“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
-Old Proverb
2 days later...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS?!?!"
The pegasi trembled, cowered in the face of Scootaloo's outrage. The sound of her shout still echoed through Wonderbolt Stadium, rattling off of the empty seats. Normally the arena would be full of pegasi cheering on the queen and her guard as they trained and performed. The stadium had become a monument to power and grace of Rainbow Dash and her Woderbolts, but today was not such a day. The guardponies had known that they were in trouble when they couldn't find any sign of their beloved queen. They had searched for her, checking her normal hangouts but had not been able to find a lick of her. As it became clear this was not a prank of hers, their hearts dropped with dread. One of the queens had gone missing and all signs pointed to capture. The idea of the harmony-hating rebellion managing to snare Rainbow Dash had even the lowliest private quivering in his armor.
The only silver lining was that Rainbow's disappearance wasn't, from all appearances, the biggest problem facing the queens. Queen Rarity and Fluttershy had been on their way to reinforce Rainbow Dash when troubling news out of Canterlot had sent them screaming back. None of the guards knew what had happened, but rumors swirled that the rogue abstract Doubt, the corruptor of Twilight Sparkle, had laid siege to the city and converted all its guards into his mindless metal slaves. Queen Pinkie had, upon realizing that none of the rest of the queens were there, promptly turned tail and ordered her mobile party to return to her base of power (the guards had been thankful for that... there was something about how Pinkie's entourage smiled that made each and every one of them shudder). Queen Applejack had, as always, been running late but apparently gotten the news as well.
Still, knowing all of this did not make facing the berating any easier.
"She is your queen!" Scootaloo roared. "Rainbow Dash is the greatest, most awesome pony ever! She freed us and opened our eyes to the glories of harmony! How could you just misplace her?! What is she, a quill?" Scootaloo got in the face of one of the guards, her cheek turning red as she screamed. "Why were you not protecting her!?!"
The commander of the Winniepeg guard swallowed before speaking, choosing his words VERY carefully. "Captain, the queen commanded us to hold back and allow her to deal with the rebels. You of all ponies know how she can get." Scootaloo begrudgingly nodded her head. "We were to hold the gates-"
"Which you failed to do, lame brain." Scootaloo rolled his eyes in disgust. "Celestia and Luna managed to escape."
The captain cleared his throat. "They somehow were able to get through the line..."
Scootaloo shook her head, waving off his further comments. "I don't care. All that matters is the fact that you failed." The commander lowered his head in disgrace. "The question is what should we do about this setback?"
"Prepare," a male voice called out, startling the group. "You should prepare."
Scootaloo whipped around, wings flared out and her eyes narrowed as she took in the intruder. To her surprise the stallion that brashly approached her was an alicorn that was only half a foot taller than she was. His body was lean and athletic; tone muscle could be seen under his flank and there wasn't an ounce for fat anywhere on his body. His golden coat seemed to shine like a medal given to a victorious flyer and his eyes held the burning fire of competition that Scootaloo had come to expect in Rainbow Dash's eyes. His short mane was dark and slicked back, as if plastered there by a gale force wind. A lean horn, sharpened to a razor's edge, poked out from the golden alicorn's forhead, jutting out over his eyes and looking ready to pierce the skies at any moment.
What was most eye catching were his wings. Rather than the feathered appendages one would expect, this stallion’s wings appeared to be made out of golden thread, twisted and woven to create the wings. Though it was glorious to behold, the ends were fraying though and bits of string were forever caught in an ethereal gust that sent them billowing out. If a pony got too close the thread would tangle itself around them before dissolving into morning dew.
"Is that a way to treat a friend?" the stallion said, mock hurt coloring his words. "I came here to help you out and all you do is glare at me? Not very friendly at all!"
"Who are you?" Scootaloo demanded, taking a step forward.
"I just said... a friend."
"I meant your name," Scootaloo snapped, not in the mood for games.
"Ah. Well, before I give my name I suppose I should explain myself." The golden alicorn took a step forward and the guard closed up ranks. "Ha! Very good! You become a unit when threatened... very smart. But let me assure you... if I wanted you dead..." the sky cracked with lightning, though none could be seen, "...you'd be dead already."
"That does little to comfort any of us," Scootaloo snapped, trying to act braver than she felt. Her stallions gathered behind her, gaining strength from the knowledge that they had the advantage of numbers.
The golden alicorn shrugged his shoulders. "Let me ask you... you have heard of Doubt, right?"
"He is the black alicorn that corrupted Twilight Sparkle and turned her away from harmony."
"Correct." The golden alicorn took to the air, lazily circling the guards. "I am another of his kind... not just an abstract but another member of the elements of harmony. If you wish to be technical, I am his older brother." The golden alicorn flashed a saucy grin. "I got the good looks in the family."
"You're his brother?"
"Congrats, you have reached the intelligence level of a parrot." The golden abstract rolled his eyes. "You can call me Loyalty."
"You are Rainbow Dash's element?" Scootaloo asked. It was less of a question than an accusation.
"More than that, I am her partner... or was." Loyalty dropped down to the clouds and began to pace in front of Scootaloo and her troops, cantering like he was a prize poodle on display. Disgust was clearly written on his face as he thought about what had happened in Winniepeg. "Twilight Sparkle interfered... she somehow managed to separate Rainbow Dash and I. I fear that Dash has been corrupted."
"You lie!" Scootaloo shouted, her stallions preparing to attack. "Rainbow would never fall!"
"Your dedication to your mentor warms my heart but you are just a bit blind. Even the mightiest of us can fall, sweetheart." Loyalty's cocky grin reformed. "But that doesn't mean we can't do something to raise her back up. That is loyalty, after all."
Scootaloo pursed her lips, warring between mistrust and hope. "What do you suggest?"
"An alliance," Loyalty said. "You worked with me already, when I wielded my power through Rainbow Dash... I ask that we stand side by side again. Together we can save your mentor... just as she would save you, if your roles were reversed."
Scootaloo grimaced, her mind a jumbled mess. Her heart screamed at once to not let this outside help... and yet denying him might bring harm to Rainbow. The former filly just didn't know what to do.
Loyalty nodded skyward. "I thought you might have your doubts, so I brought some aid, to help in your decision."
Scootaloo's jaw dropped as, bursting from the clouds, came the Wonderbolts. Rainbow's elite squad, they only responded to her commands and followed only her into battle. To see them lining up next to Loyalty... is wiped away any misgivings the filly had about the abstract.
Loyalty saw this and grinned. "Good! I see you and I are on the right page. Now then... we must plan out how to find Rainbow Dash."
"That won't be that hard," a slightly larger than average Wonderbolt said, pulling away her hood and removing the illusion charm she had placed on herself.
"Rainbow Dash?"
"Surprise," Rainbow said with a smirk as Twilight and two of the banished royal guards yanked off their disguises as well. "Don't stand there with your jaws hanging open," she teased, "either surrender or fight." Rainbow's horn glowed as she stared down the abstract that had ruined her life. "One guess which choice I hope you pick."