Chapters Lightning crashed though her field of view like a whip, leaving behind only a bright flash and a resounding crack. It if wasn't for her headgear, Rainbow Dash might have been left blind and deaf. For now, it only left her with a faint ringing in her ears and a spot in her vision that kept moving as she blinked. It wasn't her idea to fly into a thunderstorm. Even with the suit's anti-electrical traits, Wonderbolts just don't take risks like this without good reason.
War is a pretty damn good reason.
Dash stole a glance down towards the ground. Though the rain she could make out a unified force of Earth Ponies and Unicorns. Their mass moving as one, battlecries just making it over the din of the storm as their armor of warm colors stood out against the dark ground. She knew that her friend, her rival in everything athletic, was in a similar mass of soldiers. The thought worried the pegasus and she looked upward towards the enemy force crossing the field. Their armor, black and in tatters. Their species indistinguishable though the sickness that infected them all.
A sharp report in her ear shot Dash's eyes forward. They were not alone in the skies. Before her a swarm of countless winged forms spread out. Claws and vicious looking weapons raised with intent to harm. A second report, a command this time. Scatter, pick your targets, clear the air. Her voice joined the chorus to confirm before she and her wingpony split off from the formation.
Her eyes picked out a target and training took over. Her wings angled to bring her down into a shallow dive before shooting her upward hard. Her wingpony shot up higher than herself, taking a defensive position in the flight path as Dash angled herself downward, her nose pointing at her target. Bringing her wings close to her side, she dove towards her target with increasing speed.
The armor that the Equestrian Air Force equipped her with was a pain, and she made sure to voice it just often enough to make it clear. It restricted her movements, slowed her down and made her feel like she was carrying another pony in flight. But all that melted away as she dived towards her prey. Her wings snapping open at he last second to drag the blade attached to them though her target. She could literally feel that it was a sure shot.
As she rose out of the dive, she took the chance to see what she had killed. The way that the adrenalin slowed everything around her gave her an extra long look at it. Black, horribly disfigured and with what looked like bits of sharp metal inserted into almost random points of the body. But still, she could recognize the basic form of a hawk. Her mind for some reason decided to flash her back to when she was choosing her pet. Strutting back and forth across the line of prospective pets. I wonder how he's doing?
Her mind is brought back to reality when another dark form was brought down to her right, the familiar sight of her wingpony following behind it to return to formation. They both flew up, aiming to return to the center of the main force before flying back out to attack again. It was only thanks to blessed bolt of lightning that the two of them could spot the figure diving down at them.
The black monster's right fist was only barely blocked by Dash's partner's quick reflexes to bring in the hooves like a shield. It didn't stop the thing from launching the pegasus far from Rainbow with the force of the blow. Leaving her alone with the beast and it's diabolical looking spear.
Instinct and reflexes took over, her wings tucking close to her body as she spun in the air. The spear barely missing her as she twisted around it. As she completed her rotation, she raised her fore-hooves, the metal claws gleaming in the flashing lightning before she brought them both down into the chest of the beast. It was then that Dash could get a closer look at what she was about to bring down.
Even with the boils and the missing patches of skin and feathers, Dash could recognize the basic features. A Griffon. A rather angry looking male. She couldn't help but think of her former best friend, Gilda. I should write her a letter. The thought didn't slow her movements however. Using the embedded claws like hoof-holds, she pulled herself up and brought her right leg forward to crash it into the Griffon's face. She could feel it cave in under her assault before she pulled free of it, letting the lifeless body drop from the air.
The air space around her was starting to empty out as the swarm was beaten back giving Dash the luxury to look around and spy her wingpony. Down below her, sandwiched between the land and air battle, she spotted the pegasus trying to recover from the blow. Dash zips down and taps her partner's wing with her own to snap her out of it. “You ok there,” Dash asked, the concern coming though her voice as the mask on the helmet kept her face hidden. “You took quite a blow there.”
Her wingpony nodded before reaching up to her helmet to disconnect the face plate with the helmet and lift it up, letting her gold hair fall free. “Ya.. Was that a griffon?” A thought crosses the pony's mind and she looks around before looking back at Rainbow. “And.. did you drop it,” she asks in disbelief.
Dash smiled and chuckled, “Hey, I'm awesome. Of course I took it out!” She closed her wingpony's face plate playfully before zipping a short distance away. “Come on, Lightning. Lets meet up with the rest of the Flight and get back in the fight!”
The rest of the battle followed a similar pattern with the main force targeting the largest of the enemy fighter's before clearing out the stragglers. It was set to be a standard battle. Up until the most memorable part of the battle. When a Roc made an appearance.
To call Roc's massive is an understatement. Normally, one would only see them if you catch sight of their tiny form in the sky above them. They rarely leave the upper atmosphere to dive down on prey as large as full grown bull elephants. Some reports even have them lifting up entire whales to devour them high in the sky. Pictures of them have them in brilliant colors like browns and whites. But this beast was black as emptiness and horrible boils coated it's form as it stared at them with dead eyes.
To watch the clouds literally part under the beast's massive wing beats was a terrifying sight for the entire Pegasus force as they fought against the wind. The resulting knock back of the wind crashing into the ground lifted ponies off the ground and carried them off. The beast let out a horrifying cry before whipping it's long neck to start snapping at friend at foe alike. It was though luck and adrenaline filled panic that the majority of the attacked pegasi could avoid the snapping beast, more adapted to hunting large prey rather than little ponies.
A sharp crackle came though on Rainbow's radio set in her ear, “Pull Back to Point Delta! Get some distance away from that thing! Let it lash out at it's friends.” A double tap on the side of Dash's helmet sent an automatic confirmation back to Spitfire. In a quick moment both she and Lightning Dust joined the rest of the Flight around Spitfire and Soarin as they watched the beast thrash around.
“We don't have a lot of time,” Spitfire started, watching the beast though her helmet's vision enhancing goggles. “Boogies are already starting to pull away from the Roc. Soon it will take it's sight's on the ground force and they don't have the advantage of three dimensional flight.”
Soarin looked to the Captain, “Maybe having it drop isn't that bad? We cut it's wings and let it meet the ground the hard way!”
Spitfire shook her head, “Roc's have wings as thick as trees and practically as strong. To cut though those with just Flight Blades would take a crazy amount of... speed.” The last word came along ith a tone of realization as she looked to the pair of fastest fighters in the Flight.
The unspoken question in her eyes was meet with two nods. They were ready, they just needed the green light.
Spitfire floated from the main group a bit and pressed her hoof against the side of her helmet, activating her radio. “Coronal Warhawk. This is Captain Spitfire of-”
“Of the Wonderbolt Squadron. I know.” A voice of condemnation replied, a familiar one that Spitfire had gotten used to under the command of Warhawk. “If you don't mind, Spitfire, I am in the middle of a meeting with the Squad Leaders to try and figure out how to kill that beast. Have your Flight ready to retreat and guide in a war machine.”
Spitfire bit her teeth to keep a sharp retort from coming out. After taking a moment to breathe, she replied in a forced calm, “Sir, I believe two of my fliers will be enough-”
He cut her off again, “Am I to put my trust in a pair of stunt ponies over the firepower of a War Blimp?”
“You know that blimp will take far too long to reach us,” Spitfire lost her cool for a moment. Taking another breath she went on, “Sir, by the time the blimp reaches us, the Roc will attack the ground forces. I know you have a distaste for us but I ask you this one time. Trust me!”
There is a prolonged silence on the radio. “You have one shot,” Warhawk's tone was reluctant and was only made worse at Spitfire's reply.
“Thank you, sir. Let us do our best to hold the Roc steady.”
The venom in the Coronal’s retort was palpable, “You'll have a lot of blood on your hooves if this goes wrong, Spitfire.”
She removed her hoof from the radio, letting it go dead as she softly whispered, “I know.” She looked back to her squad. They had waited patiently for Spitfire's orders, except for Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. The Captain looked at the two of them. She couldn't see their faces but their eyes had a fire brighter than even Celestia's Sun, their bodies as tight as harp strings. Every part of their being set on a hair trigger.
“Go!”
In a flash the two of them shot past Spitfire, leaving her floating there as the air whipped around her. When it had settled, Spitfire looked back at her Wonderbolts. “Listen up! I have a hard task to set before you,” she floated closer to them so that she could be heard clearly. “Dash and Dust are going to clip that bird's wings. We have the task of keeping it in one place so they can do the job. That's right, I'm asking you to fly back to that monster. That is indeed a problem.” She paused before smiling behind her mask as she looked at them, “Unless you are a Wonderbolt.”
“Yeah!” They called out in response.
“Then keep up!” Spitfire shot past the group, heading straight for the Roc with her Wonderbolts close behind. They were joined soon by the rest of the Flight as a unified force, the air spinning around their bodies like a drill.
The Roc had a moment to see what was coming towards it before the combined force of more than one hundred pegasi crashed into it's body. It wasn't enough to drop the beast, however and they were soon brushed of with a sharp flap of it's wings. Warhawk was the first to recover, yelling out a sharp order, “Swarm the beast! Hold it in place!”
As a unified force the pegasi swarmed around the Roc, cutting it's thick hide and feathers with their wing blades and hoof claws. Warhawk flew in close to Spitfire, calling out, “You better be right about them!” Her reply was cut short as the Roc's beak snapped towards them, forcing them both to twist out of the way and fly along it's neck. Warhawk jammed his hoofclaws into the beast's flesh and dragged them along as he flew. His assault was cut short as he was stopped short, making himself flip over before he caught air again.
Spitfire rejoined him, calling out, “You getting old, Coronal? You lost control for a second there.”
“Not control, Spitfire.” Warhawk replied as he showed his armor encased hoof, now minus the three claws. “I lost my blades.” The two of them took a look around the battle surrounding the beast, seeing similar cases of weapons shattering against it's hide, if not wings completely dislocated.
A sensation of dread came over Spitfire as the weight of the situation started to build.
“Hurry up you two.”
“How far do we have to go!” Lightning Dust had to almost shout to get her voice though the radio. Although the helmet was designed to keep air penetration at a minimum at flight speed, they speed they were going were far above the norm.
Dash looked over her shoulder at Dust, “Why? You getting tired?” The snarky remark earned her a soft laugh from her Wingpony.
“Tired? Hardly...” The amusement drained from her voice as she went on, “But I'm worried. What if we can't get enough speed? Aren't you concerned about that?”
“Concerned? Me?” Dash laughed before smugly saying, “I'm Rainbow Dash. What do I have to e concerned about?”
Dust smiled behind her mask. “Roger.”
The pair were quiet for a while after that, focusing on reaching the target distance. When she was sure it was far enough, Dash slowed down to a dead stop and turned to face their target with Dust following suit. The magnification on the goggles was the only way she could see the large Roc at this distance as they floated at a high angle above it. “Do you remember the rescues I did before?” Dusk nodded, prompting Rainbow to continue, “I don't think about things like speed or distance. I don't think about whether or not I make it. The only thing I think about is reaching my target.” She looked to Dusk as she asked, “Can you do that?”
A smart salute was all the answer Rainbow needed and she started their attack run.
The returning flight was more of a dive than a straight path. They needed the extra speed to put the force behind their attack. Their wings pumped with all their might as the wind howled around them. All Dash could hear beyond them was the rapid beating of her heart, almost like it threatened to bust out of her chest. But she willed it steady and her wings faster. It was as they approached the Roc that she heard a third sound and it took a moment to realize what it was.
She was screaming. No. Not screaming, yelling. Or better yet...
Rainbow Dash roared with all her might a she turned to her side, letting her wings spread wide as she aimed for the joint right at the wing. The pegasi swarming around the Roc scattered at their approach a moment before Dash and Dust crashed into the Roc. At the moment of impact, Rainbow could have sworn that her wing was getting ripped off. But she pushed herself though until she sliced though.
The pair rolled though the air until they landed on the massive bird's back. Dash held on tight as she caught her breath, looking over her shoulder she saw that they failed. The wings remained attached to the beast. But now they hung limply without the needed connective tendons. Now it's head and legs thrashed as it attempted to stop itself from falling backwards.
With a click, realization hit her as she twisted back around to see 'above' them, the ground making a quick approach to them.
“MOVE!”
At once, they both got to their hooves took off on a sprint down the bird's body as the Earth made it's quick approach. Dash spread her wings, forcing them fully open despite the protest from her right wing, the same she used to cut. Time was running out, she could start to see details in the soldiers below. Tailfeathers came into view, seconds remaining. “FLY!”
Dash kicked off with her remaining strength and beat her wings as she twisted around the Roc's body, slipping free at the last moment with Dust close behind. They rose up but kept their eyes on the Roc, watching with amazement as it crushed legions of the enemy army under it's body and blowing down the rest of them under it's immense weight.
Dash smiled weakly and looked to Dust. “Hey.. We did it,” she said too tired to put much emotion in it. Her wingpony rose her hoof weakly in celebration before it dropped, her wings sputtering in attempt to keep her upright. Dash weakly floated closer as she tried to rouse her friend, “hey.. Don't fall asleep on.. me..” Dash let out a sigh as her body gave in to exhaustion and the adrenaline crash.
Dash's world was darkness as she floated though it, to tired to think. Too tired to move. She accepted her quiet respite in the darkness. “Damn mares... too heavy nowadays!” Dash's darkness was rudely disturbed and she grumbled in protest, trying to surrender to the darkness. “Wake the buck up, Airpony! No time for resting!”
Reluctantly, Dash opened her eyes as reality returned to her. The weight of her armor and body and the aching all over. Her wings laid limply at her side as she floated in the air. This clear contradiction made her shake her head, “Am I.. dead?”
“Not yet.” A gruff voice in her ear prompted her to look to her side, seeing Warhawk holding her up. Next to him, Spitfire held on to Lightning Dust in a similar condition. “Can you fight, Airpony?”
“Wha? But we already... Oh buck it all.” Dash's jaw dropped when she saw the situation she and her entire squadron were in. While they were focusing on the Roc, the rest of the force had surrounded them. They now stared down the pegasi with murder in their eyes. Dash looked around, seeing only tired pegasi with shattered weapons. Nothing that can survive the attack waiting for them. The tired pegasus looked back to her commanding officer, “Working on a plan?”
“I'm thinking,” Warhawk gruffly replied.
“That's nice. I'll try to go back to sleep in the meantime.”
“I wouldn't if I were you, Dash.” Rainbow Dash looked to Spitfire in confusion that only grew more so when she saw the mare's smile. “You'll miss the show.” She nodded her head forward, directing Dash's gaze towards the brunt of the enemy force. Amounst the dark figures, she saw it.
A tiny glowing orb, an ember among charcoal almost.
One of the creatures made the mistake of getting too close, causing the orb to flash and explode, coating the surrounding beasts in a brilliant flame.
Warhawk started laughing with a mix of relief and excitement. “Looks like those lazy Unicorns finally got set up!” Dash looked down to see what he was talking about. Below them, Unicorns were grouping together and casting their magic. One of them acting as a spotter while two more more feed their magic to one in the middle who launched those small orbs at high speeds towards the flyers.
One by one, brilliant explosions enveloped the enemy and coated them in flames and soon the skies were clear except for the Pegasi, their voices joining the cheer of victory with the soldiers below. Dash looked to Warhawk with a weak smile. “Permission to sleep, sir?”
“Granted!” He had to catch himself however as Dash went limp again and took the old soldier off balance. Dash rested in the arms of her comrades until they returned to the carrier blimp. She was still barely awaken for the medical exam. A month of bedrest for both her and Dust, to let their wings heal from the strain of their attack.
Their rest would be needed as the war was nearing it's climax.
Rainbow Dash struggled against the chains that wrapped around her limbs and chest. She pulled and tried to twist against them but they refused to give. All around her was inky darkness as she called out with no voice. No reply came except for an unending and steady beeping. The air grew tenser as another presence approached, she struggled to look around to try and find what it was.
The darkness parted like a veil as it approached. Dark wings spread around her as golden eyes gleamed at her. The Roc opened it's beak and slowly moved in to swallow the entrapped pegasus, even as she tried to escape. Her mouth opened to scream but nothing came out as she was swallowed.
Dash sat up like a bolt, gasping for air like she was held under water for far too long. She attempted to look around but found her body resisted her commands, leaving her trapped on her bed. She was on the edge of panicking until a voice called to her, “Ah, good morning Miss Dash.”
Rainbow looked to the source of the voice, her eyes focusing on a brown blob until they finally came into focus. She finally was able to see it was a pony, a unicorn from the looks of the horn on his head. Brown coat and blond mane. She was about to take a chance to look at the nametag when a bright light assaulted her eyes, blinding her. “Hang on just a minute, need to check a few things.” His tone was annoying to Dash, as if her protests were a bother to him.
“Well.. gah. At least give me a warning there, doc.” Doc? Ah, seems her brain is catching up before she is. She's in a hospital. When he finally cut the light out of her eyes, she screwed them tight and rubbed at them. “So what happened? Did I crash into that cliff again?”
“Cliff,” the doctor asked, perplexed. He made a few notes on a clipboard before asking, “What do you think you were doing when you were last awake?”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, remembering the many times she was asked that. “Obviously, I was flying. In case you didn't know, that's what I do. So I was cruising along and-” Her explanation was cut off as the memories came flooding in. The briefing, flying into the storm and the battle. That griffion.. Gilda? No, wasn't her. Then that Roc.. That Roc that tried to eat her in the dream. She and Dust brought it down...
DUST!
Dash tried to get out of the bed but her body screamed in resistance, “Dust! Where is she?!”
“If you are asking for Airmane First Class Lighting Dust..” the unicorn, the annoyance in his voice from her actions even more clear. He twisted his head and used his magic to move the curtain aside and reveal a sleeping form. “She's right here. I believe she will wake soon as well.”
Dash sighed in relief to know they had both made it out alive. She was about to go back relaxing when she is suddenly snapped back to attention by the doctor continuing his examination. “Try and sit still now, ok? I want to finish this up soon.”
Several minutes of poking, proding, popping with a hammer and one very painful needle later and the doctor finally released her. “There we are, that wasn't so bad.” Dash was sure the doctor was at least trying to look like he was trying, but his tone of dismissiveness completely ruined his attempt to settle her down.
“Oh ya, the needle is nothing thanks to your bedside manner,” Dash sneered at him, actually contemplating paperwork just to lodge a complaint.
The doctor didn't seem to notice, more focused on writing in Dash's medical chart before putting it back on the hook at the foot of her bed. “You are welcome. Make sure to give a shout if your friend wakes up. She will need an examination as well.” With that, he strolled off to find a new 'patient'.
Dash was left to let out an exasperated sigh and listen to the sounds of the room. The unending beeping of the machine next to her. The hissing coming from the bothersome air hose thing she had shoved up her nose, she swiftly removed it the next moment, and Lighting's snickering.
She almost twisted her head off snapping it to see her Wingpony smirking at her and watching with one eye. “Wow,” she said in a whisper, “That guy really worked you over. For a second, I thought he might opt for an exploratory surgery.”
Dash returned the smirk and kept her voice low, “I would have taken it just to be knocked out and not having to experience it.”
Dust snickered louder as she offered an alternative, “In that case, he might just chose instead to get a rectal probe!”
Dash's face twisted in severe disgust, “Oh Celestia, don't mention him getting close to my flank. It got weird enough when he started moving my legs around and rubbing with his hooves.” She gave an overplayed shudder at the thought.
The pair shared a soft laugh that faded in the air, replaced with the soft hissing and beeping. Dash finally had to task the risk and ask, “Are you alright?”
Dust rolled her eyes and nodded, “Of course I'm fine. I'm achin all over and my wing joint feels stiff, but I'm fine.” Dust closed her eyes and sighed before going on, “That was some ride, eh Dash? After those first battles, just swatting a few buzzards out of the air, I thought this was smooth sailing. But then that Griffon and a ROC! Looks like we just entered the big leagues, eh?”
Dash could only nod, the memory of that livid dream coming back to her, making her pale slightly. This didn't go unnoticed by Dust who tiled her head a little in confusion. “You ok there, Dash? You don't look so good.”
Dash shook her head, snapping out of it. “I'm fine. I'm.. I”m fine.”
Dust raised an eyebrow, skeptical of that answer, “Really? It doesn't seam like it.”
“I'm ok, really.”
“Dash just tell me-”
“I'm fine!” Dash was starting to get agitated but Dust didn't let up.
“I'm your friend, right?” Dust bit her lip softly before going on, “I mean, I did my best to make up for what I done. Can't you confide in me?”
Dash hung her head and nodded, the words pulling at her heartstrings, “Y-Ya but.. I don't want to share this.”
Dust furrowed her brow as she narrowed her eyes at Dash, her lips pulled down in a frown. “Don't think I”m going to drop this so easily. I don't want your mind clouded when we are flying. It won't end well.”
Dash's expression was blank for a moment before she slowly pulled up a smile, prompting Dusk to smile as well. But that smile faded when Dash's turns dubious. Before she could ask what was going on, Dash called out, “Oh Lightning Dusk! So great so see you awake!”
Dusk's eyes shot open in a panic as she tried to make Dash stop with quick shakes of her head, but Dash continued in the loud call, “Oh wait until you meet the doctor. He is just great! You are going to enjoy him!”
The door opened with a ominous creek as the doctor reappeared, “What's this I hear? Airmane Dust, I am so glad to see you wake. Now we can get your examination out of the way.”
Dusk softly whimpered while Dash smirked and started to move off the bed, “I hope you pay extra attention to her flank, Doc. I think she might have pulled something there. I'll just take a walk and give you both some privacy.” The doctor only waved her off while he focused on Dusk, putting her though the same experience as Rainbow with a bit of extra at the end.
Rainbow Dash had to give the doctor some credit. Whatever was in that needle was relaxing her sore muscles almost as well as that time she let Rarity talk her into a massage. She was almost able to move without any difficulty. She slowed her stride, hanging her head for a bit. I'll have to remember to ask to go again when I see her.
It was a short trip until she found a window facing outside and she learned exactly where she was. She didn't have exacts, but it seemed to be about a few thousand feet in the air give or take ten thousand! It took her a moment to realize where she was. With metal all around and the very faint humming of an engine, it was a War Blimp! The moment the plans were declassified enough to go though the ranks, all of the pegasi were chatting about it. Normally, the skies of a battlefield were their domain, but now there was a chance that unicorns and earth ponies were going to fly along with them? It was unprecedented.
Blimps were not unknown, but they were just the playthings of the rich and affluent. The idea of sticking armor and weapons on it seemed crazy in her eyes. The sound of hooves clanking on metal snapped her out of her daze and brought her attention to two Earth Ponies walking down the corridor, conversing about something serious. Just begging for a surprise visit by the Awesome Rainbow Dash.
She leap in front of them and presented herself proudly. “Hey there, fellas,” Dash said with a million dollar smile, completely ignoring the shock she gave the both of them. “Care to answer a question from the Awesome Pegasus who took down a massive Roc?”
The two Earth Ponies shared a look before responding to Dash, their tone a mix of disappointment and annoyance. “From what I heard,” the larger of the pair started, his coat a splotched mix of dark brown and white under a thick green vest with a whole lot of pockets. “You didn't take it down, at least not alone. Where's your wingpony?”
Before Dash could counter, the other colt spoke up. “And what about the rest of your Squadron and the others who flew in that battle. A lot of them came back hurt holding that Roc steady for your attack to hold.”
Rainbow Dash could only slink back a bit and rub her hair with a hoof. “Geez, I just wanted to ask what are we flying in. Didn't need a lecture.”
The two earth ponies shared another look before the taller explained in a professional tone, “This is the RES Everfree. First Carrier Blimp of it's kind. We are currently holding position thirty thousand feet above the most recent battle while the rest of the fleet arrives.” He drops the professional tone as he says, “Is that all?”
“Um... Ya?” Dash moved out of their way as they walked off, continuing their conversation in hushed tones. All she could get from it was 'Wonderdolt' said in a disgusted tone. That was enough to sour Dash's mood. After shooting them both a venomous glare, she returned to walking down the hall, grumbling to herself.
How far Dash walked after that, she didn't know. If she did run into anyone else, they didn't give her a reason to snap you out of her grump. She might have walked an entire circle if a familiar voice hadn't spoken up.
“Dash, didn't expect you to be awake so soon!” Dash stopped short and nearly tripped over her hooves. She planted her flank firmly on the ground before she did so and looked around to see who called to her. “Well, I guess you aren't fully recovered.” Dash finally caught sight of who it was. Spitfire, dressed in a casual uniform with an amused smirk on her face that was clear even behind her aviator shades.
Dash sprung up on all fours, a determined look on her face, “I'm better than fully recovered! I'm ready to get back in the air.” Her wings flared out as if she can catch the wind that instant.
Spitfire raised a skeptical eyebrow, “Ready to get up in the air?”
“Heck ya!”
“This instant,” she pressed.
“Sooner!”
“Off the ship and away from everypony.”
“Far away!” Dash couldn't catch herself before it came out, she bit her tongue and looked away as Spitfire looked on at her, the yellow mare's smile now in a soft frown.
She was quiet for several moments as she carefully removed her shades and tucked them in a chest pocket. “So,” she started slowly, choosing her words carefully, “You have experienced some animosity with the crew?”
Dash sighed and shrugged, “I don't know. It just feels like we aren't part of them. Just extra cargo.” Her frown turns into a snarl as she spits out, “Haven't we done the work to earn our place? Feels like boot camp all over again.”
Spitfire had no words. She knew Dash was right. They weren't considered part of the air force proper but instead more of extra baggage. There was only one solution to this that she could think of. “Dash,” Rainbow Dash snapped out of her brooding and straighted up, waiting for orders. “Follow me. Don't say anything, just listen.”
Dash did as she was told as Spitfire lead her though the corridors. Even a pegasus of her prestige didn't earn more than what was obligated of her though her rank and that only made Rainbow Dash more upset. Thankfully, their destination was only a short trip away. Corporal Warhawk was blazed across the door that Spitfire looked up at.
The golden coated mare motioned for Dash to stay against the wall as she pulled out a pin from her chest pocket. She held it in her mouth as she knocked three times on the door. “Enter,” Warhawk's voice came from inside, sharp and annoyed. Spitfire gave Dash a side glance as she stepped in the room, dropping the pin against the door frame as it closed behind her, keeping it cracked and letting Dash hear what went on inside.
Spitfire's movements were textbook from start to finish. She walked two paces short of the desk and stood at attention. “Captain Spitfire, requesting audience.”
Warhawk looked up from is work and, in complete surprise to Spitfire, smiled at her. “Well, this is a surprise. I was planning on visiting you myself after I get this all done but you saved me the walk. I wanted to thank you and congratulate those fliers of yours. Rainbow Dash and Lighting Dust, right? How are they?”
To say that Spitfire was at a loss for words would be an understatement. The colt who had spent the majority of the war treating her and her squadron as second rate was happy to see her and offering congratulations? She stammered, trying to find words after intending to feed him a few choice words, “W-Well, um.. Thank you? They are fine, the doctor says that they just need rest.” Spitfire shook her head a bit to focus her thoughts and sharply stomped her hoof. “Sir, what is this?”
Warhawk rose an eyebrow in confusion as he leaned back in his chair, “What do you mean? I am offering commendation. Was going to put it in the official record and see about getting some metals around.”
“I don't mean that!” Spitfire did her best to keep her voice level as her emotions get loose, “You spent this entire conflict treating me and my Wonderbolts as second class, not proper fliers like your own. And now you think you can just make all that disappear with a few kind words and some shiny bits of metal!” Spitfire sucked in a breath of air and straightened herself up, just barely keeping her voice level, “I demand an explanation.. Sir.”
Once the surprise left Warhawk's face, it bore only quiet calm as he let Spitfire laid it all to bare. He kept watching her for several moments after that before moving, opening the bottom drawer of his desk and pulling out a binder. “Let me ask you a question, Spitfire.” He set the binder on his desk and opened it, showing a collection of pictures of various ponies. Every breed and every gender were on display. “Do you recognize any of these?”
Spitfire looked though the faces and shook her head, “No?” She looked at Warhawk in confusion as he turned the page to more pictures.
“And these?”
Another scan of the images. “No, sir. I don't recognize any of them.”
This went on for several moments until they went though all the pages and all the pictures. Until all that was left was to flip the back cover and close the binder. “I see.” He reached back in his desk and pulled out a single image of a group of pegasi and set it before Spitfire. “And anyone here?”
Spitfire looked though it a moment before her face lit up, “Oh my.. Is that Stormrunner?! He's the original Wonderbolt! Our uniforms are enchanted to give the same storm cloud trail as him in his honor! Wow, he looks so young.” Spitfire looked up from the picture and recoiled a bit as she saw Warhawk's stern gaze.
“One hundred faces and no success, yet you can spot his out of a crowd,” Warhawk stated slowly, prompting Spitfire to nod before he spoke again, just as slowly, “One hundred faces of soldiers who gave their lives in service to their nation you can't recognize a single one-” Spitfire's eyes snap open in shock as she looked at the binder, now seeming a lot more sacred, “-and yet you can pick out a single face of a flier who barely got anywhere in the air force, who went on to earn fame and fortune with stunts and shows?”
Spitfire put a forehoof over her other to keep it from shaking as she awaited the final blow, “Tell me, Spitfire. Would you expect any other reaction from we who will face into nothingness from those who bask in the spotlight? How much do you expect us to take as citizens frequently look to you for help despite your frequent shortcomings and yet we barely get a second glance even in full dress uniform.” Though Warhawk kept his voice calm, his tone made it clear that there was a lot of emotion behind his words. A lot of love for his soldiers and sadness for their fate.
Spitfire could only hang her head, her bangs covering her eyes as she tries to find some retort to defend her Wonderbolts, but found nothing. When she felt a hoof on her shoulder, she looked up to see Warhawk standing next to her. “Don't go back to your troops with a frown. They earned their place just like everypony else here. I will speak to the troops about treating the Wonderbolts with the respect they deserve, but I make no promises. Here..” He flips open the binder and goes though a few pages before pulling out a picture. “Give this to Airmane Dash. I think this will help her understand as well.”
Outside, Dash had heard the majority of the exchange thanks to the crack in the door, though it didn't completely douse the fire in her chest about what she went though. She put on her best face though as Spitfire came out with a picture in her grasp. Dash waited until the door was closed and they were a little ways down the hall before speaking up, “So, what did he give you?”
Spitfire said nothing and just handed over the picture, giving it to Dash to look over. For a while, her face only had confusion until realization dawned on her. The photo was in black and white, but the spectrum of colors that would have been in the colt's hair was still clear to see. The smug grin and the wild eyes looked so familiar to Dash that it was almost eerie. It was so much like her own.
Rainbow Dash swallowed and softly whispered, “Grandpa.”
Spitfire stood next to Dash, looking at the picture as well as the resemblance became clear to her as well. “You never knew?”
Dash shook her head and clutched the picture close to her chest as her eyes spilled over.
“So wait, your grandfather was an Ace in the Equestrian Air Force?!”
Dash didn't respond to Dust's question for a while, letting the water from the shower pour over her face and down her body as he faced the head. Trying to wash away the stress the afternoon had given her.
Rainbow Dash and Spitfire had run into Lighting Dust a while after the talk with Warhawk. Dust had intended to get Dash back for what she was put though but shelved it when she saw Dash's disheveled face. Spitfire offered then that both of them take a trip to the showers. In part to let Dash relax a bit but mostly because the two of them had gone an entire day without washing and she was starting to smell them.
It took the trip to the showers for Dash to get her thoughts straight enough to start explaining what happened as the water poured poured from the shower heads. Dash finally lowered her head and turned around so that the stream of water flowed down her back and across her wings. “Ya, that metal on his chest in the picture. It's the Ace Cross, clear as day. I even remember seeing that one and many others as a filly.” She shakes her head in disappointment at herself, “I can't believe I didn't recognize any of them.”
Dust watched Dash for a while, feeling pity for her friend but anger at herself for having no means to help her. Instead, the teal pegasus focused on rubbing her hair with her hooves for a while to get them clean while she thought. “Well..” she started, a thought coming to mind, “you can't really blame yourself for that. You were a filly when you saw him last, right?”
“Ya,” Dash started before the started scrubbing the barrel of her body with a hoof. “But I had a chance to see him before I moved to Ponyville. But I brushed him off to watch a Wonderbolt show. That makes it worse, Dust. I'm living proof of what Warhawk said! And worse yet it was with someone of my own family.” She sighed pitifully and hung her head as the water pelted her, “What sort of granddaughter am I to act like I deserve to be in the same skies that he dominated?”
Dash's moping session was cut short when she was hit in the head with a bar of soap. “Ow! What was that for?!” Dash bared her teeth at Dust who only frowned in return.
“Sorry, wasn't sure if I was talking to Rainbow Dash, the greatest flier in all of Equestria, or a changeling.”
“So the test is to throw soap at me?”
“The test is to help you snap out of it. Do you honestly expect me to believe that your own family would shun you just because you didn't know every little aspect about them?”
Dash slunk back and looked away, “Well.. No, but-”
“But nothing!” Dust gave Dash a gentle shove to keep her focused. “Family loves you for you. And so do friends. You are the one who taught me that, remember?” She looked back to the spray of water from the shower head to wash her face before looking back to Dash, “Besides, if you are so up in arms about honoring him, why not do so by earning Ace yourself?”
Dash responded to the idea with snort that sent water droplets flying. But as she let the idea bounce around in her mind, she slowly warmed to it. A smile growing on her lips as her wings grew in excitement. “Ya.. Ya! I can earn the Ace Cross. Then I can use my Wonderbolt popularity to get more ponies talking about it! Dust you are a genius!” Dash hugged her friend in excitement, catching her off guard at first but Dust quickly warmed to it.
“My pleasure.” Dust returned the hug and warmly nuzzled into her friend's arms.
“Wooo Wooo! Action in the showers~” Both of the girls were caught off guard by a catcall from a stallion standing in the doorway. They both shot gazes to the culprit but Soarin just strode the gazes off as he went around the dividing wall in the middle of the shower that divided the large unisex showers into unofficial stallion and mare sides.
Dash only rolled her eyes and cut the shower off, having cleaned herself a long time ago. “Right, I think that's our cue to go.” She started to the locker room connected to the showers but stopped when she noticed Dust was not close behind her. She looked over her shoulder to find her Wingpony with her head still in the showers and a lewd expression on her face. Dash walked back to her and followed her gaze to Soarin. The stallion's back to them as he washed his mane. “What are you staring at?”
Dust elbowed Dash's shoulder, “Don't act like you never considered it.” Slowly, she tore her gaze away from the sight and went to her locker. “I mean, just look at that flank.”
Dash could only roll her eyes at the comment as she went to her own locker. “Ya, but you know how obsessed with pies he is,” she pointed the fact out, hoping to break her friend's obsession. “You know that after a few years, it's gonna get all plump.”
Dust barked out a laugh, “Hey, more rump for the hump!” Dust made her point by bumping her flank against Dash's, making the cyan's face blush twice over.
Dash pulled on her flight suit and stuck her tongue out at Dust, “Pervert.” Dust's only reaction was to laugh further as she got her suit on as well.
It was a few more days before they were cleared to fly officially. Another harrowing examination with the doctor and they were cleared to fly. Dash's excitement were clear from the tip of her forelock, to every feather in her wings and the tip of her tail. And Dust was left unable to resist feeling it as well. They both were on edge to get the chance at tasting the sky again.
Not even getting lost once or twice was able to damper their moods.
Finally, they found their way to the hanger. The room was massive with a giant door taking up an entire wall. Ponies of every kind were actively moving about, checking machineary in the floor and moving armor and weapons about. After several moments of taking it all in, Dash and Dust's attention were pulled to the far side of the hanger by Spitfire calling out to them, inviting them to join the rest of the Wonderbolts as they stand around her.
Dash and Dust gallop to the rest of the group an strike a smart salute. “Airmane First Class Rainbow Dash...”
“Airmane Lightning Dust...”
In unison, they finished, “Reporting for duty!”
Spitfire gave them both a smile before quickly hiding it behind a professional looking frown of disappointment. “Dash, Dust. Not only are you late but you appealingly forgot your own ranks!” She let Dash and Dust soak that in as the pair looked at each other in confusion. After letting them steep in it, Spitfire explained, “What you are looking for is Senior Airmane Rainbow Dash and Airmane First Class Lighting Dust.” She let the false frown be over taken with another smile in congratulations.
Once it clicked for the duo, they were all smiles and hoof bumps until Spitfire got them focused. “Alright alright, we can have cake rations to celebrate afterward, lets focus.” She let her troop express their disappointment at the mention of rations before going on, “As most of you know, Command seems to think that we are too slow getting into the air. I tried to convense them that we weren't slow and if we were, it was the fault of them for having rations be so good.” She lowered her voice as she added, “Sometimes, I worry that they actually listened to me.” The squadron shared a soft laugh before Spitfire carried on, “So now they figure that the best way to get us into the air faster is to sling us out of the ship!”
Next to them, the floor opened in two places, revealing what looked to be workings of a large slingshot. Mechanics start moving in, using tools to make sure everything is working properly and setting in four armored hoofshoes in both of the slings. “Here is how it will work, fillies! You will step into the boots, get secured in and have your armor attached. Then, when you are all set, you are going to get shot out of the ship! Soarin and I will be giving a live demonstration.
She and Soarin move into position, setting their hooves into each of the boots and making sure they were secure before giving a nod for the crew to move in and attach the rest of their equipment.
Pegasus armor tended to always been more complicated than any other, mostly out of need to protect in three dimensions instead of the two that Earth ponies and Unicorns had to face on the ground. Each piece snapped and bolted into place into the other until the Pegasus was completely encased in metal and weapons. It was though this that Pegasus soldiers often were nicknamed as 'Flying Swords'.
First came on the chest piece in two parts that went around the neck, shoulders and legs, proudly displaying the crest of Equestria. Then the back piece snapped into the chest and wrapped around the barrel of their bodies, snapping into place before the flank piece was attached. Fore and back leg armor were attached in a similar manner, attaching to the prior piece before snapping into itself as it completely encased the limb. Wings were attached next, being a combination of weapons and armor. A shield of metal covered the most critical of the feathers top and bottom while a razor sharp blade sat at the front of the wing. The neck and head pieces game in last, completely covering the face and eyes with a mask and goggle set, giving the pegasus advanced vision while in flight.
At the end of it, Spitfire and Soarin both looked more like metal golems rather than pegasi.
With their armor secure and tight on them, the pair give it a test by moving their bodies as best as they could with their hooves attached to the machine below them. With a nod of their heads, the two pegasi gave their ok's for launch. They lowed themselves close to the ground as a set of lights above the door counted them off.
Three. Their bodies tensed in preparation, taking in a deep breath.
Two. The Wonderbolts watching on swallow and lean in closer to watch.
One. Everything seems to hang still for that moment. The final buzzard feeling like it was taking an eternity as everything was still.
“Launch!” The shout from the catapult officers jolts every one of the Wonderbolts except two, who instead get the ride of their lives. From their position, they could see the metal ropes tighten though the gaps in the floor before the catapult suddenly lurches forward, carrying them along with it. They had to resist the urge to go limp and be pulled back by the force and instead lean into it, spreading their wings wide to catch the wind to be ready to fly.
When the catapult reaches it's end, it releases their hooves and lets them loose into the air. For a moment, they disappeared as they dipped below the edge of the hanger, exhausting gasps from the inexperienced Wonderbolts. A moment later, the pair of pegasi rose up into view and flew towards the nose of the ship as their team cheered from inside.
“Spitfire! I hate to disturb you while you are enjoying yourself, but we have to get back to teaching the rest of the 'Bolts.” Spitfire sighed into her radio as Soarin pulled her out of her daydream. She hadn't intended to spend so long flying around the ship, but being able to taste the sun again was too intoxicating to say no to just spreading her wings and soaking in the sun as she 'laid' on her back in the sky. As diluted as it was though the armor. “Uh... Spitfire?”
“I read you, Soarin,” Spitfire groaned into the radio as she flips around to face the ship, Soarin hovering next to her. After clearing her throat, Spitfire tapped on her radio twice, “Patch me though to Hanger One.” A double beep confirmed her request and she spoke, “As you can see, it isn't that hard. All of you suit up and join us out in the sky, we are going to do a bit of training. Double time it!” A tap on her radio and the connection was cut, leaving her and Soarin alone.
Things were quiet for a bit before Soarin spoke up again, “You know you were going to get this when you signed up for it.” Spitfire only nodded as she watched the first pair get launched out, their control sloppy after being flung. “No more time for soaking in the sun or just cruising.” Spitfire nodded again as another group was launched and started their path towards the lead pair. “No more sharing a cloud-”
Soarin was swiftly cut off with an elbow to the gut. The armor blocked the most of it but the message was still there. “Hush up, Pie Thighs.” Soarin only chuckled and nodded, joining her in watching the 'Bolts get launched out.
Finally, it was Dash and Dust's turn. Last ones out, it was up to them to show the rest of the Squadron how it's done. With a brohoof, they set their feet into the armor boots to ready themselves for launch. The deck officer walked in front of them while their armor was being set up, his face covered behind a helmet and dark visors. “Alright, here's what you are going to do. Lean into the wind when the catapult launches you and keep your wings spread. When you are set loose, go down into a dive to get speed and then pull up and turn into a half corkscrew towards the nose of the ship. You will reach the rest of your Squadron there. All clear?”
Both Dash and Dust gave confirming nods and the officer moved out of the way, waving his hoof in the air to let the rest of the crew know that it was all set. Once the runway was clear, the countdown ran and the pair were launched like bolts out of a crossbow. Dash felt like every part of her body was going to be ripped off of her as the rush of air hit her. She held together somehow and pulled the maneuver off nearly perfectly with Dust close behind her. When they were clear of the ship, Dash let go of the long breath that she didn't know she as holding. She shared a look with her wingpony and both of them nodded, only one word between them to describe what they went though.
“Awesome.”
The rest of the evening was spent doing formation training and proper scattering. Then when the rest of the squadrons were let loose, some practice combat. She could feel that the talk with Warhawk had effected the other squadrons. Before, they either didn't put their all into the practices with the Wonderbolts or did it over the top as if they were venting their frustration. But now she could actually feel a sense of co-operation and unity. Now she actually felt like she could put her trust in them as well as her fellow 'Bolts.
The uplifting feeling carried on into the mess hall. Once, the Bolts were isolated from the rest of the crews and airmanes but now they mingled and conversed. Cliques and groups were still apparent. Wingponies sat together and squads were always within earshot but it seemed a whole lot less abrasive.
As Dash climbed into her bunk, she sighed happily at the result of the evening. She was about to dose off when she felt a kick from below her. She looked over the edge to see Dust smiling back up at her, “Somepony is looking pretty happy. Everyone getting along puts you in a good mood?”
Dash smerked and rolled back on her back to look back at the flat ceiling above her. “It's a.. Loyalty thing, ya know?”
Dust let out a slow 'Ooohhhh' as she realized what Dash meant. “Right, your Element. Hey, what is it like?” When Dash only replied with 'Huh?', Dust explained, “I heard that when you go all Elemental, you get all sorts of magical stuff going on around ya. So.. what is it like?”
Dash was quiet for a long time at the question, trying to find the right words. After so long that Dust thought she went to sleep Dash spoke slowly and softly, working her hooves like it would help her form the words, “It's like.. giving every fiber of yourself to another pony.. and yet.. having them fill you until you are overflowing with themselves. There's no sense of it being just me working with them. But that we are all together as one.” She looked at her hooves for a long time before asking, “Does that make any sense?”
With a snort, Dust replied, “Nope, but that's magic for ya. G'night Dash. See ya in the mornin!”
Rainbow Dash nodded and said, “Ya.. I'll see ya...” She turned her head to the wall against her bunk, a picture of her friends during a picnic taped against it. She gently pressed her hoof against the photo and whispered, “I'll see you soon.”
A bright flash and Dash was left rubbing her eyes, trying to get the spots out of it. “Oh dear, Darling did you need to turn the flash up so high. I should have worn my sunglasses.” Rarity? That was her voice. As Dash's eyes cleared she looked over to see the familiar white unicorn screwing her eyes to get them clear.
“Sorry, Rarity. But don't worry about the glasses. I would hate to not see your beautiful eyes.” That was Spike. The young dragon making goo-goo eyes at Rarity even as a purple glow envelops his camera and lifts it away.
Rainbow Dash felt elation. She was back home on the green grass of Ponyville sitting with all her friends. She wanted to hug them all and say how much she missed them, but all that came out of her mouth was, “It wasn't his fault, Rarity. If you hadn't worn such a big hat, we wouldn't have all this shade around us.” Dash chuckled, Applejack next to her joining in.
Rarity gave a fake pout like she was hurt by the comment. “Oh Dash, I must insist on it though. Hats at parties are all the rage this season. Especially with the weather being exceptionally warm this season from Celestia's sun. Though I wish, Twilight, that you could give us a heads up when she plans to do this.” Rarity gave her best pleading eyes but only got a shake of the head from the purple alicorn.
“Sorry, Rarity, but Celestia insists,” Twilight said as she fiddled with the camera. “There is a balance to be kept and part of that balance is to not give too much forewarning to events like this. She told me once that she did so and everypony panicked and over-watered their lawns and crops. Killing them dead before the Sun even hit it's full stride.”
“Ah remember that!” Applejack spoke after chugging a bottle of apple juice. “I heard they had to get some water re-routed from the sea. Didn't know it was possible to take the salt out of it.”
“It's a really fascinating process,” Twilight started, getting that familiar glimmer in her eye when she has a chance to teach something. “They take the water and pour it into-”
Dash couldn't take it, “Hey Fluttershy!” The sudden call sent the shy pegasus cowering under her pink bangs. She hated to put her shy pegasus friend on the spot, but anything was better than Twilight droning on. “How are your animals handling the heat?”
Fluttershy perked up at the chance to talk about her animals. “Oh, well, they are doing swell. There is a nice pond near the Everfree that we sometimes visit so they can cool off, and plenty of shade for them to relax under. Thank for you helping with that again, Applejack.”
Applejack tipped her hat, “Twas notin'. You give an Earth Pony two pieces of wood and some nails and she'll build you your dream house.”
Fluttershy tiled her head, “I don't need a dream house, but thank you for building those lovely awnings for my critters.”
There was a moment of quiet all around which let Dash look around at all her friends, smiling warmly at all of them as they returned it in kind. Up until she saw Pinkie Pie who was just staring at her while sucking on the straw of her drink. “Pinkie Pie, you are really quiet for some reason.”
Pinkie took a long drag out of her drink before letting it go. “Oh well I have a WHOLE BUNCH I want to talk about, but we don't have the time.”
Rainbow Dash tiled her head in confusion about to ask what was going on when suddenly Pinkie Pie's mouth opens wider than she ever saw it and let out a horrible sound. A cross between a buzzer and a horn. She was suddenly grabbed at the shoulder and shook, “Dash! Wake up!” Rainbow Dash looked to her side in sock as the face of Lighting Dust filled it. “Wake up! Scramble Order!”
All at once the picnic and her friends faded away to the dull grays of the ship interior, only Dust remaining next to her. Her body was already moving before her brain was fully awake, rolling off the bed and charging out of the bunk room and down the halls and stairs while a voice shouted over the intercom until it faded away into the din of the rumbling of hooves on metal. “Scramble Scramble! Angel Three Zero. Confirmed One Five Zero Bandits. Confirmed One Zero Boogies. All Fliers to the Hanger, all crew to their posts. Scramble Scramble! This is not a Drill. This is not a Drill. Repeating! All Scramble. Enemy Spotted at Angel Three Zero...”
