The Rise And Fall Of A Hero: Amnesia

Chapters

A Rainbow Realization
Broken Promises
On The Hunt
Old Friends, New Enemies

A Rainbow Realization

Baxter's work place was outside Ponyville, around a little known mountain surrounded by hills. He had just gotten off work and was going back home to his little house on the other side of Ponyville.

As he entered Ponyville, Baxter decided he would go through the park. He liked walking through the park, it brought him a sense of peace. A very welcome sensation in Baxter's life, for he wasn't an ordinary pony anymore. He was a test subject. He had needed money to look after his little sister after their parents disappeared almost 7 years ago.

Baxter was looking forward to his stroll through Ponyville park, he hadn't had one for a while now. But he can't be too long, his little sister wanted to tell him something when he got back. She said it was very important. Baxter Dash smiled to himself as he imagined what could possibly be so important to an 8 year old pegasus filly, it could be that she found another bird's nest in the oak behind their house, or maybe she had found another way to try and guilt him into buying her a ticket to the Wonderbolt's next show.

That one made him smile a bit more. As he had already bought them both tickets to it, as well as his friend's sister, Terra.

Rainbow Dash and Terra were practically sisters. Baxter had been looking after her for a few weeks now, as his friend Malak had gone a little bit mad as a side effect of the testings he undertook with Baxter. Baxter wondered why his friends modifications were suddenly doing this now, they had received them a few years ago together and Baxter was showing no side effects as of yet. Maybe it was because Malak had received different modifications to Baxter. Malak had undergone the testing that had originally been designed to make ponies a bit stronger. "That could be it too," Baxter said to himself as he passed a little orange filly, oh what was her name again? Ah yes Applejack Apple, yes that was it. Baxter looked around for Applejack's big brother. There he was, beside that tree, he was standing next to Granny Smith talking to her about something.

Applejack and Macintosh's parents had disappeared around the same time as Baxter's own. "Hey Little Mac!" called Baxter to his friend, who had still not had his growth spurt as of yet, so Baxter was a good 6 or 7 inches taller than him at the moment. Macintosh was going to be the last one of their friends to get his growth spurt, and so he was dubbed Little Mac due to lack of creativity in their group.

"You are going to be so big when you finally get that growth spurt of yours," exclaimed Baxter as his friend approached.

"Ah' sure do hope so Bax," replied the red earth pony with a thick country accent, grinning as he approached Baxter.

Baxter went to reply but as he opened his mouth to say something, he noticed a familiar figure talking to Granny Smith.

"Uh, I'll have to talk later sorry Mac, I just remembered I had to go do something." Baxter said hurriedly, before rushing off the way he came.

"Alright then, talk to you later," was the reply Baxter heard from his Earth Pony friend, as he galloped off towards his workplace.

He had to tell his team that Malak had escaped the premises...

As he arrived at the containment area, Baxter noticed something odd about the afternoon. It was quiet, too quiet. Normally subject 37 would have been wailing like a banshee about now, yes as he thought, it was high noon, it was normally about now. Baxter tentatively walked into the guards chambers. Not knowing what to expect Baxter tentatively poked his head around the corner, his eyes greeted with the sight of his two work mates splayed across the room. Their spines shattered in multiple places, jutting out all over their backs. A spear shaft stuck in ones neck, the other's throat having been slit by what appeared to be a very primitive weapon.

He backed out of the room, turned around and found himself looking at Raslan the facilities top scientist, a dark grey unicorn usually with a bland look on his face, like he just doesn't care about anything anymore. Baxter was shocked to find that Raslan wasn't as bland faced as usual, in fact, he looked like he had seen something that he would never be able to forget for the rest of his life.

"What happened here?" asked Baxter. Raslan just stared past him at the wall covered in his comrades blood.

"Raslan? Are you alright? You look you have seen a ghost!" Baxter stated as calmly as possible, but by the splatters on the wall and the way his comrades bodies had slumped, Baxter was pretty sure he knew what was wrong.

"They came from the hills and..." Raslan trailed off.

"And?" said Baxter plainly.

"They released the subjects,"

"The subjects?" asked Baxter, confused as to what their motive was..

Raslan just looked down and slowly nodded.

"Which ones?" asked Baxter, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"All of them" stated Raslan.

"Oh for the love of Luna!" Baxter exclaimed in an exasperated voice.

"Who came from the hills?" Baxter asked Raslan slowly and purposefully.

"The boss and his lackeys, they took some of the test subjects with them, but left the rest to run rampant.

Baxter turned as he heard a slight noise come from inside the building. A grating noise.

"Raslan, get back." Baxter hissed at the unicorn, drawing his longsword from its scabbard and standing ready.

"What is it?" Asked Raslan as the sound grew louder and louder obviously coming to the door.

"Only one of our subjects makes a grating noise as it walks Raslan! Subject 71!" Baxter hissed back hinting to be quiet.

"You can't possibly hope to fight 71 Dash! Don't be ridiculous." Raslan added urgently.

"I stand a better chance than you do old friend! Remember magic is almost nullified by the armour implants." Baxter said raising his voice a little and steadying his form. Realising that 71 was going to come out of this door no matter how quiet he was. At least he had one thing over 71, speed, 71 was rather sluggish, it was supposed to barbaric killing machine that could only be killed physically, magic wasn't supposed to effect it at all. But the testings went a little wrong as most did.

Baxter's muscles tightened momentarily at the crash of the door being knocked off of it's hinges by a large, dark green earth pony, it's skin peppered with iron sheets of armour. Apparently they had done more testing on 71 without his knowledge. he was a good 12 inches taller than Baxter.

Regardless, Baxter's muscles loosened once more and before 71 could even see where his opponent was, Dash was off like an arrow from a bow, his sword already coming through with a sidelong sweep, slicing shallowly across the subjects right flank, glancing off the armour on it's way through and rendering the tail from the body.

A guttural cry of pain was heard from Baxter's opponent, as the pegasus came back around for another assault. However this time, 71 was expecting it and met Dash mid sprint with a hoof to the chest, sending him sprawling backwards. As Baxter tried vainly to regain his footing, blood oozing out of the wound on his chest, a big bloody hoof-print, the subject began to charge at him.

"Bax roll left!" Yelled Raslan as he charged a spell "Buy me some time!"

Baxter did just that, rolled to left and swung his sword vigorously at the hind leg of his attacker. Immediately seeing the results of his efforts, a bone deep slash all the way along the rear right leg. The subject faltered for a moment, regaining his footing surprisingly fast. However not fast enough as Bax had flown above the dark-green pony and was coming down for an overhead. As soon as he made contact, Baxter knew the strike was true. His sword cleaved through his opponents front left leg, flesh and bone alike. the leg falling to the ground with an audible *thud*, and Baxter Dash rolling to the side just in time for Raslan's spell.

Baxter watched as Raslan finished his spell and the iron sheets all throughout 71's body began to shudder, gradually shuddering more and more, until they pulled inwards towards the centre of his body, crushing his organs immediately. Baxter continued to watch as the light slowly drained from the subject's eyes.

"Right now explain why you think the boss decided to attack his own facility..." Baxter said frankly, turning to Raslan as though had happened.

"Well my theory is that when we started the work on your sister..." he started but was immediately cut off by an enraged Baxter Dash.

"You did what Raslan!" Baxter said with an air of complete and utter horror.

"Well the boss thought he could make her the fastest flier in Equestria, which we did, but..." Raslan trailed off, not wanting to finish the statement.

"But what Raslan?" Baxter said urgently.

"There were some, unpredicted, side effects..." Raslan finished slowly.

"Like what!" Baxter began angrily.

Raslan blinked at the stallion in front of him. "Well the other scientists said something about empowered wings of some sort, that's when I found out the boss had ordered some of our strongest unicorns, Tranea and Dante, working with dark magic in the bone structure of her wings." Raslan stated calmly.

"I am going to rip the limbs of that little shit." Baxter Dash said with a malicious tone.

"Who, the boss?" Raslan asked, again with that damn near creepy tone of calm.

"Yes Raslan. Renin will be the first and then I will go for Tranea and Dante for agreeing to such an idiotic plan!" Baxter said loudly.

"Perhaps I can help you there..." said a deep voice from the path coming in.

Baxter turned slowly to see his fellow head guard standing there with a spear laying next to him cracked and splintered with black blood coating the whole thing, shaft and tip alike, thickly making the weapon look almost ebony in craftsmanship.

"Where are your men Maliki?" Baxter said slowly.

"They didn't make it out, only Svengal and I survived the attack on the west ramparts..." Maliki said stiffly.

"Raslan?" Baxter said without even looking at the unicorn.

Raslan glanced back at the pegasus at the sudden mention of his name.

"Yes Baxter?" he said quickly.

"How many of the other scientists survived the attack?" Baxter continued.

Raslan was intrigued to the stallions reasoning of why it was so important how many survived. "Just me." Raslan said calmly.

Baxter raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Ok then..." he said slowly. "Maliki." Baxter continued.

"Yes sir?" Maliki responded questioningly.

"I need you to go get Svengal and meet me at my house outside Ponyville." Baxter said as he started towards the gate out with Raslan on his heels.

"Yes sir we will be there shortly, I sent Svengal to check for more survivors." Maliki stated.

"Good." muttered Baxter as he was walking off, "We will need as many men as we can get.".

As they arrived at Baxter's house, Baxter suddenly pulled Raslan into the bushes near the door.

"What the..." Raslan didn't get to finish his statement because Baxter hissed at him to be quiet.

Raslan did as he was told and was shocked to hear movement inside the house. "Who in Tartarus could be inside at this time?" whispered he whispered to the Pegasus.

"I think I know..." started Baxter slowly, before being cut off with a large crash from the house. Baxter looked back at the door to find it in splinters with a faint trail of rainbow leading out and up. "You weren't kidding when you said it worked." whispered Baxter.

"No it was more of a success than we had planned..." whispered Raslan back. "I should be able to get rid of the dark magic in her bone structure if i can get close enough for long enough, but she will won't be completely back to normal...." Raslan trailed off.

"How abnormal would she remain?" Baxter said after a while, standing up and making his way inside and through all the debris of his front room.

"Well she won't be able to remember the testing for one thing, or even a few other things. It's rather unpredictable what else really, but she should be back to normal except she would be a lot faster then before, not this fast mind you, but fast none the less." Raslan calmly stated.

"And you're sure this will work Raslan?" Baxter asked softly, like he had damn near given up on life.

"It's our best hope Baxter." finished Raslan.

"Very well, I should be able to subdue her for just long enough for you to get your spell off." said Baxter quietly. "But I will not hurt her!" he said, his tone suddenly becoming harsh before softening again, "Not again....." Baxter said.

"I understand Baxter..." muttered Raslan, in an attempt to calm his old friend.

"I suppose you should know, now that we will probably have to worry about it, all of our failed experiments, including Rainbow Dash..... have escaped." Raslan said slowly.

"I figured as much..." said Baxter equally as slowly as his companion.

"All of them, including Malak..." said Raslan in almost a whisper.

Baxter suddenly remembered why he was going back to the Containment Areas.

"Yes. I noticed he was out." Baxter said in a voice so quiet Raslan almost didn't hear it.

"I'm sorry that the tests didn't work as well on him Baxter, I really am. I had no idea what would happen if you tried altering a changeling's bone structure, I know now that changeling's bodies don't appreciate being forced to change against their will, that's why Terra was a success..." Raslan said, mentally hitting himself for mentioning Terra.

Baxter turned around at such a speed that Raslan was sure they had altered his bone structure in the same way as they had with RD. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO TERRA!?!?!?" Baxter said in a sudden uproar that almost took the unicorn off of his feet.

"Ah yes, Terra, the boss had her collected at the same time as Rainbow Dash, and much like you and Malak... one worked fine and the other... too well." Raslan stated in calm voice that didn't even sound forced.

That made Baxter surprised.

Raslan looked like he was going to have a heart attack a second ago, how did he... oh well, not important right now.

"I'm going to guess this time it was on my side of the family that it worked out too well Raslan? Am I right?" Baxter said, a challenge in his voice.

"Well yes..." Raslan said.

"For Celestia's sake Raslan, I promised Malak I would keep his sister safe no matter what happened!" he said with a voice that sounded on the verge of breaking up.

"If Malak knew..." Baxter was cut off.

"If I knew what Baxter?" said an angry voice from the front door.

Malak had arrived.

Author's Note

This is my first MLP fanfic so I hope it comes out well... :yay:

Broken Promises

"If I knew what Baxter?" said an angry voice from the front door. Malak had arrived.

"Malak..." said Baxter, slowly turning around to face the changeling.

"Subject 23..." said Raslan, not even bothering to turn around.

"I didn't know Malak I..." started Baxter before he was cut off with a loud noise from the door way.

"YOU PROMISED BAXTER! YOU SAID THAT THEY WOULDN'T GET THEIR HANDS ON HER!" Malak screamed at him.

"Malak I.." Baxter was interrupted once more by the changeling.

"I TRUSTED YOU! YOU LIED TO ME!" Malak yelled at the cyan stallion before flying at him top speed.

Baxter Dash caught the changeling's hooves as he came within reach and threw him at the wall to his left,
"THEY GOT RAINBOW DASH TOO YOU BASTARD! I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING!" Baxter yelled back angrily finally having had enough.
"YOU SEEM TO BE FORGETTING THAT YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS DRAGGED IN THERE TO BE TESTED ON MALAK! I NEVER WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN!" Baxter screamed at the changeling.

Malak got to his hooves and ran at the Pegasus, picking up a piece of the wooden wall to wield as a weapon.

Baxter grabbed his sword from his side and ran at the changeling, smacking him across the face with the flat of the blade.
"DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS MALAK! I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" Baxter yelled at the changeling as it tried to get up.

"Hurt me Baxter?" sneered Malak.
"You never could, even when we we were young! You were never as strong as me!" Malak shouted as he headbutted the stallion.

Baxter recoiled back and hit the changeling in the middle of the forehead with the pommel of his sword, watching as the changeling slumped to the ground of his living room. "I never wanted to hurt anypony...." he said softly.

Raslan conjured up a chain and secured Malak to the corner piece of Baxter's bed upstairs.

Baxter Dash was breaking down in the next room over, "I never...... meant to hurt..... anypony......" he said, breaking into sobs.

Raslan came into the room to see what was happening, only to find Baxter holding a picture of himself and Rainbow Dash, sobbing uncontrollably. "This wasn't meant to happen this way...." he said in between sobs.

"It never is...." said Raslan void of all emotions.

Raslan walked out ominously, leaving Baxter to cry on his own.

"Why her...." Raslan heard him sob as he left the room.

"She never hurt anyone......" Baxter continued to sob to himself.
"She was the kindest, nicest, sweetest little filly...." Baxter sighed in between sobs.

Raslan entered the room again,
"We will find her Bax, and we WILL help her...." he said softly.

Baxter looked up Raslan, a new found resolve in his eyes. "Yeah, and I bet Malak knows where she went......" he considered thoughtfully.

Baxter Dash and Raslan went back to Baxter's room,
only to find Malak conscious and trying to pull himself free quietly.

"Malak..." Baxter said with an air of seriousness in his voice.

"Fuck off liar... I never want to speak with you again... I thought we were friends Baxter!" Malak rambled.

"We were friends Malak, but then you decided to try and attack me without figuring out what happened..." Baxter explained bitterly.

"You let them take my sister you cunt!" Malak snapped at Baxter.

Baxter wasn't surprised at this,
"They took RD as well you dumb ass, I didn't know this was happening!" Baxter bit back.

"Wait.... if you didn't let them past your guards........ then who did?" asked Malak suspiciously.

"That's what I was thinking... Who would betray us like this......" said Baxter, pacing to the window and back.
Suddenly it hit him, Maliki... Maliki had the permission to get into the house in case of emergencies!

Which meant..... Oh Luna no!
Maliki's men didn't die....... they weren't there.....
which meant...

"Raslan free him, we need to leave, NOW!" Baxter whispered urgently.

"Leave me here Bax, I will buy you some time... Just get my sister back, please..." said Malak, catching onto his train of thought.
"Rainbow Dash was heading to the Everfree Forest..... Hurry and you can catch her... I don't know what she is doing in there..... But it can't be good." Malak finished before ushering Raslan and Baxter out the backdoor of his house.

As they were walking away Baxter could hear yelling and shouting as well as a lot of screaming, then after a few moments...
It stopped, and the back door of Baxter's house flew off of its hinges.

Standing in the doorway, was a very pissed looking Maliki.
"Oh no you don't you little shit, the boss told me to dispose of you and that's what I'm gonna do!" screamed Maliki,
throwing a limp Malak on the ground outside the door.

Baxter went to intervene, but as he went to step forward,
Raslan stepped forward,
"I should have done this a long time ago Maliki! I had a feeling you were in on this!" Raslan said as his horn began to glow brightly.

"What are you going to do to me you old goat! You can't even think straight anymore!" Maliki said, obviously finding the situation amusing.

"This..." uttered Raslan as a large beam of dark purple-grey energy shot forth from his horn enveloping the dark red, earth pony, causing him to scream in agony.

After a what seemed like a lifetime of nonstop agonized screams, the beam of energy faded away, Baxter saw nothing but flesh and bones scattered in a pool of blood, there was blood everywhere, coating the outside walls of the house and lining the hallways. Baxter heard more shouting from the front yard and urged Raslan to keep moving.
Raslan seemed self satisfied, but extremely drained.
Almost like he was about to collapse in a heap.

"There are more coming, keep moving Raslan!" said Baxter in an urgent whisper, still surprised by the unicorns spell.

Baxter and Raslan were running down a the hill behind Baxter's house that led into Everfree Forest. As he reached the outskirts of the forest, Baxter ushered Raslan inside and turned to look back at his house, ever since they had lost their parents when Rainbow Dash was still young, Baxter had brought her up there, for years they had been happy, alone with no-one bothering them, but then, Renin and his scientists came, and took Baxter away saying they needed him for something important. Baxter told Rainbow not to worry and that he would be fine. But even after all of his efforts, he couldn't protect her... He must have been the worst brother ever, and the worst friend... Baxter shook himself out of his stupor, he couldn't reside on that now. He had to go find Rainbow Dash. He had to make things right with her before, before...

"Baxter come on!" whispered Raslan urgently. Baxter hurried into the forest, tears welling up in his eyes as he remembered what he had to do after they found RD.

After a few minutes of delving deep into the Everfree Forest. Baxter heard a familiar voice, one that had been at his house every day for the past 4 years.
Always such a caring and affectionate voice, life had been hard after their parents had gone missing. Baxter had hardly enough bits to get them by, but he tried his best, and they got through.

Baxter had never mentioned to Rainbow, the fact that he HAD seen their parents since they had disappeared, at work...

"What do you want you lame excuse for a brother?!" said the voice, coming from a clearing to the left.

Upon turning towards the sound, Baxter almost broke down.

Rainbow Dash had pieces of bone jutting out of her wings where her plumage should have been, it was like they had grown out of the their usual diaphragm, become warped and out of place.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her mane unkempt and dull, she looked like she hadn't eaten in weeks... But that couldn't be right, he fed her last night, they had eaten hay burgers and hay-fries, she had told him not to worry about Terra and that she was fine in the attic,
he hadn't felt too good about that, but they didn't have another bedroom,
besides, there was plenty of insulation and room up there, and she was able to come down at anytime.

"Rainbow....... what have they done to you?" Baxter sobbed, tears threatening to pour out and run down his face.
"They did for me what you couldn't! A means with which to handle things for myself!" Rainbow retorted, almost unsure of how to react at the sudden tears.

Maybe, just maybe, the people at the facility were lying.
Maybe Baxter really was doing his best to care for them both.

"I was doing all I could RD..... I had to try, but I HAD to keep going to work everyday........ or I wouldn't have had enough bits to keep us alive..." Baxter said. "It was the least I could do after.... after....." he trailed off.

"After what?!" Rainbow Dash bit at him.

"After mum and dad went missing....." Baxter stated, quietly.
"I couldn't let you grow up thinking no-one ever loved you, not after all the things I did to help mum and dad take care of you.... They couldn't afford it either Dashie, but after they left I was spending all of my bits on taking care of you... I payed for a private doctor when you were sick 3 years ago, I didn't think you were going to make it Dashie, you couldn't even get out of bed, remember? I cried myself to sleep night after night after night. Praying, that you would be alright...
That's why I took this job... Malak and I applied,
because he was in a similar situation with Terra.

We had to do something Rainbow..... We had to try....." Baxter confessed, sobbing to himself.
That's why I have to do this Dashie... I have to do this for you..." Baxter said as he jumped onto Rainbow Dash's side and pinned her to the ground with his forelegs.

"Now Raslan please, but don't hurt her.." Baxter sobbed.

Rainbow Dash didn't try to struggle, she was confused and conflicted about the situation.
He really did care about her.

"I'm sorry Dashie, but you probably won't remember any of this... Just know, that you will always be loved. I don't know what you will forget... But I hope you live a happy life, I will leave you all my bits and all the bits that mum and dad left for when you grew up. But I have to go and do something important." Baxter sobbed to Rainbow Dash.

"I love you Rainbow..." said Baxter between sobs.

Raslan approached, his horn glowing.
"Stay still RD, this won't feel nice." he muttered, more to himself.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Raslan pressed his horn against her forehead. A dull shade of grey and dark-green, pulsating energy enveloped Rainbow.
Sending shivers up her spine. When the spell had finished, Raslan pulled his head back to find Rainbow Dash unconscious with Baxter laying on top of her sobbing uncontrollably.

"Come on Bax, we have to get her to Cloudsdale." Raslan said quietly.

"She won't remember me, will she Raslan?" sobbed Baxter.

"No." said Raslan simply. "She won't." Raslan said slowly.

"I thought as much." Baxter said, sniffling and getting back to his hooves.
"It's probably for the best." he said, sniffling again.

Raslan helped Baxter get her onto the pegasi's back.
Not being all that big, Rainbow fit in between his shoulder blades snugly.
Baxter turned to Raslan.
"Meet me back at the Containment Area. I need to get her all setup,
I had a lot of bits from mum and dad in case of an emergency.... I will buy her a cloud house.
A nice one, she deserves at least that..." he said, staring at his feet.

Baxter Dash flew off towards Cloudsdale. Tears dropping from the sky like a light shower, casting rainbows at Raslan's feet as they fell.

On The Hunt

Baxter Dash flew off towards Cloudsdale. Tears dropping from the sky like a light shower, casting rainbows at Raslan's feet as they fell.

As Baxter arrived at Cloudsdale, he noticed through his tired eyes, that the place was a wreck.

As he landed Baxter also noticed another thing which took him a little of guard.
The guards were nowhere to be seen.
Baxter began walking slowly through the cloud streets, looking for somepony to talk to about living arrangements for Rainbow Dash. What was that?
Baxter Dash heard a noise from inside the house to his left.
There it goes again!

It sounded like a fight was breaking out!

Baxter Dash made sure RD was snugly between his shoulders and that his sword was in position to be drawn fluidly if needed, then, ran through to the door and pushed it open, standing in the doorway sword half drawn, expecting to see a family dispute or something of that matter.

But what he was not expecting to see was Malak, fighting off Subject 57 and Dante Girdlefirth.
Baxter took in the situation and immediately ran to help his friend,
leaping onto Dante's back. (Keep in mind that Dante isn't a small unicorn, he was fairly large for a unicorn in fact)
Dante's knees buckled under the sudden weight and he blundered about, trying to keep his balance.

Upon seeing this sudden change,
Malak leapt at Subject 57 (Subject 57 is an Earth Pony Mare who has had fang modifications, her hooves had been hardened to the point of steel like stature, she was going to be a guard, but Renin had requested her elsewhere, the little bastard)causing her back legs to snap from the force of the leap as she reared up and back into the table, breaking her neck and spine in multiple places.

Suddenly the tide of battle was now in their favor.

Baxter was beating Dante's face repeatedly with his hooves. One of Dante's eyeballs had burst from the cheek bone being pushed up repeatedly, his teeth all broken save for a few near the back, his ears bleeding profusely.

Malak called out to Baxter to stop. But it was too late.

This was the bastard who had done those things to RD, and he was going to suffer for it.
Baxter aimed his punches at Dante's chest now.
Dante's eye socket was gushing blood at a rapid pace,
Baxter couldn't have that, or he might die of blood lose. Baxter grabbed one of the decorative glass orbs from the table next to him, and shoved it into Dante's eye socket none too gently.

"DON'T YOU EVER HURT MY FUCKING FAMILY, YOU DISGRACE OF A UNICORN!" Baxter Dash yelled violently in his face, giving one last jab at Dante's knee, snapping it clean from the femur.

Upon hearing the satisfying pop, Baxter stopped beating the stallion.
Getting up and walking over to Malak, as if nothing had ever happened.

Malak just stared at Baxter Dash, a mix of emotions clear on his face, they appeared to be utter horror and... was that respect?

Anyway none of that right now.

"Where the hell is everyone Malak?" Baxter asked mildly, still breathing heavily from the last ordeal.

"They are in the town hall. The other changelings and I had almost got them, these were the last two here.

They got the jump on Autumn Breeze and I, and I told Autumn to go back and help the others. They should have the city hall secure as we speak.

Renin sent hundreds of his "perfect creations" at us... ha! They died too easily." Malak rambled, trying to change the subject.

Baxter nodded thoughtfully, glanced back over at Dante's now still figure.

Making sure it wasn't breathing. He walked over and bucked it in the chest for good measure.
Hearing a crunch of ribs, he knew that Dante was definitely dead, as those ribs would have easily torn into the lungs. He turned to Malak,
"Right then, we better get rid of these bodies for the lovely owners of this house." Baxter stated calmly, almost a perfect imitation of Raslan.

Baxter and Malak took the two still figures out behind the house and threw them into the abandoned dumpster which belonged to the unit next to them.

"So what are you planning on doing with this little one?" Malak said a dip of his head indicating towards Rainbow Dash.

"I was planning on buying her a cloud-mansion in Ponyville above my old house." replied Baxter with dip of his own head indicating a large saddlebag of bits on his side.

"You know that Renin had it taken down bit by bit right?" Malak said with an air of worry in his voice.

Baxter slowly nodded, "Yes I flew over it on my way here, thankfully they weren't looking up at the time."

Malak nodded sagely. "For the best i suppose." He added with a sad tone.

Baxter looked away, tears threaten to flood his eyes once more as he remembered that Rainbow Dash, his little sister that he had taken care of for the past 7 years, wouldn't even know who he was. Baxter Dash blinked away the tears that had started to surface and started walking at a fast pace towards the town hall to see if any of the ponies there could help him. Malak, noticing where his friend was heading, followed along behind.

They arrived at the town hall without incident. Because apparently incident had beaten them to the town hall. There were the bodies of changelings and pegasi strewn about in pools of blood that had settled into the clouds below the bodies making them a heavy red. Baxter made sure not to step on these, in order to prevent blood raining below Cloudsdale. As he approached the open doors, Baxter noticed now where the Pegasus Guards had been, here defending the towns people. As well as a contingent of armed forces from what appeared to be Las Pegasus. All of these ponies bodies where laying right next to each other, looking like the towns people, guards and soldiers had fought side by side until the last pony. Only now did Baxter recognize some of the bodies on the opposing side. That was subject 54, and that was 73! Oh god... Baxter stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed one of the bodies. Subject 98. The Wailer. Only deaf guards were allowed into her cell at anytime. Deaf scientists had to go in to check on her and do the testings, she had been created this way for war. As a weapon of sorts. Much like Baxter or Malak. Baxter remembered back to when he got hs testings, physically cringing as the needles entered his wings and neck. Unicorns casting their magic into the bones of his legs, allowing to move faster and be much more agile, that was really the only thing had kept him alive when he was fighting Malak. For Malak had been made a brute. He could hit harder than anypony in history, if Malak had managed to get a hit in on Baxter, he wouldn't be here today.

Baxter Dash continued into the town hall, mentally brushing his thoughts aside. As Baxter entered the town hall, he was greeted with a sight of lots of wounded changelings and pegasi, with both types of ponies helping the wounded.

"I need to go talk to Autumn, meet me back at the fountain in ten Bax." Malak said before galloping off towards a group of changelings.

Baxter Dash proceeded to head towards the bodies of a group of pegasi. Oh god, not them, why did it have to be them... It was Baxter's old foalsitters Mr and Mrs Ditzberry. The had even offered to look after Rainbow Dash for him a few years back, he had declined, explaining how he had to do this himself, for their parents. They had only recently been planning to go to Manehattan for their 26th anniversary. Baxter Dash couldn't have hoped for better foalsitters. He cried to himself as he walked past many more bodies of friends and family, finally arriving at a familiar face, Sir Hucklefoot, the pegasus knight, head of the Las Pegasus Aerial Division, some of the finest pegasus fighters in all of Equestria.

"Ah, Mister Baxter Dash, top of Class C, shame you decided to drop out, you would have made a fine knight!" said Hucklefoot as Baxter approached.

"Although I wouldn't have done any differently giving the circumstances my boy. We will miss your father... He was one of our best you know?" Hucklefoot continued, watching Baxter's face with battle weary eyes.

"I remember Sir, I miss him too." said Baxter, allowing another tear to fall from his cheek as he spoke to his old teacher.

"How is your sister my boy?" Hucklefoot asked, attempting to make pleasant conversion in the current situation.

Baxter Dash gently lowered Rainbow to the ground at Hucklefoot's hooves. "Renin got to her as well... I couldn't protect them Sir, I , I..." Baxter trailed off, tears now gliding down his cheek almost at will.

"I understand my boy, don't worry. What did the sick bastard do to the poor girl? If you don't mind telling me of course my boy."
said Hucklefoot, his tone thick with sincerity for the young stallion.

"Same as they did to me..." Baxter said slowly, causing more tears to come spiraling down his cheeks.

Hucklefoot looked down at Rainbow Dash, inspecting her wings carefully.

"Good thing you had Raslan with you my boy!" he said cheerfully. "Only unicorn I know of that can dissipate necromancy."

"He is one of the few true friends that I have left Sir." said Baxter, thinking again about the fact that his little sister wouldn't even know him.

"What are the side effects to it this time? Does he know?" Hucklefoot pondered.

Baxter closed his eyes and muttered something unrecognizable. He cleared his throat, before repeating his statement out loud.

"Amnesia," he said with a shaky voice, his eyes resting their gaze on the ground of clouds they were standing on.

Hucklefoot's face was set with a wise look. "I figured as much," he stated quietly. "Any idea of the main things she won't remember?"

Baxter looked back up at the gruff looking pegasus, tears now streaming freely down his face. "She won't remember anything past the testings..." he trailed off.

"Ok, and what else?" pressed Hucklefoot curiously.

"Me..." Baxter continued in a whisper.

Hucklefoot nodded and patted the younger stallion on the shoulder a few times, stating that it would all be ok, before he was called over by a few other older looking pegasi.

Baxter went back to the fountain to meet with Malak, his eyes only looking up to see where he was going occasionally.

Baxter noticed Malak as he approached, a drained look on his face.

"Any news where Terra might be?" Malak asked his friend.

"None. You?" Baxter replied.

"I might have an idea of where, but I'm not sure." Malak said slowly, peering around for any sign of trouble.

"Ok then, take Autumn Breeze and the other changelings, I will stay here and help Cloudsdale." Baxter said reassuringly.

"You're not coming?" Malak questioned the pegasus.

"Terra is your sister Malak, I would help you, but that would leave Cloudsdale undefended. I will send Sir Hucklefoot to get more reinforcements from Las Pegasus, and I will contact Raslan about getting some of Canterlot's pegasus up here to. But this is your fight Malak. I have faith that you can do it, and with Autumn at your side, I'm sure you will be fine." Baxter told the changeling simply and wholeheartedly.

"You're right," said Malak, a look of determination on his face.

"Now get going, you have to hurry," Baxter said encouragingly.

"I will find her, and I will take her somewhere safe," Malak responded as he flew off.

Baxter loved Terra as much as Malak did, but he also had to take care of Rainbow and the others. Besides, he knew that the name, Terra Chrysalis, would go down in history.

Old Friends, New Enemies

Baxter loved Terra as much as Malak did, but he also had to take care of Rainbow and the others. Besides, he knew that the name, Terra Chrysalis, would go down in history.

As he watched his friend fly off in the distance with his men in tow, Baxter couldn't help but smile. A small, broken, blood and sweat stained smile, but a still a smile nonetheless.

"Baxter my boy!" called a familiar voice from the infirmary.

Baxter turned around to be greeted by the sight of Sir Hucklefoot.

"Yes Sir?" replied Baxter, with a tone of uncertainty.

"Don't worry my boy, I'm not asking you to perform surgery or something like that. In fact, quite the opposite. You see, some reinforcements arrived from Las Pegasus just now and I want you to go on patrol with them." Hucklefoot continued to say as he walked over to the younger pegasus.

"Uh, and where exactly is this patrol heading Sir?" asked a curious Baxter Dash.

"Why to the old weather factory of course, you see in my thinking, it would make a perfect place for the rest of the enemy to make a base. It's abandoned, nopony every goes there and most importantly, there is still a lot of technology that could provide anypony with a decent knowledge, a fair edge in this war." replied the grizzly mentor.

"So you want this patrol and I to go to this factory and make sure there are no enemies there, making use of the dangerous technology being contained there. Why are there no guards there, if there is such dangerous pieces of equipment just laying around?" Baxter replied, outraged at Cloudsdale Security's carelessness.

"Security says they couldn't spare the men, they were apparently undergoing a high maintenance mission after a threat was made against the crown." Hucklefoot replied simply, seeming oblivious to the younger pony's outrage.

Baxter and his mentor his discussed the possibilities of what lay on this patrol. Sharing ideas of tactics if in fact the weather factory was a base of operations. They concluded that the patrol should send word back immediately and wait for reinforcements before making a move on the factory. After all, they wouldn't know what they had in there.

After their talk Baxter decided it was time to head off to join the patrol. As he spread his wings and took off, he thought he saw... Nah, it couldn't be. He was dead. He was probably just imagining things, with all the sudden tension in Equestria and the weight which lay on his shoulders, he wouldn't be surprised.

"Baxter!" called a delighted voice from below, as Baxter Dash descended on the patrol group.

"Karmin?" Baxter called back, somehow recognizing the voice of his old flight school buddy.

"Hell yeah it is Bax, where you been at? Did you hear that I got accepted into the Loyal Pegasus Guard Of Las Pegasus? Oh Celestia how long has it been Bax, I haven't seen you in ages?!" the babbling pegasus added.

"Calm down Karmin, I was taking care of my sister, no I didn't what's it like, and it has been almost 3 years now. How are you Kaz?" replied Baxter, babbling equally.

Baxter descended upon the patrol party, only to be thrown off of his hooves by a yellow pegasus with a pronounced orange and crimson mane, a Glaive attached to their back.

"I missed you Bax, I didn't realise how many creeps were in that flight school till you left. I was getting hit on by boys left and right." Karmen spouted not pausing to take a single breath.

"We will have to catch up after this is all over Karmen, we have a lot to catch up on." replied a suddenly calm Baxter Dash. As he looked around the Patrol Party, Baxter noticed, but did not recognize, a bulky looking dull, grey, male pegasus with an alluring midnight purple mane and a tower shield hanging from his side, and a vivid female, purple pegasus, with an equally vivid purple mane equipped with a funny shaped sword, which he thought was called a khopesh.

"You're damn right we will!" replied the smaller yellow pegasus, gesturing for the patrol party to follow her, but for now we have work to do.

"Shield-Dancer, did you hear that?" Karman asked the grey pegasus. To which the response a grunt, Baxter assumed that meant yes.

Baxter had heard it too, voices, lot's of them. None that he recognised though. Baxter gestured the purple pegasus to come to his side.

"We are going to go and check that out ok? Karmen and I have discussed what should happen if we run into anyone. We need to see if they are friend or foe. If they are friend we need to get them back to base, if they are enemy... we'll see if it comes to that first." Baxter informed her as she got within earshot.

"Where are Shield-Dancer and Karmen going to go? By the way, the name's Cleo. Well actually it's not but people just call me Cleo." Replied the purple pegasus in a much more forceful tone than what Baxter had expected.

"Ok Cleo Shield-Dancer and Karmen are bringing up the rear don't worry, they won't be too far away." Baxter reassured her.

Baxter Dash slowly pushed through the wooded area towards the voices. Remaining ever concious to the idea that the eney knew they were here. He gestured the smaller mare he was proceeding with, to go to the left a bit, slowly edging himself to the right just in case. Glancing back, Baxter noticed that Karmen had taken the hint as well, and Shield-Dancer went left with Cleo, while Karmen edged right with Baxter.

As they continued through the undergrowth, the voices began to become louder and more dense.

"How many do you think Kaz?" He whispered to his old friend, referring to her by the nickname he had given her when they first met.

"Easily 50, maybe even 60. Why what are you planning?" She quietly responded.

"Ok Kaz, remember movement order 37? I need you to take the left with Cleo and Shield-Dancer for me. Don't worry about me, I will be fine. Go support your troops." Baxter told her comfortingly, he had seen the look on her face as her soldiers went to the left, he knew the feeling all too well.

"Baxter..." Began Karmen.

"Go Kaz, before they get too far away, don't worry I'll be fine I promise. Now go!" Baxter whispered back hurriedly.