Kirby had experienced an all-around great day. The pink puffball had spent some quality solo time to himself engaging in some of his favorite hobbies. Those said hobbies included starting the day with a large apple meal, taking a nap directly afterwards, flying in the skies above beside flocks of birds, and fishing in a small pond beside his house.
Truly, Kirby was having the time of his life. This was because that it wasn't always peaceful on Planet Popstar. Many times, the world would be endangered by a new threat, and each time, Kirby would go and stop them. After his latest battle with the Haltmann Works Company, Kirby was relieved to have some time to do things besides save the world.
It was now late into the evening and the sun was starting to set over the horizon. For Kirby, this was the perfect time to take a relaxing joy-ride on his flying Warp Star.
Hopping up onto the yellow ride, Kirby gave a light stomp, causing the Warp Star to blast off at high speeds. A trail of mini stars followed closely behind. Within a few minutes, Kirby was now far away from actual land.
He cruised above a vast ocean, taking his time to admire how the Sun's light reflected off of the ocean. The light orange and red hues of the sky only added to the peaceful serenity of the lovely late afternoon.
As Kirby continued his late afternoon ride, a single rainbow spark in the sky high above sailed down towards the world down below, unbeknownst to the pink puffball. All Kirby could think about at the moment was heading back home. He had become content with his little cruise and was ready to call it a night. Kirby had woke up a little bit early that day and could use a long nap to recharge himself.
Kirby blinked his eyes several times before turning his Warp Star back around towards land. As he began on his ride back, Kirby became even more drowsy than before. The pink puffball gave a hefty yawn as his mind slowly began to drift off.
Kirby could not resist. The Warp Star could drive to itself and as long as Kirby was on it, he could not fall off via gravitational reasons. It couldn't hurt to just get some shuteye on his way back.
With one last gaze at the journey ahead, Kirby shut his eyes and began lightly snoring. If it was one thing Kirby was really good at, it had to be sleeping. The pink puffball slumped back slightly as the last of his consciousness left him. Kirby then went undisturbed for roughly 5 more minutes.
Soon, however, the rainbow spark had found its way down into the path of the Warp Star. Once the spark was at the same altitude as Kirby and his ride, it hovered in place and waited, almost as if it knew what it was doing.
As the Warp Star passed through the spark, it vanished, seemingly absorbed into the vehicle. Nothing seemed to happen at first. Kirby continued snoozing away while the Warp Star continued on its way. It wasn't until a few minutes later that the rainbow spark that was passed through started to take effect.
Kirby's ride then started to flash multiple hues, matching all of the colors of the rainbow. After about 30 more seconds, the Warp Star stopped flashing and started radiating a bright white light. The star-shaped ride then slowly, but surely, angled itself up towards the sky, leaving it's original path.
With all of these events transpiring, many would think that Kirby would wake up and try to put a stop to this. However, this was not the case. Kirby continued sleeping, still oblivious of everything around him. The only thing that he could could do at the moment was sleep and wake up much later.
By now, the Warp Star had left Popstar's atmosphere and now floated in the vast, empty, darkness of space. With one final moment, Kirby, still mounted on his ride, jetted off in a bright flash, leaving behind a few smaller stars that dissipated into nothingness mere moments later.
Dark clouds swirled overhead the grey, barren, and desolate wasteland. The ground was littered with crushed up rock and broken bodies scattered around the area from the battle just moments ago. Gallons upon gallons of blood had been split from the gruesome event.
Right in the middle of the carnage stood two lone mares that conversed between each other. Both were donned in navy blue armor and possessed a pair of wings. One had a fiery orange mane and yellow coat while the other boasted a spiked rainbow mane with a cyan coat. More prominent features were the tear in her left ear, the scar over her left eye, and the fact that her left wing was entirely constructed out of metal.
"Now listen carefully, Dash." Spitfire started. She looked over to the cyan mare and spoke with a raspy, yet stern tone. "They've already captured Soarin. I'm too wounded, and it's just a matter of time before I'm caught as well." Spitfire looked down at her right side with little emotion. Shards of black crystal penetrated deep into her wing and back right hoof. The pain had dulled slightly, but she could still feel it and it was very painful.
"From now on, Dash, you're the last of the Wonderbolts. So leave me behind. Go."
Rainbow Dash looked at her leading commander with utter shock. She had to be asleep. There was no way that Spitfire would ever tell her to do something like this. Her loyalty was too strong for her to just abandon Spitfire. She was more than just her captain; she was her friend. So many feelings ran through Rainbow Dash's mind. Sorrow. Anger. Concern.
"Captain! I'm not leaving without you! I'll carry you with me if I must! We'll retreat together!"
Spitfire gritted her teeth and shook her head in disapproval. "No. You'll just overexert yourself and you'll get caught yourself. You must return safely. Rebuilding the Wonderbolts depends on you."
Rainbow's eyes widened as her commander finished. What she was being asked to do was too much. Why her? Anypony else would have been a better pick to rebuild an entire branch of Equestrian military. "I'm afraid I can't do that." Rainbow tried her best not to break down into tears. "Not with a wing like this. The pegasus stared down at her mechanical limb.
Ever since she had received the replacement wing, Rainbow Dash had never felt the same. The mere feel of the wing just felt wrong. Rainbow wanted flesh, not welded metal.
"That's an order." Spitfire's voice snapped Rainbow Dash out of her self-induced trance. "This is my last command to you as the Wonderbolt's captain: Return to Equestria safely, and rebuild the Wonderbolts. Is that clear?"
Rainbow Dash hesitated, but only for a moment. "Yes, ma'am! I won't let you down!"
For once, ever since this whole war had started, all those years ago, Spitfire smiled. "And you never have... Friend." She then reached for her chest and ripped her golden badge off of her chest and held it in her outstretched hoof. "Take this. From now on, you're the Captain of the Wonderbolts."
As Rainbow took the badge from her best friend, she thought of everything they had been through. All the battles. All those times when they sat alone in their bunks during the middle of the night. All the time that they had spent together. A single tear fell from her eye, but she did not wipe it away. Instead, she stuck the badge on her chest and saluted her captain. "I promise... I'll find a way to bring you back. To bring all of our friends back."
"Goodbye, Rainbow Dash." And with that, the cyan mare took to the skies, flapping her wings as fast as she could muster. She just wanted to get away. Nothing would make her happier but to find out that this was all some horrible nightmare and that she would wake up at any moment. But this was real.
This was all real.
Just as Rainbow Dash started reaching high levels of altitude, a stray bolt of lightning pierced through the sky, aimed directly at rainbow-maned mare. She tried to swerve out of the way, but she was too slow. Rainbow had drained too much stamina from the fight. In a flash, the bolt struck its mark. She felt a sharp pain run through her left side and screamed. It was not aimed at any vital organs, but rather her mechanical wing.
The piece of technology exploded from the strike. Bits and parts scattered in the wind as their owner was left without one of her wings. With nothing to keep her supported in midair, Rainbow Dash began her unwanted descent. She turned her head towards the heavens and extended her left hoof.
"NOO!!!" Rainbow Dash shouted. Her body spiraled out of control before smashing straight into the muddy grounds below. Pieces of her shattered wing came down all around her, getting themselves stuck into the ground. Spitfire was now at her side, trying to both help her friend up and prepare for what was to come.
Moments later, at least fifty of dark, armor clad soldiers had surrounded the two. These ponies were from all three races, those being earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi. All of them mindless subjects to the dark king.
Without any warning, all of them lunged forward at the weakened duo. Spitfire tried to dodge out of the way, but the dark crystals embedded in her side hindered her movement. There was nothing she could do. Spitfire took the first punch to the face as more soldiers ganged up on her. Another strike went to both her fore hooves. Her body gave way, the pain being too much to bare. A pained scream came out. She was then kicked up into the air where they then proceeded to bounce her body around like some sort of pinball, cries of suffering emitting from the fiery mare.
Rainbow Dash saw this and tried to rush over to her friend. "Leave her alone!" She shouted. "I'm the one you want!" Several steps in, Rainbow's entire body froze. It wasn't by her own intent, but rather the one of a dark unicorn stationed behind her. She was then positioned so that her stomach was exposed.
Then, a tall, buff, earth pony approached, completely silent and without emotion. He turned around and wound up his rear legs, preparing for a full-power buck. Rainbow wanted to brace herself for impact, but her body was still restricted by magic. In a flash, the stallion struck with his buck, smashing square into Rainbow's abdomen.
Rainbow Dash cried out as the two back hooves planted themselves into her chest. A small mixture of blood and saliva spilled out of her mouth. She was then released and fell onto the ground, showing almost no resistance in getting back up. The pain was unbearable. Worse than when she had lost her first wing. It was the fact that she knew this was it.
There was no one coming to save her or Spitfire. They would be broken, both physically and mentally, dragged back to the Crystal Empire, and brainwashed into mindless slaves with sinister power.
With a final ax kick, Spitfire was sent careening into the hard ground right beside Rainbow Dash, looking in a much worse state than her comrade. She was bloodied, bruised, and looked like a dead husk.
But no, that wasn't the case. Rainbow Dash knew they would just barely keep them alive, hanging to life by tiny strings.
Besides, how else was King Sombra to expand his army without slaves?
Two soldiers then grabbed the unconscious Spitfire and took to the skies, leaving the rest with Rainbow Dash.
Just as the soldiers were about to come and haul her broken body away, a golden light hurled itself towards the battlefield. Ponies couldn't tell what or who it was and leapt out of the way. The thing shattered on impact with the ground, leaving nothing behind but an array of tiny stars and a strange pink ball with tiny round stubs for arms and feet. bounced off of the ground and rolled several times, finally stopping in front of Rainbow Dash. The soldiers remained unfazed while Rainbow's eyes widened slightly, given that she had taken a heavy beating.
Moments later, the strange alien snapped out of its slumber, jumping up onto its feet, eyes wide open and scanning the area.
"Poyo?" he said, unsure of where he was. The last he knew, he had fell asleep on his Warp Star and was on his way back home. This place looked nothing like Planet Popstar. It was too barren and dull, almost as if all the life had been sucked out of it.
Before he could say anything else, the alien was knocked away with a powerful blow by one of the guards. Kirby was sent straight into a nearby tree. He was completely taken aback by this. He had shown no hostility to anyone, so why would they go and attack him? Regardless, Kirby knew that he had to defend himself.
Taking a look around at all of the armored ponies, minus the one that was heavily beaten, Kirby readied himself and got into his fighting stance. In a single move, Kirby opened his mouth and a powerful pull came with it. The soldiers tried to find a way to escape, but it was no use. The entire squadron was engulfed in one foul swoop, now withing the confines of Kirby.
He then turned 90 degrees and spat all of them out, condensed into a golden star. All of the ponies he had swallowed were sent flying thousands of miles away.
With the threat taken care of, Kirby turned back to the remaining injured pony, a look of great concern on his face. As he approached Rainbow Dash, he heard the mare ask him something.
"W...Who... are you? Why... did you... help... me....?" With the question asked, the pegasus slowly started to fade into unconsciousness. But not before receiving an answer.
"Kirby!"
