The impact never came. Spitfire felt dizzy. She opened her eyes and looked around. A pegasus pony was carrying her. The pink mane was soaked and messy. The yellow coat wasn't doing much better. Spitfire couldn't talk. She couldn't think straight. She just closed her eyes and waited for whatever was ahead. There was no telling how much time passed, but at some point the pegasus landed on what seemed to be grass and carried her into a house. Soon she was gently lowered onto a bed. After that, she remembered waking up in the bed, covered by a blanket.
Spitfire's wet jack was hanging on the back of a chair. Her glasses were on a night stand next to her. She looked around. The room was small but somehow cozy. There was something vaguely familiar about it. Sunlight was coming in from the window. How long had she slept? Spitfire pressed her head on the pillow again and closed her eyes. She started thinking about everything that had happened. Her whole life, really. Images of fillies ridiculing her and calling her names. Images of her parents telling her to do better. Images of her doing all kinds of reckless and stupid things. Impossible aerial stunts, dangerously fast and low flying around Cloudsdale and Earth pony villages. Her parents scolding her. Nopony saw it as talent. Nopony ever praised her skill. The bitterness and anger from before came back. This time Spitfire saw it for what it was. She was not happy. Her life was not good. She was alone. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. She took a few deep, sharp breaths. She was angry, sad, desperate and confused. What the buck made her break down like this? Why now?
"Um, I brought you some water. I can make you breakfast whenever you want something. If that's okay with you, of course."
The timid but immensely kind voice was almost soothing. Spitfire opened her eyes and wiped the tears off her face. The mare was smiling shyly at her. Spitfire could only sigh heavily and form something resembling a smile. The pink-maned mare came closer. Spitfire sat up and hugged her.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. You saved my life. I have no idea how I can ever repay this.", Spitfire said, sobs escaping her mouth again.
"Spitfire...", the mare sighed.
Spitfire went from overly emotional to confused. She noticed too late she's raised a suspicious eyebrow at her rescuer. She closed her eyes and hung her head, still resting against the mare's yellow fur.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to seem ungrateful. Old habits are hard to shake. I worked for the E.U.P Guard for so long that I'm suspicious of everything. Sorry. Still, I'm surprised you know my name.", Spitfire said quietly.
The mare giggled softly.
"You are the famous Wonderbolts captain. Is there a pegasus who doesn't know you... cousin?", she then said, still giggling.
Spitfire looked up, wide-eyed. She sat up and looked at the mare. She then face-hoofed.
"Fluttershy! How the hail storm didn't I recognize my own cousin?", Spitfire said, groaning.
Fluttershy smiled.
"That's okay. You look like you had a lot on your mind. If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you.", Flyttershy said.
Spitfire sighed. She had no idea what to do. Should she talk to Fluttershy? Should she tell her what was going on, what had happened?
"I just... messed up. I tried a stunt and failed. I was going too fast too low. I couldn't level off. How in Equestria did you pull me out of it when I, a professional aerobatic flyer, couldn't?", Spitfire said, telling only half the story. The shock of almost dying was probably a good enough excuse for the tears earlier.
Fluttershy told Spitfire what had happened the previous night. Spitfire was a little surprised to hear she'd slept through the whole evening, night and most of the morning. Apparently it was almost noon. It turned out Flyttershy, always the animal friend, hadn't been alone.
"I guess you didn't see the four eagles helping me stop your fall."
"Sorry, Flutters. I was busy contemplating my impending demise.", Spitfire replied with a frown.
"Sorry, Spitfire. I didn't mean to belittle what happened to you.", Fluttershy said timidly.
Spitfire couldn't help smiling despite everything.
"That's fine, Fluttershy. Breakfast would be nice. I can't just lay here wallowing in this.", Spitfire said. She knew full well it wasn't going to be that easy but she was going to try.
Fluttershy looked out the window.
"It's a nice day out there. Sun is shining and all. Hay Burger is just around the corner. If you're up to going out, we could go there. It's practically lunch time anyway.", Fluttershy said.
"Sounds good, actually. I love your cooking but I wouldn't want to make you cook just for me. Besides, fresh air and sunshine sound perfect right now.", Spitfire said, avoiding the whole truth again. She needed something to distract her mind and a busy diner was just the thing. Fluttershy's house left too much room for her own thoughts.
Spitfire and Flyttershy took off. Spitfire had to take a few deep breaths. What the hay? She was nervous. The Wonderbolts captain was nervous about flying. Even the thought was ridiculous. She turned to Flyttershy.
"Hey, coz. Want to walk there? I've never really seen Ponyville from the ground.", Spitfire asked, faking cool confidence.
For a split second, Flyttershy's expression gave away her worry. It wasn't just animals she was so good with. There was no use trying to pretend in front of her. Clearly she decided to spare Spitfire's feelings and not bring up the accident again. She just flashed a bright smile, turned to Spitfire and nodded.
"Sure. You probably don't spend much time with your hooves on the ground.", Fluttershy giggled.
"That was the understatement of the century, Flutters.", Spitfire laughed, genuinely this time.
The two landed on a road on the outskirts of the village. On the ground, Spitfire got a good look of Fluttershy's sunglasses and raised an eyebrow, amused. Fluttershy noticed.
"Is there... something on my face? Or are these glasses not right for me?", the pegasus asked. She was so sensitive to criticism from ponies close to her.
"No. It's the opposite. Those glasses look absolutely great on you. I'm just surprised you're wearing original Navigators. Those are E.U.P.G. surplus too. Most ponies wouldn't go through the trouble to hunt down a genuine pair if they're not in the Guard.", Spitfire explained.
"These are a gift from a good friend. Rainbow Dash.", Fluttershy said, looking relieved, almost proud.
Now Spitfire could only laugh. Fluttershy looked at her confused.
"I'm just wondering how our reserve officer cadet is doing. I'd imagine Soarin has them practicing advanced low-level flight maneuvers right now. He usually gets through the theory part in less than week. That stallion doesn't like sitting in a classroom any more than the cadets do.", Spitfire said, still laughing.
Fluttershy and Spitfire talked about both life in Ponyville and the Wonderbolts. Spitfire giggled like a filly at the cute animal stories Flyttershy had. Those critters could be such goofballs. Stories of the Wonderbolts' crazy escapades made Fluttershy's face glow, sometimes with excitement, sometimes by embarrassment. Spitfire did try to spare her cousin from the worst stories.
"Then there was that one time when High Winds partied all night after our last show. She forgot that we had an audience with Princess Celestia the next afternoon."
Fluttershy gasped and her eyes went wide.
"Yeah. It's a good thing she's one of the fastest flyers in the land. Finally Misty figured out she was in some high-class hotel on the other side of the celestiadamn province! I had to send Soarin to Hay Springs. That's two hours from Canterlot for the fastest of us, and two hours back. I think it was half past two when they got back. I basically crammed something resembling lunch down her throat while giving her a very strict scolding. I swear she was close to choking on that food. Those crazy ponies don't make this job easy sometimes.", Spitfire recounted one incident, her face a mixture of amusement and frown.
Fluttershy giggled.
"Well... Um... At least you didn't do anything in front of Princess Celestia herself.", Fluttershy said, obviously incredibly embarrassed.
Spitfire raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Twilight Sparkle got us invited to the Grand Galloping Gala three years ago. We... we all had dreamt of that evening for months. At first it was all we had hoped for. Then..."
Fluttershy froze in the middle of her story. It was Spitfire's turn to turn red with embarrassment. The story of that night was legendary in the Guard. The mayhem the animals had caused on the castle, and the hours the Guard ponies on duty had spent returning the animals to the castle was still a source of amusement.
"I heard they actually had to summon Night Guard personnel to duty early to handle the chaos.", Spitfire said, torn between laughing and keeping a straight face.
"Of course, all that was good practice for the real chaos we faced some months after that... ", Spitfire said, trying to steer the conversation from the Fluttershy-induced catastrophe in the castle to the Equestria-wide catastrophe the Elements of Harmony thwarted soon after.
"How are things with Mr. Discord, by the way?", Spitfire asked and winked.
"I-it's not like that, Spitfire!", Fluttershy responded.
"I'm just teasing you, Flutters.", Spitfire smirked. "I know Discord is just a friend. What you did was absolutely awesome, though. You basically calmed down the embodiment of chaos and disharmony."
"Th-thanks. I just did what I usually do. You need to give everypony a chance."
Spitfire looked away and cringed. Yeah, you're absolutely right, Flutters. And I messed that up. I didn't give you a chance and tried to take away your friend because of my own personal pride. How can you treat me this kindly?
"True.", was all Spitfire said out loud.
"Discord can be a real sweetheart and a true gentle... dragon when he wants to.", Fluttershy said, oblivious to Spitfire's inner monologue.
"I'm sure he can. From what I know he looks like someone who's deep and enjoys fun. He just takes it too far. Way too far.", Spitfire said.
Fluttershy nodded, and why wouldn't she? Discord was unpredictable. There was something about the yellow pegasus that had tamed the dragonequus but he was still something between a blood-thirsty dictator and the most powerful prankster in the world.
"I can't help wondering what made Discord change like that. I mean, you're amazing Flutters, but apparent Discord was a bad as king Sombra. A total dictator. Why does someone like that change?"
There was a sudden flash of light. Of of nowhere, a band had appeared, playing what had become known as True, True Friend, the song the Elements of Harmony had sung after the cutie mark mix-up had been cleared. An all too familiar dragonequus was playing a piano and singing lead vocals. Soon the music faded away, along with the instruments and band. The dragonequus, with a gentle smile on his face, spoke to Flyttershy.
"Because, in all the universe, you are the closest thing I have to a friend, Fluttershy.", the spirit of chaos and disharmony said. He then muttered to himself "Note to self: the trumpet and mariachi band worked better."
The two mares stared at one of the most powerful beings in the universe, unimpressed. Spitfire yawned.
"Hello, Discord.", Fluttershy said. "We haven't seen you in Ponyville for a while. Princess Cadence has been trying to reach you. She wants to thank you for that vacation you arranged for her and Twilight."
The dragonequus sighed heavily. "Likely story. It's been just enough time for her to plot revenge with sun horse the prank master.", Discord muttered with disdain.
"Someone is going to get a one-way ticket to the moon at this rate.", Spitfire muttered to nopony in particular.
"Discord, most of us mean it when we say something. No offense...", Fluttershy said.
"Oh my dear Fluttershy, you don't have to pretend in front of me. I know who you really are. That shyness is just a facade. ", Discord said, his face in a self-satisfied smirk.
Fluttershy's looked at Discord with the same smug grin she'd had in the maze a couple of years earlier. Discord gulped quietly. Spitfire looked away and smiled. She'd read the Guard reports. She, along with everypony else in Equestria, knew full well that Fluttershy was one of the few ponies who had beaten Discord, fair and square. Discord had to cheat to turn Fluttershy.
"But Discord... Why would you insult the very princess who gave you a second chance?", Fluttershy asked, in mockingly frail voice.
"Argh! You are no fun sometimes, Fluttershy. Arrrrrivederci!"
With that, the dragonequus turned away and disappeared in a flash of white light.
Spitfire laughed.
"Wow. You just... completely out-trolled... the spirit of chaos.", she howled between bouts of laughter.
Fluttershy flashed her cousin an innocent, almost embarrassed smile. Spitfire gave her a pointed look.
"Okay, keep pretending then... dragon master.", she muttered, then winked and kept laughing.
"I'm not that great. That story's been blown out of proportion.", Fluttershy said, now genuinely embarrassed.
"Whatever you say, Miss '800 wing power'.", Spitfire said and stuck her tongue out. "And don't try to talk yourself out of this one. I was there. Too bad those strained wing muscles kept me on the ground. I didn't get the best view. Heck, I had to have Soarin carry me from the nearest train station up to Cloudsdale later that day..."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.", Fluttershy said.
"Hey, it happens. We aerobatic flyers take things to the extreme. Basically every single Wonderbolt ever has had bone fractures and muscle problems at some point. That's the price of being awesome.", Spitfire grinned. Most of them before joining the 'Bolts.
"You sound just like Rainbow Dash.", Fluttershy giggled.
Spitfire gulped.
"Haha. I guess. That filly has tons of potential.", she said.
Dammit, Flutters. Don't remind me every fifteen minutes. She saved me and two of my teammates. I treated her like garbage. I treated you like garbage. Why am I thinking about this again? This is getting stupid and repetitive.
Her cousin's concerned voice broke her out of the quilt trip.
"Spits? Is everything okay? Are you thinking about the accident again?"
Thanks for giving me an excuse on a silver plate.
"Yeah. It's just... It was so stupid."
"It wasn't your fault. You said it yourself. Wonderbolts push themselves to the limit all the time.", Fluttershy tried to comfort Spitfire.
"It's not just about pushing ourselves hard. It's about pushing ourselves in the right direction. Yesterday I definitely didn't.", Spitfire said, quoting one of the Wonderbolt training mantras.