Wings of Deceit

by Fyn16

Farewell to Equestria

Farewell to Equestria

It wasn’t hard for Nimbus to guess why he’d been called into Starburst’s office before the rays of Celestia’s sun had even touched the sky. Quite frankly, he would have been more surprised if he’d been given the day off, but with what had happened recently, he highly doubted that was possible, and wouldn’t have accepted leave anyway. Now Windigo was minus one soldier, and much worse for wear as a result. Never had the ponies stationed here appeared so tired. Very few even spoke anymore; the Colonel’s death had touched almost everypony. Starburst, it could be said, was taking it the worst of all. He refused to move to the Squadron Commander’s office after receiving the position. “It’s too soon,” he’d said quietly before turning away and leaving his superiors. He was truly a defeated pony, yet today, when Nimbus greeted him and Starburst had ordered Storm Runner and himself to be seated, he saw something else, too. The pain was still there, of course, but there was fire, too- pent-up rage directed at those who had killed his friend. So again, why was he here? Nimbus was quite sure he knew the answer: revenge.

Now, though, Nimbus wasn’t quite so sure what was going on. He and Storm had been sitting together, awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact for the last five minutes while Starburst pored over what looked like orders. With every twitch of his eyes, the stallion seemed to grow more agitated. Just as Nimbus began to wonder whether or not his commanding officer was going over the orders again, the stallion raised his head to meet the gazes of Storm and himself.

“So,” he said slowly, “the First, Second, and Third Expeditionary Forces set sail this afternoon for the Griffon Kingdom. As you might imagine, that just so happens to include us.”

Storm Runner cleared his throat, “I’d have it no other way. After what happened to Colonel Cloudsplitter…”

“Indeed,” Starburst nodded, “the higher-ups acted more quickly than I thought they would. Evidently they understand the seriousness of this matter.”

“And we’re part of the Second, are we not?” Nimbus added, “so we’re deploying as well?” Even as the words left his mouth, he wasn’t sure why he was saying them. He wanted to avenge Cloudsplitter as much as the next pony, but going overseas… he knew that his family was prepared, but Whirlwind- Whirly wouldn’t take this easily.

“Well, that’s where things get a bit different for us,” Starburst winced, shifting in his chair; now the whole truth would be revealed. Whatever had made Starburst uncomfortable was about to be heard by all. Nimbus braced for the worst.

“We have a choice,” Starburst said simply, “we can go or stay.”

Nimbus’s mouth dropped open in surprise and shock. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear. Here he was, mulling over the prospect of telling his younger brother he may never see him again, and now he had been suddenly presented with the chance to avoid doing so, to avoid this whole mess altogether.

“That’s not a choice at all,” Storm Runner said, barely above a whisper as he leaned closer, “and sir, I think you know that. Why would we just sit back here while-”

“And I don’t think you truly understand why we’re setting sail today,” Starburst said sharply, cutting the Lieutenant off, “perhaps you haven’t heard, but we’re not exactly marching off to war here. We are not to intervene with the Civil War in any way while we’re abroad, and quite frankly, I’m not sure we can do that. I want to see Cloudsplitter avenged as much as any of us, but threatening the already fragile stability between our nations is far from worth it.”

“But we have to strike them now!” Storm Runner countered, “while they’re weak and divided!”

Nimbus was startled at his old friend’s words. Not only were they born of arrogance and rage, they were completely nonsensical. The past few hours had taken their toll on him, it seemed.

“You forget your place, Lieutenant,” Starburst sighed, standing up from behind his desk, “you both have families; I think you can appreciate the need to keep potential enemies off our shores and away from them.”

“What does that have to do with-”

“It has everything to do with the matter at hoof,” Starburst cut off Storm Runner again, “I’m of half a mind to keep us back here regardless of what you two think, simply because I don’t want to be the pony that starts a two-front war!”

“Sir,” Nimbus said quickly, making sure to get his words in before Storm could derail the conversation any further, “Lieutenant Storm Runner speaks from stress and grief, something I think we’re all experiencing right now. While I may not agree with everything he’s said, I do believe that staying behind is the wrong course of action. For what it’s worth, you’d have my word that I won’t start anything. Storm’s too, right?” he looked questioningly over at the Pegasus scowling next to him.

“Right,” Storm Runner mumbled.

“And besides,” Nimbus continued, “it’s what Cloudsplitter would have wanted.”

At the mention of Cloudsplitter, Starburst’s face softened a bit. He blinked a few times, holding back what was quite possibly a tear, and swallowed. Nimbus was right, of course, but it wasn’t Nimbus that had him worried. Storm was out for blood now, and fully capable of jeopardizing this operation. He’d have to keep an eye on him.

“Right,” he said, “well, our decision’s supposed to be unanimous, and if I can’t convince either of you that this is a bad idea…” he turned to look out his office window, watching a group of Pegasi bank into the sunrise, “I suppose I’m with you. I’ll contact Coastal Defense Command and let them know we’re in. Since we’ve agreed, I need both of you at the docks in four hours with standard deployment gear. We’ll be sailing out with the Second Expeditionary Fleet. I’ll also take the liberty of contacting your families. If they can make it out here, I’m sure they’ll want to see you off.”

“Thank you,” Nimbus said, standing up, “will that be all sir?”

Starburst nodded. “Be punctual, be professional. Lieutenants, you are dismissed.”

It was all the ponies needed. They both saluted sharply, turned, and exited the room quickly and silently, both dealing with their own thoughts- thoughts of family, of revenge, and above all, thoughts of an uncertain future. As he watched Storm gain some distance ahead of him, Nimbus’s thoughts turned towards his old friend. Maybe now was the chance he’d been looking for to finally bury the past between them. .After all, he’d rather have a friend than a rival by his side overseas. It was hardly an opportune time, to be sure, but Nimbus had made his mind up; it was now or never.

“Hey Storm,” he called out as the Pegasus pushed open the door to the flightline. Storm Runner kept going, either oblivious or simply pretending to be. Nimbus persisted, pushing the door open and following him.

“Storm Runner,” he repeated with a bit more emphasis, “fellow classmate, wingpony, dare I even say old buddy? You listening?”

From behind, Nimbus saw Storm Runner stop, and then raise his head and drop his shoulders as if uttering a long, drawn-out exhale. Finally he turned to face Nimbus with tired eyes.

“What?”

Progress. Nimbus didn’t care what his rational side was saying to him right now; the fact that Storm Runner had even acknowledged his presence was progress. A bit of a stretch, perhaps, but it was a start. Baby steps, after all.

Nimbus cleared his throat. “Look, I know it’s a bad time, and it’s awkward to ask, but… are you- do you still…”

Storm Runner squinted his eyes at Nimbus as the Pegasus struggled to find the right words. Truth be told, he knew exactly what he was about to say. Some days he wanted to end it- to just go back to the way things were between the two of them, but it was hard to forget the startling revelation of last year. That Nimbus would lie about such a personal matter was simply unbelievable to him. Yes, he knew what Nimbus would ask, and he knew his answer. Still, he’d hear him out anyway. Might as well.

“Do I still what?” Storm Runner pressed, “out with it. We don’t have a lot of time here.”

“Well, I guess,” Nimbus shuffled his hooves, staring down at the tarmac below, “I guess what I meant was- is there a chance we might be able to put everything behind us? Perhaps even, I don’t know, be friends again?”

Storm bit his tongue at the prospect of saying something he might regret, and made a point to choose his words carefully. Nimbus wasn’t done paying yet; he could not show weakness.

“No,” he whispered, shaking his head, “no we cannot be friends again. Have you forgotten so easily why we distanced ourselves in the first place?”

“But that was a year ago!” Nimbus protested, “Storm, we’re going overseas, maybe even into battle. I want somepony I know by my side-”

“And I want somepony I can trust by my side, Nimbus!” Storm Runner barked, “and you betrayed that trust!”

Nimbus took a few steps back, shocked, though he couldn’t deny he’d been expecting this.

“How am I supposed to fly with somepony I can’t trust?” Storm Runner continued, “and why would you even dare to be the first to suggest becoming friends again? And right after we both watched our squadron leader die in front of our noses?! Nimbus…” he clenched his teeth, then relaxed his face, rubbing his eyes. “Nimbus, I need time. I need to know I won’t be betrayed again, and right now I’m not entirely convinced.” Before Nimbus could say anything in response, Storm turned his back on him.

“Now if there’s nothing else you wanted to say, I think we’re done here.”

There were hundreds of things Nimbus wanted to say, but none came to mind. All he could do was watch, his failure piercing his heart like an icy dagger, as his friend walked away again. This was it, then. Storm had turned away completely. Nimbus had hoped he’d have a friend overseas, in the event that things might ever get rough, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. No, instead he’d be thousands of miles from home, surrounded by Griffons with one of the few ponies he’d ever called “friend” positively hating his guts.

It was going to be a long tour.

…

War was coming. Of this, Captain Ocean Echo had no doubt. It wasn’t that he could “feel it in his bones” or “smell it in the air,” like other captains around his age seemed fond of telling younger crewmates. The old sailors’ tales were just that- tales. In reality, any smart pony could see that conflict was inevitable. In the days leading up to the Great Griffon War, he’d seen the same things. Tension, skirmishes, “preventative troop deployment,” nothing had changed between then and now, and look what had happened then.

With a groan, the old Earth Pony stretched and leaned against the wall of his quarters. The Peregrine had been given to him almost four years ago, and to date, she still felt like a brand new ship. The oaken walls hadn’t lost their lustre yet, and the whole ship smelled fresh. Four years ago, he’d been planning on retiring from the Royal Equestrian Navy, believing himself done with sea battles, diplomatic missions, and exploration; this ship had convinced him otherwise. She was a full one hundred feet longer than Equestria’s former largest cruiser, outfitted with six cannons, four torpedo tubes, powered by steam, and bearing some of the finest armor available. Upon her maiden voyage, she was immediately designated the nation’s new flagship, and captaining her was a duty that never got old, or so Echo had once believed.

Now though, as he watched young, smiling faces board his vessel, he wasn’t so sure. He could still remember boarding a warship for the first time, taking his first steps towards command as he eagerly awaited the chance to prove his might against the invading Griffons decades ago. A lot of his friends that boarded that day with him bore the same sparkle in their eyes- the same, confident swagger in their steps. It was all a show; deep down, all of them were afraid, and for good reason. Many of those faces left the shore for the last time that day, and while he tried not to be cynical, Echo knew that the odds were not good that they’d get out of this operation without casualties either. Somewhere along the way, someone would slip up, and then there would be blood in the water. It would simply be best to be prepared when that time came.

A shuffling sound caught his attention, and the captain turned towards the entrance to his quarters. A uniformed pony approached, snapped to attention, and saluted stiffly. He returned the gesture, and both ponies dropped their hooves.

“Sir, Ensign Bluecrest reporting in the place of Engineering.”

Ocean Echo smiled. “Ah, yes. I’ve been expecting their report. Are we ready to sail with the fleet this afternoon?”

The ensign blinked and swallowed nervously; bad news, then. Best get it on with.

“Actually, sir, they wanted to run a request by you before making… an alteration to the ship.”

Echo raised an eyebrow. “An alteration? What is it and why do we need it?”

“It’s the Aviators, sir,” the ensign continued, “we need a launch area for them, and that’s going to mean clearing space and painting some runway markers on the foredeck.”

This was certainly not what Echo wanted to hear. He’d never been much of a fan of the REAF in the first place- like other traditionalists, he believed they should just be integrated into the army. Now, not only were they going to be traveling to the Griffon Kingdom with them; they were already making demands, demands that would require him to deface his beautiful ship. It was preposterous, it was absurd, it…

Realizing he was breathing in and out at a frantic pace, Echo put up a hoof and exhaled slowly, regaining his composure.

“Is this really necessary? Can’t they just take off vertically like every other Pegasus?”

The pony shook his head. “No, sir. Aviator formation code forbids it, and they need the room to gain speed for weighted takeoffs.”

“Fine,” he said, sitting down behind his desk, “if there’s no other way, let’s get it done with. Just have the stallions paint it… tastefully. She’s nearly a brand-new ship.”

“Yes sir, I’ll tell them.”

“Dismissed then.”

The pony saluted, whirled around sharply, and exited, and Echo rubbed his mane thoughtfully. It wasn’t his choice to bring the Aviators along, but like it or not, they were still part of the Expeditionary Force. It wasn’t his place to question why they were on his boat, and it was his responsibility as Captain to ensure they were treated fairly. He groaned as he absently circled a time written down on a nearby calendar- a meeting with one of the REAF commanders to be stationed on the ship. He wasn’t one to question royal orders, and he knew he’d get through this deployment just like every other time, but there was no denying it- this would easily be the most memorable sea voyage of his life.

…

‘You got that, or would you like some help?”

Nimbus grunted as he heaved his deployment bags onto his back for the third time since leaving home. To his embarrassment, he was practically wheezing in front of the pony who’d asked him the question- a Navy stallion standing on the gangplank between himself and the vessel scheduled to take him across the ocean: the Peregrine. Nice name for a ship, Nimbus admitted to himself, though it hardly fit a seagoing vessel. Still, he wasn’t here to judge.

“What was that?” Nimbus asked as his bag slid forward, unceremoniously boxing him in the ear. With a growl of frustration, he threw the bag back again as the pony walked towards him.

“Just wondering if you needed help,” the Unicorn said, “looks like they had you pack heavy.”

“And they didn’t make you?” Nimbus asked, noting the Unicorn’s uniform as he straightened himself up.

“Hah, nope. I’m stationed aboard this ship. All my stuff’s on board. Name’s Color Splash- er, Ensign Color Splash.” The pony smiled and cheerfully extended a hoof. Nimbus eyed the white Unicorn’s hoof for a moment before shaking it, returning the gesture.

“Well, I guess I might need a little help,” he decided, dropping one of his smaller saddlebags down, “any chance you could grab that?”

“Sure thing,” Color Splash said, hefting the heavy bag. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your quarters. They’re keeping squadrons together- who’re you with?”

“The 132nd,” Nimbus replied as he stepped onto the ship’s deck. Around him, other Aviators were boarding- his companions for the next few weeks. Most of them looked as confused as he was, while sailor ponies stood around, some talking and laughing amongst themselves, some chuckling at the Aviators’ confusion, and others going out ot their way to help them. Nimbus decided he was lucky to have found one willing to do the latter.

“Oh, so you’re actually stationed nearby, then.” Color Splash opened a large, creaking metal door leading below deck and gestured for Nimbus to follow him, “I see you guys flying around a lot. You were…” he hesitated, “you were the ones involved in that ordeal with the Griffons yesterday, weren’t you?”

“Yeah…” Nimbus said softly.

“Well for what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Color Splash said, leading Nimbus through a tight, metal corridor that Nimbus felt might influence claustrophobia in even the bravest of souls. Once again, Nimbus flinched at the words. He’d heard the same phrase many times, and had hoped that enough exposure might numb him to the reality of what had happened. It didn’t. The best he could do would be to channel his sorrow into motivation to be the best he could.

Color splash entered a small room lined with bunks. Currently, nopony was inside, but that wasn’t a surprise. Nimbus knew others would fill the empty spaces soon.

“Pick a bunk. Nice thing about getting here early is that you actually have options.” Color Splash smiled at Nimbus, “and hey- if you ever need anything, let me know.”

Nimbus heaved his bags up onto the top bunk nearest to him. It was an uncomfortable thing, looking more like a hulking, metal torture device than something meant to sleep on, but it would do- after all, he’d basically slept on rocks at REAC not long ago.

“So, got family you need to see off today?” Nimbus asked, trying to make conversation as he neatened up his bunk.

“Actually, yeah,” Color Splash replied, “saw ‘em off this morning, since they live right here in the city.”

Nimbus nodded. “Mine are coming up from Hollow Shades, or at least I hope they are. This deployment came as a bit of a surprise.”

“Hollow Shades?” Color Splash grabbed a bag and hurled it up onto the bunk,”that’s quite a long distance away. You’ll probably want to be on deck so you can see them when they arrive.”

“Yeah,” Nimbus finished laying out his bedding and hopped down from the bunk, “I just hope they can make it.” He took a long look at the door leading out of the room, studying the maze of corridors stretching out before him.

“Er… can I trouble you to guide me up top? I think it’s gonna be a while before I learn the layout of this ship.”

“No trouble at all,” said Color, chuckling, “no trouble at all.”

…

Whirlwind just couldn’t sit still; not since the Phoenix had come early in the morning bringing details of Nimbus’s eminent deployment. Since his parents had opened that letter, all he could think about was getting to the docks on time. His parents had promised they’d be there an hour before the boat left, but one train delay and a late carriage hadn’t helped ease his anxiety as he sat in the back of the carriage with his family. His hooves tapped nervously, and the little pony glanced anxiously towards the ocean for any indication that Nimbus was nearby.

“Whirly, please,” his mother said, noting his obvious distress once again, “I told you we’d be there. Nimbus hasn’t left yet.”

“How do you know, Mom?” Whirlwind said, shifting in his seat, “we’ve had two delays now! He might already be gone.”

“Whirlwind, listen,” Updraft chimed in, lifting his head from its resting place on the carriage window, “I know you’re anxious. We all are- but so’s Nimbus. Remember, Whirly- he’s going to be overseas soon, and when we meet him, he’ll want you to be strong.”

“Pft, Nimbus isn’t scared,” Whirlwind snorted, thinking back to all the stories his brother had told him .As far as he was concerned, there wasn’t a better flier in Equestria, and that was the end of the story.

“Oh?” Updraft countered, “Whirly, something you’ll find out soon enough is that everyone gets scared at times. Nimbus has a big, important job to do, and that’s not going to be easy for him. Do you ever get nervous before a big test in school?”

Whirlwind gulped, nodding slowly.

“That’s how Nimbus probably feels right now. It’s our job to make sure he’s on top of his game when he gets on that boat. You with me?”

“I guess so,” Whirlwind sighed, “but I still don’t think he’s scared.”

“Everypony gets scared sometimes,” Comet Stream said, “even Nimbus.”

Outside, the docks finally began to roll into view; they were positively crowded with ponies waiting to send their families off to distant shores, all just as hesitant to watch them go. Nimbus was down there somewhere, and as Whirlwind scanned the crowd, he felt a chill run down his spine. This would be the last time he’d see his brother for a while. Hopefully, he could make this visit worthwhile. After all, if Nimbus really was scared, who better to support him than his own brother?

…

Nimbus sat down against a wooden dock post, groaning and rubbing his mane. He’d been waiting almost all day now, and still no sign of his family. The sun was already beginning to set over Manehattan Bay, and he’d already helped his squadron onto the ship. He was the only one left to board for good, and he wasn’t budging. Not until he finally got to say goodbye.

The possibility that this could be the last time he’d see his family’s faces wasn’t lost on him. With the attack yesterday and the turmoil going on overseas, it’d be a miracle to make it back from this tour without seeing any combat. Dying scared him; he had no problem admitting that to himself. What bothered him more, however, was what would happen to his family in the event of his death. They were a close family, and he hardly wanted them to witness their own son’s or brother’s death. Whirlwind would be torn, to say the least. Nimbus resolved then and there to avoid death at all costs, if Whirlwind’s sake for nothing else. The little guy thought him invincible, and this was not time to change that.

For the hundredth or thousandth time today (he’d lost count) Nimbus scanned the crowd, looking for familiar faces. It was thinner now than it had been earlier; many ponies had already bid their loved ones goodbye. Still, his family was not among them. Why? Where were they? As he pondered these questions, he felt frustration, confusion, and anger, and it scared him. He was about to be deployed for the first time. The last thing he wanted to be was angry at his family, yet he couldn’t drop the feeling. He was their son, and they weren’t here! At the sound of hoofsteps, Nimbus turned around. It was Color Splash, stepping onto the dock beside him. It wasn’t hard for the Navy stallion to see Nimbus’s expression and read it. He knew what was going on.

“Hey,” he said casually.

“Hi,” Nimbus replied, voice cracked from the dry air. Color Splash had a quick look at the crowd, then sat down next to Nimbus.

“First time, huh?”

Nimbus raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“Deployment. Family’s not here, are they?”

“No,” Nimbus stood, adjusting his uniform. Sitting down hadn’t done its appearance any favors. “Your first time too?”

Color Splash smiled wryly, “no, not at all. Second, actually. I know how it feels.”

“Hmm,” Nimbus said, “guess that happens a lot working on a ship.”

“And I have many ahead of me,” Color Splash continued, “that’s just something we come to accept in the Navy.”

Nimbus looked back to the ship, watching smoke trail lazily into the orange sky from one of the ship’s large smokestacks. The serenity of the image calmed him somewhat, and he let out a deep breath.

“Time to go, then?” he said finally “I’m guessing that’s why you’re out here.”

“Yeah,” Color Splash smiled faintly, “it is. I just wanted to let you know that even if your family couldn’t be here for this, they’ll keep you in their thoughts. If they were dedicated enough to try and come here today, there’s no way they’ll forget about you.”

“Just wish I could’ve seen them one more time,” Nimbus admitted as he prepared to step onto the gangplank.

“Lots of us do. If there’s any consolation in this, it’s easier to leave them behind when they’re not present. Parting is bittersweet, to say the least.”

As the ship’s horn echoed over the harbor, Nimbus and Color Splash boarded, staying by the ship’s railing and watching the crowd behind them. Many ponies were waving banners or shouting up to the soldiers on deck, wishing them a safe voyage. None were his family, but as others gathered near the rail, Nimbus joined them in waving to the ponies below. It was the right thing to do, and it was the best goodbye he’d get.

…

The sound of the horn filled Whirlwind with dread. His parents were right- Nimbus was here, but he wouldn’t be for long. He could see the boat ahead, but the gangplank had been stowed. Nimbus was on the ship now, and between both of them was a crowd of ponies. There was no way they’d get to the end of the dock on hoof, not in time at least.

“Mom, Dad,” Whirlwind said, tugging on his parents, “I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, Whirlwind, where are you-”

His mother’s words were lost to the wind, though. Before she could grab for her son, Whirlwind was already long gone, darting through the crowd. It hurt to leave his parents behind, but Whirlwind knew he had a job to do. Nimbus had to be brave, and that wasn’t going to happen without his help.

“Nimbus!” he called out as he darted through the cloud, “big brother! Nimbus, we’re here!”

The crowd was thicker the closer he got to the end of the dock, but there was no way he’d give up, not now. Nimbus had his duties, but now it was time for Whirlwind to do his.

…

“Nimbus!”

Nimbus immediately snapped his head up off the railing where he’d been resting it. He knew that voice.

“Whirlwind?” he called down from the deck, “Whirly, is that you?”

A low, throbbing hum sounded underneath him and foam began to churn near the end of the ship as the large vessel began to slowly move away from the dock.

“No, no, no,” he mumbled, “come on Whirly, where are you?”

He squinted, trying to make out a familiar shape in the crowd, but there were just too many ponies obscuring his view. Whirlwind was down there, he’d heard him, but where?

…

He’d definitely heard Nimbus’s voice. Of that, Whirlwind was positive. There were still too many ponies between him and Nimbus, though, and the ship was already moving. There had to be another way. Whirlwind looked up- orange sky pierced through the crowd above him. Of course- there was always another way. If he couldn’t reach Nimbus on the ground, then he’d just have to go vertical. Whirlwind flared his wings and pushed off, breaking through the crowd. The ship was dead ahead, now where was his brother?

…

Nimbus saw the grey streak soar out from the crowd immediately, and locked his eyes onto it. The dock was growing farther and farther away, but now there was no mistake. It was Whirlwind; his family had finally come to say goodbye.

“Whirly, over here!” Nimbus called out. At the sound of his brother’s voice, Whirlwind’s eyes lit up, and he dove straight for Nimbus, stopping just short of the rail. Finally, they were together, and despite his best efforts, Nimbus felt his eyes tearing up.

“Hey buddy,” he said, ruffling his little brother’s mane, “come to see me off?”

“Yeah,” Whirlwind, said, “Mom and Dad said you were scared, and that we should help you be brave.”

Nimbus chuckled, “yeah, I’m scared, Whirly. Mom and Dad were right, though. With you here, I think I feel quite a bit braver.”

Whirlwind sniffed, and Nimbus bit his tongue. His little brother was about to start crying, and if he wasn’t careful, so would he.

“Nimbus, I don’t want you to get hurt,” Whirlwind said through shuddering sobs, “do you really have to go?”

“I’m an Aviator, buddy,” Nimbus replied, straightening himself up as best he could, “and while that may take me to some dangerous places, it doesn’t change the fact that this is my job.” He looked back towards the docks. Both Comet Stream and Updraft had finally made it to the front of the crowd. They were too far to hear, so Nimbus simply nodded to them. Then he turned back to Whirlwind.

“Remember back at Hollow Shades, when I promised you I’d see you again?”

Whirlwind nodded, wiping away a few stray tears.

“Good, continue to remember it, because that promise still stands. I’m coming back to you, Whirly. Don’t you worry about that.”

Whirlwind smiled as one more tear fell from his face into the ocean below. “I know you will,” he crossed his arms, “and you wanna know why?”

Nimbus smiled. “Why’s that?”

“Because you’re my brother.”

Nimbus patted his brother on the head. “That’s right, buddy.” He took one more look back at the dock where his parents stood. “And now, little guy, it’s time for me to go.” Taking two steps back, Nimbus snapped to attention and brought his hoof up in a sharp salute to his brother. Whirlwind returned the gesture, the little stallion’s pride welling up inside him like a geyser. At the salute’s conclusion, Whirlwind waved one last goodbye and turned back to the shore. Nimbus waved as his brother faded back into the crowd, and turned to Color Splash. The Unicorn nodded approvingly.

“It was a long time coming,” he said, “but that goodbye was worth it.”

Nimbus nodded in agreement, turning his attention back to the horizon. There would be long days ahead, on the open ocean, and they’d certainly test him, but he knew that they were the least of his priorities. The true tests lay ahead, across this vast expanse of water. Somehow, some way or another, those responsible for Colonel Cloudsplitter’s death would pay. As the flag of Equestria caught the sun’s dying rays, Nimbus stood fast, watching the sun disappear below the continent he’d just departed as the moon rose into view behind him. One way or another, he knew that this voyage was just the beginning than something much bigger than Windigo Squadron. In the days to come, everypony would have a part to play. Now, he was finally ready to play his.

End of Book I

Author's Note:

And so ends book one of many within Wings of Deceit. Since the school year's starting, I'll be picking up speed a bit. Expect more content soon!