Chapter 7 – Return to Base
The night’s curtain fell upon the city.
A single cone of light was blasting from the projector, revealing the swirling particles of dust across the common room. The dust had gathered over the stacks of pillows and blankets amassed between a couch and a white sheet that served for a screen. Every pillow was distinctive in its own right—some were bought a long time ago when the funding from the government was more generous, others were donated by charitable ponies or happy parents who wanted to thank for making their family lives complete. A number was provided by Inks and Seats, a local shop of that exact assortment ran by an old stallion who was only as generous as his wife made him to be.
Doctor Hugs peeked over the couch.
“Of course... who else but you?”
After further hours of goofing around with the Wonderbolts, the three orphans had decided to stay up late and recount the events of today to Fizzy who, upon finding herself squeezed between them, had no choice but to hear it all. She had assured she would tuck them up by ten, but at some point she gave in to the much deserved slumber and ended up with Wind Whisper clenching onto her leg. Chestnut, wrapped in the mare’s hoodie splayed out on the couch to have her belly for a pillow. On the only bit of space not occupied by limbs, between Fizzy and the back of the couch, rested a popcorn bowl. Inside, the balled up Glavia was wheezing softly, but the sounds were drowned out by the monotonous buzzing of the projector.
Wincing, Doctor Hugs added bathing the buttery griffon to the list for tomorrow.
“Am I late for the party?” came a whisper from across the room.
“Captain,” the stallion replied at a hushed tone, too tired to get even a little startled. “I didn’t expect to see you here at such a late hour.”
“One of the perks of being in charge. I don’t have to do my shut-eye when the rest does,” she said. “So, how was projection?”
Doctor Hugs patted the machine. “This old thing didn’t burn out, so that’s one win in my book. One of the training montages had Soarin and Rapidfire as mere recruits. The kids loved it, and those were just a few short scenes with added narration. Just think what it’d be like if we were doing longer scenes, like entire books.“
“I doubt an adult would sit through such a projection, let alone a kid. Aren’t they too lively for that?”
“Snacks kept them occupied. We’ve borrowed a popcorn cart from a local funfair for the occasion.” He helped himself to a kernel from a half-full bowl. “Want some?”
“Nah. I just dropped by to make sure everything went well after I left,” she said. “Sorry I couldn’t come back sooner, too. The debriefing took longer than I’d expected.”
Doctor Hugs shook his head and went back to stacking the bowls. “There’s nothing to apologize for. Both your Wonderbolts and Wonderbits stayed in high spirits for the rest of the day, so it’s safe to say this operation was a success, if you’ll forgive the parlance. The kids were also less loud than usual. More mature even, I’d say. They took turns dogging Glavia’s every step, talked a lot about responsibility.” He threw her an amused glance. “You obviously have a flair for working with children.”
“Funny you should say that,” Spitfire quietly remarked and strolled over. “There’s a flight camp for young pegasi from Cloudsdale called Junior Speedsters. They once asked me to come by and show the kids some tricks and flight techniques. I kind of… shouted at them at first because I thought it would be best to treat them as my recruits. That they’d learn the most that way.”
“Mhm. But children aren’t just small adults, are they?”
“Exactly. Long story short, I had a friend who helped me out so it wasn’t a complete failure. But still, the word about my poor pedagogical skills got out. I got a complimentary thank-you note, but the following year they politely asked if I could recommend someone else. So, I’ve been sending Soarin ever since.”
The stallion covered the ponies with a blanket, but in case of Glavia he settled for a crocheted doily he swiped from the table.
“I think I’ve been avoiding kids ever since too,” Spitfire continued, “and I was doing well, actually. But today you guilt-tripped me into going, and guess what? It wasn’t all terrible. I’ve actually had fun, I mean…. in a way, I felt like I’ve finally made up for what I did wrong in the past. Thanks for the opportunity—I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.”
“You’re very welcome,” he whispered. “Part of my job is to make others the best they can be, so thanks for taking that opportunity, too.”
“No problem.” Spitfire smiled back and peeked over the couch. “Oh! Is that your assistant? Does she live here as well?”
“Yeah,” Doctor Hugs chuckled. “Pretty much. Wait, you’re asking if she’s an orphan! No, no. She’s my niece, actually. She’s a student at the CCA and she’s fulfilling her internships quota by lending a hoof around here. Sometimes it means taking the night shift, if you will.”
“No wonder she fell asleep. With so many kids and attractions it must have been a darn exhausting day for you and your team.”
“You have no idea. But seeing everyone tucked up like this is definitely worth it.”
Spitfire nodded. “Yes. It definitely is.” She broke away from the couch. “Well, anyway, I should go now. But if you’d like me to—uhm, if the Wonderbolts may be of any assistance in the future, we’ll be glad to participate, myself included from now on. Just say a word.”
“Tea?”
“Excuse me?”
Doctor Hugs rubbed his temples. “Apologies, I misspoke. I said ‘tea’ and made it sound like an invitation for a cup of tea later this week with some pleasant music, say, the eighties playing in the background, where I should have said ‘we’re also very pleased that you joined us today, have a good night.” He shrugged. “Terribly sorry. Those two are easy to confuse, aren’t they?”
Spitfire raised her eyebrows at him. “You are a bold one.”
“Oh, not at all. Like you said, the day—this past week, actually—has been pretty exhausting, and I’m afraid I’ve reached the point where I’m subconsciously telling myself it’s a fair game to be bold. Besides, should you decline my invitation, there’s a good chance I’ll wake up tomorrow and not regret a thing, putting the blame on my current disability to think clearly. Or something like that. Better yet, I’ll blame Fizzy for planting the idea of going out with someone in my head.”
“Hmm. I thought the usual line was about coffee, not tea.”
“It’s been following me since morning, to be honest. I intended to get my cup at the Cuckoo. I kind of got it, but then Soft Spot decided she doesn’t actually like coffee, so we swapped,” he said. “They make the second or third best coffee in Canterlot, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t really work as a pick-me-up for me,” he added. “So, what do you say?”
Spitfire looked away and took another step towards the exit.
“Well, you’ve already made me give up a free hour in my busy schedule today”—she looked back with coquettish sparks flaring in her eyes—“which means you pretty much owe me one of yours.”
The stallion’s upper lip twitched. “I promise to repay you threefold.”
“Friday?”
“Friday it is. I’ll contact your office with further details, captain.”
“Please,” she said with a frown, “I’ve been captaining all day.”
“Spitfire, then?”
“Very much so. Have a good night.”
“Good night,” he replied and watched the mare until she disappeared in the corridor.
When he turned around with a well-earned smug grin, he saw three pairs of eyes beholding him.
“And what are you looking at? Off to sleep, all of you!”
He hit the switch on the projector and turned it off.
Hello there! Thank you for reading my story. I am no longer writing pony fiction, but if you want to support my current creative endeavor, check out my content on Twitch! 
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Yaaaaay, great story. Now I'm trying to remember if at any point in Chestnut's later story you show the Doc and Spitfire together or if that was just for this chunk of the story. Arggh.
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Well, my job is done here!
As for your second comment, by the end of OLAC Chapter 4 you can find the following:
That's pretty much it. Compare it against the OLAC's original version:
By the time I was first writing it I had no plans of bringing Doc Hugs and Spitfire together. I had, however, an idea to write Spitfire going to a Canterlot cafe called Icebreaker in which ponies could meet with total strangers (so that they could have new friends because friendship, love and blah blah - don't ask me, in that fic it was Cadence's idea). Spitfire would be paired with Blueblood, which could only end well.
I eventually scrapped the project, used the meet-up cafe idea in Icebreaker, while Spitfire landed here where she is now - so in the end, she got to visit the cafe like I planned. Knowing she would, I added a few words in OLAC hinting that she and Hugs are, in fact, in a relationship.
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I guess you could say that she got kinda adopted for an hour or so!
All in all a good read
Not much else to say but I wouldn't mind finding out if wind and Nutsie met up again in the future
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Thanks for reading, then! As for the duo, I'm pretty sure their paths have crossed several times in the future but they never joined. Wind would be too busy striving to be an exemplary Shadowbolt, while Chestnut would be doing... something else. Not sure what career would fit her, though!
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As of right now I'm not sure. But if you ever want to bounce ideas off someone just send a pm.
Hurrah! Great story! Now we need one for after OLAC - I imagine Fancy Pants and company being sent on a diplomatic mission.
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Happy to hear you liked it! I can confirm that I have an idea for a sequel with a diplomatic mission, but before that happens (and I'm done with my current project) I'll be taking a detour through Chestnut's even younger years. :)
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I'm sure Rarity would make something cute of all those delicate feathers, soft fur patches, and that jar of fabulosity she keeps in her workshop!
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Well, at least he's handling the situation in the spirit of how he played Fleur!
You may be closer to the truth than you think.
Coming to cable TV soon: Spitfire in a brand new action/adventure series Renegade. She was a Wonderbolt, and good at her job. But she committed the ultimate crime... she had fun.
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Now that I'm beginning to remember this story, I think the idea was that there was some time between bringing the Wonderbolts to the orphans and Spitfire's debriefing - Spitfire's devious plan was to be done with her business at the Orphanarium as quickly as possible, then have some time for herself to spend on Canterlot leisure.
You're obviously right.
Instead, she went with the kids, stayed for a moment at the Red Cuckoo but didn't return to the Orphanarium for further fun. All that allowed her to not be late to her personal debriefing at the Hurricane Academy (at the expense of resigning from her original plans).
...now I'm thinking I didn't make the timings stand out good enough, hence our chat about army regulations. Regardless, know that all ended well for Captain Spitfire!
Another good story
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Hello again, Dorath!
Honestly? I don't think she would apply. She'd have to be a fighter type, but I'm imagining her grown up self as a more of a social worker, someone focused on doing little acts of kindness to make the world a better place. Still, the mention of a secret sub-division of the Wonderbolts is there for a reason, i.e. if you'd asked me if Wind Whisper joined the Shadowbolts Initiative, I would have to say it's classified.
I always liked the idea of the Wonderbolts being less than capable, from a certain point of view. On one hand, they're those super fliers, a force to be reckoned with (supposedly) but on the other, they're one major screw-up from becoming a national laughingstock.
Thank you for saying that, and thank you for leaving such excellent thoughts in the comments. I know that you've come here from OLAC, which means I don't have any more Chestnut-oriented stuff to which I could point you. Still, I've got some other stories - feel free to check them out and may you find more interesting tidbits out there!
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You’re welcome.
And yes, French here.
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Wait... Trixie is married? To who? Didn’t see her mention in the story
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The mention, however obscure, is in Chapter 5 during the crossword scene:
So, she isn’t mentioned by name, but when you think “stage magician”, only one mare sufficiently great and powerful should come to mind! If you’re interested in Beatrix Lulamoon’s first steps in acting, check out Stage Revival. The lucky’s stallion name is Sunseeker, the first original character I created (from the now obsolete Shadows of Canterlot, a story with a nice premise but oh-my-god so crappy execution - 2012, so my humble beginnings). Anyway, the two of them have been retconned from secret agents into actors, and in Arcane Realms you can even meet their daughter, Razzle.
Apologize for the shitload of links.
Trixie was the reason I really got into the series and writing, so her presence echoes through many, many stories. Also, one of these days I should really make a blog post pointing out connections between them...
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I’m sure you do.
This was a sweet story amazing work but I still want to know why chestnut doesn't like luna anyway keep up the great work
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Excellent question. It’s been a couple of years, so I may be wrong on this one, but I think the Past Me didn’t write the 9yo. part to be taken literally.
This is Doctor Hugs’s perspective: regardless of what a person’s actual age is, their behavior can indicate that they “are” older (if they’re responsible, can maintain themselves, control their emotions etc.), or younger (if they’re childish, acting irrationally or just plain random). I think that’s why there’s that “brain of a nine-year old”, and not just “nine-year old” in the text. She may be older in body - say eleven - but she’s probably acting as if she was nine all the same.
There’s also a second layer: Doctor Hugs may be projecting his Chestnut=child view onto her because he’s been taking care for her for so long. Maybe, despite all her shenanigans, he enjoys her company and doesn’t want to acknowledge she’ll soon be of an age where no one would be interested in adopting her. No one, safe for maybe a couple of Canterlotian ponies... but he doesn’t know that yet.
This was delightful. :D
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Glad you think so! Thank you for the read!
Just read the story and I loved it. Also will there be a sequel for the Doc and Spitfire to get to. Know each other?
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Hi! Glad you enjoyed the story, I appreciate it. :) I'm currently not writing any new stories, though, apologies.
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It’s ok