Prologue
Once upon a time, in the mysterious land of Equestria. Our hero, a young Airborne Kelvin, born of grey coat, and purple mane and tail. A somewhat strage, but not an uncommon combination was lear-- "Uh, excuse me!" a voice piped up.
"Hellooooooo" the voice said again
"A-Are you speaking to me?" the deep voiced narrator asked.
"Yeah, I'm talkin' to you, ya big boomin' sky light" responded the grey coated pegasus
"How can you see me?" asked The Narrator
"oh, its not hard" scoffed the pegasus "I heard this loud bellowing noise coming from the sky, but no lightning, only this one loud as hell cloud following me around" explained the pegasus
"Airborne, you're the main character. You're not supposed to be able to see me." argued The Narrator
"Yeah, well that may true.. but in being the main character that means I can do whatever I want, right?" Airborne questioned
The Narrator let out a thunderous groan "Yes, I suppose you're right" responded the annoyed narrator
"Aw, don't worry buddy. You can join on this super splendiferous adventure!" exclaimed an excited Airborne bouncing around
"Yeah, sure." said The Narrator "like I have a choice."
Chapter 1
"AAAAAAAH THIS FUCKING SUUUUUUCKS" I exclaimed as I fell, hurdling towards the ground, my wing blown to pieces. No, seriously, literally blown to pieces. If it was a cleaning product it would have been "Bam, and my wing is gone" but anyway, I collided with the earth, my wing burning, and blood gushing like a waterfall. As I came to my senses, I realise there are sharp, metallic talons pressed against my throat, and my life flashes before my eyes.
Quite boring actually.
* * * *
It all started when I was born..
"Whoa, whoa there Airborne. Maybe not that far back.." mentioned The Narrator.
"Oh, yeah you're still here. Okay, uh, what about my tenth birthday?" questioned Airborne.
"It really wasn't that interesting, you at too much apple pie, threw up and your parents found you crying under your bed" responded The Narrator
"Oh yeah..." Airborne realised "Alright, well how about when I was 21 and I started my Enclave training?" Airborne continued
"I dunno, it's your story, remember?" The Narrator reminded
"You really are no help, you know that?" Airborne replied
* * * *
"Airborne Kelvin, step forward." yelled the officer
I stood forward ahead of the line of other initiates and recruits.
"Arcane Titus, Grom Titus. Step forward" the officer yelled again
the two pegasi step forward, both identical to the other, twins. Both with dark grey coats, as dark as night. One with a dark maroon mane, the other with a dark blue, most likely dyed to tell apart one another.
'Great, just great.' I thought to myself 'I get stuck with the two high and mighty twins from a long line of enclave snobs, this is gonna go fuckin' swell'
"You two, you have big hooves to fill I hope you know. Now, which one is which?" asked the officer
"Sir, Arcane Titus. Reporting for duty, sir!" said the maroon maned pegasus
"Sir, Grom Titus reporting for duty, sir!" said the other blue maned pegasus.
"At ease you two, now, you three lucky recruits are here today are here to join the Enclave Military, as you well enough know." explained the officer, "Now follow the lieutenant to your bunks. You start tomorrow at 0600 hours"
Great, what have I gotten myself into..
I didn't sleep well that night, hopefully I'll get better at sleeping in these beds. Why did my parents force me into this, there were other options..
I heard Grom and Arcane stirring in their beds, not long before the alarm went off, 0600 hours already. Time for training I suppose.
Grom and Arcane rose out of they're bed.
"Morning nooblet" Grom said to me as he got off his bed.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever, Grom" I replied to him.
"Careful there Rom, don't get him too mad, you know he's got a history.."
My face felt pale, all of the blood has left me for dead. How did they know?
"Ah, c'mon sis, just picking on the new kid" Grom replied to his sister.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about.. it's fine, really.." I said back, with an obvious quake in my voice.
"Right... well, we should probably head off to training." Arcane replied
"Oh boy, drill.. can't friggen wait" Grom sarcastically replied.
The three of us wandered over to the mess hall where we saw a bunch of other recruits standing in line, we figured it's probably best we followed their lead. Grom and Arcane stood solid in position, not moving. Almost as if they were statues.
"ALRIGHT, RECRUITS. I AM SERGEANT SORANO. YOU MAY CALL ME SIR, SARGE OR IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT.. YOUR MAJESTY. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE" the Sergeant had boom in his voice that would put cannons to shame, "ALRIGHT, EVERY RECRUIT MOVE OUT AND MEET ME AT THE OPEN CLOUD FIELD NEAR THE BARRACKS FOR FLIGHT TRAINING."
Yes, something I'm good at.
Grom, Arcane and I move over to the open field along side a bunch of other recruits.
We arrive at the field, and I witness the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life, a beautiful white coat and a blonde mane with a single black streak amongst it.
"Alrighty, you lot must be the new batch, okay.. I am Lieutenant Snow, but you can me Daisy, everypony else does. Anyway, I'm here to train you to be the best evasive and offensive flyer you can be" Daisy explained to the recruits, then a light coated pegasus raised their hoof asked
"Are you going to teach us to be as good as Rainbow Dash?" by the the time the pegasus finished that sentence, Daisy's face was bright red, fueled by hatefire.
"Don't you ever mention that traitor in my course ever again, otherwise you will be out of here faster than you can say 'pinkie pie cupcakes.' Understand?" the embarrassed, slightly frightened pegasus slowly lowered their hoof.
"Alright, now that's out of the way. Everyone group up with bunk mates" Daisy told the Initiates
Daisy went through 4 other groups before she got to ours. 'RG-5' she called us, I quickly figured out that it stood for Recruit Group 5.
"RG-1, you're up first. Naturally." Daisy instructed, another 3 pegasus team was ready to go. "All you have to first is fly through the rings one after another" she continued.
RG Teams 1 though 3 went though their testing with ease, while watching RG-4 were going through their test Grom, the big boulder-brain says to me "Heh, what a bunch on wimps, I could do this with my eyes closed!"
I looked at him, "Careful, someone may overhear you and take you up on that challenge" I glaced over at Daisy, I saw her notice me so I looked away and hoped she didn't see me.
"Alright, RG-5. You're up, but I'm gonna change it up a little you see. Thanks to your friend with the blue mane" Daisy said with a chuckle, I turned to Grom and hit him
"Now look what you did feather brain!" I exclaimed, hitting him again
"Ahh fuck, not so hard" he winced "it's gonna be a cakewalk, what could she possibly do to make it worse?"
Daisy looked at Grom and pressed some button on a control panel near her, the rings faded away and a pit upened up from underneath the field and flaming rings started to arise, accompanied by something looked a little like gattling guns. Wait, no..
They *were** gattling guns.*
I hit Grom upside the head this time "shut the fuck up, before your big mouth gets us into anymore trouble. Holy shit"
Arcane didn't seem to pleased with my antics, but I didn't care, I didn't come from a long line of militant pegusi.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop hitting my brother. Thanks." Arcane said to me sternly.
"Right, well.. save the arguing for later." She told us, while showing us to the start position, "All you have to do is get from point A, to point B. While flying through all the rings.. and not get shot" I had a look of panic on my face "Airborne, listen you have nothing to worry about" her voice was so soothing, it made me feel so comfortable, she could stop a raging typhoon by sighing. I haven't felt this way before in a long time, most importantly.. she knew my name already.
"Okay, heh, good luck you lot." she said while she closed a gate behind us.
There was a huge countdown timer, counting down from 5, to 4, 3, 2 and.. 1.. There was a loud blaring to signal us to go. Arcane and Grom shot off like rockets, I wish I was that good, it took me a second to find my feet, well wings.. I shot off behind them trying to follow their moves, so I didn't look like a complete fool in front of Daisy, I was rapidly approaching the first ring, I flew as fast as I could through it, tucking my wings so they wouldn't get scolded by Grom's mistake.
I had the second ring in my sights, but Grom and Arcane nowhere, wait no.. they're behind me now? How? Whatever, that's a question for later. I flew full speed towards the next ring, but then a whirring and then clicking of gunfire. I pull my wings to the side and drop down to dodge the enemy fire, I swear I heard one fly past my ear. In doing ao Grom and Arcane over took me, not caring for the guns. I yell and warn them but they mustn't have heard me, Arcane flicked her wings out using them as an air brake, Grom did the same. They both assesed the area first, I flew up to join them.
"What the hell are you two doing?" I asked them
"Assessing the area, but you wouldn't know how to do that, would you?." Arcane snapped
"Wh-what?" I don't know what I did to deserve that reaction..
"Look, kid, what weapons are they using?" Grom questioned me
"ah, pff, I don't know.. big ones?" I replied to him, catching my breath
"Hah, cute.. No, they using Tesla powered GT-i600's" he explained to me,
"What is he saying, is it even English?" I asked Arcane, but all she did was turn her head. Again, I have no idea what I have done.. Grom continued what he was saying
"GT-i600's are Griffon tech automated cannons" he continued
"Yes, ok, very good Grom.. but WHAT THE FUCK FUCK DOES THAT MEAN!?" I exclaimed
"Whoa, whoa.. calm down there nooblet" chuckled Grom "what it means it that they only have a 45 degree radius, we fly above that we're in the clear"
I am so confused by this point.
“Why hasn't it attacked us yet, then?” I asked him
“Because you see, nooblet.. it's only 45 degrees up and down” Grom said back to me
“I really wish you'd stop calling me that” I hissed at him
“Yeah, not likely” he chuckled “Alright we all good? single file behind me it's a straight shot to B, follow my lead. Arcane, you good?” She nodded her head “What about you, kid?”
I nodded, “I'm ready. Let's go.”
We blast from our position like a bat out of hell, flying up and over the cannons, I thought it was a bit bizarre they only worked so well.. anyway, we surpass all of the obstacles and make it to B, even after all those hassles we still make it through with the third best time.
“Well done RG-5, well done indeed..” Daisy said with praise, “I should have guessed the Titus twins would deliver, although I was expecting a better place than third..”
Arcane looked directly at me “Well, to be fair we did have a handicap” she hissed
Really, a handicap? That's what she thought of me?
Some teammate, I knew at least one of them was going to be trouble.
“Uh huh.. right, okay everypony that's all of the groups finished head over to the armory and talk to Lieutenant Scorge. He's the red pegasus with the scar over his left eye. Ya can't miss him.” Daisy ordered us “Everypony except you, Airborne”
My heart sunk, why me..
“Look, Airborne.. I thought you did well out there, your teammates may think you're the handicap but to be perfectly honest, I think they're more of the handicap. You're your own pony, you don't have hooves to fill, or a shadow to escape. They're acting out because they're expected to be as good as the last generation.” She paused “Look, if you ever need extra tutoring, just give me a yell alright?”
I just glanced at her, lost in her auburn eyes..
“Airborne, say something” I realized what she was saying, I shook my head and laughed
“Hah, yeah.. Alright, I'll take you up on that offer” I chuckled at her while scratching the back of my head.
“I'm free tomorrow afternoon, if you want” she offered,
I slouched “more flight drills? ugh”
she giggled, “No, I can see you're well practiced in that field, so we'll go over some ground combat and general defense if you would like”
I straightened myself up “yeah, sounds good, Daisy”
she glanced at me again “I should tell you, my name isn't Daisy, it's Lyra. Daisy was just a nickname that stuck”
I smirked at her, “Ok, see you tomorrow.. Lyra”