Edge of Sky

Chapters

Flight Risk
The Arrival
One Little Step...
Stick to the Plan

Flight Risk

She had been bought.

Lightning Dust was glad her new owner couldn’t see her glare as she waited for her seller and buyer to finish talking.

“… I'm warning you, you have to be careful with this one. She’ll run first chance she gets. There’s a good reason that sign is on her cage.”

“Yeah, I saw that. Very funny,” her new master said drily. Lightning Dust glanced back to her cage in the back of the slave shop that only a week before had been a pet store. From where she stood, she could still see a bright red sign shouted: ‘WARNING: FLIGHT RISK.’

Yeah, real funny, she thought irritably. Her plucked wings twitched inside their hard black sheaths and she wondered again if she’d ever fly again.

“Trust me, I already own the worst mare in Equestria. I can handle this one,” her buyer said, a testy edge to his voice.

Finally the slave trader handed over her leash to Soarin, the new captain of the Wonderbolts, and her new owner. It had only been a week since Equestria had been invaded and conquered, but already there were terrible rumors about Soarin. Lightning Dust had heard from other pegasi how he had personally surrendered Spitfire to the caribou so he could take her position. In other words, a traitor. Just like every other stallion who decided they’d rather work with the invaders rather than try and protect the mares under attack. Lightning Dust knew that type all too well.

Soarin looked to her and gave a jerk on the leash towards the door. For a moment she held back, looking around at the other enslaved mares, and realized that there would be no goodbyes. Another yank on her neck nearly choked her, and she lurched forward before finding her feet again, head held low as she glared at him, biting down hard on the ball gag between her teeth.

Once outside she found it was already well past nightfall, the air cool on her fur. She looked around, blinking in the sudden darkness, when without warning a warm body slipped under her, and she immediately tried to jerk away as her heart leapt into her throat. Soarin pushed his head between her bound forelegs and lifted her up until she straddled his back. She squirmed against him, fighting against the familiar, sickening fear and wishing she could scream. He didn’t take any notice of her, just gripped her forelegs and spread his wings. After a few testing flaps he pushed off the ground and they were flying.

Flying... the cold rush of air on her face was so familiar, like an ache in her heart. So weightless, carefree… but wrong. Everything a reminder of just how wrong it was. Powerful blue wings beat on either side of her as she gazed down at the dark streets; no one had lit the street lamps yet, although it was already well past dusk. And yet, the moon wasn't even out. The sky they rose through was both strange and familiar, like a home that wasn't hers anymore.

Equestria had changed. There was no hope of things ever getting better, even the princesses defeated or traitors themselves.

She may never be free again.

It’ll be ok. Just stay still and everything will be fine. The rational part of her mind repeated over and over as they rose higher. Don’t struggle, don’t fight. It’ll be fine.

Buck that.

She reared back and slammed her head into Soarin’s, his wings faltering as they both tumbled forward into the whipping wind. They spun over and over as she struggled to slip off, only managing to push herself over his wings, sending them plummeting faster.

“Are you crazy!” he shouted, the words almost ripped away by the wind. “You’re going to get us both killed!”

Good.

But he still had the use of his hooves, and she felt something hard glance off her side and then catch her in the ribs. She gasped against the gag in her mouth, then lost what grip she had and slipped off, spinning blindly into the vast darkness.

It was cold.

The wind whipped through her mane, whistled in her ears and she was helpless, powerless. Not long ago she would have given anything to fly again- but not like this. The ground was already so close and she was falling so fast. Despite her racing heart, a calm spread through her as she closed her eyes, felt tears cooling fast on her fur, and thought desperately of flying…

“Hold on!”

Strong forelegs locked around her barrel, pulling her up and stunning her as they skimmed the ground, barely avoiding crashing into the dirt. She twisted around, kicking and rearing back, despite the tight hold around her.

This was her one chance- she had to do this! She wasn't going to be a slave for the rest of her life, she couldn’t get hurt again, she couldn’t go through that pain.

Please…

But it wasn't enough. Soarin kept his head low and out of her reach and then he flew, fast and frantic. Still she kept struggling, wrestling against him until her heart was about to burst and she couldn’t breathe. Soon all she could taste was the rubber of her gag and bitter bile rising in her throat.

Even so, she kept fighting. Twice more he almost dropped her before finally diving down to a cloud bank and a house half-hidden in it. This would be her new prison, she thought. She gave a sudden twisting jerk, hoping she might shock him into dropping her for real. He nearly did, before flying even faster towards the door as she squirmed and kicked. She slipped free- or perhaps he just let her go as she fell hard on the pathway. She lay stunned, barely able to move, her vision swimming. Unfortunately, it gave him enough time to open the open and half-drag her across the threshold.

The door slammed shut, and she was trapped. Again.

Despite her burning lungs, despite her bound legs, she threw her body into Soarin as he stood panting beside her. He wasn’t expecting it, and she knocked him headfirst into the door and together they toppled into a heap. She had to get out. Maybe if she could manage to get the door open, or knock him out, or something... there had to be something! She couldn't just give up!

“Hey! What are you doing?” A mare’s voice shouted as Lightning tried to get her bound hooves under her. “Soarin, get off her!”

“She jumped me!” the stallion countered.

Lightning looked up and saw Spitfire running towards them. She wore the same black collar and sheaths as herself, except… Lightning’s stomach lurched, and she shook her head, hoping she was wrong, but no…

Spitfire’s left wing- it was gone. There was only a stump wrapped in thick bandages. They’d cut it off. She’d lost her wing, she’d never be able to fly ever again…

Spitfire was saying something, but she couldn’t understand through the sudden red fog in her mind. Would they do that to her? She backed up against the door, getting as far from him as she could. But he made no move to restrain her. Instead, he was sitting on his haunches and gasping for breath.

Spitfire was talking to Soarin, frowning but she looked unhurt. She wasn’t bound or chained, no bruises. She looked… almost ok. Lightning Dust shook her head again, and heard her say, “-couldn’t have been that bad.”

“No,” Soarin panted, “it really was. I see why you would want her. Ugh!” He gave a loud sigh and plopped on the ground, closing his eyes.

Lightning stared, and wondered just what in Equestria was going on. Spitfire turned to her again, frowning as her eyes took in the gag, the chains on her hooves, the black sheaths on her back.

“You all right?” Spitfire said, stepping towards her. Lightning shook her head, more to express confusion but also, no, she wasn’t all right.

“Let’s get this stuff off.” Spitfire grabbed the back of the gag with her teeth and pulled it over her head. As soon as her mouth was clear Lightning Dust started coughing and spat out the lingering taste of rubber.

“Should I help?” Soarin said, standing up.

“No just… just give us some space,” Spitfire said while studying the ties around her hooves. Soarin hesitated, then met Lightning Dust’s glare and left them alone in the open room.

Despite her many questions, all she could do was watch as Spitfire knelt before her and picked at the knots with her teeth, slowly freeing her. It was strange, watching her former captain kneel before her. For most of her life she had looked up to Spitfire, the captain of the legendary Wonderbolts, her role model. But ever since Lightning Dust had been kicked out she had despised this mare, had thought up all sorts of horrible things she would do if only she could. She looked at the stump on her back and felt sick.

“What’s going on?” Lightning finally managed to say, the words sticking in her throat like a sickness.

Spitfire waited to answer, instead pulling the last rope clear and allowing Lightning to gingerly stretch her legs. No ropes, no cages, no chains… and yet it still felt like a trap.

“We got you out,” Spitfire said evenly. “You’re going to be all right. You’re safe here. We, well Soarin actually, rescued you.”

“Rescued me?” Lightning Dust repeated numbly.

“As good as we can get right now.”

“What about him?“ She jerked her head towards the other room.

“He’s not going to hurt us.”

Lightning Dust stared at Spitfire, her face expressionless. She looked away with a snort. It didn’t matter what anyone said; she wasn’t going to trust that stallion.

“So, what now? Are we escaping?” Lightning asked in a low voice, hope rising in her chest. “How are we getting out?”

That small flame of hope sputtered at Spitfire’s deadpan look. “We’re not. There’s nowhere to go. We’re going to stay right here where it’s safe.”

“What? Stay here and just, just wait for some bucking stallion to come and take us? Are you kidding!” Lightning found that she was shouting, ignoring Spitfire’s attempts to quiet her. “How can you just pretend it’s all ok? It’s not okay! None of this is- we need to get out of here! We need to get out of Equestria! I won’t—“

“Enough!” Spitfire shouted, standing so tall that Lighting took a half step back. “I know this sucks. I know it’s hard. But if you go out there, you become a slave again.”

“I don’t care, I’m leaving.”

Lightning turned toward the door, but Spitfire jumped around and blocked her path.

“You’re not going anywhere. Besides, you can’t leave this cloud bank without flying. Just take it easy and tomorrow you can help me work on how to fight back against those caribou. Got it?”

Lightning Dust glared at her, but bit back her retort and forced herself to relax.

“Fine.” She took a deep breath and ignored the itch to run. In just a few hours, she could leave as they slept. Just a few hours. She turned away before Spitfire could read her thoughts, and instead took a better look at the house, gazing around.

“So… what? This Soarin’s place?” she asked with an air of nonchalance. It was a tidy, old-fashioned cloud home, more cloud than home with a winding staircase going to an upstairs loft. It wasn’t exactly militaristic, but orderly and plain.

“Actually, it’s mine,” Spitfire said mildly. “Or, it was my family’s. Since Soarin now owns me he laid claim to all of my property.”

“Seriously? And you’re ok with that?”

“It works,” she said with a shrug. “At least this way it wasn’t vandalized or destroyed like others. We’re still getting things setup. My plan is to buy as many mares as we can and bring them here.”

“Sounds like you just want to form your own harem,” she muttered, pretending to look at a landscape painting on the wall.

She could almost hear Spitfire roll her eyes. “Look, if you want to help, we could use a fighter like you. I know you’re frustrated, but we are working on a plan. I remember you, Lighting Dust. At the Academy, you were a fighter. You showed courage, ingenuity, and guts.”

“Remember how you kicked me out,” she spat, surprised how much that thought still stung.

“You were reckless,” Spitfire said, her mouth a tight line. “Your actions put other ponies in danger. But you were also fearless. And we need all the help we can get.”

“I’ll think about it,” Lightning said slowly, careful to not meet her eyes. Thankfully Spitfire didn’t push it, and for a time there was a tentative peace.

But as the hours passed, Lightning was reminded that she had never been one for patience. She had to forcibly stop her hoof from tapping as they sat through an agonizing dinner as Soarin tried to hold a conversation with them like any of it was normal, while Spitfire watched her when she thought she wasn’t looking.

When she excused herself for bed- or, rather, a cushion on the floor- she didn’t need to pretend how exhausted she was, that was genuine. Soon after the lights went off in the main room and she heard Spitfire walk past her to the far corner of the room and settle on her own cushion.

Then she waited.

It may have been hours, although it dragged on and on like perpetual night. Spitfire shifted every so often, but that was it. When it seemed to be well into the early morning, Lightning Dust stood and crept towards the door and pulled it open just enough to slip through. The entire house was dark, but she kept her eyes wide open and could make out the darker outlines of furniture, the charcoal gray of a doorway, and straight ahead- freedom. She snuck towards it, sure that her beating heart was far louder than her hoofsteps.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Lightning Dust spun around to the pony standing in the bedroom doorway, the darkness muting her bright orange coat.

“I’m leaving,” Lightning Dust said.

“I don’t think so.”

“They won’t catch me. It’ll be hours- days even- before they know I’m gone.”

“And where exactly would you go? All of Equestria is under their control, and it’s only growing. If you leave, they’ll capture you and torture you or worse, and then they’ll find us and do the same. You’d put us all in danger.”

“You mean I’d put you in danger.”

“Me, Soarin, and who knows how many other mares we could save. I know you don’t want to be here, but listen to me, Lightning Dust: there is nothing out there for you. How do you not get that? Even if we could get to the ground, there’s nowhere that we could go.”

“I don’t care- I’m not going to just sit around and be someone’s slave.”

“You’ll be a slave out there, too.”

“Then I’ll jump,” Lightning said.

Time seemed to stand still if it weren’t for the frantic beating of her heart as silence stretched between them.

“I won’t let you.”

The words were so quiet and cold Lightning might have imagined them. Then Lightning turned and yanked the door open and saw bright moonlight on clouds. Before she could get one hoof through the door Spitfire tackled her, heaving her backward.

Lightning screamed as Spitfire’s weight fell on her wings, crushing them against the jagged lining. “Get off me! Augh! Get! Off!” Lightning yelled through the searing pain, trying to move her foreleg but Spitfire had it pinned.

“Soarin- I need help!” Spitfire yelled out, and soon Lightning heard frantic wingbeats.

“No! No, let me go!”

It wasn’t enough. In a matter of minutes, Spitfire and Soarin had wrestled her away from the door and dragged her into the bedroom and clapped a chain to her collar.

“You can’t do this!” she yelled, her whole body shaking.

“Can somepony tell me what’s going on?” Soarin asked between gasps, focusing on Spitfire.

For a moment she didn’t answer, just glared at Lightning Dust.

“It’s for her own safety,” she finally said through gritted teeth. “Don’t let that off until I give the order." Spitfire looked back at her, and Lightning Dust saw a bruise on her cheek. And saw the fierce disappointment in her eyes.

“Guess I was right about you, Lightning Dust. You really aren’t meant to be a Wonderbolt.”

Lightning Dust said nothing, but the itch to run was still there, thrumming beneath her skin. One day she would find a way to escape.

She wasn't going to give up.

Author's Note

I’ve been meaning to get this story up for… wow, years?
I stumbled on this AU, despised it and wanted to try writing a story that addresses this world in a more realistic way, treating Fall of Equestria as a horrific, tragic situation rather than, you know… clop.
Speaking of, there will be sex in the fic but this is not a clop fic.
This is a story about various characters struggling through a horrific world- it’s complex, it’s messy, it’s dark… but it’s also hopeful.
I know a lot of people will look at the universe and hate it right off the bat, but my hope is that you'll be surprised and enjoy :ajsmug:

The Arrival

Lightning Dust wanted to kick the very concept of waiting. In its face.

For three days she waited. Not even for anything in particular- just noting the passage of time as she was kept shackled to a wall. The heavy weight of it on her already tight collar had initially driven her half-mad, but she found that she quickly became accustomed to it, like a cat to a bell on it’s neck.

At least, she thought she was used to it.

In the middle of the night she jolted awake, hyper-aware before realizing she had simply kicked out in her sleep, rattling the chain. The dream she’d woken from didn’t help her racing heart. She lay her head down again, staring out the window on the opposite wall, faint moonlight paling the dark blue sky, with high, thin clouds in the distance. Morning was still a long way off.

Nearby, a door creaked open.

Lightning Dust lifted her head, eyes wide as she stared at the door to their room but it was shut. Nothing moved. Probably just Soarin going to the bathroom or something, she told herself, holding her breath. Could someone be breaking in?

Then she heard heavy hoofsteps. getting closer.

She rose on shaking legs and watched the door to their room open, inch by inch.

A pony snuck in, half-hidden in darkness. He paused, like a hound catching a scent, then turned his head and stepped towards her.

Lightning Dust backed up against the wall, unable to run, her throat painfully tight.

"No…" she breathed, and found herself frozen.

He crept closer.

"No, not again," she said, louder. He didn’t flinch, only took another step. “Get away- get away from me! Stop! NO!"

"Soarin!"

Spitfire leapt between them. Soarin stumbled, shaking his head.

"What…”

"Wake up. You're sleepwalking," Spitfire said.

"I... Spitfire?" He said in a groggy voice, putting a hoof to his head. "Where—“

"Soarin- you were sleepwalking," Spitfire said again, a cold edge to her voice. "Go back to your room."

Lightning didn’t speak, afraid to make the smallest noise.

"I-I didn't mean…”

"It's fine. Just go and we can all get back to sleep."

"Right. Yeah, ok," he said before staggering out. Spitfire followed him to the door and closed it.

"We need to get a lock on this," she muttered, then turned to Lightning Dust. “Are you ok?”

Lightning Dust mutely shook her head, then rethought it. She slowly peeled herself away from where her heart had hammered her to the wall. “What just happened?"

"Soarin sleepwalks… sometimes.” She took a deep breath. “Look, if he does it again, just wake him up and he’ll snap out of it.”

"Again? Really? And if I can’t wake him? Or what if he wakes and decides to just do it anyway?” She growled and gave a quick jerk of her head, the chain on her collar loud in the stillness. “You can't keep me locked up forever."

"If I let you go, what would you do?"

"Not jump," she lied.

"I’m not going to let you kill yourself. Just… go back to sleep. He won’t touch you again," Spitfire said, voice heavy with exhaustion, before walking back to her corner.

The rest of the night Lightning Dust didn't sleep, couldn’t sleep. Every sound made her flinch, and every silence made her strain to catch the smallest hint of movement. She waited. She hated waiting.

As the hours passed she found herself gnawing on her fetlock joint, the thin bony flesh right above the hoof. The pain was refreshing, a sharp jolt in her sluggish, anxious mind. There was a slight tang of copper as she broke skin, but still she didn’t stop, worrying it between her teeth. What was wrong with her?

Oh, that’s right. A lot.

When had she become so afraid? Fear had never stopped her from flying through hurricanes or practicing dangerous stunts. Fear had never controlled her life. And yet there she was, terrified until morning like a stupid filly afraid of the dark.

It was a long, lonely time before the sky began to lighten through the window. By the time Spitfire got up to do her morning stretches she could barely keep her head up, jolting awake every time her eyes drifted closed too long. But the night had passed, and with daylight came the sense of safety. Which was stupid- she would never truly be safe. Or free.

Lightning Dust watched through half-open eyes as Spitfire walked by but then stopped and frowned at Lightning’s hoof, the pale green fur patchy and faintly stained pink.

“You have to stop doing that,” Spitfire said with a sharp glare.

“Why don’t you stick a muzzle on me?” Lightning bit back. “That’s what my other slave master did.”

Spitfire looked like she was about to argue or yell, and Lightning wished that she would. Instead she said nothing and went to do whatever she and Soarin did in the mornings. The door was left slightly open so Lightning could almost hear them in the kitchen, but it was little more than murmured conversation, the faint chinks of plates and cups.

A sharp taste filled her mouth and she realized she was chewing the inside of her lower lip. She wasn’t sure why she kept doing that, and it seemed hard to stop. There were already deep grooves in her black wing binders from biting into them as well, but that was just as pointless- if less painful. Rumor was that only a caribou could take off the collars or wing sheaths, something about runes and magic and the caribou being ridiculously controlling. Sometimes she thought she could smell her wings rotting away inside the hard cases, could imagine blood trickling down the bare flesh.

She needed something else to think about, but there was little that didn’t cause her pain. Thoughts of flying, her dreams of being a Wonderbolt, her once-loving coltfriend, the day of the invasion… she couldn’t think of those. Instead, she curled up on the wide cushion and imagined her lovely green wings, remembering the warmth of the sun as she glided over a wide green world ribboned with shining rivers and slender roads, the feeling of effortless lift as she caught an updraft and she could feel the breeze through every feather…

“Lightning Dust?”

She jumped up, bracing against the wall as Soarin entered the room. He wore his Wonderbolts uniform like usual, but at the moment he didn’t much look like one as he winced, looking embarrassed.

“Hey, uh, sorry about last night. That… that shouldn’t have happened.”

Her face twitched as she held back from snarling at him.

“I know you’ve been through a lot and we didn’t exactly have a great start, but I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”

She didn’t say anything and stiffened when he looked at her neck, at the black collar and heavy chain locked to it. He had done nothing to help her, they both knew it.

“It’s not gonna be like this forever. Just for a while. I don’t know what Spitfire has planned but I promise you won’t stay chained like that… I—“

“Soarin!” Spitfire called while running in, her face wavering between angry and nervous. “What are you doing?”

“Wh- nothing. I’m just talking with her,” he said angrily.

Spitfire glanced at Lightning Dust, still backed up to the wall.

“You should get going or you’ll be late,” she said, making it sound like a command.

Something dark and strange passed over Soarin’s face- Lightning couldn’t say what it was, but she didn’t like it.

“Right.” He walked past her to the main room before she followed him out.

Lightning Dust kept her ears towards the door, waiting for him to leave. Instead, they kept talking.

“Soarin, what about, you know…” Spitfire said.

"They said I could pick her up today. Then again, they told me that yesterday too."

"Do what you can,” Spitfire said, “I'm worried what’ll happen the longer we wait."

She could just make out the faint creak as the front door opened and then closed with a lovely, sturdy click. Minutes later Spitfire walked in and wordlessly set down a bowl of oatmeal near her. Lightning Dust shoved it away with a grimace- she wasn't hungry.

“Did Soarin do anything?” Spitfire asked.

“No. Just talked.”

“Good,” she said, nodding solemnly.

That was interesting, Lightning Dust thought. It seemed Spitfire wasn’t too trusting of him, either. She wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or infuriating.

"So who is Soarin supposed to be picking up today?” Lightning asked. “Adding another slave to your harem?"

For a moment Spitfire hesitated, and Lightning Dust noticed how tired she looked, like she had slept as little as Lightning had.

"You'll see when she gets here," Spitfire said.

Once she was gone from the room Lighting Dust sat down, tilted her head back and told herself to breathe deep. Eyes closed, she tried to relax her shoulders, tried to loosen whatever it was crushing her heart and lungs. It didn’t work. The perpetual sense of nausea clung to her still, the heavy weight pulling her down. She was so tired of it.

Her mind drifted to what she had overheard earlier, Soarin picking up another mare, but who? Maybe a pony who could help her overcome Spitfire. Two against one, those were better odds for a chance to escape. If it's another Wonderbolt not likely, but if it wasn't- she’d have to somehow convince them. Until then all there was to do was pace and sleep and try not to think. She managed a few hasty bites of food but couldn't bear much more of the gritty, slimy aftertaste of the state-mandated mare kibble. A book would have been nice. Oh, who was she kidding- she would have happily read a shampoo bottle in Griffinese.

Afternoon came, and with it was the arrival of Soarin who was audibly struggling with something. Or someone.

"What happened?" Spitfire said, panic clear in her voice. "Is she all right?"

"She's fine, just drugged," Soarin replied between pants. "Where should I…?"

"Here, bring her in here," Spitfire said, their voices growing closer.

Lightning Dust stood as they entered, but instead of a mare dragged in on a leash, there was a large sack flung over Soarin's shoulders that Spitfire gently lowered. On closer look it wasn’t a sack, but canvas tied around something. Once on the ground she saw a familiar tuft of rainbow hair and pale blue fur from one end.

Lightning Dust felt her breath leave her as if she’d been struck.

Rainbow Dash.

"She's breathing," Spitfire said, untying the thick rope and pulling back the fabric. It was as if Spitfire had unwrapped a corpse, and the body before her wasn’t far off. The soft blue fur was mussed up and filthy, darker where bruises showed through and pus leaked from cuts on her shoulder, her leg, her neck. Black squiggles were all over her body, and it took Lightning a closer look to see they were words, messages... whore, bitch, cum sucker, rebel fuck, piss here…

"Sweet Celestia," Spitfire muttered.

Rainbow Dash had been tortured. Actually, truly tortured. She was bound and muzzled like a vicious animal, but lying there, she was only a small and wounded mare.

"Sorry,” Soarin said in the heavy silence. “I should have tried to get her out sooner, I didn't think she'd be this bad."

"She's here now, that's what matters. Soarin, can you get some water and towels?”

"Can't, I have to get back,” he said, jerking his head towards the door. “I barely had time to get her. And things have been crazy with the rain shortage and now we’re planning an attack on the Bison and—“

“Right, right. I forgot you’re the head of the Wonderbolts,” Spitfire said, and there was only a little anger in her face. “That’s fine, I'll take it from here."

“Take care of her.”

Spitfire just nodded and he left, with a long glance towards the blue mare laying before them. They were left alone in the uncomfortable silence. Lightning looked to Spitfire for what to do and saw that the Wonderbolt captain’s mask had slipped: terror and nausea showed clear on her face as she took deep breaths. Lightning Dust probably didn’t look much better.

Squaring her shoulders, Spitfire knelt and used her teeth to pull off the black gag and bridle, revealing faint lines where the ropes had dug in. Then she carefully undid the heavy bindings on her forelegs but stepped away in disgust when she pulled them off. Lightning grimaced as well when she saw why. The thick black binding had covered deep jagged gouges as if from chains, both fresh and dried blood matting on her sweat-damp fur.

"Those bastards..." Spitfire muttered in a trembling voice, pushing her mane back with a forehoof and gritting her teeth before unbinding her back legs, also bloody. She left and returned minutes later with a bucket of water and clean towels draped across her shoulder. Meanwhile, Lightning Dust hadn't moved. From where she stood, Rainbow Dash barely seemed to be breathing.

"I'll help," she said. Spitfire only raised an eyebrow, unable to speak with the bucket handle between her teeth. Lightning gulped around the lump in her throat. "Bring her closer, I'll... I can help."

Spitfire hesitated then set the bucket and towels beside her and carefully pulled Rainbow Dash so she was in reach. Her wounds looked worse close up, and she noticed a trickle of dried blood from a split lip and a dark and swollen black eye. The last time she had seen her, she’d been wearing the uniform of a Wonderbolt cadet, her chest glistening with a golden badge that should have been rightfully hers.

Maybe she did hate Rainbow Dash. Or used to. The events of the Wonderbolt Academy were suddenly a long, long time ago, a memory from another lifetime. At that moment a pony needed her. One who had once been her friend.

Sptifire disappeared into the other room again, this time coming with blankets and a pillow that she propped under her head, the rainbow mane splayed out in a filthy, tangled mess.

"For now, let's get her cleaned up." Spitfire took a cloth in her teeth and dipped it in the water which Lightning copied, if more hesitant. Slowly they wiped down her matted and sticky fur, maybe with sweat but probably something worse. Lightning Dust had begun to clean one of her forelegs before Spitfire stood suddenly with a groan, having begun cleaning the blood from her back legs.

"What?"

Spitfire took a deep breath through her nose before answering. "Can you turn around?"

"What? Why?"

"Just... give her that bit of dignity, ok?"

She didn't understand until Spitfire walked behind her and lifted her tail. Lightning spun around, a deep blush on her muzzle, so she didn't have to watch Spitfire pull out what must have been an anal plug. There was the faint sound of Spitfire’s grunts and a then wet pop. Rainbow Dash shifted and moaned, then stilled. How long had she had that in? It was so intimate, such a gross violation that Lightning wished she hadn't known about it, that Rainbow Dash hadn’t had to suffer it.

Spitfire left with whatever that thing was, and Lightning managed to look at her former wingmate again, and gently lifted an orange lock of hair from her eyes. At least she was safe. Her ordeal was over. Hopefully. Lightning Dust felt hot guilt bubble in her chest, not for what happened at the Academy, but after it. For months she had despised this pony, had thought up all sorts of ridiculous revenge schemes to hurt her, humiliate her... she wished she could take it back. She hadn't deserved this.

Rainbow moved her head, making Lightning jerk back her hoof that'd been hovering near her mane. She groaned, lifting her head like it was made of stone.

"Rainbow Dash? Can you hear me?" Lightning asked. She didn't respond, just grimaced as she tried to rise then fell back on shaking legs.

"Hey, hey, don’t do that… you’re hurt," she said and put a hoof on her shoulder but that simple touch made her jump as if burned. Rainbow Dash’s whole body was shaking as she tried again to stand.

"Rainbow Dash!" Spitfire said, rushing over. "Calm down, take it easy." She gently pushed her down. Rainbow Dash seemed to be deciding whether or not to fight it.

"I, nnn, I can't..." Rainbow Dash muttered, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"It's all right. You're safe now," Spitfire murmured, and maybe those words made it through, or maybe they didn’t. She sank back down, still faintly struggling, and passed out again.

Lightning Dust felt she'd just flown a thousand yard sprint the way her heart was pounding. She heard shaky breathing and realized it wasn’t her, but Spitfire.

"She… she’ll be groggy until the drug wears off,” Spitfire said, voice trembling, then seemed to catch herself and tightened her jaw. “Until then, just… try to keep her calm." For a moment, they both stood and watched Rainbow Dash, grimacing even in sleep.

Lightning Dust took a fresh towel, dipped it in the cool water and held it out to Spitfire. "Here, put this between her legs. Maybe it'll help." With a nod Spitfire took her advice, and at first Rainbow Dash jerked at the touch, harsh pain shooting across her face before slowly relaxing, every so often jerking as if still trying to get away.

Lightning wished there was more she could do, and went back to cleaning the wounds on her legs with renewed determination. It wasn't much, but it was something. Perhaps an hour passed, probably more, both quiet as they worked over the prone mare, Spitfire fetching clean water and finding bandages and medicine from a bathroom cabinet. Twice Rainbow Dash had woken up, but so brief she didn't speak, did little more than lift her head and try to look around. Dusk was creeping through the windows when they finished and Spitfire laid a soft blanket over her, covering up the blue fur and bright white bandages.

"Thanks for helping," Spitfire said in a soft voice. “I'll start making dinner. Can you keep an eye on her?"

"Sure."

Once Spitfire was gone she laid down beside Rainbow, gazing into her face and thinking back to when they'd first met. For those few days at the Academy she had thought she'd finally met a pony who could understand her, see things on her level. She'd been brash and intense. She’d been so cool. They were going to be Wonderbolts together. They had been friends. One of those once in a lifetime kind of friends.

Then it all went wrong.

Rainbow Dash had betrayed her, ratted her out to Spitfire just because she couldn’t keep up with her, didn't understand how she was pushing her limits. It wasn’t like she had wanted anyone to get hurt.

Although... maybe it was her fault, Lightning Dust thought. She’d never let her mind stray far down that path, that would be too terrible a thought. It was so much easier to blame others, the very two ponies she now had to live with. But maybe… maybe she had been too reckless. If she had just listened to Rainbow Dash, if she hadn’t gone forward with that stupid tornado, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe she wouldn’t have lost everything.

Rainbow Dash groaned, one eye blinking open.

"Hey..." Lightning murmured, reaching out a hoof to gently touch her foreleg. "You're ok. No one’s going to hurt you."

"W-where... Where am I? What happened?" She croaked out, then coughed.

"Hang on, I've got some water." Lightning grabbed the water bottle Spitfire had brought over. Lightning helped lift her head up, supporting her shoulders with her own body and was aware of Rainbow Dash stiffening against her. She held the bottle to her lips. Rainbow Dash coughed at first then slowly drank, long and deep.

"Thanks," she muttered after another cough and squinted hard at her. Then shook her head and squinted again.

"Lightning Dust?" she said in disbelief.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What... What happened?" Rainbow asked again, looking around the room but didn't seem like she could see all that well with how hard she peered at everything. Not having the lights on didn't help.

“It’s hard to explain, but the gist of it is… you’re safe.”

“Safe? How…?”

"Soarin brought you here," Lightning said, helping her sit up, but Rainbow jerked away from her touch. “Hey, it's cool, it’s just me. Look, I don't understand it either but I guess he's not crazy like the others. It’s, uh, it’s going to be ok."

She forgot how bad she was at comforting ponies.

Rainbow Dash lurched forward like a pony on too much cider, but shied away from any attempt to help her. When she was nearly stable enough to stand she took a shaky step and stumbled to the left, falling on her haunches, her whole body going rigid as she sucked in air through her teeth. Lightning frowned at the way she held up her left foreleg, like it couldn’t bear the weight. What's more, Lightning noticed, she wouldn't dare look at her.

"How, uh, how are you feeling? They said you were drugged, it might still be wearing off." She tentatively reached out a hoof to her shoulder but Rainbow Dash jerked away, still refusing to look at her.

"Yeah, I know I was drugged," she said harshly. "I'm... I'm fine."

"Sorry. Dumb question," Lightning muttered and felt stupid for not realizing it all sooner. Rainbow Dash hated her. Of course she would, Lightning Dust had almost killed her friends.

It was only fair she wouldn't want anything to do with her.

Lightning Dust crept back to her cushion against the wall, feeling worse than she had all day. "Spitfire's in the other room, you should go talk to her. She'll want to know you're up."

"You're not coming?"

"Can't." She kicked her hoof so the chain rattled against the wall. Rainbow’s eyes followed the gray metal from the wall to the black collar at her neck.

“But, you said—“

"Don’t worry about it, just go." She lay her head down and didn’t look at her, hating the tight pain in her chest.

Rainbow Dash hesitated but was eventually able to stand, swaying before steadying herself and walking towards the light in the other room, gingerly stepping on the bandaged hoof. Before she could make it out, Spitfire appeared in the doorway.

"Rainbow Dash, you're awake!"

"Why is Lightning Dust chained up?" she demanded.

Spitfire stopped, her face unreadable.

"It's for her own protection," Spitfire said, voice wavering.

"What reason could you possibly have for chaining up a pony?"

Lightning Dust stared, shocked. Why was she fighting for her? Unless that was just the kind of pony she was. Which only made her feel worse.

"I'll explain later. For now, how are you feeling? You were in pretty bad shape."

"Fine, I guess. But I still don't understand, what's going on? I, I remember some of it but it… it can’t be real.”

“You mean the invasion? The caribou taking over? It was real. All of it. Equestria as we know it is gone.”

"So it's all true then. We lost,” she said in a small voice, sinking down. "They kept telling me all these things but I didn't want to believe it. Spitfire, I heard that you, your wing…" Spitfire turned and flicked on the light, half-blinding them and revealing the emptiness on her left side.

Rainbow Dash stared, and Lightning Dust found herself looking away, her own wings twitching against the spiked sheaths.

“Don’t worry about it,” Spitfire said. "We’ve got more important things to focus on.”

“No… we could have stopped them. I... if I hadn’t left my friends, maybe we could done something. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, Dash. We’ll find some way.”

“So… so what now? We’re fighting back, right?”

"Not yet. We're going to fight back... somehow. Right now, I'm focusing on saving as many mares as we can. Soarin's on our side, he can bring mares here where we can at least be safe."

“That’s a lie,” Lightning Dust said from where she lay. Both mares turned to her.

“There’s nowhere in Equestria that’s safe. And there’s no way to beat the caribou. They’ve taken over everything, it’s hopeless to try.”

“What, you’re just giving up?” Rainbow Dash said.

“I’m being realistic. And if they ever find out what’s going on, we’ll be in worse shape than if she’d never gotten us involved.” She glared at Spitfire who looked uneasy. “You’re delusional if you think things will ever go back to normal.”

“I don’t care,” Rainbow Dash said, standing tall despite her limp, despite the bruises and bandages. “There’s no way I’ll give up. I’m going to fight back, no matter what they do to me.”

Lightning Dust stared. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

“That’s enough,” Spitfire said softly, standing between them. “Whether anypony wants to fight is up to them. And Lighting’s right, we’re all in more danger than if I hadn’t brought you both here. But for now, we’re safe and we can try to think of some way out of this. Rainbow Dash, it will be dangerous, and I know you’ve already been through enough, but if you’re willing to fight I’d be happy to have you.”

Rainbow Dash straightened her back and nodded stiffly.

“Thank you. But for now, you need to take it easy. I’ve got dinner ready- it’s not much but it beats that kibble.”

Spitfire turned to look down at Lightning Dust but she looked away, afraid to meet her eyes. For a moment they were quiet, the strange somber mood unsettling. Then Spitfire glanced at the bowl of uneaten food near her. “I’ll bring you some real food, too,” she said, kinder than usual.

“Don’t. Not hungry,” Lightning Dust muttered, feeling such a strong wave of nausea and gut-wrenching shame that the mere thought of food sent bile into the back of her throat.

“Come on, Dash. Can you walk?” Spitfire said, offering a hoof but Rainbow Dash shook her head, pulling away. Then she was alone again.

She curled into herself, cradling the deep pain in her chest as if she could hide from the shame. What had happened to her? Why was she so desperate to run? Rainbow Dash had been through hell and was still willing to fight, to try and save Equestria. Lightning Dust should have said that, should have wanted to fight against those who had hurt her. But all she could think about was… was...

No. She was done. They might all be safe for the moment but it wouldn't take much for Spitfire's scheme to fall all to pieces. And when it did, there may not be any more opportunities, no relief from the terror raging outside those walls.

Stick with the plan, she reminded herself numbly. Would Rainbow Dash help her? It seemed unlikely. Maybe she could convince her to run away together. That seemed just as doubtful. She just had to convince her that it’d be for the best. Rainbow Dash and Spitfire were brave enough ponies to keep struggling- they were tough, they would keep fighting no matter the odds. They wouldn’t stand back and watch the ponies they love get hurt.

Lightning Dust? She wasn’t that pony. Not anymore.

Not like it mattered, Lightning Dust reminded herself. It shouldn’t matter, right? Besides, Rainbow Dash already hated her, couldn’t even stand to be touched by her. Which… was fine, she told herself. What was one more pony hating her? One more pony disappointed in her?

Every bridge had been burned, and the smoke lingered on her fur.

Author's Note

Meant to publish this over the weekend but kept adding and tweaking parts (it's longer than I expected).
Gonna be honest- that last line was heavily inspired by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
Next chapter is when things finally start to pick up :raritywink:

One Little Step...

“Psst... Rainbow Dash? Hey, are you awake?”

It was late. Maybe too late… was she already asleep? She must be exhausted still from all that had happened earlier that day, and probably still recovering from whatever they had drugged her with when she was brought there. Lightning Dust considered waiting until the next night,

Then the blankets shifted in the darkness. Lightning Dust let out a slow breath and glanced over to the corner where Spitfire was, but she didn’t budge, not even a twitch of an ear.

“Come on, this is our chance. Just free me and we can make a run for it. We can escape,” she whispered.

“Leave me alone," Rainbow Dash said.

"But...” Lightning Dust bit her lip, but didn't try to argue. She knew it had been a long shot. “Fine, then, then just help me escape. Listen- Spitfire has me imprisoned here. I just need to get this chain off and I'll be gone.”

There was a long pause. She almost thought Rainbow Dash had somehow fallen asleep when she spoke again.

"Go where?"

Her wings twitched in their sheaths. There wasn’t anywhere to go. Rainbow Dash had to already know that.

"I- it doesn't matter. I just… I need to get out of here."

Lightning watched her faint outline, unmoving in the silver moonlight from the window.

She waited.

"I didn't think you were the type of pony to run away, Lightning Dust."

Her breath stopped as if she’d been slapped.

"No, I... you don't know anything about me!" She hissed, struggling to keep her voice down. "You don’t know what I’ve been through. Don't judge me, don't... just, just help me out. Just this once and I'll... you won’t have to deal with me.”

Rainbow Dash didn't say anything, and she felt panic rising like a fever.

“Dash, please…” she begged.

Nothing.

She wasn't going to help.

Lightning Dust sat down, eyes burning, her throat tightening until she thought she'd choke.

Trapped. No way out, no escape. She was alone. Trapped. No, no...

It was never going to end.

She couldn’t do this anymore.

She needed to, to… she didn’t know anymore.

The collar was too tight on her neck, the weight of the chain suddenly unbearable. Without thought, Lightning Dust lurched forward, drowning in the sharp clang of metal in her ears, the choking pressure. She strained against the taut chain, rising onto her back hooves, the collar clutching tighter and tighter at her neck. It was impossible, hopeless.

She'd never be free.

And she was alone. No one else, no one...

White spots appeared in her mind, her lungs burning before she let herself fall back, the chain going slack but the collar still too tight, she couldn't get enough air in. She gasped, gritting her teeth against the searing stabs of pain in her chest.

She would never get out. She couldn’t do anything. Trapped…

Quite suddenly there was a pony beside her, and she felt a hoof at her neck. She leapt away, terrified that it was Soarin again, or Spitfire had gotten fed up with her, or… or…

Instead, she saw the faint outline of a rainbow mane, and in her mouth, a soft gleam of metal.

She stood frozen as the other pony stepped forward, leaning in until her breath brushed against her fur.

There was a faint click, quiet and soft, yet in her ears it was as loud and sharp as if time itself had cracked and splintered. Then time seemed to slow. Or perhaps she wasn’t breathing.

A weight was taken off her neck, from the collar, then there was a sharp clatter of metal as it spooled on the floor. She couldn't move, keenly aware of the steady unmoving presence beside her.

With an effort she turned and found herself cowering before the other pony.

Neither spoke, neither one moved.

Shame overwhelmed her, so strong she wished she might sink into the floor and disappear. She was nothing compared to this pony who had been through hell and still stood tall. Rainbow Dash wouldn't run away, or only think of herself.

She took a step back on trembling legs. Tears burned in her eyes as she opened her mouth to say something, but couldn’t speak. Still, Rainbow Dash stood there, waiting. But she wasn’t strong enough. Not anymore.

Sorry, Dash.

She ran.

Out in the night her breathing slowed, the desperation dampening in her chest- the sky was huge and empty but for some thin clouds, dim stars, and a shining half-moon behind her. Still, she kept running until the emptiness filled her vision, right to the edge of the cloudbank. Just one more step…

She stopped, the abyss inches from her hooves.

This was her chance. Her one chance to avoid a life of torture, of rape and imprisonment. Her one chance at freedom. Her one last damn chance before somepony else could force her into anything.

After so long of waiting and waiting, why couldn’t she move? She grit her teeth and willed herself to step forward, but her body refused to listen.

didn't think you were the type of pony to run away…

If she looked in a mirror, she wouldn’t recognize the pony staring back.

“Is this really what you want?” A rough voice asked from behind her. She looked over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash, far enough away that if she jumped she couldn’t stop her.

“I… I don’t know.” She turned back to the thin clouds below. It was a long way down. Would it hurt? In all her life she couldn’t remember looking down like that, the strange turning in her stomach so different from the rush of adrenaline before a race. She had always been looking up, looking ahead. She felt nothing like Lightning Dust.

“How did you get caught?” Rainbow Dash asked, coming closer.

She tried again to convince herself to make that step, but then again, it wouldn’t hurt just to talk for a minute. One minute. Or five. Quite suddenly she realized how badly her legs were shaking. Minutes left…

She sank down, her chest shuddering as she gasped for air. Without a word Rainbow Dash slowly approached and sat at her side. She didn’t try to stop her, or fight, or plead. Just stayed beside her and waited.

“I… I didn’t even know the invasion was happening,” she said finally. “That day I’d been doing some weather cleanup, normal stuff. Then out of nowhere a bunch of pegasi started going crazy and attacking others. I didn’t realize it was only mares being attacked at that point, so I went to check on my coltfriend. I thought he might be in trouble. I never thought, wasn’t thinking that he’d… that he could…” her voice died away.

“I’m sorry,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“He never would have done that.” Lightning said quickly, surprising herself. “He would never have hurt me like that- he was sweet and calm and always there for me. You know, the day I left the Academy, the first thing I did was go to him. He let me cry and comforted me when I felt there was nothing left in the world…I-”

She thought back to the night she’d returned. Remembered how surprised he was, thinking it was just a visit before she admitted the truth- a dishonorable discharge. She hadn’t even lasted a week. A part of her was afraid he’d abandon her, betray her like Rainbow Dash had.

“I was furious with you, you know that?” She stood and facing the blue pegasus, and the hot rush of anger was far better than the pain. “It was your fault I got kicked out. It was you who went and ratted me out to Spitfire. You… you ruined my one dream to become a Wonderbolt! You know, for months I wanted to get revenge. All these stupid, idiotic ideas… And my coltfriend? He let me fume and plan, he let me say all these stupid things, but when I started getting too serious he talked sense into me, stopped me from doing anything too crazy. He was my friend.”

A breeze passed them, a rush of cold.

“He wouldn’t have hurt me like that.”

Except he had.

The hot surge of anger left, and she was left cold and numb. She sat down, not looking up because she couldn’t bear to see the disappointment with what she said next.

“I think it was my fault.” She whispered. “I-I didn’t fight back when it happened. Didn’t even struggle, I just… froze. If I hadn’t been so weak maybe I could have…” She closed her eyes, wondering if she should have kept these thoughts buried. Why? Why didn’t she fight?

“Lightning Dust-”

“I was so stupid!” she said through gritted teeth. “If I’d just fought back maybe it wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t have hurt me and I wouldn’t have been captured and his friends wouldn’t have come and… and…”

She felt a wave of nausea surge at the memory. How his friends had flown into his house as he was finishing. She had struggled then, knew that they hadn’t come to help. But then it’d been four on one. He let them take turns at her, not caring how she screamed and cried. They plucked her wings as they forced themselves inside. She couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything to stop it. The pain, the shame of it was… it was too much. She couldn’t breathe.

“-Dust? Hey, it’s not happening, you gotta breathe.”

There was a hoof on her shoulder and a nearby voice pulling her from the memory. She blinked and again saw the empty night sky, felt the cool air on her fur, and Rainbow Dash close beside her. Her shuddering breaths slowed as she forced herself to relax, to not remember. She should have known better than to touch that memory. Anything so she didn't have to think about the pain, the humiliation.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

She shook her head.

“Why didn’t I fight back? What did I do wrong?”

“I don’t know. And that’s a lame answer, I know that. But I don’t think you should blame yourself for what somepony else did. They’re the ones that did something wrong. Just because you froze, or you didn’t fight… that doesn’t make it your fault. Your coltfriend, those stallions- they shouldn’t have hurt you like that.”

She wanted to believe her, to be reassured. Then her eyes lingered on Rainbow Dash’s hoof, the bright white bandage, and she glanced at her bruised face and she felt terrible again.

“I shouldn’t even be talking. What happened to me was nothing compared to what you went through.”

“That’s… that’s not right.” Rainbow Dash said slowly. “Yeah, what they did to me- it was bad. It was really bad. But that doesn’t make what you went through any less painful. And being betrayed by your friend? That’s awful.”

They sat there, and Lightning Dust was aware of a swirl of emotions and thoughts running through her mind and reminded herself why she was out there in the first place. She leaned over the edge and then leaned back. It was a very long way down.

“At least you’re still willing to fight. Not like me,” she said bitterly. “I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t go through that again. And I’m just…. I’m tired of being trapped, you know?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash breathed out, sagging her shoulders. “Yeah, I know that feeling.”

“If I don’t do this now, I’ll get hurt again,” she said, not sure if she was trying to convince Rainbow Dash or herself. “There’s no way we can keep this up forever. One day they’ll find us and torture us, and I won’t get another chance. I just don’t want any more pain. I guess that makes me a coward.”

“Don’t be stupid, no you’re not.” Rainbow Dash said brusquely. “Even I know that.”

“But you’re right! I am running away. And look at you!" She said, waving a hoof towards her. "They freakin’ tortured you and you still want to fight, knowing darn well what they’ll do if you get caught.”

“Well, yeah, of course, I’m fighting back. My friends are counting on me, I can’t let them down. Not again.” She went very quiet, leaning forward to hide her face. “I can’t give up on them. I won’t. Even if there’s not a chance in the world, I’ll keep fighting.”

Lightning Dust felt a shiver run up her spine, and looked back towards the empty sky.

“You really are a better pony than me," she muttered.

“Ok, usually I like when ponies tell me how awesome I am, but not like that. You’re not that bad. Even with all that stuff from before.”

“At the Academy, you mean," Lighting Dust said slowly, not sure if she even wanted to bring up that can of worms. "About that- why are you even helping me? After everything I did?”

"Come on, I couldn’t just leave you freaking out like that. We were friends once, and, yeah… I guess we’re not anymore. I get it- you hate me, you lost your dream because of me. But that doesn't mean I don't still care about you."

"Yeah, ok maybe I did hate you. A bit. It's complicated,” Lightning admitted, not wanting her to know just how deep that hate ran. “But I don’t get it. I was sure you hated me. I mean, I nearly killed your friends in a tornado. And just today- you couldn't even bear to let me touch you earlier, don't think I didn't notice!"

"That wasn't because-" Rainbow Dash said, then bit her lip. "That wasn't why." She said more softly.

Oh, Lightning Dust thought, suddenly realizing she may have misread the situation, and just as quickly realizing she didn't need to know the real reason.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her foreleg absently, brushing up and down against the white cloth covering her torn flesh, staring at something far, far away.

"It wasn’t just you. I didn't want anyone to touch me. You have no idea… no idea what they did to me. What they made me do. I..." she gulped in air, and Lightning Dust was almost afraid of what she might say. "If you knew, you wouldn't want to touch me either. If you knew how filthy, how, how disgusting... It's not something you can wash away."

"Dash, it's ok," Lightning Dust said and laid a hoof on her shoulder.

Rainbow Dash jumped up, backing away. "Don't! You- you shouldn't be comforting me. You don’t understand. I failed Equestria. I ran away when I… I betrayed them. My friends. When they were counting on me I ran. I messed up. I really messed up. I don't know how to fix this.”

"Hey, maybe you did mess up, we all do. Now you've got a chance to fix it. That's... that's why you're fighting, isn't it? For your friends? That's... I mean, I don't how good you are at friendship because ours sure imploded, but I think you'll figure it out. I don't know how, but there's gotta be something, right?"

"You really should hate me."

"Too bad, I don't,” Lightning said, and found she was smiling.

Rainbow stared at her for a moment, watching her face, then sat down beside her, tense as if waiting for Lightning to jump away, but she only shifted closer. They sat there, inches from the edge of the sky.

She hadn’t realized that Rainbow Dash was struggling with those ugly thoughts too, and it didn’t seem fair. Rainbow Dash didn’t deserve that. Glancing over at the pale blue mare, she decided that she was tired of hating her. More than that, she missed being friends.

“Hey, Dash? I’m sorry about before, for being such a jerk, and, you know… almost killing your friends.”

Rainbow Dash raised her head and turned to her.

“And I’m sorry that I got you thrown out. I didn’t want that to happen, it just-“

“Whatever,” Lightning Dust said with a wave of her hoof. “I probably would have gotten kicked out eventually.” It was strange how easy she could forgive her after how close she’d held that grudge to her heart. She thought vengeance would have felt really good, but this was pretty nice.

"We would have made a pretty great team," Rainbow Dash said.

"Yeah." She rubbed the back of her head and looked over at her. “So… we’re cool?”

Rainbow Dash grinned and she couldn’t help but think how cute she looked despite the swollen eye and split lip.

“Yeah, we’re cool.”

A grin split her face. Just like that, everything seemed different.

A tremendous weight was lifted. Her shoulders relaxed, the pressure on her heart, the perpetual tension slipped away. She felt… ok.

She was Lightning Dust again.

She wasn’t the scared, helpless filly who had run out there. Nothing had changed, not really. But she didn't feel so helpless, so alone. Together they watched the high clouds drift among the stars and could almost pretend they were free. For once, she thought that maybe there really was some hope in a hopeless situation.

“Do you… still want to run away?” Rainbow whispered, the words almost lost on the wind.

Lightning Dust looked out through the emptiness and felt within for that part of herself that had been so desperate to flee, that would have let her take those last few steps, and found it had fallen as silent as the sky.

"No, not anymore. Change of plans I guess. Besides, fighting against those dumb caribou does sound more fun."

Rainbow Dash laughed at that, and it was like Lightning had done something right, for once.

"Come on, let's get back," Lightning said, standing and stepping back. "It's freezing out here."

The desire to fall had passed and was replaced with an urge to go kick something instead- an all around much better mood. Although at that moment, sleep sounded nice. She turned toward the house and thought there was somepony standing at the open door, or perhaps only a shadow.

“Hey, do you see…” She turned and realized Dash was struggling just to stand. “You ok?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Rainbow stretched a leg and winced. “They’ll have to do better than that to keep me down.”

“Darn right.” She leaned up beside her and automatically tried to stretch a wing over her back and hissed when she felt sharp stabs in her wing instead. At least Dash didn’t pull away.

When she looked up again the shadow was gone, and everything was still and quiet when they stepped inside to the bedroom, walking slow as Rainbow limped along. The room as dark and quiet as when they’d left, but it didn’t feel so small anymore.

Lightning helped Rainbow Dash settle down on the rumpled pile of blankets, noting how she cradled her hoof and how heavy her head seemed as she lay it down. She must have been exhausted, and still in pain. And yet she had helped her when she really needed it.

“You can stay if you want.” Rainbow Dash said quietly as Lightning hesitated, glancing at her own lonely little cushion along the wall beside the chain.

“Eh, if you insist.” She shrugged and hoped Rainbow Dash couldn’t see the stupid grin on her face as she nestled onto the soft blanket. She took another blanket in her teeth and tossed it over both of them, like fillies at a slumber party.

It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash began to snore. She lay her head down and closed her eyes, lulled by the gentle breathing and the warm, soft presence beside her.

Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Author's Note

This chapter took a bit longer than I expected, it was harder to write than I thought.

In regards to Lighting Dust's story, it might sound strange but freezing up is the most common response to rape, and can be one of the hardest parts of the trauma to overcome because it creates so much self-doubt and blame.
Also, for Lightning Dust's motives, it’s less about wanting to die, per say, (although there is that) but it’s more that she’s trying to regain the control she’s lost (a common coping mechanism, for better or worse).

Stick to the Plan

Author's Note

Well... here we are!!
How long has it been? Let's not look at that. Point is, I'm back!
This is actually the first half of the next chapter, but putting it out now and should have the second half out in just a day or two.
Tonight my state was put under essentially lockdown for the coronavirus. Life is a bit nuts at the moment, and things are a bit scary.
Thing is... whenever real life seems overwhelming, I turn to this story. I have these characters going through terrible things, and I know that no matter what I throw, they'll get through it. This has a happy ending, after all. If they can make it through, why not I?
So yeah... this is my emotional support fic.
With a full month of shelter in place... I might be making more progress on it :applejackunsure:

Stick to the Plan

“Rainbow Dash! Get your butt down here or I’ll make you!”

Rainbow Dash gave a loud groan in reply and buried her face further into the pillow, ignoring Spitfire’s loud call from downstairs. A minute later a light switched on and she heard a low huff of laughter.

“Come on, lazy bones,” Lightning Dust said before yanking back the sheets with her teeth. “Soarin’s gonna be back soon.”

“So?” Rainbow replied irritably, trying and failing to tug the sheets back up, squinting at the other mare.

“So did you forget what today is?”

“Uhh… today?” Rainbow Dash slowly sat up, blinking stupidly around at the little spare bedroom where she had spent most of the past week sleeping and recovering. Warm evening light tricked through the shuttered window; she had slept straight through the day again.

“Remember?” Lightning Dust prompted slowly, waving her hoof. “We’re expecting…”

“Expecting…? Oh yeah!” She leapt out of bed, grinning. “Gale Streak’s coming today!”

“Good job,” Lightning Dust said, rolling her eyes before turning and heading downstairs. At the top of the landing Rainbow Dash paused, glancing at her right front hoof, turning it over to see the lines of pink scars healing, a far sight better than the jagged skin from when she had first arrived.

She was healing, physically at least. It did little to stop the nightmares.

It had now been weeks since the invasion. A week since her own escape from when she had been kept shackled and stallions and stags would enter her cell to commit torture and rape. It all seemed unreal, worse than any nightmare she might conceive.

She tried to forget. To think about it too much would have driven her mad. It was why she took to sleeping during the day—it felt safer, when she awoke she could look around and remember she was there, and not down below.

Then, however, she would think to her friends, still trapped, still suffering. And she couldn’t do a damn thing.

There were rumors of what had happened to them, none good. If they had all indeed been captured, it meant Fluttershy would have had her wings plucked and encased, and Rarity would have lost her horn. Pinkie Pie was said to have gone mad. Applejack was supposedly owned by her brother; that had to be good news, because the alternative was too terrible to imagine. And Twilight… surely the rumors couldn’t be true.

As they came down the stairs, Spitfire looked up and gave a small snort. “About time you showed up. Soarin could be here any minute.”

“Ugh, he’s always late, what’s the big rush?” Lightning Dust said, leaping down the last few steps, her hooves clattering on the wood floors, harder than was right for a pegasus.

“You need to take this seriously,” Spitfire said. Title or no, wings or no—she was still their captain. Annoyingly so, sometimes. “Even if the new mare is a black collar, we need to be careful. Follow the plan, and don’t break character until I can make sure she agrees.”

“Come on, we’ve already been over this,” Lighting Dust said. “Not like she’s going to say no.”

Spitfire raised her eyebrow at Lighting Dust, who had the sense to look slightly abashed.

One week.

It had been one week since Lightning Dust had her quietly joined the rebellion, which was mutually not talked about. The following morning no one had said anything when Lightning Dust had walked into the kitchen behind Dash, wearing her collar but no chain. The only reaction was that Spitfire had looked up, gave a semblance of a nod, and went back to scowling at the newspaper without a word spoken. Rainbow Dash wasn’t too surprised; after all, it was Spitfire who had given her the key in the night. Soarin had noticed. When he walked in, already in his Wonderbolts uniform, he had done a double-take before pointing and just on the edge of saying something, but Spitfire just shook her head.

And so, that was that, and their tiny faction grew another fraction.

“We don’t know what she’s going to do,” Spitfire said, keeping her voice even. “I’ve only met her once. She’s not a Wonderbolt, but she was in the Royal Guards under Shining Armor.” She paused, ears twisting back. “Well, before he turned traitor. We could use a trained fighter, so just… try to be on your best behavior.”

“You mean pathetic and abused?” Lightning Dust said, eyebrow raised.

“You two just keep up the act until then, got it?” Spitfire snapped, before she walked away muttering about dumb rookies.

“What’s got her wings in a twist?” Lightning Dust whispered, and then immediately grimaced. Rainbow Dash glanced over to Spitfire’s retreating figure, and barely caught her ear flicking toward them before continuing to clear off the table.

“Guess we should help out,” Lightning Dust said, as if in apology. “I’ll um… go work on dinner.”

Lightning moved away, and Rainbow moved to help Spitfire clear away the papers scattered about. This, as usual, was a mistake.

Prince Blueblood Crowned King

Rebel Mares Captured in Everfree

Approval for Caribou Continues to Rise!

She hated reading the newspapers. Sure, she had never enjoyed something so lame before, but now it was just painful. Not in a, ‘I’m so bored my eyes are hurting from sheer boredom,’ kind of painful, but the kind that made her feel sick right down to her very core. She didn’t want to read about what they were doing to mares they captured, or the homes they were burning or shops destroyed. Her friends, her neighbors…

It made her feel sick.

But Spitfire insisted they kept up to date. Each morning she would scour for news and take notes, and each night Soarin would return and pass on any information he could. Rainbow pushed the newspapers into the box already full of earmarked books, maps, and notebooks with feverish scrawled writing. It didn’t seem terribly organized, and Rainbow Dash had a feeling it wasn’t Spitfire’s strong point, but she kept at it doggedly.

There was a pang of remorse at the sight, knowing that a few of those loose leaf papers were notes about the Elements of Harmony. Spitfire had already interrogated Rainbow Dash three times, hoping that the Elements might prove the key to defeating the caribou invaders. After all, they had been the ones to defeat Nightmare Moon, and later Discord, and even helped against the changelings at the wedding, despite Rainbow Dash arguing against the last one. Spitfire had thought that surely their power could be harnessed to save Equestria once more.

But this was different.

It was too broken. And if what she heard about her friends was true…

She didn’t want to think about that.

Instead, she went to wait with Lightning Dust in the main living room, well in sight of the front door, and talked about aerial maneuvers. They had talked about it before, of course, but it was a safe topic, relatively, and one true thing they had in common that wasn’t entirely steeped in misery or bad history. Spitfire joined them soon enough, clicking her own chains to her collar and half-listening, her attention focused elsewhere.

The sky turned pale orange, and then deep blue through the window. If Soarin didn’t get there soon, they’d be talking in the dark.

Spitfire sat up straight, ears turned forward.

“They’re here,” Spitfire said, making them both jerk up, gazing at the door like hounds catching sight of a squirrel. Spitfire sighed. “Will you two try to look miserable?”

Lightning Dust made a face like someone had just told her that her pet rock had died, making Rainbow Dash snort into her hoof and Spitfire roll her eyes. The next moment, there was a scuffle and the door flew open.

Soarin staggered inside, gasping and pulling forth a mare on a short leash. She was a gray pegasus with a blue mane cut short, and she looked furious, ears back and eyes darting around, with a general air of being ill-treated. There was a filthy cut on one of her ears and a shallow gash across her back, and she moved stiff, like everything ached. Something that Rainbow Dash could relate to.

Her muzzled head snapped up as Soarin shut the door behind her. “All right… so… Gale Streak,” he said between gulps of air, half-heartedly waving a foreleg. “This is… while you’re… here you—gah!”

Gale Streak tackled him hard, slamming him against the door and pushing a hoof against his throat, choking him.

Rainbow Dash jumped to her hooves, lurching against the chains. “Hey!”

The only answer was a grunt as the new pony twisted Soarin to the ground, throwing all her weight against his throat, forcing a ragged sound from him.

“Gale, get off him!” Spitfire shouted, already yanking her own chain off and hurrying forward.

The muzzled mare glared towards her with a savage, wild look. Then she saw who had spoken, blinked, and blinked again. It was just enough of an opening for Soarin to shake her off, pushing her back and flying out of her reach while he gasped some more with a high keening sound, rubbing his neck.

Gale Streak pulled away as all three newly-freed mares approached, shaking her head back and forth as they all stopped just out of reach, giving her the space they’d give a feral animal. One with claws.

“So much for your big plan, Cap,” Lightning Dust muttered as an aside.

Spitfire rubbed her forehead with a long sigh, before standing tall. “Listen, Gale, you’re not in danger. You’ll be fine. Don’t panic, and I’ll explain everything.”

“Here, I’ll get that thing off,” Rainbow Dash said, stepping forward. The mare jerked back, but after a moment allowed Dash to lean up and yank the muzzle off, tossing it to the side.

“W-what’s going on?” Gale gasped in a dry, scratched voice, rubbing her jaw where the straps had dug in. Her eyes snapped to Soarin, still hovering.

He blinked at that. “Uhh, that’s a bit complicated,” he said, rubbing his mane.

“Pfft, no its not.” Rainbow Dash beamed at Gale. “We’re the resistance!”

“The… resistance,” Gale repeated slowly, looking from one to the other. “You mean… you’re fighting back?”

“More or less,” Lightning Dust said, before Rainbow Dash elbowed her.

“We’re fighting back,“ Spitfire confirmed, and then held out her hoof. “Gale Streak, we’ve met once before. I’m Spitfire.”

“Wha, I… of course I know you,” Gale said, gingerly taking her hoof, still wary and confused. “You’re the head of the Wonderbolts. Or… were?” She cast another glance to Soarin, who had finally landed, but kept his distance.

“Still is,” Soarin said said, smiling, and that seemed to ease her mind.

“And you’re… fighting back?” Her shoulders were settling down. She looked less like a cat with all its fur on end. “All of you?”

“We are,” Spitfire said. “I was hoping to count on your guard training to help us fight. If you’re willing, that is. Unfortunately, the only students I have for you are these two newbies.” Spitfire gestured to Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust.

“Hey,” Lightning Dust said. Rainbow Dash raised a hoof in hello.

Gale hesitated then a slow smile spread across her face as she looked from one face to another. “The resistance,” she breathed, as if hardly daring to believe it. “I’m in. Of course I’m in!”

Rainbow Dash looked at Spitfire, who had a strange smile on her face.She seemed to be thinking: one down, so many to go…