"So... what IS your call sign, anyway?"
Late at night in the Wonderbolts barracks, Spitfire laid her head on the pillow. Her bed was soft, her wings ached, and her eyelids were heavy. Other beds creaked around her as her fellow team members crawled into bed as well, and contented sighs echoed in the nearly silent room, laden with physical exhaustion and the satisfaction of a job well done. Most of the bedside lamps had been blown out, and a thick darkness blanketed the room. Each of the beds was full, all except for one: Rainbow Dash was still cleaning up the compound, the usual punishment for the worst flier of the day.
With a raspy voice, Spitfire gave her final order of the night: "Great show today, team. We've got another one tomorrow, and I want you all well-rested. We'll have to be if we want to make up for Crash's stunt today."
A few of the Wonderbolts laughed quietly.
Spitfire relished moments like these. Teams that laughed together stayed together, and she silently congratulated herself on getting them through the recent transition. She finally allowed her eyes to close as she said, "So, if there are no questions, then good night, 'Bolts. Lights ou–"
"Captain Spitfire?"
Spitfire's eyes shot open, and she sat upright. Her ears swiveled to a grey pony with a curly white mane a few beds down as her vision came into focus. With a flat voice, she asked, "What is it, Silver Lining?"
Silver Lining cowered, then relit his lamp and looked directly at her. "Captain, you whispered something to Crash today, and, well… what is your call sign, anyway?"
Spitfire sucked in a sharp breath, then quickly said, "Not important, Silver Lining. As far as you're concerned, it's 'Captain.' Now, if there aren't–"
"Actually," came Misty Fly's voice from across the room. She relit her lamp and sat up as well. "I don't think I've heard it, either."
Spitfire's eyes went wide, and her ears flattened against her head. "Some other time, Misty Fly." She set her shoulders, put on her most professional voice, and said, "Right now, the whole team is exhausted, and we need sleep."
From the bed next to Misty Fly, Soarin' snickered from under the covers. "Aw, c'mon, Spitfire. They're going to find out eventually." He sat up and rubbed an eye with his hoof. "Might as well tell 'em now."
Spitfire paused. Images flashed through her mind of her first performance as a Wonderbolt. All those fireworks…
She rapidly shook her head. "Absolutely not." To herself, she thought, 'I'm the captain, and I need to command a certain level of respect.' Deep in her mind, though, she knew she was making excuses, but she everything inside her told her to close the subject completely. "No! We've got another show tomorrow, and I don't want any more catastrophes!" She raised her voice. "Do I make myself clear?"
The barracks were filled with a half-hearted chorus of, "Yes, ma'am."
"Good! Lights out." Spitfire flopped onto her side and turned out her lamp, pulling the blankets over her head. She pursed her lips and screwed her eyes shut.
But Soarin' wasn't done. "Ya' know… I bet they could get Rainbow Crash to spill the beans when she's done cleaning up."
Spitfire's eyes shot back open, and she snapped upright again. "Soarin'…"
"Oooooor…," Soarin' continued, rubbing his chin theatrically. "I guess I could tell them. I bet my version's even less flattering."
Spitfire ground her teeth together. "Soarin'!"
Misty Fly peeked her head out from under her blanket. "Wait, really? You were there?"
Soarin' nodded. "Oh yeah. I was in the reserves at the time. It was a much bigger show than today's was, and Princess Celestia was there, too!"
Spitfire felt her stomach drop, and she stared directly at Soarin', mouth hanging open.
Soarin' smiled wickedly back. "And it was a big show, too! Huge crowd. See, we'd advertised that we were going to try out some new pyrotechnics…"
Silver Lining, who was leaning on one foreleg, cocked an eyebrow. "I thought the organization said those were too dangerous?"
Soarin' nodded at him. "Well, we don't usually do them anymore, not after what happened to Spitfire."
Spitfire's cheeks felt hot. Her breathing had gotten heavier, more rapid. She tried to cut Soarin' in half with her eyes.
And meanwhile, the rest of the Wonderbolts had leaned towards Soarin', begging him to continue.
"C'mon, Soarin'! What happened?"
"Was it bad?"
"Tell us!"
Soarin' winked at Spitfire from across the room. "Last chance, Captain."
Spitfire snorted and mentally went over a dozen extra flight exercises she could make Soarin' do. "You're going to pay for thi–"
"Worth it!" Soarin' flopped backwards into his bed. He folded one foreleg behind his head and gestured at Spitfire with the other one. "Go on, Spitfire. Tell 'em."
All eyes turned to Spitfire.
Spitfire sighed. 'The team that laughs together…'
She sat up proud. "It was a big show in Canterlot, part of the week-long Summer Sun Celebration festivities. Ponies had come from all over the countryside, and we were performing in Canterlot Stadium." She nodded to Silver Lining, "And yes, we were trying out some fireworks, even though management had some… concerns."
"Some totally valid concerns," Soarin' added with another flick of his hoof.
Spitfire narrowed his eyes at him, but then she relaxed. "The fireworks were rigged to fire at the same time as our takeoff, and…"
Spitfire looked around. Every single Wonderbolt stared at her, most leaning towards her and wearing anticipatory smiles.
"…and during my takeoff, I bumped one of the launchers, knocking it over. I hadn't even realized it until the firework screamed toward–"
"Did it hit the Princess?" Silver Lining asked, jumping onto his hooves.
Spitfire recoiled, then regained her composure. "No. Nopony was injured."
Misty Fly shrugged. "Then that doesn't seem so bad. I bet nopony even noticed."
Spitfire felt her wings droop. "Oh, they noticed alright. It didn't hit anypony, but it did cause something of a… health concern."
"Health concern?" Silver Lining asked. "How so?"
Spitfire pursed her lips.
From his bed, Soarin' giggled and said, "Wait for it…"
Spitfire sighed. "It completely exploded a nearby latrine."
The room was utterly silent.
…until High Winds said, "Wait… does that mean…"
"Yes," Spitfire replied, wincing. "Ever since then, they've called me Shitfire."
And even on the opposite side of the compound, Rainbow Dash could hear the laughter.
