//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: The Reception's Back On // by sister_mike //------------------------------// Chapter 12 Rainbow Dash Rainbow Dash flew close to the tree line, keeping an eye for any signs of changeling scum. She glanced down at the group walking below her. Derpy looked up, smiled and waved. She then tripped and fell into Rarity. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, but waved back so Derpy would pay attention to where she was walking. Rainbow Dash sighed and went back to scanning the sky for signs of trouble. She missed Fluttershy and hoped she was ok. She knew she was hard on Fluttershy a lot, but truth was, Fluttershy was one of her oldest friends, and even though she wasn't as fast or daring or as super awesome as Rainbow Dash was, Fluttershy was her best pegasus friend. Being a pegasus meant that there were things that Fluttershy would understand that her other friends wouldn't. In some ways, Derpy reminded Rainbow Dash of Fluttershy. She was a slow flyer and just overall got on Rainbow Dash's nerves easily, but Derpy had proven to be a good pony and a have good heart in the few hours that Rainbow Dash had really gotten to know her. Rainbow Dash yawned. This was her third time in rotation. They had been walking for hours, mindlessly marching, taking turns in pulling the cannon or watching the sky. They had taken a few short breaks here and there. The light in the sky was starting to fade. The changelings had been awfully silent. Surely we have to be near Canterlot by now. We've been walking forever. It's got to be mid-afternoon by now. Maybe Twilight will know how much longer... Just as Rainbow Dash turned her head to shout down to Twilight, she did a double take and stopped. She poked her head higher through the trees. A dark mass was heading swiftly towards them. She couldn't quite tell what it was. She looked in the other direction. The forest was about to end soon. "Twilight!" Rainbow Dash said, quickly flying to the ground, "There's a dark mass heading this way, and we're nearing the forest's end!" "We can see that," Twilight said, pointing. The trees around them were growing thinner. Some ponies shifted their weight uncomfortably. "Everyone get ready. Rainbow Dash, what's coming this way?" "I can't tell what it is; it doesn't look like changelings though, but whatever it is, it can't be good," Rainbow Dash said. "Whatever it is, it's probably planning to attack us once we try and cross that clearing," Titan Wings said. "We're not far from the mountain that houses Canterlot; it should be just on the other side of the clearing," Twilight said. "What should we do?" Applejack asked. As Twilight paced back and forth, Rainbow Dash flew up again to take a look. The black mass approaching looked like mist or clouds, but warped in a certain way that it looked more like a solid. It couldn't be physical changelings themselves, but she was sure whatever it was, it was caused by the changelings. It's got to be some sort of magic attack from Chrysalis. Rainbow Dash flew back down as Twilight stopped pacing. "It's got be some sort of magic from Chrysalis," Rainbow Dash said. "You're probably right; but if it is Chrysalis, why is she sending... whatever it is she's sending, from the south? Canterlot is north from us, and that's where Chrysalis is. This has to be some weird attack or strategy from her, but I just don't understand what she's trying to do," Twilight said. "Well it's coming closer; what do you think we should do?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We should fight it," Titan Wings said, "head on." "Nah, we should make a run for it across the clearing, get into the mountain and get to Canterlot," Applejack said. "Maybe we should just wait here in the forest?" Derpy said. "I don't think standing here is going to help, Derpy. They're going to attack us either way; I agree with Applejack, we should try to reach the mountain, and we'll fight them off using the cannon along the way," Rainbow Dash said. "You're right; if we're going to be attacked, we might as well be trying to get somewhere instead of just sitting here waiting for them," Twilight said. "Flam, give the cannon back to Inkie. Pegasi, since it's an airborne attack, I'm counting on you to fend whatever it is off; I want to try and conserve as much firepower for Canterlot as we can." "There's only four of us Twilight, I'm not sure if we can—" CloudsArmor started. "Well you're going to have to try!" Twilight shouted. Rainbow Dash could see the stressed look on her face. While Twilight was a natural born leader, the past few hours had been extremely rough for her. Past few hours... Was that all it'd been? It was so hard to believe that they hadn't been battling the changelings for months. Less than twelve hours ago, they'd still been in cocoons, being harvested, until Twilight randomly awoke and saved them all. "Come on pegasi; time to get airborne," Rainbow Dash said. "Don't worry Twilight, we've got you guys covered." They waited a few minutes for the ground team to plan a formation. Inkie took the cannon back from Flam, who had been pulling it at the time. Rarity and Pinkie flanked her, with Zecora, Trixie, and Flam taking up the rear, and Twilight and Applejack taking up the lead. "Ok team; let's go!" Twilight shouted. The ground team began to run, as the pegasi flew over top of them. Just as they left the protection of the trees, the black mass appeared. It looked like a massive storm cloud. For a second, it reminded Rainbow Dash of when Princess Luna arrived in Ponyville on Nightmare Night. But this wasn't Luna. Five changelings flew out of the mass and smirked down at them. They then charged towards the ground group. "Twilight! Watch out!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She flew as fast, trying to tackle one of the changelings out of the way, but suddenly, she felt herself being pulled backwards. She flew as fast as she could, but a force she couldn't explain was pulling her behind. She looked down; the ground group was tackling and fighting off the changelings. They seemed to be ok. Inkie shouted something and the ponies around her ducked, as an explosive went off. Twilight smiled and gave Applejack a high-hoof, the changelings quickly defeated. Twilight turned and looked up at Rainbow Dash, her expression changing to concern. She shouted something, pointing at something behind Rainbow Dash, but she couldn't hear her. The last thing Rainbow Dash saw was Twilight and the group of ponies below her, spinning and spinning as they got smaller and smaller, as Rainbow Dash was blown away and into the dark cyclone.