Commander Dash was no mare you’d want to meet. She was the head of the Royal Guards, had killed changelings, just to defend her home. She was loyal, but scary at the same time. Every day, she pushes herself just to get out of bed. Every morning greeted her with a new challenge, whether it be a group of changelings attack in the middle of the night, or just a lost filly.
It was patrol night, Dash was tired and wanted to go to bed, but her services were needed. Suddenly, an explosion came from the west and 5 of her soldier came into sight. They were being chased by a pony.
“If somepony wants to mess with my soldiers, they’re gonna have to go through me!” She exclaimed, charging towards the cloaked foe. Punching it right in the face, it fell back and Dash tied the pony up. “What do you want doing with this pony, your highness?” Asked the commander, bowing to the Princess.
“Put him in a cell.” She said, looking at the Pony, tied up. “Also, I’d like to have a word with you.” Celestia added, a glint of worry in her eyes. Commander Dash nodded as she gave the tied up pony to the guards ahead and retreated back to the Princesses’ side.
“You wanted to have a word, your highness?” Dash said, looking around. “We don’t do this often, so what is it this time?”
Celestia just lowered her head and whispered. “Well, there have been reports of a portal of some sorts. We’d like you to go over with 2 guards and investigate. See if you can figure out if it from the enemy or not. When you have deemed it safe or unsafe, report back to me.”
“A portal? Princess, how long have you known this? Not to be rude, your highness but... this could leave us vulnerable to attacks if I’m not there, or as a threat. Are you sure you want me gone for hours, or even days travelling for something that might not even exist! I could be kidnapped or worse!” She exclaimed. “So are you sure you want me to do this, Princess?”
Princess Celestia placed a hoof over Dash’s neck. “I have more confidence in you than all of the Royal Guards. That is why I made you their leader, is it not? Every day I am proud of you and the decisions you make. You are not the one to ask questions, If you have second thoughts about this, you are more than welcome to deny the request and I can send out Zepher-”
“I am not about to lose this task at hoof to ZEPHER BREEZE!” Dash yelled. “I do have standards, Princess.” She gave a wing salute, keeping her posture in check. “I will do this for you, for the team, and for the guards!” She announced, which earned a small chuckle from the princess.
2 hours later, they arrived at “home.” It was more like a place surrounded by soldiers ready to fight to the death, and walls that would take 20 years to scale. What greeter her was a confusing sight. 2 bleeding guards. Rainbow ran over there, ready to ask 100 questions.
“Soldiers, as your commander you are required to tell me what happened. If you can remember.” She yelled, giving the stallions time to take in the information.
"Well.. We got ambushed by a couple of figures. We fought back and one got away." They stopped when they realised the figure wrapped in ropes.
Ignoring the soldier frantically pointing at the figure, she though of a suitable punishment. "You failed to protect." Both the soldiers looked ashamed of themselves. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Have 2 weeks off, then training for the rest of the month."
Walking away, she put the shadow figure into a cage. Celestia and Dash made eye contact and nodded. Standing up on the cage, she cleared her throat. This seemed to get everypony's attention.
"Greetings soldiers, it had came to my attention that a portal has opened up. Now, we have no idea if it's from the enemy end or not." A few murmurs came from this part. Slamming her spear on the top of the cage, they all mysteriously stopped. "I will be heading out with 2 guards at dawn to check it out. Further information will be available as time passes."
More murmurs came, but she pushed on. "You two," Rainbow pointed at two random ponies, a stallion and a mare. "Have an early night, and meet me here after breakfast. You're with me and are to follow all orders, without questions. Got it?"
The two nodded and saluted, before retreating back to their respected tents for rest.
"Dismissed."
And with that, all of the soldiers went to patrolling. The night was bitter and cold, just like war. Morning dawned on the small rebellion faster than everypony wanted to admit, but it was there nonetheless. Rainbow rose from her bed and got sorted, putting on her body armour and brushing her mane.
Ever since she had lost her wing, she'd always kept a single feather above her bed. Since she was young, her wing was something she'd taken for granted.
It was 5am. Normally, she'd get up in about half an hour but she thought against it. After all, she did have stuff to do. Moving out of her tent, she noticed a commotion of guards surrounding the middle of the camp.
She pushed past only to find both of the ponies that she had recruited. Only, they weren't alive. The mare had both of her wings sliced off and her neck was slit. The stallion was decapitated and looked to of been dead longer than the mare.
Princess Celestia sighed. "Looks like I'll be with you for this adventure."
Rainbow Dash just blatantly stared at her. "Princess, with all due respect, you can't exactly leave right now!"
Princess Celestia looked down at her general. "Well, why not? Everypony here can make their way to multiple towns and cities until we come back."
Rainbow Dash sighed reluctantly. "Princess, you are aware, that this mission could be an ambush, right?"
The Alicorn nodded. "And that is why I trust you to be my guardian if it does turn out that way."
She smiled, watching Celestia raise her head. "Okay. Everypony make their way to their destination of Appleoosa, Canterlot and Ponyville. Your mission is to serve, protect and anything else. If there in attack, save as many as you can and bring them back to this base."
They all nodded.
"If it so happens that me and the commander do not return, do not come looking for us. Pronounce us dead. In that case, Hard Diamond and Spike are in charge."
She looked over to the female diamond dog. They had found her starving in the harsh artic years ago. She was left there because her family saw her as too weak to be considered a diamond dog.
Spike, however, could be compared to a teenager dragon. Because that's what he was. His claws could scratch hard. Rainbow learned that the hard way when they found him.
Spike and Hard Diamond looked over to the Princess. "Are you sure, Princess. Celestia?"
She nodded. "I know you're destined got greatness. As for the rest of you, dismiss."
As the soldiers got ready by grabbing weapons and medical supplies, Rainbow was getting ready by eating breakfast and taking a shower.
When she was done, her spear was waiting for her. The long handle was coated in cyan blue, which was the colour of her coat. The tip of it, which wasn't covered on blood somehow, had her Cutie Mark on one side and their motto on the other, written in ancient Equestrian.
"We shall not fall. Our brother and sisters will not die for failure."
It meant something to Rainbow. Years ago, her brothers and sisters meant everything to her. They also had hundreds of them. The changelings had gotten the jump on the two significantly smaller bases. They were outnumbered and underprepared. They lost the fight.
It was all lead by a single changeling. She had no remorse or feelings for her kind. If she had to kill for any reason, she would do it in a heartbeat. She didn't remember her name at all since it had been that long and changeling had been seen or heard from in 2 years, but it was still scary.
Rainbow Dash was flying overhead when she heard screams coming from the base below her. To this day, she can still hear their screams. By the time they got there with troops, they were already gone and all that was left was the mutilated corpses of over 25 mares and stallions.
As the snow began to fall and the wind began to die down, Rainbow looked towards the Princess.
So, how do you know that this is the right place? It looks like an empty wasteland to me!" The wind began to pick up and soon it began to get unbearable. But, still, they stayed out.
Celestia smiled as much as she could and pointed with a hoof to the north. True to her word, there it was.
Rainbow was speechless. But not before being interrupted by a 3rd step of hoofsteps from behind her. Before she could even draw her weapon, she was shoved in. Then shortly, she saw Celestia's body crash through the portal. She hardly had enough time to barrel roll out of the way before she landed just inches away with a slight thud.
Rainbow got up and observed her surroundings. It was almost as if nothing had happend. She helped Princess Celestia up, who still had her armour on and the same eyepatch across her eye.
"Where the buck are we?" She asked, getting her grip on the cold snow below her.
Commander Dash looked at her leader and mentor. She always knew the answers to her questions. "I don't know, but for the first time since I became a soldier, I'm scared."
