(Twenty Eight Years Earlier...)
The fur on the back of Spitfire's neck stood on end as she looked into her mother Stormy Flare's eyes.
"You're finally ready my little flame." Stormy cooed, as she sized her daughter up with a critical eye."
Spitfire meanwhile shook as if she were surrounded by a hungry pack of Timberwolves. Her ears were pinned and it took all of her effort to keep her wobbling legs beneath her. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and anticipation as her mother approached.
"I trust that the Wonderbolts' secret will be safe with you?" Stormy asked, arching a brow.
Spitfire swallowed before replying, careful to keep her eyes locked with her Mothers'. "Yes. The Wonderbolts' secret dies with me."
"Excellent!" Stormy purred. "Then I hereby pass the title of Captain, as well as it's legacy on to my Daughter Spitfire."
There was a round of applause by from everypony in the room, although Spitfire couldn't see any of them. She was far to focused on the tube of grey seed that her mother had produced for her.
"Here's a taste of your new legacy honey. I hope you enjoy it." Stormy whispered in her Daughter's ear as she passed the tube off to her.
With her eyes on the tube, the Wonderbolts new Captain swallowed again, before removing the lid, and clenching her eyes shut as the paste tasting seeds filled her mouth.
Spitfire had thought that she was a fast flyer. She was wrong.
(Eighteen Years Earlier...)
"Miss Spitfire? Were you aware that the ponies on your team were taking Rush Seed?" A Gaurdspony asked her.
"No sir, I wasn't" Spitfire responded smoothly, as the body of one of her teamates was loaded into a black carrage.
Nearby a pair of doctors inspected a bloody crack in one of Canterlot's smooth white walls. One of them whispering to the other while pointing to a tuft of mane that was still jammed into the crack.
Spitfire risked a glance over at them only to find herself shuddering. 'I Didn't know it'd get this bad.'
"Miss?" The guard asked.
Spitfire shook her head. "Huh? Oh sorry? I just, feel really bad for the kid. That's a really nasty habit to have."
"Indeed." The guard agreed quietly.
"Don't worry though!" Spitfire added a little too quickly. "I'm going to make sure that this never happens again!"
"Miss, with all due respect, this is the fourth Wonderbolt you've lost in the last two years. I should also mention that this kind of misconduct was prevalent under your mother Stormy Flare."
Spitfire rubbed a hoof on the back of her neck. "What can I say, we both were kind of lax."
"Very lax if you ask me. Still, there is a chance her for course correction." The guard said, pulling out a clipboard.
"What should I?..." Spitfire trailed off as she examined the orders on the note. "They want me to...Start the team over from scratch?" The mare could hear her own heart as it pounded in her chest.
"You'll still be the Captain of course, but I fear this is the only way. I'm sorry Miss Spitfire, but too many pegasi have died under your family's watch. It's either this, or the guard will have to launch it's own investigation. It really shouldn't be that hard? It's not like you have anything to hide right?"
The mare lowered her head. "No sir...Nothing at all."
(Ten Years Earlier...)
A Knock on the door caused Spitfire's ear to flick. "Come in." She said not bothering to turn around.
"Ma'am, we need to talk."
A sigh escaped the Captain's nostrils as she turned to address the Wonderbolt's newest recruit, Rainbow Dash."
"Yes, can I help you?" Spitfire asked calmly, her forehooves caressing a hidden tube of Rush Seed under her desk.
"I know about the seed ma'am" Rainbow Dash stated in an even, almost friendly tone."
"Who doesn't?" Spitfire snorted, rolling her eyes.
"I mean I know where it came from." Rainbow Dash replied taking a nonthreatening step forward.
"Are you accusing me of something newbie?" Spitfire asked aggressively, her tone more fearful than angry.
"Captain! You need help!" A third voice chimed in. This one belonging to Fleetfoot.
"What!? How would you know anything!?" Spitfire spat, as the tube of seed fell to the floor, and rolled to a stop in front of what was now her entire team. Spitfire looked to the tube, then to her fellow Pegasi then to the tube again, as her ears flattened against her skull, and her eyes narrowed to slits.
"Get out." Spitfire hissed before quickly flying towards the open window.
"No way! We're not going to let you live like this!" Soarin cried as he rushed forward and bit down on the now fleeing Spitfire's tail. Grounding her before she could escape through the window.
"Let go of me Soarin! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Spitfire screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Spitfire! No one blames you for what happened!" Rainbow Dash said as she came over and offered her a hoof.
"What the hell are you on about!? How did you even find out about this huh!?" Thoughts of jail racing though Spitfire's mind.
"Your mother, Stormy Flare..." Fleetfoot responded sadly. "She died of an overdose a few days ago."
"She what?" Spitfire felt her heart sink lower than it ever had. Taking Rainbow Dash's hoof the mare stood only to nearly collapse again, with Dash catching her.
"Mom's...Gone?" Spitfire asked. "No...Not again. Please not again." I didn't know it'd get this bad.'
"Spitfire, did Stormy talk you into this?" Fleetfoot asked gently.
'Here's a taste of your new lagacy honey. I hope you enjoy it.'
"Yeah, she did." Spitfire said as an all too familiar burning sensation filled her eyes. "I had no idea that the seed was that bad. It's like being as light as a cloud, and as fast as a speeding train. It's a feeling that you just can't give up once you've felt it. Everypony on the team was on them back then, and now their all gone...I'm all that's left."
"Shh. It's okay." Rainbow dash whispered as she hugged their now sobbing Captain with a wing.
"I don't know what to do! I don't want to go out like the others did...Please, help me!" Spitfire bawled into Rainbow Dash's chest.
Don't worry Captain! We've got you.!" Soarin said gently as he used a hoof to stroke his friend's back. "We've got you..."
(Three Years Earlier...)
Spitfire proudly stepped onto a platform that had been raised in the center of Ponyville. She held her head high and had an air of pride surrounding her that she hadn't felt in years. Gathered around were her teamates as well as the friends and family of the pony that the ceremony was being held for. Stepping up to the podium, she cleared her throat before speaking into the microphone.
"Greetings citizens of Ponyville! We are all here to celebrate a mare who's loyalty and hardwork, has forever changed the lives of many of ponies across Equestria. This Mare ahem...I mean this friend needs no introduction, as I'm sure that you are all now aware of my...Less than humble beginings."
"Don't dwell on it Spitfire! We all know you turned out awesome!" Scootaloo called out, prompting some good natured laughter from the crowd.
Feeling a small blush forming across her muzzle, Spitfire quickly looked away and coughed before continuing. "Thank you everypony. That means a lot, and is the real reason why I called for this ceremony. I'll be honest. Rainbow Dash as well as the rest of my team saved my life, and I think that we are all in agreement when we believe that she should be the next Captain of the Wonderbolts!"
Everypony besides the other Wonderbolt's gasped.
"What!?" Rainbow Dash squealed in girlish delight, as she quickly alighted into the air and landed on the stage, a grinning ear to ear.
"Ah ah!" Spitfire raised a hoof. "You've shown that you've got the skill, but I'd like it if we could keep some level of professionalism. You know, until the ceremonies over at least." She whispered the last part in Rainbow Dash's ear causing the mare to give an understanding nod.
"I understand and respect your decision Ma'am." Dash spoke with the proper attitude that any high ranking officer should have.
Spitfire turned back to the mic. "Are there any who are not in favor." She asked the audience. The only response she got was a lone cricket that was hiding in the nearby bush.
"Very well then. It's settled!" Spitfire said barely containing her own excitement, as she gave dash her badge. "I Spitfire hereby pass the title of Captain over to my most trusted advisor and friend Rainbow Dash!"
A chorus of applause and cheers rang out from the crowd as several ponies came up to congratulate Rainbow Dash on her new title.
'Now this is how an initiation should be!...Huh...Mom!?'
Looking out onto the crowd Spitfire could see her mother leaning with her back against one of the near by buildings wearing a smirk that just screamed malicious intent.
As soon as Spitfire blinked her eyes, her mother had disappeared.
"Hey Spitfire, are you coming to the party?" Rainbow Dash asked her, causing her to tear her eyes away.
"Yeah...Of course Captain Crash!" Spitfire said playfully nudging her friend with a hoof.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash protested at the nickname.
(The Previous Evening...)
Spitfire felt great. Ever since retiring from the Wonderbolts, she felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders. She had a new lease on life and a spring in her step.
Getting ready for bed so that she could travel to Canterlot the next day, to catch up with her old team, Spitfire noticed the fur on the back of her neck standing on end.
'The hell?'
Closing her medicine cabinet she quickly found the reason as she looked into the mirror. It wasn't her own eyes she was staring into, but her mother's.
"You think you can just do that? Just walk away and spit on your dear old mother's grave?"
Spitfire's ears flattened as she turned her back to the reflection.
"I'm sorry for your loss, truly I am, but I can't do anything to you that you already haven't done yourself. It's time to cut our losses and let the past go. Face the facts mom...It was only a matter of time before your addiction caught up with you. Just like everypony else who died."
"Everyone dies my flame." Stormy said quietly. "And I mean everyone..."
An earsplitting scream tore through the upper reaches of Cloudsdale.