The Assistant

RainbowDash woke up at 11:30, extremely groggy. Other than the weird-ass thing with Red Mist, the party had been quite fun. She'd won multiple races, danced her ass off, and when they had gotten home her and Thunderlane had decide to do it a few more times. She was tired, and by the time she had made her breakfast  it was 11:50 and she was forced to rush out, leaving Thunderlane a hastily scribbled note about a problem with a storm forming outside of town. She sped towards Red's house, scaring many of the ponies below her who all seemed just as tired as she was.

Upon reaching the mansion she found it heavily guarded. Unicorns covered the grounds, patrolling what had been the dance floor, pegasus controlled the skies. One pair of pegasus approached her, wearing some sort of purple uniforms and holding some sort of tubes under there wings. Based on what she had seen last night she assumed they were some sort of lasers or something.

"RainbowDash?"One of the pegasus asked.

"Uh, duh,"She answered.

"Follow us,"The other said flatly.

They flew down to the front door, where a white unicorn with a sleek black mane and tail flanked by 2 other unicorns who were fully suited up in the purple uniforms.

"Hello Miss Dash,"The white unicorn said nicely,"I'm the Chief of security, and that's what you can call me. Now listen,"they started to walk inside,"I don't want you here, I was up all last night monitoring and double checking video feeds. I'm tired, annoyed, and quite frankly if it were up to me I would've killed you last night."

"Well your a charmer,"She replied cooly, not knowing that she could of died last night. She was now extremely cautious,  and felt unwary with so many of the unicorns that appeared to obediently listen to Chiefs every command around her,"Glad you aren't in charge then."

"I'm not paid to be nice,"Chief replied sternly,"I'm paid to keep Doctor Jordenson safe, and this happens to be a major breach in security. But, the doctor's in charge, and he says your safe but I don't trust you and you should know that we will be watching your every move,"They reached the basement door,"so don't do anything that could even make me regret my decision last night, or else I will kill you in an instant."

"You have nothing to worry about,"She replied smart-ass like. The last thing she saw on the unicorns face before the door swung shut was absolute hatred. She decided that she didn't like "Chief", but would watch her step just in case his threat was serious, which it sounded like it was. She spied a camera on one wall, and suddenly felt extremely exposed. She reached the door, and, not knowing what else to do, she held up her knee to the panel next to the door. She felt a slight pinch as something popped out and penetrated her skin. She pulled her knee back, and a second later a green light popped on and the door opened. What she saw made her more confused and scared than she had ever been in her life.

"Good bye father,"Red Mist said, the EML pointed straight at his head,"I'm sorry I wasn't able to make you proud of me."

RainbowDash almost made a sonic rainboom right there she flew so fast. She shoved Red Mist out of the way just in time, her tail getting singed slightly. They stared at each other for a minute, Red Mist's eyes showed nothing but fear, sorrow, and just a smidge of thankfulness. RainbowDash's showed all confusion. When the EML stopped firing RainbowDash got off of him. Neither of them said anything for a long while, finally RainbowDash broke the silence.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!?"She screamed.

"Ow,"He replied, holding a hoof up to his forehead,"Please don't yell, I'm really hungover."

"And THAT'S why you tried to kill yourself?!?"She screamed, confusion turning into anger,"Because your hungover?!?"

"Ow,"He stated flatly,"No,but I'm not saying anything until you calm down."

She took many deep breaths."Ok,"She started after almost five minutes,"Why did you try and kill yourself?"

"Thank you,"He began,"And to answer your question in two words, my father."

"What?"Her confusion soared,"What did he do that was this bad?"

"All my life,"He started to explain,"He has pushed me to go above my limits. Even before I could walk. In fact, that was the first thing he pushed me to do. Do you know how old I was when I started walking? Five months. Five fucking months, he pushed me that hard even as a baby. As soon as I could walk he started making me exercise and try to fly. I mean, it wouldn't have been bad if he would have been fatherly about it, you know, laughing with me, making the exercises a game, something like that. But no. He drilled me. When I passed, he raised the bar and made me go again. When I failed,oh when I failed, he went nuts. He beat me, called me worthless, told me I was never going to amount to anything. I was the first one in my class to start flying, and the first to get my cutie mark. Oh ho ho, my cutie mark, that was real fun. I come home proud as can be, and then when he figures out what it means, he flips out and beats me senseless, and makes me work even harder, trying to make it change. CHANGE! Have you ever heard of a pony who could change there cutie mark?"

"What exactly does your cutie mark mean?"She asked, wondering what could be so bad about it.

"Imagination,"He replied,"I got it while I was doodling in class, which only made him more furious. It sounds stupid, but if it weren't for my huge imagination I wouldn't be were I am today. Then again, right now I am in a basement contemplating suicide, so I guess that isn't a good example."

"Why would he have such a negative reaction?"She said. Red's father was starting to sound like some sort of monster.

"He wanted me to be this amazing super solider, and become a general like he was."

"A general?"She said quizzingly,"We don't have an army, do we?"

"Depends who you ask,"He started,"If you ask Celestia or Twilight they'll say no. But if you ask Luna or Cadence, they'll tell you the truth."

"And what exactly is 'the truth'?"She asked.

"They'd tell you that Equestria has a group of secret protectors, which is exactly what we are."He replied.

"And who is 'we'?"

"We are the New Luna Republic,"He began proudly,"And although Celestia or Twilight will tell you we're a ton of terrorist that are trying to put Luna in charge and are willing to destroy Equestria in the process that's not what we are. Not to say that we wouldn't say no to  Luna getting put in charge, but what we really want is a constitution, and while were not going to do anything to harm Equestria, until a constitution is formed all we can do is try to protect Equestria and prove to Celestia that were on her side as much as we are Luna's."

"Wait,"She began,"So that's why you built that thing? To protect Equestria and prove yourself to Celestia?"

"Officially,"He said,"But Unofficially I'm also trying to make my father proud of me, as I have all my life, but to no avail it seems."

"Listen,"She began, putting her hoof around his shoulder,"You guys sound pretty cool to me, and you really have done good work. I mean, I don't know much about laser guns and stuff like that, but you've built a badass laser cannon and a thing that can absorb magic. In a month! With no one suspecting a thing."

"Thanks,"He replied quietly.

"Now I just have a few more questions,"She began.

"Yes?"

"One, If you know Twilight is on Celestia's side on this whole thing then why let her in on the demonstrations?"

"Oh, she doesn't know we know,"He replied,"She's a spy for Celestia, and if we reveal our knowledge then she would try to arrest us or kill us, and then we'd kill her. Now, we've killed plenty of others, you know, changelings, the occasional saddle arabian, any one that threatens the security of Equestria. But if we treated Twilight like we treat the rest of Celestia's spy's we'd have a major problem. It'd be kind of hard to seem like a good guy after you kill a princess. So we keep her here, show her all the good stuff that some one of her rank would get to see, and when she sends her report spike changes it so Celestia doesn't get to know any of it."

"Ok, second question. What exactly are you in this New Luna Republic?"

"You can call it the NLR, it's what we call it,"He started,"And I am one of the leading weapon developers, specifically the more advanced ones like mass acceleration cannons, laser tech, as well as defenses against weapons like that. Luna made sure that I got good schooling, and thanks to her I have the five PhD's I have now."

"Five?!?"She was stunned,"You cant be any older than me!"

"Younger, actually,"He said quietly once more,"I was twenty one when I got them all."

"Why do you get all quiet like that anytime were talking about you being a complete and total badass?"She inquired.

"It's probably got something to do with my father beating me for trying to take pride in my accomplish, and my social anxiety."He replied.

"Oh,"She said flatly,"Well you should stop that. Your a badass, and you need to take pride in that fact."

"Thanks,"He said in a barley audible whisper.

"One more question,"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No, I'm not a killer, to my fathers dismay, I'm a scientist. I don't do the killing, I just make the tools to get it done."

"Alright,"She said,"Well I'm going to get going, Thunderlane's gonna flip if I don't get back soon."She started walking back to the door.

"Why would he flip?"Red asked, walking next to her,"Didn't you tell him where you were going?"

"Nah, I told him I was going to stop some storm from destroying ponyville. Didn't want him to think I was cheating on him or something and get all jealous."

"Why would he get jealous? He know's what I do and that I'm not looking for anypony at the moment, I'm far to busy."

"Wait,"She stopped at the stairs,"What did you say?"

"I'm not looking for anypony, I don't have time for a relationship."

"No, the other thing."

"He already knows what I do?"

"Yes! How would he know that?"

"Oh my,"Red Mist's face dropped,"He didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"I should have guessed, you didn't know anything about the NLR, how could I be so stupid."

"TELL ME WHAT?!?!?"

"Ow, still hung over here."

"What didn't he tell me?!?!?"

"He's a member of the NLR."Red Mist sighed,"He's in charge of the security of ponyville."

"WHAT?!?"RainbowDash couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could Thunderlane keep such a huge secret from her?

"Owwww, ow ow ow,"Red Mist put his hoof up to his fore head once more,"Listen, it's not his fault, were not supposed to tell anypony about the organization, he was just following orders."

"Orders my ass,"She screamed, cantering up the stairs,"I'm his girlfriend, have been for a year, he should have told me."She stepped outside and got in take off position.

"Wait..."Red Mist began. He was to late. She shot into the sky like a bullet, zooming back towards her house. He shook his head and went back to the basement to continue working.

RainbowDash raced backed to her house. She couldn't believe this. How could Thunderlane have kept this from her? She had half a mind to dump him on the spot, and the other half wanted to beat him senseless. She saw her house and sped up. she pounded through the door to find Thunderlane drinking some coffee.

"There you are,"He greeted her warmly."I was starting to get worried, it's almost three."

"Shut up,"She said angrily.

"What?"He was confused,"Is something wrong?"

"Oh,no nothing"She replied,"Nothing except I just found out you've been keeping the biggest fucking secret in the world from me for a year!"

"What?"Thunderlane stood up,"What are you talking about?"

"I talked with Red Mist,"She said coolly,"He told me everything."

Thunderlane looked distraught,"Wh-what?"

"You heard me you lying piece of shit!"She screamed back.

"Listen,"He started backing up,"I-I was under strict orders from..."

"DAMN YOUR ORDERS I'M YOUR FUCKING GIRLFRIEND!!!!"Down below, a few ponies looked at the cloud mansion, wondering what was going on.

"Dash, sweetie, please, I..."

"NO! You have lost all right to call me 'sweetie'. Now, your going to tell me everything right now or else I might kill you right here right now!"

"Alright,"Thunderlane breathed. He was backed up against the wall now,"I joined up about three years ago. It's a good organization. We keep Equestria safe."

"And when were you planning to tell me this?!?"

"I don't know. It never seemed like the right time. I mean, it s not exactly the normal topic of conversation."

"You should have told me."

"I know, and I'm really sorry, I just didn't know how..."

"Shut up."His jam snapped shut,"Right now, I've got a lot to think about, and I've only had a few hours of real sleep. I want you to take your stuff, and get out for a while."

"Ok."He replied sadly,"Just know this, I really wanted to tell you..."

"Get out."

"I just couldn't think of a way how to and..."

"Get out."

"I do love you...."

"GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE!"

Thunderlane dropped his head and flew out.RainbowDash stared at the door for a minute. Then she threw his cup of coffee on the floor. She started walking towards the stairs, destroying everything that had anything to do with Thunderlane along the way. Pictures, furniture, even trophies didn't avoid her wrath. When she got to her bedroom she saw a picture of her and Thunderlane, kissing. It was the first time they had ever kissed. It had been there third date, at a movie theater, inside a photo booth. It had been one of the greatest nights of her life.

She knocked the picture on to the floor. It shattered. She stomped on it several times, the glass cutting the picture and becoming a fine powder. after the picture was adequately destroyed, she laid down in bed and went to sleep.