A Twinkle of Hope

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 4

Rainbow Dash darted across Ponyville. She was on a mission, but whereas most of her friends were busy gathering supplies for themselves, the loyal pony was frantically searching for something. She knew she wouldn't need anything from her home. She could get by without her familiar possessions. What she NEEDED was to make sure her young ward was alright.

Ever since the war started, the Wonderbolts were called into active duty. Without anything to obsess over, Rainbow grew bored. But then she found an activity in looking after the young Cutie Mark Crusader Scootaloo. She gave the filly flying lessons a couple times, and something clicked. After a few more sessions, Scootaloo was gliding more than 50 feet on a good day. Nothing made the girl happier that to learn under her role-model, and the rainbow-maned mare grew to see the orange pony as a sort of sister.

That bond drove her across town, through throngs of screaming ponies and great clouds of smoke and flames. None of that mattered to her, however. Zipping past home after home she was desperate to reach Scootaloo before...no! She didn't want to think about it...

After what seemed like an eternity, Rainbow Dash finally made it to the steps her "sister's" house. But the door was open and it was dark inside. She noticed that some chairs and tables had been knocked over. Not much care was taken when the occupants departed. The cyan pegasus postulated that her apprentice had already fled. Breathing a sigh of relief, she soared up, back to Sugarcube corner.

Only on the way back did Rainbow finally see the face of Ponyville's attacker; a squadron of armored pegasi flew overhead, holding what seemed to be large metal...oblong balls. The bombs! Her blood started to boil at the sight of ponies bringing such harm to all she held dear. Half of her wanted to tackle the closest bomber to the ground, and break his neck. But fortunately the half of that wanted to flee with her friends was in charge.

But the horrid scene still drew her mind. If only for a split second Rainbow looked in awe at what great destruction ponies were capable of. Bombs exploded into great fiery flashes. Bullets illuminated the nighttime darkness with their streams of glowing spots, strangely hypnotizing to Rainbow. Large metal vehicles shot giant blasts in the distance that seemed to annihilate whole city blocks. And the screams...

She snapped out of it and continue to fly back to the meeting place. But the carnage around the pegasus still caught her attention. She glanced at a weeping mare, leaning over an unmoving form. It was her son! Taken by an onslaught of bullets or flying debris. Rainbow Dash was suppressing every urge she had to fight back. She had more important things to do now. A mere twenty feet from the Sugarcube Corner, she looked up to the artificial "stars" and swore she would avenge her home.

Then, almost on cue, a blast from the artillery far outside of town hit her cloud castle. All that hard work, time and money, wasted, she thought. The white mass of rubble came crashing down over the ground. Again Rainbow snapped back into reality. She needed to hurry, but all these distractions kept delaying her.

Finally, she reached for the door handle and heard the once inviting bell ring. Inside were her friends, and then some. The group looked packed and ready to go, waiting only on Rainbow Dash.

"Where have you been?! We need to go now!" Twilight's expression conveyed both fury and desperation.

"I was...uh...checking on Scootaloo.."

"Really?...How is she?..Is..." whimpered Applebloom.

"She's just fine."

"No need to worry about your friend, baby sister. Alright ponies! Saddle up. We haven't got time to waste." Applejack was now the de facto leader of the refugees.

Running through the streets the group tried in vain to elude the approaching soldiers. In the fifteen or so minutes Rainbow had been gone, the invaders had made considerable progress into the city.

They were all cornered. Menacing ponies in uniform came, pointed guns at them. An officer was barking orders, orders that made everypony's heart sink.

"Remember, not a single mare, filly, or colt is to be harmed. But as for the stallions, only the strong ones are useful. Like that one!" the officer declared, pointing a hoof at Big Macintosh.

At once the group's ears rang as gunshots filled the air. A mere second passed, and they all saw the horrible sight. Mr. Cake was laying on the ground, blood flowing from every part of his body. The beloved baker had been gunned down, without remorse. A feeling of utter helplessness enveloped the rest.

Nopony dared to move. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were coddled in their older sisters' embraces. Spike turned his head into Twilight's mane. Pinkie Pie and Mrs. Cake comforted the now fatherless twins.

A soldier advanced, threatening to stab a pony with his bayonet if they didn't start moving. The sad march began. Once they were outside Ponyville, the now displaced populace watched their beautiful home as it burned to a crisp. A convoy of trucks arrived, no doubt for deportation.

But the group would not get on without planting a seed of hope. Everypony knew Rainbow Dash could escape. She was fast enough. The rest would certainly be caught by trained soldiers. Applejack gave her a slight smile, a nod, and a teary-eyed look of endearment. It told the blue pegasus exactly what the rest were thinking; "Go. Save yourself."

She hesitated with the idea of abandoning her dear friends. She couldn't...but...but...then again she could get help. Reluctantly she leaned toward Applejack. Rainbow Dash, holding back tears with every fiber of her being, whispered into the honest pony's ear "I WILL come back". She then flew up, and with all her strength, blasted across the sky. But she wasn't out of danger yet.