1. Seal of Princess
MLP: FiM
Always and Never
By: hlindalae
Chapter 1: Seal of Princess
Four members of the Wonderbolts leisurely landed on the runway. After a while, they were also joined by a light blue mare with a rainbow mane. Spitfire, seeing that the youngest member of the group had also landed, stepped in front of the line, turning toward her subordinates.
„Well, that's it for today. I invite you to dinner, and remember that if you don't get enough sleep, you'll be delayed in formation tomorrow at training, which involves cleaning the barracks." she banged on them.
Seeing their not very cheerful faces, she only shook her head and flew off to the barracks in boredom. The mares looked at each other.
„Just two more weeks and off," Surprise stated consolingly.
„During these two weeks, Spits will toughen us up so much that we'll spend our entire time off in the spa," Fleetfoot snorted. The mares began to fly towards the barracks, however, without hurrying too much. When they landed, they were greeted practically immediately by Soarin, Thunderlane and Wave Chill.
„Spitfire is putting quite a bit of pressure on you, huh," Soarin laughed. „I sympathize. You are facing two weeks of being cut off from family and friends"
„And don't say anything. These simultaneous barrels will probably dream about me for the next six months," Misty Fly groaned. „Just like that time before that dedicated show in Fillydelphia, remember?"
„I don't think anyone will forget that," Surprise laughed. „We once had a show for the residents of Fillydelphi, dedicated just for them after one of the many Parasprite plagues. One of the elements of the show was for everyone to make three barrels in a row, plus we were arranged in pairs so that from the side it would look like a star." She added, seeing Thunderlane's confused look.
„We practiced this element for so long that we had to remind ourselves of everything else from scratch," he told Wave Chill. „We haven't accepted invitations to Fillydelphi for almost a year since the show, and Blaze was so traumatized that for two months she even ceoaked at simple barrels of apple juice," he snickered.
„Okay, let's go to the locker room because Spitfire will probably eat you if you come too late for dinner," Soarin suggested. Everyone agreed to the suggestion, so soon the seven pegasi, refreshed after training, were sitting at the big table in the dining room of the Wonderbolts barracks.
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes. Although she was already accustomed to their routine, she still didn't much like the atmosphere at the table after training. Everyone was tired, and there was always someone who had an above-average good cheer and tried to infect others with it, making them have to grit their teeth and pretend they didn't feel like throwing a knife or a plate. Usually this cheerful person was Surprise or Wave Chill, and this day was no different.
The stallion had just finished telling some story from the flying school, when suddenly the room was completely silent.
„Oh shit," she heard, then decided to open her eyes after all. Looking around, she noticed that everyone, even Spitfire, was staring right at her. She lowered her gaze and then
Right in front of her lay a letter, with a blood-red ribbon and the official seal of Princess Celestia.
With slight anxiety, she took hold of the letter and removed the ribbon from it. She swallowed her saliva, then unrolled the letter.
As she read, her eyes widened more and more. Her heart froze for a moment.
„Spitfire, can we talk?" She asked in a low voice. The mare nodded her head. „But not here." She raised her eyebrows.
„Fine," she muttered, getting up from the table. Mares went out into the corridor and walked away a piece.„ What's happened?"
„I got a letter from Princess Celestia," Dash swallowed her saliva. „She wants to meet me tomorrow at noon. She sent Spike so I can write her back at any time if I agree," she groaned. Spitfire widened her eyes.
„I understand you are skipping training tomorrow," she guessed. The younger mare nodded. „Okay, I'll tire the boys out tomorrow," she laughed. „But that's not the point, is it?"
„Spitfire, I'm scared. What if the princess decides I don't deserve to be her subject and banishes me from Equestria? Or she finds another pony who can make supersonic booms and-and sends me to the Everfree Forest with a ban on returning? Either she thinks I'm being narcissistic and will send me to the Everfree Forest, or Yakyakistan, or Dragonland, or the Crystal Mountains, or-" Spitfire covered her mouth with her hoof.
„Rest assured that no one will send you anywhere. Even Cozy Glow didn't send away, she just turned to stone," seeing her horrified look, she added, „But Cozy did a lot of bad things, she almost caused Equestria to fall apart! If the princess wants to send you somewhere, most likely it will be an official Equestrian mission, about which they will write in all the newspapers and all the ponies will adore you, even more than now." she comforted her. She caught eye contact with her, and when she saw the tears in her eyes, something inside her broke. She surrounded Dash with her wing and hugged her as if a mother were hugging her foal. What an irony.
They stood like that for a while, reassuring each other. They had few such moments, they were, however, at a premium. They moved away from each other only when they heard a shout.
„Apple pie!" someone called out with delight. The mares immediately guessed that it was Soarin. No one else loved this baked good as much. The mares looked at each other and instantly ran to the dining room. They were immediately struck by a small gathering at one end of the table. The first thing Rainbow noticed was. about thirty apple pies. How the heck did he lug that around?
The next thing that caught her eye was a light blue pony with a rakish mane, who was holding a small green and purple dragon very tightly. She laughed lightly.
„Clipper, let our guest breathe," Spitfire muttered. Reluctantly, the stallion obeyed the command. Only then did the mares notice the smile on his face. A frighteningly... maniacal smile. Dash ignored it.
„Spikey!" she shouted joyfully, running up to the dragon and surrounding him with her wings. He reciprocated the hug.
She sighed.
„I dunno anymore, Spike, everyone I know already has their own homes, and others are too young," she groaned. She had been planning for a nice twenty minutes to write her will so that everyone gets what they need. „I don't know, save my house for Rumble and Scoots, and the Wonderbolts stuff for my parents," she muttered, hiding her face in her hands. She was almost certain that her meeting with the princess would end in death. Or exile. So she intended to leave a letter, with a detailed breakdown of the heirs. Just in case.
„Rainbow Dash, it's getting to twelve o'clock." informed her the dragon, just when she was about to start panicking. The mare looked at him in horror.
„Spike, promise me that you will take care of Scootaloo and Tank," she asked. Seeing his annoyed look, she croaked. „Okay, okay, I'm coming."
„Rainbow Dash, you'll take care of them yourself when you get back." she heard a familiar voice. Spitfire looked at her with concern. „If she was going to send you somewhere, it would be a map, and if already a princess, then some official Equestrian mission, which would immediately be written about in all the newspapers and you would be the new favorite pony of the public" she mused. „I know it's disturbing to be called by the ruler of Equestria, but you don't have to panic so much. Promise me you'll stop."
„I promise," Dash muttered, not quite sure if she was promising for her or for herself. Suddenly she was reminded of rule number one. She looked around. Clear.
She was already about to take off for her flight when she looked back one last time. Spitfire along with Spike were waving at her. She waved them away and took off.
Seven pegasi sat in the Wonderbolts Academy lecture hall. Six of them sat in the benches, while Spitfire chose to sit in the lecturer's seat. She slowly swept her eyes over her subordinates. In the row against the wall sat Wave Chill, Soarin and, to his left, Fleetfoot. In front of her sat Misty Fly, next to her Surprise and Thunderlane in front of Wave Chill. Everyone except Surprise looked quite bored, so Spitfire decided not to beat around the bush.
„This show is some kind of total failure and no one should see it," she growled. „This shit is not fit for a barn, let alone a royal wedding. And seeing your training, I get the impression that only Crash is trying to exemplify herself!"
The other Wonderbolts looked at each other. Fleetfoot seemed to want to say something, but Spitfire preempted her.
„You are getting worse and worse every day! Wave, you are lowering your flight terribly. If you keep this up, you'll be running on the ground at the show. Thunderlane! Every time you fly over the stands, you do a loop and get out of rhythm. Stop staring at something that isn't there!" the stallion blinked. „Surprise and Dizzy, I have a feeling that you are swapping places in the air. You should all watch your tracks, unless you want to run into someone and end up in a cast from the top of your head to your hooves and drinking through a straw!" she yelled. Her gaze shifted again, and this time she stared with increasing anger at a slightly pensive Fleetfoot for several seconds.
„I dunno what you keep thinking about, but you need to stop. Fleet, you literally did seven laps too many! If you want extra training, I invite you to the Academy on the weekend. You will show the rookies how to fly. And you." She looked at Soarin. „You could stop showing off. You are my deputy, Skies. You should set an example for others, together with me and Dash fly the best you can, but according to the program. You can't show off like some kid, damn it! We're going to be performing for the Canterloct’s fucking elite, not the Ponyville kids who love to show off solo. We're a team, we have to stick to the script!" she sighed. Inhale, exhale. You put up with them so much, you can do it now too.
„So what do you expect from us?" Wave Chill asked.
„I expect you to do your best... to make any effort to make this show good and help me improve it. Any ideas?"
„I've one." Misty Fly reported. Spitfire's eyes lit up with hope.
„Yes, Dizzy?"
„Well, because if Crash is so great, why not add the Sonic Rainboom to it? After all, we already used it once," she rolled her eyes.
„Misty, it was her friend's wedding! Not some random fortune for a model with a spoiled brat," she snorted. „Besides, we can't tire Rainbow Dash out that much. Still, this is the most exhausting trick of all, though!"
„And actually, why not?" Soarin was interested. „She has already done it several times and nothing happened to her after all. And it looks awesome!"
„Becouse, dear Soarin, our Rainbow still isn't eighteen."