to look into it? I don't think I could do it by myself."
"I'm one step ahead of you." Celestia gave him a smile, lightly setting her hoof onto his shoulder. "I sent a letter to my brilliant, prized pupil, Twilight Sparkle to help you with this. I'm sure that you two can come up with something in time."
"Twilight Sparkle?" Tesla Coil glanced up. "Is she as intelligent as you say she is?"
"You almost couldn't measure it." Celestia chuckled, "she loves science and theories just as much as you do. And just to add some comfort, both Luna and I will be present at the conference. My sister understands this grave occurrence as she too can detect it's subtleties."
"Thanks, Celestia." He gave her a small nod and a smile. "And... well, if you don't mind me asking, why are you putting so much faith in me? For all we know, I could be dead wrong and Equestria could be safe."
Celestia smiled, turning her gaze out of the small window in his lab. Although it was small, it had a beautiful view of the University's garden's that just glimmered in the morning sun. Students were either studying with their backs to the trees, laughing with their friends, or snuggling up to their loved ones. "You have a great mind, but also a big heart, Tesla. I've seen many ponies just like you throughout the years... chasing their firm beliefs but ultimately failing because they were either "too young" or "too naive". You believe with every fiber of your being that Equestria is in danger, and you want to do whatever you can to save it. And if you want to save it that much, why would I ever stop you?"
She gave him another warm smile. "If you're wrong, I wouldn't think differently of you, Tesla. All I would see is a beautiful, caring stallion that would give it his all to save this country."
Tesla rubbed the back of his neck, bowing his head humbly. "T-Then I guess we should both hope desperately that I'm wrong, huh?"
With the sun still rising high in the sky, Rainbow Dash and Sky Strike were in flight. They shot through the air like two bullets, darting through the clouds with the wind on their backs. Not too long ago they had said their goodbyes to Wulfwind, leaving Cloudsdale to head for the Wonderbolt Anniversary Show in Canterlot. They took off quickly into the air, flying at an almost unfathomable speed. Now they were closing in on the city that sat on the mountainside fast.
"Wonderbolts formation A!" Sky Strike barked out, his mane whipping against his face. "Twin sonic cyclones maneuver!"
"Easy!" Dash grinned, following the lead of her father without missing a beat. On their way to Canterlot, the two decided to pass the travel time by engaging in special wonderbolt maneuvers. It gave them some exercise, entertainment, and some practice for their flight stunts. Rainbow Dash and Sky Strike quickly sped in two circles, spinning about each other while performing acrobatic rolls and dives wing-to-wing. Dash never fell behind or sped ahead of her father, and she always reacted on time and followed up with identical moves.
"Wow, Dash!" Sky Strike exclaimed with a big smile having just finished a massive stunt with his daughter. "We're pretty good wing-ponies, huh?"
"Are you kidding? We're the best!" Rainbow Dash grinned widely, spinning around her father. "We haven't been flying together that long, and already we can pull off some high-class stuff! There are only a hoof-full of pegasi that can keep up with me!"
Sky Strike couldn't help but smirk in response. "I don't think you're quite right... there are only a hoof-full of pegasi that can keep up with me." Sky Strike suddenly cut in front of Rainbow Dash, giving her face a playful whip of his tail. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes with a grin and quickly caught up to her father with ease, once again flying side by side with him.
"We're getting close!" He exclaimed. "I can smell boring politics and sophisticated tea parties from here! And also, I can kinda see it!" The mountain that Canterlot was built upon was coming up fast in the distance, and both pegasi could easily pick out the castle's grand, regal towers.
With destination in sight, Sky Strike and Rainbow Dash quickly descended, speeding away to the great city.
"... Wow..." Sky Strike gaped in awe, his head turning left and right. Mobs and mobs of ponies were on their way to the stadium, both in the air and on the ground. It was still more than an hour before the show started and already the masses were on the move!
"What?" Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eye. Both father and daughter were hovering gently through the air, forcing themselves to slow down to avoid any small accidents.
"Soarin and Spitfire have really done it, huh?" Sky Strike smiled, beaming with pride. "I'm sure drawing big crowds like this is nothing to them! Although it's not hard for me to believe that they made it, I'm still amazed that this many ponies are coming to see them perform. It's just mind-boggling!"
"Oh, come on!" Dash rolled her eyes, swiftly moving behind her father. "Let's go! We have to get there early enough to get some good seats!" Placing her hooves onto her father's back, Dash roughly shoved him forward. Sky Strike couldn't help but laugh at his daughter's impatience, his wings flapping rhythmically in the air.
Eventually, the two pegasi finally made it to the stadium entrance, landing softly on their hooves in front of the gates. "So, this show is free of charge, eh?" He smiled, his wings batting lightly at his sides to fluff out his feathers. "That's good. There's no way I would have had enough bits to get a front row seat."
"Well come on then!" Rainbow Dash nudged her father, her hooves clopping on the surface of the cloud. "The seats are gonna fill up quick, and I gotta get up front!" Sky Strike smirked, quickly moving alongside his daughter right through the gates. Glancing left and right, Sky Strike noticed the changes that had been made over the years. There were far more Wonderbolts products than he remembered, the gift shop almost as twice as big as it had been before. The food stands were all in the same place, but their menus looked much bigger.
"Hmm... " Sky Strike sniffed the air, catching more pie aromas than usual. "Must be Soarin's idea." He rolled his eyes with a smirk.
Soon they entered the bright hallway that led to the inside of the stadium, the crowd roughly shoving to the left and right. But finally, they emerged into the stands, and each of them caught an eyeful of its massiveness. The familiarity brought Sky Strike a glance, and he simply shook it off with a smile. Although he noticed more seats than usual, nothing else had changed. It was still as impressive as ever, the nostalgia sinking into his body. Even though he had been here dozens or perhaps even hundreds of times, Sky Strike could still feel that shiver of anticipation that coursed down his spine, perhaps it was even stronger than usual.
"So Soarin and Spitfire really fly here, huh?" Sky Strike laughed quietly. "Just... wow." The two pegasi shoved their way through the crowd until they managed to get into the front section, plopping down right onto one of the sides. Both Sky Strike and Rainbow Dash's experience had told them that this was the perfect spot to catch the action.
"Alrighty!" Sky Strike exclaimed, his body twitching with excitement. "We've got the perfect seats, and now all we have to do is wait!"
"All we have to do?!" Rainbow whined, running her hooves through her mane. "Waiting is the hardest part! We got here so early, and the show starts in more than an hour!"
"Patience, kiddo!" Sky Strike laughed loudly, reaching his hoof over to ruffle her mane. "Waiting is fine. Besides, I get to have a little quality time with my Dashie. And I know all the time we've spent together so far has not even gotten close to make up for the fact that I've been gone for ten years."
"Yeah... " Rainbow Dash mumbled in response, her smile faltering. "I have no idea how mom is gonna react to this whole thing... "
"Probably not well." Sky Strike sighed, brushing one of his hooves through his mane. "I've been giving a lot of thought on that... your mother has never been good at surprises. I'm imagining a lot of yelling, and perhaps the flying of horseshoes in my general direction." Sky Strike gave out a small laugh before shaking his head.
"But you better not forget, Dash." Sky Strike smiled, giving his daughter a light, playful punch to the shoulder. "No matter what happens, your mother will always be your mother, and I will always be your father. We'll always be a family, Dashie, and nothing will ever change that."
"Yeah, yeah... " Dash rolled her eyes playfully, smiling before returning the punch, giving his shoulder a little more force. "Geez dad, lay off the cheesiness! You've been overdoing it like crazy for the past couple of days!" Sky Strike let out a little yelp before grinning, reaching his hoof over to rub his sore joint.
"Hey, now! I don't remember hitting you that hard!" Sky Strike quickly dropped his hoof onto her head, ruffling her mane once more. "Respect your elders, child! For my experience and greatness far exceeds your meager existence!"
"Meager?!" Dash took that as a challenge, her eyes flashing at her father. "You did so not just go there!"
"I believe, young Rainbow Dash... " Sky Strike straightened, arching an eyebrow at his daughter. " ... I just did..."
As the father and daughter duo continued their little fun, the stadium was becoming more and more crowded by the minute. Soon, the front row was completely filled, and the middle section was already halfway full. For the pegasi, they were given the option to hover in a designated fly zone above the seats of the stadium, but they were restricted from entering a certain distance above or around the wonderbolt's performance area.
The time that Rainbow Dash had spent with her father had passed rather quickly, and the hour ticked by. All of the seats in the stadium were full, and busy noises echoed through the air.
"Attention, citizens of Equestria!" The stadium announcer stated in his loud, bold voice. "We welcome you to the annual Wonderbolt's Anniversary Flight Show!" The crowd, including Sky Strike and Rainbow Dash, burst into cheers, their hooves stomping on the stadium floors in excitement. Loud, powerful music boomed over the loudspeakers, adding more layers to the thrill.
"Omigosh, omigosh!" Rainbow Dash pranced up and down in her seat as the announcer continued. "Come on come on! Start the show already!" Sky Strike felt his heart beating wildly, his blood pulsing through his veins. He always felt this kind of excitement for the show, but this time it was solely for his two young students that had grown into fine fliers. He took a series of deep, slow breaths to calm himself to no avail, his wings twitching anxiously.
"And now," the announcer's voice boomed, "for your viewing pleasure, it's time to introduce your one and only... wonderbolts!" The crowd exploded in cheers once more, and a series of fireworks launched into the air and exploded in bright, glorious colors in shape of the wonderbolt's symbol.
"Our first two fliers maybe new, but they're fast as falcons with challenging skills! Everypony give it up for Misty and Fleetfoot! " The crowd roared wildly when the wonderbolts emerged from the tunnel below, a trail of thunder following in their wake. They flew in rapid, spiraling stunts, dropping the jaws of all those who watched. Sky Strike had never heard of Misty and Fleetfoot, but he could tell from just a glance that they were high-class fliers. Their speed was incredible, and their agility through their acrobatic cuts was astounding!
"... The wonderbolts certainly haven't dropped off at all for the past ten years." Sky Strike smirked, watching the young fliers soar through the skies. "It wasn't like I was expecting them to be worse, but I'm still amazed!"
The announcer continued to address the following wonderbolts, listing their names off two by two. Each duo performed their own set of drills and stunts that matched their strengths whether it was speed, technique, or power. They always took a moment to soar over the entire stadium before flying in a circle above, waiting for the next two wonderbolts to be introduced. Soon, almost the entire flight was in the air, building the anticipation for the two favorites.
"And now... " The announcer's voice dropped as the music climbed excitedly, escalating with the exhilarated heartbeats of the crowd. "Introducing the captain and vice-captain of the team... " Sky Strike was trembling in his excitement, his ears flickering in anticipation.
"The two wonderbolts who have led the team even farther than we could have ever imagined..."
"Come on already!" Rainbow Dash cried out, beating her hooves impatiently against the floor. "We know, we know!" Sky Strike continued his anxious silence, the smile never leaving his face.
"Mares and gentlecolts... I bring you the two greatest fliers in all of Equestria... "
"This is really happening." Sky Strike said quietly to himself.
"Soarin and Spitfire!"
The crowd went nuts.
Loud, powerful fireworks shot off into the air as an explosion of smoke completely engulfed the bottom of the stadium. The music boomed loudly over the loudspeakers when two speeding bullets shot forth into the sky. Their speed was nearly unfathomable, and it took truly skilled eyes to see all the small intricate details they were putting into their performance. Looking like nothing but blurs, the two wonderbolts shot off all over the stadium, leaving trails of quaking thunder in their wake. They broke off from each other suddenly, each diving into a mix of dynamic rolls, spins, and loops before joining back together side by side in perfect synchronization. When they hit the end of their intro performance, the two wonderbolts parted once more and sailed over the crowd of the stadium, joining together and rising into the skies. They broke into a perfect stop, giving everypony in the stands a full view of their stars. Some in the crowd were muted in awe while the other cheered crazily, almost foaming at the mouth.
"Holy... " Even Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, blinking in disbelief. "That... was... so... AWESOME! Dad, can you believe-" Dash turned to speak to her father, but the sight silenced her. Sky Strike was staring up at his two former students with the most incredible look on his face, tears streaming like a waterfall from his eyes down his cheeks. Not too long ago, he was coaching two young fliers who could barely float with knocking into each other... but here they were. Their flying was flawless, his experienced eyes picking out no waste of movement or energy. Their turns were unbelievable, their acceleration and deceleration awe-inspiring... not to mention their overwhelming confidence and ability. The old, bad habits that he had seen in their flying was gone, their personal flying styles polished like sparkling diamonds.
They were no longer the foolish, young orphans he had taken under his wing. They were wonderbolts. His wonderbolts. Sky Strike lifted a hoof to his eyes to desperate wipe away the tears, not wanting to take his gaze off for too long. He didn't dare blink in fear of missing their upcoming performance. Although they had undoubtedly performed their acrobats numerous times, for him this was the first.
Messy, clutter thoughts ran through Rainbow's head while she stared at her father, her heart faltering slightly. The look of pride on her father's face... that was something she had never seen before. He had never given her those incredible eyes, that moving smile. To see her father this humbled, this awe-struck was confusing. Especially since it was for two particular fliers who weren't even his own children. Shaking those jealous thoughts from her head, Rainbow turned her attention to focus back on the show.
But she just couldn't let it go.
The show continued, and every moment of it was just as amazing as before. The wonderbolts flew in tight, incredible formations over the stadium, flying to different kinds of powerful music. With the sky as their canvas, the wonderbolts painted an incredible sight with their flying, their thundering clouds streaking behind them with every stunt and acrobatic. Sky Strike's eyes never left them, focusing solely on the two leading fliers who's abilities far exceeded the others. Their skills had grown so much that Sky Strike couldn't even recognize even the smallest things he taught them, for they had taken it to a whole new level. The talent that he had seen in the two had either hit or was still climbing its peak, becoming a incredible mountain for millions to see for years to come.
And before he knew it, the show was over.
The finale was absolutely huge. Fireworks once again sparked around the sky, the almost deafening music blasting through the loudspeakers. Each wonderbolt had their moment to showcase their own techniques, and once again they were all flying to their own styles and strengths. Fleetfoot zoomed around cuts and spirals with her speed, Rapidfire exploded with his incredible acceleration, and so on and so forth. Finally, it was finally the two captain's turn, and they both hovered over to the middle of the flight field.
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash blinked. "I've seen their routines dozens of times, but this is new." Sky Strike gave his daughter a curious glance before shifting his attention back at the two wonderbolts hovering in the center. Strangely, their routine started off rather simple. They swirled around one another in the air, gently and carefully picking up speed as they did so. Something like this was usually more of a practice than an actual stunt, but the two wouldn't do something like this for no reason.
"What are they doing?" Rainbow Dash asked, leaning in to study their strange pattern. Everypony in the crowd grew silent, each of them eagerly waiting to see what the two captains had in store for them. The two wonderbolts picked up in speed each time they passed each other. They went faster and faster, the size of their circle increasing with every moment. Soon, the power of their flying was felt within the crowd, their manes whipping about their faces as the gusts grew stronger and stronger.
Sky Strike blinked, lifting a hoof to shield himself from the strange, powerful wind. "Wait... " He mumbled to himself. "This can't be... "
A certain memory had suddenly phased into his mind.
Soarin and Spitfire were lying respectively on their backs and bellies, huffing strenuously on the small clouds they were floating upon. Their fur was completely soaked in sweat, their muscles groaning and begging for them not to move. Their wings were lying like heaps off of their back, twitching from the soreness that had followed their workout. With her face in the cloud, Spitfire pressed her hooves onto its plushy surface in an attempt to try and stand herself up. Her legs gave way immediately, and she flopped face-down back onto the the cloud. Soarin made no attempt to move, plastered right onto his back.
Sky Strike hovered down to them, his front hooves crossing over one another. "What's wrong?" He smirked, cocking his head to the side. "You aren't telling me you're done already, are you?"
"The horror... " Soarin gasped out, reaching up one hoof for the sky before dropping it back down onto his belly. "The... horror... "
"Can't... feel... my soul... " Spitfire grumbled into the cloud, her mane filled with sweat. Sky Strike chuckled, his wings flapping rhythmically to bring him down to the small cloud his students had decided would be their final resting place.
"Oh, come on you two! You both had told me that you wanted to learn it." He brought his hoof to lightly poke Soarin in the stomach. The young male flyer yelped out in response, his body refusing to react properly.
"But... this isn't practice... " Spitfire panted, managing to raise her head up. "This... this should be illegal... "
"Hey!" Sky Strike chuckled, sitting down on his haunches between the two. "You shouldn't expect to be able to do it in one day. It's a Sky Strike class S technique! It's not something that you can easily do without working your bodies out to the limit. I had to go through the strain to develop it, and look how I turned out!" He flexed his wing muscles proudly, gazing up at the brilliant blue sky.
"Well... " Soarin grunted, forcing himself to sit up. A series of cracks danced up his back, and he yelled out again before he collapsed back down.
"What Soarin meant to say... " Spitfire groaned, forcing herself to look over at her teacher. "Was that... he wanted to... see you do it again... "
"So, you two haven't had enough yet after all!" Sky Strike raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Very well, pay close attention! This technique is not only for show, but it's also a powerful weather-controlling technique! It requires perfect aerodynamics, wing control, high-class athleticism, and determination!" He drifted back up into the sky, looking down at his students with a wide smile on his face.
"Alright, this is how you perform the Omnidash version five!"
Sky Strike couldn't believe his eyes, and neither could the crowd. The two wonderbolts picked up speed, the incredible gusts of wind that they had been letting loose were now forming a powerful tornado with dark, booming thunderclouds held within. The wind ravaged through the crowd viciously, but none of them let that stop them from watching the spectacle. Soon, the massive tornado began to somehow raise up into the air, lightning cackling within its vicious body. And then, in an incredible finale the tornado completely erupted into a massive, thundering explosion, shaking the walls of the massive stadium. The wind from the soaring tornado blew into the faces of everypony watching, their manes and faces flapping comically from the impact.
And then there was silence.
Even the other wonderbolts were in shock, their jaws unhinged and hanging off of their faces. Some of their goggles had been blown off, falling into the stadium below. Soarin and Spitfire slowly descended from the height of the sky, their wings flapping nonchalantly with wide smiles plastered on their faces.
The stadium exploded in cheer, and everypony stomped their hooves with overwhelming approval. Next to him, Rainbow Dash screamed her lungs out, but he couldn't quite hear what she was saying. He could only stare blankly at the two wonderbolts flying in the center of the stadium, his jaw on the floor.
"They did it... " Sky Strike whispered to himself, his mane made wild by the powerful gust. "They actually did it... no, they did it better than I would have ever expected." His eyes once again grew moist, his clear tears dribbling down his face. Spitfire and Soarin... the two captains of the wonderbolts. They weren't just his wonderbolts.
They were everypony's wonderbolts.
"Wow, wow, WOW"! Rainbow Dash screeched, waving her hooves crazily in the air. "Dad, that's so AWESOME! They used your move! They used-" Dash reached out to grab her father, but felt nothing but air.
He had already gone.
"By Celestia's bountiful flank, what was that?!" Rapidfire asked in disbelief, his haunches plopping down onto the bench below him. When Soarin and Spitfire finally made it back to the locker rooms, the other wonderbolts had been standing there waiting for them, the image of the insane maneuver still etched within their brains. Soon, they were swarmed by their teammates, each firing off excited questions over and over again.
"I have never even seen anything like that!" Misty exclaimed giddily, moving over to Spitfire with a twinkle in her eyes. "Wow! How were you able to pull off something so insane!"
"That had to have taken so much control!" Fleetfoot stated, lifting her hooves to shift Soarin from side to side. "How much secret training did you guys do to be able to do that? And how did you even think of something like that?!" Fleetfoot used a little too much of her strength, shaking the male flier to such an extent that he couldn't even answer.
"That must have taken so much strength and energy!" Rapidfire called from the bench. "How are you two still standing after something like that?!"
"Alright, everypony... " Spitfire spoke out in her captain's voice, "settle done. We'll explain everything to you guys later, so in the meantime get showered and dressed in your clean uniforms. Autograph signing is in half an hour, and the wonderbolts are never late to autograph signings!"
"... Yes, captain... " Each of them grumbled, begrudgingly moving over to their lockers to store their gear. Soarin and Spitfire stood on the side, watching each of their teammates grab a fresh towel and gallop over to the showers. When the locker room was empty with the exception of the two captains, they each sighed in relief.
And nearly collapsed onto the floor.
Soarin, lucky for him, managed to fall onto one of the benches, catching himself with his trembling front hooves. "Ow... " He panted, his chest bounding up and down with exertion. "We did it... but it still drains me... " Spitfire was a little less lucky, instead falling onto her haunches with her back to the wall, wincing at the slight sting in her muscles.
"That's what we get... for deciding to use that... in such magnitude." Spitfire breathed, reaching a shaky hoof to wipe the dribbling sweat from her brow. "It hasn't... gotten any easier..." She coughed slightly, her lungs desperately trying to catch some air. "But we've finally managed to do it, and in a show nonetheless!"
Soarin managed to move himself so that he was sitting on the bench, his wings lying limply on his sides from the muscle pain. "Right." He grunted, rolling his shoulders to shake out the trembling in the joints. "When you told me that you finally wanted to throw that into our routine, I thought you were crazy. And I think I'm still right." Spitfire rolled her eyes before weakly tossing her goggles at Soarin. She missed by a mile, her goggles clacking harmlessly onto the floor.
"But... you... " Soarin chuckled, turning his head to smile at his childhood friend. "With this... I've feel like we've finally put everything he's taught us into practice. I don't know about you, but I think I'm finally able to move on." Spitfire turned her eyes to the ceiling, staring quietly at the lights above.
"It... was weird." Spitfire added. "For some reason, I felt like he was watching us. As if he was right there in the crowd, you know?" Soarin smirked, reaching back his weak hook to find the zipper of his suit.
"Me too." Soarin chuckled, making a feeble attempt to unzip his flight suit off of his body. "It was strange, for a moment there I thought I saw him. He was smiling at us." Soarin grinned, slicking back his sweat-infused mane. "I've think we've managed to really make him proud."
Spitfire couldn't help but smile, straightening herself up with a hoof to the wall. "I think so too. And I've been thinking... maybe it's finally time for me to forgive myself." She sighed, stumbling over to her locker. "For the longest time, I've been letting the past really hold me down... with my father, Sky Strike... just everything. But after we did that move, I felt closer to Sky Strike than ever before. And... I don't know, I feel like he has already forgiven me for those things I said all those years ago."
"He didn't need to forgive you in the first place, Spit." Soarin smirked, finally able to slip himself out of his flight suit. "There's no way he could hate you, and I'm sure he understood why you said what you did. But I'm glad that you're finally able to move on from that... that's what he would want, you know."
"Oh, cut out that cheesiness!" Spitfire snickered, opening the door to her locker. In a brief moment she slipped out of her flight suit. Despite her trembling hooves, she managed to grab a fresh towel from one of her shelves and slammed the door shut, letting the soft cloth rest on top of her back.
"Anyways, we need to get showered and ready. We have a lot of autographs to sign, and I don't want us smelling like afternoon farm-ponies." Soarin rolled his eyes with a smirk, grabbing his own towel to scurry on after his captain.
"Oh, I'm sure they don't smell that bad!"
Outside of the stadium, Sky Strike took a breath of fresh air. It was midday, and once more Celestia's sun blessed him with its warmth and comfort. If there was anything that hadn't changed within the ten years he was gone, it was that. All the ponies who had attended the show were now spilling out of the entrances, each of them speaking excitedly with their friends and family about the incredible performance. Energetic pegasi fillies and colts swooped into the air, chatting happily with one another as they pretended to be wonderbolts themselves. They flew in circles and loops around their smiling parents, each of them declaring that they too would be a wonderbolt.
"I wanna be like Spitfire!" A young filly laughed in the air, nudging aside a small colt. "She fast, cool, and she's pretty!"
"Well I wanna be like Soarin!" The colt she nudged grinned, tackling the filly in midair. "He does the best flips, and he's the strongest!" The sight brought a smile to Sky Strike's face, watching the spectacle with amusement. Watching the small family disappear into the crowd, Sky Strike turned away to find himself a small bench that overlooked the massive structure. There was a large oak tree that sat behind the bench giving him some decent shade while the gentle breeze soothed over his mane.
Sitting down, Sky Strike took a moment to gather his thoughts. At first, he had been overly excited to meet with Soarin and Spitfire, and why wouldn't he be? They were his old students, almost like his children. In a way, he raised them, and yet his heart was full with sadness and regret. Not only did he miss Dash's entire childhood, but he missed watching the growth of Soarin and Spitfire as the two of the greatest fliers in all of Equestria. Oh, how he wanted to be there... to experience their thrill and excitement to be accepted into their dream. More tears were attempting to leak out from his eyes, but Sky Strike rubbed them away, sniffling quietly.
Now, it seemed that both Spitfire and Soarin were untouchable, on a faraway cloud that he had no hope of reaching. They were busy with shows, fans, practices, workouts, media... would he want to bother them by randomly showing up? If he did so, he could only hinder them. They were all grown up now, and they were indeed different. Would Spitfire still have that youthful fire in her eyes that she did before? And would Soarin still have that burning determination to better himself? He wouldn't know.
Taking a deep breath, Sky Strike shifted his gaze back to the wide, blue sky that lingered above him. Once more, his thoughts turned back to Starlight. He was now in the same city as her, and Canterlot University was only a small ways away. How will she feel? Or most of all, how will he feel? Sky Strike sighed, shaking his head loosely from side to side. No, he needed to see her. If she didn't love him anymore, he would need to accept that. If she wanted nothing to do with him, he would have to move on. There was nothing else he could do.
"Come on, Sky Strike... " He said to himself, taking one last deep breath before letting it out slowly. "You can do this. "
"Autograph signings!" A loud, carrying voice called from the crowd. "If you are attending the autograph signings, please make your way over here! All the wonderbolts, including the captain and vice-captain will be there to sign free autographs and take pictures!"
"Well," Sky Strike chuckled. "I guess that would be a good a time as any to stop by and say hello." He pushed himself off the bench, his hooves clopping on the ground below. "But... I should probably find Dashie before she starts freaking out again." He snickered, glancing left to right over the crowds. He had learned in the past that spotting a rainbow mane was rather easy, so he was sure it wouldn't take too much effort.
Unfortunately, it was taking a little longer than he thought. For about ten minutes now, Sky Strike was running a little amok in the crowd, his head shifting from left to right to try and spot a rainbow. "Dash!" He called, his voice being muffled by the hundreds of others that clashed in the area.
"Rainbow Dash! Element of loyalty! Daughter! Dash the Mash! Rainbow Sprite!" Sky Strike listed off any names that he had ever called her in the past, yelling them out to the crowd. Still, there was no answer, and Sky Strike kicked his hoof into the ground with agitation.
"Stupid Sky Strike... of course you wouldn't think of the consequences of being separated from your daughter... again!" He groaned into the air, waving his hooves up towards the sky. "Dammit, I really have to start thinking of the consequences of my actions... " He clocked himself in the head with his hoof, wincing lightly at the sting. Dash was definitely going to have a few words to say to him whenever he managed to meet up with her.
"Is not!" A small, shrilly voice called not too far away from him. Sky Strike turned to see the same filly and colt he had seen earlier. They were farther away from the crowd and were engaged in some sort of childish argument.
"Is too!" The colt called back to the filly, cradling a small book within his hoof. "It says right here that Soarin is the only wonderbolt who can pull it off!"
"Nuh uh!" The filly snorted, shaking her head. "I bet Spitfire could do it no problem! That's why she's the captain!"
"The reason why she's the captain is because Soarin doesn't wanna be in the spotlight!"
"No way! She's captain because she's better!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is NOT!"
"Is-"
"What's going on here?" Sky Strike asked gently, approaching the two children. Hearing the names of the two wonderbolts, he couldn't help but intrude a little bit.
The young colt thumped on the cover of the book he held in his hoof. "I was telling my sister that the book says that Soarin is the only wonderbolt capable of using the... the.. the... ?"
"Learn the name stupid!" The young filly huffed. "It's the 'Thunder Dive'!"
"Whatever!" The colt whined back, glaring at his sister. "The 'Thunder Dive'! The book says that Soarin's the only wonderbolt strong enough to use it!" Sky Strike couldn't helped but let out a light chuckle. The dive itself was a rather advanced maneuver, and only a few fliers could actually do it. It took quite a bit of strength and control to use. Sky Strike had never taught Soarin that move, and he had to suppress the pride that was building in his chest.
"I bet Spitfire could totally do it!" The filly shot back at her brother. "She can do anything! She's the best wonderbolt!"
"Nuh uh!" The colt shook his head angrily. "She's only the captain! That doesn't mean she's the best!"
"Does too!"
"Does not!"
"Does too!'
"Does not!"
"Does TOO!"
"Does- "
"Okay, okay, okay!" Sky Strike covered his ears with his hooves. "I get it, I get it! Sheesh. Okay, first of all we all agree that Soarin and Spitfire are the best in the wonderbolts, right?"
"Right." The two said in unison.
"Well, there's that. Okay, well you have to understand that Soarin and Spitfire are two different fliers. Soarin's strength comes from his power and control, while Spitfire's strength comes from her agility and quickness. Now, although both of their abilities are rather high, there comes a point where both of them exceed one another. Spitfire can't use some of the more advanced moves that rely on power, and Soarin can't use some of the more advanced moves that rely on agility. But, when you mix both of them together in a show, it's one of the most incredible things to see and that's why they're the best in the wonderbolts. You understand?"
"Uh... " The colt blinked, his brain still trying to process the huge amount of information.
"He says that Spitfire and Soarin are both good at different things!" The filly frowned, clocking her brother on the back of the head with her hoof. "But wow, mister! You sure know a lot!"
Sky Strike laughed, humbling rubbing the back of his head with his hoof. "Just a little, I guess."
"But I guess that settles it!" The colt smiled, finally catching up to speed. "Spitfire can't do the 'Thunder Dive', but she can do things that Soarin can't!"
"That's right." Sky Strike nodded. "And remember, just because Spitfire's the captain doesn't mean she's the best. She's the best leader, but that doesn't make her the better flier."
"Okay... " The filly nodded, satisfied. "Then... who is the better flier?"
"Between Spitfire and Soarin?" Sky Strike blinked, thinking back on the performance. "Well, Spitfire's turns and cuts were spot on, but Soarin's strong acceleration and wing control was top class. Spitfire's use of the 'High Wind Roll' was awe-inspiring, but Soarin's ability to jump from the 'Wind Blitz' to the 'Sky Spin' was unbelievable... honestly, it's really hard to say. But there is one thing I do know... " Sky Strike smirked, looking back down at the young filly and colt.
"I'm better than both of them!" He huffed, puffing out his chest. A few moments of staring passed before the colt and filly burst into laughter, rolling onto their backs on the ground.
"Better than them? You?!" The filly squeaked. "No way!"
"You're not even a wonderbolt! There's no way you are!" The colt chuckled, wiping tears from his eyes.
"What?!" Sky Strike stumbled, actually offended. "Are you kidding me? I'm the greatest flier in all of-"
"Then prove it!" They both screeched.
If there was one thing that could briefly make Sky Strike forget about his worries, about meeting the two wonderbolts, and about his wife... it was a direct challenge. Sky Strike smiled, tilting his head from side to side, feeling the light cracks race up and down his neck.
"Okay... " Sky Strike's eyes changed, burning with a passionate fire. "Then not only will I show you two foolish children how it's done, but I'll also use Spitfire's 'High Wind Roll' and end it with Soarin's 'Thunder Dive'."
"You can't do those!" The filly watched him skeptically. "There's no way!"
"I bet you can't even fly up that high!" The colt remarked.
Sky Strike let out a low, almost creepy laugh before spreading his wings, giving the two kids an evil glare if they saw one. "Then watch me... " Without wasting another second Sky Strike shot up into the air, the sudden rush bursting down the two children with wide eyes.
Once again, he didn't think of the consequences.
The wonderbolt autograph signing was taking place in the plaza just outside of the stadium, and was a big enough event to cease all traffic for. Ponies who hadn't attended the show were free to line up and to speak, bump hooves, and get their pictures or other things signed by their favorite fliers. Each wonderbolt had their own table shared with their wing-pony, and lines for each table were completely winded around the entire plaza. In the middle of the tables sat Soarin and Spitfire with, of course, the longest lines of all the other wonderbolts.
"Alright, everypony." A big, tough looking stallion wearing a suit and black sunglasses stood in the center, attempting to organize the lines. "No pushing, no cutting, and please keep the fangasms to a minimum."
"He actually said that..." Spitfire chuckled to herself. Pulling out a black pen and setting it onto the surface of the table.
"I swear, if that mare shows up again... " Soarin said to himself, a shiver coursing down his spine. "Man, I don't want to think about it. I think my restraining order is still in effect. "
"It comes with being a celebrity, Soarin." Spitfire smirked. "Let's hope they're all civilized ponies here."
When they were given the go ahead, the ponies eagerly rushed the tables, the security guards doing everything they could to keep things fashioned and orderly. They were ponies of all ages, size, and races, with there being a few more pegasi than unicorns or earth ponies. Most of the autographs they signed were pictures or posters, while others were t-shirts and small trinkets.
However... some were also what you'd expect.
Soarin sighed, looking down at the bright-eyed teenaged filly. "You realize that signing your flank is only temporary, right?" The filly nodded her head eagerly, a wide smile on her face.
"And you realize that a picture or something else will last a lot longer?"
She nodded excitedly.
"And that the next time you take a bath or something, it will wash right off right?"
"That's if I take a bath."
"Oookay!" Soarin groaned slightly, grabbing the marker in his mouth. He scribbled his name and gave her a small hoof bump, watching the filly scurry happily away. Plopping back down onto his seat, Soarin took a moment to look at both his and Spitfire's lines, noting that both of them had an incredible amount of mares.
"Spitfire, you're just so amazing! You... don't happen to be interested in mares, are you?"
"So, Miss Captain... how would you like to spend a night with a lovely little mare like me?"
"I love your mane... so fiery, so spirited. It would look better on the pillows on my bed, if you know what I mean..." The mare winked. Spitfire's eye twitched, and she handed the fan back her autographed picture.
"Well, your popularity hasn't gone down." Soarin chuckled, giving a small colt a little hoof bump. "At least the mares you all get want to sleep with you. Mine are almost legally insane..."
"Psh!" Spitfire rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, they aren't that-"
A mare slammed her hooves down in front of Soarin's table, making the two captains jump in their seats. Her eyes were wild, crazy, and bloodshot. Her mane was pointed out in different directions, and her fur was ruffled and messy.
"Sweet Celestia... " She breathed, leaning in to stare at Soarin straight in the eyes. "Oh my gosh Soarin, I am your biggest fan. I love your flying I love your voice I love your sexiness I love your eyes I love your wings I love your appetite for pie I love your PIN number I love the last four digits of your social security number I love how your voice sounds on the phone I love how you sign your restraining order I love you so much oh my gosh I want you to take a knife and cut me open and wear my skin over your body oh my sweet Celestia Soarin I love you so much please kill me!" A security guard quickly wrapped the insane mare in his hooves, pulling her away from the table while she thrashed and screamed.
"SOARIN. SOARIN. I LOVE YOU. SOARIN. SOARIN SOARIN. LOVE... " Finally, her voiced disappeared into the crowd, and the vice-captain took in a deep sigh of relief.
"Nevermind. Your fans are insane." Spitfire shook her head. "Please keep them away from me."
The autograph signing continued for about ten minutes before a loud, squeaking voice was bellowing through the crowd. "Excuse me! Sorry to move you! Come on, let me through! Element of Harmony here, I can do what I want! Hey, don't touch me there!" Breaking through the front of the lines was a familiar, rainbow-maned cyan pegasus. She panted, wiping the sweat off of her brow as she gazed up at the two captains of the wonderbolts. Normally, she would be absolutely thrilled, and unable to say anything clearly.
But she had something more important on her mind.
"Well isn't it Rainbow Dash!" Spitfire smirked, cocking her eye at the young mare. "Sorry to tell you, but Element of Harmony or not but you have to wait in line like everypony- "
"Have you seen him?!" Dash barked away, looking back and forth between the two pegasi. "Has he been here yet?!"
"Um... what?" Soarin blinked. A security walked to up to care of Dash, but he stopped him with his hoof. "Who are you talking about?"
"Uh... you know!" Rainbow Dash started waving her hooves in the air. "... Him!"
"Well, we had a lot of stallions come through." Spitfire thought to herself. "Is he trouble or something?"
"No! Well, yes... but, no!" Rainbow growled, smacking herself in the head with her hoof. "I'm talking about... well, he's somepony you know... kinda from your past. But you know him! Like, really well!" She didn't want to blurt out it was her father, not wanting to sound crazy.
"Dash, you're making me draw a blank here." Spitfire frowned. "Who is he?"
Dash glanced left to right, looking over at everypony in the lines. "Wait... if he hasn't come up yet that means... oh, no!"
"Rainbow, if you have nothing else to say would you please go back to the end of the line? Everypony's waiting for their turn." Soarin sighed, motioning over to the long line of fans.
"He's going to do something ridiculous again, isn't he?" Rainbow shook her head, talking to herself. "I can't believe it... " She shifted her eyes over to the two wonderbolts and took in a deep breath. "Okay, so I don't feel like spoiling anything, but probably really soon you'll see what I mean. He's probably going to be doing something flashy, crazy, or even- "
"Look up there!" A pony in line lifted their hoof, pointing to something in the sky. "Who's that?"
"Oh my gosh... " Rainbow Dash smacked herself in the forehead. "Here we go... "
Curiously, Spitfire and Soarin all turned their attention to the sky, moving up their hooves to block the powerful rays of the sun. Suddenly, an amazingly fast blue blur came into view, shooting up into the air at a vicious speed.
"Misty?" Spitfire blinked, casting her gaze over to the other table. No, she was still at her table with Fleetfoot. Actually, all of her wonderbolts were seated at the tables, each of them watching the strange spectacle in the sky.
The pegasus in the air soared high into the clouds, and for a moment everypony lost sight of them. And then suddenly, the pony exploded down from the sky, smoothly transitioning into a series of spins and rolls. Normal ponies just would have stood in awe, but both Spitfire and Soarin stood out of their seats, their eyes never leaving the flier.
"What... is this?" Soarin said to himself softly. "That's... "
"The 'High Wind Roll'.... " Spitfire finished, watching the pegasus complete one of her special moves, the wind around them bursting the clouds that hovered high in the air. In all her years of being a wonderbolt, she had been the only one to successfully do it, the last being Sonic Speed. Overall, she had known three ponies who could do it. Sonic Speed, her, and-
Wait.
She glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who kept her eyes on the ground and was muttering to herself. Ever since the first day she had seen her, she knew who she was. Her rainbow mane, her ambition, her natural flying talent... it was clear as day. Of course, Spitfire never said anything... it was a painful thing for the both of them. But then she remember when Dash approached the table, talking to them about a mysterious stallion. All she said was... "him".
Spitfire's eyes shifted back to the flier in the sky, continuing to do advanced maneuvers through the air. That wasn't the flying of a novice, or that of a trainee. It had been years ago, but she could still see it. The flow of the flier's cuts, the speed of their acceleration, the wing control... basics that had been burned into her body for ten years. It was a beautiful flying style. One that she knew all too well.
"No way... " Soarin said quietly beside her. "That's my... who is... " The flier above suddenly took a turn, diving down towards the plaza. There was a loud crack, the pegasus greatly increasing in speed and direction. Soarin had easily recognized the move. The "Thunder Dive". A move that had taken him years to learn and master. A move that he had poured his heart and soul into learning, something that needed to be able to do to prove himself. Eventually, he had made it his own, perfecting it to suit his style.
And this flier was doing just that.
When the pegasus acelerated down towards the plaza, everypony in the crowd scattered, shrieking away from the point of impact. The other wonderbolts also got up from their chairs, the security guards forming a protective circle around them. Soon, it was only Soarin and Spitfire, watching the pegasus go faster and faster.
And then it hit.
The moment the pegasus landed, an immense boom of thunder exploded out from the impact, the force of the maneuver knocking over all the tables the wonderbolts had used for signing. Dust kicked up high into the air, blowing out from the plaza. Spitfire and Soarin both fired out their wings, their strength keeping themselves in midair as they both fought against the gust. Rainbow Dash did the same, covering her eyes while her mane whipped around her face.
When everything finally managed to settle, Soarin and Spitfire landed onto the ground, shaking the dust out of their manes while coughing. Soarin had found out the hard way that this was a move that you don't use lightly... it may not have the same impact as a sonic rainboom, but it was still very strong. Soarin and Spitfire finally adjusted their eyes, looking over at the pegasus that landed just a small distance away.
His mane was rainbow colored. His coat was a dark blue. They recognized his cutie mark.
"Oooooh yeah!" The pegasus laughed, pumping his hoof into the air. "I told you I was the best!"
They knew that laugh and voice too well. It had been years, but they knew it.
"Dad... " Rainbow Dash said quietly behind him.
"Not only did I do both the 'High Winds Roll' and the 'Thunder Dive', but I threw in the 'Cloud Gallop' and the 'Typhoon Blitz'!" He was pumped, his blood boiling in his veins. Light steam was drifting off of his feathers, fading into the air. "I'm totally the best!"
"Dad!" Rainbow Dash shouted. Sky Strike blinked, turning back to look at his daughter.
"Oh, Dash!" He smirked. "There you are, I was looking for- "
Soarin and Spitfire were standing just a few meters back, staring at him with wide and unbelieving eyes. When he met their gaze, their hearts froze in their chests. At first, they tried to deny it. It wasn't him. The stallion may look like him, speak like him... fly like him. It couldn't be him. Could... it?
Spitfire and Soarin stood by each other, motionless. Their eyes were locked onto Sky Strike, the one pony they were sure that they were never seen again. But there he was smiling, looking back at them. Their hearts froze to ice in their chests, their hooves trembling on the cement ground of the plaza. It had been ten long years, and yet they knew the tone of his voice, the gentleness of his eyes all too well. Dozens of questions floated around in their heads, but they somehow couldn't put any of them into words.
They could only stare.
Sky Strike watched them silently, giving them a small smile. Now, seeing them up close, he was finally able to see how much they
had grown.
The young, brash Spitfire was gone. Now, she was a full grown mare, growing into her natural beauty. She no longer looked like the rebellious, hot-headed filly that had given him a hard time in lessons... she now looked mature and strong, like a true leader. She now stood with confidence, standing the same way he had seen the other wonderbolt captains.
For Soarin, his awkward teenaged colt years had finally passed him. He stood tall, his shoulders and his chests much broader. The wings folded at his sides were bigger, muscles coursing over his frame. He was as handsome as Sky Strike knew he would be one day, a real mare-killer.
To them, Sky Strike didn't look a day older. He looked exactly the same the day he had left them, giving them the same smile he had always given them years ago.
"What... " Soarin managed to pipe out, his ears drooping behind his head.
"No... " Spitfire gently shook his head. "No, you... you can't... " Her lips quivered, and she shut her eyes tightly.
Sky Strike sighed quietly. He knew that this wasn't going to be easy... how could it? After all, he was stupid enough to suddenly pull of a flashy entrance without giving them so much as a warning.
"I'm sorry." Sky Strike said quietly, raising the head of the two wonderbolts in front of him. "I let you two down, didn't I? I wasn't able to finish your lessons, I wasn't able to watch you two graduate. I wasn't able to see you two become wonderbolts, and I wasn't able to see you both grow up into two of the finest fliers I have ever seen." Sky Strike's eyes moistened, and he rubbed at them with his hoof. The guilt that was preying upon his heart was just pouring out now, the sad thoughts conquering the words on his lips.
"Again, all I ended up doing was hurting somepony. I hurt my friends, I hurt my family... and I hurt you two." He took in a deep breath, shaking his head. "Especially you, Spitfire. I only pushed you away." Sky Strike cast his eyes down onto the ground, continuing to try and wipe away the forming tears on his eyes. "I'm a terrible pony... " He whispered with a broken breaths.
A soft, gentle hoof found itself pressing into his cheek, lifting up his head. Spitfire looked at him in the eyes, her mouth open slightly.
"You're... you're real... " She said quietly, moving her hoof to run through his mane. "It's you... it's really you... " She pulled it back suddenly, cupping it over her mouth. Her eyes finally began to water, her body quivering in front of him. "You... I... "
She pulled him into the tightest, warmest hug he had ever experienced.
Spitfire's sobs came in like a storm, shoving her face into his neck. Her hooves grasped his body, and they wouldn't dare to let go. Her body convulsed with her crying, her running tears freely streaming down her cheeks and onto his fur. She tried to make words, but every time she tried she ended up sobbing harder into his body. Sky Strike gave her a sad smile, letting one of his hooves stroke her mane softly.
"It's okay, kiddo." Tears rolled down Sky Strike's cheeks as well, his eyes trying to blink them away. "If it helps, cry all you want. I'll be right here." As he stroked her mane, he lifted up his eyes to find Soarin.
Soarin didn't move where he had stood before. His eyes were reddening, trying to stifle the tears that were begging to be released. His own lip quivered, and he did his best to stand as tall and proud as he always did.
"Soarin... " Sky Strike smiled, watching the young stallion. "You've had it tough, haven't you?"
Soarin's hooves trembled, but he continued to stand tall. "... Yes... " He managed to say.
"You've been the wall Spitfire's had to lean on all these years, haven't you?" Sky Strike added.
"... Yes... " Soarin choked.
"It must have been so hard."
"... Yes... " Soarin cradled his face in his hoof, attempting to hide his sobbing expression. Sky Strike continued to smile, casting his eyes back down to Spitfire. The poor mare was still trying to speak, her words jumbled with her cries.
"... S... " Spitfire attempted to say something, her face still dug into his neck. "... So... "
"It's okay... " Sky Strike chuckled lightly. "I know what you have to say... "
"... Sorry... I'm... I'm so sorry... " She squeaked, hiding her face in his fur. "Sky... I'm so... so... "
Rainbow Dash stared at the scene, sitting back onto her haunches. Both wonderbolts were bawling their eyes out at her father, and he continued to try anything he could to calm them. Taking a deep breath, she gazed up at the sky, her own heart fluttering with emotions.
"I guess I can't just keep him to myself, can I?" She whispered quietly to herself.
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Glad to see you back!
Wow. It's been so long, I completely forgot what this story was about. Time to reread!
I absolutely loved this chapter. It's great as far as i'm concerned. I am so glad you are at least gonna try to complete this story, this story is at least number 3 or 2 on my top stories on this site. Keep up the great work, if you can that is.
Is Sky a living nuke ready to go off?
Oh! This is nice! It's good to see you back to writing.
It's reasons like this I never truly give up hope for "Cancelled" stories.
Keep rockin', keep writin'!
Super glad to see you back.
Looking forward to seeing where this story is going to go. Glad to see it continued again.
This story still exists, and I'm ok with that
Glad to see this has been uncancelled
The... Oh... jeez...
I shall say it now, I have not read this yet, I wish to track it and see what is to come... I hope it is as it may seem in my eyes
Huzzah! So happy to see this is being continued! *promptly puts the story back on the proper bookshelf where it belongs*
Even though you left the fandom, I like that you're finishing this anyway. Tie up loose ends and all that.
GReat to see you back and great chapter!
This is why I keep cancelled stuff around, it's nice to see you back in the saddle... or since you're just here to finish this would it be a side saddle?
...
I'll see myself out.
This chapter made me cry tears of joy. For an author to return and pick back up where they left off even after leaving the fandom warms my heart. This is going on my EVERYTHING for sure.
oh my ;-; im crying. i love this. this is so amazing.
It is so good to have you back.
Welcome back with love from Norway.
6468574
Thanks! Yeah, I'm definitely out of the loop with where mlp has gone, and the site is a lot different than I remember. But thank you for the support, I hope I don't disappoint you.
6468248
Yeah, it's definitely a loose end. I'm happy that a lot of people are looking forward to me finishing it, and it helps me through it.
Welcome back for now. It may be too much to expect you to fully come back to the fandom, but it will at least be gratifying to see this great work get to its end.
This reminds me of something but I can't put my finger on it....
insightete.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/its_alive.jpg
Well, Sky might no be a terribly pony, but he's right about his arrogance and carelessness hurting ponies again and again and again.
Hmm needs more something but....... What? Alas i hope The "Adoption" offer still stands.
I can see Dash being a little jealous…
Also glad to see u back
It's here again! ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. And you'll finish the story too? that's so awesome.
(Claps) I am so glad you are back, this is one of my favorite stories on here and I was a little sad that I would never see the finish.
So... Many... Feels...
Seriously, really f***ing good writing right here.
It lives! And now there is internal tormoil and drama! No! Go for Sky Strike to marry Spitfire or maybe adopt the two officially now, as his daughter is a celeb anyway!
It lives!
There have been numerous fics that have been cancelled that resided in my Favorites shelf...
This is the one that I never lost faith in that it might be continued.
Thank you.
"Surprising" indeed.
MOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Woohoo! Good to see you back!
Dude the feels. And thank you for continuing it till finished.
Hey Axel, thank you for updating this amazing story. This has literally became my favorite story. Keep up the good work ;p!
No matter what ending you chose for it, this already has all the makings of a Twilight Zone-type story (the old Rod Serling TZ show).
Looking forward to more of this.
I just came across this, and I wish to tell you that I'm joining all your past fans to say: "We've missed you so much! Welcome Home!
"
Really eager for the next chapter.
No matter how low your inspiration is, know that we'll always be here, wanting to see the beautiful works you create.
6537673 This.
Please let this story get finished.
6476429 Seconded
Now I really want him to find out his own daughter is more amazing, I need it pleasee
I NEED FOR HIM TO FEEL MORE PRIDE IN HIS DAUGHTER THEN THESE OTHER PEEPS. I need thee feeels
After taking this story out of my tracking folder after it was canceled, I just now found this story again, and with an unread chapter to boot! Awesome chapter, and even if it's a long time before the next chapter, I'll keep this in my tracking folder so long as it's still marked 'incomplete'.
OH MY GOSH
YAAAAAAASS! FINALLY! I COULDN'T WAIT FOR THE MOMENT THEY WOULD FINALLY MEET AGAIN! THIS IS AMAZING!!
Damn, I'm waay too late. Would've loved to have hope for this story.
Stupid jelly Dash
Spitfire and Soarin's story gave me feels and tears tho, luv 'em so much
Why the buck do all good story’s have to be incomplete damn it.
I have faith that you'll come back one day and finish this masterpiece. Maybe with the epilogue being a Pinkie Party