The Tale Of A Shaded Comet

The newly reinstated Sergeant Comet paced nervously, listening to Princess Celestia and Captain Armour were discussing. The Changling outcast had to be a fake. It just didn't make sense.

Shaded stopped pacing, and thought about what the Changling had said. The city which you call Cloudsdale is about to be attacked. Why Cloudsdale? What would they possibly achieve from gaining Cloudsdale?

And then it clicked. Cloudsdale makes the weather. Control the weather, keep the pegasai down, and achieve air dominance. It was so obvious! Shaded quickly looked around the hall, and not seeing Rainbow Dash or her friends, began to motion towards the Princess.

Seeing this, the Princess began to communicate telepathically again with him. What is it Sergeant? An unfamiliar presence touched his mind as well. Captain Armour? He asked. Yes. What is it Sergeant Comet? Shaded made the mental version of a gulp.

The Changlings, if this attack comes to pass, will gain air dominance if we lose Cloudsdale. It's obvious really. I can't believe we didn't realise it. Princess Celestia looked at Captain Armour, realisation dawning in her eyes. Are you sure? Armour asked, now worried.

Shaded nodded, breaking the mental contact. The Princess was now staring at Cloudsdale in the distance. "We need to create a pegasus army." Captain Armour looked at Shaded. "With your permission, Princess, I would like to mobilise a battalion of pegusai, with Sergeant Shaded as the commander."

Shaded gazed, confused, at the Captain. The white unicorn's face was set in stone. There was to be no messing about. Celestia nodded in acceptance. "Congratulations Commander Comet. You've just been promoted to flight commander of the Royal Guard's 1st Airborn Battalion."

Captain Armour motioned towards Shaded. "You will need a flight captain. May I recommend Spitfire of the Wonderbolts?" Shaded snorted. "No. She's arrogant. I would like Miss Rainbow Dash as my captain." His raspy, almost pained voice echoed around the hall.

Captain Armour looked startled as Shaded began to have a coughing fit; it was now getting painful to speak. As he coughed, he noticed blood in his saliva. Celestia also noticed. Her horn began to glow. "No. Don't." Shaded stared at her, anger evident in his blue eyes.

Why do you not let me heal you? Celestia was now really confused. It won't kill me. And I need to leave for Ponyville immediately, with the elements. The white alicorn looked away, as if in pain as Shaded Comet took off down the hall, zooming out the doors.

Rainbow Dash was looking out the window of the train. It was getting dark, as Princess Luna prepared to raise the Moon. She was still reeling over Shaded; he had just flown away towards Ponyville without saying anything.

Well, not saying anything was an understatement. He never spoke anyway. He had just looked at her, and took off. He was definitely troubled over something. Or somepony. I hope he's alright. Sighing, she looked towards Twilight. She also seemed troubled.

They were more or less at Ponyville's train station by now. As she prepared to leave the carriage, Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. As she looked round, Twilight smiled.

"Princess Celestia said that she was sending a letter to Spike for you." Rainbow Dash just blinked. "It's about Shaded." Rainbow simply nodded, too tired to actually thank her. I wonder what the letter's about. It better have some answers.

As they left the carriage, Rainbow loooked up. The moon was actually quite beautiful tonight. As she calmly walked back to her cloud mansion, she let her thoughts overpower her.

Why was Shaded so quick to leave? Why is Cloudsdale going to be attacked? She thought about that last one. "If they think they'll be able to take Cloudsdale, they got another thing coming." She murmered to herself.

As she arrived back at her mansion, there was a wierd feeling that bloomed inside her. Ignoring it, she went inside and up to her bedroom. Then she saw a package. It was a box.

Shaded must have left it. She smiled, and opened the box. There was some lightweight gold armour with a cyan streak across the chest inside. Her jaw dropped. As she lifted the chestplate up, a note fell out. She began to read it.

Rainbow Dash,

Sorry I sorta broke into your house to drop this off, but you're going to need it. I requested for you to be my flight captain. And the Princess agreed. Meet me in at the Cloudsdale barracks tomorrow at noon. Congratulations, you are now flight captain of the Royal Guard's 1st Airborn Battalion. You will be serving under me, but rest assured, I won't boss you about that much.

Shaded Comet, Royal Guard 1st Airborne Battalion Flight Commander.

"So that's why he left in a hurry. Huh. Wait a sec... Flight Captain?"

Shaded was hovering outside Rainbow Dash's cloud house, listening to her reaction. Peeking in through the window, he saw the cyan pegasus put the armour on, giggling at her reflection.

I hope she's not too annoyed. She is practically a higher authority than the Wonderbolts now... He sighed, and flew back to Cloudsdale. The clouds around him were soft, and yet strangely disturbing. The barracks were quiet, apart from the snores of the battalion inside. His armour rustled in the wind.

The sounds of wings, lots of wings, began to fill his ears. The buzzing increased in volume, slowly but steadily. Shaded looked up, expecting to see pegusai. He didn't. Increasing his speed, he got to the center of the barracks, and shouted as loud as he could.

Rainbow Dash heard the shout from her mansion. It was a raspy, male voice, strangely familiar. "CHANGLING ATTACK!" She gasped, and picked up what seemed to be gauntlets. They were like what Shaded had; they had blades attached. They even had her cutie mark on them.

She quickly put hem on, and flew outside. It was no lie, there were Changlings beginning to surround Cloudsdale, but they were barely visible in the dark of the night. Speeding up her ascent, she arrived at the barracks, in time to see everypony dash outside and get into position on the newly constructed walls. Damn. That was some quick building. Taking position next to the barracks, she looked around for Shaded.

He was easy to spot. He was in gold armour, much like Rainbow Dash, and wore no helmet. His armour had a electric blue stripe pattern on the chestplate and shoulder pads, essentially showing everypony his status as Commander.

He was pointing at troops, and using various hoof signals. Each pegasus followed every silent order unquestionably. Apart from three. She landed beside Shaded, and studied the three. It was Hoops, Dumb-bell and Score. They seemed to be arguing with Shaded.

And Shaded was getting angry. So were Fleetfoot, Soarin' and Spitfire, who were standing next to Shaded with the rest of the Wonderbolts nearby. They wore similar armour to Rainbow Dash, but had Sergeant symbols on their shoulder pads. She listened into the conversation.

"Commander Vomit, I really don't know what you are trying to say. I don't understand sign language." Hoops continued, a smirk on his face.

"Commander Vomit, I really don't know what you are trying to say. I don't understand sign language." Shaded began to get really angry. Vomit? Is that the best they can do? He motioned towards the assembled Wonderbolts, who were all under his command.

Hearing wings, he saw Rainbow Dash land besides him. The Wonderbolts, seeing her rank, immediately saluted. Dismissing them, she looked up at him, and Shaded nodded.

"HOW DARE YOU QUESTION COMMANDER COMET'S DECISION! I SHOULD HAVE YOU ALL BROUGHT BEFORE PRINCESS CELESTIA FOR INSUBORDINATION!" She roared at them, spit flying from her mouth. Celestia above, she's cute when she's angry. Shaded allowed his thoughts to wander.

"Shut up, Rainbow Crash. This doesn't involve you." With that, Rainbow Dash sprung forward, rage evident in her eyes. "THAT'S CAPTAIN DASH TO YOU!" And with that, she punced him in the mouth. The Wonderbolts just stood there in shock. "GET MOVING, NOW!" She finished, angrily shaking her mane. The three flew away, now scared.

Shaded's mouth fell open, and he had to forcefully push it up with his hoof. Wow. Soarin' broke the silence. "Well handled, Captain Dash." She looked up, now remebering her fan-girl side.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" Rainbow Dash shouted. The other Wonderbolts began to hover, amused by her ouburst. A loud "INCOMING" resonated in Shaded's ears. The Changlings were now attacking!

Shaded and Rainbow took off, and led the Wonderbolts in the counterattack. They flew in tight formation and the black haze obscuring the moon. Gaining speed, they began to spin, rotating in their positions, their hoofblades extended out in front of them.

Spinning even faster, they hit the army head on. And the battle began. Tearing through the ranks of the Changlings, the Wonderbolts split off from Shaded Comet and Rainbow Dash, flanking them. Rainbow Dash tackled a Changling in the air.

Shaded's heart lept into his mouth. He was scared. Not for himself. For Rainbow Dash. He swore that nothing would hurt her so long as he was alive. And he would hold onto that promise until his dying breath.

He was suddenly knocked out the air by a rainbow coloured streak. Rainbow Dash? Regaining altitude, he was attacked by Rainbow Dash again. What the hay! Catching her off guard, he grabbed her hooves and pulled her into a dive. Rainbow Dash struggled, and a burst of green pushed him back.

Looking around for the source, he saw Rainbow Dash laughing at him. That is not Rainbow Dash. A pillar of green energy erupted from her, and she phased into a familiar figure. "Chrysalis" Shaded growled. She said nothing, and phased into...

Rainbow Dash finished off the Changling that she had tackled, and looked around for Shaded. Under her, she noticed that there were two Shaded Comets. Which one is the real one? She saw the one on her right give out a burst of green magic, and she made her choice.

Flying up as high as she could, she looked down. The real Shaded was defending himself pretty well, until the other Shaded managed to duck under his guard, and slashed at his hind legs. The blow connected. Rainbow Dash went into a dive, building speed.

Shaded had felt more pain than this, but it still hurt. Continuing to trade blows to each other, they dodged, weaved and caught each other off guard. Both Shaded and Chrysalis had injuries, but Shaded had the worst.

His strength now deserting him, he weakly tried to defend himself, feeling more pain as the Changling Queen  battered at his chestplate. His limbs weak, he blocked once more, and his gauntlet rang with the strength of the blow. Staggering back, Shaded randomly looked up. This is it. He closed his eyes, preparing for the end.

...

...

...BOOM.

He opened his eyes in time to see a Sonic Rainboom approaching them, Rainbow Dash spinning with her hoofblades poised to strike. Shaded Comet felt himself picked up, and he weakly struggled against Chrysalis, as she pushed him into the path of Rainbow Dash...

Her eyes went wide as her blades cut through his armour like paper, shredding the flesh. They hit the cloud, bounced and limply slid across the surface, blood streaking behind them. The battlefield became silent, as tears streaked down her face, her heart pounding as she realised what she had done.

"No..." Grabbing him, she called to Soarin'. "HELP!" Soarin' grabbed Shaded with Rainbow Dash, and together they lifted him gently, rushing him to a medic. The medic looked at he wounds, quickly tearing off his armour, or what remained of it, anyway.

Shaded looked up, and coughed, blood splattering against Rainbow Dash. With the last of his willpower, he pulled her close. Rainbow was, by now, full out bawling. The medic injected Shaded with something, and he went limp. "Adrenaline. Get him to Ponyville; only they will be able to help him now." Rainbow Dash nodded weakly, still sniffling, and swiftly carried him down to Ponyville.

Shaded was fading in and out of reality. Blurred colours flashed in front of his eyes, and faded, hushed voices spoke around him. Fully coming round now, he focused on the first thing he saw. Rainbow Dash. She was crying heavily, and there was a purple unicorn trying to calm her down. They didn't see him wake up.

"I just stabbed him! He might die! He lost so much blood!" Rainbow Dash was still in her armour, but the gold was obscured with red. Sobbing, she flung herself onto the ground. "I love him, Twilight! And I just stabbed him!" Oh. My. Sweet. Celestia. I'm fine Dashie. I just wish I could tell you that..I...Love you... He blacked out, fading from life...

The heart rate monitor began to bleep frantically, and Rainbow Dash died inside. He's going to die. NO! HE WON'T! Twilight grabbed her, and steered her towards the others. "There's one thing we can do to try to save him."

They walked over to Shaded, the monitor now bleeping even faster. The elements around their necks began to glow. Rising into the air, they were engulfed in a white light. Dash looked down at Shaded, his crumpled body filling her vision. A rainbow appeared out of nowhere, and hit him in the chest.