Chapter One: Overture

~~Would it be cliche to start with a question?~~

Wait, let me start again, that wasn't the question I wanted to ask. I wanted to ask a more... Variable question, I guess.

Have you ever changed your plans to accommodate another pony?

I think I did, but I'm not too sure. I'm pretty sure I didn't have any plans before I met Victory Dance, or at least it was too long ago for me to remember those plans. I think I was supposed to become a broker, maybe? Or a treasure hunter, or something relating to value. I mean, my dad is a unicorn and is working over in The Crystal Empire, starting some mining business and my mother is a pegasus who works as... Actually, I don't really know what my mother is doing for work. The point is, I didn't have any plans of what I wanted my life to be like because my life had already been set down like toy train tracks going around and around, endlessly until inevitably it runs out of batteries. It looked something along the lines of this:

1. Grow up with a good education and nurturing environment.

2. Get a value or money related cutie mark, which makes sense considering my heritage and name.

3. Go to business school, following on the money-related aspect.

4. Take over whatever my dad is doing in The Crystal Empire.

5. Live risk-free for the rest of my days, and maybe find a colt that was equal in wealth and status as me.

I used to think that this was the only life that I could lead, because of what my father told me before he left. "Sometimes ponies have lives set out for them from the very beginning. Some ponies don't, so you need to decide which kind of pony you are." Everything changed at number two, I went from being 100% about taking no risk my life to going out of my way to make life a risk.

Also, I'm really sorry for sounding so, er, doubtful about everything. Trying to remember everything is so strange because... Well, it was so long ago I wanted all those things. Plus, it doesn't help that I am doubtful. Doubtful, but hopeful. Uncertain, but expecting and wanting it to happen. That way, when it does come it's more rewarding, I guess. My mom says it's wishful thinking but I think it's just being pony. Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

As I've already established, my life changed from being risk-free after meeting Victory Dance. However, there were major changes before then, too. I moved from Ponyville to Canterlot which really put a dent on the whole Education part of my five-part plan. I went from the top of my class to average, which only meant I had to work harder. Since I worked harder, I didn't have much time for playing since smarts doesn't really come naturally for me. I spent a lot of time with my mom since she was home a lot doing random things, and often socialising with the other high class, mother ponies. Sure, some of the foals who came to my house were really nice, I even made a few friends but I never had a best friend.

So it came to a shock when Victory Dance moved on the opposite side of the street from me and asked me if I wanted to go to this Wonderbolt Flight Show. I was never really interested in fast flying. I wasn't really interested in anything, looking back on my youth now. I think I might've liked... Ants? Yeah, ants! I used to watch them for hours. I've always liked how they rely on teamwork and like, how they're so amazing they are at labour and colonisation! I think that's something noteworthy. Oh, and mirrors are amazing! I don't really know how they work, but just the ability to see yourself through glass and stuff is kinda cool. Wait! I'm getting off topic again! Sorry, I'll try to keep focus. I'm not very good at it.

I accepted the invitation, and from that day, to the day of the Flight Show, we hung out every day. Everyday, he'd invite me outside to play and I would go outside and play with him. I would still study in the evenings, but in the mornings and afternoons we would play games like Tag.

This is an important time to say that Victory Dance as a colt was (and always has been,) a dreamer. He had his head in the clouds and his hair in the wind, going faster then I could even dream of going. It grew on me. He taught me the proper technique of flying, I taught him about aerodynamics and how he can improve his times through science. Somewhere along that path, he broke down the wall that separated me from other ponies. I was never shy, just quiet. He gave me that extra push I needed to stand out, but not necessarily in the right way. I'm going to be honest, while I was educated, I was really dumb and gullible as a filly.

Uncle Arctic, my Mom, Victory and I went to the Flight Show. Mom gave me some bits to spend and sent us away while she talked to Uncle Arctic, completely unaware what Victory and I were doing.

We were planning to be the main event of the show.

"That sounds cool... How are we gonna to do that, Victree?" I'm pretty sure I said.

I couldn't say his name right, it makes me sound so dumb looking back on it now. I think it was because of my Ponyville heritage that I got lazy with my speech.

"Easy, Heirloom. We're going to fly up with the fireworks display and get the attention of all the crowd!" He said with a sparkle in his eye.

Yeah, my name is Heirloom, by the way. It has nothing to do with flight which most ponies find ironic. Heck, I find it ironic. When Victory got the idea to fly up with the firework display, I thought it was a genius way to get the Wonderbolt's attention! The lights, the possibility of poses, the eyes that would be set on you, it was full proof. Except you know, fireworks were made from gunpowder and gunpowder explodes. Neither of us knew this. I just nodded, happy to help someone I considered my friend.

"How are we gonna get past the guards?" I asked, looking around the corner.

"Tactical espionage action, that's how." I nodded with him in understanding and we got everything we needed to proceed with our plan.

"Ahem. Special delivery." I said while lifting a big cardboard box on my back.

"Huh? Nobody ordered anything... Check with the sound-mares. See if they ordered anything." The second guard left, leaving us with the first guard.

"Uhh, extra package of fireworks. Do I just leave it?"

"...Yeah. Sure, whatever. Just don't unpack it yet, we need to confirm this package."

"Alright, have a nice day, sir." He nodded and I went through, to be greeted with Victory Dance. "What was the point of the box, Victree? It seemed kinda useless..."

"Misdirection, silly. If they get suspicious, they'll check the box before they look for us. That's how it worked in that game I played in the arcade!" As a filly, I thought that was amazing. I thought he was so smart and clever, when in reality they would've sent more then one guard to look for both us and through the contents of the (empty) box. We hid near fireworks until we heard trumpets, meaning the show was about to begin.

"Victree, I'm not really feelin' sure about this anymore... I don't think I can keep up with the fireworks." I said softly, making sure to not raise my voice so we wouldn't get spotted.

"Hey, you'll be fine, Heir. If you can't keep up with the fireworks, keep up with me. Haha, I doubt I can keep up with the fireworks either anyway." He said in an attempt to cheer me up and for a few moments it helped, until I realised that I started doubting my abilities to keep up with him.

It's so strange looking back on this now... You remember (kind of) what you thought and what you saw, but you don't really feel the same pain that you did in the moment. I remember being terrified of the sound of the fireworks shooting up into the sky. I remember seeing fire, and then being left in smoke. But I don't feel the same burning sensation that I did in my lungs when smoke filled it to it's capacity.

The moment the fireworks shot up, Victory did too. It took me a few seconds to realise what was going on because I was coughing. I shot up a few seconds after, following behind him. I didn't really care about how much my lungs hurt. I realised that Victory was really keeping up with the fireworks, and I wasn't. I was disheartened. The crowd gasped as they saw a young colt fly up with the fireworks. I stopped trying to chase after him, and began watching.

Bang.

The first firework went off, Victory was close but it didn't hit him.

Crack.

The second firework got even closer, but Victory got out of the way in time. Ponies in the crowd started to scream for him to get down.

Boom.

The firework hit him, he disappeared from the crowd's vision and began falling. The Safety Crew took out a trampoline, but there wasn't enough time for them to get to Victory's location. I tried to catch him, but the moment I caught him in my arms I wasn't able to carry his weight and began falling too. He was unconscious, so I started shaking him awake. "Hey, wake up! Please, you need to wake up! I started flying harder, which slowed the rate in which we were falling at but nothing I did compared to what the Wonderbolts did; they saved both Victory and I. The crowd cheered as we got on the ground safely, and Victory blinked awake.

"What were you kids thinking?! That was extremely reckless, you could've died!" One of the Wonderbolts grunted. I looked over at Victory, and I looked over at his wing.

"We... Just wanted to get your attention-"

"Don't bring Heirloom into this, it was my idea...! I... I used her. I needed someone to help me through the guards. I needed someone slower then me so I could get all the attention."

I couldn't believe how stupid I felt at that point. I was holding back tears from getting yelled at, but being told that Victory was using me made me sob uncontrollably. "I just ended up hurting not only myself, but I ended up hurting her as well."

"I-I wasn't hurt, what are you talking about?" I said, wiping away tears.

"But you are! You don't have to be bruised or broken to be hurt. That's why you're crying. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done this. I was supposed to be your friend but I was just a... dumb foal." There was silence between all of us. You don't have to be broken to be hurt... I don't think I will never forget those words. Those words seemed so strange to me as a filly. I didn't understand feelings, or what it meant to be hurting. It was so incomprehensible and yet... It made me cry even more to hear that.

"...What's your name, kid?" A Wonderbolt walked over to Victory Dance and took off her mask. It was Lightning Rod, the Captain of the Wonderbolts.

"Victory Dance, Lightning."

"Well, Victory, What you did was nothing less of crazy. But, I haven't seen a colt fly like that in a while. Fly like that, and you just might become a Wonderbolt yourself one day. If you stay out of trouble, that is." She ruffled his mane and whistled for the team to reassemble. "And, Heirloom, was it?"

"Yes, miss. It's Heirloom." I sniffed.

"Look out for him, will you? He'll probably do some pretty reckless things. Make sure he doesn't do anything like this again. You did an amazing job with grabbing him. I believe that... You'll continue doing good things." She began to walk away from the scene, and others ponies began filling the stadium, my mother being the first to the scene in tears.

"Heirloom! Are you okay? What was your friend doing up there?!" She picked me up and began showering me with hugs and kisses. I was too much in shock to push her away. I was just happy to see my mother. It wasn't until she put me down I had noticed that Lightning had dropped a little trinket. On examination, it was a cloud pendant made of... Sapphire, or some other blue gemstone. I picked it up with my wing and yelled for her. "Lightning! You dropped something!" I tried looking for her, and from the corner of my eye I see her yellow and grey mane and rush over to her.

"You dropped your pendant!" She turned around to me and she looked at me, extremely shocked.

"You're... You have to keep it, I couldn't separate it from you."

"What?"

"...Congratulations on your new Cutie Marks, both of you." I got my cutie mark that day, and so did Victory Dance. His Cutie Mark was a quick flying firework, and mine was a pendant in the shape of a cloud.

Of course, I didn't learn it until I saw him in hospital the next day. An ambulance took him away. Victory was in the hospital for a couple of weeks with a broken and singed wing, and had a cast for the whole year. I... Couldn't stay mad at him, even when he said he used me. How could I stay mad at him? He apologised profusely and begged for me to see him every day. I would help him in school, and he would tell me what was going on in the hospital. When he got out of the hospital, we began playing again. Overtime, we got closer and I felt myself getting more... Anxious when I saw him. Almost like every time I saw him I'd die because my heart would beat so fast, or like I'd melt because I'd feel feverish. He'd do stupid things, and I'd follow him making sure that no harm comes to him again.

I got more courageous and slowly, my life became all about keeping him in check, as well as being there for me when he needs me most. I guess this is where my story begins, but Victory's story begins much before this.

Author's Note:

Hey all, thank you so much for reading this! I know this is a really long first chapter, but it definitely needed to be here in one piece. I really hope that you enjoyed this and that you continue reading. I would love some criticism, as this is my first MLP fanfiction.

Peace and Love, maemaee