When Applejack finds a "certain" Wonderbolt has crash landed in her barn during a blizzard, she will find that this daredevil will be more intertwined in her life than she will ever know.
Applejack is a simple pony. But a hard working one. Working day in and day out, she provides for her family in a good, honest way. She would not have it any other way.
Spitfire is a Wonderbolt. A damn good one at that. At least, that was until recently.
Now she is going to bring a whole heap of trouble to Applejack's doorstep.
Applejack looked out the window of her home with a scowl. She could barely make out the outlines of the orchard through the thick white frost. Big Macintosh walked up to his sister, his expression the same as always as he looked onward likewise.
“Looks like the storm is picking up to be a mighty fierce one."
“Eeeyup.” A low bass voice rumbled in reply.
Applejack sighed.
“I have to wonder if they've been out in the sunlight too long. I mean, I know accidents happen and all that, but could they have picked a worse time?"
"Easy there AJ. Those pegasus folks are usually pretty good at keeping the rest of Equestria and our farm in tip top shape. I wouldn't hold it against them, nor should you."
Applejack sighed as she made her way back to the living room. She sat next to Winona, who was rested in content. Snuggled up next to her was Applebloom, whose hoof hung off the side.
"You're right Big Mac, but it just complicates matter real badly when these storms pop up out of nowhere, you know?"
Applejack felt her lips curl up in a small smile. The sight of the family's loyal companion cuddled up with her younger sister made her heart light up in joy.
"At least somepony is resting well."
Applejack looked to the chair next to them, Granny Smith rested in her rocking chair, out like a hard rock.
“Well, hopefully the damage to the barn ain't gonna put a dent in our savings.” Then she heard a loud bang coming from the direction of the red barn.
Startled, both Applebloom and Winona shot up in fright. Applejack jerked up in surprise.
“What in Luna's blue moon was that!?” Applejack asked.
Shifting her field of view to her brother, she saw him looking out the window, wearing a frown. It takes a considerable amount of effort to illicit an emotional response from Big Macintosh, aside from his usual stoic demeanor. Simply put, if something gives enough cause for the rather reserved red stallion to frown, it could only mean trouble.
“AJ, you might want to take a look at this.”
“Oh for Pete sakes Mac, what no-” She stopped as her words died in halfway out her throat. Whatever made up the broadside of the barn previously had been reduced to nothing more than a pile of splinters and plywood. A large hole had been punched through the support beams near the left entrance.
“Sweet Celestia's mane, not the barn!” Applejack face hoofed. It was already bad enough that most of their expenses went to repairing the rickety old barn. But now something had to come along to ruin all that time and effort, not to mention the hard earned bits.
"All that hard work, all for nothing." Applejack thought with utter dismay. A forehoof pressed against her head as she felt the beginnings of a headache already forming.
Then Applejack noticed a feathered, yellow wing sticking out of the rubble.
“”Wait a sec, is that-.... Big Mac, you see that yellow thing out there?"
"Eeeyup."
Squinting to make sure that she wasn't seeing things, sure enough, somepony had apparently crashed into the barn.
"Why I ought-... Deep breaths Applejack. No use in fretting over what's already been done."
Then she mentally slapped herself. What was she thinking? There is a pony out there for Pete sake!
Whatever thoughts Applejack had were dashed quite literally when she saw that Winnoa had bolted out the door.
“Winona wait! ... Big Mac? Get the first aid kit. Somepony out there needs are help NOW! Applebloom, get the fireplace lit. I'll go fetch Winona and bring back our guest to the homestead.”
With that, Applejack dashed out at full speed. She didn't even make it out five meters before tripping face first into the snow. Grumbling slowly made her way to the partially destroyed barn.
“Consarnit all! When I get mah hooves on those pegasi, I am going to strangle them!” Applejack mentally cursed.
The air thick with frozen snowflakes that slammed into the farmer's orange fur coat. Applejack gritted her teeth as she slowly fought her way through the almost impenetrable storm, whose furious gale pounded her into the ground. Out in the distance, she could see that the young pup barking, waiting anxiously for her master to help aid the poor pony under a small pile of rubble.
“I'm coming Winona!” Forcing herself through the snow, she trudge steadfast against the bitter cold, the snow crunching under her hooves like crackers. It took only a couple minutes for her to get to the barn, but to Applejack, it might as well been hours, what with the strong gale. She sent a secret prayer of thanks to Rarity for getting her hat it's own tie. Winona yipped as she pawed at the debrie that trapped the pony within. . “Ugh... Stupid, stupid, stupid! How the Hell did I manage to screw this one up! If I ever see Soarin again, I'll-” The mare hissed in pain as she felt her ribs burning like acid.
“Ya alright there partner?”
“I will be once I get out of this damn storm.”
Odd, there was something familiar in that voice of hers, though Applejack couldn't quite put her hoof on what. Shrugging to herself internally, she trotted up to the downed pegasus.
“Alright then, hold still for a minute, I gotcha. What's a pegasus like you doing out all the way here yonder anyhow? For that matter, why are you even flying in this storm?” Applejack asked as she began bucking away the rubble. Apparently the mare was clothed in some sort of flight cloak, sort of like that of a certain Strange One. Her face was concealed by a hood, with only her brown eyes visible.
“Oh, nothing. Just had to get away from my damn idiotic teammates. Fucking idiots couldn't keep in form even if their life depended on it.” Stumbling to her hooves, the mare yanked her leg out of the debire, only to yelped as pain seized her leg. Applejack caught her before she fell face first.
“Whoa there nelly! Here, let's get ya inside the house. You will be much better off once we're inside.”
“H-hey! I can walk just fine- damnit!” The mare hissed in pain as she collapsed. Applejack's heart stopped as she saw a worrying amount of red liquid stream down her hind leg and wings, with some of splinters puncturing the primary feather pummels, creating several nasty gashes that would ensure that the pegasus wouldn't be flying for a long time.
“Hold steady there partner, I ain't gonna take that for an answer. Your body took a heavy beating, and ah don't want you dying on me just yet.” Applejack heard no reply as the mare grunted, defeated. Hoisting the mare on her back and ignoring the blood spilling down her coat, Applejack made the slow journey back to the farmstead with Wionna in tow.
Something about the pegasus was off though. Applejack's gut told her that they had both met before, yet as to where and when were beyond her. Didn't the mare say she was part of some flight team?
“Nevermind that, gotta get her help first.” --------------------------------------------------------------
Applejack slammed through the door, busting off of the hinges as she barged her way into the house. Big Macintosh was already ready with a first aid kit. Upon seeing the bloodied duo, his posture momentarily faltered, while Applebloom squeaked with horror.
“What happened to her!?” She asked.
“Dunno Applebloom. Just get some warm water ready and wake Granny. She ought know what to do. Mac, do you have those bandages?”
“Eeeyup.”
Applejack carefully laid the yellow pegasus down on the ground near the fireplace, who shivered in relief as she immediately felt the effects the fire warming her up immensely. She grimaced in pain, wheezing as she laid helpless on the floor.
"Ugggggh. Note to self: Don't fly during a snowstorm, or ya crash into a broadside barn... Why do my wings feel numb?"
Applejack frowned. It was anypony's guess as to how long she flew out there.
"Mac, go check our cabinets and see if we have anything we can use to help her with, ah'll patch her up from here.”
Applejack tore off a piece of gauze and pressed it into the mare's leg, who hissed in pain as the antiseptic stung to maximum effect. Ignoring the stench of copper coming off from the blood, Applejack went to work, tying down the bandage, even as some of the blood splashed onto her hooves and muzzle. Still, more blood poured forth.
“By Discord's claws, what kinda crazy mare are you to fly out in this storm and get yourself banged up like this!?” Applejack said in exasperation, layering another bandage of gauze on the wound. The mare only grunted as she stared up at the ceiling.
“... Crazy enough. You don't get to where I come from without a little daring.”
“And ah say you nearly got yourself killed missy! Ain't good to no one if you end up dead. I know you pegasi have a competitive spirit and all that, but have ya ever considered that ya'll might end up dead? Magic will only go so far in protecting you before you fall on something more stubborn than you are.” Applejack scolded, looking the mare in the eye. Silence greeted her in return as the mare looked away for a moment in thought, only to size up as she coughed violently.
“I- I know that. You think they don't pound that in our heads enough at flight school? We're practically drilled to use SFM. Far more often than I would've cared to remember anyhow.”
“Then why have ya gotten yourself into this mess? Celestia's sake, ah'd say you would've bleed out if ya didn't crash into our barn, thank you very much. Not to mention you won't be flying for a while, seeing as you have the splinters the size of mah hoof sticking out of your wings."
The mare flinched, trembling as she looked to Applejack.
"You're k-kidding right?" She yelped in shock as she saw just how much damage her wings took.
"No, and you still haven't answered my question. Why were you even out there flying anyway? You know its suicide for pegasi to fly during a storm, especially one like this!"
“I told you, I just had to get away from some fucking idiots that kept-” The mare coughed again, then groaned as she slumped on the floor, clutching her chest. Applejack grimaced as put a concerned hoof over her forehead. She froze when she felt a burning sensation run up her foreleg.
“Sweet merciful, yer burning up with a fever!”
“Oh Gods, my chest- it hurts.” The mare moaned, wings limp against the ground.
Just then, the three other Apple family members returned, Big Macintosh carrying a basket of many different odd assortments of generic brand pills, Applebloom came in with the mug of warm water, while Granny Smith came up to access the situation.
“In all my years of fighting back plague, timberwolves, and near famine, I never thought that we'd receive a pegasus under this house.”
“Hehe, lucky I am your first one.” The mare coughed in reply, giving a smirk.
“Shush darling, save your strength. I see that you have patched this Missy up real nicely Applejack. Applebloom, the mug? Thank you. Here, drink this up. Might not be much at the moment, but it will warm you up real nice I reckon.”
“Thanks, Miss-?”
“Mrs. Smith, but I usually go by Granny these days young'un.”
Granny chuckled as the mare pulled down her bandana to sip the mug, sigh in relief as the warm liquid coursed down her throat.
“Mac, could you hand me some of those pills? Yes, the red ones. Thank you dearie.”
Hoofing over the pills, the mare groaned. "Here dearie, this will help stop the pain a little. It ain't much, but it should keep you good for a few hours or so."
“I've always hated pills. Always get stuck in my throat.”
“Now now, let's not have that attitude. It should help reduce the coughing.
The mare took the up the pills half heartedly, scowling as she sipped the mug, only to cough even more as the warm liquid streamed down her throat, though she did visibly relax somewhat.
“Granny, she's running a high fever, and was about as cold as a frozen icicle when I brought her in. Almost bad as pa.” Applejack shivered, memories of her father, once a proud stallion of a reputable physics, burn away before her very eyes on his deathbed.
"A-and... Her leg and wings are pretty banged up too. I think ah got her stable for the moment, but we gotta get the heck out of dodge and to Nurse Redheart as soon as this storm blows over."
Granny Smith grimaced in response, looking at the mare who stared listless at the fireplace.
“Applejack, keep her company and get her out of those clothes. Ah'm going to get something whipped up for our little guest here. Big Mac, Applebloom, your help would be much obliged.” Gesturing them to follow, the three Apples disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Applejack alone with the mare.
"... Hey, thanks for helping me... Really, I don't know how to repay you." The mare said in a grateful tone. Applejack returned the gesture with a warm smile.
“Hush, we Apples are always willing to lend a helping hoof. Mind telling me your name?"
The mare jerked her head with a noticeable recoil, eyes wide.
"There something wrong there partner?"
Sighing, the mare looked solemnly at Applejack.
"I-I rather not.... My name attracts attention. Waaaay too much. I don't wanna deal with the tabloids right now."
Applejack wasn't sure what to think of this. Sure, while it was always good idea to be weary of those who were hesitance to reveal their identify, the way the mare showed her exasperation seemed genuine enough. Plus, she could sort of understand how all that attention can unnerve a pony.
"Ma'am, ah can assure you that we Apples keep our promises, and your secret will be safe with us. And ah gotta take those wet clothes off. We don't wanna make your cold worse with em."
"... Alright. But I have your word for it."
“Good. Now hold still a little, Don't wanna leaving ya cooking in there right? Name's Applejack by the way."
The mare went stiff momentarily, as almost as if she recognized her. Before Applejack could inquire on this, the mare returned to a relaxed posture.
"Well, sorry for ramming a hole in your barn Applejack."
"Hush, just keep your feathers in down for a minute.
With that, she began unraveling the almost mummified pegasus from her bonds. Carefully threading out the sleeves for the wings, she could see the fur was wet and matted, dry blood and sweat binding it in tangles.
"So, what's got your binds in such a bunch that you would fly out in the storm? You said that you were part of some flight group, correct?"
"... Yes. The only one to preform in top shape in every category there is when it comes to flying, the Wonderbolts ."
"The Wonderbolts?" Applejack asked, mildly shocked. What else was there to this mare?
"The one and only." The mare sighed as she took a sudden interest in the floor.
"And, well... I happen to be their captain."
"The captain?" Applejack tapped a hoof to her chin for a moment before she snapped up in realization.
"Wait, I think I might know your name. You wouldn't happen to be that Spitfire that Rainbow Dash is so stirred up about, right? ---------------------------------
A mildly irritated Applejack barged into Twilight's sanctuary, annoyance written across her face as she finally found the mare she was looking for, a cyan colored pegasus to be precise. Rainbow Dash was entranced by some magazine subscription of hers, the front cover showing off a confident yellow pegasus with a cocky grin fixed to her face, with the title "Daring Tricks and Tips From the Wonderbolts!" bolded in a blazing yellow font. Storming up to the oblivious mare, she waited till Rainbow Dash realized that somepony was actually standing there, despite the bang of the door.
"Oh uh, hi Applejack! What brings you here? You a fan of Daring too?" Rainbow ask with a nervous chuckle. Just as she was about to swipe it behind her though, Applejack snatched up the magazine, much to the dismay of the athlete.
"Dash, you were supposed to be at the farm over an hour ago, and I believe I made darn clear yesterday that you were supposed to help applebuck and fix the fence this morning. Or have you already forgotten what you have done to our cider crop for the season?" She hissed through clenched teeth.
"Hey! A pegasus like me has gotta keep up on them."
"You barely read anything at all besides that Daring Do you're so fond of." Applejack flipped the pages, scrutinizing them in detail. All she saw were instructions on how to preform some technique, tips on preening wings, seductive poses of the Wonderbolts, ads for some new energy drink, a PSA from-
"Wait a minute... The HAY!?" Flipping back a few pages, Applejack could only recoil at what was plastered blatantly on the page before her. Staring her in the face in a very tantalizing pose were two Wonderbolts locked in a rather "kinky" embrace. Actually, erotic would probably be more accurate.
Applejack gawked as she continued to stare transfixed at the image before her, feeling her cheeks flushing with heat rapidly.
"D-Dash... Just- what is... I don't even..." Applejack stood there, unable to look away. She tried to will her hooves to move, but they were firmly welded into the floor. It wasn't as if Applejack was naive, what with being a farmer and all.
"Applejack?"
Not to mention that time where Twilight accidentally found Rarity's Playpony mags. It can only be said that both Twilight and Applejack were sworn to a Pinkie Vow of secrecy, under the penalty of a fate possibly worse than death. What chinked her was that the main attraction had mares doing the kissing.
"Ummmm, Applejack? You okay in there?"
The farmer felt her stomach turn, a conflict of emotions running rampent. She couldn't tear her eyes off... Those sexy...-
"Equestria to Applejack, please respond."
No! That kind of thinking doesn't put food on the table. Nothing get's done with idle daydreaming. Besides, she couldn't possibly-
"APPLEJACK!"
Snapping out of her trance, Applejack turned to see that a concerned Rainbow was waving a hoof in front of her face.
"Uh, you kinda space out and had me worried there for a minute. You alright?"
"... Just fine sugarcube... Just, ugh." Hoofing back the magazine, Applejack shook her head. Ain't no way that she was a fillyfooler. She didn't mind them, per say, but an Apple simply wasn't one, plain and simple. You needed both a stallion and mare in order to have foals. Foals who would continue the Apple family's legacy.
"Let's just get to the orchard Rainbow. Ya still got trees to buck and a fence that needs fixing."
"Oh come on! I still have to-"
"Now Rainbow Dash, or by Celestia I will have you tied to a tree and use you for target practice."
Without another word, Applejack proceeded out of the library, followed by a somber Rainbow Dash.
----------------------------------- Spitfire sighed as the hood finally came off, freeing her from her sweaty prison.
"Yeah... The only one." Then she blinked as it dawned upon her that the mare mentioned her certain rainbow colored friend.
"Wait, you know Rainbow Dash? You wouldn't happen to be her friend Applejack by any chance, right?"
"Uh yes. actually I am." Applejack responded with some surprise.
"Huh". Spitfire studied the earth pony in front of her. "So you're the one that Rainbow Dash wouldn't stop talking about. Kinda expected something a bit... More."
"She did?"
"Oh yes, you especially." Spitfire said with some mirth. "She wouldn't stop going on about how you almost had beaten her in some Iron Pony Competition."
"Oh did she now?" Applejack said in amusement. "Well I'll admit, she can be just as stubborn like I am sometimes. She's definitely both a fast and tough pegasus to beat. Well, that is when she isn't napping in one of my trees of course." She chuckled. "I swear, that pegasus sleeps more than she flies sometimes."
"Heh... Then she is in for a rude awakening once she get's into our squadron."
"Wait, do you mean what I think you are saying?" Applejack ask, her curiosity now perked.
Spitfire smiled back, nodding.
"You betcha. She might not know it, but she has gotten the attention of the higher ups in the squad. She is all but ensured a position here if she can keep up her winning streak."
"Knowing RD, she'll have it done in ten seconds flat." Applejack chuckled. "Guess that means I gotta step up the pressure on that featherbrained gal."
"Indeed." The conversation stopped as both of them heard a loud gurgle from Spitfire's stomach. Spitfire flushed in embarrassment.
"Umm... Didn't she mention that you harvested apples for a living?"
"Eeeyup!" Applejack allowed a small grin of pride to show. "The one and only from Sweet Apple Acres, home of the best bumper crop of apples ya ever laid eyes one. Want me to fetch ya something?" Spitfire blinked. There was something familiar about this pony. Spitfire had saw that same demeanor and attitude from somewhere. She was hit by a sense of deja vu took hold over her.
"Something about her strikes me as if I have seen her before... But where?"
Applejack's face then shifted to one of concern when she didn't respond.
"Hey Spitfire, you there?"
Snapped out of her recollection, she nodded.
"Uh yeah, just thinking about something. You know, the squad and all that..." She trailed off.
"Still troubled by those events? You're welcome to talk about with me if ya want."
"But I-"
Before Spitfire could finish, Applejack raised a hoof. "But ah ain't one to prod, and ah will make sure that the rest of my family does the same. We aren't some mud slickers that are looking to ruin somepony's reputation. We aren't them snakes, you have my word."
Spitfire blinked once again, shocked by this courtesy and respect that she had long thought died out in the world. "O-oh, uh, thank you..." She stuttered.
"No problem sugarcube. Now, I am going to fetch you something while you rest here. The rest of my family will probably have something else cooked up for you while I'm gone. And uh, watch out for my sister."
Before Spitfire could even so much as say a word of thanks, the apple farmer disappeared up the stairs, leaving the captain alone with her thoughts and stare into the crackling fireplace. Something kept ticking at her, as if there was some important detail that she was missing.
"She reminds me of somepony... But who? Why do I get the feeling I have seen her before?" She said, gazing into the fireplace.
"Just wish I knew what it was. And... I feel there is something more to her. She didn't treat me like some famous celebrity... Oh wait, I am. Still, I don't think I have met somepony who wasn't trying to pamper me... That could be either just me or her having a secret agenda."
......
"Then again, I could just be rambling..." She muttered off hoof. Then she realized the implications of what she had implied earlier, and promptly facehoofed.
"Oh great, did I just REALLY go down that route? By Celestia's shining sun, I think those trashy novels that Wind Kicker reads are starting to rub off of me... Note to self: Incinerate them as soon as I get back."
It was when Spitfire turned her gaze from the fireplace and to the red bow wearing menace before her was she then properly introduce to one of the greatest terrors to ever haunt Ponyville in it's history.
February 26, 2013 10:40 AM Shedding Spare Droplets Zolingrad An Encounter of Frightening Proportions
Spitfire was no stranger to the adrenaline rush. She couldn't be since her job description required her to pull off vertigo inducing stunts, sometimes even death defying if she was feeling really cocky and charged up. From a Slice Sling Drop to the Burning Vortex, Spitfire felt thrills that sometimes defied even her own expectations. What else could one expect from a Wonderbolt? They are made to fly against G-forces that would otherwise tear a normal pony apart.
Any pretense of this flew out the window as Spitfire groaned, wings twitching in pain as Applebloom stood there with apologies tumbling out of her maw faster than the wounded Wonderbolt could process them.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" She stopped when the Wonderbolt raised her hoof for silence.
"This is worse than the time Swift inhaled that bottle of helium... Ugh, did she HAVE to scare me like that? At least the squirt isn't a complete motor mouth." Spitfire thought, grunting as she got back to a sitting position, rubbing a hoof on her throbbing wings.
"Kid, just promise me not to do that again in the future and we'll get along just fine."
"Yes Ms. Spitfire," the filly mumbled, looking sheepishly at the ground in embarrassment. Spitfire sighed as she put up a small grin for the filly.
"Hey, buck up kiddo. It'll take a lot more than this to stop me." Spitfire said, thumping her chest. She raised her wings for emphasis, only to yelp as pain shot through her from wingtips to her spine. Applebloom ran up to her, alarmed by the sudden reaction.
"Owwwww. Actually, scratch that. This is going to ground me for a while..." Spitfire sighed, wincing as she got her first good look at her wings. Blood streaked throughout her fur and feathers, some of them knotted and twisted out of place.
What's worse, the tip of her wings felt numb, indicating that she had more than likely broke a few bones in the crash. In short, Spitfire was stuck with two useless limbs that were little extra body weight.
"Is there anything that I could do to help?" Applebloom asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.
"No can do kid. There is a reason why wing repairs are so expensive and time consuming. This will probably take more than a few days to heal... Then again, I've seen worse." Spitfire said, rubbing her chin in deep thought. She remembered how some poor fool of a stallion thought he could weave himself through an obstacle course in record time, even though he had little to no experience with the track itself. Even when he was implored by both friends and instructors to think it through, the pegasus went forward. He paid for his recklessness by losing a wing when he accidentally severed it by ramming into a branch at high speed.
"Oh well... It can't be helped." She shrugged. Then she looked back to Applebloom.
"By the way, I don't think I have been properly introduced to you and your family yet, save for your sister Applejack."
"Oh, I''m Applebloom! Granny and my big brother Macintosh are in the kitchen cooking something up for you to make you feel better. And not just any something, they're cooking some good old fashion Apple fritters!" She salivated. "Mmmmh, they just have a warm feeling to them..."
"Are they?" Spitfire asked, raising an eyebrow. Then she mentally facehoofed. "How did I forget her name earilier? I'm not going senile am I? Nevermind." Still, perhaps she could pass the time with this young one... Though in all likelihood, she would probably end up like that obnoxious pink earth pony filly... Tiara something...
"Yup! Though Granny said that it's gonna be a while longer before we settle in for dinner. So she said I should check up on you to see how you were doing."
"That's... Very thoughtful of them. I never had anyone do that for me before, sadly enough. Well, save for the odd party or two with my squad."
"What? But yer a Wonderbolt! The way that Rainbow Dash keeps talking about you, I- I don't see how." Applebloom said, somewhat shocked by this new information.
"Kid, trust me when I say that the life of a celebrity like that of myself myself, isn't all that glamorous or all that it is cut out out to be. There are other things that we Bolts have to watch out for besides flying, ya know? I swear, sometimes I hardly know how I manage to get through with the stuff I put with sometime."
"Like dealing with File's temper... Or dealing with a horribly revealing tabloid and then worrying about his said temper... Or maintaining an act just to appease the Nobles, just because we have a reputation to keep... Or that time where he brutally mauled Soarin when he was caught eating pie on duty."
She shuddered as she thought back to her manager's anger problems, a unicorn who was known for his extreme temper, blowing up sporadically at the worst possible times. One moment he would be fine and dandy, the next he fights with the ferocity greater than an enraged manticore. Didn't help when he was one of the factors for the Wonderbolt even being out here in the first place.
She shook her head, thinking back to the events that brought her here with a shudder.
Applebloom looked up at her with concern, suddenly shuffling her hooves nervously.
"Um... Sorry if I brought up any bad memories Ms. Spitfire."
"Its alright kid. But if you don't mind, I would like to make a change to a different topic, since we're probably going to be here for a while before the food get's here."
"Speak of the devil." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Applejack descending from the 2nd floor with a basket filled with a first aid pack, a towel, extra gauze and an assortment of bottles that she quite frankly couldn't make out what they were designed for in the first place. On her back, there was a small blanket.
Setting the basket down, Applejack waved a hoof off, getting another piece of gauze out. "Don't mind me none, I am just going to patch up your wings up with a splint so that they don't get any worse. I need you to stay still for this anyhow. Might as well learn a little about each other while I work. Just try not to snee-"
Spitfire then violently sneezed on Applejack. When Applejack just stood there for a moment, Spitfire became rather nervous. The last pony she knew to have sneeze on somepony while they had a cold, Soarin ended up with a black eye in addition to his already bad fever.
"... Sugarcube, it ain't polite to sneeze on a pony, ya hear?" Applejack finished after a long, awkward silence. What scared Spitfire was not how she reacted, but rather the lack of a reaction in the first place, with the apple farmer staring at her, thoroughly unamused.
"Ehehehe... Sorry?" Spitfire said nervously, suddenly feeling that she wanted to dig a hole deep underground and hide in it till the end of time. She looked at Winona, as if the pup would serve as a barrier, only to find the dog was snoozing quietly on the couch. Applejack only shrugged as she wiped her face with a towel.
"T'aint nothing to fret over Spitfire. Nothing worth getting riled up over. Applebloom, could you get another blanket set up for Spitfire to lay on? The wood floor ain't exactly going to do her any wonders for resting her body."
Applebloom snapped a salute, before rushing upstairs, leaving the two mares alone with each other. Wordlessly, Applejack began applying treatment to Spitfire's wounds, who winced slightly at the sting of the medical alcohol seeped into her cuts.
Spitfire paused, stroking her chin as she dwelled on an alternative topic of interest to converse on. She racked her head for something to talk about, until a light bulb went off in her head.
"... So, you are both the friend and rival that Rainbow Dash wouldn't stop yapping about, correct?" Applejack nodded with a grunt, wrapping a gash in Spitfire's left hind leg with several layers of bandages.
"Eeeyuup, ever since she came down here to Ponyville along with Fluttershy. Heh, she was so defensive about even me asking her name, with a rowdy temper to boot. We didn't exactly start off on the best hoof."
"So how did you become friends with her in the first place? Rainbow doesn't exactly strike me as the type who would make friends easily, especially since she wouldn't stop yapping off about how her farmer friend had the most powerful bucking legs in Equestria." Then after a moment she blushed profusely in embarrassment as she realized she made an innuendo.
"Uh, I don't mean that in a kinky way. No, I do not mean that in a kinky way." She finished, flustered. If her wings weren't tied down in a secured knot, she might have popped a wingie.
"Thank Celestia for small favors." She thought.
Applejack chuckled as she patted the Wonderbolt on the back.
"Don't you worry none about that... Well..." Applejack thought, tapping her chin for a moment. "It all started when we had an argument over who was the better athlete. I didn't mind her all that much till she claimed that she could probably buck my apple trees better than I could. Course, I couldn't let that challenge go unanswered. Poor Shy was so nervous and jittery that she thought we were going to kill each other. So we set up a competition of bucking twenty apple trees in a minute's time."
"So... How'd it go?"
"I managed to clear my set of trees in about forty three seconds. Rainbow on the other hoof was still stuck on her first tree after five minutes. She was so stubbornly insistent on, as I quote: "Bucking those doltbrained stupid apples.", that I had to pull her off. She told me that the trees were broken, that they were rigged."
"Oooooh... I hope she isn't bringing that attitude into the Wonderbolts. Can't have a glory hound with no sense of sportsmanship."
"Believe me, she is a lot more tame than she was when I first met her. Believe it or not, she accepted me as a friend on the spot after I treated her over to some cider. Claimed that I was good enough to be her rival, saying that all ponies like her needed a good nemesis. It only went further when ah helped her build up Shy's home. I swear, sometimes she worries a bit too much over that filly. I mean she stared down a cockatrice, made friends with a manticore, and even stared down a dragon." She chuckled.
Spitfire momentarily lost her balance as she flinched in shock. "What!? She faced down...-" She stuttered, at a loss to describe her feelings to this new found knowledge, only for Applejack to nod in the affirmative.
"Yup. Rainbow Dash had to go in and tick it off by bucking him in the nose. Can't say he wasn't all that much happy about having an annoying rainbow colored pegasus smash his muzzle."
"... But how... Why didn't he just fry you then and there?"
"There is one thing that you don't wanna do to Shy, and that is making her angry."
"Why? From what I saw of her, she seems scared of her own shadow. How could such a shy pony like her best a dragon?" Spitfire asked, puzzled.
"That's because you haven't seen Fluttershy's Stare."
"The Stare?"
"To put it bluntly, there is nopony I ever heard of ever besting Shy when she's angry. Heck, she even made some Diamond Dogs rebuild a destroyed school house by just asking nicely. As far as I know, they haven't troubled them since. Or anypony else for that matter actually."
Spitfire was a bit skeptical at first, but the unusually grave expression on the farmer's face told her that if she were ever to meet face to face with this "Fluttershy", it would probably be in her best interest to remain cordial with both her and her friends.
"Wow..." Spitfire whistled. "Guess that means I have to be careful around her. Must be one of "those" quiet types, eh?"
"You said it. Shy may be one of the nicest sweethearts that you'll probably ever lay eyes on, but for the love of Luna... Ugh...."
"So.... What can you tell me about yourself? We kinda got sidetracked."
"Well, there really ain't all that much too me to be honest. Just a plain old farmer here in Ponyville."
"That's not true sis! There ain't anypony to have bested you in a rodeo yet, except for that time in Dodge Junction."
"Wait, she's in a rodeo?" Spitfire thought, eyes widening. "Wait, when did she... Nevermind."
"Applebloom, really, it ain't nothing much to fret over." Applejack said in a stern voice.
"But you are one of the top ponies in the Dodge's Horn Gallop!"
Spitfire blinked, did she hear that right?
"Wait, could you run that by me again? I thought you said she was in the Dodge's Horn Gallop."
"That's because she is!" The filly said with a grin. "Only the bestpony ever to hit the rodeo."
"Aww shucks Applebloom, t'aint anything special." Applejack said bashfully, kicking a hoof.
It was fortunate for the Wonderbolt that they were currently looking in another direction, or else they would have noticed the slacked jaw expression that Spitfire had on her face. The Wonderbolt had indeed heard and processed the information, but she was still having trouble even believing her own ears.
"She's in THE Dodge's Horn Gallop!?" Spitfire just stared in shock, the two ponies oblivious to the Wonderbolt's gaze.
"But you've been champion for the past eight rodeos Applejack! Unless you claim that you ain't the 'La Grande, heir to none other than our pa, none other than "The Grande" himself!"
Spitfire blinked, then looked to where Applebloom had pointed, a section of the room Spitfire didn't notice previously. Surely she didn't mean "them". Sure, the similarities were there, but...
"Could she... Nah. You're just getting worked up over a little something Spitfire. She can't possibly being talking about...." Her thoughts trailed off as she got her first good look of the area. Her eyes shot wide open.
What she saw made her gasp, jaw nearly dropping off its hinges.
"The Grand Finale... Oh my Celestia! That's! That is the..." She trailed off in a whisper, still unable to believe her eyes.
Standing proud before her were several trophies, commemorating the champion of the competition. But these weren't just any trophies... These were only awarded to only the best rodeo ponies ever to live in Equestria. One stood out. And it was one of a kind that Spitfire thought that up until this point, she would have even dared hope to even see personally. Mainly due to the winner's name being kept anonymous for legal reasons.
Plastered on a black sliver polish with a ruby affixed to the center was simply "The Big Apple. Winner of Year 1000 Finale Rodeo: Applejack".
Spitfire felt as if she was rammed with a runaway train, only to end up landing in a field of gold. Spitfire became woozy as she stared back at Applejack. It suddenly became a lot harder for her to keep steady on her legs. So her rump hit the floor. She began to feel faint as an inner fanfilly long thought lost popped into existence. Her inner passion was rekindled, her flame burning brightly once more.
"By Luna's socks... It's actually her... I am ACTUALLY in the presence of the Finale Champion." She squeed in a quiet but powerful way. Her sudden spike in euphoria caused her to grin a smile that was only possessed by the most devoted (Possibly even mad) of fans. Spitfire herself was given this treatment from fans far and wide, what with being a Captain of the Wonderbolts. The irony of this fact did not fly over her as she felt her cheeks warm up in a slight blush.
Meanwhile, Applejack was still talking with Applebloom when she noticed Spitfire starring at her with an unnerving grin.
"Uh, you alright there Spitfire?"
When she didn't respond, the far was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable. Perhaps the pegasus hit her head a wee bit too hard?
Applebloom stopped talking as she too noticed the glazed look in Spitfire's eyes. Walking up to her, she tapped the paralyzed Wonderbolt, snapping her out of her trance.
"Hey, Miss Spitfire! Ya alright?" Snapping out of her trance, she realized that she had the attention of both mares and flustered. Twice now, she was glad that her wings were tied up at the moment.
"Uh, yeah... Sorry about that. I kinda spaced there for a moment. Must be the cold, don't mind me." She cuffed the back of her head with a hoof, chuckling nervously. When Applejack's gaze who bore in on the pegasus failed to relent, she thought her heart might burst by the rapid beat it was making. And she wasn't even flying! Applejack then came right up next to her, staring at her with an intensity that would probably have melted the whole of Canterlot if the stare were weaponized.
"Sugercube, I can tell when a pony is lying to me, and right now you couldn't be anymore obvious if somepony slapped a liar poster on you. Come on, what's the matter?"
"I-, um..." Spitfire stuttered, at a loss for thought, withering under the farmer's gaze as her confidence rapidly sapped to nothing.
"Oh colt... I am so screwed." Spitfire thought, feeling more nervous than at any time in her career as a Wonderbolt.
"SOUPS ON, EVERYPONY!" Flinching, the family saw that Granny Smith and Big Macintosh had came in with several plates of some of what Spitfire thought looked like the most appetizing apple products she ever laid eyes on. Considering that the food she ate on a regular basic amounted to what other more refined ponies might call carnival fare, it shouldn't be surprising that Spitfire puckered her lips in hunger.
"Easy there, don't try and eat it all at once. Applebloom, could you help me with getting the other plates?" Hesitantly, she looked at Spitfire for a moment more, before disappearing inside the kitchen. Spitfire was left alone with Applejack. She gulped.
"Well, ain't you going to tell me why you were starring at me like that? The only pony I have seen grin like that is Rainbow Dash, especially when you are around."
"I, uh actually..." She trailed off, trying to think up an excuse. She was running out of time. Oh Celestia, what would she think if-...
"Say again?"
She was trapped. And out of desperation...
"Iamactuallyyourbiggestfanofyourrodeos!" Spitfire bluttered, only to slam a hoof right over her muzzle.
"Come again partner?"
Spitfire stood there with lips sealed, shuffling her hooves around awkwardly.
"I believe I know what might be Miss Spitfire's problem AJ. I am surprised you didn't notice yet."
At some point during the conversation, Big Macintosh had entered the room, standing their silently while the conversation continued.
"Big Mac, just what in the hay do you possibly think might be her problem? You think the fever might be making her act oddly?"
"Nope. But take a closer look at her."
"Aright, alright! Don't get your nickers in a bunch. I don't see what is so importan-...." She trailed off as she finally noticed that Spitfire's wings were rigid, with an intense blush on her cheeks. Applejack put two and two together.
One: Spitfire was wearing a grin that would give even Rainbow Dash a run for her money.
Two: She was starring at both the trophies and then at her.
Then it clicked. And when it did, Applejack felt the blood drain from her face as the realization hit her.
"Oh sweet Celestia... You mean..." She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She looked at the floor as her brain struggled to process this new information. Memories of times past began to resurface. Memories she had thought she had completely buried. Though she didn't show it, there was conflict brewing inside the stetson wearing farmer.
At this point, Spitfire had finally mustered up the courage to get up and approach Applejack. She was wearing a grin of admiration that she only saw Rainbow Dash give to Spitfire during the Best Fliers Competition. But yet ironically, here was Rainbow's idol giving her that same look. And quite frankly, it rather horrified the farmer.
"Um, Applejack? I have a confession to make..." She muttered, almost back to a Fluttershy whisper.
"Just spit it out Spitfire..."
"Alright." She took a deep breath before steeling her resolve.
"I am actually your biggest fan." Her words hid a barely restrained glee. But she might have well shouted in Royal Canterlot.
A solid ten seconds passed. For a moment, nothing was said between the two.
Then Spitfire flinched the apple farmer hit the floor with a thud.
Applejack, the mare of whose famous unshakeable resolve, the sane pony in her close of group friends when they refereed to her for wisdom, fainted for the first time in her life. Unlike her friend Rarity, she had no couch to fall on. So instead, she hit the ground with an audible thump.
After a moment, Granny Smith came walking in, food being dragged in by wagon table.
"Alright everypony, whose up for some good tasting apple fritters, hay fries and.... Oh dear."
Wordlessly, she shared a glance with the elder grandson of the family. She didn't even need to ask, for her facial expression told Big Macintosh all he needed to know. Sparring a pitying glance to the soon to be probably doomed Wonderbolt, he pointed to the lone pegasus, then the trophies.
Granny Smith eyed Spitfire, then the trophies, then back again. Then she pointed an accusing hoof at Spitfire.
The normally warm and compassionate grandma of the Apple family had not even a hint of a smile on her face. She actually looked like if anything, of remote indifference. But if one that was on the receiving end of her attention looked into her eyes...
Spitfire has faced down packs of stallions twice her size and emerged victorious with a cocky grin, tore apart storm clouds as if she were a hot knife through butter. She sent otherwise unruly and dangerous stallions packing and running for their mother. She was practically fearless and a force to be reckoned with.
Granny Smith was a different bushel of apples altogether. The way that her old but sharp eyes seem to pierce into Spitfire's soul didn't just unnerve her. It didn't give her a chill somepony felt when they sense something bad was about to happen. Oh no, that had already occurred a few seconds earlier.
No. Spitfire was completely terrified.
"What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Granddaughter?" She asked in monotone.
Terrified by a relatively old and decrepit mare that almost looked like she belonged a nursery home.
Spitfire recoiled with a whimper, shrinking back as the green elder of the family made pronounced hoof stomps toward her granddaughter's aggressor.
"I-I didn't do- I-" Spitfire's words tumbled off her tongue in incomplete fragments, too frightened to even defend herself. She gave a pleading look to the other two individuals that were still conscious, only feel her heart drop when they shrugged helplessly.
Then she flinched when she felt the cold touch of Granny's hoof force her down to the floor.
"Sit down."
She obeyed, only able to gaze helplessly into the angry glare of the farm's Guardian.
"W-why am I afraid of her? How even? I am the Captain of the Wonderbolts, I- Oh Celestia who am I kidding? This mare is going to murder me! I didn't even get to thrash Soarin for the time that he ruined my uniform with hotsauce!"
"Applebloom? Big Macintosh? Me and Ms.Spitfire here need to have a talk. Alone." Wordlessly, the two left the confines of the living room to the kitchen, leaving Spitfire with Granny Smith, a fact that felt like karma's way of making her pay for all of her wrong doings. Not that she ever did anything to warrant such a fate...
Except perhaps when she was younger, an easily influenced, bull headed teenager who dabbled in the wrong kind of narcotics. Or maybe the time she nearly broke a recruit's psyche during her first time training them. It could have been from almost ruining a mail pony's career.Or perhaps it was because she did something horribly deranged in some past life.
However regardless though, she was still stuck with her potential murderer to be in the probable near future.
For a minute, nothing was said between the two ponies. While it would be a stretch to say that it would have been Spitfire's longest minute in her life, it definitely came close to a third place. She shifted her hooves nervously as the seconds ticked by on the clock. It was both an odd comfort and an annoyance. A comfort for every tick because it told Spitfire she wasn't dead yet. An annoyance because it reminded her of waiting hours on end in a line somewhere in Stalliongrad to get some souvenir gift.
Finally, Granny Smith let out a sigh, causing Spitfire's ears to perk up.
"Missy, I just don't know where to start with you. Even though I am beyond my golden years, I still have a finely tuned mind to work out problems. Problems which you might have forced back into the open. But for what it is worth, I am sorry for my misconduct."
"Gee, how could I ever think otherwise?" Spitfire deadpanned. "It isn't like I was about to be completely butchered by some madmare that looked like she was going to skin me alive. And NOW you do a complete one eighty on.... Ugh, nevermind."
Granny Smith returned a hearty chuckled. "Well, looks like ya have some sense of humor in ya. I'll admit, this is the first time that somepony actually gave me that impression. Ever since that..." Granny Smith trailed off, her smile gone once again as she looked off to the distance, back in recollection of memories gone by. She looked back to Applejack, then to the trophies, then back again. Sighing one more, she motioned for Spitfire to come to sit down next to Applejack.
Spitfire winced when she noticed that her face was contorted to one of pain. Her eyes kept twitch, probably in the middle of some dream. While Spitfire was indeed relieved that the tension in the room had eased down somewhat, that didn't explain the fact as to why her idol fainted in the first place.
"So, Spitfire... You seem to be a fan of the rodeo and my grandchild. Correct?"
"Uh, yeah... Her dad was the one that got me into it in the first place though." Spitfire let a small smile creep up to her muzzle, remembering how excited she was when she saw that rugged but dashing stallion. As far as Spitfire was concerned, he was one of the best Equestrian probably ever had. Hell, she didn't even wanted to go when her father introduced her to it... But after that first night...
"I mean, he just looked like any earth pony I ever seen... But Celestia, his acrobatics..." Spitfire paused for thought, then continued.
"They were the ones that actually inspired me to go into the Wonderbolts in the first place. " Spitfire said with a slight blush.
"Well, I'll be damned! Ha! The Captain of the Wonderbolts inspired by us earth ponies, how about that?"
"Yeah, imagine that in the Daily Zebra." Spitfire chuckled.
"But I don't see how I had anything to do with Applejack fainting or even why-... Unless."
Then it hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. Spitfire stood silent for a moment as new memories crash into her brain. She was hesitant about even asking more about the topic.
"Wait... This wouldn't have to do with her father being..." She trailed off, unsure if she should continue.
"Dead? Yer catching on missy." She turned to Applejack with a weary sigh.
"But I believe you should talk to Applejack about it. It ain't my place to tell you the story."
Before Spitfire could protest, she heard a groan come from Applejack.
"Ugh... Sweet merciful Celestia, did I hit my head or something?" She asked as she rubbed her head with a forehoof, gettling up to a sitting position. She didn't know it, but right behind her was Spitfire.
They blinked. And stared... And stared some more... And some more starring...
"So..." Both started, only to stop as they heard each other.
"Uh.... Sorry for making you faint?" Spitfire said, rubbing a hoof into the floor.
"For Luna's moon, could you have thought up a worse way to start a conversation? Way to go Spitfire. Now you don't even a chance with this idol... This farmer, whose strength and beaut-... Why the hell am I even talking like this!? I sound like some filly crushed for love!"
"Um... Can we eat now? I am getting kinda hungry, and the food is getting cold." Both Applejack and Spitfire looked up to see that Applebloom had at some point walked into the room. Before Applejack could even speak, Spitfire jumped on the opportunity presented.
"Oh, sure! I need something to eat anyhow. " She said, walking to the dining room, only to fall flat to the floor. Luckily, she only hit the soft blanket that was still laying on the floor. She turned back to see Applejack spit out her tail.
"Ain't so fast, you and I need to have a hear to heart conversation. The rest of you can dine without us. Save some fritters for us, will ya Granny?"
"... Fuck me and my lousy luck today..."
Smiling, Granny Smith let out a chuckle. "But of course dear. You two play nice now!" With that, both Applebloom and Granny Smith vanished from the room, leaving Spitfire alone with Applejack, the former now finding herself in the beginnings of a panic attack.
"Oh Celestia, now what!? Is she mad, am I going to be tied up and beaten by her hooves? What if, oh colt I can't even think straight! I mean, I am a Wonderbolt! What will she say to this? She doesn't seem to be a fan, I mean why would she? Why didn't I keep my mouth shut? Why did that stallion just HAD to go blow my cover? Why did my manager have to be such a BUCKING asshole!?"
Then she mentally facehoofed when she realized how childish she was being.
"C'mon filly! You're a Wonderbotl! And not just any Wonderbolt, but their Captain no less! Are you going to let some little thing like this scare you? Spitfire lives for danger!"
Unfortunately, her inner monologue was cut short when she winced in pain. She suddenly felt hooves slowly ease her down on the blanket next to the fireplace. Looking back, she saw Applejack show no signs of previously fainting moments earlier. All her gaze held for her was concern. It made spitfire's heart thump just a bit faster.
"Just sit tight there Spitfire. Just stay still while I take out these splinters."
Wordlessly, Spitfire nodded. She then hissed in pain as she suddenly felt one of the smaller splinters ripped out of her flank.
"Sorry, should have warned ya about that. But you should be able to handle it."
Spitfire groaned as she sat her muzzle face down on the rather comfortable blanket.
"This is gonna be a long night... Thank Celestia for small favors..."
-----------------
It took about an hour for Applejack to fully treat her patient. In that time, neither had spoken a word to each other. Applejack was too busy patching an injured Wonderbolt up, while Spitfire was too weary from diving back into the confrontation. In the meantime, she silently ate the dinner provided by the kind apple family.
"You know, now that I think about it, I think this is the first time anypony who wasn't my friend or a fellow bolt has treated me with such hospitality." She thought to herself, nibbling on her apple fritter. Oh Celestia those apple fritters tasted.. She didn't even have a word to describe it. She just knew she couldn't stop munching on them. That didn't mean she didn't she forced it down the throat. Oh no. Instead, Spitfire was beginning to see a similar reason as to why her wingmate Soarin had such an obsession with pies. She just hoped he wouldn't rub her new found addiction in when she came back.
"If I come back." She let the thought hang as she remembered the events that brought her here.
------------------
ONE DAY BEFORE
"WHAT!? What do you mean that I am being suspended!? And what is this horse crap about replacing me?" One would be surprised to learn that Spitfire was actually a very hard mare to piss off. She has seen her fair share of rage inducing moments, though over time she had learned to develop a resistance to it and ways of blowing off steam. Gliding, swimming, reading, even just sunning would usually be enough to keep her cool.
Today was not one of those days. And unfortunately for Soarin, he was finding out just how horribly scary his Captain could be when she was infuriated. Oh sure, he had seen her angry the few times some idiot decided to push their luck a little too far. But usually it all amounted to Spitfire just giving a royal verbal beatdown on whoever managed to earn her ire. And she also kept a pretty clean mouth about it.
He yelped as he ducked under to avoid a chair, which slammed into a wall behind him. Looking back, he paled as he saw just how big of a hole she left in it. He'd probably been hospitalized if he didn't dodge it so quickly.
"Who does that dick think he is to do this? I swear, I am going to find that basterd and rip his Faustdamn horn and shove it so far up his flank that he'll be choking on it!" She stomped, leaving a crack on the wooden floor.
"Spitfire please, you are scaring me." Soarin whimpered, only to feel his blood run cold as Spitfire suddenly turned to him and began to smile.
"Oh Soarin?" She asked in a sickeningly sweet tone, and began walking slowly toward the Wonderbolt. Soarin backed away and behind a couch, a hopeless deterrent against a mare on the warpath, but at least it was something. His eyes bugged out as he felt he was being burned by her intense gaze.
"Spits please! It isn't like that! They are just thinking of giving our team another squad leader so as to help take off the pressure a little off you and help manage it."
"Oh? Then why does it say that "Due to increasingly belligerent behavior, the Team Captain of the Wonderbolts, Captain Cienna Spitfire will be suspended and replaced by Von Beck Soarin, effective immediately." Her smile fell and eyes narrowed, the paper falling to the floor. Soarin screamed, only to choke as he felt Spitfire's hooves strangle him.
"I thought you were my friend Soarin, we knew each as foals for fuck sakes!"
"Gggh, Spits, it isn't-" Soarin choked, only to be interrupted by being uppercutted by and slam into a table, which gave a loud crack upon impact, splintering to pieces.
"Oh don't worry Soarin." Spitfire said, walking up and looking Soarin directly in the eye. He gulped.
"I now know what kind of stallion you truly are now."
"Spits I-"
"Save it Soarin. I am not in the mood for any of your bullshit. Belligerent behavior? Really? I was only trying to get the basterd to cut some slack from bullying those earth pony foals, but noooooooo! Instead, the asshole has the nerve to fire me! Well you know what? I quit! You want to have this position so badly Soarin? Fine! You can keep the damn thing!" Tears ran off her eyes backed off and began packing her stuff.
"Spitfire please! I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"
Spitfire finished packing her things, then looked at her former friend and wingmate coldly in the eye.
"It was nice knowing you Soarin, at least when you were a half decent stallion of some measure. I hope you got what you want Soarin. Truly, I do." She attached her personal flying goggles on and marched outside. Soarin was only able to watch in horror as he desperately called for Spitfire to come back, only to find himself bucked in the head when he tried to chase after her.
"Goodbye Soarin. Live free or die hard." Without looking back, she took off." ------------------------- Spitfire shuddered with regret as she remembered just how cruel she was to her best friend. True, it did say that Spitfire was being replaced by her best friend, but that didn't mean she had to take it out on him. Tears began to leak from her eyes as she found her horror and guilt at the situation come back to bite her in the flank full force.
"W-why did I do that? Soarin's a goofball, sometimes even an insufferable one, but..."
"I'm a horrible mare..."
Before she could even stop herself, he dam broke, Spitfire openly sobbing as she felt her hatred for herself grow immensely. She immediately felt Applejack's hooves wrap around her. She looked up to see Applejack's green emeralds stare back at her.
"Shh, sugarcube. What's wrong?"
"I- I've been a terrible friend... I hurt my best friend from foalhood and- Oh Celestia why did I have to hurt him!?" She sobbed into Applejack's chest as she felt wave after wave of tears soak into the mare's coat. Applejack didn't ask anything, only whispering comforting words to the broken pegasus as sobs wracked her body. Right now the mare needed help, and now was not the time for asking such sensitive questions. She was still somewhat shocked by her... Earlier revelation. But right now, all she was concerned about helping a broken mare in need.
"It's alright Spitfire, I got ya." She spoke soothingly, stroking Spitfire's mane. Applejack had to admit this was the first time that she found herself being the one who comforted the pained, and though the situation wasn't exactly the same, the emotions were just as familiar. It didn't matter that she was a Wonderbolt. Who she truly saw at the time wasn't a famous celebrity. She saw a fellow pony begging for help. So she obliged.
Eventually, her sobs died down to sniffing every once in a while. "... I've been a horrible pony... I should have died out-" She didn't finish as she felt Applejack suddenly wrench her gaze to her.
"Hush! I won't hear any such talk coming from a mare like yourself. Whatever it was that you did, you obviously feel very horrible about it. I don't know about you, but anypony who feels like that isn't a bad pony by any means in my book. Ya just gotta go in there and fix it."
Spitfire gasped as she felt Applejack give her both a kiss on the cheek and a hug. She struggled to work her jaw, yet to no avail. Here, her idol was helping her without a second thought, helping a mare who should have died in that snowstorm for being such a bitch. She felt light headed as tried to find her words to properly thank the mare before her.
"Ap-Applejack, I don't-" She was silenced by a hoof touching her lip.
"Hush. Here, you look like you need a snuggle buddy."
Spitfire squeaked when she felt Applejack's body snuggled in the blanket with her own. Her body heat felt very warm to the mare. She enjoyed how Applejack's fur brushed against her own. The way the earth pony hugged against her made her blush hard, the heat in her cheeks making Spitfire feel very thankful as Applejack closed her eyes. The way the mare laid herself flat to rest looked majestic.
"She looks so... Why does she look so beautiful without her hat? And her fla- ...Why did I even make that observation!?"
"Hey Spitfire?"
"Yeah?"
"Have a good night's rest. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. You and I still have a lot to talk about sugar. So get's some rest, alright?"
"Okay..." Before Spitfire even knew it, she fell into a deep slumber.
March 16th, 2013 8:47 PM Potential Ramifications ---------------------------------------------------------- "... What in Luna's blue moon was I thinking?"
Soon after Spitfire dozed off into Slumber Land, Applejack had quickly removed herself from the covers, only to find herself rooted to the floor near where the sleeping pegasus rested, starring at the Wonderbolt as she tried to sort the chaos that her mind was trying to process. And quite frankly, it wasn't out of the question for the apple farmer that she would need more than a good buck in the head for her actions. Or even four, just to be on the safe side.
Applejack slumped against the cold, wooden exterior next to the fireplace with a groan, the fire having long ago been reduced a mere pile of ashes. Even now, she could hear the maddening din that was the ferocious winter winds, howling with bitter contempt for Applejack's inner peace. Her old fear of Zecora aside, Applejack was a surprisingly level headed pony with a clear thought process. If there was a problem, she'd find the straightforward solution to solve it in a timely, hassle free fashion. Years of tending to the growth of the orchard had honed her skills where practical, hooves on thinking required a quick wit about her. From waiting just the right moment to harvest zap apples, to shedding off a potential catastrophe in the form of one of her five close friends, Applejack prided herself on efficiency. Save for the few rare exceptions, you would be hard pressed to find something that would have the apple farmer stopped dead in her tracks.
Unfortunately, this was one of them.
Indeed, if the increasing pounding headache was any indication, this was probably going to be such on a scale that the entire reserve cellar storage of apple cider wouldn't be enough to make her forget her current inner conflict. Applejack looked outside. The flurry of the snow was memorizing in a way, but it wasn't long before her attention shifted back to the pegasus on the floor. And this pegasus was anything but ordinary, at least if one were to pay attention only to the shallow exterior surface.
Somehow, someway, the captain of the Wonderbolts had managed to crash land on her somewhat isolated farm. If it were just that though, everything could have been fine and dandy. The Apple family would help put the mare back on her front hooves and get her back into tip top shape and that would be that. No strings attached. Yet for one reason or another, life always seemingly had a way of tangling even the most simple details of her life into a complex, ungodly mess.
The simple fact was that this famous flier of Equestria's most esteemed flight group, harbored an admiration and adornment for the simple farm pony. Actually, this would be an understatement, considering what Spitfire has said before.
"I am actually your biggest fan." Those six words thudded in Applejack's head in a repetitious drone.
By themselves, the Wonderbolt's words held little meaning in the long run of things if one were to only look at the surface. But the power of words comes from the sheer and raw ability to project one's emotion into them, igniting a passion that could set whole fields alight in flames.
Applejack only ever saw this devoted loyalty in her friend who literally embodied it, especially that of Spitfire. She had always teased Rainbow Dash for her sometimes oddly charming ways that made her who she is to this very day, just by this carnal and powerful force of inspiration. Then without warning, the very pegasus who Rainbow Dash almost literally worshiped had in turn displayed that same fiery flame of passion in favor of Applejack.
It scared her to her soul. Sure, she was in some ways the pride of Ponyville. But that was on a more closer to home basic. Sure, they cheered her on, but not as much as a fan would. It was more of a comradely bond than anything else, what with being a close knitted community.
And why was Spitfire even here? Furthermore, why did Applejack even care?
"It just doesn't make any lick of sense. Sky is blue, apple trees grow, and we ponies buck and eat the apples, then repeat. Why would Spitfire admire me for? Why did I suddenly..." She cringed as she thought back to that kiss she gave on the cheek to Spitfire.
"What in Sam's hell possessed me to do that? I might be friendly, but even Pinkie Pie doesn't go and smooch a stranger on the cheek. That just ain't right. "
Applejack sighed as she trotted over to the rodeo trophy stand and took a photo album out of the many shelves. In it, her pa was triumphantly brandishing his newly earned trophy, while a younger Applejack cheered him on. Another had her brother, father and herself sprawled in a mess of apple cider. It was one of her fondest memories, of times that were bliss and simple. Where her father was always there to lend a strong hoof. Applejack trembled as she felt tears roll down her face.
"O-oh Pa... If only you were here... I wish you could help me here. You always knew what needed to be done."
"So do I Applejack."
The farmer almost jumped out of her body when she felt a hoof rest on her shoulder. Turning, she saw that Granny Smith was starring at the picture, with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.
"Granny! Uh, why are you up? I didn't wake you, did I?"
Granny Smith chuckled as she patted her granddaughter on the back. "Hehe, you didn't think I wouldn't know when my own kin is in need of a shoulder to lean on now did ya?"
They both stood silent as they looked on in silence. Applejack glanced out the window as she felt... She didn't even know what it was. Longing? Loneliness? Sorrow? Applejack wouldn't have known, perhaps Rarity if-... She shook her head. There wasn't any need to trouble her friends with her own problems. Sure, in practical labor yes, but there was no need to give them trouble.
"... So, I see you've taken an interest in our new guest?" Granny asked, finally breaking the silence. Hesitant, she looked nervously at her grandmother, whose knowing but calm eyes implored her to bite the bait. They both shifted their eyes back to the Wonderbolt, who was still fast asleep.
"I-I honestly don't know. I mean, she just crashed into our barn out of nowhere, a Wonderbolt out of all ponies. And then, she suddenly tells me that she is one of my fan fillies! How was I suppose to react? I- why did I even faint? I mean, I am flattered and all that, but..."
"You seem to care for her a great deal, more than you know yourself Applejack. I also manage to coax a bit of info out of the featherhead."
"Granny!"
"Kidding, kidding. What? You think I don't have a sense of humor in this day and age?" Applejack resisted the urge to facehoof. Sometimes she just didn't know what to expect from the old matriarch of the home.
"Anyway, it seems she has been a fan of our rodeo stunts for quite a while actually."
"For how long?'"
"Since when she was a foal, back when your father was still kicking. Seems we're the ones that inspired her to go into them Wonderbolts in the first place, if you can imagine that." Granny Smith chuckled.
"But that still doesn't explain why she is a fan of me. I met her a few times before, and you would think she would have recognized me. How the hay does that even work?"
"Hmm... I wouldn't know Applejack. But I suggest you go and ask the filly herself. After all, you've taken quite an interest in her."
Applejack felt her face flush in embarrassment as she watched her Granny chuckle quietly.
"Now, get some rest. We've got a long day tomorrow, and I gather that a good night's rest will help us sort things out. Those apple trees aren't going to buck themselves you know."
"Alright... Good night Granny."
"Good night Applejack."
With that, both Applejack and Granny Smith went to their respective beds to turn in for the night. Climbing into her rest spot, Applejack finally felt sleep take her in peace. She dreamed of being in a field of yellow feathers.
-------------------------------------------------------------- Soarin felt his hooves tremble as he came up to the receptionist desk. Behind it was a unicorn secretary, who was busy filling out some form after form of paper, the scratching of the pencil constantly filling the air. Glancing at the iron engraved name of Sweet Dovetail, he saw his own reflection for a brief second. He stood there for a few moments, unsure if he wanted to proceed when the unicorn pointed to the door next to her without looking.
"Mr. Sleight is waiting for you inside his office. I suggest you hurry up and get your sorry flank in there. The good manager isn't in a good mood."
"Um... Isn't he usually always in a bad mood?"
The unicorn stopped and look Soarin dead in the eye. The stallion could literally feel the room suddenly climb up five degrees in temperature.
"Look buddy, do you hear anything?"
"Um...."
"Any yelling, screaming, shrieking, or even breaking of furniture?"
They both stood silent for a few seconds, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall being the single sound in that broke up the silence.
"Uh, no. What does that...." He started, then trailed off. He slowly started to pale as his mind caught up to what the mare's mute atmosphere implied.
Oh no...
"Hehehe, surely you don't mean that he's one of those stallions, right?" He chuckled nervously, giving a pleading stare at Sweet Dovetail. She only frowned as she let out a sigh.
"You poor, poor stallion. You must be a newbie around Mr. Sleight, aren't you?" She chuckled with eyes close.
"Don't answer that. Chances are, I wouldn't be surprised if you walk out of that office shell shocked. Wouldn't be the first time he left some rugged stallion thrashed under his hooves."
Before any further banter could erupt between them, the intercom crackled to life.
"Mr. Arnfrind, would you kindly please come into my office? We can't afford to dilly dally." Soarin felt his hooves move off on their own accord, the now Captain powerless to stop himself. He caught one last glance of the secretary.
"Good luck in there Soarin Arnfrind."
She glowered.
"You'll need it." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the door was shut behind him, Soarin got his first good look at his manager. Silver File Sleight currently had a hoof file engulfed by a magic aura, trimming and fine tuning the edge on his hooves when he turned his head to find Soarin had finally entered. He smiled, putting the file down on desk and gestured for the Wonderbolt to come.
"Take a seat Mr Arnfrind, will you kindly?"
Soarin felt himself plop his rump on the soft cushion in front of the desk. For a moment, neither pony said anything. Then Silver Sleight sighed.
"Tell me Soarin, do you know what your former Captain did to me?"
".... No, I don't."
"Then allow me to enlighten you for a few minutes."
Soarin jumped as manager slammed his hooves on the desk, near the edge where the Wonderbolt was seated. The unicorn now had a scowl sewed into his face. Soarin also realized that one of his eyes was a little swollen.
Uh oh...
"That little bitch didn't just insult me."
He came up face to face with the Wonderbolt, almost glaring.
"She didn't just insult me. She didn't just call me a racist." He hissed. Soarin said nothing, twiddling his hooves nervously, only to pale as he felt himself being pulled forward.
"That good for nothing whore bucked me in the face..." He thought for a moment.
"That reminds me, she hasn't paid her debts back to me." The unicorn then released the Wonderbolt, much to his relief.
"Debts sir?"
Silver Sleight chuckled. "Oh Soarin, did you really think Ms. Spitfire got to where she was all thanks to her rather notable leadership and flying skills? I assure you, that isn't the case, at least not all of it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well my dear colt, do you know how the Wonderbolts manages to keep up with all of their shows each and every year? Ponies like me finance them. We bring up promising pegasi and in return for giving them fame and position, they have to pay us back with bits and their loyalty."
Soarin gulped. "Why do I have the horrible feeling that I know how this is going to end?"
"But unfortunately, Ms. Spitfire and I don't seem to see eye to eye. And we cannot simply let that be."
"We? I am not sure if I follow."
"It's quite simply actually. You tell me what I want to know about this mare, and you reap the benefits." He smiled sinisterly. Soarin however...
"And if I don't?"
He yelped as he felt a sharp, painful tug on both his wings. Soarin tried to struggle, only to scream as he felt a hoof nearly stab into his back. Looking up weakly, he saw that two ponies (A unicorn and earth pony.) that he previously didn't know were there had him immobilized. Sweat poured down his pelt as Silver Sleight got off his chair and crouched next to Soarin.
"Well Soarin, I believe you'll find me quite persuasive. After all, it would be such a shame if our famed Captain were to have an "unfortunate" accident. Or perhaps..." He chuckled, allowing the words to sink into Soarin's mind.
"If their secret coltfriend were to suddenly be found horribly mauled and beaten in his own home."
If Soarin thought he couldn't pale any whiter, he was proven wrong as all the blood drained out of his face. He sat there, completely horrified.
"No! Y-you woul-"
"QUIET!"
A hoof slammed into Soarin's jaw, causing him to bite his tongue. He coughed as he tasted bloody copper on his tastebuds. He felt the manager's hoof tip his head up, glaring right into his eyes.
"I do not tolerate insubordination Mr. Arnfrind. Your previous Captain unfortunately had that problem. You however..." Soarin felt a chill run down his spine as his manager chuckled.
"You will be completely obedient to me, and me only. Now," He said, his horn lighting up as Soarin was only able to stare up terrified.
"I believe it is time to fully indoctrinate you into being my loyal subject." Soarin screamed as he felt a horrible agony invade his head, then he saw a flash of a brilliant green before succumbing to the first of many hellish visions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A flash of light later, the four stallions had teleported to an underground catacomb. Inside, ponies of various types scurried about the tunnels, moving to and fro within the complex system of the labyrinth.
"Sir, if it wouldn't be too prudent to ask, you mentioned that you were going to do something else. Pray tell, could you elaborate on that?" One of the stallions ask, a blue eyed unicorn with hoofcuffs as his cutie mark.
"Oh... Nothing much. Though I believe our Captain will find himself changing his tunes to be a little more straight. Take him to the holding cells. I have a little errand to take care of in the meantime. Au revoir."
With that, he went with a merry skip in his step. He almost couldn't wait to get to his destination. He was going to have some good fun indeed. Besides, he had to introduce a new mare in the making to the finer points of being a lady.
Minutes later, Silver Sleight had arrived in the dungeon portion of jail cells, reserved for especially "esteemed" guests. As he walked past cell after cell, the occupants within them backed up in fright. Some had terror in their eyes, others with intense hatred, others with apathetic looks.
He finally entered an open chamber, completely surround by water, except for one walkway to the center. In the center of the landmass was a cage surrounded by priests. One of them greeted Silver Sleight's entrance.
"My liege? The Ritual is almost ready to commence. All we need is for you to finish it."
"Excellent. Now, if you would so kindly take your leave, I shall finish this alone. Begone!" Bowing, the priests filed out of the cavern, leaving the pony inside the cage alone with Sliver Sleight. Upon his approach, the pony inside shrieked and backed himself into a corner.
"Oh Celestia, you STILL aren't done!?"
"No, but we're nearly there. Ah, that reminds me, we've still have one more thing to go over."
The cage door shattered. Before the pony could run, he was shot with a bolt of magic. He whimpered and tumbled over in pain, scared beyond belief from the oppressive presence of the oh so humble manager. He tried to move, but his body was almost completely paralyzed. He shivered as he felt the stallion gently stroke his flank, whimpering as he wished for the bad monster to just leave him alone.
"Such a flank that you have. Better than that of many mares even." Silver Sleight looked mournful for a moment.
"Pity that you are a stallion, or else you would make for a suitable bride." He said, stroking his chin. Then he smiled.
"But thankfully, that problem will soon be rectified."
He pulled a black orb from his satchel, forced open the stallions mouth, then shoved it down his throat. The stallion gagged and chocked on it, trying to desperately to cough it out. However to his horror, he swallowed it. Silver Sleight grinned.
"Perfect."
The unicorn took a few steps back and waited anxiously for the event to start..
For a moment, Braeburn felt numb. Then he began to scream as a sea of agony washed over his whole body. He felt his muscles shrink, preventing him from getting up. Then he lurched as he felt his stomach lurching, something twisting, changing. His flanks felt like they were being compressed into itself. As the changes went on, he noticed his voice become higher pitched, more feminine. Then he felt painful knot in his nether. He looked down, and eyes shot open horror, just in time to see his stallionhood contort to a very different appendage. At that point, the changes ended, but the damage had been done.
Instead of what used to be a proud stallionhood, there was a vaginal opening in its place.
"He-he turned me into a mare! He turned me into a mare! T-the sick basterd!"
She looked up to see where the manager went, only to pale even further in more horror as he saw the hungry look on the stallion.
"Oh colt... Please no, please!" The now mare pleaded, but to no avail as the stallion advanced for her every step back.
" You're going to make a very fine mare, Mr. Braeburn, or should I say, Isabella." He chuckled in an all too knowing tone. He smirked.
"Don't worry, you won't be leaving anytime soon."
Isabella yelped as she suddenly was forced to the ground. She could only look up in terror as she saw the hungry look in the stallion's eyes.
"But first, I think I will show you firsthoof just as to why mares melt in my embrace."
This statement crashed into her skull as she screamed in terror.
"CELESTIA SAVE M-MMMMPH!?"
Isabella blinked only once before she felt the Silver's tongue force its way into her own.
