Chapter 3

"Reinforcement or not, you have to realize that you are lost." said the enemy leader when he was about to throw his spear. A pink aura surrounded him and suddenly he and his soldiers were swept off the ship.
"About time, Twilight!" Electric Swing said a bit annoyed, but also relieved, "why did it take you so long?"
Twilight Sparkle looked a bit shocked, then said: "I ... I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm not a fighter!"
Swift Specter laughed softly as he sat on the ground: "You have just thrown a group of pegasi off an airship. They are fine, they will be able to recover the fall and then fly back to their front line if they don't get picked up by our anti air units."
That visibly calmed Twilight and she looked at how Swift was doing.
"You look terrible. Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked, supporting him on one side while Electric did the same on the other.
"Oh yes I am." Swift replied honestly, "my hooves are still numb from the electrical shock. and I think I sprained something on landing ... I'm sorry, but the wings were damaged in this test."
The enemy airship tried to get away as quickly as possible, but the warship gave it no chance. With rapid volleys of fire magic and burning spears, the enemy airship was set in ablaze.

All survivors of the supply ship were brought to the warship to be taken care of while the supply ship was repaired as best as it was possible.

Swift Specter was in the warship's infirmary tending to the wounds while Electric was making small repairs to the wings so he could move them back far enough to fold them back against his body.
"So ... but flying will not be possible for a while. First I have to exchange some controls, and then I have to control everything. How did you manage to recover your fall? Even more, how did you make it back to the ship?"
"I'm not sure ... Willpower maybe? Or because I didn't want to see what happened to my friends when i am not there?" Swift replied, wincing as the nurse applied disinfectant to a wound before bandaging it.
Electric smiled narrowly and said, "You don't have to do this for me."
Swift looked over his shoulder, looked straight into her eyes, as he replied, "You gave me wings, and more than that, now you are the wind under my wings. I see it that way, I owe you a everything for it."
"You two are so cute together." said the nurse, giggling when she saw Electric blush, "So that was the last sore. Here are a few painkillers, but we don't have much left. That was the second fight today our squadron had to fight and only the last in a long list."
Swift looked at the painkillers and handed them back: "Thanks, it will be okay. Give the pills to those who really need them."
"For example me." came a hoarse voice from beside Swift. As he turned his head he saw a cyan mare with a rainbow colored mane.

Swift almost jumped up, but Electric held him back, so he just saluted, "Commander Rainbow Dash! What an honor! What are you doing here?"
Commander Rainbow Dash smiled tiredly as she looked at the seargant in front of her, then said, "Hey, those wings that you have there ... are they good?" She ignored his question
"As far as I can tell, yes. The only thing missing is that you can feel the wind with them. If they could feel, they would be perfect. At least in my opinion"
Electric hit the metal of the wings gently with a wrench and said: "Now I'm almost blushing again." She beamed widely
"Very good." said Commander Rainbow Dash and turned, "Then I don't have to be transferred to a desk job afterall."
She walked towards the room she occupied and now Swift saw something that made him shudder.
Commander Rainbow Dash ... her left wing was missing. And the wound seemed fresh.

A little later, Swift Specter, Twilight Sparkle, and Electric Swing were in the warship's workshop tending to Swift Specter's wings. To make the whole thing easier, and to protect his sprain, he lay on his back and widened the wings so that the lower maintenance hatches were easy to reach.
It also allowed him to think better.
He looked around the workshop to see if somepony else was still there, and said when he couldn't see anyone: "Twilight ... Have you ever heard of the elements of harmony?"
Twilight looked at him, then said after a brief thought: "I think I've read about them, but only briefly. Why?"
Swift drew in a breath before saying, "I ... was dead. When I fell from the sky I was dead for a short time. I know it sounds strange, but I've been given a new mission." his gaze was directed to the ceiling.
"You are right, that sounds very strange." Electric admitted, "Sure it wasn't just a shock?"
Swift didn't answer that. In fact, he wasn't sure.
Electric looked at him a long time before she finished her job.
"okay that should have been it." she reported satisfied with herself.
Swift got up and flapped his wings a little, doing the pre-flight checks before getting into the air and hovering a little in the middle of the room.
"Ejup, everything is working perfectly again. Thank you, Electric." Swift said with a smile, "But if you'll excuse me, I'll lie down for a while. I'm totally tired." He was wincing as he landed backon his hoofs
"One moment please." said Twilight and suddenly stood extremely close to Swift, her nose almost touched his and she stared into his eyes: "How was it on the other side?"
"Dark, the floor was like marble. I don't think I was completely on the other side, more like that in an in-between world." answer Swift honestly
"and who was there?" Twilight asked further, her horn shining and she let a quill and a scroll float over to her.
"I was greeted by Death himself and then taken to an Alicorn called Destiny. She then gave me the order to find the elements. Are we done with the questions? I'm really tired." Swift kept his eyes fixed on her as she stepped aside and replied, smiling innocently, "Of course. Good night Swift."

"What was that?" Electric asked when Swift was gone.
"I wanted to know if he was telling the truth." replied Twilight, "and from what I've seen, I think he did that. I think he was ..." She was cut off.
"Good evening mares," said a rough voice. It was Commander Rainbow Dash, "I was told that when it comes to wings i have to turn to you."

The two looked at each other briefly, then back to Rainbow. Electric said with a smile: "Yes, but not only. I can do the mechanics, and Twilight here has everything to do with magic, but we still need a doctor who can fix the base of the wings to the spine."
Twilight nodded, "And only one wing would be replaced. We'd have to design a new prototype. One that's lighter so as not to put too much weight on one side."
"I understand." Rainbow Dash said, "We have received orders to tow the supply ship back to Canterlot. The damage is too serious to fly on. Maybe we can build a wing there that I can fly again."

The return flight was undisturbed. The injured were disembarked and taken to one of the Canterlot military hospitals.
Swift also had to report to an investigation. On the one hand, they wanted to see how their injuries were going, on the other hand, what exactly had happened.
"So. What did you do when you discovered the other ship?" asked an earth pony with a brown coat.
"I gave a signal with a yellow smoke grenade in the direction I saw the ship. It was too far away for me to see what it was up to. Or under what flag it was flying."
The earth pony shook everything up, then asked: "When did it become clear that the ship was hostile?"
Swift looked at him seriously when he replied, "When they started throwing spears and attack spells at me."
"and you didn't fire the red smoke grenade?" was the next question

"I didn't really have time for that." replied Swift

"I see. And then?"

"I was attacked and they threw a kind of laboratory flask at me. Above was a fuse, underneath it was probably flash powder, as it was used in old cameras at the old times, or black powder like in fireworks. That broke the glass and released a lightning, that hit my left wing and I ... lost consciousness. When I woke up again I was close to the ground, was able to stabilize when I saw light signals. I have to admit I was too dazed to see what they meant and where they came from. I took the signal pistol and fired the red smoke grenade at the battle above me. " Swift paused to drink from a glass of water and give the earth pony time to write everything down.

"That was when the 'Wrath of the Sun' saw you and tried to find out who you are and what your destination was, right?"

"As I said, I had no idea who or what was in front of me. I just knew that I had to get back on my feet quickly to fulfill a very important part of my mission. The protection of the mechanic and the student."

"What if the reinforcements hadn't arrived in time?"

"Then I would have fought and probably would have died."

"I understand. Thank you very much for your cooperation." The earth pony gave a short salute and then left.

Swift was released a little later. But his injuries gave him a few days of vacation, which he wasn't too happy about.
"You get assigned a squadron and you don't even make it to the front line ... Life is unfair ..." he said to Electric who was walking next to him and giggled.
"Look at it this way," she began, "The wings are a complete success. You can fly again, in combat they are even useful as a shield, and even Commander Rainbow Dash is now getting one." She looked thoughtfully at the sky, "Although I still have to think about how I can best save weight. Not that it simply tilts to the side when opening it. It would be impractical."
"She still has a real wing with feathers. Wouldn't it make sense to tap into the magic directly and not first save it in an MCU like with my wings? Surely many parts would be left out."
Electric stopped and looked at him in disbelief, before she asked in complete disbelief: "That's awesome! How did you come up with such an idea?"
Swift laughed as he replied, "oh thanks am I so stupid to you?"
"No, but it surprised me." she said again, "We can also try the few days off to improve your wings. I like to screw you over."
"Ha ha ha." Swift stuck his tongue out at her, and he tasted water.
It began to rain.
Without thinking twice, Swift opened his wings and held them over Electric like an umbrella. he had to open the other wing because otherwise he would fall to the side.
"Th-thanks ..." said Electric and turned red, "But what about you? You're getting wet and catching a cold!"
"Oh, that little bit of water." replied Swift, looking up into the sky and closing his eyes, "I used to like to be outside in the rain. There was nothing better than getting completely wet and then let the sun shine on your feathers ..." he stopped, his smile disappeared. His eyes grew sad, too, which saddened Electric the most.
Without thinking twice, she leaned against him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. It was nothing more than a quick peck, but Swift looked at her like she'd burned his cheek.
She smiled openly at him, blushed a little and said: "That was for saving me."
His mouth was a little open and the rain was getting stronger.
"We ... better go." suggested Electric for, but pushed onto his flank. Swift nodded and walked on with her, making sure that Electric didn't get soaked.
And he was trembling slightly.

"Yes, your Majesty. Those were his words." said Twilight Sparkle, bowing deeply to Princess Celestia, "I thought I'd better let you know."
"Very well, thank you, Mrs. Sparkle." said Celestia, then asked a guard: "I would like sergeant Swift Specter to get an invitation. He should please come to the castle as soon as possible. That is of the greatest importance."
"It will be done!" replied the guard and got up and away.
"Mrs. Sparkle." Celestia said further, "I would like to have you with me too. Please, follow me." Twilight got up and followed as quickly as she could. Then on a balcony Celestia teleported herself and Twilight to a tower, opened the door ...
and revealed heaven on earth for Twilight.
There were books everywhere, the whole room was a library.
Celestia looked around and saw what she was looking for. A book floated over to them and landed on a reading stand. There Celestia opened it and began to explain what the elements of harmony were all about.

Meanwhile, Swift and Electric had arrived at Electric's home.
"Do ... you want to come in?" Electric asked, "I could make us both a coffee."
Swift couldn't help but snort at this statement, asked: "You couldn't be more cliché, right?" He smiled openly, "I would like it. But really only a coffee. I have to warm up a bit and then I should continue."
"Oh no, not like that. Now you stay outside." Electric answered with a laugh and was about to let him pass when two royal guards came trotting up.
"sergeant Swift Specter, The Princess would like to see you immediately. Please follow us." said one of the two. Swift was surprised, then nodded, "I'll be right there." he said, looking at Electric over his shoulder: "Well ... so much for that. Another time okay?"
"OK." Electric said and waved to him, "see you then."

The guards took Swift to the castle, then to a side wing, up a flight of stairs into a tower. There he met Celestia and Twilight Sparkle, who was leaning over a pile of books and seemed to be reading them all at the same time.
Swift bowed low to Celestia and said, "sergeant Swift Specter, at your service."
"Get up, my little pony." said Celestia and told him to sit down on the sofa opposite.
Swift looked down at himself and said, "Your Highness, if you don't mind I'd like to stand by the fireplace and dry some and warm up."
"Suit yourself." said Celestia and watched Swift stand by the fireplace before she continued: "Do you have any idea why you are here?"
Swift looked at Twilight, thought for a moment, and replied uncertainly, "I think it had something to do with what happened on the flight."
"Exactly. And what do you think it will be?" Celestia asked further
"If I had to guess, I would say it's about what I told Twilight Sparkle. Your sister Destiny gave me a mission."
Celestia looked at him with big eyes, then got up and walked over to him, looking deep into his eyes when she asked. "You spoke to Destiny in person?"
"Yes your highness." was the short answer.
Celestia continued to look at him, but when he held her gaze she went back: "What kind of mission should you fulfill?"
Swift, now a little more certain, said honestly: "She gave me the assignment to find the elements of harmony and to free your little sister Luna from a nightmare."
Celestia gave a snort before she got up again and mumbled to herself: "So much not to interfere ... but always teach me ..." She closed her eyes, straightened up and pointed her hoof at Swift, said in a very authoritarian tone: "sergeant Swift Specter. this order is being barer out as if it came from me. your new mission is to locate the carriers of the elements. i will lead you to the elements themselves ..." she looked the window, "As soon as the rain has stopped."

A few hours passed as Twilight came around the corner with one discovery after another. She also found a date: "It says here that the Mare in the Moon escapes her prison on the thousandth summer solstice. That would be ... next year? Yes, next year, in less than 11 months!"
"Good that Destiny gave us a way out." Swift muttered, looking at the clouds. He opened his wings and started the pre-flight checks.
Celestia watched him and it hurt her soul a little to see one of her ponies suffering. But she was also proud that he didn't let it show.
"The weather will improve in a few minutes." Swift said and read his head a little, "Where exactly are we going?"
Celestia got up and stood next to him, the clouds still looked exactly to her as they did at the beginning of the rain.
"Ponyville ... The Everfree Forest to be exact," she said and looked down at him, proud in her gaze but sadness in her heart.

Author's Note

Explanation of topic: MCU

The Magic Containment Unit (MCU) is a battery based on a gemstone matrix. The gem magically gathers and stores it until it is retrieved by a process that Electric Swing calls "nudging". Theoretically it is possible to change the batteries, but that would require help. The gems are rather rare, which is why you shouldn't just throw them away, except in the case of a mixture of magic. While it is not as bad when earth pony magic and pegasus magic mix, the high values the unicorns generate can easily overload the MCU resulting in a ... unsatisfactory situation