My Little Warzone: Betrayal Part 1

Chapter Seven: Discovery

RAINBOW DASH’S HOME
TIME: 1236 HOURS

Molokus had finally reached the massive cloud castle. He walked up to the structure, and shouted “Hey! Anyone home?”

No response.

“Hello?”

Still no response.

After waiting far too long, Axis grabbed for his rifle, cocked it, and pulled the trigger. A spray of bullets erupted out of the muzzle. A cyan shape flew out of the building, unfurling its wings and flapping furiously before touching down on the ground.

“D-don’t shoot me!” the pegasus shouted, hooves over her head. Molokus laughed, “I thought you weren’t afraid of anything, ‘Dash!”

Rainbow Dash glared at him, and raised her hooves in the air in a fighting stance. “I mean... yeah! I’ll show you who’s boss!” The general laughed in disbelief, “It’s no big deal, you don’t have to try so hard. I wouldn’t shoot you, though, that’s for sure, the only one of you that would take me to my breaking point like that is that damn pink pony.”

“Pinkie Pie?” the cerulean pony asked with a cocked head.

“Yeah...sometimes I just can’t stand her.” replied Molokus.

“Oh, that’s just her, no need to let it get to your head.”

“Right...anyways, I can take it that the Apple family is up there?”

“Nah...they went to get some groceries, but it has been pretty tough...”

“I know what you mean...anyways, could you let me up, I need to discuss something with you that’s very urgent.”

“Sure...come on in!” Rainbow Dash flew back up to her castle. Moments later, a rainbow path appeared from under the structure, Molokus stepped on it, it was solid. Solid rainbows for pathways...What an interesting world we live in... He thought to himself as he walked up.

The pegasus motioned him over to a small den, he sat down in one of the chairs, Rainbow in another. Molokus explained what she needed to do, and she immediately denied.

“Are you nuts?! There’s no way in Tartarus that I’m going to do something like that, I know I usually do dangerous stuff, but that’s just...just...”

“Suicidal?” Molokus asked inquisitively.

“Yeah! Suicidal! I’m not going to do that...Wait...what does ‘suicidal’ mean?”

“To kill oneself...but also means if something is extremely dangerous...”

“Exactly!”

Molokus walked over to her and grabbed her, shoving her magenta eyes into his own white eyes. “Rainbow Dash...you’re our only hope. Are you going to risk your life? Or risk three million instead?”

Rainbow quickly and sullenly replied, “Well...now that you put it that way...how am I gonna take this thing down?”

Molokus pulled the bomb from his satchel, “With this.”

“That is...what?”

“Type 45 Plastic Explosive. If this can be placed on the top of the fuselage directly in the middle of the plane, this would destroy the missile, and detonate the central fuel pump, obliterating the aircraft.” Axis responded.

“But...but...can’t I get hurt?” the pegasus asked dreadfully.

“Yes, there is a high chance. But I can get whatever equipment we can to patch you up. I would protect you with my life, and I mean that.” Molokus said.

“Wow Axis...that means a lot...”

“No problem...anyways, hold onto this, the Nightowl is most likely going to launch tomorrow, or the day after. So I’ll give a quick briefing before we do this.”

“Wait!” Rainbow shouted, “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“I’m going to go visit Rarity in the hospital.” Molokus replied with a smirk.

“Oh...alright...see ya!” the pegasus said happily.

“Bye.”

PONYVILLE HOSPITAL
TIME: 1256 HOURS

Molokus walked into the reception of the building, immediately, a pony screamed “GUN!” Two security guards ambushed Molokus, almost tackling him to the ground, he chuckled, removed the magazine, and placed it on the ground, kicking it over to the guards.

“W-what do you want?” a frightened nurse asked.

“I just want to see Rarity?” Molokus replied.

“Oh...well...right this way then!” the nurse said, still shocked.

Molokus immediately felt a nervous tension built up when the nurse led him into a corridor, the sign above it saying: MENTAL CARE WARD.

The olive mare led him through the halls, they were littered with rooms, inside of them were several ponies, some were shackled to beds, some wore straight-jackets, and some were just sitting on their beds. They finally reached another sub-corridor, they reached a room numbered “15”, and inside it was the same white-coated, purple-maned pony Axis knew very well. Of course, instead of her normal looks, she was wearing a tan straight-jacket on her body, and a black ring on her horn.

“Rarity has been in detainment for three days now, so she might not be the same pony you know...” the nurse said. Molokus nodded and walked into the room. He looked disapprovingly at the poor mare. “Can I remove the straight-jacket, please?” he asked.

The nurse said “You’re welcome to, but be careful, and make sure she doesn’t do anything to hurt herself.”

Molokus thanked her, then unbuttoned a couple buttons, unfastened a few straps, and took off the jacket, he noticed scarring on the mare’s forehooves. Then he looked at black ring. He was puzzled by it, and asked “Uh...what’s this thing?”

The nurse replied “It prevents her from using her magic...so...you know...”

“Oh...alright” he replied. He looked at the pony sitting in front of him, her head hung low, stains on her cheeks from torrents of tears. “Rarity?” Molokus asked.

The fashionista looked up at him with watery eyes, trembling, she asked “A-Axis...?”

He looked at her calmly, “Yes?”

“I-...I’m so sorry for what I’ve done....I just can’t stand one minute without my dear Sweetie Belle...She was just the most darling thing ever, the most important thing in my life...and...now she’s....gone....” Rarity began sobbing again, Molokus kneeled down and looked at her.

“Rarity...some things just happen, and there’s nothing we can do about it...It can happen naturally...or it can happen by man, like when those bastards invaded the port...and...well...killing your sister...Look, the point is, some things are just not in our jurisdiction to change. If I was there, I would’ve done whatever possible to protect her...you’re my closest friend, Rarity, I would do anything to make you happy.”

“R-really?” the pony sniffled.

“Really.” Molokus replied.

“Well...it’s just that I...”

“Yes?”

“I-...I-...”

“Yes?”

“I-...”

“Uh huh?”

“Oh Celestia...I can’t take it anymore!”

Molokus was caught off guard as the mare lunged at him, her own lips pressing against his. His eyes shot open from the sudden ambush. The mare somehow had enough force to knock the Aerisan onto his back. He was stunned by the strength she exerted, and he pushed her off.

“Rarity...what the hell are you doing?!” The shocked creature asked.

The unicorn began weeping- “I-I’m so sorry, Axis...I just couldn’t hold those feelings back anymore...”

Axisus looked at her dumbfoundedly. “Anymore?” he asked, “Rarity...how long have you felt like this?”

Rarity used her hoof to wipe the tears from her eyes, “Axis...I’ve felt like this for three years...”

“You-...you have?”

The marshmallow-colored pony nodded silently. “Axis...I’ve been in love with you ever since that day in the hospital after the attack...I’ve been holding it back for so long because...well...I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”

Axis looked at her, and said "Rarity...you're one of the...no...you are the best friend I could ever have. But...Well...I don’t know how to say this...” Molokus fumbled the last words.

“Y-yes?” Rarity sobbed.

“Well...I don’t really...well...I don’t find an inter-species relationship like that to be...right...you know? I’m just not that kind of person...”

The fragments of the pony’s shattered heart were pummeled to dust with those words. She began sobbing even more. Molokus looked in horror of what he had done.

“No, Rarity...It’s not like that...I like you...but...well...as a friend...”

His words pierced the mare’s feelings even harder as her crying intensified. Molokus crawled over to her to try to hug her, but a hoof pushed him away. Molokus forced the leg down with his hand, and held her tightly.

“Rarity...I’m sorry...please forgive me...”

“A-Axis,” the mare sniffled, “I-I love you...why can’t you feel the same?”

“It’s just that...Well...Don’t get me wrong, you’re one of the nicest, most beautiful creatures on the very Earth we walk on. But I stick with my own kind...even if most of them are either captured or brainwashed by the Union...”

“Could you at least...well...give it a chance?”

“I don’t think I can...”

“Axis...please...I’ve always felt this...void...that I needed somepony to help fill...and I met you...and...-”

“Rarity...please...don’t make this hard for me...”

The unicorn began sobbing again, “Axis...”

Molokus started thinking the whole situation over, I understand that she’s so in-love with me...and I can’t bear to see her like this...but...could it really work out?

He looked at the poor pony he was holding, he looked at her face, and pulled his head back. He turned it around again, Well...here goes nothing!

Rarity’s eyes shot open as the Aerisan forced his lips against hers. She smiled with a closed mouth. She slowly closed her eyes, wrapped her hooves around his thick neck, and continued the kiss.

After several seconds of holding the kiss, Molokus broke off. Well...that wasn’t so bad... he thought to himself, That was actually kind of...nice...

Rarity looked at him with a stunned expression. “A-Axis...I don’t know what to say...”

Molokus looked at her calmly, “Then don’t say anything.” and kissed her again.

The kiss lasted much longer. Molokus then got up, pulling the mare in front of him up with him. “Rarity,” he began, “I’m gonna get you out of here, not yet, but I promise.”

The unicorn looked at him with gleaming eyes. “R-really? But they said I have to stay in here for another week....”

“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to them.”

Molokus kneeled down, and Rarity hugged him again, “Thank you, Axisus.”

“My pleasure.”

Axis got back up, and walked through the door, closing it behind him. He walked down the corridors and through the hospital until reaching the office of the pony in charge of the mental ward, a plaque on the door saying: 'Doctor Diminisindium M.D.: Head of Mental Care Ward'.

Molokus walked inside the office, sitting behind a mahogany desk was a dark-grey pegasus, her rainbow mane blowing in the wind from an open window. She noticed the entity standing in her doorway, and asked “Can I...help you?”

Axis looked at her for a moment before beginning “Yes...it’s regarding one of your patients, Rarity.”

“Oh yes, I have her file right here.” she said as she pulled a pale yellow folder from the desk. She hoofed it over to the creature, he grabbed it, and looked at it.

Patient: Rarity Belle
DOB: 06/24/979
Sex: Female
Blood Type: A+
Status: Mentally Unstable

Family:

Mother: Liberty Belle
DOB: 10/15/951
Sex: Female
Blood Type: B+
Status: Healthy

Father: Division Belle
DOB: 08/30/950
Sex: Male
Blood Type: A-
Status: Healthy

Sister: Sweetie Belle
DOB: 04/15/992
Sex: Female
Blood Type: O-
Status: Deceased

Rarity was taken into the hospital last week on a count of suicidal actions.
A young pony and friend of hers named Applejack found her in her boutique with three self-inflicted lacerations on each wrist.

The patient had already lost 0.7 pints of blood before she was bandaged and given a blood transfusion. She was moved to the mental care ward two days later. We should expect her to be released in about two weeks.

When questioned about who she knew best, the patient stated that her closest contacts were her friends: Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkamena Diane Pie. She also mentioned an Aerisan soldier who was apparently named “Axisus Jerovix Molokus” (pronounced Ak-sis-us, Jehr-Oe-Vix, Moe-Loe-Kuss).

According to the Equestrian citizenship archives, this is soldier defected from the Union about a week and a half ago.

Axis looked up at the pegasus, he noticed her stretching her rainbow-colored wings, “Oh...you must be Axisus Molokus...” she said obviously. Molokus nodded, and kept reading.

As of now, the patient’s mental state is still very insecure. We’ve suited her with a straight-jacket and a magic-blocker so she couldn’t hurt herself. We’ve diagnosed her with clinical depression, and we will put her on some antidepressants, probably Linerix, when she is released.

Doctor Diminisindium M.D.
Head of the Ponville Hospital Mental Care Ward
April 20th, 1004

“Right...I understand this...but I was wondering about an...early release?” Molokus asked. Diminisindium wasn’t ready for that kind of question, she looked at him, dumbfounded, and asked “You do know she tried killing herself, right?”

Molokus nodded, and said “I understand that, but I had a talk with her. And she seems pretty fit to go out.” The doctor raised her voice at him “This is not hitting yourself by accident, Mr. Molokus, this was attempted suicide. I know my trade.” She showed him her cutie mark, a blue-and-white pill. “And I know what I’m doing when I say this! I’m sorry, but she has to stay.”

The Aerisan placed his claws on the desk and glared at her, teeth barred, he was a threatening figure, but she held her ground. “I know what she did,” Molokus began, “And I’m saying that I helped her, just let her go!”

Diminisidium stood erect, her wings unfurled, her teeth barred, but she was no match when it came to intimidating the brute. “I said she’s unfit to leave this hospital!” she yelled.

“I DON’T GIVE TWO SHITS ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY! JUST LET THE POOR MARE GO!” Axis screamed. The doctor and Molokus started into a screaming match, ponies passing the door could hear vague shouts through the wood.

“I SAID SHE CAN’T LEAVE!”

“I SAID SHE CAN, NOW JUST LET HER LEAVE!”

“MAKE ME!”

Molokus glared at her, and then he raised a foot, and with a powerful front-snap kick, shoved the desk, but he kicked too low, the desk tipped backwards, landing on his foot. Molokus screamed in pain “AAGH! FUCK!” The doctor saw this as her window of opportunity. With all her might, she lunged at the creature, tackling him to the ground.

“I SAID NO, AND THAT MEANS NO!” Diminisidium raised her hind legs, and forced them down, stomping on Axis’ stomach. He screamed in pain, and coughed up several drops of blood.

“I-....I just want to be with her...” Molokus gurgled. She looked at him with an odd expression, “H-...How did you go from...what?!”

Axis looked back at her- “I’m...sorry...I’ve been like that ever since I was a little kid...a bad-temper-with-a-cooldown-after-he-loses-his-sense-of-dominance kind of thing...”

Diminisidium let out an inquisitive “Aaaaah.” as she crawled off of him. Aggressor to diplomat...looks more like a nasty case of Bipolar Syndrome to me... the doctor thought to herself. “I’m sorry if I hurt you...but...tell me...has anypony ever diagnosed you with Bipolar Syndrome, Mr. Molokus?” she asked.

“Thanks...but...no...they say that it’s just a temper-control issue...not mood swings.”

“Right...well...seeing that you’re not as bad as someone might think...We’ll check with Rarity, and if she’s okay...we’ll let her out within the next day.”

Molokus smiled, “Thank you...Dr. Diamondsinium...”

“It’s Diminisindium...and my pleasure.”

Molokus was walking out the door when she called out “Bu~ut.”

He turned around nervously, “Yeah?”

“We’re thinking that...well...you might have to stay here.”

Molokus just stood there in shock, then he screamed “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! WHEN THE UNION IS ABOUT TO FUCKING OBLITERATE LAS PEGASUS AND I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS ABOUT WHERE THEY’RE DOING IT, A-”

“Mr. Molokus! Calm down! I’m sorry, but we have no other choice!”

“ARE YOU SERIOUS?! OF COURSE YOU DO!”

The mare pressed a button on the nearby phone on the ground. “SECURITY! Relieve this patient!” Moments later, two guards came and grabbed the Aerisan, he was knocked to the ground, but an outstretched arm caught one of the stallions and took him down with him. The other one, who happened to be a unicorn, shot a bolt of magic that stunned the creature.

“To the corridor for the clinically insane? Doctor Diminisidium?” the guard asked.

“No...just to minor detainment, he’s mostly bark, not too much bite.”

“Yes ma’am.”

The guard lifted the cerulean creature up, and towards the corridor.

Molokus tried waking up a while later, but his eyes felt like they were glued shut, he could her vague voices from nearby.

“Do you know what’s wrong with him, doctor?”

“Normally, a patient with this kind of behavior I would’ve diagnosed with Bipolar Syndrome. But he seems to have a very aggressive temper, and he calms down when he loses his feeling of dominance. So it seems he just has a Superiority Complex, and some anger management problems.”

“We should probably check up on his file, that’d tell us what he’s done in the past that might cause this, and what he might have.”

“Good idea, Stitch, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Axis finally managed to open his eyes, and standing above him was the dark-grey mare he had met earlier.

“W-...where am I?” the Aerisan blindly asked.

“This is minor detainment. Anypony convicted of a misdemeanor or aggressive behavior is put in here for a couple days.” Diminisindium replied.

“A couple days?!” Molokus yelled, he grabbed the doctor, pulling her towards his face, “Doctor Diminisidius-”

“Diminisindium.” she corrected.

“Whatever, you gotta listen to me.”

“Oh?”

“Look, the Union is planning something really, really serious, you have to let me out of here.”

“Mr. Molokus, Ponyville law states that we have to keep you in here, regardless of what might happen.”

“But...but...but-”

“‘But’ nothing, we’ll look over your files, if you’re cleared, you can go.”

Molokus wanted to argue, but he couldn’t, the pegasus seemed to always have another trick ready.

Diminisinidium walked out of the room, and walked through the corridors until she reached her office. Standing in front of her was a chalky-grey stallion with a folder levitating in front of him.

“Thank you.” she said calmly.

“No problem!” Dr. Stitch replied.

“Now...let’s see what’s up with this guy...” She took the papers out, and looked at them.

Union Medical Archives File #05385
Date: 05/15/0992

Patient: Axisus J. Molokus
DOB: 01/13/0967
Sex: Male
Blood Type: B+
Status: Healthy

Family:

Mother: Verymana D. Grovana-Molokus
DOB: 07/01/0934
Sex: Female
Blood Type: A-
Status: Deceased
Date of Death: 04/19/0982
Cause of Death: Severe Varomagan Influenza

Father: Moverixus H. Molokus
DOB: 09/05/0934
Sex: Male
Blood Type: B-
Status: Deceased
Date of Death: 02/14/0970
Cause of Death: Killed in Combat

Axisus Molokus has come here several times due to his problems. While, at first, we thought it was Bipolar Syndrome, we later found out that he merely has a Superiority Complex, and mild-to-serious temper control problems.

Diminisindium paused for a moment, Huh...that’s what I thought... she thought to herself.

His father’s death when he was very young might have been another reason for the aggressive behavior. We’ve also put together that these problems might have also been the root-cause of the Operation DREADNOUGHT incident two years ago. See newspaper clippings in the folder to understand.

The pegasus put reached into the folder, and, as the medical report said, a newspaper titled The Observer had an interesting headline:

OPERATION DREADNOUGHT INCIDENT: GUNSHIP PILOT RESPONSIBLE:

She looked through the newspaper, a new wave of shock pulsated through her body.

Last week, a small town over the southern Everfree forest was attacked. Several ponies’ lives were claimed, and they were all caused by a pilot during a military exercise.

Operation DREADNOUGHT was a mission that involved the Union Army 45th Air
Calvary to escort a massive convoy, each vehicle carried the part for the UAV being constructed, codenamed the Dreadnought.

1st Lieutenant Axisus Molokus, 23, was the pilot of a Marovo Dynamics AH-43 Prowler, the most technologically-advanced helicopter gunship ever built. While passing through Air Traffic Route Romeo 32, however, Molokus caught something that filled him with pure rage. Hoofington, a small town located near the Everfree forest, was subject to an overwatch by the 5th Regiment, Charlie Company of the Union Army in 968.
Riots began to spring up in the village, and in 970, Major Moverixus Molokus, 26 at-the-time and the father of Lt. Molokus, was executed there for a still-unknown reason.

Once he noticed the place, the pilot broke off from formation, and, against gunner 2nd Lieutenant Mahova Gronalixus’, 19, better judgement, opened fire on the town. By the time he had run out of ammunition, over a third of Hoofington was in flames. Gronalixus stated that when he questioned the pilot’s actions, he simply replied “It’s time to set an old record straight.”

Instead of a dishonorable discharge, he was court-martialed, but managed to plead innocent. However, Molokus was demoted to 2nd Lieutenant, he continues to fly, but Commander Avrato Gavarixus states that a transfer may be pending.

“To what part of the Union Armed Forces? I’m not sure, but he will have to move, he might have been given a little too much freedom with the Prowler.” Gavarixus tells the press, “He will be moved, and hopefully such a disaster will never occur again.”

Diminisindium stared in total awe of the paper. She looked through the rest of the medical report.

Despite this attack, Molokus managed to avoid discharge and an arrest. But, next month, Commander Gavarixus plans to transfer him to the Elite Corps after he had been awarded the Union Armed Forces Medal of Honor, for protecting 15 unarmed soldiers with his life after the 991 crash.

Regardless, his temper manages to get the best of him, and there have been times where he has struck a soldier for annoying or angering him. We haven’t had an available medicine to treat this. We thought it may be linked to drinking, but Molokus is 7 years sober, only once had he consumed any alcohol when he turned 18, the legal drinking age for Aerisans.

With all possibilities crossed out, we’ve sent him to a psychologist every 2 months for the past year, there’s some improvement. But this may be a problem only he can solve on his own.

Doctor Helixeris Mavanoa
Union Medical Corps

Diminisindium sighed, she took the folder and put it back inside the file cabinet next to her. A problem with no cure...bucking wonderful. she thought to herself.

Molokus looked around the small room, a wooden door, two windows, a bed, and a small room with a toilet inside. A couple days...Oh please...I gotta find a way to get out of here... Axis thought to himself. He looked out the barred window in the back of the room, the sun was setting.

After about an hour and a half of planning, the night had risen, and guards began walking through the hallways of the building. Molokus found this as an opportunity, No one awake except for the guards, I should be in the clear. he thought to himself.

He examined the door carefully, it wasn’t a very hard wood, and he noticed a golden circle on the door, That must be where the deadbolt is...

He examined the plate closely, then backed a few feet back, he raised his leg, and with another front-snap kick, threw the door off its hinges. He looked down the hallway, nopony was there.

He picked up the door, and placed it where it was, then slowly began creeping down the hall. He noticed a small grey box, a black object inside. He squinted, and the title made him want to jump for joy.

TRANQUILIZER GUN

He examined the box, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then punched the box, the door fell off, and a handgun sat in front of him, a suppressor, and two large magazines, he took the gun, and stowed one clip inside his vest, the other one he loaded inside of the weapon. He also noticed the distinctive words “Vamyana
morokova devinsoyana”, For use on erratic patients only.

A flash came dangerously close to him, he looked at the gun. Well...looks like it’s time to put this thing to work. he thought. He cocked the gun, then pointed it at the guard.

“Wha-...? Who goes ther-” he tried yelling, Molokus pulled the trigger, and a loud “PMF” erupted as a dart flew across the hallway, and hit the guard in the neck, he fell over. Axis walked over to him and lightly jabbed him with the muzzle of the gun, he didn’t move.

The soldier smiled, he walked over to the body and picked him up, he carried him, and placed him in Axis’s room. He looked at the sign in front of him when he turned around: ROOMS 15-25. He walked through the corridor, and found what he was looking for.

The door was locked, Molokus was about to rip it off the door. He saw Rarity sitting on the bed, and he tapped on the window. The mare woke up, she looked at the creature tapping on the glass, and smiled.

He kept on mouthing to her “Rarity...get out of the way!”, eventually, she acknowledged, and cleared the way for the door. Axis raised his foot, and forced it down on the deadbolt, the door was torn off its hinges and hit the wall with a thud.

“Axis! Oh thank Celestia, you made it!” Rarity exclaimed. He smiled, and he took the straight-jacket off her body, and magic-blocker off her horn. “Come on. We need to find a way to get out of here.”

Molokus and Rarity paced through the hallway, most of the guards he managed to avoid. A single guard, however, was about to scream when another dart impacted his throat, injecting the sedative into his jugular vein.

The two eventually ran out the back, and in front of them was a large, blue helicopter. Axis smiled, but Rarity frowned.

“Axis...do you even know how to fly this thing?” she asked worryingly.

“Don’t worry...I flew a 15 million bit gunship for five years, how hard can it be?”

Rarity was confused by the statement, What? How come I never knew about this?

Axis jumped into the helicopter, and flicked a view switches. The engines came to life, and the rotor blades began spinning. Eventually a light came on.

“Shit!” Axis swore under his breath, before he knew it, a pony was in the back, staring at them.

She screamed “THIEF!”

Two guards came rushing out, both of them with the cusp of their horns emitting black and white clouds of magic.

“Axis! How much longer until we can TAKE OFF?!” Rarity screamed.

“I just need a minute or two...it’s not like it starts by magic!” he replied.

Eventually, the slow turning became a hard beating, and the helicopter began to slowly lift off the ground.

“STOP THIEF!” one of the guards yelled. Molokus shrugged it off, they were already several feet off the ground.

One of the guards shot a bolt of magic, hitting the underside, the helicopter began to shake violently.

“AXIS! WE NEED TO GO...NOW!” the fashionista screamed again.

Eventually, Molokus was in full control of the helicopter, It’s just like flying a Prowler...just a little bit smaller...how hard can this be? he thought to himself. He pulled the stick back, the tail almost smacked into the ground.

Okay...it isn’t too much like flying a Prowler...

He eventually managed to lift off, he pushed the stick forward, and the giant vehicle began to teeter forward. Eventually, bolts of magic shot up like flak, passing the helicopter left and right. Rarity started screaming in fright.

“It’s gonna be okay, I...just...need to get this to...Twilight’s house!” Axis yelled over the beating of the blades. They were now heading towards the library at full speed, Axis could hear the screams of ponies as the helicopter flew low over Ponyville, narrowly missing buildings.

Twilight was sitting on the balcony, in front of her was a massive tome labeled “Starswirl the Bearded: His True Secrets”. But her concentration was ruined, she yelled in annoyance as a massive whirlwind threw her several pages back, losing her place.

“Ugh...what could that be?” she asked herself, the lavender unicorn jumped in fear as she saw what sat in front of her. A massive white-and-blue, plane-like object, its rotor blades beating fiercely, sitting inside of the tinted cockpit: A tall, cyan creature, a white unicorn sitting next to him.

Twilight jumped again as a clawed hand stuck out the side, pointing downwards. She nodded weakly, then ran out the front of the library, sitting next to the tree, a behemoth among helicopters, Axis and Rarity stepped out.

“A-Axis...you’re back! And you brought...Rarity?...But...how?”

“Let us inside, and I’ll explain to you the whole thing.

“Axis...Do you realize what you’ve done?!” the librarian screamed.

“Yes...I know...” he replied.

“No Axis...I kind of got over the thing with Rainbow Dash possibly having to destroy the Nightowl....But breaking Rarity out of the hospital as well as yourself? Stealing a ten million bit helicopter? Tranquilizing two guards? Damage to public property? Not to mention assault....Axis...you could go to prison for years for this!”

“That’s why I’m staying here....”

“Ugh...You’re not getting the point! I-”

“No Twilight, I do get the point! Okay? I’m doing this to save three million lives, and keeping Equestria’s social order from hitting the wall!”

“But...no offence...why did you break Rarity out? Hm?”

“Because I-....I-...I-”

“Yeah?”

“I love her!”

Twilight stared at him, stunned, Molokus backed away with Rarity, his blue cheeks a furious shade of red.

“And...I feel the same, Twilight.” Rarity intervened.

The unicorn looked at the two for a moment. Her jaw hung loose, “I...I don’t know what to say...”

“Look...I visited her in the hospital...and...well...” Molokus proceeded to discuss about them meeting, the sudden ambush Rarity sprung, and the next couple of hours that ensued.

“So...this is serious...this isn’t a prank...right?”

The began in unison, “No...this isn’t a prank.”

Twilight Sparkle slumped into a chair, “I-...I don’t know what to say...”

“Darling...just because the two of us our in a relationship won’t affect anything...plus...I’ve been feeling so much better after all we’ve been through!” she said with a small smile.

“I just...I don’t know how this will work...”

“It will Twilight, trust me...” Axis said.

“Well...that’s not the problem, it’s age that worries me. I mean...you’re 37 years old, Rarity’s only 25, unless I’m wrong, that’s a 12 year difference.”

“Why does age matter, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“It’s just...It’s just...It’s just...”

“There’s nothing wrong with it, Twilight, it just means I’m a bit older than her.” Axis replied.

“A BIT?! A BIT?! Axis, you’re 12 BUCKING YEARS OLDER THAN HER!”

“Case in point? Princess Celestia is...what? 1700 years old? She still hits on pretty much everypony that she sees...”

“Darling, just drop the subject...we need to talk to Rainbow Dash, too...so we need to go.” Rarity said.

“I DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT, RARITY!”

“You don’t care about three million ponies getting killed?” Axis asked.

“Oh...how do you even know when this thing takes off?” the angered mare asked.

“Well...The Union would want to do it as soon as possible, and a strategic strike is usually done about an hour or two before dawn. Mostly for the sake of keeping the element for surprise.”

“Right...but...do we even know what we’re up against?”

“A plane carrying a nuke...and two heavily armed fighter-escorts.”

“How good are these fighter planes?”

“Only one per-...pony to ask.”

The three walked out of the library until they reached the parked helicopter. Axis got in, and donned the headset. Rarity sat next to him and Twilight in the back, he looked at her with a smile. “Ever flown in a helicopter, Twilight?”

After flying for a while, they had finally reached the cloud house. Molokus landed the helicopter, and Twilight Sparkle and Rarity got out to see their rainbow-maned friend staring at them with disbelief.

“How did you get your hooves on that, Axis?” Rainbow asked when she meet them in front of the helicopter. “Can’t explain right now, we have a very serious problem on our h-”

“And you brought Rarity, too? I thought she was still in the hospita-”

“Rainbow Dash, you need to listen, I-”

“Oh, did you br-”

“RAINBOW! SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN TO ME!”

The pegasus backed away, “Woah, chill out, man.”

Axis was enraged, “Oh...I’ll ‘chill out’ after you destroy the NC-1! Capeesh?!”

“Fine...geez...”

Rainbow let the rainbow-pathway down, and the four of them walked up it until they reached the front of the castle. They walked in, and sitting in the den was four ponies.

“Axis! Boy, it sure has been a mighty lon’ time since we saw ya’. And...Rarity? What’re you doin’ here, sugarcube?” Applejack said with a smile.

“Something I can explain to everyone later, look, we need everypony’s cooperation, the NC-1 could take off in only a few hours, and-”

Axis was cut off as the earth-pony asked “The NC-1? Now what in tarnation is that?”

Molokus proceeded to explain the Nightowl, and the Union’s plan with it once it’s finished. He also explained that Rainbow Dash would be the major contributor in this, and Applejack immediately denied.

“Now...Ah don’t usually question somepony’s request...but that’s just far to dangerous, even for somepony like Rainbow Dash to handle!”

“Applejack....” Rainbow began, “It’s fine...”

“But...Rainbow...ya’ll can get killed!”

“Don’t worry,” Axis stated “It’ll be fine.”

“Alright...but...what do we even know what we’re up against.”

“The only time we’ll find out is tomorrow...Come on, we need to get to the helicopter...now.”