It was a beautiful winter day in Ponyville. The sun rested behind the fluffy clouds above, and an icy blanket coated the ground below. Between them was a breeze that brought the smells of hot chocolate and baked goods through the streets. A chill clung to it with malice, gnawing at the ears of foals and the faces of street vendors until they were raw. The days were short, and the nights long. So was the season of Winter in Equestria

Promises of presents and games were made to foals in trade for their good behavior. Colts and Fillies scribbled their wishes on parchment, setting them next to glasses of cold milk and cookies, appealing to their idols in the hopes of receiving gifts. Parents hung socks over the blazing fires as the children watched eagerly, fantasies of toys and candy filling their heads. Meanwhile, the heat of the kitchen made the mothers sweat. Gingerbread cookies burnt inside ovens, dinner boiled on the stovetop, and warm drinks sat on the table in waiting. The fathers set up their Warming Trees for the little colts and fillies to decorate, cursed at the broken lights that hung from the houses, and herded their foals indoors as noses began to run. Families sat down for dinner to the sound of festive music.

The young ones not already within the warm confines of their homes were instead playing outside. Puffs of white powder would spring into the air as they leapt from snow pile to snow pile, other children taking cover behind makeshift forts to avoid the volley of snowballs. Unicorn colts used their magical advantage to topple snow from burdened trees onto their Earth pony opponents. Snowponies guarded the entrances of homes, surrounded by impressions on the ground where the young ponies had made their snow-angels. The laughter of these foals joined in with countless others as they all enjoyed the snowy day bestowed upon them.

Farther into town, carts lined the streets as the vendors displayed their wares as best they could to the bustling mass of ponies. Baked pies and cakes let their scents waft through the street. Toys lay scattered on the ground where they had been sampled. Jewelry hung from racks as they drank in the attention. Blankets draped over stalls with snow collecting on their surface. The crowd of ponies seemed to stretch from one end of town to the other, presents and other seasonally appropriate objects floating along the sea of equines.

Those unburdened by children, and instead by work, shoveled piles of snow off the weathered roads. They did not smile. They did not talk. For the wonders of Winter were not known to these stallions and mares. Even the ponies that bid them good day were shooed away by the busy bodies. Friendship had no place in their hearts. Still, their relentless efforts made it possible for other busy ponies to make it to work on time. Vendors could set up their shops. Carriages could pass through unhindered. Despite their misanthropic nature, they were an asset to the community.

All of this reminded the denizens of Ponyville that Hearth’s Warming Day was drawing closer and closer.

A beaming smile on her face, Rainbow Dash watched all of this as it passed by her window. She could hear the delightful squeals of the foals over the hum of the car's engine and began to think of her own time as a child. The older she got, the more she was depressed the Winter season. As a young filly it was a time of great joy and excitement, presents tucked neatly under trees and bags of candy laying with their contents spread across the table. Now she was older. Her time during Hearth's Warming was spent tending to the clouds; making sure that the right amount of snow fell on the town. Too little? Overtime at the weather factory. Too much? Late nights shoveling snow. It was tedious, boring, and worst of all took time away from Dash that could be spent with her friends.

So it came as no surprise that when Rainbow Dash received an invitation to the annual Wonderbolts' Hearth's Warming Eve Party, she jumped at the chance. Besides being an escape from her less-than-exciting job, she'd get to reunited with her role models after their last meeting.

Rainbow had one thing holding her back, though. She had spent Hearth's Warming with her friends every year. Whether it be decorating Pinkie's tree with absurd ornaments, racing against AppleJack through the snowy orchard, helping Fluttershy with hibernating animals, assisting Twilight in her umpteenth reorganizing ritual, and (reluctantly) modeling for Rarity’s winter fashion line, she had always enjoyed the winter holiday with the ponies she held dear.

Rainbow was both surprised and immensely relieved with her friends' reactions. They urged her to attend, Rarity even admitting jealousy. After all, only a select number of ponies were chosen to go. Why waste an opportunity like this? The weather factory was surprising lax about it as well. She wouldn't question that, though. Any chance to escape the odors of rainbow dye and the shouting of the overseers was one she would not pass up.

Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her suitcase as the car bounced. A copy of the latest Daring Do novel launched out of her lap and clattered to the floor. The entire vehicle shook as it landed its wheels back onto solid ground. The stallion at the head of the limousine quickly apologized. "These country roads aren't my forte," he grumbled, regaining control of the car. Dash only smiled and retrieved her book. She was too preoccupied with her fantasies to be upset with the driver.

To think. Her! With the Wonderbolts! It was, quite literally, a dream come true. As a tiny foal she had idolized the flyers. Their bravery! Their skill! Amazing! Astounding! She would never forget seeing them for the first time: blue blurs that raced across the sky at incredible speeds, their lightning contrails striking against the clouds. The sound of thunder ripping through the air as they swooped and dived over the crowd. They weren’t just flyers. They were legends

Rainbow Dash hugged her book tightly to her chest, letting out a squeal of delight. She could hardly wait! She hastily asked her driver how long they’d be.

"About... Oh... 2 or 3 hours," the limo driver grumbled, addressing the question with little enthusiasm.

Rainbow felt herself slump. "3... hours?" she asked, heartbroken.

"Mm-hmm"

She groaned and threw her head back against the seat. 3 hours? Dash lived in seconds. Sometimes in minutes. But whole hours? If impatience was a virtue, then it would be her element. A huff of air escaped her snout. For a while she just sat there, staring at the ceiling light until her eyes began to protest.

In a desperate attempt to distract herself, Dash looked about the cabin. All traveling expenses were to be covered by the Wonderbolts, which was a relief to the young weather pony. Her job at the weather factory did not support frivolous spending. Much less a luxurious limo ride to an up-scale Las Pegasus building.

Taking a Colt-a-Cola from the icebox, Rainbow admired the interior of the vehicle. The color scheme reflected the Wonderbolts themselves: 2 bright shades of blue carpeting the floor with a yellow band bordering the base of the seats and doors. In the center was the Wonderbolt’s logo itself, the winged lightningbolt brightened with strategically placed ceiling lights. It was nothing grandeur, but at the same time Rainbow felt her heart leap around her chest every time she looked down.

Dash took a drink from her can, relaxing into the sofa. Maybe 3 hours wasn't that bad. She let out a yawn. She had been eagerly anticipating this day, and had lost a great deal of sleep over it. Nights were spent tossing and turning in bed, thoughts wrestling each other for dominance. With her eyelids heavy and her seat so comfortable, it was only a matter of time before she fell asleep. She closed her eyes and thought of the wonderbolts, unconsciousness gently embracing her mind.

Dash waltzed across the dance floor. The world around her was obscured in bright lights, colors drifting across her peripheral like a dream. Wrapped in her embrace was a handsome stallion suited in typical Wonderbolt attire. Dash couldn’t identify the stallion through his dark goggles, but it didn't bother her much. She just enjoyed the warmth of their proximity, her idol’s body wrapped around hers. Blush flowed freely to Rainbow’s cheeks. This was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Dash had only ever dreamed of something like this.

The two ponies swept across the vacant dream-scape, soft music pouring from an unknown place. Everything felt so... perfect. All worries evaporated from her mind. Happiness flooded her. What could be better than this? Dash let out a girly squeal, one not usually in her nature. She would make a special exception.

Resting her head against the stallion’s chest, Dash watched the spinning scenery. They were inside a large ballroom. Chairs of gold and velvet lined the walls, silk curtains hung over large windows, and the marble dancefloor spun on a mechanical turntable. It was luxurious. Rainbow Dash was not one who enjoyed fancy shmacy settings, but she could not doubt that this locale was more than enough to quench her fantasies.

Was this what it was like to be truly in love?

“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” the stallion whispered, pulling her closer.

“Oh, Soarin...” Dash replied, drawing upon the first name she could remember.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” he said again, bringing them to a stop.

“Oh, Soarin.” He lifted her head to the handsome stallion, their snouts inches apart.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash,” the Wonderbolt breathed, drawing closer.

“Oh, Soarin.” She closed her eyes, readying herself for the kiss.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey, kid. We’re almost there.”

Dash opened her eyes and stared at the aged, withering features of the limo driver.

The pegasus was thrown back into reality. The fantasy world around her reasserted itself as the limo interior. Her arms were wrapped not around her dream stallion, but around the thick book. A bright flash of red shot across her cheeks. To her relief, the driver had not taken notice of her.

A flash of light brought attention to the window. Rain obscured most of the glass, but what little view was granted to her was more than enough to satisfy her curiosity.

The streets of Las Pegasus were as bright as a summer's day. The neon glow of the city seemed surreal, painted with masterful strokes upon a canvas. Like somepony had drawn it in glitter. Each drop of rain was coated with a rainbow of colors. Puddles of water looked like pools of magic. The wet street looked like they were carved out of the night sky, the tiny potholes filled with stardust and comets erupting upwards as ponies splashed through. Mechanical carriages lined the sides of the road like horses outside a saloon, waiting for their owners to finish their business inside.

Rainbow Dash could hardly breath.

Light poured from the shops and onto the sidewalks, tempting passersby to enter. Magical glow leaked through the doors of pubs and clubs, the glistening aura of unicorn power all too noticeable. Large screens occupied the tallest of buildings, broadcasting the news and making her want to buy stuff she normally wouldn't even consider.

Turning her gaze farther upwards, the mystified Pegasus watched as towers of steel stretched up into the sky until they punctured the rain clouds above. So dominating in their presence, the rest of the city seemed to cower beneath them. They were monstrous obelisks of metal and glass that reflected the city lights below and sent them out into the night sky. They watched over the ponies below and protected them from any harm that might befall them.

Noise came from every direction. Music came from nearly every single open door and shook the limo with vigor. She could feel the heavy bass, the honking and screeching of cars creating a chaotic orchestra of cacophony. Ponies shouted to one another over the roar of the city, their voices drowning in the sea of sound.

Dash loved every bit of it. The dazzle! The scale! The... Awesomeness! It was a page out of a fairy tale. It couldn't exist. Yet... here it was!

Rainbow Dash stared out the window, her eyes sparkling with wonder. The star struck mare had her face pressed against the glass like a filly at a toy store. There was so much to look at, so much to see! Ponyville felt dreadfully small in comparison.

As the car turned a corner, another building came into view. Perched atop one of the tallest towers was an oversized horseshoe. It extended off the roof of the skyscraper and made the building look somewhat smaller. SaddleBack Bank. One of the most successful banks this side of Las Pegasus. At least, from Rarity's account. Its body looked like a really tall temple, oddly enough.

Dash scrambled to the front of the cabin to keep the building in view. The driver looked back with an amused expression. "Tourists..." he mumbled. As the tower drew closer and closer, Rainbow Dash felt her heart speed up. Butterflies fluttered about in her stomach, tickling the edges of her belly so that she squirmed. Wide pupils filled her star-struck eyes and made her look she had two huge saucers for eyes.

Her mind grew dim then. The memory of leaving the limousine and donning her dress having faded from her mind. Before she knew it, Rainbow was riding the elevator up to the party, the noises of the lift almost inaudible to her in such a dazed state. Her rosy eyes looked at the digital numbers.

Ding. 27.

Deep breaths, she told herself. Don’t want to look like an idiot in front of her role models.

Ding. 28.

In through the nose. Out through the mouth.

Ding. 29.

Oh goddess, this was actually happening. This was real!

Ding. 30.

The doors slid open. The Ponyville Pegasus let her jaw fall.

Dash's eyes first fell upon the large statue situated in the center of the room. It was of a stallion, his colors replaced with bronze, with his right foreleg tucked underneath his chest and the chiseled chin held high in the air. His mane was sleek and businesslike, and a wide smile lay on his lips. He stood on a pedestal of rocks that cascaded water down into small pools below. Beautiful flora decorated the brief, grassy area that encompassed the entire centerpiece. It was beautiful, a symbol of pure power. All around the room were smaller statues of other ponies, all in very picturesque poses.

The second thing the filly saw was the massive number of colorful ponies that crowded the room. Granted, it was a big room... but there were ALOT of ponies.

Mares in gorgeous dresses. Stallions in dashing suits. Their many conversations blurred into a loud hum that reverberated throughout the room. The smell of expensive wine graced Rainbow's nostrils. Sweet and tantalizing scents drew the weather pony’s attention to the Hearth’s Warming treats laid out nicely on the buffet table. There was so much energy in the room that Dash's heart began to beat even faster. Not out of fear. But of excitement.

While this gathering was much more contained and organized in contrast to the Young Flyer’s Competition, it certainly matched in excitement. Dash could not focus on one conversation long enough to even know what was going on.

“... like a little colt!”

“... in a little champagne? It’s come...”

“... NO! Really?! Are you...”

"... work. We’re getting by fine...”

Rainbow’s head spun. Too much information was trying to shove its way into her head. Ripping her attention from the headache-inducing noise she noticed that Warming Trees were tucked into corners around the room. The ornaments nothing spectacular, but added to the atmosphere nonetheless. Strung across the ceiling were several red and green lights, holly wrapped around several segments in a very festive fashion. Rainbow swore she saw mistletoe somewhere in there.

“Hey! It’s Rainbow Dash!”

Dash spun to face Spitfire. At first, she did not recognize the flame-haired Pegasus out of her flying suit. She was dressed in an inferno. Fire lashed up her hooves. Embers coated her back. Flames flooded from her like a cloak. It wasn’t until the shock wore off that Rainbow Dash realized it was just an outfit, and that the flames were merely fabric. Still riding the adrenaline high, Rainbow responded with brash confidence.

“The one and only!” She gave the captain a heroic pose.

She gave a small chuckle. “Hey, sorry about the Gala. Shame we didn’t get to talk more.”

“Naw, that’s okay. I don’t hold it against ya,” Rainbow said, waving a hoof.

Spitfire smiled and flagged down one of the many butlers roaming the party. Hoofing Rainbow a glass of red wine off the tray, Spitfire took a sip of her own. Another pony joined the conversation and, with a red face, Rainbow noticed that it was Soarin, the stallion in her dream.

Wanting to avoid his gaze, the young adult Pegasus looked down at the alcohol. Dash was reminded of blood by the color and thickness. It smelled something fierce, and there was a burning sensation creeping up the back of her throat as the aroma made its way inside. She dared a glance up towards her idol. She stared back with a confused look about her.

Not wanting to look lame in front of her role models, Dash took in a mouthful of the red liquid and swallowed. She forced a smile onto her face, but it didn’t last long. The Pegasus’ eyes went wide.

Fire scorched her throat, a raging inferno tearing down into her stomach. Pain was exploding from deep within her chest and tears began to escape through her eyes. It felt like a match had been struck against her mouth, and then drowned with gasoline. The vile taste stained her tongue.

Soarin let out an obnoxious laugh, bringing the attention of some nearby party guests. Before long he was lying on the carpet with a face redder than an apple. Spitfire just shook her head and watched her wingmate with mock stern.

“Oh man,” Soarin said after his laughing fit had ended. “It’s been way too long, Rainbow. I don’t remember you being this fun!”

Rainbow Dash let her eyelids fall to half-mast, a scowl tearing across her lips. Now that the alcohol had run its course, the filly flyer was back in control again. And she was pissed. It was one thing to be teased. It was another to be teased in front of her childhood idol. It was something else entirely to be teased by her childhood idol.

“Don’t mind him, Rainbow. He’s just had a few too many. Here, let me introduce you to somepony,”

The flame-colored Pegasus pushed past the Soarin and led her through the crowd of ponies . Rainbow Dash tried to take in all the brilliant dresses that flashed before her eyes, but they seemed to be moving so quickly that she didn’t have time to even admire them. No wonder Rarity was so jealous. It was like a candy store of gowns.

After pushing through a rather obnoxious crowd of stallions, the two managed to reach the other side of the room. Again, Rainbow was shocked.

The entire east side of the room gave way to a large window that stretched from one end of the wall to the other. From inside one could see over nearly the entire cityscape of Las Pegasus, the bright lights of the city like stars against the night sky. Had the rain not been so furious, the view would extend far beyond the limits of the city and into the surrounding countryside. Perhaps even to Ponyville.

A deep blue stallion stood near the window, staring out into the rain with a spaced-out look on his face. His wings, a pair of bright yellows, stuck out from his pitch black suit and his black hair (half-heartedly groomed) flowed down across the back of his collar. Aside from that, the only other notable things about him was that he had coattails hanging down over a cloud cutie-mark with bolts of electricity arcing through it, and the Wonderbolt’s symbol pinned to his chest.

“Rainbow, this is Thunder Bolt. He’s the Wonderbolt captain for Cloudsdale. He’s got quite a few years under his belt”

“I’m glad you could make it to the party. It’s an honor to have one of Ponyville’s greatest flyers with us tonight,” he said, turning and bowing towards the dazed filly.

The entire world seemed to stop.

A Wonderbolt’s captain. Had called her. The greatest flyer.

Gears spun freely in her head, not able to catch one another.

“Uhm… is she alright?”

Spitfire responded faster than Rainbow could. “She’s just a little overwhelmed.”

“Yeah...” Rainbow Dash squeaked.

Spitfire snickered through the corner of her mouth, turning back to the crowd of ponies. “I’m gonna go mingle some more. Don’t have too much fun without me,” she called back, disappearing into the chaos.

“And then there were two...” Thunder Bolt said, turning to face Rainbow Dash. He drew in a deep breath and let it out through his next sentence. “So... you’re the mare I’ve been hearing so much about. You’re the only thing my squad talks about nowadays.”

Rainbow just nodded her head, not able to fully comprehend the situation.

“I can’t blame them. Defeating Nightmare Moon, Discord, and that whole affair during the Royal Wedding. I’m surprised you aren’t a Wonderbolt already! Hah! Even the Royal Guard would be honored to have you in their ranks.”

Rainbow’s eyes lit up, awareness gripping her tightly. “Does that mean... that-”

“Well... no. I’d love to have you in my squad, but we’re full as it is. You’d have to talk to the head captain, Racing Stripe, about getting that all sorted out. Unfortunately he couldn’t make it to the party. Shame...”

He looked out towards the window again, contemplating for a bit before turning his gaze back to the completely derailed Pegasus.

“I wouldn’t be too worried though. After the attack on Canterlot, I’m sure the Wonderbolts are going to want to increase their presence there.” He tapped his hoof against his chin in thought.

Again, Rainbow just listened quietly, her stomach full of butterflies.

Thunder smiled sheepishly. “Eh… sorry. Ponies tell me I talk too much. To be honest, I’m not really all that interested in what you’ve done. I’m more interested in the pony behind all that heroism. Tell me, Miss Rainbow Dash, a little about yourself.” He had gotten close, close enough for Rainbow to feel his breath, and the heat of his body near her own. She nearly fainted.

“I... I’m just your run of the mill Pegasus, heh...”

Her attempts to be humble only resulted in a hearty laugh from the Cloudsdale Captain. Her rosy cheeks turned even brighter.

“I’d bet my bits against that!”

Again, the two ponies started closing distance between each other, electricity surging through Dash. His eyes were a deep, rich hue of baby blue, and his breath smelled like peppermint. They were so close, almost one. Just. A little. Further...

“Heeeey! Thunder!”

Thunder Bolt whipped his head up in alarm, his face contorted in fear. “Oh no...”

Another Pegasus trotted out from the crowd, his walk hindered by alcohol, and his head weakly supported on a noodly neck. He weaved back and forth towards his color-swapped brother, a glass of hard cider balanced precariously on his flank.

“Rainbow Dash... this is Lightning Bolt, my brother...” Thunder was very hesitant on introducing Dash to the drunken mess of his kin.

“Oh wow... hey you’re that filly from Ponyville right? Twilight Sparkle’s friend? I was there when her brother got married. Lot of shhhhhhhhhhit happened that day, hunh?”

“Lightning... How many drinks have you had?”

“One... bottle. Cmaaaaaaaan man. Lighten up, it’s a party!”

Rainbow Dash remained quiet, but a look of disgust had adorned her features.

“So, little missy...” the stench of bile and alcohol intruded Rainbow’s senses as he wrapped his arm around her and spoke right into her face. ”You’re the pony I’ve heard so much about. Maybe you can show my bro a thing or two. He’s not the first out of the starting gate, if you know what I mean.” He snorted a disgusting laugh.

“Yeah... sure...” she replied, pushing Lightning away from her.

“Don’t be like that, guuurl. How about you and I go somewhere a little more private so you can show me one of your... Sonic Rainbooms, hehehehehehehe?”

Dash bucked him in the face. The hit was hard enough to send him reeling back, the glass falling into the floor and the sound of broken glass merging with the sound of a cracked bone. Lightning fell back into a group of stallions in the middle of exchanging family photos.

“OW! YOU LITTLE BITCH!” he screamed, trying to hold back the blood that was flooding from his nose. “YOU HIT ME IN THE FUCKING FACE!” He tried to assault the filly, but was held back by several other party guests.

Rainbow just lifted her nose high and began trotting towards the bathroom with her integrity held high on her shoulders. The laughter of Thunder Bolt rang loudly over his brother’s drunken banter.

A delivery truck drove through the darkness, avoiding the bright lights of the city. It snuck under the veil of the night like a cat prowling through the woods. Its engine growled with the ferocity of a lion, piercing the relative silence of the street. A beam of light shone from the headlights, catching the rain in an almost angelic halo. One could easily mistake it as unicorn magic.

The diesel monster was accompanied by a single car, the tinted windows hiding the faces of several stallions inside. Its own approached was completely silenced by the heavy rainfall as it pounded against the convoy, again catching the light that shone from the car's lights.

Taking an exit off the main road, the Saddleback Tower came into full view. No other carriages rode with the carpool, and the path to the bank was linear.

"Do you have your invitation?" the stallion at the desk asked with a tired tone. He wanted nothing more than to go home. He had been sitting here since the party upstairs begun. If it weren't for them, he would be asleep right now. He was almost grateful when the tan car pulled in, as now he had something to do. His eyes still fell back to the small TV set up under the desk that played the latest rerun of “Saddle in the City”.

A pony with purple fur turned to his companion, the mohawk of blue hair whipping towards her. "I think I gave them to you before we got in the car"

The Pegasus with him began patting her dress, the gray of her coat blending in with the faded black of her evening gown. "I-I thought you had them," she said.

"No... I remember specifically handing them to you before we left."

"Well I don't have them. I’m positive that you had them," she said, stern growing in her voice.

"What do you mean you don't have them?!" the Unicorn was on the verge of shouting, his eyes narrowing at his mate.

"It means I don't have them!" the mare shot back.

The secretary was sitting upright now, silently enjoying the fight.

"You didn't think to make sure we had them before we got here? You had to wait until we're hundreds of miles away from home?!"

"Hey, don't get angry with me! You’re the one they want here! If it was so important to you, then you should have made sure we had them!"

"Don't blame this on me! You wanted to come, too!"

"What's going on?" asked the overweight security guard emerging from the security closet just behind the front desk.

The receptionist shrugged.

"You do this All. The. Time! So don't start pointing hooves at me!" The little Pegasus' grey hair shook with anger.

"Hey, hey, there's no need for this." The guard pushed into the conversation. With his largeness, it was an easy task.

The two ponies looked at him.

"I'm sure we can figure this out. Who was it that-"

Pft. Pft.

The bodies of the pitch black police pony and the beige receptionist slumped to the ground. Blood began to pool around them like ants gathering around a feast. A small hole in the center of their head marked their deaths.

The Mohawk pony blew away the smoke as it billowed from the end of his gun, removing the silencer as he did so. The small, grey Pegasus did the same. Even though she was hindered by the lack of magic, she performed the task efficiently and with obvious skill.

After storing the pistol back into his suit, the unicorn pulled out a black box and spoke into it. "Yo, Snake-Eyes! We got things up front," he said, leaping across the dead bodies and into the security room. Inside he found the main security terminal, and began giggling childishly at the keyboard. With a few rapid clicks, a window appeared to politely inform him that the buildings alarms had been deactivated.

"Haha! We are IN baby!" He reached over and pulled the feathered pony into a kiss.

In the parking lot below, the large truck rumbled through. Its growls echoed throughout the chamber to make a cacophony of machinery that only seemed to grow louder the deeper it delved. It was like a beast forcing itself into another animal's cave, intimidating out its original owner and taking it for itself.

When it reached the end of the passage the engine died, and the back of the truck opened with a scream of metal against metal to reveal several ponies armed with heavy guns. Leading them was a white pony with pitch black hair that fell to his shoulders.

Against the backdrop of the rough and tumble stallions piling out behind him, he looked pristine and businesslike, a suit among t-shirt. His features bore the scars of time and stress, years of history etched into each wrinkle and a lengthy tale behind his cold eyes. His gait was strong and powerful, each hoof coming down with the strength of a hammer, and with an unmatched finesse.

A green aura surrounded the black box hovering near his muzzle. He spoke slowly, with emphasis placed on every word like he were instructing someone to defuse a bomb. It was as if he were savoring each letter before it passed over his tongue. "Make sure you don’t lock down the elevators before we get the code.”

"You got it!" replied the cheery voice of the hacker from the box.

Rainbow Dash stared at herself in the mirror. With a sigh, she grabbed one of the hanging washcloths in her hoof and began cleaning the blood off her back hooves. It wasn't a lot, but the cold water soothed the pain. He had a hard head, that was for sure.

Returning her gaze to her reflection, the rainbow maned Pegasus thought of how to approach her new interest. It was him. He was her dream stallion. Rainbow Dash was not one for romance, but the Wonderbolts had always managed to bring out of side of her that she herself had never known.

Thunder Bolt… Rainbow Dash… the two names were like puzzle pieces. They fit into each other effortlessly. Like Romeo and Juliet. Rainbow splashed cold water onto her face.

“C’mon, Dash, you’re sounding like Rarity! Huff… alright. Just act cool. He already likes you… don’t do anything stupid. Just play it out. You got this. You’re Rainbow Dash,” she told herself, her hooves braced against either side of the sink. With a deep breath, she got back on all fours and headed for the door.

She hit her head on the ceiling when she heard the gunshots outside the bathroom. It was immediately followed by a mass cry of terror from the party guests, the sound of broken glass and toppled tables adding to the orchestra of chaos.

"Everypony!" the white stallion called out, his goons standing near him with their guns aimed towards the ceiling. Occasionally one would erupt to bring attention to the front. Unfortunately it only caused the chaos to grow.

The buffet table was overturned, its contents spread across the expensive carpet. Pools of juice bled from the shattered remains of punch bowls. Wine glasses were pounded into the ground by the flurry of hooves. For a solid minute the room was seized with pure panic.

"Everypony!" he repeated, the screams of the crowd now starting to die down. Ponies still knocked against the upturned pieces of furniture scattered across the room, and soft sobs came from cowering mounds of ponies. Many just watched the white earth pony with fearful curiosity, like the convicted waiting for the jury's response.

When all had fallen silent, the head pony continued.

"I regret to inform you that tonight's... Festivities..." His eyes scanned the cowering mass of ponies, the gaze of a hunter looking for its prey. "... have been postponed... indefinitely. I ask all of you to remain calm. Just follow our orders, and no one will be harmed."

"What do you want from us?" Thunder asked, stepping forward.

The malicious, white unicorn turned his gaze slowly towards the blue Pegasus and blinked. It looked as if his eyes were freezing the world around him.

"As of now, it's not about 'what'..." He looked towards the crowd again. "But about 'whom' ".

Rainbow Dash cracked open the door just enough to watch as the head stallion walked towards the crowd. "I'm looking for a Mr. Pockets," he called across the room, his voice echoing against the silence as he raised his tone." Big Pockets? Owner and Founder of Saddleback Bank incorporated?" He looked across the sea of ponies with small, intent eyes. They shot invisible daggers into the guests. "Born and raised in Neighjing? Son of Shallow Sums and Family Jewels?"

He moved with the pace of a turtle, putting a strange emphasis on each step. They were precise. Each one seeming to have a great deal of importance.

"No? How about you?" He lifted the chin of a nearby mare with his hoof. "Care to tell me where he's hiding?" the mare remained silent, and soon the stallion lost interest. He turned to another pony, inches away from his snout. "Come now, we don't want anyone getting hurt, do we?" Almost as if in queue, one of the goon ponies lowered the gun towards the party-guest.

Cries of terror came from the crowd as they all tried to move away from the danger and simultaneous avoid the other weaponized ponies that were keeping them captive.

"Stop!"

A voice rang out from the crowd, bringing all the attention towards the yellow unicorn pony whose round glasses caught an odd glow from the lights. "I am Mr. Pockets," he said steadily, the foreign accent suggesting an eastern dialect.

The mob boss let his eyebrows rise. A skin-chilling smile spread across his lips. "Ah yes. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Pockets. Now... If you would please accompany me to your office, I'd like to discuss a few things with you."

Deep Pockets looked at the stallion with eyes of burning hatred. With a great deal of reluctance, he followed him towards the elevator as his wife began to sob quietly into the arms of a stranger. Rainbow watched anxiously as the two disappeared into her blind spot. She was able to see them as she opened the door further, but soon realized this was a huge mistake.

A burly, brown earth pony saw the young Pegasus through the crack in the door, and immediately made a beeline towards the bathrooms. The features that appeared on her face betrayed fear of the highest caliber. No doubt seeing an oversized pony like himself would send terror through even the bravest of souls.

He moved with the gracefulness of a bulldozer, plowing through the crowd of ponies and straight towards the bathrooms. One could easily believe that he intended to make his own entrance, rather than use the door.

He did end up using the proper portal, but little was left of it when he made his entrance. The splinters of wood flew across the bathroom like flying daggers and embedded themselves into the walls. To his surprise, there was no one on the other side to receive his attack. He was greeted instead with silence.

Not caring to be stealthy, the goon clomped over to each individual stall and bucked them in, the ornate wood doors of the luxury bathroom becoming sawdust under his hooves.

WHAM! The first door was kicked in and an explosion of wood followed it.

WHAM! The second door was kicked in and a flurry of wooden shrapnel filled the small cubby.

WHAM! The third came off its hinges completely.

WHAM! The fourth was accompanied by a scream as the cyan pony hiding in the stall was pierced by the wood projectiles. A chunk of the door had managed to hit her in the head as well, and the mare found the world to critically out of focus. Blood began to stain her dress, the colors of the fabric stained with red.

Before she could even collect herself, the Earth pony grasped her dress in his teeth and drug her, flailing, out of the bathroom. At one point she managed to break free of his grasp and used a large piece of door to strike him against the head. This only made him mad. In turn, the brown behemoth flung an oversized hoof at her and sent her flying across the room. She hit the wall so hard that the vent above shook.

She didn't give much of a fight after that. She was far too outmatched.

Rainbow Dash watched on unbearably. She knew she could have done nothing to help the pony, seeing as how she was already secure within the confines of the ventilation ducts. Still, she couldn't help but hate herself a little for allowing the other pony to be her scapegoat. Rainbow hadn't even known that there was anypony else in there with her.

The rainbow racer crawled backwards through the metal tunnel with great haste. She had to make it to the police. She had to get help.

She shimmed frantically in the small space until she reached a fork in the road. She began to head right, towards one of the unoccupied offices. Once there, she'd be able to fly out through one of the windows to get help.

But then she stopped, her back legs still in the main shaft.

Rainbow's mind began to dissuade her from her current goal. She'd defeated the princess of the night, faced off against the lord of chaos, and banished the queen of the changelings. What were a couple of goons?

But the first two could have only be done with the Elements of Harmony, and she had little to do with the defeat of Queen Chrysalis. These things she ignored. Instead, she convinced herself that doing such a heroic feat would get her a spot in the Wonderbolts for sure.

With new confidence in tow, Dash made her way through the left vent shaft, towards the elevator.

Far below, the purple unicorn began tapping away at the computer console, one update after another appearing on-screen. The sound of hoof against plastic was loud in the small confines of the room. The relentless typing of the Unicorn made the alerts disappear as they came: lockdown alerts, shield status, phone line connections. Each one returned back into the virtual nether as he hacked his way deeper and deeper into the mainframe.

"How are things down there?" he asked the black box.

Even farther below him more ponies were hard at work.

"Nearly done. Just one more bundle of wires and we'll be heading back up."

The black box in his hoof beeped in conclusion.

"How much do you think's in there?" asked the full orange Pegasus. His partner sat hunched over a tangled mess of wires with an oversized knife clutched in his telekinetic grasp. "Ah reckon 'bout... Ehhh... 3 billion," the dusty brown pony slashed through the wires like knife through hot butter.

"Whoa... What are you gonna do with your share?"

"Get me a noice house by tha beach. Right onna water. Maybe get me a boat. I dunno. Have to see what boss says mai share is."

"Wouldn't we just split it evenly?"

"... I... Dunno. Boss ain't said yet."

"Why not?"

"Alright, look mate. I'd love to sit here an talk till the sun comes up, but I've got better things to do. You do to, if you want your share."

The rusted unicorn slid his knife back into his belt, a leather pouch sheathing it just above a cutie mark depicting gun-sights.

Rainbow Dash grunted and groaned as she crawled through the tight corridor of steel. Her dress was torn now, with holes worn into the fabric where her knees connected with the shaft. As of right now, she feared Rarity more than the gang. She'd probably kill her for ruining such an amazing dress. She'd have to think of a better excuse than "I had to crawl in some air ducts and fight off bad guys".

As she delved deeper and deeper, her dress becoming more and more tattered along the way, a voice could be heard along one of many routes.

"I know you're a reasonable man, Mr. Pockets. Let's try not to be so hostile"

"What is it that you people want? Company secrets? Are you government spies?"

Rainbow Dash watched silently through the duct grating, the face of the white stallion obscured by one of the bars that protected the vent. She could see Mr. Pocket’s terrified face, as well as the finely decorated office he sat in.

There was a pregnant pause.

"We are nothing more than ordinary ponies with ordinary needs. In this aspect we are very much alike, you and I. You need to keep this gun from firing at you, and I need the money in your vault."

Deep Pockets took a step back. "That's all this is about? Money?"

"When is it ever not?" the stallion nearly cooed.

"You're nothing but a bunch of lowlifes! Petty thieves!"

The door to the office opened, revealing the two ponies from below. "Whatid we miss?" questioned the unicorn.

The head pony did not respond to him, his focus locked onto Deep Pockets.

His words were slow, precise, and deadly. They dripped with venom. Rainbow shivered.

"I'm going to count to three. There will not be a four. Give me the code to the vault."

"You're insane"

"One"

Mr. Pockets said nothing, watching the white stallion with a burning hatred in his eyes.

"Two." His voice grew louder. He was obviously very aggravated.

Again, nothing came from the business-pony.

"Th-"

"Go ahead! Kill me! The code will die with me as well!"

There was a long pause. The two ponies stared at each other for a long time.

"Okay". The mob boss lifted his foreleg high into the air and slammed it down, a gun unfolding from his suit and firing directly through Mr. Pocket's left eye and into the wall behind him. It took with it a large chunk of his brains.

After having just brought another pony's life to an end, he talked nonchalantly into the walkie talkie. "You can hack the code, right?"

"You ask me like I'm going to say no," chortled the pony on the receiving line.

Rainbow Dash felt like vomiting. She shuffled backwards as fast as she could, wanting nothing more than to escape. This was not a task she could overcome. Even the changelings hadn't killed ponies. They simply wanted to feed off love. The parasprites had devoured all of Ponyville, yet never once sunk their teeth into flesh. These ponies weren't bad guys... They were murderers!

Still in a state of mass panic, the disheveled Dash fell backwards out of the vents and into an office space still under massive construction. The skeleton of the room was only partially filled, pieces of drywall littering the floor and large canvases covering the open windows.

Pushing aside one of the plastic window-covers, she took to the air and raced away from the building. All she had to do was find the police. They could take care of the re-.

WHAM.

Rainbow Dash peeled her face off the invisible wall. "What in Equestria...". A magical shield. A goddamn magical shield. She was trapped. Trapped in with murderous ponies.

An alert flashed up on the security screen. "Hey, Severed? There's a shield disturbance near the 30th floor, east side."

"Severed" looked at his two henchmen and nodded towards the door.

"Aye got this one. Prolly just some hothead," said the rusted unicorn with iron sights for a cutiemark.
He trotted off quickly as the head mob pony sat down at Mr. Pocket’s desk. His hooves ran over the fine leather armrests and across the smooth oak table.

“A shame,” he said after a long breath. “He had such good taste”

"C'mon, c'mon!" The cyan Pegasus raced around the construction site for a working phone. All of them greeted her with the same tone, the beeping now playing in the elevator of her personal hell. “Horseapples!” she shouted, slamming the phone back on the table. Why was fate being so cruel? What had she done to deserve this?

And then she saw it, a lone cellular phone resting in one of the drawers. She snatched it up clumsily in her hooves and frantically tried to dial the three digit number.

“Brrriiing. Brrrrriiing. Briii- ca-click, Hell-”

“Oh thank Celestia! You guys have to help me! There’s...”

“ -and thank you for calling the Las Pegasus Police Center! This automated answering system will help us know how best to assist you!” came the soft voice of the recording.

Well, shit.

“If you are calling about a fire, or a potential fire hazard, please press 1”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me...” Rainbow Dash slammed her head against the table.

“If you are in an accident and need immediate medical assistance, please press 2”

Rainbow groaned.

“If you are calling about any other medical emergencies, please press 3”

“Come on! COME ON!”

“If you are calling about a break in, or attempted break in please press 4”

Rainbow almost crushed the phone trying to press it.

“You are calling about a break in, is this correct? Press 1 for yes, and 2 for no.”

She pressed it even harder.

“Thank you! We will now direct y- BEEP BEEP”

“What? No! NO! NONONONONO!” She shook the dead phone as if she could revive the battery by some miracle.

"Oy! What're you doin' here? How'd you get out?"

Frozen with fear, Dash stared at the mob pony. Out of the corners of her eyes, she scanned around for something to defend herself with. With instinct taking control of her body, she threw the phone towards the rusty unicorn. The air was immediately filled with bullets, the gun screaming at the Pegasus with intense rage. Rainbow quickly leapt behind a metal workbench. Bullets struck against the metal structure like hail against a carriage. Except a lot deadlier.

The wooden beams near dash that held the room together became splinters. She had a brief flashback to the bathrooms. Bits of wood flew every which way, small pieces striking against Dash to create a sensation not unlike being jabbed with hundreds of tiny needles.

The pounding of instant death against the barricade made the adrenaline in her veins turn to poison. Fire surged through her body like a serpent, lashing angrily at her body until she was weak with fear. She was going to die. No more flying. No more Rainbooms. No more friends. No more Wonderbolts. She was going to die.

No.

Strength flooded back. She was not going to let her life end like this. Not now. She would not succumb to death. The last chapter of her book would be a tremendous one. Not one that ended with her cowering behind a desk.

After what felt like an eternity, the firing stopped, and Dash took it as an opportunity to find new cover. Her previous shield was little more than scrap metal now. What the young flyer did not expect was to come face to face with her assailant. Instincts once again took hold of her and forced her forelegs to rise off the ground and plant themselves firmly on the stallion's chest.

In a satisfying display, the pony flew back through one of the few standing pieces of wall, the plywood and insulation crumbling on top of him. Debris formed a cloud over the wreckage of pony and building materials. With great haste, Rainbow leapt towards the plume of dust with an animalistic fervor. But the Aussie pony was ready for her.

He launched himself with an even greater force, knocking the both of them to the ground. Thus began a battle for dominance, each pony trying to gain the upper hand.

The unicorn had it first. He tried to pin the filly to the floor, her squirms and bucks not permitting him to do so. "Hold... Still!" He brought a hoof across her face, a loud SLAP filling the air. This only managed to anger Rainbow, and she proceeded to turn the tables.

She shifted her weight to the side so that the other pony was now below her. His attempts to knock her off were unsuccessful at first and the only thing he could manage to do was keep her out of hitting distance. She swung haphazardly at the stallion with little result, instead only making herself look like a fool. Having had enough, the thick-accented pony made his move once more, flipping them back into their original position.

"You little cunt! I'll teach you to mess with Iron Sights!"

Several heavy blows found themselves on Rainbow's face before her hooves could provide a weak guard. Blood began to pour from her now fractured nose and coated the two of them a sickly red. Blow after blow landed against the poor Pegasus, her energy draining with each punch. She could feel her forelegs giving way to his attacks, rapidly approaching their limit.

One after another the hits came. So painful. So damn painful. Everything began to hurt. Her body began to beg for release. But Dash would not give in. She would endure. Even as the hits grew harder, she pressed on. Each break between blows she tried to strike back. Rarely did she ever hit her target, but she did get a few lucky hits.

With all intentions set on performing a wondrous finale, Iron Sights raised his head high in the air, the machete at his side rising with him. The blade was covered in an orange aura, one identical to the glow around his horn.

Before he could begin his downward strike, Rainbow bucked hard at his chest.

CRRRACK!

Cries of pain echoed through the room alongside the sound of broken ribs. The weapon expert flipped backwards off Rainbow and landed on four wobbly hooves. Expecting to, instead, land on his back his senses were contorted. It took a long time for gravity to reassert itself, and pain already flooded him. All he could do was scream.

By the time that happened though, Rainbow Dash was charging at him with his assault rifle gripped in her hooves. With a mighty swing the unicorn stallion was sent farther back, pain exploding through his head.

Another swing, this time countered by his machete. Having successfully parried her attack, he proceeded to slash wildly at her. Closer and closer the blade swung until at last it found its way onto her stomach. It ripped the fabric of her fabulous dress with little to no effort. It did not reach deep below the skin, but blood did find its way through the wound.

She let out a cry of pure agony.

The unicorn did not cease his attack, and another slash fell upon the weapon. It spun out of her grasp, leaving her defenseless.

The filly collapsed to the floor with her hooves trying to hold back the small trickle of blood. Pitiful moans came from her muzzle and her cyan hooves turned scarlet. It seemed that the fight had been lost from here, and that her time had finally come.

"Enough! It's time we ended this little game!" Again, he performed a final strike, digging his machete deep into Rainbow.

Or at least, he would if she had not rolled out of his way. With a great display of agility, she spun on her haunches and swept his legs. He fell the the ground like a sack of bricks.

With her opponent incapacitated, Rainbow dashed towards the window and jumped through a small opening in the sheets. Iron Sights followed quickly with the rifle in magical tow and a spare magazine replaced the old one. He aimed out the window at the flying pony as she tried to weave out of his vision. Light filled the air and white streaks filled the sky around the airborne aerialist. The shield behind her rippled and pulsated with each shot. They came so close that the shots whispered its death threats into her ears.

She flew closer to the building, farther down than he could aim, but not farther than he could jump. Through sheer luck, the pony had managed to land on top of the Pegasus and ride her like a steed. His legs wrapped around her flanks and held himself fast to her body.

Rainbow's flight path shifted violently. The sudden weight made flying more difficult for her, and now the threat was much harder to defend against, seeing as her reach did not extend to her backside. She flew wildly, erratically, trying to get the enemy off her back.

The wind lashed at her face as they began to plummet with the combined weight. Her wings tried to catch the air flow, but could not keep the two aloft.

The hot metal of the gun pressed firmly against her head, and Dash almost touched death's hand. Power shot through her wings and launched them into a steep climb, the wind shear whipping the weapon out the jockey's hooves. Then he began punching her again.

Growing more and more furious with her rival, Dash spun so that her back was near the building. Still climbing, she grinded Iron Sights against the stone surface of the building, ignoring his screams of pain. His body was sandwiched between the filly and the wall, flakes of concrete chipping off as he was drug along them. Before long a red streak appeared on his back, the fur having been torn off.

Rough hooves wrapped around her neck. Air was now restricted to her lungs. Panicked, she began flailing away from the wall. They moved in a tight barrel roll that flew them straight into the next level of the construction where the rest of the plywood walls became rubble. Glass showered onto them as they entered the more complete area of the building. Shard lodged themselves mostly into Iron Sights, acting as a crude guard, but many pieces found their way past the already scrapped dress and into Rainbow.

More blood began to spill from the Pegasus. This was more pain than she was ever accustomed to. This was unbearable. She was almost pleased by the effects of her strangulation, making her lose feeling in much of her body.

Rainbow Dash ground to a halt against the concrete floor. Pain ripped through her wound and drew more blood as she left a streak across the ground. The unicorn tumbled off Dash and into a pile of chairs stacked against the wall that exploded upon contact. The stallion recovered quicker than Rainbow could and flung a chair at Dash with all his might, striking her entire body. She stumbled backwards towards a workbench covered in various tools.

The unicorn charged at her full speed and knocked her off her hooves and onto the table. A hammer came into his possession, and he began trying to strike Dash in the face. Each swing was swiftly dodged by the mare, but her body was now pinned down by his weight. She tried bucking again, but found that there was no room to maneuver.

So she squirmed and squirmed, until she was eye level with his pelvis. She made quick work of it.

Iron Sights let out a terrified screen as he felt his stallion-hood assaulted. The wind was sucked out of his lungs.

Acting quickly, Rainbow grabbed the nearest weapon she could find, and was pleased with her findings.

A large nail shot out the end of the gun, striking Iron Sights in the right foreleg. He fell to the ground with a ear-rending cry.

"You bitch! You shot me with a fuckin' nail!"

Another nail lodged itself in his hoof, this time nailing it to the floor. More and more came out as tears ran down Rainbow’s face. He only screamed louder. Blood began pouring out of his wounds by the gallons. With each shot she stepped closer to the mutilated body of her opponent.

Louder he screamed, until his cries pierced her ears. With a final shot, she nailed the back of his throat to the ground.

The nail gun fell to the floor, as did she.

The silence was only broken by the last, gurgling sounds the brown pony would ever make. He went limp, his body contorted into an awkward pose.

Rainbow’s chest heaved as her vision was stained with blood, her lips quivering as her eyes locked onto the corpse. Her hooves fell to her sides, small whimpers coming from her mouth.

She had just taken the life of another pony.

But... It was in self defense, right? It was either him or her.

Realization dawned upon Dash. Her mouth shut close, a gulp of saliva and blood racing down her dry throat. Her senses returned to full function. Her breathing started to level out. She was the only hope for the hostages below. Only she could save them from this fate.

It was then that Dash realized what she had to do. Rainbow looked down at the dead pony with a new passion burning in her eyes. She would do whatever it took to save the Wonderbolts and their party guests.

Or die trying.

Author's Note

Whew! This one's been in the works for a while. This was a story I wrote several years ago, but took down when I shut down my old FimFiction account. After some extremely heavy tweaking, I'm ready to release the story just in time for Christmas. My hope is to release the other 2 acts before or shortly after Christmas, but only time will tell. Hope you enjoy!

I should also note that this happens before much of the events in the 3rd season. So apologies if this doesn't make sense in line with the episodes already in canon.