Into the Mouth of Hell

The path of cloud underneath Rainbow Dash’s hooves sunk slightly with her every step as she walked slowly towards the Pegasi Corps recruiting station, Fluttershy in following. The building was not so magnificent by Cloudsdale standards, the only notable architecture being the classic Pegasopilan pillars around the door of the bland, blue, cloud-formed building.

They stopped in front of the door, Fluttershy turning to Rainbow Dash, giving her a melancholy look, her mane covering half of her face in pink.

“Rainbow, if you don’t mind me asking...before you leave...” Fluttershy spoke almost quieter than usual.

“Fluttershy, I have to go, it’s not that I really want to it’s just...my duty, y’know?” Rainbow replied, in a rather saddened, but stable tone.

There was a pause of a few seconds.

Fluttershy spoke first “But you don’t have to g-“

Fluttershy let out a surprised squee as Rainbow gave her a constricting hug. Fluttershy felt calmer in her arms, resting her head on Rainbow’s shoulder.

“Do you remember when we were just fillies?” she asked, not letting go.

“Yes...” Fluttershy whispered.

“I remember all too well, the day the first flight exams turned into a disaster, and everypony was making fun of me, Rainbow Crash this, Rainbow Crash that. Even the teachers thought my dreams of being the best flier in Equestria were stupid.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks went red as she meekly replied “I never made fun of you...”

Rainbow smiled.

“Exactly Fluttershy, no matter what, you always stood by me, you believed in me and well...you where just, awesome. Without you I never would’ve had the confidence to get this far,” Rainbow chuckled. “Even if you’re not the most confident yourself,” she added quietly in a joking tone.

Fluttershy couldn’t help smiling slightly, even if it could be considered an insult. She also couldn’t help tearing up a little, and looking to Rainbow she could see a few teardrops escaping from her eyes too.

“But Rainbow, you did the same for me, surely you haven’t forgotten that race have you?”

“How could I?” Rainbow replied cockily.

They both laughed at that, Rainbow Dash releasing Fluttershy from her embrace.

“Rainbow, before you go...” Fluttershy started before her question turned into near-silent mumbling.

“What?” Rainbow asked.

“How is this, your duty? I don’t understand.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Well, it’s what my Mom and Dad did, it’s what they...” Rainbow gulped. “...Died doing; I guess it’s in my blood. And what about Equestria? I don’t want our lifestyle destroyed!” she spoke with some anxiety. “And, well, we need all the help we can get. And I’m an element of harmony; does it not make sense to have me on the lines? Maybe that’s just...I dunno, me being cocky again.”

Fluttershy placed her wing on Rainbow Dash’s back.

“Just...come back alive, for all of us?” Fluttershy sniffled.

Rainbow walked forward, Fluttershy’s wing falling off her back. She raised her hoof to open the door in front of her, and then she turned to look back at Fluttershy giving her a bashful smile.

“I promise.”

Rainbow Dash pushed the doors open, entering the shining white room inside, seeing the various desks where Pegasi were already filling in forms to join up, and the bored officers sat behind the desks, wearing their golden armoured saddles.

She sat down in front of the desk of a brown-furred officer who was looking bored already; and so began the monotonous answering of questions and filling in of forms. Yet Rainbow’s mind was in another place completely.

She thought about how she had left her friends in Ponyville who couldn’t come with her to Cloudsdale.

She remembered Twilight’s shock. Twilight, even as an avid student of Princess Celestia, didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind the war; she seemed rather upset Rainbow was taking part in it.

She remembered Rarity’s worrying, she had acted completely melodramatic about the situation, failing to understand most of Rainbow’s reasons at all; but Rainbow knew it was just her motherly side. She’ll be fine once I’m gone.

She remembered Applejack’s understanding, hay, Applejack even said herself she would join the war effort if it meant the safety of her way of life, but she had a farm to run and a family to care for.

Pinkie Pie’s reaction was surprisingly depressing for a pony so often cheerful. She had cried and urged Rainbow to not leave. However, it wasn’t long until she got over it, and even gave Rainbow Dash a leaving party. Pinkie is Pinkie in the end after all.

However, there was still the common feel amongst the other five ponies. They were all incredibly saddened to see her leave, they had all asked her to stay (with the exception of Applejack, but not because she didn’t mind, more because she understood she could never stop Rainbow); but Rainbow Dash knew that this war was her place. Here and now.

Heh, cursed Loyalty, always getting in the way, Rainbow Dash thought to herself, trying to inject some humour into her rather drab and un-rainbow thoughts.

The officer handed took back the forms and looked through them, which took a surprisingly short time.  He slammed a blue stamp on the papers. Dash caught a glimpse of the stamp’s message.

APPROVED

“Well, Private Dash, welcome to the Pegasi Corps...”

***

It felt like, and probably was hours of being guided around from place to place; it wasn’t long until her, and the many pegasi recruits that had also been orderly following the officers , came into territories of sky they had never seen before.

Some of the pegasi were tired; one even nearly passed out, but was saved by an officer who gave the young pegasus a word of warning. Of course Rainbow wasn’t really listening, she just wanted to get wherever they were going; she found it hard to enjoy such an orderly flight.

Then Rainbow saw it.

The structure in the clouds reminded her of flight school. In the centre there were magnificent, elegant buildings of traditonal Pegasus design, pillars at the entrances. Around it she saw various obstacle courses (some very complex) and cloud paths going out for miles. Rainbow couldn’t help but be awed at such a complex existing so far away from Cloudsdale. She noted a sign on a cloud in front of the complex:

VIIITH PEGASI BATTALION

She found herself going with the rest of the pegasi as they all landed on a large stretch of flat cloud. A podium stood at the front, and there stood a stallion.

His coat was a drab grey colour, and his eyes brown. His mane was pure white; and as if he didn’t look old enough, he had a big curled moustache. Despite his age and the scars on his face, the stallion still looked strong and able. As if to match his mane, his armoured saddle was a polished ivory white, and he adorned a golden cape.  Rainbow also saw a white Chalcidian helmet under his arm, its hair crest as white and gold as all of his other pieces of attire.

Oh I know who this guy is...

“Greetings, recruits!” His voice was aggressive, deep and loud; he didn’t even need a microphone.

“I’m sure that most of you did not spend your time in Cloudsdale under a ROCK, and know that I am Commander Thunderstorm.”

How could I forget? Rainbow nearly planted her face in her hoof. I’ve spent too much time in Ponyville...

“You might be wondering why her Majesty has been so willing to let so many new recruits into my beloved forces...”

There was a short pause.

“Horse shit. Of course you know why. The clawed beasts to the East shall threaten us no longer!”

There was cheering for that line, and Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but join in. Not after we deal with 'em!

“Before we assign you to your platoons, privates, there are just a few things you should know about your foes. They may be larger, they may have those vicious talons, and they may have their hard, sharp beaks...but that is nothing, without the main ingredients. Courage! Relentlessness! The drive to succeed! I’ve seen a mouse bring down a cat and let me tell you privates, you have more fight in you than a mouse ever will!”

There was applause as his short speech ended.

He seems like a respectable guy, Rainbow thought. A tad over the top but…

what the hay, I hang out with Rarity all day, he isn’t over the top at all.

A whistle sounded, and everyone went silent again.

“You will be divided into your platoons according to your accomplishments, skills, employments, and traits! I hope you were telling the truth in those forms privates, or you’ll be in...Deep water,” the Commander said the last two words with a malicious smile on his face. Rainbow saw a few Pegasi shiver.

“If such a thing warrants, you can always ask for a transfer, but you’ll be causing us trouble,” Commander Thunderstorm grumbled.

“A few of you may be lucky enough to end up in Omega platoon, and have the incomprehendable joy of being led by me,” Thunderstorm’s cynical tone emphasized his sarcasm.  “That is, if you’ve got what it takes. Yes, Pegasi-who-lied-on-the-forms, I’m talking to you.”

A stallion next to Rainbow wobbled and fell over. She had to stop herself from laughing.

“Those designated to Phi maintenance platoon go behind Lieutenant Red,” he said, pointing to the left to an old red stallion in golden armour (the usual for officers) and a red hair crest atop of his Chalcidian helmet.

“Those designated to the Tau markspony platoon go behind Lieutenant Draw.” The Commander pointed to a thin, bored-looking green-coated pegasus mare, her helmet sporting a green hair crest to match her coat.

Rainbow heard him go through all of the ten platoons available. Most of the rest after Tau were just bog-standard and she doubted there was any real selection for them at all except ‘everypony else.’ Rainbow remembered dropping out of Flight School. More likely I’ll probably end up in one of those.

After he had finished, a yellow mare came to the podium and started calling out names in Alphabetical order. Rainbow thanked Celestia that ‘Dash’ was near the start.

“Private Abacus, Martha; Zeta platoon.”

“Private Amber, Al; Iota platoon.”

“Private Aura, Galliant; Omega platoon, Passing 100% on Flying school further education.”

“Private Aquamarine, Janie; Epsilon platoon.”

“Private Azure, Diamond; Tau platoon.”

This is taking a while…

But it wasn’t long until her name was getting closer.

“Private Cane, Sugar; Omicron platoon.”

“Private Cupcake, Magenta; Phi platoon.”

“Private Dash, Rainbow; Omega platoon, the harmonic element of Loyalty.”

Rainbow Dash’s mind went blank.

ME?! Wonder if Twilight pulled a few strings...

She was too distracted to hear some rather quiet ‘ooo’ing in the crowd.

I guess the whole saving Equestria twice thing finally counts for something!

She smirked smugly, taking her place behind Commander Thunderstorm.

***

All of the pegasi had finally put into their platoons. The last was a ‘Zanny Zonday’ who ended up in Theta.

The yellow mare who had been calling out the names looked tired; she took a jug of water, downing the whole thing. Calling out five-hundred names did not bode well for the throat.

Commander Thunderstorm turned to Rainbow and the rest of Omega. There was a mere ten ponies in this platoon, compared to the fifty seen in others. Makes sense if we’re supposedly ‘the best’ I guess.

Thunderstorm turned around and sighed.

“This is what they give me to work with...,” Rainbow heard him mutter under his breath. She was starting to wonder if she had misjudged the Commander.

“Well Omega, follow me in single file, we have a SHITLOAD of work to do!”

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Not so proud of this chapter, feel free to criticise so I can improve it.