//------------------------------// // Parting is such sweet sorrow. // Story: To be a Wonderbolt: Fall of a Nation // by Diablomuerte2 //------------------------------// Parting is such sweet sorrow. It was morning, and all over Equestria, the ponies were rejoicing in their survival of the great war that befell them. While most of the ponies were living in the ignorant bliss that had been earned, Rainbow Dash and a few select ponies were readying for their departure to the Draconian homeland. Fluttershy felt she had to say goodbye to Rainbow Dash too many times in the past years and didn't enjoy the prospect of her lover never returning. She had tried every tactic to get Rainbow Dash to let some other pony risk their life for Equestria, but despite her efforts nothing worked and Fluttershy had to accept that Rainbow Dash was going to fly out to her very possible doom. Rainbow Dash tried consoling her lover the night before, the tension was getting heavy and they fell asleep exhausted from arguing, their energy being drained from the intense sexual release they shared beforehand. Being married was hard, and while it was hard, it was worth every second of it. "Please Rainbow Dash, don't go... I can't stand to lose you again. I've suffered enough haven't I?" Fluttershy cried out in desperation. Her heart wasn't able to take losing another pony she loved, especially the one she loved most. Rainbow Dash began leaking tears profusely, "Shy we have been over this... I have to go... If Dragunda gets more powerful we will all die. I wish there was another way but, I am afraid, there isn't." Fluttershy held Rainbow Dash tight, "Promise me... that you will come home to me... if you promise that I can at least feel okay knowing you don't break promises." Rainbow Dash looked away, "I can't make promises I'm unsure I can keep. I can't promise you that Shy... it would be unfair." Fluttershy began panicking, "Please tell me... tell me it... Promise me you will live ... I can't take this Rainbow Dash... we have gone through so much... so much, I deserve happiness with you..." Rainbow Dash sighed while trying to back her tears, "Look Shy... just for you, and I mean this, I promise you that I will come home to you... and we will have our happy ending." Fluttershy stayed silent and held on to Rainbow Dash for dear life. She wasn't going to acknowledge the promise until it was kept. She did not want to get full of hope if she was going to be disappointed again. Fluttershy had no idea if the promise would be kept but for the sake of both their futures she believed it. "Rainbow my love, I know you will return and when you do I will make sure you are happier than you can imagine," She vowed as the mood shifted for the better. ____________________________________________________________ Spitfire was already dealing with her grief of Soarin and the other Wonderbolts who fell in battle during the grand war. She knew that she should have been the one to die instead. It wasn't any secret that most ponies blame her for his death and she herself was the one that felt it the most. Mistyfly had been asleep from exhaustion and hadn't even been up to say good bye. Spitfire had no reason to wake her up and begin the water works all over again. With Mistyfly asleep Spitfire was ready to go and let nothing hold her back from accepting her destiny. ____________________________________________________________ Pinkie Pie had been secretly working on a special weapon that didn't get finished in time to see combat in the war, she spent the entire night working on it and fixing it up. She didn't let Twilight know about her special project in case she would flip out. She finished it and even managed to give it a test run before she passed out from lack of sleep. When the morning came she went to the library and noticed Twilight on the couch resting peacefully, "You must have been waiting all night for me Twilight... sorry but I can't wake you up and risk you binding me with magic. I have to go but I Pinkie Promise that I will return to you." Her soft hoof caressed the face of her beloved before she set off to join the suicide squadron. ____________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash had been declared leader of the mission and she let her squadron know that she was in charge, and they would obey her orders regardless of the implications. "This isn't a mission for glory... we aren't going to be heroes... instead we are going to murder them all no matter the cost to us. Our primary target is King Dragunda, intel suggests he will be the biggest and baddest of them all, and until we are sure who he is, we take out all who oppose us regardless of gender, age, or health," she grimly explained. Each member of the unit had felt a bit ill about the possibility of committing genocide and yet they knew it was necessary if things got bad. Most of the unit consisted of Pegasi and the few earth ponies and unicorns who wanted to help and would serve as distraction units for the ground floor. Rainbow Dash surveyed the area and noticed two mares who didn't belong in her group, "Pinkie, AJ, what the hay are you two doing here?" Applejack chuckled, "What's it look like sugarcube? I'm here because I want to put some hurting on them Draconians." Pinkie Pie jumped into the conversation with enthusiasm, "Yeah silly, we are here to kick some butts... I got my special death weapon I plan on using... no mercy!" Rainbow Dash grew angry, "This isn't a bucking joke... you could die... did your significant others approve of this?" Applejack sighed, "RD, you know darn well they didn't ... but at the same time ain't ya forgetting that ya got somepony waiting for ya ta return as well?" Rainbow Dash felt sorrow coursing through her, "Alright... fine... but promise me you won't die." Applejack smiled, "I promise and ya know I am bein' honest." Pinkie beamed, "I Pinkie Promise that I won't die today, or tomorrow, I can't really promise for the next day but we will see." Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Alright enough mushy stuff we need to get airborne pronto so I guess Applejack you need to find some pony willing to let ya ride on them because I can't have somepony lag behind." Pinkie Pie smiled, "I already got it covered, my death machine needs a gunner, I was going to surprise you at Draconia with it but I might as well show it to you now." With that said Pinkie Pie ran off and returned airborne with a giant machine akin to a helicopter with a party cannon looking attachment underneath. Rainbow Dash was in awe, "Mother of Celestia... that is one awesome death machine... well then with that on our side and the group of awesome ponies we have... I say we buck them all up." The ponies all cheered and got ready to head out to their final battles. Regardless of victory or defeat they would never want to fight such hideous wars ever again. While they had no idea of what was to come, they were secretly being followed by some griffins that had the intent of helping the ponies out. ____________________________________________________________ Prince Greg was flying behind the ponies with his own elite guards, He didn't want to make his presence known until an opportune moment had arrived. He had been flying to Equestria and went straight to Canterlot castle before his unit had tailed the suicide squadron. He met with Celestia and informed of his willingness to help and his apologies for not being there sooner. Their conversation was brief and the gist of the situation was given. With his honor in jeopardy he decided he would accept the queen's request for him and his unit to help the ponies that were flying to their dooms. With his agreement in effect he decided they would help when things were going downhill and let the ponies attempt their task without their initial help. It was mostly for the purpose of adding the element of surprise to the enemy. Since the ponies themselves don't even know that the griffins are there to aide them the enemy would have even less of an idea when they suddenly burst in and evened the odds. That was their plan at least and Prince Greg had the incentive of helping his hero out. With the intentions of helping and the brute force they offered it seemed the tide of destiny would be in favor of Rainbow Dash and the final hope for Equestria's salvation. ____________________________________________________________ King Dragunda was alone in the throne room. He was abandoned by his wife after he had felt she no longer was necessary. Loneliness didn't seem to affect him and he got some sort of comfort of knowing no one felt mighty enough to be in his presence. "I don't need any of them. I will have ultimate power soon and then I shall enslave the world and nothing will stop me." He was dead set on his plan of domination and with the power of the deity almost within his grasp it was nearly coming to fruition. He just needed the right moment to absorb the soul since it was taking longer than he anticipated. According to Draconian lore the soul of the grand deity that lied in Pildragus was only transferred if the recipient had made enough sacrifices and was willing to accept the craving for young and pure souls. He didn't mind the hunger for the youthful and innocent, he was ready to have a breeding pit for such occasion if needed. He was just wondering what other sacrifice would he need. "I already gave my son up, and my best men... not to mention I even had Pildragus get himself killed in order to achieve success... so why hasn't the soul been transferred yet?" He thrashed about the empty throne room breaking things with no one to unleash his anger on. A lowly servant entered the throne room and felt it was her chance to rise in power, "Your majesty... I know one thing you haven't sacrificed yet." She looked at him with the hope that he would hear her out. "What is it you stupid wench... you better be right and not just be wasting my time or I will rape you and feast on your soul when I finish," King Dragunda violently warned. She flinched from the mental image of her impending doom but felt she had this one shot, "You haven't sacrificed your queen... she still walks around the kingdom and you could help speed up the process if you get rid of her." King Dragunda smiled wide, "Yes... I shall sacrifice my useless wife and if it works ... I shall reward you wench... now come here and service me, I am going to need some relief if I am going to play the part of a loving husband." He chuckled in his dark imagination. The lowly servant went straight to the king of Draconians and did her duty by sexually pleasing the ogre-like dragon king. She feigned enjoyment as she began pleasing him with her mouth, she despised the taste but enjoyed what the future held if she could muster enough tolerance to it. ____________________________________________________________ Rainbow Dash who was flying ahead of the squad was desperate to be out of sight from Equestria. She didn't want any reason to turn around and rush home. She had made the promise to stay alive but knew in her heart that it was a promise she might break. Little to no information was available about the enemies or how prepared they were for something like this. She wanted to believe that she could do it and that everything would be alright and yet, reality had that funny way of saying buck you when it matters most. She had to stay strong and pull through while facing the most arduous task of her life. She had no room for error and hoped the other squad members thought the same. She wanted ponies on her squad that she could care less if they died but instead she got two friends from Ponyville and her former captain as company on her suicide squadron. With the clock ticking and the fate of the world lying on their success, she decided to just grin and bear it. The only issue now is... will they succeed and save Equestria, and possibly the world, or will they fail and doom them all?