Drill Through The Heavens!!

Chapters

Digging is what I do
A Fall from Above
Send it Back!
Challengers Approach!
A Plan? What Plan?
Exposition!... I think
Search and Rescue?

Digging is what I do

The cavern was dark and quiet, the occasional snatch of conversation drifting and echoing in the large space. Here and there a few ponies were gathered in small groups, huddled together and speaking with hushed voices. The dim lighting was barely enough to see in the gloom but the years spent underground had allowed them to adjust and see even when there was no light, an invaluable skill in the oppressive darkness.

In a tunnel far from the cavern village, a yellow pegasus was in a small tunnel of her own creation. The drill she held in her hooves was carving through the dirt and rock with ease, the silvery metal reflecting off the goggles she wore. Her job was one of the most important in the village: to create tunnels for the village to expand. While she enjoyed being able to help the village in such a way, the darkness and claustrophobia had terrified her at first, preventing her from even drilling into the ground out of fear she would be swallowed by the earth and never seen again.

That fear was present but to a much lesser extent now. Instead of being afraid of it, she had accepted the knowledge that one day perhaps the earth would collapse on her and she would never be found. It was a risk Fluttershy took every time she dug a new tunnel but it was one someone had to take. She would never admit it, but there were other reasons she dug these tunnels. It was the possibility of treasure.

A sharp clink interrupted her thoughts then and she paused, her drill stalling for a moment. Adjusting her goggles, Fluttershy revved the drill and began clearing out a hollow big enough for her to sit in and inspect what she found. The pegasus coughed a bit, dirt kicking up as she drilled the object out. After a few moments and the dust had settled, the yellow pegasus lifted her goggles to examine what she had unearthed.

It was a drill. She examined it closely, adjusting her goggles so they shone a bit brighter. The metal was a golden yellow, the grooves curving gracefully around the head. It seemed to glow for a brief moment but when she looked closer, it flicked back into its old self. She frowned and put inside of the vest she wore. There would be time to examine it once she got back to the village.

Fluttershy’s thoughts turned to her friend as she began the long turn towards the village, her drill boring steadily. She had been in conflict with the head of the village recently and had been punished more than once for her actions, most of them involving escaping to the “surface” and failing miserably.

The surface. That’s what she was always on about. How her father had told her stories about it before disappearing who knew where. The way she spoke about it made Fluttershy almost giddy and willing to follow her fellow pegasus wherever she went, regardless of the consequences. She hadn’t seen her lately and Fluttershy wondered if-

CRASH!!

Fluttershy groaned in pain from the sudden drop, her limbs aching. Raising her head, she spied a few earth ponies looming over her. Their expressions were full of concern at the pegasus, one offering a hoof.

“Th-thank you…” She mumbled, being pulled to her feet. She had emerged in one of the opposite tunnels from where she started but that was fine. Her digging shift was over for the day meaning she could rest and examine the drill piece she found in private.

After replacing the drill on the wall and letting her eyes adjust to the normal light, Fluttershy took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what really lay behind that smooth domed barrier. Was her friend alright? Was she in trouble with the village leader again?

“That would be dreadful…” She murmured, walking with her head down. “I really hope she hasn’t gotten into any trouble.”

Without warning, she bumped into somepony and gulped in fear. Stepping back, she kept her eyes averted and began uttering apologies.

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t see you there. I-I’ll be more careful-“

“What are you up to, Shy?” The familiar cocky voice brought the yellow pegasus’s gaze up to meet a grinning face clad in her traditional red glasses. Fluttershy felt a small smile appear on her own face at the cyan pegasus.

"Hey there Rainbow Dash.” The rainbow-maned pegasus groaned, putting a hoof to her forehead. “Oh no… Do you have a headache?”

“I’ve told you Fluttershy.” The smaller pegasus whimpered as Rainbow Dash wrapped her foreleg around her neck. She pointed towards the ceiling and spoke with an all-too-familiar cadence.

“Call me Dash, little sis. We’re a family after all. Blood makes you related. Loyalty makes you family!” Fluttershy watched mesmerized as her friend continues. “Besides all we need is each other. With the bonds born from the obstacles we’ve overcome, there is nothing we can’t accomplish!”

Deafening silence was her answer, Fluttershy blushing at all the attention they were getting from ponies around the room. After a few moments, Dash released her and dropped back into all four hooves. Flashing a grin at Fluttershy, she motioned for her to follow.

“Find anything interesting?” She whispered as the timid pony fell in step besides her. Dash was aware of her little sister’s fondness for finding trinkets in the dirt that came from ages before. Fluttershy hesitated before reaching into her vest, wordlessly handing the drill bit over. The cyan pony lifted it up to the light, her eyes squinting to take in the detail on it.

“It’s… definitely shiny. I bet ya if you wore it around your neck, you’d be twenty percent cooler.” Handing it back, the cyan pegasus adjusted her glasses before stretching out her wings. Even though there was no need to fly underground, Dash was probably the only pegasus who kept her wings in shape.

“Y-yeah?” Fluttershy was always wary of her friend, no her big sister’s way of judging things. They were always cool, awesome, or other variation she couldn’t think of. True, it was irritating sometimes but it was nice to have someone she could rely on. And Dash was definitely loyal.

“Loyal to the end! And even beyond that!” Dash would say if Fluttershy asked for help. Ever since her parents and some of her friends had been crushed in the cave in from a few years ago, Fluttershy had fought to find a reason to continue. All they did was dig and dig until their world began to fall. Then they would expand and the cycle would continue. An endless spiral downward was all life down here was.

“Don’t worry your little head about it, Shy!” Dash rustled Fluttershy’s dirty mane, earning a squeak. “I got us a drill and a plan!”

“Wait, what?!” Fluttershy felt like she had blanked out at a very important stage of the conversation. Once again, Dash had taken a dramatic stance, light shining down on her. She spread her wings and raised a hoof towards the ceiling, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“What the hay do you think I mean? We’re going to the surface! And there’s no way that old hag is going to stop us this time! This time, we’ll pierce through the clouds of the heavens and continues to drill our way onwards, creating our own path and our own destiny! Our destiny will be created from the broken fragments of those who oppose us! That’s our way! The way of the mighty Team Hurricane!”

She dropped down into a crouch and grinned. “Come on, Shy! The surface awaits!”

“Dash wait-!” Fluttershy felt herself pulled along in the cyan pegasus’s grip, her mind going frantic at the thought of drilling straight up. Plus, she didn’t like heights…

A few minutes of ill preparation later

“Alright, you ready, Shy?!” Dash asked, grinning from ear to ear. There were a few other pegasi with them carrying their own drills, who had overheard and been inspired to attempt to reach the surface as well.

“A-actually Dash-“ Fluttershy began before Dash cut her off.

“LET’S DO THIS!!” The cyan pony took off far faster than Fluttershy expected, being pulled along in her wake. Her wings flapped instinctively and she followed, her heart racing in her chest. The other pegasi whooped and took off as well, blazing towards the surface; their drills were already spinning in anticipation of boring through the limits of their world.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Dash yelled, weaving around the spiraling staircases on her path upwards. Other ponies were yelping and dodging out of the speeding group. Fluttershy let a reluctant grin cross her face. They were going to do it! This time, they were really going to do it!

“I don’t think so!” Fluttershy looked to her right where a midnight blue unicorn was leaping up the staircases, her horn flashing with energy. She felt her heart sink. It was Trixie, the self-appointed leader of the village and enforcer as well.

“You’re not stopping us this time, old hag!” Dash taunted her, blazing past her and causing the unicorn to stumble for a moment before a scowl appeared on her face. The other pegasi called out taunts as they passed, emboldened by Dash.

“We’ll see about that!” She shouted in response, her horn glowing brighter and sending out ropes of magic out that grabbed Dash’s left hind leg. With an almighty pull, Trixie managed to cause Dash to spin and drop her drill, narrowly missing the others. They scattered as their upwards momentum began to die. With as much time as they all spent underground, their wings just weren’t strong enough to keep them airborne without forward motion. Nevertheless, they tried to continue but another heave from Trixie caused Dash to crash into the group, sending them spiraling downwards.

Luckily, Trixie managed to cushion their fall so all the group received was minor bruises which was nothing compared to the crushing disappointment they felt at being so close and being thwarted yet again. The pegasi detached themselves from one another with groans as the panting Trixie reached them.

“Another failed escape, Dash?” Trixie smirked, the sword on her back, bouncing as her shoulders heaved. “Although I gotta say, I’m impressed you got that many to follow you into yet another doomed failure. How many is that?”

“Ha! As if!” Dash leapt to her feet before magical binds locked her legs and wings down. The other pegasi were likewise subdued, cowering before their leader.

“Um… Dash, I think she caught us…” Fluttershy mumbled, her lips barely moving. She kept her gaze down, fixated on the drill around her neck.

“She didn’t stop us. She’s only delayed the inevitable!” Dash stomped her hoof, the sound echoing loudly throughout the silent cavern. Ponies were watching in interest. This was the fifteenth escape attempt this month alone and it did liven things up for the ponies’ mostly dull lives.

“A pegasi’s spirit can never be chained down nor can it ever be broken! We are meant to break through the heavens!”

“Is that what your crazy father told you before he died in that cave in?” Trixie smiled as Dash growled in fury. “Your father told you those tales so you’d follow him down the path of the mentally unstable.”

“The surface exists!” Dash insisted her voice slightly manic now. “I know it does! I’ve seen it! For bucks sake, I’ve flown its skies when I was a filly!”

“Then why are you down here?” Trixie asked curiously, tilting her head slightly. “If you were there, then why come down here with the rest of us trapped ponies?”

Dash remained silent, her expression unreadable behind her glasses. Trixie smirked again. “Like I said, the surface doesn’t exist. Stop spreading false hope to all these colts and mares. It’s bad to have their dreams crushed.”

“I’m telling the truth, I swear!” Dash insisted as Trixie released the other ponies from their binds. The unicorn rolled her eyes. Turning to Fluttershy, she released the binds on her as well.

“You shouldn’t follow this reckless pony, Fluttershy. You have the potential to be great but you can’t keep following this… psycho.”

“Um…” Fluttershy looked uncertain as the other ponies walked away, heads down and glancing back with shame. She looked at Dash who stood defiantly face to face with Trixie. The cyan pegasus met her little sister’s gaze and smiled.

“Its fine, Shy. I’ll be fine. Just make sure to keep out of trouble, deal?” Trixie snorted in response.

“Since when do you care-“

A deep rumbling caused all the ponies gathered to panic, running for their alcoves. Fluttershy made to follow and realized that Dash and Trixie hadn’t moved at all, their eyes locked upon each other.

“What are you doing?!” She yelled at them. Neither of them spared a glance at her as a massive chunk of stone fell less than five feet away, showering them with stone shards.

“I don’t run.” Dash said flatly.

“The village needs a fearless and strong leader.” Trixie replied as another large boulder smashed nearby. “I will not let them see weakness from me.”

On the verge of tears, Fluttershy rushed up her friend, pulling on her mane. “Please, Dash! We’re gonna be crushed!”

Wrapping her foreleg around Fluttershy’s neck, Dash pulled her close. “Trust me. We’ll be fine.”

Burying her face into Dash’s mane, she waited for the inevitable end. For a tense few seconds, the rumbling intensified before stopping completely. Trixie breathed a sigh of relief and looked around to survey the damage. Several sections of the village were crushed beneath tons of rock but luckily nopony seemed hurt.

“Alright, drilling crew! I need a new wing carved out in three hours along with seven branching tunnels for those with crushed homes as well as the boulders drilled into moveable chunks. The rest of you worry about cleaning up your houses and such. And somepony take Dash to her cell please.”

Dash followed the earth pony, turning her head and calling over her shoulder. “You gonna live the rest of your lives cowering in fear?”

Trixie watched as the cyan pony disappeared into the shadows. “Sometimes the only thing we can do is weather the storm and hope for a warmer tomorrow.”

Fluttershy hiccupped, trying to catch her breath. Trixie placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to experience that, Fluttershy. I know you’re the best digger but you need to go lay down and-“

“No!” Trixie looked taken aback at her outburst. “I mean, I’m sorry but I can’t just rest when the village needs my help.”

“Are you sure?” Trixie asked gently. “We can always have Pinkie Pie dig. She has plenty of energy…”

“With all due respect, Pinkie Pie is an explosion waiting to happen.” A stallion replied as he passed the pair. “Last time, she touched a drill; we had to replace three whole tunnels.”

“I can do this.” Fluttershy insisted. Trixie still looked torn between letting the small pegasus go and getting somepony else to do it. “I need to get my mind off this…”

“If you insist.” Fluttershy turned to leave before Trixie spoke again. “Just… be careful, ok?”

“I-I will.” She continued along her way, passing several ponies digging out the rocks from their homes. Reaching the drilling area, she heard a familiar bubbly voice. The pink pony was begging for a chance to help, trying to get past the large stallion guarding the drills.

“Please? Pretty please with ice cream, sugar, and chocolate covered cherries on top?” Pinkie whimpered, giving the stallion a watery pout. The stallion merely shook his head in response. The pink earth pony slumped, turning to leave when she spotted Fluttershy. The pegasus gulped and braced herself for the onslaught.

“Oh hi Fluttershy!” The pink pony bounced over to her while the pegasus tried to maneuver around the hyperactive Pinkie. “Whatcha doing?!”

“I’m trying to give a hoof at digging the new tunnels we need now…” Fluttershy mumbled trying to get past her. “Will you please let me go by?”

“Only if you Pinkie Promise to take me to the surface next time!” The earth pony raised a hoof and waited expectantly. Shaking her head in exasperation, Fluttershy resigned herself to the infamous Pinkie Promise.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye…” Fluttershy muttered, more for her sake than Pinkie’s.

“Yay! And nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!” Pinkie got really close to Fluttershy, their muzzles inches apart. “Nopony, got that?”

Fluttershy whimpered in response to those cold maniacal eyes. As soon as she was able to, the pegasus seized a drill and began boring full speed through the dirt, desperate to put distance between herself and the psychotic pink pony. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going, twisting and diving wherever her whim took her. The truth was she needed some time alone and digging was what she was good at. The solitude gave her time to calm down and think about what both Trixie and Dash had said.

“Maybe Trixie is right… sometimes Dash is reckless and doesn’t think things through but… Trixie isn’t perfect either.” Fluttershy wiped a line of dust from her goggles as she continued deeper into the earth. “Maybe there isn’t a surface though… But why would Dash lie…?”

Time wore on as she continued to dig. It felt like forever as she dug, meandering through the dirt, not caring about the tunnels at all. It felt good to have no destination as she dug. Although she was getting kind of far from the village…

A resounding clang from the drill startled Fluttershy out of her reverie. She pulled her drill back and brightened her goggles so she could see. There was something metal and large there. And it was directly in her path. Two in one day? That was rare.

Revving her drill, she quickly dug around and under it, creating a chamber large enough to stand in comfortably. Fluttershy dug carefully, making sure to not damage the object whatever it was. Within a few moments, she had unearthed it. As she examined it, she realized it was mechanical in nature and was… a head.

A big head. It looked like she could sit in what Fluttershy determined was a cockpit. Climbing in, the pegasus fit comfortably almost as if the machine was designed for her. There was a spiral plate on the front of console. Reaching a hoof out, she touched it gingerly.

She cried out as the screen glowed gold for a brief instant before fading back into darkness. Trying to calm her racing heart, Fluttershy had only one thought in her head.

“I have to show Dash this. Whatever this is..."

Meanwhile...

Dash’s stomach growled in hunger. She was bored, tired, and hungry. Being unable to sleep because she was so hungry and she was tired because she couldn’t sleep. Hence the boredom. It was one thing to be jailed and another to not be provided food.

A squeaking caused her to raise her head. She peered into the darkness as a small white creature with long ears hopped out of the darkness and peered at the pegasus. An albino rabbit? Down here?

“Hey come here, little guy.” The rabbit tilted its head at her before shaking it in a very pony like fashion. Dash frowned before trying again.

“Why not?” Dash’s stomach protested loudly at the sudden appearance of the animal. While it would be weird to eat an animal, she was starving. And food was food.

The rabbit shook its head and pointed at the pony before miming eating. Dash felt her heart fall at that. This little thing was smart.

“I’m not gonna eat ya, little guy.” The rabbit folded his arms and looked at her with disbelief.

“Well, I was going to…”

A Fall from Above

Dash was snoring peacefully, the little white rabbit curled up next to her. Her exhaustion had finally won out against her hunger. The rabbit had only approached her when he was certain she was fully asleep, lying next to her for the warmth. Their sides rose and fell simultaneously as they breathed, their ears flickering at a low rumbling that seemed to emanate from under them.

Raising her head and yawning widely, Dash peered sleepily around the room looking for the source of the disturbance. Finding nothing she laid her head back down when a drill tore through the ground a mere few centimeters from her muzzle, the dust causing her to sneeze.

“What in the hay…?!” She bolted upright, her glasses falling lopsided for a moment and waking the rabbit who leaped up and held onto her for dear life; a sentiment she shared.

The sounds of somepony struggling up past the drill reached Dash’s ears and she raised an eyebrow when Fluttershy climbed through the hole, panting and looking excited. Brushing the dirt from herself she began talking excitedly.

“Dash you’ve got to see this! I was digging really deep this time and I found…” Her face fell when she saw the cyan pegasus’ face.

“I-I didn’t get you, did I?” Fluttershy asked, holding her hooves up to her mouth. “I couldn’t remember which cell you were in so I had to take a guess and I am so sorry if I got you with the drill-“

Dash cut her off. “Shy. If you had gotten me, I guarantee we would not be having this conversation right now.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, fidgeting nervously. Dash took a moment to look at her little sister in exasperation.

“No, you didn’t get me. You get me, you kill me!” She told her shortly, pushing her glasses back up to their rightful place. Fluttershy’s ears pressed back against her head and she cowered under the onslaught. Shaking her head, Dash smiled at the frightened pony.

“I’m sorry, Shy. Its just when I’m tired and hungry, I tend to get a little cranky when people come tearing through the floor and talking a mile a minute.” Dash offered a hoof and after a moment of hesitation, the yellow pegasus took it. She still looked downcast though and Dash quickly thought of how to cheer her up. The rabbit! Fluttershy loved animals and this one would be no exception.

Turning to look for the critter, a white blur was all she saw before Fluttershy cried out. Dash looked at her in alarm to see the rabbit perched on Fluttershy’s shoulder, hugging her. The pegasus smiled gently at the bunny, gently rubbing her cheek against the top of his head.

“I think he likes ya.” Dash pointed out with a grin. “He came in earlier and I was going to eat him but-“

“You were going to eat a poor defenseless bunny?!” Fluttershy looked shocked. “How could you? Angel was just looking for somewhere safe to stay because the earthquake destroyed his home. Isn’t that right, Angel bunny?”

The white rabbit nodded furiously, glaring at Dash. Fluttershy turned her attention to the pegasus as well. “Don’t worry, Angel. She won’t hurt you. Right, Dash?”

“But-“

“No buts. You are not going to eat Angel. He’s part of our family now.” The rabbit hopped on top of Fluttershy’s head and folded his arms, looking smug. He stuck his tongue out at Dash who resisted the urge to smack the animal in retaliation. Her hoof shook with the effort of restraint, slowly lowering her leg back to the ground. Sighing in defeat, Dash hung her head.

“Alright, alright. I promise I won’t eat Angel… unless we’re starving.”

“Dash…” Fluttershy persisted, her gaze hardening. Dash flinched at the Stare, trying to avert her gaze. It wasn’t often that she would be intimidated by a mere gaze but the way Fluttershy was looking at her, it frightened her a bit as much as she hated to admit it.

“Ok! I won’t ever eat Angel! Now… stop looking at me like that!”

“Sooo…. What’s so important that you broke me out of jail? Did you find a big diamond?” Dash asked, walking leisurely behind Fluttershy. She yawned as they reached the entrance to the tunnel Fluttershy had been digging. The rabbit was napping on Fluttershy’s back, his long ears twitching at the pegasus’ reply.

“I don’t know what you would call it.” Fluttershy paused, raising a hoof to her chin as she considered her answer. “I guess it’s some kind of face?”

“Doesn’t sound very fun if you ask me!” A figure fell from the ceiling and hit the ground with a resounding thud. Both Fluttershy and Dash jumped in fright as the pink pony leapt to her feet, the bouncy pony grinning ear to ear in the light from Fluttershy’s goggles. Dash and Fluttershy exchanged an uneasy glance at the sudden pony’s appearance.

“Where are you two going? Is it somewhere fun? Does it have candy? Ooh, what’s that on your back, Fluttershy?” Pinkie cantered forward, peering at the petrified bunny clinging to the yellow pegasus.

“A bunny? Where did you get him?”

“Its… a long story.” Dash lied, hoping to dissuade the earth pony from asking too many questions. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect; the pink pony’s face lighting up with joy. She settled back and waited expectantly.

“I love stories! So long as they don’t take too long to get to the point and they don’t have meaningless conversations with other characters that don’t take the story anywhere apart from mild amusement for the reader.” Pinkie bounced up and down. “That’s never fun for anypony.”

“That’s… oddly specific.” Dash replied, looking at Fluttershy and moving her hoof in a circle next to her ear. Fluttershy frowned at Dash, shaking her head.

“We’ll tell you the story some other time, ok?” Dash went to go past her but found herself on her back with the mad pony’s face inches away from her own.

“Pinkie promise?” Pinkie whispered, her voice dangerously low.

“Um… no?” Dash pushed her off and climbed to her feet. “Sorry, Pinkie but we have somewhere to be.”

“Not if it involves another attempt to the surface.” A series of lights turned on and blinded the three ponies gathered. Trixie stepped into the light followed by half a dozen stallions, her expression a dangerous balance of fury and self-control. She stomped her hoof as she spoke, cutting off Pinkie Pie’s greetings.

“So you thought you would bring the pink pony with you? Were it possible for you to leave and have both of you leave, I would gladly let you do so. However, since it is impossible for you to leave, I can’t allow you to keep spreading false hope amongst the villagers.”

“Oooh is this a surprise party?” Pinkie asked, bouncing up and down. “I love parties!”

“Hush, Pinkie.” Trixie spat, her attention focused on Dash who stood defiantly. The pink pony closed her mouth, her ears flattening against her head. Fluttershy was more or less hiding behind Dash, the smaller pegasus’ ears and mane barely visible. The stallions shifted uncomfortably as their leader spoke again.

“You just never learn, do you?” Trixie advanced on the duo, her expression changing as fury won out. “No matter what I do, you always just want to do the opposite of what I need you to do, don’t you?”

“What does it matter to you?”

“Everything!” Trixie exploded. “Everything that happens down here matters! Whether it be a cave-in, a food shortage, or someone spouting inane jabber! For years, you’ve been stirring up far more trouble than you are worth and I have grown tired of it. Putting you in a cell hasn’t helped one bit so the only other course left available to me is execution.”

“That’s a bit extreme.” Dash replied, watching her warily. The sword on Trixie’s back was levitated in a blue aura, the unicorn’s face still full of anger. “Since when have you been such a murderous psychopath?”

“I’m not a psychopath… I’m saving this village another few decades of your insanity.” Trixie took a step forward, raising the blade menacingly. Fluttershy whimpered in fear but raised her head.

“Please, Trixie… she hasn’t done anything wrong…” She whispered just loud enough for the unicorn to hear her. The mare hesitated, the blade lowering slightly.

“She’s been controlling you, Fluttershy. She’s just using you to get her way and when she does, you’ll be left behind.” Trixie replied quietly.

Dash took a wide stance, her wings ready to take off if necessary. Fluttershy covered her eyes and cowered. Trixie’s eyes narrowed. The stallions were still. Pinkie was chewing her popcorn, eyes transfixed on the spectacle. The crunching was as loud as thunder in the silence that resided.

Nopony moved, waiting for the other to move.

In the end, nopony had to move. The choice was made for them in the form of something smashing through the ceiling of their home and sending shrapnel everywhere. Sounds of cascading rock assailed everypony’s ears, low and powerful. Screams were prevalent but drowned out in the sound of falling stone.

Fluttershy screamed as a massive boulder flew towards them. Trixie yelled something, her sword dropping and an instinctive shield forming around her. It smashed into the shield and exploded, shards of razor sharp rock flew towards them. Dash seized Fluttershy around the neck and forced her to the ground. Fluttershy covered her head with her wings as the boulders continued to fall.

What seemed like an eternity later, the cascade stopped and Fluttershy could raise her head. Peering around and getting to her feet, she saw the outlines of the group of ponies struggled to get to their feet. Fluttershy coughed, flapping her wings to make sure nothing was broken. Turning her head left and right, she couldn’t see any sign of Dash.

“Dash? Dash?!” She cried, leaping on a small pile of rocks. Fluttershy scanned the area in a panic, her heart racing. The pile underneath her shifted and her footing was lost as the rocks crumbled to the side.

“Blaaaaagh!!” Dash shook her head, dust billowing out of her mane. She wiped her glasses free of dust and replaced them on her face. “Well, that certainly was unexpected.”

Fluttershy winced as she stood, feeling bruises forming on her legs. Her vest quivered for a moment before Angel popped his head out, eyes full of fear and suspicion.

“It’s okay, Angel. Nopony is gonna hurt you. Its all over. You’re safe now.” She gave the bunny a quick squeeze before a shout from Dash caught her attention.

“Whoa! Shy! Is this what you found?” Dash yelled from atop a nearby staircase. Fluttershy gathered her strength and leaped, her wings flapping to assist the jump. Landing gracefully next to Dash, she spotted what the pegasus was pointing at. It was a large silvery face with gleaming fangs. It looked similar to what she found but… huge.

Fluttershy shook her head. “The one I found was much smaller. I could sit inside it. This one is way too big and... ugly.”

“Ha! Damn right it’s ugly.” Dash scratched her head. “So what’s it even doing down here? How did it even get down here?”

“Maybe someone dug too close to it and it was too much weight for the ceiling to hold?” Fluttershy suggested, peering down at it.

“Maybe-“

“Y’all get away from that!!” An unfamiliar accented voice called out from above.

Dash and Fluttershy looked up, wincing at the yellow light coming down from the ceiling to see a pony plummeting towards them on some sort of harness. Landing with a thud in front of them, the two mares stared at the new pony, who was wearing some kind of contraption on her back.

“Y’all might wanna take a step back!” Dash and Fluttershy watched in awe as the contraption unfolded and a scope lined up with the pony’s right eye. Without warning, another rumbling began. This one was far stronger than before and the village ponies began screaming again.

The metal face in front of them suddenly lurched, pushing itself upright. After a quick look around, the creature roared and smashed its fist into the side of the cavern wall, shattering the stone. Fluttershy’s jaw dropped in awe at the sheer size of the thing. It was far too big to move that quickly…. Wasn’t it?

“Darn it!” The pony yelled next to them. “We gotta move ‘fore he spots us, otherwise we’ll just be a stain on the stone… Where’s your friend?”

“Huh?” Fluttershy turned to see Dash was gone. Had she run at the first sign of trouble? That wasn’t like her at all.

“Hey you!! Yeah you with the big ugly buck teeth!!” She heard Dash shout.

Oh no… Fluttershy thought. She can’t possibly be that dumb…

Turning towards the source of the voice, she saw Dash standing there on a broken staircase, glaring daggers through her red tinted glasses at the creature. The monster turned and looked in surprise at the yelling cyan pegasus.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Um Dash?!” Fluttershy yelled in fear. Dash ignored her and took a deep breath, a grin setting on her face.

“Does she have a death wish?” The earth pony asked, the rifle on her back reloading and taking aim. She took a wide stance, peering through the scope.

“I’m about to tell you what’s what so you better listen up, you metal faced freak! The mighty Team Hurricane is one that tears through their enemies with the fury of a thousand storms. When you hear everypony swap stories about their awesome leader, they’re talking about me! The best flyer in existence: Rainbow Dash!”

Silence was her answer. Fluttershy couldn’t stop a smile from appearing on her face. The other pony groaned, putting a hoof to her face.

“What the hell is she talking about?”

“Beats me…” Fluttershy admitted.

Dash raised a sword which Fluttershy recognized as Trixie’s. The pegasus growled through the handle. “You won’t be doing any more damage to our home!”

The creature remained still for a moment before raising a fist. The orange pony next to Fluttershy took aim and fired three times, the resounding thunder from the gun nearly deafening her. The creature roared, falling backwards into the rubble. As the dust billowed, Dash looked down at the two in surprise.

“I had everything under control!”

“Less talk, more retreating!” The earth pony yelled as Fluttershy pointed towards the tunnels. The pegasus flapped her wings and landed at a full gallop with the two.

“So you’re from the surface?” Dash asked excitedly as they neared the tunnel entrance. The orange pony nodded, allowing Fluttershy to enter first.

“Yep. Trust me though, it’s not all its cracked up to be. “

“Yeah, yeah.” Dash peered back towards the rapidly fading light where the creature had regained its feet and was smashing again furiously. “What the hay is that?”

“We call them Shades. Don’t ask me why, I’ve questioned it for years. I felt we needed a better name but its difficult when you’re constantly fighting for your life.” The orange pony followed Fluttershy out of the hole. Dash followed suit, climbing out into the fourth level overlook. The creature was still demolishing without abandon.

“Wonderful, I got a perfect shot here.” Her rifle unfolded again, and she braced herself against the stone balcony. She took careful aim at the back of the creature’s head. “One shot and he goes to sleep.”

“Hey ugly! You’re going down!” Dash yelled, startling the two. The creature spun quickly, hurling a massive boulder at them. The pony from the surface yelled and fired, the shell shattering the rock into dozens of smaller but no less deadly pieces. The trio yelled and dove back into relative safety behind the stone wall.

“What the hay is wrong with you?!” She yelled at Dash. Fluttershy was rocking back and forth, clutching Angel. The rabbit wasn’t doing any better, clutching his own knees and rocking as well.

“Victory that isn’t won face to face is no true victory!” Dash yelled as Fluttershy weakly led them to another tunnel in the ground.

“Just… shut up.” The orange pony replied, adjusting her own glasses. “Where the buck are we going?”

“To the one I found.” Fluttershy replied weakly, the tunnel shaking slightly from the violence above. “Its just up ahead.”

“By the way, we never caught your name.” Dash called from behind, her wings tucked firmly against her body. “Bet its something awesome. That’s Fluttershy and I’m Rainbow Dash. What’s yours?”

“You can call me AJ for now. We make it outta here; I’ll tell y’all my full name. Deal?” AJ looked back and flashed a grin at Dash, who smirked in return.

“Deal, AJ.”

Send it Back!

“So this is what you wanted to show me?” Dash asked, peering closely at the machine that Fluttershy was sitting in. Fluttershy nodded, the light bobbing with the movement. Angel yawned and snuggled into the pegasus’ mane, promptly falling asleep.

“Yeah, isn’t it great?” Fluttershy smiled, wiping dust off her goggles. “I think its been here a very long time. At least twenty years, I’m willing to bet.”

“It looks like its still in great condition.” AJ replied, peering inside at the console. “We can use this to get outta here.”

“But we can’t leave that… thing inside the village. We have to help them!” Fluttershy protested as the two other ponies climbed in next to her. “Dash, come on.”

“She’s right. We can’t run and leave the village to be destroyed.” Dash replied, her eyes taking on that familiar fiery look. “We’ll take Typhoon and make it regret coming down here in the first place!”

“Typhoon?” AJ asked, looking confused. Dash slammed her hoof into the side of the machine.

“Of course! A beauty like this needs a name! And nothing else suits her better than Typhoon of Team Hurricane!” Dash turned to look at Fluttershy. “Let’s get going!”

“Right!” Fluttershy climbed out and waited for Dash to take her place behind the controls. The pegasus frowned at her.

“What are you doing?”

“A-aren’t you going to drive?” Fluttershy squeaked as Dash pulled her back into the operator seat. The cyan pegasus shook her head at that. AJ looked at the two of them, slightly confused. She settled into her seat as Dash spoke again.

“This thing is yours. Its your claim and your destiny. It wouldn’t be right for me to take that sort of thing from you. Something is telling me that you are the one meant to defeat that thing and to do dig us out of here.” Dash pressed a hoof to Fluttershy’s chest. “That’s what I believe.”

“But… I can’t…” Fluttershy whispered, shaking visibly.

“Shy.” Dash locked eyes with her. “Don’t believe in yourself. Believe in me.”

“Huh?” Fluttershy asked, confused. AJ looked perplexed as well. Dash ignored their expressions and continued.

“Believe in me, I said. Believe in the Dash that believes in you.”

“What the hay does that even mean?” AJ demanded, raising an eyebrow. To Fluttershy however, it made sense. She took a deep breath and looked down, examining the screen.

“Right…” She spotted a soft green glowing light and looked down at the drill around her neck. Lifting it, she spotted a small hole in the center of the screen and raised it, hesitating for a moment before pushing it in and turning it.

The effect was immediate, the energy on the screen spiraling outwards from the drill. The whole machine quaked and stood, energy humming gently. Fluttershy took a deep breath and pushed her hooves into the controls. The bracers locked, allowing the pegasus to move the machine as easily as her arms.

“Alright, Shy! Now let’s go get that ugly monster!” Dash yelled, pointing towards the tunnel.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and shoved the controls forward as hard she could, the machine instantly charging forwards. It tore through the dirt with ease, its arms digging far more efficiently than her drill.

In a matter of moments, the machine flew out into the wrecked cavern and slammed into the opposite wall, dazing the ponies inside and nearly throwing AJ loose.

“Well that wasn’t as smooth as I hoped…” Fluttershy mumbled. “Sorry…”

AJ took aim at the Shade and fired, the shell slamming into the exterior. It spun around and spied them, its fangs gleaming in the light. A large growl echoed throughout the cavern, low and rumbling.

“Bet you weren’t expecting that, huh?!” Dash taunted the creature as it raised its giant club. Fluttershy cried out and urged the machine out of the way, dashing between the Shade’s legs. The club hit the area they had previous occupied, shattering granite and sending a shockwave that sent the small mech upwards.

“This is insane!!” AJ yelled, holding onto the side to prevent herself from falling out. Fluttershy was both fighting the urge to be sick and to regain control of the machine. Dash was beside herself with exhilaration.

“I know! Isn’t it great?!!” Dash let out a whoop as the club narrowly missed them again, slamming through a support pillar. “Is this how it is up top?!”

“Pretty much!!” AJ yelled back as Fluttershy screamed out in fear as they tumbled through the air. Reacting instinctively, Fluttershy pulled back on the controls, flipping the machine upright. She realized suddenly that she was the only one sitting in the cockpit.

“Dash?! AJ?!” She yelled, looking around frantically. Spying the duo on top of the Shade’s head, she didn’t spot the enemy’s fist flying towards her. Moving the mech’s arms to protect herself, Fluttershy held on for dear life as she was slammed into the wall, the sheer force embedding the terrified pony into the cavern wall.

“Fluttershy!!!” Dash yelled, dropping the sword from her mouth. AJ merely glanced in her direction before firing straight into the Shade’s head, the bullet ricocheting off harmlessly. Dash went to take off but a wild swing from the Shade prevented her from doing so, the rush of wind flattening her to the metal. Dash held on for dear life, the force behind the motion nearly tearing her off.

“Fluttershy, we could use a hand here!!” AJ screamed as the metal fingers scraped towards the ponies. Raising her gun and firing wildly, the force behind her shot sent the hand backwards a few meters with a horrible screeching sound. As AJ continued to fire, Dash tried to get up and force the blade into the Shade’s head.

“Dammit Fluttershy, get out of there and give us a hand!!” She yelled as the blade slipped, slicing into her back leg. Blood dripped onto the metal exterior as the two ponies continued to try to break through.

Fluttershy heard the scream and stirred gently. Angel shook her, the pegasus moaning and opening her eyes. She saw Dash and AJ desperately holding on as their enemy attempted to dislodge them. Her eyes hardened at the sight, anger beginning to stir in her gentle heart.

“How dare you….” The spiral console glowed brighter, another spiral wave spreading outwards from the center. The top of the mech closed over the pony, sealing her inside. She squeezed the two handles hard, her eyes fixated on the giant mech. Angel settled onto her shoulder, balling his paws up into tiny little fists and urging her forwards.

“How dare you!!”

Fluttershy shoved as hard as she could and the acceleration nearly threw her back, but she recovered quickly. So intent was she on the Shade, she didn’t realize that something was coming out of the arm of her mech. Aiming for the fist descending towards Dash and AJ, Fluttershy pushed even harder; her arms were beginning to burn with the strain. The console was glowing nearly white with energy now when she slammed into the fist, sending it backwards and splintering the metal.

Landing with a solid thud, she opened the hatch as Dash and AJ sprinted towards it. They leapt in and Fluttershy promptly closed it. It was a bit cramped but not unbearably so. A sudden swipe from the club sent the group smashing into the ground, creating a small crater. Shaking her head, Fluttershy spied the massive weapon descending towards her and reacted instinctively.

She forced the mech to its feet and swung the right fist forward to meet it. With a burst of emerald energy, a drill came shooting out of it and began boring through the weapon, the vibrations shaking the smaller mech violently as metal was torn apart with a shrill screeching noise.

“Way to go, Shy!!” Dash yelled, leaning over the seat. “Now lets finish this!!”

Fluttershy barely glanced at her, her concentration on destroying this monster. Dash set her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder and pointed straight at the creature’s face.

“Straight ahead and straight up!! That’s the way we do things!!” Dash yelled. Fluttershy didn’t understand how she knew what to do but she willed the drill to spin faster. As the low rumble became a screaming hum, she shoved the mech forward, the spinning tool into her enemies face, causing teeth to shatter and splinter.

“You do not hurt my friends!!” Fluttershy yelled, as underneath the mech began to glow green before launching itself deeper into its ugly maw, thrusters firing with green flames. Dash and AJ were holding on for dear life as the Typhoon simultaneously drilled through and lifted the Shade off the ground. A howl of fury burst from the monster’s maw, echoing through the cavern.

AJ held on for dear life as the entire machine shook with the force behind the drill, Fluttershy and Dash urging Typhoon faster, the Shade being slammed into the ceiling with the power behind the smaller mech’s thrusters. With twin yells, the thrusters fired up even higher and began shoving their enemy straight the stone.

“Surface here we come!!” Dash yelled from the back, having been thrown back from the force of the acceleration. AJ looked green and had a hoof pressed to her mouth to keep herself from puking. Fluttershy was urging the machine through the ground at a sickening speed, determined to make sure this thing would never torment her friends again.

With the loud screech of rending metal, Typoon blasted the Shade out of the ground along with a cloud of dust. As the broken shell began falling back to the earth, the hatch opened and the rush of wind startled the trio. A blinding light assailed Dash’s and Fluttershy’s eyes, the pegasi quickly shielding their eyes from the glare.

Fluttershy gasped, seeing nothing but land for miles without any walls or ceilings to contain them. Leaning her head back, she spied nothing but blue and white strange floating things. Dash was grinning ear to ear, her mane rippling in the breeze.

“Told ya it existed.”

“Wow…” Fluttershy murmured, peering over the edge at the crater in the ground and the broken body of the Shade. “It’s even bigger than I imagined…”

“Well, looks like y’all kept your end of the deal, so I have to keep mine.” AJ smiled as she pulled herself back up into a sitting position. “Name’s Applejack.”

“Great to know your name… but I think I like AJ better.” Dash replied, gazing out at the sun. The trio sat in silence for a moment before realizing something.

“We’re not going up anymore…” Applejack stated, looking over the side.

“Nope.” Dash replied as she laid back and basked in the sun, eyes closed.

“Um… Dash…?” Fluttershy asked as Angel yawned and rubbed his eyes, waking up from his nap. “We’re falling…”

“Yup.”

Applejack and Fluttershy looked at each other and for the first time in her life, the pegasus said a word that perfectly summed up their situation.

“Buck.”

________________________________________________

Pinkie groaned and shoved the rocks off her, her poofy mane deflated and straight. Stretching her limbs out, she winced in pain but apart from large bruises and a few sprains, everything seemed alright. As she cast her gaze around, the pink pony noticed the destruction and chaos in the cavern as well as a golden light pervading from the ceiling.

“Huh. Wonder what that could be.” She trotted over to where several stallions were shifting through rubble as they looked for surviviors.

Trixie was nearby, staring up at the ceiling. The bemused mark on her face puzzled Pinkie. She tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s wrong, Trixie?” She asked cheerfully as she plopped next to the unicorn. The village leader barely spared her a glance before responding.

“I thought she was always full of it… but I guess there is a surface. She’s gone now but so is Fluttershy. I hope for Fluttershy’s sake, they stay safe up there. Perhaps we can-“

“Whoawhoa!!” Pinkie cried out grabbing the unicorn by the shoulders and shaking her. “What do you mean they’re gone?!”

“They attacked that….thing with a smaller machine of sorts and took it straight through the ceiling.” Trixie pushed Pinkie Pie off her and brushed herself off. “They’re gone, Pinkie. Shame they didn’t take you.”

Pinkie’s grin slowly transformed into a ferocious snarl, the joyful eyes filling with dark vengeance. Her mane and coat seemed to turn to the color of ash as the unicorn watched. As she stalked away, Trixie shuddered at the sudden change. She was about to turn away and depart right when the words spoken with malevolence rang in her ears.

“Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise… Nopony…”

Trixie could only hope that Dash and Fluttershy would survive the storm of vengeance headed their way.

____________________________________________________

“I can’t stop it!!” Fluttershy yelled as Angel frantically pushed buttons on the console in a desperate bid to make it fly. They had been falling for a solid minute but none of them wanted to look over the side to see how close they were getting to a sudden stop and a very long sleep.

“Just do what you were doing before.” Dash replied, waving a hoof dismissively. “We’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know what I did!” Fluttershy yelped as she pulled on the controls, spinning it in a sharp circle. Applejack chose that moment to be sick and vomited over the side, the smell being blown away in an instant. As she pulled her head back, she managed to say: “Not to worry you two, but we’re getting mighty close to the ground.”

The yellow pegasus bit her lip and pushed the controls forward, slamming the hatch shut. Finally! A step in the right direction. Now all she needed to do was find what she had done to make it-

Her next thought was obliterated as Typhoon slammed into the ground full force and bounced, the hatch opening unexpectedly and sending the trio flying. Fluttershy rolled across the ground before slamming into a rock, crying out in pain as a stabbing pain flew through her wing.

Dash didn’t fare any better, trying to regain control of her fall by flying helped her a bit but the speed of her descent combined with her closeness to the ground resulted in her smashing into the ground with a yell, a cloud of dust being thrown up in the process.

The earth pony known as Applejack fared the best, having dealt with falls before although not of that altitude. When Typhoon launched them, AJ had tucked her legs in and managed to roll with the impact only earning a few cuts and bruises as she did so, the gun on her back making her landing less than graceful.

As they lay there panting, Fluttershy opened her eye through the haze of pain to see some ponies blotting out the sunlight. She struggled to get up but she was too weak. Angel pulled himself out from under her and brandished a dead stick at them, spinning it in his paws faster than they could see. When they hesitated, he charged and smacked the nearest one in the head.

“Ow!” The stallion said, rubbing his head. “Maybe we should just leave em?”

“No, you heard Sparks. She said she had caught AJ’s signal. These two have gotta be with her.” A mare replied. Fluttershy managed to make out a mint green pony standing there arguing with a brown stallion.

“What about the bunny?” A grey pegasus asked, her eyes staring in two different directions. She leaned down and smiled at the bunny that hissed and spun the stick again. “He’s cute!”

“I’m guessing he’s a pet of hers?” The brown stallion asked, staring dubiously at the creature. “Maybe we should ask Sparks about these guys?”

The wall-eyed pegasus spotted Fluttershy’s eyes open and rushed to her side. “Are you alright? Can you get up?”

“I-I think so.” Fluttershy managed to get her feet under her but her wing was bent at an odd angle. “I think my wing is broken though…”

“I still say we leave her and the other one out here for the Solaris unit.” The brown stallion said, eyeing the pegasus with suspicion.

“Like hay you are!” Applejack replied as she approached an old worn hat on her head. “Thanks Lyra for getting my hat from that last fight. I was worried I’d lost it forever.”

“No problems, AJ.” The mint unicorn lowered her head in response and held out her hoof out which AJ promptly bumped.

“Ditzy. I need you to get the crew out here to get these two back to the village. We took a bit of a nasty fall. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Ditzy sprang onto her hind legs and raised a hoof in a salute before taking off in a cloud of red dust. As Fluttershy was about to speak, a wave of dizziness overtook her and she fell over again. Looking up into AJ’s face, she saw her mouth moving but didn’t hear a word she was saying. A cold feeling was becoming prevalent throughout her body. She suddenly became aware of her side being warm and she turned her head to see a shard of stone about four inches long protruding from her body.

She tried to stay awake as the ponies over her tried to keep her attention but the ground was so comfortable… A nap sounded nice… She had already more than enough tunnels for today… Fluttershy deserved a break...

Challengers Approach!

Fluttershy groaned softly, shifting slightly in her bed. As she opened her eyes, a dull ache throbbed in her head. She glanced around the room and took in her surroundings. There were shelves made from scrap metal and containing a bunch of unfamiliar tools. A few beds were here and there but the room itself seemed to be carved out of stone, similar to her old home.

A few windows were allowing sunlight in, the blankets over them fluttering gently in the slight breeze. A soft snore caused her to jump and she glanced behind her. Rainbow Dash was sprawled out on the bed next to hers, the blanket wound around her back legs and her mane covering her face. Both of her wings were wrapped tightly as well as her forelegs. As the pegasus shifted, Fluttershy spied the bandages wrapped around her chest.

As Fluttershy stretched her own limbs out to get rid of the last remnants of sleep, her left wing screamed with pain causing her to yelp out. Keeping the wing out was difficult as she examined it carefully, noting the loosened bandages wrapped around it. They must have come loose while she was asleep. Grimacing as she tucked the aching limb firmly against her body, Fluttershy let out the breath she was holding and examined the rest of her injuries.

There were a few bruises here and there seemed to be the extent of her injuries when she noticed the bandages wrapped around her side. There was some blood on the bandages and Fluttershy remembered the shard of stone protruding from her side. As if to emphasize, pain flared in her side and she bit her lip, a soft whimper escaping her.

The pain dulled after a few moments leaving nothing but a dull ache, She took a deep breath to steady herself. Dash snorted in her sleep and Fluttershy jumped, yelping in pain again. A soft thud reached her ears and she tilted her head slightly to listen carefully for another sound but nothing followed it. There was a faint whistling that was slowly growing louder and she couldn’t quite place her hoof on it.

There was an explosion of sound nearby and the structure shook violently, nearly knocking her off her feet. Dash fell out of her bed with a yell, getting tangled in the blanket and struggling to free herself from its embrace. After a few moments of yelling and rolling around, Fluttershy managed to get her free as another explosion, stronger than the last, rocked the building and knocked them off their feet.

As they ran through the door, Fluttershy nearly losing her footing on the rough threshold. The tremors had ceased but neither pony felt the urge to stop fleeing, the adrenaline in their bodies fighting logic. The outside of the village seemed unharmed but cobbled together out of scrap metal and carved out of the stone. There were a few ponies milling about, seemingly unworried about the explosions merely moments before.

As they began to calm down, Dash pointed out towards the wall surrounding the village. Applejack stood on the wall, peering through the scope of her rifle out towards the horizon. A few ponies stood next to her, their weapons also mounted on their backs in a similar manner to AJ’s.

“What the hay was that?!” Dash asked, panting at the foot of the wall. “What were those explosions?”

Applejack glanced down with surprise. “Well, you two sure recovered quicker than we expected...”

A smooth jump down and the earth pony tilted her hat back a bit more, revealing a young but serious face. She grinned at them before continuing. “I didn’t think two ponies who were as injured as you two would be back on their feet so quickly. Heck, we didn’t expect you to wake up till tomorrow.”

“Ha! These are just scratches!” Dash laughed stretching her wings out before crying out. “Or maybe… a broken wing too…”

The earth pony chuckled. “Yeah, the fall broke y’all’s wings. You’ll be stuck to the ground for a few weeks. You’re mighty lucky that’s all you got from a fall like that.”

“A few weeks?!” The cyan pegasus groaned, slumping on the ground. “I need to fly! After all those years underground, I need to stretch my wings and ride the winds. Not be stuck on the ground like some common earth pony.” She looked at Applejack who was frowning. “No offense.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Applejack went to turn. “Anyway, to answer your question, it’s the Solaris unit firing at us. This here is they're territory and they’ve been trying to run us out for years. I reckon with your help, we can keep them from ever coming back here again.”

“Wh-what?” Fluttershy stammered, confused. A sentiment Dash obviously shared when she spoke up.

“What do you think we are? Your little soldiers to fight whenever you need us?” Dash walked over and leaned into the earth pony’s face. “Just because we saved you down in our pit of a town doesn’t mean this is a thing that’ll happen every time you’re in trouble. We’re not anypony’s minions to do as we’re told. Come on, Shy. Let’s get out of here and find somewhere else to stay.”

“Let me know how long you last.” Applejack replied, her eyes narrowed at the pegasus. “The next city is miles away and I’ll tell ya: chances are there are at least fifty Shades between here and there. So if you want to run away with your tail between your legs, feel free. We’ve managed without your help before, why should we even ask you?”

Dash spun around, dust being kicked up in the process. “What did you say?!”

“You heard me. You’re running at the first sign of danger. Again.” Applejack hid a smile at the pegasus’ anger. “You ran this morning and you’re running again.”

“Now wait a minute-“ Dash started before Fluttershy interrupted, her little voice barely being heard.

“Stop it!” She flinched when they both looked at her. “We all ran from that thing, Applejack. You shouldn’t taunt her for running from something we’ve never seen before. We’re in a world where the rules we know has been shattered and logic is bucked beyond everything.”

“Ha, see!” Dash crowed triumphantly before Fluttershy put her head back down, mumbling quiet nothings to herself. “She’s right. If you’re so fearless, then why did you run with us? Couldn’t you have taken down Mr. Dragon Teeth all by yourself?”

Applejack glared for a few moments before sighing deeply. Another thud in the distance was followed by a near immediate explosion less than fifty feet from the wall. Fluttershy flinched, a few pebbles bouncing off her goggles. Dash looked to the horizon where there was gold and blue figures coming close what she guessed were Shades approaching the settlement.

“We’ll help.” Fluttershy stated firmly as AJ opened her mouth to speak again. Both Dash and the earth pony looked at her in surprise. “But… you need to explain everything to us afterwards. If-if that’s alright…”

AJ looked at the two of them for a few moments before nodding. “I really do appreciate your help and I promise to tell you everything I know.”

She pointed towards a building with a crude star painted on the side. “Typhoon is in there. All we need ya to do is distract them. We can take care of the rest.”

Dash watched Fluttershy as she rushed off towards the building, her pink mane streaming behind her. She glanced at Applejack before following her little sister, racing to catch up.

The two ponies reached the building and stepped inside just as an explosion rocked the building, but this one came from inside. Black smoke came spewing out from behind a bunch of crowded shelves along with a string of frustrated swearing. There was a crash of metal and a shelf began to topple over onto Fluttershy, who yelped and leaped out of the way just in time as sharp metal fell where she had been standing.

A purple unicorn emerged from the smoke, coughing and shaking her head. Brushing soot out of her mane and removing her goggles, the mare looked at the two standing there. For a few moments, nopony moved save for the occasional flick of a tail. Then the purple pony spoke.

“Name’s Twilight Sparkle.” She turned away and began levitating things back onto the shelves. “I’m guessing you two are the ones who found that little unit. Interesting design, I must say. Its smaller than other Shade units but the exterior is much stronger than the plating on its larger counterparts. The energy output is also substantially higher than I expected from something so small. If we could manage to figure out how to build these, then we’d be far better prepared for these attacks. I can understand AJ wanting to keep you two around if you ponies are the only ones capable of piloting her.”

“Huh?” Dash managed, not taking in a word she said. Fluttershy had spotted Typhoon under a tarp and pulled it off with a gasp.

“Dash, look what she did to it!”

The moment Dash looked at it, she was speechless. They exchanged glances at it before looking at the unicorn. She grinned sheepishly, taking a step back.

“I thought it looked better this way….”

“Better? Better?! It’s vomit green!” Dash yelled. “Change it back! The red and black was much cooler!”

Fluttershy had already climbed in and had started it up, trying to ignore the horrendous color. Twilight backed away as Dash advanced on her, her magenta eyes glaring at the purple pony through her crimson glasses.

“Turn it back.”

“O-ok. Sheesh, try to kill a mare because it isn’t exactly how you want it.” Twilight shook her head, her horn lighting up and washing the Typhoon in an aura of magic. For a few moments, the green glowed brighter before fading completely and leaving the old red and black tint.

“Much better!” Dash turned and leapt alongside Fluttershy. “Now let’s go kick some flank!”

Fluttershy gulped and nodded nervously, urging the mech out the door. Twilight watched them go, shaking her head.

“Well, when they get killed, I’m turning that thing back to green.”

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dash and Fluttershy were on a cliff next to Applejack. They had climbed up onto the bluffs surrounding the village in order to box the Shades in once they had passed the rocks. The rocks were burning hot, the heat causing minor burns on their legs and chest from direct contact with the stone. Fluttershy was peering through the scope that Applejack had loaned to her, examining the approaching Shade. She noticed a small sun insignia emblazoned on the shoulder of each one.

“What are those signs?” The pegasus asked as she passed the scope to Dash who eagerly looked through the scope at the approaching enemy. “Is it some kind of marking?”

“That marking is a sign of the Solaris extermination squad.” Applejack replied, her voice terse. “They are the ones who get sent out to demolish settlements. Pretty good too but they have yet to beat us completely.”

“Solaris?” She asked as a shell came screaming by overhead before being shot down by one of the ponies on the walls. The fiery metal shards rained down into the sand, the blackened steel glittering like glass.

“Apparently there’s someone in charge of them.” Applejack shrugged. “I dunno. That’s what I’ve heard. We just damage enough so that they don’t work them anymore and then we strip 'em for parts.”

“Wait, damage them?” Dash asked, looking up at the two. She straightened her glasses and adjusted the sword on her back. “You mean they aren’t living?”

“Nope. They’re just like y’all’s little one.” AJ looked through her scope again, taking aim at the center Shade. “We’ve never seen whatever they look like. They always run before we get to them.”

“Well, why not just steal one?” Dash asked, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, Shy has Typhoon but why not just fix them and use them yourself?”

Applejack stared at Dash for a few minutes, not blinking. Fluttershy poked her in the shoulder but she didn’t respond. She closed her mouth but didn’t seem capable of speech.

“You can’t tell me that nopony thought of that?” Dash asked incredulously. “How is that even possible?!!”

Applejack was busy slamming her face into the rock in front of her, slowly and deliberately. Fluttershy placed a hoof on her shoulder as the earth pony hit her face particularly hard, an audible thud echoing off the rocks.

“We… are… so… bucking… stupid…” Applejack spoke each word with each smack, her hat tumbling sown the rocks.

“Sorry to interrupt your self-loathing, but you have four Shades thirty seconds out.” Twilight’s voice rang from the earpieces they had been given. Dash and Fluttershy flinched at the noise but took their positions.

Dash stood a few feet away from Typhoon looking down at the Shades. Fluttershy could see her thoughts and plans beginning to flow. She met her sister’s eyes and recognized the look of manic passion. She flashed Fluttershy a grin and gestured towards the middle Shade.

“I’m going to steal that one.” The pegasus declared.

“What?!” Applejack looked up at Dash as she walked to the edge of the rocks and gazed down, tensing up as she did so. The cyan pegasus grinned at the earth pony. Fluttershy looked panicked and stood up in Typhoon, opening her mouth to protest.

“Who the hay do you think I am?”

With that, she jumped down towards the Shades.

A Plan? What Plan?

Flaring her wings at the last possible second, Dash stifled her yelp as pain screamed through her limb. She landed shakily in front of the Shades and glared up at the tall hulking creatures. They hadn’t slowed and she guessed that they hadn’t seen her. She drew her sword and held it tightly in her teeth as they approached. Well, she could change that.

“Hey!” She yelled, her voice muffled by the sword’s handle. There wasn’t even a glance as they strode over her towards the village, dust billowing over her and obscuring her vision. The thick dust set her to coughing and she struggled to get her bearings. A metal foot slammed less than five feet away, nearly knocking her off her hooves and into the broken rocks.

Applejack and Fluttershy watched as the Shades continued on their way as the pegasus tried to regain her balance. The earth pony sighed and nodded towards Fluttershy, indicating for her to get moving. Typhoon glowed with familiar energy and Fluttershy urged it into motion, her eyes on Dash down on the ground.

“Dammit!!” Dash spun around and spied the shadowy hulking figures, walking away from her. She quickly cast her gaze around and spotted a fair-sized rock lying on the ground. Seizing it, the pegasus hurled it with all her might towards the departing figures. The rock quickly flew out of her sight and after a few seconds, the clang of stone meeting steel echoed through the narrow valley. The beast stopped and turned, the red eyes focused on the cyan pony. She grinned and stood her ground.

“Where the hay do you think you’re going?!” She shouted her mane and tail wavering in the breeze. “She who has left her home and torn her way out from the center of the earth never runs away, never retreats, but instead bolts towards her future! She’s fast! She’s awesome! She’s the coolest damn mare alive! And I’m talking ‘bout me! The mighty-“

She never finished her speech as the silvery blue fist smashed in the ground she currently occupied, boulders tearing loose and flying skyward. The Shade looked curiously at the crater and at its own hand, surprised there was no blood or body. Looking at the dust trail, he spotted Typhoon sliding across the ground, the pegasus held firmly in the grip of the small mech.

Roaring in anger, he kicked at the pair, the force behind the blow sending them flying through the air. Fluttershy managed to flip open the cockpit and get her friend inside before they slammed headlong into the wall. For a long moment, the world tumbled violently but the cockpit stayed shut this time. It kept the ponies inside from being flung out across the dirt but didn’t stop them from being thrown around inside the small cockpit. Fluttershy was in the pilot seat and strapped into the controls but Dash tumbled end over end again and again, limbs becoming tangled around each other with each rotation.

As the duo finally came to a stop, they stayed in their respective positions for a moment until Dash spoke.

“I am getting really tired of being kicked around.”

Fluttershy opened the hatch after Dash kicked it, her rainbow mane disheveled and covered in dirt. She glared at the smaller pony whose wings were trembling from her previous exertion. Climbing out, Dash glanced at the gouge in the earth created by their crash. She wiped a trickle of blood off her muzzle and picked up her sword from the ground.

“What were you doing?!” Fluttershy panted, the mech mimicking her movements, their shoulders heaving. Dash shook the dust from her limbs and ignored the question, straightening her glasses as she went. As she walked around Typhoon to face the lone approaching Shade, Fluttershy heard her speak.

“You can’t spend your life running from conflict. Sometimes you need to face the challenge head on.”

As the beast came closer, Fluttershy closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep breath. She thought of her fear of her dragons, a fear of something she hadn’t even seen. Beasts that dug massive tunnels and appeared in villages to consume them all… This thing reminded her of the stories told around the fires. A monster of nightmares but… she could change that.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at the blue and gold creature coming ever closer. Dash had stopped and was waiting for the Shade to reach her, her tail waving in the breeze rolling off the rocks. Everything was wavering from the heat and Fluttershy took a deep breath and manipulated the controls, sending Typhoon into a brisk walk towards Dash.

Drawing level with her sibling, both ponies gazed at the lone Shade, gunfire echoing in the distance. Their earpieces buzzed with unintelligible voices but they ignored them. It didn’t matter what the others were up to at the moment. They had something in their path that needed to be uprooted.

“Do you have a plan?” Fluttershy asked, her voice magnified by Typhoon. Dash looked sideways at her and grinned. She held out a leg and the mech bumped its fist to her hoof, its hand easily dwarfing her hoof.

“I always have a plan.” Dash looked back to the Shade who was now picking up its pace, the impacts of its feet shaking the ground. “The plan is this: hijack that thing.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Dash slid the sword back into its sheath and took off without warning towards the Shade, leaving Fluttershy behind for a moment before she realized what was happening and took off in pursuit. The Shade began a full out sprint as well, the larger entity moving far faster than them.

As Fluttershy began to overtake Dash, she scooped up the cyan pony and set her on Typhoon’s head. The cyan pony crouched low to keep her balance, her magenta eyes focused on their enemy. She was calculating how much farther they were and what was the best way to get the thing under their control. It didn’t have as long as fangs as the last one they had fought, its snout much smaller and practical. The whole thing seemed flawless in comparison to the others. She looked down at Typhoon in desperation, thinking furiously.

“Dash! What are we going to do?!” Fluttershy yelled, Typhoon enhancing her voice far louder than normal.

Then she had an inspiration.

“Hey dragon face!! We’re gonna crush and eat you!” She yelled at him, determined to test her idea. “What do you think about that?!!”

“Shut up, you stupid pony!!” It yelled back, its mouth forming the words. It raised its foot in anticipation to crush them. Dash held on for dear life as Typhoon nimbly dodged and darted between its legs before grinding to a halt and facing the turning Shade.

“What’s the plan?” Dash yelled, her glasses flashing in the sunlight. “Throw me!”

“Wait, what?!!” Fluttershy looked up through the transparent cockpit. “Do what now?!”

“At its mouth!” Dash yelled as the Shade roared again, unlimbering a giant sword from its face plate. “Hurry before it squashes us!!”

“But you can’t fly!” Fluttershy protested, her limbs shaking in anxiety. Dash pounded her hoof hard on the top, causing the yellow pegasus to flinch.

“Details, details! Just throw me already, for buck’s sake!!” She winced as Typhoon lifted her, the digits on the mech’s arms digging into her side. As Fluttershy angled to throw her at the Shade’s maw, the metal beast slashed at them. The impact threw off her aim and Dash went off to the side. She forced her wings open, a strangled cry of pain escaping her as she angled her wings to guide her towards the maw of enemy. The momentum from the throw kept her aloft, sparing her the needs to flap her wings.

Fluttershy spied Dash speeding towards through the creature’s open mouth seconds before it closed. A shadow descended over her and she raised her gaze. The creature had lifted its foot over the stationary Typhoon and was bringing it down with all its strength. She barely managed to raise Typhoon’s arms in time to prevent herself from being crushed.

Dash blinked in the darkness, her hooves slipping on the slippery metal. She set her teeth as her wing throbbed with intense pain, her knees weak from the feeling. As she began climbing higher, Dash could hear the sounds of cursing and controls being manipulated.

“Why won’t you just die?!!” The voice was undeniably male, the controls being forced forward as far as they could. Looking around, she spied a glimmer of light in higher up and she forced herself higher up, her hooves clanging against the metal. The sound was lost in the sound of the Shade’s efforts to crush Fluttershy.

“Dash, hurry up!!” She cried, the arms on the little mech slowly giving into the intense pressure and allowing the foot to draw closer to crushing her. The green spiral of energy on the screen in front of her was slowly depleting each passing second, growing dimmer as time went on. She swallowed her fear and forced Typhoon to push harder, arms straining and the metal beginning to groan under the pressure.

She heard Fluttershy’s scream and hastened her efforts to reach the cockpit. After a few close calls of slipping down the roaring maw, she pulled herself into the fairly large cockpit. The pilot had his back to her and she took a moment to recover, panting. Unfortunately, the figure heard her and spun around in his seat to investigate.

For a split second, Dash stared at the creature. Its beak turned into a snarl and he lunged at her, his talons lashing out at her. She yelped and jumped to the side, the monster slamming into the cockpit wall. He spun around, his red eyes glaring at her. She bumped into the wall as she tried to gain room to maneuver but realized it was too fight for a prolonged fight.

“Die, pony!” He roared before lunging again; this time she was less lucky. His talons raked along her side as she ducked the blow. She yelped and slammed her hooves into his stomach, the force behind the kick, sending him crashing into the controls and causing the machine to tip over, freeing Fluttershy. The tilting machine caused the fighting pair to tumble into each other as they fell, each biting and kicking to get the upper hand.

“Dash!!” Fluttershy yelled into her earpiece as the Shade slammed into the ground, a massive tremor radiating outwards. Moving Typhoon was second nature now and she sprang to her feet instantly, rushing towards the fallen machine. An explosion came from the direction of the village and she slid to a stop, turning towards the plume of smoke in horror. Then her earpiece beeped loudly, static and yelling cutting across her thoughts.

“Fluttershy! As don’t know what you two are up to but we really need your help right now!!” Applejack’s voice was cut off by a scream and the sound of gunfire. She heard a sharp curse before the earth pony spoke again.

“There are three more Shades who came out of nowhere over the back mountains! Get your ass back here and help us take care of them!”

“But Dash-“ She protested before being interrupted by another voice.

“Go Shy! I got this one!” Fluttershy heard the sounds of growling and hissing, along with the sound of claws on metal. A yell and scream of pain caused her fear to spike once more.

“Dash are you-“

“I said, go help them! I’ll be right behind you!” Her voice was muffled, almost as if her face was being crushed against the wall. “Trust me!”

The cyan pegasus bit the leg holding her against the wall, earning a scream of pain. As her attacker loosened his grip on her, Dash squirmed free and slammed her hooves into his throat as hard as she could. A sharp crack emanated from the creature and his eyes bulged before he collapsed across the floor. His talons and tail twitched but otherwise he remained motionless. A trickle of red dribbled down his beak and she wrinkled her nose in revulsion before dragging him over to the small hole she had squeezed through.

After a few minutes of shoving, the prone figure was finally squeezed through. She listened for a moment as he tumbled down the metal maw and out of the mech. Dash wiped the blood off her muzzle and turned her attention to the cockpit. The layout was similar to what she had seen of Typhoon’s cockpit and she settled herself into the seat, pushing her forward legs into the controls. The two control throttles locked firmly around her legs, allowing her to move her limbs naturally.

Dash looked up from the controls and out the glass towards the smoking village. She gingerly urged it forward and the mech promptly fell over, its face slamming into the ground.

“How do you drive this thing?!” She growled, frantically pulling on the controls. It stumbled back on its feet and she urged it towards the village, determined to help end the battle.

Typhoon slammed into the side of a Shade, throwing it temporarily off balance. The thunder of a rifle ripped through the air as a shell slammed into the larger mech’s face. As it roared in protest, a volley of shots rang out from the resistance and causing hairline fractures in the armor of the enemy. Fluttershy urged the back down onto the ground, her shoulders heaving with exertion. Angel was still hiding in her mane, refusing to poke his head out.

“This is too much…” She panted, her head hanging and mane was damp with sweat. “How are we going to survive up here, Angel?”

“Fluttershy, come on! There’s just two more left! Come on!” Applejack yelled into her headset, the loudness of her voice startling the pegasus.

“No…” She muttered, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes as the sounds of battle continued. It would be so much simpler if she just took went to sleep right now. This was a bit much for her right now.

“I’m going to take a nap…” She murmured into her headset, her mind beginning to drift off and the sounds slowly began to fade. Without warning, Typhoon was lifted off the ground violently. It shook her awake and she shoved the controls forward in an attempt to escape. The fingers wrapped around her prevented her limbs from moving and she felt the arm lifting in preparation to throw her. Straining her limbs, she attempted to open the hatch to escape but the grip was too strong.

“Now you die!!” The Shade yelled before hurling her as hard as he could, the acceleration forcing her to hold on for dear life. Everything was a blur and she became aware of a screaming echoing in the cockpit. It took her a second to realize it was her.

That’s what I sound like when I’m screaming? she wondered in the back of her mind. I’m louder than I thought...

With a powerful impact that shook her bones and threw her forward, her face nearly colliding with the console with the spiral readout. Raising her eyes groggily, Fluttershy found herself looking into the Shade from earlier. She felt a moment of panic before the creature spoke.

“Hey ‘Shy you alright in there?” Dash asked, her voice magnified by the mech’s audio amplifiers. Her spiral console was glowing a bright green, the glow illuminating the whole of the cockpit. She pulled Typhoon close enough to see Fluttershy staring at her mech.

“You… you did it?”

“Of course I did. Who the ha-“

A massive impact cut off their conversation, Typhoon dropping from her grip. Fluttershy screamed and slammed the controls, the thrusters blasting her into the sky. Dash reacted instinctively by pulling the controls in and to the side, ending up back on her feet. One of the enemy Shades swung at her, his weapon screaming through the air.

The pegasus pulled back on the left throttle and shoved it forward, the fist of her mech slamming into the mace and forcing it to spiral through the air, metal tearing and shrapnel flying through the air. The emerald Shade roared, lashing out at her. Dash responded by catching the blow, their fingers locked together and straining to force the other back.

Dash gritted her teeth, blood trickling down her cheek. Behind her glasses, her eyes burned with determination. The spiral console glowed brighter, another spiral overlaying the one already visible. With a fierce yell, she managed to shove the Shade backwards into the rock wall. Dazed, the Shade went to push himself off the wall.

Fluttershy forced the controls towards the stunned Shade, gravity and the thrusters moving her at an incredible speed towards her target. The bottom of Typhoon began glowing green, a massive drill forming and boring full speed.

“Heads up!!” She yelled. Dash glanced upwards and she seized the enemy, holding him against the wall. The Shade struggled, slamming its fist into the face of Dash’s mech and stunning her temporarily. She shook off the impact and punched the thing straight into its mouth, several metal teeth breaking off from the force behind the blow. Dash pulled on the controls, trying to free her fist from the creature’s mouth. The pony pinned the Shade again as Fluttershy descended from the sky, Typhoon’s drill gleaming in the sunlight.

The next thing either of them knew, Typhoon had bored straight through the Shade’s head and dug itself into the pinned hand. Dash pulled on the controls, yanking Fluttershy out of the smoking shell of the Shade. The last Shade paused at the sight, its yellow eyes focused on the pair. As it turned to leave, Dash yanked Typhoon out of the ruined hand and hefted it.

Before she could throw her however, a rifle shot rang out and hit the Shade in the center of its back. A small explosion rocked the thing before it collapsed a short way from the village. The guns were turned on the duo before they heard Applejack yell out.

“Hey! That’s them, don’t shoot!” The earth pony strode forward, her face hidden in the shadow of her hat. “Well, while these two figure out how to get out of these, I need the rest of y’all to get out there and start stripping down those Shades.”

Twilight watched along with Applejack as Fluttershy and Dash discussed the best way to get down from their current positions.

“They are definitely interesting.” The unicorn finally said as the two of them continued to look on. “Maybe you crashing into their home was a good thing for them and us.”

“Maybe…” Applejack pushed her hat up and glanced at the sun, estimating the hours of sunlight they had left. “I still can’t believe they managed it and all. Stealing a Shade… That’s big.”

“Well, those two are something special and it sure seems like they are a great addition to the team.” Twilight levitated a small computer readout and began trotting off towards the two pegasi exiting their respective machines. Applejack sighed and followed, tugging her hat down as she did so. As they neared the large mech, Dash dropped down into the dirt, stained with blood and covered in scratches.

“Ya alright there, Dash?” Applejack asked as Twilight began examining the larger mech, muttering to herself and plugging wires into the leg. Both of the ponies looked haggard but triumphant, their bodies conveying exhaustion and pride in equal amounts. The cyan pony was partly supported by Fluttershy, a wide grin on her face.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. We’re kind of hungry though. “Dash glanced at Fluttershy who nodded meekly, her bunny Angel poking his head out at the talk of food. Applejack chuckled at that and indicated they follow her. The two ponies fell into step behind her, Dash stumbling slightly on the uneven ground.

“After you’re done Twilight, I need you to go strip all the tech out of those wrecked Shades.” The earth pony called over her shoulder. The unicorn waved her off, absorbed in reading the small layout on the screen.

“Twi?” Dash asked, stopping and looking at her.

“I’ll get to it, darling. Don’t worry your little head about it.” She called out, teleporting up onto the top of Dash’s Shade. “Once I’m done analyzing this beauty and fix it up, I’ll take care of the other Shades.”

Dash opened her mouth to surprise but Applejack shook her head, indicating they continue along their way. As they walked through the partially destroyed village, there were ponies all around repairing the damage. Most of the unicorns were melding stone fragments together, quickly putting buildings back together.

“Darling?” Dash asked, wavering slightly. “What in the world is wrong with her?”

The earth pony grinned. “She gets caught up in her work and then starts confusing her love for machines for her conversation.”

“Seems a bit odd if you ask me.” Fluttershy murmured before Applejack laughed, her sides heaving with mirth.

“Giant mechanical creatures attempting to kill us and stealing one to fight with is normal compared to that?” She took a deep breath, still giggling slightly. “Yeah, I see what you mean. It is a bit odd but nopony ever has alienated her, if only because she’s the only one who understands the tech.”

“In here.” Applejack led them into an intact building where there were several ponies manipulating pots and pans. A blue unicorn looked up at them and smiled. She stepped forward and greeted Applejack; the earth pony indicating the pegasi to sit down at a table. The two of them sat down next to each other and looked around them.

“Just the three bowls, AJ?” Colgate asked, raising her eyebrow. “Sure they’ll eat?”

“They’re probably starving. The two of them have been fighting all day. They can eat and then rest. I’ll explain tomorrow.” She glanced behind her and felt her smile fade slightly. “Oh…. Well, they have had a long day.”

Dash had her head on her front legs and was snoring gently, her ear twitching gently. Fluttershy was using her shoulder as a pillow, her pink mane hiding a part of her face. Angel looked at the two of them and at Applejack before crossing his arms expectantly. She chuckled and turned back to Colgate.

“Get the rabbit something to eat too.”

Exposition!... I think

Rainbow Dash yawned and opened her eyes, a warm presence on her shoulder. She remained motionless for a moment and listened to Fluttershy breath lightly against her, the smaller pony’s sides moving slightly. Pulling away gently, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. They were still sitting at the table but now there were a few more ponies occupying the tables around them. Applejack was sitting across from them, cleaning her rifle carefully. She looked up as Dash groaned in pain, her muscles aching in protest.

“Ah, you’re finally awake.” She set down the firing pin she had been wiping down, watching the pegasus wipe the thin line of drool from her muzzle and remove her glasses.

“How long was I out?” Dash asked, stifling a yawn. The soft noise still managed to rouse Fluttershy and she opened an eye at the conversation. The small pegasus pushed herself up, her cheeks positively glowing from embarrassment in comparison to her pale yellow coat.

“You two were out for ‘bout half an hour. Can’t say I blame you all things considered.” Applejack replied, glancing outside. “Well, I can tell you everything I promised to but the way I figure it, y’all must be starving from all the action today, am I right? Why don’t you eat and then I’ll tell you everything?”

The two ponies opened their mouths to respond but their empty stomachs answered for them in a loud gurgling growl. Dash smiled sheepishly as Fluttershy looked down at her stomach in alarm, her ears flattened against her head. The earth pony chuckled and waved at Colgate who nodded, levitating two bowls to the ravenous ponies. Without even asking what it was, the pair of them began devouring the contents as fast as they could.

For a time, there was nothing but the sounds of chewing and swallowing, Colgate merely levitating the empty bowls away and refilling them in silence. Applejack returned to reassembling her rifle, a faint smile playing on her lips as she did so. Fluttershy set her bowl down and wiped her muzzle, suppressing a soft belch. Her cheeks turned pink and she looked down at the table in embarrassment.

“T-thanks…” She murmured, her ears flat against her head. Dash on the other hand, continued to eat. She had abandoned her spoon and was just drinking the soup straight from the bowl, her face hidden behind it. Applejack watched with amusement as the cyan pegasus consumed four bowls in a similar manner before finally setting her bowl down. Angel was sitting on the table, gnawing on a carrot that somepony had given him, his eyes never leaving Applejack for a second. The trio of ponies remained silent for a while, the pair of pegasus ponies watching as the earth pony finished reassembling her rifle with an audible click before setting it down beside her, turning to address the pair.

“Now, I promised you two that I’d tell you the truth and I intend to tell you everything you want to know.” The mare sighed and set her stetson aside, the worn hat showing wear and tear from the day’s excitement. “What do you want to know?”

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash exchanged a glance. The yellow pegasus shifted a bit before she spoke up. “Why don’t you just start from the beginning and tell us what you know? If that’s alright with you, I mean…”

“Well, alright. I’ll start from there then. This’ll be a pretty long story so you might want to get good and settled. “Applejack replied, pushing her mane out of her face.

“So I was born in an underground village just a few miles from here. I don’t remember much growing up apart from it was darker than anything. My parents died when I was just a filly and it was me, my big brother and my little sister. My grandmother took care of us for a few years before she passed away. Our village was small, maybe fifty or sixty ponies living in this cavern.

“We were all given jobs that helped with the well-being of the village. You either worked or you didn’t eat. My family was in charge of growing food and I tell you, it wasn’t easy. But we managed to-“

“Sorry to interrupt your recollection, but I thought you were going to tell us about what’s going on up here?” Dash asked, playing with her empty bowl. “We kind of want to know about these Shades or whatever.”

Applejack sighed in exasperation and began again. “Alright. When I was about eight, the ceiling collapsed on our village. There were always tremors every so often and there would be tunnels that collapsed. Sometimes, chunks of stone would be torn off the walls and crush somepony underneath and we’d have no choice but to start all over again once it happened.

“But this time, it wasn’t some small tremor that shook the ground. It was a massive earthquake that shook the ground so hard, we were afraid it was going to tear everything apart. That was when the ceiling collapsed. There was so much dust, nopony could see anything. The noise was… terrifying. “

Fluttershy and Dash exchanged a knowing look as the earth pony paused. She glanced down at her

rifle before taking a deep breath.

“When we saw the sun, we were nearly blinded. It was nothing like we had imagined from the stories we were told as fillies. Our village elder always was telling us there was no such thing as the surface and that they were nothing more than stories meant to entertain. Needless to say, nopony knew what to think. Since over half of the village had been destroyed in the collapse, it was a unanimous decision to move to the surface.

“We were scared, or course. Who wouldn’t be? We were always penned up and suddenly we were set free to roam wherever our hearts desired. It took some time but we eventually decided to move to the mountains surrounding the village crater, so that we could retreat there if we ever needed to. After a few days, we had our first encounter with a Shade. Not knowing what it was, we approached it in an attempt to see if it was other ponies. “

Applejack paused again as Twilight came trudging in, levitating her small console and muttering to herself. The lavender unicorn sat at the table next to Applejack and continued prodding at the buttons on the console.

“Did you get the rest of the Shades disassembled for parts?” Applejack asked her. The unicorn glanced up and nodded, returning her attention to her small computer.

“Yeah, I left Fluttershy’s and Dash’s mechs alone for now. I might find weaknesses in the power systems that we can use to our advantage. A stroke of lucky really.” Twilight levitated the screen over to Applejack who peered at the display intently.

“Why didn’t you just study one of the other ones?” Dash asked as she tried to peek at the screen from her side of the table. “You seem to kill enough of them.”

“That’s right. We destroy them and salvage what we can from them. There’s usually too much damage done to them to provide any kind of useful information on them and we don’t have the resources to repair that kind of damage to the machinery. Repairing the damage on the one Shade you have is going to be a new kind of trouble. Still, though…” Twilight pondered for a moment. “If we could learn to capture them and bring them mostly undamaged, we could learn more and maybe even defend ourselves better…”

Applejack shook her head as Twilight began tapping buttons excitedly, muttering under her breath about machinery. She turned her attention back to the two pegasus ponies waiting patiently.

“Anyway, as I was saying, we had approached the Shade in an attempt to see if it was somepony else. Obviously it was not, but we didn’t know that. It attacked and followed us back to the village. We almost all lost our lives that day and the only reason any of us are still here is because of Twilight and her small band of ponies that were passing through. After that, it only made sense for us to team up. We began to learn how to defend ourselves and they helped us build our new home on the surface.”

“And you’ve spent your entire life like this?” Fluttershy asked as Angel curled on the table next to her and yawned, closing his eyes. “I can’t imagine…”

“Not my entire life but a large part of it has been spent either scouting or defending the village.” Applejack replied, a hint of pride in her voice. “Not many here can handle a rifle like myself.”

“And she’s not the only exceptional one.” Twilight spoke up, not looking up from her screen. The unicorn was still tapping keys rhythmically, her eyes moving rapidly across the words appearing. “I’m one of the few in the region who can manage all of our equipment and keep the power systems running.”

“That doesn’t explain how you ended up collapsing the top of our village in on us.” Dash asked, resting her chin on her forelegs. The boredom in her voice was apparent to everyone at the table. Applejack fixed her with a scowl.

“Fine.” The earth pony replied. “We tracked a lone Shade in the desert, we attacked and things got out of hand. The ground cracked from the rampaging brute and finally collapsed in. I followed it down to make sure it was taken care of. That’s it.”

“Well that’s incredibly unexciting.” Dash flipped the bowl over again, trying to balance it on the edge of her hoof. Applejack sighed and turned her attention to the yellow pegasus who had remained quiet thus far.

“I know its not much but unless you have questions that’s all I got.”

“Why do you call them Shades?” Fluttershy asked, stroking Angel’s fur. His leg was twitching as he slept, his ears curling lazily. “I mean… is there any particular reason?”

“We call ‘em Shades cause it’s the last thing you see before you die. If you get within reach of their shadow, chances are you’re gonna bite it. Its not the best name under the circumstances. “

“That reminds me for whatever reason.” Twilight interjected. “We found the body of that creature that was piloting Dash’s Shade.”

“Yeah? What of it?” Applejack asked, drinking from her mug. “Anything useful?”

“Well, they definitely aren’t equines, that much is obvious just from the physical appearance alone.” The unicorn tapped a few keys and a flickering display hovered over the table. It was a visual layout of the creature Dash had fought and the pegasus had to hide a scowl of anger as her side throbbed in pain. As she could take the time to look at the creature, Dash realized how lucky she was to escape with only a few scratches. The talons alone were four inches and the beak the creature had looked equally dangerous but she couldn’t even remember seeing it.

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” Twilight indicating the plumage of the creature and the talons. “It seems to be some kind of genetic engineering, if I had to venture a guess. I mean, claws and wings? Obviously this creature either evolved to hunt ponykind or was bred to exist in its current form.”

“Hmm…” Applejack leaned forward and peered at the display as it flickered lazily. Fluttershy’s ears were folded back as she examined the creature on display. “You fought this thing?”

“Yeah, wasn’t that big of a deal. Just got a few scratches and bruises. Can’t see why you guys were so worried.” The cyan pegasus replied, stretching before hissing in pain from accidently opening some of her injuries, the bandages being tinted crimson.

“Sorry for worrying about you then. Next time, you can bandage yourself up. “ Applejack snapped at her. “You’re lucky to have escaped with just scratches this time.”

Dash laughed before wincing in pain. “Very funny… In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t need luck. All I need is Fluttershy and something to hope and bet on.”

“Luck and hope go hand in hand, Dash.” Twilight pointed out. “If you don’t have luck, you hope that you can survive the day and go on living. And if that’s not true, then there’s always tomorrow to hope for.”

A quiet silence pervaded the table as the small group continued examining the creature display. Dash and Applejack avoided each other’s gaze. Twilight watched the two mares, her gaze shifting back and forth between them.

“What happened to your sister?” Fluttershy interjected, trying to direct their attention to something else. “You said you had two siblings. We saw your brother but not your sister. Where is she?”

Applejack looked down, shifting slightly in her seat. Twilight glanced at her friend before closing the display and placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder before turning to answer Fluttershy’s question.

“Her sister is part of a small scouting party that circles the area. They were supposed to check in over a week ago but we haven’t had any word from them or anypony else. Right now we’re running blind because we can’t keep track of Shade activity in the area and its very important to not be taken surprise by a large vanguard force. There would be no way for us to protect the village from that sort of firepower.”

“Scouting party? How big was it?”

“It’s a party of four, three scouts and one to keep the others from taking unnecessary risks. I’m just hoping for Apple Bloom’s sake that they are all safe.” Twilight stated, returning her attention to her screen. “They could just have run into some trouble and they are behind schedule. If they aren’t here in three days we’ll have to send a new scouting party in their stead. Maybe they’ll find some evidence of what happened to them in the first place.”

“Ok, I have to ask.” Dash interrupted. “What the heck is an apple?”

“Beg your pardon?” Applejack asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“Your name is Applejack and your sister is called Apple Bloom. Is there something the two of us are missing?” Dash continued. “What exactly is an apple? I’ve never even heard of them.”

“Wait, you’re telling me you’ve never had a lunar apple?”

“A lunar apple?” Fluttershy and Dash exchanged a glance.

“They grow on underground vines and such. They are really difficult to grow if you don’t know what you are doing. Since I was one of the only ponies who knew how to grow them, I had to teach others how to grow them in the caves. We still grow them actually. Didn’t you have them in your village?”

“Nope.” The cyan pegasus shook her head. “All we had was grass. Not really filling but it kept us alive.”

“Sheesh… Sounds like you had it hard.” Applejack shifted into a more comfortable position. “Well basically it’s a crunchy sweet fruit. I’ll get the two of you a couple next time but I think its high time we all got some rest. There’s not much more we can do tonight and we can expect some peace for a few days. We’re gonna need it too if the two of you are going to stay with us.”

Fluttershy and Dash exchanged a glance. After a few seconds, Fluttershy nodded and Dash grinned. “You can count on us. I’ll need the practice anyways if I’m going to learn how to operate Hurricane.”

“Hurricane? That’s the best you can come up with for your mech?” Applejack asked.

“You can’t expect brilliance all the time.” Dash snapped as she stood up, placing her glasses back on her face. “I can only be so awesome.”

“Say that one more time.”

“I-I uh… The Solaris extermination squad in the southeastern desert was wiped out. All but one of the pilots escaped and –“

“Enough.” She walked away, her red eyes furrowed as she contemplated. The messenger was shifting nervously, his talons clicking nervously. He watched as she stared out the window for a moment before turning her attention back to him. He swallowed and listened carefully as she began to speak.

“Pull all of them out to the edges of the sector. Let them think they’ve driven us off for now.” She spoke striding across the room. Her smile worried him, the sharp teeth glinting as she continued. “I’ll direct this personally and make sure that this issue is cleared up once and for all. Now go and deliver my orders. I’ll be heading out shortly.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He turned and left, leaving her alone in her room. She adjusted her jacket slightly, getting the fur out from underneath the collar. Her footsteps echoed as she turned back to her mirror. After examining her reflection for a few moments, she turned and left the room. As she strode down the hallway, the griffons cleared the way for her and kept their heads down. Only one wasn’t fast enough to get out of her way and she shoved him aside without a backwards glance.

Reaching the hangar, she headed towards her own mech. It was a heavily modified version of the standard Shade model, the actual body barely resembling the original form. It was a source of pride for her, having done most of the adjustments herself and fashioning it into a personal weapon of herself. It was her pride and joy.

She carefully navigated up the outside and climbed into the pilot seat. She closed her eyes and merely sighed, enjoying a moment of silence alone with her friend. It was rare for her to have moments like this.

But duty calls. She ran a gentle hoof over the spiral screen as it hummed to life, the entire machine waking from its slumber. The controls locked around her legs and she guided it on its feet. As she maneuvered it to the exit, she felt a grin appear on her face once more.

“Come on, Nova.” Vinyl purred. “Let’s go exterminate these filthy pack mules…”

Search and Rescue?

“Please be gentle…” Fluttershy whimpered, covering her eyes as Dash leaned forward. “You need to be-“

“Hush, Shy. I promise I’ll be gentle this time.” Dash smirked as she reached out and touched her intended target. A low sound of acknowledgment came from Fluttershy and Dash increased her pressure slightly, trying to get more of a reaction out of her friend. Fluttershy shifted, uncovering an eye and speaking barely above a whisper. “Um… Dash? Please stop…”

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” Dash reaffirmed, continuing her motions.

“Dash, please stop.” Fluttershy’s voice had risen in pitch, slightly frantic. She was biting her bottom lip as she watched Dash draw every closer to her target. “Dash-“

“I got this.”

“Dash, stop!”

With a resounding crash, Hurricane tipped forward and the face of the mech slammed into the plateau. The ground shook with a massive shockwave and stone fragments went flying everywhere, the stone shattering from the impact. Fluttershy and Applejack winced at the fallen mech, leaning back slightly from their perch as a string of curses came from their headsets.

“I told you to be gentle…” Fluttershy muttered, peering into the screen that Twilight had installed into Typhoon, allowing the two of them to speak from their mechs. The darkness obscured the inside of the cockpit, save for a dim green that was visible behind the outline of a pony. For a few moments, there wasn’t a response. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah… Feels like I cracked a few ribs though.” With a pained grimace, Dash pulled on the controls and managed to get her Shade back on its feet. Manipulating the controls, the pegasus managed to get turned around and eased into a slow walk towards the cliff where Fluttershy and Applejack were sitting, the yellow pegasus resting in Typhoon. Applejack was scanning the horizon with her scope for any distant Shades that might be near.

The trio had taken Hurricane and Typhoon a couple miles out from the village so that Dash could have ample room to practice. So far, her skill at piloting had not resurfaced as evidenced by the numerous craters around the plateau. They had been at it for nearly an hour but no marked improvement had been noticed by either of the observing ponies. As Dash came to a stop, Fluttershy watched the video feed of her friend shut off and the top of the mech pop open.

“Why is this so much harder than it was yesterday?” Dash demanded as she climbed of her mech. She dropped to the ground with a grunt, her wings flaring to catch her momentum at the last second. Applejack’s headset buzzed and she answered it quietly as Dash trotted towards them. The yellow pegasus at her side glanced at her before turning her attention to Dash.

“I don’t know…” Fluttershy replied, pushing her goggles back up before they could slide further down her face. “You managed it yesterday just fine so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to now. Maybe you should just keep practicing…?”

“Forget it.” Dash kicked a rock near her right hoof off the ridge and watched it tumble down the cliffs. “There will be time for practice later.”

“That’s true…” Fluttershy glanced down at the screen in front of her. The screen was pulsing gently in the center and she had been wondering why it wasn’t glowing as fiercely as it had been the day before. She tentatively pushed at the screen and was rewarded momentarily with a gentle increase in light. The sound of Applejack clearing her throat drew her attention back to the two ponies she was with. The earth pony had picked up her rifle and slung it on her shoulder, apparently ready to head out.

“Well, that was Twi. Turns out there have been sightings of what appears to be a scouting party a few miles north.” Applejack said, adjusting the brim of her stetson. “We don’t know if it’s our missing group or a Shade scouting party but either way, we can’t let this one slip on by. You two coming?”

“You bet!” Dash replied, cutting across Fluttershy’s response. The smaller mare slumped down a bit and murmured her consent as well, inserting the drill core and turning it. She pulled her goggles down over her eyes and spared a glance over her shoulder. Applejack had climbed in the back of Typhoon as Fluttershy powered up the machine, settling into the improvised seat. Dash clambered up into her own mech and the eyes of Hurricane flashed green briefly before picking up Typhoon and setting it into the frame the Twilight had attached to the mech’s shoulder.

With the added height, Fluttershy took a deep breath and fought the urge to look down. Applejack had clipped on her headset and was directing Dash in the correct direction. This left the pegasus little to occupy herself apart from simply wait for them to arrive which would take a bit of time. She looked at the small drill hanging around her neck and raised it to eye level, examining in it full view for the first time without overwhelming darkness obscuring the features of the object. The metal was a golden sheen and the inlay of the grooves a darker variant of the same metal. As she peered closer, Fluttershy noticed there was a smaller green core that was glowing very gently on the inside, nearly invisible in the bright sun.

“Are you ok?” Applejack’s voice cut through her thoughts and Fluttershy couldn’t help but jump in response, the earth pony’s presence having been forgotten during the examination. She squeaked and dropped the drill back around her neck, pulling her jacket a bit closer.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about how different it is up here compared to the village.” She watched the slow passing of various rock formations, her side distracting her a bit.

“It does take some getting used to, I agree.” Applejack replied, tilting her hat over her face. “Still… at least y’all had the good fortune of finding us so its not too bad.”

“I know but still…” Fluttershy sighed and looked up at the clouds, wondering what it would be like to fly through those fluffy white objects. While she wasn’t as keen on flying as Dash was, the mare did enjoy flying a bit although it had generally frowned upon in the village due to the low light conditions. They didn’t want ponies crashing into each other or worse, the support columns that held up the chamber where the village was. Most pegasi had agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry and had elected to simply refrain from flying. Maybe when her wings were healed, she would start flying and see what it was like to soar without limits or rules.

Pulling her thoughts back to the present, Fluttershy became aware that Applejack was talking again. She shook her head and turned her attention to the earth pony, wincing a bit at the glare from the sun. “I’m sorry?”

“I asked how long you’ve known Dash.” Applejack watched her behind her orange glasses, her expression curious. “You two are awfully close for being total opposites.”

“Oh um, well we met-“ Fluttershy’s response was cut off as Hurricane came to a lurching stop. The holographic screen popped up and Dash’s face came up, looking triumphant.

“We’re here. I’m going to guess that they are down in that valley?”

Her two passengers followed where Hurricane was pointing, their gaze tracing the invisible line down into the oasis that clung to the fairly large body of water that was nestled in between the chasm. The grass that grew there was well above a pony’s head and it was impossible to see if there was anypony down there at all.

“Yeah, this is the place.” Applejack replied as Dash lowered them down to the ground and exited her own mech, dropping down next to them, her mane rippling from the motion. “We’re going to have to be careful and I don’t think we can’t bring the mechs down there. I have to go because I know who we’re looking for but we also need to leave someone up here to watch the mechs and keep an eye for us as well. So… who is going to stay up here?”

The two pegasus ponies shared a look at each other. Fluttershy clambered back up into Typhoon without a word before Dash could say anything. After looking at the two of them, Applejack walked over to her and looked up at her. “Are you sure you want to stay up here by yourself?”

“I don’t really want to stay up here but somebody needs to… Dash is probably more useful down there than me and if you need help, I’m a better pilot than Dash is. So it makes sense for me to stay up here.” Angel popped his head out of her mane and looked around a minute before disappearing as quickly.

“If you’re sure…” The earth pony dug into her bag and pulled out a pair of binoculars and handed them to Fluttershy before she returned to where Dash was waiting, her sword resting across her back and glasses upon her face. “Are you coming?”

“Lead the way, AJ.” Dash grinned and began following Applejack down the cliffside, rocks becoming dislodged in the process. Fluttershy watched their descent before turning her attention to the valley. She raised the binoculars to her eyes and peered down at the valley, trying to see if there was anything down there she could see. The sounds of the departing pair had slowly faded, a mere echo of falling rocks reaching her ears. The screen in her chirped for a moment and she glanced at it as Dash’s voice came through, speaking to Applejack.

“So who or what are we looking for?” She asked, dropping the last few feet into the dirt. The pegasus spared a glance around the immediate vicinity, her ears listening for anything out of the ordinary. Applejack dropped with a grunt, her hat almost being dislodged in the process. After fixing it, the earth pony led her towards the river.

“We’re looking for four ponies or any evidence of a scouting party. We’ll split up to cover more ground. You can take the river or the grass, whichever you choose.” Applejack tapped her headset and it blinked for a moment before it linked up to the others.

“I’ll take the grass then. I’ll circle around and see if I spot anything.”

“Try not to make a lot of noise in case there are scouts out here.” Applejack warned as she started down the riverbed. “I would like to avoid a fight if possible.”

The two of them parted, one headed into the grass and the other along the body of water. They never noticed the pair of eyes that watched them from the shadows, the owner hefting her cleaver and brushing her mane out of her face. Then in a blur of movement, she was gone.

Dash pushed through the reeds, the bugs trapped in the foliage buzzing around her head. She flicked her ears in annoyance and pushed aside a curtain of grass, ending in a small clearing a few dozen feet wide. Pausing for a moment, she took a deep breath and felt her sides ache in protest. The strap for the sword was cutting into her shoulder so she pulled it off with a grimace and began fiddling with the buckle in an attempt to make it more comfortable.

As she adjusted, a soft sound came from the grass around her. Her ear perked up and she paused, tensing slightly as she waited to see if the noise continued. There was nothing. Shaking her head, Dash looked back down at her sword. As soon as her eyes left the grass wall surrounding her, a form tore through the barrier and a flash of metal came descending towards her.

Reacting by reflex, Dash seized her sword and managed to get it between herself and her attacker. The sun being directly overhead prevented her from seeing the appearance of her enemy but the silhouette cast by her shadow was enough for her to move her head out of the way of the cleaver. Pulling her hooves under her, she lashed out with all her strength and managing to throw them off. She rolled to her feet, her sword already replaced on her back during the motion.

“Not bad…” A chuckle came from behind her. Dash spun, trying to locate the voice. Her eyes flicked around the empty clearing and as she reached to use her headset, she became aware that it had been cut cleanly in half.

Great… She thought to herself, readying herself for a fight.

“Can’t have you calling for help, can we?” The voice came from another part of the grass and Dash took a stance in the middle of the clearing, turning her head to try and watch all around her. The way the voice spoke seemed somewhat familiar but with a dark perverse amusement dripping from every word.

“Why don’t you show yourself?” Dash replied, her anger at being taken by surprise overcoming any sense of caution she had. “Or are you too much of a coward to face me?”

She didn’t receive an answer, at least not in words. The sound of something slashing through the air caused her to turn her head to find the source, barely managing to avoid the cruel weapon. The blade still managed to knock her glasses away, the crimson glass bouncing away in the mud. Dash jumped away, her injured wings propelling her farther from her enemy. She wiped blood away from her eye and glared at her enemy.

“Its been a while, hmm?” The earth pony asked, tilting her head to the left with a mad smile. The cleaver in locked firmly between her teeth was stained dark red, save for the edge which dripped with a bit of Dash’s blood. Instead of wearing a simple vest like she had before, the pony was wearing a sort of crude poncho, pieced together with a bunch of unfamiliar materials.

“P-pinkie Pie?!” Dash shifted a bit, moving her right wing up slightly to allow her sword to tilt downwards where she could easily draw it from her left shoulder. “What are you doing here? I thought you would be in the village?!”

“I would have if somepony hadn’t promised to take me with them and had forgotten.” Pinkie spat, her normally bouncy mane lank and flat against her head. All her kind-hearted joy was gone and had been replaced with cold fury. The earth pony had begun circle right towards her, her tail flicking slowly.

“What happened to you?” Dash asked, mimicking the motion to keep distance between them. “Its only been a day.”

“To you it only seems like a day, but for the rest of us its been a couple months. That, along with a boring trip out here is more than enough to make somepony very angry.” Pinkie Pie replied, glancing behind her for a moment. She had the weirdest feeling that there were others watching her or at least imagining her motions. Shaking her head, she returned her attention to Dash.

“And now, I’m going to turn you into a cupcake!”

“…what’s a cupcake?”

“I don’t know.” With that statement, Pinkie Pie crossed the difference between them and slashed at Dash, an evil grin forming on her lips.

The pegasus reacted: turning her shoulder as she drew her blade, Pinkie’s weapon rebounding off the steel. Continuing with her motion, Dash lashed out with her back hooves and managed to knock her aside long enough for her blade to clear the sheath. With a toss of her head, she switched the blade so it extended out to her just before Pinkie came at her again, swinging wildly with the cleaver and a maniacal laugh escaping her.

As Dash dodged and parried her vicious strikes, the pegasus briefly reflected how odd it was that she was holding the cleaver in her hoof rather than her mouth. Her brief lapse in concentration earned her a deep cut across her shoulder and she yelped out in pain, ducking Pinkie’s follow up strike and getting under her guard. Knowing she didn’t have the time to bring her blade across for a strike, Dash did the only thing that could work.

Dropping her sword, she pulled her head back and slammed her forehead against Pinkie’s head. The earth pony staggered back with a growl, a hoof pressed into her head. Dash blinked and shook her head, trying to regain her balance. With a kick, she launched her sword back up into her mouth and swung it in a low arc, mud flinging off.

“Playing dirty, then?” Pinkie hissed. “Fine then, I guess-“

Pinkie suddenly froze and leapt to the side, her tail twitching uncontrollably. At the same time, a gunshot echoed loudly and a path was torn from the shooter all the way to the clearing as the bullet shredded its way towards its target.

“S-sorry!” Fluttershy apologized into her headset to Applejack. “I didn’t think-“

“Its fine!” Applejack cut across her, shouldering her rifle as she sprinted towards the grass and the sound of clashing metal, slipping in the mud as she ran.. “I just needed a way to get to them. Now keep an eye out!!”

“G-got it!”

Dash ran at Pinkie, using the motion of her run to swing her sword in a wide arc. Pinkie jumped over Dash and turned to face her, the blade harmlessly slashing the plants apart. With an exasperated groan, Dash flapped her hurting wings to get away from her strike.

“Pinkie, stop It already!” Dash snapped, her words muffled around the handle of the blade. “You’re up here now and you can come with us! Its not safe out here by yourself.”

“Do you think that I’ll just-“ Pinkie’s words were cut off as a rock slammed into the top of her head and she collapsed. The rock was wrapped in a teal aura and it was tossed aside. Dash was about to speak when Applejack skidded to a stop next to her, panting and her rifle at the ready.

“Did you do that?” She asked, her sides heaving.

“N-no. I think somepony else helped me.” Dash replied, replacing her sword in her sheath.

“And you would be quite right.” A new voice spoke up, the grass parting with the same aura from before. “I’m glad I was able to save you from the belligerent ruffian.”

“Well, well, if It isn’t Queen Prim herself.” Applejack replied, shouldering her weapon and grinning as a white unicorn climbed out of the grass with a bit of effort.

Dash frowned. “Who is this?”

“Oh, just one of the ponies we’re looking for. I’m surprised to find her in this kind of place, she generally tends to avoid dirt whenever possible.”

“The name is Rarity, dear. We’ve had this discussion before: just because I don’t particularly enjoy being dirty doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself in a fight.” The unicorn flicked her mane to the side and greeted the two with a warm smile. “Its good to see that somepony finally came looking for us.”

“Hey, about my sister, is she alright?“ Applejack asked, her expression worried.

Rarity remained quiet for a moment. “Your sister and the others have-“

With a massive sound, the grass behind them was torn apart and Typhoon came into view. The top unsealed and they got a momentary glimpse of Fluttershy in shock before three blurs leapt out of the cockpit.

“BLACK CAPE CRUSADER SCOUTING PARTY GO!!”