Chapter Six
Friends like these
Luna and I argued into the dead of night, we argued about everything, the war, the Shadowbolts and our next step. Formality was thrown out of the window I and the princess nearly came to blows. But we both left the Royal Chamber as better friends and had a clearer understating of each of us wanted.
“Well that was one way to let off some steam, don’t you agree Whirlwind?”
“I do but I must say you have an edge on me. I can’t compete with that Royal Canterlot voice for yours.”
“Ha ha it does come in handy from time to time. Would you like me to teach you how to do it?”
“No thank you your highness besides I think it will gets on everypony nerves.”
“Oh well, good night Whirlwind. What’s left of it.”
“Good night your highness.”
The latch to Luna’s throne room door clanked and echoed in dark corridor, I made my way back to my room. Luna’s anger must have brought a storm, the windows that lined to corridor were covered in rain droplets and the mouths of the gargoyles on the window ledges had waterfalls coming out of them. My seclusion was interrupted by a voice.
“Very impressive, I never thought you had it in you.”
“Who’s there?”
I turned around, nopony was there. I placed my hoof on my sword’s handle.
“Show yourself!”
“Ooo do I detect fear in your voice?”
“The only thing I fear is fear itself.”
“Wise words, fine then I’ll give you something to fear.”
I heard to tap of hooves coming towards me from the darkness. My sword was now out of its scabbard and ready for combat. The figure was now in the moon light coming through the window.
“Nightmare!”
“You seem surprised?”
“You bet I am. You and the other Shadowbolts should have gone back into Luna’s mind. I saw it with my own eyes. How did you escape?”
“Escape, no. Shadows are everywhere and were they are so am I. Plus I made a promise to you.”
“What promise?”
“Think back to the hangar, what did I say?”
I now remembered the voice in my head.
“I promise I can make you strong. Do it, and you will be one step closer to victory over the Solar Empire.”
I lowered my sword slightly.
“How?” I asked.
She smirked and whispered “All will be revealed in time.”
She disappeared into the shadows. I should have reported Nightmare’s return to Luna but I and the NLR needed help and if Nightmare had a way to help then I was up for it, but what she and the Shadowbolts did was unforgivable. Seven planes shot down at a cost of 137 Million bits and two pilots injured. As long as I was in command the Shadowbolts or Nightmare will never set hoof into a plane again.
I sheathed my sword and headed back to my room, I needed a good night sleep after the day I had plus I had to get ready for tomorrow, it was going to be another long day.
*
The meeting room in the MoD bunker was busy the next morning, I called an emergency meeting. I was waiting for the other MoD members to sit down in their seats.
“So Whirlwind why have you called us here at this hour?” asked Boxy the Minister of Munitions.
“It must be important.” said Intel with his head buried in a folder.
“I never said that it’s wasn't important Intel.” said Boxy.
“Then way would you ask it?”
“Enough.” Interrupted Molotov.
“Whirlwind do you want to start before we start a war with each other?”
I took a minute to collect my thoughts.
“Whirl?” Dashie asked with concern when she put her hoof on my shoulder.
“Twilight Sparkle.” I replied.
The room felt silent, nopony mentioned her when I was around so for me to say her name came as a shock.
“In order for Rainbow Dash and her friends to use the elements of harmony all six of them need to be together. So where do we go from here?” I asked everypony around the table.
“Well the only thing I can think of is another snatch and grab op.” said Molotov.
“That’s a possibility, the last one was a huge success after all.” said Intel.
“But the target building is nowhere near the coast, an amphibious assault is out.” said Bon Voyage whilst taking off her white Admirals cap.
Intel picked up the remote for the screen at the edge of the table. A bird’s eye view of Twilight’s palace appeared.
“The target building is on top of Fowl Mountain, the second highest peak in all Equestria.” said Intel.
“How about an air assault?” said Dashie.
“Dashie we want to capture her, not berry her underneath her own palace.” I said.
“No think about it, a squadron of Pegasus could fly up there undetected quite easily.”
“That could work, but its thousands of miles to Equestria; they’re going to be knackered when they get there and won’t have enough energy to fight, let alone fly back with an unconscious Alicorn on their backs.” I replied.
“How about a C-130, thousands of miles up. The Pegasus could jump out and glide down to the target, grab Twilight then fly back to the plane.”
I stood up out of my chair, grabbed Dashie’s checks and kissed her on her forehead.
“Dashie you’re a genius!”
“Aww c’mon. Really?”
“Of course you are. Boxy, we will need some new equipment to pull this off, stuff like aerodynamic flight helmets and thermal flight suites. Molotov, help Intel with gathering information on the target building for an assault plan.”
“Okay and what about you and Rainbow Dash?” asked Boxy.
I was now out of the meeting room when Boxy asked his question, I popped my head back into the door way.
“We’re off to find our assault team.”