The Punisher Girl

Rainbow Dash had applied to the Air Force as soon as she left Canterlot High School. She was currently in training, learning how to fly, survival, using firearms, doing workouts to get stronger, and obstacle courses. The instructors were very impressed with Rainbow's progress and performance.

Rainbow was on the firing range when "attention, hay Rainbow your friends are here" someone said over the PA system. Rainbow Dash smiled, her friends have come to visit again. Once a week for the past three years her six best friends would come and hang out with her. Rainbow unloaded the rifle in her hands, put it on the rack, and jogged her way down to the front entrance.

On the way there Rainbow noticed that know one was in the hallways but didn't think much of it. When she got to the front entrance she saw a note that told her to go to the mess hall. Confused and curious, Rainbow went there "hello, anyone around?" She called out. When she got to the door the window was dark. Rainbow slowly and carefully pushed it open "what is going on?" She wondered out loud.

"SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!" The lights came on suddenly and Rainbow recoiled a little and became temporary blind. However, as soon as her eyes adjusted she saw what was in front of her. Multicoloured streamers and balloons falling from the ceiling and there was an unnecessarily large cake with number candles that displayed 21. It also looked like everyone on base was here, instructors, other trainees, the ground crews, everyone.

Then she saw six familiar women who she knew from high school. Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity, her friends. Along with herself, Rainbows friends had matured physically in the last three years. They still looked like her friends but there were a few differences that came with maturing into a young woman. Pinkie Pie, the obvious culprit for this party, ran up to Rainbow and hugged her tightly. Pinkie then put a party hat on Rainbows head and pulled her to where her friends were sitting.

Rainbow Dash laughed "thanks guys, I can't believe I forgot my own birthday"

"I know right" said Rarity who then grabbed a present "and I got a gift that is well suited for someone as unladylike as you".

Rainbow opened the gift and laughed, it was a black shirt with a white skull on the front.

"Thank you Rarity, I like it" said Rainbow.

"You better, it cost me my dignity for other people to see me buy that" said Rarity.

Rainbow rolled her eyes "of course it did" she said.

Pinkie then brought in a wooden staircase on wheels and rolled it next to the ginormous cake. "Come on Rainbow, blow out the candles so we can all eat this delicious cake" Pinkie said. Rainbow climbed up the stairs and blew out the number candles causing everyone in the room to cheer.

During the party, Rainbow and her friends talked about each other's lives. Rainbow told them that she was going to start training in an F-18 Hornet tomorrow. Sunset Shimmer said that she has become a professional motocross racer. Applejack told the story about how she and her brother rescued a little kitten and took it in.

Pinkie Pie informed everyone in the mess hall that there was to be a bake sale to raise funds so Fluttershy could expand the animal shelter. Rarity excitingly told her friends that she was going to travel to New York to show her latest line of clothes at a fashion show. Finally, Twilight Sparkle had told them about the expansion of her library to include more books about mystical creatures and religion.

However, will all parties, they must come to an end and while they didn't want to, the band of seven friends had to say goodbye to each other. They had to get back to their own lives after all. Rainbows six best friends wished her a happy birthday and gave her encouragement to keep going and to achieve her dream, to fly with the elite and to fly fast. Rainbow had such great friends and she knew it.

The next morning....

Rainbow went straight to her locker, she was told that her jet fighter gear was dropped off there. This day was going to be awesome as she was going to fly an F-18 fighter jet for the first time. After getting suited up in her new flight gear she walked into the briefing room and sat down with other air cadets.

A Major came into the room and handed each of the cadets a slip of paper "as you all know, this is your first time flying an F-18. So we're going to go over formation flying and combat maneuvers. Each of you will have an instructor in the back seat of your aircraft. Their job is to evaluate your performance and to assist you in an emergency. For the next week you will have these instructors with you, after that you will go solo. Any relevant questions?"

No one answered "your assigned aircraft are on the paper I gave you, dismissed" the major said.

With the briefing finished Rainbow went to hanger B-5. She approached the instructor and saluted, standing at attention as per her training.

"Flight Sargent Rainbow Dash reporting sir" she said.

"Inspect the aircraft" the instructor ordered.

Rainbow walked around the aircraft checking the weapons and equipment. Everything seemed perfect, the weapons and external fuel tanks were secure and the electronics and mechanisms operational. She walked back to the instructor.

"Are you ready" the instructor asked.

Rainbow smiled "born ready sir" she said confidently.

The instructor nodded in approval "I like the attitude, get in" he ordered.

This was the moment Rainbow was waiting for, what she had been practicing for. She climbed into front of the high performance combat jet and strapped herself in "beginning preflight checklist" she stated. The instructor in the back had a peace of paper on a clipboard with a pen, he was evaluating her performance. He gave her a point for remembering the preflight checklist.

Rainbow looked over the numerous knobs and switches that operated different parts of the aircraft. She had been studying so she knew her way around the cockpit. After preflight, Rainbow closed the cockpit and turned on the two powerful engines of the F-18. "This is Flight Sargent Rainbow Dash call-sigh Bolt calling tower requesting permission for taxi, over" she said.

"This is Flight Tower, you have permission for taxi to runway 22R" the tower responded.

Rainbow Dash deactivated the breaks and nudged the throttle up a little, the fighter moved forward. All her hard work was going to pay off, Rainbow just knew it. She navigated herself to the runway marked in giant font 22R. "This is Bolt to Flight Tower I have taxied to runway 22R requesting permission for takeoff" she said.

"Yes, you are cleared for takeoff on runway 22R. Enjoy your flight Bolt " Flight Tower said.

"I will" said Rainbow as she strapped on her breathing mask and extended the flaps.

She moved the throttle to max and the engines roared. Rainbow was pushed back into her seat as the plane moved forward. The plane was going faster and faster down the runway until "V1, rotate" Rainbow pulled the stick back a little. The plane angled up and ascended into the sky 'I've been waiting for this moment my whole live' Rainbow thought to herself. She retracted the landing gear and flaps.

"Ok everyone, fall into lose formation" ordered the major. Before anything else could be done "This is Flight Tower to all training squadrons you are being recalled back to base immediately. Runway 17L is cleared for landing" the Flight Tower said.

"Aww come on, we didn't even get to do anything" complained Rainbow.

"Quit your whining Bolt and head back to base. The same goes for the rest of you" ordered the major.

On the ground...

Rainbow Dash was confused, they had planned to have at least two and a half hours of flight time today. She was even told that all training squadrons are grounded until further notice. When going past the officers lounge she overheard the radio inside.

"There have been reports of several bombs being set off in Canterlot city today. An estimated 178 people have died as a result and the people responsible for the bombings themselves call themselves Eagle Claw. Unfortunately that's all the information we have right now but we will try to keep you up to date on this current catastrophe" said the news anchor.

Rainbows chest tightened, her friends live in Canterlot.

Later the same day....

Rainbow hopped to god that her friends would be ok, she wanted them to be alive. She tried texting, calling, and even tried communicating through their private chat room on her laptop, no response. She tried going into Canterlot but she wasn't aloud in so she looked at every type of publication of the event.

Rainbow was trying to find some answers about her friends but her search was unsuccessful so far.

Rainbow suddenly got a call on her cellphone "hello".

"Hi, Dashie I need to tell you something" A man on the other end asked.

"What's wrong Dad?" Rainbow asked, her father sounded sad and this concerned her.

Her father sighed and after a pause "we are going to have a funeral for your friends tomorrow at the church on the outskirts of Canterlot city" he said.

Rainbow instantly hung up and ran to her black muscle car, burning rubber as she sped away. She pulled up in front of the church and sprinted inside, finding dozens of people inside. She then saw pictures of her friends, one above each of the six coffins at the front of the room. Rainbow ran up to them and fell to her knees. Her friends were gone, she would never see them again except in pictures.

No more talking, no more teasing, no more hanging out or happy times with them. This couldn't be happening, Sunset started an awesome career, Rarity was going to achieve her dream, Applejack needed to help feed her family, Twilight didn't even get a chance to read any of her new books, and finally Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were just so innocent, too innocent to die. Tears streamed down Rainbows cheeks as she looked at each coffin and picture.

She couldn't take it anymore so sprinted right back out of the church and into her muscle car again. She drove down onto the beach near Canterlot and screamed into the sky in anguish. Her friends were gone but they didn't leave her by choice.

No, they were taken away from her by those monsters.

An ideology sparked to life in her mind "the police couldn't stop them because they are to soft. They don't hunt them down and kill them with brute force. In certain extreme situations the law is inadequate and justice must be taken into someone's hands. A famous man in history once said 'in order to defeat your enemy you must first become you enemy'. In order for me to stop those monsters I must become a monster. This isn't revenge, it's punishment" Rainbow monologued.

During the next few weeks Rainbow continued to do her training, fighter aircraft, firearm usage, martial arts, the whole deal. But in secret on her own time she was trying to find the Eagle Claw group so she could plan an attack. The other cadets in her squadron noticed that instead of being very energetic and expressive Rainbow became dull, stoic, unemotional.

They thought that Rainbow would eventually come out of this phase and return to her normal self again. However, as the days went by the likelihood of that happening seemed to get smaller. The squadron unanimously agreed to giving her time off and the Major started signing paperwork to give Rainbow a vacation.

Meanwhile....

Rainbow was doing a workout, sweat practically pouring from her forehead with pure rage and hatred strengthening her muscles. While her muscles weren't huge but they were very toned, strong and in perfect proportion to her body. The gym door opening interrupted her and when she saw it was the Major Rainbow put down the Dumbbells she was using, got up, and saluted. Her face was unreadable.

"Flight Sargent Rainbow Dash, due to concerns about your mental health I have been authorized to give you two weeks of time off" the Major said.

"Sir, I'm-" Rainbow began but the Major interrupted her again.

"No, you are not ok. You need time off and that's an order" he said.

'You know what, I could use that time to focus my full attention on finding the Eagle Claw group. Besides I think I've learned enough from here' Rainbow thought to herself.

"Yes sir" she said in an emotionless tone.

"Good, you may leave at your discretion" the major said while he left.

Rainbow quickly grabbed her water bottle and towel before going back to her room. She got dressed into a pair of jean pants and a dark green t-shirt and packed her things. She also smuggled weapons out of the base. She could get in very big trouble for it but she didn't care anymore, she wasn't coming back.

While putting everything in her car trunk an African-American woman approached Rainbow. "Greetings, I am Zecora. I have felt your troubled mind so I have come to help you" she said.

"Fuck off, no one can help me now" said Rainbow as she walked to the driver side door.

"I know that you are full of hate. But I must warn you of the dark path you're about to take. Please instead fallow the path of friendship as you once did before. That path will lead to a life of prosperity galore" Zecora said.

Rainbow stopped and turned around menacingly "Friendship is going to sit this one out" Rainbow said.