[Canterlot Stadium, 23rd September, 2013. 5:35 a.m.]
Man, it is too early in the morning. The owners of the stadium had let the team stay here since Wednesday, so we could prep for the tryouts that would be happening today, Saturday, and Sunday. I need to wake up Soarin'.
My little brother is a goof, he should have been up by now. I thought to myself as I walked over to the room the crew was staying in. Upon walking in, I saw Lighting Bolt, Flash, and Aftershock all up. Lighting Bolt was the only one to look up at me. "Morning, Miss." He said in a gentle voice, not to disturb the rest of the sleeping team.
"Aye, morning Bolt." I said to him "Where's my little brother at?"
"Over there, still sleeping, Miss." He told me. I nodded towards him and he went back to stretching. I walked over to where my lazy brother was sleeping. Walking up I could hear him snoring softly.
"Time to get up Soarin'." I said soft enough not to disturb the apprentices. He groaned softly and rolled over to his other side. Knowing him, he was still asleep. I then, promptly slugged my brother in the shoulder.
"Oww!" He yelled a little hushed, he turned over to me "What was that for?"
"Well its almost 6 and you need to be up." I told him. Since he was my brother I pushed him a little harder than all the other team members. He needs to be stronger and fast than me. He's getting there, but not quite ready. I've been training my brother on how to fly fast and better.
"Alright, alright. Give me 20 minutes. I need to get in the shower." He said.
"Fine, but if you take to long, I'm coming in there and getting you." I told him.
"Okay, okay." With that, I turned towards the team members who were up.
"Anyone need to get anything ready before we can start drilling?" I asked them.
"No, ma'am." They said in unison.
"Alright, Aftershock, I want you to get the rest of the team up and out to the field." I told her.
"Aye, Miss." She said.
"Alright, Lighting Bolt and Flash. You two are with me." I told the other two.
"Aye, ma'am." They replied. We walked to the hallway, and then preceded towards the field.
"So, uh Spitfire, are you and Soarin' actually related?" Flash asked.
"Yes, he's my little brother." I didn't chew her out like I would some of the other members. She had just graduated from an apprentice to a full fledged member. Soarin' and I usually didn't tell any other ponies that we were related.
"So what are we doing today, Miss." Lighting Bolt asked me.
"We're going to be going over the simple training exercises. 90 degree dives, 6 mile run with our wings tied down, and a few obstacle courses. Nothing too bad." I told Bolt.
"6 miles? Ma'am we could barely do 4 yesterday."
"Well I, we'll just take a 5 minute break between every 2 miles."
"Well that seems more reasonable Ma'am."
"Hopefully the other members will find that much easier than yesterday." I said, as we finally entered the field "Alright well, we need to get some clouds down for the obstacle course."
"Aye, Ma'am." Flash and Lighting Bolt said.
"It's going to be obstacle course 96, Understood?" I asked them.
"Aye." They replied.
"Good, I'll be back in 10. I'm going to brief the team, when you two are finished take a 5 minute break. I don't want you two getting too tired on me." I told them.
"Aye, right away Ma'am." Lighting Bolt told me. With that, I left back down the hall. When I reached the room, I opened it to see that most of the team was already up.
"Alright, everyone listen carefully. We're going to have training today, the normal stretches, then on to the 90 degree dives. After that, a 6 mile run. With a 5 minute break between every 2 miles. Then finally obstacle course 96. Am I understood?" I presented the team.
"Aye, Ma'am." They responded.
"Alrighty then, you have 5 minutes to square things away." I said, then walked over towards the washroom. I knocked on the door. "You done yet Soarin'?" I called to my brother.
"Be out in a minute." He called back.
"Alright, we'll be on the field. Come straight to me when you're out." I told him.
"Okay." He said, I backed away from the door and continued to the field. Today's practice is going to be hard, but its necessary. I went out into the open field and began to stretch.
"Ma'am, Flash and I've got the clouds in position." Bolt said as he came up to me.
"Bolt, how many times I have to say it? You have the right to call me Spitfire." I told him.
"Well, it's just hard for me to remember that. After all we served in the same company for 5 years. Even through the war." He told me.
"That's why you are one of the only team members allowed to call me by my name. You saved my life in that war."
"It wasn't anything Ma'am, I would have done it for any other pony."
"But I was just a 2nd lieutenant, and not to mention it was my first day on the field. You could have just let me die."
"Well, I didn't. And now we're here. We don't need to talk about that right now. Point being, Flash and I have got what you need done." He said hoping to change the subject. I humored him. He and I had served in Alpha Kilo Company, in the war. I flashed back to the day he had saved my life...
[Equestria National Limits, 10th August, 1998. 12:24]
"Alright listen up everypony. We've got a hug assault coming in from the north. This enemy advance will not be tolerated. We've also received information of rouge unicorns and a faction from the rebel gryphon group. We must stop them before they reach the walls of the city. Am I understood?" Commander Jar said.
"Aye, sir." The Battalion sounded off.
"Alright Alpha, Delta, Foxtrot, Quebec, and Romeo go with White Wand. He'll brief you on your mission. Alpha Kilo, Bravo, Charlie, and Kilo fall in with Sergeant Iron he'll brief you on your mission as well. Echo, Lima, Hotel, Golf, Indigo, and the rest stay here, I'll personally brief you on what I want you to do. Hooah?"
"Hooah!" We sounded off again.
"Fallout!" He commanded. My company marched over to Sergeant Iron. I being the highest ranking officer would have to talk to him.
"Spitfire 2nd Lieutenant Alpha Kilo Company reporting for duty, Sergeant." I sounded off to him.
"Alright Lieutenant, I want your company airborne to provide cover for Echo Company. Fallout, and report to Commanding General Jar." He briefed me.
"Aye, sir." I said, and fell out to my Company. "Alright, listen up! We're going to be covering Echo Company from the air. I want everypony to fly in Covering formation 73. Am I understood?" I told them.
"Yes, ma'am." The Company sounded off.
"Alright get airborne." With that, the company had spread their wings and took off towards the sky and got into formation. I then flew over to were Commander Jar was. I waited for him to finish his briefing. "Spitfire 2nd lieutenant Alpha Kilo Company reporting for duty, Commander." I told him.
"Afternoon Lieutenant. You've got your company in the air?" He asked.
"Aye, sir."
"Good, you'll do your best to cover Echo company. Understood?"
"Aye, sir."
"Alright, fallout. You'll be the companies that are leading the charge."
"Aye, sir." I told him, then took off towards the front of my company. I yelled out to them "Alright, Echo and us are the Charging party. Keep the casualties to a minimum. Protect Echo at any cost."
"Aye, ma'am." They sounded off.
"Wait for the horn." I called to them. I glanced back, I selected 6 Pegasuses. "Sergeant Lighting Bolt, Private Thunderwave, Corporal Swiftwing, Private Dive, Specialist Cannon, and 1st Sergeant Sides I need you up here ASAP." I told the 6 I had chosen. They fell out and flew over to me.
"Aye, ma'am." They said in unison.
"You'll be on the front-lines with me. You've shown excellent flying skills, along with surpassing CQC skills." I told the group.
"Aye, we'll do what we can." Sergeant Lighting Bolt told me.
"Fall into a squad behind me." With that they fell in behind me. We all waited patiently for the horn to sound.
Finally it went off. Echo company let out their battle cries and charged towards the enemy position. They had come into view a few moments before. "CHARGE!" I yelled to the company.
"OOOOORAAH!" They sounded off behind me, with that we began to fly as a shadow over Echo Company. As we came closer towards the Enemy battalion we could see they rouge gryphons.
"Sergeant Lighting Bolt and Corporal Swiftwing you two are with me. We're going to take down some of the gryphons. You other 4 are in charge while I'm gone."
"Aye." They sounded off while we flew ever so closely to the enemy.
"Alright, lets do this." I yelled to the 2 Pegasuses I had talked to earlier.
"Hooah!" They sounded off behind me. We broke off into a triangle formation heading towards the gryphon threat. The next few moments would decide who head air superiority. I fell towards the first gryphon of the formation. We collided and plummeted towards the ground.
I managed to get my hooves around the gryphons head. Snapping its neck I flew back towards the center of the gryphon formation. I was greeted by 2 more, which I disposed of fairly quickly. I then dove back towards the ending of the enemy formation, I was looking for the leader of the sky. I was joined by Sergeant Lighting Bolt. I nodded towards him, and we continued on our way towards the back of the formation. We fought around 20 enemies each on our way there. Taking minor cuts and bruises.
We then saw a gryphon with 2 red stripes painted down the left side of his face. Me and the Sergeant flew quickly to greet the gryphon. He looked towards me, and could tell by the way I was flying that I was the CO of my company. He flew fast to attack me. The Sergeant and I braced ourselves and collided with the gryphon. We then plummeted towards the ground and in a flailing of claws, hooves, and biting we were able to kill the commander. With his final words he told me "You're puny empire will fall, your queen will die, you stupid eques-" he was cut short as the Sergeant had snapped his neck.
A few of the gryphons had seen what had happened, and by the amount of casualties that Bravo Company had made, began to sound the retreat for the gryphons. My company was now fighting on the ground. I spotted Corporal Switfwing out of the fighting that was still in the air. She made eye contact with me, I nodded towards her and we began to fly towards the ground. I saw the 4 Pegasuses that I had chosen were still in the front of the company like I had left them.
The Sergeant, Corporal, and myself all landed with the 4 Pegasuses that I had chosen. "Alright, or main objective now," I said dodging a rock that had come down from the sky "Is time to take out those damned Unicorns." I called to the group. We were advancing fast towards the enemy foothold.
"Aye, ma'am." They responded.
"Privates, Sergeant, and Specialist you're with me. Corporal take this fight directly to the the enemies." I commanded.
"Hooah!" She yelled as the group of us took off into the air. We flew towards the back of enemy lines. We fell in the front with Charlie Company.
"Lieutenant, I see you've created an assault group." The 1st lieutenant Triton said.
"Aye, and we're going to be assaulting the unicorns. Will you lend us some aid?" I asked him.
"Aye, Corporal and 1st Sergeant escort this group straight to the enemy unicorns. The 2nd lieutenant mustn't fall."
"Aye, sir." They sound off, and fell into the group.
"Greatly appreciated lieutenant." I said to him.
"Aye, bring them back in one piece." He told me.
"Aye, lets get going." I said and we flew off towards the enemy lines. This was found to be a lot easier, since the gryphons had retreated. We flew over the front-line, towards the back of the enemy battalion. Many of the rouge ponies had fear on their faces as we flew over them. Good, their scared that we could kill them at any moment. That should make it easier for Echo to smash through them. As we neared the unicorns the fearing look became more of a scowling look.
The last 2 squads of the battalion were, from the looks of it, the guards for the unicorns. "Specialist, Corporal you two take the first squad. Privates and 1st Sergeant take the 2nd squad. Sergeant you come with me. On my command." I told them.
"Aye, ma'am." They acknowledged.
"Mark." I said, and we broke off. Flying straight towards the first unicorn, he's face was stricken with fear. He turned tail and began to run, we were faster. The Sergeant and I landed on him, killing him in a moment. We then turned towards a fuchsia colored unicorn, who was also stricken with fear. We charged her. I landed a blow to her neck, feeling it snap under the pressure I had placed on it. The Sergeants blow landed on her side crushing her ribcage. She flew back away from us.
We looked around towards the last 3 unicorns. The two that had their hoods moved away, were pale faced. They began to step back, but then second thought on it, to which their expression changed from fear to anger. One of them began to cast a spell, but the Sergeant was already rushing him. He hit the unicorn square in the chest, sending him flying away from the group. I charged the other unicorn. Her face was mortified. I aimed directly towards her front legs. I connect and sent her tumbling down. With a swift swing of my head, I knocked her unconscious.
The Sergeant and I turned towards the finale unicorn who was standing by himself. He began to chuckle, which then turned into a deep hearty laugh. "You think you've won?" He said, his horn began to glow white. In response to this, the Sergeant then ran towards him, but was stopped in his tracks. "You can't win, its only a matter of time until we finally break your defenses. Once that's been done, our revenge against your queen will be completed." He threw the Sergeant back towards me.
His horn then began to glow a dark color. Then a shining pony appeared. The midst of battle near us had stopped for a moment. Everypony was looking at this pony that had just appeared. The eyes of this shining pony turned from a blue color to a deep red. It snorted and charged directly towards me. I took off, and landed behind it. I tackled it, reaching my hooves towards its neck. I was able to fit my hooves in position, I pulled with all my might to snap its neck. I felt the twist, and it vanished. The pony was now gone.
"HOW DARE YOU!" I heard the hooded unicorn yell. "For that I will surely kill you." he began to cast a spell that turned his horn a yellow color. I had gotten up from where I was laying at. It was to late to do anything. He aimed his horn towards me, and a yellow and red beam erupted towards me. So this is how it ends? I'm going to die facing this opponent. My life flashed back over most of the large events that I had.
Then all I saw was a flash of black. I was pushed back with a insane amount of force. I landed on the ground to feel a weight on top of me. I opened my eyes and saw that Sergeant Lighting Bolt had been in front of me.
He took the blast of magic for me. He had jumped in front of me to stop me from dieing. I then felt a stinging in my chest. I looked down to see that I still had been hit, but it wasn't huge. It looked like I had just been stabbed. I felt weak. I could move.
I looked over to were the unicorn was at, he was kneeling down. He looked exhausted. I then saw the Privates, Corporal, Specialist, and 1st Sergeant rush towards the unicorn. The unicorn then stood and his horn shone a bright white. The whole battlefield was engulfed with a flash of white light. He was gone.
The 1st Sergeant turned and ran towards us. I could her him yelling "Don't fall asleep...Don't...Asleep..." Sleep. Sleep sounded good. I was exhausted too. I'll take a nap, I won't take a long one. I don't want to be sleeping for too long. I shut my eyes. I could feel them shaking and yelling at me. I soon felt to numb to realize that they were doing it anymore. I fell into a darkness. I was asleep.
After what seemed like a day, my mind began to think. My hearing returned, and all I could hear was a ringing in my ears. Stop it, you stupid ringing. Ugh, stop it. Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT! I snapped my eyes open to see that I was in the sickbay. "H-hello?" I asked.
A nurse saw me awake, and began to call towards Commander Jar. He then walked over to where I was laying in bed. "How you doing Lieutenant?" He asked.
"Where am I?" I asked him.
"Sickbay, you and Sergeant Lighting Bolt are in pretty bad condition." He told me.
"What happened?" I asked him.
"Well the last unicorn that was there was indeed a powerful one. He is believed to be a one of the leaders of the Fallen Empire. He had intended to kill you, but Sergeant Lighting Bolt had sought otherwise. He jumped in front of you before the spell had hit you. He split the power of the magic into a half." He said "Our unicorns had identified it as a electric spell that would have killed you if it had hit you directly, but since Sergeant Lighting Bolt was in the air when it occurred he was scorched and badly electrocuted. But if it him, you'd be dead." He finished.
"Thank you commander." I told him.
"Listen, Sergeant Lighting Bolt will be stopping by tomorrow. He was able to recover from his wounds faster. He wants to talk to you." He said.
"Thanks for the heads up, say what day is it?" I asked him.
"Well after the unicorn vanished, the enemy battalion surrendered and we were able to send you back here. You've only been out for 8-9 hours." He finished.
"Well thank you again commander." I said.
[Sickbay, 11th August, 1998. 11:00 a.m.]
I was awoke to find that the Sergeant had entered the room. He came and sat by my side. "Thank you..." I told him.
"I would have done it for anypony. Anypony else would have done it for you too." He told me.
"But you did it for me. Thank you, so much..." I told him. He nodded his head. "Listen Sergeant, you don't have to call me Ma'am or Lieutenant. You can call me Spitfire. That's a direct privilege for you." I told you. He looked up, with a small smile.
"Thank you, Spitfire." He said.
"No, thank you..." I said. We began to chat for a few hours. He left to go back to company to tell them about my recovery. I fell asleep, content that I had been able to thank him...
[Canterlot Stadium, present time]
I zoned back in from my flashback. The same glance came onto Lighting Bolt's face as he too returned from the flashback. He nodded to me. "Thank you..." I said in a whisper.
"Aye..." He said back.
"Ma'am, we're ready to begin." I heard Aftershock yell out as they came onto the field.
"Alright, get the stretches done. Then fall in for the run. We have a busy day ahead of us." I called to them. We did, today was going to be the first day of the 3 to where we would decide the newest member on to the team...
[Author's Notes]
Sweet Baby Jesus. That was a long chapter. Not going to bore you with my opinion on this, just wanted to get this one out. More than likely expect the next chapter out tomorrow. And thanks for the read, don't forget to review. I love you all, nighty-night.
Mrhelmetman
Posted Date and Time
9/1/2011 – mm/dd/yyyy
21:27 – 9:27 p.m.