//------------------------------// // True Pegasus XXIX // Story: Rainbow Dash's Unstoppable Ego // by MagicS //------------------------------// “Hi, dad.” The large red pegasus looked down at his son with a rather disgruntled expression on his face. It was clear he didn’t expect to see Fierce Current anytime soon and certainly not when he was working. Shooting Star couldn’t even think of the last time he had actually spoken with his son, despite him not having any sort of problem with his son (at least in his view), Fierce Current never seemed to make the time to say hello even when it would’ve been easy. “And what do you want?” Shooting Star glowered. Fierce frowned, his father not exactly the most sociable of ponies and someone he would like to avoid on the best of days. It was easy enough to fake being amicably distant with his father in front of others, the truth was they had never had a close relationship. And that probably wasn’t going to change anytime soon. He knew his father wasn’t a huge fan of Blizzard, since Blizzard wasn’t a huge fan of anyone that wasn’t a soldier, but would he actively help their cause? His word might as well have been law down here in the farms and the others were right that they could really use his help. It was risky. Could he just tell him to get ready for some vague thing in two weeks and expect his dad to know to revolt? Could he be sly and insinuate it? And would his father even care? “I kind of have some important stuff to talk to you about,” Fierce Current finally said. His father snorted. “Oh. So you couldn’t care less about actually coming to say hello or visiting with me for the first time in ages. You just have something important to do. Well what is it? Got a new demand to only grow oats in here from the Commander? Just running some kind of errand for whoever else can order you around?” Fierce Current grit his teeth. Shooting Star’s attitude annoyed him but he couldn’t really say anything since he was right. He wouldn’t have come here to speak with him if it wasn’t for this. “Look dad, I know maybe I haven’t been around so much-” “You have been around. You just avoid me. What? Afraid I might call you out on something? I don’t know what your problem with me is but you haven’t been a model son for me. Maybe I haven’t been the best father either but I don’t go out of my way to keep from talking to you.” “The best father?” Fierce did allow a little anger to seep into his voice this time. “You’re a domineering grouch who has never had anything positive or supportive to say to me.” Shooting Star rolled his eyes. “Oh, this is about your feelings huh? We don’t have time for that kind of sentimentality here, my job is hard enough, this world isn’t forgiving of babies that cry when they haven’t been hugged in the last five seconds.” “I’m amazed you’re not best friends with Blizzard,” Fierce said. “Don’t lump me in with him. He’s a nut,” Shooting Star chided. “All he does is make things worse for everyone. I’m not kind, I’ll be the first to admit that, but I’m at least working hard to make it so no pegasus ever has to go hungry. There’s a big difference between me and him.” Fierce stared up at his father for a second, his personal feelings threatening to explode, but he was doing his best to keep them down for the sake of everyone else. At last he let out a big sigh. “Well dad… what if you could really help more ponies here?” In truth Crescent Moon didn’t exactly know what he was doing or if anyone would listen to him. But it was safer for just one of them to try and talk with other soldiers and he was the best choice for the job. Also after that scuffle in the temporary mess hall pretty much everyone knew his stance on things, he could probably gauge how other soldiers felt about him just by crossing eyes with them. So long as no one loyal to Blizzard was keeping an eye on him, and he doubted they were what with how confident the Commander was, he should be able to at least get others ready for the big happening in two weeks. At least spread the word that something was going to go down and they should be ready to fight. And if someone else found out about it? Well if East or West Wind came to confront him or arrest him he’d at least be happy to go down fighting. Clocking one of them over the head would become a fond memory for him. Crescent Moon knew there were plenty of soldiers to avoid too, like Iron Star and the one he had recently pulverized. But in his time at the mess hall and among the others there were those he had seen that didn’t look very happy, and conversations he had heard whispered among soldiers that had reservations about all of this. He couldn’t say for sure if it was a good idea to try and talk to them about this but he’d try. He had to start somewhere after all. As he made it back to his abode for the night he vaguely thought about that pegasus that watched over the Ice Sentinels. Gale. He had met him at the coliseum when Rainbow Dash was fighting Blizzard. Crescent got the feeling that he was at least somewhat sympathetic to their side of things but he didn’t know him well enough to try speaking with him, it would look suspicious if he went to the Ice Sentinel facility to talk with him in the first place too. Whatever happened soon, Crescent Moon was confident in Rainbow Dash. She had so utterly changed him that there was nothing else but respect and trust he could feel towards her. Tomorrow morning he could start finding some soldiers to convert. “Okay, so I don’t see why the both of us have to talk to our families about this,” Skychaser said to Flashbolt. “Right,” Flashbolt nodded. “To me it seems like something only one of us has to do.” “I agree.” “And so that’s why I think you should be the one who fills in our parents about the upcoming revolution and the part we’re playing in it.” Flashbolt rolled his eyes. “Oh I had no idea you were about to say that.” “Well you’re the one who’s more gun-ho about this than me. Why should I be the one who has to talk to them? It’s going to be horribly awkward,” Skychaser narrowed his eyes. “You even agreed that both of us don’t need to do it and I think you’ll agree with me that you’re also definitely the better choice. And furthermore after you’ve pushed me into all of this in the first place I think you owe it to me.” “Ugh, fine! You complain about everything nowadays,” Flashbolt gave in. “That’s only because I have everything to complain about!” His cousin glared at him. The two of them had been arguing like this all morning while they were out on patrol. Once it was time to break for lunch they had decided to go visit their families, which both lived together in one house, and let them in on things to a degree. It was not a conversation either of them were looking forward to and now the responsibility had been solely foisted on Flashbolt. “I mean really, my life has become completely topsy-turvy—in large part thanks to you—so I think the one who’s far more passionate about this in the first place should be the one to come clean to our family,” Skychaser continued. “I already said I agree with you, you don’t need to keep whining! Flashbolt said while they flew over some houses. “Well I feel like it! And since we’re both stuck together like always you’re going to have to listen!” “I don’t think I deserve this...” “Too bad! Cause the first thing I’m going to talk about is-” The angry Skychaser proceeded to rant at his cousin for the remainder of the morning. And poor Flashbolt had nowhere to go and nothing to do but listen to it. It almost made him wish for time to speed up so he could go talk to his family, the irony not lost on him. Clear Skies and Wild Wind on the other hoof had a quiet morning glide through the skies, the two of them paired up together due to their history of being on the same squad. Wild Wind had always been the most naturally reticent of the group and Clear Skies had next to nothing to talk about. So as the city transformed from early-morning to mid-morning the two soldiers allowed themselves the time to relax and look out over the roofs of all the buildings below. That was until Wild Wind unexpectedly broke the silence. “You have numerous little brothers don’t you? Did you tell them anything?” He asked. Clear was so surprised by the sudden question he actually faltered in the air for a second before regaining his composure. “Er, yeah. But I didn’t really say anything to them about this, except for Mellow Skies since he’s a soldier like us, I just told my younger brothers that they needed to be careful in the city in the coming weeks.” “How’d they take it?” “They ignored me and demanded I teach them how to play Buckball.” Wild Wind smirked and laughed a bit on the inside. “Well perhaps it’s good that they can be so carefree.” “I guess,” Clear sighed. “What about you? I don’t ever remember you talking about your family at all.” “It’s just my grandparents,” Wild Wind replied. “And I didn’t want to bother them with any of this.” “Guess that’s pretty fair,” Clear nodded. The two of them continued their flight and patrol at a reasonable pace, the both of them wondering what things would look like on the day of the revolt. Ponies would no longer be keeping themselves inside, a lot of the soldiers would refuse to continue on with their orders, if it got to night time the curfew would be ignored, it would probably be chaos in the city. How badly would Blizzard react? The two of them really had no idea what their Commander was even thinking right now or if he had plans to further lockdown and change the city. They figured that with the way he was he had to have plans for them to go back to fighting something in the future. How much longer would this heavy policing and slow down of their city last? “Hey, Clear?” Wild Wind asked his comrade. “Yeah?” “How peacefully do you think we can do this?” Clear Skies grimaced. “With Blizzard around? Not very. I think a lot of soldiers loyal to him will be willing to give up when they see they’re on the losing side, it’s not like anyone really even likes him, but he’s scary and a lot are gonna be too afraid to do anything but fight for him. Either it’s gonna have to end with either Rainbow Dash beating him or the rest of us taking out and detaining the other soldiers.” The white pegasus blinked, not looking forward to the coming civil war and what they may have to do during it. “Yeah… hopefully it goes as well as possible.” Summer Rains didn’t actually have as much to do, since he knew his wife was already helping him out he didn’t need to say that much more to her. But she was still ecstatic to learn about what was happening and was more than enthusiastic to help spread the word to more mares across the city that she knew they could trust. The only other thing Summer had to do was tell his parents and in-laws. And make sure Aurora didn’t hear anything about it. He had enough to worry about right now without that hanging over his head. As much as everyone was supposed to go crazy and revolt against Blizzard’s rule all at once he’d definitely prefer her staying indoors all day. He knew she’d probably find her way out anyways but he hoped she could at least remain safe, maybe join up with her friends or stick with Snowshine the whole time. Since he would still have to act natural for about two weeks, something he was not looking forward to, and already made the choice to come home to speak about this to his family despite the danger, he figured he might as well spend the night and relax with his beloved family as much as possible. That led to him lying in bed with his wife and little sister, the three of them cuddling together. He had pleasant dreams that night. Things were a little different for Elder Tornado as he returned to his room at the administration building. Technically he wasn’t supposed to come and leave at any time like this but he noticed the guards didn’t care to actually report him. Although it probably would’ve been different if one of those Captains or Blizzard himself saw him. Regardless, there was nothing else for him to do now anyways until the big day. At some point he could contact his relative at the jail and tell him to make things as easy as possible for breaking Rainbow Dash out. Hay, maybe he could even unlock her cell and the rest of her squad wouldn’t even really need to do anything. Although all of them meeting up at the jail was still probably a good idea so they could plan their next move together once she was free. “It seems so strange...” Tornado said to himself as he lowered into his bed, body grunting and groaning as his sore limbs bent. His overly large mane fell over his face when he rested his head on the pillow and stared into the wall as he thought of how absurdly changed his life had been just from the small event of a single pony from Equestria coming to the city. “But what a pony she is,” he laughed despite the discomfort it brought him in this position. The Elder turned over to try and get more comfortable. He wondered briefly about what the other Elders were doing now, probably nothing. Even Black Lightning was probably just ignored by Blizzard. Despite his dismissal of the other Elders and the bureaucrats and workers in his social circle he thought about maybe seeing if any of them might actually consider openly revolting when the time came. Unlikely, but they could be helpful. Any additional pegasi flying around and defying Blizzard would be useful. Every single one he saw would make his blood boil even quicker. It was a little worrisome since Tornado knew how dangerous and destructive Blizzard could be, but it still had to be done. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore the dull pain running through most of his body. “Too old for a revolution...” Rainbow Dash flexed her wing as she lied in her bed, still unable to move but able to feel her body slowly healing. She clenched and unclenched the muscles that weren’t injured as part of some isometric exercises so that she wouldn’t feel too weak once she could get out of here. If only there was a book or something she could use as an impromptu weight to lift, that would help a lot but unfortunately her cell was still as barren as ever. At least she wouldn’t have to wait much longer. This is my adventure. Rainbow Dash grinned up at the ceiling.