//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 A Proposal // Story: A Third Front Has Opened Up // by waywardfallout //------------------------------// “So have you come to accept the proposal?” Rainbow looked at the mare standing in front of her, the legendary Twilight Sparkle, the greatest strategist of Celestia’s Holy army. A natural born Alicorn. She had sent an offer to Rainbow Dash, the greatest warrior pegasus of Luna’s Holy army, made to be biologically immortal so age could not stop her. And so she may fight forever in her leader's name. But the alicorn in front of her sent her an offer by magic that landed it in her room, somehow. Had any other general of Celestia’s army sent her a letter, the pegasus would have assassinated them in front of their personal guards. Yet here she was in a hidden cave deep in a frozen mountain to the north. One that Twilight made just for this meeting. Normally just talking to the other side was grounds for execution, for both of them. But she knew she had to talk to Twilight. As she had been betrayed by the one she was once loyal to, Luna. Hate filled her mind at the thought of her ‘Holy ruler’ who had left her behind to die. That event had shattered what little world view the pegasus had at the time. “First tell me why.” Rainbow stated, this question had been burning her for the inside since that battle three months ago. The one where she had been sent to kill the mare in front of her. “You had outsmarted me, had me all but dead. But you didn’t kill me, you saved my life instead. Why?” The alicorn standing a mere meter away, answered. “Because I saw myself when I looked at you. A tool, an unwilling puppet for your Goddess. Groomed from foalhood to be a living weapon for your ‘God’.” Twilight said the word ‘God’ with absolute hate in her voice. Rainbow understood the hatred Twilight felt perfectly. Rainbow unfurled her wing revealing a shiny black medallion that was about the size of her hoof. It had the words “Nightshadow Rainbow Dash” written on it. The medallion had been given to her by Luna herself. If somepony had asked her to give it to Twilight four months ago she would have hung them on the spot. But now she would give it away in a heartbeat if it meant freedom from Luna and that was exactly what she was going to do. Rainbow held out the medallion on her wing to Twilight. “I accept your proposal Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight’s eyes widened in surprise. She had been expecting a ‘no’ from the rainbow maned pegasus. Twilight quickly levitated out a bright white medallion that read “High Priestess Twilight Sparkle”. She laid the medallion on the pegasus’s wing and took Rainbow’s medallion in her magic and placed it on her own wing. A shiver went up both of their backs at holding what had been taught to them as an evil object that would do horrible things to them. After nothing happened Rainbow spoke first. “So what's our first move?” Rainbow asked. “We need supplies first and foremost and a lot of them. If we’re going to run a rebellion.” The alicorn said. “So how do we get them? I can't just steal from Luna’s army, she will notice.” Rainbow asked. “Same, Celestia will notice too.” Twilight levitated out a piece of paper and put it on the ground between them. “But I have a better idea, you steal mine.” The paper was a big map that showed the surrounding areas. The map had several towns, a few military bases from both sides and other landmarks. It also had several lines drawn on it connecting place to place. Each with their own labels. “This map has the nearby supply routes of Celestia’s army on it. I don’t know the exact time the shipments come through for all of them, but one.” Twilight pointed to a spot on the map that was in between a fort named Lights Hold and a city named Guiding Light. “Its a weapons shipment that will occur in two weeks time. But until then I would like you to raid other minor shipments.” Rainbow nodded, it would be easy. “Anything you can tell me about them, just to make my life even easier.” Rainbow started to study the map. “All food shipments have double the guards due to it being winter, and food is running low. So eight instead of four.” “Should I focus the food then and take it?” “No I wouldn’t, Celestia will go in to panic and ask me to personally oversee shipments. And I can't risk my cover by failing to protect the shipments. But anything else is fair game.” “So kill the guards and take their stuff nice and simple. But how will I carry the stuff? Normally I Just burn it, but we need the stuff.” Rainbow asked. “With this.” Twilight gave the assassin a small wooden stick about a foot long that had a blue gem embedded in one end. Rainbow could almost feel the enchantments the staff gave off. Rainbow held it in her wing. “That Staff will allow you to teleport the raided supplies. Just drawn a circle around the supplies and then after a few seconds the supplies will be teleported to this cave for storage. However it takes time to recharge about two hours.” “Really? That’s forever.” Twilight seemed to ignore this comment.“It also doubles as an emergency escape if your cover is blown. Smash the gem with your hoof to do so.” The pegasus put the staff in her saddle bag. “Anything else?” Rainbow asked instinctively. Twilight nodded. “Yes I have a list of ponies you do not kill or harm under any circumstances. As I may be able to recruit them to our side. And killing them will prevent that.” ”Fine but I want something from you that only you can give me.” Rainbow asked dread filling her voice at the request she was about to make. She had to ask it cause if she didn’t things could get worse for her. “Sure what is it?” Twilight answered eager to work with her fellow rebel. “Could you teach me things like math or anything else really.” The alicorn looked surprised at this request and indeed she was. “You want me to teach you math? Why?” The pegasus nodded and sat down in front of the lavender mare. “You know the rumor about me being made to kill? To be the greatest fighter ever made by Luna, to fight forever and I mean forever by her side.” Twilight sat down and nodded her head in affirmation. She had heard about the many rumors of the ‘Rainbow demon’. “Its all true, everything from the fangs to being as dumb as a rock.” Rainbow opened her mouth showing off her fangs. “From what I know, Luna kept me as dumb as rocks. So I couldn’t think for myself. So I would just do as told, kill what needed to be killed. Then sit like a puppet in my room. Till I was needed to kill again.” Rainbow voice as filled with a mix of anger and sadness. Unknown to Dash the alicorn had started to tear up, eyes filling with water upon hearing how Rainbow was basically uneducated, intentionally. So she wouldn’t be able to be more than a slave. Before Dash could even react she felt a pair of lavender wings wrap around her. Holding her in what should have been a terrifying grasp. But instead it felt good, she liked being hugged apparently. Everyday she was learning new things. The alicorn made eye contact and looked directly into the pegasus’s magenta eyes. “Of course I will teach you. I will teach you as much as you want to know.” The alicorn got up out of the hug and walked over to her saddle bags and pulled out a book that was no bigger than a card. Rainbow noticed It could easily fit in her rainbow mane if needed. “This book will let us communicate-er-talk by letter over long distances.” Twilight said as she put the book next to the map. She thought for a second then asked. “Can you write?” The assassin hung her head in defeat. “Nothing but my name and a few other words.” “Can you read?” “If the words are simple then yeah.” “That’s fine just look at the book a few times a day or when it glows. I will send you a message a day before I'm able to meet with you here. As this cave is where we will meet each time. It also holds the description of the Ponies you are not to kill in it.” “Description?” Rainbow tilted her head at the word. “Their names and what they look like.” Twilight answered catching Rainbow’s confusion that the word. “Ah” Rainbow nodded in understanding. Twilight looked at a watch that was in her saddle bags, then looked at the cyan mare. “I have to get going. I have been gone for a bit too long.” Twilight said as she picked up her saddle bag. “It was nice to meet you Rainbow Dash, take everything on the ground with you. I hope to see you again as soon as possible.” “Same” Rainbow replied. The alicorn vanished in a flash of purple magic.