As the morning was starting to slowly age, the weather became much warmer, which made the occasional breeze much easier to appreciate for the hard-working Wonderbolts. Although each Wonderbolt had sweat dripping from the roots in their manes from morning practice at the Cloudsdale Stadium, not one made any effort to conserve energy. They had a big race coming up, and they were more than willing to bare any exhaustion to ensure a most rewarding outcome. As perhaps the biggest race in Equestria, the Wonderbolts embraced it as an honor to compete in such a race while representing the most popular pegasus race team.
But even the most devoted can succumb to a careless mistake onset by exhaustion. From an uneven landing, one of the team's fastest racers suffered from a knee injury. The unlucky Pegasus was no more immune to injury than any other Wonderbolt, and a shout of pain caught the attention of all the other Wonderbolts.
Spitfire, the team captain for the Wonderbolts, only excused herself from practice when more exigent duties called for her experience—and today was one of those days. As the other Wonderbolts gathered around their injured teammate, Spitfire took the responsibility of tending to the hurt pegasus.
Fleetfoot stated that she hurt her knee after an awkward landing. Spitfire was often sympathetic in nature, and even though she didn't know the first thing about treating an injured knee, she did everything she could to help.
The hurt pegasus managed to stand up on three legs; tucking in her injured leg and keeping it off the ground. With the assisted counterweight—attained by leaning into Spitfire's shoulder—she was able to slowly limp along. Spitfire escorted the pegasus to Patch's office: If anypony can help with a situation like this, it would be him—the Wonderbolt's paramedic.
For what was usually a short walk, given the slow pace, Spitfire had plenty of time to give calming reassurance to the injured pegasus. Upon entrance to Patch's office, Patch instantly came alert after observing the pegasus limp into the room. "Did something happen?" he asked. The hurt pegasus looked ashamed to admit her injury, but Fleetfoot nodded, and exposed her hurt leg in front of him. Patch leaned in to further examine the leg, before returning eye contact. "What did you do to it?"
The pegasus sighed, before speaking, "I just landed on it awkwardly but it hurts really bad."
Patch continued to examine the leg. "Does Sky Screamer know about this yet?" he asked. The silence answered his question. "I think it's something he needs to know about. Spitfire, can you get him over here?" he said.
Spitfire replied promptly, "Of course!" Without delay she flew off to find him, leaving Patch to work on the pegasus's knee. Sky Screamer was the team manager for the Wonderbolts. He was in charge of arranging races and events. Many years ago he use to be a Captain like Spitfire, but between aging, and tearing a ligament in his wing, he retired from racing. A few years after, he became the Team Manager for the Wonderbolts. Though he no longer raced, he was an influential figure for the team with an unmatched amount of experience.
Spitfire knew exactly where to find him. Since he wasn't watching the Wonderbolts practice, the only place he would be was his office—just down the hall from Patch's. Without being encumbered by another pegasus leaning on her shoulder anymore, her arrival was made with haste. She knocked vigorously on the door to Sky Screamer's office.
The door slowly opened, and was answered by Sky Screamer. "Yeah?" he asked. His voice was naturally quiet, but was deep and clear, which prevented it from being covered by background sounds.
Spitfire was half-winded from sprinting, and tried her best to explain what was going on. "Fleetfoot hurt her knee in practice! Patch is helping her in his office at the moment; he wanted me to let you know."
Sky Screamer handled the news calmly. "Alright, I'll go check it out," he said. His posture was just as relaxed as when he had first opened the door.
Sky Screamer and Spitfire walked down toward Patch's office together. It bothered Spitfire with how slow Sky Screamer walked, and Sky Screamer was able to notice Spitfire's impatience. "Relax," said Sky Screamer, "Patch is good at what he does—thats why I hired him. If Fleetfoot is in his care already, there is no need for us to be in a rush."
Spitfire acknowledged him; continuing to walk by his side in a less anxious manner. They entered Patch's office, where Patch was knelt at Fleetfoot's side.
Sky Screamer was the first to say something. "How bad is it?"
Patch answered, "It's nothing major. I already told her that she should just keep off it for the rest of the day."
The conversation between Patch and Sky Screamer was spoken with the same complacent tone as if they were making small-talk. Sky Screamer asked, "What about the race? Its tomorrow. Is this going to affect her abilities to race?"
Patch answered in the same tone, "It might still be a little sore tomorrow, but if she can tolerate it, I have no concerns with letting her fly. It shouldn't interfere with flying. She just has to be a little cautious when she puts weight on it, but if she wants to race tomorrow, she can."
Sky Screamer said, "Well I'm glad it's nothing serious."
Patch replied, "No, just painful. She just has to be very careful not to exert it too much. I already called the physician and, for us, he can give a quick look this afternoon—just to be sure."
"Alright," Sky Screamer responded, "The Wonderbolts have been working hard and, I don't want to risk another injury before the race so I'm going to end practice now—before anything else happens. Besides, they were ready for this race weeks ago."
While the two males were conversing, Spitfire's concern directed toward Fleetfoot "Do you think you'll be able to race tomorrow?" she asked.
Fleetfoot was surprised that Spitfire had to ask. The race meant everything to Fleetfoot—like it was to most Wonderbolts—and she openly expressed her desire to race often. She would still race if her leg had been amputated. "I will. One way or another I will," Fleetfoot confidently answered.
Sky Screamer called the Wonderbolts and they promptly assembled. Curiosity about whether or not Fleetfoot would be able to race got the better of most of them. They gathered without any hesitation, and listened intently as they yearned to hear the news. The Wonderbolts hastily circled around Sky Screamer, Patch, and Spitfire, and they were ready to hear the debrief.
Next, there was silence. As the Wonderbolts fixed their eyes into the center of the circle, the sound of thoughts soon became louder than any audible sound. Sky Screamer readied himself to give out important information for tomorrow.
Sky Screamer announced, "Before I get into the itinerary for tomorrow, I just want to calm your nerves by saying: Fleetfoot is still going to race tomorrow." The Wonderbolts responded with a silent release of worry.
Sky Screamer went on. "Everypony is doing very well. I'm going to end practice early so that we don't have another accident the day before our race across Equestria. Just remember that tomorrow, you will all be representing the best flying team in Equestria as you race against 200 other pegasi racers. Its going to take your every last effort. I've been watching all of you fly earlier today, and I can truthfully say that there is no reason to be nervous, but put your hearts in it nonetheless. I know I don't have to tell you that since none of you became Wonderbolts to be mediocre. We're going to meet back here in the evening, and then we will fly out to Canterlot together. I'm giving you a couple hours to do any last minute packing, or any last errands you need to do before we head out. Get some lunch because when we meet back here, it will be a tight schedule up until after the race. It will be late when we arrive so its important that you get as much rest as possible once we get there, and we're going to get up early in the morning to warm up. That being said: Patch, is there anything you want to say?"
Patch nodded and took a step toward the center of the circle. He cleared his throat. "I just want to remind you to keep yourselves well hydrated. We don't want to have any more incidents before the race. Also we scheduled plenty of time to make it from here to Canterlot so when we head out together, please fly slow. I know some of you are eagerly willing to race all the way to Canterlot—I get that, you're Wonderbolts—but we don't want anypony to overexert themselves before the race. And also keep in mind you will be carrying all your baggages with you, and we don't want to fatigue any of your wings. So just please keep it slow, and stay in the group... And one last thing, be sure to bring any medications you might need with you. The last thing we need is somepony to have an asthma attack while their inhaler is at home. Its simply not my responsibility to bring any medications that you need, and I know I give these lectures all the time, but believe me: if all of you made smart choices all the time, I would probably be out of a job, because you wouldn't need a paramedic. Most of my work is in response to a foolish mistake more so than it is to injuries despite todays incident... Oh yeah, and good luck tomorrow."
After waiting a moment to assure Patch had nothing else to say, Sky Screamer brought his attention to Spitfire. Sky Screamer asked, "Spitfire, is there anything you would like to say to your team before dismissal?"
Spitfire didn't have anything planned, but she felt that as a team captain, part of her responsibilities included saying some sort of positive statement before the biggest race of the season. She addressed the rest of the Wonderbolts, "You all did great, and I'm sure you will all do well tomorrow... We all endured long, countless hours training for this. If you give it your all at the race, all that hard work will finally pay off."
Spitfire was unsure what to say next, and decided to conclude her statement there—even though she felt it was a little short. Sky Screamer finished the debrief. "Okay, you are all dismissed, meet back here with all your bags for the trip by three-thirty."
The Wonderbolts begun to disperse. Each making their own paths to do their own things with the exception of some that were exchanging light conversations. Spitfire waited. She waited for the crowd to thin out. Soon, even Sky Screamer and Patch had left for lunch, and the last of the Wonderbolts were—just about—out of sight. All the Wonderbolts except for herself, and Soarin'.
Spitfire trotted up to Soarin' to engage in conversation. "For a moment I thought you were going to leave without saying goodbye," said Spitfire.
Soarin' replied jokingly, "You know, when you say stuff like that, sometimes I get the impression that you think I will do something like that. Have I ever left without saying goodbye before?"
Spitfire pondered for a moment. "I guess not," she said, "Sometimes I forget that you're actually considerate at times."
"At times?" Soarin' chuckled.
Spitfire rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean..." Spitfire paused for a moment. She took one more look over her shoulder just to be sure they were still alone. "As long as we're alone... maybe you can help me with something?" Spitfire gave an innocent look, with the exception of a sultry smile as she leaned closer to Soarin'.
Soarin' seemed to have a vague idea of Spitfire's request, but was a little unsure. He stood his ground firmly without moving away or toward Spitfire as she moved closer to him.
"With... what?" he asked.
Spitfire moved closer until her mouth was within whispering distance with Soarin's ear. Soarin' was able to feel Spitfire's cool breath on the side of his face as she whispered with a quiet, yet seductive tone. "I haven't been alone with you all day: It's been driving me crazy."
Spitfire worked her lips up towards Soarin's as one of her front hooves rubbed along his shoulder, and the other caressed its way down his side. Soarin' remained without motion, but Spitfire could tell that he was feeling pleasure from his closed eyes, and his further relaxed respirations. As Spitfire's lips locked with Soarin', he released a quiet moan. It wasn't until Spitfire swept her tongue across his bottom lip that he turned his head away from Spitfire, in order to free his mouth.
"Do you really want to do this here?" he asked.
"Why not here?" Spitfire asked. "We already did it everywhere else." The two Wonderbolts gave a light chuckle Spitfire began to nuzzle along the side of Soarin's neck and ear as her hoof worked its way down his chest.
Soarin' hesitated. Spitfire's distractions nearly caused him to give in to the temptation. After a pause, he answered, "Somepony might see us here. We can get in trouble." Soarin' took a step back from Spitfire until her hooves detached from his body. Soarin' continued, "Somepony might see us here, and if Sky Screamer finds out about us, we will both be off the team. Just imagine if another Wonderbolt, or the media finds out about us the day before the big race."
Spitfire took the time to understand Soarin's logic. Although every muscle in her body wished that the risk Soarin' described wasn't true, she knew he was right. Before joining the team, every Wonderbolt signed a contract stating that they will not engage in intimate relationships with other Wonderbolts. It was just one of their rules to prevent moral issues on the team. Working so close to Sky Screamer, she knew there would be no tolerance for the things she did with Soarin', and the place they were at had much less privacy than they would have liked. The closer the day of the race came, the closer the media came, and it only took one reporter to ruin both their Wonderbolt careers.
Knowing Soarin' was right, Spitfire sighed from disappointment. Not with Soarin', but the fact that she couldn't express herself to the pony that meant more to her than anypony else. "Oh Soarin..." Spitfire moaned with a sad tone. After taking in a new breath of air, she transitioned the tone of her voice to be more outgoing. She replied jokingly, "You're no fun at all."
Soarin' couldn't help but give a light-hearted smile. He tried to reassure her. "Believe me babe, I want you too. But we shouldn't do this here," he said.
Spitfire pondered Soarin's statement, and accepted what he was saying. Her eyes slowly wandered Soarin's body, scanning across his Wonderbolts race suit. She cocked an eyebrow as she finally answered, "Believe me..." Her eyes locked halfway down Soarin's body. "I can tell." She gave a playful smirk that made Soarin' blush bright red.
Soarin' tried his best to ignore what Spitfire's eyes were locked onto. Despite his embarrassment he managed to sound nonchalant. "Perhaps when we're in the hotel rooms—alone—we can spend some time together," he said. But his statement gave Spitfire little comfort.
"No!" She said, "Its going to be very late when we get to the hotels, and then we need time to sleep, then warm-up in the morning, then race in the afternoon. This is the only time we can be alone!" Spitfire was upset. She sat by Soarin's side, and leaned her cheek into his shoulder while she pouted. A sad look on her face indicated disappointment.
Soarin' tried his best to sympathize with Spitfire, and he sat down with her so that they were side-by-side. He wrapped his hoof around her hips, and tried to comfort her. Spitfire appreciated it, but there was little that can cheer her up. They both wanted to let their relationship flourish, but at the same time the consequences of being caught were simply too great. Soarin' reassured Spitfire, "We can be alone after the race. We will have time, and we'll have plenty of privacy. I know it sucks, but we can wait a day."
Spitfire agreed, "Fine, fine. You're right. The Wonderbolts are important to both of us, and we shouldn't do anything too risky." Her eyes drifted away from Soarin'; they steered up to the sky as she continued, "But its going to drive me crazy: having to spend all that time in public with you, pretending that there's nothing going on between us. I only hope I can control myself."
Without warning, Soarin' gave Spitfire a firm slap on her rear-end, which startled her. She hopped back and her head quickly snapped to Soarin'. Soarin' had a sly smile on his face and said, "That there, That's what drives me crazy, that cute, confused look on your face right now."
"Oh! You can be so annoying at times!" interjected Spitfire. But she found something in Soarin's actions to be, in a way, sweet. Spitfire tried to hide her smile, before once again leaned her head against Soarin's shoulder, but she was still showing a subtle lift in the corners of her mouth.
Soarin' leaned his head in, which followed a slow, passionate kiss on Spitfire's lips. Spitfire felt like she was swept off her hooves into a dream, and remained mesmerized with her eyes closed for several seconds after the kiss had ended. It reminded Spitfire why she was willing to risk so much just to be with him.
After a long pause she quickly reoriented herself back into reality. Her cheeks glowed light red, and her eyes snapped open—looking back at Soarin'. "Hey! You just said we can't be doing that sort of stuff," nagged Spitfire.
"Sorry. I just couldn't control myself." Soarin' shrugged.
Spitfire was almost lost in Soarin's apologetic eyes. Before giving in, she managed to get control over her urges. "Perhaps we better go our separate ways before we get caught doing something we shouldn't," she said.
Soarin' cleared his throat. "Right. We both have a lot of packing to be doing anyway." The two pegasi took their leave, and went their separate ways.
Author's Note
The reason this story was published on FanFiction.net long before it was posted here, is because I reserved this site for stories that were complete, or close to completion to keep things clean and organized and my FanFiction.net readers were treated more like beta-testers (I also liked the site's statistics viewer better). The story was constantly changing and the reading experience was far from stable. Additionally, it never seemed the story was going to succeed. After I abandoned this story (multiple times) thinking it will never be any good, it irked me to leave the story unfinished. Now I returned to finish the story. I started with a full rewrite so that the story progresses in the order it's suppose to. Now that I have a more stable story, and I have committed myself to finish the story, I figured it was finally time to bring it here.
