By the time Blizzard finished giving new orders to all of the Ice Sentinels his two loyal captains had made it to the station with two-dozen soldiers flying behind them. They were all ready to listen and obey whatever their Commander asked of them. Blizzard and the Captains probably had hoped that there were more soldiers than this measly number they could’ve gathered, but they were at least the most loyal and trusted just like Blizzard had asked for. The cream of the crop essentially. Even though Blizzard’s opinion on that crop was decidedly low.
“Sir! We’re awaiting your orders!” West Wind said as he flew in through the newly broken window flanked by his brother and saluted the Commander.
Blizzard gave a curt nod and stepped away from the crystals, not looking in West or East Wind’s direction at all but instead walking towards the window and staring out past the large group of soldiers and into the chaos of the city. “Good. Your orders are very simple; you are to guard this building and the Sentinel control crystals at all cost. That is all.”
The twins shared a look, obviously aware they were left out of the loop and Blizzard wasn’t about to tell them why they were being ordered to do this. But at least the orders weren’t outrageous or anything like that. There was another concern they had though.
“Very well, sir, but what will you be doing?” East Wind asked the Commander.
The sharp eyes of the Commander narrowed as he caught glimpses of rainbow in the distance. “I’ll be personally taking care of the biggest problem. I have to.”
He truly did, even with what else he was planning he would never be able to get over it if he didn’t personally defeat and beat down Rainbow Dash once more. The conviction he had in the true pegasus way demanded it. He must crush the mare from Equestria who made his world topsy-turvy. Only then would victory really be his. And he was just angry too, he wanted to break something—preferably something he really hated.
Blizzard spread his impressive wings and jumped through the broken window, flying out and towards Rainbow Dash while the other soldiers were left behind to protect the Ice Sentinels.
“You guys wanna see me do another double-loop? I’m great at this kind of stunt-flying!” Rainbow Dash yelled to the ponies on the streets below as she flew about doing loops, corkscrews, and other maneuvers to entertain the crowd and grab Blizzard’s attention as quick and easy as possible. Despite how dark the skies were thanks to the storm the mood around here was light and happy.
The ponies cheered and Rainbow took that as a definitive yes, she zoomed up high and fast, almost enough to leave a rainbow trail behind thanks to her speed, and did the routine maneuver that she had probably done a thousand times in her life by now. A tight turn upside down and a flip allowed her to create the tight loop and the moment she came out of that first turn she looped again just as quickly. Any Wonderbolt worth their salt could’ve pulled it off with the speed and dexterity she did, well, maybe not quite as good as she did it. But to these ponies anyways who weren’t used to seeing fancy aerial stunts and stuff it was pretty cool. She doubted many in this city could’ve made a tight loop like she could.
“Keep going, Rainbow Dash!” Fierce Current yelled from below.
“You’ve got more than that don’t you?!” Clear Skies yelled with a grin.
“Of course I do!” Dash shouted back and got ready to do something else. “Wanna see something really special?” She revved up her engines… and then stopped as she saw a mare she recognized flying her way. “Snowshine?”
Rainbow Dash dropped to the streets as Snowshine came in, with a passenger riding on her back.
The other soldiers and civilians that had been standing around down there looked along with Rainbow Dash and saw Snowshine and Aurora descend to the street. Once they landed, Aurora hopped off her sister-in-law’s back and the two mares smiled as they trotted towards Rainbow Dash and Summer Rains.
Summer Rains though was a bit confused and worried to see his little sister out here. “Wha—why are you here?” His eyes shifted to his wife. “Why’d you bring her with you when it’s dangerous out here?”
The mare wilted slightly but put on an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry but she came running out of the house saying there was no way she was staying inside and I figured it would be best if I kept an eye on her.”
“Yeah don’t blame her, bro!” Aurora grinned up at Summer. “I made her do it!”
Summer Rains groaned and shook his head. “That is not something you should be so proud of...”
“Well I can’t blame her for wanting to come here,” Rainbow Dash said and walked up to muss up the filly’s mane. “Good to see you again, kid.”
“Rainbow Dash!” Aurora hugged her. “I knew you’d be okay, you’re so cool!”
“I’m happy to see you too,” Snowshine smiled at her.
“Yeah, yeah...” Rainbow Dash blushed slightly. She liked attention a lot but this was that sappy, sentimental, kind of attention that was a little embarrassing.
“Er, sorry to break up the reunion but we should be on the lookout for Blizzard and all,” Crescent Moon said as he walked up to the four of them, the rest of the squad and Elder Tornado behind him.
Rainbow Dash grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, I should probably get back up there. Maybe you guys should fly up too and clear out any of his soldiers?” She said to her squad.
“Actually, speaking of that...” Wild Wind said as he looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes. “I’ve been keeping watch on the skies already while you were doing your stunts. There have been less soldiers around in the air ever since you started, not more. I’ve been wondering if they’ve been called somewhere else or if Blizzard ordered them to him?”
“Perhaps Blizzard has seen Rainbow Dash and he’s preparing something?” Tornado suggested.
Dash waved a hoof to dismiss their concerns. “It doesn’t matter, Blizzard’s literally the only guy we need to worry about, and you’re not the ones who have to worry about him. I’m gonna get back up there, he’ll definitely come for me.” She hunkered down and bent her legs in preparation to jet back into the sky, but again she was interrupted by something.
“Heeeeyyyy! Hey!” A voice was calling out from the opposite direction that Snowshine and Aurora had flown in from.
Now their attention was drawn to the sight of a yellow pegasus wearing a toga coming towards them at full speed. Rainbow Dash lifted a hoof above her eyes and squinted to get a better look. The stallion was huffing and puffing as he shot down to the street, nearly losing his footing as he stumbled to a stop while others tried to get out of his way.
Gale’s wings were on fire from beating them so hard to make it here as fast as possible, his breathing came out ragged as he staggered towards Rainbow Dash and the other soldiers.
Realization clicked in Rainbow Dash’s mind as she realized she had met this guy before. “Hey, I know you! You’re-”
“There’s no time!” Gale cut her off, desperately trying to catch his breath so he could tell her what he knew. “Blizzard’s lost his mind, he’s going to kill everyone!”
The rest of the civilians looked worried when they heard that, backing away and muttering to each other, Snowshine and Aurora similarly looked scared. Rainbow Dash and the soldiers shared a serious glance and surrounded the yellow pegasus.
“What do you mean? What’s he doing?” Rainbow Dash asked him.
“The—the Ice Sentinels,” Gale still struggled with his breathing. “He’s used his command authority to tell them to come to the city, he’s going to unleash them on all the ponies here!”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened and she blanched. Almost thirty of those things coming here right now? The trouble she had with just one… and no other pony here would be able to stand up to those things for more than a second considering how difficult it was for her. They’d tear through this city like nothing. The other soldiers, especially Flashbolt and Skychaser, were of a similar mind. If those things got here they might be doomed.
“This is very bad,” Elder Tornado said. “Those creations of Weathervane have safely guarded our borders for hundreds of years, I don’t know how you defeated one of them Rainbow Dash but with all of them coming now...”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash grimaced in acknowledgment.
“We can’t let things just unfold like that, what do we do now?” Wild Wind asked.
Rainbow Dash looked in the direction Gale had come from, towards the building she had briefly visited once before. “Okay, new plan. Forget about Blizzard for now, we have to get to those crystals and destroy them before the Sentinels get here.” She turned her face to Gale. “That’ll destroy them, right? You told me that when I defeated the one Sentinel that the crystal for it shattered right?”
Gale nodded. “Yes. But, well… I don’t know if they have such a mutual relationship. I mean it’s not like we can test something like that. It’s possible that destroying the crystal will just make them impossible to control.”
“Well it’s better than nothing,” Flashbolt said. “Besides it’s not like we’d be able to convince or force Blizzard to undo his commands. Even if that’s all destroying the crystals does we should do it.”
“And possibly deal with fighting thirty of those monsters in short time...” Skychaser lamented.
“Don’t worry about that,” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “We’re just gonna destroy those crystals and we can deal with whatever happens after.”
“It won’t be so easy.”
The deep voice from above caused everyone, soldier and civilian alike, to look up.
Commander Blizzard floated in the air, his large wings flapping lazily to keep him just suspended above the roofs of the buildings lining the streets. Upon seeing him most of the ponies gasped in fear and fled indoors. Rainbow Dash and her squad stood side by side on the street together while Gale yelped and ran behind them to stand with Tornado, Snowshine, and Aurora. She knew the others were probably frightened of Blizzard too but it was reassuring to have them still stand tall with her to face him down.
“Rainbow Dash,” Blizzard said in a cool voice as he locked eyes with her. “Been a few weeks since we’ve seen each other. Was having your body broken to pieces by me not enough? You truly wish for worse to happen to you?”
“Shut up you monster,” Rainbow glared at him.
He snorted. “They’ve all brought this on themselves by being weak. Look at how they cowered just now instead of standing with you. Look at how even your own squad is trembling.”
Rainbow Dash glanced to the side and saw that he wasn’t lying, Skychaser and Crescent Moon were outright shaking while a couple of the others looked to be on the verge of it.
"This city, these ponies, don’t deserve me. They don’t deserve to live the true pegasus way. It’s all a disgrace. So I’m getting rid of it,” Blizzard shrugged.
“No you’re not! I’m stopping you!” Dash roared.
“Try it. I would welcome it. Once again I’ll beat and crush you in front of everyone. The last hope these pathetic ponies have will die in front of them just in time for the Sentinels to arrive and finish things,” he narrowed his eyes.
“Grr!” Rainbow Dash growled and ground her teeth together before glancing to Wild Wind who was right beside her. “Get over to those crystals, I’ll fight him.”
“But-” Wild Wind started.
“Do it! Destroying those crystals is the most important thing now!” Dash yelled.
Wild Wind looked like he wanted to argue some more, but clamped his mouth shut and nodded. Unfurling his wings he took to the sky. “Everyone, let’s go!”
The other soldiers of Rainbow Dash’s squad followed him, each of them giving Rainbow Dash a brief look.
“Hah,” Blizzard mocked as he saw the seven of them rise up. “Like I said, it won’t be so easy. Soldiers actually loyal to me guard those crystals now and they far outnumber you.”
“Ignore him, we can find more on our way over!” Crescent Moon said and flew off towards the Ice Sentinel control station, with the others quickly following.
Blizzard didn’t even watch them go. He was far too focused on staring down Rainbow Dash. The both of them knew this was likely the last time they would ever face each other. This wasn’t a simple sanctioned coliseum fight to resolve a dispute. This was a real battle for keeps. The sky rumbled with thunder and lightning around the city, the dark clouds shifting and rolling like a hurricane blowing over the mountain. Rainbow Dash in all honesty still wasn’t sure exactly how she would beat the flying boulder of a pegasus, but she’d give it her best the same as always. For herself and for all the ponies in this city she would defeat him.
Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder at Tornado, Gale, Snowshine, and Aurora. “Stay safe, okay?”
With a crack of her neck she pumped her wings and rose up into the sky to face Commander Blizzard eye to eye.