Author's Note

Rusty Ace OC belongs to RustyAce.

Chapter 3

Braveheart and the Pegasus flew to the Badlands. Braveheart had kept up for a good while, but he eventually got tired out. The Pegasus took him up on her back and carried him the rest of the way. When they reached the camp, the Pegasus landed, and Braveheart hopped off her back onto the dusty ground. The guards stopped her and Braveheart.

“Lieutenant Ace, reporting in with a survivor from Ponyville,” the Pegasus said. “Sergeant Effort’s son.” The two soldiers nodded and stepped aside. Braveheart followed Ace into the military camp. Soldiers of less rank than Ace saluted as she passed by. Braveheart shrunk as he followed Ace. He didn’t feel secure here, even though these were Equestrian soldiers. Ace and Braveheart walked into the central tent. Ace saluted to the general as she walked in.

“General,” Ace said.

“Lieutenant, tell me he’s alive,” the general hoped.

“He is,” Ace nodded. The general turned around from the map on the table. Braveheart looked up from the ground at the general. She stood tall, wearing a blue and yellow uniform. Her coat was a cyan hue, and her military cut mane and tail were colored red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. She had a scar over her left eye and a mechanical left wing. Her left ear had a jagged hole. She wore a general’s emblem on her chest. Braveheart straightened up to show respect.

“At ease, kid,” the general said. Braveheart stayed as he was, unsure of what the general meant. Ace took notice.

“That means to relax your form,” she said to Braveheart. Braveheart nodded and did so. The general walked up to Braveheart and extended a hoof. Braveheart timidly shook it.

“I’m Rainbow Dash,” the general said. “Military general of the CER, the Crystal Empire Resistance. Braveheart, correct?”

“Yes ma’am,” Braveheart nodded.

“I understand you were on your way home from the Ponyville textile mill when Lieutenant Ace found you,” Dash explained. “I regret to inform you that…” Dash sighed. “…your parents didn’t make it. They were killed by Sombra. I’m sorry.” Braveheart slowly hung his head and sat down. Rainbow Dash turned to her comrades.

“All except Lieutenant Ace, leave us,” she quietly ordered. Her officers nodded and left the tent. Braveheart broke down crying. Dash walked up to him and put a hoof on his shoulder. Braveheart looked up, eyes wet with tears.

“Braveheart, there was nothing we could have done,” Dash regretted. “Sombra came too early for us to prepare for an evacuation of Ponyville. Had we known, we would have brought your family here to safety. Truly I am sorry for this.” Braveheart nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes. Rainbow Dash took her hoof away and brushed a bit of mane from her face. The tent was silent for a time.

“Braveheart,” Dash said. “I’m going to tell you my own personal story. About a few years ago during an important battle against Sombra.”

“General, are you sure you want to say what happened to him?” Ace asked. “He’s only six, and just got separated from his family. Tragically.”

“That’s why I need to tell him,” Dash said. “He needs somepony to relate to in a situation like this, so he doesn’t feel alone in his pain.” Ace nodded in understanding.

“OK,” Braveheart said. “Go ahead.” Rainbow Dash sighed and began her story.

“I was sure we got him in the Frozen North,” she huffed. “About a year later, he shows up in the Everfree with that piece of shit, Chrysalis. That was the last straw for the CER. The orders come down from Princess C. for a snatch and grab. So my honorary sister, Scootaloo, she and I go in. What a shit show.”

~~~Three Years Ago~~~

“Suffer with Me”
Castle of the Everfree, Everfree Forest
Gen. Rainbow Dash
CER Special Activities Division
December 19th, 2018

Rainbow Dash flew down into the Everfree, landing in front of her friend Soarin's temporary home. She grabbed her cap from her bag and slipped it on. As she walked towards the house, she could hear Soarin and his wife, Spitfire, furiously arguing.

“Honey, you need to calm down,” Soarin said.

“I. Am. Calm!” Spitfire stormed. Scootaloo came down from above and landed next to Dash.

“Scoots,” Dash nodded.

“Dash.” Scootaloo replied. “Good to see you, Rainbow.”

“You too, Scootaloo,” Dash nodded. The two walked up to the front door.

“We've been married for five years!” they could hear Spitfire cry out. The front door opened and Soarin poked his head out.

“Go around back,” he whispered, taking a glance inside. “She's so fucking pissed!” Scootaloo nodded and walked around the house. Soarin stepped back in, and Scootaloo and Dash could hear the argument again.

“Family?” Soarin asked. “I thought this was about tomorrow.” Spitfire grunted.

“It's about everything, Soarin!” she screamed. “I need something more in my life besides sitting around waiting to see what Celestia-forsaken place you're going to move us to next! It’s not enough Soarin. It’s not enough.” Scootaloo opened up the back gate.

“Come on, Rainbow,” she said. The two walked behind the house, where Soarin was waiting for them with a six pack of beer.

“Hey girls,” he nodded, tossing Scootaloo a beer. Scoots popped it open.

“Hey Soarin,” Dash waved. “You got the stuff?”

“Yeah,” Soarin said. “Grab the sports bag in the shed.” Dash walked over to the nearby shed and opened it up, grabbing the sports bag inside.

“The wife doesn't seem too happy,” Scootaloo mentioned. “You didn't tell her about the invasion, did you?”

“Nope,” Soarin said. “Seems like I'm the only one who didn't. She heard it from Thunderlane's wife...and Caramel's...and Filthy Rich's. Can you imagine how that made me look?” Dash walked up to the picnic table the other two were seated at and put the bag down.

“Why the fuck aren't we killing this monster, huh?” she asked. “After the shit she pulled in the Frozen North?”

“Higher ups are sick of her scheming, but they want her alive,” Scootaloo said. Dash shook her head and opened up the sports bag, revealing clothes and other junk hiding the military equipment.

“This shit don't sound right,” Dash muttered.

“Okay,” Soarin started. “Queen Chrysalis, hereforth known as Objective False Profit. It's a standard snatch and smear operation. Destroy her public reputation, and minimize any chance of any uprisings in her name. The invasion will draw attention away as we go in with the works.”

“Then we're all set,” Scootaloo nodded, finishing off her beer.

“Yep,” Soarin agreed. “Come on. I'll walk you girls out.”

“Thanks for the beer, Soarin,” Scootaloo thanked. She put her can down as Dash zipped up the bag and followed Soarin out.

“I took the liberty of looking over some of your old case files,” Soarin said to Scootaloo. “All that shit with Starlight. You really get brainwashed by the Equality folk?”

“They gave it their best shot,” Scootaloo said.

~~~Present Day~~~

“The mission was good, planning good,” Dash explained. “The only piece that didn't fit was Flitter, on the comm link running the show. It just felt off, even on the way in. I felt it, you know, it was gnawing at me. I just didn't look at it.”

~~~Flashback~~~

The CER officers ran through the Everfree to the Castle of the Two Sisters. The invasion was already under way.

“Flitter, it's Scootaloo,” Scootaloo called. “The bombing's begun ahead of schedule. Something you want to tell us?” No answer came from the radio. “Flitter, do you copy?” Still nothing. “There's no response,” Scootaloo said. “We continue as planned.” The group ran up to the edge of the castle.

“Soarin, it's Scootaloo. We're in.”

“CER teams will secure CE central HQ to prevent False Profit's escape,” Soarin informed over the radio. “I'll provide overwatch from Tower 12 off the battle map.”

“Did Flitter nix that plan?” Scootaloo asked.

“If she did, she didn't tell me,” Soarin said. “Good luck, Scoots. Soarin out.” The radio went quiet as Rainbow Dash pulled out a knife.

“Take 'em, Dash,” Scootaloo nodded. Dash climbed up a small staircase as Scootaloo went around. When Dash reached the top, she whistled. A Sombra soldier turned around, and Scootaloo stabbed it with her own knife. Another patrol prepared to shoot a flare, but Dash threw her knife, wedging it in the soldier's heart. The flare gun dropped, and fired.

“Flare!” Dash cried. The flare detonated, and more Sombra soldiers rushed onto the scene.

“You know what they say,” Scootaloo cried. “IF you're gonna fuck up, get it out of the way early.” The two soldiers fought their way through the castle to the Chrysalis. After they reached a certain point, the radio jumped on.

“Scootaloo,” a voice said. “It's Flitter.”

“Where the hell have you been, Flitter?” Scootaloo asked. There was no response. “Flitter?...Flitter?...Flitter?”

“We have confirmation on location of False Profit,” Flitter said. “Throne Room. Move to secure. Flitter out.” Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo moved to the throne room. They reached the place and found Chrysalis.

“Secure her,” Scootaloo said. Dash pointed her assault rifle at Chrysalis.

“Give me a reason to blow your head off,” she dared. “Come on!” Scootaloo searched through Chrysalis's bags.

“What are you doing?” Chrysalis asked.

“Sealing your reputation,” Scootaloo simply answered. Chrysalis turned to Rainbow Dash.

“This was not the deal,” she said angrily. “Call your boss.” Dash promptly hit Chrysalis with the butt of her gun, knocking her over. She pointed the muzzle at Chrysalis.

“Flitter, it's Scootaloo,” Scootaloo said, calling up Flitter on the radio.

“Go ahead Scootaloo,” Flitter said.

“False Profit secure. Moving to extract.”

“No, negative,” Flitter said. “Stand by for new tasking. Objective False Profit has intel on a priority Nexus target. Escort her as PC to alternate location for prisoner exchange, more to follow.” Flitter signed off.

“Precious cargo, my ass,” Scootaloo muttered.

“Nexus target?” Dash stormed. “Who's more important than this asshole?”

“I don't like it either, but let's just get this done,” Scootaloo said. “We're burning too much time.”

~~~Present~~~

“The mission was snatch and grab,” Dash growled. “Then fucking Flitter gets on the radio, says that Chrysalis is not the mission. She's a give away. She's a prisoner swap, and right fucking then I should have known, right then and there...I should have known right then and there! Like, what the fuck is wrong with me!? What the fuck!?”

“General, take it easy,” Rusty said. Rainbow Dash calmed down a little, but not a lot.

“Fucking Flitter!” she raged. “I should have smoked her at the start.” Braveheart sighed as Rainbow Dash calmed down.

“Did she go out like a soldier?” he asked. Rainbow Dash didn't answer. Braveheart got worried. “Don't tell me that Chrysalis took her out,” he gasped. Dash gave Braveheart a sad look.

“She didn't go down like that, kid,” she said. “Chrysalis was just a puppet. We're all just puppets.”

~~~Flashback~~~

Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo escorted Chrysalis through the castle until they reached the back entrance, where CER soldiers were waiting for the transfer to prisoner swap.

“Scootaloo,” Flitter called.

“Flitter,” Scootaloo cried. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Are you at the checkpoint?” Flitter asked. “Do you still have the precious cargo?”

“Yes,” Scootaloo said. “But who the hell is Nexus target? Who's more important than Objective False Profit?”

“You have to trust me, Scootaloo,” Flitter said. “You have to. Flitter out.”

~~~Present~~~

“I may have questioned orders, but I never questioned motives,” Dash hissed. “You take care of your unit and you get your guys home safe! That's not how it is. Chain of command is fucked! I'm a soldier. I take orders and I get shit done.”

~~~Flashback~~~

Rainbow Dash was traveling up with Chrysalis in custody up the south tower.

“Dash, are you in position?” Scootaloo asked over the radio.

“Moving to the top of the south tower,” Dash responded.

“I'm in the east tower, got a clear LDS in the courtyard...” the radio erupted with static.

“Fucking comms!” Dash cursed. They reached the top of the tower, and Chrysalis walked to the balcony.

“This way,” she said. “Everything is ready.” Dash followed Chrysalis out. A Sombra Soldier straightened up at the sight of Chrysalis, and Chrysalis immediately shot him with a pistol.

“Nopony must know I betrayed him,” she said. Dash grabbed the gun and threw it away.

“Him?” she asked. She contacted Flitter. “Flitter, who is Nexus target?” No answer. “Flitter.”

“It's him, Dash,” Flitter replied. “Nexus target is Sombra himself.”

“You should have told us, Flitter,” Dash grunted. “You should have told us.”

“We are ready,” Chrysalis said into her radio. “Bring him out.” Rainbow Dash grabbed a nearby DSR-50 sniper rifle.

“They're bringing the son of a bitch out,” Dash told Flitter.

“Confirm visual,” Flitter ordered. Dash looked down the scope of the sniper into the courtyard and saw Sombra struggling with two CER guards holding him down. Sombra had a bag over his head and a trench coat on.

“End this now, Dash,” Flitter said. Rainbow Dash pulled the trigger. The powerful bullet tore through Sombra's head, killing him. Chrysalis and Dash flew down to the courtyard to confirm Sombra's death. Chrysalis had a smug smile on her face. Dash took notice.

“What are you looking so smug about?” she asked. She increased her pace, but Chrysalis did not, keeping her smile. “The fuck is going on?” Dash stormed, increasing her pace to a run. “What's going on here!?” A grim thought came to her head.

“No, no, no, no, no, no...” she gasped, running to Sombra's body. She knelt down and tore off the bag over his head, revealing Scootaloo's lifeless face.

“Scootaloo!” Dash cried out.

“Fool,” Chrysalis muttered.

“You bitch!” Dash cursed. She grabbed a pistol and made a move for Chrysalis, but was shot in the left wing by a focused magic blast. The shot pierced through her back as well. She fell to the hard stone in pain. She turned and saw Sombra walking up.

“Sombra!” she growled. She crawled to her gun, her wing and body too painful to walk. Sombra walked over to the gun and slid it to Dash. She grabbed it, and Sombra stomped onto her hoof. Dash tried to fight Sombra off, but he headbutted her hard, knocking her out.

~~~Present~~~

By the end of her story, Rainbow Dash was in tears. Braveheart was in shock from hearing the tragic tale.

“I’m so sorry,” he quietly said.

“Sombra wanted her to suffer, as he supposedly had,” Ace said. “He let Dash go, her wing completely destroyed. She had to get the prosthetic you see now.”

“I haven’t been the same since,” Dash muttered. “I’d lash out at the others if they even mention little Scoots. I’ve started making rash decisions and calls. Even come close to being stripped of my rank. But, somehow I’ve controlled myself just enough to stay in command.” They went silent again. After a few minutes, Ace spoke up.

“General. We have just received word that the refugees have all been evacuated to Vanhoover undetected.”

“Good,” Dash nodded. She wiped some tears from her eyes. Lieutenant Ace removed her hood. Braveheart turned to look. Ace had a faded pink coat and a faded red mane. Her living hooves were paws, and she had a blue right eye and a red left eye, with a scar across her right eye. She was a pony-wolf hybrid.

“I’d say it’s about time I introduce you two,” Dash said, standing up and walking up to Ace. “Braveheart, meet Lieutenant Rusty Ace, CER’s top spy and my personal informant.” Braveheart and Rusty shook hooves.

“A pleasure to meet you, Braveheart,” Rusty said.

“You as well,” Braveheart agreed. A soldier ran into the tent, giving Rusty a piece of paper. Rusty quickly read it over.

“General, we have a problem,” she informed. “Sombra is advancing on Manehattan with a large strike team.”

“We can’t let Manehattan fall,” Dash said. She turned to Braveheart.

“Braveheart, it’s time you take up your father’s work,” she said. “Time for you to become a soldier for Equestria.”

“With all due respect, General Dash, I’m only six years old,” Braveheart said. “I can’t fight.”

“I’ve trained younger fillies and colts from the front lines,” Dash said. “You’re more mature than they were. I know you’ll follow my lead. Won’t you, Private Braveheart?” Braveheart stood up and straightened up with a salute.

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” he said.

“That’s what I want to hear,” Dash nodded with a smile. She grabbed a pack of gear and a uniform and gave them to Braveheart.

“Suit up, Private,” she commanded. “We’re going to Manehattan.”