I awoke, startled by a creaking sound. Looking up, I saw Octavia trying to get out of the bed. As she caught my gaze, she simply put a hoof upon her muzzle, indicating for me to stay quiet, and then she pointed down my side.

Spitfire laid at my side, there was a happy smile on her face and she was softly snoring. It immediately put a smile on my own lips, and I gave her a soft kiss before raising and following Octavia to the kitchen. I noticed her weird steps that suggested she was sore. But my own movements were clearly restricted as well.

“This was a rather interesting day, no?” Octavia asked with a smile while setting up some coffee.

“Yeah, you can bet it was,” I answered and looked at the clock, “Oh, damn it, it’s already four in the afternoon. We missed the other Wonderbolts at the cafe this morning.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure they found something to do and were able to calm that stallion down.”

I looked at her, “Soarin’ would make our life pretty horrible if they didn’t.”

“I’m sure your friends won’t let that happen. I’m…” she started but was interrupted.

“Owww… my head hurts… my horn hurts… my ass hurts,” Vinyl said as she made her way into the kitchen, and she looked like she partied for more than just one ride. Of course, I knew what happened.

“You overdid it a little,” Octavia said with a playful scowl.

“Says my lovely marefriend that fucked me like a machine, right,” Vinyl scoffed and winked.

“Spitfire still asleep?” I asked.

“She’s out cold,” Vinyl laughed before turning, “I’m getting our mail.”

“Don’t lose my cello magazine again, Vi!” Octavia called out after her before the door opened and shut, “So, you leave today?” she turned and asked me.

“Yeah, training starts again soon enough, but it was a nice vacation besides the accident with Soarin’. I wish I could go on more vacations with Spitfire. It’d be kinda cool,” I answered.

“Maybe you two can live together without a problem one day,” Octavia gave me a smile while readying four cups.

“As long as we are in the Wonderbolts, I doubt that will happen. I don’t want Spitfire to lose her dream and rank just because of me,” my voice shivered.

“Just? You do realize that Spitfire is in love with you, right? Just think about what we did hours ago,” Octavia said with a laugh.

“Well, that was something sudden,” I laughed back just as a nervous and shocked Vinyl rushed in.

“Guys, we have a serious problem!” she exclaimed before placing the newspaper from today on the kitchen table.

I picked it up and my heart froze at the title page. There was an enormous picture of Spitfire and me, walking close together in our dresses.

Captain Spitfire Secretly In Love?

Yesterday, in the local club, Captain Spitfire has been seen with some other members of the Wonderbolts and an unknown mare. The mare, a cyan pegasus with red mane and tail was suspiciously close at Captain Spitfire’s side for the whole night. Sadly, we couldn't catch a view of her cutie mark, but she and the Captain wore matching club outfits of a rather sexual design. Is Captain Spitfire a fillyfooler? Did she betray Soarin’? Is this her new marefriend? We promise to keep you up to date!

“We’re screwed,” I muttered.

“Vi, why the hell are you screaming?” a voice suddenly asked from behind us and I turned to see Spitfire standing at the door. Vinyl tried to answer, but she ignored her completely and moved to me, smiling, “Good morning, sexy. Have sweet dreams?”

“You can bet on that, Firefly,” I purred back, drawing her in a kiss, “But you may want to take a look at this,” I said after we broke, pointing at the paper.

Spitfire took it into her wings and read it, just to drop it seconds later, “What the buck? I never saw any camera or reporter with a notepad there,” She looked at me, “But our flanks look good together,” she joked, weakly.

“What if they do dig deeper?” I asked.

“Look, I haven’t come this far with you just to give it up!” Spitfire unfolded her wings and took me into a feathery embrace, “We will stand through this, together. We just have to watch out a bit more. We should go to the hotel and find the others, I’m sure they are worried after we missed the meeting in the cafe this morning.”

“Mhh maybe we should shower first?” I suggested at our sticky and messy coats.

She looked down between us, noting the matted fur on both of our coats, “That… might be a good idea, although no funny business in the shower. I’m… I’m a little sore.”

I laughed at that, “Well, we did have a little bit of fun last night,” She was so cute when she was blushing, something I wanted to see more of, “After all, I do believe you took a horn up the butt yesterday.”

The blush on her face increased ten-fold. She reached up and whispered into my ear, “I’ve got some plans when we get home,” At those words, she turned around and sauntered back to the bathroom. Her back hooves bowed a little more than she normally walked, “You coming, slowpoke?”

“She did not just…” I said with wide eyes at Octavia.

The grey mare just nodded and smiled, “I think she did.”

I smiled back and galloped as fast as I could to the bathroom. She said no funny business, but knowing Spitfire and her meaning of that sentence, that never meant no funny business, that was clear to me.

She beat me to the shower. As soon as I turned the corner, she was already under the faucet. Her head held up and muzzle pointed straight at the shower head. Her mane fell onto her back, soaking through as the water washed away it’s normal spikey state. She glanced over to the open doorway, one eyebrow lowered and batted an eyelash at me. Her dark orange eyes struck out against her yellow fur in all the right ways, “What you waiting for?”

The seductive tone in her voice drove me up the wall. Still, seeing her like this, it gave me pause the likes of which I’ve never known before, “Just… enjoying the view,” I said in a cocky tone.

“Enjoy the view from my front,” she said before smirking, “You won’t dare disappoint your captain, right?”

“No, ma’am!” I replied, grinning before joining her.

When I walked into the shower, the first thing she did was wrap a wing around my barrel and bring me in close. I expected her to kiss me, or to at least cop a feel. It’s what I wanted to do, after all. Yet, all she did was hold me under her wing, almost like I was a little filly or something.

I won’t deny, I liked it.

“Dash, I…”

“What?” I asked.

“Will you promise me something?”

“You want to rut me in the ass? Hey, I’m cool with it.”

“No, not that! But good to know. No, promise me you won’t do anything about this, not without my approval first.”

“About what?”

“You know, our exposure and all of that.”

“Oh, that. You know I’d never…”

“Yeah, you would. You’ll get it in your head to beat up the next reporter you see, you’ll start accosting ponies, and just in general taking things too far.”

“Okay, maybe I might…”

“Or you might up and quit so you’d spare me from having to.”

“Are you bucking insane? I would never leave you alone!” I shouted.

“Quiet, Dash. I know that. What I mean is that you would leave the Bolts just for my sake, and I couldn’t stand that. It’s your dream,” tears were filling her eyes, and I couldn’t help but feel bad.

“But me quitting,” I said, my own thoughts turning against me.

“I know you’d never quit on your own. But if this goes bad, if this goes against me. I don’t want you doing something drastic to try and save me.”

Okay… I might do something like that, “But what if they drag your name down?”

“Then it’s my name that goes down,” as Spitfire said the words, she lifted my muzzle with a hoof to look at me with a pair of kind dark orange eyes, “As long as I have you by my side, nothing else matters.”

“I… I don’t know if I can,” I admitted. It was the truth. I knew my actions more than any other pony. My time with my friends pointed that out to me. Just the thought of seeing her dragged through the mud pissed me off. To live it? That might be asking too much. I could easily end up bucking some reporter in the jaw for asking the wrong question.

“Dash, it’s not easy for me as well. But I’m certain that everything is doable as long as we’re together,” she raised my muzzle and drew my lips in for a long kiss.

“I’ll… I’ll try,” I said as she pulled back. Seeing her face, seeing the way her mane was held down the side of her muzzle, I couldn’t help but grin at it.

“That’s all I can ask,” she replied back with a smile of her own. I felt her then, pressing our coats that much closer. The steam in the shower flooding my nostrils. Rubbing over my fur, it felt relaxing.

Her hoof moved up and down my mane, lightly stroking the strands of it as I sighed at the touch, “I always did love a good shower,” she said kindly.

“Just a good shower?” I asked mockingly.

“Well… the company makes it that much better,” she replied with a sultry look.

Her hoof slowly wandered deeper, slowly caressing my wings that started to grow slightly stiff, “No funny business, huh?” I asked with a grin.

“You know me, I just can’t keep my hooves off you,” she smiled before licking over my muzzle, “Just some playing, I’m still sore, okay?”

“I’m always up for some playing,” I replied before kissing her deeply.

As soon as our lips made contact, her tongue pushed forward. She didn’t even need to ask for permission, my open muzzle simply invited her, just to be attacked by my own hungry tongue. What we did hours ago was special and kind of awesome, but nothing could top some alone time with my favourite captain.

All the time our muzzles were locked, her hoof trailed over my wings that grew more stiff with every movement, slowly unfolding on their own. I wasn’t that slow, my hoof slowly trailed to her flank and once there, I squeezed her sexy rump once, causing her wings to snap open in a mere second.

“You’re not playing fair,” she breathed into my muzzle.

“All’s fair in love and war; your words,” I replied with a smirk.

Instead of an answer, she simply moved her muzzle and bit into my ear. Then she softly nibbled at it, electing small coos from my muzzle. I didn’t even notice that she slowly pushed me against the shower wall, trapping me on it with her hot, demanding body. Just as my hoof wanted to move lower, she stopped me.

“Only wings, okay? We’re both sore, and I guess we don’t want to walk and fly weird for a week at the academy, right?” she asked with a sultry grin.

“Mhh, you’re right. Sorry,” I replied and moved my hoof back onto her flank, but reached my wing out. I softly caressed the spot over her tail for a bit, enjoying her hard breath on my muzzle, “Wingplay is more my speciality anyways.”

It was when my feather ran over just that right spot upon her that I felt her go slack against me. She pushed her muzzle against the crook of my neck and rubbed against my fur. I smiled at that, knowing full well what my actions would cause.

“That… that’s so cheating,” she mumbled.

“You want me to stop?” I asked while continuing to circle that spot again, always coming close to it but never quite touching it. I knew it drove her wild.

“Don’t you dare,” she cooed softly.

I started to lightly nibble on her ear as my feather ran closer and closer to that spot again, always just right there, but never quite touching. The internal smile in my mind was from ear to ear.

“Dash, do I have to pull rank?” she asked, need and desire in her voice.

“Oh, captain, my captain,” I replied with a sultry tone to my voice as I ran my feather dead over the spot, tickling and caressing all at the same time. It had taken me a while to learn, but the very bottom of Spitfire’s cutie mark was super sensitive to the mare. I was sure there was some big egghead word for it if I ever cared to learn, but I don’t. It works, and that was all I needed to know.

Her entire body started to shiver under my touch, I felt her relax and tense up as she pressed herself against my fur, trying to hold back the inevitable.

Mine soon followed, “What the?” I asked as my body started to shake, pleasure and joy cut through each of my nerves like a sonic rainboom going off in my pleasure centers.

“All’s fair in love and war,” she replied as her feathers started teasing my hooves.

“Why did I ever tell you how sensitive my hooves are?” I asked with a small moan.

“You never did,” she replied with a grin, “I found it out all by myself on our third time. You left quite the mess.”

I chuckled at that, “Seems like we both know each other’s tricks.”

“You’re a book I’ll never get tired of reading,” she replied with a grin as she started to kiss my neck, working her way down.

I looked down, watching her work her way down my stomach, “I thought you said just wings?”

“What can I say? I want more,” she replied as she started to lick a trail down my stomach with her tongue.

I quickly figured out her destination. She was right, we were both rather sore from the fun with Vinyl and Octavia, so she wasn’t heading there, she wanted to suckle on my teats instead. Her lips latched onto my left teat, she lightly started to run her tongue across my nipple, stroking it, teasing it, caressing it.

My hind legs almost gave out at that, “Damn, I wish I was lactating,” I replied in jest.

She looked up at me, her eyes told me she had the same wish, even still, she never stopped suckling my teat. I couldn’t help myself at that point. My right hoof started to work its way down to my own sex, trying to help relieve some of the pleasure caused by a mare like Spitfire suckling on me like she was a newborn foal.

My face cringed as soon as it touched my own need. Her hoof came up and pushed mine away, “Trust me, I won’t leave you hanging,” she said as she switched nipples.

I placed my hoof on the back of her head, not in hopes she’d speed up or anything like that, but simply because I needed to do something with it as to not try and rub myself anymore. That really did hurt, but even still, I could feel the need still there, something only getting worse.

Her right wing came out just a little and started rubbing the side of my stomach. I felt her teasing me, running the feather up and down the side of my barrel. A coo escaped my lips, letting her know she could continue. Slowly, her feather worked its way down my front right hoof, drawing more moans of pleasure from me as the tickling sensation continued.

Right when she was about to reach the end, Spitfire popped up and latched onto me with her muzzle. The action was so unexpected, so surprising that I was completely taken aback by it. She wrapped her front hooves around my own, pulling me away from the wall, her wings wrapped around us both.

I felt her, I felt every inch of her fur, every beat of her heart against my own. It’s like for that moment we were one. She pressed up against me, rubbing her stomach against my own. It felt amazing.

“You’re just full of tricks, aren’t you?” I asked as soon as she released my muzzle.

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” she replied and I shivered in anticipation.

My eyes went wide as I felt her starting to run her feathers over the bridge of my wings. I knew what would happen if she got to them, with that thought in my head I pushed her back, causing us both to fall upon the shower floor.

“Hey!” She called out.

“I got tricks too,” I replied with a smile as I took the lead. She said only feathers, but she could court martial me later. My hooves started playing down her barrel and to her flank. Squeezing and massaging all on the way.

She cooed out when I reached that spot, but I was done taking turns. It was time for the Rainbow to give her the Dash. My hooves kept working, over and over on that spot. My wings sought out hers, lightly running along the tips of her feathers, and to complete my trifecta, my muzzle captured hers again, not letting her get a moment's respite.

Her coos quickly became moans, then pleasurable sounds I couldn’t even give words to as I refused to let up. I timed what happened next perfectly, as soon as she was there, as soon as I felt that very familiar build up in her body that I’d just come to love, I pulled my lips off hers and let her scream out into the small shower.

“DAAAAASSSSSHHHH!”

Yep, I’m the shit.

“Are you two still fucking horny?!” a voice called out from the entry to the bathroom. Looking back, I realized there was one thing I forgot to do. I forgot to shut the door.

“Hey Vinyl, how’s it going?” I asked with a smile as a white unicorn glared at me with a disbelieving look on her muzzle.

“Apparently not as good for me as it is for her, I’m still sore to all Celestia,” She replied with a smile, “But if you're going to continue, do it someplace else. The water bill is already stupidly high.”

I looked down at the mare under me, she was still riding the trail end of her orgasm. It was at that moment I realized something strange, I was good. Making her cum was more than enough for me. At that moment anyway, “Ahh, I think we’re done,” I said to Vinyl, “For now, anyway,” I whispered to Spitfire.

She gave me a weak smile and I could definitely see in her eyes that the last word wasn’t spoken about this. I noticed it with a shrug and we slowly got up to our hooves.

“You truly changed,” Vinyl said to Spitfire before leaving.

“And what did she mean by that?” I asked.

“Just that I wasn’t that open to her all the time,” Spitfire sighed before cupping my muzzle with her wings, “You truly are special, and I’m glad that we are together,” she spoke before kissing me deeply.

“We’ve turned into a sappy, old couple,” I joked as I turned off the water.

She pulled back and chimed in, “I think I could get used to it.”

“Me too,” I replied as she jumped out of the shower and grabbed a towel with her muzzle. One that I immediately stole from her, “My job.”

“Oh, you want to dry off your commander? Well, cadet, I guess you can this time around,” she said with a smile as she spread her wings.

I whistled at that display, earning a glare that all but said, “Oh shut up,” With a smile, I pulled open the towel with my wingtips and placed it on the back of her flank. Running it back and forth against her muscles as I did so.

My hooves trailed small circles against her back, running up and down her spine, giving her a massage that would have been A-plus material at any local spa. Of course, when I reached her flank, the massage turned into something that would have gotten me fired from that very same spa.

“Rainbow, still tender,” she reminded me.

“Party pooper,” I said back with a smile as I started to work my way back up. The towel did most of the work, but even still, I couldn’t help but nibble a little here and there, especially when I got to her wings.

“You keep that up…” she said.

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, finishing with the second wing and working my way back up to her mane. Ponies always say they love my mane. Well, I love her mane. The yellow and orange did her namesake so much justice. It was like her parents magically plucked the perfect name for her out of the sky the day she was born.

“I think it’s dry now,” she said after I spent a little too long running the towel over her mane.

“Hehe, I guess,” I chuckled weakly.

“You know that I usually don’t mind, but we should really get going. The team is probably waiting just for us,” Spitfire said and gave me a quick peck before grabbing the towel, “My turn.”

I didn’t see my face, but if I was betting on it, I’d say my face was the very definition of shit-eating grin. I raised my head and let her dry everywhere her hooves wanted to go. Letting her brush the towel softly against the fur on my chest, rubbing me down and around each shoulder in turn. She was a minx, even going as far as to softly blow upon my fur.

“Your mane is amazing, Rainbow,” Spitfire said as she reached the top of my head. Much too soon for my liking, but as she said, we had to get to the rest of the team.

“Says the mare with the fire mane,” I replied as she flew above me and stared into my eyes.

“Pish posh, mine is nothing special, yours is one in a million.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know I’m awesome,” I said with a smile.

“You really are. I knew it the first time I saw you fly at the best young flyers competition.”

I knew I impressed everypony and saved Rarity, but still, that was not exactly a victory in my book. I think it showed on my face, because at that moment she placed a hoof under my chin, “You were amazing.”

“No, I screwed it up,” I said back, my head hung low.

“Everypony gets stage fright from time to time, Rainbow. What, did you think you were the first one that I’ve seen like that? I am the Captain of the Wonderbolts, after all. I’ve see the best performers blow it when it mattered, and I’ve seen the worst performers shine through when it counted. Which of the two do you think I want on my team?”

Before I realize it, a smile crossed my muzzle, “You mean it?”

“I saw your potential during your first trick. Sure, had your friend not almost fallen to her death you may have not won the competition, but I would’a kept my eye on you all the same.”

“Only ‘cause you like this flank,” I said back with a smile.

“Well, that’s just a bonus,” she said with a grin.

“You mean a big bonus, combo package, just awesome,” I jokingly added.

“Yeah, that,” she said back with a smile as she threw the towel on top of my head.

I smiled out from under it and finished up myself. It didn’t take me long to finish drying my hair. Heck, I never did anything with it anyway, much to Rarity’s bitching. Spitfire, on the other hoof, had a lot to do in order to get her mane presentable.

“You know, you could just leave it like that again. I love when your hair is flowing down over your shoulders,” I said.

“Dash, we’re heading back to the academy later. Better I do it now than waste time later.”

“Fun of being the Captain?” I asked.

“Presentation is half the battle,” she replied as she took a hairdryer off the wall to blow through her mane. With a sigh, I simply sat back and watched her.

“Okay, I’m bored,” With a grin I stood up on all fours and picked up a brush myself. She was taking forever on her mane, I figured I might get a jumpstart on her tail. Taking the brush in my muzzle I began to run it through her tail.

It yanked to one side, forcing me to jump over and try and pin it on the ground, only for it to yank to the other before I landed.

“What the hey?” I mumbled through the brush.

After the third time it happened, I looked up to see her grinning at me. My grin soon matched hers. Somehow, she had managed to turn it into a game for me. A game I had every intention of winning.

I won’t lie, it took me fourteen tries to get it down. I only managed to win by fake diving for the dock of her tail with my muzzle while my left hoof went to the right. In the end though, the victory was mine.

“Congrats!” she said through her giggles, “Of course, there is one problem with your victory.”

“What?” I asked, unsure what she was getting to.

“Where’s the manebrush?” She asked with a smile.

My face went white at that. She was right, I had to abandon the hairbrush in order to achieve victory, “Horseapples,” I said.

She smiled at me and walked over, I saw then that her mane was done. She pressed her muzzle to my own and let our scents rub off against each other, “I don’t brush my tail, anyway.”

“So… we’re done?” I asked, suddenly ubeat

“We were done five minutes ago,” she said with a smile.

“Rainbow the cat,” Octavia laughed as she said those words. I looked up at her and blushed, suddenly realizing that through it all I still forgot to shut the damn door.

“Hey, get your own pussy, this one’s mine,” Spitfire said with a raspberry.

“I got my own, and it wubs me every night,” she blew one back before blushing and quickly turning around and leaving.

“Okay. We need, like, a one pun rule per hour around here,” I said with a annoyed grin.

“Why? Can’t handle me spitting fire?”

“Firefly… no,” I answered with a deadpan look.

“C’mon, I can’t wait to taste the rainbow.”

“Do that some more and I’ll taste you, no matter if you’re sore or not,” I growled.

“Think we can dash off to get some Skittles?”

“Last warning,” I shot her a serious look.

She surprised me, with a speed I’d really seen, her muzzle connected to my own. She trapped me in a kiss as her tongue forced entry into my muzzle, easily dominating my surprise. I was unable to hold onto the anger I felt at all the bad puns as she ran a feather down my back in all the right ways.

When she pulled back, I saw the look in her eyes, the same one that’s normally reserved when we're bucking each other like rabbits. She smiled a seductive smile as she leaned in and whispered the next words into my ear.

“You wouldn’t dash my hopes, would you?”

“THATS IT!” I shouted, but she was already taking off out the room, a giggle on her lips.

I flapped my wings and followed her, not really caring about the tight space in the corridor. She tried to escape into one room, but as soon as she opened the door, I crashed into her and rolled for some way before we stopped, I on top of her.

“I warned you,” I said before biting deeply but passionately into her neck.

She moaned slightly and I licked the spot where I just buried my teeth in, soothing the sweet pain while my wings traveled to her flank and squeezed her softly.

When I pulled up, her hooves came up to either side of my muzzle and pulled me down for another kiss. I was surprised by the action, but in a good way. She was just staring at me the entire time, nothing more than love on her face.

When she let me go, I pulled back to see the damage I did to her neck. There was a really nice hickey, at least one hoof in length.

“And that’s why we agreed to no biting,” she whispered.

I knew what she meant, everypony would see it as long as she didn’t wear her full uniform. And it would only cause more trouble after the newspaper.

“Crap… I’m sorry,” I said as I tried to pull back.

She stopped me with her next words, “I’m not.”

“But…”

“The harm’s already done, Dash. The newspaper wrote it, so I have no need to hide marks by you,” she said before softly biting into my ear.

“You two want the toy again?” Vinyl asked from the top of the bed.

I look up to see that we busted into their room, again, “Sorry,” I said with a grin on my face.

“Hey, Vi, Octavia, what’s up?” Spitfire asked from under me.

The two simply looked at us with an ‘are you serious’ expression on their muzzles.

“I think we dashed and fried their music,” I chuckled.

“I thought we agreed to no more bad puns?” Spitfire asked with a grin.

“Meh, only counts for you!”

“You… little minx, you!” she growled before leaping at me, turning me over so I laid under her.

“And now what, huh? You know that Octavia and Vinyl are watching, right?” I asked her.

“How about, I don’t bucking care?” she answered with no small amount of lust in her voice.

Gee, and I thought I couldn’t get enough.

I presented my neck to her, fully expecting a bite to match my own. She did go down, but she didn’t bite. All she did was lick the side of my heck from my collarbone to my jawbone in one smooth motion.

“Firefly?” I asked, confused.

“I know you're mine, I don’t need a mark on you to prove it,” she whispered into my ear as I felt her hoof starting to rub against my hind legs in just the right way.

It took me a whole minute to figure it out.

It would be more than suspicious if we both got a mark that everypony could see in the academy.

“Haven’t thought about that, sorry,” I admitted.

“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispered, continuing to lick my coat gently.

A giggle on top of the bed stole both of our attention. It was rare to hear such noises coming from Octavia, but with what Vinyl was doing to her, it was more than expected. We both turned to each other and blushed, followed by giggles of our own.

“We should really start getting ready,” Spitfire said with a lot of reluctance in her voice as she moved to get off me.

“In a sec,” I said back before pulling her in for one last kiss. This wasn't a kiss of some tongue play or dominance, this was simply my way of saying I love you, just, not with actual words.

“I love you too,” she said back with a smile once we broke apart.

I laid on my back, just watching her get up and walk back to our room. There was some more giggling coming from the bed, but for now, I paid it no mind. My thoughts were on her, on the mare that stole my heart, the one that I… I loved.

Promise me you won’t do anything about this, not without my approval first.

The promise now felt like it was a huge million-pound weight upon my chest. My mind recoiled against it, already I wanted to go see Twilight, have her track down whoever took that picture so I could buck him in the nuts for what he did.

Promise me.

I promised…

With a sigh, I rolled over and got to my hooves. My trek out the room was one that did not go unnoticed.

“You okay, Dash?” Vinyl asked.

“Me? Yeah, I’ll be okay,” I replied, a deadpan expression in my tone.

I knew that they didn’t buy that answer, but I didn’t care either. I was lost in my worry about what had occurred and didn’t want some kind words by friends to try and pull me out. That being said, it would have been preferable to what I got from Spitfire.

“Hey Rainbow, what do you think about… Rainbow?” Spitfire asked as she saw me walk into the room.

I tried to put up a smile, but she saw right through it, “What’s eating you?”

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Horseshit, what are you upset about?” Spitfire asked with more of a commanding tone.

“I’ll… I’ll be alright.”

“CADET!” she yelled, “Spill it, now.”

I didn’t know what it was about that tone, but once you heard it, you just tensed up and obeyed. Almost like it simply reached into your mind and pulled out whatever information it wanted, regardless if you wanted to do or not, “I… I don’t know if I can keep that promise.”

“What promise?” she asked, her tone a little softer now.

“Spitfire, I… I already want to do something dumb. If it gets bad, if I’m there, I know I wont be able to hold myself back.”

She walked over, the soft tone in her voice was gone, a distant memory compared to how she looked now. It was like a switch was flipped in her that went from kind mare to drill instructor. I couldn’t help but gulp as she approached with purpose.

When she was right in front of me, nose to nose, eyes to eyes, I found myself wanting to look or be anywhere else at that moment. Sadly, my body was frozen in place as she stared down at me. That alone was weird, we’re the same height but it still felt like she was staring down at me.

“Cadet, that wasn’t what you promised. You promised you’d try,” the kindness in her words was so off putting that I was left slack jawed and dumbfounded, “And that’s all I can ask of you,” she finished.

I stayed silent and Spitfire sighed, before leaning in and nuzzling me, “Sometimes you need a hard wing for the right direction,” she whispered.

“I need a hard wing for something else,” I joked and gave her a kiss, “I’ll try. Thanks.”

“Good, cadet,” she purred, “Now, we should head to the hotel and hope that they don’t kill us.”

“The only one trying to kill us would be Soarin’,” I chuckled.

“Right, better keep going,” she said with a smile before turning around, “Vinyl? Is it okay if we use the balcony?” she yelled.

“Yeah,” came the answer followed by a moan, and Spitfire turned, giggling back to me.

“Let’s go, they’re busy,” I said before walking to the balcony, Spitfire hot on my tail.

I couldn’t help but show off. With the Captain of the Wonderbolts hot on my trail, who could blame me? The journey to the usual hotel the Wonderbolts booked should have taken the two of us ten minutes to fly the distance. To our credit, it only took ten minutes, but it was twice as long as it needed to be.

She kept up the entire time. Spitfire’s determination only increased my own as I looped and dived over buildings. Daring her to try and pass me.

“You done showing off, cadet?” Spitfire said at five minutes.

“What do you think?” I replied with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

“I think we should race there. Let's say the first one that arrives at their hotel wins.”

“Oh? What do I get when I win?” I asked with a smile.

She flew up to me, a smile upon her face, “When I win, your flank is mine tonight. If by some Celestia given miracle, you win, you can have this one,” she gave her own flank a pat with her hoof.

“Oh, keeping it interesting?” I said with a kiss, “Fine, I agree to your terms. But don’t start crying tonight.”

She laughed at that, “Ready?”

“Set,” I replied, my pose faced east, towards our destination.

“Go!” she shouted, with the sounds of a gun going off we took off, no longer showing off, no longer any concern other than speed. To be the first across the finish line.

There was one advantage she had that I did not: Location. We were in the middle of a city, not exactly a good place to perform a sonic rainboom. As much as I didn’t want to, I had no choice but to hold myself back, to prevent myself from destroying every window in the city. I knew it would piss her off if I did something like that and that cost me the race.

“Slow, cadet, too slow!” Spitfire yelled as she crossed the threshold to the hotel.

“Oh yeah? Be glad we’re in a big city. At any other location I would’ve bucked your flank after mere seconds,” I blew her a raspberry.

“Really? Well, we’ll have to have another race one day,” the look on her face was priceless. I could tell she put everything she had into that run. We were both breathing heavily and we both gave it our all, but the simple truth is, the rainboom just made me the fastest. I think she knew it too.

“Captain, Rainbow, over here!” a voice called out from our right.

With one last smile at me, Spitfire turned to face the new speaker, “Hey, Misty!” She yelled.

I turned to look at the new speaker, Misty was always a cute mare in uniform, but out of her uniform she looked even better. Her tan coat and light-blue and white mane fit her rather perfectly. It didn’t matter to me though, I had the mare I loved.

“You losers been waiting long?” Spitfire asked the group of Wonderbolts at Misty’s table. Sitting next to the mare was Surprise, the white mare with the yellow mane currently blowing us a raspberry. Right next to her was Soarin’, an ice pack on his head and an unhappy look in his eye as he focused on us.

Sitting across the table was Blaze, the golden mare with the orange hair could be easily Spitfire’s twin, but her eyes were of a deep yellow and her hair missed the double color. As usual, she watched us and chewed her bubblegum, completely uninterested by everything around her.

Right next to her where Wave Chill and Fleetfoot, engaged in a hot discussion that the steel blue stallion was about to win, as the cerulean mare huffed and turned her head away from him.

Spitfire walked over and took the empty spot on the other side of Blaze. As captain it was appropriate to be near the center of the table. As for me, I was stuck sitting next to Misty. It was… disappointing not to be able to sit next to her, but there was little we could do about it.

“Damn Rainbow, you need a shower,” Misty said jokingly as I sat next to her.

“Hey!” I complained, “That’s what happens when you almost whoop the captain’s flank in a race,”

“Almost?” Fleetfoot asked, “I’m disappointed.”

“Hey, only because I can’t speed up that much in the city! My sonic rainboom would destroy every piece of glass in a two miles radius. At least, Twilight told me so.”

“If you think I’m so easy to beat, Fleetfoot, I’ll gladly take you on,” Spitfire said as she glared at Fleetfoot.

As a mark of her intelligence, Fleetfoot did not reply to that, she simply started to take another drink of her water as a way to divert attention away from her, “That’s what I thought,” Spitfire laughed and gave me a wink.

Misty laughed, “Besides, I’ve seen the sonic rainboom in action, she’s right,” the mare said as she placed a hoof around my back, lightly patting me on the shoulders, “Honestly, I wanted you to join us right then and there.”

Spitfire gave her a stern look, “You know as well as I do we have to follow protocol for new recruits.”

“Yeah, but you would make her your Lieutenant right away if you could,” Surprise chimed in, earning a glare and a growl from Soarin’, “Oh don’t be like that, you grumpy cat,” she giggled.

“Are you seriously going to ignore what was in the papers today, or the bruise on the side of her neck?” Soarin’ asked.

“Soarin’, that is her business. We’re all friends here, but we aren’t judging them over what they have. You should know better than that after all you did years ago,” Wave Chill shot Soarin’ a glare which made him shrink back in his chair, “We should be happy that the Captain is happy.”

He shut up at that, but even I could tell that he wasn’t convinced, not by a longshot anyway, “So, what trouble have you all been up to this weekend?” Spitfire asked, “I just need to know how many of you are getting extra duties next weekend.”

“Nothing bad at all,” Misty laughed.

“Nothing at all? Let me start. Misty got drunk and destroyed the whole bar in the hotelroom. Wave Chill made a mess out of his bedroom with some fans he picked up. Surprise was away the whole night, and if you look at her neck we all know what she did. Fleetfoot got angry about something and destroyed two carpets and some cushions,” Soarin’ slowly counted up.

“Well, we have a winner,” Spitfire laughed, “Soarin’ will do all the extra duties for a month.”

“What?! Why?” the stallion asked.

“Because you’re a grumpy cat and tried to serve us on a plate,” Surprise giggled.

“I think you might misunderstand something, Soarin’. We’re a team, and you just dimed out every member of your squad. So yes, you get the extra duties.”

“But they caused damage!” Soarin’ yelled.

“And you hold them up instead of just cleaning it up and stay silent. Exactly like you did with the thing about Rainbow and me, “ Spitfire growled, “Now shut up before it becomes two months.”

Surprise went to say something snarky to the stallion, but Spitfire cut her off, “Don’t get me wrong, the rest of you are facing docked pay to pay for whatever you broke.”

“What?!” Surprise, Misty, and Wave said at the same time.

“You broke it, you bought it,” Spitfire said in her commanding voice.

I could only cuckled as everypony at the table started to grumble in disappointment. As full fledged Wonderbolts, I knew they made a pretty bit, if they were worried, it must have been one fun night.

Spitfire suddenly faced me, “Don’t think you’re getting off so nicely,” she grinned.

“What? Why me? I didn’t do anything, you know that!” I complained.

“You did. Think about this afternoon. And you will pay for it. Besides, you did lose the bet,” she said with a lustful gaze on me that made me gulp.

Great, now she’s already nearly seducing me in front of the other Bolts.

“Can you two not buck until later?” Soarin’ asked with a huff.

“Wait, buck what?” Misty asked, unsure what was going on. Her mind was starting to put the pieces together, but it was missing a key element.

“Someone didn’t get the paper today,” Wave said with a sigh.

“That’s what happens when you’re out all night with two stallions,” Surprise said.

“No that was you,” Misty scowled at her, trying to play innocent.

“Oh yeah,” Surprise said, “How could I forget… Wait, I’m into mares!”

“Yeah, I seem to recall a certain lilac pegasus show up last night before you disappeared,” Blaze said with a smile.

“I won’t deny it, but I also won’t say that it’s true,” Surprise blew her a raspberry.

“I think the marks on your wings say more than your words ever could,” Misty replied.

“Yeah, you missed the news, Misty, they caught our dear captain out with Rainbow here,” Soarin’ said.

“Wait… really?” Misty said as she looked at me in a disbelieving glare.

“I was disguised at the time, they don’t know it’s me. And keep it down, just in case somepony is listening,” I whispered to her.

“Go Captain!” Misty said as she toasted her.

“You’re serious?” Soarin’ asked in disbelief.

“Oh, go buck yourself, Soarin’,” Misty replied, “Whatever bug crawled up your ass, you need to kill it.”

“Good idea, Misty. Because that’s the only one he will ever buck,” Wave Chill laughed.

“It’s against the rules!” Soarin’ said.

“You didn’t seem to care about the rules when you were bucking her,” Blaze said.

“That’s different,” Soarin’ growled.

“Yeah, because it was your dick getting wet,” Surprise said.

Soarin’ stood up at that, “You know what, bu-”

“Enough,” Spitfire said, cutting off any further conversation, “Soarin’, sit down. Everyone else, drop it, now.”

I just looked between Spitfire and Soarin’, not really wanting to believe what I had just heard. They both always said that it was for the papers and nothing really happened. Now it was clear that there was more.

“You have a LOT to explain!” I growled at Spitfire, “Is it true what they say?”

“Look, Rainbow, now is not really the time to,” she started, but I cut her off.

“You bucked Soarin’ and never said anything? You lied to me!” my voice was dangerously calm, but filled with venom.

She stayed quiet at that, and I simply turned my head. I was really pissed. It wasn’t so much that she had bucked Soarin’ at all, but more that she had lied to me. Everypony was silent around us as Spitfire walked over and unfolded her wings.

“Don’t!” I said before she could reach out, “Explain why, first!”

“I didn’t want you to think less of me,” she mumbled.

“Why, in Celestias name, would I ever do that?” I asked her.

“It was stupid. Sorry,” she folded her wings and sat down, staying silent as I could see the first tear making its way down her muzzle.

Oh buck it.

“Firefly? Clouds, now!” I said and got up, followed by her.

She hesitated, but we took into air and quickly found a cloud far away from the other Bolts.

“I’m sorry,” I said and she looked up.

“Don’t be, I bucked it up with that lie. It was just stupid,” she mumbled.

I paused and took a few deep breaths, “You know I don’t really care if you and he were together.”

“Truly?” she asked, “Even after as big of an ass as he's been?”

“Truly,” I said as I looked up at her, “If anything, this finally explains his behaviour.”

She laughed a little at that, a laugh that died out when she looked into my eyes again, “I am sorry, Rainbow. I shouldn’t have lied to you about it.”

“Well, you didn’t exactly lie, you just didn’t tell the whole truth.”

“That’s still lying,” she replied.

“Were you afraid of losing me?” I asked.

“Well, one reason, but that is still,” she didn’t get far in her explanation with my lips pressed on hers.

“That’s cheating,” she whispered after we broke.

“The same cheating you did by racing me in a city so I couldn’t fly full speed,” I winked.

“What can I say? With that flank on the line, I don’t fight fair,” she said with a smile.

“I hope you don’t suspect that I’m just going to serve my flank to you tonight? You have to offer something valuable, at least,” I purred, lightly nibbling at her muzzle.

“Oh, I have a few things in mind I think we might both enjoy,” Spitfire said.

“Oh, now I can’t wait,” I replied back, as she knocked me over to my side, only for her head to rest upon my stomach. Disappointing, but not unwelcome. As I felt her head rising and falling with my breathing, I knew that whatever she wanted to do, it would be quite a lot of fun. Still, there was one thing we needed to discuss right then.

“Hey Spits.”

“Yeah?”

“You know you gotta do something about Soarin’, right?”

“Really, you’re going to bring him back up now?”

“He’s becoming an issue. Wait too long to deal with it and it’ll blow up in our faces.”

“You mean my face,” Spitfire corrected.

“Yeah, that.”

“Rainbow, he’s my problem, I’ll deal with him fairly.”

“Fairly? Like, by giving him a month of extra duty?” I said with a laugh.

She glared at me, “Had it been anypony else, it would have been them. It’s called team building, I won’t apologize for that.”

“Even me?” I asked with puppy dog eyes.

“Nope, you would have gotten three months.”

“Three months!?”

“Damn straight, cadet. You think I’d let the mare I’m bucking get off easily? I’ll always hold you to a higher standard.”

“Yeah, buck yourself,” I mumbled.

“What was that, cadet?”

“Nothing.” I smiled.

“Damn right, nothing. Keep up the sass and you’ll be joining Soarin’.”

“Yeah, and if you keep up that, my flank will be out of your reach for months, Firefly,” I replied, and that was no joke.

“So you’re saying I should enjoy it while I got it?” she smiled as she rolled over and looked down at me, lust in her eyes.

“Not interested anymore,” I blew her a raspberry, “Your little Captain-show was enough.”

That gave her pause, I saw her sitting down on her flank and just staring at me, she seemed to be going through several different thoughts in her head. At the end she closed her eyes and looked at me, “Rainbow... “

The way she said my name left me with a chill down my spine.

“Rainbow, I need you to understand something right now. As long as I’m your Captain, I have to put the squad first.”

“Yeah, right. Remember when you pushed me too hard at training? It seems like we both already forgot our promises. It’s clear that the squad comes first, but there's no way I’ll let you stomp down on me, and you know that,” I gave her a small glare.

Her brow lowered, a sure sign of anger, “Rainbow, why do you think I’m harder on you, why I’ve always been harder on you?”

“You already told me that, but it’s not making things better. I’m your marefriend, for Celestia’s sake. I know what I have to deal with, we both know it, but I guess it’s not too much to ask, right? You promised me something that day. You promised me that you would watch out more, and that it would be better. Don’t go back where we started,” I hated myself for my words, and I was no egghead to pull them out properly, but it was just what I wanted to say; what I felt to say.

Her eyes grew wide at that, almost pissed, she went to speak, only to shut her muzzle and her eyes once more, “Rainbow, do you remember the joke Surprise made earlier?”

“Which one?” I asked, pissed off myself.

“The one about you being my lieutenant one day.”

“Yeah, what of it?” I asked.

“It wasn’t a joke. Why do you think I’ve been harder on you?” Spitfire spit before jumping up and flying off the cloud.

Great job, Rainbow. How did we get from Soarin’ to that one anyways?

I had no need to join the Bolts, so I just jumped from the cloud and flew as high as I could. Putting all my anger and frustration into it, I sped up until I felt the familiar barrier in front of me. It broke and with a loud crack my sonic rainboom appeared behind me. I didn’t care if I had broken some windows, at least I was trying to fly high enough to prevent anything.

The speed increase took me up and away from Trottingham at insane speeds. In the blink of an eye I was outside of the city limits, then I was easily five miles away, heading… hell if I knew where I was heading.

It’s hard to keep track of such tirval things when you’re that pissed off. Eventually, even my endurance failed me, and I was forced to land upon a cloud.

Lieutenant Rainbow Dash.

Captain Rainbow Dash.

Being a Wonderbolt was always my dream, the one thing I wanted more than anything else for as long as I could remember. I always looked up to them, idolized them, wanted to be one of them. I just did… to be captain one day? It was more than even I could hope for. Spitfire… she… she told me she saw my potential, that she saw even though my buck ups during the best young flyer competition that she saw what I was truly capable of.

She had been grooming me, she had been preparing me for command, making sure that I did everything the right way, that I would have the discipline, the team building skills, and the leadership qualities to be her second, and… the day she retired, I’d take her place. I would be Captain of the Wonderbolts.

It was like following a rainbow to not find a pot of gold, but a whole freaking treasure room of gold. It was more than I ever expected, ever dreamed of, and yet… and yet.

Captain Rainbow Dash.

Why did it sound hollow in my mind?

“Captain Rainbow Dash.”

It sounded worse on my lips. I don’t know why… why didn’t I want that? Why didn’t Captain Rainbow Dash stir my heart? Why wasn’t that thought happy for me right now?

Because there can only be one captain.

The thought was mine and not mine. I knew, logically, it came from me, but still. It meant Spitfire would have to retire before I could take over. I’d have to became the new Spitfire. I’d have to take on her responsibilities, and… and give her up.

She said… she said the squad comes first.

I felt something then, something that surprised me. Looking down, I noticed water dripping from my muzzle. Looking closer, I noticed tears. Being a Wonderbolt was my dream, but with the time at the academy, I had a new dream.

Be with Spitfire, forever.

That thought did stir my heart, that thought did make me smile, in much the same way as the Wonderbolts always did before I was a member. I knew I wanted that, not to be a lieutenant, or even a captain. I wanted to be hers, to be with her, forever.

I’ll quit, I’ll go find a news reporter and make it official, then we can…

You promised.

“AHHHHHHH!”

The yell echoed for miles around as I screamed my frustration into the air. She got me on some damned if you do, damned if you don’t thing. Still, I had no intention of giving my marefriend up.

Even if it means leaving the Wonderbolts.

I expected the thought to hurt like Tartarus, yet I was somehow okay with it, and that scared me more than anything else.

You truly stole my heart, Firefly.

I had to figure this out more clearly, and I could use some help with it. Asking Vinyl or Octavia was to no use, since they had nearly no clue about the Wonderbolts, but I already got the right pony in mind. I was pretty sure that Surprise would help me. Of course, that meant going back and getting her alone.

Or maybe not.

With a smile, I realized who I needed to talk to. Not Surprise, but her marefriend. Cloudchaser could help me get a one on one without having to see everyone else, without having to see Spitfire. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to keep my cool around her right then, I’d easlly snap and do something she’d hate me for.

Leave it to me to lose Spitfire and the Wonderbolts.

I swear if there was ever a thought that could light a fire under my flank it was that one. Glancing around, I quickly tried to take in my location. I saw Canterlot mountain in the south southeast and sped off in that direction, knowing that Ponyville and Cloudchaser were just south of that.

It was an hour into my flight when I remembered that Cloudchaser was in Trottingham.

“BUCK ME!” I shouted as I turned around, easily breaking the sonic barrier in my frustration and rage at being so hard headed.

Two sonic rainbooms back to back is always a dumb idea. As I’ve been told a million times by my friends, and then my Captain. In my haste, I could definitely feel some soft cracking from my wings as I snapped them back, then pain.

Damn it. I should start to listen to Spitfire, she warned me not to do exactly that.

In pain, I took in my soundings and saw that I was at the very edge of Trottingham, seeking to land and assess the damage to my wings before something really bad happened. It was a struggle unlike any I’d known for quite some time. Every second I spent in the air hurt, every flap of my wing or small course correction hurt. I fought through it, forcing myself to give it all I had.

C’mon cadet, is that all you got?

“Ma’am, no ma’am!”

I bit my teeth together and pushed forward, trying to gain more speed again. Trottingham was so close, and I couldn’t fail now.

I owe it to our relationship. I don’t want to lose Spitfire.

After some struggling, I made it over the border to Trottingham and tried to gain even more speed. It was an error I noticed way too late. As the pain grew and my left wing suddenly limbed down, I lost altitude and fell towards the hard ground of Trottingham’s streets. There was no way I could avoid that crash anymore, and I was at least a few hundred feet high.

Tears ran down my muzzle as the ground came closer and closer. I really ruined everything now, and I wouldn’t even get the chance to apologize to Spitfire. Closing my eyes, I sent my last thought to her.

I love you, Spitfire.

I didn’t even feel the pain as I impacted with the ground.

Author's Notes:

I know that you'll hate me for the drama, but it's time that something happens, right?
Anyways, enjoy the late chapter!
Oh, it's the longest Rainbow POV chapter by now