Chapter 15
Spitfire, captain of the Shadowbolts, sat motionless in the darkness of her hotel room. She stared out through the horizontal blinds of her window at the bright pink building across the plaza: Pinkie’s Party Palace. The fabricated light filtered through the night and lighted her golden yellow coat an unnatural hue. Alternating lines of light and dark painted across her emotionless face. Beneath her mask, her mind churned through the tangled web of ponies shrouded in mystery but all connected to Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash.
The approach of heavy hoofsteps drew her attention away from the tackboard of her mind. The click of the doorknob perked her ears, and her hoof strayed toward the spring-loaded stun weapon she kept at her side. Without a moment’s hesitation, she slipped the device onto her hoof and rolled her way to a dark corner of the room. The door opened, and the milky light from the hallway flooded into the room.
In a brief moment, Spitfire closed the distance and pressed the loaded device to the pony’s neck. As swiftly as she had struck, the other pony retaliated and knocked her off her hooves. A noiseless struggle continued for about thirty seconds before the unknown pony managed to gasp out, “Spitfire! It’s me!” Her hoof stopped a fraction of an inch away from the pony’s eye, and she squinted up into the darkness.
“Soarin’! Where in Tartarus have you been? You were supposed to be back ages ago. I thought our cover was compromised! And why didn’t you use the knock?” Spitfire hissed and roughly shut the door while dragging her lieutenant further into the room. She flicked on the light with a casual stroke of her wing and settle back into her chair. “Explain what happened, right now.”
“Captain, Dash bumped into Vice.”
Her eyes narrowed, the breach in protocol forgotten. “What did he want?”
“He wanted to know about the wings Twilight designed for Dash.”
“And did Rainbow volunteer any information?”
Soarin’ chuckled and shook his head. “Not even close. I think she came close to kicking him in the face.”
“Good to see she still has her spirit. She’s going to need it. Anything else happen?”
“Yeah.” Soarin’s voice darkened and he gazed out the window toward P-Three. “He implied Dash’s refusal would mean the inclusion of Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo.”
“The young filly? Bastard...” Spitfire sat back in her chair and crossed her hooves. “One thing is clear, though. The United Equestrian Bank is definitely looking out for its own interests now. Shade Regent, the CEO and chairman of the board, is trying to influence Twilight. Vice is trying to influence Rainbow. It’s probably not a matter of national security, but their dealings are no less suspicious and unsavory.”
“How did Vice find Dash, though? This city is huge.”
“I imagine the credit chip Twilight slipped at the bar tipped him off. You may not have noticed, but she paid for a drink with it. Since Vice is on the board of directors, I wouldn’t be surprised if the bank is feeding him information of his choosing.”
“So, Luna’s suspicions...”
“...are not entirely unfounded.” Spitfire nodded. “I will inform her tonight. I’d like for us to monitor the bank as well, but we don’t have the resources for it. We’ll continue our focus on Twilight and Rainbow. If something happens, they’re bound to be in the middle of it.”
* * *
“Ms. Rainbow Dash? Excuse me? This is your floor.” Prancy tapped Rainbow on the shoulder.
“Oh. Sorry.” Rainbow stepped off the elevator and stared down the plush carpeted hall.
“Have a good night, miss.” The elevator dinged and the peppy bellhop was gone.
The soft rug beneath her hooves felt distasteful when she thought about Scootaloo’s meager living conditions. Rarity would’ve provided housing for the struggling air technician if only the filly would ask. Instead, Scootaloo made a conscientious decision to live on her own without the help of any pony. Most disconcerting was the fact Rainbow understood the desire to prove oneself to the world. It didn’t make her feel any less guilty.
She paused in front of the door to her room and realized she didn’t have her keys on her—they were in Twilight’s saddlebags. A little part of her wanted to avoid Twilight, spare the unicorn from her crummy mood, but it couldn’t be helped. She raised her hoof and knocked on Twilight’s door.
“Coming!”
Rainbow’s frown faltered ever so slightly at the cheerful sound of Twilight’s voice. The door swung open, and she was bodily pulled in by the starry-eyed unicorn. Before she had a moment to speak, Twilight levitated a mass of papers in front of her face.
“Dashie! I’m so glad you’re here. I have wonderful news. Rarity introduced me to one of her friends. Apparently, he has a ship specifically for scientific surveys and it’s loaded with all sorts of instruments. He says I’m welcome to use them if I want.” Twilight grinned widely and pointed at her papers. “I’ve already come up with a experimentation plan for gathering all the data I need.”
Rainbow smiled, but her voice faltered. “That’s...great to hear, Twilight. Does that mean you won’t need Scootaloo anymore?” The question left Rainbow with an terrible taste in her mouth.
“Well, I’m not sure, actually. Scootaloo is a fantastic pilot, but I’m guessing he wouldn’t allow an uncertified pilot fly one of his airships.”
“Yeah, probably not...”
The papers levitating in front of her whizzed away and collated themselves in a corner. Twilight edged closer and brought a hoof up to Rainbow’s cheek, tilting her head until they were eye-to-eye. She swallowed the lump in her throat but didn’t pull away—those eyes were inescapable.
“Dashie, is something bothering you?”
A perfectly reasonable question, but not one Rainbow wanted to answer. If she explained her reasons, Twilight would have more questions. Eventually, the questions would lead to Rainbow’s past and the years obscured by only the occasional letter and flight show. Then again, why shouldn’t she tell Twilight? If any pony deserved to know, it was Twilight. She’d have to put aside her fears and trust her friend.
“A little,” she admitted. “Can we sit down?”
“Sure, Dashie.” Twilight kept her tone calm. She couldn’t recall the last time she heard such seriousness from Rainbow.
Rainbow made her way to the bed and settled down on it. Twilight climbed on after her and snuggled into her side. A wing wrapped around Twilight who returned an appreciative nuzzle.
“Feeling better?”
“A bit.” Rainbow smiled and sighed. “I guess you want to know what’s on my mind?”
“I’m exceptionally curious, yes.”
“I guess it started when I took Scootaloo home. She’s living in nothing more than a metal box of a room near the top of the Aerodrome with a bed and a desk. She isn’t much younger than I was when I got my first cloud house. How is that right? Scootaloo works her tail off, and she barely has anything to show for it.”
Surprise? Confusion? Rainbow couldn’t quite read Twilight’s face, but the thoughtful silence following her rant felt reassuring. She hoped Twilight understood the source of her discomfort.
“Dashie,” Twilight began slowly, “Scootaloo may live very sparsely, but she has tons to show for it. Look at how skilled she is with her tools, the airships she pilots, and the wings on her back. The world’s a lot different now. A house isn’t nearly as important as having knowledge which will pay off in the future. Look at you, you worked your tail off, but it was your skills that got you into the Wonderbolts.”
Rainbow suppressed a rueful smile and asked herself if she was ready for this for a second time. She’d avoided sharing the details of her Wonderbolts experience for months, but now she had a chance to get it off her chest and be free of the guilt it bore. She looked over affectionately to the pony wrapped up in her wing and Twilight looked back. She didn’t have to be afraid.
“Twilight, I have to tell you something about the Wonderbolts. And it’s the reason why I’m in such a rotten mood. I ran into my old commissioner tonight. He reminded me of everything wrong with the Wonderbolts.”
“I thought you loved the Wonderbolts.”
She still had a chance to turn back, but she wasn’t going to. She needed this for herself and for Twilight. Once she started, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop. Confessions tended to snowball until she felt free of her shame.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled Twilight closer and confessed. “I did, but Vice changed that when he invited me to join the Wonderbolts. I could never quite put my hoof on it, that is, until I overheard Spitfire arguing with Vice. Turns out I only got invited because some corporation wanted me. They figured I’d be flashy and bring in the crowds. After I found out, I just couldn’t write the letters to you anymore. I felt so fake. So, I worked my tail off. Trained harder than any of my teammates. I wanted to prove I was a real Wonderbolt, not some corporate shill.”
Rainbow’s body trembled and she turned her head away to hide her tears of frustration. “Damn it, it was my dream. And the bastard tainted it. No matter what I do, I’ll always be the Wonderbolt that got in on the corporate dime. I may as well have slept my way into the Wonderbolts!”
Words failed Twilight. In their place, a flood of empathy swelled up in her heart for Rainbow. If she were in a similar situation and she learned that her acceptance into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was just the cruel machinations of some higher power, she’d be equally distraught. Then again, a higher power—Celestia herself—formally extended the invitation, but it was clearly based on her talents and not how “flashy” she was.
Pushing the troublesome scenarios aside, she returned her focus to the quietly sobbing pegasus at her side. She raised her head and nuzzled against Rainbow’s neck, the underside of her chin, and just about anywhere she could reach to try to comfort Rainbow. At first, she wasn’t even sure if her light touch registered any response, but she nevertheless continued. Slowly, the pony at her side started leaning into the nuzzles before finally stopping her tears.
Twilight cradled Rainbow’s head against her and stroked the prismatic mane with a free hoof. She pondered how she could possibly heal a wound which ran so deep and festered for so long. Words alone seemed incapable of soothing the pain, and her touch acted only as an ointment to ease the discomfort. If only all her friends were here with her. She and her friends always had a solution to even the most insurmountable problems. What did they do then?
An answer came from the heavens. Or more precisely, it came in through the ceiling in the form of music. Some pony above had started a phonograph above, and the mellow melody melted through the floorboards to their ears. The music teased their senses, and Rainbow’s ears perked up against Twilight’s neck. And though words failed her, somehow a new form of prose filled her mind: lyrics. It’d been ages since she found the motivation or the desire to sing, but as the music gradually rose in volume, she found herself quietly singing in Rainbow’s ear.
She sang about the comforts of their past, the joys of the present, and a hope for the future. Her harmony might have slipped a few times from her own tearful memories, but Rainbow never complained or asked her to stop. And as the music faded to a close, she could distinctly hear the humming of Rainbow joining in her harmony. Perhaps words could heal when put to music and sung by the right pony.
* * *
Luna paused at the barred and guarded entrance of the Canterlot dungeons. The unsettling report from Spitfire in the dreamscape weighed heavily on her mind, and she wondered if this was really her best option. Silverhoof had sulked in his cell for weeks, now. Regardless of his mental state, his former connections to the United Equestrian Bank was more than enough motivation for Luna to trudge to the dungeons.
“Silverhoof,” she whispered as she slipped through the bars of her cell in ethereal form.
“Princess Luna,” he responded mechanically and turned to face her. The dullness of his eyes betrayed his suffering to even the most casual observer. For a pony so used to the comforts of life, he languished significantly in the dank cells beneath Canterlot. What started as elaborate and passionate speeches on the futility of his existence gave way to silent resignation.
Within his hooves, he clutched a felt spider, the cloth scuffed and torn in dozens of places. Time was a great motivator of rationalization, and prison provided an abundance of time. He looked up hopefully and presented the plaything to Luna with both hooves. “Am I being granted a trial? Please, Princess, I may not look it, but I am weary and worn.”
Luna shook her head slowly. “You’re still part of an ongoing investigation. Until this case is closed, you must be held here.”
Silverhoof nodded and lowered his hooves. He squeezed the spider to his chest and closed his eyes. “Then, I suppose you have questions. Please, ask them. I’ll answer them as best I can.”
This much cooperation was unexpected. Luna’s previous visit netted her the barest iota of information in exchange for a dramatic monologue. That pony was gone. All that remained was a scared prisoner charged with attempted murder and treason. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, especially since she herself faced similar charges in the past. Perhaps even he could be redeemed, though she didn’t know how. For now, she had questions which needed answering.
“Silverhoof, could you tell me what you know about Vice on the Board of Directors for the United Equestrian Bank?”
“Vice?” Silverhoof scoffed. “Red Vice hasn’t done a damn thing on that board besides wine and dine clientele on the bank’s dime. He’s exactly the kind of pony I didn’t want in a position of power.”
“How did a pony like Vice manage to get onto the Board of Directors of the largest bank in Equestria?”
“I don’t know much beyond the rumors. Supposedly, he and Regent worked out some kind of arrangement and secured the bank massive profits by investing in Ponyville. I didn’t think it could’ve been done with Twilight Sparkle’s vocal opposition, but Fixer found a way somehow.”
Luna frowned. Her records contained little to no information on a pony by the name of Regent. “Who’s Regent, exactly?”
Silverhoof smiled ruefully and shook his head. “Regent? Shade Regent is the current CEO and chairman of the board. He made some pretty big bets and came out on top. From a manager in technological investments straight to CEO. I don’t know where he got the SonicCraft design from. It certainly wasn’t my idea. That’s all I really know.”
“Thank you for your help, Silverhoof. I’ll see if I can get your cell moved to somewhere a little less damp. If you think of anything else, let one of the guards know.” Luna pondered the details in her mind all the way back to her chambers. It didn’t make sense for Regent to provide plans to a craft which would eventually lead to the dissolution of the Wonderbolts, thus negatively impacting Vice. Perhaps a good day’s sleep would clear her mind and bring fresh possibilities with the setting of the sun.
* * *
Rainbow didn’t remember falling asleep, but she awoke with a start. The memories from the night before flooded her mind, and she frantically wiped the gunk in her eyes to free her vision. All she wanted was to see Twilight. She wanted to know the one pony she confessed everything to was still at her side. As her sight unclouded, her anxiety melted away. Right beside her, Twilight slept soundly, clutching her foreleg like a teddy bear. A flicker of hope sparked in Rainbow’s heart and spread until it filled her with a reassuring warmth.
The past still hurts, but I’m confident I don’t have to face it alone anymore.
“Dashie?”
Rainbow freed her leg and rolled over. “Hey, Twi.”
“Mm...good morning, Dashie. How are you feeling?”
“Better. I’m...not sure I’ll ever feel totally okay with what happened, but it feels a lot better to get it off my back. It was weighing me down for so long.”
Twilight nodded as she rubbed her eyes. “I know how that can feel. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? It must have been terrible having to keep it hidden for so long.”
Rainbow sighed and lowered her voice. “To be honest, I was scared. I’m not supposed to be scared of anything, right? But, this was my dream. A dream which didn’t turn out to be what I hoped it would be.”
A warm pair of purple hooves pulled her into a soft hug. “Thanks, Twi, I’m not sure I could’ve gotten through this without you.”
“I think I can readily admit the same thing, Dashie. We never would have gotten this far on our own.”
Rainbow’s stomach grumbled and forced a blush onto her cheeks. “So, how about we do one more thing together and get some breakfast?”
“That sounds lovely, I’m sure Rarity and Pinkie would like to join us.”
They left Twilight’s room together, chatting amicably with one another, and took the elevator up to the roof. Almost predictably, Pinkie was waiting for them with a sizable platter of danishes, tea, and coffee. Rarity joined them shortly thereafter, and they enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together.
“Twilight, I must apologize,” Rarity began, brushing a crumb into her napkin from the tabletop. “My phonograph misbehaved last night, and you might’ve heard my music through the ceiling of your room.”
Twilight glanced over to Rainbow and they exchanged a knowing smile with one another. “It’s okay, Rarity, it sounded lovely. It lulled me right to sleep after a tiring day.”
“That’s a load off my mind,” Rarity breathed out a sigh of relief. “It was my intention to set it just loud enough for my beauty sleep, but if you enjoyed it as well then I shan’t let it worry me any more.”
“Oh! Shpeaking uff moosic...” Pinkie swallowed when Rarity directed her with a bemused glare. “Speaking of music, I’m going to practice some new songs today for tonight’s performance. So...”
“...It’s going to be really loud?” Rainbow quipped with a roll of her eyes.
“Yeppers!”
Twilight giggled and shook her head, “Don’t worry about it, Pinkie. I’m going to do some more data collection today, so I won’t be back until the evening. Dashie, did you want to come?”
Rainbow shifted uncomfortably in her seat and rubbed the back of her head. “If you’d like me to. I was kinda hoping to spend a little more time with Scootaloo. Seeing as we haven't really had any time to reconnect for a long time.”
“That sounds wonderful, actually!” Twilight beamed and pulled Rainbow in for a hug. “I’m sure Scootaloo will appreciate your company. Plus, I don’t want to bore you too much with all my experimentation. You’ll just end up napping again.”
“Heh...you noticed?”
“You were snoring pretty noticeably.”
“Oh, you two are just adorable!” Rarity gushed and winked at Pinkie.
“Yes! Super cute,” Pinkie chimed in when she noticed the wink.
“Why, look, you two are even blushing together.”
Rainbow blushed harder and looked away. “I think I’ll go see Scootaloo now. Have fun with your science stuff, Twi.” She hastily retreated from the rooftop before Rarity and Pinkie could deliver any more teasing.
Twilight smiled and sighed contently as she watched the rainbow tail and blue form disappear into the stairwell. A clatter and a yelp of surprise followed quickly after. A flurry of hasty apologies sailed up from the stairwell entrance.
“Miss Twilight?” Prancy poked his head out from the stairwell, his hat slightly ajar from a previous mishap on the stairs.
“Prancy! Join us for a little refreshment.” Rarity waved the bellhop forward with a hoof.
“Thank you, Madame Rarity, but I’m only up here to inform Twilight of a carriage waiting for her.”
“A carriage?” Rarity pulled herself up and walked over to the edge of the room. She looked over the side and squinted at the gold trimmed and white polished carriage waiting below. She set her jaw and turned around slowly. “Twilight, it seems Mr. Regent has a carriage waiting for you.”
“Oh! How thoughtful of him! I was going to ask you for directions, but this is much easier.”
“Twilight, listen to me. You need to be careful around Shade. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him, which makes him all the more suspicious.”
“Rarity, that doesn’t make much sense. Isn’t it a good thing he has a positive reputation?”
“In Las Pegasus? Ponies who try too hard to seem innocent in Las Pegasus always have something to hide. Just be careful. If he makes a move on you—”
“Rarity! You make him sound like some sort of salacious somepony who you wouldn’t want to meet on the street.”
“I just want you to be safe, Twilight. I’ve dealt with his kind before.”
“Alright, Rarity, I’ll be careful.” Twilight waved a hoof and trotted downstairs to the waiting carriage.
Pinkie turned to Rarity and gestured to the ground below. “Should I suit up and follow her? I think I still have my stealth suit from way back.”
Rarity shook her head, “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I just wanted to impress upon Twilight that ponies aren’t to be trusted in this city. If Shade doesn’t want anything in return for his help, then my name isn’t Rarity.”
* * *
High above the rooftop of P-Three, Shade stepped into the dressing room of his presidential suite located twenty floors above the lobby of the United Equestria Bank Building. He strayed his hoof across the dozens of custom tailored suits, vests, and tuxedos until he found one to his liking. After a quick inspection in the full-length mirror, he departed his dressing room to his study.
Encouraging Twilight Sparkle to visit required far less effort than he initially anticipated. A few kind words and a carriage (a meager expense) completed the task easily, and now he had unfettered access to probe for as much information as he could acquire. The only hiccup in the plan was Vice’s stupidity in handling Rainbow Dash. He mentally made a note to address the issue more aggressively in the future if necessary.
Knocking on the door of his study, he waited the customary few seconds before opening the door. He stepped back in surprise at the mass of glowing papers swirling around in the room. He had seen plenty of demonstrations of magical power, but this one far exceeded anything he’d ever experienced in the past. It seemed Twilight Sparkle was more than just a unicorn with prodigious magical power. She had the precision to use it exactly as she desired. And that fact made her all the more desirable to him.
Surrounding himself in a silver-gray bubble shield, he waded in through the swirling papers to Twilight in the center of the room. He tapped her on the shoulder. “Twilight? I’d like to invite you to lunch if you aren’t too busy.” The whirlwind of pages stopped abruptly the moment his hoof made contact.
“Oh! E-excuse me!” Twilight stammered and collated the papers back together and stacked them on a table. “You have so many records here, I got caught up correlating them together.”
Shade chuckled and faded his shield from existence now that the threat of papercuts had passed. “That’s quite alright, Twilight. I made an effort to maintain detailed records in areas of interest to the bank. Good information helps make good decisions. Perhaps you’d like to hear about some of the research I spearhead here at the bank over lunch?”
“I don’t want to impose on your—”
“Not to worry! You’re a friend now, and I’d be delighted if you’d join me for lunch. I insist.”
“Well...“ Twilight hesitated.
He encouraged her with a smile.
“Alright. If you insist.”
He smiled wider and directed her to the door with a hoof. “Wonderful! Shall we?” He led Twilight along the suite’s hall and into a roomy dining area, offering her a seat at the the table before seating himself. Looking across the table, he sniffled every so slightly. “This feels so nostalgic. I must thank you for joining me.”
“Nostalgic?”
“Indeed. I haven’t had the good fortune to have another scientifically minded pony to share a meal with in a long time.”
Their conversation was briefly interrupted by the entrance of two ponies bearing silver dishware. Twilight sniffed the air and smiled widely—it smelled delicious. Beneath the lid rested a plate of immaculately grilled vegetables seasoned with all manner of spices. On the side rested a small bowl of creamy tomato soup. Twilight’s mouth watered just from the sight of it.
Shade smiled and waved his servants off with a hoof. “I hope grilled vegetables and tomato soup are to your liking. I prefer something a little lighter for the lunch.”
“This smells wonderful, Shade! I’m surprised you can get fresh vegetables all the way out here in Las Pegasus.” Twilight beamed and tasted a small piece of chopped carrot. It was sweet, savory, with just a hint of spice at the end. After years of NutriTins consisting of nothing but mixed fruits and oats, fresh grilled vegetables were absolutely amazing.
“Airships, Twilight,” Shade declared proudly and sampled his own dish. “I’ve made an effort to improve the quality of food imported to Las Pegasus. The investments in the Aerodrome and the expansion of the freight docks allow for a much larger variety of goods to be brought in. In fact, it was with the help a unicorn very much like yourself that all of this is possible.”
Twilight looked up from her soup, her ears perked in curiosity. “Is this the pony you mentioned earlier?”
“Precisely. She was a very intelligent unicorn. I met her while surveying the Aerodrome after its construction. She was working on ways to integrate unicorn magic with machinery, specifically flight machinery such as airships.”
“Wow, I’ve been working on the similar projects on the side.”
Shade nodded solemnly. “Unicorn magic is an amazing resource. It’s a pity we can’t share it more with the other pony races. That’s why I’ve diverted considerable resources toward finding ways to enhance the magic of each of the pony races with unicorn magic.”
“So, where is she now? I imagine she’s still working on flight magic for airships?”
Shade closed his eyes and sighed heavily, perhaps a little too heavily to be genuine. “I’m afraid I am no longer blessed with her company. During one of her experiments, the airship failed and she was lost in the desert. I wasn’t even able to give her a proper send off...”
Twilight lowered her spoon and looked at Shade in surprise. “I’m sorry, it’s always hard to lose a friend.”
“It is.” Shade took a brief moment to compose himself and smiled at Twilight. “But it wasn’t all for nothing. I continued her work with her spirit in mind. Her contributions can be seen all over Equestria now.” He wrapped up the performance with one last meaningful sniffle. “I’m sure you understand how I feel.”
Wiping away a few stray tears from her eyes, Twilight nodded. “I do, it’s a very touching story. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
Leaning forward in his chair, Shade smiled at Twilight. “You remind me of her so much. Intelligent, capable, and beautiful. I would love to hear about this side project of yours.”
Blushing from the flattery, Twilight rubbed her hooves together nervously. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. Just a little experimentation on augmenting pegasi wings with mechanical support and unicorn magic.”
“That sounds absolutely fascinating. Please, tell me more.”
Happy for a captive audience, Twilight gladly shared her thoughts on the Mech-Magi Wings with Shade.
* * *
Rainbow overlooked one small detail in her rush to get off the roof to escape Rarity’s harassment: Scootaloo had work to do. Rolling over onto her stomach, she watched Scootaloo trotting between her workbench and the latest docked airship in an endless stream of tasks, all of which were completely foreign to her.
“Rainbow Dash?”
A stern hoof tapped her on the shoulder. She looked up into the grizzled face of Highwind looking down at her. “That’s me.” She yawned and stretched her wings.
Highwind chuckled and pulled her up onto her hooves. “How about you help me with a few things instead of watching Scootaloo work?”
“Thanks, but no thanks. Airships aren’t exactly my thing. I’m just here for Scoots.”
“It’s not hard. C’mon, lend an old stallion a hoof.” Highwind’s heavy foreleg pressed down on Rainbow’s back and pulled her close. His voice barely above a whisper, he smiled through his words. “And you’re distracting Scootaloo from her work. She keeps looking over at you instead of focusing on the task she should be performing.”
Rainbow shifted nervously on her hooves and looked over to Scootaloo who promptly waved with a bright smile. She waved back awkwardly and winced as Scootaloo bumped into the elastic side of an airship’s aerostat. “Eh heh,” she chuckled nervously and sighed. “Alright, Highwind, what do you want me to help with?”
“That’s Mr. Highwind. And I’ll show you if you’ll just follow me below.” When Rainbow made no indication of following, he smiled and waved her forward. “C’mon now, Scootaloo will be fine.”
Reluctantly, she turned away from Scootaloo and followed Highwind down several flights of stairs. Stopping at a sturdy metal door, he grunted and pulled it open before motioning her in. The air felt cold and dry inside. The corridor stretched on as far as she could see, punctuated by small lights mounted on the wall near the ceiling at regular intervals. She narrowed her eyes at Highwind and gestured at the forebodingly long hallway. “You aren’t going to assault me the moment I step inside, are you?”
The older stallion stared at her for a few moments before breaking out in raucous laughter. “Wow, you’re serious? Rainbow, I wouldn’t dream of hurting ya. If Scootaloo ever got word of it, she’d hate me forever.” The harshness of his laugh echoed down the hall and continued even after Highwind stopped laughing. “‘Course, can’t hurt to be careful. Come along, now.”
Rainbow shook her head and followed Highwind into the narrow tunnel beneath the Aerodrome. “Why are we down here, then?”
“Because it’s inconvenient. And inconvenience is a great deterrence to meddling. I didn’t always work down here. But when Shade patented all the airship designs, it became increasingly difficult to continue my work out in the open.”
“Shade? I’ve never heard of this Shade before.”
“Shade Regent.” Highwind stopped at the end of the hall, facing another metal door. Slamming his hoof into the door, he growled out the name once more. “Shade Regent. He’s the reason why we’re down here. He’s the reason why we all work twelve-hour shifts.” He sighed and pushed the door open. “And he’s the reason why I’m alone.”
Rainbow stepped back in surprise at the sudden outburst of emotion and rage from Highwind. Unsure if the stallion was shaking from rage or agony, she reached forward and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Y-yeah,” Highwind stuttered out. “Every time I come in here I’m reminded of how blind I was. I didn’t see it. I let her work with him.” His voice had dropped to a heavy whisper. “And then, one day, she didn’t come back.”
He straightened himself and lit the oil lanterns in the room. “She may be gone, but it hasn’t stopped me from carrying on her spirit.” He nodded his head toward an odd-looking box sitting on the table. A large number of flexible wires extended from the box.
“Neat, huh?” Highwind smiled sadly and walked over to it, trailing his hoof over each of the cords. “Scootaloo has one of these in her Missy. It provides her feedback directly to her wings. She’s still a growin’ girl, though, and her wings are getting a little too big for the first prototype. I was hoping you could help me calibrate this one.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Heh. Straightforward, just like me. No, it doesn’t hurt. Though you may feel a slight tug on your pinions. It should feel like you’re gliding through the air.”
This was her chance to get some answers. Yesterday’s flight with Scootaloo still clear in her head, Rainbow stepped forward and spread her wings. “You want to use my wings to calibrate your weird machine? Fine. But I want some answers about Breezy.”
“Why? It’s just a simple airship, nothing more.”
“I don’t believe you. When Scootaloo switched on the drive, my wings started tingling. I’ve never heard of pegasus flight magic in a simple airship. I want to know right now what your connection is with Silverhoof and his stupid SonicCrafts!”
A tense silence filled the room. Highwind stared at Rainbow in shock. The seconds ticked by, marked only by the heavy panting from Rainbow’s outburst. When Rainbow refused to back down, Highwind sighed and dropped to his haunches. “You can put yer wings down. At this point, you would’ve figured it all out eventually. Breezy was a prototype built by Eclipse and me. She was beautiful, smart, and trusting. Regent provided funding from the bank, and in return we worked with him to create the next generation airship, as he liked to call it. When she disappeared, he stole her work and passed it to Silverhoof. The SonicCrafts were built, and I guess the rest is history.”
“Why didn’t you call him out? It was your work!”
“I tried, but since he provided the funding, he had the rights to use it. So, I accepted a job at the Aerodrome, and I’ve been working on trying to build a better airship ever since. I may not be able to build entire ships, but I can build pieces. One day, Scootaloo will put them together, and Eclipse will have justice.”
“So, the box over there?”
“It’s a piece.”
“Hook me up. I’ll help you.”
“Thank you, Rainbow.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.037 seconds
Total duration
829 users online
626,289 hits today, 2,205,040 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
just that cover art scares me, i don't know if this will be a sad fic or not
She's just walking into traps left and right. And I'm betting the disappearance of Eclipse wasn't any accident. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to pull another disappearing act on Twilight. >|
Oh no twilight, he's got you the lying scumbag
Oh god. Twilight...
You naive, gullible, ignorant fool! Talking to Regent like that!
Rainbow better get to you soon... Or shit with hit the fan. Again.
~Skeeter The Lurker
oh no
Oh shit... Twilight. WHY. DID. YOU. NOT. LISTEN. TO. RARITY.
Hope twilight didn't spill any design specifics with that sleezy bastard.
2981202 i know just how you feel. i found this fic a bit ago while searching... then i found it on the featured page. it has not tragedy dark or sad tags but i just dont have a good feeling about it being a fic i will like. the comments saying things like "oh no" dont help either. i will mark this to read later
Twilight's smarter than this, I suspect she's playing the long con. Shade thinks he's manipulating her, but she's actually manipulating him.
Pretty much My Reaction right here. Congratulations Twilight, you JUST FELL IN THE ENEMY'S TRAP! and it looks like Highwind, This "Eclipse" and 'Ol Shady McStickyHooves are all Connected! and it's nice for Spits and Soarin to be Playing for the Good Guys again!
2981239
if you remember back in Chapter 8, Fixer and Silverhoof TRIED to Off Twilight, and I bet Shade was probably the one who gave the order!
2981300 She is smarter. But, she is also trusting.
And trusting ponies can be deceived.
This seems so awesome... I'll definitely read it.
2981540 Yes, but this is an older Twilight, who is only recently recovered from a rather nasty break-up with Rainbow Dash and years of being basically abandoned by her friends. If that hasn't made her distrusting nothing would. I'm of the mind that she's hiding a great deal of rage and pain behind a happy facade, much like Pinkie. I suspect Shade will be in for a nasty surprise when he inevitably betrays her.
No, Twilight....noooooooooo......
2981937 *Shrug* She still seems sheltered. And yes, she is older, she has also tried her hardest to not become one of those distrusting ponies, like everyone else has become.
But yes. When he does betray her, she will most likely remove something that he needs forcibly.
2981297 just finished reading it and i can assure you that its a great fic
I'm sorry, but this whole chapter was extremely predictable... I saw everything from the moment it started.
Great story, though. You sir, have earned a fav.
And so I return with my text wall reviews, as always. This time, it may be unbelievably massive. Truly, only time will tell. Lets get started!
I want to start off with a possible error in the story. I am sorry that I cannot get the exact point at which it occurs, and then quote it, because I am on my iPod at 3:39 AM doing this review. I am in central time, so do the math. Anyway, around the end of the conversation at breakfast, you say they went to the roof. This is just like last time, except you may have made an error. First off, you made Dashie run down the stairs, which is odd because it is a roof. She would normally just fly off of it. Yet, she didn't. It took me a while to wrap my head around the action. "Why would he write her doing that," I asked myself. The answer actually came right after. When the waiter guy or bellhop came to tell Twilight that her carriage was there, and Rarity went over to the "window" to look, you called it a room. But it should have been a roof. I am sure I should have noticed when there was a window on a roof, but you distinctly called it a room. Would this work? Yes, it would. But it wouldn't be a roof. If there was a window, then there needs to be a sturdy ceiling to hold it. But I digress. The point is that it should be an open-air roof, as it was when they first went up there. I really hope I am not mistaken here, but I am pretty sure I am right. Unless my memory faults me, which I hope it doesn't. This would be embarrassing.
If I am right, I would ask for a rewrite of the scene to where Rainbow flies to the Aerodrome. Though it would be fine to have her run down the stairs if if is properly explained WHY she is.
Anyway, lets actually assault the chapter! We start off with her finally coming to Twilight, which is a great thing, after what has happened. She can finally open up about not only what happened, but her past and her feelings toward Scootaloo. And this is where I was so glad. See, recently, I read a fic with this exact same delimma. I will not name it, but I will describe the plot. Basically, Twilight misspoke, and now Rainbow is mad. So, she runs off. Truth is that it was more than just a misspeak. This is a comment that runs deep. When the resolve happens, Rainbow never really opens up to Twilight about why she got mad. About her past. And even in that fic, she fought herself to tell her. And the fundamentals of a relationship are just as you said: trust and honesty.
What he didn't do, you did instead. And it was perfect. She opens up about her past, along with her feelings about Scootaloo having nothing. And she cried it out in Twilight's shoulder. She eventually comes to terms with her past, and this is how you resolve things. But I do want to make a comment on what Twilight said, and I am honestly surprised that it was not brought up.
Twilight says that Scootaloo may not have much, but she has skill to show for it. That wasn't the point. The point is not that even though she has little, she not only makes it, but exceeds at her work. The point is that she had nothing to show for it. Skill is nothing without proof of it. As an example, Rainbow worked hard to become a Wonderbolt. She gained skill from doing so, by training. What does she have to show for it? She accomplished it, while only by a fluke. Accomplishments are what people care about. And that is all people see. Scootaloo accomplished to have a dead-end job that leads to nowhere. She has skill, but nothing to show it off. The point is she deserves more. No matter if she has skill or not to show for the hard work. No one can tell. She has nothing at all. And this is why I am confused a little as to why Rainbow wouldn't rebuttal with that. It makes the most sense.
The next major event is Luna interrogating... that one pony. Sorry, it slipped my mind! And I can't go back to see because I am on an iPod. Either way, you are doing a good job of making me feel sorry for the bastard. But I am happy that the news that Spitfire sent to Luna can be backed with these new characters. Now, things are starting to unfold for Luna, and she can see things more clearly. Though I cannot get over this feeling of not wanting to trust Luna. I have no idea why, but something about her makes me weary. I just cannot confide too much trust in her.
Next is the all unfortunate part with Twilight being naive. Rarity warns her, yet she doesn't listen entirely. Many say that it is naive, and she is bing stupid. Maybe so, but this is Twilight Sparkle: the Element of Magic, and studyer of friendship. Do you think she will understand that? It isn't naive; it is natural. Unfortunate, but true. We then learn about this other mare, Eclipse. And the story behind her disappearance sent me for a loop. It is exactly like Twilight's own avoided death. Or possible death. I hope Eclipse is alive; she would make for a great OC companion. Either way, I am trying to figure out if you wrote it that way or not. It is really hard to tell if it was intentional. But it almost seems like he MAY have twisted the truth about it to make it in his favour. Twilight has been there before, so technically, she should relate, and feel sorry. Then, she will open up about stuff that Shade wants. I may just be over examining things, but it is too much to pass up.
And we finally end with Rainbow and Scootaloo. It is amazing how much they have bonded with each other, even with the stuff that happened. If this could end up being a Scootadopt fic, it would be the best. I would love to see Scoota travel with Rainbow Dash and Twilight, though I know for a fact that if she asks later on, Scootaloo will say no. Which is sad, but I know it will happen. Anyway, Highwind is now important. I really knew that something about him was necessary. But it is really amazing that you were able to connect him with Eclipse. I wasn't expecting that. In the end, Rainbow joining with Highwind was awesome. The rebellion against the empire can begin.
And so that ends my review. I think this was one of the best chapters yet, simply because Dashie finally opened up about her past. Good job with that. If you see any errors in my writing, excuse them. When I get to a laptop, I will correct them.
Keep writing amazing chapters!
Your Personal Text Waller,
JustAnotherTimeLord
Well either Twi knows perfectly well how to play the game and indulges without providing too much information, or is really easily won over...
Time (aka future chapters) will tell and I can't wait to find out
Oh no.....Don't spill the beans, Twilight!
Would it be nitpicking to point out that Celestia's got, like, no laws to protect IPs or corporate regulations? Technically, those "Mecha Magi Wings" are Applebloom's invention.
in the topic of twilight sharing her thoughts on the Mech-wings
these are my thoughts
2985231 she'd have to patent/copyright the thing before they could be protected. You think AB gets down to the patent offices much?
2981937
You have an interesting idea, though there is a saying that can be attributed to this situation: Bliss in ignorance. She has speak five years without the comfort of Rainbow Dash, and she had lost a lot: her sanity, her trust, her will, her happiness. Once you get it back, you don't want it to leave.
She has gotten used to it, after a while now. With this, I believe that she is so used to it that she wants to be ignorant of the things she went through before. That distrust, that hate, that rage. Those are the feelings that destroyed her more than Rainbow Dash's absence.
With this, she is in a constant state of bliss, so to speak. See no evil, hear no evil. This is why she didn't believe Rarity when she warned her. Not to mention that she has never been judgmental. I believe that the Zecora episode is the best example of this. She is never distrusting, and always judges a book by its contents.
But we also need to factor in Shade's story. I made a comment about it in my text wall, but I feel that the astonishing similarities to Eclipse's death and Twilight's near death are intentional. Twilight knows how scary it is to almost die in a airship. She will not only feel for the death of the pony, but for (while fake) emotions felt from it to Shade.
I am sorry, but I think that Twilight is blindly going into this, no matter how smart she is. She is being played, and I don't see her coming out of this without getting hurt (hopefully not physically, but still).
Great chapter.
I want MOAR
right NAO 
Finally caught up, CNQ. Nice work with the last two chapters. Shade seems like an interesting character, and I hope that we get to see more of him soon.
man, why can't twilight be as smart as she's supposed to be?!
I really hope Twilight is not as gullible as she seems; however, there are absolutely no hints that would point to that. I guess the fact that Equestria has become a dog eat dog world didn't really stick with her...
Twilight, ffs, don't lecture Regent about the Mecha Wings...
2992903
There's intelligence, and there's wisdom. One is by the book, the other by experience.
Considering her introversion, it's not hard to see Twilight being less street smart than others.
3003175 i know, but what i meant was, was isn't she smart enough to heed her best friends advice? if rarity was my friend, and she told me to be cautious around somepony, then i'd be cautious around that pony! i wouldn't just ignore her advice! especially since she's so reclusive and rarity is so street smart.
3003374
Again, it's a lack of experience. Rarity has dealt with the guy on a very frequent basis, meanwhile Twilight's been running a library. Their definitions of "careful" are going to be pretty widely different.
3005486 yeah, i guess. it's still annoying, though.
Don´t listen to him, Twilight! He just want to get into your pants!
Well, that is if you were having any on that is.
Aw man, this gonna end with Dash rescuing Twi again, doesn´t it?
I sense a pattern here.
I kinda wished Pinkie wouldn´t hav listened to Rare and still followed Twi in stealth mode and then reported Rare what she saw and heard. :c
That was great chapter
Twilight why did you not follow Rarity's advice 
I do hope you don't tell him everything about the wings remember they are still Applebloom's creation 
As for Eclipse I want to meet her I do hope you will flesh her out a bit I'm curious on what she was like 
Also when is Twilight and Rainbow gonna make it official that they are together 
Also I want Scootaloo to join them in their adventures I do hope she does 
Also if she does I'm sure Highwind would let her take the Airship and now they would have a means of travel without having to use the chip which we all know is being traced 
Also if that did happen it would bring the nostalgia of some of the Final Fantasy games 
I mean "Highwind" which is a name of an airship in one of those games 
I see Highwind as a Cid 
WANT MOAR SOON 
If that is alright with you 
Finally read all of this and I love it. Wonderbolts turning into Shadowbolts shadowing Twilight and Rainbow? Awesome! I laughed out loud when they accidently overheard Rainbow Dash call them out ontheir showboasting. I love this gritty, dark future Equestria. The villains have twenty times more character and motivation than any of hasbro's villains ever did. I love a bad guy who is driven by reason. They always seem to be the most dangerous types and it's much more believable when reason turns to madness because they always keep their goal in mind. I also like the secret truth behind the airships.
I can't wait for more!
This story is like crack. Once you start it, you need more and more and MORE and MOAR!!!
I think I have made clear want I want... no... NEED! Bring us more you wonderful bastard of a writer!
2981202
its bittersweet
Going for long periods of time without this story, is like being stuck in a desert without water. I need it.
After being dead for so long it's nice to come back to a good fic I know. I assume more life problems have come up?
God DAMN Twilight. It's understandable that she'd want to talk about this achievement but GOD DAMN. You NEVER talk about monumental achievements to big buisinessmen. That's like giving your candy to a thief. Bad Twilight, bad!
My reaction: "Shit."
We never got an explanation for why Soarin forgot to do the code knock, thus scaring Spitfire into thinking the operation was blown. As it stands now, it just seems like the author really wanted an action sequence.
Speaking of contrivances, Twilight is made into a massive twit. Her experienced friend explicitly warned her about meeting Shade, and this is what, two weeks after almost being assassinated? It was acceptable when she brushed it off after a night of drinking, but when she's clearly sober and alert in the morning? There's no excuse. Even a naive civilian would be properly suspicious at this point; and Twilight is anything but! We know that she's shrewd, worked with the government, and has been on assignments of national security. Yet when Shade brings up a unicorn scientist having an airship accident in the middle of the desert, she doesn't have the slightest sense of Déjà Vu.
...Also, reading about a character by the name Vice still feels ridiculous. Even more so when some of the plot is dedicated to figuring out whether he's a bad guy or not.
Oh, Twilight... So intelligent, so gullible...