Into the Mouth of Hell

The Friendship Express sped across the green Equestrian countryside at a speed few other trains could rival. There was once a time where the train was much slower, and a trip from Ponyville to Canterlot could take a full day, but since then new discoveries have been made, and with the help of some magic the train was much faster. It wasn’t long in fact until the train would reach Dodge Junction and pass into the Southern deserts, and the five ponies in one of the carriages in particular knew this well.

Pinkie Pie was hanging her head out the window, perhaps trying to catch flies, but inside the carriage Rarity was about to ask a question.

“Twilight, could you remind me where we’re going? I think I fell asleep.”

“We’re going to Appleloosa. When my brother and Cadence pushed away the Changelings they were sent south, so we could find where they’re hiding from there.”

“A still don’t see why you think that Queen Changeling could be involved ‘n this,” Applejack said. “Would sh’ really wanna try copy’n Equestrian royalty again after what happened?”

“Well it’s the best lead we’ve got,” Twilight answered matter-of-factly.

“And ah guess it means ah get to see Braeburn again in er, less turbulent circumstances,” Applejack noted, before looking around.

“Applejack? What’s wrong?”

“Just…ah miss Rainbow. A know at this point she’d make some snarky comment about ‘sexy cousin Braeburn’.”

They all laughed, even Applejack sniggering a little.

“I don’t know what Rainbow sees in him, he’s much too rough,” Rarity said haughtily.

“I think that’s part of the appeal, Rarity,” Twilight noted.

“Hay, A’m not even sure his barn door swings that way,” Applejack said, smirking.

“Wait, what?” Twilight was in genuine confusion.

“Gosh, a swear a spend most’a my days explainin’ expressions to Twilight,” Applejack blushed. “Well Twilight, what I mean by that is...”

***

Rainbow Dash was pushing with all her strength, her right hoof was tiring, but she had to win, she had to…

The sound of a hoof slamming against wood signified her victory.

“Aw yeah! Ain’t got nutin’ on these guns Rusty!” Rainbow Dash declared.

“You’re quite the hoof-wrestler, Rainbow,” Rusty said. He was competitive, but it had been a best of three, and he knew when he had lost.

“So Rusty, what’s up?” Rainbow asked, moving closer to him.

“What’d’ya mean by that Rainbow?”

“I mean, how’re you holding up?”

Rusty chuckled at the rather common question. “Well, it’s different from Dodge, and more excitin’ at that. Never been ‘round so many pegasi; almost everypony where I’m from’s an earth pony, even ma parents! Imagine their surprise when they had me!”

“I know an earth pony couple that had unicorn-pegasus twins, so that surprise isn’t…too hard to picture,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Hay, that sounds like a handful,” Rusty said. “Don’t unicorns have magical influxes as babies or somethin’?”

“Oh boy,” Rainbow Dash smiled. “My friend Pinkie Pie certainly learned that from babysitting them.”

Rainbow remembered how Pinkie Pie would babysit the Cake twins when she needed to. Sometimes she would tell her some crazy stories about their shenanigans.

Rainbow Dash frowned.

“I miss her…” she thought aloud.

Rusty came to her side. “Hey, don’t you worry, you got us after all.”

Rainbow looked at him. “Guess you’re right,” her smile returned to her face.

“How about you then, you got anyone back home? Maybe some pretty mare?”

“Oh-OH no, definitely not,” Rusty said. “I got my eyes on somepony here.”

Rainbow thought for a moment, then half-closed her eyes. “Really? Who?” she said slowly.

“Yeah, your friend Onyx, she’s somethin’,” Rusty answered.

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Really? Thought you were just flirting to…well…annoy her! Didn’t know you actually liked her.”

“Well she’s very purty, ain’t she?” Rusty said.

“She is pretty cute but, well, you got no chance,” Rainbow said nonchalantly.

Rusty gave Rainbow a deadpan look. “What makes y’say that missy?”

“She’s a filly-fooler…I think,” Rainbow answered, now with a thinking expression on her face. “Just the way she carries herself, my gaydar goes off the charts near her.”

Rusty facehoofed.

“Well whatever y’say, it was more of an…appreciation…of her good looks than a crush anyway.”

“Besides, I think she likes somepony else,” Rainbow pointed out. “As much as I like to think your arguments with her are foreplay, they…probably aren’t.”

“Golly,” Rusty responded. “You seem to think y’know a lot about ponies.”

“My best friend studies friendship, it rubs off,” Rainbow replied, proudly smirking.

Rusty shook his head. “C’mon, we’re nearly late for a briefing.”

“That we are!” Rainbow said, trotting past Rusty, taking lead. “C’mon, speed up!”

***

Stepping out of the train to Appleloosa station, Twilight Sparkle was immediately hit by the heat of the desert. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed her out of the carriage and also felt the sun. Despite it being November, it was a shockingly hot and sunny day; then again, in a desert that was not an uncommon occurrence. Pinkie Pie was quick to take a pair of ridiculous-looking pointy orange shades out of her saddle bags and put them on her head, making Rarity roll her eyes.

“We should find Braeburn, he knows what’s goin’ on in this here town, and A’m sure he can hel-OOF!” Applejack nearly had the breath knocked out of her by Braeburn’s sudden appearance.

“Cousin Applejack! Fancy seein’ you here this fine day! Welcome back to AAA-“

“-aaaappleloosa. We got it cousin,” Applejack interrupted, finishing his phrase in the driest fashion possible. The situation was so ridiculous that even timid Fluttershy couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

“Anyways Braeburn, We need your help. Ah assume you heard about what happened at the weddin’.”

Braeburn’s grin was replaced with a sympathetic frown. “Ah did, nasty business there cousin, and the Changelin’s got thrown this way too, we’re scared they’ve set up hive nearby.”

“And that’s why we’re here!” Twilight declared. “You wouldn’t happen to have any leads on where they could be?”

Braeburn looked in thought for a second, then turned back to Twilight. “We got somethin’ alright. I’ll take you to Sherriff Silver Star, he’ll tell you all about it.

It wasn’t long until they had gotten to the Sherriff, who was sitting idly outside his office, almost asleep. He saw Braeburn and the five ponies with him approaching, Pinkie Pie moving near the front of the group. Silver Star admired Pinkie’s shades with curiosity.

“Wow, jus’ like in mah Neighponese mangas…”

“What did you jus’ say?” Braeburn asked.

“Oh, nutin’,” Silver Star quickly changed the subject. “So, what brings you fellers here?”

“They’re here ‘bout the Changelin’s, think they’ll wanna see the prisoner,” Braeburn said.

Silver Star’s eyes widened. “Follow me,” he said, walking back into the station. The six ponies followed him accordingly, into the station and down some stairs until they reached a musty old cellar, filled with four empty cages.

Only one wasn’t empty.

“…Rainbow Dash?” Twilight gasped.

The mare in the cage was no doubt Rainbow Dash, and she was shaking the bars.

“Help me friends, I’m innocent!” she cried in a strangely un-Rainbow Dash-ish fashion.

“Oh…my,” was all Fluttershy could say as she backed away and shrunk to a size as small as possible.

Twilight on the other hand was gathering magic in her horn, ready to bust the lock on the door when-

“No! It’s not who you think it is, it’s a Changlin’!” Sherriff Silver Star almost shouted.

“Don’t listen to him!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

Twilight casted her spell, targeting Rainbow Dash and returning the changeling to its original insectile form.

“Well, that was never going to work,” the bug-like thing said in a croaky voice unlike any pony that Twilight had ever heard.

Trotting up to the cage, Twilight got a closer look at the creature, looking at its powder blue, featureless eyes.

“How did you catch it?”

“Landed on one of our outhouses the day they were purged from Canterlot, t’was unconscious, but we knew what it was, so we brought it ‘ere,” the Sherriff answered.

“If you’re going to ask about me, I’m right here you know,” the Changeling remarked, before changing into a doppelganger of Twilight Sparkle.

“I remember you, one of the wielders of the elements of harmony, magic of course,” the Twilight-formed changeling said, perfectly imitating Twilight’s voice. “Of course, it was never you or your friends who defeated us.”

“This is jus’ plain weird,” Applejack said.

Twilight had enough. She stomped her hooves against the ground. “Listen! Er…um…what do I call you?”

The changeling decided to switch to another form, that of Fancy Pants. “Oh Twilight, my name is completely unpronounceable by your pony tongues. For now you can call me Drone I suppose,” Drone said, again perfectly imitating the voice of the pony he had taken form of.

Rarity was speechless at the form that Drone had decided to take, she wanted to speak out but she didn’t, knowing she shouldn’t interrupt the exchange between Twilight and the changeling.

“Drone; I know you probably don’t want to help us but we have no choice, but we need to find where the changeling Queen’s hive is so we can talk to her.”

Drone switched forms once again, this time taking the form of Twilight’s old nemesis, Trixie.

“You are lying. She is your enemy; I don’t see why I should lead you to my Queen if you simply plan to destroy her. You have no chance anyway. You could not do it before; it was your brother and Mi Amore Cadenza who stopped us due to our unfortunate underestimation of their power.” Drone reminisced. It all sounded very strange coming out of Trixie’s mouth, but that made it no less of a serious claim.

Twilight started to ask a new question. “First of all, we don’t plan to attack your Queen-”

“Oh, of course,” Drone interrupted as he morphed back into Rainbow Dash. “You don’t have all of your elements.”

“He’s right, and I don’t think Spike can be the new Rainbow Dash again!” Pinkie Pie decided to pipe in. Spike was indeed back in Ponyville, the library could not be left alone, which was a pity, Twilight could use his sarcasm right now.

“Hey, I could be the new Rainbow Dash,” Drone remarked, looking at his cyan hooves. “I look like her, talk like her…”

Twilight stomped her hooves against the floor again.

“Listen ‘Drone’! We don’t even know if your Queen is home! In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s in Canterlot pulling a similar trick!”

Drone morphed into another form, the form of Flam.

“Why that’s incredibly odd my dear, listen up!” he started, genuinely impersonating his character for once. “The plan failed, so why would she try messing around with that particular monarchy so soon?”

“I’m interest’d in how you know all these figures that you’re morphin’ into,” Applejack asked, cringing at the sight of Flam.

“We researched the Equestrian royal family, the military, and even acquaintances of the authority like you,” Drone was now taking the form of a pony Twilight barely recognised: Commander Thunderstorm. “We spent months planning the invasion,” Drone frowned. “My Queen would not be so unwise as to attack again so soon.”

Drone morphed back into his original Changeling form, speaking again in his unique croaky voice.

“You know what? Fine. I will lead you to the Changeling hive. Do not misbehave in there, for we are legion, and we will not hesitate to take you as prisoners, or worse,” Drone could not hide his devilish smile.

Near the back of the group, Fluttershy whimpered.

“Fine,” Twilight finally replied. “We’ll take up your offer. Sherriff, release him.”

“Ah hope y’know what you’re doin’, Sparkle,” Sherriff Silver Star mumbled as he fumbled with his keys before unlocking the cage. Drone stepped out, stretching his leathery, almost rotted-looking wings.

“Freedom,” Drone said, taking in a breath and taking the form of a blue unicorn mare with a dark blue and white-striped mane.

“From here on, I shall take this form. She is not recognised often in this part of the world."

"Why are you being my dentist?” Pinkie Pie asked, looking almost scared, if such a thing was possible for Pinkie Pie.

“I don’t know, because it scares you? Cut down on the sugar Pinkie, or else…” the Colgate-formed Drone gave a toothy smile.

“Ah…dun even know what t’think of this,” Braeburn said, a look of utter confusion on his face. “I need to go back to the farm, A’m off schedule fer some Applebuckin’. See y’next time cousin?”

“See’ya cousin. Hope we can meet again under better circumstances,” Applejack replied, sounding a little sadder than intended.

When Braeburn had left, it wasn’t long until Drone said something.

“I’m surprised he didn’t come with us.”

“He has responsibilities here, ‘Drone’,” Applejack replied a little angrily.

“It’s just, travelling the hot, sweaty desert with five available mares, six if you count my form; are you sure his barn door swings that way?”

Twilight facehoofed.

***

Onyx Scarlett stood in formation with the other pegasi of omega, Commander Thunderstorm beginning to approach the front to issue an announcement. They had all been called for this, so it had to be something important.

“’cuse me,” Rainbow Dash said, pushing her way through the ranks to her position. In following was Rusty Chop, doing a similar amount of pushing. They took their place in the rows and columns, but disturbed the crowd somewhat in the process. Onyx looked at Rainbow and smiled.

“What?” Rainbow questioned. “We were just late.”

“I’m just glad to have you here, didn’t even know if you’d turn up,” Onyx explained.

“So we’re cool then?”

“Cool? When were we not?”

“Never mind,” Rainbow Dash looked back at the front.

She isn’t over it, she still can’t do it… she thought, remembering back to her hesitance to kill at the outpost. For now she just accepted it, Rainbow hoped Onyx would figure out her issues in her own way.

“Troops! I have good news!” Commander Thunderstorm said, even though his poker face said otherwise. “We have formulated a plan to take the griffin city of Hambeak. Without this vanguard fortress, we will cut through their lines like butter, but FIRST, we have to take it.”

Thunderstorm pulled out a map for the troops to see. It was of Hambeak and the surrounding area, which was incredibly mountainous.

“Unlike us pegasi, griffins like to build on ground with rock and stone, which gives us an aerial advantage. Most griffin cities are built on the tips of mountains and Hambeak is little exception, but it isn’t built quite as high as some of the others, making this an easier job for us!”

Bleue Pearl, who was also up at the front, raised a paintbrush with his telekinesis and painted a red semi-circle around Hambeak on the map. Thunderstorm continued.

“The standard formation of attacking cities for Equestrian forces is the horseshoe formation, but we think this formation may be predicted. That’s when you come in.”

Bleue painted a black stroke in the gap of the horseshoe.

“Us pegasi special forces, along with a crack-squad of unicorn operatives plan to use the caves in the surrounding mountainside to ambush the city from behind, taking pressure off the main forces. The team shall be led by Wonderbolts Spitfire and Soarin’.”

Rainbow Dash nearly had a heart attack at that last statement.

Working with the Wonderbolts! Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh…

She could barely contain her excitement, beginning to quietly jump up and down on the spot. Onyx shook her head at the typicality of her actions.

“Our forecasters for Griffanian weather tell me tomorrow is a cloudy day, which is good for our pegasi forces, who can easily assault from above if our intel is correct that there is no griffin guard in the upper Hambeak airspace,” Commander Thunderstorm took the map and rolled it up. “More specifics shall be given at the time. We mobilise at sunset. Any questions?”

There was silence.

Thunderstorm smiled.

“Dismissed.”

***

17th November 2014 AD

I’m still not quite sure what to make of Rainbow Dash’s attitude. To be honest, training was changing her, but somehow she doesn’t seem as rebellious as she was when I met her, or as morally sound as she was. Sure, she already had fairly loose morals, but killing a prisoner…that crossed some kind of line. Oh what am I saying? I wrote this all in the previous entry.

Anyway, today the Commander announced we shall begin our attack on Hambeak this evening. He doesn’t want a siege, he wants an immediate assault, hell I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants it taken by morning. Fighting in the dark, even if I was trained for it, isn’t really my deal. I’m a markspony, and performing that kind of activity on a cloudy night could be difficult.

I suppose the idea is to surprise the griffins. So far the war has been slow, after talking to a few Colonels I discovered this was a plan to surprise the griffins for when the pegasi commander and the special forces were ready to be deployed.

The politics of our military are a strange thing. Commander Thunderstorm may just be leader of the pegasi, but he might as well be the leader of the entire military. Pegasi are a war-like race, and he is little exception. He knows how to fight a war. Sure, General Thora of the earth ponies knows a few things too, but she’s wise enough to listen to him. As for the Archmage, he just thinks he’s in command. I haven’t seen him the entire time I’ve been here, which is strange since military operations are decided from Thunderstorm’s camp, but I’ve met him before. He’s quite the suck up to the Princess. It’s said he was once her private student, but things have obviously changed…

“Onie?”

Onyx dropped the pencil out of her mouth and turned around to see Rusty Chop standing idly at the entrance of the tent.

“What?”

“Just wonderin’ if you’re free for lunch, thought we could talk.”

Onyx nearly laughed, but instead narrowed her eyes.

“Really?”

“Hey, A’m not asking y’out here, just wanna talk,” Rusty replied sincerely.

“I’ll come in a minute, just need to finish something off,” Onyx gave her answer rather dryly.

Rusty shrugged. “Okay, A’ll just wait in the canteen tent for ya.”

He walked off, and Onyx returned to look at her journal, and closed it.

Putting it under her pillow, she couldn’t help but notice that she wasn’t the only one hiding things.

Bleue Pearl’s pillow looked a little higher, like there was something under it. Onyx’s curiousity drew her to this, and she lifted the pillow gently to reveal…

Nothing.

It can’t be…

Feeling around, Onyx discovered she was right. There was a book of some kind, but the cover had been given a basic camouflage charm, initially hiding it. Onyx hesitantly opened the near-invisible book, revealing the quick, neat handwriting of Bleue. The page was near covered in small text, she simply read a small expert.

…will be a surprise attack on Hambeak tomorrow, the cloud layer will be unguarded but it is likely firearms shipments are likely to come in from other nations…

Onyx closed the book and replaced the pillow.

And I thought my journal was boring, she thought, beginning to leave the tent.

***

“Onie? Y’really aught t’eat up. Gonna need all your energy for tonight,” Rusty nodded at Onyx’s full tray of bread and vegetables.

“I will,” Onyx replied. “How are you feeling about that anyway?”

“’Bou whaff?” Rusty said through a mouthful of potato.

“The fact we have to fight in darkness?”

Rusty swallowed. “Could be worse. Sure, Griffins’ll be sleepy, give us a real edge; also should motivate you more to eat y’carrots.”

“True,” Onyx smiled. “You seem different today, is it that you’re not incessantly flirting?”

“Could be,” Rusty said between mouthfuls.

“Wonder why that is?”

“Didn’t wan’ get in the way of yer own pursuits,” Rusty shrugged.

“Rusty, I am a professional, if you think I’m looking for a…special somepony in a warzone, you’re wrong.”

Rusty smiled. “Aw, denial, how cute. I know y’got a thing for Rainbow Dash.”

Onyx Scarlett blushed furiously at once. “I DO NOT have a crush on Rainbow Dash!” she near shouted. “She’s just a good friend.”

“Heh, ah know a look when ah see it,” Rusty said, getting braver. “Ah wouldn’t have believed it myself until Rainbow Dash said somethin’ that made me suspicious.”

“Not even going to ask,” Onyx hid behind her fringe in embarrassment.

“Hay, y’could probably go for it, Rainbow Dash looks the sort who’d like mares anyway.”

“I’m a journalist. I literally stalked her for months. I think I realise by now she swings both ways,” Onyx replied flatly. “I’m also a professional; I’m not going to ask her out at war.”

There was a long pause.

“Also I don’t have a crush on Rainbow Dash!”

Rusty chuckled. “Sure; A’m off to get some shut eye. Catch y’later Onie?”

“Sure…”

Rusty left in high spirits, leaving Onyx to her meal.

Might as well eat now… she thought, beginning to dig into her carrots.

***

Water danced through the air of the desert, controlled and divided by a magical lavender tint. The water divided into five pieces, which entered the mouths of five mares walking through the dry wasteland.

“You need any water Drone?” Twilight Sparkle asked, before telekinetically closing her water pouch on her saddlebags.

“Changelings do not require water in large quantities, if you plan on saving it, don’t give me any.”

Drone was taking point in the group, still in ‘her’ Colgate form. It did not cost energy for a changeling to remain in form, only for them to change. It was an energy preserving act that ‘she’ remained in the form of Ponyville’s number one dentist.

“How do you obtain forms?” Twilight asked. She had been asking constant questions of Drone as they travelled, wanting to know more about the changelings.

“It takes only a look,” Drone stated. “We are very analytical, some of us can transform only from glance, but there is a limit to our power. Our figure cannot be massively tested. I could become an earth pony, a pegasus, a unicorn like I am now; maybe even a zebra or donkey, but I could not become an alicorn. My Queen can because of her size and shape, but I could never hope to assume such a large form.”

“What about magic? The Queen could do it, and you have a horn, so could you?”

“It varies. Some of us can, but I personally have little ability,” Drone turned around and looked at Twilight, ‘her’ blue eyes turned green.

“Now, you wouldn’t mind toning down with the incessant questions? You’re driving me insane.”

Twilight shrugged, and they continued walking.

Near the back of the group, Fluttershy and Rarity walked next to each other.

“I don’t know how you deal with wet dirt all day darling; I can barely handle it dry!” Rarity complained, frowning at her dust-covered hooves. She was wearing a large sun hat and beautiful orange-rimmed sunglasses with tiny diamonds embedded in the rims. It was obvious the fact no one was watching in the desert was no excuse to not to be fabulous.

“I’m booking a hooficure as soon as we’re finished with this adventure.”

“It’s not too bad,” Fluttershy said, looking around her. “Well…it is a little…lifeless.”

Angel hopped out of Fluttershy’s saddlebags, landing on Fluttershy’s head. The bunny wiped his brow, suffering in the heat.

“Fluttershy? I didn’t know you were bringing Angel.”

“He asked to come along, how could I decline?” Fluttershy said, smiling at the bunny on her head.

Rarity was familiar with Fluttershy’s pseudo-boyfriend that was Angel, but had rarely got an opportunity to meet him. It wasn’t going to change now however; the bunny was now nibbling a carrot, ignoring everything and everypony around it.

Rarity decided to change the subject.

“I know he’s a bit…ghastly, but I’m surprised you’re not more interested in Drone. You do like new animals.”

“He’s…not really an animal,” Fluttershy answered looking at Drone. “I don’t know, he’s more like a pony. A very mean pony.”

“I see,” Rarity replied. “I can’t help but find Changelings oddly…fascinating though.”

“What’s so fascinating about replacing a loved one with yourself?” Fluttershy questioned. “Not that I’m…trying to argue.”

“It’s not that dear, it’s just…the concept. Imagine if you could change into any pony you pleased, live in their shoes,” Rarity turned to look at Fluttershy. “How could that not be fascinating?”

“I guess,” Fluttershy said unenthusiastically.

Rarity sensed this. “Are you alright dear? You seem a little down.”

“It’s just the heat,” Fluttershy replied. “Applejack’s relatives must have had a hard time making their life out here.”

“We shall have to make camp this evening,” Drone announced. “I have realised that at this speed we will reach the hive tomorrow.”

Twilight was the first to speak.

“What ever you say, but I’m curious: How do you know where it is?”

“The scent of the Queen’s pheromones.”

Twilight didn’t question this; clearly the changeling was filled with surprises.

***

The sun was beginning to set over the mountains of Toothless valley. It was the cue to begin operations, and it wasn’t long until soldiers flooded out of the tents into formation.

The three commanders looked out over the valley from the high outcrop of omega camp. The Commander, the General, and the Archmage.

“I hope you know what you’re doing with my unicorns, Commander,” Archmage Solarius spoke in his usual pretentious tone. “You’re putting a lot on the front line. You would think you would want to put more unicorns to the team moving in through the back.”

“We have enough unicorns there,” Commander Thunderstorm replied. “Your favourite, Bleue Pearl, is among them, and even I can agree with you for once that he’s a good soldier. So no, we don’t need more taking the back entrance. It would attract too much attention.”

“As for us,” General Thora pipped in. “Best if we stay with the front line. We’re important, so we’ll draw attention. Besides, I’ve never been the sneaky type.”

Thora twirled her hammer around her hoof by its leather strap.

“I have to go, the army’s waiting. Try not to burn off Thunderstorm’s moustache while I’m away Solly, it reflects poorly on our strength.”

Thora ran down the valley as if she were a mountain goat, already nearly at the army camp.

Solarius sighed. “I hate it when she calls me that.”

Commander Thunderstorm turned around; he saw the pegasi he had commissioned for the flanking operation. All thirty-five pegasi of omega platoon in full dull silver armour with black crests on their helmets, their capes flowing gently behind them in the evening wind. Five unicorns also stood (Bleue Pearl included), wearing blue robes with the symbol of the unicorn forces: the royal seal with blue flames engulfing it.

“I’ve never quite understood your fascination with leading operations with so few ponies,” Solarius commented dryly. “If I were you I would let more ponies into omega platoon. I mean, it’s hardly a platoon is it?”

“It’s not the size,” Thunderstorm retorted. “It’s what you do with it.”

“Interesting,” Solarius replied. “If you don’t mind, I shall make my leave now. Goodbye.”

Solarius disappeared in a flash of his red cloak.

“Uptight bastard,” Thunderstorm muttered under his breath.

“Commander, we’re ready,” a familiar mare’s voice. Looking around, Thunderstorm saw a sight he’d not seen for a long time. Spitfire in combat gear.

The Wonderbolts had a more subtle uniform for combat operations. It was black with blue stripes, as opposed to blue with yellow stripes. Even the goggles had been altered to avoid sun glare. Spitfire herself was holding a spear in her left forehoof. Soarin’ who stood next to her in identical gear held an earth pony long-sword in his mouth.

“If you’re ready, conduct the mission. We’re moving out,” Thunderstorm said to Spitfire before flying over to join the other pegasi platoons in the head on attack.

He was excited. The war had reached a watershed moment, and the twist would be in their favour.