Heavy Duty

by Kassaz

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Soarin, Romance, Spitfire
Length: 1022

Spitfire's last day with the Wonderbolts before her maternity leave couldn't have been less exciting, in all the wrong ways.

Spitfire isn't used to feeling like a cargo carrier, but her husband helps her manage. A warzone isn't the place for a cargo carrier, however.

This story was written for the third A Thousand Words Contest.

The cover art is by xniclord789x.

Published 2024-07-14 23:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-07-14 23:50:00 UTC

Chapter 1

Spitfire heaved herself up and out of her office chair, shaking exhaustion from her legs as she paced around her office. Her thoughts turned towards the newest future Wonderbolt when she, or he, stretched out a little too. Spitfire took another moment to marvel at her pregnancy, a big yellow ball holding possibilities that would change the remainder of her life, for the better. Today was her final day on base, after months of watching her legendary mobility gradually slow down. She couldn’t wait to quicken back up in another few months. As she often did, she started talking to herself, and yet not only herself.

“Why can’t I just lay an egg and leave you with your daddy, huh?” No response. That was insubordination. He’d be spending a few weeks locked up for that one. She chuckled.

“You know your daddy and I will love you no matter what, but I have something to tell you.” Spitfire craned her neck around to face herself as well as she could before whispering. “I hope you’re a filly.” She felt a little flutter, no different than what she’d been feeling for months, but she took it how she wanted it. “That’s the spirit, soldier! Make your mother proud.”

“Having fun?”

Spitfire turned around as quickly as she could, meaning her neck very quickly and the rest of her very slowly. Soarin’ stood in her doorway, clearly proud of himself, so she didn’t even bother to ask. He walked over to her, first nuzzling her, and then nuzzling him or her. He whispered too, “I’m hoping you’re a colt, but either way’s fine with me.”

“So long as she, or he, can fly, right?” Spitfire’s carefree expression faltered a little when Soarin’ gave her that look he’d given her a few times before.

“Sweetie, we talked about this,” Spitfire tried to speak up, but he interrupted her, “you know my uncle is a unicorn.”

“But the chance of it’s so slim. I know I can feel a pair of wings in there.” He gave her an even worse look. She squirmed under his gaze.

“It’s not impossible.” There was silence for a few moments.

“You know I’ll love our foal no matter what,” she embraced him, rubbing their cheeks together, “but it’ll be really hard if that happens.” There were a few moments more of silence. “But don’t even think I won’t do anything for her.” Soarin’ embraced her back, adding “or him” and she repeated those two words too, although she rolled her eyes since he couldn’t see it anyway.

They continued chatting for about an hour or so before hearing the sirens. Soarin’ beat her to her desk to get the scroll teleported into her office with the information. It couldn’t be a warning test. The scheduled test had already happened days prior.

“It’s Ponyville.” His eyes continued to scan the document as quickly as they could. “A giant green and purple dragon is attacking. This is serious. I’m going to get suited up.” He wasn’t wearing any clothing, and Spitfire was wearing only her office shirt with her many medals pinned to it.

“Finally some action. I’ve been going stir-crazy these past few months.” Spitfire was already facing the door this time, and started waddling that way when she felt a tug on her tail, and not a playful tug; it hurt just a little. She turned her head to find her tail caught, but in Soarin‘s mouth rather than in a piece of furniture. He spit out her tail before speaking.

“No, Spitfire, you’re staying here.” He had yet a different look on his face, one she couldn’t place this time. She was so surprised she didn’t have anything to say at first, but her years of service pushed her towards a fallback that usually served her well.

“Are you telling your commanding officer what to do, private?!” She almost recoiled upon realizing what she’d said, but those same years of experience also kept her from wincing, and she found herself doing nothing but waiting for his response. Soarin’ hadn’t flinched either.

It was a simple response. “Husband outranks rank, Spitfire.” She didn’t have anything to say, knowing he was right. She knew she had to stay, but didn’t want to say it.

“What if you get hurt?” Spitfire the pony, Spitfire the mare, and not Spitfire the captain of the Wonderbolts, was now speaking.

“That’s all the more reason you have to stay.” He added a final word to his thoughts, “Please.”

“Fine, go.” She stared at the floor as she said that. He raised her chin to kiss her on the mouth, and her eyes were closed when he ended the kiss. She heard him leave, eyes still closed.

Those hours were some of the worst of her life. She couldn’t recall being so scared ever since she was a little filly herself. She felt useless, and every horrifying scenario she could imagine played in her mind as she walked around the empty base.

“If I weren’t pregnant, I could do something!” Nopony was around to hear her yelling, so she thought, and she made no attempt to keep her volume low. Then that pony reminded Spitfire of her, or his, presence with a jab to her ribs. Spitfire was surprised for a moment, and then she smiled.

“Well, I guess I am doing something important, after all. Thanks for reminding me, bucko.” The smile stayed, but it did decrease when she spoke next. “I just hope your dad’s fine.”

The nightmare was over when she saw finally the squadron returning. Soarin’ landed next to her, and she painfully noticed every rip and tear in his uniform. “Really, I’m fine. He just got us real good with the water tower. How did you hold up, honey?”

She buried her face in his plumage, and he felt the tears nopony else could notice. “Y-You’d better not tell anypony I cried.” It was obvious.

“I love you too.”

Author's Note

Copyright 2024 Kassaz
Verbatim copying and redistribution of this document is permitted.