//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Frantic Flights // Story: First Class Guards // by ClanCrusher //------------------------------// Why was everything coming undone now? It should have been a simple, straightforward plan, but everything seemed to be unraveling before his eyes. Two years of planning and careful observation were threatening to go up in flames in the final week, all because of those three blasted guards. For the sixth time in as many minutes, Spell Nexus checked his observation spells. Still fully functional, yet they showed nothing but pink. Frustrated, he tossed the scrying glass aside and slumped to the ground. “Who are you ponies?” he asked aloud, but it was a rhetorical question. He knew who they were. A washout Wonderbolt, a career dodging noble, and an ex-mail pony. And yet they'd taken a sledgehammer to his carefully laid plans. Perhaps...perhaps he was simply looking in the wrong direction. They were only as good as the pony training them, weren't they? But could Tempest really have achieved these results in such a short period of time? Clearly they were on to him. Why else would they have taken the armor to a specialist so close to the stellar event? And the things that could have happened in that pony's forge... Pulling the curtain to his room aside, Spell Nexus let himself bask in the glow of the moon. The gentle, silver light calmed him. No...if they knew he was involved, Celestia would have been at his door in an instant. Maybe they suspected, but they didn't know. Not everything at least. “Please be patient my liege. You will have your freedom soon.” Once she was in her proper place on the throne, Equestria wouldn't have to fear the constant threats like the Storm King or other savages from the Badlands. With the curtain still open, Spell Nexus turned to his workbench and began to weave a complex series of spells on the materials there. Equestria would have its proper queen, no matter what sacrifices he had to make, and not even the most elite of Twilight's guards were going to get in his way. ---------- Derpy groaned loudly, shaking and struggling to make it back to her hooves. Her wings stretched to give her a little more balance, but it was all for naught as the weight of her armor and the pain from her bruises sent her clattering back to the ground in a heap. “Haa...haa...do you think she just lets us wear the armor so she doesn't have to hold back?” groaned Lightning. Much like Derpy, she was sprawled out on the ground, a hoof on her stomach as she lay on her back. Derpy rolled herself onto her back so she could breathe a bit easier. “I think our captain really enjoys her job.” “Missing the mail room yet?” The conversation was interrupted by a loud crash as the third member of their squad was unceremoniously slammed on the floor next to them. “They might have an opening for all of us,” said Derpy encouragingly as she watched the victorious Tempest walking towards them. “Better work from all of you. I'm satisfied with your progress. But you're all a ways from dealing with alicorn level threats.” “Appreciate the praise, commander.” Turning to look to Flare, Lightning whispered loudly. “Was that praise? My ears are still ringing.” “It's as close as we get with Tempest,” mumbled Flare. “On your hooves, all of you.” The grumbling immediately stopped at Tempest’s order, the three pegasi fighting through their fatigue to stand at attention. “Flare, use your wings more and coordinate better with your squad. You have plenty of strength, but you can use blind spots and odd angles of attack to better use that strength.” “Yes ma'am,” replied Flare. “Lightning, you need to better recognize when not to use your wings. Flying gives you plenty of freedom, but you don't have leverage in the air.” “Right, right, I got it...” “And Derpy, keep working on your basics and fundamentals. Luck is only going to get you so far.” Still catching her breath, Derpy only replied with a nod. For a moment, it seemed like Tempest hesitated before she spoke again. “The three of you handled yourself well with Shining and Cadance, but it's best not to let those sorts of things go to your head. If he had a mind to test you again, he won't be nearly as lenient.” “Understood commander,” said Lightning. “My ego has been thoroughly trampled underhoof by your words of wisdom.” “I wonder about that,” murmured Tempest. “Um, commander? How did you get so good at fighting?” asked Derpy. “Through the sort of training you don't get inside Equestria's borders,” said Tempest shortly. “And it's not the kind of training I'd wish on anypony...at least, Twilight and Shining insisted that I shouldn't.” “Er...commander?” asked Flare worriedly. “Don’t worry. I still have plenty of regular back-breaking training to subject you to.” Tempest smiled in a way that was hardly reassuring. “Including a special guest trainer to cover the one area of training I can't.” “You mean there's something you can't do?” muttered Lightning. “Plenty. But one thing I can do is make your life miserable if you keep back-talking me.” “Apologies ma'am, I'll be good.” “I'll believe it when I see it. Add two laps and ten push-ups to your morning routine. And once you're finished everypony report to the obstacle course for flying drills.” Flare let out a small sigh as Tempest left them to their training. “Are you a masochist or something? Eventually she's going to make you do something you can't bounce back from.” “Oh please, I was in the Wonderbolts. This training is nothing compared to-” Lightning immediately went silent as the door opened again. “I nearly forgot. You'll be wearing these for the rest of the morning, too.” Tempest tossed several heavy weights with straps in front of Lightning. Lightning gulped. Flare failed to fully hide her grin. ---------- Two hours later, Flare was still having trouble hiding her amusement as the three of them moved out ot the obstacle course bordering the small woodland. Tempest was waiting for them, her eyes on the sky and a slight frown on her face. “Would you like to take those off now?” asked Tempest as they approached. “Actually-mmh!” Lightning flailed as Flare's hoof snapped over and rapped the side of her armor. “Yes, I would like to take them off.” “Good,” said Tempest while turning and undoing the bindings. “Is our instructor here yet?” asked Derpy, looking towards the sky. “Another ten seconds and she'll be late.” Lightning's ears perked. “Wait a minute...don't tell me...” In the distance, a faint boom reached their ears. A second later, a bright rainbow trail became visible, streaking through the sky and rapidly approaching the castle. Exactly nine seconds after that, Equestria’s fastest wonderbolt landed right next to Tempest, bringing with her a rush of air. “Nailed it!” said Rainbow Dash with a grin. “Quite,” said Tempest with a rare smile. “I'm sure your instructor needs no introduction, so let's start. Rainbow Dash is your flight coach from this day forward. Two days out of the week after morning training, you will join her here for flight drills. Treat her with the same respect you give myself.” “Yes ma'am,” they chorused. With a nod, Tempest took a step back and motioned Rainbow forward. “Right, so...” Clearing her throat, Rainbow paced in front of them, her head held high. “You rookies think you know a lot about being guards, but you don't know flying like I do! I'm going to be drilling you so hard you'll be flying in your sleep! And after that, I'm gonna drill you some more, and when I'm done, you won't even remember what the ground feels like!” Silence followed her bold proclamation. Lightning was the first to break it. “Was that supposed to be a Spitfire impression?” “What? No, of course not!” “I thought it was very good!” encouraged Derpy. “She's not as intimidating as Tempest though,” murmured Flare. “Then again, who is?” Rainbow groaned and turned towards Tempest. “I told you this wasn't going to work.” “I said authoritative, Rainbow, not overbearing,” reminded Tempest. “We'll work on it.” Letting out a defeated sigh, Rainbow turned back to the squad. “Alright, alright...we're not doing anything complicated. You've all had flying training before, I'm just here to organize your squad performance and get you working together as a flying unit.” “Suspect pursuit as well as search and rescue are all potential things you might be called on to do,” continued Tempest. “Speed isn't nearly as important as good technique, communication with your squad, and organization.” “And so we'll be going into squads of two to start with. Derpy, you'll lead Lightning. Flare, you'll take point with me. Our sweep will take us over the nearby forest. Your targets will be three missing fillies who have already hidden themselves. Now, the patrol route-” “Really?” interrupted Lightning. “Derpy on point?” “Yes, she is,” replied Rainbow instantly, almost as though she'd been expecting the push back. “One of you needs training, and one of you had squad training in the Wonderbolts already.” “Right, whatever,” grumbled Lightning. “Can we get started already?” “Lightning...” began Tempest, a clear warning in her tone, but Rainbow was quick to hold up a wing and shake her head. “We're going over the plan first. The crusaders can wait a bit longer.” “Um, Rainbow Dash? I wouldn't mind flying second so I can see how it's done,” said Derpy. “Thanks Derpy, but we're doing it this way for a reason,” said Rainbow as she unrolled her map and laid it across the ground. Derpy tried her best to pay attention to the patrol route and flight paths, but increasingly, all she could feel was the subtle growing frustration of her designated wingmare. ---------- “Are you upset with me?” asked Derpy. One of her eyes turned back to track Lightning's flight path while the other continued to survey the forest. “No Derpy, I'm not mad at you,” said Lightning shortly. “Oh...are you sure? You seem really angry and you've been glaring a lot.” “It's got nothing to do with you,” Lightning snapped. “You're listing off the patrol route again.” Nodding her thanks, Derpy corrected her path and moved back on course. “So what are you upset about? Is it the squad leader thing? Rainbow said we were going to switch off-” “It has nothing to do with that either. Just drop it, okay?” “Oh, okay. Hey Lightning?” “What?!” “You're drifting off course,” said Derpy helpfully. “Oh, sorry,” mumbled Lightning. “Sure you don’t want to talk about it?” “No. It's in the past, it should stay there.” “But it doesn't really feel like you've moved on from it,” mused Derpy. “For the love of...how can you possibly be this thick?” “My mom always said it was either my cutie mark or alicorn genes.” Lightning nearly tumbled out of the air at that. “What? That...that's not the type of thick I meant!” “Oh. What type did you mean then?” asked Derpy innocently. “Arrgh! Look, Rainbow was part of the reason I got kicked out of the Wonderbolts, alright? She's why I ended up here instead of there. Now will you drop it and focus on the patrol already?” Derpy's expression of surprise slowly turned to one of determination. “I can't believe that.” “It doesn't matter what you believe. She was my wingmare and she ratted on me.” “Rainbow is the Element of Loyalty. She'd never do something like that,” insisted Derpy. “I'm going to ask her to clear this up right now.” “Wh-wait! Hey! Get back here!” Derpy veered away and made a beeline towards the distant figures of Rainbow and Flare. “I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding,” she called back. Lightning reacted quickly, darting in front of Derpy and stopping her forward progress. “I got kicked out of the Wonderbolts, Derpy, there's nothing to misunderstand!” “How do you know?” “I know because I was there!” “Well I wasn't, so I want to make sure. It won't take long.” “Don't you dare!” ---------- “The buck is going on over there?” muttered Rainbow. Flare glanced towards the forms of her squadmates. From a distance, it seemed like the two were engaged in an odd aerial ballet, with Derpy twisting and turning in the air while Lightning sped around to stop her. “Er...maybe they spotted something and are trying to get a better look?” suggested Flare hopefully, though it was clear Lightning was trying to intercept Derpy. “Change course, Flare. I need to sort this out,” sighed Rainbow. ---------- Lightning let out a frustrated growl as Derpy slipped around her once again. She didn't have the speed or finesse of a Wonderbolt, but her erratic flight path was simply impossible to predict. “Will you just let it go already?” Flailing her hooves, Derpy dropped like a rock for a few moments before straightening herself and slipping past Lightning again. “No! It's important to you!” Flustered, Lightning poured on the speed and forced Derpy to turn away and avoid a collision. “Look, it was my fault, okay? I don't want to talk about it!” “Well Rainbow does! She's just as anxious as you!” That brought Lightning up short. “She...is?” Derpy didn't reply, however. Instead, she used the opening to fly past Lightning once again. Putting on a burst of Speed, Lighting managed to bite Derpy’s tail and tug her back. The mare yelped and her wings splayed out, all of her momentum stopping instantly. Lightning didn’t slow down in time and with a clash of armored bodies, the two collided and tumbled out of the sky and through the trees below. Several branches broke on their way down before the two landed in a heap in the underbrush. “Aww, they found us already!” “I thought we had the perfect hiding spot, too!” “I told you no one ever wins this game against Derpy.” Shaking her head to clear it of the post crash daze, Lightning looked up to see the faces of the three fillies looking out of the bush they'd crashed through. Beneath her, Derpy was already getting to her hooves, eyes spinning more than usual. “Oh wow, they did find something,” called Rainbow from above. “Hey Crusaders! I thought I told you three to find your best hiding spot.” “We did!” protested Apple Bloom. “You didn't tell us we were going up against Derpy!” “Why would that matter?” asked Flare. “She's...well, she used to be a mail-mare. They can find anypony!” said Sweetie Belle. “Rainbow there's a question I wanted to-mmphh!” “No! No she doesn't!” said Lightning, wincing as Derpy nommed on her hoof in an effort to continue speaking. “Lightning, compose yourself.” Lightning stiffened at the voice, slowly removing her hoof from Derpy's mouth. “Sorry commander.” Pushing her way through the undergrowth of the forest, Tempest turned to the three fillies who were trying very hard not to look interested in the unfolding drama. “Break for ten and then go find a new hiding place.” “Aww, but we wanna see-” began Scootaloo. “Now.” The sharp order quickly spurred them into scurrying away, leaving the guards and instructors alone. “Derpy, what did you want to ask Rainbow Dash?” Oblivious to Lightning's pained look, Derpy spoke. “I wanted to know if it was true that Rainbow got Lightning kicked out of the Wonderbolts. Lightning seems to think so, but I don't think Rainbow would ever do something like that.” The statement landed with a metaphorical thud. Everypony was soon looking at Rainbow Dash, waiting for her answer. She simply sighed. “Celestia dammit Twi, I knew you were setting me up. It's...complicated.” “The buck it is!” Lightning shouted angrily. “You were my wingmare! You were supposed to be my partner! But you couldn't even last two months before you ratted me out to Spitfire! Was being second-in-squad really that damaging to your ego?” “Rat you out? Lightning, she knew exactly what you were doing! You had at least a dozen buck-ups on record for your reckless flying!” countered Rainbow. “Reckless? Rainbow, we did 'reckless' things because we were good enough to do them! We were the best in that class! We...we should have been running that damn place!” Derpy heard the slight choke in her words. Cautiously, Derpy turned to Tempest. “Should we...” “...leave them to this?” finished Flare, clearly having the same thought. “Lightning is your squad mate,” said Tempest simply. The rest didn't need to be said. Beside them, the argument continued to heat up. “You were putting other ponies in danger! It's one thing to risk yourself for a stupid stunt, another thing entirely to do it to ponies that can't even fly!” “Then why wasn't I warned? Why didn't they say something to me? We were the golden pair for almost two months! Why...why couldn't I get a second chance?” Lightning's voice cracked again and this time her eyes started to water. Rainbow's head fell, her forehoof stomping at the ground a couple of times. Her wings shifted and there was a clear look of discomfort on her face. “I never wanted you kicked out, Lightning.” “Horse apples! You went into Spitfire's office and when you came out, I was stripped of rank!” “I didn't demand anything like that!” snapped Rainbow. “Do you even remember what Element I am?” “Then why-” “Because of politics,” said Tempest suddenly, cutting both of them. “Politics?” echoed Lightning, confused. “Yeah...don't take it the wrong way. You played a part, but Spitfire's lax attitude and bad luck was part of it too,” confirmed Rainbow. “I don't understand,” said Lightning, looking between Rainbow and Tempest. “Put yourself in Spitfire's horseshoes for a moment,” said Tempest, moving to stand next to Rainbow. “You have two pegasi under your command who might possibly be the best fliers you've seen in a generation. One of them has the prestige of being an Element of Harmony and the other might just be her equal, but she has some rough edges you need to smooth over. But that's fine. That's what the reserves are for. Hammer out a pony's flaws and temper them in to a proper Wonderbolt, but you do it gradually so you don't discourage them or push them away.” “But...she never said anything-” “But then, right before your first review, your promising recruit causes a disaster that could have injured or even killed several Elements of Harmony.” Lightning's ears folded at that, but Tempest continued. “Still, no one was hurt, just a bit shaken up. And Twilight is a reasonable sort. But then, the Element of Loyalty comes banging on your door, threatening to leave the Wonderbolts.” “Spitfire called it a PR nightmare,” said Rainbow softly. “She said something had to be done and needed to be done immediately.” “And she overcompensated,” finished Flare, speaking up. “Happens a lot in the military, especially a public-facing branch like the Wonderbolts.” “Rainbow was brash, Spitfire was lax, and you were reckless,” concluded Tempest. “But nopony thought you deserved to be canned,” said Rainbow. “Why else would Twilight give you a second chance like this?” Lightning snorted at that. “So I was just some pity hire then?” Tempest's eyes narrowed at her. “Do you think I'd waste my time training ponies out of pity?” Lightning balked at that. “No...you wouldn't,” she admitted quietly. Rainbow quickly moved the subject back to the pony at hand. “Look, if you do a good job as Twilight's guard, nopony would question a reinstatement into the Wonderbolts, especially if she gave you a recommendation.” “Don't want it,” mumbled Lightning. Rainbow blinked. “Huh?” “No...I don't need it,” corrected Lightning, her voice raising a bit. “If you say that I have another shot, then I'll damn well earn it on my own. I'll be such a good bucking guard for her that she'll regret it if I ever decide I want to do something else, you hear?” Tempest smiled. “I hear you perfectly clear.” Turning back to the other two pegasi, Tempest's stoic expression slid back into place. “Back in the air in five minutes, all of you.” Rainbow smirked at that. “You're giving me orders now?” Tempest replied with a flat look. “Right, five minutes,” mumbled Rainbow. “Come on, Flare, you're still lead pony.” A few moments later, Derpy and Lightning were the only ponies remaining in the clearing. “I'm sorry,” said Derpy. “I shouldn't have pried.” Lightning sighed. “No Derpy, it's okay. Honestly, it was a conversation long overdue. I just...I didn't want to have it.” “I'm sorry-” “Stop apologizing. I need to own up to my own mistakes,” insisted Lightning. “Even if it was easier to just keep blaming Rainbow and Spitfire for everything.” “But it was partially their fault, right?” “Yeah, but I can't control their actions. Only my own. And if I'd been a better Wonderbolt, it never would have happened. I mean...I guess I always knew that, I just didn't want to admit it.” “Do you...feel better at least?” “Yeah...yeah I do. Thank you Derpy. Come on, we'd better get back in the air before Tempest kicks us up there.” ---------- “You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?” said Tempest to the empty air beside her. With a shimmer of light, Twilight dropped her cloaking spell and kept pace beside the taller mare. “Honestly, I thought it would take a bit longer than that. Sorry to interrupt your training session.” “You're not sorry,” corrected Tempest. Twilight giggled. “You're right, I'm not. But a Princess still has to be polite. Do you think she's serious about what she said?” “Plenty serious,” affirmed Tempest, pausing for a moment as the pegasi patrols passed overhead. “We'll just have to see how long her resolve lasts. If nothing else, she'll be a better, more emotionally stable guard now.” “I hope they choose to stay,” confessed Twilight. “Derpy will,” assured Tempest. “And I have a feeling she'll keep the others around as well.” “I'm still not sure why you won't let me use a friendship speech.” “You need guards, not zealots. You don't want them to end up brainwashed like me.” “Hey! I didn't...are you chuckling? You are! Oh you are so getting it tonight!” ---------- Not for the first time, Spell Nexus turned around and looked over his shoulder. Even though he was cloaked in the most powerful spell he could muster and had put several more layers of spells underneath, he still couldn't shake the feeling that somepony was watching him. It was the castle, he concluded. Everything about it put him on edge. Perhaps when his liege returned... Shaking his head free of the idle thoughts, Spell Nexus paused at a turning point and listened. Silent, as expected. Even though Princess Twilight had guards now, she still lacked a dedicated night shift, giving him a perfect opportunity to perform this task. Still, caution was necessary. Swift Shadow had been caught after all, and he was still entirely unaware as to how it had happened. Letting out a steady breath, Spell Nexus slipped his hoof into his cloak and withdrew his map. Good, he was still going the right direction. Now all he had to do was take another right and he'd be- Hoofsteps. Carefully, Spell Nexus pressed himself against a wall and held his breath, only to nearly jump in surprise as the door right next to him opened, the edge of the wood catching his map and tugging it from his hooves, sending it fluttering through the air and away from his cloaking field. “Thanks, Derpy, I don't know how you navigate this place.” Breath silent, Spell Nexus observed the two pegasi within inches of him. Lightning Dust, the washout, and the eternal enigma whose name he couldn't find any solid record of. “I just tend to pick a direction and let the castle guide me,” said the gray pegasus. “I get to where I need to go eventually.” “Yeah well, I hope I don't need to ask for your help every time I need to find a bathroom,” grumbled Lightning. “I could have sworn there was one right next to the barracks.” “Maybe the castle just really wanted you to use this bathroom tonight.” “Really Derpy? Why in the heck would...hey, what's this?” Nexus debated for a minute whether or not he could disable the two armored mares. Maybe if he unleashed everything he had...but then Twilight and Tempest would definitely take notice, and leaving behind his magic signature would definitely expose him. Biting his tongue, Nexus watched helplessly as Lightning Dust picked up the dropped paper. “A map? Has Tempest been holding out on us?” asked Lightning, unfolding the paper. “That little sneak.” “We should give it back then,” said Derpy. “Yeah, I suppose she'd figure out who had it eventually,” sighed Lightning, the two pegasi turning and heading away from him. “Wonder if we could make a copy of it first.” Spell Nexus didn't wait to see how the rest of the conversation would turn out. He was already speeding down the opposite hallway, his eyes casting left and right to try and find the vault. His horn glowed, his mistress' magic coming to bare as he called out to her essence. Exceptionally risky, but he had a bead now. Right, through a door, left down a hallway, take the curve on the right, and- his hooves nearly slid on the floor and his horn winked out. Lightning and Derpy were in front of him again, just a few feet away. “...was just lying on the ground,” finished Lightning, turning over the map to the figure in the open doorway. “No, it's not mine,” came the distinct voice of Tempest. “Nopony this castle trusts would ever need a map to navigate it.” “Trust? Why am I getting singled out then?” protested Lightning. “Maybe the castle finds your frustration endearing,” said Tempest as she looked the item over. “Maybe it belongs to an invisible pony,” suggested Derpy. Tempest's eyes snapped upward. “Like Swift Shadow?” “He never did say who he was working for,” agreed Lightning. “I'll wake Twilight up. Go get your squad mate,” said Tempest immediately, not waiting for a reply before shutting the door. Lightning blinked. “Hang on a sec...isn't this Twilight's room?” Spell Nexus fled. The mission was a failure and his time was up. If Twilight began magical sweeps of the castle, his cloaking spell wouldn't hide him for long. Stairs, he had to find stairs. The castle couldn't possible hide those, could it? There! And the entrance hall was right in view and...impossible! How could she have made it here so quickly? Flare Warden stood right in front of the doors, her ears perked up and her eyes looking around. A gust of wind passed over him a moment later, the green pegasus narrowly swooping past his back. “Flare! You're up! Did you already hear?” “Hear what? I thought I saw Twilight and I followed her here.” “We've got another invisible intruder lurking around,” said Lightning quickly. “Keep the door guarded. Twilight is about to do some sweeps of the castle.” “Maybe we should just wait for Derpy to give this one a concussion, too,” suggested Flare, though she was quick to plant herself at the doorway and begin looking around again. Spell Nexus balked. Derpy had been the one responsible? The mare had immediately fielded the idea of a cloaked pony...and now she was galloping down the hallway towards him at this very moment, a wild look in her eyes. Abandoning his plans for the door, Spell Nexus turned in the opposite direction and ran right before the mare's voice reached him. “Lightning, they're going this way!” Nexus didn't even have a chance to realize what had given him away before Lightning was in the hallway, looking around as the lights of the castle came on in her presence. “Alright, try this one!” shouted Lightning, moving at a dizzying speed up and down the hallway, opening the doors on either side. Brooms, mops, and buckets spilled out from each one, scattering into the hallway. Behind him, Derpy was approaching from behind and at the end, Lightning was sitting and waiting for any of the clutter to be disturbed. That was it. There was no other choice. He couldn't be caught here, not now. Not like this. His horn glowed, turning from a bright blue into a sickly green and black color, and with a twist, he fired it at the crystal wall, melting a hole through it. The wall behind met a similar fate, and soon the one after that until he could finally see the outside. Gripping himself with his telekinesis, Spell Nexus flung himself outside, letting out a breath of relief as he finally felt the teleportation wards lifting. Even now though, he could see the green pegasus flying after him. Barely enough time. His horn glowed, his magic built, and in a flash he was gone, leaving only a fluttering cloak behind. Several more teleports followed, disguising his trail until nothing would be able to track him. The final one took him back to his study in Canterlot. That was it. His plans were ruined. The eclipse was coming and he had nothing. He needed a new plan, but for now he needed sleep. The dark magic had taken a lot out of him and he still had appearances to keep up. Banishing what magical traces remained, Spell Nexus collapsed into bed, not bothering to remove his clothes, entirely unaware of the small string of bright green yarn that finally came unstuck from his hoof.