Generation Stealth

                              MANEHATTAN 5 HOURS AFTER BLAST

I lay next to the flaming heap of scrap metal which is my plane. I looked up weakly from the ground, my legs were broken, I was coughing blood. I didn’t even know why I was still alive to be honest. I crawled forward slowly to the comm. Systems which were on the plane in case of emergencies. I scavenged the small pistol and the communications radio.

“This is..Cloud Shade…anyone there?” I said weakly through the radio. It took a while but I eventually got a response from command.

“Cloud Shade? The rest of your squad is cut off what the hell happened?” They said with what seemed like genuine concern in their voice.

“The nuclear device….it went off…they’re all dead..I’m all that’s left.” I said lightly coughing blood onto the destroyed road. I waited for a few minutes for a response, they seemed frozen in shock. This really wasn’t an option; failure meant a catastrophe for the military.

“Alright Shade, we’re sending a rescue bird out there to retrieve you. Drop a flare to mark your location but make sure you high tail it out of there, enemy forces will definitely move onto your position.

I dragged my body through the rubble slowly; I dropped the flare tossing it as far as I could away from the wreckage, all they needed to get was a general location anyway. I crawled into a nearby alley way to hide out until rescue came. I leaned back against the hard brick wall tiredly. I knew I was close to death. The blast radiation was starting to get to me. I began to vomit blood onto the side of the floor in deep heaves. I allowed myself to tear up a little bit. This was the worst case scenario; I would never see Rainbow Dash his parents or his brother ever again.

“Where the hell did things go wrong..?” I muttered to myself I looked to the side beginning to grow weak. I coughed blood before collapsing to the side in my fatigue. Time was going by extremely fast. I felt myself beginning to slip away but I fought against the feeling. I had to survive, I wouldn’t let the entire Sky Blazers die, and it was my duty to my squad to survive. Even though I’ve already failed them, hah, I act as if they’re still alive and I actually have any duties to them. Due to my negligence they all died a horrible death.

I

heard the sound of hoof steps coming down the alley, they were approaching rapidly by the sound of it. I grasped the pistol tighter aiming it down the alley way slowly. My vision began to fade along with my grip on the pistol. My eyes fluttered against my will before slowly closing. A haze swept over my vision but I do recall seeing one last thing. A cyan pony came rushing down the alley way at me, I’m not sure but I think tears stained her face, that’s weird. Who would be crying over me?

Rainbow Dash looked down at Cloud Shade with tears still flowing freely down her face. He was a bloody mess. His legs were heavily broken, blood stained his uniform, and in his unconsciousness he coughed blood all over himself to make matters worse. She had never seen a soldier in such shape. She looked out the window in the medical chopper to see the destroyed landscape as they passed by. Half of Manehattan was destroyed in the blast; the other half was scurrying into defensive position. This was the largest attack to ever be dealt on Celestia owned soil. It would cause a massive retaliation from the air force. She frowned lightly rubbing her hoof over Cloud Shade’s face. His mane was constantly falling into his eyes, She sighed looking back out the window.

Before she knew it she saw four ponies dressed in some sort of HAZMAT uniform trot into the passengers area. They started to pull out needles from a saddle bag strapped around ones back.

“What are you doing?” She asked a little bit confused by their actions,

“He’s suffering from radiation poisoning, it’s amazing he’s still alive as a matter of fact, not every pony can say they faced the shock wave of a nuclear explosion and survived.” She sighed rubbing his fore head again. She could feel tears welling up but she held them back. She still had her reputation to uphold at least. The entire squad was just annihilated simultaneously. No doubt Cloud Shade would think it was his fault and act out. Just thinking about how he was about her made her shiver.

The helicopter came to an abrupt stop at the air field platform. The Ponies carried him off down the exit ramp running him into the intensive care unit. She sighed walking into the waiting room. No doubt she would be there for a while but she didn’t care. This was Cloud Shade she was talking about. If need be she could wait.

I fluttered my eyes a bit before walking up from my comma. I looked around wearily; I was definitely in a hospital room. But the real question was how I even survived. I suddenly realized I couldn’t feel anything below my lower back. I was paralyzed from the waist down. I looked up slowly to see a doctor trotting in. He took some notes before looking at me seeing me awake.

“Oh…you’re up…earlier than expected! This is great! I’m sure you don’t know me I’m Dr Whooves your doctor, pleased to meet you Cloud Shade.” I just blinked at him with my eyes half closed. My throat felt incredibly dry, I couldn’t even form words without getting a horrible pain in my throat.

“Oh, that’s because you’ve been out of it for about three weeks. Here let me get you some water.” I looked at him shocked for a moment, despite the pain in my throat I yelled.

“Three weeks!? Are you bucking kidding me!?” I yelled out, he looked at me shocked for a few moments before his expression softened.

“I know you’re confused Cloud Shade, but believe it or not you’re a walking miracle.” I blinked heavily before slumping back in the chair. He couldn’t believe he was still alive. He suddenly realized his location. He must be in Ponyville if his doctor was Dr Whooves.

“Where’s Rainbow Dash?” I said without meaning to. He looked at me a bit confused for a second before he looked down at his clip board.

“She’s still in the waiting room, she never left besides to eat. I’ll get her in here if you want to see her.” He said before trotting out of the room slowly. I looked at the wall trying to remember recent events. Oh yes, that was right. His squad was all dead. I looked down at the bed in my mourning before I heard the sound of hoof steps coming down the hall. I looked up to see Rainbow Dash standing in the door way.

“Rainbow..I’m sorry.” I said looking at her; she only smiled trotting into the room slowly.

“It’s not your fault; no pony could have saved them. You did the best you could.” I sighed looking off with a far look in my eyes.

“Apparently my best wasn’t good enough, I failed.” I let it all go and began to cry. I just released all of my pent up emotions at once from my body. It felt as if a physical weight was thrown off of my body. I felt a foreleg wrap around my shoulders comfortingly. I looked to see Rainbow Dash with her deep eyes gazing into mine.

“I’m sorry…I’ve failed you.” I looked at her my eyes beginning to soften as well.

“It’s not your fault.” She said moving in slowly. Before I knew it her lips touched mine in a soft embrace. I looked at her shocked for a few moments before she pulled away.

“It’s not your fault, nothing is your fault.” I sighed looking down onto the covers slowly. I had gotten what I wanted, but what about what she wanted? All of her friends, all of my friends, were dead. This would not go by overlooked. I would end this war, I wouldn’t let them die in vain. There’s a difference between a life wasted and a life spent.

“I won’t let it be my fault, I’m going to change things.” I looked at her a new fire in my eyes replacing my original defeated look. Instead of a defeated depression in my eyes. There was a new determination in them. I wouldn’t let them die in vain.

“Thank you Rainbow Dash, you’ll stay with me?” I said a bit concerned, I knew I couldn’t do this alone.

“Yeah, let’s end this crap once and for all.” I gave her a reckless grin before pulling her into another kiss. It was time for us to settle this dispute, once and for all.