Into the Mouth of Hell

AUTHOR'S NOTE: "B.D." means "Before the first fall of Discord and the reign of Luna and Celestia." "A.D." is it's 'after' equivalent.

___

More ponies had joined Omega platoon from other regiments; at this point it was fifty ponies strong, and all fifty of them were assembled in a line, Commander Thunderstorm pacing in front of them.

“You know why you’re here, you’ve got TALENT. But really, you have NOTHING!”

Thunderstorm went up to the face of a stallion as he shouted the last word. He seemed to shrink in the Commander’s stare.

“Here we will train you to fight like your great ancestors. All pegasi have a warrior hidden inside them, it runs in our very veins! You shall unleash it, for the glory of the Sun Princess Celestia!”

There was a long silence. Thunderstorm gave us an implying look.

“Well c’mon! Give us a neigh.”

The lined-up pegasi neighed rather dispassionately.

“Hmm...We’re going to have to work on that,” Thunderstorm said, looking off into a daze.

“Anyways privates, I know you’ve came a long way, and it’s nearly time to rest, which is EXACTLY why I’m making you run the course in full equipment! Gear up at the armoury; I expect to see you all in at least fifteen minutes; if not, run the course twice!”

Thunderstorm galloped out of the room, leaving the pegasi to groan as they trotted in the direction of the armoury rooms.

“Pfft, he’s a harsh one,” the mare next to Rainbow said, her Trottingham accent showing.

“I’m ...not sure how to judge him yet,” Rainbow replied, taking some time to note the mare walking beside her. She had a black coat and a ruby mane, its fringe slopping over one of her scarlet eyes rather than raising above it like Rainbow’s own mane. Her cutie mark was a pencil and a notebook.

“What do I call you then?”

“Onyx Scarlett, and I know you Miss Dash.”

“Miss Dash?” Rainbow nearly laughed. “What was that?”

“Um, Sorry,” Onyx looked flustered. “It’s a sense of habit, I...um...did some of my journalism on you,” she flushed a shade of beetroot.

“Am I really that big of a deal?”

Onyx sighed, and breathed in. “Rainbow; you saved the world twice, won the 2011 Best Young Fliers competition and performed a Sonic Rainboom for the first recorded time in front of thousands of witnesses. Do you honestly think you haven’t made an impact?” Onyx gave Rainbow a look somewhere in-between disapproval and confusion.

“Oh yeah, it’s all true!” Rainbow said, basking in her own glory.

Onyx facehoofed.

“Somehow you’re exactly how I expected you,” She replied flatly.

“So, what’d you do to get into Omega?” Rainbow asked.

Onyx looked away a little. “Some high success in further flight education, and apparently the journalism doctorate helps. Seems odd consi-“

“WOAH!”

They had just entered the armoury. The walls were lined with silver armoured saddles and helmets. The walls almost appeared to be glowing. Additionally there were black capes with a grey ‘Ω’ symbol on each of them to represent Omega platoon.

But what interested Rainbow were the weapon racks covered with all kinds of instruments of war. Kopis swords, round silver shields, spears, revolvers, bolt-action rifles...

“This is SO AWESOME!” Rainbow said, grabbing a Kopis and admiring the curved blade, turning it, watching the light dance off its edge.

Onyx shook her head.

“War is hell...,” she muttered under her breath, as she picked out a bolt action rifle and examined the loading mechanics.

***

The green grass felt soft under Twilight’s hooves as she trotted calmly though Ponyville, levitating a pile of scrolls in front of her.

“Awful lot of changes to the library recently, don’t ya think?” Spike said to Twilight, sitting on her back as usual.

“I know what you mean Spike, all this removing of books, all these NEW books,” Twilight looked up at the scrolls, glowing in her purple magic; lists of books required to be removed.

“Maybe the Equestrian Ministry of Arts are just cutting down on costs for the war, but it doesn’t matter, they haven’t taken anything important.”

“I don’t know about that...,” Spike said cynically, absorbed in his little dragon thoughts. Then he turned around, wide eyed.

“Hey! Twilight! What’s that?”

Twilight turned and saw a small metal, cuboid box-like object propped on a wall, an orb inside it, with a texture like shifting fumes. She couldn’t help but almost compare the object to an eye.

“First time seeing one of these new sec-eyes?” Filthy Rich revealing he had been standing there the entire time.

“Se...a what?” Twilight questioned. It seemed odd that this was a magical artefact she hasn’t heard of.

“Security eyes. The Princess had them issued about a week ago in most towns. They’re all over Ponyville, and Equestria for that matter. Know who designed them? My old friend Steel Watch!” Filthy Rich laughed heartily. “Had a lot of investment in him, and it’s paying well for us.”

“Seems awfully snoopy if you ask me,” Spike narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, disapproval radiating from him.

Filthy Rich turned to him with a look of shock so ridiculous you could claim it was a joke.

“Well, Spike! We have to watch out for Griffin spies! They could be anywhere, and it’s more likely than you think. It isn’t like they’re going to do something obvious anyway, like send one of their own kind,” Filthy almost rolled his eyes. “These sec-eyes can show that somepony’s been betraying us all.”

There was a short pause.

“Anyway, I should get going, Diamond’s got a party at our mansion coming up.”

Filthy walked away, leaving Twilight standing there.

Twilight looked back at the sec-eye, the glass showing nothing but swirling grey clouds, and yet it was staring right at her.

***

Rainbow had thought training would be arduous, stressful, painful, designed to break pegasi of their psychologies, to turn them into cold-blooded killers.

And yet in truth, she found it otherwise. Perhaps she had read too many of those action comic books, but this was unlike the difficult experience she had imagined. The course had just reminded her of her usual flight practicing; some parts of it even reminded her of when she challenged Applejack to that Iron Pony competition.

Heh, good times, Rainbow thought, flying at the front of the formation of pegasi, cape flying in the wind, her rainbow motion trail dazzling some of the other recruits behind her.

They don’t call me the fastest flier in Equestria for nothing! Rainbow seemed to ignore the fact that title was only really self-proclaimed, but she seemed to be the fastest flier here none the less, outcompeting her peers by miles.

“You know Rainbow, you really ought to co-operate more here!” Onyx spoke through heavy breaths, just managing to catch up behind Rainbow Dash, frantically flapping her wings.

“You’re fighting...” You could almost hear Onyx’s heart frantically beating in her chest “...the griffins, not u-”

Onyx soon found herself flying backwards, supersonic speed like Rainbow’s did not bode well with the Journalist pony.

Rainbow chuckled a little, but slowed down slightly, understanding her advice, even if she didn’t really want to follow it.

In speed and strength, Rainbow was queen. She even found herself excelling in blade practice, despite only having held a sword once or twice in her childhood (You don’t tend to get away without doing so if you’ve got military parents). However, in other areas she found herself...slipping.

“Private Dash! Do you think the target is a Celestia-damned hostage?! Shoot AT it!”

Rainbow Dash pulled her hoof on the trigger of the shotgun again, the gun making a bang as it let off another round of buckshot, which went through the clouds next to the target with a poof, leaving a temporary shock wave.

She groaned, and pumped the shotgun again, noticing now that the weapon was empty of shells. She had already gone through all the rounds in two revolvers and three rifles, and she was quickly becoming a massive waste of Equestrian bullets.

Commander Thunderstorm grabbed Rainbow by the front collar of her armour, raising her up off the ground. The Commander’s strength couldn’t help but impress Rainbow slightly, but then he started shouting.

“PRIVATE DASH! Not only are you WASTING bullets that could be USED TO KILL THE ENEMY, you’re under-leading your SHOTS! When a bullet or shell fragment goes through the cloud it keeps going until it hits the ground, or some unfortunate buffalo! You think the buffalo haven’t complained ENOUGH about this base?! You plan on KILLING THEIR ENTIRE TRIBE?!”

Thunderstorm’s expression suddenly softened.

“Although that would save us a lot of trouble...” he off-hoofedly commented, before returning to his stern expression.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, Private Dash, ninety push-ups for attempted buffalo slaughter!”

“Wha-” Rainbow just managed to blurt out.

“NOW!”

Rainbow groaned as she looked over to Onyx Scarlett, who smirked at her, before turning back to the target range, holding her rifle steady. She had proven to be quite the markspony. Rainbow knew she should be happy for her, but she just felt a kind of green-eyed jealously, knowing the journalist pony could beat her at something.

Later in the day, they all returned to the main building’s canteen. The Omega Platoon base was of similar structure to the 8th Pegasi Battalion base that Rainbow had seen, but much smaller. It was still very much the same pillars and walls of blue.

Rainbow Dash  had finished her rather bland lunch quickly, and was about to leave the table when Onyx trotted over, dinner tray in her mouth, putting it down on the table and sitting, smirking at Rainbow.

Rainbow sighed. “You’re gonna rub that in my face forever aren’t you?”

“Correct!” Onyx stated with a smile on her face.

“How is an egghead like you so good at shooting anyway?”

Onyx shrugged. “With the amount of writing I do, you’d need a steady hand.”

“Well…er…” Rainbow tried to retort. “I’m still stronger, and faster!”

“Nothing can fly faster than a bullet,” Onyx simply replied.

Rainbow was about to stop her there, but then she was interrupted.

“Hey, you do realize we’ve been here this whole time right?”

Rainbow turned to see the two ponies sitting opposite her and Onyx at the table.

The one on the left was a hardy stallion with a light brown mane going down to his shoulders; chin covered in stubble. Rainbow just managed to get a glimpse of his rather unusual cutie mark: a black belt.

The one on the right was another stallion, but of smaller frame; glasses perched on his muzzle, he was a near pure white in coat with a navy blue mane, not exactly messy or neat; Rainbow quickly saw his cutie mark was unusual; a wrench crossed over a fireball. Rainbow thought he might have been worrying, but on second thoughts he looked more bored than anything. But the most shocking thing about him was his lack of wings, and the pointy horn on his head.

“Whoa, you’re a unicorn?!” Rainbow nearly shouted in shock.

The other, burlier stallion smirked; he spoke in a mild country accent.

“Yup, Bleue Pearl’s a unicorn, enchanted himself to walk on clouds.”

What a funny name... Rainbow thought to herself.

“Hi,” Bleue said, in a voice lighter than feathers. Rainbow was suddenly reminded of Fluttershy, but it wasn’t so much shy as it was quiet.

“Well, what’s he doing here?” Onyx was still staring at Bleue’s horn in relative awe.

“He’s one of the unicorns who signed up to work with us Omega pegasi, and let me tell ya,” the stallion let out a low whistle. “He’s a powerful one for managing to stay on the clouds so long! Aren’t you Bleue?”

“Um...” Bleue was talking shy, but his tone of voice was otherwise. “...sure.”

“You don’t talk much, do you Bleue?” Onyx looked curiously at the unicorn.

Rainbow broke the momentary pause. “So enough about Bleue, what about you?”

“Well I’m Rusty Chop, came straight from ol’ Dodge Junction when I heard about this war, thought I could put m’self to more use than buckin’ Cherries fer the Cherry family,” he had a strangely proud look on his face saying all of this.

“Well what about you two? Where’d you mares come from?” Rusty’s smirk returned as he finished the question, leaning back in his chair.

“Well, I'm Rainbow Dash, you might know me,” Rainbow replied cockily.

Onyx facehoofed.

“She’s a pegasus from Ponyville who...” Onyx regretted having to say what she was going to say. “...is the element of Loyalty, and broke the sound-light barrier with only her speed.”

Rainbow suddenly put her arm around Onyx, almost crushing her. “Damn right I did! Did you see the shock wave in Dodge, Rusty? Of course you did, it went out for miles!”

Rusty chucked. “You seem rather proud of it fer sure.” Rusty laid back a little more in his seat. “I read about it later anyways, in the Equestrian Inquirer, forgets the writer’s name but...”

Rusty looked at Onyx with a smile.

“I remember her picture.”

“Well um,” Onyx rubbed the back of her neck, slightly embarrassed. “I’m Onyx Scarlett.”

“You got yerself a nice voice there Onie, anyone ever told you that?” Rusty’s eyelids closed half over, an attempt at looking seductive. This did not go unnoticed by Onyx.

“Oh, shut up,” she said, giving him a cold, dagger-like glare. “Anyway, blade training is starting soon, we should get moving.”

“Rodger that, Onie,” Rusty said with a wink as they all stood up.

Onyx turned to Rainbow, giving her a look that said it all. Can you believe that guy?

Rainbow simply chuckled slightly in return as the four of them disappeared down the corridors of the base.

***A WEEK LATER***

“Let me tell you this now, privates!” Commander Thunderstorm shouted throughout the sleeping dorms. “You shall sleep with the sword you are holding, for the sword is your very life, and you shall remain faithful to it, or your blood shall be spilt in the night!”

The pegasi, who were all standing with their armour off but with their swords at their sides, replied singularly. “SIR, YES, SIR!” The same exchange had happened in the sleeping dorm for the past month and a half of training, but now the words of the pegasi corps were adamant.

“BED!” The Commander shouted, turning off the lights. The pegasi all quickly moved into their beds and under their light covers. The room went quiet as if someone had flicked a mute switch.

Thunderstorm couldn’t help but smile slightly, as he left, the room was almost pitch black.

It wasn’t long until almost everyone was asleep. Everyone, except Rainbow Dash.

The rainbow mare was anxious; she almost reminded herself of Pinkie Pie, with her many ‘Pinkie senses’ and Rainbow could sense no good would come in the morning.

It wasn’t long until Rainbow’s eyes adjusted to the darkness of the dorms, seeing the rows of bunk-beds along the walls. She suddenly noticed an item lying on the floor not far from her bed.

Wondering what it was, Rainbow took her lamp, turning it to a very dim setting, the fireflies inside giving the slightest glow. Not even going to try and think about how these things work, Rainbow thought, already leaning out of bed to fetch the item.

It was a book, lying open, pages down on the floor. Picking it up and bringing it back to bed, Rainbow looked at the front. The book was a dim red, with black embossed letters on the front.

JOURNAL

Probably fell from Onyx’s bunk, Rainbow thought, reminding herself of the ruby-maned mare on the bunk above her.

Rainbow was just about to open it, when she stopped.

Isn’t this personal? She thought to herself, closing the book over. Oh, well it’s too late to stop now.

Rainbow opened the book again, now at a folded page near the start of the book, the date was today.

15th November 2014 AD

There isn’t much to say for today, Pegasi corps training continues as always. It’s simple, but effective because, well, as the Commander says “It’s in our blood.” Never thought I’d agree with that guy.

Those two stallions popped up again, Rusty and Bleue. They don’t really change, Bleue never really speaking, and Rusty just hitting on me. If I have a crush on anyone here it’s not Rusty, that’s for sure.

Rainbow was nice today; we got to have another one of our talks in the canteen, sure she was a little jocky at first but she’s growing on me. I wish I could’ve talked to her sooner, I’ve learned so much that could’ve been useful back when I was reporting on her. She was telling me all about her friends too, of course, the elements of harmony. Tend to shy away from the media, if rumour has it correct, Twilight Sparkle once turned a particularly intruding journalist into a cactus for a day until he learnt his lesson. Glad I never had to report on her!

Rainbow closed the book quietly. She almost sniggered remembering that cactus. Spike, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy had been awfully critical of the whole thing, but Rainbow thought it was awesome. She guessed Pinkie did too, but all she did was try to put hats on the poor cacti paparazzi.

Rainbow lay back down to sleep, pulling the covers over her, but after fifteen minutes of twisting and turning she has given up trying to fall into her slumber. She noticed the Commander hadn't closed the door completely; it was a matter of seconds before her curiousity got to her. Rainbow slipped quietly out of her bed, sneaking low to the floor towards the exit of the dorms, and slipped through the door out of the room.

As she walked through the silent barracks, only the corridors dimly lit, she couldn’t help but remind herself of when she tried to steal The Quest for the Sapphire Stone from the Ponyville hospital, snickering at the parallel.

It wasn’t long in her midnight wanderings that she reached a cleaner, more formal area of the barracks. She was surprised to see a shaft of light shining through a doorway, breaking the greyish glow that the dim hallway lights were giving off.

Rainbow was initially suspicious, looking around her to make sure no one was awake and following her, but her suspicion was not confirmed. She held her breath as she looked through the doorway, and was greeted with a rather magnificent sight.

The entire room was lit up with formal candles and chandeliers made of shining silver metal, everything in the room almost appeared to be glowing. Rainbow noted what was in the room too, cases filled with ceremonial swords, spears, armour, medals of the highest valour, and many objects relating to Omega squad. The ‘Ω’ appeared on many ornaments, hilts and clothing items.

The most impressive thing in the room however, was that the walls were covered in framed paintings, commanders of the pegasi race. From Old Pegasopolis that existed before the take over of Discord, to today’s commander’s of the Equestrian Pegasi Corps. The rank had meant everything to the pegasi race ever since it’s incarnation; it was once a sign of leadership over all pegasi, now it means the mayor of Cloudsdale and second-in-command of Princess Celestia when it comes to air-based military duties, but it still had all its symbolic value.

Rainbow looked at some of the paintings. One of the very first commanders was a stallion, coat as white as snow and an icy blue flowing mane. Rainbow smirked, the pony in the painting reminded her far too much of Thunderstorm in its palette. She noted the plaque below it.

Commander Snowpeak

Founder of Old Pegasopolis

3057-3009 B.D.

Looking down the portraits, Rainbow saw a recognisable name.

Commander Hurricane

One of the three founders of Equestria and last King of Pegasopolis

325-240 B.D.

She almost laughed to find out the commander she had played in the Hearth’s Warming Eve play, was actually male. A sturdy, brown-coated stallion with a scar under his eye and a black mane greyed with stress, looking nothing like Rainbow Dash at all. The only thing they shared was a vaguely similar cutie mark, although his cloud was grey and his bolt white.

Another one she noticed was further down on the wall looked oddly familiar. The dark orange-beige coat, magenta eyes and greyscale-striped mane that reminded Rainbow Dash of her own, bar the colour. Rainbow did indeed recognise the mare in the painting.

Commander Dr. Compass Point PhD

Accomplished Archaeologist and Adventurer

1839-1900 A.D.

Of course, she inspired the Daring-Do series, Rainbow had remembered reading this fact in the Author’s notes of her favourite book series. She kept looking down the paintings until she reached the last two commanders of the more recent years, and froze.

She saw Commander Thunderstorm there of course, looking as stern as usual in his painting, but it was the second newest that had made Rainbow stop.

In the painting there was a turquoise mare, her medium-length mane striped in colours of purple, green and blue. Despite her bangs, her light blue eyes were not concealed. Her appearance was similar to Rainbow’s in many ways, more so than Dr. Compass Point, or anyone on this wall.

Like mother, like daughter.

Commander Sky Dash

Loyal to the Grave

1984-2002 A.D.

***

“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash groaned as she plodded slowly home through Cloudsdale. It was a hard day at flight school, she had failed her end-of-year flight exam. Thankfully she wasn’t alone.

“Don’t worry Rainbow, it was just a test, we’ll have another chance next year,” Fluttershy reassured her, reversing her usual role in their friendship.

“I just know my parents will be mad at me, they always are,” Rainbow lamented. She put on a mocking deep voice. “Rainbow Dash! You have a heritage to live up to, don’t fail us! Do what the teacher says! Don’t be cocky! Blah, blah, blah!”

Fluttershy gave Rainbow a concerned look, but didn’t say anything.

“Well here we are anyway,” Fluttershy said as the pair turned the corner to see the Dash house. It was a rather rich place, but it didn’t usually have a high ranking officer stationed outside it.

Fluttershy squealed and hid behind a nearby statue of an armoured soldier.

“Um, Rainbow? I don’t mean to be rude but…do you know him? He looks…scary,” Fluttershy spoke quietly.

Rainbow nearly facehoofed, but instead rolled her eyes.

“Fluttershy, he’s in the corps, our corps, I’m sure he’s fine. C’mon, walk up with me,” Rainbow said, patting Fluttershy on the back once and walking towards her house.

Fluttershy followed, but lagged behind.

“Excuse me, Miss Rainbow Dash?” the soldier said as Rainbow Dash approached him. He had a drab grey coat and a smooth brown mane, and was clearly toning down his voice, not wanting to scare the fifteen-year old filly in front of him.

“I'm Colonel Thunderstorm, your parents sent me to tell you they won’t be home until later today.” He took some keys from the pocket of his armour and put them at Rainbow’s feet.

Rainbow took the keys, but looked at the colonel critically. “Why?” she asked.

“Well, um…” the Colonel tripped over his words. “um, er, it’s classified, sorry Miss Dash.” He gulped.

“I pretty promise I won’t tell anyone,” Rainbow said in a deeply sarcastic tone.

“Oh, what the Tatarus, I’ll tell you anyway,” Thunderstorm sighed, kneeling down in an attempt to get to the filly’s level.

“Some bad griffins have taken some innocent ponies, and your parents are on a mission to save them and make sure the griffins don’t do anything bad again.”

“I’m fifteen, colonel, not nine,” Rainbow replied. “I think I know what they’re doing.”

“Will it go…okay?” Fluttershy meekly asked, she had finally caught up with Rainbow.

Thunderstorm smiled, and looked at Rainbow. “Your parents are the finest warriors in all of Equestria, I am completely confident they will come back alive and successful. Trust me.”

***

Rainbow didn’t know she was crying until she heard her teardrop splash as it landed at her hooves.

The mission had been a success. Rainbow’s parents, Commander Sky Dash and Colonel Bolt Dash, had gone in, backed up by the Wonderbolts. The one-hundred hostages were saved, but at a cost. Both of Rainbow’s parents had been killed by an improvised bomb. They had sacrificed themselves for ponies they never knew, and never would know. Following orders right to the end.

“They didn’t deserve to die,” Commander Thunderstorm said.

Rainbow nearly jumped fifty feet into the air upon hearing his voice. She turned around swiftly.

“Um, I can explain!”

Thunderstorm smiled slightly. “I understand, I was like this too back when I was your rank, could never sleep, found places like these.”

Rainbow remembered something. “I knew you seemed familiar.”

Thunderstorm snorted. “I was never good with kids.”

Rainbow looked back at the painting of her mother, she had been beautiful, to the eye of someone who had never known her the painting would have seemed flattering, but this painting was exact to life, every detail was accurate.

“You knew them…my parents, I mean,” Rainbow stated, turning back to Thunderstorm.

“More than that,” The Commander started. “I aspired to be like your mother. She was the very model of the perfect Commander. Dedicated to not only the Princess, but the ponies of Equestria, wildly popular and a talented soldier, used the sword like it was a third hoof! As for your father…smart, cocky, but a good mentor none the less, even if we were the same rank, he taught me a lot, lessons I wish I could still follow.” Thunderstorm sighed.

“The war has changed,” Thunderstorm looked around the room, noting the ceremonial weapons. From the spear of Commander Hurricane, to the blade and revolver of Commander Sky Dash.

“Just, promise me this Private Dash,” Thunderstorm turned back to look at Rainbow.

“Loyalty runs in the Dash family, keep it that way,” Thunderstorm suddenly scowled.  “Oh, and this never happened. I’m supposed to be hard-lined, something tells me this didn’t help…”

“Sir, yes, sir,” Rainbow said, smirking slightly. Walking out of the room.

As Rainbow Dash got back into her bed, she looked into her chest of possessions. The necklace of Loyalty was still there.

“Don’t fail me now,” Rainbow whispered, turning over in her bed as she started to finally fall asleep.