Those That Bond Together, Stay Together

Please do not post my work on other sites. Plagiarizing is wrong.

Do not own any rights to any characters. Ever. Damn.

Chapter 6

Rainbow Dash looked at Soarin' in alarm. The young mare didn't like to think about the stress her life mate must have felt back when his bond was left incomplete by Spitfire. Memories of being so sick in the hospital ran through her mind when she had refused to bond to Soarin' because she didn't want to come between his and Spitfire's relationship.

"Did you get sick from the bond?" Rainbow Dash fretted, "Did you get sick like I did?"

"No, Baby," Soarin' consoled as he patted her foreleg gently, "You were really sick because you didn't know what was happening and then rejected your bond once you finally found out; whereas, I knew that I had bonded and was trying to do my job as Spitfire's soul mate as best as I could. My devotion to Spitfire appeased the bonded stallion within me at the time."

"But it was starting to wear on him," Spitfire lamented guiltily as Soarin' leaned over to give her a calming nuzzle, "I still feel awful when I think about what I put Soarin' through."

"You didn't know that turning Soarin' down would make him sick," Rainbow Dash defended, "I don't think either one of you knew until Princess Celestia told you in the hospital, did you?"

Soarin' and Spitfire smiled and nodded their heads. Leave it to Rainbow Dash to get to the heart of the matter so quickly. She was more clever than most ponies wanted to give the young filly credit for and she would never allow her loved ones to feel bad if she could help it.

"Soarin' wouldn't have told anypony that he was hurting," Rainbow Dash continued, "I think he has always tried to protect others. I've never met another stallion like him ever. Soarin' is the best!"

Spitfire nodded and then she and Rainbow Dash laughed gleefully with one another when the stallion turned bright red and buried his face in a pillow. Rainbow Dash knew her life mates well.

"You got it, Little One," Spitfire said as she cuddled the mare close and Soarin' finally stopped trying to suffocate himself, "I was still being stubborn and Soarin' was still trying to protect me and make me happy."

"So what happened that finally got you to admit that you loved him," Rainbow Dash asked.

"Something that none of us expected," Spitfire said with a frown.

Flashback

Galloping Beach Bay was beautiful. The beach sand was almost pure white and the ocean bay was a bright, tropical blue. Nopony would be swimming since it was late fall and the ocean was icy cold. The brisk winds that blew off the water were nippy, but Celestia's sun still shone bright as always. The day was cold but clear and the boardwalk and beaches were filled with a lot of ponies eager to see The Wonderbolts new show. To make it even more exciting, The Wonderbolts were going to be performing right over the waters of Galloping Beach Bay. This would be a first in Wonderbolt history.

Spitfire was especially excited. Today was the first debut of her own choreography. She was dressed in her uniform ahead of her other teammates and watched the eager crowds with giddy impatience hidden behind a large curtain that would disguise the location of where The Wonderbolts would arise from once the show began. Spitfire loved this nervous feeling of excitement she got before each show since she had always been a bit of an exhibitionist. Plus, her parents were attending this show to see their daughter's work.

"Are you ready?" a familiar voice asked from behind the golden Pegasus.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Spitfire answered giving Captain Thundercloud a quick salute and standing at attention.

"At ease," Captain Thundercloud ordered and then smiled at his young protégé, "I am very proud of you. Spitfire. You have really come such a long way from that little, arrogant show boater you first were in the beginning."

"Thank you," Spitfire said beginning to blush under her uniform, "I really have all of my fellow Cadets and you to thank for helping me see the error of my ways."

"Being able to learn from your mistakes is wise and mature," Captain Thundercloud explained, "Spitfire, your ability to continue to analyze and learn is what gives you your greatest strength. You have done a great job at becoming an asset to this team. Make me proud today."

"I will, Sir," Spitfire promised as the captain left to check on the rest of his team.

Spitfire filled with warm thoughts and pride. Making Captain Thundercloud proud was almost as important to her as making her own father proud. She couldn't wait until she could show her parents how far she had come in her flight skills.
"Remember, Spitfire," the golden Pegasus encouraged herself, "Fires never really get put out, they only blaze back all the brighter."

Meanwhile, Soarin' was getting his squadron lined up. He had made sure to eat as much as his body would allow to have the stamina to get through the show. He had been lucky to get a decent night's sleep for a change. His parents had even written him and let him know that they would be coming to see his first solo today. He felt ready to do the show and wanted to make his soul mate happy if it was the last thing he did.

"I'm ready for this," Soarin thought to himself as Spitfire got her squadron ready across from him and the announcer began to rev up the crowd to begin the show, "Keep focused. Stay clear headed. Breathe"

"Places," Captain Thundercloud boomed out as the announcer started to introduce The Wonderbolts, "As a team, we are The Wonderbolts…"

"…and as The Wonderbolts, we are a team!" every Wonderbolt chorused together.

The opening notes of the beginning music started to play. Each Wonderbolt prepared themselves to start the show. Soarin' secretly eyed Spitfire who was concentrating on the counts. His hurt gave a single throb of longing for the golden Pegasus.

"I'm doing this for you, Beautiful," Soarin' promised the oblivious mare, "Everything today is for you. You have worked so hard on this show. I'll make it perfect."

Then there was no more time to think of anything else. The show began with a tremendous thunderbolt provided by Captain Thundercloud and the crowds went absolutely wild. The pride of being a part of The Wonderbolts swelled in each of the team's hearts. The Wonderbolts spun and wove in a dizzying array of aerial figures and stunts. No matter where you looked there was something to see.

Loop, barrel roll, spin, and hammerhead stall! Sparkling explosion provided by Streaking Star that disguised Captain Thundercloud's squadron entrance.

"Do you see?" Soarin' thought as he led his squadron about and saw the flash of the golden Pegasus of his dreams fly by with her own squadron, "This is for you, Spitfire."

Thatch weave, tumble, scissor wing, fly by, lightning trail, and bomb burst!

Soarin' landed his squadron behind the curtain as Spitfire alit with her own squadron beside him. Now the Wonderbolts would be taking turns to show off signature moves. The crowd gasped and applauded to the different types of acrobatic wonders each Pegasus could perform. Today would also be Spitfire's first day to solo. Soarin' counted down each soloist until his soul mate's turn came.

"Go get them, Beautiful!" Soarin' internally cheered as Spitfire took to the air in a blaze of fiery flames, "This is what you have been born to do."

Soarin's words were never truer. Spitfire's grace and speed showed with each sharp turn and stunt. She flew like an angel and then dived to fly horizontal along the bay water creating a fountain affect. Spitfire then abruptly took off vertical to end with a fiery explosion high in the air that rained over the water's surface. The crowd grew even louder.

Soarin' burst into the air next and did a combined version of both his Dad's and Mom's solos that he had made all his own to surprise his parents. His whirl-a-bouts and tumbles made the crowds gasp and cheer even louder. He lost himself in the feeling of freedom and for a short time there was no bond, there were no problems between himself and Spitfire, and there was nothing keeping him from enjoying the wild abandonment of pure flight. This was what he had been made to do as well. Soarin' showed his full skills and ended in a nose dive to collect his squadron from behind the curtain.

It was time to begin the finale. The three squadrons became two and maneuvered themselves into the beginning positions. They wove and flew through one another at such close ranges the watching crowds felt sure that The Wonderbolts would crash into one another. The ponies below could only gawk as the aerial team continued to zig-and-zag around each other at amazing speeds. It was almost like watching lace being made in the sky as the team wove a complex figure with each member's contrail.

Finally, Captain Thundercloud flew high above his team. This was going to be the final stunt. Thundercloud was going to dive straight down towards his team and then veer at the last minute over the watching crowd to end the show with a storm of controlled lightning bolts. The stallion counted down and then dove straight down, but he felt a snap that warned him something was wrong and then blinding pain. The tendons in one of his wings had snapped. He had no control over his course of flight! He couldn't veer and was going to crash into the majority of the team.

"No!" Captain Thundercloud gasped being too far up to call out a warning and his whole body was too paralyzed in pain to be able to signal to the team.

However, Spitfire knew something wasn't right. Her uncanny analytical senses screamed that Captain Thundercloud's dive was all wrong. Soarin's bond to the golden Pegasus made him aware that Spitfire was panicked. He quickly looked to her and then noticed what she had noticed. Captain Thundercloud wasn't diving, he was freefalling!

"Squadron One! About face, barrel roll left! Double time!" Spitfire ordered her squadron getting them out of the way quickly as Soarin gave the same commands to Squadron Two to do the same moves in the opposite direction.

The two squadrons had moved out of Captain Thundercloud's way in just the nick of time, but the stallion would die if he hit the water surface at this speed. Once the team was out of the way, Soarin quickly assessed the situation and came up with a plan of action on the spot. The plan was risky, but it would have to do in a pinch.

"Lightning Streak! Rapidfire! Follow and assist!" Soarin ordered diving after Captain Thundercloud with his two teammates following.

The watching ponies and Wonderbolts watched in amazement as Soarin' quickly caught up to the falling stallion and passed him by in order to loop up underneath Captain Thundercloud so very close to the water's surface. Lightning Streak and Rapidfire had already figured out Soarin's plan and stationed themselves close together. Soarin' then caught the falling stallion and used the momentum to hurl Thundercloud to be caught by Lightning Streak and Rapidfire. However, his last ditch bit of maneuvering caused Soarin' to be flung at the mercy of gravity straight into the icy waters head first.

The water's frigid coldness took Soarin's breath away and he couldn't figure out which way was back up. His soaked wings ached and his lungs begged for air. He struggled to right himself and felt the icy cold numbing his body. He tried to paddle to the surface, but the stress of the bonding had taken its toll on his strength. Soarin' struggled feebly for a second or two and then went limp allowing himself to gently sink down into the abyss. His fiery-gold crystal slipped out of his mane and floated at eye level.

"I can't do this," Soarin' thought to himself as the crystal brought visions of Spitfire to his mind and his emerald eyes closed behind his goggles, "I've done all I can. I am so glad that I got to meet you, Spitfire. I love you. Goodbye."

The crowd was screaming in horror and The Wonderbolts held their breath and waited to see Soarin' come back up to the surface. Spitfire desperately searched with her eyes where Soarin' sank and saw nothing. She was amazed to find that her heart was screaming at her in pain. Soarin' wasn't coming back up!

To be continued.