Wings

by Silent Bob

Reunion

"RAUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHH!"

Spitfire's spear soared into a griffin.

She heard another griffin hiss. She twirled about, her eyes widening as the tip of one of their own spears filled her vision. She quickly darted to the left, with one hoof wiggling out the spear she had just killed the previous griffin with while actually grabbing the spear the griffin had thrusted towards her.

The griffin snarled, trying to get loose of the terrifying, bloodthristy pegasi's grip, but to no avail.

"HOOOHAHAHA!" a

Spitfire grinned, using the griffin's own spear as leverage, dislodging her own spear from the dead griffin behind her, and sending it sailing right between the enemy's eyepiece. A shower of blood flowed from it.

Dashie gasped at this, her eyes widened. Her own hero, her mentor... had been twisted into a monster.

Something she thought pegasi were better than. Something she had thought Tom was better than. But war... war could turn anyone into monsters, even if they had never fought in one battle.

Two Years Prior

"Make no mistake, war is coming!" Princess Luna roared in her royal Canterlot voice, standing among a crowd of awe-struck Ponyville ponies. "With all its glory, and all its horrors, we will bring it to those who attacked our allies, the Crystal Empire!"

The ponies in the crowd glanced at each other, looking particularly wary.

"W-Why did they attack them?" Scootaloo squeaked.

"Unknown," Luna growled. "Though we think they may be trying to grow close to the Northern Rift."

"The wah-?"

"It is a magical rift in space-time that all magical energy is drawn from. However, griffins are inherently without this, but their allies have the capabilities of effecting it... they are working with both the changelings and the veatir!""

There was an outcry among the crowd.

"What?! The changelings?! I thought we had an armstice with them!"

"Rotten deceitful bastards!"

"And that is not all!" Princess Luna announced. "We believe that they wish to grow close to the Northern Rift in order to close it, cutting us off from our magical supply! However, the veatir and changelings will still be able to use their own, due to the nature of their magics. Two armies have been sent to guard the rift, led by Prince Shining Armor, and one of our own led by General Warfield. However, it's likely the griffins, changelings, and their ilk may begin attacking Equestria itself in order to cripple our infrastructure and to distract us from the rift."

"W-What are we going to do without our armies, though?!" Fluttershy squeaked.

"That's what I'm hear for," Spitfire spoke up, her voice filled with hate. All the wonderbolts stood by her, all but one: Soarin. "The Wonderbolts were the first to engage the griffins. And were to first to take casualties. My team member, my friend, Soarin, was killed last week."

Rainbow Dash gave a gasp. The town gave a gasp. This war... a war that was just all words, was now all too real.

"We're launching a zeppelin blockade that will run all the way along the eastern coast," Spitfire announced. "Our job is to prevent the griffins from forming a beachhead in our lands by any means necessary. Let it be known: this force will be not be composed of volunteers. We don't have time for that. I have a list with me as to who is stationed on which airship. The reading will commence now. Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. Her hero... had called her first?

"You'll be stationed on Princess Luna's flagship, the Nocturnal Thunder. Your rank will be Lieutenenant, the highest below us Wonderbolts."

"Y-Yes ma'm!" Rainbow Dash squeaked. "But uh... not that I'm scared or anything, but I'm not prepared for combat..."

"Every crew will be trained thuroughly," Princess Luna announced, her eyes narrowing. "But make no mistake: my sister may not be used to the ways of war, a kind and gentle soul within her, but I... have experience. Do not expect favoritism, do not expect to be pampered, and do not expect me to go easy on you. This is war, and for a war, I need warriors!"

"Hoorah!" Spitfire cheered.

"DASH! CUT THE GOD DAMNED DAY DREAMING!" Spitfire roared, sending drawing a crossbow bolt and nailing a griffin who was just about to tear into the distracted flier.

"S-Sorry ma'm!"

"You won't be saying sorry in a wood box, Dash!" Spitfire snapped. "Eyes on the war!"

"I-I can't do this, though!" Rainbow cried. "I don't want to kill any-"

"I knew your father, god damnit!" Spitfire roared, as spears and crossbow bolts and chaos echoed around her. "He was a good pony. An honorable pony. He died trying to protect Equestria. Just like Soarin. Fight for his honor if nothing else!"

"He always s-said a true pegasus doesn't fight out of vengeance!"

"THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO BE DEBATING PHILOSOPHY!"

"And this isn't the time to be fighting like a human!" Dash snapped.

"What!?"

"A Teranid! A monster!"

Spitfire all but facehoofed. "God damnit Dash, get back the airship if you're not fighting! Go cry in your bunkroom while the rest of us are out here dying!"

"Fine!" Dash snapped. "I once thought you were my hero, Spitfire! But I won't be a hypocrite! You're just like him! You're just like-"

Her eyes widened.

"Tom?"

"What are you babbling about! Who the buck is Tom?!"

Rainbow ignored her, flying towards something... or someone who had caught her eye. A humanoid figure dressed in a flight jacket. A ghost of her past come to visit her again.

He was currently falling through the sky... barreling towards the ground.

"TOM!" Dashie screamed, all but deflating her lungs.

She zipped towards him, faster than she had flown in days. She quickly spotted a cloud nearby, raced towards it, and then towards Tom. She set it underneath him, and he landed on it with a plop, apparently sleeping.

However, suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

"RAINBOW!" he shouted.

"T-Tom? Are you angry at me-"

"No, behind you!" he pointed.

She twirled about, her eyes widening. Two griffins were fast approaching her, apparently viewing her as a straggler and an easy target. She raised her crossbow, shaking. She had time to kill both of them.

"T-Tom... I don't want to do it," she said, tears lacing her eyes.

"I know... I know," Tom whispered to her. "I just got done fighting a battle of my own... and I didn't want to either."

"D-Did you-?"

"I tried not to..."

The griffins continued to close in, snarling, but at the moment nothing existed except for Tom and Rainbow.

"B-But they're not all bad... they could be fathers... they could have been drafted, just like me," Rainbow gulped. "A part of me wants to... for my father. But he wouldn't want that..."

"I know, Rainbow, for a time I wanted to do nothing but avenge him... but then right when I got off to war I decided against it... and I didn't know what to do."

"B-But you said you fought? W-Why?"

"To defend the people I care about. To defend innocents. And to defend my country. Isn't that what your father wanted?"

"Y-Yes..."

"A-And he wouldn't want you to die, would he?"

"N-No..."

Tom took a deep breath. "Then take the shots... just try to disable them... you have the coordination... I was there when you learned to fly... I saw how good you were. Focus...."

Rainbow slowly nodded, and the world suddenly went into slow motion.

"Focus..." Tom whispered.

Rainbow spied the slow flaps of the griffin's wings... if she could hit them...

She took a deep breath, lined up a shot, and took it.

The arrow whizzed across the air... and she closed her eyes.

"RAUUUUUUUGGGGGH!"

The griffin's wing was pierced, and he began to spiral downward. His comrade's eyes widened, and acting with true comradship he quickly gripped his flying partner, making sure he would not fall. The two gave Rainbow two last snarls... before turning back towards their main flight group.

Rainbow sighed harder than she had ever sighed before, a smile quivering on her lips.

"T-Thank you, Tom," she said, not bothering to face him. "For being here for me once again."

However, when she turned around, he was gone.

Comments

[Brainstorm]

Wow, you're updating quickly.

[Quite Quiet]

Welp this chapter was a mood crusher. I have been reading comedy all day and these 1.500 words just crushed the feeling I had built up for an entire day. Mighty impressive to say the least.

Sadly it looks like this story is nearing an end, because humans don't survive spiraling wings to the head without lethal neck and head injuries. Unless you have the best possible explanation times ten, I would rather see you end this soon instead of dragging it out. But that's just me I guess.

[Salom Muffin]

aaaaaargh this is just so shooohooort

[Salom Muffin]

but i luve it

[BioChemicalWolfGear]

Yes more please :D

[KingOfTheMuffins]

2384415

Top Gun was a good example.

(Now I feel like comparing Rainbow Dash to Maverick and Tom to Goose. Meh...)

[Frost Wind]

You're on FIRE with this story. Try not to update as fast, but make longer chapters. I'm lovin' it.

[Fancy Fox]

I'm not going to cry....
Author why are you so good at writing

[Dave4544]

Some serious stream crossing going on in the skies over equestria these days... DARK NAZI MAGICS