The sun shone through the strong glass canopy and reflected from the pilot’s helmet goggles. Its powerful rays beamed from the jet’s razor sharp wings onto the thick and fluffy cloud layer. The aircraft zipped over the cloud layer, releasing pieces of the white blanket due to its powerful slipstream.
In the cockpit of the flying machine was Rainbow Dash and her co-pilot, Cloud Kicker. Both of them were extremely concentrated at the task at hoof and sat quietly on the comfortable leather seats that were located in the monitor filled cockpit.
“We are approaching target location. E.T.A. 250 seconds. Decreasing altitude. Cloud Kicker, prepare bombing procedures and engage on my mark,” Rainbow said, giving Kicker a quick glance.
The aircraft started to decrease in altitude sinking in and below the cloud layer. The glorious mountains of the east side of Equestria were now visible. Vegetation was vast in this part of the country and the weather was beautiful. Every flower came into bloom faster than on the west side of Equestria. The foliage was more perceptible and far more alluring. Traveling at high speeds, like Rainbow was doing, only made the view better: the increase in speed gave the pilot an extended view of the bright green leaves that stood out from droplets of water illuminating them. The sight was stunning.
“Copy that. GBU-28 precision guided bomb is ready to go. M.E. levels are stable and departure mechanisms are safe for usage. Awaiting your mark,” Informed Cloud Kicker.
It was Rainbow’s first bombing. She was usually dispatched on defend or escort missions. She was experienced with dogfights, and has received her fair share of shocking experiences. Those moments that created a thin veil between life and death, that only her skills could determine what the result will be.
But to Rainbow Dash, this mission felt as though something wasn’t right. She felt like she experienced the result of these types of missions before. Like, she knew what was going to happen. Although, she was absolutely sure this was her first bombing mission, but where did she get these strange feelings of déjà vu?
"It's probably nothing." She muttered to herself.
“Dash, we have a possible range of enemy territory to the south. Passing bombing controls to you. Beginning territory scan of an approximate radius of three miles,” said Kicker. Beeps were heard from Rainbow’s seat.
Dash started to have strange feelings once the bombing controls were passed to her. She felt like something horrible will happen once she presses the menacing red ‘fire’ button. She hesitated, resting her metal finger onto the red clasp.
She needed to ignore her feelings. The target approach meter was decreasing and Dash was ready to dispatch the bomb.
Only a few more seconds. Rainbow thought.
She pressed the button, releasing the heavy guided missile to drop below them. The bomb dropped for a few seconds then… ‘boom’. A loud and painful sound, to those that were without special gear, was heard throughout the valley they flew over.
That explosion. It sounded too familiar. Rainbow’s memories started piling up inside her mind. She started remembering the time when the war just started. She stared into space, not saying or doing anything. She felt that the only thing that existed was her and her memories.
“Rainbow, I am seeing elevated vital heart rate readings coming from you. Is everything okay?” Asked Kicker as she glanced between Dash’s vital signs and her HMD Visor readings.
Rainbow didn’t answer. She was already in her own world.
“Rainbow?”
3 Years Ago:
Rainbow Dash and Twilight stood anxiously on the Canterlot castle terrace as Ponyville started to fall. They both looked down at their home town, ignoring the strong and cold wind that continuously blew their manes backwards.
The sheer sight of their past home brought tears to Twilight. Rainbow Dash tried to hold them back, but she too was close to crying. She wanted to do something, but she was forbidden from leaving the castle until further orders from Celestia. As they silently sat on the terrace, a guard approached the two ponies, interrupting their reverie.
“Princess Twilight,” the guard saluted as Twilight turned. “Princess Celestia has requested both of you proceed to the evacuation carriages in five minutes. The rest of the Element Bearers are ready to go, as well as your relatives.”
Rainbow Dash ignored the two. She was too heartbroken at the loss of her home. She was depressed at the sight of Ponyville falling right in front of her eyes, but she kept staring. She didn’t know why. Maybe it was because this would be the last time she sees it
Memories started to flood back into Dash’s mind. Memories of the day her parents gave her that huge house above Ponyville. Memories of the fun parties she had there. Memories of when she saw the Wonderbolts for the first time. These wonderful moments were the best ones in Dash’s life, and it pained her knowing that they may never happen again. A tear found its way to Dash’s cheek.
She was not slightly worried or concerned of the safety of her relatives. The royal guards evacuated the Element Bearers as well as their loved ones. She’d soon see her parents and her sister, Scootaloo. With one last sigh, she turned, putting her mind set on Twilight and the royal guard.
“Perfect. Tell Princess Celestia we will be there soon,” Twilight ordered. The guard saluted and headed towards the exit.
“Come on Rainbow,” Twilight said, her voice sounding weaker. “We should go.”
Rainbow took one last look at Ponyville.
“Okay.” She lowered her head, seeing Canterlot’s empty streets. Apart from the deserted houses, something else caught her eye. Something that not only surprised her, but also cause her heart to beat out of her ribcage. She turned to Twilight quickly, her eyes wide open and filled with fear.
“Rainbow? What’s wr-“
“Tw-Twilight…” Rainbow cut off. “P-please tell me that there are more carriages in the south side of the castle.”
Twilight looked confused. She glanced backwards before answering. “No…” she said worriedly. “There should be all in the north side. Right below you.”
Tears were now flooding out of Rainbow Dash’s eyes. Her frustration reached the limit and fainting was now a possibility. “There are only five carriages down there,” she pointed towards the street below them. “You said that they would evacuate all Element Bearer family members.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. Her heartbeat rose, starting to match Rainbow Dash’s uneasiness. “They did,. Your parents, Rainbow Blaze and Coloured Shine, are waiting for us. Your cousins and other ones are already en route to the Las Pegasus’s safe houses. What’s wrong?”
“W-where is Scootaloo?” Rainbow said, her face covered in sweat.
Twilight thought, putting a hoof to her chin. Her eyes widened and worry overtook her mind. Before she could say anything, she whipped out a small square device with multiple buttons on it. The telephone: one of the Technological Age’s first and most successful inventions.
Twilight dialled a series of numbers and then levitated the phone to Dash’s hooves. Behind that awfully frightened and worried face, a confused Rainbow Dash examined the peculiar device. She knew what it was and how it worked, but had never actually used one before. After giving Twilight a worried glance, she put the phone to her ear. The only pony who needed to answer the call was Scootaloo.
The phone constantly beeped slowly. Dash didn’t know what that meant, but then again, all she needed to know was who was going to answer the phone. Dash’s concerns peaked and then some. She could feel the loud ‘thump’ of her unceasing heartbeat in her ears. And she started to feel sick, like something made its way to her stomach and started playing with her organs.
But finally, there was an answer. “Hello?” A familiar voice acknowledge. Rainbow Dash felt joy in her heart. She smiled and the tears of apprehension were replaced with tears of joy. Colour flooded back into her face. “Scootaloo!”
“Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo replied questioningly.
“Are you okay?” Asked Rainbow Dash, slightly worried.
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like anypony can bring this filly down!” Determination filled the young filly’s voice.
As Rainbow’s face was filled with a colourful grin, she noticed a worried look from Twilight. The lavender alicorn’s eyes were filled with horror a hoof covered her gaping mouth. It’s like she wanted to say something, but fear held her tongue. Like what she wanted to say was useless. Unfixable.
Rainbow heard loud whoosh noises coming from above her. She looked up and saw four black spots flying by at extreme speeds. Not long after, the mysterious flying objects disappeared in the great and vast blue sky. Rainbow wasn’t scared, simply confused and slightly worried.
“Scootaloo, where are you?” Rainbow asked unsure of whether she was supposed to be worried or not.
“I’m in Ponyville at the moment but don’t worry, I’ll be there as soon as-“
A loud explosion resonated through Canterlot, and was soon accompanied by the sudden plumes of yellow and black and orange scattering throughout Ponyville. A huge blast of fractured debris from the town landed on the green grass plains nearby. The discharge was powerful enough to shake Rainbow and Twilight. The flames from the dangerous weapon spread in Ponyville: from house to house, statue to statue and pony to pony. Chunks of grass on the outskirts of Ponyville were also catching fire and was spreading rapidly. Canterlot was fine. Apart from the bits and pieces of abandoned buildings falling to the ground, nothing actually caught on fire.
Rainbow Dash needed to process what happened. She’d never experienced this type of destruction before and had no idea how to react. But not for long. She remembered what Scootaloo told her.
I’m in Ponyville at the moment.
That moment, that split second, tore Rainbow apart. Despite what just happened, she tried to deny it, tried to escape from the fact that Scootaloo is dead. Her fan, her friend, her sister. The one that opened a door into Dash’s heart and made her care for somepony like she’s never cared before. She had friends and family but Scootaloo… Scootaloo was the one that could make Rainbow Dash, the most fearless pony in Equestria, cry out in care or sentiment. The one that just died mere seconds ago. The one that she’ll never see again. This wasn’t a nightmare - It was hell.
Rainbow didn’t notice Twilight trying to comfort her. She only noticed the cold gust of wind past them. The chilly weather didn’t help with Dash’s sentiments at all.
But then, she realized something. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t the princess’s fault. It was those damn Tech Control ponies. Rage filled Rainbow Dash, realizing that these ponies, these ‘monsters’, were the cause of the loss of her home, normal living, and Scootaloo.
Her mind was suddenly set and decided that ponies like the Tech Control should no longer exist. She wanted to help with the eradication of these ponies. She never thought she would do this but they left her no choice. This was the moment she decided to join the Equestrian Air Force.
Rainbow Dash suddenly snapped back to reality as she regained sight of her surroundings, leaving her daze. The first thing she noticed were the bright green lights of her cockpit monitors and beautiful vegetation outside. As well as her heartbeet monitor decreasing to a normal rate.
That explosion, that sound she heard moments ago, reminded her of the reason of why she joined the military. The reason to why she's risking her life in the first place. She's doing this for Equestria.
For peace.
For Scootaloo.
