Chapter 15: Rise
An ancient underground tunnel system ran under the streets of Canterlot. They led straight to the water hub, which was beneath the royal palace.
From there, access to the palace underground was painfully easy.
Scootaloo kicked open the hatch and crept into the twisting hallways of the palace substructure. She tried to piece together her memory of the last excursion here. The armory.
She followed conveniently placed arrows on the floor, and arrived at a sign with a designation on it.
Just what she was looking for.
There was a locked door in her way. It had a small identification pad next to it.
"Entry blocked." A computer spoke. "Please place ID in front of screen."
Scootaloo put the element of loyalty up against the screen.
The doors slid open. "Welcome Rainbow Dash." The voice spoke.
Scootaloo snarled, then lashed out, breaking the machine with her hooves.
She would not be associated with Rainbow Dash. She was her own pony now. A pony ready to fire back at society.
She continued down a deep dark tunnel. At the end was a single light. Scootaloo trotted towards it. Her fear was overpowered by her anger. There was no hesitation as she approached the great power.
And there it was. The prototype armor. Next to it were two more armored suits. They had been rapidly produced to combat the changeling threat.
It lay there. Under glass. She reared back her hoof and smashed open the glass.
"Come to me." She hissed. She began placing the armor on herself. First on her hooves. Then she put the chestpiece in place. Finally, the helmet. With a great horn sticking out of the top. She felt the horn. A head impulse was all it took to fire.
She turned to the other two armored suits. "Oh if only I could take you with me. Alas..."
She powered up the artificial horn, and annihilated the two suits of armor. Alarms began sounding.
She flexed her wings, and zoomed back out the door.
The five were ready to go home. The changeling war was over. Their need to stay in the capitol city of Canterlot had passed. Ponyville was waiting for them.
"Oh I can't wait to see Angel again!" Fluttershy said enthusiastically. "This city is a bit too...upscale for me."
"Maybe if everypony around here were focused more on friendship and less on shiny things, it'd be a nicer place to stay." Applejack grumbled.
Rarity was entranced by a diamond in a shop window. She snapped out of it. "Did you say something Applejack?" The orange pony rolled her eyes.
"Alright, everypony. I guess this is it." Twilight said. The five got back on the train.
They continued small talk with each other, but they were all worried. Scootaloo was missing. No word on Rainbow Dash. And the changeling defeat had been less than obvious.
They entered the train station. The uncertainty had dampened the excitement about going back home.
"Hey, you seen this?" Applejack asked, holding up the day's paper.
Twilight read the headline.
"DECEASED WONDERBOLT TO BE HONORED"
Rarity frowned. There was a picture of Rainbow Dash to go with the article.
"Is this true?" Fluttershy asked.
"Don't be silly. Rainbow Dash isn't dead!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Is she Twi?"
Twilight read through the article quickly. "From champion flier to reclusive cripple, Rainbow Dash's final months were an agonizing struggle." She continued reading silently. "After three months of being unable to fly, or walk properly, Rainbow Dash passed away in her sleep Tuesday morning."
The five friends huddled around the newspaper as the train lurched into motion.
"The Wonderbolts will be paying tribute to their fallen member at today's halftime show, at Cloudlife Stadium."
She looked up at the other four. "We better high tail it to Cloudsdale. Fast."
Shadow had a stopwatch in his saddlebag. He watched it click away the seconds. A great gust of wind. A cyan blue pony blasted right over his head. She came around and touched down before him, posing proudly.
"How'd I do?"
Shadow smirked. "Ten seconds."
Rainbow pumped her fist in the air. "YES! I'M BACK BABY!"
Shadow gestured to the waterfall. It's waters were legendary. This was the final step in the rebuilding process.
"Are you sure I'm ready?" Rainbow asked, half seriously.
"I think you know the answer to that Rainbow Dash." Shadow replied. "Go."
Rainbow slowly trotted up to it. She hesitantly dabbed her hoof in the water.
Nothing happened. Nothing horrible at least. Not this time. She shrugged. Then she jumped in.
The waters ran over her mane, soaking her coat. She wondered what the big deal was.
"Is this it?" She asked. Shadow shrugged.
"Just give it another minute, I guess."
Suddenly it all came flashing before her eyes. Her first sonic rainboom, as a filly. Her second sonic rainboom, at the young fliers competition.
Every great feat she had achieved with her wings flashed before her eyes. She saw the time she used a sonic rainboom to destroy the great beast Discord created, five years ago. And then she saw Scootaloo. Filly Scootaloo. She saw the first time they had ever flown together. Their first sisterhooves social.
Then it flashed to an event from long before. Rainbow looked around. She was in a dark room. A medical cross adorned one wall. It was a hospital ward. Ponies were coughing and moaning in beds all around her.
She heard something coming from one of the hallways. A foal's cry.
She didn't know quite why, but she began moving in it's direction. The foal's cry became louder as Rainbow moved closer. It led her to a small side ward. She could see a curtain ahead of her.
She tore it aside. She gasped in shock.
A mare. She was covered in boils, and her coat was falling off. Her mane had already come out.
And lying next to her, a small orange pink foal.
It looked up at Rainbow Dash and, as if comforted immensely by her presence, stopped crying.
"Hello there young mare." The sick mare croaked.
"Uh...hi. I'm sorry, this must be the wrong wing..."
"No. This is the right one. You're here for the foal."
Rainbow frowned, thoroughly confused with what was going on around her.
"Her...her father already passed on. I'm just...hanging on long enough...to find somepony to give her to..." She trailed off, obviously weakened.
"I...what?"
"Take her." The dying mare asked. "Please?"
Rainbow looked down at the foal.
"Little Scoots. She deserves a good home." The mare said. Rainbow gingerly lifted up the baby. It squealed with laughter upon seeing Rainbow. She smiled back at it.
The dying mare pushed herself upright in the bed. She grasped Rainbow's hoof.
"Promise me...Promise me you'll protect her. Promise...you'll give her a good home."
Rainbow looked at the mare, then back at the foal.
"I promise."
The hoof began to shake. The mare jolted in her bed, spasming violently. The foal began to cry again.
Rainbow instinctively pulled the foal closer. "Shhh. It's okay." She said, gently rubbing it's back.
The mare stopped convulsing and lay still, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Rainbow looked down at the little pegasus foal.
"Scootaloo."
Rainbow's eyes snapped open. She could feel the cool water coming over her. She realized she was breathing heavily.
"I have to protect her." Rainbow mumbled.
"What?" Shadow asked.
"She's my sister." Rainbow said softly. "I have to stop her from ruining her life."
Cloudlife Stadium was one of the most expensive buildings ever constructed in Equestrian history. Second only to the royal palace.
It was the home to the two EHL teams that played in Cloudsdale. The Giants and the Jets.
Today was opening day for the EHL. And the Giants and Jets were facing off. A classic rivalry.
Obviously, a large amount of the pony population had showed up for this. The stadium was packed.
The five ponies climbed the bleachers up to their seats.
"Well that only cost a small fortune." Rarity commented dryly. "And the only one of us who enjoys this sort of thing isn't here. Brilliant."
"Relax Rarity. We're not here for the game. We're here for the halftime show." Twilight assured. "I need to see if what those papers are saying are true."
"We all do." Fluttershy corrected.
The big blue Giants fluttered out onto the field. There was no field of course. This was hoofball. There was a giant hole overlooking the grassy earth below. Part of the thrill. Meatheads loved staring death in the face as they played a stallionly game.
As they played through the two quarters, the five tried to stay occupied. Finally the first half whistle sounded.
There was a moment of silence, then a blast of heavy metal music. Twilight smirked. "Oh how Rainbow Dash would love this."
The Wonderbolts blasted onto the field and immediately began wowing the crowd.
Chrysalis sat upon her bed. She was almost immobile. She called her assistant in to see her.
"What is it your highness?" He asked.
"Bring me...my weapon." The changeling queen commanded weakly.
About five minutes later, the changelings returned, carrying with them the large green hollowed out tree.
Chrysalis leaned over it. "I will watch from my bed as Equestria burns."
She touched her horn to it. It began to glow brighter. It began hovering, then blasted off towards Equestrian airspace.
Chrysalis smiled. "Nothing can save Equestria now."
Rainbow Dash was stretching. First her front legs. Then her back legs. Then her neck. Then her wings.
It was time to take to the skies for good. "Are you sure you don't want a lift?" She asked.
Shadow shook his head. "I'll fly down when I'm ready." He walked up to her slowly.
"I...I want you to know...I really did enjoy this time. I don't think I've been this happy since, well...y'know."
Dash gave the changeling a hug. "We'll see each other again won't we?"
The changeling sighed. "Maybe. Maybe..." He trailed off. His eyes had become fixed on something else.
"What is it?"
He raised a shaking hoof. "The devastator."
She followed his hoof. He was pointing at a green flash in the distance. It was tearing through the sky. It came from the Badlands. Changelings.
"What is it?" She asked again.
"A weapon we developed as a final strike. It's a fire bomb. Capable of incinerating entire nations."
Rainbow nodded. "And...it's kinda headed towards Equestria isn't it?"
Shadow gulped. "Uh...yeah."
Rainbow Dash stretched her wings and shrugged. "Sometimes, you gotta run before you can walk."
Shadow frowned. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to stop it." Rainbow replied.
Shadow sighed. "You understand it is a missile right? Throwing a pony at a missile isn't really the ideal course of action..."
"Do you have a better idea?" Rainbow snapped, her eyes still locked on it as it came closer and closer to Equestrian airspace.
Shadow closed his eyes. "If you stay here, you can survive the blast..."
"Yeah, that's not happening." Rainbow replied. She turned and gave the changeling a hug. "It's been fun Shadow."
"Good luck Rainbow warrior." He said. "It's been a pleasure."
Rainbow looked at the runway like patch running off the side of the mountain. She looked up at the green glow in the distance. She lined up in front of the runway. She took a deep breath.
A running start. Probably the only chance she had of catching that thing.
She flexed her wings. She looked at the beautiful sun in the sky. The sky she would soon rejoin. She started off, galloping hard.
She had to build up plenty of momentum. Her wings began flapping. As she reached the midpoint of the runway, she let out a growl, as flickers of pain shot through her body. She was done with pain.
She would not fail this time.
She began flapping with power now. Her growl grew in volume. Her wings flapped even harder. She could feel her body losing contact with the ground.
All she needed was a good kick. She planted her back right leg, compressing her body like a spring. Then she bucked.
She was shot forward with blinding speed.
It took a moment for her to realize how far she had traveled with one kick. She looked back. The mountain was tiny now. Shadow was a black dot upon it's zenith.
A tear came to the changeling's eye as he saw her take flight once again.
"A good changeling always repays his debts." He whispered to himself.
There was a thump behind him. He turned around.
Princess Luna.
"What do YOU want?" He asked.
"I wish to ask for your help."
"My help? Have I not assisted you ponies enough?"
"The changelings are planning an attack. I am asking...that you assist us."
Shadow frowned. "You are asking me to betray my own race.?"
"Not exactly." Luna replied.
Rainbow continued upwards, feeling the wind in her face, the adrenaline pumping. Had she even considered giving up on all this?
She looked up at the green projectile. She was closing now. She lowered her head and slammed into it.
Which was a mistake. Now she had a headache. And the missile hadn't changed course.
"Thank Celestia for my thick skull." She thought.
This was not a good idea. As Shadow had said in his usual dry manner, throwing a pony at a missile never really worked. Rainbow considered that for a moment. Then she continued.
She got underneath the missile. She could see that it was just a hollowed out tree with some green stuff in it. The green stuff was steaming. Explosives. Still, not the heaviest stuff on Earth.
She got underneath it and lifted. She let out a moan as she strained the muscles in her arms and wings to lift the missile.
It was starting to angle upward. But not at a quick enough pace.
She needed to put her back into it. Her newly rebuilt back.
She sighed. It had to be done. For Equestria.
She lifted with her back, sending a shooting pain up her spine. She ignored it.
The missile was starting to change course again. She gritted her teeth.
The missile was starting to vibrate now. That was not a good sign.
Rainbow thought once again about how catastrophically stupid of an idea this was.
But of course, she had been making stupid decisions for her entire life. They always worked on account of her awesomeness.
She grimaced, then put her full force into the weapon. It angled up, and began flying higher into the sky. Rainbow Dash felt another spasm in her back.
Horrible pain. She ignored it. Back pain was for the elderly.
She was above the clouds now. The missile was pointed up to the heavens.
"Come on..." She groaned. "A little bit more you big bucking jerk..."
The atmosphere became thinner and thinner. At this altitude, she still wasn't going to let this missile go. Not where it could ignite the ozone layer.
She could feel her body screaming at her. Scolding her for trying such a stupid stunt.
But this was going to be the difference between life and death for everypony in Equestria.
She looked up. All the sudden the sky was gone. Just black. Peppered with stars.
She tried to take a breathe. She didn't have one. She took a second to notice just how cold it had become. Freezing.
She was beyond the stratosphere. She was in space.
The missile still felt heavy. She knew that if she floated back down, it would float with her. So she rotated herself.
Then, with all the energy she had, she bucked the missile's tail.
The missile was sent sailing off into space. The green began flashing. Rainbow turned and began floating back towards the atmosphere.
Her lungs were desperate for air now. They demanded it. And she couldn't give it to them. Not yet.
She could feel heat rising around her. The atmosphere trying to reject her. To push her back into space. That wasn't gonna happen.
Besides, after the cold of space, the atmosphere was nice and toasty. But it wasn't letting her in.
She had fought too hard to die now. She looked back.
The missile. It was ready to blow. Rainbow hatched a plan.
The missile continued flashing. Rainbow braced herself, folding in her wings and covering her head.
It detonated. Green flame shout out in all directions. A shockwave followed it.
The shockwave rattled Rainbow's bones. The propulsion from it sent her hurtling back to Earth.
She marveled at the view. She could see all of Equestria from up here. All of the Badlands as well. All of the neighboring continent, OOO. She took a deep breath. Oxygen was a nice thing.
She straightened up her body. Her wings remained folded. She had to make herself a missile.
She could feel the wind tearing at her coat, as if begging her to slow down.
She laughed. She laughed in the face the wind. She was queen of the sky once again.
A sonic bubble began to form. It was time to send Equestria a message.
Celestia sat back in her box, watching the Wonderbolts awe the crowd. Even at over a thousand years old, she herself still found these shows amazing.
"Madame, word from your sister." A guard whispered in her ear.
"What?" She asked.
"Apparently a new wave of changeling soldiers is headed for Cloudsdale. They wish to assassinate you my princess."
Celestia looked at the guard, then at the other guards around her.
"Clear the box. Now."
"What about you?"
Celestia looked back at the field. "I will wait for them to play their hoof."
The guard nodded. He gestured to the others, all of whom exited through the side door.
Celestia took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's see what they wish to throw at me THIS time."
Down on the field, the Wonderbolts had taken a pause in their routine. A large cloud platform with a podium was floated out to the center of the stadium. The crowd went silent.
Spitfire hovered over to the podium. "I know you folks came here today for the entertainment, but I just wanted to talk to you all about a...a friend." She paused, feeling the emotions coming. The other Bolts assembled behind her.
The crowd began chattering in curiosity at this.
"I still remember the first day I met Rainbow Dash." Spitfire said. At these words, the crowd went silent.
19 years earlier
Rainbow Dash sat in her uncomfortable metal seat. She looked outside the window of the small waiting room. Reporters had crowded around outside, all trying to get a glimpse of the fallen titan.
The filly shied away from them. Which was unnecessary. Few of them even knew who this little rainbow colored filly was.
They only knew of her father, the great Wonderbolt who had been claimed by a lightning storm earlier that day, and fallen to his death. It had yet to reach the media, the news that his daughter had tried, and failed, to catch him before he hit the ground.
The door opened. Two pegasi hovered in, pulling a stretcher with them. Rainbow hopped off the chair and floated over.
The body on the stretcher was covered completely. The two pegasi looked focused, but a glance from the nurse in the waiting room turned their attention to the filly.
"That's the daughter." She said gently.
The two pegasi looked at her, their expressions softening with understanding. "I'm sorry young mare. There was nothing we could do."
At one end of the cover, a blood soaked blue hoof stuck out. Rainbow locked her eyes on it, her mouth unable to manage a sentence. The one pegasus looked to the other, and they quickly pushed the stretcher down the hall, out of sight of the filly.
She felt her wings giving out. She plopped down on the cloud floor. Now even her legs began to wobble. She stumbled back into her uncomfortable seat. The reporters were focused on her now. They prepared to snap photos through the window.
There was a snap. The blinds fell down on the window, blocking the reporters view.
Rainbow looked up to see a very young Wonderbolt standing before her. Spitfire.
She was still in her flight suit, minus the mask and goggles. She had a yellow coat, and a fiery looking mane.
She looked to be a teenager. Rainbow Dash looked up at her, then back down at the floor.
"Hey." The pegasus said gently. "I'm friend of your dad's."
She awkwardly sat down next to the silent filly. She rubbed her back gently. "I mean...I WAS a friend of your dad's."
Rainbow closed her eyes. She could still see her father's still form falling. She could see her little outstretched hoof, ready to catch him, then the feeling of gravity shooting her back from where she came. She let out a tiny whimper.
"It's okay sweetie. He didn't...he didn't suffer..." She trailed off. What words was she supposed to use to make this filly feel even the slightest bit better? She had just indirectly caused the death of her own father. There were no words to alleviate the pain this filly must be feeling.
She pulled off her flight suit and lay it over the pegasi's back to keep her warm.
"Hey...look...don't blame yourself..."
"Why not?" Rainbow snapped. "I let him fall..."
"You didn't. I watched you kiddo. You gave it your all out there. He would've been proud."
The heartbroken filly looked down at the floor again. "I can't remember the last time he was proud of me."
"Are you kidding? You were all he talked about kid. He was always telling us about you, about how you're flying was coming along, about how you were gonna be the next great Bolt. It really was pretty much all he talked about."
Rainbow looked into the older pegasi's eyes. "Really?"
Spitfire cracked a smile. "Of course. You were his world." She realized she was taking this in the wrong direction. She eased up. "We're all gonna miss him kid. But he wouldn't want you blaming yourself."
Rainbow hopped onto Spitfire's lap and buried her little head in her chest.
"I miss him so much." She cried.
Spitfire looked down at the weeping child. She gently patted her on the back. "We all do kiddo. We all do."
The doctor entered. "Right this way Rainbow Dash."
The pegasus filly hesitantly separated from the Wonderbolt. She trotted over to where the doctor stood.
"We just need to fill out some paperwork, okay sweetheart?"
Rainbow nodded. She looked back at her friend and managed a smile. She didn't even know her name. But she knew they'd run into each other again someday.
Twilight and the other four watched wordlessly as Spitfire concluded her story.
"Well...sorry if I've bored you all but...I just had to get that off my chest. And on behalf of the entire Wonderbolts organization, I'd like to extend condolences to all of Rainbow Dash's friends and relatives in attendance today."
Twilight looked over at Fluttershy. "I guess she's gone." Tears filled her eyes.
She turned to the other Wonderbolts. "And now, before we get back to your game, a moment of silence for our faithful departed."
The silence lasted a whole second. Then an ear ripping explosion tore through the soundless air.
One by one, ponies looked up to see what had caused it. It looked so distant. A giant green explosion coming from the heavens. They could barely make it out through the cloud cover.
Twilight looked through her binoculars and made out a tiny object freefalling from the sky.
Suddenly the entire western sky became a giant rainbow colored explosion. The sound this one made was nearly twice as loud as the bomb.
There was a collective gasp from the crowd. The Wonderbolts were speechless as well.
"A sonic rainboom! But that means..."
What appeared to be a small brightly colored missile pulled away from the explosion, and steered in their direction.
It took a fly over of the stadium, before skidding to a stop on the platform.
Rainbow Dash breathed heavy from her first flight in months. She looked around cheerfully at the shocked attendees, and then at her shocked teammates.
"Uh...hey guys." She said awkwardly. "What's going on?"
Spitfire and Soarin both stood there, mouths agape.
"You...aren't dead." Spitfire said, quickly ripping a rainbow colored patch off of her flightsuit.
Rainbow hoof bumped her team captain. "Of course not. Can't a pegasus get a couple months off without somepony declaring her dead?"
"You were crippled." Soarin said, a smile coming to his face. "How did..." He trailed off, his eyes turning to the remainder of the rainboom that still floated in the sky. "How did you..."
"Being crippled was WAY too boring for me." Rainbow declared. "May I?" She asked, gesturing to the microphone.
Spitfire grinned and handed it to her. "Knock em dead kid."
Rainbow looked around at the still shocked faces of the crowd. She tapped the microphone.
"So uh...hey everypony um...not dead. Just wanna throw that out there. Not crippled either. I'll throw that out there too."
Applejack let out a hearty laugh as that classic smirk returned to Rainbow's face.
"And uh...I'll be back in a flight suit as soon as possible. And um...back to hoofball right?" She asked, turning to Spitfire. Her captain nodded in response.
"Alright! Enjoy the game! Go Giants!" She turned off the mic and received congratulations from the other Wonderbolts.
Then something humbling happened. The entire crowd rose up and gave their ressurected star a standing ovation. Rainbow turned a shade of red. It had been a long time since something as simple as a hoofball game had led to this level of applause. All the monitors in the stadium were focused on her. She threw the crowd another million dollar smile.
The Cloudsdale Jets rumbled out of the tunnel. On the other end however, the Giants did not.
Celestia, who was still applauding the return of her best flier, paused, noticing the home team's absence.
Rainbow felt the congratulatory pats on the back and realized just how good it felt to be back. The applause was still going on around her.
She softly punched Soarin on the shoulder. She noticed the patch on his suit. The same one all of the Wonderbolts were wearing.
It was her cutie mark. Around it were words. "20% cooler among angels."
Rainbow looked back up at her flying partner, throwing him a wry grin. He grimaced. "I know. It's cheesy. But we wanted to do something for you."
Rainbow looked down at it again. "This is so sweet. Corny as heck, but sweet."
Even in his flight suit, Rainbow could see Soarin turn red.
She realized that the applause was still going on. She spotted her five best friends and waved to them.
Fluttershy came soaring down towards the podium and practically tackled the pegasus with her hug.
Nopony really seemed to notice as the Giants fluttered back onto the field. They also seemed not to notice the cloaked figure that led them out.
A ray of sunlight hit the mystery pony, revealing an orange hoof.
"ENOUGH!" She shouted, silencing the crowd. Her voice boomed through the stadium speakers.
The crowd turned to stare at this mystery figure.
"You do not even know the pony whom you worship!" The cloaked figure shouted. "You do not know her as I do!"
She removed the cloak. The sun shone brightly off her armor. Rainbow Dash gasped.
"Scoots."
"She is a selfish, arrogant, cruel mare!" Scootaloo continued, hovering towards the podium slowly. "She cares only for herself! Not her friends! Not her...family!"
Rainbow's ears flattened as the crowds attention darted from her to Scootaloo.
"Look at you pathetic citizens!" Scootaloo shouted at the crowd. "Worshiping this false idol! And she isn't the only one!"
She locked her eyes on Princess Celestia's private box. "Our grand ruler, Princess Celestia! A coward, who would rather have us, the elements of harmony, do all the dirty work for her!"
Celestia looked down at the angry pegasus with concern.
"I ended the changeling war! Single hoofed! And here I am! Cast aside! NO LONGER! CELESTIA, YOU COME DOWN HERE YOU COWARD! TAKE ME ON!"
Rainbow Dash hurtled out and grabbed Scootaloo by the artificial horn.
"Alright kiddo, that's enough..."
"No!" Scootaloo shouted, shoving Rainbow back. "You will die for your betrayal, you evil wretch!"
Rainbow frowned. These were words Scootaloo probably wouldn't even know. Something was really going on with her. That combined with her red eyes had Rainbow ready for battle.
"Soon, you will bow before your true ruler!" Scootaloo shouted to the crowd. Rainbow grabbed the mic from inside her helmet, and crushed it between her hooves.
"That's enough squirt."
Scootaloo let out a roar and swung an angry hoof at her best friend. Rainbow ducked the first, but the second hoof got her in the stomach, knocking her back.
Scootaloo turned and pointed her horn at the box. "Say goodbye to your precious ruler!"
She powered it up, then fired. Celestia ducked in desperation.
She fired shot after shot at the box, every hit causing a small explosion.
Twilight Sparkle watched in horror as the box was annihilated. She cupped a hoof over her mouth in shock. There was a large explosion as the royal box was consumed by blue flame. There was no sign of life within.
Scootaloo continued firing, determined to make sure.
The real Cloudsdale Giants were all bound and gagged in the locker room. The ones that had fluttered onto the field began transforming. The crowd watched in further horror as a changeling army appeared before their eyes.
Scootaloo continued firing at the burning royal box. Rainbow punched her under her helmet breaking the cycle.
She grabbed the young pegasus by her chest piece.
"Alright Scoots! You want a fight, you got one!"