The Nexus

Chapter 6: Commander Hurricane

Rainbow Dash had always been responsible despite her lack of visibly proving it to her friends.

At the age of ten, she had gotten a job at the Weather Factory and kept it until the age of fifteen when she was transferred to the Rainbow Factory. Then, she managed to work her way up to manager before moving to Ponyville to work as a weather Valkyrie. She might have slept on the job more times than she remembered but she did do what was required of her. Even after she became part of the Mane Six–the name was an inside joke amongst the six of them–she still did her job and more. At nineteen, Rainbow Dash had become Head Weather Valkyrie with a hefty salary to go with it.

When Rainbow Dash was fourteen, she bought her first apartment in Cloudsdale to continue attending advance courses at Cloudsdale University. She used the bits earned from her Weather Factory job to pay for the first semester while she worked at one of the cafes down the street as a cook. Any and all bits she earned from the stray jobs she did was used to pay the monthly rent and her food bill. At the age of seventeen, she finished college with a PhD in meteorology, ancient history, astrophysics, and calculus, a Masters Degree in neurology, and a Bachelors Degree in economics, architectural design and sports therapy. With the help of Ditzy Doo, Rainbow Dash bought and created her own house just between Cloudsdale and Ponyville. She had always been money smart and managed to save enough to cut her shifts at the Weather Station to spend more time with her friends.

When the Mane Six formed, Rainbow Dash was sacked with another responsibility. A young, flightless Valkyrie by the name of Scootaloo had immediately taken a likening to her and had officially made her her mentor. The kid practically worshipped her–why shouldnt she?–and it just made Rainbow Dash's life harder. Between saving the world, spending time with her fellow Elements, training for the Wonderbolts and doing her job, Rainbow Dash had reluctantly agreed. She saw herself in the kid.

Rainbow Dash wondered if anyone besides Ditzy Doo, her kid, Dinky Doo, and Ditzy's mysterious friend knew how hard she worked. She had never really publicized everything she did because of fear of looking uncool and people finding out the truth, but she did wonder if their view of her would change. Would they continue looking at her like the arrogant Valkyrie who couldn't keep her mouth shut? Or would they realize that everything isn't perfect? Rainbow Dash had crafted her mask so well, she wasn't sure what she saw in the mirror anymore. Yet, no one could argue that Rainbow Dash wasn't responsible.

It was the same responsibility Rainbow Dash had in modern Equestria that left her a beacon for the rest of the Valkyries in the time she was now. After making it to the Valkyrie capital, Skyfall, Rainbow Dash–or Aurora– had been bombarded with tasks that would have left a weaker woman, and man, crying, and with only Aurora's not-so-perfect memory to guide her around the snowy city, Rainbow Dash was more than ready to kill someone.

The woman was absolutely clueless when it came to actually talking to people. She didn't know anyone's name, nor did she seem to care, she had abused her underlings by using abhorrent methods, and she had disrespected her commanding officers more times than Rainbow Dash was willing to fight an Ursa Major. When Rainbow Dash had started her tasks, everyone had skillfully avoided her. The fact that she was dressed as a Terran aside, Rainbow Dash was increasingly irritated at how everyone was acting like she was Cerberus. It wasn't until a younger soldier had tumbled into her did she learn the truth. As soldierly, but also as kindly, as possible, Rainbow Dash went about her tasks. The number of tasks she had to perform were according to how many she had missed in the past week. As a captain, Aurora had to deal with all the petty needs of her superior commanders, but Aurora also had the ability to pass it off to the people in her platoons. However, since she had passed off too many tasks to her underlings, Aurora had more than a hundred jobs to complete by midday, all actually pretty easy. Since Aurora was essentially killed when Rainbow Dash came into the past, the tasks fell to her. She had laughed when the blacksmith had gawked at how pleasant she was when helped him unwarp a blade. It had also been her-–Aurora's–sword. He had angrily demanded to know what she could have possibly done to warp a finely smithed sword that he had created with his bare hands. To be honest, Rainbow Dash even didn't know.

Aurora the Wanderer was a known drunk when not in battle against the Terrans, Alchemists and Griffins. How Aurora had managed to split a sword straight down the center, then lose half of it and finally warp the remaining metal into slump of useless metal was beyond her.

The blacksmith, Thunder Strike, had been kind enough to throw the sword out, using only the metal or another project, and make her a new one. She had given the other sword to him, too, because dual swords were useless without their original counterpart. Thunder Strike promised to have the sword, he had said something along the line of, "you keep breaking your swords because they're not meant for you. I shall create the perfect sword for you and there's no possible way in Olympus that you'll break it", ready by dawn the next day if Rainbow Dash was willing to help work the forge. Thinking that she would decline the offer because men have lost entire limbs to the raging fires and Aurora's own reputation of only pulling her own weight and nothing more, Thunder Strike nearly had a heart attack when Rainbow Dash agreed. Actually, now that Rainbow Dash thought more on it, everyone in hearing range was shocked.

Perhaps they were even more shocked when they actually saw Rainbow Dash helping. She had traded in her Terran clothes for a grey tunic, brown trousers, and a set of boots. Her belt still remained but the sheath was gone, and her grey hair–seriously? Grey? Such an uncool color–was in a tight bun to prevent it from catching on fire. Just from an hour of work Rainbow Dash already had soot staining her shirt and pants, arms and face, as she diligently worked. Let it be said that when motivated, and bored, Rainbow Dash gave whatever she did a hundred and twenty percent. Because she, and everything she did, was twenty percent cooler than everyone else. A few higher ranking officers had stopped by to witness the strange sight of Aurora the Drunk, as she was called by her fellow Valkyries, working in the smithery. A good size crowd had formed in order to watch the strange sight and get their weapons fixed. She had already helped Thunder Strike with twenty orders of new swords, ten of axes, a few hammers and at least thirty shields. While her cutie mark wasn't smithery–nor was it Aurora's–,Rainbow Dash was amazing with the hammer.

Propelling the lightning covered hammer down upon the sword mounted on the anvil, Rainbow Dash launched strike after strike to even the white hot blade out to the right specifications. The lightning danced across her arms as she added more to hear the metal. If the metal got to cool, the metal would become uneven with the strikes. If it got to hot, however, then it warped and lost it's shape far to much for it to be of any use. Thunder Strike had already left the forge by the time Rainbow Dash had set to work on the sword. It was a special order, unnamed but important, and required immense amount of work done to get it just right. She didn't question why Thunder Strike had left her on her own–which wasn't really alone because the crowd was watching her work for four hours already. Instead, she focused her undivided attention upon the sword that she was going to perfect.

Rainbow Dash wasn't really one for details. It was more of Rarity's thing in the Mane Six. Even then all Rarity did was add a lot of fancy gems to whatever she was making. Rainbow Dash was impatient and brash. If something require time and patience, count her out. But every time the lightning cloaked hammer swung down upon the anvil, her desire to get this done right just increased. Whether it was because a crowd was watching and she wanted to impress them with how cool she was or if it was Aurora's lingering desire to kill that wanted the perfect weapon to do so with, Rainbow Dash couldn't decide. Frankly, it terrified her that Aurora still had some presence in her. Yes, it was her body originally. No, Rainbow Dash didn't have any right to it, but didn't she? Princess Celestia had told her one of many things she should realize when coming into the past. One, that the decisions Rainbow Dash makes here will have a giant ripple effect that will ultimately change the future. Two, that she should never reveal to anyone that she's from the future. Three, Rainbow Dash should not kill or let be killed anyone important because that can screw up the timeline. And four, that she's going to be reliving her own past. Meaning she was Aurora the Drunk once upon a time. She was Aurora the Merciless. The Killer.

It sent shivers up her arms despite the heat of the forgery. Never again with she mock blacksmiths, thinking that being a blacksmith would be easy. She would personally go thanking Ponyville's blacksmith when she got home to Equestria. If she ever got home. If Equestria was even there. Shaking the depressing thoughts away, Rainbow Dash toiled on the special sword. After hours of work and instruction from Thunder Strike, Rainbow Dash finished the sword in record time. What she had originally thought was going to turn out as a stick of metal was now a finely crafted blade designed for cutting through armor and slitting enemies' jugulars. The blade was nearly four feet long with a hilt of one foot. Extra light, the sword was well balanced and crafted out of a hard to break or chip metal. By the time Rainbow Dash had finished it, the Celestia's sun was already half way to through the sky and to the west.

"I'm impressed, kid. I didn't think you'd actually stay let alone work." Thunder Strike boomed. "Maybe I was wrong about you."

"I told you I'd do the work." smirked the sweaty Rainbow Dash. She handed him the sword. "Now you have to keep up your end of the bargain."

"Will do, kid." Thunder Strike guffawed. "I'll have it done soon. If you want to make a quick bit, stop by again. I have a spot open."

Rainbow Dash quickly flashed through Aurora's memories. According to her vague memories, Thunder Strike had several apprentices when she visited the forge only a month ago. What he could have been making them do in the time she was gone to make them leave was beyond her.

"Nah. As cool as this was, I'll pass." she smiled.

"Well, since you've done more than you had to and you did a pretty good job," Thunder Strike grinned, passing her a bag of bits, "here's your reward."

"Thanks." Rainbow Dash pocketed the money upon her belt. "Who's the sword for?"

Thunder Strike grinned. It was a twisted grin because half of his teeth were missing. It made her nervous as the crowd dispersed, sensing the show was over. "It's for the new Commander."

"The new Commander?" Rainbow Dash perked up.

If she could find and befriend Commander Hurricane before she left for her journey to Equestria, then she could find Twilight Sparkle. She only hoped Twilight could befriend Clover the Clever or Princess Platinum in time. The blacksmith sheathed the sword into an already pre-made sheath.

"Yeah, the new Commander. Tonight," explained Thunder Strike, "you and everyone will see the coronation of the new Commander. Be at the temple at seven."

"Will do." Rainbow Dash grinned happily.

She all but flew out of the forge, throwing the apron onto the coat rack on her way out. She needed to somehow convince the soon-to-be Commander Hurricane of taking her with her when she left for Equestria. There were possibly a million and one things that could go wrong on the journey and Rainbow Dash wasn't going to be stuck in the past forever.

Channeling what little Rarity she had, Rainbow Dash knew she needed to get changed if she wanted to make a good impression on the Commander. Sooty clothes would not cut it. Recalling where Aurora the Drunk had lived before Rainbow Dash arrived, she flew high up into the cloud coverage until Skyfall was just a speck in the distance. She needed a shower and quickly, but back then–or now–showers were not in existence. So she improvised. When Rainbow Dash was younger–about three or four–flying involved a lot of crashes into the ground below. Though Valkyrie bones are tough, their clothes were not. Mud, dirt and grass stains had become mundane for the young Rainbow Dash, and to avoid being scolded by the not-yet-violent Momma Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash had discovered that racing through clouds was an effective alternative to a shower. Since clouds were nothing more than evaporated water, Rainbow Dash could manipulate the cloud into drenching her without causing her wings to sag from the water. If she flew fast enough, then the water would dry from her clothes, leaving them clean. Well, as clean as they would get from a quick rinse.

Rainbow Dash used this method to rid most of her clothes and body of the soot. Of course, it proceeded to reveal some nasty burns from the lightning, but after a couple hours, the burns would heal like all the rest. She resisted the urge to perform a Sonic Rainboom in her new body as she headed towards the cloud home that Auro–she owned. It wasn't as big as her home in Equestria, but it was fancy. With columns and fountains of rainbows–a mockery of the Alchemists–, the house was worthy of a captain in the Valkyrie military. She entered the house with a feeling of misery. Once she closed the door, the feeling only increased. The house was mostly bare save for a table and a couple of chairs. a winding staircase led to the bedroom that overlooked the living room with a high ceiling. A simple cot was pushed against the wall and a wardrobe was next to it. It was empty and lonesome. This was not her home and never would be.

Flying up to the second floor, she opened the door with a creak. Inside, a variety of Terran clothes and Valkyrie uniforms hung from clothes hangers. A couple pairs of boots sat at the base. Cringing at the selection, Rainbow Dash stripped out of the wet outfit, peeling it from her skin like a second layer and carelessly throwing it into the wooden hamper at the base of the bed. She pulled on a fresh set of undergarments before taking a hesitant look in the full body mirror. Gold eyes met hers. Every muscle that rippled with each movement she did was so familiar that it was foreign. The body itself was different. Scars of all different shapes and sizes, dark and light, littered her new/old body. There were scars that Aurora did even know how she got and there were some that gave her recurring nightmares for weeks at end.  One such scar was a large one that ran from the back of her neck all the way down her back, between her shoulder blades and down to her right hip where it curved to the front of her thigh.

From Aurora's memories, it had only been two and a half months ago since the incident. She was grounded because a group of Alchemists had created a net of sorts over the area that prevented the Valkyrie troops from taking off. It had bern a surprise attack and they had been severely outnumbered and out armed. Dressed in only a tunic and padded breeches with her dual swords, Aurora and her squadron had fought tool and nail against the Alchemists. On foot, Aurora had slaughtered foot soldier after foot soldier until one lucky son of a bitch had gotten a clear shot at her neck while she was slicing the neck of one of his comrades. The sword had easily sliced through her shirt and down her back as she twisted to cut off the man's head. The sword had continued slicing through her skin as it was sent off path and down her thigh. The Alchenist's head rolled. Fortunately the rest of her squadron had managed to kill the Alchemists responsible for the attack before she had bled to death in the snow. It then took weeks to heal. But even then it didn't heal properly. The scar was a deep brown that was off color with the rest of her skin with a pinkish center where the blade had cut her, and if she bent a certain way, then the lingering pain upon her neck would flare up and the muscles would contract. It was...painful to say the least. It was only one of a thousand. Aurora had gotten used to the pain that it wasn't even a phantom kiss.

Sighing at her reflection, Rainbow Dash lifted her head high and smiled confidently. Despite being in a completely different world with a different body, she was still Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty and savior of Equestria, mind and soul. She was a born hero and would secure the founding of her nation even if it meant never returning home. Princess Celestia trusted her to get the job done and she would do so until her dying breath.

Rainbow Dash slid on a pair of black trousers that were easy to move in, a grey shirt with the red tunic overtop of it and a pair of boots that went up to her mid-shin. She reattached the belt and sheathed a standard broadsword. According to Aurora's memory, this was how a captain in the Valkyrie military should be dressed as always instead of in the Terran clothes she liked to wear. Careful consideration for whether the soon-to-be Commander Hurricane would be impressed at the sudden seriousness of the drunken captain or if she would just laugh, Rainbow Dash shrugged. It was more of Rarity's thing. Honestly, if the Commander based her character on how she dressed, then there was something wrong with her. The final touch was putting her ridiculously long hair into a tight bun with her long bangs framing her face. Once the ceremony was over, she would find the nearest salon and get it cut short. Long hair was just a pain. Maybe she would also get it dyed rainbow. It would certainly let Twilight know who she was. Or she would just look crazy.

Looking at the time, or the sun, Rainbow Dash loudly cursed. A bad habit of Aurora's. She jumped down into the first floor with a light thud and hit the ground running out the door. Once she had cleared her house, Rainbow Dash took to the skies with the other Valkyrie. A few nearly fell out of the air in shock as the grey haired Valkyrie flew past them with a grin towards the ancient temple at the far side of Skyfall. Literally thousands of Valkyrie of all shapes and sizes had taken to the skies to fly towards the temple in order to attend the coronation of their new Commander. Who the Commander was, they were left in the dark. Only Rainbow Dash knew the identity of the soon-to-be Commander. She spotted Valkyries that looked remarkably like a few she had known back in Cloudsdale and Ponyville while others were completely foreign to her. The masses of wings was remarkable as they moved in unison to the temple, where at the base the coronation would begin.

Nerves jittering, Rainbow Dash landed near the front of the crowds to get a better look at the ceremony. She would need to be able to spot the soon-to-be Commander Hurricane now before the masses swarmed her. The waiting crowds hummed with activity as more and more joined with each passing second until it was a sea of rainbow hair and feathers. At the base of the temple stood Commander Blitz, an old Valkyrie who had served in more wars than she had scars, with his council, his Second and the Oracle, the voice of the Gods. Rainbow Dash quietly wondered if Celestia was able to speak through her. Or worse, Discord. After all, he was the God of Chaos. She also mused if the Oracle foresaw the living God of Chaos and Nightmare Moon try to destroy Equestria. It would certainly save a lot of time, but remembering Twilight's little escapade when she had arrived from the future sent her thoughts crashing at a dead end. She was no egghead like Twilight–there was no way in Tartarus or Celestia's name she would ever admit to being an egghead despite her PhDs at such a young age. Even Twilight didn't have a PhD yet and she had been studying with the Princess since she was young!–but she knew it would only end in disaster if she asked the Oracle anything.

She had almost fallen asleep when the crowds went silent.

"Brothers and sisters, you all are aware as to why I have summoned you here today," Commander Blitz started, eyeing the crowds. A murmur broke out before it died just as quickly, "and you all are aware of why it must happen."

"The Alchemists have their magic, hiding behind spells to protect them while they feast and fatten their already plump bellies, the Terrans have their fields, using it as a bargaining chip to stop us from killing them while they slaughter us, the Griffins have their treacherous mountains and wild beasts to keep us at bay while they pick us off one by one for sport, while we, the righteous rulers of the skies, lands and seas, are forced to toil away to provide rain for the Terrans' crops, water for all living creatures where else there'll be none!  Where is our reward for our work?" he shouted over the roaring crowds. "The Valkyrie are not simple animals to be whipped into obedience. How many mothers and fathers must lose their children to the sport of the other races? We are a proud race, a valiant race! We will not be silenced like bugs. The Alchenists claim they are helping us by raising the sun and the moon, but what do they do other than feed their monstrous bellies while we starve? The Terrans claim they are helping us by working the fields, but have they shared the crop gathered for the harvest? The Griffins at the least have the decency to openly kick us, calling us an inferior race. But who are they to call us inferior when they are nothing more than freaks of nature, neither man nor beast. The Gods crafted us Valkyries from the air we breath and the clouds we stand upon. Zeus, himself, God of Lightning, the King of the Gods, bestowed us with the ability to mold the elements at our will. Are we not superior? Yes, we are!"

His eyes raked through the crowds, landing on every single Valkyrie.

"Zeus, our patron god, has spoken to the Oracle. He has told us through the Oracle of a hero that will lead our great race to victory! The hero he speaks of will be nothing short of powerful, ready to crush the Terrans and Alchemists where they ideally stand being served on hand and foot. A force of nature, this hero will be a hurricane. Unfortunately, I am not the one spoken of in the prophecy. The Oracle speaks directly to Zeus, and he will chose which one of you will become the new Commander and have the honor of leading this proud race into battle." Commander Blitz explained. "If you disappoint us, however, I will kill whichever one of you is picked. You're up, Oracle."

He stepped back, face sour, as the Oracle in white robes stepped forward. Her white robes swished with each step she took as her white eyes stared into the deep abyss of nothing. Rainbow Dash watched carefully where the Oracle was walking and tried to spot Hurricane in the masses. Unfortunately, the Oracle seemed in no hurry of finding Hurricane. If anything, she seemed to be delaying it with each passing second. Rainbow Dash wondered how long this would go on for. Rainbow Dash hadn't slept in two days combined with working at the forge and having nothing to eat since last night, Rainbow Dash was more than ready to fall asleep standing. It wasn't until a hand fell upon her shoulder did she full awaken. Besides her, Thunder Strike grinned.

"I can't say I'm surprised to see you here, though, I am surprised to see you cleaned up." Thunder Strike whispered.

"I'm just full of surprises today." yawned Rainbow Dash.

"Have you slept at all today?" he asked.

"No. I didn't have time." answered Rainbow Dash. She stretched her arms.

"You didn't have time or you were drinking again?"

Her eyes never left the Oracle as she talked to Thunder Strike.

"Didn't have time. With everything happening, I didn't have enough time to get some rest." she explained. "I've been running on adrenaline for the last couple of hours."

"You should get some rest."

Rainbow Dash grimaced. Her entire future rested on finding the Commander. If she left now just to sleep, then she could kiss Equestria good-bye. She could not let Princess Celestia down. Not after everything she did for her even if she never really appreciated it. If not for herself, then for everyone else. Especially Princess Celestia.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah. I can do it later. Besides, I want to find out who becomes the next Commander will be."

"Who do you think?" Thunder Strike asked.

Hurricane. "I don't know."

"Well, this thing better hurry. I've got things to do." Thunder Strike turned. "See you later, kid."

With that, the huge blacksmith left her to go mingle with the Commander and his council, the sword she had made earlier hanging from his hands. She was left alone in the buzzing crowds. All around her people were discussing who it could be, if it was them and the honor of being the Commander. But with each whisper, Rainbow Dash was getting concerned that the Oracle wouldn't chose Hurricane. What if she picked a completely different person because of Rainbow Dash's interference with the timeline. Suddenly, the Oracle stopped moving and her head snapping to the sky with white eyes rolling into the back of her skull.

"She who strikes with lightning and defies the sun and moon to right the wrong shall bear the weight of a thousand lifetimes. Journey far and wide, across a different sky, the rainbow shall light the way." the Oracle spoke, raspy but clear.

Rainbow Dash flinched as the Oracle looked directly at her. Wings pressed up against her body, Rainbow Dash wanted to hide in a hole. She had messed up the timeline! Twilight would kill her if she didn't get Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy to Equestria.

"Your journey has already begun, child of sky, earth and sea. When harmony and strife collide, do not fear to fall." finished the Oracle. The priest had to catch her before she fell, exhausted from being used as the middleman.

Rainbow Dash frowned. Harmony. The Elements of Harmony would come into play. She didn't remember this in any Hearth's Warming Eve story. And strife? The opposite of harmony. Could she be talking about Discord? Her brain hurt from thinking of it all.

"Step forward, Aurora." commanded Blitz.

Nervously she obeyed. Standing at the front of the crowd of confused and angry Valkyrie, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but be a tad bit scared. Terrans were frightening when drunk, but an angry mass of Valkyrie with swords and other assorted pointy weapons? Yeah, no thanks. Rainbow Dash would pass.

Commander Blitz looked less than pleased when he locked eyes with Rainbow Dash. Reluctantly he took the sword Rainbow Dash had made and presented it to her.

"Let your sword be your voice in the battlefield." He said as the priest presented the same helmet she had worn in the Hearth's Warming Eve play. Except this time it was real. "Let your helmet be a symbol for all to bear witness. The pride and honor of the Valkyrie rests upon your shoulders. Let you never stumble and never surrender. From this day forward, your name shall no longer be Aurora."

The previous Commander turned to the rest of the crowd.

"We shall fight to protect what is rightfully ours! We shall fight to prove we are the superior race! We shall fight because we are victorious! Bear witness, brothers and sisters, to your new leader, Commander Hurricane!"

The crowd roared.

"Commander Hurricane!"