Chapter 1
The show almost ended and Spitfire was about to do her most loved trick when a small cross wind hit her body then she lost the control only for a second, but it was enough to hit the stone like solid cloud. Everypony in the crowd jumped up from their seats including Rainbow Dash who was there just like any other time in Cloudsdale.
Spitfire knew the moment after she hit the thing, that her wing is broken. She was falling for a couple of seconds when her and Soarin's eyes contacted each other and he knew immediately that Spitfire is in trouble. Spitfire wasn't trying to slow down her falling with any of her wings because she didn't want to damage it any further and she knew Soarin will catch up to her anyway. After Soarin caught Spitfire the show was called off.
Soarin landed on the clouds with Spitfire on his back then kneeled on the ground so she can get off safely. Spitfire almost fell as she touched on the cloud floor because she was feeling dizzy from the pain, but luckily Soarin managed to catch her with his wing. She needed a couple of seconds to regain her equilibrium and head to the dressing room along with Soarin who had his wing around Spitfire the whole time if she would need it, but he knew exactly the spots where he can touch Spitfire if she needs it, not to hurt her.
After they entered Soarin was trying to help Spitfire to take the wonderbolt dress of, but Spitfire shook her head while a couple of tears left her eyes because of the pain.
"I'm sorry."
Soarin apologized as fast as he could. Spitfire placed a hoof on Soarin's.
"We should go to the hospital, they will cut it off."
Soarin nodded and opened the door for Spitfire. They were leaving through the back door so the fans wouldn't bother them. It took them only a few minutes to reach the hospital in Cloudsdale and for their luck, the doctor who was having his night shift knew the wonderbolts very well.
Soarin was forced to stay outside in the waiting room while Spitfire went inside the room with the doctor so he can examine Spitfire's wing.
"So, how is it doc?"
Spitfire knew exactly that her wing is broken, but she wanted to hear it with her own ears.
"Three weeks, no flying, at all."
After seeing the disappointed look on the wonderbolt's face the doctor continued.
"I mean it, including with the previous injuries you had with your right wing, you are lucky that it will heal."
Spitfire let out a sigh.
"I get it."
The doctor shook his head and turned away to gather the bandages to fix Spitfire's wings so it can heal.
"No, I don't think you fully understand how lucky you are Spitfire, If it would be anypony else I'd send a request to Princess Celestia to allow me to use a spell what would disable your wing for months."
The doctor fixed Spitfire's wing to her body as tight as he could, while he was doing it Spitfire tried to stay strong and clenched her teeth, but tears left her eyes anyway. The doctor levitated a handkerchief to Spitfire so she can clear her face. When she finished it she threw it to the same trash can where her torn apart wonderbolt suit was. She kept staring at it for almost a minute, Spitfire only snapped out of it when Soarin touched her who came after the doctor opened the door.
It took them almost ten minutes by hooves to Spitfire's house, Spitfire pushed the door open and left it that way so Soarin could follow her inside. She climbed up on the cloud couch and laid down on it while Soarin entered and closed the door behind himself. Spitfire was staring into the nothing for minutes long when she finally raised her head to look at Soarin who was looking at her in silence to let her think. They knew each other for a long time and it's not the first time that something like this happened with one of them.
"I need you to help me get out from here."
Soarin didn't know if his ears playing tricks on him or he heard it right what Spitfire just said, so he remained in the same position looking at the orange mare.
"Fine."
She stood up from the couch and walked to her room pulling a small luggage out from it with her teeth. Spitfire opened it and started placing a few things into it, that was the moment when Soarin realized he wasn't just imagining it, the only reason why he couldn't believe what Spitfire asked him to help with, that Spitfire never left Cloudsdale because she got injured. She was always there at every training with the wonderbolts even if she was only sitting in the audience, giving advices and helping them as much as she could from the outside to perfect every move without her.
She finished packing in less than two minutes and closed it. Before she would start to drag away the thing Soarin stopped her.
"Where?"
That was the only question Spitfire wasn't thinking about, the only thing she knew that she needed to leave Cloudsdale. Despite she is a wonderbolt and lots of pony surrounded her, she didn't have that much friends who she could trust willingly and even less who wasn't a pegasus that lived in Cloudsdale or in a cloud house. She could go to the palace, but she didn't want to bother Princess Celestia, but maybe her protégé, Twilight Sparkle. Spitfire had a couple of conversation with the mare when they stumbled into each other and Spitfire had a good opinion about the mare, even thought they never really spent a lots of time together.
"Twilight, maybe she will take me in for a few weeks and Ponyville kind of a quiet place, worst case I'll rent a room."
"Are you sure?"
"Why, do you have something against Twilight?"
"No, it's just that she is, well..."
Soarin scratched his mane with his hoof while trying to find a word which is not offensive, but before he could come up with something Spitfire stepped forward, placed a hoof on Soarin's shoulder and smiled at him.
"Yet she still has more friends than me."
Soarin opened his mouth to say something to Spitfire who was leaving her house, but he remained speechless and followed Spitfire after placing the small luggage on his back. They didn't need to go far to reach a hole in the cloud city. Spitfire stopped right near it and climbed on Soarin's back who carried the pack with his hoof after leaving the solid clouds. After thirty minute flight they arrived to Ponyville and Soarin landed right in front of the library where the lights were still on.
"Thanks for everything Soarin."
"Anytime."
Soarin carefully hugged Spitfire and they held it for a couple of seconds before Soarin stepped away.
"So, are you sure about this?"
A smile appeared on Soarin's face when he could see the anger on Spitfire's face yet she knew it's just a joke.
"Go now, before I hurt you."
Soarin let out a laugh just like Spitfire then he flew away leaving Spitfire alone who was standing in front of the door for almost five minutes thinking about what can she say after she knocks on the door, but she ran out of time when the door opened from the inside by Rainbow Dash. They spent a few seconds looking at each other in silence, Dash turned her head around.
"Twi, do you have some sort of business with Spitfire or am I hallucinating that she is here?"
"Ahm, hi Dash."
Dash turned her head back to Spitfire and raised a hoof towards her. Twilight arrived a couple of seconds later and the same surprised look appeared on her face like on Rainbow's almost a minute ago, but unlike her friend she greeted the orange mare who certainly wasn't only part of Rainbow's mind.
"Good evening Spitfire."
Rainbow was still unsure about it so she lifted herself in the air and flew closer to Spitfire. She wanted to touch Spitfire's ear with her hoof, but the wonderbolt stopped her and turned to face with her.
"Quit it Rainbow, I'm really here."
Dash fell on her flank and the surprised look came back on her face for a couple of seconds then she recognized the bandages around Spitfire's wing and body.
"Spitfire are you alright? I mean it was a wicked crash and."
"Don't worry about it Dash, a few weeks and I'll be good to go, but if you don't mind I need to talk with Twilight."
After Spitfire finished, Twilight raised her hoof to stroke her mane, trying to think of something why Spitfire would like to talk with her in the middle of the night, but she couldn't come up with any guess, unless she came here to ask her to get her wing fixed, but if doctors couldn't help how could she, also why would she bring a luggage along with herself.
"Alright, good night Twi, bye Spitfire take care."
Both of them waved a hoof to Rainbow then Spitfire let out a sigh before turning back to Twilight. They were looking at each other in awkward silence for almost a minute because Spitfire was still uncertain how to ask Twilight about it.
"Soo, would you like to come in?"
"Yeah, thanks."
Spitfire walked inside carrying her pack with her left wing, after she entered Twilight closed the door behind her.
"Would you like to drink or eat something?"
"No thanks."
Spitfire put down the package on a table and took a breath.
"Ahm, Twilight, I know we don't really know each other all too well, but I need to ask a favour, can I stay here till my wing heals?"
Twilight was looking at the pegasus for almost a minute before Spitfire decided to pick up the pack with her wing and start walking towards the door.
"Forget it, it was a stupid idea anyway."
She was about to pass Twilight and open the door, but a purple hoof crossed her path.
"I'm sorry, I just didn't expect this question, of course you can stay, but let me ask you something, why me?"
The eye contact what they were holding broken by Spitfire because deep down she felt a little ashamed about it, but it was the truth.
"Because there wouldn't be anypony else who I can call a friend and ask such a thing, I know friend maybe a strong word since we."
Spitfire stopped when she felt a touch on her left wing then turned back to Twilight who had a smile on her face.
"I get it, come."
Without any other word Twilight turned away and headed upstairs while Spitfire was looking after the mare for a couple of seconds then she followed her. Twilight passed her own rooms door and opened the next. She lit up her horn for a second and happy face suddenly turned pale then closed the door as fast as she could with her magic.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, not at all, I, never mind."
She turned to Spitfire and opened her own room's door with her magic.
"Go ahead."
After a couple of steps backward, she took a look inside but she didn't enter the room. There was a bed inside and a smaller one next to it, where her baby dragon probably sleeps.
"Twilight, it's your room."
"Yes, but it will be yours while you stay here."
Spitfire turned to Twilight.
"Come on Twilight, I really don't want to be a trouble and where are you going to sleep then?"
She pointed at the door next to her.
"What's wrong with that room that you would give up your own?"
Twilight brushed her mane with one of her front hoof and made a nervous smile.
"It's a bit messy."
Spitfire walked in front of Twilight who took a few steps back when they were only a breath away and Spitfire opened the door. The Moon's light which entered through the open balcony, it was almost as big as Twilight's, but it was separated by a diaphanous door. Spitfire walked inside and Twilight followed her, she lit up every candle in the room so the pegasus can take a better look of the room. A couple of seconds passed when Spitfire turned around to face with Twilight who had an embarrassed look on her face. There was nothing room with the room otherwise a couple of books on the floor, the bookshelves were dusty and there was some kind of odd smell.
"Seriously Twilight, I'm not some kind of fastidious mare who can't handle a little mess, you should come over to my house once. I'm sure you would be surprised."
Spitfire turned around and opened the door to the balcony to let some fresh air inside.
"Spitfire are you sure?"
"Absolutely, let's just say as organized I'm on the field that much mess I keep at home."
Spitfire let out a small laugh and Twilight followed her lead. After they finished, she teleported Spitfire's belongings on the bed. Spitfire took a deep breath from the fresh air then turned around and sat down on the bed. It was a really long time ago since Spitfire ever slept on a solid bed, but It was quite comfortable. Almost a minute stopped while Spitfire was staring right in front of herself without even blinking. Twilight took a couple of steps towards her.
"Spitfire, are you alright?"
She raised her hoof and touched her bandages carefully and rubbed it then turned to Twilight.
"Yes," She smiled at Twilight. "but I stink."
She opened the pack next to her and pulled a towel out of it with her teeth then placed it over her left wing. Twilight turned around and Spitfire stood up to follow her. The big bath tub was empty only for a second after Spitfire entered behind Twilight then water appeared inside it.
"Go ahead."
Spitfire placed a hoof inside it to examine the water's temperature which was perfect. The only thing which was stopping her the bandage around her right wing and body, it was the worst after not able to fly when the bandages get wet.
"Bah I hate this."
"Hm?"
"Every time, the bandages will get wet and it will take time to get dry, while I wait for that to happen my fur becomes Itchy. Well, I did this to myself so I guess, I deserve to suffer it's consequences."
Before Spitfire could lower her body inside the warm bath Twilight was able to cast a couple of spell on the bandages which are surrounding her body. Spitfire could feel and see the effect of the spell which the unicorn casted. The bandages remained dry even if they were under water.
"Wow, thanks Twilight."
"Anytime, just tell me when you are finished and I'll take care of your other problem as well."
She closed the door behind herself leaving Spitfire alone enjoying the warm water. It took her a while to finally realize that she didn't bring the redolent with herself which she always put into the water. It's not like she needed it, also it was her least problem right now. Spitifire closed her eyes, but instead of any idea what to do next, drowsiness took over her mind and she fell asleep less than a minute.