Borne on Wings of Steel

Chapters

Soaring on the Wings of Dawn
The Griffonstone Shuffle
Danger in Baltimare
Prologue: Crimson Skies

Soaring on the Wings of Dawn

Author's Note

The general concepts and characters of this story are inspired by the 2002 TV show,
Firefly. The title is from a song by Kansas, Icarus.

Soaring on the Wings of Dawn

-Seven Years Later-

The wind.

Yes, perhaps that was it, thought Captain Rainbow Dash. Perhaps it was the roaring winds that made flying so exciting.

Her wing still hung limp and useless at her side, but standing on the bow of her airship, she could hardly tell the difference. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, allowing the wind to sweep over her, blowing away all her doubts and fears. The clouds rose like great mountains in all directions, framed by a sea of endless blue. Now the ship began to dip down, nearly skimming the ocean.

Things hadn't been easy since the Crystal War. Emperor Sombra had annexed most of civilized Equestria, and ruled over it with an iron hoof. Celestia, her name now banned from public speech, had been banished to the sun for a thousand years. But Dash's fate hadn't been quite as bad.

After the Battle of Alicorn Peak, the Royal Army of Equestria was forced to surrender, but King Sombra had merely paroled them. This was not an act of mercy, but simple economics: if he had executed the entire Royal Army, there would be nopony left to rule over. He didn't want to raze Equestria, he wanted to rule it. And that required an able-bodied population.

So Dash signed a little slip of paper that said she would never again take up arms against the Sombra the Great, and was granted freedom. Not willing to live under Sombra's rule, she wandered south to the independent city of Appleloosa, and worked odd jobs until she was able to afford an airship.

The Alicorn was its name. It was a grizzled old freighter that used to haul cargo across the South Mountains. It had a few cabins, a dining room, a kitchen; all the normal things you needed to live in the sky. She still remembered the first time she took Maud aboard.

"Sir?" said the ex-corporal, raising an eyebrow, "You dragged me all the way out here for this? If I wanted to look at decrepit machinery, I would have stayed at the factory in Manehattan."

"It's a little beat up." Rainbow had replied defensively, "So what? This is our ticket to freedom, Maud! No more living by Sombra's laws. We'll wander the sky, take jobs as they come. It'll be awesome! You can be my first mate!"

It was a job that Maud had taken, and not a single day went by that Rainbow wasn't thankful for it. There was a lot of evil in the world, especially on the fringes of civilization. But having an old war-buddy to stand beside her... it just added security. And in Captain Dash's profession, security was the best advantage to have.

It wasn't easy being a smuggler, but it was familiar; the danger, the uncertainty, taking massive risks for massive rewards. It wasn't quite like the sergeant's life Rainbow had before, but it sure beat being a civilian.

Presently, Maud spoke. "Are you sure this is a good idea, sir? Scavenging isn't our normal skill-set."

Surveying the sunlit horizon, Captain Dash inhaled one last breath of fresh air, then turned and walked towards the helm. Maud fell in behind her.

"Maud, if we wanted an easy job, we could go do paperwork in Canterlot. Besides, those dealers are paying us a fortune."

"That's what worries me, sir... it seems too good to be true. Why would they pay us so much just to recover cargo from a sunken ship?"

"Yeah, I'm not real clear on that myself." admitted Rainbow, "and I'd be lying if I said I trusted those bozos. But for that many bits, we have to try."

Rainbow walked to the small cabin which contained the helm. It was a tiny room, containing a large panel of dials and switches, and two massive plush chairs. Pinkamena, the third member of their little crew, was looking over the instruments. Suddenly, Pinkamena shook her right leg and tail in some sort of ritual. "Twitcha-twitch!" she exclaimed, "Twitcha-twitch! My Pinkie-Airship-Pilot-Sense says four points to starboard!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes, but knew better then to doubt Pinkamena's navigational skills.

"Just a few more minutes, captain, and we'll be there!" exclaimed the pink pilot cheerfully.

Since The War, Pinkie had gotten a lot better. She had lost the foal-like innocence she had before, but her sense of humor had returned. She was less silly these days, and more wry in her attitude. But somehow her optimism still remained intact, which was more then Rainbow could say for herself.

A young yellow mare stepped into the doorway, the fourth and final member of their crew. "Just finished sub-routin' the gas release chamber to the primary exhaust valve." she said, a slight twang in her voice, "Should help hold things together 'till we get a new exhaust core."

Her name was Apple Bloom, and she was an interesting case. She had been too young to fight during The War, but her siblings had served with distinction: Colonel Macintosh was one of the best-known commanders of the Western Front, and Brigadier General Applejack was part of the Second Highland Campaign. Apple Bloom was sent far from her home because it was too close to the front, and had been living with family in Appleloosa. When an add came in the paper, talking about a job as a ship's mechanic, she joined up instantly.

That was two years ago now, and to Dash, hiring Bloom was one of the best decisions she ever made. She was kind, loyal, and had a certain something about her, an innocence that came with never seeing the horrors of battle. This alone gave a certain spark to the crew, and Bloom was a pretty good mechanic to boot.

"You know, cap'n," she continued, glaring at Rainbow Dash, "if you would just buy a new Fuel Injector Coil, you'd save me a whole lot of trouble."

"Hey," said Dash irritably, "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but times have been tight. If we get through this job, I'll revamp the whole engine. Scout's honor!"

"You weren't even a scout!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, "you were in the infantry! Besides, you've been saying that for the last three jobs!"

"And I intended to," snorted Dash, "but there have been more important things to buy. Like food! You like to eat, don't you?"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. Most likely, she wasn't actually angry with Dash... just a little irritated. When it came to the prismatic captain, most ponies felt that way. Even the ever-loyal Maud probably got sick of Dash from time to time, even though she didn't show it. But still, Dash was their captain, and despite their complaints, she was a pretty good captain at that. Impulsive and irresponsible, maybe, but what she lacked in patience she made up for in courage and loyalty.

"Twitcha-twich! Twitcha-twitch!" exclaimed Pinkie, "my front left hoof is shaking! I think that means we're in position, captain!"

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Well, Maud, I guess it's time to suit up. Ready for a little scuba-diving?"

"Yes, sir." replied Maud in her usual deadpan, "you know how much I love deep-sea exploration."

Apple Bloom leaned uneasily against the worn wooden walls. Gummy, Pinkie's pet alligator, sat quietly on the dashboard, rhythmically swishing his tail. It had only been five minutes since Maud and the Captain had started their dive, but something didn't feel right.

"Hey, Pinkie." Bloom asked quietly, "what are they looking for down there, anyways?"

Pinkie looked up from the controls, and swiveled her chair towards the young Apple. "Well, we got a job from our contacts in Griffonstone. They say that one of Sombra's patrol boats crashed near here. If that's true, there'll be all sorts of stuff under there. Weapons, ammunition, spell books, rations... lots of stuff that could fetch a fortune on the black market."

"Still..." replied Apple Bloom, "something just don't seem right. What if it's an ambush? What if a half-dozen Crystal Cruisers descend from the sky right now?"

"Don't worry, the Captain will think of something... but fortunately Maud will stop her and come up with a plan that actually works." Pinkie giggled at her own joke, before turning back to the controls. The helm was equipped with a magic voice transmitter that she could use to check in on Maud and Dash. Flipping the switch, she spoke into the microphone. "Pigpen, this is Rubber Duck. Do you have a copy on me, Pigpen?"

Dash's annoyed voice came through the speaker. "Pinkie, what the blazes are you talking about?"

"Awwwwwwwwww, I wanted to practice my trucker lingo." whined Pinkie. "Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. How are things going down there, captain?"

"It's going pretty well." replied Dash, "we've found the sunken cruiser, and we've been scouring it for supplies. Is Apple Bloom ready to hoist this stuff onto the boat?"

"Yup-a-doodle." replied Pinkie. Bloom walked outside and stood on the deck, next to the crane. "She's ready whenever you are."

Suddenly, Pinkie stopped everything, and stood rigid. Her ears began to flap. Once. Twice. Three times. Uh-oh.

"Get out of there!" she screamed into the microphone, "We've got a crystal patrol boat coming from starboard!!"

"Pinkie," growled Dash, "patrol boat or not, we're not going home empty-hoofed. If we don't get this score, we're done for. Tell Apple Bloom to start the crane."

"Captain..." argued Pinkie weakly. It was no use. She shouted to Apple Bloom, "Get the crane started! And double-quick, we have a patrol boat bearing down on us at two points to starboard!"

Bloom nodded, and powered up the crane that was built onto the side of the ship. With an agonizingly slow grinding noise, it began to pull the chain upwards from the unseen ocean depths. "Captain, there's no way we're going to get that stuff hauled up here before they see us!" yelled Pinkie.

"Then stall them!" came the reply, "keep them at bay!"

Pinkie fumed. "Cap', we're on a rickety old freighter, not some kind of juggernaut you flew during The War. I can't just "stall" a freaking twenty-four gun crystal patrol ship!"

"Get creative!"

"Captain..." growled Pinkie.

A low humming was heard, and a few hundred yards away, a dark zeppelin broke through the clouds. It was black as night with purple trim, and the iron crown of Sombra was displayed proudly on the side. A dark, gravely voice came through the magic transmitter.

"This is Commander Crimson Shadow of the INS Stormglider. Your vessel is in restricted airspace. We demand to board you for a cargo check."

Pinkie was never at a loss for words. "This is Captain Wiffle Springs of the Daisyflower" she said in a deep voice. She certainly wasn't going to give the real identification of the ship, and she needed to stall. The crane on the deck continued to slowly grind away. "We, er, didn't know this was a restricted area. A storm blew us off course."

"All the same, we'll have to board you."

"And if I refuse...?"

There was a moment of silence. "Then we'll blow your sorry hides out of the sky with a full-port broadside, and cheer as the splintered remains of you and your vessel fall into the water." came the dark reply. "Prepare for boarding, now."

"OKAY!" Pinkie yelled, flipping the transmitter back to Dash's magic. "We're out of time, captain!"

But even as she spoke, the crane had nearly completed its task. A huge pallet of metal crates and boxes rose out of the water, Captain Dash and Maud standing on top.

"Go now, Pinkie." said Dash.

"But-"

"GO NOW, PINKIE!"

Pinkie pulled the engines up to full blast, and the ship rocketed into the sky. The pallet trailed behind the ship like a runaway kite, but Dash and Maud clung to the chain with grim determination. The Crystal Cruiser immediately roared out in pursuit, outraged at their audacity.

Dash clung to the pallet for dear life. "Hey Pinks," she screamed over the roaring winds, "that Cruiser doesn't have front-facing canons, does it?!"

A sound like thunder was heard, as a cannonball with a ballistic spell roared through the air. It barely missed The Alicorn, exploding on a cloud to the left, and sending the vessel lurching towards the right.

"That was way too close for comfort!" screamed Dash, "Pinkie, you have to find a way to loose these guys! You're the best pilot I know! Come on, you can do it!"

Pinkie stuck out her tongue in concentration, and grabbed the wheel with both hooves. "Time to be a hero!"

The airship whirled to the right, avoiding the path of another cannonball. It soared into a cloud, as explosions rocked the air around it. Yanking hard on the altitude switch, Pinkie whirled in a loop through the cloud, the massive zeppelin following close behind. Pushing the engine as hard as she could, she sent the ship sprawling towards the sea in a tailspin, the furniture only staying in place because it was nailed down for these kinds of situations. The ocean came rushing towards her vision, expanding at a frighteningly exponential rate. "Now!" she whispered.

She pulled the controls, blasting the rear engines and stabilizing the ship a mere yard from the water. The zeppelin, unable to recreate her feats, came screaming down from the sky and crashed into the ocean, sending massive waves in all directions.

With the threat gone, Pinkie slowly decreased the acceleration and slowed to a stop.

"You okay, captain?" she asked. She doubted those fancy maneuvers did much for Dash and Maud, who were dangling from the pallet of boxes.

Slowly, Captain Rainbow Dash and Maud Pie crawled over the railing, and collapsed on the deck of the ship.

"I think... I think I'm airsick." muttered Dash. "I didn't even know that was possible."

Pinkie just giggled, leaping out of the control room to hug her sister and the captain. "I can't believe you're alive!"

"I'll say." said Apple Bloom, limping up the stairs from the lower deck. "I had a heck of a time in the engine room, just trying to keep this thing from exploding."

"Yeah..." replied Captain Dash, "I'm just glad the cargo is still intact. Most of it, anyways. Apple Bloom, you'd better get it hauled up and stored away."

"Aye, cap'n."

"And Pinkie...?" said Dash, looking queasy, "if it comes to a decision between doing that maneuver again and dying...

"Let's just go ahead and take the 'death' option."

Three days later, Dash stood on the bow of her ship. The Alicorn was in as good a shape as ever. In front of her, the harsh grey mountains of Griffonstone rose like jagged teeth from the landscape. "The Griffon Lands aren't much for beauty, are they?" asked the Captain.

"No." replied Maud, standing behind her. "If they were, Sombra would have probably conquered them by now."

"Yeah, that's the trade-off, I guess. So, did you have Pinkie send a message ahead for our contacts?"

"Yes, sir. I'm sure they'll be happy to know that we have the goods... I still don't trust them."

"Of course not." snorted Rainbow Dash, "I mean, with names like 'Flim and Flam', they're bound to be trouble."

The Griffonstone Shuffle

Apple Bloom wandered up the worn wooden steps to the main deck, finishing off the last of a sandwich as she walked. Captain Rainbow Dash was leaning over the railing, gazing quietly at the city around them. It was just Bloom and the Captain making the deal today; Maud and Pinkie had gone into the city proper for supplies, leaving the Dash and the mechanic to negotiate with the FlimFlam brothers. But there was no danger: Flim and Flam were many things, but they weren’t murderers. It would be bad for business.

Griffonstone wasn't exactly a nice place. After the Crystal Wars, it became a haven for all sorts of ex-soldiers and refugees, throwing up wooden shacks in the rocky landscape. It was too remote for the Crystal Empire to bother with, so-for the moment- it was safe. Smugglers, mercenaries, bandits and all sorts of folks found themselves on the crowded stone streets.

"Hey cap'n, who are we meeting here?" asked Apple Bloom, standing beside Rainbow.

"Their names are Flim and Flam," replied the Captain, "we've taken a few jobs from them before. They're not the most reliable dealers in the world, but they give a good price, and they’re not the sort to murder you and steal your cargo either. You have to watch their charm, though, or they'll pick your pocket while they're shaking your hand."

"Literally or figuratively?"

"Both." replied Rainbow wryly, "I swear, those two could have made a fortune as salesponies."

As if summoned by magic, the FlimFlam Brothers themselves appeared at the far end of the dock. They weaved their way through the crowded shipyard, flanked on either side by griffon bodyguards. They were practically identical; the same suits, the same bowler hats, the same orange ties. The only difference was that the first brother, (who Dash said was Flam), had a long twirly mustache. The bodyguards remained at the edge of the dock as the brothers strutted up the gangplank and into the airship.

"Well look here, brother of mine, it's our favorite captain!" exclaimed Flim, flashing a charming smile, "Ms. Rainbow Dash, it is our greatest pleasure to welcome you back to the shining metropolis of Griffonstone!"

"Thanks." said Dash, rolling her eyes at their antics. They had an odd way of speaking, like they were talking to an entire crowd instead of just two people. But sitting through their conversations was an unfortunate side-effect of their lucrative jobs.

"And, if I may say so ma'am," Flam continued, "your airship is one of the most well-kept vessels in the entire harbor district! I must congratulate whatever advanced engineering team keeps this boat running so smoothly."

"Er," spoke up Apple Bloom shakily, "we don't actually have an engineering team. It's just me."

Flim gasped, somewhat melodramatically. "You mean to say that you have been keeping this precision machine running all by yourself?! Wow, Flam! Have you ever heard of a mechanic with such talent? Such brilliance?!"

"Never!" declared Flam, "though I'm not surprised, because Captain Rainbow Dash always hires the very best!"

Apple Bloom nearly swooned, while Dash just rolled her eyes. She had been swindled out of far too many payrolls to fall for such charm.

"So," asked Flim at last, "Do you have the goods?"

"Yeah, I have 'em." said Rainbow Dash evenly. "Scavenged the wrecked Patrol Boat, just like you said. Should be some pretty good equipment in there."

"Excellent!" exclaimed the brothers in unison.

Dash kicked a box towards them, which Flam inspected carefully. "There's a sample of the cargo," said Dash, "now if I'm not mistaken, you promised five hundred thousand bits for this load."

The brothers exchanged glances, then looked back towards Captain Dash.

"Dearest Captain," began Flim, "we have to commend you on the tremendous fortitude it took to brave the seas! It was courageous!"

"Stupendous!" exclaimed Flam.

"Outrageous!"

"Fantastic!"

"And we greatly appreciate your efforts!" concluded Flim, flashing his most charming smile yet. "And we will pay you in full! The entire agreed amount!"

"Ever last bit!" added Flam, "except for the deductions of course. Now if you will just-"

"Wait a second!" snarled Dash. Her harsh voice sounded like sandpaper after listening to the smooth talking of the FlimFlam brothers, but she didn't care in the least. "What do you mean deductions?"

To Flim's credit, he didn't falter in the least. The result of years of practice, thought Dash. "Well, the cargo is a bit damaged," said Flim, "there were a few magical parts that were terribly sensitive, and if this sample box is any sign, I'm afraid you might have damaged them in the flight!"

"Surely you can't fault us for wanting to get our money's worth?" continued Flam in false offence, "why I'll bet you would do the same thing in our situation."

"In fact, because of our long-standing friendship," continued Flim in rising spirit, "my brother and I have decided to still give you a good price despite the broken merchandise!"

"An entire seventy percent of what we originally agreed to!" exclaimed Flam, "that's more then you'll get for this stuff anywhere else!"

Dash snarled. "The cargo isn't damaged and we both know it. You gave us a job, and we made a fair run of it. Now just pay what you agreed to!"

Flam gave a rare frown. "Well, brother of mine, I don't think she's going to take our deal, is she?"

"No," replied Flim soberly, "and it's a shame, too. I don't think she's ever going to be able to find another buyer."

"Yes I will!" announced Dash firmly, "either you take this cargo at the price we agreed to, or I take my business somewhere else."

"We wish you the best of luck in finding another buyer." said Flim. He was obviously sarcastic, though his tone didn't show it.

"Indeed," continued Flam, "and when you inevitably can't find anypony else to buy it,"

"You know where to find us!" finished Flim.

"See you soon!" they exclaimed in unison. In perfect synchronization, the unicorns tipped their bowler hats to Dash, and strutted down the boarding ramp. Soon they disappeared into the crowd.

"Are you sure that was the right call?" asked Apple Bloom, "Can we really find another buyer?"

"Probably not." said Dash through clenched teeth, "But I'd drive this ship into the sea before I saw those con artists take advantage of us."

“Er… and captain?” asked Apple Bloom, shifting awkwardly from one hoof to the other.

“Yeah?”

“I, uh, can’t find my wallet either.”

Dash buried her head in her hooves.

"Well, we're in luck." said Dash, "my contacts in Equestria Proper have relayed to me the location of a village which might need our equipment."

The crew was seated in the dining area, a small-but-cozy affair with a half-dozen seats and an old wooden table. At the head of the table sat Dash, with Pinkie and Maud at her right, and Bloom at her left.

"Now, to make ends meet, we'll have to take in some passengers on the way," continued Dash, "we'll pick them up in Baltimare, then make the Sea-ward Run up to Trottingham. That'll hopefully give us enough side-cash to keep the tanks fueled until we get to our actual objective; the village where we can sell the cargo."

"Sounds like a suitable plan." said Maud. "Where is this village, anyways?"

"It's to the far northeast, between the Crystal Mountains and the sea. It's independent, the sort of place that's too small and crappy to attract Sombra's attention. It's run by a pony named... oh, I had it around here somewhere."

Dash shuffled through the small folder her contact had given her.

"Ah, here it is! Her name is Starlight Glimmer."

Danger in Baltimare

A soft breeze blew across the deck, bringing in the urban smell of Baltimare. Sunlight splashed down on the seaside city, and the towering buildings seemed to glow.

Captain Rainbow Dash finished slipping on her rugged blue jacket, the one she had owned since the War. It was a little dicey trying to work around her injured wing, but years of practice made the action automatic. She wore the jacket as a memorial of sorts, a silent reminder of those bloody battled days. And like her war-time memories, her jacket had been a faithful companion through the last seven years.

"I finished securing the ship, cap'n!" exclaimed Pinkie as she tied the last rope to the dock.

Rainbow Dash nodded appreciatively, and then turned back to Maud. "I think we'll leave Pinkie and Bloom here to greet the passengers, they're the friendliest out of the four of us. While they do that, we can head into town and get some supplies."

"Yes, sir."

So Maud and Dash set out into the darkened streets of Baltimare. It was a far cry from the days of its glory. Back during Celestia's reign it had been Equestria's greatest port, buzzing with merchants from all over the world. Unlike its sister Manehattan, it had escaped destruction: it was too far south to be affected by any of Sombra's campaigns to capture Canterlot. But unfortunately, with the upheaval after the War, merchants became few and far between. The city plunged into poverty, and soon it became a lawless urban wastleland, ruled by gangs and syndicates.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the noble Captain Rainbow Dash." A voice dripping with sarcasm echoed from the darkened alley beside them. Without even thinking, Dash yanked her sword from her sheath, and brandished it in the direction of the threat. Maud quietly drew a crossbow from her back.

"How about you step towards me and see how tough you are!" challenged Rainbow Dash, twirling the sword with her good wing.

"Come now, captain." mocked the mysterious voice. A smooth, velvety voice. "Don't you know that carrying weapons is illegal under Emperor Sombra's Armament Act?"

"Sombra is no emperor to me!" spit Dash vehemently.

Slowly, a figure emerged from the shadows, the terrifying pony to whom the mysterious voice belonged. Soft orange fur and a fiery orange and yellow mane. The most powerful unicorn in Baltimare, the leader of the entire East Coast Syndicate.

Sunset Shimmer.

"I think we both know why I'm here." growled the unicorn, blue eyes flashing with malice. Four more unicorns walked forward from the streets around Dash, wearing leather jackets with the Sunset's fiery emblem emblazoned on the back. They didn't look friendly.

"Hey, now..." Dash's eyes flew rapidly around the circle of enemies, looking desperately for a way to escape.

"You. Owe. Me. Money." snarled Sunset, strutting closer with each word. "I'm not the friendly neighborhood bank, Rainbow Crash."

Dash and Maud stood back-to-back, calmly holding their weapons against the advancing unicorns. "I can... I can pay you back, Sunset, I swear! Just give me a chance!"

Sunset's glare intensified, fire dancing in her eyes. "I'm done giving you chances."

Meanwhile, in a small apartment at the far end of town, a lavender unicorn trotted down the steps. Her mane was in disarray, her coat was matted with sweat, and a deep frown was embedded on her face. With anxious speed, she leapt down the steps and into a small wooden kitchen.

"Good morning, Spike." she said, rifling through the cabinet.

"Morning, Twi'." A small dragon, about the size of an average pony, was lounging leisurely in a wooden chair by the table. Beside him sat a large black suitcase, filled with all his belongings. On the outside he was cool and confident, but on the inside panic was rising. "No sign of the Shadow Guard, and I've been watching the street all morning. Are you sure they figured us out?"

Twilight Sparkle's head snapped around to stare at the dragon. "No, Spike, we're fleeing the country because I want a nice vacation." she replied, completely deadpan.

"Hey, no need to get sarcastic about it."

In reality, both knew it was only a matter of time before the whole Crystal Guard came knocking on the door. You see, Twilight had been a personal student of Celestia's School before the War (she failed her first entrance exam, but after rigorous studying, passed her second with flying colors). It was at that school, of course, where she hatched Spike, who would become her faithful friend and companion. Things had been going incredibly well until...

SEVEN YEARS PREVIOUS - THE SIEGE OF CANTERLOT

The charred smell of burning wood filled the air, smoke billowing towards the distant clouds. Above, Crystal Pegasi whirled and zipped through the sky unchallenged, the Royal Air Force driven off the field. Blinding flame filled Twilight's vision, as she tried to shield her eyes with a foreleg. Wheezing and gasping, she stumbled down the steps from the palace, trying to find her way out of the deadly inferno. But through the darkness, she could see three Crystal Warriors charging towards her. Weak from the lack of air, she dropped to her knees and closed her eyes as-

There was a blinding flash of light, and the Crystal Ponies went flying backwards down the steps with a clatter. Twilight turned to see Princess Celestia herself, towering like a bastion of defense. Her white coat looked a sickly orange in the rising firelight.

"Princess..." Twilight said, her eyes wide, "They... they must have broken through the Fifth Gate. You have to do something!"

Celestia's eyes were filled with sadness. Deep, suffocating sadness that Twilight couldn't begin to comprehend. "I have to go now, my little pony." she said quietly, "King Sombra is bringing something with him... he has awoken an ancient enemy of unfathomable power." The Princess's eyes flashed quickly away before locking onto Twilight once again. "I'm sorry, my little pony. I wish I could have mentored you like you deserve. You have great and magical things ahead of you, but... I must go."

"But Princess, what should I do?" asked Twilight, her whirling emotions leaving her bewildered.

"I am going to a battle I must loose." responded the Princess stoically. "Use the tunnel near the Fountain of Dreams to make your way out through the waterfalls and out of the city. And Twilight..."

"Yes?" replied the unicorn. She looked up at her mentor with wide blue eyes.

Celestia sighed, gazing upwards at the gathering darkness. Slowly, she drew from her wing an ancient book, bound in leather. The title was in a language Twilight had never seen. Before the unicorn could reply, Celestia began to float towards the sky.

"Within that book is the secret to defeating Sombra once and for all. I have no more time to explain, my student. Farewell!"

"But Celestia-" Twilight spoke too late. Her mentor was streaking towards the dark clouds like a bolt of lightning, sparks of magic showering in all directions. Twilight could only stand in utter amazement as she saw the darkness of Sombra and the light of Celestia duel for control of the sky, lightning and thunder filling the air. Their battle was fierce and close, like two storm clouds vying for supremacy. But a third being appeared, a silhouette that showed with each burst of light. A strange creature, but apparently enough to turn the tides. Celestia was fighting a slow retreat back towards her castle, attacked from two sides by Sombra and his strange ally.

Taking one final look at her beloved teacher, Twilight fled the courtyard and sprinted through the burning streets towards her house. She needed to get Spike and flee the city. If this book could truly change the tides, then she could waste no time in getting it as far from Sombra as possible.

PRESENT DAY

Twilight looked down at the book which had given her so much trouble. The book that caused Sombra's secret police to hunt them like dogs. The book which could bring down the Iron Crown for good.

"Are we ready?" Spike was standing next to the door, interrupting Twilight's thoughts. The unicorn threw the last of her possessions onto a small carpet bag and walked towards the door.

"As ready as I'll ever be." she responded shakily.

Captain Rainbow Dash and Maud Pie watched warily as the unicorns closed in around them.

"Things look pretty grim, sir." remarked the ex-corporal.

Sunset growled. "You never deserved to live anyway, Celestian. Emperor Sombra should have slaughtered all of you when he had the chance. What do you think?" she stood, smirking in challenge.

Rainbow Dash grinned; a cold, fierce grin that was anything but friendly. "I think we're gonna rise again."

Everything happened in a flash. Maud leapt forward, discharging her crossbow into the knee of one of the unicorns, while Rainbow Dash whirled around and struck another with her sword. Without hesitation, the duo galloped down the unblocked alleyway, Sunset and the rest of her goons close behind.

"I swear, these guys are so busy with their monologues, they forget that we have actual weapons." commented the Captain, rolling her eyes as she whirled around a corner. They were now on more populated streets, dashing and dodging around the carriages and pedestrians. Most folks didn't even pay attention. In a town like Baltimare, two ponies running for their lives from gangsters wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Not even cohorts of soldiers, who seemed to be practically everywhere, took notice. "I hope Pinkie is ready for a quick take-off!"

For Twilight Sparkle and Spike, it was a long, uneventful walk to the city docks. Crystal soldiers were out in force, it seemed every street had a cohort parading through it. Not because of Twilight; she was quite sure if they knew of her existence she wouldn't last ten seconds. No, the soldiers were here because war was on the horizon. Emperor Sombra was seeking to expand his vast realm even further, and consolidated all his legions to march against the Changeling hive. There had already been a few skirmishes to the south.

As far as Twilight was concerned, the war was of no importance; save that it distracted Emperor Sombra's forces and made it easier to travel. If Queen Chrysalis conquered Canterlot it would just be exchanging one tyrant for another, and Twilight doubted there would be much difference. In fact, maybe the confusion could help her gain time to decode the secrets of The Book without being forced to flee from Sombra's agents every few weeks.

Twilight gazed up at the blazing sun, as if waiting to see the banished Princess peering down from behind it. It glowed with a harsh red light, so different from the golden rays it shed before the War. Twilight absently wondered if the sun itself was somehow affected by Celestia's banishment, and how Emperor Sombra continued to power it in absence of the Princess.

But presently, her thoughts were called back to the ground. Or, rather, to the sky. The Baltimare Docks spread out before her, massive systems of ladders and staircases connecting at least a dozen different levels of airship docks. There were rusty freighters, shiny civilian yachts, and huge black battleships. Each of the half-dozen battleships was at least twice the size of any of the other ships, and brandished forty-eight canons. Twilight absently wondered how they would fare against the Changeling swarms.

"This way, Twilight." Using a map, Spike slowly guided her towards the ship he had chartered for them, a battered freighter called The Alicorn. Folks said the captain was an ex-sergeant from the Equestrian Royal Air Force, so Twilight didn't have to worry about getting ratted out to the authorities. She climbed upwards through the docks, rickety wooden stairs shaking below her, passing air vessels of all sorts and sizes. Finally, as the city began to feel small below her, she arrived on the proper level.

An old freighter was tied to the mooring post; the type you could tell had changed hands a few times. It was almost all wooden, the faded logo of some forgotten shipping company barely visible on the side. The balloon that held the ship in the air was worn and tattered covered in patches and makeshift repairs. Painted on the side in new, large print read:

THE ALICORN

But what drew Twilight's attention was the flag flying above the stern: the gold and blue banner of Royal Equestria. It was technically treason to fly that.

"I don't think they're going to report us to the Crystal Guard." said Spike wryly.

Side-by-side, unicorn and dragon walked up the boarding ramp and onto the deck of the ship. A pink pony was there, a mop in here teeth, slowly cleaning the rickety floorboards. Seeing the duo, she dropped the mop and walked forward to meet them.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, "welcome to The Alicorn!"

Twilight smiled and shook the pink pony's hoof. "Nice to meet you. I'm Twilight Sparkle, and this is my dragon Spike."

"Yo." Spike gave a jaunty salute.

"Wow!" exclaimed the pony brightly, "It's nice to meet you too! My name is Pinkamena, but my friends call me Pinkie! I'm the pilot. Dashie- er, Rainbow Dash is the captain, but she's out getting supplies with the first mate. If you want I can show you to your roo-"

A loud shout interrupted Pinkie, and she galloped to the railing. Her warm smile disappeared, replaced by a look of grim determination. "Apple Bloom!" she shouted, "get the engine running! Dash is coming in hot!"

A muffled reply came from under the floorboards, deep within the bowels of the ship. Probably the engine room, thought Twilight. Wait a second-

"What do you mean 'coming in hot'?!" yelled the unicorn. "I thought this was supposed to be a freighter!"

Pinkie laughed nervously and scratched the back of her neck. "Ah. Right. Maaaaybe that isn't the whooooooooole truth..."

Twilight buried her head in her hooves. "Great. Just great."

Just then the engine roared to life, vibrating through the entire ship like a jackhammer. "Welp, that's my cue!" exclaimed Pinkie, rushing to the helm.

"What?!" yelled Twilight, incredulous, "what in Tartarus is going on here?!"

The ship began to rise into the air, held in place only by the ropes that moored it to the dock. Twilight shook her head rapidly, as if wishing to shake away the confusion that was bothering her. Cautiously, she trotted to the railing and looked down at the docks. A blue Pegasus and a grey earth pony were rocketing up the docks towards the ship, a dozen unicorns in leather jackets close behind. With amazing agility, the duo leapt over the railing and into the ship, just in time before it rose too high. The unicorns shouted angrily from the dock, thwarted.

"Quick, get us out of here!" barked the blue Pegasus, "Pinkie, full throttle!"

"Oh my gosh!" yelled the pilot. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear. "I forgot to untie the ropes before we took off!"

The Pegasus muttered profanity under her breath. "Well, those ropes are tied to the bottom of the ship. We sure as Tartarus can't go back onto the dock and untie it." As if to prove the point, a dangerous looking spell was launched from the unicorns below, screaming through the air and narrowly missing the ship.

"I... I can help!" There was complete silence as everyone turned to stare at Twilight Sparkle. "Well, I mean, I could try..." she continued uneasily, "it's just a simple thread-based spell to-"

"FREAKING DO IT ALREADY!" yelled the Pegasus in frustration.

Twilight ran to the railing, and closed her eyes in concentration. She envisioned the knot, and slowly untied it in her mind. She could feel the ship below her begin to rise again, as the crewmates let loose a cheer. Twilight slowly opened her eyes to see Baltimare disappearing below them, and the Pegasus was grinning. She did it! She untied the mooring rope, and the ship was free to leave!

"My name is Rainbow Dash," said the blue Pegasus, extending a hoof. "I'm the captain. Sorry I wasn't able to introduce myself when we first met, I was a little busy."

Twilight smiled uneasily. "No problem. Just... what is going on exactly? I'm still a little confused..."

"Well, I guess you're entitled to an explanation," replied the captain with a sigh, "but first, let's east some breakfast, eh?"

There was talking and laughing as the group made their way towards the dinning room. But just as Dash was about to walk inside, Maud grabbed her shoulder.

"What is it Maud?"

"I... I don't like this, sir."

"Don't like what?" Dash grinned widely. "We just escaped Sunset Shimmer without even damaging the ship! I would consider this a pretty good day!"

Maud's mouth curved itself into a rare, slight frown. "I don't know, sir. I don't like being on Sunset Shimmer's bad side."

Dash rolled her eyes, as if explaining to a child. "Look, Maud. We have a lot of enemies as it is, Sunset Shimmer doesn't really add that much of a threat. We've survived this long."

"And with all due respect, sir, I'd like to survive even longer."

Dash sighed. "Listen, Maud, the second we get enough cash, we'll pay Sunset back, alright?"

Maud nodded hesitantly. "Yes, sir."

Dash grinned again, and clapped her first mate on the shoulder. "That's the spirit! Now let's go eat some dinner!"

The captain sped inside, while Maud just shook her head.

"You can't expect your luck to last forever, captain..."

Author's Note

Sorry the update took a while. I knew what I wanted to accomplish in this chapter, but the logistics were a little dodgy. I think it came out really well, though.

Also, if any of you are interested, I'm desperately in need of a Beta reader.

Thanks for reading :)

Prologue: Crimson Skies

The rain poured down in a relentless barrage, dark clouds smothering the stars. But even above the thunder and lightning rose the shouting of soldiers and commanders. An explosion rocked the ground, sudden flame like a bolt of lightning. Somewhere amid this deadly clash, in the chaos of the nighttime battle, Sergeant Rainbow Dash was taking cover in a small trench. Dash was a tall mare, her uniform worn and muddy from the previous days' fighting; her multicolored hair tussled from the relentless mountain wind. She was the perfect image of a fighting Equestrian, both in looks and in spirit.

It was only five years ago that King Sombra reappeared, along with his cursed Crystal Empire. Princess Celestia issued a call to arms, and Rainbow Dash was one of the first to join up. Despite her blank flank, she became one of the best fighters in the service. In fact, it was a thunderous charge at the Battle of Galloping Gorge where she preformed her Sonic Rainboom, blowing the enemy formation to pieces and gaining her cutie-mark.

But that seemed so long ago now, as explosions lit up the darkened sky, and the groans of the dying filled the air. Since then, Sombra had all but destroyed the Celestial Army, driving them backwards across the Alicorn Mountains east of Canterlot. Rainbow Dash had injured her wing in the Siege of Manehattan, and was transferred to the infantry as acting sergeant. Usually, Dash felt pain at being forced out of the Air Corps. But as another bolt of lightning leapt across the sky, she didn't envy the pegasi their task.

"Sir, General Gleaming Sword reports that a war chariot is headed towards our position." said a monotone voice beside her. Corporal Maud Pie, Dash's loyal second-in-command stood as solid as a weathered stone despite the explosions and shouts around them.

"That's exactly what we need." replied Dash sarcastically, "Tell that incompetent idiot that we're still waiting for our freaking air support!"

Corporal Maud calmly took a scroll from her pack and began writing a reply. The tell-tale scream of a ballistic spell was heard overhead and a few yards in front of them, the ground exploded in a shower of fire and earth. Without looking up, Maud shook the dust off her paper and continued to write.

"That was too close." muttered Dash, "Those Crystal sorcerers must be taking some target practice."

With nothing to do but wait, Dash quickly surveyed the situation. Private Pinkamina Pie, or "Pinkie" as most of the squad called her, was curled up and shuddering as the sounds of battle echoed around them. She had been through too much during the Battle of Manehattan, and probably wouldn't be much use in the fighting ahead. Privates Jade Sword and Brute Force had been injured during the earlier fighting, and lay unconscious, sprawled alongside the bodies of their fallen comrades.

And that was it. Those were the only survivors of the Fighting 122nd Overlanders. The last three months of campaigning through the Foal Mountains hadn't been very kind.
Dash stepped forward and lay a hoof on Private Pinkamena's quivering shoulder.

"Come on, soldier." said the Sergeant with firm confidence, "We’re going to get through this, understand??"

Pinkamena turned around and looked at Dash, her eyes wide with fear. "The explosions..." she said slowly, "they... they don't stop..."

"We're not going to die!" yelled Dash. She gestured excitedly to the clouded sky, even as the rain continued to pour. "You see that sky, private?? Pretty soon that's going to be filled with our boys! We're going to get air support, and pegasi are going to scream down from the stars and wreck havoc on our enemies! Okay?? We're going to win this!"

Slowly, Pinkamena nodded. Her shuddering lessened, and after a moment of silence she took a protein bar from her backpack. At least she was eating again.

Dash was happy that her pep-talk had worked, but frowned all the same. She remembered what Private Pinkamena had been like before the Winter Campaign, when the war was young. The energetic young mare that was always ready to crack a joke... gone forever. Just like so many other things in Equestria.

Sergeant Rainbow Dash looked down at her wing, bloody and bandaged. The medics said she might never be able to use it again.

"Sir, they won't give us the air support." The voice of Maud cut through Dash's thoughts like a crystal scimitar. "They need a lieutenant's authorization code before they can send it."

Dash fumed. "Of course they do!" Walking to the edge of the trench, she lightly rolled the body of Lieutenant Spitfire with her front hoof, then rifled through the pockets of the fallen soldier's trench coat. She grabbed a piece of paper with her teeth, and tossed it to Corporal Maud. "There," said Dash angrily, "That's Spitfire's authorization code. Now get me some freaking air support!"

A sound like rolling thunder was heard, and in the far distance a trail of dust was coming up.

"Well, I guess that's the war chariot. Now how in Tartarus are we supposed to stop this thing?!"

The dark shape rumbled towards them slowly, but with unstoppable power. Dash knew it would only be a few moments until the armored vehicle opened fire on their meager cover.

Thinking fast, Dash leapt out of her position and charged across the open field towards the enemy vehicle. Maybe it was suicide, but it was the only hope of success. She sped across the field like lightning, nearly as fast on her feet as she was on her wings. Screaming towards the war chariot, she saw the drivers raise their bows.

"Well... looks like I've got one shot at this..."

Swerving, Dash dodged two crystal arrows as they splashed harmlessly into the muddy ground. Holding a spear in her good wing, the Sergeant span quickly around, launching the projectile at full-speed towards the enemy.

Her aim was devastating.

The spear lodged itself in the spokes of the wheel, snapping the weak point of the chariot's indomitable armour, and causing it to spin out of control.

Smirking, Dash drew her sword with her teeth, and charged into the unexpecting crystal soldiers, leaping onto their chariot as it span in helpless circles. Dash's skill with a sword proved true, as she quickly out-maneuvered the crystal warriors, and laid their bodies to rest upon the muddy battlefield. The ponies that drew the chariot quickly unhitched themselves and retreated into the darkness.

With a cry of victory, and ballistic spells exploding behind her, Dash dived back into the trench.
She chuckled for a moment, overwhelmed with the joy of battle, then turned back to her second-in-command. "Well, Maud, how's that air support?"

Maud looked back up, her eyes completely empty.

"Sir... they're not coming."

The entire world came to a halt. All the fighting, all the noise of battle seemed to fade away in the face of what Maud said.

"What do you mean they're not coming?!"

"They say it's too dangerous, sir. They're pulling out. Three cohorts of the Crystal army have been sighted on the south side of the ridge. The whole Royal Army is surrounded."

"But if they got to the south side, that means-"

"Canterlot has been captured, sir. The defenders surrendered half an hour ago. General Gleaming Sword says that we're to lay down arms."

The sound of beating wings filled the air. Not from the Royal Airborne Division, but from Crystal Pegasi as they slowly descended towards the trench. Rainbow Dash stood motionless, shaken to her core. All the hope seemed to melt away, washed out with the rain that poured down from the heavens.

"It's over, sir. We've lost."