The Adevnture begins:
The foreboding sounds of thunder rumbled fiercely throughout the pitch-black clouds hanging overhead, resembling the terrifying and ferocious roar of a wild User Major, while droplets of never-ending water fell down ceaselessly as lightning lit up the sky with dangerous intent; wild winds hissed and whipped at shaking windows and rattling doors as the moonlight barely breached through the sky, bathing the ground of Redhill in almost complete darkness.
As the weather raged on above, ponies down below slept peacefully, some in dreadfully made wooden shacks made-up by gathered scraps, wrapped up in rugged and ripped blankets of poorly woven silk drenched in water that leaked through the cracks of the house and onto the poverty-stricken victim below. Others slept in majestic, linen blankets with professionally woven, knitted patchwork which detailed their wealth and power as they slept soundly in their distinguished beds, surrounded by thick marble walls, unknowing of the struggles the commoners outside faced as they laid asleep in the private section of Redhill, which only the nobles and the wealthy could afford.
One Pony, however, sat scrunched up on her grand bed, laden with golden velvet framing, holding her canopied, curtained bed up; a head sheet laid over her golden pillows, resting on a sheet-draped bolster and soft featherbeds under her finely made linen sheets.
Her heart pounded softly against her chest as her right hoof moved slowly and smoothly up and down her left leg, the corner of her light blue eyes possessing a slight glimmer of moisture as her yellow wings shuffled nervously at her sides; her jaw set tight as her soft, pink mane dropped down low at the side of her face, resting against the bottom of her bed as it curled around her feet, laying on top of her golden bedding.
As the mare looked outside her window, her eyes were filled with reluctance and sadness as she looked upon the great and powerful Pegasus city of Cloudsdale. It soared high above, just below the clouds as the city’s glory was hidden by the raging, black clouds resting above, almost masking the city completely.
As she looked back down at Redhill’s outer area, past the marble houses of the nobles and into the common area of the common pony, separated by a large, stone wall with a single, gaping entrance in it, with the metal gate shut as unfortunate guard ponies pushed back begging commoners as they scraped and clawed to get in. Rain continued to pour ceaselessly, however, down on the old and decrepit shacks which laid upon the emerald green landscape, as many hilltops laid dormant as large rivers ran freely through them, carrying mud, rocks, and debris, scattering it everywhere, sometimes running through poorly built houses, dragging them away as the cries for help were drowned out and hidden by the roars of thunder and the screams of anguish by the gate.
Ponies built their houses with whatever they could as when a storm was scheduled, ponies were evacuated from Cloudsdale in case of emergency. The nobles were placed in grand houses already built, made to withstand everything, with the construction being targeted on them instead of the common Pegusi as Redhill was in its infancy, with a wall being built to protect them but with the hidden agenda to keep the common pony out as well.
The mare was one of those nobles. Forced to watch from her grand palace as ponies tried to get in, to find safety, only to be pushed back out mercilessly or killed, to be left to rot out in the freezing cold, until the first rays of light lit up their bodies as their fellow common Ponies dragged and buried their bodies in the local graveyards.
As the yellow Pegasus turned her eyes down to the ticking clock on the right side of her bed, then over to the burning candle next to it as the candle-wax slowly slivered down its sides before resting into the silver base holding it up. She let out a tired and strained sigh, turning her gaze down to the quill and inkpot sided by a long, intricately written letter. It was sealed with red wax detailing an outline of a mighty Pegasus wearing a clean-cut crown, sitting with its wings spread wide and hooves raised forward like a griffons claws ready to strike.
As she continued to stare at the letter, her eyes began to grow weary as her body sagged forward; her lips trembling softly as a weak sob left her mouth.
Reaching out for the letter, her yellow hoof shook softly as increasing sobs escaped her mouth, her pink mane falling in front of her eyes as the flame of the candle blurred her teary vision before it slowly began to turn black. Her tears splashed heavily against the bottom of her letter, staining it.
Before she could grab the letter, however, she was jolted back as an unexpected voice shouted her name in a hushed whisper from behind her. She quickly jerked her hoof back down to her side, still staring at the letter as she wiped her tears away with a slash of her hoof. Her blurring vision worsened suddenly as her head began to pulse painfully as she let out a slight groan of pain.
“Fluttershy!” said a slightly masculine voice, barely sounding above a pubescent age but tinged with a sense of femininity, came from behind her.
Fluttershy turned around quickly, her blurred vision intensifying as pain surged through her skull. She swayed on her bed before clumsily reaching out with a hoof to balance herself, scrunching up her blanket with her hoof. Slowly looking up, she began gathering her surroundings carefully as her vision slowly came back to her. She saw books laying littered all around her crystal floor with no care, open on random pages.
Children books like “The Wicked Witch” and great fictional books like “The Adventures of HuckleBucky Bolt” laid littered around, with ancient history books detailing the “Great Divide” siding with them. A book which Fluttershy analyzed religiously as a foal, by her choice or not.
The book details how the divide between the three pony nations drove them apart through the war as all sides fought for power, privilege, and land. All three races secluded themselves from each other as hatred and racism were thrown either way with venom almost always blended in their voice. War was constantly looming over the horizon each day, ready to bowl over as soon as one side made a slight mistake, simple or big, although neither race was particularly willing to begin the fight.
The book also detailed how the Pegasi rose to power through brutal war tactics and their natural ability to control the skies and design storms to rain chaos over the lands of the Unicorns and Earth Ponies. This forced the Unicorns to form spells to counteract the rain storms left by the Pegasi, while the Earth Ponies were either forced to dig underground and build homes of stone, or to travel south to the desert plains to avoid the manipulation of the weather, otherwise they faced being picked off by both races quickly and ruthlessly. The Pegasi and Unicorns continued to fight a large scale war for the surface in the heart of Equestria, leaving both sides to lick their wounds and build their homes with the land they conquered when the war finally ended.
After almost two hundred years later, each species formed ruling empires with the Earth ponies controlling the South, Unicorns in the North and Pegasi in the West. However, the hatred between the three species didn’t end there. With no swords or shields to fight each other with now, politics and insults ruled the world, with the open Equestrian Sea to the East being the only exception of freedom and liberty, as the constant threat of dragon invasions or god-like sea creatures making neither Pony species eager to conquer the land over there.
However, with the segregation of the species came the rise of dictatorships, un-just social hierarchies, and propaganda. Kids taught in schools to hate and fear the other species and consider them as lesser or unequal was a common occurrence. With neither species letting one nor the other in their cities with fights and scuffles happening constantly as soon as a single glance was shared between them, passive or not.
For Fluttershy, being taught in school that Earth Ponies were foul and disgusting low life creatures as they dug and destroyed Equestria’s beauty and nature, while Unicorns were described as evil, bloodthirsty witches that controlled ‘their’ sky and were the cause of every natural disaster or storm not controlled by the Pegasi made her sick.
Posters hung on every wall on every street corner, detailing Pegasus stallions flying high above adorned in silver armor as love-struck mares smiled and cheered from below with the malevolent headline “Join the Wonderbolts today, Stop the menace” shone with bright red and blue colors. The poor recruits unknowing that they signed their life away to be controlled by the corrupt nobles; to be forced to do malicious things to the other two Pony races daily, or else they are to be hung or thrown in jail to rot for disobedience and treason.
Fluttershy knew that the powerful kings, queens, and nobility were the reason behind this hatred. Their ancestors teaching them to hate the other races religiously while they got drunk off the power and control of the citizens, ensuring the continued use of the villainous laws and brainwashing forever stayed in effect, keeping this idea of superiority in their heads as they brought Earth pony and Unicorn slaves to toil away and build their empires up as they kept their hoofs clean in their castles, fed grapes by the hoofs of others while their ‘peasants’ fought to survive for themselves, their country and for their nobles greedy bellies.
For Fluttershy, the worst offender above all the overs was her very own father, King Butter and her mother, Queen Shy. Growing up, she was blasted with books detailing ideas of superiority, intricately woven into texts by the use of symbolism and stereotypical character types: The dashing stallion Pegasus hero, the conniving Unicorn villain and the dumb brute henchmen Earth pony in famous and commonly sold children's books, present in the massive adult and educational library.
As Fluttershy got older and matured, she was taught history texts by a private tutor bought specifically by her father. He detailed the bad things the Unicorn and Earth ponies did before and after “The Great Divide” and the heroic and honorable acts the Pegasi did to ensure their species survival.
Fluttershy had never met any Earth pony or Unicorn in her whole life. She had lived her entire life in Cloudsdale and its sub-city Redhill or in the powerful city called Irondale, a city located near the borders by the south, known for its trade and open slave market with many nobles and rich members of society going there to buy new slaves, golden trinkets or exquisite wines.
She was protected by great walls of iron, brick, and cloud out of reach to even the most conniving of assassins. She was protected even more by living in her own personal tower in Cloudsdale and Redhill, which held her own bedchamber and study room, connected to the great castle itself behind the most impenetrable walls the castle had to offer, brick, cloud or iron.
The reason was because her father had stressed multiple times to her the importance of her life and the future of their species as she was bred to rule when her father passes, and with him not there to stand by her side and protect her from the invading armies of the Unicorns and Earth ponies, which would surely come from his death, she needed to stand strong and know how to lead to protect their land and species through the coming wars.
Fluttershy didn’t believe any of it. She didn’t want any of it.
Fluttershy wanted to be free. To live her life away from the castle walls, away from the hatred and segregation, away from everything. She never believed in the horrific stories of the other species, she didn’t believe she was superior, all she wanted was to be free, and tonight, she was going to be.
Finally looking up as her vision cleared, she was able to see the figure standing by the door that shouted her name.
Covered in black and red leather armour with a curved, black hood covering her face as a grey outline was seeable on the curve of the hood, it was connected to her breastplate, which was made from many thick, diagonal layers of leather crossed in an X, going under and over her forelegs as it was tied securely around her body. The famous Wonderbolts medallion plastered in the middle, connecting the breastplate together as it was made from the finest steel ever found in the Pegasus kingdoms.
Further down the body, the black leather hides red velvet underneath, peeking out around the lower legs and middle chest. Underneath the holsters of the mare’s back held the mare’s portable metal wing blades, which flung out and across her wings when needed, creating multiple pointed tips and a hard metal protection over her wings, while still letting her fly with agility and speed; the ideal weapon for professionally trained Pegasi soldiers and guards, reserved for only the highest of earners. Good for both offense and defense.
Her cape hung low, down to her flank, covering her legs with multiple layers as her brown satchel was secured to the right side of her hind leg. Her lower legs were protected by black leather greaves with red peeking out at the sides, once again detailing the Royal Guard seal: A Pegasus’ wings covering a shield with the Shy family crest in the middle.
Small slivers of rainbow-colored hair could be seen sticking out of her hood while the mares red eyes could be seen in contrast to the black shadow hung over her by the hood, leaving her identity hidden if not for the hair.
The Rainbow-haired mare hissed Fluttershy’s name again, “Fluttershy!”
“Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Came Fluttershy’s nervous reply as she picked herself up and dragged herself sluggishly to the side of her bed as the golden sheets fell lamely to the ground as she slid off.
Rainbow Dash stepped further into the room, “We need to get going quickly! We haven’t got much time, the ship isn’t going to wait forever.” She turned half her body to the door and gestured with a hoof.
Fluttershy hesitated. Turning her gaze back to the desk, Fluttershy felt a tear sliver down her face as she looked at her last goodbye message to her parents before she left this tyrannous place. “I don’t know if I can do this Rainbow. They’re my parents!”
Rainbow turned her body back to Fluttershy, “It doesn’t matter. You said it yourself, ‘They don’t care about you, and they only care about what you can do for them” Rainbow finished as her voice was laced with iron reserve as she walked up to Fluttershy and stared into her eyes with an ice-cold glare.
“Now you either come with me and we can get out of here and be free or you can stay here and be a puppet, controlled by your father just like you said yourself. Now it’s time to choose Fluttershy because we don’t have much time!” Rainbow said with an air of finality, straightening up and towering over Fluttershy’s quivering figure as her shadow hung over her.
Looking up at Rainbow, she saw the fierce determination within the mare’s eyes. She knew Rainbow will follow her every decision, even if she chose to stay. Of course she would, she’s her personal bodyguard, plucked from the streets of Cloudsdale and brought up under strict supervision to become the best soldier the army had to offer.
And if they are lucky enough, be picked to be the personal royal bodyguards of the nobles and Royalty. And lucky for Fluttershy, she got Rainbow.
Looking back at the letter, Fluttershy let a final tear fall out of her eye as she looked at her letter one last time before her eyes glazed over with fierce commitment.
“Ok Rainbow, it’s time to go” Fluttershy said, moving past Rainbow and towards the door.
Behind her, Rainbow kept a straight face before following after her, staying close to her tail as she pulled her hood over her face and hair, concealing her appearance fully.
Galloping down the stairs, the two mares came upon a wooden door with a silver plank in the middle, detailing Fluttershy’s name.
Running through, Fluttershy slowed down with Rainbow passing her as she looked around the marble pillar. With the lighting low, Fluttershy couldn’t see what was around her as the curtains were drawn closed as the weather raged on outside. However, something caught her eye as a golden glow could be seen advancing to come around the corner leading to them.
Opening her eyes wide, Fluttershy hissed Rainbows name. Turning around, Rainbow grinned as she let out a whisper, “Just in time.” before pulling Fluttershy tightly against her until they were hugging against the wall beside them.
Looking back, the guards rounded the corner, their polished silver armor and silver spears at their side, a lantern held out by the tip of the Pegasus wing. As Fluttershy strained her eye, she could see a dark figure sliver out of the side of the wall and behind the guards before the lanterns light quickly went out.
It was silent. No bang or yell from the guards as Rainbow grabbed her hoof and pulled her forward, through the hallway until they came upon another wooden, oak door. Passing through, they came upon a balcony with Rainbow getting up upon the railing with Fluttershy at her side as the rain began to matter their fur. The soft sound of the rain clinking against Rainbows armor could be faintly heard over the sound of the raging storm as Fluttershy strained to hear what Rainbow was shouting.
“You ready? Remember, glide down and pass over the gate slowly, the guards shouldn’t see you, I’ve taken care of it. There should be two guards holding a carriage down there waiting for you. Just get in and they will take you to the boat and I’ll be waiting there for you, Ok?” Rainbow said in a strict voice. Her hoofs held tightly around Fluttershy’s shoulders as she stared in her eyes.
“Ok” Fluttershy said in a small voice with words still left unsaid on her tongue as she let one last gaze flow over the castle. Her home. Her prison.
“Good. Now go!” Rainbow said as she let go off Fluttershy’s shoulders, running through the balcony door, back into the castle.
Taking a deep breath and turning around, Fluttershy hovered a hoof over the balcony before gently spreading her wings wide as tiny droplets of water fell and splashed against them faintly. Feeling the wind pick up suddenly, she let the wind pull her wings forward as she let out a quick squeak of surprise before gliding down past the gate and through the bushes as she felt the wet and muddy grass hit her fragile hooves, covering them in wet, brown dirt.
Opening her eyes, Fluttershy looked forward and saw two grey stallion’s standing still, staring at her with blank expressions like they were expecting to see her land there. They were donned in silver armor with black satchels wrapped around their belly’s, connected to a black carriage. It was lined with golden metal along the doors and glass windows. On top stood spikes of gold with glistening, clean-cut rubies lined along the bend as black lanterns hung on the side, letting out a golden glow as the black wheels lined with gold on the outside stood still, ready to be pulled, unstained from the mud.
Walking forward nervously as she kept her eyes lowered to the ground, Fluttershy opened the door and got into the carriage before closing the door slowly behind her. Afraid to make a sound, she sat on the velvet seats before turning her head as she looked outside of the window at her side. Looking at the eastern side of the castle where she first learned how to fly and where she first saw Rainbow Dash, already a hardened soldier in her late teens. However, she soon learned she had a secret cocky attitude to her when things fall into plan, often getting dragged away in her ego, becoming careless and blind to those around her as she got herself lost in the thrill and adrenaline.
Jolting back as she felt the carriage pull forward upon the bumpy and wet terrain, Fluttershy heard the loud bangs of thunder rage on outside, shrinking in on herself as she flung her hooves firmly around her body as she shook in fear, under the window as she was too afraid to look outside.
Slowly resting as her heart calmed, Fluttershy closed her shaking eyes as she laid her head against the cold glass on the side of the carriage, the rain splattering against the glass soothing her slowly as she drifted to sleep.
Galloping, Rainbow ran through the many decorated halls of the royal villa, which featured intricately designed marble sculptures and impossibly expensive paintings lining the many walls of the castle, demonstrating the beauty and power the Shy family had over the Pegasi nation and its ponies as it reaped the benefits of the common pony and slaves worked so hard to get. What shocked Rainbow the most, however, is that this villa paled in comparison to the glory of the castle in Cloudsdale which rested high in the sky.
Shaking her head as sweat rolled down her forehead, her heart beating wildly in her chest from exhaustion and slight anxiety as her breathing came out in short bursts. Rainbow dragged her hoofs across the velvet carpet as her eyes landed on her objective. An oak door labeled: Barracks.
Sliding in quietly, Rainbow ran past the many hammocks holding the passed out royal guards who returned from their routine Saturday night drinking session, snoring away, oblivious to the betrayal one of their own was currently committing.
Finally, Rainbow came across her own bunk as she pulled back the blanket to reveal a small, brown cardboard box. Opening quickly, Rainbow pulled out a large brown bag of bits, filled to the brim with gold Rainbow and Fluttershy had been saving for months without any of their companions getting suspicious. Grabbing it quickly and tying it securely around her hind leg, Rainbow ran quickly back to the exit.
Unfortunately, a shadow appeared around the corner and before Rainbow could stop and hide in the shadows, General Soarin rounded the corner.
“Huh? Lieutenant Dash? What are you doing here, aren’t you supposed to be guarding the princess's chambers tonight? You’re her guard after all” Soarin asked in a tired voice as he rubbed his eye with his hoof. A yawn escaping his mouth.
Looking at Rainbow Dash, Soarin's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he looked upon her wearing the unofficial scout armor, designed specifically to be unseen with material designed to muffle the sound of hoofs hitting the ground. Upon further inspection, he noticed her wing blades secured tightly along her back and wings with a bag of bits dangling down her hind leg and observed her heavy breathing and nervous shaking as her eyes failed to meet his. She looked around nervously as sweat slithered down her forehead before looking longingly at the door.
“Wait, If you’re not guarding the princess then–“ Soarin's eyes snapped open as the pieces clicked together, “Guar-!“ quicker than he could blink, Rainbows wing blades shot out and extended along her wings, slicing straight through Soarin's neck with his blood splashing against the walls and across Rainbows face. As he fell to the ground with a bang, his hoofs shoot up around his neck as the sound of a stallion gurgling on his own blood filled the room. Rainbows face hardened, her eyes becoming steel and cold, just like she was trained to do by the very Pegasus in front of her. However, despite her speed and ruthlessness, she was not quick enough.
Rainbow heard a shout from behind her.
“Soarin!” came a shout from Commander Spitfire who's tired glare still managed to send shivers down Rainbows spine as she turned to look at her. Waking the rest of the camp up as they looked up lazily, spotting the grizzly sight of General Soarin gurgling on his own blood as one of his hoofs reached to grab Dash’s armor, before abruptly falling to the ground as his body ceased to shake, his voice becoming no more.
Hissing under her breath, Rainbow extended her wings and shot through the door and down the hallways, soon followed by Spitfire, who had grabbed her equipment by the side of her bed before quickly putting it on, followed shortly by the rest of her squadron as their drunken glazed eyes stared menacingly forward. Their wings beating with sluggish determination as their labored breathing and lack of speed showed their exhaustion from drinking.
Rainbow shot down the hallway with Spitfire following closely behind her, her vision becoming blurred as her speed blew wind in her eyes as she didn’t have her goggles on her, forcing her to squint as her wings beat furiously with her blades dripping blood in the air behind her, with Spitfire flying straight into them, uncaring as her venomous glare stayed locked onto Rainbow Dash.
Taking a quick left turn, Rainbow flew straight forward through the open balcony doorway as the rain suddenly blasted against her vision with the icy cold wind biting at her skin and eyes, freezing her wings as the wind pushed her back. Shrugging and biting her teeth together, Rainbow pushed forward, knowing that if she were to slow down just a little bit, she would soon find Spitfires blades through her back and straight through her heart, because even in Spitfire’s sluggish state, Rainbow doubted she could beat her one-on-one.
Looking down, she could see the shadows from the lanterns in the guard’s outpost in the gardens of multiple soldiers gearing up quickly. She could hear the faint sound of the alarm bell far away inside, one she was very familiar with as they would have already been informed of Soarin's death and Rainbow dash’s betrayal. Hissing under her breath, Rainbow twisted her body and took a quick plummet down to the ground as she could feel the cone of wind begin to surround her as her wings began to strain under the force as the ground zoomed closer.
Just before she hit the ground, Rainbow twisted her body and dashed upwards, feeling Spitfires Blades graze against her back, prickling her fur as she flew upwards into the sky and into the grumbling, flashing clouds.
Suddenly, she was blasted from all sides as the deafening sounds of thunder and the sizzling burn of lightning coursed through her ears and skin, as the constant downfall of rain made it almost impossible to keep her eyes open longer than a second.
Adrenaline burst through her body, feeling the tingle of lighting sizzle upon her skin, already beginning to feel the burn grow as she hissed in pain. She knew that any second now, Spitfire and her squadron would fly through the clouds below her and swarm around her, she needed to get out and find Fluttershy, losing them in the process.
Quickly checking her surroundings, turning her head in every direction as the fierce wind ripped at her face and the beating of her heart throbbed at her ears, Rainbow tried desperately to find her bearings. Lightning shot right past her, sending jolts of pain through her hooves as she let out a loud gasp of pain through her tightly gritted teeth before she finally found her bearings within the raging storm.
Gasping, Rainbow felt a puff of air upon her back and ducked, feeling Spitfires blades tear through her hood and graze against her skull, revealing her bloodstained face as she turned around and faced Spitfire. Both her eyes widened in fear as the adrenaline coursed violently through her veins as her heart continued beating savagely against her chest.
“Not now Rainbow, Calm yourself!” Rainbow said to herself as her body calmed and her mouth formed back into the straight-faced glare. Reacting suddenly, she threw her blades forward into an X shape to block the incoming blow from above as Spitfires tear stained face came into view in front of her.
“Why!?” Spitfire screamed, her voice piercing through the grumbling of the clouds, loud enough that Rainbow could hear the pain and anger coursing through Spitfires bones, making Rainbows heart tear at the sound she never wished to hear from her former mare-in-arms.
“I’m sorry” Was all that left Rainbows mouth as her face changed from regret to acceptance with what she believed was right, to protect Fluttershy. That is what she was taught to do, that is what she was trained to do. It was her life, her goal, her duty, her loyalty. Twisting her blades to her side, she felt the resistance of her wingblades as it sliced deeply through the right eye of Spitfire. Her scream echoed through Rainbows ear as she threw Spitfire to the side away from her. Just before she could turn and fly away, however, she felt many puffs of air around her and saw countless guards fly through the clouds and surround her as their polished, silver armor and weapons filled her vision.
“No, no, no” Rainbow hissed under her breath as she turned around and looked upon the many faces staring back at her in anger. Her heart began beating widely with fear before turning back to Spitfire, who was wiping her mouth of blood as she spat down towards the endless abyss of clouds below. Rainbow could see the blood dripping down Spitfires eye as a deep, bloody slash could be seen across it, as the rain carried the blood down Spitfire’s form as she stared maliciously at Rainbow.
She pointed one of her wingblade at Rainbow as her other beat at her side. “You will pay for your crimes against the capital. For the murder of Commander Soarin and for treason of the highest degree, we hereby sentence you to death!” Spitfire began to chuckle cruelly. “I’m going to enjoy watching you die. We are all going to enjoy watching you die! I hope I am the one to plunge my blade straight through your neck, just like you did to my friend” She finished in a growl as her blood slowly dropped down through her body and onto the tips of her hooves.
“Any last words?” She shouted over the storm.
Rainbow looked around her desperately as she saw soldiers prime themselves as their wings beat faster and their weapons angled themselves towards her. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes and uttered in a quiet voice, laced with sadness as her body seized to shake.
“I’m sorry Fluttershy.”
Opening them quickly and letting out a blood-chilling yell, she charged at Spitfire, lightning, and thunder booming around her as her blood stained blades glistened menacingly at her side as they angled themselves towards Spitfires bleeding form.
With her cry, many more joined in as the sounds of pure-rage overpowered the bangs of thunder around them. Charging faster than the lightning beside them lit up the sky, their wingblades, and weapons raised at their sides with Spitfire charging head first into Rainbow as their blades met, locking together as sparks flared around them wildly.
Their blades continued to grind against each other with Rainbow turning one blade behind her to block another attack from behind as the force rattled her bones. She held strong, twisting her body and shoving her wings to the side as she threw them off her before spinning and slicing her blades straight through two guards who carelessly charged her, killing them swiftly as their droplets of blood mixed with the rain, splashing against her body as her eyes held strong in defiance against the relentless onslaught of soldiers.
Masterfully, Rainbow stopped her spin and turned to the closest enemy flying towards her and intercepted his attack with one blade as it grinded across it at her side, before plunging her other blade into his stomach as his blood splashed out and covered her armor, drenching her in red. Twisting his body around in front of her quickly, she felt a blade rip through his body as she pivoted around him before slicing her own blade down the back of another enemy as his yell of agony was drowned out by the drums of thunder.
Once again twisting around and pulling a blade in front of her and into another guard as his body slide down her blade and into her arm. Using a hoof, she pushed him off her blade as his blood stained her whole blade and arm as her breathing increased drastically.
Caught off guard by the body, Rainbow let out a loud shout of pain as she felt the tip of a blade sink into her side before being blocked by her bones which cracked under the pressure. Turning and wrapping her hoof around the blade before pulling the stallion in and slicing her blade clean through his head, decapitating him fully with his head flying past hers and hitting a soldier from behind, knocking him out as his body plunged to the Equestrian Sea below.
Grabbing her side as she felt her boiling blood soak her hoof, she heard Spitfire shouting over the thunder to regroup and gather around her. Turning quickly, Rainbow attempted to fly before they could but felt immeasurable pain burst down her spine and across her body, forcing her still as sudden tears came to her eyes.
“Dammit!” She shouted as she watched hundreds of squads regroup around her as Spitfire stared down at her, a grin of absolute madness plastered across her face as she saw Rainbow gripping the side of her body and the weak, pain filled flaps of her wings as she struggled to breathe through the pain.
As Rainbow saw the last pony regroup, she closed her eyes calmly and let out a long, tired sigh as she heard the faint sound of Commander Spitfire shouting over the roaring sounds of thunder around her. After a breath moment of peace, she felt pain shoot through her body relentlessly as the freezing cold feeling of metal slice easily through her numb body as her warm blood gushed down her sides. The air was stolen from her lungs as her body became almost completely numb, the only feeling was the faint sensation of rain splashing tenderly against her now open skin. It was unusually claiming for her, knowing she was going to die but not feeling any pain, sadness or regret. Just before she faded into unconsciousness, she could hear the sound of waves crashing against water, feel the disjointed ripples of water against her skin and smell the faint scent of sweet lavender. Strange.
Fluttershy jolted awake as she felt the carriage stop suddenly, sending her flying into the wooden wall in front. Rubbing her head as she let out a simple ‘humph’ of annoyance. Suddenly, she felt a cold breeze beside her and saw one of the stallions carrying the carriage open the door for her before stepping to the side as the rain continued to pour ceaselessly outside.
Slowly moving to the door, Fluttershy stepped out and felt the cold splash of mud once again hit her hoof before turning her gaze to the side. There she saw the boat sway calmly at the dock, illuminated by a single lantern but too dark to discern any outside features of the ship. No name, no color. Nothing.
Walking carefully to the steps leading up to the boat, she heard the soft rattle of the carriage behind her and turned to see it being pulled away before losing itself behind the trees, the light from the carriage fading from view. Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy turned and trotted onto the deck of the ship and began to walk to the captain’s quarter’s, opening the door with an outstretched hoof, pushing it open steadily as it let out a slight squeak but stopped suddenly. Looking to her left and then to her right, Fluttershy’s eyes changed to that of confusion as the black room she was standing in laid empty, save for a slow, ticking clock as its deep ticks rebounded in Fluttershy’s head as it was the only sound heard upon the ship.
Turning around, Fluttershy looked left to right, looking over to the ships unmanned wheel which twisted and turned side to side, as the blank flag waved violently in the air.
The air was silent, waiting.
As Fluttershy started walking over to the entrance of the crew’s cabin below, where the only light was coming from, its golden glow hidden behind a heavy wooden door. Slowly peering in, Fluttershy saw many empty hammocks inside, swinging to the churning of the ocean as they rocked side to side, almost rhythmically. Walking in slowly, Fluttershy’s steps echoed off the walls lightly as the high squeaking sound of the swaying hammocks, as well as the creaking floorboards she stepped on were the only sounds heard in the empty room. Looking inside one, she saw neatly cleaned and folded covers, not a stain insight, unusual for a boat for hire, especially one designed not to be noticed.
Rainbow stressed that quite a bit.
Looking on the walls, no dirt or moss was seen, spotless to even the keen eyes of Fluttershy who spent Celestia knows how many times cleaning Rainbows armor. The lantern swaying by the door played and twisted with the shadows as the open door creaked loudly.
Fluttershy's ears twitched, turning her head slightly to the door as she could hear a faint sound she didn’t hear before as it mixed in with the sound of the creaking deck, almost perfectly. Taking a deep breath, she turned around quickly as her wing shot up around her body as her leg tensed but slowly relaxed them as she saw nothing in front of her.
The ship was silent.
That is until she heard a quiet breath of air behind her as the door slammed shut and the single lantern lighting her surroundings blinked out of existence, as darkness swallowed her whole.
The ship was silent. The ship was dead.
The ocean’s surface breathed as her waves rose and fell with rhythmic ease, the scene of the sea almost peaceful; methodical in its procedure, as the opening rays of sunlight breached through the morning clouds and over the horizon, covering the glistening blue of the sea in a deep, soothing orange, as the sea life swam below without fear, free of boats filled with sailors, tourists, or bloodthirsty pirates looking for their next meal.
However, unbeknownst to the life below the sea, a single rickety raft laid afloat atop the water, as its single palely white flag flapped softly in the air to the rhythm of the warm, calm breeze that comforted the ocean this morning; the creaking and whining of the rafts poorly built wooden base filling the air as the rope tying it all together struggled against the inevitability of failure as time passed, as the raft swished and swerved with the ocean, completely at its will should mother nature ever decide to show its wrath, ending the poor vessels life which was barely big enough to even fit a single mare.
Which it did.
A lonely, lavender mare sat atop of the soaked wooden base, her body malnourished and limp against the singular pole resting erect in the middle of the raft; her hooves laid exhausted out at her sides, a sign that the endless agony of hunger has gripped and squeezed the energy and hope that once rested within her body out, leaving her as an empty husk waiting for the inevitable clutch of death, and the bittersweet relief it will grant her.
One might mistake her for already dead, a common occurrence out in the deep blue sea and for those that explore her depths, if it wasn’t for the meager breaths that escaped her body, no matter how painful they were to achieve. This mare’s journey seemed destined, fixed to end in tragedy, just like the many of hundreds and thousands that came before her, either by misfortune or purpose, theirs or not.
But the mare continued to fight, no matter the bleakness that swallowed her every thought and every action, no matter the constant pain that ached throughout her bones, no matter the constant snide remarks a small, malevolent voice whispered into her ear every second of every night. No, this mare was a fighter, no matter the situation or hopelessness, she would continue to struggle against the odds for the sliver of a chance to survive, no matter the pain. Even if it seemed completely hopeless.
Until something strange happened.
For the first time in days, the lavenders mare’s ears twitched slightly, soon followed by a rise of an eyebrow as her ears strained to hear a strange, almost foreign but familiar sound against the usually silent sounds of the Equestrian Sea she had grown accustomed to hearing. Her heart began to beat quickly as her eyes shot open, revealing the beautiful color of purple that roamed across the Equestrian Sea in startling urgency, as her aching body leaned forward in the uncontained belief that she, in fact, had heard what she think she heard.
A voice. A mare’s voice. She heard a mare’s voice.
And there, out in the endless abyss of blue, with incomprehensible depths and filled to the brim with wondrous sea creatures of unimaginable scale and wonder, was a single, blue coated Pegasus mare, with a rainbow colored mane screaming for help.