Why Did I Do It?
By: Regulator133
Chapter One: Battle Buddies
“I can’t believe this happened.” Rainbow Dash muttered as she prepared to board the train to Manehattan.
“Nopony could have seen this coming Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said, trying to comfort her friend. This attempt was in vain, however, because Rainbow kept sulking.
“I know, but I would’ve thought for sure that the Wonderbolts would’ve recruited me! I went to their camp, and I’m the best young flier in all of Equestria!” Rainbow Dash shouted at her princess friend. Then something hit her. “Hey Twilight, you’re a princess, can’t you get me out of this?” she asked.
“I’m sorry Rainbow, but I’m not allowed to do that. That’s up to the generals and princess Celestia, not me. I’m in charge of education in Equestria.” Twilight replied sadly. Rainbow looked down at the ground sadly, a tear coming to her eye.
“All aboard for Manehattan!” Came the conductors call. Rainbow Dash let out another sigh before turning to her friends.
“I’ll see you later girls. Don’t worry, I’ll be alright,” She said. She shared a hug with all of them, before getting on the train just as it was pulling out from the station. After showing the conductor her ticket, she took a seat in the train. She looked out of the car sadly as Ponyville faded into the distance.
“Why are you off to Manehattan?” a friendly stallion’s voice asked from behind her. She turned around to look at the speaker. He was a Snow white pegasus, no older than herself, with a black and purple striped mane.
“Army called me there.” Rainbow responded flatly.
“Really? Me too! What unit are you in?” He asked. An excited tone obvious in his voice.
“31st light infantry battalion. B company.” She responded.
“Me too!” He exclaimed.
“Why are you so excited?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Because I found a new friend!” he said, clapping his hooves a little.
“Where are you from? I haven’t seen you around Ponyville.” Rainbow said, trying to find a conversation that would calm the excitable stallion down. He was starting to remind her of Pinkie Pie.
“Oh, of course you haven’t! I live in Fillydelphia!” he replied, still just as excited as before.
“Would you mind calming down a little, I’m kinda tired.” Rainbow asked.
“Oh, of course!” he said, “I’m sorry, I have a tendency to get excited around new friends. By the way, my name’s White Whistle.” he said, extending his hoof. Rainbow reached hers out and shook it.
“I’m Rainbow Dash.” She replied simply. “Why did you join the army, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Oh. I joined because of my dad. He was a commander in the army, and I wanted to follow in his hoofsteps.” He said.
“Wow. It sounds like your dad’s a cool pony.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Yeah he was the coolest.” He said, his demeanor shifting to sad.
“What’s wrong Whistle?” She asked, concerned for her new friend.
“I get kinda sad when I talk about him. He died a few years ago fighting a few burglars who broke into my parents house. He said. When he finished, he began sobbing lightly. After a few minutes, the light sobbing turned into full on bawling.
Rainbow Dash looked on in sympathy as the stallion next to her cried his eyes out. After about a minute of his crying, she reached out and began rubbing his back, whispering to him that everything was alright. After about two or three minutes of comforting him, he began to compose himself.
“Sorry about that. I’m a really emotional pony.” He said, wiping a tear from his face with a hoof.
“It’s alright. My mom died when I was a little filly, so I know exactly how you feel.” Rainbow said.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He said.
“It’s alright, I’ve moved on, barely.” she said. “You know, you remind me of my friends Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. You’re really hyper, but a nice, gentle pony on the inside.”
“Is that a good thing?” he asked, still sniffling from his crying fit.
“Good? Thats great!” she exclaimed. “You’re just like my two best friends. I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.” She asserted.
“Battle buddies?” Whistle asked, reluctantly offering his hoof to Rainbow.
“Battle buddies.” She asserted, shaking his hoof.
The two friends stepped off the train together, laughing at a joke Rainbow told. Rainbow had grown to like the slightly shy stallion. She had learned that he was definitely the shy type, despite their really energetic greeting.
They walked down the street, toward the base where they were supposed to report after their one week leave before being shipped off to Zebrica.
When they reached the gates of the base, they both nonchalantly presented their military ID cards. The military police ponies opened the gate to let the two pegasi in, and they walked in casually. They both went to their company headquarters, where they were assigned a barracks, which held their platoon. Rainbow had to go to the bathroom, so she wasn’t able to check in with Whistle. As she walked up to the counter, she prayed to Celestia that she was put in the same platoon as her friend.
“Name?” the desk clerk asked. She was a white mare with a curly brown mane.
“Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow replied confidently.
“Rank?”
“Private.”
“Alright, you are in fifth platoon. Your barracks number is 19C, and your commanding officer is Lieutenant Silver Star.” The clerk said.
“Thank you.” Rainbow Dash said to her. She trotted off toward where the map had said the barracks was. She found the barracks with relative ease, and was relieved when she arrived. She was tired of walking everywhere, since Manehattan was a no-fly zone for pegasi. Rainbow opened the door and walked in. She noticed that the room was relatively empty, only two rows of bunk beds, one on each side of the room, and a few ponies putting their few belongings in hooflockers.
Rainbow looked around, trying to find a good bunk to claim as her own for the next few days, when she heard a familiar voice call out to her.
“Rainbow Dash!” came the happy cry of her new friend, as he waved her over. He was stuffing his belongings in his footlocker, which consisted of a small steel container with pictures of all his loved ones in it, a miniature camera, and a tank top to wear under his uniform in combat.
“Hey Whistle!” She said walking over to where he was. “Looks like we’ll be in this together.”
“Yep!” came his cheerful reply. It made Rainbow happy to see him back to his energetic self, and not so sad.
“Is the bunk above you taken?” Rainbow asked.
“Nope!” He said. “It’s all yours if you want it.” Rainbow wasted no time in getting on her bunk. she tossed her saddlebags in her hooflocker, then leapt onto her bed with a flap of her wings. “You know you’re supposed to organize your locker, right?’
“Yeah, but I’ll do that later.” She said.
“Will you really?” He asked, giving her an unconvinced look.
“Probably not.” She admitted as she lay on her bunk, trying to catch a little nap before dinner. Since they weren’t due until tomorrow, they had the rest of the day to do whatever they pleased. “Wake me up for dinner, ok?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to get you.” He said as he lie down on his bed, pulling out a book he had brought. This was the beginning of te longest four years of either of the two young ponies lives.
Author's Note
This is an idea I got after the first chapter of "Where My Demons Hide". I think this one is better though.
Why Did I Do It?
By: Regulator133
Chapter:
Three days after they had arrived in Manehattan, Rainbow Dash and White Whistle were packing their belongings into the duffel bags the army had given them. The two pegasi were already dressed in their combat uniforms, which consisted of dull blue fatigues and a helmet of the same color. They had packed their helmets in their bags, since they wouldn’t need them on the boat ride to Zebrica. Whistle tossed the rest of his items into his bag carelessly, and slung his rifle across his back. he picked up the bag with his forehooves and flew out of the barracks. He stopped in the doorway to address Rainbow Dash.
“You coming slowpoke?” He asked her as she tossed her stuff into her duffel bag.
“Hey!” Rainbow shouted at Whistler, throwing the pillow off her bunk at his head, which was looking around the doorway. He dodged it and looked back into the barracks, playfully sticking his tongue out at her. Rainbow shoved the rest of her belongings in her bag, and flew out the door, her trademark rainbow contrail following her out of the barracks.
Whistle looked out the window of the train and sighed.
“Why couldn’t we just fly? I don’t want to spend four days on a train! Four days! That’s outrageous! Right Whistle?” Rainbow Dash ranted. He sighed again.
“Yes Rainbow. Now why don’t you relax, and read one of those books we bought at the station?”
“Fine!” Rainbow huffed crossing her forelegs and falling back onto her bed. She then picked one of the books out of the bag on the ground. “A Travelers Guide to Zebrica? Whistle, what is this?”
“Oh! That’s mine. I wanted to read about where we’re going.” He replied. “Can you toss it up here?”
“Yeah, here.” She said, throwing the book into the air. Whistle unfurled one of his wings and caught the book. “You know, you’re starting to remind me of my friend Twilight too.” She said.
“That name sounds familiar.” Whistle said.
“Duh! That’s because she’s one of the princesses!” Rainbow pointed out.
“What? You’re friends with one of the princesses?” He asked.
“No, I’m friends with all four.” She said.
“What!?” Whistle exclaimed, dropping the book to the floor.
“I didn’t tell you?” She asked.
“No!” He exclaimed.
“OK.” She said. “Did I at least tell you I’m one of the elements of harmony?”
“No, but I already knew that.” He replied. “Would you mind tossing that book back up here?”
“Sure.” She said tossing it back to him on the top bunk. She went back into her book, which was one of the Daring Doo series. He learned that she loved them while at the bookstore at the train station.
“Hey, it says here it gets up to a hundred ten degrees in the summer.” He said.
“It’s a good thing it’s winter then.” Rainbow replied.
“Well, we’re going to be there for two years, so we’ll see a summer or two.” Whistle replied smartly. Rainbow threw a book up at him, which he caught in his wings.
“Don’t use that tone with me!” She commanded.
“Oh? What are you going to do about it?” He challenged.
“I’m gonna do this!” She exclaimed, darting off of her book and pushing Whistle off of the top bunk. He hit the ground with a thud, and Rainbow was upon him within half a second. She landed on top of him, straddling his chest, and pinning his forelegs down with hers. “Any last words?” She asked.
“Nope.” he replied.
“Good.” she said. She then began to furiously tickle him with the ends of her wings. He laughed as her feathers moved around on his body. After a few minutes of her torture, he began to cry.
“Alright, alright! I give!” he said between fits of laughter. Rainbow remained on top of him, but relented in her assault. He panted, trying to regain his breath from the attack. He opened his golden eyes, and looked up into her magenta ones. Then, he did something he knew he would probably regret. He moved his head to hers and kissed her.
