I'm Your Wing
"Misty Fly, you're my wing."
Misty Fly was used to hearing this. She was especially used to hearing this from Spitfire before a training exercise. She had heard those exact words hundreds upon hundreds of times ever since she got into the Wonderbolt Academy. But for some strange reason, this particular time made her feel apprehensive. She couldn't quite put her hoof on it, but something was causing her heart to flutter. Pushing the feeling aside, she stood at attention.
"I won't let you down, Spitfire," she said without missing a beat.
"I know you won't, Mist," Spitfire said with a warm smile.
Once again, Misty Fly felt her heart skip a beat. Part of her brain was telling her that this wasn't normal, but she kept that feeling suppressed. After all, Spitfire was counting on her.
"Alright, Wonderbolts! Let's fly!"
As soon as Spitfire gave the order, all twelve pegasi took off into the sky, broke off into their assigned wing pairs, and began to run the obstacle course that was set up for them. Misty Fly wasted no time forming up just behind Spitfire and keeping pace with her. Spitfire gave her a quick nod, and she nodded in return just before they started the course.
Okay. This is just another training session, Misty Fly thought. Just do what you normally do.
For the first few laps, she did just that. She flew alongside Spitfire around the vapor cannons, through the rings, through the thundercloud patch, and past the precision turbines. But even though everything seemed to be going smoothly, she couldn't shake the sensation warning her that something was amiss. It didn't interfere with her flying, but it made her more and more uncomfortable with every lap.
Suddenly, she caught sight of a vapor cannon leading Spitfire. Warning bells started going off in her head, for she knew that those cannons were supposed to be stationary. But of course, she didn't have time to wonder why this was the case.
"Spitfire, we should slow down!" she hollered.
Spitfire followed her wingpony's instructions and held back. The vapor cannon unleashed its payload, and the superheated cloud came within an inch of Spitfire's nose before sailing off into the sky above. Misty Fly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew! Good call, Mist!" Spitfire called out. "I knew I could rely on you!"
Misty Fly blushed, even though she felt like she had no reason to. "Th-thanks," she said, flying closer to her captain. "Are you alright?"
"Thanks to you," said Spitfire. She then let out a sigh. "Sorry. I guess I wasn't paying attention."
Misty Fly arched an eyebrow. "That's not like you, Spitfire," she said, her voice reflecting concern. "Is something wrong?"
"Not exactly," said Spitfire, rubbing the back of her head. "I've just got a lot on my mind, y'know? We've got a lot of important events coming up; up to and including the Equestria Games. I'm just trying to keep track of it all."
Misty Fly smiled. "I understand," she said, flying closer to Spitfire. "We all worry about the future from time to time, even the best of us. It's perfectly normal. We just have to make sure we're still able to react to the present, that's all."
Spitfire gave Misty Fly a smile of her own. "You always seem to know what to say, Mist," said she. "I really don't know what I'd do without you."
Misty Fly's eyes went wide, and her face became redder. "D-don't say that, Spitfire. Y-you shouldn't sell yourself short. Y-you're a great captain and one of the strongest ponies I know."
"Yeah, but what's a captain without a team?" said Spitfire, brushing Misty Fly's cheek with her hoof. "And what's a team without a wonderful pony like you?"
Misty Fly's heart pounded something fierce as a warm, tingling sensation washed over her body. Her mind was at war with itself, wondering if she liked where this was going or not.
"I-I don't know what to say," she said. "I-I mean, I'm glad you feel that way about me, b-but..."
"Mist, don't kid yourself," said Spitfire with a chuckle. "You're special to me, and you always will be. And I know that I'm special to you. So let's..."
Just then, a peal of thunder shook the sky, and Misty Fly felt a sharp pain in her wing. The pain quickly gave way to a numbness, and she soon discovered that she couldn't keep herself airborne. She fell away from Spitfire and dove into a tailspin.
"Misty Fly!" Spitfire gasped. "Don't worry, I'm coming!"
Several thoughts flooded Misty Fly's mind as she fell. I-I can't move my wing! This shouldn't have happened! I should've been more careful! I-I let Spitfire down! Where did that thunderbolt come from?! Why can't I fly?! Why—?!
"Gotcha!"
Her thoughts were interrupted by Spitfire scooping her up and leading her to a large cloud. She set her down and stroked her mane.
"Hey, you alright?" she asked.
Misty Fly gulped. She didn't feel alright at all. But she didn't want Spitfire to know that.
"I-I'm fine," she said, struggling to get to her feet. "I-I'm sorry, Spitfire."
"Don't apologize. It's not your fault," said Spitfire. "Need a hoof?"
"Th-thanks, but I-I'm okay," said Misty Fly. She tried to pick herself up, but her whole body felt like it was made of lead.
"Hey, maybe you should take it easy," said Spitfire firmly. "You took a pretty nasty hit back there."
"N-no, I'm fine," said Misty Fly, still struggling. "I just..."
She then looked up into Spitfire's eyes and gasped when she saw them swollen with tears. The very sight caused her own eyes to water.
"Oh, Spitfire. I-it hurts," she whimpered. "I-I can't even move my wing. I-I'm so sorry."
Spitfire shook her head. "Stop apologizing, Mist. You didn't do anything wrong," she said, wrapping her forelegs around her and pulling her close to her chest. "It's okay. I'm right here for you."
Misty Fly felt every hair in her coat begin to bristle. She shivered at first, but soon felt the tension melt away as she rested her head on Spitfire's chest. A soothing warmth emanated from Spitfire's body, causing Misty Fly to nuzzle her cheek against it. She felt as though she was resting in a cradle where nothing could hurt her. As long as Spitfire held her like this, she was...
What the bucking hay do you think you're doing?!
A voice echoing in Misty Fly's mind caused her eyes to snap open. "W-who said that?"
Oh, don't pretend you don't know, said the voice, which sounded very much like her own (although a lot more aggressive). Don't you recognize me?
"Um, I suppose?"
Oh sweet Celestia. It's me, you moron! I'm you!
"Wh-what?"
Just what I said. I'm you, said the inner voice. And I'm telling you that this situation right here should not be happening.
"Wh-what do you mean?" said Misty Fly. "I-I need Spitfire right now. She..."
See, you've got that backwards, said the inner voice. She needs you. And she's not gonna get any help from you if you're acting like a foal.
"B-but it feels so nice," said Misty Fly, nuzzling up closer to Spitfire.
Stop being so selfish. It isn't like you, scolded the inner voice. What happened to the Misty Fly who would do anything for her team, huh?
"Th-that hasn't changed at all," said Misty Fly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I'm always there for my team."
Then stand up and take your lumps, said the inner voice. Let Spitfire know that you're still strong. I mean, you're a Wonderbolt, for Celestia's sake! Have some pride!
Misty Fly closed her eyes for a moment as she contemplated those words. When they opened, they were filled with fire and intensity.
"You're right," she said. "This is wrong. I shouldn't be weak. Not in front of Spitfire."
With every ounce of strength she had, she picked herself up and pushed herself away from Spitfire. Spitfire gave her a puzzled look.
"Mist? What's wrong?" she said.
"N-nothing," Misty Fly snapped. "I-I'm perfectly fine."
"B-but your wing..."
"Buck my wing! That doesn't matter!" shouted Misty Fly. "What matters is that I failed! I let my team down! I let you down!"
Spitfire knitted her brow. "Mist, you didn't do any of that. It was just..."
"Don't try to make me feel better, Spitfire!" Misty Fly screamed. "I'm strong enough to take my lumps! I messed up this time, but no more!"
"Mist, calm down," said Spitfire, gripping Misty Fly's shoulders. "You're hurt. You should be saving your strength."
"I'm fine!" Misty Fly yelled, causing Spitfire to flinch. "What happens to me isn't important! What about you?!"
"What about me?" said Spitfire, raising an eyebrow. "There's nothing wrong with me, Mist."
"Yes, I know," said Misty Fly, calming down a bit. "But, what about that vapor cannon, and your concerns distracting you?"
"Those aren't problems anymore," said Spitfire. "You helped my overcome them, remember?"
"Yeah, but I want to keep doing that," said Misty Fly, intensity seeping into her voice. "I should always be doing that! I'm a Wonderbolt, Spitfire! And this team is just as important to me as it is to you! I'm your wing, and I should bucking act like it!"
Spitfire sighed. "Mist, I'm not questioning your devotion to the team. In fact, that's what I love about you. But right now, you're— hey!"
Spitfire was interrupted by something grabbing her leg. Misty Fly looked down and saw that some sort of black tendril had latched onto it. She looked past Spitfire and gasped in horror. Right behind her was a large, black cloud that wasn't like anything she had seen before. It was squirming and undulating as if it were alive. From it came this sinister, oppressive aura that caused her to shiver. Before she could react to the odd entity, five other tendrils shot from the cloud and snagged Spitfire's legs and wing.
"H-hey! Let go of me!" Spitfire grunted, struggling against the tendrils.
"S-Spitfire!" Misty Fly gasped. "Qu-quick, grab my hoof!"
Spitfire reached out the best she could, and Misty Fly did the same. But as she lifted her leg, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Not to be deterred, she crawled towards Spitfire and reached out again.
"C-c'mon, c'mon..." she muttered, coming within an inch of Spitfire's hind leg. "Just a little more..."
At that moment, the tendrils yanked Spitfire out of Misty Fly's reach and pulled her towards the unknown entity.
"What? No!" Misty Fly screamed. "Let her go, you bastard, or I'll..."
She tried to spread her wings, but found that they wouldn't respond. She then tried to run, but her legs felt like they weighed a ton, each. At that moment, she began to hyperventilate.
"No. No, th-this isn't happening," she said between pants. "Dammit, this isn't happening! Spitfire needs me! I-I can't let her down! Not again!"
Alas, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lift her body off the cloud. She was forced to watch as Spitfire was dragged into the black abomination flailing and screaming. Tears streamed down her face, and she pounded the cloud in frustration.
"Dammit all to Tartarus!" she spat. "Why can't I do anything?! Why am I letting her down?! I-I... SPITFIRE~!"
Through her tears, she could see Spitfire being fully engulfed by the dark, living cloud. Spitfire tensed up every muscle in her body and scrunched her eyes shut. Just when the cloud had swallowed her whole, her eyes snapped open, revealing blank white pupils.
"That is enough!" she bellowed in a voice that was not her own.
Suddenly, something amazing happened before Misty Fly's eyes. Spitfire's Wonderbolt uniform gave way to a dark indigo coat. A long horn pulsing with magic sprouted from her head. Her fiery orange mane grew wild and changed into a sparkling blue one. Before Misty Fly could see any more, there was a flash of light. When the flash died down, the sinister cloud and Spitfire had disappeared. In their place was Princess Luna, her eyes reverting to normal as she flew over to Misty Fly. Misty Fly quickly stood up.
"Y-your Highness!" she said, giving Luna a hasty salute.
"At ease, Misty Fly," said Luna softly. "After all, this is but a dream."
Misty Fly blushed and cast her eyes downward. "Oh. Right," she said sheepishly. "I, should've caught onto that."
"Never it mind," said Luna, landing in front of Misty Fly. "Everything is alright now."
Misty Fly sighed and shook her head. "No, it's not. I-I let my team down, Your Highness. Spitfire was counting on me to be her wing, and I-I failed her."
"How so?" asked Princess Luna, tilting her head. "Did you fly into that thunderbolt deliberately?"
"W-well, no," said Misty Fly. "I-I don't even know what happened. It just, came out of nowhere."
"Then why blame yourself for something you couldn't control?" inquired Luna.
"Because Spitfire was relying on me to be her wingpony," said Misty Fly. "She said as clear as day: 'You're my wing.' You know what that means to a pegasus, right? It means I have to stick by her through thick and thin, no matter what happens."
"I'm familiar with the saying, Misty Fly," said Luna. "But do you honestly think that Spitfire would kick you out of the Wonderbolts simply because you're injured?"
"N-no! Perish the thought!" Misty Fly exclaimed, aghast at the prospect, "Spitfire would never do that! She cares about us a lot! It's just that..."
She trailed off, averting her eyes from Luna. The Princess of the Night stepped forward and lifted her chin with her hoof.
"It's just that what?" she asked gently.
Misty Fly let out a deep sigh. "It's just that, I want to be there for her, always. Sh-she's so important to me, a-and the thought of her getting hurt just breaks my heart. She needs me."
"Does she need you, or do you need her?" said Luna.
"B-both," said Misty Fly, twiddling her hooves. "I-I'm not ashamed to admit that I need Spitfire. She's more than just my captain; she's the pony I admire more than anyone else in all of Equestria. I wouldn't be the pony I am today if it wasn't for her. B-but, I feel that she needs me, too."
"You 'feel' that she needs you," said Luna, raising an eyebrow. "You're not sure."
Misty Fly became quiet for a moment, staring at the ground and biting her lip. Princess Luna lifted her chin with her hoof again.
"Do you feel that Spitfire would fail without you? Or the Wonderbolts?" she inquired.
Misty Fly smirked. "Who do I look like, Fleetfoot? My ego's not nearly as big as that. It's just that as amazing as Spitfire is, she's still just one pony. She's not invincible."
"And you are?"
The epiphany hit Misty Fly like a vapor cannon fired at point blank. She blushed profusely and averted her gaze once again.
"Oh. That's what this is all about, huh?" she sighed. "Boy, do I feel dumb."
"There's no need to feel ashamed, Misty Fly," said Luna sweetly. "It's just a matter of being honest with yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"You're worried about appearing weak."
Misty Fly nodded. "Yeah, that's it. That's, exactly it. I-I feel that I have to be strong for the team, y'know? They're always counting on me."
"There's no disputing that," said Luna. "But bear in mind that you're part of the team, too. You rely on them just as much as they rely on you."
"Y-yeah, I know," said Misty Fly, a new batch of tears welling up in her eyes. "B-but what if something bad happens to the team or-or Spitfire, and I'm not there to help?"
"Even the helpful can feel helpless at times, Misty Fly," said Luna sagely. "That is a burden my sister bears deep within her heart. But even though she can't help everypony at once, she keeps trying. And she has plenty of ponies that support her when she needs it. Just like you. I'm sure the rest of the Wonderbolts are thinking about you right now, hoping that you'll recover."
"Y-you really think that?" asked Misty Fly.
Luna smiled. "Without a doubt," she said.
Misty Fly smiled back. "Thanks, Your Highness. I-I feel a lot better now. I guess with all the support I provide for the team, I kinda forgot that I need support myself every now and then. So, thanks for being my wing."
At that moment, the world around Misty Fly began to warp and distort. Luna gave Misty Fly a wink and disappeared in a flash of light that cause Misty Fly to white out.
***
When Misty Fly opened her eyes again, she found herself back at the Wonderbolts Academy infirmary. She breathed a sigh of relief and stared at her ceiling for a moment.
"Spitfire, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope you're hanging in there," she whispered. "But if you're not, know that I'm with you in spirit. Because no matter what happens...
"I'm your wing."
Author's Note
This is actually a combination of two deleted scenes from Wonderbolts Under Fire. The first scene was Spitfire expanding on her relationship with Misty Fly, which I felt was a distraction from some of the more pertinent information in the chapter, so I shortened it. The second scene was a nightmare sequence based on the events of the story, which I cut because it was superfluous. So I combined the two in this side story to give a bit of insight into Misty Fly's character.
Now, I know there's a line or two in this story that is going to make people bring up the episode Rainbow Falls. If anyone plans on posting any comments regarding this, snarky or otherwise, I invite you to first check out my previous story Spitfire Stumbles to understand what my headcanon is regarding that episode. 
