=Aces High 10=

-Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehJAm6ACO5M -

>You and Spitfire fly just above the clouds over Equestria on your way to the Wonderbolts Academy.
>It's a few hours long flight and the two of you had been talking the entire time, it was actually kind of fun, Spitfire had a ton of questions about Earth and was way cooler than you gave her credit for when she was in her off hours.
>”So they all raced usin' the thing you use?” she asks.
“Kinda, it was more these...well, they were these big engines that were connected to pods behind them with cables, and they raced through the desert with them. When I saw it, I thought it looked like they were trying to drive a rocket with their feet and no eyes.”
>Spitfire laughs a single sharp laugh. “You guys got some weird movies over there, Anny!”
“And I didn't even tell you about the Midichlorians...”
>”The what in the who now?”
>You chuckle and shake your head.[spoiler][/spoiler] “Something I try every day to forget about. I think I see the academy.”
>Since the last time you'd been at the Academy, the fall semester had started for new recruits. Dozens of fliers fly around the outside of the grounds, either in new classes and learning the ropes or taking tours with eager parents before they send their child off to school.
>Wait till they see the mess hall food...
“Do we want to make an entrance or are we gonna be subtle about this?” you ask your wingman.
>Spitfire “tch”'s “What do you think, Anny?” she says before shooting off towards the densest cluster of fliers. You follow right after.
>”Hey there!” “Nice ta meetcha!” “It only gets cooler from here, kids!”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” “You can call my Anonymous.” “Welcome to the Wonderbolts Academy!”
>Public relations never stopped for a Wonderbolt, even in transit to places.
>Once you got past the masses, you both bee-lined to the elite locker rooms.

>You had flown in in your flight jacket but for aerial maneuvers training, it behooved you to switch to your flight suit.
>You were the only one in the locker room at this hour considering it was the start of the semester and you can only assume that Spitfire was in the same situation over on the mares side judging by the fact that she left the service door open to keep shooting the shit.
>”So was that spill in Zebrica the worst injury you ever had on the job?” her disembodied voice asks.
“No. And thanks for that, by the way.”
>”I said I was sorry...” she says meekly.
>She did at that, and you'd been in a good enough mood since finding this common ground with Spitfire that you were willing to let it slide.
“My worst injury? Thaaaaat's a toughy...”
>You think back through your career of bumps and bruises.
“Well there was this one time when I was training with 'Dash that I ran into a water tower face first.”
>You can practically hear Spitfire wince. “Not looking where you were going?”
“I was gloating because I was ahead of her, found out I was only ahead because she veered to avoid it three seconds later.”
>”So -that's- why you're such a boyscout, eh?”
“I'm sure it's something to do with it.”
>You begin squeezing your torso into the suit.

>”Rainbow Dash...you mean the Element of Loyalty?” Spitfire asks.
“Very same one.”
>”I've seen her up here, she broke a few academy records when she showed.”
“I'm aware, I've seen the plaques.”
>Talk about awkward sightings.
>”What's the deal with you two?”
>You sigh as you get your arms in.
“It's not a new story. We both went out for the team, I got in, she didn't, she didn't take it well and broke up with me.”
>”That blows. You ever try and patch it up?”
“Would if she'd talk to me.”
>Spitfire whistles and you hear her slap her goggles on. “That sucks Anny, royally. Remind me one day to tell you some of my shit breakup stories.”
>You zip up and put your own goggles on, tugging at your control gloves. [spoiler][/spoiler] “Let's worry about that after we get these moves down. Are you ready?”
>”I've been ready since you made me apologize again. Let's go!”

>You pull up hard and clench your fists to get some boost from your pack, coming up right in front of Spitfire's face and requiring her to flap back.
>”Whoa! Easy Anny!” she calls out, clearly annoyed.
“Sorry! I was trying to catch that slipstream you made!”
>Spitfire's shoulders slump a bit. “-I- was trying to go for your contrails.”
>You drag your palm down your face. 
“Goddamit.”
>Spitfire sighs and flaps up to where you're hovering. “Come on, let's land and see what the techies gotta say.”
“Got it, on your left.”
>You fall in behind Spitfire as she flies over to where Bunsen Burner is messing with his instruments.
>”Gimme some good news, man.”
>Bunsen Burner taps his anemometer and writes some things down. “You and Anonymous were going an average of 80% your normal speed!” he announces.
>Spitfire releases an utterly disgusted sigh and sits on the bench nearby.
“Hey, at least it's better than Soarin', that was barely over half.”
>”Two thirds!” Bunsen announces.
“What he said.”
>Spitfire sighs and rests her head on her hooves still. “Two thirds or 99%, it's not our best, and that's what we need for the next race.”
>You sit down next to her.
“Who's our next race against?”
>”Buncha punk-ass dragons who cobbled together and made a crew. They may not be the smartest, but -damned- if dragons aren't fast.”
“Mmm...is it gonna be that bad, you think?”
>Bunsen pushes his glasses up. “A margin of error is natural in these early stages!”
>”We need to pull something out of our asses if we're gonna pull off a win against those speedsters.” she laments.
>Spitfire waves her hoof. “Anny and I are gonna take five, Bunny. Go get yourself something to eat.”
>Bunsen nods and trots off. As soon as he's out of sight, Spitfire rolls off the bench and lays flat on her back on the ground.

“Uhh...”
>You sit down on the grass next to her.
“Are you okay?”
>”If you could race anywhere, where'd you wanna go?”
>You blink a few times while that goes through your head.
“Hello non sequiter fairy, how are you?”
>”I mean it, anywhere in the world.” Spitfire says, looking at you through the bottoms of her eyes.
>You lean back a bit.
“Well...I've always liked the water,  so maybe someplace near that?”
>”Like a beach or somethin'?”
>You shake your head.
“Not like a beach, like -over- the water. Something about riding over all that blue as fast as I can is cool.”
>Spitfire nods. “I'd wanna race through a volcano.”
>You cock an eyebrow.
“Are you serious?”
>”Hell yeah!” Spitfire says, pointing up at the clouds. “You know how much of my life has been spent lookin' down at those big wads of marshmallow? Lemme see a course where everything's goin' to Tatarus at least -once- before I kick it.”
“Racing like that'll  make you kick it a bit sooner than expected, boss.”
>Spitfire smirks. “Pffft. Come on Anny, you know Wonderbolts don't die.”
>You wish you could have her level of confidence. You knew you were good, but Spitfire had a way of being confident enough to make everyone around her follow suit, you just couldn't help it.”
“Oh I didn't know immortality came with this gig.”
>”Only if you're one of the aces, Anny. 'Bolts haven't lost an ace of ours in five hundred years.” she says, rather proud of herself.
>Yeah...

“...Any of them going up against dragons?”
>Spitfire frowns. “One or two, but they came out alright.”
“I dunno. Aren't dragons to proud to lose? Won't they torch half the countryside if we beat them?”
>Spitfire's smile returns quickly to her face and she slicks back her mane. “Well then the RAF will just have to take care of it.”
>You frown, unamused.
“Spit's, we're the head of the RAF.”
>”Exactly! And 'Bolt Aces can't die, we're golden!” she says.
>You sigh and shake your head.
“Maybe I'm overthinking it...”
>”Would it be the first time?”
“Heeeeell no.”
>Spitfire lightly punches your arm. “Then lighten up, dude! We got the best job in the kingdom and we're the best there is at what we do! We'll figure something out.”
>You look at her in disbelief. [spoiler][/spoiler] “Something'll just...come to us?”
>Spitfire sits up and taps your forehead. “Anny, we're not the best because we're the fastest or the ones with the biggest wings or the ones who put rockets on our backs, we're the best because of our instincts.”
>She smirks. “And there isn't a place or time out instincts are most pure than in the middle of a race!”
>You...guess that made sense.
“I guess that makes sense.”
>Spitfire pumps her hoof. “Right on! Now follow me, let's see if we can slipstream this time!”
>With that, Spitfire shoots up into the air.
“Right behind you, boss.”
>You ignite your pack and take after her, seeing if these instincts could pull something off for the two of you before these dragons pummeled your team.