The Brothers Don't

Lightning arced behind Spitfire. She squinted through her goggles and didn't stop flapping until the Cloudsdale skyline was in sight above the horizon. Early morning light filtered through the cloud city, emanating a spectacular glow. Spitfire sighed as she glided to the gates of the weather factory.

"Captain Spitfire," a guard greeted her as she landed, saluting.

Spitfire nodded at him. "I need in."

The guard used his magic to open the gate. Spitfire trotted through and looked up at the spires of the factory. She managed a grin, for even in these perilous times, there was an awe to the works of ponykind. She fought for that feeling, after all.

A blessedly familiar blue mare with a shocking white mane trotted out of the factory. "Spitfire!"

"Fleetfoot!" Spitfire hurried up the steps to embrace her friend. "It's been a long time."

"That it has." Fleetfoot tried to smile, but failed. "They told me you were coming last night. I'm guessing this means things are bad up north."

Spitfire frowned. "Let's head down. I'll tell you everything in the elevator."

"Uhh... right now?" Fleetfoot glanced around. "There's not much to see yet, Spitfire. I'm sorry to tell you."

"That's what I'm here to see," she said. "Take me down."

Fleetfoot gulped and nodded. They trotted together to the back of the factory where guards allowed them into a small, dark elevator. It dropped quickly into the enormous cloud-base of the city.

"Shining Armor sent me to check on the progress of Project Greatwing," Spitfire said. "You're right, Fleetfoot, things are bad up there. We can't stop the enemy. They push closer to the Crystal Empire every day. And despite sending specialized units further north, we can't figure out where they're coming from. More and more join their ranks, and we just can't keep up."

Fleetfoot shivered. "So... why the interest in Project Greatwing?"

"Captain Armor thinks we can use it on the enemy," said Spitfire, "and to get farther north than ever."

"What, soon?" Fleetfoot shook her head. "Spitfire, it's not ready. We haven't had the proper support, first of all, and the builders don't seem to think it'll work at all."

The elevator slowed to a stop and opened. The mares stepped into a gigantic hidden hanger within the clouds. Magical lights glowed brightly overhead, illuminating the shell of an enormous aircraft: like a train, it was large enough to hold many passengers in flight, but with wings and powerful engines built onto the sides, it would reach speeds unimaginable in a hot air balloon.

"That's what I'm here to tell you," Spitfire said. "Your workforce has been tripled, your budget unlimited. What do we need to do to get this thing flying by week's end?"

Fleetfoot's jaw dropped. "Uhhhh..." She grinned. "Well, we'd need a lot more unicorns, for starters."