After finding the secret entrance, Falco and Rainbow was walking down some stairs. The stairs was light up with blue light that was hanging on the wall. Falco, who was walking in front, looked back and saw that Dash was nervous.
“Would you relax Skittles.” He told her on a calm tone.
“Relax? How can I relax? We are going to be wanted ponies if we go thought with this.”
Falco stopped and looked her straight in eyes. “Then what should we do? Go and talk to Celestia? She hasn’t done anything since the Shadowbolts showed up six weeks ago and if we went to her, there’s a big chance that I would get arrested, you could get arrested, then your friends. Do you want that?”
She looked down on the floor. “No, I don’t want that.”
Falco nodded. “Thought so, sometimes when you want to do the right thing you have to it the wrong thing.”
She looked up at him. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“No, it’s not.”
Dash blinked a few time. “Wow, you suck when it comes to pep talks.”
Falco just shrugged his shoulders. “It’s gift, now come on, let find Luna.” They continued to walk down the stairs.
When they finally reached end of the stairs they were surprised of what they saw, it was a giant room filled with bat ponies. They saw some of them on a table on the left and right, they where working on something which they couldn’t see. In the middle of the room was a giant table and standing beside was three bat ponies and Luna herself.
Then Falco decide to speak. “Wow tuts, quite the operation you got here.”
That got ever bat pony and Luna too look at them, Dash look at Falco like he had gone mad or something.
Then a bat pony with purple hair stared too look around. “Why are you standing there like statues? We have intrudes, move it.” That got every bat pony to react, they grabbed sword and spears, they ran over to Falco and Dash and pointed the weapons towards them.
Dash became worried while Falco didn’t react at all. “Wow, when it comes to a hero’s welcome, this one suck the most.” He then look at Luna. “Hey, tuts, is this what I get for saving your ass?”
The way he talk to Luna didn’t not the purple bat pony like, she walk to him. “How dare you talk to princess Luna like that.” Said one off the bat pony who was pointed a sword against him.
“I talk the way I wanted, that’s what make me so charming.” He said with a big smile on his face. The guard didn’t look amused of what he said. “Wow, tough crowed.”
Dash decided to say something. “It’s wise to anger them? They have weapons and you don’t.”
He looked at her. “Do you really think that swords and spears scare me? I have my armour, I just active it and kick their asses.”
That got the guard to laugh. Luna on other hand, had just watch the hole thing, trying to figure out of he was really Falco Lombardi. He talk like him, which means that he bad mouth. Then the guard started to shout at them, she decided to do something before the situation got out of hand.
She walked towards them. “Guards, stand down.” That shocked the guards, even Dash was shocked, a little. “Your highness, you can’t be serious. They are intrudes, we should put them in jail.” Said the same guard as before. “I said stand down.” None of the guard listen to Luna and she did not like that. “I SAID STAND DOWN, NOW.” That got them to put away the weapons. “Get back to your stations, NOW.” The guard could hear the anger in her voice and decided it was not wise to anger her more, they went back to work.
Once they were gone, it was just two pegasus, a bat pony and alicorn left. Luna decided to ask the question. “Ok Falco, how are you alive? I saw you sacrifice yourself to save us all, so I’ll ask again; how are you alive?” She asked him with narrows eyes.
Falco looked over to Dash. “Something tells me that ‘how I am alive’ is going to be mentioned a lot.” Dash just snicker off what he said. He looked back at Luna. “I don’t know what to tell you tuts, magic?”
Luna just gave him a look that said he was crazy. “That’s your answer? Magic?”
Falco just rolled his eyes. “What do you want me to say? I really don’t know how I am alive I remember ramming my Arwing into the enemy ship and then I woke up on a beach near Sun shore city. That’s what I remember.”
Then the bat pony beside Luna decide to speak. “Do you honesty expect us to believe that?”
Falco looked at the bat pony. “Who the hell are you?”
“My name is Shadow, and I am the captain of the Night guards, and you will threat the princess with respect.”
Falco just snorted. “Yeah, that’s not going to happened.”
Shadow was not happy with that answer and was about to give Falco a piece of her mind, but Luna held hoof in front of her, stopping her. “It’s ok Shadow.”
Shadow looked at Luna with shocked expression. “Princess Luna, you can’t be serious, he called you tuts. That’s no way to talk to you.”
“I said it was ok Shadow, he can call me that if he wants to and something tells me he’ll say it anyway, no matter what we say to him.”
Shadow was in shocked, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Princess Luna, her princess was okay with that Falco could call her tuts. For as long as she has served the princess, none have called her tuts or anything ells, expected for her sister Celestia. Shadow look over to Falco who had a smudged smiled on his face. Is was official, Shadow didn’t like him at all.
“Before I asked you why you are here Falco, I want to know how you found us. My sister has been here before and have not found us so, how did you?”
“Your headset, it has a tracking beacon.” Luna just confused, and Falco saw that. “Right, you don’t know what it is. Do you ponies use any form of magic tracking?”
Luna nodded. “Yes, we use it when we don’t want to lose things.”
“It’s just like that, I track you headset here.” He look around. “And I have to say, it’s quite the operation you have her tuts.”
That was the last straw for Shadow, she flew towards him, faster then Falco could react and pinned him to the wall. “I had enough, you will not call the princess ‘tuts’, you will talk to her with respect.” She said in the most treating voice that she could.
Falco didn’t react at all. “Is that all?” He said in calm tone which Shadow didn’t like.
She was about to punch him but never got the chance. “Captain Shadow, that’s is enough.” Shadow look over to Luna. “Let him go him now.”
Shadow was just confused. “But, why? He is insulting you when he is calling you ‘tuts’ and I won’t allow it.” She went back to punching Falco, this time Luna pulled her back with her magic.
Shadow was yanked away from Falco with levitation magic, Luna brought the captain to her, so they were face to face and the princess was not happy. “Did you just disobey my order?” Shadow didn’t try to answer, she started to sweat. “Answer me.”
“But, he insulted you by calling you…” Luna cut her off.
“Answer me captain.” Luna said her own threating voice.
Shadow looked down on the floor. “Yes, I did disobey your order.”
Luna was satisfied by her answer. “Good, don’t do it again. Understood.” Shadow nodded, Luna place her back on the ground, she then looked over the rest of the room. “This goes for the rest you to, don’t disobey my orders again, understood?” All bat ponies in the room saluted and she was happy by that, she then looked at Falco and Dash. “Now, the reason that you two are here. I’m guessing it’s because of those Shadowbolts.”
Both of them nodded. “Yeap, we are going to try and stop them, and I was hoping that you had some information about them.”
Luna shocked her head. “Not much I am afraid, my bat ponies has tried to get information about them ever since they first appear, but they haven’t had much luck.”
“They disappeared as fast as they appeared.” Shadow told them while walking back to where she stood before. “We know that they are pegasus and they are skilled flyers and that’s it.”
Falco was not pleased when he heard that. “That’s it? that’s all you got?” Both Luna and Shadow nodded. Falco let out a frustrated groan, he had hope that Luna had more information about them. “That’s all Twilight had on them.” He then slammed his head into the table. “Ouch, that hurt. Also, we are right back where we were, knowing nothing about them.” He then look at Luna. “Do you at least know about any skilled pegasus.”
Luna raised an eyebrow of that. “Why?”
He just gave her a smile. “Me and Dash are going to form are own team.”
When Shadow heard that she couldn’t help but snort. “And how are you two going to defat them? They are too fast for any normal pegasus.”
Falco just keep on smiling. “A magician never reveal his tricks.” Shadow was annoyed by that answer but never got to say anything.
“Matter of fact, yes. I know off a pegasus, have you ever heard about the Wonderbolts?” Falco just gave Luna a confused look.
“Who the hell are they?” He had never heard about them.
“I could tell you about them, but I think that Rainbow Dash knows more about them than I do.”
Falco look at Dash who was more then happy to tell about them. “The Wonderbolts are the best flyer in all of Equestria, they are just so awesome.” Falco could hear the enthusiasm in her voice but that was replaced by sadness very fast. “Unfortunately, they disappeared about six weeks ago.”
“Wait a minute, are you telling me that they just disappeared?” Dash nodded. Falco look at Luna after that. “Then why did you mention them?”
Luna used her magic to pick up a folder. “Not all of them are missing, Soarin.”
Dash perk up when she heard that name. “Soarin is still here?” Luna nodded.
She levitated the folder to Falco who tried to grabbed it but no luck, he dropped it on the floor. “Soon of a bitch, two months in this body and I can’t still grabbed things.” He decided to read on the ground. “I can see that he is a skilled flyer, he’s not as fast as the other.” Luna couldn’t help but giggle a little by Falco, Dash was trying to contain her laugher, while Shadow wasn’t sure what she was seeing. Luna decide to use her magic to help Falco, she brought the folder up, so she could read it better. “Thanks, my neck started to hurt.” He read it again. “It looks like he is in Manhattan.” He look over to the princess. “How the hell do you know that?”
She put the folder down on the table. “After we heard that the Wonderbolts disappeared and that Soarin was still around, we decided to keep an eye on him, so he wouldn’t vanish like the others.”
Falco was impressed by that “That’s actually a good idea.” He then look around the room. “But, how are your bat ponies moving around? We saw two of them changing appearance.”
Luna became a little nervous. “Well…”
Before she could answer, a door open and a blue unicorn with light blue hair and tail came out. “The great and powerful Trixie has done it again, I have created another necklaces.” All eyes were on the unicorn. “Yes, give Trixie your attention because she deserve it.” She looked around the room with pride on her face, until she saw two pegasus ponies. She didn’t recognise the stallion but the mare. She did.
Dash and Trixie pointed a hoof at each other and said at the same time. “YOU.”
Falco look between them. “Do you know her Skittles?”
“You could say that, last time I saw her she imprisoned entire Ponyville because she was jealousy off Twilight.” Dash answered with some irritation in her voice.
“Yes, not Trixie’s greatest moment but I am a chance pony.” She then saw that the stallion was just staring at her. “What? Are you amaze by the great and powerful Trixie’s beauty?”
“No, I am just wondering if you are going to pull a rabbit out of that hat yours or your ass.”
After that comment, the entire rom became quiet, the only thing that was making noise was Dash who was on the floor, laughing. Every bat pony eyes widen, and Trixie’s mouth was on the floor, while Luna had trouble containing her laughter.
“How dare you speak to Trixie like that, don’t you know how I am?”
“I don’t know how you are, and I don’t care, I just don’t like other who think they are better than others.”
Trixie was mad, she was not going to let this pony talk her like that, her horn started to glow and was about to shoot the pegasus. “Trixie, don’t.” Luna’s words made her stop.
“But he insulted Trixie, he should be punished.”
“Yes, he insulted you but that doesn’t give you the right to attack him. He is now an allied in our fight against the Shadowbolts and we need him alive, get back to making more necklaces.” Trixie was about to protest but when she saw Luna glance, she decided not to test her luck. She walked back to the room mumbling something they didn’t hear.
After she was gone. Dash, who had manged to calm herself down, look at Luna as she had gone mad. “Why did you ask her for help? You know what she have done, right?” She almost shouted at the princess.
“I know what she have done Rainbow Dash, but I needed a way to disguise my guards so my sister’s guards wouldn’t arrest them. My first thought was to ask Rarity, but I couldn’t risk her talking to Celestia, then I remember seeing Trixie’s show and when I asked her, she was happy to help.” Dash was still not happy.
“Can we get back to the point here?” Said Falco. “I would like to get this done and get out of this place, it’s starting to give me the creeps.”
“It’s not that bad.” Luna told him.
“Well, you have been here for two months, you’ve got used to it.”
Luna nodded her head. “You have a point there. What are you going to next?”
“Well, I am going to Manhattan to talk to Soarin tomorrow and Dash here.” He look over to the rainbow pegasus. “She is going to ask her mentor to help us, wherever she is.”
Luna looked over to Dash who just nodded. “So, you are really going to try and stop the Shadowbolts.” Falco just smile. “Are you familiar with the city of Manhattan?”
“No, how could I? I have only been here a couple of days.”
“Good point.” Luna looked at Shadow. “Captain, I want you to assignee a guard to help Falco in Manhattan.” She then looked the captain straight into her eyes. “That’s an order.”
Shadow swallowed that big lump she had in the throat. “Yes, your highness.” Shadow looked over the room to see which guard, all of them busy with their own stuff expect for one. She saw a guard that sleeping while standing straight. “Hey, Blood Rain.” No answer, she picked up a rock then threw it at the guard’s head, the stone hit the guard’s helmet and it manged to wake the guard up.
Falco wanted to have better look at the bat pony, he walked around the table to have a look, Dash followed him. Her mane and tail are a dark red and cobalt blue about half and half, there was one thing that stood out, she had normal pegasus wings.
Blood Rain smack her mouth a couple of time while trying to wake up. “Is there something you want captain?” She said in a tired tone, while walking towards the group.
“Yes, I want you to escorted Falco to where Soarin is in Manhattan tomorrow.”
“Yes, captain.” Blood Rain saluted.
“Now we have settle that, I am staying at apple farm.” Falco told his escorted, Blood Rain nodded. “See you tomorrow.” He hand Dash started to walk towards the exit, but they didn’t get very far.
“Wait a minute you two.” Luna told them while walking towards them. “I want to know that you aren’t going to tell anypony that we are hiding here, especially Twilight Sparkle.”
“I don’t have any problem lying.” Falco told her.
Dash was the first to question that. “You are living with Applejack, she is like a bloodhound when it comes to a liar, she can sniff out a lie.”
“Oh please, I can beat a lie detector, I can beat her.” Dash could hear the confident in his voice, but she was still worried. “And besides, I can just tell her that I am lying to protect her.”
Luna was satisfied with his answer. “Very well.” Luna then look at Dash. “What about you Rainbow Dash? Can you keep this secret from your friends.”
She answered right away. “Yes, unlike Applejack, I can keep a secret and I also can just say that I am lying to protect them.”
Luna was also satisfied with Dash’s answer. “Good, I will tell my bat pony in Ponyville that they will report to you Falco when these Shadowbolts appeared.”
Falco nodded. “Sounds good to me.” With that done, he and Dash left. “There’s a lever you can use to open the secret door.” Luna said to them before they left.
Once they had climbed the stair to the hideout, Falco found the lever and floor opened up, once they were outside, Falco pressed the switch on the floor and the hidden door closed.
“Ok, that’s pretty cool.” He looked over to Dash who had a worried face. “Something wrong Dash?”
“I am just worried about princess Celestia finding out about us.”
“As long as your friends don’t run their mouth, we will be fine. Try not to think about things that might happened, it will drive you crazy.”
She gave him a small smile. “You have a point.”
“Come on, let’s head back.” Both spread their wings and flew up.
Once they were over the trees, they notice that sun was setting. “Holy crap, how long were we done there?” Said Falco.
“I have no idea.” Dash looked over to Falco. “Do I have to go to Clodsdale today? It’s getting late.”
“Nah, just go there when you can tomorrow. It’s going to take me all day to find this Soarin, let’s just head home for now.” Dash didn’t argue with that. They both flew towards Ponyville.
Once they were over Sweet Apple Acres, they said goodbye to each other, Falco flew down towards the house while Dash counited to Ponyville. Falco landed not far from the house, once he was at the door, he walked straight inn.
Once inside, he could see Applejack and the rest of her family eating supper. Falco couldn’t help but smile of what he saw, a family that eat and was happy, didn’t care about what happened around them. It remembers about his own friends, Fox, Slippy and Peppy. He missed them.
Applejack, who was sitting with her back to him, heard that he entered the house. She turned around. “Hey Falco, want to join us?” She asked him. That made the whole family to look at him.
Falco shocked his head. “No thanks, I tiered after a long day. I am going to bed.”
Applejack could hear that was something was wrong but decide not to ask. “Ok, if you say so. Good night.” They all watch bas he walked up the stairs to the second floor.
Apple bloom looked at her sister with a worried face. “Is there something wrong with Falco?” The youngest asked her sister.
“I don’t know Bloom, I’ll asked him tomorrow.” With that said, they went back to their food.
Later that night.
Applejack was sleeping peacefully in her own bed she was dreaming that she and Falco was on a date. They were both sitting under a tree, looking at the stars, they looked in each other eyes and was about to kiss when suddenly Falco disappeared, of some noise. Applejack opened her tired eyes, she could hear some noise coming from the hallway, it sounds like someone was walking. She managed to get up from her bed, she managed to look at the clock, it was 3 am. She walked towards the door, not still awake. He opened the door and she saw a pony walking past her, it was Falco. ‘Where is he going?’ She watched as he walked down the stairs, she decided to follow him.
Once outside, she tried to see if she could spot Falco. It was easy, he was sitting by the barn. She walked towards him and she got closer she could see that he was holding something with both hoofs, it was a bottle. As she got closer, she could smell the alcohol. He was drinking.
“Falco?”
Falco stopped drink for a moment. “Hey, it’s Applejack, the mare who is in love with me. Want to have drink with me?” He asked her in an intoxicated state.
“No thanks, are you drink alcohol?”
“Yeap, it’s sooooooo good, are you sure you won’t have some?”
“Yes, I am sure.”
Falco shrugged his shoulders. “More for me then.” He went back to the bottle. Applejack walked over to him and tried and tried to take the bottle away from him, Falco didn’t like that. “What the hell?”
“I don’t want you drink on my farm, give me the bottle.”
Falco tired to hold on the bottle but Applejack was surprisingly strong. “I need it, it’s keeps away the nightmare.” He managed to take away the bottle from AJ but that’s because she let go of it.
“Nightmare? What kind of nightmares?” She asked with concerns in her voice.
“Of my fucking death.” He took a slip of the bottle. “Two weeks after I was ‘alive’ again, the nightmare started, of me crashing my ship into Andross ship. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night, I have lost sleep thanks to this fucking nightmare and the only thing that helps are alcohol.” He took another sip of the bottle. “Now, if you are not going to join me. You can fuck of and leave me alone.” He went back to the bottle.
Applejack was in utter shock when she heard what Falco said, there was no way she could comprehend how to relive his death. The only thing she could do was to help him, and the first thing was to take away the alcohol.
She grabbed the bottle with force this time, she managed to take it away from Falco, she then threw it away from him. The bottle landed in a rock and smashed in half, spilling the alcohol.
“What the hell Applejack, that was my last bottle.” He said to her in an angry voice.
“Good, as I said before, I don’t want to drink on my farm. That’s not the answer.” She retorted.
“It’s the only thing that work, thanks to you I am going to have nightmare for the rest of my life.” He snapped back at her.
Then Applejack suggested. “Maybe princess Luna can help you?”
“She can’t, she has already tried, and she can’t help me.” Applejack looked at him with a sombre face. “Don’t you dare look at me like that, I don’t need your sympathy or anyone ells.” He then started to cry. “I just want the nightmare to stop.” He then broke down and started to cry even more.
Applejack just watch as he cried. She did the only thing she could do she gave him a hug. He didn’t return it, he just cried on her shoulder. “Come on.” Let’s get you back to bed.” He didn’t say anything he just followed her back to the house.
Once they were inside. Applejack lead him back to his room and got him back to the bed, she then walked out and closed the door. ‘Poor guy, this can’t be easy for him.’ She had no idea what he was going through.
On her way back to her own room, she passed by Mac’s room. He was standing in the doorway. “What’s wrong with Falco?” He asked his sister.
Applejack looked back at the guestroom. “He’s going through some personal problems at the moment.” She looked at her brother. “I don’t want to say anything without his permission.” Mac just nodded, if his sister doesn’t want to say anything, then he won’t push her. He went back into his room and closed the door.
Applejack want back to her own room. She lay on her bed, just staring up at the celling, she couldn’t help but worried about Falco. She had no idea what he was going through. She eventually fell asleep.