In Love and War

Chapters

Chapter 1-Introductions
Chapter 2-Hidden Love
Chapter 3-Just Friends, Right?
Chapter 4-The Truth Is Set Free (Rather Suddenly)
Chapter 5-Storm Clouds
Chapter 6-The Storm Breaks
Chapter 7-When You're Gone
Chapter 7.5-The Pieces of My Heart
Chapter 8-Casualties and Nightmares
Chapter 9-No Rest For the Weary
Chapter 10-Our Darkest Hour
Chapter 11-Light in the Dark
Chapter 12: Hold Me Now
Chapter 13-Heart of Darkness
Chapter 14-Redemption and Reunion
Chapter 15-Reunion
Chapter 16-Yours Again
Chapter 17-Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
Chapter 18-Beginning of the End

Chapter 1-Introductions

"Ok, here we go again," Rainbow Dash muttered to herself as she launched into the air. She had been trying all day to perfect her routine for her Wonderbolt Entrance Exam, but just could not get the last part right. She brushed through the first part of her performance easily, and was at the end in a few minutes.

"Five," Rainbow Dash muttered to herself, "Quad-barrel roll,
Four: Pick up speed,
Three: cloud catapult,
Two: Nosedive straight at the ground."
The sound barrier began to morph around her. She was almost through now. Just a little more....
"One: Sonic Rainboooo-oh crap!"
Rainbow Dash failed to penetrate the sound barrier once again, and was catapulted backwards, this time ending up implanted into one of the trees on Sweet Apple Acres. The force of the blow shook off nearly all the apples and earning a surprised yelp from Applejack, who was pelted with the falling fruit

"What the buck is goin' on out here," Applejack said to no one in particular. More than one tree had ended up showering her with fruit today. She looked up and was rewarded with the culprit. "What the hay are ya doin' up there Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash looked down with embarrassment at her friend, who was trying to stifle a laugh. "Just, uh, taking a break from practice, that's all."
"Yeah, I can understand sitting on a tree, but in the tree?" Applejack said, "I don't think that's a good restin' spot."
"Just get me out of here," Rainbow Dash said. She had hit the tree hard enough that her hooves were stuck in the wood. "It's been a long day, and I just wanna get back home."
"Hey, Twi and I are going to the Ponyville Inn for a few drinks later. Ya wanna come?" Applejack asked while kicking the tree to shake Rainbow loose.
"S-s-sure," she said, her speech distorted by Applejack kicking the tree. "W-w-why wouldn't I-I-I go with ya-." Her last word was cut off as she was suddenly freed from her trap and face planted in the ground. She pulled herself up and spat out any dirt she had swallowed. "See ya then AJ," Rainbow Dash said before taking off towards her cloud home.

"Dammit, I still can't get that stupid, freakin Rainboom right," Rainbow Dash said angrily to herself as she flew home. Once she was alone, Rainbow had easily lost her cool with the situation. "At this rate, I will have to wait for the selections next year! Another whole year! Argh, that's the last thing I need." She kicked her door in and headed for her bath, still cursing at herself for not being able to do a move she had already been able to do twice before.

"Seven hundred and twenty eight!"
"Seven hundred and twenty nine!"
"Seven hundred and thirty!"

At that last lap, Soarin collapsed on the ground. His wings felt like they were on fire. Surprise and Fleetfoot came in close behind, both just as exhausted as he was.
"Nothing...like...doing...one-thirty more...laps than...normal, eh Soarin?" Surprise said with a mischievous smile. "What's the matter, all....those pies made ya fat?"
"Hey, I still...beat you, didn't I?"
"Only because Fleetfoot cut me off on the last five laps!"
At his point Fleetfoot joined in. "That's what you deserve for knocking me into that cloud on six-seventy five. I am surprised Spitfire didn't catch you!"
"Never does!" Surprise said with a large grin as she used her wings to hover upside down in front of Fleetfoot, who pushed her out of the way while rolling her eyes at Surprise's antics. Soarin smiled in amusement at the two mares, before unraveling his sore wings and flying down to the small town below the arena. This was the location of their next show. He had already found the most important locations on his last visit: food and drink. He flew slowly, admiring the scenery of the surrounding landscape. That was, before a voice right beside him violently drew him out of his daze.
"Hey, mind if we join you," Surprise said with Fleetfoot a wingspan behind her.
"Uh, sure. I don't care," Soarin replied.
"Whatcha thinking about Soarin?" Surprise teased. "Are you thinking about HER?"
"What? No! Why do you always think that?"
"Only because you still have that picture of the both of you on your desk."
"So what? That means nothing."
"Oh come on, you should ask her out. Or do you not know what to say?"
"Could you just drop it Surprise? Please?"
As usual, Fleetfoot waited for the conversation to get interesting before chipping in. "Aw look, he's blushing. Soarin does like Rainbow Dash! Daw!"
Soarin let out a disgusted grunt and facehoofed himself. 'Who am I kidding?' Soarin though, tuning out the mares. 'Of course I like her. And yes, I am not sure how to exactly ask her out. But more importantly, how the hay does Surprise know this?' He glanced at her, trying to figure out how she was able to pull it off.

The trio landed and walked into the Ponyville Inn. Fortunately they had left their uniforms at the arena, or else the Inn would probably be flooded with fans right then. Few recognized them without the distinctive blue and yellow body suits. Soarin had just ordered his cider when the door opened again. He instinctively turned to look, but whipped his head back around as soon as he saw who had entered the door. Surprise stifled a laugh at his reaction as she saw a certain cyan mare enter the Inn with what must have been two of her friends. Fleetfoot just glanced towards where Rainbow Dash was not taking a seat and back to Soarin. Then back to Rainbow and back to Soarin.
Soarin pulled them closer and spoke in a whisper. "All right, you are right. I do like her, but I don't know what to do. I do not know what I should say. And I have no idea how you do it Surprise. Also, I hate both of you, ya know that."
"Well," Surprise started, "let's start off with me just saying I KNEW IT! Anyways, just go over there if she is alone and offer to buy a drink. Then, you guys will start to talk, be friends, blah, blah, blah; etcetera, etcetera. Eventually, you will offer to fly her home, she stops at the door, gives you a goodnight kiss, and one thing leads to anoth-"
Surprise's ramble was cut off by Fleetfoot's hoof being shoved into her mouth. "I think we all know what you were about to say, and no, it does not always 'lead to another'." Fleetfoot turned back towards Soarin, still keeping her hoof shoved in Surprise's mouth. "Look, just do what stupid here started out with, and let it run its course."
"Yeah, only problem is what if she doesn't like me?"
"Then you look like an idiot, but at least she knows you care about her."

Soarin turned to look at where Rainbow Dash was at. Her friends were starting to get up to leave, but it did not seem like she was going anywhere. He waited until they were out of the door until he turned back to Fleetfoot and Surprise, who had just managed to get Fleetfoot's hoof out of her mouth. "Well, here goes nothing," Soarin said with an edge if nervousness in his voice. He gulped down the rest of his cider and started to slowly walk towards the cyan mare, who still did not notice him.

Even though her friends had left, Rainbow was still content with having a drink by herself. It gave her more time to think and try to figure out what might be wrong with her routine. She replayed her failed attempts over and over, but could not find out what was wrong. A nearby voice drew her out of her thoughts
"Would you mind if I, uh, bought you a drink?"
'Ugh,' Rainbow thought to herself. She didn't even have to look to see who it was. A pair of teenage stallions had been bugging her all night, and now that Twilight and AJ were gone, they could do it even more. "How about you just buck off and leave me al-" Rainbow Dash started to say as she turned in her seat to glare at the annoying little prick bothering her. But Rainbow cut herself off once she realized that she was face to face with none other than Soarin.
"OhmygoshIamsosorryIthoughtyouweresomeoneelseIamsosorry!"Rainbow spewed out as see realized that she had just swore at Soarin.
He gave her a grin, amused by her reaction. "It's ok. I understand. Don't worry about it. Anyways, could I buy you a drink?"
"Oh, yes please." Rainbow flashed a sheepish grin at Soarin. She could not get over the fact that she had just yelled at him. "So, uh, what did you guys do at the arena today?"

Surprise smiled at Fleetfoot as Soarin and Rainbow began to start talking. "I bet you 20 bits Soarin and her are going to start going out after tonight!"

"So that's when I ended up being shot into a tree at Sweet Apple Acres. And I mean INTO the tree! Applejack had to- Hey it's not funny," Rainbow said playfully. Soarin had a big grin as she regaled him of her attempts to pull off a sonic rainboom earlier that day. She gave him a light punch on his shoulder and he faked an injury. Rainbow glanced at the clock and frowned slightly. "Soarin, I have to go. It's late, and I really need to get some sleep so I can practice again tomorrow"
"Oh, ok. We should do this again sometime.""
"How about next week? Same time, same place?"
"Sure...but there is only one problem. We will be headed off to Canterlot after our show here."
"Magic thing Soarin," Rainbow said with a sarcastic tone as she leaned a little closer, "It's called flying."
With that, Rainbow Dash gave him a wink and walked out the door. Soarin sat at the table, staring wistfully at the door where Rainbow had left.
"So how did it go?" Surprise had managed to get right beside him without making a sound, and her sudden intrusion made him jump.
"It was fine."
"Ya gonna see her again? Are you? Are yo-". Surprise was once again cut off by Fleetfoot, who managed to keep a calm expression throughout it all. "I am sure you want to hear all about his time with Rainbow Dash," she said to the muted Surprise, "But we need to head back to HQ. It is late and we are going to be training hard tomorrow. Let's go."
Soarin left the Inn only half aware of reality, his mind still locked onto Rainbow Dash. Even as he flew to the Wonderbolt Headquarters, he replayed the events of that night over and over. 'Perhaps I have a chance after all,' he thought to himself. 'Just take it slow, and be careful. Don't rush this Soarin. You don't want to lose her again.'

Author's Note

Here we go. Again, this will take some time to develop. Please bring up any questions, concerns, comments, etc.

Thanks for reading

Chapter 2-Hidden Love

"You had a date with Soarin?!? Like the Wonderbolt Soarin! Did you kiss him? Did he taste like pie? You know how much I like pie, even though cupcakes are better, but not pumpkin flavored cupcakes, even though pumpkin pie is AMAZI--". Pinkie Pie was cut off by a sudden cyan hoof being shoved into her mouth.
"Pinkie Pie, it was not a date!" Rainbow Dash wore an annoyed expression as she listened to Pinkie Pie's ranting. "All we did was have a few drinks and hang out. You know I'm not into that mushy stuff."
"Sounds like a date to me Dash," Twilight chimed in out of nowhere, earning a glare from Rainbow Dash. "I wouldn't be denying it either. Not everyone gets the chance to go out with a Wonderbolt. I actually don't think anyone has for a long time. Maybe there is somewhere I could find that."
"Look, I am telling you, nothing happened. We talked over a few drinks. That's it. End of story."
"Well, you shot that down. Sorry, but I have to go. Princess Celestia sent me a new set of books that have been waiting to read of a long time."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll see ya around sometime egghead," Rainbow said playfully. Twilight rolled her eyes as she left Sugarcube Corner.
Rainbow Dash turned to Pinkie, but the pony had already disappeared. With Twilight gone, Rainbow was left by herself. She found her thoughts drifting back to when he first offered to buy her a drink. 'Perhaps he does like me after all. Why else would he come out of the blue and hang out? And then there is our meeting next week. Am I really sure there is nothing between us going on?'
She continued to mentally interrogate herself, unable to convince herself that she was just friends with him.

"Soarin, wake up! Wake up!" Rainbow Dash was nearly inches from his face, her eyes wide with worry. "Soarin, wake up!" Rainbow's face began to shift and distort as she spoke. "You better get up right now, or I will bust you so low that even a flight school graduate will hold a higher rank than you!" At that comment, the distorted image of Rainbow Dash morphed into the furious face of Spitfire as he snapped out of his dream.
"We have one week until our show," Spitfire yelled at him. "One week! If I don't see you out on the training field in ten minutes, you better go ahead and leave before I get ahold of you!" She stormed out of the room, not caring to look back and see if Soarin was moving.
Soarin drowsily looked at the clock opposite of him. "9:30? Heh, no wonder she is mad."

"Hey, look who's up," Surprise smirked as Soarin flew out into the open training field. "What took ya so long Soarin? Did ya go back And have a late night rendezvous with Rainbow after we got here? A little tired from a long night?"
"What?!? No! What is wrong with you?"
"Ah, I am just messin' with ya Soarin. Or should I say, 'Snorin'?" Surprise burst out in a fit of laughter, falling to the ground. "It works so well! It's perfect!"
"Oh come on."
At this point Fleetfoot, who had been taking a break off to the side, chimed in. "I hate to say this, but I think the name is stuck."
"Geez, a pony sleeps in for once in his life and he lives with it forever."
"Yep!" Surprise said before bursting out in another fit of laughter at his new nickname.
A shout from Soarin pulled them out of their fun. "Attention!" he called out as Spitfire took the field, carrying saddlebags that appeared to be filled.
"Oh no not this again! I hate flying with weights!" Surprise moaned, slouching a little. The last time she had tried she ended up turning a little too sharp and swerved into Fire Streak, injuring both ponies.
"Wait, this week is focused on combat. Why would we be weight flying," Soarin whispered to Surprise. Their questions were soon answered when Spitfire dumped the bag on the ground, and hoof guards rolled out.
"Why do we need these," Fleetfoot asked, prodding at the one closest to her. "Armor training isn't until Friday, after the show."
"Well if you all would stop asking questions I might be able to explain," Spitfire said. "Do you all remember the Griffon-Pegasi war?" She was met with silence. "You know, where the griffons beat us time and time again because of their ability to use swords with their talons once they got past our spears? Well, Canterlot engineers have created a prototype hoofguard that now allows us to use swords as well." On cue, she flipped out her right hoof and from underneath came a clip. "These clips are big enough to hold swords appropriate for ponies, but small enough to flip into the hoofguard and cause no discomfort. Now, thanks to our elite ranks, we are the first unit to test out these and see how they work. So everyone gear up!"

The sun had set by the time the Wonderbolts had finished testing the prototype armor. Their nonexistent experience with the sword increased the difficulty of their time training. By the end, Soarin was drenched with sweat, his right foreleg hurting from his attempts at drawing and swinging his sword. "Ugh," Soarin groaned to Fleetfoot and Surprise. "I NEVER want to do that again."
"You said it," Fleetfoot replied, using her wings to fly inches above the floor so she did not have to walk. "I think that was harder than bucking Wonderbolt initiation."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far. But it was rather difficult."
"I think once we get used to swinging it around, the training will be easy. But that will be a while away. What do you think Surpri-?" Soarin turned to see the normally energetic pony spread-eagled on the floor, deep in sleep.
"That's the first time I have ever seen her so quiet," Fleetfoot said, the exhaustion easy to recognize in her voice. "Come on, let's get her out of here." Fleetfoot and Soarin flew over and each grabbed one of Surprise's forelegs in their mouth and half-dragged her back to her bunk.

"I don't know about you, but our decision to skip lunch is killing me," Soarin said after they had got Surprise in her bed. She was still deep asleep, despite the ride. "Hey, I'm going down to Ponyville to grab a pie, you wanna come?"
"Nah Soarin, I'm good. I am too tired to eat."
"Your loss." In reality, Soarin was glad that neither of his friends were going. He was really hoping to see Rainbow Dash at Ponyville, and maybe get a chance to talk to her. He slowly walked out of the door before flying off to the small town below.

Soarin sunk through every cloud that was in his way, allowing the cool moisture to relax the sore muscles in leg. He eventually went into a free-fall through the cloudy skies, allowing himself to be caught and slowly drift through each in return. The cool clouds were so relaxing that he closed his eyes and began to drift off into sleep. Just as he began to sleep, he smacked into another pony, dragging both into a rather large cloud.

"What the hay?!?" the pony cried out in the darkness that surrounded them. Soarin instantly knew who it was. That was just his luck.

"Uh, hi Rainbow," Soarin said in the darkness. A much more furious reply followed.
"Soarin! I swear I am going to kill you once I get out of here and find you!"
"Nice to meet you again also."
"Whatever. How the hay am I supposed to get out of here?
"Uh, there is this magic thing. It's called wings."
"Ha ha, real funny. Did you not notice that there is fog below this? If I go in the wrong way, I will hit the ground and break my neck! Didn't think about that, did you?"
"I was kinda, uh, asleep."
"What? How do you just fall asleep while flying?"
"Long story. Anyways, how are we going to get out of here?"
"Come this way"
Soarin turned to the way he thought was up, and rocketed forwards. It was not long before he broke through the surface of the clouds. Rainbow Dash was already waiting for him.
"How do you fall asleep while flying?"
"Well, it was more like a free fall through the clouds. Then I passed out."
"Well that means you owe me a drink. And some pie."
Soarin smiled at the proposition. If he got to spend more time with her, he was always up for it. "Alright, I guess I do."
"Come on, I know just the place."

"Sugarcube corner," announced Rainbow Dash as they neared they neared the odd structure. "My friend Pinkie Pie works here. I don't think you know her."
"No, what's she like?"
"Loud, talkative, incoherent, and a bit, well, bouncy.
"Hmm, seems like an interesting character."
"HI DASHIE!" The energetic pink pony seemed to come out of nowhere, already speaking in rapid-fire mode. "It is so nice to see you here; I am SO bored right now I could just bounce off the walls. Well actually I did, but that was just so I could say that I-Who is that? Is that Soarin? Are you guys going on a date? Do you have anything special in mind? How about some triple-chocolate cake? Oh, how about some pie? What flavor? Blueberry? Cherry? Or maybe-"
Pinkie Pie's nonstop talking was cut off by Rainbow Dash's hoof being stuck into her mouth. "Look, Soarin and I are just here to grab something to eat, ok? No need make a big fuss over it."
"Are you suurrreee?" Pinkie said, stretching her neck to a disproportional length so she was close to Rainbow Dash's face.
"Yes, I am sure," Rainbow said, pushing Pinkie's head away. "Now, two blueberry pies, please."
"Okie Dokie Loki!" Pinkie exclaimed before hopping to the back of the shop. Rainbow turned towards Soarin and rolled her eyes at Pinkie's behavior.
"Well, you did say that she was loud and incoherent," Soarin said with a slight smile. He walked over to a nearby table and turned back towards Dash, who had her attention focused on the returning pink pony. He sighed inwardly as he watched her get drawn into another unintelligible conversation with Pinkie. 'If only I could tell if she liked me back. It would make this a whole lot easier.'

Soarin had become so lost in thought that he didn't recognize that Rainbow had managed to escape Pinkie and approached him. Her voice cut into his thoughts. "Soarin. Soarin. Equestria to Soarin."
"Oh, sorry Rainbow Dash, I just got lost in thought."
"Eh, don't worry about it. It happens to all of us every once in a while. Anyways, you got lucky. Pinkie decided the pie is on the house, since she seems to still think we are on a date."
"Well, I wish she was right," he muttered under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Huh," Soarin said, suddenly realizing he had thought out loud. "What was what?"
"You said something."
"No I didn't. You must be going crazy."
"I am not! You said something. Now what was it?"
"I didn't say anything."
"Whatever. Here, eat your pie before it gets cold." She shoved his pie over to his side of the table. "You know, I can see how Pinkie could think we are dating. I mean, it's the middle of the night, and we come up and order pie with no one around. And-wait, how did you eat your pie that fast?"
"I am bloody starving! We skipped lunch to practice, so I gotta make up for it now!"
"I am surprised that you don't have enough food stored in your gut to last you a month!"
"Hey, I'm not fat! I just enjoy the fine aspects of life, especially food."
"ESPECIALLY food," Rainbow said with a smirk. "I am surprised you can even fly with how much you eat!"
"Oh, you wanna race, do ya?"
"Well, I am only the fastest flier in Equestria. It would only be fitting if I beat a Wonderbolt before doing my entry exam."
"You're on."

"Alright, I got the course set up," Rainbow said, putting the last cloud into position. "No pushing, wrecking, or any other cheating, you got that?"
"What, you think I would do that?"
"Once you start to lose to me you will. Now, on your mark, get set, GO!"
Both Pegasi shot from the starting point, keeping neck and neck as they pulled around the first turn. Both increased their speed, until the wind was burning their eyes and forcing their checks backwards. But no matter how much Soarin tried, he could not get past Rainbow Dash. She glanced back at him and gave him a wink combined with a mischievous smile, and suddenly shot ahead past the finish line.
"Haha," Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "I did it! I knew I would win! I just beat a Wonderbolt! Ha ha!"
Soarin collapsed onto a cloud. This impromptu race combined with the training from earlier and a full stomach did not mix.
Rainbow Dash approached where he was lying down, and held out a hoof close to his face. "Excuse me Mr. Wonderbolt," she said, deepening her voice to act like a reporter. "How does it feel to lose to not only the coolest pony in Equestria, but also the now-confirmed fastest and best flyer?"
"Ha ha," Soarin replied in a sarcastic tone, shoving her hoof away. "Very funny. One race doesn't mean anything."
Rainbow Dash put back on her mischievous grin. "Oh, but it does," she said, before kicking the cloud that was under him into nonexistence.
"Hey!" Soarin exclaimed as the cloud supporting all his weight disappeared. He fell a short distance and landed onto another with a muffled 'poof' sound. Rainbow flew down and landed beside him, falling onto her back within a wing's length of him. Soarin immediately noticed this, and had to fight back the urge to wrap his wing around her. Half of his mind was yelling at him to go ahead, but the other was warning him to take it easy. 'Look Soarin, you gotta tell her sometime. Now is the best chance you'll get. Go ahead, what do you got to lose.' Soarin mentally argued with himself for a few minutes, before coming to a decision.
Soarin turned towards Rainbow Dash, about to finally tell her how he felt. But she was already asleep, her chest rising and falling slowly, her face turned towards his. He looked at her for a minute, admiring how beautiful she actually was, before slowly scooping her up in his forelegs and flying slowly to her house. Soarin opened the door and, after placing her on the couch while he searched for it, carried her to her bedroom. As gently as possible, Soarin placed Rainbow Dash onto her cloud bed and brought the sheets up over her. He took one last look at her, the mare of his dreams, lying asleep on her bed. He stared wistfully for a minute, before heading off to the Wonderbolts HQ. Soarin knew he was going to feel terrible tomorrow, but it was worth it.

Author's Note

Alright, Chapter 2 is up! Again, any comments, constructive criticisms, suggestions welcome.
Now before you say anything, all content in my story is relative to some event, future or now. Remember, I said i got this planned out

Hopefully chapter 3 will be up next week, I am proofreading and tweaking it still while trying to wrap up chapter 4 rough draft.

Chapter 3-Just Friends, Right?

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to discover that she was in her room. 'That's odd. I don't remember flying here.' She
replayed the events of the previous night, trying to figure out where something was missing. The last thing she could remember was looking at Soarin as they both were lying on the cloud. 'I must have fallen asleep because-' That was when it dawned in her. 'He must have brought me here once he realized I was asleep. Oh, that's embarrassing.' Of course she would be the one to fall asleep in front of her idol. She had always liked Soarin the best out of the Wonderbolt team, so that made it even worse.

A knock on her door caught her attention. Rainbow Dash shot down her stairs, hoping that Soarin had gotten the day off and was coming to see her. But the only pony greeting her at the door was Derpy the mail pony. "Hiya Miss Dash. I got a letter for you, from one of them Wonderbolt fellas. He said bring it to ya immediately, so I went ahead and-"
"Do you have it?" Rainbow cut her off, half of her hoping that it was her invitation to take her field exam, the other wanting it to be from Soarin.
"Uh, yeah, just a second." Derpy plunged her head into the mailbag she was carrying, searching for the one letter meant for Dash. After what seemed like forever to Rainbow Dash, Derpy emerged with a letter postmarked with a stamp displaying the Wonderbolts. "Here ya go," said Derpy from around the letter in her mouth. Rainbow Dash snatched it and flew inside, leaving a confused Derpy on her porch. "I wonder what that was all about," the gray pony said to herself before flying off to continue deliveries.

Rainbow Dash waited until Derpy had left before tearing open the envelope and reading through its contents

'Rainbow Dash,

We need to talk. How about tomorrow after the show? Meet me at the arena gate, 6:00. I hope to see you then! Well, that is if you don't fall asleep on me again. Ha ha.

Anyways, since I wasn't sure if you were going to be able to make it, here are some tickets on the house for you and your friends. Figured you didn't want to go alone. Talk to ya then!

Soarin

Rainbow Dash checked the envelope once again and, sure enough there were six tickets pressed up against the side. She pulled one out and examined it. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "VIP seats! They are going to be so excited! I gotta go tell them about this!"

Rainbow Dash shot towards the Ponyville library, which was conveniently located close to her cloud home. "Hey Twilight, guess what I got-" Rainbow Dash started but cut off as she saw her friends circled around Pinkie Pie, listening intently.
"So Dashie and Soarin come into Sugarcube Corner at like, 1 in the morning. At first I just saw her, and was SO excited because night shift is EXTREMELY boring. Then Soarin came in, and I was all like 'Oh, are you guys on a date?' and she said they were just getting food, but I thought they were because who gets pies at 1 in the morning? So then they left, but I followed them because I just knew I was right. They had a race and everything! Then I saw Dashie sound asleep, being carried back tow-". Pinkie's story was cut off by a cyan hoof in her mouth.
"And I think that's enough story time for today, don't you," interjected Rainbow Dash, an annoyed expression on her face.
All of her friends sat in silence for a moment, before all beginning to talk at once.
"Rainbow, you didn't tell us there was anything going on between you and Soarin," Twilight said
"Yeah, why didn't ya say somethin' to us? We are your friends after all," Applejack said over the din.
"That's magnificent, Rainbow. Oh, to be dating someone of his prestige! How did you pull it off?" Rarity said.
Fluttershy tried to say something, but her timid voice was drowned out by the commotion. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was lost in the madness, trying to figure out what was being said and who to answer. After a minute, she lost her cool.
"EVERYPONY SHUT UP! I don't know who put these thoughts into your head, but all Soarin and I are just friends. That's it. Now, I have an important announcement to make. I have managed to acquire some tickets to the Wonderbolts show tomorrow, and have enough for all of you. So, you all wanna stop spreading rumors and have some fun?"
"Oh boy, I love fun!" Exclaimed Pinkie Pie as she bounced over to Dash and grabbed her ticket. "This is going to be so--VIP seats! Dashie, this is awesome!"
"What the hay?" said Applejack. "VIP? How did ya ever manage to get ya hooves on these?"
"I got them from one of my friends from Cloudsdale."
"Does this friend fly for a team, say, for example, the Wonderbolts?" questioned Twilight.
"Uh, he might..."
"He? Does this friend's name happen to be Soarin?" Applejack asked.
"Ok, you got me. He sent the tickets to me. But that doesn't mean anything. It was just a friendly gift."
"I don't know Dash. VIP tickets are pretty expensive," said Twilight. "You don't just give them to just anypony."
"Look, I am sure you all want to think that Soarin and I have something going on, but in all seriousness, it is nothing. Now, if you all would please stop interrogating me, I am going to go home. See ya."
"Ah'm not so sure about that," Applejack said to the other ponies once Rainbow Dash left. "That would be an awful nice gesture for just friends."
"Well, it's not like he can't afford it," Rarity pointed out. "He is a Wonderbolt, after all."
"Still, I am not sure about this whole thing," said Twilight. "She did seem a little anxious to get out of here."

'Could they be right? Might Soarin actually like me? That would explain the tickets, the drinks last week, everything. What if he does? More importantly, do I love him back? I mean, he is nice, handsome, and funny.' Rainbow Dash realized where this was going and tried to force the thoughts out of her head. 'Stop it mind, you are starting to sound like Rarity now. And you are the awesome Rainbow Dash. You are supposed to be to cool for mushy stuff, right? Then why did you start to feel strange whenever Soarin is brought up around you?' Rainbow Dash continued to question herself as she flew towards her cloud home. All she could think about is whether what her friends had said could come true or not. She pulled out an apple pie from her pantry, and sat down, hoping to clear her mind with the rich flavor of a pie from Sweet Apple Acres. Her mind drifted back a few months ago, when Soarin had dropped his pie and she had saved it. Rainbow Dash suddenly realized that she was daydreaming of that moment, and shook her head. "Come on Dash, clear your thoughts," she said to herself. "Just focus on something else, like your Wonderbolt routine." But no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of Soarin continued to creep out from the back of her mind. Eventually, she gave up trying to fight it, and flipped open a Daring Doo book, losing herself in the adventure of her favorite series.

------------------------------------------------------One Day Later------------------------------------------------------------------

"I can't believe this is actually happening," exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she walked into the Wonderbolt arena. "This is going to be so AWESOME!" She stood in place for a moment, soaking in the splendor of it all. She tried to absorb it all, the statues, the posters, the retired uniforms hanging above her. "This is going to be the best day EVER!"
"Hey, uh, Rainbow, I hate to interrupt you mid-trance, but we might want ta start headin' to the VIP section if we wanna get good seats," Applejack said.
"Oh yeah, right. Let's get going!"

The group of friends arrives just in time to get the last front row seats. They were directly level with the racetrack the Wonderbolts raced in before the main show.
"Hey Dashie, did you know that my cousin is a Wonderbolt," said Pinkie Pie for no particular reason. "That's right, of you ever see Surprise, that's my cousin! I mean, we are more of distant cousins, not exactly directly related, but still we are related; so that means I am related to a Wonderbolt!"
Rainbow Dash looked over at Twilight and mouthed 'what', a look of pure confusion on her face. Twilight just shrugged, equally confused by Pinkie's ranting.
"Ah don't get it Pinkie," Applejack said, leading Pinkie to start going into a detailed story of her family tree.
'Oh boy, here we go,' Rainbow thought. 'I am going to get a headache before the show even starts. Lovely.'

Suddenly, the lights in the coliseum dimmed, and four spotlights converged on one corner of the coliseum while another focused on the center.

"Now, the moment you have been waiting for, the Wonderbolts!" On cue, sparks shot out from a corned entrance and each Wonderbolt flew out in turn, forming a single line. Suddenly, they divided, leaving their signature trails of smoke arcing across the sky. "This is so cool!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as the Wonderbolts began to do their aerial maneuvers.

The rest of the night passed by in a blur. Rainbow Dash was having the time of her life. 'Nothing I have done can compare to this moment. Well, almost nothing. Sonic Rainbooms are pretty awesome. Still, VIP seats at a Wonderbolt show!'

At last, the final maneuver ended, and the Wonderbolts took a final dive, swerving between each other, smoke trails interlocking. They pulled up last second, circling around each other with only inches to spare at nearly breakneck speed, before mushrooming out and reforming a single-file line towards their exit.
"That was a great show," said Twilight. "I could see that all over again, and still be amazed."
"You said it sugarcube," replied Applejack.
The six exited the stadium as began to head back to Ponyville. Rainbow Dash lagged behind a little bit, remembering her meeting with Soarin they had planned afterwards.
"Hey Dashie, hurry up! You don't want to miss the after-show party I am throwing," yelled Pinkie Pie to her friend.
"You guys go on ahead; I'll catch up with ya in a few."
"Okie Dokie Loki," shouted back Pinkie before bouncing off to Celestia-knows-where.
"Alright, now I just gotta find Soarin."
"I don't think that will be a problem," said a familiar voice behind her. Se swung around to be face to face with none other than Soarin.
"Hey Soarin, what's up?"
"Come on; let's find a place where we can talk."

Soarin led her through the dissipating crowd of ponies, eventually finding a secluded spot where no one could overhear them. "Ok Soarin, what's up? Why all of this secrecy?"
"Well Rainbow, I need to ask you something," Soarin said, nervously scratching his mane with his hoof. "Will you, uh,-would you--I mean-"
"Come on Soarin; spit it out"
"Ok. Here it goes. Rainbow Dash, will you be my fillyfriend?"

Author's Note

Ok, I know this chapter is a bit shorter, but I honestly couldn't think of any way to make it larger. Again, any suggestions, comments, constructive criticism and grammatical help is appreciated.

And Chapter 4 is almost done and is rather lengthy. So just bear with me guys! Thanks for reading.

Chapter 4-The Truth Is Set Free (Rather Suddenly)

"What?!?" Rainbow Dash's eyes widened and her mouth was left agape. She could not believe what she had just heard
"Will you be my fillyfriend Rainbow Dash?" Soarin repeated, trying to stay as calms and non-awkward as possible.
"I-I am not sure what to say. I-I-I just don't know what to say-I mean, I would love to, but-"
"Hey, it's ok Dash. You didn't expect this, and I shouldn't have asked. I hope this didn't ruin our friendship. Sorry." Soarin turned to leave, disappointment clouding his thoughts.
"Wait Soarin! Don't go!" He turned back around, a glimmer of hope showing in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I would love in be your fillyfriend. Just got caught off-guard, that's all."
"Really? You mean that?"
"Of course I do, ya dummy. Come on, let's stop by Sugarcube corner. I'm starving."

Two pink eyes stared over the hedge at the two ponies. "I knew it," whispered Pinkie Pie to herself as Rainbow Dash and Soarin flew off. "Everypony is going to be so excited! I gotta go tell Twilight! And maybe Applejack. Wait, what about Fluttershy? No, she is probably already asleep. Oh, there is Rarity! Don't want to forget about her. Now where is my party cannon? We need to celebrate!" Pinkie shouted the last sentence in a high pitched squeal, resulting in every pony around her looking in her direction. "Hehe, oops," chuckled Pinkie as she covered her mouth with her hooves.

The short flight to Sugarcube Corner was uneventful and relatively silent, both ponies lost in their own thoughts. It was Rainbow Dash who broke the silence as thy neared the oddly shaped building. "Hey Soarin, let's keep this under the radar for a few days ok? I don't want all of my friends going crazy over our relationship."
"Ok, if that's what you want. But you know Fleetfoot and Surprise are going to ask me where I was."
"Just say you were getting food. You usually are."
"Hey, are you calling me fat?"
"Well, I'm not calling you skinny!"
"Ha ha. Come on; let's get some food before I gotta race you again." Soarin landed beside the door and pulled it open for Rainbow. She had not even taken one step into the entrance before she was hit with a wave of compressed air and confetti, catapulting her backwards. Soarin stood in shock for a moment, his eyes wide as he tried to process what had just happened. Pinkie Pie's head poked out of the doorway with the barrel of her party cannon just visible from Soarin's position.
"HI DASH-" the pink pony started before realizing that Rainbow Dash was buried under mound of confetti. Pinkie started to dig until Dash's mane appeared, which she pulled until the rest of the dazed cyan pony's head appeared. "Come on Dashie, you don't want to miss the party, do you?"
Rainbow shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. The last thing she had seen was the business end of Pinkie's cannon before she was thrown back by a wall of confetti. "Yeah Pinks, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Just give me a sec." She struggled to pull herself out, her limbs not wanting to cooperate. Rainbow Dash sat there for a second and let her pulse return to normal before breaking loose of her party trap.
The sight of Rainbow Dash half-buried was just too much for Soarin to handle. He fought it as long as he could, but burst out into an uncontrollable laughter, earning him a glare from Rainbow. "Hey Rainbow, that confetti matches you really well. Maybe you should use it as camouflage!"
"Just wait until we are alone Soarin, and I will show you how funny this really is."
"Yeah, yeah, you coming in or not? I've been holding this door for five minutes now."
Dash pulled herself up and glanced at Pinkie. The pink pony's eyes were wide with excitement, as if she was just waiting for something to happen. "Are you okay Pinkie?"
"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm great! What, does something seem wrong? My pinkie senses aren't acting up. What is somepony is using magic to block my pinkie senses? What could this mean?"
"Look Pinkie, nothing is wrong. No pony is using magic on you."
"I know! I just wanted to scare you, that's all!" Pinkie bounced back into Sugarcube Corner, dragging along her party cannon with her. Rainbow followed shortly behind her, wary of her cannon in case it should misfire and hit her with a second volley. Dash also made sure to give Soarin a slight bash with her shoulder, flashing a mischievous smile.
"Oh, it's on Dash," Soarin said to her as she walked by. "It's on."

The party went on for several more hours, with more antics ensuing as more and more cider was served. Rainbow Dash and Applejack held a cider-drinking contest, which eventually boiled down the two rivals. Applejack conceded at the last minute, and managed to walk five steps before passing out, much to the amusement of the crowd. Vinyl Scratch turned the bass to high on a song and broke a few of the store's windows, much to the dismay of Pinkie. Soarin ended up having to hide from a group of fanfillies that noticed him when he stepped outside for a moment. Right when the party was about to end, Pinkie grabbed Rainbow Dash by the mane and dragged her up to the top of the counter. "What the hay are you doing?" Dash said, but was cut off by Pinkie, who had mysteriously acquired a megaphone.
"Every pony listen up! First off, who is having fun at this amazing after-show party?" A chorus of semi-sober cheers answered her, while Rainbow looked at her friend in confusion. "Second, let's thank Applejack, who provided us with the cider tonight!" Pinkie glanced around, before finding the still unconscious Applejack propped up in the corner of the bakery. "Last but not least, let's congratulate Rainbow Dash for finally getting together with Soarin!" Rainbow Dash could feel the heat rush to her face. She knew that she was blushing, and looked for an exit through the applauding crowd. She saw Soarin, his mouth agape and eyes wide. Clearly he had not been expecting this either. She finally saw an open window and shot through it, escaping the embarrassment she had just gone through.

Soarin had applauded Pinkie's announcements, wondering why in particular she had dragged Rainbow up to the counter. He was only able to hear part of what she said next, but that was all he needed. "...-Dash for finally getting together with Soarin!" He stood there in shock, watching a look of horror come across Rainbow's face and her cheeks turn from cyan to a deep crimson. Their eyes locked for a second, and both realized that they needed to escape the cheering mob before anything else could happen. Rainbow flew out of a window near him, and Soarin followed suit, following her up into the sky.

Rainbow landed on a cloud far enough away so she would not be found if anyone was looking for her. "Of all the stupid things for that pony to pull, this is the worst!" She angrily evaporated a hoof-sized piece of the cloud before lying down, unable to vent the frustration she had for Pinkie. The sound of a pair of wings drew her attention. She peeked around the corner just enough so that she could see Soarin flying towards her, looking around in an attempt to find her. He caught a glimpse of her mane and headed up to the cloud she was on.
"That was embarrassing," Rainbow muttered, the anger she was bottling up recognizable in her voice.
"You said it. So much for a secret though, huh?"
"How did she find out? You didn't tell her, did you? Because if you did, I am going to kill you."
"What? No! I was with you the whole time, remember?"
Rainbow replayed the evening in her head, realizing that Soarin was with her the entire time, besides whenever she was pulled to the counter. "I guess you're right. But then how could she?"
"One thing you have taught me Dash, that pony is unexplainable. C'mon, let's go home."
"Are you sure? That might not be a good idea, given the amount of ponies that might be expecting us to do something."
"Nah, most of them were earth ponies or unicorns. Besides, I doubt anyone will remember anything come tomorrow."
"I guess you're right. Come on; let's go before I fall asleep again." Rainbow Dash could barely keep her eyes open. It had to be at least two in the morning.
"Race ya back to your house," Soarin said with a mischievous smile, knowing that Dash would never turn down a challenge. He had to get her mind off the events at the party anyhow. "And if I win, I think, oh I don't know, maybe ten pies would be fitting for beating the fastest pony in Equestria. Don't you agree?"
"Alright, alright, but if I win, you gotta bring me breakfast. I like, oh I don't know, apple fritters and some warm cider, maybe some toast."

"How did I lose? I am the fastest pony in Equestria!" Rainbow Dash had actually lost to Soarin. She had been fine at first, but he managed to pull in last second and beat her by a tail length.
"I would say you are tired and semi-intoxicated. I am none of the above," Soarin said, gloating in his victory. After his first defeat, it was nice to make a comeback.
"Yeah, yeah, race me on a good day and we will see who is better." Rainbow Dash mumbled around her keys as she tried to get them in the lock to her door. Soarin was about to step up and offer to help, but she finally managed to get them into the lock. She opened the door and walked in, but Soarin stood outside the door.
"Come in, ya doofus. You're not going to just stand there, are ya?"
"Oh, uh, no, I just didn't know if you would allow me to come in or not."
"Well isn't someone a gentlepony," Dash teased as she bumped into him playfully.
"Yup, sure am!"
"By the way, kitchen is over-over there," Dash said as she tried to fight back a yawn. "You're probably going to be spending a lot of time in there, aren't you?"
"Maybe just a little," Soarin said with a grin. She was never going to let him live down his pie obsession. No one ever did. "Hey you mind if I-". He had turned to ask Rainbow Dash if he could borrow some food, but she was already gone, asleep on her couch. "Oh. Well, that makes things complicated." He glanced around uneasily, trying to figure out exactly what to do before picking her up as he had the last time and carrying her back to the bedroom. "I swear, if she does this anymore, my forelegs are going to be in great shape." He placed her gently down on her cloud bed, and pulled the sheets over her as best as he could. Soarin looked at the cloudbed, and realized how tired he actually was. He stood beside it, debating whether or not he should just sack out here. It had been so long since he had slept on a cloudbed, and it looked so comfortable. 'It's not like anything bad could happen, right?' He thought before climbing in on the opposite side of Dash, far enough away so that if she woke up sometime he wouldn't look suspicious. He listened to the sound of Dash's slow breathing, falling asleep within minutes.

"Hey Fleet, do you know where Soarin is?" Surprise asked.
Fleetfoot's head popped up from under her covers, sporting a bedraggled mane and tired eyes. "Wait, what? Do you know what time it-4:30 IN THE MORNING! Why are you waking me up at FOUR-BUCKING-THIRTY to ask me where Soarin is?"
"Because he isn't in his room, and that only means one thing! You know what that is?"
Fleetfoot could see where this was going already. "What does it mean?" she said, defeat in her voice.
"That you owe me ONE-HUNDRED BITS! Because there is only one other place he could be! And that is with Rainbow Dash!"
"Here, have this," Fleetfoot said before smashing Surprise in the face with a pillow. "Bill me later."

Rainbow Dash drowsily buried her muzzle into Soarin's warm chest. It felt good on a cold morning like it was that day. She pulled closer to him, trying to escape the cool air as much as possible. 'Wait, Soarin!' Her mind screamed at her as her eyes snapped open. "SOARIN! WHAT ARE YOU DO-ahh!" Her head began to pound from the drinks she had the night before. Meanwhile, Soarin was trying to recover from the sudden wake-up call he received.
"Oh, hi Dash," he said drowsily, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.
"Hi nothing! What the hay happened last night?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
"Uh huh. Right."
"Look, you passed out on the couch, I brought you in here, and then felt really tired and I was originally far enough away to keep something like this from happening. So you must have rolled over in your sleep and found me. That's all. Nothing happened."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
"Pinkie Pie Promise?"
"What?"
"'Cross my heart, hope to die; Stick a cupcake in my eye.' Now you say it."
"Cross my heart hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye. You happy?"
"Yep, now could you get me some ice packs or something? My head is killing me."
"Alright Dash." He returned a minute later with an ice pack, which Rainbow pressed onto her forehead in an attempt to ease her pain. "Hey, I gotta go. See you after training?"
"Yeah, if I my head doesn't explode."

Soarin peeked his head around the entrance to the Wonderbolts headquarters. The last thing he needed were his friends asking where he was all night. 'And most of the morning too, come to think of it,' Soarin thought. It was nearly noon by the time he had reached the Wonderbolt's Headquarters. He had not taken more than two steps into the HQ when Surprise popped out from around a corner shouting his name. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could just ignore her.
"Hiya Soarin! So, where were ya all night? Huh? Were you at Rainbow Dash's? Were ya? Did ya ma-". The energetic pony was cut off by Soarin's hoof in her mouth.
"Please don't start. Where I was is none of your concern."
"Please answer her," Fleetfoot chimed in from the other side of him. "She has been trying to get me to pay her since early this morning."
"Pay you for what?"
"Oh, we had a little bet on whether you and Rainbow Dash were going to get together or not."
"Wait, what? You bet on me dating Dash?"
"Why not? You guys seemed perfect together. So, where were you?"
"At Dash's place. What's if matter to you?"
"Did you, you know..." Surprise said, coming within inches of Soarin's face.
"What? No! Come on! I got morals, you know. Really!"
"Ha!" Fleetfoot said to Surprise. "You owe me fifty bits!"
Surprise's face showed pure defeat as she handed a small pouch over to Fleetfoot. Soarin's jaw dropped web he realized how far his friends had went to.
"Ok, that's just wrong. You two bet on me over that? Come on guys, you know me."
"Yeah, I guess Surprise was being pretty stupid," Fleetfoot said, smirking back at Surprise
"Hey! I'm not dumb!"
"Never said you were. I said you were being stupid, not that you are stupid."
"Same thing!"
"Trust me, no it's not."
"It is too!"
"I'm telling you, it's not."
Soarin rolled his eyes and left the two bickering ponies, going back to his room. He was exhausted, and still had a full day of training ahead of him. When he swung open the door, he was greeted by a rather livid Spitfire.
"What do you think you're doing, wandering off without any notice whatsoever? Who do you think you are, the captain of the team?"
"Ma'am, I-"
"What made you think to go off and leave me wondering about where the hell you are? Always, ALWAYS report in before you leave! Even a basic flight school cadet knows that!"
"Ma'am, I was just visiting a friend. Nothing to get all fired up about."
"You mean this friend?" She pulled a newspaper from the saddlebag she was carrying and threw it in front of Soarin. The front page picture met his eyes, and he realized why Spitfire was so mad. The image was of Rainbow Dash the previous night, her face a deep shade of crimson. It was followed by the caption: 'Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolt Soarin Together?'
"Oh," Soarin mumbled. "Damn."
"Exactly what I said. We don't need this drama on top of our busy schedule. You're lucky you're such a good second in command. But since I can't bust you, I gotta do something. All your leaves for the next two days starting tomorrow are cancelled. Better enjoy tonight Soarin. I hate to do this to you, especially now, but I have no choice. Oh, you may want to check the schedule. You're going to want to get lots of rest. This may work out to your advantage after all."
"Permission to exit ma'am?"
"Dismissed. Now don't pull off anymore stunts like that today. Got it?"
"Of course."

Soarin went by Spitfire's office to see what exactly she was talking about, telling him to get lots of rest and all. He stopped at the bulletin board and discovered that today was a day off for all fliers. 'Nice, nice. Thank Celestia my sentence doesn't start until tomorrow.' He continued on to the next two days. All of them had sword training classes set for all day. 'Why is Spitfire doing this? It's not like we are at war or something. Maybe a new routine for our show will involve them?' He stood there confused for a moment, before turning and knocking on her door.
"Come in Soarin." By the sound of her voice, she had cooled down a bit.
"How did you know it was me?"
"I figured you would stop by sooner or later. And yes, you may take today off and go down to Ponyville. Just be back before 2400 hours. Got that?"
"Yes ma'am," Soarin said, a slight smile on his face. He still found it funny how she could seem to read him like she would a book. He saluted and turned out the door. Soarin walked a few steps to act casual, and then took off flying. 'If this is my last day with Dash for a while, I am not going to waste it.' He shot through the gates and headed straight towards Ponyville, flying as fast as he could.

Soarin landed in Ponyville without any commotions at all. 'Hmm, that's strange. Considering how I made front page of the paper, I would think-' Soarin's thoughts were cut off as a mouth clamped around his mane and pulled him into a bush. He swung around, ready to meet his assailant, but was instead greeted by Pinkie Pie, dresses in camouflage fatigues and with matching face paint and helmet. "Wha-" he started but was cut off by the pink pony's hoof on his muzzle.
"Shh, she'll find us," Pinkie whispered.
"Who will?" Soarin asked, lowering his voice as well.
"Dashie. She is really mad right now, so it might be a good idea to hide for a while."
"Why exactly is she mad?"
"Have you not seen the papers?" She shoved one of Ponyville's papers in his face. It showed the same picture as the one Spitfire had showed him. "Why is she mad at me? I didn't do anything, did I?"
"Waitwaitwaitwaitwait, you don't remember anything from last night?"
"Uh, no. What did I do-Ahh!" Pinkie screamed as the leaves beside her were spread open to reveal a fuming Rainbow Dash.
"Come here you!" Rainbow shouted as she lunged at Pinkie. The pink pony shot out from the bush, living a lingering pink trail in the air behind her. Rainbow Dash started after her, but was caught by Soarin.
"Hold on a second there Dash!" Soarin said.
"Hey!"
"Dash; there is no need to be irrational here. So a simple mistake happened. Everypony would find out eventually."
"Yeah, but at least we would be out of the open for a while. Now Everypony will look at me differently, my friends will think I lied to them, and-"
Soarin cut her off by gently placing his hoof over her mouth. "Look, nopony has any right to look at you differently. So what if you are going out with a Wonderbolt. That just makes you look cooler, if anything. And just tell your friends things changed."
Rainbow Dash scuffed the ground with her forehoof. "I guess I did kinda blow this out of the water, didn't I?"
Soarin smiled at her, knowing that he had gotten through. "Only a little."
"I just didn't expect to be rushed into this though. I wanted to take my time, and slow down for once. I don't want to make mistakes here."
"Hey, neither did I. Come on, let's enjoy his moment while we can."
"Wait-what do you mean by that?"
"Oh, I was technically missing last night, and the news didn't help. Spitfire was rather mad when I got back earlier. So, I won't be able to leave HQ for a couple of days."
"Damn, that sucks. Well come on, we're just burning daylight out here."
"What do you have in mind?"
Rainbow Dash flashed her mischievous smile. "How about a race?"

"I told you I could beat you on a good day! I told you!"
Rainbow Dash had easily won her second race against Soarin, beating him by at least a tail length. She pranced around him triumphantly, leaving small indentations on the cloud they were on.
"The score is now two to one. TWO to one. The mighty Rainbow Dash pulls off yet another victory against the famed Soarin! Will he ever be able to come back?"
"Ha. Ha. Enjoy his while you can. I will come back. I always do."
"But not against me you don't."
"If I recall, I have won one race."
"I wasn't in top condition."
"Excuses, excuses."
Soarin fell back on the cloud, his forehooves behind his head. Rainbow Dash flopped down beside him and put her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his wing around her, and together they lay on the soft cloud, enjoying the setting sun's warmth. Soarin glanced towards Dash, the magenta light outlining her, making her look so much more attractive than she already was.
"Dash," he said. She turned towards him, and both looked deep into each other's eyes. "I love you." Soarin leaned towards her and slowly kissed her on the mouth. Her eyes widened for a second, before she sunk into it. Rainbow Dash wrapped her forehooves around his neck, not wanting to break their passionate embrace. At last they pulled away, Dash putting her head back on his shoulder as they watched the last of the sun's light disappear over the horizon. The night was silent as both ponies slowly fell asleep beside each other.

Soarin drowsily opened his eyes to a starry night. The moon was nearly at its highest point. Suddenly, he remembered where he needed to be. Soarin slowly slipped out of Dash's hooves, and opened his wings. 'Wait, you can't just leave Dash here,' his mind said to him. Soarin turned towards the sleeping mare, and began to pick her up as he had done twice before.
"What do you think you're doing?" One of Rainbow Dash's magenta eyes popped open, staring at him drowsily.
"Oh, I have to be back at HQ before midnight, and I couldn't just leave you here."
Rainbow flew off his forelegs and landed back on the cloud below. "Thanks, but I'm good. Being carried off twice is enough for me."
"Oh. Ok. Hey, I'll see you later, ok."
"Alright. Write to me though, will you?"
"Deal." Soarin leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before flying off towards headquarters, his mind filled with thought of Dash, and hopes for the future.

Spitfire tapped her hoof repeatedly on the pavement outside the gate to the Wonderbolts HQ. It was nearly midnight, and Soarin was nowhere in sight. She checked her watch for what seemed like the millionth time that night. "11:59. He better not be late," she said to herself. Just before the clock hit 12, Soarin flew on over the roof of the building and lands beside Spitfire.
"Ok, I'm here."
"You sure took my words to heart. Guess you didn't waste a minute, did you?"
"Nope, not one."
"Well you had better get some rest. You got a long couple of days ahead of you."
"Ugh, don't remind me."

Rainbow Dash walked along the dirt trail, not knowing exactly where she was going. She just needed time to think. She felt as if she had been rushed into everything so quickly. Within a week's time, both her and Soarin had went from barely knowing one another to dating. And for the first time in her life, she was genuinely in love. But at the same time, this was the best she felt in a long time. Rainbow Dash took off and headed towards her cloud home. She flew in through her open bedroom window, feeling too tired to actually go through her door. Rainbow flopped into her cloud bed, missing Soarin's warmth. She fell asleep slowly, all of her thoughts consumed by Soarin.

Author's Note

Ok, longer chapter! Hooray! Hopefully I can keep this up...

Again, any comments, questions, constructive criticisms are welcome. Thanks for reading

RDD

Chapter 5-Storm Clouds

"Swing left! Parry right! Left block and-lunge!" Spitfire called out commands to the exhausted Wonderbolts on the training field. Soarin's coat glistened with sweat as he continued to strike and block against his invisible foe, imagining a sword coming at him. At last, the five o'clock bell rang, signaling that the Wonderbolts training session had come to an end. Soarin ripped off his armor and threw it aside, leaving it for the cleaning ponies to get.
"Hey Soarin, how's it going?" Surprise asked, half-flying over to where he was.
"I-I could be better. Some of us do-don't pick up on this as fast as you do."
"Well, what can I say? I guess I am just that good."
"Yeah, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever find something you were good at," chimed Fleetfoot from the side.
"Hey! I am great at plenty of things! How do you think I got to be a Wonderbolt?"
"Bribery?"
Surprise was about to shoot of a sharp retort, but was cut off by Soarin. "Come on, let's head in. No sense in wasting our off hours out here."
"What do you have in mind, lover boy?" Surprise said as she flashed a seductive look at Soarin. "Maybe you could buy me dinner?"
At this point, Fleetfoot joined in on the teasing. "Whoa-ho! Soarin, are you seeing Surprise on the side?"
Soarin rolled his eyes at the teasing if his friends. He started to head inside, Fleetfoot and Surprise beside him.
"But honestly Soarin," Surprise said, "how are you doing-you know, not being able to see Dash and all? I know you guys just started dating what, three days ago?"
"I'm fine. It's just a price I have to pay for somepony else's stupid action. Besides, it is only two days. Well, one day now."
"You gotta admit, it was funny to see you in the papers like that. I swear, your eyes had to be as big as dinner plates!"
"Hey, you would have been surprised too!"
"Yeah, but I think I would have been able to play it off," Surprise smirked.
"You?!?" Fleetfoot exclaimed. "You probably would have died on the spot!"
Soarin tuned out the two mares as best he could. He had acquired the ability as the three had become friends, with him often caught in the crossfire. Instead, he turned his thoughts to when he would be able to see Rainbow Dash again. After all, too much listening to Fleetfoot and Surprise would end up giving him a headache.

"I GIVE UP!"
Rainbow Dash angrily stomped the cloud she had landed on. With Soarin unable to see her, she had found time to practice her Wonderbolt entrance routine. But she again was catapulted backwards time and time again, her mood turning sour with each failure. Eventually, she decided enough was enough.
"I am so bucking tired of this shit! No matter what I do, I can never get it right! Never!" Dash muttered a few more swear words as she pulverized a few more clouds before her anger lowered down to a simmer. She plopped back on the ground is frustration and started back towards Ponyville. It was not long before she saw Pinkie Pie bouncing down the road towards her. The energetic pink pony was the last thing she needed. After all, it was Pinkie's fault that Soarin was not able to come see her. Dash looked to the left and right, trying to find someplace where she could hide. She dove into a nearby bush, staying as still as possible as Pinkie hopped by. Dash exhaled once she was sure that Pinkie was out of sight.
"Whatcha doin' Dashie?" Pinkie's voice suddenly came from beside her, causing Dash to jump.
"Dammit Pinkie, don't do that!"
"Oh, okay," Pinkie said, a hurt expression creeping across her face as a result of Dash's outburst.
"Pinkie, I'm sorry, you just scared me that's all. It's been a bad day, and you caught me off guard."
"Maybe you should take a nap! Sleeping makes everything better!"
"Yeah, I will get right to that," Rainbow said sarcastically. But then again, perhaps some sleep was not such a bad idea. It would help pass the time, anyways.

-------------------------------------------------------------Changeling/Equestrian border--------------------------------------------------------------

Two pegasi in golden armor struggled through the rising winds and dust. The first, a pony with a regal blue coat and sliver mane, shouted over the wind at the second, a smaller, dark grey pony with a red mane.
"Come on Swordwind, let's hurry up. We don't want to be caught out here when the full strength of this dust storm hits!"
"Coming Dawnguard," came the faint reply. Dawnguard turned around and watched as Swordwind's form materialized out of the dust.
"What were you doing back there anyways?"
"One of our territory markers had been blown over, so I put it back up."
"Oh, ok. Next time, tell-" Dawnguard stopped as he saw a form of another pony in the haze. "HALT! In the name of Celestia! Identify yourself!"
No response came from the mysterious pony. Dawnguard nodded towards Swordwind, signaling to keep his guard up and stay back. Swordwind watched as Dawnguard slowly moved towards the figure, eventually coming alongside it.
"Hey Sword, it's just a dummy! Why is it out he-"
Dawnguard's sentence was cut off as the dummy came to life, plunging its horn into his throat. Swordwind stepped back in shock as it materialized into a changeling soldier. Others rose up out of the sand around him, sand pouring off of their bodies. Swordwind shot up through the haze, pursued by some of the changelings. He banked to the east, making a straight shot back towards the fort. He looked back, finding that the ambushers had turned back. Swordwind skidded to a stop in the middle of the fort, and ran straight into the commander's building. Somepony had to know about this.

A lone figure, encased in black iron armor, strode past the changelings. He looked down at the fallen Guardpony, blood pooling towards his feet.
"Where is the second?" His voice rasped through the grille in his helmet. "There were two of them, no?"
A quivering changeling slowly stepped forward, staying low to the ground as if to avoid his master's wrath. "H-he kind of, uh, escaped, Lord Kharax."
"What? How could you let this happen?"
"He was t-too fast, my lord. We lost him near the bas-"
The changeling was cut off as Kharax smashed him aside with an iron-plated hoof. He looked over the remaining changeling raiders, each cowering before his gaze.
"Come, my subjects. The queen will not be pleased with this failure."
He took a last look at the fallen pony, which was slowly being covered by the desert sands, before glancing back to the changeling he had swatted aside. His horn lit up a blood red color, before shooting out a beam of magic that evaporated the unconscious changeling.
"Such is the price of failure," he said before turning back towards his homeland.

Rainbow Dash awoke to a pounding on her door. She looked at the clock on the bed stand beside her. '7:30? Somepony better have a darn good reason for being here his early.' More knocks came from the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming," Dash said, still half asleep. She drowsily pushed herself up off her cloudbed, using her wings to keep her aloft. Another set of pounding hit the door, faster than the first.
"HOLD ON, I'M COMING!" Dash shouted. She opened the door to a rather distressed Twilight Sparkle.
"Hey egghead, what's up?"
"What do you mean what's up? Have you not seen the news?"
"Uh, no."
Twilight rushed inside the Dash's house and turned on the TV in the living room. Rainbow Dash followed her, curious to what could have been causing the trouble.
"...investigation into the mysterious murder of Sergeant Dawnguard of the Equestrian Guard on the Equestrian-Changeling border is still underway. Guardpony Swordwind, his partner yesterday, claims an attack by Changeling forces late yesterday afternoon. This has been denied by Queen Chrysalis, claiming no knowledge of the attack. Many ponies feel that this was no rogue group, and that Equestria should prepare for war..."
Rainbow Dash listened to the report fearfully. As the announcer continued on, she felt a weight in her gut get heavier and heavier. If Equestria went to war, so would the Wonderbolts. And that meant that Soarin could die. Dash burst out of her house and flew towards Canterlot. She had to find Soarin.

"Holy shit!" Spitfire swore loudly as she watched the news play out. She was in her office, trying to plan out the next week's training schedule, when Wave Chill had rushed into her office and told her to turn on the news. Soarin and Fleetfoot came running in at the sound of her outburst.
"Spitfire, what's up?" Fleetfoot said as she barged through the door
"Are you ok? What's wrong?" Soarin asked at almost the same time.
"Spitfire swung her chair around to face the two Wonderbolts. "We might be at war in a few days."
"WHAT?!?" Fleetfoot and Soarin said in unison.
"A Guardpony was killed on the Changeling-Equestrian border. According to reports, his partner says they were ambushed by changelings."
"Those shape-shifting scum!" shouted Fleetfoot, "Let them come! We'll show them the might of Equestria!"
Soarin sat silently, staring at the wall. He knew if war came, the deployment of the Wonderbolts was imminent. That would mean he might not get to see Dash ever again. He had to tell her before it was too late.
"Ma'am, request permission to go see Rainbow Dash?"
Spitfire looked sorrowfully at him. "Sorry Soarin, but with the threat of war coming, we need to keep working on our combat training. I'm so sorry."
Soarin felt his ears droop, and bowed his head. He walked out of the door. The two mares watched him leave. "I hate seeing him like that," Spitfire said, "But this sword training is still new to us, and we can't lose precious time with this threat of war."
"Maybe there is something we can do? Like after-training hours, maybe we could fix something up?"
"Like what? We are almost to Canterlot. Unless you plan on flying all the way back to Ponyville, finding Dash, and try to get something together, then fly all the way back here."
"Well Soarin would do it anyways, so why shouldn't I?" I am a pretty fast flier, so I won't lose too much time. Besides, Ponyville isn't that far away."
"If you can get something to work, fine. But it still has to fit in with our schedule. Training right now is vital. Missing it could end up with him dead if things escalate any further."

Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop outside the Wonderbolt arena. She started for the door, but was blocked by a Pegasi guard.
"Sorry ma'am, no entry on training days. Wait till the next show."
"But you have to let me in! I gotta talk to Soarin!"
"No admittance. You can talk to him next week, after the show."
"You don't understand-"
"No, you don't understand. Now go before I have to forcibly remove you."
"I am his fillyfriend for Celestia's sake!"
"You know how many times I have heard that line? If I believed everypony who said that, Soarin would be dating half of Equestria. Now GO!"
Rainbow Dash turned away, bowing her head. She spread her wings, but was stopped when somepony shouted her name.
"DASH! RAINBOW DASH WAIT!" Fleetfoot shouted as she ran towards the gate. "Rainbow Dash! Hold on!"
"Fleetfoot? How do you know me?"
"Doesn't matter. Anyways, Soarin really wants to see you, so go ahead and come on inside."
The guard turned to face Fleetfoot. "But Spitfire said nopony is to interrupt-"
"Don't worry, she's fine," Fleetfoot said, bumping into the guard's side. He turned away, his face tinting red. Fleetfoot motioned with one hoof for Dash to enter the gate.

"So what was that about?" Dash said as the two mares walked down the main entrance.
"What was what?"
"You being all flirtatious with that guard."
"Oh you mean Bladestorm? It's just some fun. He gets rather uncomfortable whenever Surprise and I do that to him. So whenever I get the chance, I just screw around with him to have some fun.....maybe I should put that another way."
"Heh, that might be a good idea. Don't want anypony to get the wrong ideas."
"Yeah." Fleetfoot led Dash through the seemingly endless maze of hallways. Eventually, she motioned for Dash to wait a little distance away. Fleetfoot slightly opened a door and peeked in. She silently motioned for Dash to come to her. Rainbow Dash flew to her. She looked in the door to se Soarin hunched over his desk, his frame lit by candlelight. Fleetfoot motioned towards him with a grin, and Rainbow instantly knew what she meant. Dash slowly snuck closer towards him, slinking across the ground. When she reached him, she slowly brought herself back up, peeking over his shoulder to see what he was writing. All that was on the paper was "Dear Dash." She waited for a minute, wondering if he would ever notice her. Dash turned back to Fleetfoot, who nodded, signaling for Dash to reveal herself. Dash turned back to Soarin, who was still oblivious. Fighting back a laugh, she leaned inches from his ear and whispered, "Hey, whatcha writing."

Soarin shot into the air, smacking his head on the ceiling fan. Rainbow Dash burst into laughter, falling to the ground as tears streamed down her face.
"That wasn't funny," Soarin said, rubbing the top of his head.
"Your right, that was hilarious!" Fleetfoot said from outside. She too was laughing so hard that she teared up.
Dash pushed herself back up, still laughing. "You-you should have seen your face! I shoulda brought a camera!"
"Dash, what are you doing here? I know you didn't fly all the way here to watch me hit my head."
Rainbow Dash instantly stopped laughing. "I saw the news. About the murder on the border. I was worried that you might be sent down there. You know, if a war starts."
Soarin pulled Rainbow Dash close, letting her bury her face in his shoulder. "Dash, nothing is going to happen. It was just an isolated incident. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

-------------------------------------------------------------------12 Hours Later----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two dark figures hovered by the bridge, illuminated by the half-moon. One was working on a small package placed on a support beam, while the other monitored the surrounding area.
"Come on, hurry up!" The first one said.
"Shut it," replied the one who was working on the box. "You can't rush these things."
"The train is going to be here soon!"
"Ok. Aaand done! Come on, let's go"
The distant rumble of the oncoming train started to get louder. It was going to be on top of them any second. Both flew to the bushes on the ledge opposite of where the train was coming from. It suddenly appeared from around the hill, roaring onto the bridge.
"Wait for it, wait for it, and NOW!"
The second figure's horn lit up a light green, the same aura glowing around the box. All was quiet for a moment, the silence pierced by the rumble of the train. Then, with a massive peak of thunder, a fireball erupted in the center of the bridge, incinerating the front quarter of the train as well. Secondary explosions followed as flammable cargo erupted in flame. The remainder of the train shot into the gaping hole, plunging to the river below. Both of the figures left their cover, illuminated by the orange glow of the flames.
"Wow."
"Damn that was good."
"Tell the Queen we were successful. Inform Lord Kharax that the reinforcements will not be reaching the border cities. We are ready to begin the attack."

Soarin frowned at the orange glow on the horizon. It was only midnight. The sun wouldn't be up for several hours now. He turned back to the sleeping Rainbow Dash on his bed. She had been so tired that he had let her stay over, worried that she might fall asleep mid-flight. After all, it had happened to him. He looked back at the horizon, a strange sense of foreboding coming over him. Something was not right. Glancing around, he made sure she was asleep before flying out the window, headed straight for the light.

Fire was everywhere. Fire and burnt meat. Soarin flew in low among the carnage, looking for anypony who might still be alive. The bridge was still burning, as were the bodies. Part of the train was on the other side, the actual locomotive thrown on the far bank like a toy. Unable to find any survivors in the flaming carnage, he flew down towards the river, where the rest of the train lay smashed on the bank or floating in the water. That was one ability he loved about Unicorns who worked the train yards. They could make the containers airtight and buoyant. He landed on top of the first one, and searched for the magical seal. Soarin found the purple rune by the door, and pressed it with his hoof. A mound of broken spears and armor greeted him. He flew to each car in turn, pressing the seal and examining the contents. So far, nopony had been aboard besides the ones in the forward cars. Soarin opened the last car, and immediately turned away, tears of rage swelling in his eyes. Inside the car lay two squads of Equestrian Guard soldiers, their bodies broken and bleeding. One by one, he picked each dead pony up ad placed them on the bank. Twenty five guardponies total, their blood staining the golden sands beside the river. Soarin rammed the broken spears into the ground at each one's head, before placing the pony's helmet atop it. He looked back once at the flaming bridge, before flying back to the Arena. 'This was no accident," he thought, anger flowing through him. 'This is war.'

Rainbow Dash slowly woke up, bright sunlight blinding her. She looked around the room. This wasn't her house. She nearly started to freak out, before she remembered the last night. Dash rolled over in the bed, but Soarin was not there. 'Maybe he is at training,' she thought. 'But it's only 5. Surly they don't start now?'
Her questions were answered when Soarin flew in through the window, his hooves and chest stained red.
"Soarin! Soarin are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," he said at almost a whisper. He slumped against the wall, his eyes wide, staring at the opposite wall.
"Soarin? What's wrong?" She moved closer to him, looking deep into his eyes.
He looked back at her, as if he had just noticed her. "They-they were all dead. All of them."
Rainbow Dash ran out of the room, shouting for Spitfire. Spitfire poked her head out of her room, wearing a annoyed expression.
"Spitfire, it's Soarin! Something's wrong!"
That was all it took. Spitfire was sprinting down the hallway, running straight to Soarin's room. She was greeted by the sight of him still against the wall.
"Dash, what happened?"
"I don't know! He just flew in here like that and said 'they're all dead.' What is going on?"
Spitfire leaned down close to Soarin. She made eye contact with him an asked in a stern voice "Who are all dead?"

It was an hour before Soarin was completely out of his state of shock. He had cleaned himself off and was finally able to tell what had happened. He told Spitfire and Dash everything. About the train, the fire, the dead guards. A heavy silence followed the minutes after he finished his story.
Soarin was actually the first to speak up. "I don't think that these are just isolated incidents. The massive chunk torn out of the bridge-no accident could cause that. I think that the murder yesterday and now this are connected."
"Same here, but there is nothing we can do. Just don't worry about it. Princess Celestia will get everything straightened out."
"Yeah, I just hope she works it out fast."
"Hey, you better be on time for practice today. It is extremely important today."
"Ok, see ya."
Soarin exhaled deeply and turned back to Dash. "Sorry about that. I just lost it. I haven't seen that in a long time."
"It's ok Soar. You just scared me, flying in with bloodstains and unable to really communicate." She pulled him close, giving him a tight hug. "I thought I was going to lose you."
Soarin pulled back a little, a slight smile on his face.
"Who, me? Soarin of the Wonderbolts?"
"Yes you, ya goof. What time is-aw, I gotta get going. Hey, see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, If Spitfire will let me off. But next time I will come to you, eh?"
"It's a deal. Now you probably should get ready, don't want to get stuck here for another two days."
"Hey, that wasn't my fault."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Love ya."
She flew out the window, headed back to Ponyville. Even though the recent events had cast some shadows, her life was looking up.

Author's Note

Things just got interesting. Very interesting. Hoping to have Chapter 6 up by next week.

Y'all know the drill, comments, questions, constructive criticisms, etc.

Here's that violence I told ya about. Note that I did change some of the tags around, so if there is anything I porbably should throw on there, let me know.

Chapter 6-The Storm Breaks

Soarin threw off his armor into a pile as sweat coursed down his body. The sun had already set by the time they had finished training. He limped towards the exit, pain coming from every step. Surprise bounded over to him, leaving Fleetfoot to catch up.
"What's wrong Soarin? Can't take the heat?"
"No, you just nailed me on the last round. I wouldn't be surprised if my leg is broken."
"Aw, don't be such a foal. I didn't hit you that hard."
"Ha! I beg to differ."
"You're just mad because I am better at sword fighting than you."
Fleetfoot had caught up with the duo by this point. "Surprise, you've have pretty much outfought everyone by this point, haven't you?"
"All but Spitfire. But she doesn't fight much, only supervises. So I guess you can say I am the best!"
"Yeah, that's the only thing you are good at."
"Hey! I am great at a lot of things!"
"Oh, sorry. I forgot to mention insanity. My bad."
"I'm not crazy!"
"I don't know, Surprise. Sometimes you make me wonder," Soarin chimed in, finding a chance for revenge.
"You're just mad because you can't beat me in sword fighting."
"Yeah, yeah that's what you say. Now, if you will excuse me, there's someone I need to see." He took a mock bow before launching into the sky, headed towards Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash was awakened by a series of knocks on her door. She had fallen asleep after exhausting herself once again on her flight training. Originally, she had planned to hang out with her friends, but exhaustion got the best of her.
"Who the hay is here at this hour?" Dash asked to no one in particular, despite the fact that it was only eight at night. Another series of knocks came from the door. "Hang on, don't rush me." She pulled herself out of her cloudbed, her mind not wanting to function. More knocks. "HANG ON, I'M COMING! JUST CALM DOWN FOR ONE DAMN SECOND!" One of the things she found the most annoying was when somepony could not be patient for a couple of minutes. And whoever at the door was taxing her patience.
"What the hay do you-" she started, but cut herself off. Soarin was standing at the door, a smile spreading across his face.
"Hey Dash. What's up?"
"Oh, uh, nothing. Nothing at all."
"May I come in? Or we just gonna stand at the door all day?"
"Sorry! Please, come in," Dash said, a twinge of guilt in her voice. She hadn't meant to snap at him, but she didn't know who was at her door at the time. 'He doesn't look affected. Hopefully he didn't take it to heart,' she thought. Dash watched as Soarin strode into her cloud home, glancing around. 'What's he doing?' she questioned mentally, 'He has been here before. It's not like I rearrange my house every week.' She made a mental note to ask him if everything was alright.
"Hey Soarin, go ahead and sit on the couch, I'll bring us some food in a second."
"Actually, I'm-"
"You. Couch. Now."
"Uh, alright. But I can't stay too long. I am actually in a mission this time around."
"You? Work? Ha, I'll believe that when I see it."
"Hey, I'm not lazy!"
"Yeah, whatever. You want some apple fritters, or maybe a hay burger or-"
"Dash, we need to talk."
"Uh, ok. Shoot."
"So, with the threat of war hanging over us, our commanders have decided to have us locate the Elements of Harmony. In case we cannot hold back our enemies."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. She had never told anyone about her being the Element of Loyalty. She tried to formulate a response, eventually trying to play off as innocent and unknowing. "Hold on one second! Why do you think I know anything about the Elements of Harmony?"
"Because you wield one, of course."
"And WHO told you that?"
"That's not import-"
"My ass it's not! No one, I repeat, NO ONE knows! How the hay do you know?"
"Just tell me where-"
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!?"
"Who do you think I am? I am bucking Soarin, for Celestia's sake!"
"HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ELEMENTS?!? HOW?"
Rainbow Dash did not wait for him to respond. She lunged over the couch, knocking him to the floor. Dash landed on his stomach, a hoof raised to strike.
"Who are you? What do you want with the Elements?"
Soarin's eyes flickered a different shade of green, before he kicked her off him with his back legs.
"You will regret this, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty! Long love the Queen!" The false Soarin's voice had become a rasp. He flew out the door, morphing back into his Changeling shape.

Dash sat on the floor, panting. Questions filled her mind. How did he know she bore an Element of Harmony? Were the others at risk? How did he manage to imitate Soarin almost perfectly?
Her thoughts were cut short by the sound of a pony landing on her front porch. She flew behind the open door, right forehoof across her body. If anything was going to get her or the Element's locations, they would have to fight.

Soarin glanced at Rainbow Dash's door, which was left wide open. Something seemed wrong. He slowly approached the door, glancing around to make sure no one was watching him. "Dash?" He called out, a slight twinge of worry in his voice. "Dash? You there? Please respond." He crept up alongside the door, hesitating a second before peering in. He could see no one inside her house. "Dash? I'm coming in now, ok? If you're in here, I am coming in." He took a wary step inside the door, taking a quick glance inside. He took another cautious step, checking the left and right. "Dash?" he said into the room. Soarin's heartbeat quickened as he realized that something was definitely not right here. He had just taken another step when a foreleg wrapped around his neck, locking him into a choke hold.
"Why do you want me?!? Huh?" Rainbow Dash shouted in his ear.
"What?" asked Soarin as he struggled against her grip. He was stronger than she looked, especially when she was angry. "What are you talking about?"
"So you thought a little change-around would fool me? You really think I am that stupid?"
"What the hell are you talking about? I am Soarin, for Celestia's sake!"
"Oh yeah? Then tell me how we met, 'Soarin'."
Soarin's mind raced back to their first actual meeting. "We met at the Ponyville Inn," he started, choosing his words carefully. "I had just gotten done with practice, and headed down here with Surprise and Fleetfoot. They were teasing me the whole time about my feelings for you. So, we landed and got some drinks. Then you walked in, with two of your friends. I remember Fleet and Surprise trying to get me to talk to you. Once your friends left, I finally managed the courage to go up and ask to buy you a drink. You turned around cussing at me, thinking I was somepony else. I will never forget the shock on your face when you saw it was me!" Soarin said, letting out a small laugh. Rainbow Dash started to release her grip on him, her arm retaining its position but slacking. "So then I bought you a drink, we talked about our days, but we were forced to go our separate ways because of my schedule." At this point, Dash's foreleg was completely away from his neck. Soarin stopped talking, and turned around to face Dash. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that the pony in front of her was actually Soarin.
"I'm so sorry Soarin," she said, we voice quivering. She lunged forward and embraced him.
"Hey, Dash, it's fine." Soarin pulled away some, making eye contact. "But do you care to tell me what that was about?"
Rainbow Dash looked away, staring at the ground as she started to pace around. She took a deep breath before responding. "I am going to tell you something that nopony knows about besides my best friends. Soarin, I am the Element of Loyalty."
Soarin's jaw dropped. Everypony had heard of the Elements of Harmony, but he had no idea that Rainbow Dash was one.
"A changeling came in here, except he was...well, he was you. When he asked me to tell him where the Element was, I tackled him and tried to figure out what he was. He escaped, but I thought you were him, so I ambushed you."
"How did a changeling-?"
"That's what I am trying to figure out. How did he know?"
"I don't know, but we probably should be more careful now. They are master infiltrators, and now they know where you live, who you are associated with, and who you really are."
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened as a sudden realization came upon her. "Shit! My friends! They might be in trouble! Come on!"
Dash and Soarin took off, catapulting into the sky. "Where do your friends live?" shouted Soarin over the wind roaring past their ears.
"Go to Sweet Apple Acres!" yelled Rainbow Dash, "It's a massive apple orchard, impossible to miss. Ask for Applejack! Tell her to meet at the Ponyville library!"
"On it!" Soarin banked to the left, headed to the farmlands outside Ponyville.

Rapid pounding awoke Applejack from her sleep. "What in tarnations is goin' on out there?" She muttered a few choice words under her breath, silent enough so Applebloom couldn't hear. She opened her door to be greeted by a pale blue Pegasus with dark blue mane. "What do ya want? It's nearly midnight! What the hay is goin' on here...hey, I know you. Soarin! Whatcha doin' around here?"
Soarin paused to recover his breath for a second before delivering his message. "Rainbow Dash needs you to meet at the Ponyville library, as soon as possible!" He started to turn back but was caught by Applejack.
"Is something wrong? Is Dash ok?"
"She's fine, but I gotta go. Please hurry!" He launched back into the sky, leaving a fair blue trail behind him.

By the time he got back, the other ponies were already in the Library. They were talking among themselves, giving Rainbow Dash worried looks. Dash pulled him aside, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Nothing has happened to any of them. I have been the only one targeted. What do you think that means?"
"I don't know. Let's just try to figure out what happens next."
The door swung open and Applejack barge inside. "What's goin' on? Y'all said there was an emergency!"
"There is, Applejack! Rainbow was deceived by a changeling!" Pinkie Pie shouted. She had lost her bouncy demeanor that Soarin had seen at the party a few weeks ago, taking on a serious tone that didn't seem to suit her.
"Any of y'all get attacked?"
Pinkie was the first to speak. "No! No worries here!"
"I never saw a glimpse of any creature near my Boutique," replied Rarity.
"I-I didn't see anything. Unless they can become a small animal." Fluttershy said in her near-whisper voice.
"I don't think anypony saw a changeling or was even contacted by one." Twilight commented. "Only you, Rainbow Dash. Why might that be?"
At this point, Soarin spoke up, "Isn't it true that changelings grow in power by mimicking someone that you love and feeding off that energy?"
"Yeah, they do. But what does that-oh. That explains why they went after you Rainbow. But how did they know about the Elements of Harmony?"
"I don't know! I never told anypony! Anypony! We all agreed to that! There is no way that word could have gotten out unless changelings were here all along. Right?"
Twilight was about to respond, but Soarin cut in. "Wait, you six are each one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony?"
"Yup, all of us," replied Applejack. "Ya got me, the Element of Honesty, Fluttershy is kindness, Rarity's generosity, Pinkie is laughter, which is kinda obvious, Twi is magic, and ya already know Dash."
"Well, this is interesting."
"Ahem," said Twilight, "If we could get back to the crisis at hand, that'd be great. As I was going to say, changelings have very powerful magic abilities. They could use it to observe what is going on many miles away. So it is possible they watched us use the Elements many times."
"So I have been getting creeped on by changelings!" Exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "That's just not cool!"
"It's possible. I'll look for something to block out an observation spell, but I don't think I will be able to find one for a while."
"Oh, that's just what I need. I am getting watched now."
"So is this settled then?" Rarity queried. "It's late, and must get up early tomorrow to finish my order."
"Yeah, yeah go ahead," Dash said. "I'm gonna go too. See ya'll around."
The meeting dissipated as each pony returned to their homes. Soarin flew alongside Dash, both not saying anything. As they neared her house, he finally spoke. "Hey Dash, you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little creeped out right now."
"Hey, if you want me to stay, I will."
"Nah, I'm good. I'll just lock the door and the windows."
"Ok, if that's what you want." They landed side by side on the front porch. Dash stared into the open doorway, now shrouded in darkness. Even though she had never been afraid of the dark, even as a filly, the recent events put butterflies in her stomach.
"Hey Dash, you sure you're fine?" He looked at her questioningly, knowing she was feeling scared, but just too proud to admit it. Her hesitation showed that. "C'mon, let's go inside," he said in a soft, more compassionate voice. He flicked on the lights and led her to her bedroom. She leaned against him as they walked, feeling secure with his presence. They both lay down, Soarin holding her close. She took comfort in his warmth, and together they drifted off to sleep, safe with each other.

The lone changeling walked low to the ground, almost crawling. Flanking it were two massive guards, each standing a head taller than an average pony and fully encased in armor. They half dragged the changeling through the dimly lit corridor, past gargantuan marble pillars and flickering candles. Ahead, seated on a throne, was another figure, also fully cloaked in armor. The two guards threw the now-trembling frame on the ground at his feet. All was quiet for a few minutes, before the armored being spoke in its low, raspy tone.
"Where is it? Where is the Element?"
"My-my Lord Kharax, she discovered. S-she knows!"
"And do you know the price of failure?"
"Please! I tried! She-She just-"
The changeling's pleas were cut off as Kharax's horn glowed red, before evaporating the cowering figure before him. He waved away his guards, before conjuring an image of two other changelings, both in lighter armor.
"Are we ready?" he asked.
The images before him nodded their heads, before replying, "All units are in position."
"Prepare initial phase."
"Let it begin."
"May the great one watch over us."
"We shall bring his wrath."
"We will eliminate all who oppose us."
Kharax cut off the telepathic communication, and looked at the map to his side. Equestria dominated the largest portion of it. On the Southern side, small red arrows crossed a clearly defined border. The border between Equestria and the Changeling Empire.

------------------------------------------------------------Trottingham--------------------------------------------------------------

Green lights flickered in the distance. Ponies gathered at the edge of town, on the streets, and by the windows. More lights appeared, the original light growing in size and rising into the air. Guardponies as well as civilians stood dumbfounded. The lights got bigger. And bigger. With a roar, the first of the green fireballs, almost as large as a pony, streaked into the city, impacting on one of the skyscrapers. Explosions and screams filled the air as others hit home. A skyscraper was torn by a direct hit, leaving a gaping hole in the center. With a groan of metal, the building collapsed on itself, leaving a haze of dust and plea of rubble where it once stood. More explosions rocked the city, tearing great scars in the earth. Ponies fled as skyscrapers crashed around them, only to be caught in the mass wave of terror or be pulverized by a direct hit. On the horizon, small green specks marked out where other towns or forts were being hit as well. The horizon glowed red and green. Sheer terror reigned amongst the civilians as the Guardponies attempted to organize and prepare to fight. The line just began to form as the first wave struck. The Guards met the oncoming swarm head on, fighting valiantly to ensure the lives of the fleeing civilians. But it was all for nothing. The mass armies of the Changelings tore through their line, a black wave enveloping all in its path.

Rainbow Dash buried her face into Soarin's fur, trying to ignore the sun shining through her window and illuminating her room with an orange-ish glow. Soarin mumbled sleepily at the sudden pressure and rolled onto his back. Dash opened one of her magenta eyes, letting herself adjust to the sudden influx if light. She propped herself up on a foreleg, looking at still-sleeping pony on her bed. Her mind traced back through the times they had together, from their first meeting, to their races, up until the last night. The short time they were together was perfect. Dash put her head on Soarin's chest, listening to the slow rhythm of his heart. She was just about to doze off when sharp raps at her door brought both of them back to consciousness.
"Who the hay is that?" asked Rainbow Dash, annoyed at the sudden intrusion into her peace. "You stay here, I'll be right back."
She left him trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

Rainbow Dash cautiously moved towards the door, still somewhat paranoid after the events of the night before. She opened the door and was greeted by two Wonderbolts. Fleetfoot and Surprise to be exact.
"Hey, is Soarin in here? He said he was going to see you yesterday."
"Yeah, I'll go get him."
She headed back upstairs, trying to figure out why there were two Wonderbolts at her door.
"Hey Soarin, two of your friends are here to see you."
"What? Who are they."
"Fleetfoot and Surprise." That was the one handy thing about having fangirled over the Wonderbolts for so long. She was able to recognize each member by their mane and coat. Soarin shuffled out of the door, his mane a mess.
"Not much of a morning pony, are ya?"
No, I prefer to sleep in. Especially after a hard training session."
"Yeah, you're lazy." Rainbow Dash tried to keep the mood light as she followed Soarin to the door. In the back of her mind, she knew something was wrong about this whole situation. Two Wonderbolts don't show up on anypony's door for no reason. Dash made mental note to keep watch for any suspicious behavior coming from the two ponies.
"Fleetfoot. Surprise. What's up?" Soarin said as he glanced between the two ponies. "Is everything alright?"
"May we come in? You two might want to be sitting down for this," replied Fleetfoot.
"Uh, ok. Come on in." said Dash. The two Wonderbolts situated themselves as Soarin and Dash took a seat on the couch opposite of them. Both were quiet for a minute, before Fleetfoot finally spoke up.
"So Rainbow Dash, you have already seen the reports of the murder and bombing of that train last week, yes?"
"Yeah, so wha-"
Fleetfoot cut Dash off before she could finish, being rewarded by an angry glare. "We had reason to suspect that the Changeling kingdoms were behind this, and we were correct." Dash gripped Soarin's hoof tightly with her own. She could feel what was coming next. "Last night, at 1:30 am, the cities of Trottingham, Marelington, and Manehattan were attacked, along with military installations along the border all the way to Saddle Arabia." Dash squeezed his hoof even harder. She couldn't lose him. Not now. Fleetfoot paused for a few seconds before continuing on. "Princess Celestia is giving the formal declaration of war in ten minutes. I'd turn on your TV if I were you." With that, Fleetfoot turned and left the cloud home, her head hanging lower than it had been when she had entered. Surprise followed behind her, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Sorry Soar," was all she said before walking out and taking off, flying slowly back to the HQ.
Soarin and Rainbow Dash sat in stunned silence. All their hopes and dreams for the future rested on the precipice of ruin.
"Well, let's see what Princess Celestia has to say," Soarin said, a lump in his throat. He turned on the TV just in time to see Princess Celestia take the center of the screen. Both Soarin and Rainbow Dash sat in silence as they listened to her address to Equestria.
"Soldiers and citizens of Equestria,

Our worst fears have come true. Yesterday, our nation was attacked by the Changeling Empire. As of last night, the cities of Trottingham, Baltimare and Fillydelphia, along with the forts of Hoofall and Hayseed, are under attack. I am hereby mobilizing the following units: The First Equestrian Guard,
The Third Pegasi Guard,
The Fifth Magic Support Brigade,
The First Elite Air Combat Team...."

Everything seemed to go quiet as Soarin heard Princess Celestia call out the last unit to be sent to the front. He zoned out, staring straight at the television, not paying attention to the address. Soarin felt a nudging on his arm, and turned to see Rainbow Dash nervously nudging him with her hoof. He shook his head, snapping out of his trance.
"Soarin? Is-is everything going to be fine?" she said, emotion choking her voice. "Soarin? Are you ok?"
He took her hooves in his, and stared deep into her magenta eyes. Eyes that were on the verge of tears. "Dash," he said slowly," I'm in the First Elite Air Combat Team."

Author's Note

Ok, Chapter 6 is FINALLY done. Finally. I am terribly sorry for the long break between updates, but Calculus and Cross Country absorbed all my time. I used to write at night, but I have been so tired recently..

Anyways, fell free to point out any gramattical corrections, suggestions, etc are welcome.You guys know the drill.

Chapter 8 is about 10% done, so it may be a bit. But hopefully not as long as this one though. I got it planned out, but the problem is getting the thoughts onto the paper...well, screen.

Chapter 7-When You're Gone

"You-you're being deployed," Rainbow Dash said, the tears now welling up in her eyes, threatening to burst forth. "You-you have to go fi-"
"Don't worry Dash, I'll be fine," Soarin said, cutting off the sentence he knew was coming. "I'll be fine. Just think, I am part of the best unit in Equestria." Soarin put his hoof underneath her chin and lifted her head, making eye contact, looking deep into her magenta eyes. "Hey, it'll be ok". Soarin moved forward and embraced her, holding it for a second before pulling back and slowly pressing his muzzle to hers. They held the kiss for a few moments, before Rainbow pulled back. "Promise me you will come back. Promise me." Tears rolled down her face as she stared into Soarin's emerald eyes.
"Don't worry Dashie, it'll be ok." She buried her face into his chest as he held her tight, stroking her back while continuing to reassure her that everything was going to be fine.

Dashie. That was the first time he had ever called her that. It had always been "Dash" or her full name. Never the nickname that Pinkie gave her. That only made the stream of tears running down her face flow more, as she realized that he was not promising he could be safe. He was leaving, and there was no guarantee he was coming back. The shadow in the back of her mind grew, providing her imagination with scenarios of his death over and over. She gripped him even tighter, not wanting to risk losing him to the macabre thoughts running through her head.

They continued to hold each other close for several more minutes, neither wanting to break apart and face the inevitable. "Dash, I have to go. But I'll be back. I'll be back." Soarin pulled away, looking back at Dash one more time before taking off towards the Wonderbolts HQ.

The Headquarters was a frenzy of activity, as everypony checked and re-checked their armor and gear. Soarin landed among the chaos, and was immediately greeted by Spitfire.
"Get your gear NOW!" She shouted over the din, "We gotta go today!"
"Today? When today?"
"Eight. Now get your damn gear!"
Soarin dashed over to his locker on the edge of the courtyard. He all but ripped the door off and threw his armor in the bag beside the locker. He had to see Dash before he left. He said he was going to come back and he sure as hell wasn't going to promise her something and then break it. Soarin grabbed the bag in between his teeth and moved for the exit. Almost immediately Spitfire landed in front of him, blocking his access.
"Soarin! Where the hay do you think you're going? We gotta be ready to go!"
"Ma'am, I have to see her. I promised. And I've already got everything ready! You can check."
Spitfire looked him over before waving her hoof beside her. "Go ahead," she said, her voice a little softer, "Just be back in time, alright? And leave your stuff. I'll take care of it"
"Yes ma'am. Thank you."
"Get outta here."
Soarin flew over the heads of his comrades and shot through the gate. He had only a few hours left to spare, and he was going to make sure to spend every second with the mare he loved.

Rainbow Dash sat alone in her house, staring at the picture she had of her and Soarin. That had been at Pinkie's party. Everything seemed so simple then. There was no war, no changelings, just her and Soarin. A single tear ran down her face, leaving another mark alongside the tear stains that had not yet fully dried. Her imagination played out yet another scenario, another false death. Rainbow Dash felt more tears well up in her eyes, just before the sounds of a pony landing outside reached her ears.

"Dash? Dash, I'm back," Soarin called out. He took one step into her house and was immediately enveloped by her hooves.
"I can't do this Soarin. I can't do it. Please don't leave. Please."
"Dash, you know that I would stay if I could." He pulled her against his chest, stroking her mane with one hoof. Soarin hated to see her like this, her cocky and adventurous personality enveloped by worry. He held her close for a few more minutes, letting her bury her muzzle into his fur. Soarin waited until the tears stopped running down her face before pulling back a few inches.
"You okay Dash?"
"Y-yeah," she sniffled. "I'm good. I-I think."
"Hey, everything will be alright. I've been through scraps before without a single scratch. This won't be any different. And don't worry, I'll write as much as I can. Alright?"
"Yeah, t-that's good. When do you have to go?"
"Eight. Tonight."

Rainbow Dash flew silently alongside Soarin as they approached the train station. She felt like there was a ton of bricks in her stomach. A million thoughts raced through her mind. What would she do, with him being gone? Of course, he had been near Canterlot for a long time, but that was different. He could die on some unknown battlefield. Dash tried to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't start crying again. Everything was going to be fine. Just like Soarin said it would be.

Rainbow Dash was still lost in her thoughts by the time they got to the train station. They were greeted by an armored monstrosity, completely different from the trains that he had ever seen. Giant metal cars gleamed in the sunlight, with small slots serving as windows. On the roof, unicorns dressed in armor stood in encasements, looking out for any threats. Ponies clad in golden armor were already beginning to load into the first cars.
"Well, we're here," Soarin said, a hint of resignation on his voice. "Let's go."
They both glided down towards the station. Rainbow Dash felt the weight of his departure pressing down on her. She had to let him go, but that was not in her nature.

Soarin landed behind the crowd of soldiers, Rainbow Dash following suit. Dash could barely keep the ride of emotions threatening to overwhelm her bottled up inside.
"I guess this is it," Soarin said, glancing towards the train. He put his hoof on her shoulder, and looked deep into her magenta eyes. "Goodb-"
"Don't," Dash said, the faintest glimpse of tears forming at the edge of her eyes. "Don't say goodbye. I hate goodbyes." She leaned forward and kissed him slowly, passionately, her hooves wrapped around his body. They held their warm embrace, engulfed entirely with their love.

The massive roar of the iron train's horn brought them back to cold reality. Soarin broke the kiss, pulling out of the embrace and moving ever so slowly towards the train. He gave Rainbow Dash one last longing look, before turning his back and boarding the train.

Dash couldn't hold in her emotions anymore. Tears streamed down her face, her breathing escalating to rapid shallow gasps. She launched into the sky, fleeing to the solace of her cloud house.

Soarin started out of the train's window, his newly-donned helmet rattling against the glass. He couldn't help thinking of Rainbow Dash. He had never seen her in such an emotional state.
Soarin was brought out of his maze of thoughts by a soft touch of a hoof on his shoulder. "Hey Soar, you gonna be alright?" Fleetfoot asked.
"Yeah, I'm not the one to be worried about."
"Oh," she said, sitting down in the seat beside him. "I think she'll be alright. She's a tough pony."
"It's just that I've never seen Dash like that before. She is usually able to keep her cool no matter the situation."
"Soarin, she loves you with all her heart. And now were getting sent to Celestia-knows-where to fight. She has probably never had this happen before. She is afraid of losing you."
"I just feel like I should do something."
"Write a letter when we get there. It's the best you can do."
Soarin looked up at Fleetfoot, a weak smile on his face. "Thanks Fleet. I needed to hear that."
"That's what friends are for." Fleetfoot got up, and turned back to Soarin. "Hey! What am I doing here? I could be a bucking psychologist!"
Soarin chuckled, before turning back to the window. He cleared his mind, not wanting to dwell on the past, but still not wanting to worry about the future. He just watched the forests and grass covered hills of Equestria roll away, before closing his eyes and drifting to sleep.

The sound of an explosion shook Soarin awake. Then another came. And another. Then he heard the squeal of the brakes and felt the train start to slow. Soarin glanced out the window to see the high walls of a fortress just hoof steps away from the train. The front door opened and a mud-covered earth pony in full armor smashed in.
"Come on you lot!" he said, with a hint of Canterlot accent in his voice. "You lads came at the right time. Now get your bloody arses moving!"
As one, the soldiers in the train stood up, grabbed their gear, and made for the exits. The mud-covered pony had already left the train. Soarin followed the clogged aisle of ponies out of the exit to his temporary home.

The first sight Soarin was greeted by was a green fireball tearing through the battlements of the fortress, sending flaming figures flying off the wall. He dared to look around. Everywhere, green fire fell from the sky. Other colored fireballs shot back towards the distance, where he could just pick out green lights and the silhouettes of tents. A deafening sound of and explosion and tearing metal came opposite of the duel. Soarin turned and saw with dismay that one of the cars had been directly hit. Moving torches showed that the car had been unable to unload in time. He turned his eyes, unable to look at the scene any longer. Soarin ran through the open gate ahead of him, trying to find some refuge from the magical barrage.

-------------------------------------------------------One Week Later--------------------------------------------------------------

"Ah just can't take it anymore!" Applejack exclaimed as she paced around the library. "RD has been up in her house all week! We gotta do somethin'!"
"I don't know Applejack," replied Fluttershy, "She might need some space. After all, she has all rights to worry."
"Ah know, but she can't just mope around in her home!"
"Maybe we could throw a party! Parties always make me feel better if I'm sad!" Pinkie Pie suggested.
"I don't think so Pinkie," Twilight replied, "That might not be the best idea for this time."
"Perhaps we could take her to her favorite restaurant," Fluttershy suggested. "Food with friends is always a good remedy for depression."
"That is a magnificent plan!" Rarity shouted. "We will take her to Ponyville's finest restaurant. And I shall pay for our dear friend Rainbow Dash. It's the least I can do."
"Alright," Applejack said. "We will meet for dinner tomorrow night."
"Uh, I won't be able to make it tomorrow," Fluttershy whispered. "One of my animals is sick, and he really needs my help."
"That's fine. How 'bout the rest of ya?"
All the others murmured their consent.
"Then it's settled. Tomorrow, at seven, be at tha Ponyville Cafe!"

Rainbow Dash looked at the picture of Soarin yet again. Try as she might, she could not get him out of her head. At least she knew where he was. Hooffall. Dash had found a map of Equestria just to know his exact location. Dash lay out on her bed, fighting the overwhelming fear for Soarin rising from the back of her mind.
Suddenly, three sharp knocks pounded against her front door.
"Dash!" Applejack's voice called out. "Rainbow Dash! Are ya in there?"
"What do you want?" she shouted back.
Dash heard her door open, followed by the soft sounds of hoofsteps supported by magic. She buried her face in her pillow, not wanting to talk to anypony.
"Hey Dash, we're all goin' to the Ponyville Cafe. Ya wanna come?"
Rainbow Dash muttered something unintelligible, her words smothered by her pillow.
"What was that?" Applejack asked.
Dash turned her head to the side just enough so her mouth wasn't in the pillow. "I said, I'm really not hungry. I just want to sleep."
Applejack looked Dash over. She seemed to have lost a good deal of weight since Soarin had left. AJ reckoned that she had barely eaten all week.
"RD, ya need ta get outta here and get some fresh air. It'd be good for ya."
Dash lifted up a hoof and swung open the window beside her bed, not looking up from her position.
"Ha ha, real funny RD. Now come on, ya need ta be with your friends some. Lighten ya mood a little."
"If I go, will you stop bugging me?"
"Yep. Just gotta go this once."
"Fine. When are you guys going?"
"In about an hour or two."
"Ok. See ya then." Rainbow stuffed her face back into her pillow, waiting for Applejack to leave. But there was no sound of her walking off. Dash opened one eye and saw Applejack still by the door.
"What?"
"Ahm just makin' sure ya don't sleep through it."
"So you're just going to stand there and watch me? That's a bit creepy."
"Jus' give me a Pinkie promise."
"Ok. Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. You happy now?"
"Yep. Ah will see ya there!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Applejack trotted away from Dash's bedroom towards the door, happy about getting the cyan pony to get out of her cloud house. Nothing could go wrong now...

Soarin trotted behind Spitfire over to the command center, moved to an underground shelter to protect it from the bombardment. He ducked under the low-lying log and was immediately in the command room. Maps marked with gold and black flags covered tables. Ponies marked out enemy positions and made battle plans. And in the middle of it all stood a legend amongst ponies. Commander Shadowsword, a head taller than the other ponies, coal black fur blending almost perfectly with his black iron armor. Everything about him commanded respect.
"Wonderbolts," he said, his deep voice carrying over the commotion of the command room. "I called you here to discuss our battle plan. Seeing how you are among the highest ranking pegasi, you are going to be essential to our next move."
"Sir," Spitfire said, "what exactly is our next move?"
"The time has come for a counter-attack. Each Wonderbolt will be assigned a group of 10 pegasi to lead. Your objective is the enemy mages. No doubt you've seen the devastation they've done so far. When we attack, they are your primary targets. Supporting pegasi groups will take out any fliers. Any questions?"
"No sir," Spitfire and Soarin both said in unison.
"Go tell the rest of the Wonderbolts. Our success rests upon your elimination of the enemy mages."

Soarin stepped back into the light. His mind was already formulating plans and counter-plans for the battle ahead.
"Soar, go ahead and gather up the rest of our lot. I'll tell them all at once."
"Yes ma'am." Soarin replied before running off to where the Wonderbolts were living, half his thoughts still on the fight.

Applejack and Pinkie both struggled to hold Rainbow Dash back. The table where they were sitting lay overturned on the ground, food and drink thrown aside.
"SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME!" Dash shouted at a trio of stallions a few feet away. "SAY IT ONE MORE TIME! I DARE YOU!"
"Whoa there Dash!" Applejack exclaimed. "Ain't no need ya pay attention to them. We know ya ain't a filly-fooler." She wished either of the unicorns had been able to make it, but Rarity had gotten a massive order due in two days, and Twilight had to do some research for Princess Celestia that couldn't wait."
"Yeah, don't listen to those jerks!" Pinkie Pie replied.
"Hey look, her fillyfriends are holding her back. How sweet," the nearest one said, turning to smack the hooves of the other two stallions.

Dash dropped all her weight to the ground, escaping the hold of her friends. She leaped over the overturned table, delivering a mid-air kick to the back of the first stallion's head, who lurched forward. She spun in midair, using her hind leg to deliver a blow just under the jawline of the second colt. Her strike was rewarded with a sharp crunch as his jawbone snapped. She grabbed the third, who was still trying to grasp the situation, and flipped him over her shoulder, breaking the table he landed on. Rainbow Dash delivered a final stomp on his gut before she was able to be caught by her friends once again.
"Buck this," Rainbow Dash said. She shoved off her friend's grips before flying out of the open door.

"Well, ah reckon that wasn't such a good idea after all," Applejack said to Pinkie.
"The idea was fine, but some ponies just don't have any manners," Pinkie said, glancing at the fallen stallions.
"Ya got that right. Let's go tell Twi, she'll work up somethin' or another."

"Rainbow Dash did WHAT?!?" Twilight exclaimed.
"They had it comin'. And we tried ta stop her."
"This isn't like Dash. She never lets petty insults get to her."
"Hehe, except from Gabby Gums," Pinkie said, but she was silenced by Twilight's stare.
"Hey Twi, do ya got anything ta let her even see Soarin? Ya know she is worried sick over him, with tha war an' all."
"I'll have to check. But in the meantime, keep an eye on her. We don't want her to do anything too consequential."

Book after book of spells flew off the shelves of Twilight's library, flying past her face to land in neatly organized piles on the floor.
"Telepathy, telepathy, telepathy. Where's tele-Ah ha! Telepathy! Now I just need to find an observation spell.

Rainbow Dash sat in her bed, looking through the few pictures of her and Soarin. Each provided a vivid recollection. Her and Soarin dancing at the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. Pinkie Pie's party, where her pink friend announced to pretty much all of Ponyville that Soarin and her were together. Rainbow Dash laughed a little, remembering how shocked they both were. Those days seemed so far away, and life seemed so much simpler. Dash glanced at the map of Equestria she had put on her wall. A blue tack was pinned on the western side. She had managed to find out where he had been deployed. At least she knew where he was.

A resounding thud came from Dash's door as it was swung wide open.
"Dash!" Twilight Sparkle called out. "Rainbow Dash! Come quick!"
Dash shot down her stairs into the living room, worried that something might be wrong. Or worse, that changelings had made it near Ponyville.
"What is it Twilight? Is everything alright?"
"I-I found...found an obs-observation spell," Twilight said, trying to regain her breath.
"A what?"
"An observation spell. It used telepathic relays to allow you to see anything in real time."
"Once more. I'm not quite sure what you're getting at."
Twilight facehoofed herself, before continuing. "It lets you see anything from a great distance."
"So, you mean I could..."
"Exactly. And that's why I'm here. You won't be able to talk to him, but at least you can see and hear him."
Dash's face lit up at the proposal. She would actually be able to see him again. "Come on, let's go!"
Twilight flipped open the spell book she had floating behind her, the pages flipping past rapidly. Eventually, she stopped at the image of a magical image showing a pony. "Alright, here we go." Her horn lit up a light purple, and she immediately felt that this spell was tougher than it looked. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut, focusing more power into the spell. At last, an image surrounded in a purple haze appeared in the room. It showed the whole of Equestria at first. Then, it began to zoom in, closer and closer towards the Changeling-Equestrian border. It continued to come closer, going through the upper layer of clouds. It suddenly got to clear sky, and settled above a group of armored pegasi on top of clouds. Rainbow Dash peered closer, picking out Soarin's navy blue mane and tail. She nearly jumped for joy, but that joy turned to horror as she saw what happened next.

It always was quiet at higher altitudes. Almost no noise from the ground reached the lower level clouds. Had it not been for the scene below, he could have easily put the war off his mind. A sea of black was moving steadily towards a smaller-sized mass of gold. Soarin glanced to the other pegasi on the cloud around him. Somewhere in their number was Spitfire, Fleetfoot, Surprise, Wave Chill, and the rest of the Wonderbolts, each leading their own group of pegasi. He turned back towards the field below just as the battle began. The first purple bolt arced across the ground, before hitting the front of the changeling army. Small purple flashes erupted along the first ranks. More bolts shot towards the mass, each differing in color and result. An orange streak hit a forward group and turned them into flaming beacons within the mass. Then he saw it. The first green fireball streaked across the changeling lines, impacting in the midst of the Equestrian forces. Small glints of gold flew as it exploded. More fireballs came, dueling with the unicorns. Soarin turned back to his group and nodded. They, along with the other pegasi, pushed off their clouds and dove straight towards the locations of the changeling mages. The battlefield grew closer, with a sharp increase in noise as the front of both armies smashed against each other. He could pick out individuals now, sunlight glinting off the coal-black armor. Just then, the pegasus to his left erupted in flame, smoke streaking as he plummeted towards the earth. Green puffs of fire erupted towards the descending pegasi, occasional hits sending another pony down in flames. Soarin picked out one of the mages and readied his spear. Just as a large fireball was launched by the changeling, Soarin's spear hit home. It was jerked from his hooves as the changeling was impaled on the ground. He pulled up, flipping out his hoofguard and unsheathing his sword. Soarin looked back, seeing other pegasi strike their targets with the same result, while yet others were shot down. As the last few finished their strike, a low buzzing began to emerge from the changeling force. One after the other, changelings began to ascend, pursuing the regrouping Equestrian forces. Soarin and the other pegasi turned around, and charged straight towards the oncoming horde.

Shadowsword looked up from the combat at the sky. All along the sky, pegasi and changelings were engaging in aerial duels, the losers plunging to the ground. A green fireball exploded to his right. The reduction in fire had been nice, but there were still mages out there. The pegasi needed to get unengaged.

Soarin pulled his sword out of the chest of the changeling, letting his foe drop. He kicked another with his hind legs, before lunging forward and cutting down the changeling's wing. It fell screaming to the combat still raging below. He glanced around at the chaos raging around him. An occasional pegasus would manage to take a run at the mages, but other than that nothing was getting accomplished. A sharp pain in his flank pulled him back to the combat before him. He swirled around and brought his sword down on the bare head of another changeling. Blood trickled down his leg, a dull pain seeping from his wound. He ducked under the spear of another, first wrapping his arm around the spear shaft and shattering it with a sword blow before punching his sword through the weaker stomach armor of his opponent. Soarin turned back to the ground, picked out a mage, and dove towards his target. Reaching out with his forehoof, he brought his sword across the mage, its blood spurting across his chest. Soarin pulled away, going at almost a vertical climb to gain altitude. He flapped his wings until they began to feel like they were burning, before turning back for another pass. He dove at nearly the same angle, rapidly gaining speed. All he saw was a flash of green, then he was falling.

"SOARIN!" Rainbow Dash shouted. Tears were streaming down her face as the battle unfolded on the projection before her. She ripped away from the magic projection and sprinted towards the window. Dash put her left shoulder forward and tucked her head, and smashed through the glass of the library window. Shards of glass sliced jagged cuts in her skin, but she didn't even notice them. Dash shot into the sky, tears streaming from her eyes. She had to get to Hooffall. She had to save Soarin. She was so blinded by worry that she didn't notice the faint purple aura around her, or the land below her go by faster and faster.

Twilight stared at the dissipating rainbow trail arcing into the horizon. She put down her spell book, her horn still glowing with magic. She didn't know what her friend was going through, but she decided to help her by any means. The only thing she could think of was a speed spell, propelling Dash towards the front lines.

Soarin flapped his broken wing, biting back cries of pain with each movement. He had managed to slow down from the rapid speed he had plunged earlier, but the ground was approaching too fast. 'This is it,' he thought, 'This is how it ends.' Then, with a dull thud, Soarin smashed into the packed dirt, his vision instantly going black.

One solid scream, distant and faint, filled his mind. Slowly, it grew in volume. More screams joined it, an unholy cacophony filling his mind. He could do nothing but listen to the overwhelming noise penetrating his mind. Suddenly, all the noise was gone. Then came a thud of a hoof. Then another. A light shine in the distance. It grew larger, rushing at him. He tried to run, but found his legs unwilling to move. A sudden pain wracked his body as the light engulfed him.

Soarin opened his eyes, his cheek resting on the bloodstained dirt. His entire body was screaming out in pain. Around him were his pegasi, protecting their fallen leader. Soarin pulled himself up, weakly standing on three legs, the fourth bleeding and broken. He teetered, before being caught by Surprise.
"Come on Soarin," she said, "You're good."
"Sur-Surprise..."Soarin choked out. He could barely breathe, each shallow intake of air causing sharp pain. "Wh-what are you-"
"Shh, come on, we gotta-". She was cut off as a puff if red mist shot from her chest and she shot backwards. It was then he saw them. There they were, five of them, coming out of the dust. Five massive armored forms, each a hoof taller than he was, each fully covered in armor. He watched in horror as one swatted aside a pony with its hoof before using its magic to make the pony erupt into a fireball in midair. Fear clouded his mind as one of the behemoths turned towards him. Soarin scrambled across the ground, hindered by his broken leg. He reached out, grabbing a shattered spear from a fallen changeling. Soarin flipped over, the monstrosity now only a few hoof steps away.
It reared up on its hind legs, before bringing its armored hoofs crashing to the ground. Soarin rolled to the side, just in time to avoid the thunderous impact. Again, it reared. Soarin tried to roll, but his armor was caught on a spear shaft. The armored changeling's hoof crashed down on Soarin's golden chest plate.

He felt the bones break as his armor caved in. The Changeling pushed harder, driving his chest plate into his chest. Blood began to trickle as his armor tore and punctured his skin. Soarin half-consciously grabbed the broken spear, and drove it up under the armor above the changeling's hoof. It withdrew the pressure as the spear tore through its leg through the knee. Soarin mustered every iota of strength he had left, grabbed a fallen sword and lunged with all his might. He felt a wall of magus smash into his side, but not before he was able to stab the sword into the eye socket of the changeling.

He tumbled across the ground, the magic blow sending him flying. His already-broken wing was now torn shreds. At last he came to a stop, lying against a changeling war-machine. Pain clouded his mind, black creeping along the edges of his vision. The thumps of another armored form grew closer, one after the other. They became an omnipresent sound, in his mind, drowning out the sounds of metal on metal and shrieks of pain. And the darkness was growing, encroaching on his consciousness. Soarin collapsed, unable to stay awake, the pain of his shattered body overwhelming him. As his vision faded, he saw her. There she was, amidst the dust and smoke, her rainbow mane waving in the wind. She began to fade, his failing consciousness allowing him to see the mare he loved one last time.
"I-I'm sorry Dash," Soarin coughed, "I'm s-so sorry". The growing darkness took him, drowning out the battle around him.

Author's Note

Finally! Its up! Again, sorry for missing the Thanksgiving timetable, but two days after isn't bad, right?

You know the drill-pointing errors out and comments welcome.

Before anyone says anything, do not expect a December update unless I can find time and motivation. 3 AP classes are starting to load down work. And, I need to find out where this is going to go. I had all the way up to this chapter planned in August, but not past that. So, it may be a little bit.

Stay Awesome

RDD

Chapter 7.5-The Pieces of My Heart

Intermission-The Pieces of My Heart

Equestria shot past her, a green blur in the corners of her eyes. Tears ran along her face, the wind sending them flying behind her. Rainbow Dash felt her wings begin to burn as she flew faster and faster. Hot blood began to trickle out of her nose, running into her mouth. And yet she still flapped her wings harder, using every iota of strength to reach Hooffall. Dash felt acidic bile rise in the back of her throat. She choked it back down and focused on reaching Soarin. Images flashed through her mind. The pegasi launching towards the fight below. Soarin desperately maneuvering through the aerial fighting. His body suddenly becoming enveloped in a green puff of smoke, and him plummeting out of control.
The memories only are her push herself harder. At last she saw the distinct pillars of black smoke, marking the battlefield. Dash flew even faster, pushing herself to the limit. Within minutes she was above the plains, looking down on a field of corpses and wounded intermingled with surviving Equestrian guardponies. She flew low, trying to spot anything of significance, be it his distinct mane, his cutie mark, or the singed golden pegasi armor.
Dash darted from place to place, beginning to hyperventilate as more and more corpses were found, but not Soarin. Suddenly, she spotted a glimpse of navy mane, underneath a massive armored form. Dash dived even lower, spotting his distinct winged thunderbolt cutie mark. Fear and hope overcame her, and she rushed down to Soarin.
Dash picked up his head in her hooves. Blood trickled from his mouth, forming a crimson divide in the grime coating his face. She sobbed as she looked over the rest of him. Bloody feathers hung to his wings, and multiple lacerations covered his body.
"Please be alive," Dash whispered through her tears. "Please don't be dead. Soarin, please."

Soarin coughed, red spittle shooting from his mouth. Dash felt a glimmer of hope inside her.
"Soar," she asked. "Soarin, can you hear me?" She brushed his mane back, gently stroking his face. "Soar? Please don't do this. Please be alive. I need you. Please."
One of his eyes slowly opened, looking straight into her eyes. "H-hey," Soarin coughed, more blood coming up. "Hey...hnnngh...Dashie."
"Hey Soar," Dash said, casting a weak smile at him. Tears ran freely down her face, landing with a soft plink on his armor.
"Wh-what...what are you d-doing here," he rasped. "I-It's not safe."
"Ssh, everything's going to be fine," she said as she gently stroked his cheek and mane. "You're alright. You're fine."
"H-how did you....did you get here,"
"I flew. I flew all this way. After all, I know you'd go crazy from living without me for so long." Her last sentence elicited a weak smile from Soarin.
"Heh, y-you might be right."
"I always am."
Soarin cracked another weak smile. "S-sure you are. I'll.....I'll let you think that."
"Hey, don't argue with me, mister. When you get better I'll have to have a couple words with you."
"Ohh, I'm terrified"
Rainbow Dash let out a small laugh. "You should be. I'll take you on any day."
"I-I'd love to see you try."
"Whenever you're better, doubt doubt for a second I won't get you."
Soarin started to laugh, but was suddenly taken by a fit of violent coughs. His eyes squeezed shut by the pain of his broken ribs extending by his coughs. He spat a wad of blood into the sand, before laying back down.
Soarin looked at her, the immense fear and sorrow just behind her magenta eyes. Worry visibly showed on her face, as she wiped up the faint trace of blood off his mouth. Tears brimming on the edge of his eyes as he looked deep into her eyes, seeing now the love she held for him like never before. But his attention was drawn away by the dull pain in his chest, and the taste of blood in his mouth. A tear rolled down the side of Soarin's face, as he finally came to grip the certain truth. "Rainbow Dash....I-I don't think I'm....gonna come out of this one."
"Soarin, don't say that. You're going to be just fine. I bet you in a couple months you will be flying stunts for the Wonderbolts all over Equestria."
"Rainbow....if-if I don't make it-"
Dash gripped his hoof in her own and squeezed it tightly. "Stop it. You are going to pull through. I know you will."
"No. I need you to know that-that I always loved you. Since we first met, I have...have always loved you."
Rainbow Dash cried freely, her tears dripping onto Soarin's blood-streaked armor. "I know. I know Soarin."
Rainbow Dash leaned down and pressed her muzzle against his. They held the passionate embrace, Soarin's one good foreleg wrapped around her lithe body. Dash pulled away, just enough to look Soarin in the eyes for a split second before going in once again for another kiss, all her love for Soarin embodied in her one act.
Dash felt his breath begin to slow ever so little. "Soarin? Soarin! Come on, stay with me!"
"Dashie, I-I think this....this might be it."
Oh no. No no no, you can't. You can't die. We're going to get you out of here." She started to try and shove the armored bulk of the changeling off Soarin, her hooves driving shallow furrows into the ground as she struggled against its dead weight. Just as sweat began to bead on her brow, she felt a light tap on her flank.
"Dash. Don't-don't worry about it."
"But we've got to get you out of here! We need to-"
"I-I can't hold on any-any longer. I'm sorry."
"NO! Soarin, you can't! You can't die!" Rainbow Dash flapped up, glancing at the soldiers still searching the battlefield. "SOMEPONY! SOMEPONY HELP! PLEASE HELP!" She landed back beside Soarin, cradling his head and body in her hooves. "Just stay with me. Stay with me!"
"Dash. I'm-I'm so sorry."
"Shh. You're going to be fine. Somepony's coming. Just hold on"
"I-I love you." Soarin pulled himself just slightly off the ground, kissing her lightly before falling back into her forelegs. His eyes squeezed shut, and a single tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a thin trail through the soot and dust covering his face.
"Soarin. Please don't go. Please. I need you. Don't leave me. Don't leave." She pressed her face into his fur, feeling the shallow rise of his chest and faint beat of his heart. Ever so slowly, it faded, turning into nothingness.

Author's Note

Ok, so I managed to get started on chapter 8, but realized there was a substantial gap that needed to be filled in for work to continue. So, here we are. *Deploys anti-rage shield*. I may want to go into my bunker now.....

Seriously though, this was a hard chapter to write. But it was needed. And chapter 8 is due in January, so hold on until then. It's gonna be good. (As this was so short, I felt it was not a true chapter)

Oh, since this was all typed and uploaded on my phone, there are probably plenty of errors. Point them out if you find any.

Stay Awesome

RDD

Chapter 8-Casualties and Nightmares

Rainbow Dash groggily opened her eyes, pushing her head off the pillow. She glanced around, initially confused at her surroundings. She seemed to be alone; the room painted an orange hue by a lone lamp hung on the ceiling. Rough blankets covered her on the equally-uncomfortable bed.
"What?" Rainbow Dash asked, more to herself than anypony who could possibly hear her. "What happened? Where am-" She was cut off as the memories of the day before crashed down on her...

"Soarin!" Rainbow Dash yelled at the unconscious stallion on the litter as she trotted beside it. His light blue coat was tinted with a lime green from the aura around him. "Soarin just hold on!" She turned away from him to the pony trotting ahead of her, bearing the front of the litter. "Can't we go faster?!?"
"Not if ya want him to live! Any faster, he takes a bad bump and he's gone!"
Dash turned back to Soarin. His head lolled back and forth in response to the bumps as the litter-bearers trotted back to the fort. She noticed a trickle of blood, just a slight red stain beginning to ooze from his open mouth.
"Hey!" Dash shouted to the unicorn mare across from her, also running alongside Soarin. She called out again, her first time seeming to have no effect. "HEY!"
"What?" The unicorn's voice was sharp, showing that she was trying to concentrate on keeping the spell over Soarin working.
"He-he's bleeding!"
"Holy shit! Swordwind, hold up-the stasis spell is failing! I got to get this working!"
The litter-bearers jerked to a halt, staying careful enough to make sure their charge was still safe. Immediately the unicorn set to work, muttering incantations from memory. Her forehead scrunched up in concentration as she tried to strengthen her spell. "C'mon. C'mon dammit." A few tense seconds passed as the trickle of blood continued to flow, before the aura around Soarin grew brighter and it ceased.
"Alright, he's good for now. Let's go, and hurry!"
The stretcher-bearers immediately ran forward, determined to reach the fort that now was just several dozen hoofsteps away. Dash ran alongside Soarin the whole time, staying silent, trying to fight whatever scenarios her mind conjured. In what seemed like a few seconds and a lifetime at the same time, the ponies turned the corner into the fort. Immediately, they ran into a white pavilion, marked by a giant red cross on the roof. More distinctly was the heavily bandaged ponies outside the entrance, lying about on stretchers as doctors in blood-stained gowns maneuvered through their patients.

Dash moved to follow the ponies into the makeshift hospital, but was immediately stopped as a foreleg wrapped around her chest.
"NO!" She screamed in sorrow and fear for her love "SOARIN! I'VE GOT TO BE WITH SOARIN!" She whipped her elbow back, smashing the pony holding her back in their face. Just as she got free, Dash felt a pinprick in her flank. The world began to spin, everything seeming to move in slow motion.
"No!" She yelled, but this time her voice seemed distant, as if a muffled echo. "Soarin! Soarin!" She fell to the ground as her world began to grow dark. Dash felt her mouth moving, but there were no sounds reaching her ears. The last thing she saw was Soarin being carried into the medical tent, out of her sight.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, clearing her thoughts of the chaos of the day before. She glanced around, trying to get an idea of where she was. The room lacked any minute details that might betray her location. Dissatisfied with her fruitless search, she ran and swung open the door, to be greeted by a somber sight.

The Wonderbolts were all gathered in the meeting hall, embers glowing in the rectangular fireplace located in the center of the room. Wave Chill, Rapidfire, and Firestreak sat together at the tables positioned along the walls, nursing wounds or muttering snippets of conversation. Silver Lining lay spread-eagled on another table, passed out. Blaze and High Winds stood at the far side of the room, cleaning the remaining grime and blood from their armor. Fleetfoot sat alone by the bar located across from Dash, her head buried in her forelegs. Empty bottles surrounded her, laying about on the floor and bar.

Rainbow Dash surveyed the Wonderbolts with shock. She had never seen her lifetime heroes seem so defeated. They had always been so indomitable in her mind. Dash was so taken by the ragged group before her that she didn't even notice Spitfire approach her.
"Hey Rainbow Dash," the golden pegasi said, exhaustion evident in her voice. "That's a nice elbow you got there." Spitfire commented as she rubbed a bruise on her jaw to emphasize her statement.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, it's just that Soarin was-"
"Relax, I know. It's alright."
"I-I saw what happened to Soarin," Dash said, trying to keep her voice from quivering. "Is he okay?"
"We have no definite answer, but I think he's going to be fine. But you gotta stay here for now."
"Why ca-"
"Before you ask, that's what the medical staff said. I don't know why."
Rainbow Dash glanced around at her surroundings again. "Spitfire, where exactly am I?"
Spitfire paused briefly, looking at the ground as she gathered her thoughts. "Well, you're in the Wonderbolts frontline HQ. With what's left of us."
"But aren't all of y-"
"Rainbow Dash. You're in Surprise's room."
"Wha...but-"
"Look, we lost a good Wonderbolt out there today. Another is on death's doorstep, and we have several with major injuries. It would be best not to bring anything up. Especially to Fleetfoot. Surprise was her best friend; hell, they were inseparable. She's taking it really hard, so it would be best to leave her be."
"O-okay. But when can I see Soarin?"
"I'll get you in there as soon as possible, but be warned, it might not be pretty."

Soarin blinked the sleep out of his eyes, awakened by the yellow sunlight streaming into the room. He propped himself up on the cloudbed, careful to not create any disturbance. He looked down at the cyan pegasus lying with her back to him, her rainbow mane unkempt. She seemed so peaceful, despite his knowledge of her energetic and sometimes rambunctious personality. Soarin lightly laughed as he remembered her antics as she pursued Pinkie Pie after the rather sudden announcement of their relationship. She had been so worried about her public image back then, about being "cool". Soarin slipped back under the bedsheets, wrapping a hoof around Dash's body. He planted a light kiss on her cheek, before burying his face in her mane. Soarin felt exhaustion begin to bear down upon him, and closed his eyes.
Immediately the image of the changeling's steel mask flashed, red light pouring from the eyes in a tide of malice. It stared into his soul for that split second, ice gripping his heart as pure evil looked him in the eyes. Soarin immediately opened his eyes once again, expecting to be greeted by the sight of Rainbow Dash beside him in her cloudbed. But instead of seeing by his fillyfriend beside him and safe in her house, he was back on the battlefield. Soarin tried to pick himself up, but the pain was too great. Suddenly, Surprise was there, pulling him up, supporting his weight.
"C'mon, we gotta-" She started, but was cut off as a red beam punched into her armor and she was launched backwards. He turned to face his attacker, but this time there was no changeling to defeat. There were only the two red eyes in the shadows, embers of hate searing in his mind. A wall of shadows surrounded him, trapping him in darkness and hate-filled eyes. Soarin screamed, for the first time in a long time he screamed a cry of pain and terror. Crimson eyes were everywhere, staring at him, mocking him, burning into his soul.

Suddenly, they all vanished, the blood red eyes dissipating in a wave as dark as coal. Soarin pulled himself up, the pain gone from his body. He turned around, to be greeted by the Princess of the Night.
"P-Princess Luna. Th-thank-"
"Rest now, young warrior. You have fought well. No longer shall the shadows of the night haunt your dreams."
Soarin was about to speak, when he heard a metallic thump. Then another. And another. His eyes widened as the realization dawned on him. Soarin turned slowly around, to be greeted by his fear once again.
The metal-clad changeling was marching out of the mist, head held high in a sort of arrogance. Luna's jaw dropped for a split second, before she recovered and mustered her magic that had erased Soarin's dream before. It launched forward, a pure black wave that had wiped away even the most terrible of nightmares. The changeling's horn lit up, a distinct bright red instead of the normal lime green. As the wave hit him, he staggered but did not dissipate as the others had.
"Princess Luna, master of the night," it said, deep rasping voice echoing in Soarin's mind. "Do you truly think a little spell will defeat me? I am not one of the Iron Guard he dreams of! I am as real as you, Princess of the night!"
Luna stepped backwards, mentally preparing her options. Morphing back into Nightmare Moon was possible now that she could control her rage, but it could cause damage to Soarin's mind. Her foe had already proven to be a keen magic-wielder, so that would not end well. Her last option left was with diplomacy, or at least to distract it enough to banish it from his mind.
"Who are you?" she asked, keeping on guard in case of a strike.
"Me? Oh my dear Princess, how could you forget?" The helmet became enveloped by a red aura, and slowly lifted off of the armored figure.
Soarin gasped in shock. Inside the armor was not a Changeling, but a pony. A red unicorn with charcoal-black mane. His hate-filled eyes were a deep blue, peering out across his heavily scarred muzzle at the Night Princess.
"No....it can't be."
"Oh, but it is," the unicorn hissed.
"Solar Flare? What have you done-"
"WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?" Solar Flare boomed, voice filled with rage. "YOU CAUSED THIS! YOU AND THAT DAMNABLE CELESTIA!"
"Wha-"
"The first changeling war, remember? You left me to die, on that forsaken spit of land. I called, oh I called for you in my dreams to save me, but you. Didn't. Listen."
"Canterlot was under siege! I could not have-"
"DON'T GIVE ME YOUR PATHETIC EXCUSES! What did you tell Shadowsword, hmm? That his brother died a hero? That you LEFT HIM TO DIE?!?"
"What happened-"
"The changelings found me, healed me, changed me. Funny, for being the devourers of love, they showed me more than you ever did."
"Solar-"
"SILENCE!" His horn glowed red as he wrapped bonds of pure energy around Luna's snout. "I am not Solar Flare. No, that pony died out on the border, left bleeding in the sand. No, I am Lord Kharax. I am doom incarnate." Kharax lowered his voice, approaching Luna, stopping mere inches from her face. "And I will have my revenge."
Lord Kharax fell back into the shadows, once again melting into a pair of burning red eyes that slowly evaporated in the mist. Luna looked back to the still-prone Soarin. His eyes were wide with shock at the sights he had witnessed. Luna approached him and touched her horn to his forehead. "Rest now young warrior. I shall stay vigil over the night."
Soarin felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, and he closed his eyes to leave the dreams behind, taking solace in the peaceful darkness.

Kharax turned away from the shimmering pool before him. "Princess Luna. Oh, it's been such a long time," he muttered to himself. His helmet hid the slight grin spreading across his scarred muzzle, which grew with each pounding step. With a nod of his head, two of the Iron Guards flanked behind him. He had work to do.

Rainbow Dash weaved her way through the corridors of the hospital, dodging medical ponies and wounded soldiers as she followed Spitfire. The whole hospital seemed like a maze, all the walls the same bleached white, each hall filled with ponies.
"Rainbow Dash!" Spitfire exclaimed, shouting just to let herself be heard through the din. "His room is right here!"
Dash shoved her way through the crowd, anxiety building in her chest. She ignored the sharp comments directed at her from the ponies she forced out of her way. In what felt like hours, she reached the closed door. She started for the entrance, but was stopped by Spitfire's hoof.
"Rainbow," she said solemnly, "I don't know how bad he is. Just be ready for anything."
"I know," Dash replied, bracing herself for anything. She slowly opened the door, trying to convince herself everything was going to be alright. She pushed it open further, revealing Soarin lying on a hospital bed, unconscious. Dash slowly moved closer, half of her mind urging her forward while the rest wanted to leave. Pulling up a chair, Dash sat down beside the bed, looking over Soarin. His right wing was heavily bandaged, red stains marking the points of worst damage. The rest of his body was just as badly injured, with one leg in a cast and his torso also wrapped in blood-stained bandages.
Dash fought back her tears at the sight of the once-strong pegasus lying bloody and broken. She grabbed his hoof in her own and squeezed it tight. "Soarin," Dash choked out, a knot forming in her throat. "Soarin? Can you hear me?" Tears began to well up in her eyes as she looked at her wounded lover. "Everything's going to be fine Soar. Everything's going to be fine, just like I said." Dash brushed through his wavy blue mane with her other hoof, in part to bring herself comfort. "We got you back. You're safe." She was unable to hold back anymore. The dam of emotions broke, Rainbow Dash breaking down into sobs as she squeezed his hoof even tighter. She tried to keep talking, in hope that some part of him would hear her, but she couldn't choke out any words over her sorrow. Dash buried her face in his mane, wanting to get as close as she could to him. She cried herself to sleep beside him, the frantic flight still taking a toll on her. Even as she drifted to sleep, Dash still held his hoof in her own.

He could hear her, just a faint echo in the dark. "Rainbow Dash!" Soarin called out, searching for her. "Rainbow Dash! Where are you?"
Her voice began to get louder, enough for him to pick out words. "...going to be fine, just like I said."
"Dash! Where are you?" Soarin turned, to be greeted by a distant light, just a speck in the darkness. He flew towards it with all his might, Dash's voice increasing in volume as he grew closer.
"We got you back. You're safe."
He could tell she was crying now. Soarin stopped mid-flight. 'Wait...am I dead?' he thought to himself. 'I can't be dead.' He looked back to the light. The sobs had stopped, now there was only silence in the dark expanse. Soarin gritted his teeth, and launched himself to the glimmer of light. Faster and faster he approached, until he burst into the blinding sunlight.

Soarin blinked his eyes open. No longer was he in a void, a dreamless sleep. He felt soreness in his wing, chest, and leg. Soarin looked around the room. The plain white walls betrayed his location; a hospital. He started to pull himself up, but felt a grip on his hoof. Glancing down, he saw Rainbow Dash asleep by the side of his bed, holding his hoof. Her mane was unkempt, and dried tear stains crossed her face. Even so, she still looked as beautiful as she ever did to Soarin. He started to lay back down, the pain in his chest increasing the more he was propped up. His stirring woke up Rainbow Dash, who looked back at him through half-closed eyes. Realization hit her half a second later, shown as her eyes widened.
"Soarin!" she exclaimed, "You're awake!" Rainbow Dash jumped out of the chair and engulfed Soarin in a massive hug, burying her face in his neck.
"Hey Dash," Soarin replied, his hoarse voice almost at a whisper. "Glad to see you too."
"I almost lost you Soarin," Dash said, pulling back to look him in the face. "I-I was so worried..."
"Hey, it's alright. I'm here now." Soarin pulled her close with his one good leg. She buried her face in his shoulder, forelegs wrapped around his neck. Soarin kissed her lightly on her head, before bringing his face close to Dash's. "Everything's going to be fine now. I'm here Dashie. I'm here." Soarin lightly stroked her mane as she sobbed into his shoulder, the anxiety from recent events now bursting forth in earnest. Minutes passed as they held their embrace, neither wanting to let go of the other. Eventually, Rainbow Dash sat back up, wiping the last tears from her eyes. Soarin had already begun to drift back to sleep, his recovery taking its toll on his energy. Just as his eyes closed, he shook himself awake.
"I'm so sorry Dash, I'm just so-"
"Ssh, it's alright," she whispered lovingly. "You need your sleep. You're fine. Just rest now."
"O-okay. Love...you." Soarin muttered as he drifted back to sleep.
Rainbow Dash leaned forward and lightly kissed him, their lips just touching. She sat back in the chair, content with just watching Soarin sleep, wanting to spend as much time as she could with the pony she loved.

Rainbow Dash pulled herself out of the chair, having to mentally coax herself that everything was going to be fine. She kissed him on the forehead lightly, then proceeded to leave his room. She wandered among the halls of the hospital building, lost in thoughts of Soarin. Eventually, she made her way back to the entrance. Rainbow Dash pushed open the door, blinking in the harsh sunlight. Almost immediately, Spitfire came running up to her.
"How is he?" Spitfire queried. "Is he going to be fine?"
"I'm-I'm not sure. He woke up for just a second, enough to say a few words. But his voice, he-he was really raspy."
Spitfire let a small grin creep across her face. "Hey, that's something," she said as she patted Dash's shoulder.
"Yeah....I just wish I could do something. I feel so helpless."
"He's in good hooves. Just check up on him every now and again; you might manage to catch him awake."
"That's what I was going to do, at least, later tonight."
"That's good. In the meantime, why don't you return to our barracks?" Spitfire glanced at the sky, squinting in the sun's light. "It's safer in there if the bugs decide to start shooting at us again."
Rainbow Dash's thought process was immediately sobered by the reminder that she was in a war zone. She could still die. All of her thoughts had been so focused on Soarin, she forgot to worry about herself.
'What about my friends?' Dash thought in worry. 'They don't even know if I'm still alive. But wait...Twi does have that spell. But what if she is too scared to use it again? I have to go and tell them I'm alright-but what about Soarin? I can't leave him. He needs me. And so do my friends.' Dash buried her face in her hooves, her loyalty torn between her love and her friends. She perked up at a sudden idea. 'A letter!....but that could take weeks to get there. They might think I am already dead by then.'
"Oh, what to do?!?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She felt multiple stares from ponies around her, and felt her cheeks turn red as Dash realized she had thought out loud. "C'mon Dash, think. What would Twilight do?"
Spitfire's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. "Rainbow, you alright?"
"Huh?" Dash blurted as she was brought back to reality. "Oh, yeah I'm fine."
"You sure? You've been walking around in circles talking to yourself for five minutes now."
"Oh. It's-" Dash paused for a second to collect her thoughts. "It's just that I left my friends back at Ponyville with no heads-up or anything, and they're probably worried about me. But I can't leave Soarin. And a letter could take days, if not weeks to get there. I just don't know what to do!"
"Look Rainbow, I know how loyal you are. Hell, you almost left the academy because a dumbass was being reckless and eventually put your friends in danger. But Soarin needs you right now. Send your friends a letter-it'll get there soon enough. But he needs you to be there beside him when he wakes up. He loves you a lot, and I worry about what he would do if you were not there."
Rainbow Dash stood in silence, letting each of Spitfire's words soak in. "Thanks Spitfire. I needed that."
"Yeah, just don't get all emotional on me," she replied with a smile. "Or I'll have to bust your can."
"Yeah, sure. See ya around." Dash sprinted back to the barracks as ran straight to the room she was staying in. She went to the desk and dug through the drawers until she found a clean piece of paper. Grabbing a nearby pen, she began to write.

Girls,

Hey, just letting you know that I'm fine. I probably shouldn't have flew out on you like that, but Soarin needed me. I'm staying at Hooffall with the rest of the Wonderbolts, so I'm fine. I'll be back before you know it.

Rainbow Dash

Dash scribbled "Ponyville" on the back of the letter before folding up. She sprinted back through the building, plowing over a few chairs scattered about and about running over Spitfire. "Oh sorry!" She exclaimed as she shot by.
"Hey, watch it next time!"
Spitfire sat back in a still-upright chair, a bemused smirk on her face. Ten seconds later, Rainbow Dash's head popped back in the door.
"Hey Spitfire, where's the-"
"Far left building, in the corner."
"Ok, thanks!" Dash ran towards the post office, dodging whatever pony got in her way. She burst through the door, slapped the letter down on the desk, tossed a few bits onto the table, and ran back out the door. She knew another friend that needed help.

"Hey Fleetfoot," Rainbow Dash said as she pulled up a chair alongside the Wonderbolt. "How you doing?"
"Hey," Fleetfoot muttered, casting a minute glance at the cyan pony. Both sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, unwilling to bring up the worry that hung over their heads.
"So, Fleet, how are you feeling?" "How do you think I'm feeling?" Fleetfoot spat. "I just lost my best friend, and the other could die."
Dash put her hoof around the Wonderbolt's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. "Hey, I know how you feel. Hell, Soarin's my coltfriend."
"Yeah, I guess you do." Fleetfoot softened slightly, picking her head up off the bar. "It's just that, there was nothing."
"What do you mean, nothing?"
"Surprise. No body, no item to identify if a piece of meat was her. She's just gone."
"But that means she could still be alive, right?" She might have been brought back beforehand, or-"
"Or taken prisoner by those scum. She might as well be as good as dead. I've heard about what they do to captives."
"Hey, you can't think like that. You got to stay positive, try to hold on to the hope that they will be found. Otherwise you just drive into a deeper pit of despair. Trust me, I know."
"Thanks Rainbow. It's just hard, losing a friend and having another injured the same day."
"Fleet, I'm going to see Soarin. You want to come? He was awake last time."
"Maybe in a few. I'm going to try and compose myself first."
"Alright. Just stay strong." Dash left the bar, and gently walked to the door of the barracks. As soon as she was outside, she shot straight for the hospital, hoping Soarin was awake once again.

I'm telling you, she outran me by a good five seconds." Soarin sat around one of the tables back at the Wonderbolts arena, eating lunch with Fleetfoot and Surprise.
"Ha!" Fleetfoot exclaimed, almost choking on her food. She forced down her meal before continuing on. "An untrained weather pony outflying a Wonderbolt? I call bullshit. Or did you let her win, eh?"
"Yeah, let her win to woo her, right Soar?" Surprise chimed in
"Oh come on guys, nothing like that," Soarin said. "We're just friends."
"Yeah, friends with benefits!" Fleetfoot quipped, sending both mares into fits of laughter.
"Wha-I don't-uh-"
"Hey look Fleet, he's blushing!"
"I didn't know you could turn that shade of red Soarin!" By now both mares were in tears from laughing so hard, at Soarin's expense.
Soarin crossed his forelegs in disgust, glaring at his friends. "I bucking hate you two, you know that?"
"Nah Soar," Fleetfoot said, hovering close to his face. "You love us-"
"-But not as much as you love Dashie!" Surprise finished, making Soarin blush even deeper.
"Screw you two," Soarin muttered.
"But that's what I thought you had Rainbow Dash for!" Surprise said, sending both into laughter once again. Soarin put his head on the table, buying his face in his hooves. His action only elicited another roar of laughter from his friends. Eventually, they both calmed down, still wiping the tears from their eyes.
"Oh, Soarin, I think I'm going to die," Fleetfoot panted as she tried to catch her breath.
"Good. And take Surprise with you."
The bell rang before any other comments could be made. All the Wonderbolts started back to the training field. Soarin started to the door, when he heard a familiar thump of a hoof. Then another, this one closer. He turned around slowly, and came face to face with one of the armored changelings.
"Shit!" Soarin exclaimed as he clambered over the table behind him. He ducked low, sliding under another. As he brought himself back up, Soarin realized that he was no longer at the Wonderbolts arena. He was back on the battlefield, fighting for his life once again. He felt the fractured bones in his wings crack, an audible snap resounding. The pain was nearly unbearable, even though he knew he was in a dream.
"Luna, how long must this continue?!?" He shouted to the sky, tears rolling down his face. An armored hoof turned him around, and he felt a spear drive through his chest. Hot blood poured from his wound as he looked down in shock. He felt a horn touch his forehead, and was instantly engulfed in memories, flicking by in seconds.
A dark presence seeped through his consciousness. Soarin, still in shock, was unable to fight the shadows clouding his mind. The voice of Kharax echoed through his mind. "Ah, so this is her. Rainbow Dash. Element of Loyalty. Oh, and who's this? Her friends are elements too? Thank you so much, Soarin of the Wonderbolts."

Soarin felt Kharax's presence leave his consciousness, slowly, painfully. All went black as the dream world faded from his vision, leaving only darkness.

Rainbow Dash steadied herself before entering Soarin's room, allowing herself a minute to catch her breath and fix her mane some. She knew Soarin really didn't mind, but she wanted to look nice when he woke up. Slowly, Dash opened the door, peeking inside. Almost immediately, she ran to his side in panic.
Blood soaked through the bandage across his chest, running down and staining the blue-grey sheets a dark crimson. His body was covered in a cold sweat, turning his light blue fur a dark blue. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, dribbling down his cheek. Soarin's body shook lightly, spreading blood across the bed.
"Soarin!" Dash screamed. "Soarin! Stay with me!" She ran to the door, swinging it wide open. "HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!" Her cries were greeted by the sound of hooves sprinting towards her. Rainbow Dash ran back to the bed, cradling Soarin's head with one hoof, grabbing his hoof with the other. "C'mon Soar, keep it together." Tears ran down her face, falling onto Soarin's quivering form. "Help is coming. Just hold on!"
Rainbow Dash was shoved aside as multiple ponies in medical garb rushed into the room. She tried to look over their shoulders as they worked. Unfamiliar terms and diagnoses all were tuned out, Dash stuck in the corner of the room, unable to help. One line, the words she most dreaded, punched through her thoughts.
"Shit, he's going! We need to get to OR now! Where's that damn stretcher?!?"
Everything went quiet in Dash's mind as the first three words echoed in her mind. Over and over her mid replayed one sentence, the exclamation of the doctor working on the pony she loved. She saw The stretcher-bearers burst in, ready to go. Within seconds, Soarin was on the stretcher, and all the medical ponies were out the door, their voices echoing down the hallway.
"Celestia dammit, he's going!"
"Come on Soarin, hang in there!"
"Buck, we're losing him! We're losing him! Come on, hang in th..." The doctor's voice paused for a second. Suddenly, his voice boomed down the corridor. "MOVE!"

Sudden realization dawned on Rainbow Dash. The pause, his frantic order to the other ponies.
Dash slumped in the corner, tears streaming down her face. Her breath sped up to the point of hyperventilation. She felt her head begin to swim, and a nauseous feeling in her stomach. Soarin, the love of her life, her coltfriend, was gone.

Author's Note

OK, here we go. Chapter 8. An enemy revealed, a hero at death's door, and a lover in tears. Whats not to love?

I'm not sure if there will be a February update, this chapter took an unexpected turn with Soarin and all. I was actually going to let him recover, but looks like ol' Kharax (or Solar Flare, whichever you prefer) got the best of me. Also, I gotta start applying for scholarships, so essays may burn out my writing desires for a while. Fun fun fun.

...Back to the story and all, the revealing of Solar Flare is going to be important later. Remeber back in chapter 1 when I said I do everything for a reason? That still applies here. I just hope I didn't steal anyone's OC. Sorry if I did.

Stay Awesome

RDD

Chapter 9-No Rest For the Weary

The rapid clop of Spitfire's hooves on the tile floor echoed down the empty hallways. She sprinted down aisle after aisle, sliding around corners, never relenting her breakneck speed. News traveled fast, and it had only taken minutes between the death of Soarin and word to reach her ears. Spitfire halted abruptly in front of the door that led to his room, skidding to a stop. A trail of red droplets trailed down the hall, turning off at another corner. She slowly opened the door, eyes following the blood further into the room. The splatters increased, culminating into a pool below Soarin's empty bed.
"Where is he?" Spitfire asked the empty room. "Where is he? What have they done with him?!? WHERE IS HE, CELESTIA DAMMIT?!?" Spitfire's emotions boiled over, rage and grief mingling together. She flipped over the blood stained bed, crimson-tainted sheets draped across the floor. In her grief Spitfire struck out against everything in the room, punching through the wooden cabinets along the wall, pounding her hooves on the stone walls. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the blood of her lieutenant, her wingpony, her best friend. Spitfire slumped against the wall, her energy spent, alone in her sorrow.

Rainbow Dash paced frantically outside the operating room. Her eyes were red and swollen, and tear stains still marked her face. The nurse' words still echoed in her mind. 'He's got a chance. Not much, but there is still hope for him yet. Just don't give up on him.'
Try as she might, Dash still felt the small presence in the back of her mind, telling her that Soarin was already gone, that the doctors would fail. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts for a split second, before the voice was back, stronger than before.
Minutes felt like hours as the medical ponies tended to Soarin. At last, one of the doctors, a blue unicorn, pushed open the door to the operating room. His surgical apron was spattered with fresh blood, while his eyes showed only weariness.
"Is he okay?" Dash asked nervously, still afraid of knowing what the answer could be. "Is Soarin okay?"
The doctor flopped into a chair, a light blue aura surrounding his mask as it floated in the air. "Can't say I'm sure. We did what we could-but I'm still worried. Soarin's stable for now, but I don't know how long he will stay that way."
"So-so he's going to live, right?"
"I'm going to be honest with you. There are no guarantees than he will make it out of here alive. Whatever he fought, it did a lot of internal damage. It's a miracle he made it off the battlefield alive, let alone through this."
"He's going to make it. I know he will."
The doctor looked her in the eyes, his mouth forming into a grin frown. "Don't get your hopes up." He pushed himself out of the chair, walking off into the hospital, leaving Rainbow Dash alone with her thoughts.

"So, after all that, you managed to pull through. Good job Wonderbolt." Solar Flare paced around a battered and bloody Soarin slowly, grinning menacingly. A stave levitated behind him, splotches of red scattered across its surface.
"I'm-I'm stronger than I look, traitor." Soarin clipped his sword into his hoofguard again, pulling his head up to look at Solar Flare again.
"Oh, I'm not the traitor. They left me to die. I owe them nothing." Solar Flare swung his stave at Soarin, each strike in quick succession.
Soarin parried the first, the force of the blow sending his sword-leg askew. The next smashed into his gut, making Soarin double-over from pain. Another smacked across his back, knocking him to the ground. The last was brought as an uppercut, catching Soarin under his chin and sending him sprawling across the dirt on his back, a thin stream of blood arcing through the air behind him.
"You can't win, Wonderbolt. I am stronger than you will ever be."
Soarin rolled back onto his forelegs, propping himself up slightly. "I-I don't fear you. Do....your....worst."
Solar Flare cocked his head to the side just the slightest. Never before had his prey challenged him like Soarin did. A sudden epiphany struck him as he stared down in his defeated foe. The Wonderbolt was no longer afraid. Nothing Solar Flare did would break him.
"Oh, you'd love for me to, wouldn't you Wonderbolt?" Solar Flare hissed. "I see you have finally conquered your terror of the night."
"Glad...glad to see you fin-finally realized that. How...how about you leave my dreams, be-before I kill you?"
"An interesting proposal, indeed. However, I no longer have need of you. You have fought well-killing you would be such a waste. I don't think your death is needed. Now that you gave me what I need, I have more important matters to attend to." Solar Flare turned away from the bleeding pegasi, walking into the enveloping darkness.

The metallic pounding of Solar Flare's armored hoofs echoed down the empty candlelit halls. Eerie shadows flickered on the doors, changing with the movement of the green flames. Solar Flare stopped in front of an ostentatiously decorated door, the vivid red and greens painted in a mockery of the crest of the Equestrian Air Guard. He took just the slightest pause, before pushing open the door.

A navy blue pegasi sat bowed over a table, poring over maps of the front lines. His mane, black with a navy stripe through the middle, lay neatly blown back, as if the pony had been flying. The pegasi muttered to himself, suggesting troop deployments and offensive actions to himself, unaware of Solar Flare behind him.
Solar Flare stood patiently in the doorway, waiting for his subject to recognize his presence. After a few minutes of idleness, he lost his patience, slamming the door shut, making the pegasi leap from his chair.
"What the hell?!?" The pegasi shouted as he nearly hit the ceiling. "What do you-oh, sorry my lord."
"Wingstream. I have need of you and your squadron."
"What's my objective?"
"Not this time. I need my ace flyer here, to guard against attacks. All I need is your best flyers."

Rainbow Dash waited in the same room for hours, awaiting clearance to see Soarin. She was desperate to see him again, half of her mind wanting to barge in anyways and see to him herself. But the more reasonable side of her conscience kept her at bay, repeatedly reminding herself that he needed to rest after his emergency operation. Rainbow Dash slunk down into a chair, a dull pain rising in her head. All of the hectic events in the last few hours started to get to her, now that everything had calmed down.

After what seemed like an eternity, a nurse left Soarin's room, giving Dash a slight nod. Rainbow Dash bolted forwards, but was stopped by the nurse's hoof.
"If he is asleep, let him stay asleep. He needs rest. You have thirty minutes."
"What? Only thirty min-but Soarin is my coltfriend, for Celestia's sake! He almost died on me twice! How can you expect-"
"Thirty minutes. That's final." The nurse turned away, no allowing Rainbow Dash to press the issue any further.
"Bitch," Dash muttered once the nurse was out of earshot. She cast a final glare in the direction the nurse had went, before entering Soarin's recovery room.

Rainbow Dash walked up beside his bed, looking at the heavily-bandaged frame of Soarin. Despite his wounds, he seemed almost peaceful as he slept, the slow rise and fall of his chest the only way to tell that he was alive. She wished so much that she could just bury her face into his fur, and wake up at her house, the past events all a nightmare.
"Oh Soarin, why is this have to happen?" Dash grabbed his hoof in her own, squeezing it tightly. "Why couldn't we have had a normal life like everypony else?" Rainbow Dash laid her head beside his, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Get better for me Soar. Please get better." Dash spent the rest of her time snuggled up as close to Soarin as she possibly could, hoping with all her strength that he could feel her somehow.

The nurse entered the room with a soft knock, all too soon for Rainbow Dash. With a soft kiss, Dash parted with the unconscious form of her lover, still uncertain of his future.

Soarin blinked drowsily as bright sunlight shone on his eyes. He immediately noticed the room around him was different from his recovery room on the hospital. 'What the hay? Where am I?' He questioned as he looked around the room, squinting. 'More importantly, is this another bucking dream?' He glanced around for any signs of Solar Flare, or any other sign that would show that this world was just another figment of his unconscious mind. The room seemed real enough, none of the dark shadows that normally flickered around his recent dreams. Soarin propped himself up on his forelegs, trying to get a better idea of where he was. Just then a female earth pony walked in, carrying a tray holding bandages and medicine. Her eyes widened as she saw the Wonderbolt sitting upright, and fully conscious. The tray dropped with a clatter, and the nurse bolted out of the room, he door swinging shut behind her.
"Well, that's new," Soarin muttered to himself, unsure of what the cause of the nurse's shock was. Within seconds, multiple ponies from the medical staff burst into the room, each talking amongst themselves. Soarin tried to sort out what was going on amidst the commotion, but his attempt was to no avail.
"Hey!" He shouted above the clamor, getting the attention of the other ponies. "What is going on?"
"Well," said one, obviously a doctor, "You sort of, uh, died on us."
"What?"
"We had to revive you-you began to bleed from wounds we thought we had closed, and by the tim-"
"Where is Dash?!? Does she know I'm fine? Is she alright?"
One of the doctors ran out of the door, undoubtedly to inform the rest of the Wonderbolts. The remainder still hovered in the room, discussing Soarin's sudden recovery. The commotion was only increased by the entry of Soarin's closest friends from the Wonderbolts
"Soarin, you're alright!," Spitfire exclaimed.
"Sweet Celestia, you're okay!" Fleetfoot shouted as she embraced Soarin. Several others came up, each laughing with tears of joy streaming from their eyes. Together they celebrated the recovery of one of their own, swapping stories and telling jokes. As the last of the crowd of ponies dissipated, Soarin caught a slight glimpse of rainbow mane just outside the door. He shifted slightly, and locked eyes with Rainbow Dash. Tears streamed down her cheeks, an unreadable expression on her face.

She covered the space between them in less than a second, lips locking with Soarin's. Cyan hooves wrapped around his head, pulling him closer in their passionate embrace. Soarin's back bumped against the wall, Rainbow Dash pushing herself towards him, not wanting to break their tenacious contact. All of the fear, anxiety, and worry that Dash had felt in the previous week evaporated, her love finally safe.

She pulled away ever so slowly, looking deep into Soarin's emerald eyes. She mentally fumbled for something to say, but all that she managed was a soft "Hey Soar."
"Hey Dashie," he said, equally as soft. He pulled her in for another kiss, equally as passionate as the first. He held it as long as he could, unwilling to pull away. Rainbow Dash broke the kiss, looking once more into Soarin's eyes. She slipped onto the bed, wrapping her forehooves around his chest, pulling herself as close as she could to him. Dash laid her head down on his shoulder, careful to not touch any wounds. Her magenta eyes peered up at him from behind her rainbow mane, weariness and love equally present.
"I...I was so worried about you. Things were going so bad...I thought I would lose you. You...you...you-"
"Ssh Dash, I know," Soarin whispered, gently stroking her back and mane. "I know. But I'm here now. Nothing's going to take me away."

"Are these your best fliers, Wingstream?" Solar Flare's voice echoed off the damp stones of the castle, magnifying his already deep voice to terrifying levels. The thud of each step as he inspected the five changelings before him complemented the sound of his voice, iron shod hooves thudding on the stone.
"Yes, my lord. Each veterans of no less than fifteen sorties."
"Excellent. Have them gear up and be ready for mission briefing in five minutes-I will inform them myself."
"Yes sir. YOU HEARD HIM! GET YOUR GEAR!" Wingstream waited until the five were out of sight before turning to the departing Solar Flare, trotting forward to catch up. "My lord, if I may, why am I not to be on this mission? I am your ace flier-I should be leading this operation, considering the risk."
"My dear friend, that is why you must stay. I cannot risk losing a flier like you in such a mission like this. No, I need you to lead the rest of the squadron. Changelings are expendable-you are not."
"Yes, my lord." Wingstream gave a slight bow before breaking off and retreating in the direction of the barracks.

Solar Flare's horn glowed red as he casted a telepathy spell. The figures of three Changelings appeared before him, all reporting in at once.
"Commanders, prepare your soldiers. Within a day, fliers from the Black Wave Squadron will arrive on the front, carrying orders for an important mission. Follow them to the letter, and no mistakes. This operation is vital to our success. Carry on."
"YES SIR!" All three Changelings chimed at once, before their image dissipated from view. Solar Flare looked back at the book on his table, opened to an image of a necklace bearing a lightning bolt.

Rainbow Dash awoke with her face buried in Soarin's shoulder. She laid beside him with her eyes closed, wanting to drift back to sleep alongside him. After several minutes, she rolled onto her back, taking a deep breath as she stretched her legs with a yawn. Her eyes flicked open, slamming back shut to avoid being blinded by the pale yellow sunlight shone in the room. Soarin shifted slightly, his sleep disturbed by her rousing. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, before rolling over on his side.
"Ssh, go back to sleep," Rainbow Dash whispered lovingly, gently running her hoof along his back. Soarin mumbled another string of gibberish before drifting back off. She lightly kissed his cheek, before lifting herself off the bed and slowly hovering to the floor. Rainbow dash started for the door, but a sudden flicker of blue caught the corner of her eye. She glanced in the area it originated from, but there was nothing but a wall.
'Great, now I'm seeing things. I really need to get some actual rest.' Her thoughts paused as she caught a glimpse of blue once again. Dash turned again, and was rewarded by the sight of a blue unicorn, with a midnight black mane.
"Run!" He shouted, his voice partially distorted. She looked around at the ponies around her, but none of them seemed to be able to hear or even see him. "Run Rainbow Dash! He's coming for you! He's-" The unicorn cut off, glancing to the side, fear wide in his eyes. He jerked violently, and disappeared into thin air.
Rainbow Dash stood in stunned silence, unsure of what had just transpired. A metallic thump brought her back to her senses, piercing her stupor. Another came from behind, then another. Dash turned around, just to see a wave of black engulfing the hallway, and everything inside. Fear took her heart, freezing her to her spot. Two beads of crimson light shown in the center, growing ever closer with each pounding step. From the shadows emerged an armored figure, standing more than a head over Rainbow Dash. The figure moved towards her, ensnaring her in a crimson magic aura. It pulled her up to its eye level, forcing her to stare into the soulless, blood-red light coming from its eyes before throwing her into the shadows.

Rainbow Dash shot up, cold sweat soaking her body, barely able to breathe. Her heart pounded rapidly, echoed by a throbbing in her head. She looked around the room, barely illuminated by the moon. Beside her Soarin stirred, awakened by her sudden movements.
"Dashie, are you alright?" He asked, sleep slightly jumbling his words. He traced his hoof across her back soothingly, comforting her as well as he could.
"I...I think I'm fine. Just...just a nightmare. Yeah, just a nightmare."
"You want to talk about it?"
Rainbow Dash turned so she was looking back into his eyes. Even in the dark, she could sense the compassionate look he was giving her.
"Nah, I'll be fine. It's just a dream."
"Okay. That's alright."
Rainbow Dash fell back onto the bed, feeling Soarin's forehooves wrap around her. She pushed into him, trying to draw as close as she could. Soarin extended his good wing over her, soothing her with a sense of protection in his care. As she drifted back to sleep, the two red eyes still haunted the corners of her mind.

The sounds of a tense argument drew Rainbow Dash from her sleep, harsh whispers carrying through the door. Perking her ears, Dash slipped lower down the bed. She focused as hard as she could, managing to overhear the two ponies.
"Look, I couldn't give two shits about 'regulations.' I'm not going to let you disturb her!" Rainbow Dash immediately recognized Spitfire's voice, her hushed tone making the orange pegasus's voice more venomous than usual. She did not recognize the second pony, whose thinning patience was evident
"She's not even supposed to be in there, much less have spent the night! Soarin is not supposed to have any visitors-"
"She is more than a visitor, you little bucktard. Seeing her will do him good. Now scram before I get Fleet over here to beat your sorry ass."
The distinct sound of hooves running down the hall marked the end of the debate. Her curiosity sated, Dash slowly wriggled back up into Soarin's embrace. She felt him shift slightly, awakened by her efforts at eavesdropping. She rolled over, so that she was facing the now-awake Soarin, one of his emerald-green eyes drowsily open.
"Hiya Dash," he said, sporting his traditional goofy smile.
"Morning," she replied, giving him a quick kiss. "Nice to see you up early for a change."
"Not you too," he groaned quietly.
Rainbow Dash gave a light laugh before pressing herself close to him, face buried in his neck. She felt as though she could stay there forever, cuddled up against Soarin, warm morning light streaming in the room.

The door flew open with a jolt, slamming against the wall. Rainbow Dash jerked up into a sitting position, the sudden noise surprising her. Two royal guards stood at the entrance of the door, one escorting a livid Spitfire away. The orderly she had overheard arguing with Spitfire walked in, none too pleased about seeing Dash sitting in the same bed as the wounded Wonderbolt, who had just started to push himself up. The orderly stood in the doorway for a second fuming, her mouth moving but not saying anything. Dash was tempted to say a sarcastic comment, but held her tongue.
"This...this goes against all regulations!" she finally said at last. "No visitors are allowed to sleep with the patients!"
"Chillax lady, it's not like anything...much," Dash said, a devilish grin stretching across her face as she winked at Soarin. She could feel the medical pony's eyes burning into her back.
"That...you...guards! Get her out of here!"
"Hey, I'm leaving! Just one sec." Dash leaned in and kissed Soarin, making as much show as she could. She wrapped her forelegs around him, stroking his back as she held the kiss for as long as she could. All the while, she could sense the burning gaze of the orderly growing more intense.
When at last she broke off, her grin had faded. Giving one last wink to Soarin, she fluttered off the bed, landing at the door. She cast one last look towards Soarin, before the door shut behind her. Rainbow Dash glared at the medical pony for a split second, hate radiating from her eyes, before she stormed out of the hospital. Neither Soarin nor Rainbow Dash had caught the green flicker that came from the orderly's eyes, as the pony's grin spread wide.

"Do you understand the orders?" The Changeling asked impatiently as he stared down the commander from the other side of the table.
"Yes, just give us more time to prepare. Lord Kharax said two days-you arrived here in one. Our troops are not-"
The commander was cut off by the cool tone of the soldier across from him. "Our infiltrators have already deployed and assumed positions. You have thirty minutes. Let's roll." The soldier turned and left the tent, not waiting for any response from the commander.

The camp was in full mobilization, soldiers running to and fro, each on their own task. The battle mages moved towards the front, green flames licking in the air around them. Other units, both infantry and airborne, formed ranks behind the mages. With a sharp command, the first green fireballs launched into the sky, fading green trails being engulfed by the next wave. Distant crumping noises came as the first salvo hit home, tearing chunks out of the stone walls and sending earth flying. The changeling forces began to move, marching under the cover of the barrage.

Rainbow Dash tried to recover as explosions rocked the fort, gouging scars into the ground, punching deep craters in the walls. Shot after shot of green fire launched from the Changeling lines. She made for the nearest building, seeking shelter from the barrage. The earth shook as a fireball impacted to the left of her, disintegrating a small shack. Just as she burst through the open door, the last fireball hit.

Everything was a blur, colors mingling together as fuzzy shapes moved about. A yellow blot appeared in front of her, the slightest bit of movement coming from the bottom. A persistent ringing in Rainbow Dash's ears blocked out most of the noise around her, making everything into muffled gibberish. Slowly, her senses returned. Spitfire's face materialized from the yellow blur, her sharp voice shouting Dash's name.
"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow! Come on, we gotta move!" Spitfire pulled up the cyan pegasi as she started for the Wonderbolt barracks. Dash fell in behind her, initially unsure of what was happening. The sudden presence of soldiers running about in armor, lances at the ready, immediately told her. The fort was under attack.
Spitfire pulled her into the barracks, slamming the door shut behind Rainbow Dash. "Wait here," she said, before running into a back hallway and disappearing from sight. Within minutes she returned, wearing her full armor and carrying a saddlebag loaded with supplies.
"Rainbow, you need to get out of here. Take these bags, they have enough supplies for a journey home."
"I can't leave Soarin. He just now is starting to recover!"
"Rainbow Dash, you don't understand. We. Are. Under. Attack. Ponies are going to die. If the walls break, if the gates don't hold, if there are just too many for us to handle, everypony here will die. Military or civilian."
"I'm not going to leave him! I've lost him once already, I'm not going to bucking lose him again!"
"What about your friends, huh? They need you just as much as he does. Hell, they need you more! You are one of the six Elements of Harmony. Yes I know, don't ask how. But if Equestria is threatened, and the need arises, you can't be dead."
"I am not going to leave him to die, damn it!"
Spitfire paused for a moment, looking at the fire and fury that filled Rainbow Dash's eyes. Deeper down, she saw the love Dash held for Soarin, the love that kept her here despite of the danger around her.
"There's no reasoning with you, is there?" Spitfire asked, her voice softened.
"I'm not going to leave him."
"Alright. Just stay safe and hidden. If you hear the walls fall, get Soarin and hide. Hide somewhere."
"I will."
Spitfire drew her sword and flew out the door, leaving Rainbow Dash to fend for herself. The ground shook as the barrage started up again, dust falling from the ceiling. 'Shit, that was close! Still, you got to get to him Dash. Come on, you can do it.' Rainbow Dash mentally coaxed herself, trying to convince herself to run to the hospital.
"Ok, on three Dash," she said to herself. "One...two...THREE!" On the final number she ran out of the door, into the hazy air outside the barracks. Sounds of combat came from the walls, echoing off the building, turning the fort into a crazed, war filled spit of land. Blast after blast tore great gouges in the earth, dirt raining down on those near to the blasts. Green torches traced across the blue sky, each landing like a fallen comet. A particularly strong blast knocked Rainbow Dash to the ground, the strong vibrations making her lose her footing. She recovered, and started towards the hospital, in hopes of reaching Soarin unscathed.

High above the battle raging below, hidden within the low-level clouds, two black figures watched the carnage below. Green eyes scanned over the fort, searching for one particular thing.
"Do you see the target?" The first queried, impatience easily recognizable in his voice.
"Nah, I got nothin'. Where is this stupid pony?"
"Probably staying inside. Not all too stupid if you ask me. If only those dumbasses would stop shooting off their horns for a minute..."
"Ha, you know them. Wanna get all the fun, they do. After all, they do-wait, did you see that?"
"Yeah, that her?"
"Looks like it. The colors match. She's...she's moving! Let's roll!"
With a slight cackle, both figures leapt out of their cover, diving with breakneck speed towards their target...

"Celestia DAMMIT!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as another blast tore into the ground, rocking her off her feet. She had tried to fly, but was no better off. The Changelings threw up bursts of magic once she put enough space between herself and the ground to make a difference in the force of the impacts. She had almost made it to the hospital. It loomed several dozen hoofsteps ahead of her, the outside chipped by explosions and flying debris.
"Just a little more Dash. Come on, this is nothing. Little more." The hospital was approaching rapidly, the pounding of the bombardment lessening slightly. "Come o-".

Rainbow Dash never finished her sentence. Just as she reached the door, she felt a slight pinprick on her flank, followed by forelegs being wrapped around her upper body. Within seconds, she was in the air, not by choice but by whomever had grabbed her. She flapped he wings weakly, wildly swinging at whoever dared to attack her. The world spun around as her drugged mind tried to process what was happening, and her resistance grew weaker. Rainbow Dash heard voices, malicious and with a hissing tone, coming from beside her, echoing in her mind.

"Hey, she gone yet?"
"Yeah, she's wiped. I can't believe no one saw that."
"No one ever said Equestria had the most attentive soldiers."
"Or the fact there's a bloody siege so we could pull this off! Come on, let's get back to Wingstream. He's going to like this..." The voices slowly began to fade away, as Rainbow Dash began to drift out of consciousness. The last thing she heard was the distant crump of the magic barrage still falling on the fort behind her. And then all was black.

Author's Note

OK, I had a couple of things to mention, lets see if I can remmeber them all.

First- I am going to be calling Lord Kharax by his true name "Solar Flare" from now on (unless a changeling mentions him). I hadn't originally meant for him to be a pony, so I recycled a name from one of my Chaos Space Marines, but I like the way Solar Flare sounds better.

Second- Only reason Soarin was dying was due to Solar Flare having a hold on him, as seen through his dreams. Once SF let go, Soarin was able to recover.

Third-Wingstream is vital, I repeat VITAL in the future. Don't question him, I said at the start that I have a reason for everything, and I still do. But I can't be throwing out any spoilers, now can I?

Fourth, and last-I can't exactly say I am as pleased with this chapter as a I am with others. But I wrote myself into a corner, and the door shut behind me. Ten hopefully will be better, so if you find this less enjoyable than the others, I understand.

Wow, wall of text in the note. I'm done. Point out my typos, autocorrect might mess stuff up.

Stay Awesome.

RDD

Chapter 10-Our Darkest Hour

"Dash? Rainbow Dash? Are you awake?" A hushed voice called to her as she stirred, fighting off the remnants of the drug's effects. Her head bobbed as she fought from slipping back into unconsciousness. "Rainbow Dash!" The sharp call pierced through the cloud in her mind. She forced open her heavy eyelids, initially being greeted by nothing by darkness. Her eyes slowly adjusted, filtering whatever light was able to reach her eyes, giving her surroundings a rough definition.
She was lying down, on a worn, rough mattress, with only a thin blanket covering her. Above her rested another bed of the same quality, suspended from the ceiling by iron chains. The rest of the room was cold rock, broken only by a barred iron door. Rainbow Dash tried to move, but found her muscles unresponsive. Panic gripped her heart as she tried to lift her hooves with no avail. Her wings were equally useless.
"Oh no. No. Celestia no. I can't-"
"Rainbow Dash! You're awake!" The bed above her swung on its chains, the occupant rolling off and landing beside her bed.
"Surprise! You're...you're alive." The white pegasi's coat was dirty and specked with dry blood, almost to the point where almost no white was showing. Her mane lay in the same state, it's usually puffiness deflated and the bright gold dulled with grime.
"Sure I am! You don't think a measly little changeling could kill me, do you?"
"What's...what's happening to me? I can't feel anything. Am I going-"
"No, that's just the last bit of the drug wearing off. You'll be able to move in minutes."
"What do they want with me?"
"I'm not sure. I've seen a lot of high-status ponies in here though. And me, I'm a Wonderbolt; Soarin was dead and Spitfire was hacking through their mages, but I was just unconscious. So they took me, more than likely for ransom. But I don't know why they took you."
"Soarin's not dead."
"What? Really?!?"
"Yeah. He was almost dead, but he had gotten so much better before...before-" Rainbow Dash fought back the despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She could feel her chances of seeing Soarin plummet to virtually nothing, her life seemingly destined to be wasted away in her damp cell.
"Don't worry Rainbow, this will all work out. Wars don't last forever. We'll get out of here."
Dash pushed herself up, the feeling returning in her legs. "But what about him? How will he ever find me? Will he even be alive?!?"
"Soarin may be dumb sometimes, but he's tough. He'll be alive, Rainbow."
"I just wish I knew what they-" Rainbow Dash cut herself off as heavy pounding came from the hallway, steadily drawing closer. orange light flickered from under the door. Two changelings walked in, one carrying a black cloth in its mouth. Before she could comprehend what was happening, Dash was slammed to the ground. The cloth went over her head, and all was dark.

"I don't get it! Ponies don't just disappear!" Fleetfoot paced back and forth along the barracks, muttering to herself. The sudden disappearance of Rainbow Dash had shaken both her and Spitfire. As the days went by, both grew more restless, not only trying to figure out what had happened, but also what to tell Soarin.
"She couldn't have just gone!" Spitfire mused. "That mare wouldn't leave during the assault, choosing instead to stay with Soarin!"
"You don't think..."
"What?"
"You don't think she could have gotten hit?"
"No. She didn't. Don't say that."
"I hate to ma'am, but it's a possibility. We got to consider all options with this one."
A frown crossed Spitfire's face. Something was awry. Nopony just disappeared into thin air. She suppressed her rising suspicions, instead mentally laying out all of the options.
"Alright. So either she left with no word, or she got hit. That's all we got."
"Yeah, so what do we do now?"
"We do the most difficult part of this job." Spitfire looked out the door, staring into space. "We got to tell him."

Small flickers of light poked through the coarse fabric of the hood. Rainbow Dash stumbled down corridor after corridor between her guards, lost in the confines of the cloth covering her face. At last, she felt cold iron cross her chest, halting her. Strong forelegs gripped her own, lifting her off her feet with the sound of flapping wings. They stayed in midair for a split second, enough to make Dash begin to worry, before she lurched backwards, her back slamming onto a wooden slab. Her legs were pulled so she lay partly spread-eagled, before cold metal cuffs were clamped down on her forelegs. With a dull creak, the slab moved upright, Dash sliding down it before jerking to a stop as the chains holding the cuffs on her forelegs to the slab straightened. It was then the hood finally came off.
Before her stood an unusually large changeling, malicious smile across its face. Behind him stood another smaller, almost timid changeling. To his left was the pony in the iron armor, the one in her dream just a day ago. Rainbow Dash shook as fear took her, her nightmare now standing before her.
"Rainbow Dash," he said, deep voice sounding strangely soft, catching her off guard given the menacing appearance of his helmet. "I'm so glad you could join us."
"What-what do you want with me?" Her voice quivered as she stared down at the figures before her.
"It's all quite simple, Miss Dash. Tell us the location of the Elements of Harmony, and we can put this all behind us. You can go back to your cell, live out this war, and return to your beloved Soarin once this is over."
Rainbow Dash's mind raced at what he had said. 'I know where the Elements are, Twilight has them in the Ponyville library. Just a simple response and I am guaranteed release once the war was over. But what about your friends Dash? They would kill Twilight and Spike if they got in the way. Aren't you supposed to be the Element of Loyalty? Giving them that would stop Celestia from having any chance at using them against this guy. I would be letting down my friends, not to mention all of Equestria. And what would Soarin think? He would leave you as soon as he heard what you did.'
Rainbow Dash looked into the iron pony's vision slits, giving as resolute an expression as she could. "No. I won't betray my friends and country."
"What a pity. We could have easily been done with this." Solar Flare looked at the larger changeling. "You know what to do."
The larger changeling barked an order to the smaller one, sending it scurrying behind Rainbow Dash. She turned her head to and fro, trying to get a glimpse of what it was doing. A soft hum came from behind the slab, the smaller changeling coming back around, giving the larger one a small switch. Rainbow Dash had half a second to contemplate what it was for before he smashed down on one end with one of his hooves.
In an instant, all of her muscles locked up at once as electricity coursed through her bonds into her body. Her back arched, the cuffs tugging at her hooves. A scream caught in her throat as her windpipe contracted, choking her. Her heart pumped faster and faster, feeling as if it was going to explode inside her. Then, with a flip of the switch, it was over. Rainbow Dash thumped back against the slab, hanging limply. Tears rolled down her face, intermingling with the sweat that soaked her fur. She gasped for air, lungs trying desperately to keep up with her pounding heart. Weakly, she pulled up her head, looking into the seemingly soulless pits of Solar Flare's helmet. He stared back, making her want to shrink back all the more. He spoke in a much more hushed tone this time, but his voice was no less menacing. "Where are the Elements of Harmony?"
Rainbow Dash shook in pain, quivering forelegs barely supporting her. She braced herself, before shakily responding. "Sh-shove it up your ass."
"Again."

"Again."
Soarin flapped his injured wing lightly, wincing as he worked the damaged muscle. Despite the rapid healing that had accompanied the departure of Solar Flare from his dreams, he still had to undergo the pain as his body repaired.
"Alright Soarin, you may cease." Soarin tucked his wing against his body, allowing it to return to a more comfortable position. The doctor motioned him away with a slight wave. Soarin limped back towards his room. As he went down the hall, he glanced out of the windows, a slight frown crossing his face.
'It's been over a week since Rainbow Dash last stopped by,' he thought. 'That's not like her at all. What's going on?' He entered his room deep in thought, unaware of bright green eyes watching him from further down the hall.

A series of swift knocks on his door caught his attention. He felt his hopes rise. Perhaps, at last she was coming to see him again. His heart sank slightly when only Spitfire and Fleetfoot walked in, wearing the dress uniform of the Wonderbolts. Soarin could sense that something was not right. They never wore their dress uniform outside of formal occasions. A pang of fear crept from the recesses of his mind as Spitfire began to speak well-rehearsed lines. Lines he had heard too often as he accompanies Spitfire to residences of military pegasi.
"Lieutenant Soarin. I regret to inform you that your marefriend, Ms. Rainbow Dash, is declared missing in action as of today. Both the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts offer their condolences for your loss...."

He tuned her words out, lost in his own mind. She was gone. They had been torn apart, only to be reunited for merely days. Now he was alone. Grief morphed into rage, rage at the cruelty of chance, at his inability to protect her, at this "Solar Flare." He smashed his hoof into the bed stand beside him, the force of his blow splintering it.
"FUCK! CELESTIA-FUCKING-DAMNIT!" He lashed out with impunity at everything nearby, reducing them to scraps of wood and nails. His nearly-incessant swearing, combined with the shattering of furniture, began to draw a crowd outside the door; a crowd that was dissipated by Fleetfoot standing guard outside. Soarin continued his rampage for only a minute, before slumping against the wall, staring blankly at the floor.
"Hey, she can still be alive," Spitfire said, placing a hoof on Soarin's shoulder. "We haven't found anything pointing towards her being...gone."
"How many missing soldiers are ever found off the front lines? Much less a civilian. She's strong, but not like for something like this." He retained his downcast stare as he spoke, no emotion evident in his voice.
Spitfire knew all too well that he was bottling up all of the fear and grief inside. She had only seen this once before, when Soarin was still an enlisted soldier in the Equestrian Guard. He had a friend go missing then, his closest friend in the Guard. A pegasi named Wingstream...

Wingstream wandered through the seemingly endless corridors of the changeling castle, desperately searching for Solar Flare. Room after room yielded no success, only irritating the navy blue pegasus. As he turned the corner, he caught a glimpse of blue light flickering from a door, opened just a crack. He silently moved up to it, and glanced in the entrance.

Blue light flickered off of the black iron of Solar Flare's armor. He watched the cyan pegasi before him writhe in agony as electricity charged through her, individual bolts jumping across her body. The changeling pulled the lever back, and the room was once again lit only by the soft orange glow of torches. Solar Flare looked at her, steam rising from her lithe frame, blood running from her nose and mouth. Her forelegs trembled, weakened muscles barely able to hold her up. Yet, despite the pain, her magenta eyes burned with hate, spitting defiance.

"Cease." Solar Flare motioned slightly to the changeling, the lever sliding back into its resting place. "You are stronger than you look. Very impressive young mare. What else should I have expected from the Element of Loyalty? You're not a quivering coward like your friends, are you? Like your precious Soarin?"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Rainbow Dash lurched forward, fury finding strength in her burning muscles. The chains jerked her back, leaving her only with verbal assault. "The only coward here is you! Hiding in your castle, preying on innocent ponies! Soarin's braver than you ever will be-"
Rainbow Dash was cut off as the lever once again slid up, once again sending searing pain through her body.
"Now Rainbow Dash, there's no need to be so rude. After all, you are our guest." Solar Flare watched for several more seconds, before signaling to the changeling to cease.
"That's enough for now." He turned back to the quivering pegasi, steam rising from her body. "Think long and hard about your decision, Rainbow Dash. This is only the beginning."

Wingstream slid back behind the door as Solar Flare moved to leave. He tried to comprehend what had just taken place before him.
'What is he doing? We've never used torture on anypony! We agreed to that!' He peeked through the crack of the door, where the semi-conscious Rainbow Dash was being unlatched. 'Who is she Wingstream? Why does she seem so familiar?' Questions filled his mind, questions he was unable to answer. Wingstream waited until all had left the room before leaving his hiding spot, briskly trotting back to his room.

The walk back to her cell seemed to last for eternity. The adrenaline from the past hours had worn off, the torture now beginning to take effect. She could feel herself losing consciousness. Dash stumbled and fell, her legs unresponsive. Armored hooves caught her, and began to drag her to her cell, her head dropped. At last she allowed herself the luxury of passing out.

Rainbow Dash couldn't even catch herself as her captors threw her into her cell. Her face smacked against the cold stone, but she hardly noticed the pain anymore. Her entire body seared in pain, her muscles weak.
"Dash!" Surprise exclaimed, jumping off her bed to pick up the fallen cyan mare. "Dash! Are you alright?" She looked over the semi-conscious pegasus, taking note of the burnt fur above her hooves. Flapping as hard as she could, Surprise half-dragged Rainbow Dash to her bed, before tearing off the edges of her sheet. She soaked them in a puddle between two stones, before applying them to the wounds. Rainbow Dash hissed in pain, tensing up for a second before relaxing.
"It's okay Dash. I'm taking care of you now," Surprise said softly. "They aren't gonna hurt you anymore." She looked at the door before applying the next improvised bandage. 'Well, not for now,' she thought.

Rainbow Dash slowly began to regain her awareness to her surroundings. Everything ached. A dull soreness had seeped into her muscles, and now tormented her every movement. Slowly rolling over, she found the white pegasus still tearing her sheet to make more bandages.
"Sur-" Dash coughed, her throat dry, making her voice more raspy than usual. "Surprise. I'm good."
"Dash! You're up! I've been trying the best I can, but I'm about to run out of water-at least until they bring us some for our meal-and I was really worried about how you would be, but you're good!"
"Yeah. I'm good as new." Rainbow Dash groaned as she pulled herself to the edge of the bed. "Why wouldn't I be?" She hopped off, and collapsed onto the floor, sharp pain flaming through her legs. "Ahh! Damn that hurts!" She waved of Surprise's attempt to help her up. "I gotta do this!" Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, before shakily standing on her hind legs also. "There...I'm great."
"Dash, what happened? I've never seen this occur before."
"They...they fuckin' tortured me; trying to get information. But I didn't give in. They tried...but I told them nothing."
"That's odd...they've never done that before, at least not since I've been here. What would make them start now?"
"I don't know. Maybe he's desperate. Maybe this means Equestria's got a chance of winning this fight." Dash limped over to the barred window, staring into the night sky. She knew somewhere out there was her love. She knew she had to make it out of this prison.

"I don't like this. I don't like it at all." Spitfire muttered to Fleetfoot as she stared at where Soarin was exercising his mending wing. She could see the emotions pent up inside him, building up but unable to be released.
"You don't like what?" Fleetfoot responded, a sarcastic tone evident in her voice. "The fact that we're in a war? That Soarin's just a damn time bomb? He's going to break eventually, and it's not going to be pretty."
"I know, but we can't do anything for him. I can't empathize, so what use are any words of comfort I offer? He's going to have to go through this alone."
"Who's going to have to go through what alone?" Soarin's voice startled the two mares, who were so caught up in their conversation that they had not noticed his approach. "You guys are talking about me, right?"
"Look, Soar-" Fleetfoot started.
"Don't 'Look, Soarin' me. I've put up with enough bullshit as it is. Don't throw pity on top of it." Soarin shoved his way past Fleetfoot, storming out of the room.
"See? That's not Soarin. We gotta help him somehow."
"You got any brilliant ideas? Because I got nothing."
"No. No I don't."

Wingstream looked around at the flickering shadows surrounding him. He had been here before.
"LUNA! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE," he shouted, before sitting back, waiting. He knew he was dreaming. She would be around eventually. The shadows always appeared when she was.
"Wingstream," a regal voice said from behind him. He whirled around, crouching in a defensive posture.
"What do you want with me, Princess," Wingstream spat, his voice full of spite.
"I know what you have seen. I know of your questions earlier today. I know you recognize her."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play innocent with me. I've seen your thoughts while you still slept. Looked into your memories, as it were."
"YOU DID WHAT?!? How dare you! First you abandon me, then you fucking watch my life! What sort of pony are you?"
Luna rose to her full height, blue flames licking around her. Darkness crept in on the two ponies, leaving them trapped on a little oasis of blue light. She spoke with the voice of Nightmare Moon, the area around her magnifying her presence. "DO NOT QUESTION ME! I DID NOT ABANDON ANYPONY! IT IS YOU WHO CHOSE THIS LIFE! YOU CHOSE TO FORSAKE YOUR OATHS AND FIGHT THOSE WHO SEARCHED FOR YOU FOR SO LONG! I DID NOT CAUSE YOU TO FORGET ALL THOSE YOU LEFT BEHIND IN EQUESTRIA!"
Wingstream cowered on the ground, unprepared for such ferocity from the Princess of the night. The shadows receded, and the flames died away as Luna lowered herself back down to a much less fearsome size.
"Now Wingstream, I know you recognized the pegasi you saw chained and tortured. You couldn't remember her name, or where you saw her from. That is why I have come. Step forward, and remember."
Wingstream took a cautious step towards Luna, still stunned from her outburst. Her horn glowed, and touched his forehead. Instantly he was taken back through time, scenes from long-forgotten memories going by with a blur. At last he stopped, in the Cloudsdale Advanced Flight School library. He saw himself, along with the mare he saw on the slab together at a table.

'Wingstream frowned as he looked over his notes, varying aerial acrobatics and specific details laid out before him. He could feel her stare from across the table, boring into his skull. At last he broke the silence, if only to stop the awkward staring. Looking up from his notes, he leaned towards the cyan mare, crossing his forelegs is frustration.
"I just don't see how this is possible. Sonic rainbooms are stuff of myths and legends. The stress on the body should kill anypony outright."
A fiery determination sparked in her expression, as if he had issued a personal challenge. "Yeah, well I'm not just anypony, now am I? I'm well on my way to being the fastest flier in Equestria!"
"Sure you are Dash. I'd say the chances of you being the fastest flier are about the same as you making A's in all your classes."
"Oh, thanks for the support. Excuse me for not being such an egghead all the time. I'm telling you, if I pull this off, there'll be no way the Wonderbolts won't accept me!"
"Look, just don't try this now. We're still in Advanced Flight School, for Celestia's sake. The strain could be too much-"
"Yeah yeah, you worry about me too much." She rocked back in her chair, mouth forming into an overconfident smirk.
"Yeah, well..." He muttered under his breath. Rainbow Dash's ears twitched, her confident smile replaced with confusion.
"What did you say?"
Wingstream swung his head up, alarmed that she had actually heard him. "What?"
"What. Did. You. Say?"
"Nothing. Nothing. I was just talking to myself is all. You know, trying to see how you could pull this off." Wingstream looked back down towards his notes, trying to keep from embarrassing himself.
"Uh huh." She leaned back, still retaining a quizzical expression.'

Wingstream once again began to move through his memories, buried deep to keep the past hidden. He stopped to see Rainbow Dash cornered by the school bullies by the locker room of the practice field. Nopony else was around to intervene.

"How bad are ya gonna screw up this time, Rainbow Crash?" The first said.
"Yeah, you gonna send a tornado through the locker room again?"
"Or better yet, how about you hit Professor Thunder with a cloud again! That was priceless!"
Rainbow Dash was almost in tears. She knew she couldn't fight back, with both numbers and size against her. Dash looked for any escape, but was trapped, back against a wall as the barrage of mocking insults came on.

Out of nowhere a navy blue streak flew past, colliding with the largest of the three. The bully was sent flying through the air, where he was now replaced by Wingstream. Without pausing, he shot forward, delivering several blows to the second stallion's muzzle, being rewarded with several shots of blood. The last swung as Wingstream finished off the second, catching him under the jaw. More blows came, Wingstream barely able to block them in time. He ducked under a wild swing, before kicking both his hind legs into the soft belly of his opponent. The colt crumpled in pain, and Wingstream strode over to Rainbow Dash, who looked on in stunned silence.
"You alright Dash?" Wingstream queried.
"Huh? Oh yeah, uh....yeah I'm fine. Uh...thanks Wing."
"Hey, that's what I'm here for-"

The scene cut off, whirring by his face as he returned to the black void, Luna before him.
"Why did you show me that? Why are you even here?"
"Do you still not understand? This is the pegasi you saw chained and tortured. We have resurfaced memories buried deep for too long. What happened to the loyalty and honor you once showed without fear? Why do you strive against those who would welcome you with open hooves?"
"What happened? I'll tell you what happened. I was dying. Alone. In the middle of nowhere. Solar Flare found me. He healed me, made me strong. My loyalties lie with the one who actually cared enough to save me."
"And what of Rainbow Dash? Shall you doom her to a slow, agonizing death? She will not tell, we assure you."
"She was nothing more than a foolish crush, a love long since lost. I feel nothing anymore."
"You have hidden your emotions deep down, but they are not lost. Do not give into hate, as we once did. This path leads only to ruin. Solar Flare cares not of anypony's fate. You are no more than a pawn to him."
"He saved me. Which was more than you ever did."
"I know you hate me. I never meant to make you feel this way. You were afraid. I never thought I could feel so condemned. But I offer a chance for redemption-"
"Shove it up your royal ass. You are not my princess. I will never join you."
"As you wish. But the door shall always be open." Luna faded back into the shadows, her eyes glowing in the darkness before fading away. Her voice carried through his mind, almost in a whisper. "Do not forget what you have seen." The shadows rushed in on him, and all went black.

Wingstream awoke with a jolt. He tried to process what had just happened through the night. He pulled himself out of his bed, halfheartedly fixing his mane. Staring into his mirror, he steeled his resolve, trying to ignore the memories exposed in his dream. Already, he could feel doubt creep into his mind. He fought back his doubtful thoughts, donning his cold demeanor. He couldn't allow the seed of doubt to take hold, not after all he had worked for.

Soarin cast a mournful look out his window. He thought back to his nighttime flights with Rainbow Dash, all of the love and innocence shared between them. They had had so much for so little time. Now he was stuck in some wasteland, wounded and alone. Dash was gone, and there was almost no hope of finding her. His hopes were erased, now just a distant memory.

A thunderous explosion brought Soarin out of his depressing thoughts. Green light flickered from outside, growing in intensity as another fireball flew by. Soarin ran out of his room, limping slightly. Outside the fort was illuminated by the changeling barrage, the night almost like day. He ran through the labyrinthine hallways, eventually reaching the front door. All the pain was overrun by adrenaline as he tore through the front door, running straight for the barracks.

A sudden clamor came from the walls. Turning to look, Soarin saw a massive tower trundling towards the wall, magic bolts reflecting off of a force field. Ponies filled the walls, spears held at the ready. With a groan it stopped mere feet away from the wall, then the front ramp lowered. Changelings poured out, pushing back the defenders just enough to create a beachhead. Soarin turned back to his task, going inside and retrieving his armor, donning it as fast as he could. He grabbed his sword and spear, and turned to face a surprised Spitfire.
"Soarin? What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm not going to go out without a fight. If they get through, it will be a massacre."
"Soarin-"
"Don't. I've lost almost everything because of this war. Don't try and stop me."
Spitfire started to speak, but cut herself off. She knew that he couldn't reason with him, much less stop him. All she could do is stand in dumbfounded silence as he shouldered his way past her.

Soarin looked around, trying to assess the situation. The changelings had a portion of the wall under their control, but the Equestrian Guard seemed to be holding their own. He started to go back to the hospital, to defend it from any enemies who might manage to get by. It was then the wall fell.

Tons of stone blew back into the fort, scattering across the ground. A great shout came from outside the walls, and the sound of hundreds of changeling hooves all charging at once filled the air. Soarin rallied those ponies closest to him, and charged towards the gaping hole.

Both forces met in the middle, the sounds of battle immediately filling the air. Spears punched through armor and swords swung down on exposed flesh and chitin as both armies fought with desperate frenzy. Soarin heaved his spear into his first opponent before drawing his sword. He knocked a second to the ground, battering down on its sword until he broke through the changeling's defense, gore splattering across his face. He saw several manage to sneak over a partially collapsed part of wall, and tore after them, hacking down any opposition in his way. They ran towards the hospital, several breaking off to fight scattered defenders. With a shout the small group of changelings broke through the doors, stabbing left and right with their spears.

Soarin plunged his sword into the back of the closest one, then darted forward and brought his sword across a second changeling's neck. Seizing the initiative, he continued to kill the rest in several seconds, taking advantage of their inattentiveness to the fight behind them. He took a second to regain his breath, before running back outside.

The battle had taken a turn for the worse. The changelings had managed to make a bulge in the Equestrian forces. Several towers along the wall now served as rallying points, dark flags illuminated by green fire. He paused for a second, then ran back inside, pulling aside those nearest to him.
"Doctors, it looked like they're about to break through," Soarin said, his voice cold. "Your job is to get all of the wounded and anypony who can't fight out of here. We'll cover for you. Get everyone to the boarding station." The medical ponies left without a word, scurrying off to evacuate.

The doors shattered behind him with a resounding crack as wood splintered and glass broke. Soarin turned and engaged the oncoming foe. His first swing caught a changeling under its jaw, sending green blood into the air. He smacked another with his armored hoof, sending it sprawling. A spear thrust towards him, and he swatted it aside, lunging forward to gut his attacker. Aware of a sudden presence beside him, Soarin turned, but stayed his blow. Several ponies, doctors and wounded had scavenged what weapons try could, and now were trickling into the fight. Giving a rallying shout, Soarin renewed his assault, supported by his new allies. They pressed the changelings back, both sides taking a toll. At last, that managed to secure the shattered doorway, holding long enough for others to bring up anything that could be used as a barricade to block it.

As the final items fell into place, Soarin looked over the ragtag group, now under his command. Many had fallen in the fight to press back the changelings, others suffered fresh wounds. Outside, more changelings still pounded at the barricade. He knew not of the fate of the rest of the fort; whether they had escaped or all died fighting. All of the ponies still within the hospital looked to him, the rest having left or died.

"Ok, here's what we're going to do," Soarin commanded, drawing the attention of all around him. "Gather up any supplies that can fit into your saddlebags. Essentials only-enough to survive out there. Scrounge up whatever armor and weapons you can find. You all have ten minutes. Then, we'll leave out the back door, and through the drainage ditch under the wall. Don't draw attention to yourselves. Go!"
Most of the ponies ran off to find their supplies, while few remained to guard the barricade. Soarin ran to his room, grabbing his saddlebags, filling them with bandages and whatever food and water he could find. The ten minutes passed faster than expected, with only one minute until they left. As he turned to leave, something on the table in the corner of his room caught his eye. A small box lay beside several books, almost hidden. He ran over, wondering how he hadn't noticed it before. Soarin tore the box open, and tears welled in his eyes. Inside was a small framed picture of both him and Rainbow Dash, taken after the Wonderbolts show in Ponyville. Several words were written on the picture, in Rainbow Dash's writing.
"To better times, then and now. Love, Dash." Tears streamed down his face as Soarin read her note softly. He tucked it in his saddlebag, and turned back to the war, wiping his eyes. The changelings were still at the gates. There would be time for dwelling on the past later.

He could feel the nervous tension in the room. His makeshift militia were tense, their fate now only seconds away. He glanced over them one last time. All wore a combination of Equestrian Guard and ill-fitting changeling armor. Spears and swords were scattered throughout the group. All carried saddlebags, filled to their max. With a nod, Soarin signaled for the retreat to begin.

He peeked out the back door, glancing all around. The alley was clear, the changeling army no doubt not thinking of going into the back alley, boxed in by the wall and the hospital. Waving his hoof, Soarin motioned for the group to come out, making sure they went towards the right end, where a drainage ditch was located. The first pony reached the ditch, pulling of the grate and sliding under the wall. The rest poured out of the door in a mob of gold and black, going under the wall as fast as they could. Soarin was the last to leave, looking one last time at the hospital before disappearing through the ditch.

Green light shone on the horizon, flickering consistently. Dash lowered herself from the window, falling back down onto all fours. She thought of Soarin, undoubtedly caught in the obvious fight. She wondered if he would still be there when the war was over, be it in favor of Equestria or the changelings.

Rainbow Dash turned away from the window, not wanting to think of the potentially painful immediate future. She paused, catching a pale green stare coming from the barred window on the door. It disappeared as soon as she caught it, and Dash ran to the window, searching for whoever was watching. There was something different about those eyes. They were not the bright, malicious stares of the changelings she had encountered. They were wide, questioning, and almost sorrowful. They were the eyes of a pony.

Wingstream pressed his back against the wall, trying to regain his composure. It was her. Luna had been right after all. After all these years, fate had crossed their paths once again. He could feel old emotions rise up, emotions buried under bitterness for years. Old friendships that he thought he had forgotten, rekindled loyalties to one he had promised to be there for. The feelings to those after her, the others he had left behind in his hate-filled crusade.

Wingstream fought back the rising tide, forcing it back into the recesses of his mind. He reminded himself of how it felt to be abandoned, wounded in a desert land. He retreated to his bedroom, hoping to find solace in sleep. Yet, in the deep corners of his conscious, he could still feel the emotions of the past.

Author's Note

So, this chapter was an absolute pain to write. Not only because its the longest chapter (for now anyways), but also because I tried to keep with the darkening feeling. However, I felt like it got really challenging with all the viewpoints that I wrote myself into. Really shouldn't have done that, but it's too late now. So please tell me how you all liked it, or if it sucked.

The fighting was another issue. I don't know if I did the fight scenes well enough for you guys-if not, just tell me what to fix.

Other than that, just point out spelling/grammatical mistakes. Thanks guys.

RDD

PS- Yay, a day early!

Chapter 11-Light in the Dark

Soarin idly dug through his saddlebags, looking over his ragtag mix of soldiers and noncombat ponies. They had been forced to retreat from Fort Hooffall three days ago, but still had no sign of friendly forces. Soarin's hoof struck a familiar wooden object, and he pulled out the framed picture of him and Rainbow Dash, taken after the Ponyville Wonderbolt's show. He cracked a slight smile, recalling the crazy antics of that night. Life had seemed so much simpler then.
"Back then," Soarin scoffed to himself. "Back then was no more than a few months ago. I'm here talking like it was years. Sheesh." But he felt that he was right, in his own way. So much had happened in such little time, it felt like years.

He gently slid the picture back inside his saddlebag. While the chances of him ever seeing Dash were slim to none, he was going to be damn well sure he had something to remember her by. As he withdrew his hoof, he felt cool metal, accompanied by a slight jingle. Curious, he dug deeper, finding a small side pocket on the inside flap. Soarin felt a small chain, and wrapped it around his hoof, before withdrawing it.

A weathered pair of dog tags slid out as he withdrew his hoof. Bringing them close to his eyes, he could just make out the name inscribed: "Wingstream." Almost instantly old memories came back to him, memories before he really knew Dash, from his early days in the guard.

-Saddle Arabia, five years ago-
Soarin, just a squad leader in the Equestrian Guard, trotted briskly down the line. Recent attacks by covert cells of anti-Equestria Saddle Arabians had put everyone on edge. No one knew who had supplied them with weapons, but they were attacking with renewed vengeance.
He paused in front of an underground dugout, marked only by a sign roughly inscribed with "Home Sweet Home" and a drawing of a skull and crossbones. He took off his helmet, ducking under the low entrance and entering the dimly lit room. Inside, a navy blue pegasus with black mane sat hunched over a desk, writing furiously. Two cots lay on opposite sides of the room, spears propped up beside them. Soarin sat down on his silently, waiting for the other pegasus to notice.
"Hey Wingstream, whatchya writing?" Soarin said at last, making the navy pegasus jump slightly. Wingstream turned in his chair, an annoyed look plastered across his face. He flipped the pen up in his mouth, complementing his annoyed appearance.
"A letter."
"To whom? Is it any mare I know?"
"None of your business."
"Was it that one that was there when we shoved off? You know, the one with that lovely silver mane?"
"You're a real pain in my ass, you know that Soar?"
"Oh, so it is! D'awww! Big old Wingstream here's finally got himself a marefriend!"
"Yeah, yeah. She's not interested in stuff like that. All we are good friends. Nothing more."
"Pfft, like I'm going to believe that for a second. I betcha you're writing a mushy letter right now, aren't you?"
"Fuck off. You can come read it if you-" Wingstream was cut off by a thunderous explosion, dirt shaking from the roof onto both the ponies. They grabbed their spears and darted into the open, preparing for any attackers. Soarin glanced around, and saw the commander's building reduced to a heap of broken timbers. Another blast erupted, this time from the supply shed. Soarin ducked as pieces of wood flew through the air, striking several ponies unable to get out of the way in time.

Wingstream came up alongside him, several squads trailing behind him. "Soar, we're almost certain the perpetrators of those attacks ran off into the valley over there," Wingstream said as he pointed his hoof towards a gulch a short distance away. "I'm going to take these lot and clear them out. You help organize things here. We'll be back in a few."
"Hey, be careful."
"Yeah, always am," Wingstream said with a forced smile, before turning back to those following him. "Let's go!" With that, the group ran down the hill, going off to clear the valley.

Soarin waited for several hours. The rubble had been cleaned, bodies identified and shipped off, and the wounded tended to. He was left to sit and wait for his closest friend I return from the scouting mission in the valley. He scuffed the dirt lightly, almost ready to try and catch up on his sleep, when he caught the faint trace of a green flash come from the valley. Soarin ran to the edge of the camp, peering out. He tried to catch a sign of movement, but nothing appeared. Suddenly, a crimson blast erupted from behind the rock walls of the gulch, accompanied by a thunderous boom. Several smaller flashes of light flickered on the rocky walls, a variety of colors vying for dominance. The lights faded away in minutes, red and green flashing repeatedly before ceasing. Soarin waited nervously for any sign of the patrol. Part of him wanted to run out and investigate. But he had his orders, and he wasn't going to abandon his post. He ran to find the new commander, anxious to discover the fate of his closest friend.

-Next day-

Black craters scorched the tan desert walls, marking the heaviest point of contact. Dried blood mixed with the sandy floor. Broken armor and weapons lay scattered about, partially buried by sand. But of the bodies, there was no sign. Despite obvious signs of intense combat, not a single member of the patrol was located. Soarin picked his way over a browned pool of blood, making sure to not step on anything. He searched for any sign of the patrol member, but found naught but the armor and weapons. As he reached the center of the killzone, a silver glint caught his eye. Soarin warily walked forward, worried that it could be a trap left by the attackers. He reached the source, and his heart broke. Lying in the sand, coated with blood, lay the dog tags of Wingstream.

Soarin frowned as he recalled the loss of what had been his closest friend. It seemed like no matter what, he always was losing those close to him. For all he knew, Spitfire and Fleetfoot were gone as well. He slid the tags back into his bags, and pulled them back on. The rest of the group caught on to his unspoken signal, and packed up before moving on once again.

Wingstream frowned as he sat at his desk, a map of troop deployments before him. He tried to concentrate, but doubting thoughts continued to run through his mind. What had happened to his loyalty? Why did he feel this way, when he had been left to die? Solar Flare had saved his life. Then the Princess of the Night had found him in his dreams, showed him the past.
"The past is dead," Wingstream muttered to himself, leaving his desk and stepping outside onto his balcony. "The life I had is gone. They left me. I have found a secure life here. Then why do I still feel so far away from everything? Where'd I go lost?" He grew more frustrated with each second, unable to shake the feeling that had started after his dream.

He heard the door to his room swing open. Glancing inside, he caught an unarmored Solar Flare stepping inside, looking over his tactical maps and combat simulations. Even without his armor, Solar Flare was intimidating enough to make most want to shrink away. Wingstream appeared to have not been noticed, or he wasn't being paid attention to at least.
"Wingstream," Solar Flare said with a softness that didn't match his size. He didn't look up from the maps as he spoke. "I know you're out there." Wingstream stepped into the doorway, his cover blown. "I sense you're troubled. What's bothering you?"
"Milord-"
"Drop the formalities. We are friends after all, are we not?"
"Yes sir-I mean yes, we are. Consider it just an old habit."
"Now, what seems to be the matter?"
Wingstream paused for a moment. He couldn't reveal his true troubles to Solar Flare. He didn't know what would happen. His mind raced, and he grasped the story that would look the most credible. "I find our soldiers to be...incompetent. We have punched through the initial resistance, but our armies have only managed to take seven forts in their line of twenty. We should be in Canterlot by now. But our soldiers don't seem to be able to fight well enough."
"The changelings are fodder. We have elite units, such as yours and the Iron Guard, but other than that they are expendable. We will grind the Equestrians into the dust with the weight of our dead if it need be."
"I see. But what should we do about our position now?"
"Concentrate on the bulge we have made, and expand it. Push for Canterlot. We take there, this war is over."
"Yes milord." Wingstream turned away, and pretended to work on battle plans. He waited until he heard the door close behind him before relaxing. Solar Flare had bought the story, giving him the time he needed to sort out his scrambled mind.

Rainbow Dash collapsed onto the cold floor as the guard threw her back into her cell, steam still rising from her body. She lay curled into a ball, the new pain overwhelming her senses. Each interrogation was longer and more intense than the previous, and Dash had finally reached a point where she couldn't suppress her injuries. Slowly she looked up, hoping to see Surprise soaking her makeshift bandages. But there was no sign of the white pegasus. Dash slowly extended her legs, forcing down a cry as she stretched her locked-up muscles. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to fully straighten out her legs. She shakily tried to stand up, but collapsed. Again she tried, this time using the bed for support. Slowly Dash pulled herself up, legs quivering.
The door creaked as it was lightly swung open. Rainbow Dash turned around as quick as she could, biting down on her lip as she forced her throbbing muscles to work.
In the doorway stood a navy blue pegasus, with a black mane blown back almost like Soarin's. Pale green eyes stared at her with a look of sorrow.
"You're really her, aren't you?" He asked at last, his voice heavy.
"What do you mean 'really her?'" Dash replied, trying to appear steadfast and fearless despite her weakness.
"Yeah. You're Rainbow Dash. Thought I recognize the mane. It's been a long time."
"Who the hell are you? How do you know me?" She grew more defensive with each passing minute. Somehow, the pegasus knew her, yet she could not recognize him.
"You really don't remember. I guess I should have expected it. You haven't seen me since flight school."
"Flight school? Who the-"
The pegasus let out a heavy sigh, looking down slightly. He lifted his head back up, looking back into her eyes. "I'm Wingstream."

Wingstream. The name seemed so familiar, almost at the edge of her mind. She continued to eye him warily, trying to place the name. All of a sudden her memory clicked. Basic flight school. A time of carefree flights and fierce competitions. She had never had a large group of friends, just a few pegasi she could chill with. Her eyes widened as she mentally flicked through the names of her few friends. Wingstream; one of the few ponies she could go to for anything. An pegasus us what seemed unwavering loyalty and care, willing to fight for anypony who couldn't defend themselves. And then there was the incident when...
'No Dash, don't go there. You don't want to.' She ceased her wondering thoughts and drew her attention back to the pegasus before her.
"W-Wing? What are you doing here?!? How are you-"
"I'm not...with the Equestrians anymore." Wingstream cut her off while he was ahead. "They betrayed me, so I left them."
"So you're...with him?"
"Yes, if by him, you mean Solar Fl-"
"Get out." Rainbow Dash shot an icy glare at him, daggers of hate stabbing into his conscious.
"I didn't think he had taken you. I just wanted to-"
"Get. The. Fuck. Out." Dash spat through gritted teeth. If she had not been in such an injured condition, Rainbow Dash was sure she would have been pummeling him by now.
"Let me explain Dashie. You don't-"
"DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!" She paused for a moment, tension heavy in the air. "You don't get to call me 'Dashie'. I don't want anything to do with you. Now get your ass out of this damn cell before I kill you. And never come back. You don't deserve to talk to me."
Wingstream stood in stunned silence, shocked from Rainbow Dash's outburst. Slowly, he backed out the door, pulling it shut behind him.
"Damn," he said, before turning away from the locked door.

Soarin braced himself against the harsh desert wind, sand stinging as it sliced through the air. The rest of his group struggled against the storm. He tried to speak, but his voice was lost in the harsh winds. All that resulted was a mouth full of sand, which he tried in vain to spit out. He didn't know how long they could keep going like this. The wounded ponies had already started to fall behind, their weakened state combined with the harsh storm taking its toll. The wind only continued to pick up, lowering his visibility even more. At this rate, the storm would end up killing them all, fatigue wearing them down until they could no longer move. At last he spotted what seemed to be a small cave. Slowly and steadily he trudged through the sands, making sure to maintain sight of the others in his group. He stumbled inside, finally free from the stinging winds. Soarin wiped the sand away from his eyes and mouth, taking deep breaths, enjoying the dust-free air. The rest of his group trickled in slowly. Soarin took a head count once he was sure the last pony had entered, and was pleased to find that everyone was present.
"Alright guys," he said, allowing everyone to catch their breath. "We'll wait for this storm to clear out, then we'll get moving again. Go ahead and rest. We're going to need the energy for later."

By the time the sandstorm and blown over, night had already fallen. Soarin stood watch at the cave's mouth, looking over the moonlit desert. Finally able to have some solace, his thoughts turned back to Rainbow Dash. Part of him wished she had stayed back in Ponyville, where she would be safe in her own home. But her loyalty had drawn her out into this wasteland, and now she was gone. Spitfire had said that there was a chance she had lived, either returned home or captured. Soarin ruled out the former, and almost hoped the latter wasn't true. He had heard rumors of what happened to those captured by changelings. A slow, agonizing imprisonment as they siphoned any love you had, until you are a shell of the pony you once were. Soarin shivered, the thought of Dash being empty of love haunting him. He suppressed the idea, not wanting to think of her fate.
A small flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned, and saw several figures rapidly moving towards the cave entrance. Soarin silently ran back inside and woke up his group, preparing for another fight. Looking back outside, he saw more figures storming across the sands, moonlight reflecting off of their armor.
"To the entrance, quickly, quickly!" Soarin whispered. "Armored ponies in front! Stay in the shadows until they are within striking range!" Ponies darted to and fro, grabbing their weapons and putting their armor back on. As the last few scrambled into their hiding spots, Soarin caught a glimpse of the enemy. A large, armored covered pony stood atop a sand dune, flanked by what he assumed to be changelings. Green light flashed from his eyes, and the tide surged forward.
The first few changelings made it through the entrance, unaware of the ponies hiding in the shadows. As more began to pour in, Soarin stepped out, gutting the nearest one with his sword. As one, the rest of his band kept from the dark, catching a large portion of those inside off guard. The flanks withered against the onslaught, spears and swords punching through armor and chitin. The ponies at the forefront of the assault formed a rudimentary line, stopping any reinforcements from reaching those trapped in the cave. Soarin sent more ponies to the entrance to help hold the line, then pressed into the remainder of those trapped inside, hacking through the stunned attackers. Several changelings threw down their weapons and cowered in the corners of the cave, only to be forced to used them once again as they were caught up in the frenzy. As the last of those inside were either slain or rendered unconscious, Soarin turned back to the fight at the mouth. The rest of the group had gone to aid the fight, but multiple ponies laid strewn about, while others retreated with grievous wounds. The initial counterattack had gone well, with minimal casualties for his forces. But now the changelings had regrouped and began to press on Soarin's group. The battle raged on, small victories and heroic sacrifices combined with the thin confines of the cave being the only reason Soarin's forces had not been overwhelmed. Here, a guardpony dragged down by sheer weight of numbers and butchered, but allowed several others to retreat to the line. There, the civilians staved off a breach in the line with whatever weapons they could scrounge from the dead. A charge led by several guards and civilians pushed the changelings back long enough for Soarin to consolidate his forces back again into a line. As the last of the sacrificial charge fell, the changelings faced a spear wall, backed up by others wielding swords. They hesitated, unwilling to impale themselves on the line of spears before them. There was an awkward silence, two opposing forces staring down each other, each unwilling to make the first move. At last the changeling lines parted ways, allowing the armored figure Soarin had first seen atop the dune to the front. Its faceplate slid off, revealing a lime green pony, golden eyes full of hate.
"Soarin of the Wonderbolts," he said, voice equally hateful. "My lord told me you would be here. What an honor, to be able to kill the one that has been a thorn in his side."
Soarin flew up slightly, so that the armored pony could see him above the spears. "Who are you, and what do I have to do with him?"
"You don't know? No matter. I still get to kill you. As for my name, you need not know. It's not going to matter to a corpse, now will it?"
"How about this? I come with you, and you allow these ponies to return home safely. I ask no more than that."
"Oh, I assume you would like to speak to my lord in person? Oh yes, that would be wonderful." He barked out an intelligible order, and the changelings all lowered their weapons. "Now, I suggest you come with me."
Soarin looked over his group, returning sorrowful glances and respectful nods. He flew over his line, and landed in front of the armored pony. Two changelings tied rope around his wings, while another out one around his neck. As he was led off, he heard another shout and turned to see a wave of changelings crash against the spear wall. Soarin tugged against the rope, and was thrown down by the changelings and dragged away. As his captors reached the mouth of the cave, a piercing shriek cut through the air. All those around him put their hooves to their ears and cried out in pain. As dark as the night itself, shadowy pegasi flew across the horde, slashing at the stunned foes below them. A great trumpet blast along with the sound of grinding rock came from the cave, and with a great shout golden-armored guardponies poured from a hidden tunnel, reinforcing the hard pressed survivors. Meanwhile, more of the dark pegasi swept down from the night sky, forming a ring around Soarin while his bonds were cut. He looked up into the bright amber eyes of a bat-winged pony.
"You're Soarin, right? Luna told us we could find you here." The Lunar Guardpony asked as she picked up Soarin, seemingly oblivious to the fighting around the two of them.
"How the hell does everypony know where I am?" Soarin said, exasperated.
"You're guess is as good as mine," she said, laughing slightly. "We brought the Equestrians with us. You're going to be fine."
Soarin looked past the ring of Lunar Guardponies, and saw the changeling forces already beginning to rout. More of the bat-pegasi swept through their ranks, taking several swipes with their swords before returning to the safety of the air. Meanwhile, a tide of gold armor pushed past the exhausted remnants of the fort and into the retreating army. More importantly, Soarin saw the armored pony fall, drug down by sheer weight of numbers.

The fighting was over within minutes. With the tide turned by the death of their general, the changeling force broke and scattered across the desert. Soarin headed back to the cave, the batpony accompanying him. As he reached the entrance, his mouth dropped.
"Soarin!" Spitfire exclaimed, wrapping her hooves around him. "Hey Fleet, I found him!" She pulled back just in time for Fleetfoot to catch him in another embrace.
"Spitfire...Fleetfoot...what? How-? I don't-"
"Of course, we show up and save his ass, and he goes on and does this," Fleetfoot said with mock anger, easily betrayed by the large smile crossing her face. "Thanks a lot buddy."
"You're stammering like a foal, Soar. Geez, can't you be happy we made it out and wait for an explanation later?" Spitfire said, grinning widely.
"Yes ma'am. I just-I mean I-"
"Shut up," both mares said in unison.
"Okay. It's nice to see you guys. You don't know what we've been through."
"You're safe now. We got a tunnel here that leads straight to the wall. You're lucky that you picked this cave to hole up in."
"More than lucky, Fleet. What's the chance of them hiding in the cave that just happens to be the secret tunnel out?"
"The wall?"
"Yeah, it's-"
"Uh, if I may, ma'am," the Lunar Guard interjected, cutting off Fleetfoot's explanation. "I would like to give my report now, so I can head back. It's almost sunrise."
"Go ahead, Lieutenant Nightfall."
"Primary objective, Lieutenant Soarin, secured without extensive casualties sustained. Secondary objective Alpha eliminated by Equestrian Guard. Secondary objective Bravo was not present in the fight-I can safely assume he has not yet broken, despite Luna's pressure. End report."
"Very well Lieutenant. Carry on." Spitfire gave a nod, and Nightfall flew off. She turned back to Soarin, still smiling. "Come on Soar, let's get you home.

Wingstream tinkered with the golden hoofguard on his desk. The white pegasus with the gold mane had worn it in battle, an flip-out clip allowing for the use of swords. Now, all he had to do was disassemble it, find out how everything went together, and copy it for use in the Changeling armies. He could feel that he was on the verge of discovering the final pieces to the ornate puzzle before him. With a click, the clip came out, resulting in an ecstatic laugh from Wingstream.
"I've done it! Finally! Now, just gotta finish this drawing here-" he murmured to himself. He was so absorbed in his work that he hardly noticed the door open behind him. It was not until a red aura surrounded the hoofguard that Wingstream realized who was behind him.
"Milord, I-I'm sorry, I just was busy, and didn't notice, and-" Wingstream's rushed stammering was cut off by a simple gesture from Solar Flare.
"You need not fear me, Wingstream. How could I harm my closest friend? No, I just was stopping in to check on your progress."
"I've almost solved it! All I gotta do is make sure I can put it back together right, then we can begin production!" Wingstream reported energetically. His work had provided an ample distraction from the havoc of his mind, providing him with renewed vigor.
"Very well." Solar Flare motioned to leave, but turned as he reached the door. "Wingstream, is everything alright? You've seemed a bit off lately."
"What? No sir, I'm perfectly alright. Just a bit tired is all. I've gotten a bit rusty from all these peacetime years is all."
"Hmm. If that is what you say. Carry on."
Wingstream waited before he was out of sight before slumping down against his wall. His inner struggles were beginning to show. He worried that it was only a matter of time before Solar Flare would catch on.

Rainbow Dash shakily paced across her cell, trying to loosen her tight muscles. As she walked, questions filled her mind. Why was Wingstream with Solar Flare? How had he found her? More importantly, why show an interest in her- somepony he hadn't seen since foalhood. Her mind became ever more clouded, only increasing her anxiety.
Suddenly, all of her questions faded away, replaced by a feeling of serenity and calm. She turned to none other than the Princess of the Night.
"Princess Luna," she said, bowing. It took her a few seconds to recognize the oddity of her situation. "What are you doing in here? Am I-?"
"Yes, you are in a dream. We must not waste time. My window is small, and we must hurry, lest he detects us. Now come."
Dash followed Luna out of the prison cell, flying into the night sky. "I sense you are conflicted with your discovery of Wingstream among the ranks of Solar Flare. I have come to show you the truth."
"What truth? He is a traitor! He betrayed his country, his friends, and even me! What truth is there besides that?"
"Everypony who turns against their friends has a reason. Behold, the past."

A desert canyon lay under them, pockmarked with craters and strewn with bodies and wargear. Masked ponies trotted among the fallen, prodding the bodies. Among the mass stood the stout armored frame of Solar Flare. As he surveyed the view before him, two of the masked ponies dragged an Equestrian Guard pegasus to his hooves. Looking the unconscious guardpony over, Solar Flare's horn flashed, touching the pegasus' forehead. The pony's eyes flickered red for a split second, before he fell onto the sand. With a wave of his hoof, Solar Flare motioned for his lessers to grab the guardpony, taking him inside a hidden cave.

"I don't get it, Princess Luna. All he did was zap that guard that looked like..." Dash trailed off as she came to the realization of what happened.
"A memory spell, cast by a powerful unicorn, can alter the memories of others. What you saw there was Solar Flare changing the memory of your old friend Wingstream. I was there in his unconscious dreams, but was held back by a power that rivals my own. But this is not all. Changelings feed on love; it's how they gain power. In doing so, they drain most of the ability to love from their victim. Wingstream was drained after his capture; only his deepest emotions remained, and these were hidden by the hate planted by Solar Flare. For years now, I was unable to find him again, but with the war I have returned to him. Wingstream is not an evil pony. He has good in him, but he must find it. Do not hate him for the pain others have forced on him."
"So what should I do? I'm stuck in a cell, useless!"
"Reach out to him by any means possible. Bring him back to the light." Luna faded from Rainbow Dash's dream, which was cut abruptly short by the slamming of her door.

Dash jumped up with a start, Solar Flare standing before her.
"Luna found a way to you after all my precautions. Interesting. Now, Rainbow Dash, I'd suggest you tell me everything." He leaned in close, blue eyes glaring into her magenta eyes. "What did the false Princess say?"
Rainbow Dash steeled herself for the oncoming storm she was about to be subject to. "She said-"Dash muttered, almost at a whisper. "She said fuck you." Solar Flare drew back, initial shock replaced by anger. He expected no less, but part of him had hoped that the constant grinding on her resolve was working. He smacked her with an iron-shod hoof before turning to his guards.
"Bring her to the chamber. We'll get what we need one way or another." Dash was helpless as the guards grabbed her forelegs and half-dragged her out of the room.

"So what did you mean back there by 'the wall'?" Soarin asked as he followed Spitfire and Fleetfoot down the tunnel. They had fell behind the rest of the guardponies so that they could talk.
"We're almost there Soar. You'll see for yourself."
"Since Fleetfoot wants to try and keep you lost, I'll fill you in. Basically, while we were holding the fort, a massive wall was being constructed at the edge of the desert. We have them the useless sands in order to consolidate and defend our resources."
"Wait, so we were nothing but fodder? They left us to die so they could build a wall?"
"I told you we should have waited!" Fleetfoot exclaimed. "When he sees it, he'll understand."
"Exit is just around the corner. He'll see."
Soarin stepped out of the exit into the blinding light. He shaded his eyes with a hoof while they adjusted from the dark tunnel. As his vision cleared, he saw it. A massive palisade, stretching as far as he could see cut off the desert. To the back was a river that marked the land where fertile soil began. Hundreds of barracks and shelters dotted the land, filled with thousands of guardponies.
"What the hell?" Soarin was dumbstruck by the sheer size of the fortification. He had never seen such a large concentration of guards.
"Never thought we had so many, did ya Soar?" Fleetfoot asked as she bumped him lightly. "Amazing how many will join to defend their homes."
"Our barracks is down that way," Spitfire said with a nod. "Head for a medic, then meet us there. It's impossible to miss; look for the large Wonderbolt symbol.

It was late morning by the time Soarin had his variety of wounds patched up. He wandered around the base, taking in what he was seeing. After several minutes of aimless walking, he decided to head to the Wonderbolts barracks. As he finally caught sight of the familiar emblem of the Wonderbolts, another sight caught his eye.
"Twilight!" He shouted, catching the lavender alicorn's attention. He ran over as fast as his exhausted legs could carry him. "Princess Twilight! What are you doing here?"
Twilight frowned, looking at the ground. "I heard what happened to Rainbow Dash," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I decided to come and aid in any way possible. I know what happened was not your fault, so don't think I'm upset at you. I just don't want to lose a friend."
"Has anything worked? Is there any sign of her out there?" Soarin felt both his hopes and fears rise. Part of him wanted to know, yet the other feared that she was dead.
"No," Twilight said, biting back a tear. "There's nothing."
"We'll find her Twilight. She's out there somewhere."

Blue light flashed from under the heavy iron door, flickering in tune to the muffled electrical pops and hums that came from behind the door. As Wingstream crept closer, the smell of singed fur and sweat began to grow stronger. At last he reached the door, careful to not make a sound on the stone floor of the castle. Ever so gently, he peeked through a small crack between the door and the wall, listening closely as the lever flipped off.

Solar Flare stood before the suspended Rainbow Dash, wearing all his armor but his helmet. His scarred snout was broken by an arrogant smirk, while his navy blue eyes gleaned with malice. Beside him stood his changeling guard, an almost psychotic smile plastered on his face. Dash's head hung low, while steam hissed from her fur. She appeared as the striking image of defeat, her resolute nature brought low by constant grinding on her physical and mental state.
"Rainbow Dash," Solar Flare said, lifting up her chin with his hoof. Blood trickled from her mouth as he brought her head up, trailing down his armored hoof. "Rainbow Dash. Why do you still hold on? Do you not wish safety for your friends? For your beloved Soarin? All you have to do is tell me one simple thing, and all this will be over. It's not hard." He spoke with a unusual softness, his expression matching his voice. Rainbow pulled her head away, her eyes glancing away, looking at anything but Solar Flare. She looked over the door, and locked eyes with Wingstream.

He didn't feel the sharp knives of hate in her magenta eyes, nor the fire of anger . Instead, he saw pity, directed straight towards him. Wingstream wanted to break contact, but his hooves wouldn't move, as if something had him locked in place. He looked further, and could feel the strength and love that Rainbow Dash still held for the friends she had been taken from. She turned away, bracing for the inevitable. Wingstream could only watch with a jumbled mind as blue lightning coursed across her.

Every other time had been the same. She had been unable to make the slightest noise, all her muscles locked by the electricity coursing through her. But as Wingstream finally turned away from the crack, he heard it. A pained, broken scream rang from behind the door, stopping him in his tracks. He paused, emotions he had thought buried rising up once again. As Rainbow Dash's cry faded, he sprinted down the halls, longing for the security of his room. He rushed inside, slamming the door closed behind him. Wingstream slumped against the door, trying with all his might to stop the chaos inside his mind. He didn't even notice the tears running down his face.

Author's Note

Yay, 11 is up! And a day early, thanks to a flurry of inspiration. And before you say anything, Deadline for chapter 12 is June 30. I got graduation coming up, and vacation near end of June, so don't expect it sooner.

Alot of backstory in this chapter, I know. But it was neccessary to make the connection for later. I told you everything I did has a reason. You just got to wait to find out.

Wingstream is so fun to write. I thank the reader Wingstream for his donation once again.

Remember, I like feedback! I'm always looking to improve.

RDD

Chapter 12: Hold Me Now

Wingstream darted down the dimly-lit hall swerving in between scattered guards and serfs. He had been summoned, and Solar Flare hated few things more than tardiness. He drove his shoulder into the heavy door that lead to the throne room, not breaking stride until he reached the foot of the throne upon which Solar Flare sat.
"Milord, you summoned me," Wingstream said as he bowed, trying to catch his breath.
Solar Flare waved to the armored guards, who left the room and closed the doors behind them. "Wingstream, enough with the formalities. We've been over this before."
"Yes milo-I mean yes, of course."
Solar Flare laughed slightly, his deep laughter resounded by the emptiness of the throne room. "Something tells me you'll never learn. Old military habits. However, I did not call you here to discuss formalities. I have an...assignment for you."
"An assignment?" Wingstream asked, caught off guard by Solar Flare's sudden order. "Like, a military strike, or-"
"No," interjected Solar Flare, "Not combat. However, it is still vital to the war effort. I must go to the front lines; these changeling commanders are more incompetent than I had thought. But for you, you are now in charge of the interrogation of captives. I need to know positions, troop strength, elite units. Don't attempt to question the golden-maned one; it will only serve as a perplexing waste of time. But the one with the rainbow mane....she is close to breaking. I can feel it. Start with her. She will know all about their 'Wonderbolts.'"
Wingstream struggled to not let the sudden wave of guilty conscience show on his face. How could he even try to bring himself to torture his foalhood friend and live with himself? But if he didn't, he would be considered a traitor, and be executed on the spot. Steeling his mind, Wingstream threw up a salute, responded with a "Yes sir," and left the throne room. As he exited, he motioned two the two guards standing outside to follow. He had work to do, and he had to do it now.

Rainbow Dash felt the cold iron cuffs clamp above her hooves once more. She trembled slightly, trying to steel her mind for the oncoming pain. Despite her steadfastness, the unrelenting physical and mental toll on her was taxing her resolve. She could feel the inevitable breaking point coming; it was just a matter of how much pain her mind could take.
The cloth hood came off; but there was no sign of the menacing armored form of Solar Flare. Instead stood Wingstream, his body visibly tense; yet his eyes showed a sense of conflict. He moved almost mechanically as he prepared to interrogate her, obviously trying to suppress some feeling inside him.
"Wingstream," she pleaded, "Don't do this. Please don't."
If her cries for mercy had any effect on him, there was no sign. He held his resolute expression as he flipped the lever, rising the slab once more. "You're not like him! You don't have to-"
"Shut up!" Wingstream snapped, flying up inches from her face. He silently glared at her for several seconds, before landing and moving towards the switch. "You know how this goes. Feel free to go ahead and give me answers. I'd rather this end quickly."
Rainbow Dash held her tongue, instead clenching her jaw and eyes shut, preparing for the inevitable. Seconds felt like hours as she waited for the storm of agony to wrack her body. Minutes passed, and there was nothing but silence. Warily, Dash cracked open one of her eyes, risking a glance at Wingstream. He stood by the lever, head bowed, his mane covering his face. Despite that, she could see that he was struggling mentally, his muscles tight and jaw clamped firmly.
"Wing," Rainbow Dash whispered, "You don't have to do this. Please, do it for me. Don't-"
Wingstream flicked the lever, sending burning pain across Dash's body. Her cry caught in her throat as the electricity forced her against her bonds, metal cutting into her skin. At last the pain stopped as the power was switched off. She looked back at the navy blue pegasus, his head hung lower than before.
"I'm sorry," he muttered between her painful gasps. Wingstream walked to the slab and flipped its switch, lowering it slowly. As she descended, Dash saw him go to one of the several tables and pour a clear liquid onto a scrap of cloth. He flew over, holding it inches from her face. "I'm sorry Rainbow. It's for your own good," he whispered, tension evident in his voice.
"No! Please, don't do this!" She swung her head back and forth, trying to avoid whatever he had put on the cloth. Despite her struggling, he covered her snout with it, her nose instantly filled with a sweet-smelling aroma. The world faded to black as her thoughts jumbled and her feeble resistance slowed to a standstill. The last thing se saw before slipping out of consciousness was the pain in Wingstream's face.

Solar Flare's ears twitched as he felt a small probing in the back of his mind. Something had set off the barrier spell he had secretly set up before leaving. The feeling grew stronger, morphing into a slight headache. His barrier had been ruptured, punched clean through. No, this was not just 'something'. It was somepony. Somepony very powerful. And he had an idea of just who it was. Of course, the question of how anypony had found a way to break through his barrier still remained. The dark magics he had learned were said to be stronger than most. Perhaps they weren't as strong as believed. Or, there could have been someone on the inside...

Solar Flare let out a frustrated sigh and conjured a small portal, dim blue light filling his room. He had already vaguely worked out what had happened. Not only that, but who was at fault as well. He stepped through, appearing back in his throne room, much to the surprise of several unarmored changelings. All bowed immediately, somewhat shocked at his sudden appearance. He walked straight up to the center one, staring down at its quivering form.

"Fetch Wingstream.

She recognized the dreamscape, shadows flickering like flames around her. Once again, she was in the realm of the Princess of the Night. She sat patiently, eventually greeted by the sight of Luna emerging from the dark.
"Princess Luna," Rainbow Dash said as she bowed slightly. "How-"
"Silence, Element of Loyalty. The barriers of Solar Flare are strong, and we do not have much time. Follow me, and make haste!" Princess Luna turned and sprinted through the shadows, each step trailing starlight.
Rainbow Dash followed close behind, following her through a winding trail amidst the black of the dreamscape. As she turned what seemed like the hundredth corner, she skidded to a stop.
"S-Soarin?" She said, almost at a whisper. The light blue pegasus stood before her, his trademark goofy smile plastered across his face. She took a slow step forward, part of her telling her it was only a dream. Another step, and she wanted to believe that he was there, letting her come to him. Another, faster this time, and she could feel that this wasn't her imagination; that Soarin was brought here as well. A glance towards the midnight-blue Princess revealed a magical aura around her horn, as well as faint signs of stress as the Princess turned away and walked into the shadows. Dash took another step, then another, now focused on the stallion she was certain was real. She managed one more, before suddenly she was caught in a tight embrace, Soarin's hooves wrapping tightly around her neck as he pressed his lips against hers. Her hooves pressed him closer, locking the two into a deeper, passionate kiss. She held onto him as long as she could, the pent-up love that burned for him let loose in one moment. After what seemed like all too soon for Rainbow Dash, Soarin pulled back, just inches away.
"Dashie..."
"Soar-" She was cut off as he pressed their lips together once again. This kiss was softer, all of her worries thrown aside, replaced solely with Soarin. For a few blissful seconds, she all but forgot the war and the pain. But when he broke the kiss, it all came crashing back down on her. The softness in his eyes only reminded her all the more of the distance separating them. "Soar...they...they..." she started, unable to speak through the emotions that churned through her mind.
"Shh Dash, I'm here now." Soarin pulled her to his chest, wrapping his wings around her protectively. "You don't need to say anything."
Rainbow Dash held her composure for as long as she could, but soon broke down. Tears streamed down her face as she pressed her face into his chest. Soarin kissed her forehead lightly, and held her even closer. "I'm here now. I'm here."
"S-Soarin," she sniffled, "I'm scared. There's ponies...helping him. What...what if he does something to make me-"
"Don't. You're the most loyal pony I know.
"But he even...even has my foalhood friend Wingstream." She felt him tense up at the mention of Wingstream's name. Something about that name had struck a chord. "Soar? What's the matter?" She leaned back, looking him in the face, but he remained silent for a moment. "Soar?"
Soarin shook his head, focusing back on Rainbow Dash. "Nothing. Don't worry about a thing. Come here." She rested her head back against his chest, going with him as he laid down.
"I'm going to find you," he whispered as he started to stroke her back gently. "If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to find you."
"Please, just hold me now. Hold me until my fears are leaving. Don't let me go."
Soarin pulled her closer, both remaining silent. For what felt like hours they laid in their quiet embrace, content in what seemed like a long time. Just as Rainbow Dash began to feel the troubles of the war slip away, the feeling of Soarin's wings wrapped around her was gone, as was the steady rise and fall of his chest. Almost frantically she looked up, seeing Soarin a short distance away.
"Soarin!" She shouted, running towards him. There was a sudden tug on her, as if a leash was around her neck. Searing pain grew where iron bonds once held her as Luna's hold over the dream world lessened. "Soarin! Come back!"
"Dash," he said, his voice breaking as he looked around at the dwindling shadows, "I think this is it."
"No! Don't leave! Come back!"
"Dash, no matter what happens, I will find you! You hear me? Just stay strong for me! You got that?"
Rainbow Dash nodded her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. A familiar burning pain started to grow along her legs. She knew she was going back, back to the pain of the real world. With all she could, she pulled against her invisible bonds, as Soarin started to flicker out of the dream.
"Soarin! Please don't leave me!" Rainbow Dash shrieked with the last of her strength as he faded out even more.
"I'm sorry Dashie," he choked out. "I'll find you! Just hold on a little longer! I love y-"
And then she was alone, surrounded by the flickering shadows. "I love you too," she whispered to the nothingness as the dreamscape began to collapse around her.

Wingstream anxiously paced back and forth in his room, thoughts swarming through his head like a swarm of angry bees. Had he done the right thing? Would Solar Flare discover what happened? Had he committed treason against those whom he had pledged loyalty to? He looked to the horizon, the flickers of light that used to constantly flash now long gone. The initial assault had gone well enough that the Equestrians had been pressed behind the desert. So why have these doubts now, when his moment of victory was near?
"Because you used that potion," he said aloud to himself. He knew beforehand what would happen whenever it made her pass out. Despite all his magic barriers Solar Flare had put up, it easily would have sent out a signal strong enough so that an alicorn could detect it. But why?
Wingstream could feel both sides of his conscious tearing at each other. Why did he use the potion to make Rainbow Dash pass out? Because he knew he couldn't bring himself to torture her. Was he aware that it would make here detectable by the princesses of Equestria? Absolutely. Was it the right thing to do?
"Well, that's the real question," he muttered. He had betrayed Solar Flare's trust. But he also had kept from needlessly inflicting pain upon a pony who didn't deserve it. He kept himself from potentially unlocking vital information for the war. But she was the Element of Loyalty; the chances of her relinquishing that information was slim to none. But still was it the right thing to do?
There was something else conflicting with his thoughts. Deep down, something Luna had brought up before Solar Flare had set up those mental barriers. He knew that he still had feelings for her; feelings that had kept him from pulling the lever. It wasn't his morality that stopped him. "No," he whispered to himself, cracking an almost-insane grin. "It's that damned Luna. She's brought it all back up. Looks like Solar missed something all those years ago."

Several knocks on his door brought him back to the real world. "Sir," a changeling drone said, peeking his head in slightly, "Lord Solar Flare demands your presence."
"Yes, tell him I'll be there shortly," Wingstream replied, waving off the drone. He already knew what was coming. There was no doubt that Solar Flare had detected that something was wrong. All he had to do now was find a way out of his situation.

Soarin was just barely aware of his name being called, still mentally unwilling to leave the dream that Luna had arranged. "Soarin," Fleetfoot said, hovering mere inches from his face. "Soarin," she repeated, her voice getting a little more tense. She attempted to wake him up several more times, each time rewarded with his eyes flickering open then closing drowsily. GET UP YOU FAT OAF!" She shouted in his ear, withdrawing before he could retaliate with a poorly-aimed swing of his hoof. The sudden burst of volume shook him out of his semi-conscious state, leaving him rubbing his ear. He Spitfire needs you immediately! Come on, let's go lazy-ass!"
"Shut your pie hole. I'm up." Soarin pushed himself slightly on his forelegs, cracking open one eye. He spotted Fleetfoot standing beside the window, holding the curtains with a smirk on her face. "NO FLEETFOOT WAIT!" he exclaimed as realization set in. She ignored his outburst and yanked open the curtains, sending bright yellow sunlight straight into the still half-asleep Soarin. "You fucker!" He shouted as he saw her darkened form scamper out of his room, laughing mischievously. He suppressed the rising anger he felt growing. She didn't know what he had went through the last night. Rainbow Dash's cries of sorrow and terror still echoed in his mind.

He grumbled as he strapped on his dirty and battered armor, choosing to leave his helmet off. Whatever Spitfire had for him, it had better be good. He stepped out into the open and made a beeline for the division's headquarters, avoiding any contact with others.

Soarin stopped outside the entrance, but was immediately ushered in by none other than Princess Twilight. "Come in, Lieutenant Soarin." He stepped in to see several head commanders seated around a table covered with a large map of the front lines. To the left stood Commander Shadowsword, his large frame making the captain beside him seem small in comparison. To the right was two batponies of the Lunar Guard, along with Spitfire. In the direct center stood Luna, dark blue armor reminiscent of Nightmare Moon's; and beside her sat Twilight Sparkle, clad in regal armor of royal purple and shining gold. Soarin quickly took his place beside Spitfire.
"Thanks for sending the wake-up call," Soarin muttered bitterly.
"I waited as long as I could," Spitfire whispered. "Luna told me to wake you. I thought you should rest more-"
"Commanders," Twilight said, cutting off all conversation with an unusually stern voice. "Last night, thanks to the efforts of Princess Luna and another...unknown factor, we were able to locate where the enemy-"
"Solar Flare," interjected Luna.
"-Solar Flare," repeated Twilight,"-keeps his prisoners. That would be here," she said as she pointed to a flagged mark on the map. "Now, we have reason to believe that Rainbow Dash, and Surprise, are among some, other prisoners having come from different divisions. Luna and I have called two representatives from both the Equestrian Guard, the Nightguard, and the Wonderbolts to discuss what our course of action should be."
"If I may," the Nightguard commander started, "What do you mean by 'unknown factor?'"
"Everypony has a temporal presence, but only alicorns and extremely strong unicorns are able to pick it up. But, just recently, Rainbow Dash's was hidden from us; how, we don't know. But she suddenly flared up last night, enough for Princess Luna to make a connection and locate her."
"Temporal presence?"
"Like a life force. Its how Princess Celestia is able to keep up with her subjects so well."
"Okay, back to the topic at hand," the second Equestrian Guard commander sighed. "So we know where this Solar Flare is keeping his top prisoners. Now what?"
The room was quiet for a moment, each respective team deliberating on their choice. "I say we move in to free them," Shadowsword suggested. "A small team of pegasi could easily infiltrate through the desert and strike, freeing the prisoners."
"And what of the castle walls, Commander?" The larger batpony hissed. "How do you plan to breach the walls? Or will you just hack your way out, while carrying exhausted captives?"
"We can't just leave them there to suffer!" Soarin exclaimed.
"Don't bring your emotional ties into this, Lieutenant. I know all about you and the rainbow-maned one. But sometimes a small sacrifice is needed to win a war. We can't risk losing anypony in some fools errand."
"FOOLS ERRAND?!" Soarin shouted, slamming his hooves on the table. "Those are Equestrian soldiers and civilians we are talking about! They can't be left to suffer!"
"Your feelings would sacrifice many in hope to save your precious friends. This is war. Ponies die. We can't risk more to try and rescue a hooffull of ponies from deep behind enemy lines!"
"Might I also add Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty?" Spitfire quipped. "You can't use all the elements with only five bearers."
"She makes a point," Soarin said. "If Solar Flare cannot be stopped by our forces-"
"He's a damn unicorn! We have four alicorns behind us! We shouldn't even have to use the elements!"
"Know thy place, Field Marshall," Luna said harshly. "We shan't use our power unless the situation is dire."
"Why the hell is that, ma'am? From a tactical standpoint-"
"You dare question the Princesses?" Soarin shouted. "It is not a anypony's place to say how they use their magic!"
"I am trying to win the war without losing any more ponies than necessary, Lieutenant. Yes, they have the Element of Loyalty. Yes, they have one of the elite Wonderbolts. But you can't justify the risk for just those two!"
"Silence, both of you," Shadowsword commanded, the authority in his voice immediately silencing both. "As I said, a small, elite team would be able to infiltrate and rescue the prisoners. Now, we recently broke a large force that had pursued Soarin's survivors from the fort after it fell. We can easily sneak the team through the hole in their line we left. Then we strike at the rear of the lines will catch them off guard. They wont expect it, so there will only light resistance. This minimizes casualties, but also will create confusion as they realize they are being attacked in what they consider a safe zone."
The Nightguard commander sat silently, contemplating the proposed scenario. Soarin nodded his head in support, while Spitifre remained stone-faced.
"Alright," the batpony said, somewhat subdued. "I don't like it, but I'll be damned if the Nightguard leaves Equestrians to fight by their lonesome. I'm in. But, we'll need to get our soldiers together. You got any ideas on who's leading this?"
"I volunteer the Wonderbolts to hit the castle. We'll need some support, but we don't want our numbers too large. The less noticeable, the better."
"A squad of my fastest Nightguard fliers should be sufficient. At dusk we move."

"Wingstream," Solar Flare said, his deep voice echoing in the virtually empty chamber. "Would you care to tell me how I was able to detect the presence of one 'Princess' Luna, despite the fact that I masked her from detection?"
"Milord, she is an alicorn, not to mention a very powerful one at that."
"Do you not think I know that? This spell is from before her time; a time of war and darker powers. I know it would be able to keep her out. So how did she manage to make contact?!"
Wingstream recoiled at Solar Flare's outburst. He hadn't seen him this angry in a long time. His treatment to the Changelings was one thing; but he had always remained calm with even the least competent ex-Equestrian commanders. "Sir, I believe I may be the reason of this slight." Wingstream bent lower to the ground as he felt the piercing gaze of Solar Flare. "I-I was trying out something for the interrogation, since our current attempts have failed. I though I had grabbed one of your non-lethal poisons. I must have grabbed the wrong potion by mistake. So naturally, when I used it, it made her stand out enough for Luna to communicate."
"Are you aware of what your mistake may have cost us? If you weren't proven already, you would leave this room alive. However, you are dismissed as commander of the Elite Fliers wing. Do to let it happen again, lest you incur more severe penalties."
"Yes sir. I shall inform my second-in-command immediately." Wingstream bowed hurriedly and left the throne room. He was lucky. Many a commander had lost their lives for faults of equal severity. But still, this demotion had virtually stripped away all he had. He was nothing now but a grunt, a basic soldier. At least he knew what he had to do now. All that was left was a matter of when.

Solar Flare watched the pegasus leave his presence with heightened interest. Something was disturbing what had used to be his most trustworthy officer. The Wingstream he had taken and molded into his own image was no longer there. There was less cold resolution in his voice, and his steel-eyed stare was nearly gone. He didn't know what was wrong, but the pegasus was definitely troubled.

The Wonderbolt's barracks was a frenzy of preparation. Armor was dulled with soot, swords were sharpened and bags were packed with just the minimal supplies necessary to survive. Soarin finished blackening his armor, and had just started to put it on when he felt a hoof on his side.
"Whoa there, where do ya think you're going?" Fleetfoot asked.
"Where do you think?"
"I think you're going back to your bunk and sticking here," she said, pulling him away slightly.
"The hell I am! Not when Dash is out there, and I can save her!"
"Look, I know you want to be the brave knight and save your damsel in distress, but think about this: you could die just as easily as the rest of us. What would that do to her, if she saw you get cut down?"
"But-"
"You can't risk going out there and dying Soarin! Get that through your thick head!"
"I told her I'd find her. I made a promise. I intend to keep it."
"Wait, what?"
"Just...don't worry about it. But I'm going out there, and you're not going to stop me!"
"Sweet freakin' Celestia you're a moron! All you're thinking about is yourself here. You want to go out there so you feel at ease. How 'bout you try this: think about her. Stay here. Stay alive. We'll be back in a few days."
Fleetfoot left the room without saying another word, leaving Soarin alone. Soarin strapped on his helmet, and started for the door, when something caught his eye. On his desk, still in its worn-out frame, was the picture of him and Dash. He stared at it for just a moment, imagining how devastated she would be if he didn't make it. Fleetfoot was right. He had to stay, for her. He glanced out his window at the rest of the Wonderbolts, now assembled by the wall with a group of Nightguard. He could just hear Spitfire call the group to attention, silence falling a split second later.
"Wonderbolts. Nightguard. Tonight, we go into enemy territory. Once we cross the wall, stick tight, avoid confrontation. With any luck, we'll be in and out in a few days. Let's not waste any more time, eh?" She said as she donned her helmet and opened her wings. "LET'S GO!"
With a shout, the group launched into the air as one, soaring over the wall and into the desert wastes. Soarin ran up to the battlements, peering out to the fading forms of his squadmates. The mission to free Rainbow Dash was finally underway.

Author's Note

Yay, it's done. Nothing like a midnight release for chapter 12! With more SoarinDash than recent chapters as well!

Sorry for the shorter chapter. This one is setting the stage for Chapter 13, which will be released on the end of September. Freshman year of college is starting, so I am giving myself time to adjust to the new workload and life.

Shoutout to Wingstream and Dark_Reaper_1 for relentlessly pushing me to get this chapter done.

Stay Awesome

RDD

PS-Point out any errors for me to fix please.

Chapter 13-Heart of Darkness

Spitfire squinted as the orange light of Celestia's sun began to creep over the horizon. While it provided a welcomed respite amongst the pegasi in the task force at first, now it proved to be an annoyance. Navigation had been almost nonexistent throughout the night, cloud cover blotting out the stars and moon. They had been forced to rely on the batponies to try and pick out the few landmarks in the desert. More than once, the task force had gotten lost. But now the sun, with its stinging early light, gave Spitfire a new sense of direction.
With a flick of her tail, Spitfire gave a silent signal to the group, all banking left in unison. Once they faced just a few degrees southeast, she brought them back into a straight flight pattern. Despite the setbacks of the night, all seemed to be going well. Not a single changeling patrol had been spotted on either the ground or in the air. Heavy cloud cover throughout the night had broken up as well, providing the opportune weather for this operation. Everything was going well. Or at least she thought everything was, until the gruff voice of Rapidfire came from behind her.
"Oi boss, I think I'm seein' something."
"Very good Rapid," Fleetfoot responded with a hit of sarcasm. "That's called the ground."
"Nah, I'm definitely seein' something. I'd say about twenty-nah, twenty five contacts on hoof."
Spitfire took a glance downwards, scanning the dusty ground for what Rapidfire had seen. At last she saw them, near a small spring coming from a small cliff. The shadows his their forms well enough so they were undetectable from far away.
"What're we gonna do?" Rapidfire said in a lower voice. "Do we engage? We can't have 'em comprimisin' our situation."
"I don't think they've spotted us yet. If we can get to cloud cover-"Spitfire was cut off as a green burst of magic buckled her, the unexpected force sending her flying into Rapidfire. "Shit! Squadron, break and engage! Straight dives! Evasive maneuvers only when necessary! Pick your targets!"
The task force moved as one, plunging towards the changelings below. The bursts of magic increased as they grew closer, forcing the Equestrians to suck and roll. As they neared their targets, the incoming fire stopped completely, the changelings lying on the ground unmoving. Spitfire slowed to a stop, landing lightly on the sand.
"Hey boss, what's with this? We didn't even get near 'em."
"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine."
As if that was a cue, nearly thirty ponies rose from the sand and cliff face. None of them wore the traditional golden armor of the Equestrian Guard, instead wearing slimmer, more fitting tan armor. Each had wrapped cloth around their faces, only adding to their mysterious presence. They carried shorter swords than the Equestrian guard, and many had a small crossbow-like contraption wrapped to the right hoof. Most strangely, there was a mix of earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns; not common since the formation of separate pegasi and unicorn branches within the Equestrian Guard.
Spitfire's group circled into a defensive formation, unsure what to make of the newcomers.
"Captain, what do we do?" Fleetfoot whispered nervously.
"Yeah boss, do we know this lot?" Rapidfire muttered.
Before she had a chance to respond, a relatively large-statured pegasus approached her. It unwrapped the cloth from its face, revealing a slightly amused gray stallion.
"Captain Spitfire, if I'm not mistaken," he said, with a distinct Shetland accent. "We heard you would be coming this way. Now-" The pony took a step towards Spitfire, and was immediately cut off by several spear points aimed at his chest.
"Hold it right there. I think that you'd best introduce yourself before you think of taking another step."
"Oh. My apologies. I am Captain Stormy Skies, or 'Storm' if you prefer. These lot," he said as he gestured with one hoof to the group around him, "are the First Royal Knight Commandos, or just the 'Knights'; because let's face it, that's so much easier to say. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I happen to know exactly what your plan is. And we are here to assist you on your venture, under explicit orders from higher up. Any questions?"
"Several. What do you mean by higher up? What do you mean by 'Royal Knight Commandos' or whatever, because I've never heard of anything of the sort. And how could you know our plan when none of you were there to be briefed?"
"Classified, classified, and classified. Sorry, love." He said with almost amusement as his last sentence drew a glare from Spitfire.
"Classified my ass. Come here." Before he could say a word, Spitfire had pulled him near and held down one of his forelegs. She drew her sword and pressed firmly against it, cutting just deep enough to draw red blood. "Alright, he's clear. Give him a bandage and let's get going."
"Oi, you could have asked before you did that!" He shouted as she started to walk away, squadron in tow.
"Asshole," she muttered under her breath. Fleetfoot suppressed a laugh, looking back towards the bleeding captain.
"Damn captain, remind me never to piss you off!"
"Shut up Fleet." Despite her curt reply, Spitfire smiled slightly. It was nice to see her back to somewhat of her normal self, even though the mission still loomed before them. If all went well, they would be back behind the wall in a few days.

The sky was painted a magnificent array of reds and oranges by the setting sun. The land seemed almost serene, if not for the faint forms of pegasi darting from cloud to cloud. Others ran along the sands, their speed significantly increased through magic. Ahead, the silhouette of their target began to rise on the horizon. Within minutes, Spitfire could pick out potential hazards to their operation.
A tower stood high above the walls at each corner of the castle, serving undoubtedly as both an early war if system and anti-air defenses. Long walls covered three sides. These were dwarfed by a massive citadel on the right. It rose above the walls nearly five stories high, a mass of stone and iron. Along its battlements stood giant ballistae, poised to launch a barrage of bolts at any attackers.
"This is it!" Spitfire shouted, raising her right hoof above her head and tapping her helmet. Squadron commanders from the Wonderbolts, Knights, and Nightguard all flew over to her position. She motioned for the rest of the strike force to halt, before diving to rendezvous with the ground forces.
Once all of the forces on the ground and air had concealed themselves behind dunes or clouds, Spitfire met with her commanders.
"Alright, here's the plan. Stormy Skies, you will take a small ground force and infiltrate through the first floor of the citadel. You said your team was good at stealth work. Don't let me down. Second squadron will cover the towers on the right, and third squadron gets the left. Use your Nightguard to take out the sentries-this is a night operation, so they will be best for the stealth attacks.
If they become alerted to our presence, do not hesitate to take initiative. Take out their mages first. Keep the skies clear so we can have a clean extraction. Got it?"
"Organization is as follows: Storm, your pegasi will be with me, along with the First Nightguard team. If anything does go wrong, I might need them for air cover. Fleetfoot, you'll attach to second squadron and take command there. Rapidfire, attach to third squadron and inform Wave Chill you will be in command of said squadron for this operation."
"Get to your positions. We move at midnight."

The outline of the castle was barely visible against the cloudy night sky. Luna's moon lay hidden by the low-lying clouds, restricting eyesight drastically. Spitfire looked through the cloud at the castle below. She could just barely pick out the distant forms of the Knights moving across the sands. With any luck, the initial force would be able to infiltrate the castle without any detection. That left her, along with the other Wonderbolts and their accompanying Nightguard, the task of outer security.
A flutter of wings to her left drew her attention. As if on cue, several Nightguard silently plunged towards the castle, before impaling patrolling changeling guards on their spears seconds later. Spitfire let out a slight sigh of relief as the Knights reached the wall of the keep unseen. She caught the soft yellow glow of magic on the wall, then watched as the team moved through the wall one by one. It was all up to them now.

Stormy Skies could feel the Captain's gaze as he led the assault team to the castle. So far the walls had been clear of any activity. He glanced towards the ramparts, staying low to the desert sands. After several agonizing minutes, he was enveloped by the shadow of the citadel, the rest of the team following suit shortly after.
"Alright lads, let's get to work," he whispered. A yellow unicorn to his right nodded, before his horn illuminated lightly. The wall glowed, and Storm took a step at it, walking through the stone into the castle.

He was immediately greeted by the shocked stares of four changelings, cards floating in front of them. As the rest of the team stepped through behind him, the door across the room sealed shut. "Hello boys," Storm said as he cracked a small grin.

Rainbow Dash grabbed the nail once more in her mouth, silently pulling on it. She had almost completely worked it out of its loose hold in the wall. She gave another tug, pushing off against the wall with her legs, weakly flapping her wings to stay aloft. The nail wiggled slightly, sending her at it once again with renewed vigor. She was almost there...

The sounds of the guard coming down the hall reached her ears. Pulling with all her might, Dash heard the sound of metal grating on stone, just before she crashed to the floor. The nail bounced at her hooves, stopping inches away. As the sound of hoof steps grew closer, she sprang into action, wrapping her torn bed sheets around her right hoof. Once it was wrapped right, she slipped the nail through the sheet, poking it out just above her hoof. Dash rushed over to the door as she heard the key slide into the lock. It swung open, revealing one of the more armored prison guards. Without a seconds hesitation, she lunged forward, ramming the rusty metal into the vision slit of the guard. It let out a shrill scream, then fell silent as Dash drove the nail further into its skull. She quickly unwrapped the cloth from her hoof and dropped it on the ground before running down the hall, leaving the body lying in the open door.

The halls seemed to wind like a maze. Every stone face looked the same, every torch lit room another dead end. The only time anything was different was when Rainbow Dash stumbled across a patrol. Minutes of terror accompanied each encounter as she hid before the guards noticed; occasionally just seconds before they were around the corner. At least none of them had discovered the fate of the hapless guard...

Stormy Skies wiped the green ichor off his sword. Three of the four changelings were sprawled across the floor, precise blows cutting across the chinks in their armor. The fourth cowered in the far corner, looking nervously at its two guards.
"Well," Storm said, slowly walking over to the changeling, who shrunk even further into the corner. "You are a lucky one, aren't you?" He lowered himself down so he was eye to eye with his prisoner. "Now, I do believe you have some information that me and my boys could use. You can do this the easy way and tell me now, or I'll have to force it out. So, what's it going to be?"

The yellow unicorn peeked out of the door for what felt like the millionth time. He tried to ignore the muffled cries of agony coming from the locked closer door. Despite his spells, there was only so much he could do at this time.
But something still felt wrong. It's seemed like there was a disturbance in the air around him. It wasn't changelings. No, their presence was almost too easy to detect for a unicorn of his skill and experience. Something was up.
He felt the oddity growing stronger. It was almost as if it was coming from that back closet. There weren't screams coming anymore. Maybe Storm had killed off the changeling. Taking a step back, he noted a spike in the pressure around him, just a second before the room went white.

With every step she grew weaker. It was almost as if something was weighing her down. Minutes fell like hours-almost to the point where she lost all sense of time. She was lost in the labyrinthine halls of Solar Flare's castle. Dash collapsed, unable to carry on any further. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and weariness clouded her mind. She would die in here. Once a patrol found her, too weak to run, it would all be over.

But what about Soarin? She couldn't leave him all alone. She had to fight. She had to live. She had to see him again. Dash struggled to her hooves, standing on resolve alone. Just as she took a step, the wall in front of her exploded and everything went black.

Everything was a blur. White light trickled in from holes in a grey mass. She heard the beating of her heart. Her head pounded with pain. She felt a trickle of blood run down her face. As her eyesight returned, Dash saw the pile of rubble before her, light poking through small holes. Almost frantically, she began to dig. This was her way out. When all seemed lost, fate had made a way out.
The distant sound of hoof steps caught her ear. She hadn't thought about the explosion bringing guards. Just as she began to dig faster, another blast knocked her back to the ground. Disoriented, she heard the guards coming closer. Dash ran, limping down the halls fueled only by adrenaline. She ran into the first room she saw and slammed the door shut.

A massive explosion broke the silence of the night. A large chunk of the lower wall tore open in a ball of fire as smoke clouded the sky.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THA-" Spitfire started to shout, just as she was cut off by another blast. Within seconds the sky became alive with green arcs of lightning and small blasts of magic as the Changelings fired randomly into the night sky.
"LET'S GO! MOVE IT!" She shouted as she waved her team to the edge of the cloud. Fleetfoot's unit was already off, and Rapidfire's was almost in the air. Spitfire flipped off the cloud, twisting once to orient herself. The rest of her troops were off, and like a wave of steel, the Wonderbolts and Nightguard descended from the night sky. As one, they plunged through the oncoming fire and into the madness below.

Agonizing minutes went by as the sounds of the guards rushing to the crater faded away. She used the break to catch her breath and regroup herself mentally. If guards had went in there, there was no way she was going to be able to get out that way undetected. And in her state, she doubted flying was much of an option. However, other places might have been left unguarded-
Her thoughts we cut off by a sudden rattle. Someone from outside was trying to open the door. Panic raced through her mind as she looked for an escape. Finding none, she picked up the first thing she could find-a small metal can of what seemed to be paint. The door shook as whoever was outside tried to jar it open. Dash hid behind the shelves, hoping to hide long enough to be able to ambush the intruder. The door eventually gave way, the silhouette of her intruder smashing through and falling on the ground. She sprang into action, smashing the can alongside the head of her foe. The can left her hooves, and she leapt onto the now-stunned intruder, raising her hoof to strike. Just before her first strike landed, she stopped. The intruder was no changeling-it was a unicorn. She still held her position, ready to attack if need be.
"Who the hell are you?" Dash whispered, trying to hide the quivering in her voice.
"I'm with the Royal Knights. We're here to get you out."
"The who?" Dash closed the door with her hind leg, making sure to keep her target pinned under her.
"We're with the Wonderbolts. And we are here to bring you back. Now, if you'll excuse me," he started as he moved to get up. "Once he was on his feet and had readjusted his helmet, the unicorn unsheathed his sword.
"Hey, what in Celestia's name are you doing?" Rainbow Dash stepped back until she hit the wall.
"I'm sorry ma'am, its protocol. We need to make sure you're you."
"Stay the hell away from me!"
"Look," he said calmly while pricking his foreleg with the tip of his sword, “I’m not a changeling. See?" He extended his foreleg while casting a dim light with his magic. "It's just a small prick in the leg. Nothing more."
Rainbow Dash warily held out her leg, keeping tense in case this was a trick. She winced slightly as the tip of the sword poked through her skin, drawing a drop of blood.
"See? Wasn't so bad was it?" He stepped closer, pulling out a small bandage from his compact saddlebag and placing it on the cut. "Now that I know you're you, we can get moving. Let me check outside first. Wouldn't want to stumble into an Iron Guard, would we?" The room lit up a faint yellow as he cast a window spell on the wall beside the door. Everything seemed to be clear from what Dash could see. "Alright, let's move." The room went dark for a second, then lit up again as a portal opened up on the wall. The Knight stepped through slowly, then disappeared from her view. Dash uneasily stepped her hoof into the portal. At once, she felt a tingling in her hoof, and withdrew it. Taking a few deep breaths, she stepped through completely, reappearing on the other side of the wall.
There was a dull crack, and a sudden pain overwhelmed Rainbow Dash's senses. She fell to the ground, smashing face first against the cold stone. As her vision started to waver, she saw the dead eyes of the unicorn, surprise still in his face. Then all was black.

Wingstream ran towards the sound of the blast, strapping on the last bit of his armor as he went down the torch lit halls. Years of training blocked out the hint of disbelief in his mind. From outside, he could hear the distinct zaps of changeling bolts and the thuds of magic bursts. He followed the flow of soldiers towards where he assumed the breach was. His assumptions were proven wrong as he stepped outside into the stone courtyard of the citadel. Above him, pegasi and changelings dueled for supremacy, the losers spiraling down to the ground below. Wingstream ducked as an Equestrian flew low, striking indiscriminately at the soldiers on the ground. Several arced into the air, green blood trailing behind them.
"To the skies!" He took off, leading some of the changelings into the fight.
A harsh shriek rose in the air, just before a line of spears punched through the mass of airborne changelings. A small group of Nightguard flew through the hole in the line, before breaking apart and engaging new foes one on one. Wingstream looked around at his forces, trying to make sense of the chaos. Several changelings were cut down by a Nightguard, just edited the same pony was hacked apart by a larger group. A pegasus appeared to flee, leading several of his soldiers away before they were struck from the rear by the Equestrian's comrades. Another pegasus, welding two swords, dove and repeatedly twisted just above head level, churning through those on the ground. The situation was collapsing fast. These soldiers were proving to be nothing more than meat. Growling, he abandoned his position of command, chasing after the nearest Equestrian, a mare covered in the bright green mood of her foes. He matched the arctic blue pegasus turn for turn, pumping his wings with all his might. Slowly he began to catch up. Right as he was almost in striking distance, his for suddenly turned to face him, dual swords at the ready.
"Shit." He immediately recognized her as the one he had seen earlier. Green blood splattered across her face and armor. But what was most intimidating about the mare was her burning glare locked with his, purple eyes staring into him.
He hesitated a moment too long, and she sprang into action, swinging at a high angle with both blades. Wingstream blocked the first just in time, the second bouncing off his helmet. She followed through with a stab using her left sword, keeping her right in a blocking posture. Wingstream flew to the right, bringing his empty hoof down on hers. Her hoof guard jarred off, the sword plunging to the ground with it. He was immediately put back on defense, several quick strikes nearly catching his neck. As he smacked another swing downward, the mare recovered with remarkable speed and brought it back up, catching Wingstream under his eye. He recoiled from the sudden strike, placing one armored hoof on the wound while keeping his sword out and ready.
The mare cracked a confident grin, flying higher before rapidly diving towards Wingstream. He kept watch on her position, planning his next move. Right as she thrust her sword towards him, Wingstream dodged right, bringing the flat of his blade against her muzzle. The Equestrian's flight pattern went from a solid charge to a tumble as she reeled from the force of the strike. He pursued her as she tried to recover from her dive; but she had charged too fast and too low. The mare slammed into the ground, her sword shattering on the stone.
Wingstream landed several feet away, taking his time as she tried to struggle to her hooves. He sauntered over as she shakily stood up, kicking her weaker stomach armor and knocking her on her back. He placed a hoof on her chest, then raised his sword for the final blow.
But he paused as their eyes locked. He saw the fear behind them, the pleading for mercy. Images flashed through his mind, memories of what had happened.
The fear in a guardpony's eyes as Wingstream led his army against their poorly-equipped fort.
Luna, promising him safety, a home, if he would just lay down his arms.
Rainbow Dash, pleading with him with the same expression as he struck the lever, sending her into agony.
He had hurt her. She had screamed in pain as he watched. Vivid memories of the flashing blue arcs, the smell of burnt hair mixing with the smoke and steam filled his mind. He had hurt her.
Wingstream stepped back, the Equestrian sliding away. He saw the confusion in her face, and still the fear. He locked eyes with her once more. He knew she could see the pain in his eyes, the guild of all he had done. "Run."
She pushed off the ground, taking to the air once more. Wingstream's legs wobbled, and he steadied himself on a fallen comrade. He looked at the courtyard, fallen changelings covering the stone surface. Beside them, fewer Nightguard and Equestrians lay dead. Luna was right. This was a waste. Solar Flare had brought nothing but destruction on both kingdoms.
Solar Flare. The name of his liege brought a bitter taste. He would lead both empires to ruin if allowed to continue. Wingstream looked at the moon, just peeking through a hole in the cloud cover. This had to end tonight. He sheathed his sword, and ran to the citadel. This ended tonight. But he still had one thing to do.

Rainbow Dash struggled against her bonds as the slab rose into position once again. The only one before her was the malicious-looking changeling that had followed Solar Flare around as he interrogated her. Muffled sounds of explosions came from outside, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"Well, little Rainbow, looks like we're all alone. Solar Flare isn't here. Wingstream isn't here. Just you and me..." The changeling drifted off as he drug one hoof across several hooked implements. "Now, it's such a shame I have to get rid of that pretty face of yours. But we can't have your comrades coming and saving you, now can we?" He sprang towards her, stopping inches from her face. "Oh, you're scared. Why, because you won't get out to see your precious stallion?" He burst into a fit of mocking laughter, which only increased as Rainbow Dash tried to struggle against her bonds. As the laughter died down, an evil smile spread across his scarred face. "You know...we changelings feed on the love of others. But, it doesn't mean we can't have our own...sources." He brought his face closer to hers, enjoying the panic in her eyes and her fruitless struggling. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind, would you?" He placed a hoof on her cheek, slowly dragging it down her face and along her chest. He drew his face closer to hers, savoring her panic.
Rainbow Dash pulled her head away from him, then jerked forward, smashing her forehead into his face with a resounding crack. He recoiled, holding his broken nose with one hoof.
"You bitch! You think you're so clever? Well how clever are you now?" He bolted over and flipped the lever by the table, sending familiar arcs of pain across her body. Then his horn lit up, the blue bolts of electricity turning a green hue. Her body jerked violently as the amplified lightning shot through her. Blood trickled from the back of her head as she repeatedly slammed against the wood slab. Her throat contracted, leaving her unable to breathe. Smoke began to drift off her body as her vision began to go black. Everything faded into a blur as pure agony enveloped her mind.
Then it was over. She could feel every inch of her body screaming in pain, but there was no more of the intense agony. Rainbow Dash took in deep breaths, barely aware of her surroundings. She could taste the salty tang of her own blood in her mouth. Warmth ran down her back as her head continued to bleed. "Well, we've learned our lesson, haven't we?" Once again she heard the changeling's voice, but this time it seemed more distant, even though she felt his breath on her cheek. "Now, you're not going to put up any more fuss, are y-"
He was cut off by a sharp crunch, and Rainbow Dash was dimly aware of a spray of warm ichor on her face. She forced open an eye, to see the changeling inches away, the tip of a sword punched through his mouth. It slid back as the changeling's body dropped with a soft thud. Standing before her, tear stains running down his troubled face, stood Wingstream.

Spitfire ducked and weaved the through the onslaught, those few pegasi Knights that had remained behind following in close pursuit. She caught a glimpse of the others running from their hidden locations towards the gaping wound in the citadel. With luck, they would be able to reach any survivors before the changelings got there.
'If there are any survivors,' she thought, barely dodging an arc of electricity.
The incoming fire lessened significantly as they drew closer to the breach. Out of the corner of her eye, Spitfire caught sight of Fleetfoot's group tearing through the changeling defenders. Glancing further back, she saw Silver Lining's team cut down the remainder of the right tower's garrison. Looking back at her target, she saw movement as changelings scurried over the rubble to form some sort of fighting position.
"Wedge formation! Push through their lines and secure a foothold! We need to find the prisoners!"
The rest of the pegasi formed up behind her without a word, couching their spears. They struck the disorganized changelings, embedding their spears in their foes before drawing swords and swiftly dispatching all those who remained. The pegasi covered the doorways until the ground troops reached Spitfire's location.
"Alright, split up into teams of four or five. I want a unicorn with each group, maintaining contact with each other by any means necessary. I want those unicorns not attached to an Earth pony team back along the sand dunes, covering our air support and taking out anyone who might come through here. Knights, your pegasi will keep here secure for extraction. I will be moving in with a ground team." She paused for a second, glancing at each of the soldiers around her. At last, her gaze settled on a stocky stallion who seemed to have an air of authority around him. "You. You're in charge here. If we are not out in fifteen minutes maximum, pull back the rest of the troops."
She turned back to the broken hallways stretched out before her. Motioning for the nearest ponies to follow her, she took a step into the castle.

A heavy silence filled the air as Dash recovered. So many things were going through her mind at once. Why was he saving her? Was this a trap?! Would he just kill her?
She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice him unlocking her bonds. She fell to the floor once the last one came off, unable to hold herself up. Dash felt a gentle hoof grab around her and slowly pull her to her hooves. She stood weakly, staring at Wingstream uncertainly.
"Rainbow Dash, I know you have all the reason not to trust me. But I just want to say I'm sorry for what I did. I had no other choice. You probably hate me. But this is my chance to make things right." He bowed his head and prepared for retribution, but all he felt was her hoof on his shoulder.
"All...all is forgiven, Wing," she choked out through the lingering pain. "You're...You’re making things right."
"Thank you, Dash." He turned his head, picking up a noise she couldn't make out. "We need to go. Here, put this on." He said as he handed her a black hood. "With any luck, they'll think I'm moving to a secure area. Just stay with me, and we'll get out of this."
Dash slipped the coarse fabric over her head, going back into near darkness. She felt a rope go loosely around her neck, and then they were moving, Wingstream guiding her with light pulls on the rope. At last he stopped, faint rays of moonlight peeking through the hood. There was a slight tug as the rope around her neck was pulled off, followed by the hood.
She was outside. For what had seemed like an eternity, she was able to see the stars from somewhere other than behind bars. Green light illuminated the sky, giving the scene almost a surreal experience. It was almost all too much to take in. She was free.
"Rainbow." She turned around to face Wingstream. He had saved her. But yet, there was a pain in his expression.
"Rainbow," he repeated, as if collecting himself. "I just want to say that I am truly sorry. I did things...such awful things, and I can't ever take that back. I am so-" Wingstream was cut off by a tight embrace from Rainbow Dash. He froze, before returning the hug, tears in his eyes.
"I forgive you, Wing. I forgive you." Dash stepped back, giving him a weak smile.
"Thank you." Wingstream wiped a tear away with his wing, before looking across the sands. "You should head to those dunes directly ahead. Go around them, then meet up with your rescuers."
"Wait, you're not coming?!"
"No. I have my own fight to finish. But before you go, I..." Wingstream paused, seemingly hesitant. "I need you to know that...well...just be careful, okay? Get back safe."
"O-okay," Rainbow Dash stammered. She knew he was going to say something else. And she was almost certain of what it was.
A nearby explosion brought her out of her thought, and she limped towards the concealment of the dunes. As she faded from sight, Wingstream donned his helmet and ran back into the citadel. It was time to end this.

Spitfire jammed her blade into the changeling's chest, twisting her foreleg slightly before yanking it out of her foe. She glanced over the fallen bodies as her group paused for a minute to catch their breath. The citadel seemed to be a labyrinth of halls. She'd already lost count of times they had stumbled across changeling patrols, each adrenaline-filled encounter leaving a fresh set of wounds for her unicorn to heal. She could tell the constant use of magic was beginning to wear on him, but he was all that was guiding them through the castle.
At last, she was rewarded by a promising sight: stairs. Cautiously, the group descended deeper into the citadel. The light grew dimmer, until the unicorn was forced to cast an illumination spell so they could see. Turning the corner out if the stairwell, Spitfire let out a sigh of relief as she caught sight of her objective. The citadel's dungeon lay before her, unguarded. Her team split up, checking each cell for any Equestrian or their allies. Most of the cells were empty, with no signs they had ever been occupied. As Spitfire walked past another vacant cell, a familiar sight caught her eye.
"Surprise? Is that you?"
"Spitfire?" The pegasus peeked her head up, her normally bright colors dulled by grime. "Spitfire! How'd you get in here?!"
"I come to rescue your ass, and I don't even get a hello?" A grin slowly spread across her face as she turned to her team. "Hey, someone get this door open!"
Surprise held her posture as the door was forced apart and her bonds taken off. She stepped outside her cell and took flight, stretching her wings while the team searched the rest of the cells. Spitfire was still elated at the rescuer of her friend when the unicorn walked up.
"Ma'am, I've received word from the surface. They believe they have found the objective."
"Wait, they were supposed to stay up there. What are they doing outside the rally point?"
"Well, from what I understand, the target came to them. She escaped."
"Did they-"
"She's already cleared."
"Thank Celestia. Alright, let's get a move on! Surprise, can you run?"
"Of course! I'm free!"
"Saddle up! Inform the surface team we're on our way. It's time to get the hell outta here!

Wingstream ran through the castle, dodging the changelings and Iron Guards sprinting towards the fight. He picked up speed as their numbers dissipated, going deeper into the castle. He turned a corner, and seeing the doors unguarded, burst into Solar Flare's throne room.
"Solar Flare!
The faint rhythmic pounding of armored footsteps reached Wingstream. Solar Flare strode out from behind the throne, fully armored.
"Wingstream. What is the meaning of this?"
"Milord, the castle is under attack by the Equestrians. There's a massive hole in the wall and they have breached the defenses."
"I am very aware. But yet, you are here. Come, let us drive them into oblivion." Solar Flare started towards the door, but stopped midstep. He cocked his head slightly, staring deep into Wingstream's eyes. "What is it, Lieutenant? Something troubles you, and it's not the attack."
"Flare," Wingstream panted, pausing for a minute to regaining his composure. "This is our chance. We can end this war, stop the killing. We can return home. They're here now. All we have to do is order our troops to stop, and talk with their commander. This violence can-"
"What?" Flare hissed. "You wish to parley with the ones who left us behind? After all that we went through, now you want to end?"
"I want to go home, Flare. We can return to Equestria. Princess Luna has reassured me that we will be allowed to enter after we pay penance for what we have done. We can go back to what we had before."
An uneasy pause hung in the air, the silence broken only by the muffled sounds of magical discharges from the battle outside. Solar Flare stood with his head bowed, all other expression hidden by his armor. At last, he looked back at Wingstream, head cocked slightly.
"You've been in contact with the Princess of the Night? With our foe? Why Wingstream, I never took you for a traitor."
The blood left Wingstream's face as the first trickle of fear began to creep into the back of his mind. "I'm not a traitor. I...I just got tired of it. We were supposed to be the good guys. But now we're torturing innocent ponies, attacking civilians. Is this really what we are trying to do?"
"So naturally you go and discuss with the enemy?! And to think, I thought it was that worthless blue pegasus we have in the dungeon that was allowing Luna to get through. I never thought you, my friend, would betray me this way."
"I want to help us Flare! Can't you see? This is our way out! Away from the war, from the hate, from the pain! We can go back!"
"Go back to what? Distrust and watching eyes? Betrayal and abandonment?! Watching those who we cared about disappear? No, there is no going back."
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE FLARE! The Princess made me see where we went wrong! I have found a way to escape all the hate that this path has led us on. Please, come with me. We can redeem ourselves and return to what is right!"
"WHAT IS RIGHT?! You mean serving for years just to watch your calls for help be ignored? To see your hope drain away with your blood?"
"Does that fault make us any better? Look at what we've done. Just look at it! All those lives lost, because of us!"
"They deserve it. They lied to us. Used us. All I got were empty hopes and broken promises."
"Think of all the promises we've broken! We were soldiers of Equestria! We swore to protect the land, to protect its ponies, to defend the Princesses! Where has all that gone? Where did we become this; the murderers of thousands? Those Guardponies didn't deserve death! Those civilians didn't deserve endless barrages and starvation! Those foals didn't deserve to be orphans! What did the Regal Sisters do to make you strike out against the rest of Equestria?!"
"They abandoned me," Solar Flare hissed through the grille of his faceplate. "They abandoned you. Every single pony I have with me was left to die in countless battles. You think I betrayed them? They betrayed me! And now they will be judged for their crime."
"You want this? A life of warfare and revenge? You can have it! But I'm through! I don't want this life! I won't become you! I don't want your dream!" Wingstream turned to the door, and instantly they slammed shut, surrounded by a red aura.
"Wingstream." Solar Flare said at a near whisper, just loud enough to be audible. "You really think you can just leave? There is no turning back. Now give up this fight and let it die. This is your only chance."
"I'm done with your plans Flare." Wingstream flew up slightly and drew his sword, holding it in a guard position. "I won't live a lie anymore."
"Very well. You've had your warning." Solar Flare's horn lit up, and a sword flew from behind the throne. He reached up, flicking out the clip hidden in his hoofguard and catching the sword in one fluid motion. "Goodbye Lieutenant."

Spitfire let out a sigh of relief as soft rays of moonlight shone down the hall. At last, it was time to pull out and head back to the safety of the wall, with both Surprise and Rainbow Dash. As she burst out into the rubble, she immediately froze.
All the pegasi were dead. Bodies and pieces of bodies lay strew about the room. As she walked through the carnage, she saw the remains of the attackers. Several unicorns in heavy metal armor lay in a circle, magical blasts scorching their armor. Each had a sword or spear embedded in a joint or opening, the owner dead at the Iron Guard's hooves.
"Damn," she muttered. She had failed to think about the Iron Guard. Her thoughtlessness had sent many of the vanguard and the search squads to their death. "Alright, let's keep moving. Leave the dead where they lie. We don't have the strength to bring them back."
The sound of heavy steps brought her attention to the hall they had just came from. A soft blue light flickered in the distance, steadily growing bigger. She stopped, slightly cocking her head in confusion as it continued to grow closer. Sudden realization crossed her mind, and she dove to the floor a second before a ball of pure magic shot over her head. “Motherfuck! We got contact!” More shots followed, exploding on the mounds of rubble or blasting craters into the walls. The rest of her team had already dove to the ground, hiding behind whatever they could.
“Get in contact with the backup team! Tell them we got hostiles down the left hall! Fire for effect! Take those bastards down!” A slight red glow illuminated a mound of stone, and seconds later colorful bolts of magic arced down the hallway. After several minutes, Spitfire poked her head out from behind her cover. There was no return fire coming from the hall. She let out a sigh of relief, and immediately regretted it.
From the smoke filled darkness, a trio of Iron Guard strode, scorch marks scarring their armor. Flecks of bright green told of the fate of the lesser soldiers who were undoubtedly used as cover. They stood in the entrance to the crater, then all hell broke loose. Arcs of magic shot from their horns, exploding amidst the small group of Earthpoines. Return fire came from Spitfire’s lone unicorn, along with the reserves along the sand dunes. The room quickly filled with smoke and dust, until all that was visible was the illumination of magic on the grey haze.
“WE GOTTA MOVE!” Spitfire shouted over the din. “TEAM, FORM UP ON ME! STINK IN COVER AND MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE SOUND OF MY VOICE!” Slowly, each pony began to trickle in to her position, meeting up with each other halfway then moving in pairs. Remarkably, her group suffered no losses from the initial barrage. The reserves must have done a hell of a job distracting.
“Alright, we move on three. Stick close, keep your heads down. We meet up with the reserve units, then give the signal for extraction. Ready? GO!” As one, the team rushed through the magical duel, dodging explosions and arcs of magic. Stone rained down on them as they neared the exit, the damaged walls no longer being able to hold up the weight of the castle. “MOVE IT! MOVE YOUR ASSES!” She was barely audible, muted by the sound of collapsing rock. Just as the last of her team stepped through the hole in the outer wall, it fell, sealing the enemy behind them. He unicorn shot a slow, lingering ball of magic into the sky. Spitfire turned to see the air cover disengage, while the reserve unicorns let loose a barrage of fire to cover their retreat. They held their speed until the last of them was behind the dunes, in relative safety. She pulled one of the unicorns aside, lowering her voice slightly.
“Where is the primary objective? We were told she was brought here.”
“More like she found us. But we brought her back to the base of the dune. Got the doc looking her over. She seemed pretty bad.”
“Damn. Ok, let’s get moving. The pegasus squadrons are already heading home. We should leave before they retaliate.”
“Roger that. I’ll send the signal for withdrawal.” He charged his horn, before launching another shot into the air, this one dark green. On cue, the unicorns stepped off the ridge, following the few Earthpoines that remained from the assault. Spitfire smiled as the sky began to turn first purple, then red. It seemed that Celestia was still watching over them as the bloodied band made their way eastward, towards home.

Wingstream flew across the throne room, smashing into the wall beside the door. Blood trickled from his forehead, along several cuts on his face. Shakily, he pulled himself up, glaring at Solar Flare with defiance still burning in his eyes. "Look at all the pain you've inflicted. You turned countless ponies against themselves. Hundreds, if not thousands, have died for your sick ideas. We've resorted to torturing innocent ponies."
"I thought we were the good guys. I wanted to stop what I thought was corruption. So tell me, when did you turn this way? How long will you hold on to this twisted dream? You've got to find a way to escape all this hate that you've created. I followed you blindly; but I've learned the harsh reality of our actions. You want to kill and destroy for pure conquest. And that is not what I was fighting for."
"You think that you can just walk right into Equestria? You're mine. Ever since the first shot fell, I knew none of us could ever go back. There's no hope for you. Just give up this fight and let it die!"
Wingstream lunged at Solar Flare once again, swinging with a wide overhead blow. As Solar Flare raised his sword to block, Wingstream twisted, delivering a kick just under Flare's jaw. He continued through, bringing his sword down on the back of Flare's leg. His efforts were rewarded by a bright spurt of blood as the wounded leg buckled under the heavy armor.
A red aura encompassed the leg, and Solar Flare turned with almost supernatural speed, raining down a flurry of blows on Wingstream. Red light glowed from his eye slits as each blow came down harder on Wingstream's weakening defense. The pegasus waited until another blow fell, then kicked off Solar Flare's chest plate, knocking him off balance. Wingstream then took to the assault, striking behind the neck with the hilt of his sword. He didn't wait for the result, instead taking to the air. Once a safe distance away, he turned, just as Solar Flare rose from the ground.
"Tell me, why was I always craving violence? Why did I go against my former allies with a sense of enthusiasm? I want to know what you did to me Solar Flare!" He waited for a response, but was only given a hateful stare. "Don't try to hide in silence! Tell me why! Tell me why you did this!"
An arc of red lightning shot out from Solar Flare's horn. Wingstream tried to move out of the way, but the shot still clipped his wing, sending him plummeting into the stone floor. He picked himself up just in time to block Solar Flare's first blow.
"Wingstream!" He shouted, striking in rapid succession. "Give up your fight!" His eyes flashed red, and he moved even faster. Wingstream's attempts at blocking the blows grew more frantic, as Solar Flare only seemed to move faster despite the armor. Wingstream blocked a high blow, then another, as Flare hammered on his defenses. He slowly began going to the floor, unable to hold up against the onslaught. Suddenly, just as another strike fell, he felt a sharp pain just below his chest plate. His guard dropped slightly, and Solar Flare leaped at his chance. The first hit tore through his armor, leaving a gash along his side. The second clove through Wingstream's helmet, slashing down along his cheek. Another struck along his chest, then another. Wingstream collapsed, gasping for breath and soaked in blood.
Solar Flare stood above his fallen captain, watching him struggle to stay alive. His sword clattered on the ground beside Wingstream's face.
"I'm done with this," he hissed, before turning towards the door.
Wingstream held his wounds weakly as his life drained away. He looked at the sword, struggling to reach out to grab it. With a small click, it locked into his hoofguard. Mustering all the strength he could, Wingstream pushed himself forward, slashing down on Flare's neck armor with all the strength he could muster. He heard the sound of tearing metal as he lost control and slammed into the floor.
Wingstream picked himself up weakly, turning towards his foe. Blood streamed from a tear in Solar Flare's armor along his neck and shoulder. Flare looked at the wound with what seemed like just a side glance, before turning back to the weakened pegasus. Within seconds he had covered the ground between them, sword arcing low. Wingstream blocked the first strike; but the force behind it sent his sword flying from his grasp. The second blow slashed across Wingstream's foreleg; followed up by an uppercut along his chest. Another glanced off his helmet, stunning Wingstream. He felt magic grasp his throat, choking him as he was lifted to Solar Flare's eye level.
For a minute he was held there, eyes locked with the red light coming from Solar Flare's eye slits. He held his look of defiance until Solar Flare at last spoke.
"Die," he hissed, before driving his sword through the weaker armor along Wingstream's stomach. Wingstream coughed once, blood trickling from his mouth. He fell to the ground as the magic hold was released. As the pounding steps of Solar Flare drew away, he drug himself towards the stained-glass window. Mustering all his strength, he lunged upward, shattering the glass and shakily flying over the body-strewn courtyard, towards the rising sun.

Author's Note

Wow. Chapter 13 is FINALLY done. I'm sorry for the delay, college hit me like a freight train.

A lot of action happening in this chapter. The introduction of the Royal Knights, along with one obnoxious Stormy Skies (who may or may not have slightly been played off of Crowley for all you Supernatural fans) proved to be pivotal in this raid. Dash is finally out, so potentially more SoarinDash soon!

Thank you all for pushing me to get this out here. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter, and hope you enjoy it as well. Feel free to send me a message or leave a comment if you have any concerns, questions, or errors. Until next time,

Stay awesome

RDD

Chapter 14-Redemption and Reunion

Spitfire wiped a bead of sweat that ran down from under her helmet, leaving a streak through the grime that had settled in her fur. The shade of the scattered trees in the oasis provided little comfort from the rapidly increasing temperatures; but a few degrees was better than nothing. She had called the group to a halt when the advance team had reported the small pool of water. Once she had confirmed its location, Spitfire decided to have the group there rest for several minutes to replenish water and recover their energy. She glanced over to Rainbow Dash, who was already asleep under a small palm tree. The torture she had endured kept them grounded, slowing return time significantly. The burn marks that still marked the fur around her hooves were enough for Spitfire to make that decision. The amount of damage to leave that much scarring could have easily have harmed the mare's wings. She couldn't risk having Rainbow Dash fall out of the sky, not after the soldiers they had lost.
Spitfire looked to the remaining Knights. They had been hit the hardest, and had the fresh wounds to prove it. Most had bandages showing through gashes in their armor, still stained red with blood. The few who had been lucky enough to remain mostly unharmed remained vigilant, providing perimeter watch. As much as she hated their cockiness, they were damn good soldiers. She didn't want to imagine what would have happened without them.
Her gaze carried her over to Surprise. The golden-maned pegasus was relatively uninjured. Somehow, she'd managed to get out of the torture Rainbow had endured, as well as the cruelty of her captors in general. Besides a dirty mane and some small scratches, she seemed fine. It was a relief to have her back. Most of the team had thought her dead after her disappearance. Fleetfoot had taken it especially hard; once they linked up with the air assault team behind the wall, the reunion was sure to be spectacular. Spitfire cracked a slight smile as she imagined the antics that would ensue as the duo made up for the lost time. Surely it would help the team forget the madness and carnage of the past weeks.

A glimpse of black against the cloudless sky caught her eye as she continued looking over the remaining soldiers. She paused, squinting to try and pick out what it was. It steadily grew bigger, slowly forming into the rough outline of a pegasus. She scrambled to her hooves, just as the pony dropped from the sky.

Wingstream grunted in pain as he hit the burning desert sand. His vision swam as he struggled to maintain consciousness, blood still running from his wounds. Using a wing to keep pressure on the deep gash in his chest, he stumbled to his feet, legs shaking. One step at a time he moved eastward. He saw where they had stopped. They were just ahead, within minutes distance. He just had to reach them, to reach her...
Wingstream collapsed face first, sand stinging where it met torn flesh. His vision grew darker rapidly, even as he tried to crawl towards the Equestrian soldiers. A tear rolled down his face as the last of his energy faded away, and the world went black.

He awoke on a beach. Confused, he spun around, trying to gain some sort of bearings. Then he saw it. His foalhood home, standing just by the cliff line. Had all of that been a dream? This seemed real enough-
Wingstream's thought were cut off as the first flickers of black licked along the sides of his old home. They steadily grew, dark flames growing around the horizon, rapidly engulfing the world. As the inferno grew, the air around him turned cold, the waves turning to ice and each breath tuning to steam in the air. Frantically, he tried to escape, but found he could not move. Tears formed in his skin, crimson blood spewing over the frozen sands, staining them bright red. Agony seared through his body, driving him to the ground. The flames grew closer; but just as it threatened to take him, the fire stopped. With a gust of air, it vanished, leaving the Princess of the Night in its wake.
"Wingstream. You have repented of your treachery and redeemed yourself. Your actions were noble, those of a true Equestrian Guard. However, it is time for your strife to end. Rest now, young warrior. Be at peace." Her horn flared dark blue as she closed her eyes.
"Wait, Princess Luna! I said the past was dead! The life I lead under his service is gone! I can't go, not like this. I have something I need to do first! I can't die like this!" He pounded his hoof against the shore, mustering his strength against the pain. "Not like this damn it! Not like this!" Again he struck the ground, this time, the air around him grew warmer. Luna's eyes opened in shock, but also with a glimmer of hope.
"Come on Wing! Not going out now!" He put his second hoof down, pushing against the ground. "Not going like this! I won't go like this!" He pulled his back legs up, legs wobbling as he tried to stand. "COME ON DAMN IT! NOT RIGHT NOW!" He stood up, and the world around him collapsed.

Wingstream gasped as he awoke back on the desert ground. He saw the hazy outline of several Equestrians running towards him. He rolled onto his back, ready to accept his fate. He had gotten close, but there was little chance they would spare him; his armor was enough to show whose side he had been on. Wingstream's vision faded for a second, then returned. They had gotten closer, enough for him to pick out some blurred colors. . The first one, a bright gold, slid to a stop beside him.
"What the hell? What kind of armor is-hey buddy, stay with me! LIGHTNING, GET YOUR MEDIC KIT OVER HERE NOW! Come on, stay with me!" Sharp pressure on his chest wound jolted him back awake. His eyes snapped open to several Equestrians around him. One tried to hold a makeshift bandage in place, while the gold one held his head, trying to keep him conscious.
Despite their effort, Wingstream felt his strength fading. Each breath became more of a struggle. Dull pain clouded his mind, threatening to pull him back under. He grabbed the gold one's foreleg and pulled her down.
"Get...get Rainbow. Please." Wingstream let go, falling back down against the sand. The gold Equestrian's eyes widened for a second, then she flew away. It was mere seconds later he heard the crunch of hooves impacting heavily.
"Oh sweet Celestia, Wingstream!" Rainbow Dash's voice caught his attention. He felt a tender hoof hold his head up, and opened his eyes to see her worried gaze, tears creeping at the corners of her eyes.
"Rainbow," he said, just managing to speak above a whisper. "I'm...I'm sorry...sorry for...for everything."
"Wing, don't talk like that! You're gonna make it out of here. They're gonna heal you, then we're going to walk back to safety!"
"Rainbow-"
"No! You have to make it back! You can't die now! Just hold on, okay?! Just a little-"
"Rainbow." He grabbed her hoof, eyes watering. "There's nothing...nothing you can do. Don't worry. Just please....just hold me now. Just this once."
"Wingstream." She choked on her sobs, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, landing with soft plinks on his torn armor. "Please don't go."
"It's...it's already too late. These wounds...I'm already gone. But don't worry. Just...make it back, for me. I'm sorry...Rainbow. Don't...forget-"

He opened his eyes, immediately greeted by the Luna. This time, there was no fire. There was no blood, no painful wounds. No more fear and sorrow. He smiled as he stepped closer to her.
"Are you ready to go, young warrior?"
Wingstream paused for a minute, looking back to a small black speck in the distance. He had finally made things right. Not only had he redeemed himself, he had saved his friend. The price was high, but he knew that he had made the right choice. His fight was finished. Turning back, it was as if the sun had risen. An eldritch light shone from behind the Princess of the Night, filling the space around him with yellow beams. He smiled, as warm as the light that danced across his fur.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Wingstream? Wingstream? WINGSTREAM!" Rainbow Dash clutched his body, sobbing into his armored chest. She rocked gently, cradling him in her hooves.

Lightning Streak slammed her kit against the ground, before gathering it back up and walking back to the camp.

Spitfire sat back roughly, and exhaled a defeated sigh. She stared blankly at the grieving mare for a minute, before getting up and walking back to camp.

Spitfire shook her head lightly, ignoring the concerned look of several of the Wonderbolts. She didn't know the connection between Rainbow Dash and the fallen pegasus, but he was still an Equestrian soldier. Rainbow's grief allowed for her to assume that he had been a prisoner, maybe a friend. Either way, it was enough to make her feel a tinge of guilt for her failure to save him. But this was a war, and loss was all around her. All she had to do was force it back down. She'd managed to do it with Surprise after her disappearance, after telling Soarin of Rainbow's disappearance as well. This would just be another memory to cover up.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that he barely noticed one of the Knights running up behind her. Looking back almost absentmindedly, she spoke with almost a flat whisper.
"What is it, soldier?"
"Ma'am, our western sentry reported sight of movement just a minute ago. It's them. They've caught up to us."
Her eyes widened as he calmly relayed his report. The changelings had probably followed the pegasus to them. There was little time to attempt anything.
"Tell everypony to pack it up! We gotta get the hell out of here now!" Spitfire weaved her way through the ponies, quickly retracing her steps. She slid alongside the still-sobbing Rainbow Dash, wrapping a wing around the cyan mare and pulling her away from Wingstream's body.
"SPITFIRE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Rainbow struggled against the Wonderbolt Captain's grip, but Spitfire held firm as she pulled her back to camp.
"The bugs found us. We're moving now!"
"We can't just leave him there!"
"We have no choice. They're too close for us to do anything now."
"He saved my life! I can't just-"
Rainbow Dash was cut off by a slap across her cheek. Spitfire stared coldly into her eyes, maintaining a stern gaze.
"He's dead. If we don't leave soon, you will be as well. We have to get you back alive. Soarin still needs you. Now snap out of it and get moving! That's an order!" She ran towards the camp, no longer having to drag Rainbow with her. As she donned her sword, Spitfire was pulled aside by the commander of the Knights.
"Ma'am, there's a lot of them, and we're running out of time. Take the objectives, and get them out. My soldiers will cover for you."
"What?! No! You're coming with us."
"There is no time! Take them, now! It was an honor to serve alongside you." He tipped his helmet slightly, then ran towards the group of Knights, forming them into a line. Spitfire tore her eyes away, running to gather those still under her command.

Within minutes the task force had fled out of sight of the camp, hidden by the numerous dunes. Sounds of battle drifted across the sands, explosions mingling with the sound of metal clashing. At last they ceased, the fall of the Royal Knight Commandos buying precious time for the group under Spitfire to flee.

The sun was setting by the time the group halted once more. They took shelter in a cratered ruin of one of the old Equestrian border forts. Rainbow Dash say silently along the scarred walls, looking grimly at broken scraps of armor and dried bloodstains scattered about. It reminded her too much of the fort where Soarin was deployed. Too many bad memories that didn't need to resurface, not with the fresh pain of Wingstream's death. She sat by one of the small campfires alone, content with watching the remaining Nightguard move to their sentry positions. Most of the Wonderbolts and Equestrian Guard detachment had already fallen asleep, leaving her to her thoughts.
She'd lost track of the days since her capture. The nights of torture had blended into one long nightmare, broken only by her sole dream meeting with Soarin. Luna's intervention had been sorely missed in the time that had followed. But now she was free, with only a few days travel at most separating her from safety and from Soarin. If only she could fly.
Dash stretched her wing as far as they could extend, pulling them back once she reached half of her normal wingspan. Her wing muscles were undoubtedly damaged, unable to extend as shocks sent the muscles into spasms. There was no chance she would fly on the return home. She rubbed her wing joints with her hoof, pausing to look down at the still-burnt flesh. The pain had mostly stopped, but the scarring was going to be there for a long time, if not permanently. But what would Soarin think? He had no idea what had happened to her. Would he still be interested in her now that she was visibly scarred?
"I don't think he'll like ya any less, if that's whatcha asking.'" Rainbow Dash jumped at Spitfire's voice behind her.
"What? How did you...?"
"You should really try to not think out loud."
"Oh. Sorry." She paused for a second before continuing. "What did you mean by that?"
"Plain and simple. I know Soarin from ages ago. I'll go ahead and tell you he didn't go and fall for you just for your looks alone. He cares more about personality than anything else. You got nothing to worry about."
"I know, but how do you think he'll react? I'm nothing like I used to be. He loved the old me, but what about now?"
"Rainbow, Soarin's better than that. I can't pretend to know what you went through; but he will be right there with you. You may be the Element of Loyalty, but I'll be damned if he isn't the runner up. Soar will be worried, but he won't leave."
Rainbow scuffed her hoof along the ground lightly, slowly digging a shallow trench in the dirt. "I shouldn't doubt him. It's just...that pegasi back there, Wingstream. He was a friend from my foalhood, and he was working with them. And he was one of the most dedicated ponies I knew. I guess I've just grown weary of other ponies."
"That's understandable. But this isn't a friend from way back we're talking about here. He's your coltfriend. I can easily tell you that's not something he takes lightly. You got yourself a hell of a stallion. Don't worry. He'll be there for you. Now get some sleep." Spitfire stood up, patting Rainbow's shoulder with her wing lightly as she walked off.
Rainbow Dash stretched out across the hard dirt. Activity ceased across the fort as campfires were put out and sentries finalized their positions. Blasts echoed across the dunes from distant battles, while multicolored flashes illuminated the horizon. She curled up as tightly as she could, and slowly drifted to sleep.

"Don't think you're safe, Element of Loyalty!"

Rainbow Dash awoke with a gasp, nearly punching the concerned Nightguard shaking her awake.
"Ma'am? Is everything alright?"
She paused for a moment, catching her breath. Her fur was damp with a cold sweat, and her head pounded. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly nodded.
"Just a nightmare. No worries."
"Alright ma'am. Can I get you anything?"
"No, I-I think I'm good. And please, drop the ma'am. Rainbow is fine."
"Yes ma'am-I mean yes Rainbow. If you do require anything, my post is just at the gate."
"Yeah, got it." She acted as if yawning, waiting for the guard to leave before immediately sighing, frustrated. He still haunted her dreams. It was going to be a long, sleepless night...

One by one, the Wonderbolts near her awoke, each jolting back to consciousness with fear on their face. Picking up on individual conversations, each had heard the same message, only the voice said their name. As the confusion only increased with each passing moment, a large blast resonated from deeper within the fort. The taskforce immediately grew silent for a split second, before scrambling to grab their armor and gear.

Solid thumps resonated from the ruins of an old barracks. The Nightguard and Wonderbolts formed a defensive line, with several more taking to the sky. They shuffled nervously as the sounds continued, each one growing steadily louder. Suddenly the noise stopped, then the wall of the barracks glowed a slight red. It exploded outward, pelting the line with bits of wood and stone. Dash ducked behind a stone slab off to the side, peeking out at as the Equestrians recovered and drew their swords

A trio armored figures strode out of the ruin, heads held high in a display of arrogance. Each was a unicorn, horns alight with red. They stood in a line, watching the group silently. Rainbow stayed hidden behind the stone, looking out just enough to see what was happening. A small movement caught her eye, and she moved out a few more inches to see the middle one staring directly at her. Its horn lit up, and the world went white.

"Rainbow! Rainbow! Wake up dammit!" Dash opened her eyes weakly. Spitfire was shaking her awake, yelling inches away from her face. She pulled herself back up, immediately ducking as an explosion landed near her.
"Come on, we gotta move! They're tearing us a new one!" Spitfire pulled her back up, and began half-dragging her as she ran to the gate. Arcs of magic cut through the air around them, exploding upon contact with walls and ponies alike. "Keep moving! We're almost there! Just get through-"
Spitfire was cut off as a shot landed behind them, the explosion launching both forward. A sharp pain lanced across Dash's flank, only stinging more as she involuntarily rolled across the ground. Once again she got back up, stumbling towards the gate. Several more shots landed around her, none landing close enough for considerable effect. She sped up the best she could, before diving out of the fort behind the safety of the walls.
She paused for a moment, allowing herself to catch her breath as the sounds of combat faded away. Looking around, she suddenly realized that she was the only one outside. There were no hoofprints to account for any of the Equestrians. Perhaps the others had flown out? Or maybe they had killed the three Iron Guard? Either way, she couldn't manage the desert by herself, not without a guide. She dared to peek around the corner, staring into the smoke-filled courtyard. Several silhouettes were sprawled near the entrance; their pointed armor delineating them as Nightguard. But there remained no sign of the Wonderbolts or the Iron Guard. A flash of red sent her sprawling back into cover, but it never impacted near her. Seconds later, the sound of metal on metal rang from the entrance, followed by a sickening squelch and the heavy thud of an armored body hitting the ground. She took a second before looking into the gate again. While she peered into the haze, she didn't hear the soft steps behind her...

A touch on her shoulder sent her spinning around, her hoof making contact with another Pegasus' nose. The pegasus sprawled in the sand, cursing in a familiar voice.
"MOTHERFUCK!" Fleetfoot shouted as she held her hoof against her bloody nose. "What the hell was that for?!"
"Fleetfoot?" Rainbow's eyes widened as she realized the Pegasus rising to her hooves in front of her.
"I save your ass and that's all I get? A punch in the face and a 'Fleetfoot'? Thanks a lot pal."
"I'm so sorry Fleetfoot it's just that I thought you were one of them and sure as hell wasn't going back..." Dash trailed off as the ice blue mare's glare grew into a grin.
"Hey, no need to explain yourself. It's alright; I'd have done the same thing. That was my bad for sneakin' up on ya. Now c'mon, we already got the rest of you hoofsloggers at a rally point. We'll meet up there, then carry on."
"Alright-wait, who's we? The Wonderbolts were with me in the fort."
"It's just the Rapidfire and the Nightguard that had been assigned to us. I couldn't get any of those Special Forces guys to tag along, but you'll be fine."
Dash limped behind Fleetfoot silently. She tried to avoid conversation as much as possible, instead choosing to sort through her own thoughts. How had Solar Flare known their location? How had his soldiers known where to hide? Something was not adding up, and she didn't want to be the cause of more deaths.

The rally point was relatively close to the old fort. Still, it took nearly fifteen minutes for her to make it inside the perimeter. The soreness in her wounds only grew with each forced sprint, resulting in an ever-slowing pace. She checked in with a grim-faced Spitfire; curious, she walked a short distance away once dismissed, listening closely as the captain pulled her officers aside.
"Guys, we got a problem. That last attack ended up with us retreating before we could grab our provisions. We're nearly out of water and food. It's another two days in the desert at our current pace; I think we could make it, but only just. If you have any suggestions, let me know now."
"Could we send a small team back into the fort, get what we can?" Dash picked out Blaze's voice among the mutters of the other squad leaders. "I know that Fleet's bunch took care of two of those bastards. We could avoid the last one, and make it out fine."
"I already thought about that, and I don't want to risk anymore lives. We've lost a lot of good soldiers getting this far; I don't want to send more to their deaths needlessly."
"Well ma'am," Wave Chill started, “how about we have an outer ring of scouts patrolling for more oasis's along our general route? We'd have a chance to get water at least, and still stay on the move."
"Provided we don't get caught again," Rapidfire quipped. "You saw the price last time."
"Hey, I'm just offering up an idea. If you want to go two days in this heat with no supplies, be my guest."
"Honestly, I think putting scouts in a perimeter only increases our chance of getting caught." All the Wonderbolts heads turned as a Nightguard walked up to the circle. "What happened back there only shows that they still got patrols. We can't take another hit like that. I recognize that we are here to guard you guys, but our casualties have been extensive."
"She makes a point." Blaze nodded towards the batpony's direction. "If we can't get our old supplies, but can still make it to the wall, I say go for it. Let's just ration what we got, and tough it out."
"What about the objectives?" Wave Chill once again stepped forward. "You want them to tough it out?"
"Look, the sooner we're back, the better. If that means goin' through a rough two days, so be it."
"Then let's see you give up your rations first then." Wave Chill stood inches from the smaller mare. "If the can tough it out, so can you."
"Alrig-"
"Everybody that's enough!" Spitfire’s voice immediately brought all the pegasi around her back to their positions. "I've thought this over, and we can make it. The risk of an attack just isn't worth the supplies. We'll make it. Just make sure to spread thing out as much as possible. Remember, the objectives get priority. Now inform your teams. We move out in five."
Rainbow Dash scrambled up, stepping out of the way of an angrily mumbling Wave Chill. While she saw the reason for Spitfire's decision, it was still going to be no less difficult. As the remaining soldiers rose, she mentally prepared herself for the long journey ahead.

Exhaustion clouded her mind, leaving her stumbling across the sand. The rest of the task force fared no better. While the previous two days had passed with no further incident, Solar Flare's constant intrusions into their dreams left each pony physically and mentally drained. The lack of provisions only intensified the harshness of their march. Lack of water left Rainbow's throat dry, which only intensified as the sun's heat beat down on her. She glance ahead to the Spitfire, who trudged ahead of the column. The Wonderbolt captain had said they were near to the front lines, and that it was only a matter of time. But as she struggled up yet another sand dune, she felt as if that was just a story to keep hopes up.

Spitfire's posture suddenly changed as she reached the crest of the dune. Rainbow caught a slight increase in pace, along with a slight relaxation in the captain's shoulders. Spitfire disappeared over the edge, then ran back, smiling widely.
"We're here!"

Soarin swore as he dropped the small cloth that he had been carefully polishing his helmet with. Shaking his head, he picked it up off the ground, dusting it off before returning to his work. The anxiety had started once Spitfire had flown over the wall, and only increased from there. He had kept himself busy, but he was still forced to wait. A sudden increase of commotion caught his attention. He set down his helmet, slightly jogging to where Guardponies were gathering near one of the gates. He felt his hopes rise as he neared the crowd, craning his neck to see if the task force had already made it inside; to see if she had already made it inside. Soarin frowned slightly once he saw the gates were still closed, but continued to weave through the crowd until he reached the front.

With a dull groan, the gates began to open. Slowly, Soarin caught sight of the haggard survivors of the task force. He didn't wait, instead moving in between each soldier. As he neared the end of the column, he only grew more anxious. He weaved his way closer, picking up his pace with each step. His heart beat faster as he moved closer. Nervousness continued to build to almost overwhelming levels. But as he reached the end of the column, there she was.

Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks. She felt a lump in her throat rise with the storm of emotions that threatened to engulf her. Relief, joy, and exhaustion all merged into one as she stared into his eyes, unable to speak or move.

Soarin stepped closer, looking her over as he did. She was covered in burns, cuts, and dirt. Her typical confident posture was replaced by slouched shoulders and an exhausted expression. Her cocky grin was replaced by one that carried a defeated air with it. But she was here.

Dash felt a tear roll down her face. She choked out a sob of relief, a small smile forming. She had made it. They were together again, both safe behind the wall. She took a step forward, and everything went black.

Author's Note

~~I REGRET NOTHING~~

So sorry Wingstream. I know you got your hopes up last chapter....Don't hate me
As for that SoarinDash tease, I am not sorry. More to come, just not now.

Quick update on chapter 15: It has been moved to the end of February. Two reasons. 1, I have been steadily losing motivation to write this. I won't back out on y'all, but I need some time to recollect my thoughts. This one honestly kicked my ass. I didn't want it to be "just a filler" 2, I've been working on a sad oneshot WhiteRose fic (for all you RWBY fans, if any), and I'd like to get it done. No need to fear, this is my primary focus!!! It will get done!

Point out errors, blah blah blah. You lot know the drill. Side note, most of this was written late at night, so there may be more than usual.

Stay Awesome

RDD

PS: Sorry not sorry Wing. :twilightsheepish:

Chapter 15-Reunion

"You can't escape"

There were red eyes glowing in the dark, hovering around her.

"There is no hope"

Everywhere. The same gaze was everywhere, watching her every move.

"I will always find you"

She curled up into a ball, shielding her face with her wing in a vain attempt to escape the constant glares.

"Your life is mine"

The ground beneath her vanished, and she was falling, the eyes still following her, all around her.

"There is no escape"

She flapped her wings in vain, only to find each time only increased her speed as she spiraled downwards.

"Death awaits you"

Everything turned to white as she smashed against a cold stone floor, the warmth of her blood tickling her fur.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to a blurred-out room, shades of white and silver overlapping. Clumsily she pulled herself up in the bed, barely noting the slight tug on her arm. Blinking several times, she made out the rough form of a needle in her foreleg, the end covered by a bandage. Muttering swears under her breath, she grabbed it in her teeth and pulled, wincing as it came out. Unable to fully control her strength, she threw herself off balance, rocking backwards before falling off the bed and hitting the floor head first. Dazed, she stumbled to her hooves weakly, legs wobbling as she tried to balance herself. Dash tried to spread her wings, but found them bound by a tight bandage, locking both to her body.

"Damn." She said, half slurring the obscenity. Blinking several more times, Dash focused on what she made out to be a door. Half-stumbling, she made her way across the room, leaning on the bed for as support for as long as she could. Just as she stepped away, her hoof slipped and she fell face-first onto the cold tile.

"Shit." Rubbing her nose, Rainbow Dash started off again at a much slower pace. Slowly she placed one hoof after the other, barely reaching the door before she slipped again, her hind legs giving out.

"Fuck." Rubbing her now-sore posterior, she started to reach for the door handle when a noise on the other side startled her. Panic raced through her dazed mind as she struggled to plan any form of defense or see any makeshift weapon. She wobbled down to a crouch, her last resort for defense proving to be the only viable option.

The time for the door handle to fully turn felt like hours as she tried to control the adrenaline-infused panic rushing through her clouded mind. The door swung open, the light from open windows steaming in, both blinding her and shading the intruder. Recovering as well as she could, Dash lunged.

"Dash-" was all the stallion managed to get off before her wild swing connected with the side of his face. She fell to the ground as he staggered, pain reverberating through her hoof. She tried to push herself back up as the intruding stallion shouted for a nurse.

'Wait, what?!' As her scrambled mind began putting the pieces together, she saw a flash of pink and silver, then everything went dark.

Soarin sat alone at one of the wooden tables in the mess hall, nursing a fresh bruise on his cheek with his wing. He idly worked a knife into the soft wood, wedging it into a crack between boards. Frowning, he tried to wiggle it out, barely paying attention to the smack of a tray beside him marking the arrival of another pony.

"Yo Soar, that's a nice hickey ya got there." Fleetfoot said with a snicker.

"Cute, but not funny."

"Aww, what's wrong with little baby Soarin?" She said, draping a wing around him before changing to a more seductive tone. "Is he all tuckered out from all that rough, steamy-"

"You're a damn moron, you know that?" He shrugged her wing off of him and faced the other way, rubbing the tender bruise again.

"Well you're no fun."

"Yeah, you wouldn't be either if you just got decked by your marefriend out of the blue." His eyes widened as he realized he had just said too much to the wrong pony.

"Wait WHAT?!?" Fleetfoot exclaimed before doubling over with laughter, falling out of the chair onto the floor. "You....you got...the shit smacked out you...by YOUR OWN MAREFRIEND!?"

Soarin crossed his forelegs with a glare. "It's not funny."

"No it's FUCKIN' HILARIOUS!!!" She fell back to the floor, pounding on it with a hoof.

"Ya know, this is why nopony likes you."

"Aww baby, you know you love me."

Soarin opened his mouth to speak but quickly clamped it shut. There was no chance of her letting up any other way. He focused his attention back on working the knife out of the table. He didn't look up as Fleetfoot leaned closer.

"Look man, let go a bit. Life's good! Your mare's back, the bugs are being quiet, and the bosses are content to chill behind our wall. The only thing we gotta worry about is the disturbing low quality of food we got here. I mean, we've had some bad stuff before, but this takes the cake. Speaking of cake..." Fleetfoot drifted off, glancing around.

"Yeah, guess you're right." Soarin said with a faint grin. "Wait, what was that about cake?"

"I heard Wave got ahold of some actual snack cakes. SNACK CAKES. Apparently someone shipped some from back home or some shit like that."

"You're excited about snack cakes? Like the ones you got in your lunch as a foal?"

"Who cares? It's actual food, right? You can sit with your adult 'food' and an empty stomach all you want, I'm gonna scrounge up some goodies!"

"Yeah, you go do that. While you're at it, why don't you go ask to be hall monitor as well?"

"Yeah? We'll see who's gonna be laughing whenever I'm swimming in sweet, sugary delights while you're still eating...whatever the fuck this is." Fleetfoot grimaced as she scooped up some of the green mush on her try before letting it fall off the spoon. "I rest my case. You can eat this slop if you want." Pushing her tray away, she slipped off the chair and ran towards the Wonderbolt's barracks. Soarin grinned as he watched her go. Despite the hell each of them had been put through, she seemed to be able to retain her old self. While he thought there was no chance of returning to his old life, perhaps there was a chance after all.

Soarin was disturbed from his thoughts by a soft touch on his shoulder. He turned around, finding a nervous-looking nurse behind him. "Lieutenant Soarin? Is this a bad time?"

He hesitated slightly, caught off guard by the question. "No, not at all. Why do you ask?"

"It's Ms. Dash. She's awake, and asked for you rather...explicitly."

He was on his hooves instantly, leaving the nurse behind. Kicking off the ground, he flew the short distance to the hospital before skidding to a stop in the small lobby.

Rainbow Dash anxiously watched the clock. Minutes felt like hours as she waited for the nurse to return. Only one thing-one pony-occupied her mind. It felt like an eternity in the making as she grew ever more impatient.

The door creaked open, snapping Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts. He had already stepped inside, letting the door shut behind him. Part of her mind couldn't believe he was with her, safe at last. There was no more deception, no more fear. He was here, and she was safe. She tried to say something, but could only manage to choke out one word:

"Soarin?"

He stepped closer, half-smiling. "Hey Dash."

Without another word, she pulled him into a tight embrace, lips locked. He pressed against her, forcing her back against the wall. She felt nearly crushed yet she dared not break away. Another kiss came, then another; neither holding back as waves of passion swept them. All they had thought lost had returned in an instant, engulfing them in unbridled love. Dash let out a slight moan as Soarin pressed the kiss even deeper. She wrapped her hooves around him and pulled him closer, just as the door smacked against the wall as it was swung open.

They quickly separated, making immediate eye contact with the nurse who had burst into the room with a medical kit in tow. Dash's face broke out in a bright crimson blush as Soarin smiled sheepishly. The sounds of the clock's hand ticking away and the slowing heart monitor provided the only break in the silence as both parties stared at each other awkwardly. Slowly the nurse backed out of the door, closing it shut softly.

Soarin looked back at Dash, who still stared towards the floor, blushing. He snickered, then broke out into laughter as he fell to the floor.

"What's so funny?" Dash hissed, turning her glare to him.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I just didn't know...you could turn that shade of red!" He broke out into another fit of laughter as she narrowed her eyes even more.

"You're SO funny."

"I'm sorry. Ya gotta admit though...it wasn't the worst thing to get caught doing. But maybe we should wait for later, eh?"

"I guess so." Dash pouted. "Freakin' hospital shit." She slid over, tapping the bed lightly with her hoof. "Get your butt over here."

"Hey that 'hospital shit' is important, ya know." He said as he lay down on the bed beside her.

"Yeah, but it ruined my fun." She snuggled up close to him, laying her head on his chest.

"Oh it did, huh?" Soarin grinned slightly as he slid his hoof near the base of her wing, watching the heart monitor's line began to increase in frequency.

"Don't you dare, mister."

"What? I wasn't doing anything at all."

"Don't play innocent. You get us in trouble again and I'll kick your butt."

"Aww, you're no fun."

She grinned mischievously and poked him sharply in the side, causing him to jump slightly. "Yeah, I'm no fun at all."

The smile faded from her eyes as she leaned in closer, kissing his cheek softly. "I missed you, Soar." She let her face slide into his shoulder, trying to get as close to him as she could. "I missed you so damn much. And...and I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"I missed you too Dashie. But you're back now. Forget about the past. I'm here; let's enjoy this moment."

"Soarin," she began, looking down at the bandages covering her hooves. "They...they-"

Soarin wrapped his wing around her, pulling her closer to him. "Don't worry Dash. I got you. I'm here now. I'm not gonna let go. You're safe now. You're safe." He gently rubbed his hoof along her back as he kissed her head softly. He didn't know what she had went through at the hands of the changelings or the return journey. Despite her playful actions just moments prior, he could tell something was off. Dash wasn't the mare she used to be. The cocky attitude and fearless persona was all but gone. Now she seemed almost terrified of the past and the future. He would help her by any means necessary, but that would undoubtedly involve brining up those memories that she had tentatively buried. Now was not the moment for such actions, nor would it be for a long time.

Minutes turned to hours as Soarin simply watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she drifted off, surrounded by his warm presence. Her eyelids flickered as she pulled herself closer to him.

"Don't let me fall asleep, you idiot." Her words were half-muttered, tiredness evident in her voice. "I wanna stay up with you."

Soarin shushed her quietly, brushing some of her mane out of her face. "It's alright, Dashie. Just rest."

"No, I gotta-" she cut herself off with a groan as she stretched her forelegs. "-I gotta stay awake. I don't wanna waste this time."

"It's alright Dash. You're not wasting any time at all." Soarin smiled slightly as he watched her struggle to stay awake. "Plus, you're cute when you're all snuggled up and asleep."

"I'm not cute. I'm-" she cut herself off again, this time with a yawn, "-I'm too cool to be cute."

"Sure you are. Now shush and go back to sleep."

"You...you bet I am...moron."

"Egghead."

"Don't take my insults."

"Whatever you say."

Dash muttered drowsily under her breath as she adjusted herself slightly, eyes closed. Soarin smiled and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Love ya too, Dash."

Soarin walked calmly through the Wonderbolt barracks, having left Dash asleep. He had heard rumors of a new operation , and despite his longing to stay with his marefriend he still had a job to do. He headed over to where Fleetfoot sat, guarding a small pile of crème-filled cakes. He raised his eyebrows in amusement, drawing a defensive

"Hey, don't judge me," Fleetfoot said through the cake in her mouth.

"Nah, more power to ya. I just can't believe you actually got them." He casually picked one off from the side, removing the wrapping and devouring the cake in one quick motion. Soarin looked straight ahead with a mischievous grin as he felt Fleetfoot's glare fix on him.

"You're dead to me." She scooped her pile close to her chest, gaze still fixed on Soarin. He stuck out his tongue playfully as her eyes narrowed. Just as Fleetfoot opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off by Spitfire, who had taken position atop one of the tables.

"Attention Wonderbolts. I know that we've been on our asses for a few days now, but new word has come in from up top. Hope y'all are ready to get moving."

"Our mission, in accordance with the wishes of one Princess Twilight, we have been tasked as the security detail for the relocation of the remaining civilians to Canterlot for further medical treatment and recovery.

"Now, our primary objective is simple. We guard the railcars all the way to Canterlot. Easy enough. I doubt there'll be any bugs, so it's more than likely going to be a smooth ride. Still, anything can happen, so its weapons ready till we hit the castle. We leave at 0500 tomorrow, so get all your shit ready to roll. Any questions?" She paused for a moment while she scanned the small crowd for any sign of confusion. "Good. It's an easy op, so let's not make it complicated if it doesn't have to be."

"Furthermore, following the successful escort of the civvies, we are to be reassigned to Canterlot for an indefinite period. Command wants to rotate us out for more of the regs." First round of drinks are on me when we're in the clear. All of you have earned it." She stepped off the table and went outside, leaving the room still in their initial shock. No one saw her smile as the entire room burst into raucous cheers and laughter.

"Holy shit man! We're going home!" Fleetfoot shouted as she smacked Soarin in the shoulder. "We're getting out of this hellhole!"

Soarin rubbed his ear, the proximity of Fleetfoot's shout making it ring. "Yeah, I heard her the first time!"

"What, you aren't excited or something?! We're fuckin' out of here dude!"

"Nah, I'm glad we're all headed home. Just got things to think about is all."

"Wow, what a party pooper. You need some strong cider or something. Or-" she started, pulling out one of the small cakes from behind her. "-how about a snack cake?"

Soarin laughed slightly while shaking his head. "I guess I'll have to take you up on that offer." He raised his cake towards hers in a mock toast. "To home!"

The morning fog still hung heavily by the small railroad station, covering the golden armor of the Wonderbolts in a layer of water. Everypony was quiet as the elite fliers guided the civilians onto train cars, making sure to look for suspicious activity. Glancing around, Soarin took note of the lack of Wonderbolts on the platform. Nearly half of the Wonderbolts deployed initially were being evacuated as wounded, while several others had bandages half-covered by armor. They'd went through hell to rescue Dash and Surprise from the changelings, and if Spitfire had the first round of drinks covered he'd damn well pay for the second. It was the least he could do for his second family.

The train whistle blew once, signaling the beginning of the journey. Soarin jumped aboard, taking position near the head of the first car. All the pain he and Dash had went through was finally over. They were leaving this fight. Next stop...home.

"Is it ready?"

"As ready as it will ever be, milord. You of all know how temperamental it can be."

Solar Flare turned away from the Iron Guard, looking at the worn map on the table. "What of your troops?"

"We are ready as well."

"The auxiliaries?"

"Paid and armed, milord."

"Very good." He walked over to a small pool, his horn glowing as the waters shifted into five separate armored faces. "Are you ready?"

"Shadow Battalion, in position."
"Alpha Legion, all set."
"Lords of Deception, ready to roll."
"Hammer of Decay, all forces mobilized."
"Hussar's Engineers, ready to blow shit up."

"Very well. Prepare to move onto target location Alpha." The light around his horn faded, the water falling back into the pool. He strode down the torchlit halls of the castle, motioning to the Iron Guards that stood along his path.

"Come my warriors; it's time to go home."

Author's Note

After six long months, I HAVE RETURNED.

First off, I'd like to apologize for leaving you guys in the dark and without updates. What was going on was, and still is, sensitive and will not be discussed with at this time. I'm sorry but that's the way it has to be.

Secondly, I know this chapter is shorter than I'd like it to be. Its hard to get back into writing after such a long time, but I couldn't leave you guys hanging.

OK, enough with all that mess. WE FINALLY GOT BACK TO SOARINDASH!!! And for a bonus, FLEETFOOT ANTICS. I gotta admit, this was so refreshing to write.

Finally, Happy Birthday to BananaFudge306! I hope this proves to be a suitable present.

Stay Awesome my readers. And thank you for your loyalty

RDD

Chapter 16-Yours Again

Rainbow Dash let her head lightly tap against the small window of the train car as she idly watched the land roll by. The rolling green hills and small cottages that dotted the land by the tracks seemed almost idyllic, almost as if the war had never existed. Yet every so often she would catch a fleeting gaze of an isolated pony, the painful frowns serving as a reminder that the war was prominent even at home.

Feeling a dull headache start in her forehead, she pulled away from the window with a sigh. She missed Soarin already. Dash knew he was stuck somewhere along the armored cars on guard duty; but he still wasn't with her. She needed to see him, to spend every waking minute with him if nothing more than to blot out the rest of the chaos of the world.

Yet the green pastures of Equestria continued on as if nothing had changed. In a sense, nothing had. Her friends would still be living their normal lives when she got back. She'd get a "welcome back" party from Pinkie, a bunch of questions and support, and that'd be it. Everypony would continue life as if there was no threat on the border. Dash choked slightly as sudden realization came over her. How could she return to that? How could she forget? Would everyone still accept her? She'd changed a lot, perhaps they'd act different around her and-

The sound of somepony dropping into the seat beside her cut off her thoughts. She paused for a second to clear her head, and turned just slightly as if to give a simple recognition.

"This seat taken?"

Dash whipped around, catching Soarin in a crushing embrace. She pulled him as close as she could, ignoring the cold metal armor pressing against her chest as she buried her face against the exposed crook of his neck. A smile crossed her face as she felt a wing wrap around her a second later and pull her even closer.

"I take it that's a no then?"

Dash looked up into his eyes, all troubles forgotten in his loving smile. "Well, I guess it is now..."

"Oh, guess I'll have to move then," Soarin said with a mischievous smirk. "I don't want to take anypony's seat or anything."

Dash smacked his hoof lightly, hiding a wince as her wound stung. "Don't you dare. I just got you here and I'm not letting go."

"Don't make that pouting face. It's too cute to resist."

"Hey, whoa there mister!" She pulled back slightly, placing a hoof on his chest. "I'm not cute. Awesome? Yeah. Sexy? Hell yeah-"

"Egotistical?"

"Shut up."

"There it is again!"

"I-I wha-" Dash stammered, then huffed dramatically and looked away, crossing her forelegs.

"Aww, c'mon Dashie. Don't be like that." Soarin pulled her closer with his wing as he planted a light kiss on her cheek. "I was only messing with you."

Dash turned back around with a frown, trying her best to hide the playful glint in her eyes. "You'd better be. And you'd better take back what you said."

"What'd I say?" Soarin poked her lightly in the side, making her jump slightly and earning him another lighthearted glare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, you're so funny. How about I just help you remember-"

Dash was suddenly cut off by a harsh shush from the chair behind her. She ducked down slightly as she felt her face quickly begin to heat up, earning a quiet laugh from Soarin.

"Y'know, I don't think I've ever seen you that shade of red before. It goes well with your eyes."

"Shut up! I wasn't aware somepony was listening!"

"So what? Let 'em listen for all I care. I'm not about to let a single second slip by with you."

"Yeah but it's just...just..."

Dash stopped talking as the sound of movement came from the chair. She lowered herself more, only to see Fleetfoot's head pop up over the edge.

"Y'know, Soarin's right. It's damn adorable how you get so embarrassed like that! Not to mention how absolutely SAPPY you two are." Fleetfoot grinned cheekily, then disappeared back over the edge as Dash buried her face in her hooves. Soarin burst out into laughter, only making Rainbow Dash hide her face more.

"What's wrong Dashie?" He grinned as he poked her side, making her hop again.

"I freaking hate you. I hate you so much."

"But do you really?" He pulled her against his chest with her wing, smiling wider as she let out a defeated sigh.

"No...I guess not."

"Hey now, no pouty face or I will tickle you until you smile"

"You wouldn't dare." Dash narrowed her eyes at him, trying to hide her playful smile.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" He traced up and down her back lightly with the tip of his wing, laughing as he felt her tense up. "Why are you so nervous, Dash?

"I don't trust you one bit, mister."

"Wow, right in the heart with that one. Cut me deep." Soarin faked a sniffle and bowed his head dramatically. "Crushed all my feelings right in front of me. Oh how hurt I am!"

"Oh shut up." She wrapped her forelegs around his neck, laughing lightly as she leaned closer. "You know what I mean." She softly kissed him several times and pulled herself against him, . "I'm glad you're here Soar."

He wrapped his wing around her, his playfulness replaced by softness. "I'm glad you're with me Dashie. I don't think I could wish for anything more right now."

Dash pushed herself even closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She led out a content sigh as she closed her eyes, secure in his warmth. As she drifted off into sleep, Dash muttered three simple words. Three words that have reason for the pain they both had felt, and for the strength they now held. Three words that bore the weight of the world to Soarin.

"I love you."

Soarin lightly rested his chin on Dash's head as he calmly watched Equestria pass by. Despite the initial ferocity of the Changeling invasion, the majority of Equestrian lands remained unscathed. It was such a chance from the front lines that still tugged at the back of his mind...

His attention was drawn back inside as Rainbow Dash shifted slightly in her sleep. They had been reunited for only a short time, yet it felt as if they had made up years. Everything seemed move so fast, and yet so slow at the same time.

Admittedly, he was still trying to wrap his head around what he had heard Dash say. Part of him reckoned that she hadn't really meant that much by it; just a combination of tiredness and the past had caused her to say it. Yet he wanted to believe it was so much more. That she actually, truly loved him. Granted, she wouldn't have put herself at risk if there had not been a strong connection in the first place, but to hear her say she loved him filled him with an almost childish glee.

So here he was, wide awake with Dash cuddled up against him. He couldn't help but smile at her soft snores. She seemed so peaceful asleep; nearly a complete opposite of her conscious self. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered quietly, careful to not wake her.

"No matter how much you deny it, I still think you're cute." Soarin smirked slightly and returned to staring out of the window, content to silently embrace with Rainbow Dash for as long as he could.

Dash snapped awake as Spitfire's voice boomed through the train car, immediately frowning slightly as she noticed that Soarin had left. She'd hoped he would have been able to stay with her for the rest of the return home, or at least to Canterlot.

"ALRIGHT EVERYPONY, LISTEN UP! We are five minutes away from the castle of Canterlot, which is our one and only stop! Everypony will disembark from this train in the following manner! Out of the left door will go injured military; there will be medics and whatnots on that side for you specifically. Out of the right will go you civvies; you guys got your own docs for those of you who are injured."

"Now, before you lot start getting all excited and whatever, we have to go over a few standard rules. First! No running! I don't want anyone to get trampled or otherwise hurt here because then you'll just look like an ass. Second! You WILL pass through the security checkpoints before going wherever the hell you're going! Third! Follow my rules or I will personally KICK YOUR ASS! Have a nice day, blah blah blah. Get your shit and get ready to roll."
Dash couldn't help but smile at Spitfire's bluntness. While the orange pegasus always had a reputation of being harsh, she still typically acted polite in front of civilians. Even in the entry academy, Spitfire hadn't been particularly harsh. To see her true persona was amusing to say the least.
Rainbow Dash hopped off her seat, stretching her legs with a loud groan. She stepped impatiently, only to be jolted into the back of the chair in front of her as the train stopped. Muttering a swear under her breath, Dash stepped into the line in the right side of the aisle.
Covering her face from the glare of the sun, Rainbow Dash stepped off the train onto the Canterlot Royal Station boarding platform. She fell into line, glancing across the station in hopes of seeing Soarin. Yet as the line continued to move forward her efforts remained unrewarded; not a single Wonderbolt seemed to be in the station. She jumped as a blue light flashed in her eyes, and turned to see a ray of magic scroll down to her hooves then back up to her face. A guard motioned for her to move, and she continued to follow the line to a set of white tents. Almost immediately, she was pulled aside and led to a padded mattress, where nearly half a dozen unicorns in white medical gowns scurried about, removing old bandages and cleaning old wounds quietly. She sat in awkward silence as the injuries on her legs and wings slowly healed in a soft green light cast by one of the medical ponies. Dash waited until the medical team seemed finished with their work to finally speak up.

“So…is that it? Am I good to go?”

“Yes, but don’t do any heavy flying, or too much exercise,” the unicorn who had cast the healing spell said flatly. “Just because I repaired most of the damage does not mean you can start zipping around Canterlot. Your body has to complete the healing cycle naturally in order to ensure natural muscle and tissue repairs. Magic can only do so much.”

“Believe me, that’s fine by me. Now where do I go from here?”

“Wherever you want. I just don’t want to see you back here because you tore one of your injuries back up, understand?”

“You got it boss. No fast flying for a while. Not a problem.” Dash hopped off the table and exited the medical tent, blinking in the bright sunlight.

“Soar, where are we going?” Every turn she had followed him around only disoriented her more, and left her with unanswered questions. Even worse, Soarin refused to answer

“You’ll see Dash. Just be patient, okay?”

“Because you of all ponies know how much I LOVE waiting.”

“Well fortunately for you, it should be right around this corner. Fortunately for me, I won’t have to put up with your questions anymore. You’re as bad as a filly on a train ride.”

“Well excuse me for wanting to know where I am going. Seriously it feels like we’ve been walking in circles…” Her voice drifted off as she turned the corner to be standing in front of The Prancing Pegasus, one of the more expensive hotels in Canterlot. She stood in the middle of the street in stunned silence, staring at the ornate building in front of her.

“Well Dash, you coming?”

She couldn’t help but get caught in his warm gaze, a soft smile lighting up his face. Slowly she walked forward, trying to find something to say; yet she found none. All she could do was mumble as he wrapped his wing around her and walked beside her through the large crystal doors into the lavish lobby.

By the time they had entered, the staff already had a key ready, one handing it off to Soaring before stepping away. Dash soaked up the sight, never dreaming of even being able to enter a place like this in her lifetime.

“You, uh…come here often…?” She was still in awe of just exactly where she was. The price of staying here for one night had to have been enormous.

“Every now and then, typically during the Canterlot shows. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no…no reason. No. None at all.”

Soarin laughed lightly, content to watch her look around. He quietly guided her down hallways, letting her take in the sights of each new room and passageway.

“Rarity would be so jealous if she found ou-” Dash was silenced again as Soarin opened the door to the room. A large bed was placed against the far wall, golden sheets draping off the side. A twin pair of elegantly designed dressers sat on either side, a bottle of champagne resting atop either one.

“Soar…you didn’t have to do this. This had to cost way too much. I would have been fine with something less.”

“Dash, you don’t have to worry about it. Wonderbolt, remember?”

“Yeah, but still…”

“Hey. You don’t think I would settle for anything less for our time home?”

“So…how long exactly are we gonna be here, hmm?”

Soarin laughed and kissed her cheek lightly as he wrapped his wing around her. “As long as you want, Dash.”

“No, seriously. How long do we have before you have to go do…whatever it is you do with the Wonderbolts?”

“As much time as you want.”

“Wait, so you’re saying…”

“Yup,” Soarin answered, already knowing what she was going to ask. “We’re assigned here for an unspecified amount of time. All we have to do in garrison is report for accountability once every five days. City guards will handle the rest. Now all that’s up to you is to decide when you want to head back home so everypony there knows you’re alright.”

“Oh.” Dash muttered quietly as she hung her head slightly.

Soarin raised her chin with his hoof, while wrapping a wing gently around her. "What's wrong Dash?" Her sudden mood shift concerned him. He replayed what he had just said, trying to figure out what he had said wrong as Dash gathered herself.

"Soar...I..." Dash choked slightly, leaning against him for support. "I don't know how I'm supposed to go back. All that happened, all that we went through...How can I look everypony in the eye with a smile while...while still knowing that?" She choked as the slightest glimpse of tears formed in her eyes.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay. Come here." He pulled her close, letting her bury her face in his chest while he rubbed her back slowly with a hoof. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm here for you. We'll make it work."

"B-but everything's gone so wrong, and I can’t do anything like I used to, and you got hurt, and...and..." She placed her head back into his shoulder as she lost her composure again.

"Dash, it's okay. I mean look, we're home. Nothing can harm us here. We still got each other. Everything's gonna work out quicker than you'll believe."

"This is all my fault..."

Soarin stepped back slightly, looking her straight in the eyes. "Rainbow Dash. None of this is your fault, okay? You were there when I needed you most. I know we hit some bumps, but we are both here now, and to me that's all that matters." He smiled reassuringly as he wiped the last few tears off her cheek. "You're all that matters to me. I can’t blame you for what happened."

“Soar, I don’t know how I could do this without you.” She pulled away from him as she wiped the last remnants of tears from her eyes.

“Believe me Dash, I don’t think I would have made it without you either.” Soarin wrapped her in a tight hug once more. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.”

They broke apart silently, a somberness hanging heavily in the air. Soarin knew she still blamed herself, as she would for a long time. Her loyalty had its faults; unfortunately self-deprecation was one of those. He just wanted her to be happy again, to forget the recent past and enjoy the time they had. All he needed was a way to cheer her up…

Soarin’s face lit up as a sudden epiphany stuck him mid-thought. Of all the things to do in Canterlot to possibly help Dash, this was by far the best. “So Dash, Spitfire’s getting the rest of the ‘Bolts together tonight down at the Lucky Horseshoe for a round of drinks. Want to come along?”

“WhaaaAAAAAT!” Dash shrilled, nearly tackling Soarin as she dove into a crushing hug. “ME?!? WITH ALL THE WONDERBOLTS! OHMYGOSH YES! HOLY SHI-THANK YOU SO MUCH SOARIN! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!” Dash

Soarin burst out into laughter as he watched the complete flip in Rainbow Dash’s attitude. She continued to ceaselessly spew out thanks, almost exploding with newfound energy. He couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. It was sure to be a night to remember.

“HEY HEY, LOOK WHO IT IS!” Fleetfoot drunkenly shouted from across the room, holding up a mug of hard cider in the air. “Ladies and gents, the one, the only Soarin…with Rainbow Dash! Hot damn, the feathers are gonna fly tonight!”

“Wait Fleet, is that before or after they leave?” Surprise chimed in from behind.

“Well I sure HOPE it’s later!

Soarin looked over with a grin to the slightly embarrassed Rainbow Dash, who shifted uncomfortably at the sudden spotlight. “Ignore her, Dash. They’re not the brightest flyers on the team.”

“Hey! Rainbow, control your stallion!”

“I’m sorry, but who’s to blame him if he speaks the truth?” Dash smirked as a chorus of “Oohs” rose from around the table. Immediately the initial nervousness from being around the entire Wonderbolt team left, replaced by lighthearted happiness.

“Hot damn, someone give that mare a drink. Pull up a seat you two!” Fleetfoot scooted her chair over as Surprise pulled up two more. “So, Rainbow Dash. Did Soarin tell you to say that before you came here because he knows me so well, or are you just that good?”

“Well, I like to think I’m ‘just that good’-”

“-And Fleet is just that easy to have comebacks for.”

“Now listen here mister, do you really think it’s a good idea for you to be insulting the one who set you up with this lovely mare in the first place?”

“Hey, you didn’t set me up with Dash! Are you that drunk already, or just-“

“Wait Soar,” Rainbow Dash said, tugging on his shoulder slightly as her first empty mug dropped to the floor. “I wanna hear this.” She turned to Fleetfoot, who now had a smug grin plastered across her face. “What did you mean when you said you set Soarin up with me?”

“Well, it’s really a long story-“

“Really long!” Fleetfoot frowned as Surprise interjected, then continued once the white Pegasus returned to her seat.

“Well, in short, ol’ Soar was basically head-over-heels for you since the last time you two had met. When was that, the Gala a year or so ago?” Fleetfoot paused for a second, then resumed before anyone could answer her question. “So, Surprise and I figure out that Soar is crushing hard on this mare, right. I mean, HARD. So, we do a little digging, found out who exactly you are and all that good stuff from your Young Fliers info. It was very convenient that Ponyville happened to be nearby on our show circuit, so Surprise and I did a little recon beforehand of the place. We made sure Soar knew of the one Inn in town, and figured we’d join him after a long day of training. Lo and behold, you’re there as well. And you will not believe how much pushing it took to get him to go talk to you! He was so nervous! You’d think he was trying out for the Wonderbolts all over again!”

“Oh is that s-” Dash said as she turned to face Soarin, but stopped as she saw an embarrassed blush cross his face. She snorted, then burst out in laughter, pounding the table as Soarin looked away and crossed his forelegs.

“I wasn’t that nervous.”

“Soar, you were nervous to ask me out? That’s SO adorable!” She hugged his foreleg, laughing harder.

Soarin scrunched up his face and looked away from Fleetfoot, earning a cry of mock outrage from Dash.

“Soarin, don’t be all pouty! It was just a joke, right?” She forced back another laugh as Fleetfoot shook her head rapidly. “C’mon Soar, don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad….just…”

“Embarrassed by the truth?” Surprise quipped with a smirk. The three mares all stared down Soarin eagerly, who let out an exasperated sigh but said nothing. His response was greeted by another chorus of laughter

“Just remember who’s your boss, Fleet.”

“OOOH, I’m SO scared,” Fleetfoot shook her hooves in mock fear, before letting out a sly grin. “You have no dirt on me, big boy. I have nothing to worry about!”

“If that’s what helps you sleep at night, sure.” Soarin winked at Dash and headed over to the bar, leaving Fleetfoot stammering in confusion. Rainbow Dash followed behind him, sitting down beside him with a carefree smile.

“So this is what the Wonderbolts are really like, huh?

“More or less. Fleet and Surprise are like that all the time, if not worse. But they’re really great ponies, if you can get past the airheadedness. Of course, you’re not stuck on a flight team with them.”

"True, but they seem like a lot of fun. You have a good team with you Soar."

Soarin looked over to the table, where Fleetfoot was engaged in a drinking contest with several other members of the Wonderbolts. "Yeah, they're pretty great." He paused, then nodded towards the table. "C'mon, lets go join 'em"

The party carried over into the early hours of the morning, slowly dissipating as the Wonderbolts left one by one. Parting remarks were said, and Dash and Soarin returned to the room. As drowsiness set in, the two held each other close as they slowly drifted to sleep, worries gone in the comfort of each other.

Soarin blinked open his eyes, glancing around the darkened room. His gaze fell on the silent form Rainbow Dash cuddled up against his chest. She had needed the night out with the Wonderbolts. They all needed a chance to unwind, but she had still been hit hard by what she had went through. Yet Dash still had a defiant spark of life she clung too; Soarin couldn’t help but admire her tenacity.

Flashes of light on the horizon caught his attention. In the distance, the clouds glowed with unnatural flashes that faded as quickly as they appeared. Common sense dictated that it was a thunderstorm, yet the closeness of the flashes of light to the frontline left a weight in his gut. Just as Soarin began to turn away, he felt as if he caught a glance of bright red flashes among the lights. He shifted slightly, causing Dash to mutter drowsily as her head slipped off his chest. He looked down at her, lightly brushing a strand of mane off her face. She had been through so much, and he hadn't been there for her. He wasn't there to help her when she needed it; yet she hadn't left him. And after what she'd said on the train, he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. He'd been the cause of her pain, yet she still loved him. Whether it was love or loyalty, he was grateful to have her by his side.

Soarin looked out the window one last time, the lights in the distance beginning to appear with slower frequency. Perhaps it was a storm after all. Yet despite his attempts to convince himself, he still remained unable to shake the feeling of worry in the back of his mind.

Sighing, he laid down beside Rainbow Dash, wrapping a wing around her as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She was here with him now. That's all that mattered. Besides, there was nothing to worry about. It was just a storm.

Just a storm...

Author's Note

I...have...returned

This chapter was such a pain to write. Got plenty of SoarDash, but I feel like I'm better at combat writing.

Anyhow, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. Next semester will be much easier, as I will not have military obligations; I will instead be in Vienna. I hope to have a lot more time to write.

Told you guys I wouldn't leave you hanging.

Stay Awesome

RDD

Chapter 17-Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

Soarin looked out the window for what felt like the millionth time that night. Sleep had escaped him after he awoke in the night; the few times he had managed to doze off resulted in dark dreams haunted by crimson eyes. It was impossible for the gaze of Solar Flare to reach this far into Equestria, considering the diligence of Princess Luna as she watched the night. No, it was nothing more than fleeting memories that returned to plague him in the safety of Canterlot.

At least the sunrise was beautiful. He watched for several minutes, simply enjoying the soft purples and bright oranges of the morning sky. It felt strange to think about how just a few days ago, the same sunrise was marred by the battlements of the wall, and the heaviness in his heart. But Dash has returned, and he was no longer serving as the dam that held back the tide of changelings. That job had now fallen on the shoulders of the Equestrian Guard. He only hoped that they should not have to carry such a responsibility for much longer.

He felt Dash stir against his chest, and turned his attention to her. The soft sunlight streamed into the room, making her mane seem to glow vibrantly. Soaring carefully moved several loose strands out of her face while shading her from the sunlight with his wing. At that moment, she seemed so peaceful. He couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was, with the light serving to accent her appearance all the more. He would never say that to her of course; she'd probably mock him for being so sappy. Soarin smiled slightly as he kissed her forehead gently. She'd deny it, but Dash was a hopeless romantic.

She shifted again, and mumbled incoherently, her eyes fluttering open for only a second before slamming shut again.

"You awake there, Dashie?" Soarin whispered, a hint of bemusement in his voice.

"No. Don't talk to me." Dash muttered. She opened one eye, looking up at him with nothing more than exhaustion before she buried her face against his chest.

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to ignore you all day then. What a bummer."

"Shut up and hold me, you fat oaf."

Soarin laughed lightly as he pulled her closer, softly rubbing her back with one hoof. "Fat? I'm all muscle. How'd you think I made it in the 'Bolts unless I was fit and sexy, hmm?"

Dash looked up, both eyes open this time as she rested her chin on his chest. "Bribery?"

"You've been talking to Fleet again, haven't you? She said the same thing."

"Great minds think alike. Guess I'm already Wonderbolt material."

Soarin laughed again, flicking her ear with a wing. "If you two are considered 'great minds,' we're doomed. I better start writing my will now."

"Oh, you're so funny. Look at how hard I'm laughing." Dash glared at him, but was unable to hide the teasing glint in her eyes. She maintained a straight face for almost a minute, before her resolve broke and she was forced to look away to hide her snickering.

"Ooh, you got me there. I don't think I can resist that deadly glare. Like, if looks could kill, in sure that would've done me in. I was so terrified."

"Yeah, well you better be. I'll kick your butt right out that window, then have this massive bed all to myself."

"Oh, you wound me, Dashie. To think, I'm on the equivalent of bed space. It crushes my heart." Soarin put his hooves over his heart in mock pain as flopped back onto his pillow and played dead.

"Oh yeah?" Dash pulled herself up, giving Soarin a quick kiss. "There. All better."

Soarin smiled and pulled her back into another kiss, lingering for a moment before breaking away. "Now it is." He leaned into another kiss, then another, each one growing in passion and intensity. Soarin sat up, pulling her into his lap, never breaking contact with her. There was no fear of the outside world, there was no threats. There was only Dash-

"Wake up lovebirds-OH SHIT!"

Dash jumped away with a surprised squeak, falling off the side of the bed at the sound of Fleetfoot's voice. Soarin felt heat rush to his face as he slowly looked towards the door, wincing as he saw Fleetfoot standing in the wide open doorway with her eyes screwed shut and an embarrassed blush on her face.

"Uh...Spitfire wants to see ya Soar...like, now..."

Soarin cleared his throat, looking at the ground awkwardly. "Yeah, tell her I'll be there." He stared at nothing for a moment of awkward silence, waiting for Fleetfoot to leave. He frowned as he looked up, to see her still standing there, albeit with her eyes open this time. "Uh...are you waiting for something? I'm not going to tip you."

"Oh! I've been assigned as liaison-slash-bodyguard to Rainbow Dash! Cool, right?"

"WHAT?!" Dash's voice called out from behind the bed. She poked her head up over the edge, a mix of confusion and excitement in her voice. "Whatdya mean, a bodyguard?"

"Well, to summarize all the formal bullshit that Spitfire said to justify this to her superiors, you're still possibly in danger. I really don't think so, but she does, so I'm here. I mean, I volunteered Soarin right off the bat, but he was needed since he's the big boss pony. And since I offered suggestions first, I was 'voluntold' to do it. But you're cool with it, right?"

"Soarin! I get a Wonderbolt. As. A. Bodyguard!" Dash exclaimed, half squealing in excitement as she fell back into the floor.

"Oh, so it takes a guard to get you excited, but dating one is just whatever?" Soarin grinned, looking over the edge of the bed.

"It's not like that and you know it, mister." Dash popped back up, turning her focus to Fleetfoot. "So what does that all entail? Do I like have to go certain places, or do only certain things?"

"Oh, there is one place you gotta go, but I don't think it's too bad." Fleetfoot grinned at Soarin, who flashed a silent knowing smile.

"What? What's that look for? Soar? Where is this place?"

"Don't worry Dashie. You'll see." Soarin kissed the top of her head before he rolled off the bed. "Fleet, don't make it too early. I want to be sure everyone is there before she is, and I can’t do it myself since Spitfire’s probably gonna be rambling all day.”

Fleetfoot nodded vigorously, grinning slightly. "Tell her to make it short, or the Tabasco-toothpaste bandit will strike again."

"That was you?! How'd you manage to pull that off alive?"

"A magician never reveals her secrets. Now come on, Rainbow! We don't wanna miss Canterlot in all its mediocre glory!" She stepped outside the door, closing it softly

Soarin waited for the door to close before walking back over to Dash, who had climbed back into the bed. "So, I'll see you after the meeting. Try to keep that airhead on a leash for me, okay?"

"I'll do my best." Rainbow Dash laughed halfheartedly, then flicked Soarin's mane with her wingtip. "Go do...whatever it is you do at these meetings. I'll be waiting for ya." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly, before hopping off the bed and walking towards the door. "Don't take too long though, or else your butt's sleeping on the floor tonight!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't mind. Bed space over me, as usual."

Dash laughed as she stood in the doorframe, looking back to him. "You know me....love ya, Soar."

"Love you too, Dash. Have fun." He smiled slightly as he listened to the sound of her hoofsteps fade, but his smile disappeared once she was gone. He sighed as he walked across the room and opened the door to the closet. The last thing he wanted to be doing was spending a day with Guard Commanders who hadn’t been in the field in years. But there was no avoiding his responsibility, so he pulled out one of the uniforms from the closet and threw it on the bed with a sigh. At least he had the benefit of a reserved room to keep him from having to return to the compound where the rest of the Wonderbolts were staying. Of course, the small convenience was nullified by the impending meeting. Perhaps he would be able to shed light onto the threat of Solar Flare, and end this war soon. But try as he might, he felt it hard to believe his optimistic thoughts. At least he could live with the knowledge that Dash would have a good day, provided everything would go according to plan…

Rainbow Dash looked around her as the pair walked around the streets of Canterlot. It seemed almost surreal how virtually nothing had changed since the war started. Ponies still bustled about in the streets, chatting happily with vendors and enjoying the restaurants by the streets.

"What's on your mind, Rainbow?"

Dash cast a quick glance at Fleetfoot, letting out a small sigh. "Nothing. Just weird being back is all."

"I know what you mean. I've been on deployments before, but still this is completely different. None of the times before were quite so bad...but at least we're back, right?"

"It doesn't exactly feel like we're back to the way it was. Everypony here can go about life like nothing's changed. But for me? I know what it's like out there. You guys do to. It's hard to readjust to the civilian life."

"Oh trust me, I know. But don't dwell on the past is all." Fleetfoot paused for a moment, appearing deep in thought before perking up. "Okay, you know what? Soarin said to wait, but I'm tired of being stuck with little Ms. Raincloud, so we're going early. He'll catch up sooner or later. Follow me!" She immediately took off through the crowd, forcing Dash to sprint after her. Wherever Fleetfoot was taking her, the Wonderbolt surely seemed excited…

Soarin silently followed a pair of golden-armored ponies down what seemed like a labyrinth of hallways and stairwells, the only noise coming from the slight rattle of armor and jingle of the few medals of his dress uniform. He had hoped to have a day off to spend with Dash, but this was still war. War makes no separation between innocent and guilty, nor does it abide by the wishes of any one pony.

At last the guards stopped outside an iron door, the one on his right pulling it open to reveal a black curtain. Soaring let out a slight sigh, then brushed past the fabric.

Gathered inside the room was nearly a dozen ponies of varying stature and background, all standing around a table with a map stretched across it. In the far left corner were two commanders from the Lunar Guard, lurking in the shadows even when in the presence of friends. Immediately to their right was a pair from the Crystal Empire, the jagged spikes running along their armor shimmering as bright as their coats. In the middle stood a unicorn general of the Equestrian Royal Guard, flanked on the right by Spitfire. Against the wall was a representative from what he assumed was Saddle Arabia, given the cloth wrapping covering the mouth and mane of the pony. At the far right was two pegasi wearing light brown armor, their faces covered by helmets that hid all but their eyes from view. The others he could place, but these two were different...

Before he could begin to try and identify them, the Equestrian Guard general spoke up. "Greetings, Flight Lieutenant Soarin of the Wonderbolts. I would introduce the others assembled here, but time is short, and we cannot linger. So, if you would all gather around the table, we have much to discuss." Each approached the table, watching as a dark purple light stretched across the border between the Equine River and the deserts bordering Changeling territory. "As of now, Equestrian forces have managed to halt the advance of the enemy. Initial outposts were lost in the desert, but that is for the greater good. Now we know the capabilities..."

Soarin bit his tongue as the Equestrian continued. He had seen many ponies fall to defend those forts that this general had just deemed "expendable". All the lives that were lost because they had to judge the abilities of Solar Flare? Surely that wasn't the only reason. Perhaps this general was just searching for a way to justify the initial losses faced against Solar Flare's army. Or perhaps he didn't even know of Solar Flare. He didn't seem like the kind of pony that exposed himself to combat. Soarin locked eyes with Spitfire, who also seemed visibly upset. If nothing else, at least he wasn't alone in his judgement.

"...Now, there has been new developments across the front. Recently, Gatepost Cadence has failed to deliver their twice-daily status and contact reports. Their silence is unnerving; however, as it has only been a day, I am willing to let this pass. Perhaps they engaged the enemy, or are otherwise occupied. Gateposts Luna and Celestia still remain calm. Whatever Queen Chrysalis had planned; we cannot be for sure."

"Uh, sir," Soarin started, stepping up slightly. "Our enemy is not the Queen of the Changelings. I have served on the front lines, and have made personal contact with the one who commands their armies."

"Not the Queen? Then do pray tell, as I know of none other who could control that hive."

"The lesser changelings refer to him as Kharax, which I assume is from their old dialect. But his true identity is Solar Flare. I am not sure how, but he is an extremely powerful unicorn who managed to take control over their throne. They listen to him blindly; in battle they would throw themselves at our spears just to allow another to climb over to fight. These aren't the changelings that assaulted Canterlot several years ago. This is a well-organized and ruthless army that does not stop until it achieves victory."

The table was silent for a moment, before the room exploded into shouting; half accusing Soarin of lying and sabotage, while the other tried to defend the possibility of the existence of a rogue pony leading an army against Canterlot. All Soarin could do is share a frown with Spitfire across the room and wait for some semblance of order to be restored to the room.

"Flight Lieutenant Soarin, the war council appreciates your input on the organization and morale of the enemy. However, in light of certain possibilities, we must consult what we know, not a theory. We know the Changelings have been led by the Queen in the past, and even breached Canterlot's defenses. We have never heard of this "Solar Flare," so while we will consider it an option, we cannot at this time afford to make it the focal point of our mission. Deception is a part of the Changeling way of war; it would not surprise me if they were attempting to draw focus from the Queen."

Soarin started to protest, but instead shut his mouth, snapping to attention. "Yes sir. That concludes my report. Request permission to be dismissed until further notice."

"Yes, Flight Commander. We will have a letter sent when you are needed."

Soarin snapped a salute, then exited the room, ears twitching as he heard the faintest of whispers behind him. As much as he would love to go and yell about the dangers of Solar Flare, it was not his place. He had delivered the information he knew; unfortunately, only Dash, Princess Luna, and he knew about it. Not even Spitfire would've been able to support him. He let out a heavy sigh, and followed the guard back towards the exit of the castle. He could only hope that somepony would try and take into consideration what he said.

"So, where are we going?" Dash asked as she peered out the window of the small air carriage, looking out over the street as it gained altitude. She turned to Fleetfoot, who reclined in her seat with a wry smile.

"Oh, you'll see soon enough. It's literally like a five-minute flight in these things. I knew you couldn't fly so I had to get one, otherwise it'd be a lot shorter."

"Hey, I can fly. All he said was just not very fast."

"Dash, your slowest speed is 'fast'. So no, you're not flying. Plus, this is so nice and relaxing. Gives us time to chill."

"Yeah, I guess that's good. I could always use a nap." Dash grinned as Fleetfoot cast a lighthearted glare her way.

"Oh, thanks. Talk about a blow to my pride. I considered myself the life of the party. It's amazing how pranks spice up the mood of the barracks."

"So I've heard. Back before...all this, he told me a little about how you guys are off the field." Dash laughed to herself, eliciting a concerned reaction from Fleetfoot. "I'm not gonna repeat what he said about you and Surprise."

"Oh, don't worry. I have a general idea. He just better hope he doesn't end up alone..." Fleetfoot rubbed her hooves together deviously and laughed with a mischievous grin. Her evil impression was suddenly stopped as she was jolted forward when the carriage stopped, smacking her head on the opposite wall with a thud.

Dash burst out in laughter, leaning back against the seat as Fleetfoot rubbed her head and muttered curses under her breath. "Hey Fleet, I guess we're there!"

"Yeah, no shit. You're just like Soar. Always mocking my pain, when I'm so innocent and helpless."

"Suuuure." Dash pulled open the carriage door and stepped outside, stopping in her tracks. Standing in front of her was the entrance to Celestia's throne room. "Hey Fleet, is this where we are meant to be?"

"Yeah!" Fleetfoot passed in front of her, half-trotting towards the door. "C'mon!”

“Uh, you do know that I’ve been-” Dash was cut off as Fleetfoot yanked her towards the door.

“I said come on!” Fleetfoot ignored Dash’s stammered protests and half-dragged her to the throne room, nodding to the guards outside. “I didn’t do all this work for nothing!”

“All what work? What are you talking about?!”

“You’ll see. Geez, your patience disappears almost as fast as you fly.” The doors opened with a loud groan, silencing Dash before she could begin to retort. Fleetfoot half-shoved her into the throne room, then stepped back as the doors closed. “Have fun!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash shook her head as no response came from the other side of the door, and turned around. Immediately she dropped into a bow as she saw Princess Celestia standing before her, wings outstretched. “Oh my gosh, Princess Celestia! I’m sorry about that-”

“Do not worry, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty,” Celestia replied in a regal voice, though a trace of humor was present. “I assure you I have heard much worse in the presence of my soldiers.” The princess paused for a minute, carefully looking Rainbow Dash over before continuing. “I am glad to see you have arrived safely. I know what has taken place, and I promise you that this strife shall pass. However, now is not the time for somber discussion and dark conversation. This is to be a time of light and life; and so it shall be. I believe there are some ponies who would very much like to see you.”

“‘Some ponies?’ What are you talking about…” Dash trailed off as Celestia lifter her wings and stepped back. Where her wings once covered stood five mares, each with a wide grin on their face. “Guys…?” She took a step forward, faint tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She took one step more, then was instantly tackled by a pink blur.

“DASHIE, YOU”RE BACK!” Pinkie Pie held her in a tight embrace, rocking her back and forth as she half-squealed-half-shouted in excitement.

Dash patted her back lightly with a hoof, speaking softly as she was overcome by pure emotion. “Yeah, I’m back. Just…watch the wings please…”

Pinkie held on for a minute more before letting go, then bouncing in place excitedly as Rarity approached. The white unicorn stopped in front of Dash, her face unusually expressing legitimate gladness before she too hugged Rainbow Dash tightly. “We were so worried about you, dear. You can’t just run off without warning like that.” There was a slight hint of a scolding tone in her voice, but Dash could tell it was well meant and clearly Rarity expressing her relief.

Next was Fluttershy. She walked up quietly to Rainbow Dash, pulling the cyan mare into an unusually strong embrace. “Please, don’t ever scare us like that again…we sent so many letters…” Rainbow Dash could tell the pegasus was on the verge of tears, and rubbed the back of her childhood friend lightly.

Twilight was right behind her, the purple alicorn wrapping her wings around Dash supportively. “It’s good to see you back, Rainbow Dash. I saw Soarin; but I can’t imagine…I’m so glad you’re safe.”

“It’s good to see you too, ya egghead,” Dash relied, joyful tears now streaming down her face. “I think I can get a first-read on a new Daring Do now, right?”

“Of course Dash. Of course.”

As Twilight stepped aside to join the others, Dash looked at the only pony that remained. Applejack stood unmoving, her hat covering her face. Rainbow Dash walked over slowly, tipping the edge of the hat up. Applejack was crying freely, choking back a sob as tears rolled down her face. “Ah…Ah’m…”

Dash squeezed her in a tight hug, laughing lightly as the orange earth pony returned the embrace. “I missed you too, you big dork.” They held each other for a minute more, the worry of losing their best friend drained away and replaced by relief and pure joy. She eventually broke away, sniffling slightly as a large smile crossed her face. “Dang, it’s good to see you guys again. I can’t believe you came all the way here just for me.”

“Of course!” Rarity exclaimed, mildly offended. “Certainly you don’t think we wouldn’t drop everything to be with our friend who had returned from an uncertain fate. That would be simply barbaric!”

Dash smiled as the other ponies muttered in agreement. “Damn…you guys are…” She shook her head and looked at the ground, at a sudden loss of words. “…y’all are the best friends anypony could ever hope to have. I can’t think of any other way to say it…And no Twi, I don’t need a thesaurus for this.” The group of friends laughed, and began to make up for the time they lost.

The sun had nearly set by the time she had returned to Canterlot. The worry that Rainbow Dash had felt about her return to her friends was proven to be completely unfounded. They had understood her sensitivity to what had happened, and focused solely on making sure she was comfortable and at ease. It wasn’t exactly like “old times,” but Dash had to admit it was pretty close. Pinkie returned to her antics throughout the day, at one point drawing the guards posted outside into the room due to the sudden setoff of a portable party cannon. Rarity provided all the news on what had happened in Ponyville during Dash’s absence, albeit with a slight bias towards certain upper-class ponies who managed to irk the unicorn in one way or another. Twilight backed up Rarity’s stories with a more neutral claim, and also informed Dash of the more upcoming Daring Do events and book release schedule. Fluttershy remained quiet, content to watch the fun but also took the time to make sure that Rainbow Dash was actually okay and not injured. Applejack recovered her demeanor swiftly, quickly making competition plans for the pair of them upon her return to Ponyville, along with plenty of trash-talking and boasting; both of which Dash returned in kind. It seemed that for once, life had returned to the way it used to be.

Soarin smiled as he looked down at her. She would never know how Fleetfoot and him arranged this as soon as word was received that the unit was returning home. He knew that despite their love for each other, there was still going to be a weight dragging her down. He was part of it; the hell she had when through was partly because of him. She needed a reminder of home, back when life was normal. Soarin smiled as he remembered her return to the room, a large smile across her face. He hadn’t seen her that happy in a long time. To him it almost felt like an eternity.

And he needed the morale boost as well, following his meeting. Spitfire had informed him hours later that all the council had done was to reinforce the wall garrisons more. The inaction was frustrating to him. He knew their foe, and Spitfire assured him that she vouched for him. But their decision was final, and no longer of any concern to him. He was here, with Dash, and that all that mattered.

Just before he drifted off to sleep, Soarin swore he saw a flash of light again. Turning his head as much as he could without disturbing Dash, he looked out into the darkness of the night. He stared into the blackness for several minutes, his efforts to spot a source or even evidence going unrewarded. Perhaps he was just imagining things, and the last night was just a storm. After all, the wall would surely keep anything out, even the armies of Solar Flare. They were safe. Nothing would be able to reach them here.

The sunrise was spectacular. Soarin watched as the clouds melded together in prefect shades of yellows, oranges, and blues, each one complementing the other. It seemed almost surreal that such beauty could exist in the world. It seemed as if it was a painting.

He turned back to look into the room, where Dash was still sleeping. Every morning he swore that she was more beautiful than the last. Everything about her was perfect. At last life would return to normal, and once her wings were healed, he hoped to see her in the Wonderbolt academy. She'd earned a spot already, although the official application process would still have to take place. But she was strong, and he had no doubts in her ability.

Soarin looked back over the balcony, and stepped back in shock. The sky had tuned blood red, and was seemingly covered in roiling waves of energy. He spun around, to an empty room save for the armored unicorn facing away from him. He took a step back as it turned to face him, it's eyes glowing red. Solar Flare grinned, locking eyes with Soarin.

"Hello Soarin. I'm home."

Soarin was jolted awake as the room shook violently. Dust fell from the cracks of the stone walls as the sound of stone grinding on stone filled the air. He wrapped his wings around Dash as she clung on to him and yelled inaudibly, the cacophony from outside blotting out all other sound.

As suddenly as it began, the noise and shaking stopped. Soarin tentatively let go of Dash and got off the bed, peeking out the window. Everything seemed normal from what he could see. Not a single building appeared damaged, and there was no sound of emergency units or cries for help.

"What the hell was that?" Dash walked up beside him, looking around at the city.

"I don't know, but this doesn't feel right..." He paused for a moment, before turning away and walking towards the door. "Dash, I want you to go to Celestia's Palace, as soon as you can. I need to get to Spitfire. You stay safe, and don't leave once you're there, you understand?"

Rainbow Dash wanted to argue, but there was something in his voice. This wasn't the soft, easygoing Soarin that gave suggestions. This was Soarin as a soldier, and he was giving her an order. Something was wrong. Dash ran up to him and kissed his cheek quickly. "Soar, stay safe for me. I'll see you at the Palace." She kissed him again, then ran down the hall, towards the exit. All she could do is hope that whatever was happening would be resolved quickly.

By the time Soarin had donned his armor and reached the temporary Wonderbolts headquarters, most of the flight team was already in their armor, with weapons at the ready. Spitfire was already drawing up plans with several other commanders from different units in the corner of the room, while the rest of the Wonderbolts checked and double-checked their equipment.

"Captain, I apologize for my tardiness," he said as he approached the group. "What's the situation?"

"Don't worry about being late, Soar. I understand. But in the meantime, we have an issue on hand. The cliffs around Canterlot aren't there anymore. We don't know what happened, but it's like the ground has risen up, and now there's a fuckhuge ramp leading all around the castle. We've mobilized the reserves already, and defense units are being prepared. But no pony had ever seen anything like this."

"...'I'm home'..." Soarin muttered under his breath, looking at the ground. But there was no way that was possible. Certainly the wall would have been able to pass warning on to rear units. Even if there was a breach, the distance would be too great to cover in a short amount of time, especially if one wanted to move unnoticed...

Soarin's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a steady, rhythmic beat. It was faint at first, just barely audible over the sound of the Wonderbolts. But as each pony in turn began to hear it, the room grew silent as the sound grew louder and increased in speed. Soaring followed Spitfire out the door, immediately taking to the skies.

Spitfire had been right. There was a large earthen ramp leading up to the walls of Canterlot, running nearly five miles to the valley floor below. But there was still no clear cause for the rhythmic pounding that now filled the air. Sudden fear creeped into the corners of his mind as he saw the air around the ramp begin to shimmer, the dispel. Rank after rank of changeling soldiers marched towards the walls of Canterlot, black armor shining in the sunlight. Each moved in perfect unison, creating a wave that rippled in tune with the sound in the air. Then, as they reached the start of the earth ramp, the entire army halted. Every sound instantly stopped, the air now filled in an eerie silence. He watched in shock as a lone armored unicorn strode out ahead of the army, standing almost arrogantly in the open space between the walls and the Changeling Army. Soarin turned to Spitfire, his voice barely above a whisper.

"He is here."

Author's Note

Guten Morgen, meine Leser!

It's been four months, but I have returned once again. I feel like its the millionth time I've said that, and I'm sorry for that. Vienna took me for a spin, and I feel like time has flown by.

Its been hard to get back into the swing of thing, especially since I had this basically written before Christmas and it got wiped by accident. That really killed my motivation, but I have returned, thanks to the prodding of Wingstream. Now, this brings me on to the future of ILAW. This story will be done by Christmas 2016, if all goes well (and I plan for it to).

As a disclaimer, I want to let everyone know this story, along with any future stories by me, will not reach a "mature" rating. I know I've pushed boundaries in some places, but do not be worried. I stay solely in the "teen" rating.

I wanna thank you guys for sticking with me through all my crap and delays. Y'all mean the world to me, and I won't let you down.

Comments, constructive criticisms, and concerns are greatly appreciated!

Stay Awesome

RDD

(Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum: If you wish for peace, prepare for war)

Chapter 18-Beginning of the End

It had to be a dream. Some sick nightmare of twisted memories and fears stuck deep in her brain. There was no possible way the monster that called himself Solar Flare was standing in front of Canterlot with a legion of soldiers around him.

"Soarin, let's go." Spitfire's voice was quiet and emotionless, yet clearly hiding the worry she undoubtedly felt. There were another few seconds of silence before she spoke again. "Soarin. Let's go." The sound of her wings flapping rapidly signified her departure, leaving him alone to stare down the swarm.

He slowly turned away and flew back towards the headquarters. Inside was chaos, as the team realized the extent of the forces facing them. Spitfire was discussing plans with other team leaders in the far corner of the room, whilst the members of each respective squadron made final checks over their gear.

"First and Second Squadrons will provide leadership for Guard units along the wall. Initial intelligence doesn't seem to be spotting too many fliers, so we really have to worry about the wall. Third Squadron has already departed; they know their job and are already working on it. Crescent Moon, keep your reserves in the city. If anyone breaks through, you have to be ready to engage. Tell your squadrons, and get ready to go." Spitfire nodded as they broke up, walking over to Soarin. "You'll have the quarter between the gate and the first major tower. Think you can handle it?"

"Of course," Soarin nodded, frowning slightly. "Do we have any intelligence whatsoever on what we're facing out there?"

Spitfire shook her head with a grim frown. "There's nothing. We didn't even know they existed until just now. I don't know how they masked their presence from the wall to here, but..." She sighed heavily, her typical stoic demeanor broken. "We have to fight them. There's no choice now. I've spoken with higher command, and there's a evacuation plan in the works right now. It'll use the old mines, so we just need to buy some time for now. Get all the noncombatants out and then the regulars and so on...last one out turns out the lights."

Soarin nodded solemnly, looking away slightly. He could see in her eyes the gravity of the situation. There wasn't panic; she was far too experienced to show any sort of panic to her subordinates, but Spitfire seemed to hold a sort of resignation. He knew she would never say it, but the look on her face told it all. The last time he had seen her like this was in their Equestrian Guard days, where three regiments of guard fell to defend the border of Equestria during the Dragon Expansions. She wouldn't back down, much as she wouldn't then, but the price would be high. As she walked away, Soarin turned and exited the headquarters, flying slowly and staring out over the mass outside the walls. There were so many. So many bound to the will of one pony who sought nothing but the destruction of Equestria. The one who now stood in front of the masses, seemingly staring at Soarin as he moved to his position on the wall.

The faceplate slid off his armor, hovering in the air beside him. Solar Flare's scarred face was cold and emotionless; yet held an aura of arrogance and power. He shook his mane free, letting it fall freely around his face as he stared up at the battlements.

"THIS IS THE FINAL CHANCE FOR THE SERVANTS OF THE FALSE PRINCESS TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS." The changeling army erupted in jeers and laughter as his voice boomed across the space between armies; the pounding of spears and armored hooves becoming almost deafening before instantly silencing as he turned his head slightly. "YOUR MEAGER FORTIFICATIONS HAVE NOT STOPPED THE TIDE OF CHANGE. MY POWER IS UNRIVALED. MY ARMY IS UNSTOPPABLE. DO YOU DARE STAND AGAINST THE FORCE THAT IS BEFORE YOU" He paused for a minute, cocking his head slightly at the silence that greeted him. "WHAT SAY YOU, SERVANTS OF THE SUN? PERHAPS YOU ARE TO SCARED TO FACE YOUR CONQUERORS?!”

Another chorus of chants and jeers rose from the legions of changelings, and again they were silenced by a slight gesture from Solar Flare. "IT SEEMS THE PRINCESS HAS CHOSEN TO FORFEIT THE LIVES OF HER OWN! COME! LET US BECOME IMMORTALIZED! LET THEM HEAR THE CALL OF THEIR DAMNATION!”

From the center of the Changeling army came a resounding boom, echoing throughout the valley. A thunder rose as the changelings marched in unison up the earthen ramp, thousands of chitinous hooves marching in unison. Solar Flare turned so he faced his soldiers, rallying them as they passed.

"THIS IS OUR TIME! FEEL THE FIRE OF RAGE INSIDE! TODAY WE SHALL FEED NOT ON THEIR LOVE, BUT ON DOMINATION! DIVIDE THEM! TEAR THEM APART! TAKE WHAT IS OWED AND KNOW NO FEAR! FORWARD, TO VICTORY!”

The drums sounded again, and a deep roar rose from the armored horde. The battle cry carried over the walls, causing panic in the city. As the last echoes faded, the chittering mass swarmed towards the walls, a wave of damnation bearing black armor and sharpened steel.

"They're coming." He subconsciously spoke first though of realization aloud as he stared down the ruined cliff face at the sea of black iron below. There were so many Changelings, so many soldiers hell-bent on razing the city to the ground.

A loud crack followed by a lavender arc of lightning snapped him back into focus. The bolt skimmed over the Guard's heads, branching out widely before it struck the forefront of the Changeling lines. Dirt and soldier flew into the air as peals of thunder echoed off the mountains. Another crack split the air a second later, white lightning striking the ground and rippling through the front ranks of the Changelings. Within seconds the whole of Canterlot was a raging tempest of multicolored magic, arcs of pure energy sharing the skies with roiling balls of flame and jerking waves of lightning. Cheers went up from the Guards with each successive hit, tearing through the ranks of the enemy with no mercy.

And yet they came. As the earth detonated around them and their forces were rent and torn, the first barrage of counter fire began. Green balls of flame rose in long, slow arcs from the masses below, before plummeting towards the bastions of the defending forces. Soarin ducked as one struck the wall several wingspans away, sending chunks of stone and bodies into the air. He turned away as he saw writhing flames dive off the wall and looked skyward, looking out for shots that could be headed his way. The darkened sky flashed a multitude of colors as both sides continued the deafening duel, while those without magic could only cower and prepare for the next hit. It was almost majestic, in a macabre way.

Suddenly a wave of searing heat rushed over the side of his face, and the world went black.

————————————————————-

"Wake up! Wake up Soarin!" A voice called out to him, the voice of a stranger. Yet at the same time, it seemed so familiar. Soarin opened his eyes, a dark blurry figure standing over him. He couldn't focus. There were just emerald eyes glowing against a darkened form. "I didn't come all this way for you to die now. Wake up! The battle is still going on!"

Soarin groaned, looking away. Everything seemed so peaceful. He had the faintest memory of...something. Something bad was happening, but it already seemed like so long ago. There were loud noises, screams...but this place didn't have any of that. It was nice here.

"I swear to Luna, focus!" The figure directed Soarin's attention with hooves that seemed to fade into the mist, but eyes that burned with intensity of the sun itself. "You're not leaving them behind, understand? You got Dash waiting for you, you have a city to protect, and you have to keep your team alive. You don't have time for this! Now wake up!"

Dash. She wasn't here. Soarin glanced around with a frown, stumbling to his hooves unsteadily. No one was here. This place was peaceful, but almost too peaceful. There was no one there other than him and the strange shadow beside him. Something wasn't right. Soarin turned, ready to address the stranger near him, but gasped as he felt a prick of sharp pain on his face. With every second, it grew in intensity, burning at him and spreading across the side of his face in almost unrelenting agony.

"Yes!" The figure nearly jumped into the air, a smile breaking its form. "Hold onto that feeling! We're getting you out of here!"

"Celestia it burns!" Soarin muttered as he doubled over in agony, hooves holding the side his face. "What is this?!"

"Whatever put you here in the first place, no doubt! Just keep focused on that!" The figures voice was already distant, the mists around them reversing quickly as a light grew on the horizon. "You're outta here! Make sure to tell Dash that-"

The voice cut off as Soarin snapped back into consciousness, stumbling to his hooves. An intense burning sensation immediately forced him back to the ground as he ripped off his helmet with a gasp of shock. Green fire licked at his hoof guards as he threw the scorched helmet aside, it's cheekguard covered in fire.

"Damn," he muttered with a wince as he touched his raw cheek. Or at least he thought he said it. It was impossible to hear anything below a shout with the constant explosions around him. As he stomped out the still-burning flames on his helmet, Soarin peeked over the battlements. The horde had already reached the base of the walls, although they were unable to scale them. Through the flashes of magic, he could see javelins and spears arcing through the sky before hitting the Changeling's below. He felt small shimmer of hope grow in the back of his mind as the enemy's forces were stalled while under heavy fire.

Then, above the sound of the bombardment, the drums began.

Rainbow Dash peered out of the stained glass window of Celestia's palace for what seemed like the millionth time. The city was ablaze. She could see the blasts of the defender's magic, and the barrage of green fire arcing into the city below. Somewhere down there was Soarin. Somewhere in the inferno...

The sound of the main doors opening caught her attention. Dash turned as Twilight entered the main chamber, quickly dismissing the two guards that immediately moved to provide security. She nodded as the lavender alicorn moved towards her, turning her attention back towards the window with a frown.

"I didn't expect to see you up here, Rainbow." The sound of Twilight's hooves on the marble floor of the throne room stopped as the alicorn stood beside her, looking over the city. "We're going to make it through this. We all are."

Dash sighed, nodding quietly. The constant fighting from both be battlefield and her dreams had sapped the entirety of her persona; the typical cockiness and steadfastness that she had maintained in the First Changeling Siege years before had weathered under the brutality of this new foe. The two stared out the window with a heavy silence for several minutes, until Dash broke the quiet.

"He's down there somewhere. In all that mess I wish there was something I could do. I don't know, maybe give Solar Flare the good ol' one-two in the face or something." She laughed with a empty smile, turning her eyes towards the ground. Dash felt a light touch on her shoulder, Twilight's wing resting supportively on her.

"I know you do. But the best thing you can do for him right now is remain safe. And safe is here, at the heart of Canterlot. As long as he knows you're fine here, you know he will fight as long as he has to so he can make it back to you. He's done it before."

Dash smiled ever so slightly, genuinely this time. "You always were the most reasonable of us, Twi. Still are." She looked back to the city, a hopeful glint in her eyes. "I know that he will stand strong, and his team will be with him the entire time."

"That's right. And he stands with the best Canterlot has to offer, too. Soarin is in good hooves."

"I know he is. You're right, as always. Thanks for that Twilight. You know I'm going to worry; but what you said helps. I know he's got a lot of ponies watching his back."

Twilight nodded with a warm smile, patting Dash's back before starting to walk off. "I have to meet with Celestia. We're discussing what to do, but in the meantime make sure you stay safe no matter what happens. Soarin needs you, as do your friends. He will be protected by many. Remember that."

Rainbow Dash turned away from the window with another sigh. Twilight had always been the best at advice in times of hardship. Her loyalty was a blessing and a curse at times, but her duty was to remain out of harms way. And so she would. All she could do was hope Soarin would emerge unharmed. And with the Wonderbolts and the Canterlot guard, the odds were in his favor.

Then, just as the glimmer of hope rose in her chest, the drums began.

"TOWER! TOWER!" Immediately Soarin perked his head up slightly, trying to locate the source of the sound over the barrage. The drums still pounded from the Changeling lines, maintaining a constant boom over the omnipresent sound of the bombardment. The cacophony was disorienting enough, but the combined smoke and debris filling the air made it nearly impossible to see.

Out of the dark it appeared, a dark mass of ridged chitin trundling through the lines of Changelings. Large spiked wheels tore into the packed earthen ramp, while shielding fleshed out on the side to cover those who pushed it forward. Hit after hit scored its black shell, yet it still continued to move forward. As it drew near, small flames of green magic burst from narrow slits scattered sporadically on the tower, washing the battlements within its vicinity in a storm of fire.

Soarin immediately ran towards the dwindling flames, dodging craters and the fallen as he tried to weave his way through the ranks of the Equestrian Guard. Others began to follow, a stream of golden armor moving to fill the gap torn in the line. As he leaped over the charred remains of the guards who had one stood there, he took another look at the tower. In such a short time it had nearly reached the walls. He could pick out every crevice, every blast mark caused by the Equestrian defenders. Soarin readied his sword in anticipation, and braced for the oncoming storm.

Suddenly, two large bolts shot from under one of the carapace pieces of the tower, punching into the walls of Canterlot. The tower shuddered as loud clanking sounds came from within it, and the stones of the wall groaned as the tower was winched forward. Time moved agonizingly slow for Soarin and those around him as they could do nothing but wait for the tower to reach them. With a loud groan it rocked to a stop, the upper carapace swiftly smashing onto the battlements. Immediately the Changelings set upon the defenders, rushing across the ramp towards the spear wall of the Equestrians.

Soarin dove to the side as the first few to cross were impaled and dropped off the side, their bodies serving to drag down the spears of the defenders so others could reach the line. He quickly jumped to his hooves and swung at the first changeling in range, green blood spraying across his face as the tip of his sword caught it under its chin. A second lunged towards him, it's spear catching the side of his chestplate and glancing off with little more than a scratch. Soarin pulled the spear with his left hoof and thrust his sword into his opponent's unarmored stomach as it stumbled forward. Spinning the spear in his hoof, he threw it towards the teeming mass that was pouring across the ramp of the siege tower before bringing his sword down on the back of a changeling's neck. He dodged a thrust of another spear, rushing forward and bringing his sword across its face. Another came, this one brandishing a hooked sword. As it swung downwards, Soarin moved in close, slamming his shoulder into the Changeling's gut as he wrenched the blade free. Before his opponent could withdraw Soarin brought its own sword across its back, the heavy metal of the changeling's sword cleaving through its armor. Immediately he was on the attack again, wielding the blade of the changeling and his own sword as he hacked and slashed through the swarm that still poured onto the wall. But despite his efforts, there was little to stem the tide. Guards fell around him, hewn by black iron and buried under them chittering masses that poured into the gap.

“Hold the line! Hold the line for your Princess and your families!” Soarin raised a sword above his head, rallying those within earshot before rushing forwards, jamming his sword through the first changeling he met. Around him the Guard held firm, but there were too many. A changeling spear clipped his neck, causing him to wince as he cut down its owner before stepping back slightly, letting the spears of the Guard keep the nearest changelings at bay.

Suddenly he was flung backwards as a deafening explosion sent a rain of chitin and steel across defender and attacker alike. Soarin stumbled to his hooves, coughing as smoke and dust filled the air. A immediate look over the battlements around him revealed the source of the explosion. Where the tower once stood was a smoking heap of chitin and wood, still anchored to the wall but nearly torn in two. Still dazed, he watched in shock as large bolts of lightning fell from a growing maelstrom of clouds above Canterlot. Each bolt sent large blasts through the lines of changelings that still surrounded the walls, tearing large gaps through their ranks. A cheer rose up from the embattled Equestrian lines as the Wonderbolts' Third Squadron flew over head, directing the storm's fury onto the besiegers.

Over the sound of thunder, the drums began again. As one the changeling army began to withdraw from the earthen ramp, chased by the storm and magical bolts from the Equestrians. Soaring breathed a sigh of relief as the last few descended into the darkness at the bottom of the ramp and out of sight. They had won the first battle. He threw the changeling blade off the wall and sheathed his own sword just as the sound of fluttering wings came from beside him.

"Hell of a fight, huh?" He turned to Spitfire, who stared out over the walls at the mass of dead changelings around Canterlot. It seemed that she too has seen combat, several cuts on her face still dripping blood and her armor bearing several tears and dents.

"Yeah. They hit the front gate hard. Bugs were literally getting teleported up to the walls by their mages. As if the bombardment wasn't bad enough..." Spitfire coughed once and cleared her throat before looking over Soarin. "Damn dude. You look terrible."

Soarin snorted, smiling grimly. "Yeah, you looked in a mirror recently?"

"Don't need to tell me. If I look how I feel, I must be a damn shitty sight right now." There was another silent pause as both looked towards the darkness that shielded the changeling line from view. "So, a siege tower, huh? Didn't think the bugs were smart enough to try something like that."

"Something tells me it's not their creativity that got 'em armor and equipment."

"Yeah. This whole thing is weird, man. But hey, they're not flying anymore. Guess that's a plus of them having that shit, if there is any positives in this."

"That's a big 'if', Spitfire. They just use towers now. And this is just the beginning."

"Don't worry Soar. We'll hold 'em. Just gotta wait until everyone is out, or until relief comes. And we gave em hell today. I doubt they'll be coming back up that for a while."

"I hope you're right." Soarin frowned as he looked back over the wall, the stillness almost off-putting. "By Celestia, I hope you're right."

Solar Flare moved atop the cliff face near the camp of his army, looking down towards the changeling army below. Already several towers were rolling towards the black cloud that surrounded the Canterlot valley. Dull thuds came from further down the valley, the source out of sight. Yet he knew what was to come.

The sound of iron scraping against rock caught his attention. He turned to the Iron Guard behind him, looking over the red paint on the shoulder plates and face mask.

"That color suits you well. How fitting you choose that for what is to come."

The Iron Guard stepped forward, bowing his head in subservience before looking out over the cliff towards the army below. "My lord, our initial probe reports the Equestrian elites still deployed along the walls. Does the plan remain the same?"

Solar Flare grinned, not that the figure opposite of him could see it through his faceplate. "Yes. We will strike their heart when they are weakest. The absence of the Wonderbolts is no loss. They too shall fall, but the objective remains the same. Ensure your team is ready."

The Iron Guard bowed his head again as he turned and ran back down the path. Solar Flare watched him leave, then turned his attention to the valley entrance. As if on cue, a dull guttural roar boomed off of the mountain walls, the source still out of sight. He watched the pebbles by his hooves shake with ever increasing frequency, then turned away from his overlook. The time was nigh, and Canterlot was ready to fall.

Author's Note

Howdy y'all

Long time no see for well, everyone. I know I've been sitting on this for a long time, but I mentioned all that in my blog post. But I'm here! I had hoped to have 19 up as well but some additions and subtractions have frustrated my plans. Its almost done though, and I'll have it up before 13 July--after that I'm shipping out for six months so hopefully I'll have some time to write while I'm off doing Army things.

I'm rusty, so point out my writing mistakes as per usual.

As always, Stay Awesome

RDD