> A Burning Passion > by Stasys > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Socks N' Casinos > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wonderbolts' HQ was silent this time of night. You could faintly hear the sound of crickets in the distance as you quietly stroll through the dimly lit courtyard in your wonderbolts pajama pants and white t-shirt. You admire the many flowers and statues that occupy the courtyard. Every stone pony resembled some famous Wonderbolts' captain from the past. You didn't know many of them, but one stood out to you... Spitfire. That name meant a lot to you. She was the one who offered your sorry ass this job in the first place. She could of left you to rot in the back of that loud club without a name or memory. The funny thing was, she wan't scared of you... she actually liked you for some reason. She offered you a position as a, well, you don't really know. You do jobs that vary from accounting to mechanical work... you even gave Echo a massage one day because her wing was cramped. So lets just say that you're the Wonderbolts', 'Handyman'. Two months you have been in Equestria. Two months of working and traveling with the team. And two months of not being able to remember your past. The only thing you can remember is what you learned in school. Everything else has been long forgotten. Sometimes you wish you could remember, but you didn't obsess about it... what's done is done. You realize that you have been staring at the large stone statue of Spitfire for about half an hour. You yawn and shake your head, snapping out of the trance with the stone slab. You look at the watch on your wrist; it was 12:27 A.M... time for bed. You turn around and head back into the living quarters. You enter the building and start to walk down the hall to your room. As you walk, you hear the sound of hoofsteps come from behind. Before you could turn around, you were tackled to the ground from behind. You roll with the attacker latched to you for a few feet before you stopped. You were now staring into the orange eyes of a very good friend. "I'm surprised your up Ducky." You were still startled by the surprise attack, "Sorry... thats just revenge for that pie prank you pulled on me in Trotingham." You laugh, remembering the little ruse you pulled that resulted in a angry orange pegasus with a face full of lemon pie. "It wasn't that funny! I couldn't see for the rest of the day." Your continued laughing began to aggravate Spitfire, "If you don't stop laughing Ducky, your going to be sorry." "Oh, I'm terrified now." Now your just playing with her, "Ha... ha... ha-" Spitfire smirks and stands up above you, "Your going to regret that." "Ya? What are you going to do about-" She shoves her fore hooves into your chest and pins you down, "W-what are you doing?" A sinister smile formed on her face, "Revenge..." She then wraps herself around you and took off. She was only a few feet off of the ground, but that was enough for her to work with. You gulp as she stares into your soul. Spitfire didn't scare you, but you were worried about what she had planed for you. Her sinister smile disappears into something more gentle and heart warming. Surprisingly she decides to set you down on your feet, before landing herself. "Ah... I'm too tired to worry about revenge now." You sigh in relief and look at her, "I'm sorry for the prank Spitfire." She tilts her head and narrows her eyes, "What do you mean by that?" You rub your arm nervously, "I'm saying that you mean a lot to me." She blushes and looks down, averting your gaze. "Your my dearest friend... and it was uncalled for." You cared about Spitfire deeply. You were told a while back that she liked you, but you didn't feel the same way about her. You couldn't grasp the thought of you dating a pony, so you just kept her as a friend. She looks up, the crimson color still on her cheeks, "D-don't worry about Ducky, it was all in good fun." She turns around and starts to walk away, flinging her tail around playfully. She turns around for a moment, "But don't think your off the hook for that prank Ducky!" You silently say to yourself, "I figured as much." You then turn around and continue to walk to your room. It didn't take too long for you to reach your room that was placed in the stallions' wing of the building. "Pst... Ducky." You were standing in front of the door to your room, looking around to find the source of the sound. "Ducky... over here," You pinpoint the sounds origin... its coming from around the corner. Your tired, but your curiousness got the best of you. You sigh and walk to the origin of the sound. As you round the corner, you spot the five male Wonderbolts of the team; Soarin', Storm Cloud, Rapidfire, and the Streak brothers. You knew a gathering like this could only lead to bad things. Soarin' quickly walks up to you, "Ducky, thank Celestia your here." You rub your eyes, "What is it now? It's not another prank is it?" "Of course it is Ducky. Now keep your voice down, we're going on a raid to the mare's wing." You shiver, knowing of what only could become of such an act, "T-thats not a good idea." He leaves the ground to get eye to eye with you. He then slaps you with his hoof and grabs your shoulders, "Get a grip on yourself Ducky, your the only one who will make this plan work" "Me? Why me?" Soarin lands in front of you, "You know how to pick the locks with those fingers and that red thing you got." "That was one time to get Airheart out of the storage closet." "Doesn't matter... Fleetfoot must pay for what she did." "Ugh... what did she do this time?" It was never Fleetfoot... Soarin' just has a crush on her and would do anything to get close. "When we did the 'Buccaneer Blitz' during practice today... she purposely pushed me out of formation. Spitfire then made me do 50 Pushups as punishment." "... Why are you complaining, you can't do 50 pushups? Your a Wonderbolt... and you can't do 50 pushups?" "No I can! It's just that... ugh, it's just not fair." Soarin' wasn't the brightest of stallions, which caused him to resort to childish ways in certain situations. "Listen, If you don't help us we will tell Spitfire." You raise an eyebrow, "Tell her what?" Storm Cloud decides to speek up, "Wait, you mean you don't know..." you shake your head Fire Streak laughs, "It's so obvious!" Lightning Streak then cut in, "How could you not know by now!?" "Know what!?" Soarin' silences the other stallions before looking at you, "Forget it Ducky... just please help us." You purposely forget the argument and sigh in defeat, "What do you have planed?" "Were going to steal her favorite white socks and put them in a washer with a red sock." You swear to god that Soarin' is seriously in love with this mare... and you know that he's going to keep those socks. "Seems harmless enough. Fine, lets go get some socks." Without another word, you follow the group into the lions den. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everything looked exactly the same as the Stallion's quarters, except that there were ten rooms that all were occupied by female Wonderbolts. Each room you passed, had the name of the mare that occupied it; Blaze, High Winds, Spitfire, Misty, Echo, Surprise, Airheart, Dust Devil, Fleetfoot, and the new rookie named Rainbow Dash. You stopped in front of the door that read, 'Fleetfoot', and pulled out you 'Swiss'. You had that trusty knife since you first came to Equestria, didn't know how you got it though. You flip out the small blade and push it into the keyhole. "Hold on..." You look back at Soarin' and whisper, "How do we know she's not in here?" He waves his hoof, "Don't worry Ducky, Mrs. Wonderbolt needed to speak with all the mares about something." "About what?" "Don't know, something mare related or... I don't know, just open the bucking door." You shake your head and sigh, and with a simple twist of your wrist, the lock clicked. You then slowly open the door, allowing the troublemaking stallions to enter. "Nice work Ducky... you are defiantly worth the bits." He passes by and walks into the room. "Ya, it's nice to know that i'm loved for my ability to pick a lock," You then enter the room. The room didn't look any different than yours; white carpet and ceiling, blue walls, a large closet, a dresser, balcony, a fancy bathroom, and a king sized bed with blue and yellow sheets. Other than a few personal touches added to the room by Fleetfoot, it was exactly the same. You continue to observe the room while the rest of the group, 'searched', for Fleetfoot's socks, "Soarin', we really shouldn't be here." Soarin' pulled himself away from the dresser and looked at you, "Ugh, quit worrying and help us find the socks." He returns to his task-at-hoof. You rub your head, "Damnit Soarin'! Do you not know where socks are kept!?" He looks at you angrily, "What do I look like to-" His jaw then dropped as he looks at something behind you. You knew exactly who it was, "She's behind me isn't she?" *WHAP!*....... *THUD!* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You felt like you were sleeping, but yet you were awake... hearing everything... "RUUNNNN!!!" "GET BACK HERE SOARIN'!" "Fleetfoot whats wrong?" "Those damn stallions and Ducky broke into my room!" "Oh poor Ducky... why did you hit him?" "WHY!? He broke into my room Misty!" "Now you know Ducky would never do such a thing on his own." "Well... ya but-" "But nothing. You know Ducky is the nicest pony... um, human I think it was, on the entire team. It was probably Soarin' who hazed him into doing it." "Celestia damn Soarin'. What is his problem anyway?" "I don't know... but say your sorry." "To who?" "To Ducky, Who else!?" "He's knocked out Misty... he can't hear me." "Ya, knocked out, not asleep... he can still hear you." "Misty I doubt-" "SAY YOUR SORRY!" "Ok calm down. Sorry, Ducky." "Good." "What the hell is going on in... DUCKY! What did you do to him!?" "Don't worry Spitfire, it was just a misunderstanding-" "Misunderstanding!? You knocked him out Fleetfoot." "That was by accident, Soarin and the others hazed him into doing it." "Soarin'... he's going to suffer tomorrow." "Well what about Ducky, he's not staying in my room..." "He will stay in mine." "S-Spitfire. Are you sure that's a good idea... we know how you-" "Shhhhh! He's still awake." "Please be quiet Misty, he's out cold." "Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you." "Anyway, where was I... Spitfire, we know about-" "I know Fleetfoot! ... sorry, I know about my feelings, what do you think that entire meeting was about?" "I won't argue. You do what you think is best Spitfire... just make sure Soarin' suffers tomorrow." "You can count on that. Now help me get him to my room." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You lie on your back as you stir in the soft bed. You slowly open your eyes to observe the room... It wasn't yours. You feel a sharp pain on the back of your head and attempt to touch the wounded spot, but something is obstructing your right arm. You realize that something is wrapped around you, like a soft blanket or a cuddling dog. You lift up the blue sheets and see an orange hoof resting on your chest. You look to your right to find Spitfire cuddling up beside you. You silently laugh at Spitfire's quiet snoring... it was cute. Not trying to wake her up, you slowly slip out of the bed from the left side. You yawn and look at the watch on your wrist; 7:08 A.M... "Aww shit." You just remembered. You have a meeting with some casino boss form Las Pegasus with your boss Mrs. Wonderbolt at 7:30 sharp. If you missed this, your job was at stake. You slowly walk to the door and silently open it. You then make your way back to your room for a change of clothes. You quickly enter your room and make your way to the dresser. It was filled with about a dozen outfits that were made specifically for you. You put on a pair of blue and yellow jean-like pants, and a blue zipper hoodie with yellow lightning bolts on sides. To complete the look, you spike up your hair and hang a pair of goggles around your neck. You didn't exactly like the look, but Mrs. Wonderbolt had specific orders for you to wear it whenever you do anything Wonderbolts related... which was literally all the time. After you got dressed, you made your way to the meeting room where your boss and the casino manager were meeting. You tried to open the door to the room, but it was sealed tight. You quickly checked the time; 7:17, a little early. You decide to sit on a nearby couch to think for a few moments. Mrs. Wonderbolt, your strict boss that owns the team and anything that has to do with the Wonderbolts. Her name was originally Golden Daisy but when she inherited the team from her mother, the previous Mrs. Wonderbolt, she adopted the name like every other manager before her. She was so lovingly nicknamed by Soarin', Daisy Cutter, and for good reason too. You remembered one occasion, during an after show party, when she nearly ripped an investor's head off for trying to squeeze out some bits from the Wonderbolts... and you don't blackmail the boss. You remember how much convincing it took for Spitfire to get you this job, and even then it took about a month for you to gain her trust. She treated you slightly better than the actual team, but thats because your good at what you do. Your daydreaming is soon ended when you hear the annoyed voice of your boss, "Ahem..." You quickly snap back to reality and stand up. You see the grey unicorn with a yellow and blue dyed mane, taping her hoof and staring into your soul. "U-uh... uh-" "Save it Mr. D, I'm in no mood for excuses today." "Uh... you can call me Ducky ma'am." "Your names not Ducky... It's just a pathetic name you were given due to your large feet and the fact that your name started with a 'D'. I will not call you by such a pre-mature title." You didn't like the insults, "My feet aren't that big, and I really don't mind the nickname that-" "Spitfire gave you." "Ya... so what?" She sighed and shook her head, you could also hear her mumble something inaudible to herself. "Never mind, we have a job to do." She then opened the door and went inside with you close behind. The room was a cream white with a fairly large brown wood table accompanied by a few chairs that were made for ponies. You sit down next to your boss and wait for instructions, "Alright Mr. D, I called you here to help me out with this situation." You were about to say something, but she cut you off, "I am trying to obtain the rights for the Las Pegasus show that is coming up in a few weeks." She hands you a yellow file with a little more information in it. You look through its contents while your boss continues to brief you. "Problem is, the owner of the stadium/overseer of the show, is considering using the Shadowbolts for the show." You knew where this was going, "And we can't allow that to happen." The Shadowbolts, one of Equestria's finest flight groups. Many believe they were created by Luna just to harass Celestia's favorite team, The Wonderbolts. Others believe that Luna summoned them from the depths of Tartarus to do her bidding. There were many legends about them, but one thing was for certain... they were damn good. Every flight team in Equestria has a different flight style, and in the Shadowbolts' case, a very aggressive flight style. Their moves mostly consisted of huge illusions and very frightening tricks. Their 'Shadow Dragon' trick back in Cloudsdale, nearly gave six ponies a heart attack. Besides the fact that they were intentionally frightening, they were damn good at what they did. And Because of their large fan base, they were constantly competing with The Wonderbolts for shows. "You are here to assist me. And when I say assist me, I mean sit down and shut up." You figured as much, "I understand ma'am." "Good, now he should be here-" The door opened, allowing a platinum pegasus that wore a fancy black suit to enter. The brown maned pony sat across from you and your boss, and placed a black briefcase on the round table. Mrs. Wonderbolt was the first to speak, "Ah, Mr. Horse." That name sounded strangely familiar, "We welcome you to The Wonderbolts' HQ." A smile appeared on Mr. Horse's face, "Pleasure is all mine Daisy," You could feel the air around your boss suddenly become heated. "Now you know that's not my name Mr. Horse." "Yes my dear, and its a pity that you didn't keep such a beautiful name." You could tell she was trying her best not to blush, "... Anyway we called you hear to-" He finished for her, "To discuss my choice for the show, and I won't be hiring The Wonderbolts this time." "We are the best flight group in Equestria!" "Well that's now debatable my dear." They continued arguing as you sat silently, planing something that would seal the deal for The Wonderbolts. You remember the file you looked at earlier, it described that the show was going to honor the opening of a new casino that was dubbed the 'Starlight Wonder'. It also described that this casino is supposed to have a certain feel to it's customers... something that would't work with The Shadowbolts flight style. You had an idea, "Mr. Horse, If I may." Both ponies stopped arguing and look at you. Your boss was not happy now, but Mr. Horse was... for some reason, excited. "Ah my boy, speak your mind. We were getting nowhere with this discussion anyway." Time to set the plan in motion, "What is the name of your new casino Mr. Horse?" He raised an eyebrow, "The Starlight Wonder... why is this relevant." You ignore his question and ask another one, "And what kind of a feel is the Starlight Wonder supposed to give it's guests." "Well... It's a large casino that is meant to dazzle and awe strike it's guests. Listen my patients is waring thin, where are you going with this." "So it's meant to dazzle and awe strike its guests. Now do you believe that The Shadowbolts are a good fit for that preference?" "Uh..." You had him now. "Now let me ask you this; Do you want a team that will most likely cause half of your audience to pass out from terror, or do you want a team that is well known to... 'dazzle and awe strike' it's audience like the casino you built?" He taped his chin with his hoof, "Well now... I never thought of it that way." He looked at Mrs. Wonderbolt, "I... I believe we have a deal." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With a little paperwork and extra reassuring, you sealed the deal with Mr. Horse. He then said that Mrs. Wonderbolt would be hearing from his associates soon and, that he wishes for you to stop by one of his casinos before the show. You were now standing in front of the conference door with your boss... Mr. Horse was long gone. "I-I can't believe it. I really underestimated you." You couldn't be more happy with the results of the meeting, "Ah don't flatter me ma'am." "I wasn't. Job well done Mr. D, I will inform the other Wonderbolts about 'your' success." You stood in silence for a moment, "Well what now?" "Take the rest of the day off... in fact, take the next three weeks off. Your due back two days before the show." "Y-yes ma'am," You couldn't believe it, three weeks off... payed. "Thank you ma'am." You gave a little bow of appreciation. "Yes well... get out of my sight." You turn around and start to walk back to your room to get a swimsuit. You were going to enjoy this well deserved break. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One things for sure, the Wonderbolts' pool was definitely a sight to behold. The untouched surface of the crystal clear water that reflected the sun, looked most welcoming to you. The pool would usually be crowded by other Wonderbolts by now, but they were probably meeting with the boss about your success. You walk to a nearby pool chair and set your towel and shirt on it. You tie your blue swim trunks and make your way to the pools edge and dive in, creating a large splash that disturbs the waters surface. You quickly come up for air and make your way to a yellow floating pool chair on the other side of the pool. The chair squeaks as you pull yourself onto it. You then lay back and put your hands behind your head. As you relax, your mind begins to wander... This show was going to put the Wonderbolts back on top again. Competition for shows was getting brutal lately, especially since the Shadowbolts were created. The Wonderbolts were still considered the best of the best, but that didn't stop other teams in Equestria from trying to rival them. There were five major teams that competed with the Wonderbolts, each having their own flight style and fan base. The most popular teams were the Shadowbolts and the Wonderbolts, who were always butting heads with each other. There was the all Griffin team, the 'Golden Claws', that specialized in very explosive tricks. Their shows were defiantly awe striking... unless if your in the front row, then you will get your eyebrows blown clean off. The most graceful team was definitely the 'Blue Doves'. As the name suggests, the entire team is only mares. By pony standards, they were absolutely beautiful, but they were... well slow. While their looks made them famous, their moves mostly consisted of beautiful illusions and graceful flying... which didn't give them a huge fan base with the common ponies. The last one is by far the most dangerous. Born in Stalliongrad, the 'Red Dawn' is the most aggressive and daring out of all the groups. The team consists of mostly stallions, but there are a few mares on it. Their tricks were so dangerous, that their 'Iron Hammer' trick made the Shadowbolts' 'Black Fury' look like it was performed by children. In their last show, they lost three flyers that ended up being spattered against the walls of Canterlot Stadium. But the worst part about them, was their captain. Duchess Whiteout is considered to be, the most ruthless mare in all of Equestria. The only threat the Wonderbolts needed to worry about, was the Shadowbolts. You lay on the yellow chair for what seemed like hours... which was only 25 minuets. Your daydreaming was interrupted, when you heard the sound of chatting coming from nearby. It was faint, but you could understand it. "I can't believe it! Ducky actually got us the show in Las Pegasus." You smile at the comment. "Ya Dash, we are going to have so much fun together when we get there." "What makes you think that I'm going with you Storm?" "Oh, just a hunch." "Keep dreaming lover-colt... Spitfire, where are you going?" "I'm going to go find and thank Ducky." "Be gentle with him Spitfire. You don't want to wear him out before you get to Las Pegasus. Ha, ha, ha!" "Do I need to make you do another hundred pushups Soarin'!?" "Uh... no 'Cap'." "Good." You now hear the sound of fast approaching hoof steps from ahead. You whisper to yourself, "What was Soarin' talking about... wearing me out? What does that even mean?" You then see Spitfire enter the pool area and shout, "Spitfire, over here!" She doesn't say a word. She quickly took off her Wonderbolts outfit and pulled her goggles around her neck. You tried to understand what she was doing before she jumped into the pool and disappeared beneath the surface. You knew Spitfire well enough to know what was coming next, "Oh no... this can't be good." (This story will most likely be turning into a 'Clop' later on. If I screwed up somewhere, tell me because this is my first second person fic... so I might need some help before I continue the story. Don't expect regular updates, I will work on this story from time to time when I need a break from my other stories. So be patient between releases) > Targeted > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (I'm taking a short break from my other stories to think about what to do next with them, so I will work on this story in my spare time for now. I also need you guys to know that I went on vacation to Lithuania to attend a funeral for my Aunt. I'm just letting you guys know that I'm still a little shaken up from it, and my writing might be slightly effected. I doubt it though, but if you spot something amiss with my grammar... tell me and I will try to fix it) "Ohshitohshitohshit." You cling to the yellow chair as you loose sight of Spitfire beneath the water's surface. You mentally prepare for her surprise attack from below, but what she does next shocks you. Rather than launching you into the air, like her usual playful attitude, she calmly resurfaces next to you with a gentle smile on her face. You can't speak, shocked at the foreign action. She floats next to you with her head above the water... just smiling, "Well... are you going to invite me on board captain." You didn't understand what she meant at first, but soon understood what she wanted, "Oh... ok." You move over slightly to allow Spitfire to sit on the floating chair with you. And with one powerful flap of her wings, she was able to take off from the water and easily land on the chair. It was astounding to see just how powerful pegasi wings were, even though they were EXTREMELY sensitive. The chair was big enough to hold you and Spitfire comfortably, as she leaned back against the chair like you were. She turns her head to look at you, "Thanks for hooking us up with the show in Las Pegasus Ducky." You smile, "It was nothing, you hired me and you get to reap the benefits of my success." She frowns a bit, which worries you, "Whats wrong? Did I say something-" "No no it's fine, I mean I did get you the job in the first place, It's just... It's just that..." She looks back up to the cloudless sky, "I don't know how to thank you properly." "What do you mean?" Spitfire then turns completely towards you and looks into your eyes. She moves a little closer, brushing against your warm skin with her soft wet coat. She then wraps her dripping wing around you, "What... What I'm trying to say is..." She gulps nervously, "A-are you free for-" "SPITFIRE!!" The booming voice frightens you, which causes you to fall off of the chair and back into the cold water. You quickly resurface to see Rainbow Dash at the pools edge. "WHAT IS IT RAINBOW!?" You see Spitfire staring at the rookie with a scowl on her face. "Whoa..." Rainbow Dash takes a step back, "Take it easy Spitfire. I just came to tell you that the boss needs to see us ASAP in the briefing room." "Again?" Spitfire sighs, "What is it this time?" Rainbow shrugs and looks at you, "And you need to come too Ducky." "What, why? I'm on vacation." "Ya... she said that she couldn't care less and will, 'Fire your fat flank,' if you didn't come along." You knew that Daisy would actually do that in a heart beat. You groan, "Fine..." You make your way to the edge of the pool and pull yourself out. You then grab a towel and start to dry yourself off, when Spitfire lands next to you. "Ducky, we really need to talk later." "Well what is it? Can you not tell me now?" Spitfire blushes and looks down, averting from your gaze. You place your hand below her chin and push her head up so that her eyes meet yours, "What's wrong Spitfire, you've been acting different lately." She doesn't speak, "You can tell me anything Spitfire. You are my best friend and I care about you more than anything in the world." You start to see tears form in her eyes... which seriously worries you. She finally musters up the courage to speak, "I... I... I lo..." She then pulls back from your hand and quickly tries to wipe away her tears, "N-nevermind," She then spreads out her wings and takes to the sky. You stand near the pool as you watch your best friend disappears in the cloudless sky, "Oh Spitfire." You turn around to see Rainbow Dash shaking her head, "I'll go after her, tell the boss that I might be a little late." You chuckle, "The amazing Rainbow Dash... late?" She giggles, "Don't taunt me." She then takes to the sky, in pursuit of Spitfire. You Mutter, "What has gotten into Spitfire? Am I doing something to hurt her? Does she hate me?" You push the sour thoughts away, as you quickly put on your shirt and make your way to the briefing room. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm an idiot! I'm such a bucking Idiot!" Spitfire was crying uncontrollably as she flew to... Celestia knows where. She was flying at record breaking speeds, when she heard a familiar voice from behind. "SPITFIRE! WAIT UP!" It was the rookie. Spitfire slows her speed to allow Rainbow Dash to catch up, and eventually came to a stop. Rainbow Dash flew in front of Spitfire and took a moment to catch her breath before speaking, "Whats wrong?" "Nothing... nothings wrong." Rainbow Dash scowled, "Thats a load of crap!" "W-what!?" "Ever since you found Ducky, he's been changing you completely!" "How would you ever know rookie!?" "You eat differently, you can hardly sleep anymore, and you treat Ducky better than anyone else!" "So what? Are you saying that I can't change!?" "Quit avoiding the issue, I want you to say it here and now!" "Say what!?" Rainbow Dash's tone drops "You know what I mean." Spitfire looks away, "No I don't." "Say it." "S-say what?" "Say it!" "No!" "SAY IT!" Spitfire brakes down, "ALRIGHT! I LOVE DUCKY!" She looks down at the distant ground below, as tears begin to flow down her face, "I... I love him so much." Rainbow Dash smiles and embraces her friend, "I love him more than anything else in Equestria." "Then why don't you tell him?" "Because, what if he doesn't fell the same way, what if I offend him and make him quit the Wonderbolts, what if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore." "Hay... you should never need to worry about that." "But I do, I told him about a month ago that I had feelings for him... but he didn't feel the same way. And ever since then, my feelings have only grown stronger for him." Rainbow Dash let go of Spitfire and looked into her eyes, "Spitfire, he will always be your friend no matter what. You know him better than anyone else, and you know that he would never allow that to ruin your friendship. Listen, I was there when you told him about your feeling, and I don't think he was rejecting you. I think that he was just... scared." "But why was he scared?" "I don't know. Maybe it was just too soon for him. You need to remember that he is from a completely different world. Love might be different there than here, and I might have an idea to find out about it." Spitfire wipes away a few tears and allows her friend to continue, "Storm Cloud owes me a huge favor. I could get him to convince the other boys to ask Ducky about his species' 'love habits'. They're all very good friends and hangout a lot in their free time." "T-that would be awesome." "I could also ask the girls to find out what he thinks about you. I could also ask Ducky for a massage, and from what Echo says, he loves to talk and on occasion... share secrets." A smile finally appears on Spitfire's face, "Your a good friend Rainbow." "After the meeting, I will inform the other Wonderbolts about the plan. Now lets go home, I'd rather not deal with the boss in an angry mood." They both giggled, "You don't have to tell me twice." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The briefing room was a moderately large, rectangular room. It had four rows, with six chairs each row, that faced the front where the projector screen was placed. All of the Wonderbolts were in attendance... except for two. You take your seat at the edge of the third row, and start to think about Spitfire. A familiar yellowish pegasus with a blue mane that had light-blue streaks in it, sits next to you, "Hi Ducky." "Hello Echo." Echo was a 19 year old, extremely smart pegasus with a knack for flying. Before she became a Wonderbolt, Echo attended a high-end biologist college in Cloudsdale. She was training to be an Aero-biologist, specializing in anything that had wings or flew. She was discovered by Spitfire about 2 years ago when she was playing Stormball with a few of her friends. Spitfire saw Echo carrying the ball at extremely high speeds with an unreal amount of precision and agility. Needless to say, she was recruited in a heart beat. Echo took it as an opportunity to make some money to start her own Aero-biologist group, and with her making 7 digits a year... lets just say her dream is more than a fantasy. "Is that all you have to say to one of your friends." You shrug, "Not much else to say." You then notice that she is carrying something under her wing, "What is that?" "Oh this," She opens her wing and grabs the object with her hoof, "Its a book on pegasi anatomy. I'm studding for a final at CSU." "CSU?" "Canterlot Scientific University." "Interesting. Learn anything new?" Not a good question to ask a science-loving pony. "Oh where to I begin. But here, take the book and read it if you'd like, I'm done with it anyway." (Be warned, very scientific discussion about Pegasi Anatomy incoming) You deicide to look through the book to burn some time. You flip through the pages and stop at a chapter that explained basic facts about the pegasi body. You knew a little about pegasi, but what you read really helped you understand them more. Pegasi, on average, can grow to be about 4'6'' to 5' and have a wing span that can range from 6 to 7 feet. Their bones are fairly hollow, which makes them weigh about 50 lbs for mares, and around 70 lbs for stallions. A normal, full grown pegasi can carry 5x their weight, making them stronger than any average human. Even with the bones being hollow, they are extremely durable. The bones can survive high impact crashes, and any broken bones can be easily repaired with the right care and attention. The wings though, were a completely different story. Pegasi have a abnormally high number of nerves and a very sensitive tendon in their wings. The book explained that the wings and feathers were durable, but the nerves can be easily damaged. A large enough impact to the wings, could result in an instant K.O. for the unlucky pegasus. The book also explained something about the wings flaring out and becoming stiff in certain situations... whatever that meant. You close the book and hand it back to Echo, "Thanks, I wish you luck on your test." "Oh your to kind to me." "You were-" "Alright everypony sit down and shut up!" The entire room went silent as Mrs. Wonderbolt entered. She stopped in front of the screen and looked out across the room. "Where the buck is Rainbow Dash and Spitfire!?" You were about to stand up and tell her about the missing Wonderbolts, but they soon barged into the room, "Sorry we're late!" "Your going to need a better excuse than that! But I'm feeling more gracious than usual because I'm in a good mood." You can hear Soarin' mutter from behind you, "This is her good mood?" "Take your seat you two and shut up." They both said at the same time, "Yes ma'am." Dash and Spitfire took their seats and Mrs. Wonderbolt took over, "Start the projector." The screen behind your boss was now occupied by a picture of a single Shadowbolt that was found near the HQ. "I need to inform you all that we are being watched. We spotted this Shadowbolt and other ones near the campus of the HQ, and we believe that they are looking for one of you." Chatter could be heard throughout the room on the subject at hoof. "Excuse me ma'am." Everypony looked at Soarin' in the front row, "Why are they, 'looking for us'?" "They are probably not very happy with the fact that we just stole their show in Las Pegasus, and when I say us, I mean one of you..." The room was filled with more chatter before Soarin' spoke again, "Who is it?" Mrs. Wonderbolt looks at you, "It's you, Mr. D." Everypony then looked directly at you. You groaned, "Oh crap." Spitfire spoke out, "W-why would they be out for Ducky!" The boss scowled at Spitfire, "Lower your voice Captain! Ducky was the one who obtained the show for us in the first place, and Mr. Horse doesn't like to keep his big mouth shut. I believe that you can figure out the rest on your own." The boss looks at you again, "You are to stay in this building at all times, and we have already moved your possessions to Spitfire's room." "W-WHAT!?" You stand up, "You can't be serious!?" "Oh I'm very serious about protecting my team." "I'm not a Wonderbolt boss!" "You are more than a Wonderbolt Mr. D, you are our one of our greatest assets and I will personally see to it that you are protected at all times. And to do that, you can't be left alone for too long, so you will be bunking with the captain." Spitfire chimes in, "Is it really necessary to do that ma'am? Why is his room too dangerous to sleep in?" "The Shadowbolts specialize in stealth and anything that deals with the dark. They could come in through his window and snatch him easily without alerting anyone." "But ma'am-" "End of discussion Captain!" "... yes ma'am." "All of you are dismissed." (Well your certainly in a pickle now. I wanted to make this chapter longer, but time was short and I still have a lot of other things to do. The next chapters will be very interesting with a mixture of romance and danger. Tell me if I screwed up somewhere and I will try to fix it. Also take into account that I am from a different country and show some mercy in some situations, but still tell me where I screwed up. Up next, we go to Las Pegasus!) > On a Wing and a Prayer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (YES!!! I know that it was projector not protector! My computers stupid automatic spell check can go haywire at times, thank you all for pointing it out though. I also need you guys to vote on something for me, do you want me to turn this into a clop, or do you want me to keep it teen. I need you guys to decide because the next chapter will either contain clop or not. If most of you vote yes, I will make it skippable for those who don't want it) Spitfire was pacing back and forth in her room, thinking about the situation she had been put in by the boss. Rainbow Dash was also in the room, lying lazily on Spitfire's bed and trying to comfort her worried friend. "Calm down captain, this isn't the worst thing that could happen." "It is the worst thing that could happen Rookie!" "I'm sorry, but I don't see what the problem is. He is only bunking with you for a while, and your both very good friends." "It's not him I'm worried about! It's me." "I still don't understand." "Ugh," She stopped her pacing and stared at Rainbow, "You already know my feelings for him and... well-" Rainbow Dash's face lit up, "Oh... my... gosh. You've had fantasies about doing it with Ducky haven't you!" "Shut up Dash!" "Admit it," She said in a playful tone, "You totally want him in bed with you." Spitfire scowls, "Shut it! I already have enough to deal with, and I'd rather not be teased about something so personal to me." There was a moment of silence, "...So how did you want to do it? You on top or-" "Go buck yourself Dash," A knock then came at the door, followed by a familiar male voice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You had to grab a few straggling items from your room before you completely moved in to Spitfire's room. Now equipped with your toothbrush and pajamas, you are standing in front of Spitfire's door. There was a fairly loud argument coming from inside, but it was inaudible. You decide to knock on the door, "Everything alright in there?" Spitfire answers, "It's open Ducky." You turn the gold handle and open the door. You enter the room and see Rainbow Dash lazily sprawled out on her belly, "Am I interrupting something?" She giggles, "Don't flatter yourself." You look at Spitfire, "So where am I staying? Couch I'm guessing?" "No, you can sleep on the bed... I'll sleep on the couch." "Oh hell no." You couldn't remember much from your world, but you knew that only men slept on couches. "You get the bed, I get the couch." "Ducky, are you sure?" "Positive, you are a beautiful mare and you deserve to sleep in your own bed." Spitfire blushes and looks down, "Aw Ducky... you shouldn't say things like that to me." "Bah!" Rainbow Dash interrupts, "Get a room you two." Spitfire looks up at Rainbow, "Your in my room rookie, now get out." "Ugh, fine Cap." She turns around and makes her way to the door as you set up a few blankets on the white couch. "Oh wait... Ducky!" You stop making your couch and turn to face Rainbow, "I... I could really use a massage tonight." You were surprised. It wasn't the fact that she wanted a massage from you, It was the fact that Rainbow Dash wanted a massage in the first place. She has always considered herself above prissy things. You were always glad to help out any Wonderbolt who was sore from practice, "Alright, I'll be right over in about five minuets." "Alright... see you then." She then opened the door and left the room. You finished laying out the sheets and decided to go brush your teeth. It was a quick two minuet brush, but when you came back to your 'bed', Spitfire had jumped up on the couch and messed up the sheets you had just laid out. She was lying on her back and staring at you with a playful smirk on her face. "Oh your asking for it now." She sticks her tongue out, "Thats it!" You lunged forward and pin Spitfire to the couch. Her smirk was still present, but you were going to change that. While Pegasi had wings, you had one advantage that nopony could ever have... fingers. You push your right hand into her furry chest and start your merciless attack. "No no!" She begins to laugh uncontrollably as you tickle her, "P-p-please Ducky, Aa!! S-stop!" She thrashes around as your run your fingers through her orange coat. You then move your hand down to her soft belly. She squeals, signifying that you found her 'soft spot', "Nono not there! Aaa! Nonononono!" She continues to thrash around and squeal as you continue your tickling onslaught. She laughs start to crack, signifying that laughter was probably hurting her. You stop, allowing Spitfire to catch whatever breath she lost during your attack. She took a few deep breaths and stared into your eyes, captivating you. You were friends with Spitfire from the beginning, but something new was burning inside of you... something more deep and personal for the orange mare. You remembered your appointment with Rainbow Dash, "I got to get going now, I'll be back in about half an hour to torture you again." Spitfire was still trying to catch her breath when she spoke, "Y-you are soooo going to regret doing that." "I'm so scared." You then exit Spitfire's room and make your way to Rainbow's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mrs. Wonderbolt was in her office, filling out whatever paper work she had. A cream colored pegasus opened the door and entered. "Um... ma'am, you asked for me." Mrs. Wonderbolt took off her reading glasses and looked at the secretary, "Indeed I did. I need you to go find Spitfire and bring her here." "May I ask why Madam?" "No you may not. Now get out there before your flank is on the line." "Y-yes ma'am." The secretary bowed and exited the room. The boss sighed an levitated over a expense file. She flipped through the papers and noticed that they were all filled out by Ducky. She was always pleased with the amount of hard work that the human put into everything, and the quality it was done in. "Why can't I have an entire staff of humans. I doubt humans are even lazy... unlike Soarin'." Mrs. Wonderbolt continued to sort through the many files, until she heard a knock at the door, "Come in-" The door was flung open, revealing a wet orange pegasus with a towel around her neck, "Why is it that I can't take a shower in peace in my own room!?" She trotted up to the desk and slammed both of her hooves on it. "I don't like your tone Captain. And your job is to do as I say when I say it... clear?" Spitfire scowled, "Crystal." "Now sit." Spitfire leaned back and sat on a red pillow in front of the desk, "I called you hear to warn you." "Warn me of what?" "Airheart told me about your plan to, 'interrogate', Mr. D." "I... I don't know what your talking about," Spitfire looked away from her boss. "First, If you lie again I will cut out your tongue and feed it to my eagle. Second," She stood up and walked over to Spitfire. She pushed Spitfire's head so that their eyes meet and stared in to her soul, "If your little stunt causes Mr. D to quit, I will personally see to it that you are sent to the depths of Tartarus." Spitfire gulped in fear, knowing that her boss could do it without thinking. Mrs. Wonderbolt sighed and went back to her seat. "I'm sorry if what I am saying is coming across as harsh, but I am serious. Even though he loves his job and the people he works with, he is still sensitive." Spitfire wiped away a drop of sweat from her brow, "I didn't know you cared about him so much." "Personally, I could care less about him. But professionally, he is probably one of the greatest assets this team has seen in a long time." "That seems a little harsh." The bosses stare was unmoving, "I'm here to run a team, not make friends captain." Spitfire looks down and sighs, "Spitfire, look at me." She complies, "I know that you care deeply about Mr. D and your only trying to figure out if he feels the same way about you... but if you ask me, I know for a fact that he loves you too." Spitfire's ears perk up, "He just needs confidence to acknowledge his feelings for you. And if I were you, which I would never wish for, I would try to push him into the right direction." "And how would you do that." "Well you have a few choices captain, you could try to seduce him." "I don't think so." "I'm glad you at least have common sense to not do that. Your second option is to, 'work your way' into his heart." "I'm afraid I don't understand ma'am." "Hang out with him like you usually do, but at the same time, gently start to show your love for him. For example, you and the rest of the team have a 'Monthly Horror Movie Marathon' in the briefing room tomorrow night, right." Spitfire was intrigued, "Correct." "Sit next to him, socialize, and... just be you. The rest should come naturally for the both of you." "But what do you mean?" "You will see soon enough... now get out of my office." Spitfire made her way to the door, but before she left, she looked back. "Thank you ma'am." "I not doing this for a thank you captain." Spitfire silently giggled and whispered, "You cold cold mare... that's what makes you great." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "OW!!" Rainbow Dash screamed. You were still holding your hands above Rainbow Dash's back, "I haven't even started yet." "Ya, well it still hurts!" You shake your head and sigh, "Are you going to let me work or do you want me to leave you big baby." Wrong choice of words. Rainbow Dash rolled over and grabbed your white shirt. She pulled you close to her scowling face, "Say that again!" You gulp, knowing what the black-belt pegasus could be capable of, "T-take it easy." Rainbow's scowl was replaced with a sinister smirk, "You know what... I have a better idea than a massage." She then wrapped her forearms around your neck and pushed her hind legs into your stomach. With one swift motion, she bucked her legs, which sent you flying into the wall behind you. You slide to the floor, "Ow!!" You rubbed the back of your head, "What the hell was that for!?" Rainbow Dash walks up to you and uses her hooves to pin you to the wall, "What, you say that you don't want to wrestle with me?" You gulp, "No! Thats not what I'm saying at all!" "Well tough luck! Your in my room now, and you have to play by my rules." She brings her forehead to yours, "And I say that we're going to wrestle." "Oh sweet mother of God." (Aw snap! You fighting a black-belt pegasus... that's going to end well. I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, I need you guys to vote before I go any further. The Las Pegasus visit is going to be pushed back a little to make room for other fun situations like the horror movie marathon the entire team will be enduring through in the next chapter) > Strange Feelings > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spitfire was slowly making her way back to her room from the boss' office, thinking about Ducky. The human meant so much to her... she almost couldn't believe it. Even when she was turned-down by Ducky about a month ago, her feelings have only gotten stronger for him. She pondered every posable reason as to why her love was so strong for him. She loved Ducky because he was the only being that could touch her heart. Almost everypony always saw her as either a strict captain, a money bag, or a dirty slut. The Wonderbolts were good friends, but only one person took time out of his day to make sure she was happy, who comforted her when she was sad and warmed her heart when she needed it most... Ducky. An innocent smile formed on Spitfires snout as she dreamed about Ducky. As she neared her room, she started to hear loud noises coming from the rookies room. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ow!!! You Bitch!" *CRACK* "AAAA!! What is wrong with you!" *WHAP.... CRASH!!!* "STOP IT!" She didn't let up, the rookie continued to fly around the room, attacking from all angles to cause maximum damage to your soft human body. You tried to make a run for it, but you were immediately tackled and pined to the ground face-first. The door swung open. "What the hell is going on here!" It was Spitfire. You try to look up but you are still pined to the floor, "It's not what you think captain-" "Not what I think!? Your siting on top of Ducky with spots of his blood on your coat and your telling me that 'it's not what I think'?" The room was silent. You felt Rainbow Dash step off of you and take a few steps back. You still decide to lay down and take a moment to catch your breath. "Are you alright Ducky?" Spitfire's tone drastically changed from seething anger, to concern for you. You mumble into the soft white carpet, "I'm fine." Spitfire sighs in relief and returns to the Rookie, "I just don't understand you Rainbow." You then feel Spitfire's moist nose nudge into your side, "Come on Ducky, lets go." You sorely stand up, making loud groaning noises as you did. When you finally got up, you looked at the orange pegasus. She had a deeply concerned look in her face as she stared at you. She then took a few steps to get to your side and started to lead you out of the room. Before the door closes shut behind you, you gaze back at Rainbow Dash, who was sadly looking at the white floor below her. You couldn't tell, but it seemed like she was crying. Spitfire used her body to help steer you back to her room. When you finally reached her room, you sat down on the white couch and looked at Spitfire. She walked into the bathroom, which was out of sight, and turned on the bathroom sink. You couldn't tell what she was doing, but she soon came back a few seconds later with a wet washcloth in her mouth. She sat down next to you and placed the wash cloth in her hoof. "Looks like it hurt..." Spitfire said sarcastically. You weren't in a joking mood. She then began to dab the wounds on your face gently with the washcloth. You groaned as she began to dab the cuts on your cheeks. You shrugged off the pain and began to stare deeply into the mare's eyes as she continued to soak up the blood on your face. You couldn't tell if it was because of a concussion, but something about Spitfire at this moment made you think about kissing her right then and there, But something was holding you back. Spitfire took the bloodied wash cloth and set it on a near by table. She looked back at you and said, "Feel better?" "A little," you respond. You felt a strange feeling come over you, something you had never felt before. Something about Spitfire changed in this moment to you. A new feeling began to overtake your heart, something you had never felt before... it was love. "You alright Ducky? You seem a little disoriented." "Huh... what?" You shake your head to snap out of the trance you were in. The feeling in your heart started to settle down, but it was still lingering. "Oh, nothing Spitfire." "Are you sure, Looks like you had something important to say." A part of you just wanted to take her and make love to her on the spot, but another part seemed to keep whispering, "Not now you dummy, wait for the perfect moment." "No really it was nothing," You responded. "Alright, well I need to get some sleep, and don't worry about Rainbow Dash... I have it covered." She then jumped off of the couch and made her way to her bed. You crawled under the sheets and slowly started to close you eyes. Spitfire then turned off the lights "Goodnight Spitfire," you said "Goodnight Ducky," Spitfire then mumbled something inaudible to herself, and she soon fell into a deep slumber. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spitfire's Room 8:17 A.M. 19 days until show in Las Pegasus. You yawn and slowly awake from your slumber. As you slowly sit-up, you groan about the weak, but still lingering pain from last nights beat down. Trying to ignore the pain, you make your way to the bathroom. As you walk in, you notice a folded note next to your tooth brush. You pick up the note and read it; Ducky, Feel free to use my shower in the morning. Judging from the spots of blood on your shirt, it looks like you could use one. Use any of the soaps that are already in there, I already got you a towel you can use to dry yourself off. I have practice at 6:30 with the rest of the team, and we will be done around 9:45. Don't forget about the horror movie tonight, this month's movie is supposed to be very scary and I can't wait to hear Soarin' scream like a little filly again. See you there! Spitfire You chuckle silently and set the note back on the counter. You take a quick glance in the mirror above and notice a cut under your left eye along with a bruise on your right cheek... but other than that you looked fine. You decide that a shower would do you some good, so you quickly undress and step in. Spitfire was only 4'6" but her shower was bigger than most normal ones in Equestria were, so thankfully, you didn't have to crouch over to clean yourself. You let the water run over your bruised body as you grab a bottle of shampoo labeled; S'mores. You open the bottle and squeeze a small amount in the palm of your hand. As you rub the sweet smelling contents in your hair, your mind drifts off.... thinking about how you will spend your first day on vacation. a few ideas came to mind, but you decided that you should first grab some breakfast with the rest of the team. The shower was over as quickly as it had started. You wash out the remaining soap in your hair and turn the water off. You then quickly dry yourself off and make your way to the wardrobe that Spitfire lent you for your clothes. You put on a pair of blue and yellow shorts, along with a basic white t-shirt. As you leave Spitfire's room to start the day, you slip on a pair of sandals and pull your goggles around your neck... I wonder whats for breakfast > A Job for the Duck > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- (I think the first part of this chapter sucks and is a little to slow, but it needs to be done to get to some of the better parts. And believe me, it's only going to get better) Outside the Wonderbolts Lounge 9:25 A.M. The selection for todays breakfast was great; pancakes, french toast, waffles, hot chocolate... If one thing was for sure, those pony chefs defiantly knew how to cook a delicious meal. You enter the colorful lounge with your fully loaded plate and sit down on a nearby couch. You had some time to kill before the Wonderbolt's practice ended, so you began to think. as you took a sip of your hot chocolate, you began to ponder about how to spend the rest of your vacation. Equestria had a lot of sights to see, but there was only one problem with doing that; you weren't a "registered" citizen in Equestria. In fact your pretty sure that besides the Wonderbolts, Celestia, Luna, and a few other ponies, you didn't even exist. When you first landed in Equestria, you were taken to the Wonderbolts' infirmary instead of the Canterlot Hospital. After a few days in Equestria, you began to meet a few special ponies to help take care of you. Celestia welcomed you into Equestria, Luna almost killed you, Mrs. Wonderbolt gave you a job, Fancypants took care of your clothing, Gizmo created a few items to protect yourself with, and Talon helped make sure that your existence was kept a secret. Other than these ponies, you were nonexistent to the rest of Equestria... so traveling to a public resort was out of the question. You literally couldn't think of anything to do. You always wanted to see the rest of Equestria, but if you were spotted by the public, it would cause a panic. It also didn't help that you couldn't leave the building because Mrs. Wonderbolt ordered it... and you couldn't even bring yourself to break her orders. "What to do, what to do..." "FOUND HIM!" The unexpected shout caused you to recoil and bang your head against the wall behind the couch. You grab the back of your head and yell, "Aaahhh God damnit!" "Oh my Celestia, I'm so sorry Ducky." The voice was easily recognizable to you... it was Airheart. You look towards the entrance to find a light pink pony, with a cyan mane and deep blue eyes, standing in the doorway. She was balancing a plate of food on her wing, "I-Im so sorry Ducky I didn't mean to-" You put your hand up to stop her worrying, "I'm fine Airheart... you just scared me." You then notice that she looks like she had just been through hell. Some of her feathers were bent and twisted, and it also looked like she had lost a few patches of fur on her body. "What the hell happened to you?" "Oh me-" She looks at her wings and noticed the damage, "Just a simple miscalculation on my part." You her well enough to know that she was lying, "You hit a pole again, didn't you?" "No! Well yes but... the pole got in my way!" The childish remark caused you to chuckle, which made Airheart upset, "It's not funny! It actually really hurt." Airheart was always as cute as a button, but she was also sensitive. You knew exactly how to cheer her up, "You want me to pluck out some of those feathers for you?" This always seemed like a strange request that you offered. You believed that most ponies would be offended by this, but this was not the case. Pegasi didn't molt their feathers when they became damaged, they had to physically be yanked out. Pegasi hated damaging their feathers because they weren't very precise when they needed to pull a few of them out. However, your nimble fingers could easily find and pick out any damaged feathers, without accidentally grabbing any of the non-damaged ones. The process is usually painful, but you were always gentle... especially to mares. Her ears perked up at your request, "Oh that sounds great!" You then pat the couch cushion next to you, signaling Airheart to come over. She set her plate on the table, jumps onto the couch, then laid down across your lap. She spread her wings and said nervously, "Please be gentle." You began to run your fingers through her soft feathers like a rake to find any loose or damaged feathers. Each one you found, you gently plucked out, allowing for new feathers to begin growing. Each one you plucked caused Airheart to shake and emit a soft moan. "Oh... your pretty- ow! Good at this." "Anything for a good friend." Airheart was a lovely pegasus who enjoyed making friends. She was recruited about a year ago, long before your painful arrival to Equestria, because of her unique wing structure. Unlike common pegasi, Airheart's wings were literally a one in a million design. A standard pegasi's wings were like that of a common bird. Airheart however, had a unique feature that made her stand out amongst all other pegasi; Angel Wings. Angel Wings are classified, by Equestian science, as a birth defect. When a pegasi has Angel Wings, the wings look like that of a swallows. This unique defect allows Airheart to fly at an unreal amount of speed with precision control. Airheart never had the intention of becoming a Wonderbolt, but her Angel Wings made her stand out amongst every other pegasus. To this date, there are only 4 ponies that have been recorded to have Angel Wings. A loud voice interrupts your task, "Oh ho look at Ducky!" You look up to see Storm Cloud standing at the door along with the streak brothers. "You are a sly dog my friend!" You shake your head and chuckle at the remark before you continue to help Airheart. Storm Cloud sets his plate on the coffee table and jumps up on the couch beside you and Airheart. He observed you as you continued to pluck out damaged feather. Out of the blue, Stormcloud asks, "I got a question for you Ducky." You look at him and raise an eyebrow, "Whats that?" "Why haven't you mated yet?" "Wait what?" Well that was an odd question to ask, and you really didn't know how to answer it. "Oh sorry I forgot your from a different world..." He stopped for a second to rephrase the question, "Have you banged a mare yet?" "Storm!" Airheart yelled in astonishment "Its a serious question Airheart," "You don't ask a pony about his love life! Especially with a question like that!" "Excuse me!" Stormcloud's voice began to escalate, "I just wish to know how such a gentlecolt like ducky hasn't laid like 20 mares yet-" You were starting to get annoyed with this argument. "There you go again Storm! Sweet mother of Celestia you are so inconsiderate!" "Your the one who's arguing like a Bitch-" "Thats it". You slugged Stormcloud right in the snout, which caused him to recoil back and fall over the armrest. He hit the ground with a thud, the streak brothers began to laugh uncontrollably. Storm Brought his hooves to his snout, "Ow! What the-" "SHUT UP!" You yell. Your loud shout caused the streak brothers to fall silent, and now Stormcloud was looking at you in terror. "You never talk to a lady like that, and if you insult Airheart or any other mare like that again-" You stopped talking for a moment to take a deep breath. You had seen stallions before treat mares like trash, and you absolutely hated it, but seeing your friend on the ground in pain made your heart sink. You tone down your voice and continue, "I'm sorry Storm. I didn't mean to lash out at you like that. It's just that I have seen many hurt mares since I first arrived in Equestria, and you calling Airheart a bitch made me snap." Stormcloud removed his hooves from his snout, allowing you to see a smile on his face, "No I'm sorry It was a stupid question and I didn't mean to say what I said." Stormcloud stood up and looked at Airheart, "Can you forgive me?" Airheart was never a pony who held a grudge, "Of course I do Storm." Stormloud returned his gaze to you, "Sorry if I offended you with my question dude." "You didn't offend me, It was just strange. I punched you because of what you said to Airheart, not what you said to me." You then feel a tug at your shirt collar, so you look down to see Airheart rolled over and looking at you with unbelievably cute puppy-dog eyes, "Look at you, defending a mare's honor like that... respect like that towards mare's is almost unheard of these days." You smile and respond, "It's my pleasure to always help a lovely mare in need." A tear almost runs down Airheart's cheek as she wraps her forelegs around your neck, and pulls you in for warm hug. "Oh come on!" You hear Stormcloud yell, "Are you even trying anymore!?" You pull back from Airhearts hug and respond, "What do you mean?" "That's the reason why I asked the question earlier... how the hell are you so good with wooing mare's!" "Hmm.... You know I never really gave it much thought." "Oh yeah right! I suppose that you just, 'fell' into Equestria with the natural born ability to flirt with mares." ".... I guess Your right." Stormcloud sighed in defeat, "Buck it. I give up." Stormcloud then picked up his plate and trotted out of the room. "Whats his problem?" You ask. Lightning streak chimed in, "He just doesn't understand how you can be so good with flirting with mare's. None of us understand." "There's nothing to understand, just treat a mare like she's a princess and everything will work out along the way. Even though I haven't been in Equestria for too long, I know that mares need to be treated properly." "But how do you do it, that's the question?" "I don't understand?" "Ok, I'll give you two reasons. One; You, an unknown creature with untold potential that can't even remember his own name, somehow was able to convince Mrs. Wonderbolt to give you a job. But not just job, a job at the place where most ponies would give up everything to be. Two; You are able to woo every mare you have contact with, Including the mares of The Wonderbolts. Some of the most beautiful and desirable mares are on this team, and for some reason, they are all putty in your hoof." "First of all, I have hands. And to answer your first question, I didn't have any say in getting this job. Spitfire is the soul reason why this job was even offered to me in the first place. And any respect that the boss has shown me these past two months has been earned with blood, sweat, and tears. Two; I 'woo' every mare because I show respect to everypony and I act like a gentleman. If you act like a proper gentleman, the rest will fall into place... and another thing, all the mare's of The Wonderbolts aren't gods. They are normal ponies with a unique skill in flying, and deserve the same amount of love and respect as any other pony." There was a moment of silence because no pony in the room knew how to respond. the silence was soon ended when the rest of the Wonderbolts began to enter the room. The room began to fill up as each of the team members began to eat, socialize, and relax. You feel Airheart role off of your lap, "Thank you again Ducky." She then picks up her plate and walks away to socialize with her team. You then realized that you still needed to eat your food, so you retrieved your plate and fork, and ate. As you began to slowly eat your food, you realize that two members of the team are missing; Spitfire and Rainbow Dash. "Does anypony know where Spitfire and Dash are?" You ask. Fleetfoot responded from across the room, "Spitfire was summoned by the boss and Rainbow called in sick today." Something was wrong; Rainbow Dash never called in sick. You even remembered on one occasion when Dash flew with a small case of Feather Flu. Why the hell would she call in sick? She's the toughest pony I know and flying is her passion. She would never miss a day to fly with The Wonderbolts. Curiosity and worry took the best of you, so you set your plate back on the table and leave the room. You began to make your way to Rainbow Dash's room, praying to Celestia that she was alright. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mrs. Wonderbolt's Office "This is by far one of the worst idea's you have ever had!" Spitfire yelled as she slammed her forehooves on the boss' oak desk. "I advise that you watch your tone Captain!" The annoyed manager responded. "Forgive me ma'am for yelling, but if you send Ducky there; they will tear into him like a monkey at a cupcake!" "I understand your concern captain, but Crystal is honorable and will not allow her girls to do anything to Ducky." "Crystal cannot be everywhere at once, and if the team already knows about Ducky, nothing will stop them from ripping him apart! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he is molested if he goes there alone!" "Captain I advise that you sit down and listen for once." Spitfire scowled as she sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Now I understand your feelings against this team and I also know there habits when it comes stallions. But understand that this is the 34th century captain. These aren't the days when a stallion would be kidnaped and molested because a mare was in heat. Times have changed and you should know that Captain Crystal wouldn't dare do anything to Ducky." "But what if she's lying! I know that you have heard the rumors that she is a part of the MSG!" "First of all, A rumor is not the truth... and you know how much I value the truth. Second, the Mare's Supremacy Guild is a group that cannot get over the fact that stallions now have equal rights as mares. It is a group that somepony as sophisticated as Crystal has not, cannot, and will not associate herself with." Spitfire sighed in defeat, her fear for her closest friend becoming evident, "If you will not budge on this then I must request that I go with him." "Denied." "WHAT!?" "I need you here training with the team to be in tiptop shape." "I will not sit back and allow Ducky to be sent into the lions den without me!" "You are a captain Spitfire!" "THEN I QUIT!" Mrs. Wonderbolt's jaw dropped and the room fell into complete silence. It felt like hours passed before the boss finally spoke, "You would be willing to quit the job you love, just for some random creature you picked up at the back of a club." Spitfire looked at her boss, her eyes burning with passion and love for her closest friend, "He is not just a random creature..." Spitfire stood up and leaned closer to her boss, "He is my closest friend and I love him with all my heart." She sat back down and continued, "He is the kindest, most sweet creature I have ever met in my entire life. He respects me for who I am, and not what I am. When i'm alone, he is there to comfort me. When I'm hurt, he is always there to make sure I'm alright. And When I cry, he is always there to make me smile." Spitfire stopped and sniffled, a single tear rolling down her cheek, "So yes, I would give up my job to make sure that the stallion I love is safe." Mrs. Wonderbolt's eyes began to water from Spitfire's speech about Ducky, but she did her best to prevent herself from crying. "I just have one last question for you; are you sure he love you like you love him?" Spitfire answered without hesitation, "I know he does. I just wish he would say those three little words." Mrs. Wonderbolt sighed, "Alright..." She then pressed the red intercom button on her desk, "Rosie, please call the hotel in Outer Haven and change the reservations from one to two. Also Inform Fleetfoot that she will be substituting for Spitfire's position." "As you wish Madam." The voice over the intercom chimed. Spitfire smiled, "Thank you Ma'am... you have no idea how much this means to me." "I just hope for your sake that you are right about ducky." "With all due respect ma'am, I know I'm right." There was a moment of silence as Spitfire wiped away her tears. "Very well then," Mrs. Wonderbolt continued, "Inform Ducky that he will be going with you to the Dove's Nest in Outer Haven at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and to come see me immediately for more information." Spitfire mentally giggled, "I don't think Ducky is going to be too happy about his vacation being cut short, and missing out on horror movie night." "Between you and me Captain; What else could he have done with his vacation? The Wonderbolts 'IS' his life... that is why I like him working for me. And it wasn't like Soarin' was going to pick a scary movie in the first place." Both mares laughed for a moment before the boss continued, "Now get out of my office, you have a job to do."