//------------------------------//
// 13 Drop dead, cadet 
// Story: A new breed of evil 
// by Rarity Belle 
//------------------------------//

	With the sun in her face and a rainbow colored trail behind her, was Rainbow Dash soaring through the skies without any care upon her mind in the entire world. Everything she had to do for the day had been done already. At that point was she just enjoying the time off in the afternoon. Having both cleared the skies over Ponyville and participated in her daily Wonderbolt training had made everything seemed to be going –quite literally– for the wind.

        With the wind in her back and her wings flapping at their top speed. All that Rainbow seemed to be in the skies was just this lightning fast rainbow. A rainbow that brought smiles on the faces of everypony who saw it. That was just mere seconds before they gained frowns from the wind she carried with her. Not much would have been left alone in the gusts she created with her flying.

        Not that it mattered much to Rainbow. It was just a bit of wind that they had to be dealing with. They could handle a bit of wind, right? She seemed to be flying like a chicken without a head and thus seemed to be going into literally every possible direction. That wasn't the whole truth though. The soaring pegasus had a heading for herself inside of her head.

        A heading that literally changed every few minutes, but was still one. In the end had even Dash more than enough of the troubles she had caused to herself and made the decision to fly a bit further north. To a place where only she seemed to be knowing about. A place where ponies weren't exactly allowed to come to begin with.

        With a chuckle from her mouth did the daring, cyan coated pegasus just make a flight for it. She soared through sky and cloud as if they were nothing. Rainbow had gone straight into the direction of the infamous Everfree forest. Ponies on the ground that saw her going, all nodded to each other as if they were glad that the hurricane finally would be coming to a stop. Which in return allowed them all to enjoy the warm sunny day without any interruptions.

        Time and time again did Rainbow look down. Down to the daring woods themselves. She cruised at a safe altitude, far away from the creatures below her. Her magenta red rimmed eyes gazing through the goggles she wore before them. The sights she noticed through the thick vegetation were pretty much the usual events as they went down and about in the forest.

        A forest that was feared by many ponies and for many reasons. When Rainbow continued to look, she could see all the dangers of the woods with her own eyes. Timberwolves, manticores, changelings and hydra’s, those were just a few of the nasty creatures that had called the place their home. All of them pretty much the exact opposite of a pony, mostly in the fact that they all ate meat in order to survive.

        It was something that caused Rainbow to shudder a bit in the air. Her sight turned itself straight ahead again. She wanted to shake off the motions and emotions that had been moving her. All because of the simple fact that she could almost taste the meat in her mouth. It wasn't something pretty to say the least. Rainbow began to feel herself sick high in the airs of Equestria.

        She wanted to make a barfing motion but succeeded to keep her mouth shut while flying at such speeds as she did. Instead she began to descend towards the ground below. Rainbow had arrived upon the location she wanted to be. A location that most ponies would have rather avoid than embrace. A location that was a constant reminded of one species that always was much more violent than any of the ponies could have ever thought.

        The griffons.


~~~~

                     
Born in a cult of bloodthirsty creatures, the art of war was something the species loved more than anything. Rainbow Dash got her first glimpse of that ever since she was in Cloudsdale High. It was there that she met the griffon who became one of her closest friends for years to come, Gilda. That was of course until they broke their friendship for reasons that Rainbow was still trying to figure out.

        In the middle of the field did it stand. The last structural reminder of just how amazing the griffon kind happened to be when it came to attack and defend strategies. A tower that went far higher than the treeline of Everfree. So high in fact that on truly clear days the other edge of the woods could be seen. Though the age of the tower was something that concerned Rainbow every time she came there to collect her mind. It wasn’t what it used to be.

        It had become a relic from another era which was built nearly thirteen hundred years ago. A good three hundred years before Nightmare Moon even made an appearance in Equestria. Everything that once laid around the tower was the massive fortress operated by the troops of the Griffon Empire, had been reduced to nothing more than just a pile of rubble. All before it was being forgotten through the clusters of time. Yet the lookout tower was the only remaining structure and would be serving as some kind of strange memorial for both races.

        The history behind the thing couldn't bring any more interest to Dash than watching snails race. All that she needed to know about the thing was the fact that it was as old as possible, rather unstable and gave an amazing view on days like she was having. Perfect to make her clear her mind from everything that was bothering it.

        Having landed gentle on the wood still present on the top floor from the tower, Rainbow Dash rose herself up on her hind legs and moved the goggles up from her eyes. A smile formed itself below her muzzle. She allowed herself to lean against one of the brick support columns and just looked over the sights before. She gave her magenta red rimmed eyes the time of their life in order to catch the sheer beauty of the plains that had been stretching themselves out right before her.

        Usually not being a mare who could be bothered with such things, even she had to admit that the vantage points of the tower really were just that. Everything she saw was simply breathtaking. “Now this, this is just awesome,” Rainbow whispered to herself. The smile only got bigger and it ended up in a hearty chuckle. Which on its own got again turned into a content sigh.

        It seemed odd for a daredevil like her, to gain such an emotion by looking at a hilly side of grassy plains but in one way or the other she did. Ponies often spoke about the fact that even the busiest of minds needed to have a spot to calm down. Whether it was true was unknown but if it was would that tower abandoned by the griffons so long ago be the perfect place for a mare like Rainbow Dash.


~~~~

                     
It had been hours and hours later that the cyan pegasus stood back in the living room of her cloud palace. With the wings given a final stretch and the moon standing high had the day be called a quits as another intense training with the Wonderbolts was standing at the program for the following day.

        In her ears she caught the little propeller of Tank who then came flying downstairs. “Tanky boy!” Rainbow spoke while her wings were tucked back against her body. A smile formed itself on both the face of the tortoise as well as the pegasus before the two nuzzled one another. “You been a good boy today?” she spoke in a tone that she only, and only would speak in against an animal. That high pitched, ever so cute sounding tone that didn't fit her personality at all. Pretty much what Applejack had with Winona. “Of course you have been, you always are.”

        The two of them kept nuzzling for a bit longer before Tank gave the mare a lick on the nose. A thing that caused her to giggle a little bit. “Okay, okay, I’m going to fill your food and water and then it’s off to bed. Don’t make it too late either mister, tis an early rise and shine tomorrow,” said Rainbow before the tortoise landed right on her back. She walked over to the kitchen to prepare the last few things.

        Tank was given a little treat before Rainbow prepared his food, together with hers for the next day. Time to have done it earlier wasn’t there. It was a little fact she knew all too well. When the time was there again though, was everything done. The pegasus laid curled up under the blankets of her bed and was snoring a bit already. Though it was the tortoise who was still awake and looked at the mare. The propeller on his back came back to life. He then hovered over to the bed before just dropping himself pretty much on the spot he wanted to be. Which was right between the hooves of the sideways lying pegasus.

        A pegasus who in return would have wrapped the hooves around him. With a content smile had he retracted his head back into his shell where he would be falling asleep in peace as well. They were both unaware of the fact that a few minutes later, the rain would be starting to tick against the window. Rain that was the first signal of a massive rainstorm coming over them.

        When the morning came and the alarm of Rainbow went pretty much through the entire the room, the cyan pegasus was almost flung out of her bed. “Wha!” was the only thing she could bring out after her head had raised itself again over the bed. Devastated by the wake up had she turned herself around. She rushed over to the bathroom in order to make herself up. Everything was done in one of the quickest and most multitasking showers she had ever taken in her life.

        With a mane and tail that were still wet was her body slid straight into her Wonderbolt-trainee outfit. It was only after she had hoisted herself in the suit that her ears turned towards one of the many windows of the building. The things that she heard weren't the prettiest of them. The only sounds she could hear were the rain pouring out of the skies by the gallons. “Oh no,” mumbled Rainbow to herself. It was the only thing she could be thinking about.


~~~~

                     
Training in the rain was about the heaviest things that Spitfire would be allowing each of the trainee’s to go through. Speaking about her, the pegasus stood there on the runway among the pouring rain with her admiral’s outfit worn with pride. The sunglasses were nowhere to be found but her sharp eyes looked at each of the just arrived trainee’s. “Judging by the fact that each of you can hear, see and feel, I would say we are in for a training in the rain. And you all know what that means, don’t we, Bulk Biceps?” she said in a loud and clear voice. Spitfire walked past each of the members but stopped by a massively muscled white coated pegasus. A pegasus with almost comically tiny wings. A pair that managed to amazed every single pony on the fact that he could fly with them.

        “Yeah!” he roared literally in the face of Spitfire. Who on her own turn had to take a step backward and simply blinked a couple of times. She had expected everything to be happening when she approached him, except for the thing that did happen.

        Confused by the yell in her face did she shook her head a couple of times. Then she continued along the line of trainee’s. “Head to the bunker, search out your partner and report back to me in five. Move it! I don’t have all day, and neither have you.” On the command that was given were there nearly a dozen recruits who nodded and saluted to her before they were on their way to find the pony they would be flying with.

        Rainbow Dash was of course one of the first to be leaving the scene and headed for the underground bunker. She had been standing in the rain for all of the time and not to mention the fact she had to fly to the academy through that same storm of rain. All of that combined had made her suit to become almost stuck to her body. It felt as if she had been sweating like she would after having done one hundred circles around the place, but they still had to begin their training. One thing was more than certain, it would be a terrible hard day to finish. What would be she glad when it was finally over. What would she be glad, when she was home once more.

        Inside of the submerged bunker had Rainbow continued to listen to the world above. Only to have caught the rain pouring down on the runway. “This ain't gonna be good,” she spoke up softly to herself. But just as she thought it couldn't get any worse, it pretty much slapped her in the face as the roaring of thunder was clearly heard through the skies. “O-Okay, now it’s bad.”

        But time to cower or shiver wasn't there as some of the other recruits had managed to come downstairs. “Dash,” was suddenly spoken in the voice she knew all too well. With a sigh did the head of Rainbow turn itself up and looked straight into the eyes of her wing-pony. A wing-pony that was nopony else then Lightning Dust herself.

        It was true that she had been fired from the academy because of her reckless behavior, but Spitfire somewhere saw the potential that the lime green pegasus had. Much to Dash her bickering was she shipped right up with her. “What is it, Lightning?” the cyan mare muttered towards her.

        Ever since the incident, the two couldn’t go through one door whatsoever. Their interactions showed it every single time. While in the air they could work as a team, in the ground they were literally each other’s nemesis. It was something that added two worries to the mind of Rainbow. Lightning Dust herself, and the weather outside. Just great, absolutely fantastic, she thought to herself before she repeated the question.

        “Drop dead and give me twenty,” replied Lightning then with a devilish smirk on her face. With that had she turned herself back around to finish up her own preparations. Preparations which Rainbow had been doing at home. Lightning Dust wasn't even completely suited up for the training.

        As much as Rainbow wanted to rub those exact words right back in the face of the mare yet the chance never given to her as a set of hooves walked down the metal stairs. A set of hooves that she knew all too well. The mare turned herself over into the direction of the stairs and they saw how the soaked Spitfire walked down to them. But she never came down all the way.

        For just about on a quarter of the thing she came to a stop and looked over each of the recruits with a stern look. The vantage point given to her, caused her to smirk just before the rumbles of another thunder strike could be heard clearly. “Listen up buttercups! I’m going to give you all a few minutes to sit in the canteen before we begin. Pray upon your dear life this thunder is going to lay down then. Half an hour is all you got, then I want each and every last of you in formation of the runway, understood?” she spoke to them all.

        “Yes miss!” each of the recruits yelled at her before they gave a salute.

        “Good. At ease than.” After those words had Spitfire turned herself back around. She walked back up on the stairs and left each of them in the bunker to do what they wanted. Though most knew the plan already. They would be hurdled up in the canteen, hoping the storm would cease.

        With each of them gathered up in the canteen, both Dash and Dust remained as far away from one another as they possibly could. They didn't feel the need to discuss the tactics for the events to come. They never discussed anything together. In the eyes of all the others, it looked just like the two of them knew what they needed to be doing in the times they were needed. They completed one another in more than one way when they thought about it. The questions were asked time and time again through the ages, but neither of them wanted to answer them to the feather brains.

        Though both of the pegasi had started to talk to a couple others. All in the hope to make the time go by any faster than it was. Rainbow had managed to get in a conversation with Thunder Lane. Who on his own had so his own ideas for the storm. “I don’t think she will even let us go in this weather, I mean, the rate of lightning to sound is almost nothing. It’s right over our heads. Not sure ‘bout you, Dash, but I’m not going up there in these conditions. And neither should you and…miss Grumpypants over there,” he spoke to her with a chuckle. Thunder then nudged his head over to Lightning and Rainbow couldn't do much else then to give him a chuckle.

        “I will see if I go up there or not. I can outrun the lightning if I wanna. The only trouble I will be having with it all is indeed miss Grumpypants. Seriously, I can not understand why Spits even gave her to me,” replied Rainbow to him. She looked him in the eyes to find something hidden in them. “Much rather have somepony like Bulk or you to watch my six. True you aren't as fast, but at least you don’t say I can drop dead just like that.”

        That caused the black stallion to chuckle a bit to himself. “I can understand what you mean by that. But trust me, it ain't just you she has the pick on, it’s the entire platoon,” he then said to her.

        “Platoon?” Rainbow repeated with a raised eyebrow.

        “E’yup, we all are a platoon together. All the newbies together, came up with that ourselves one day not too long ago,” Thunder returned to her before his eyes lost contact with hers. Instead he glanced over to the runway. In his eyes he caught Spitfire giving some direction to a couple other instructors. Whatever she had planned out for the platoon, it would be bad for them all.


~~~~

                     
When the time was there to line up, each of the ponies in the group stood in the position and aligned on the runway. “Good, you soaked cups managed to be here on time,” said Spitfire while she stood in front of them all, that time with a hat and a raincoat which covered her body. “You all are wanting to be Wonderbolts, you all are standing here to become one. But being a Wonderbolt is more than just the fancy shows we give, it also means that you have to fly through hell and back. And guess which weather it is today girls.”

        Upon hearing those words released each of the recruits gulps of fright. With the exception of Rainbow and Lightning. “This storm, shall test each and every one of you to the fullest. Rain, hail, thunder, nowhere is safe in those clouds, everything you have learned will be put to the test.”

        Some of them already did a couple of steps back and shook their heads. Left and right where the mumbles spoken of not going. And it were the exact same words that Spitfire could understand. She was a bitch first class when she wanted to be but still had some sympathy for the lot. The fire maned mare rolled with her eyes as she gave a soft shake with her head. Only to have those exact same eyes fall back upon the platoon of ponies and speak her next words.

        “For those of you who are saying I’m completely heartless against you all, I am not. That’s because I’m giving you the choice here. You can either go up there or go home! You’re all first year students, and I don’t expect you to go up there. Usually these tests are for your grand exam in three years. But complete them now, and you don’t have to do them anymore. Any volunteers?!”

        Her voice was louder than the strikes of thunder that rolled through the air. It caused most of the ponies to take steps back. The only ponies that were still in their places, were both Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust. Only because neither of them wanted to give away an inch of ground. Something that would be coming to them back in triple when the time was there.

        Spitfire smirked at the two still standing and gave a nod to the both of them. “Dash, Dust, rain-gear, full outfit, meet back here in ten. The rest of you lot, go back to the bloody canteen and see where the mares are separated from the fillies,” the mare said to them with a stern look.

        In the depths of the bunker was Rainbow all too happy that she could exchange her soaked gear for something new and dry. The rain-gear was less aerodynamic without a doubt but it helped out in the weather a lot more. It was a small sacrifice that was made. Lightning on the other end, she was just happy to be able to go in the air. Even though the feud with her partner would still rage on.

        The both of them were drying themselves off as quick as they could from their original outfit just before Dust opened her mouth again. “You think you’re such a hotshot, aren't you? But let me tell you, if those friends of yours didn't interfere with my plans, you would have been my wing-pony. Friends, what do you need with them anyway? Only one other pegasus and that seemed like a total wimp to me,” she brought forth. Something of which Rainbow wasn’t too happy about at all.

        “Shut up, just hold those teeth of your upon one another, because you don’t know them!” Rainbow replied before she dropped the towel. One last shake of her body was being made before she would hoist her body into the rain-gear.

        “Boo, hoo, hoo, listen to yourself, you big foal. You’re nothing but a mare living on luck. Always have been! Well news flash big shot, you can drop dead for all I care. Get hit by a thunder strike and plummet back down to the land below. Makes at least some use for those friends of yours,” Lightning threatened in a serious tone.

        “You know what, you are a lot of talk, but when it comes down to it...” Rainbow turned herself around and pressed her head right against that of Lightning. The magenta red rimmed eyes seemed to becoming even more redder because of the fires that were raging into them. “You’re all just bluffing because one mistake, gets your flanks fired and to never return.”

        “Ladies, quit your blabbering at once!” the stern voice of Spitfire echoed through the bunker. She could be found on the stairs again. “Two minutes, then I want you in the air.” Before either Dash or Dust could even reply to the words. was the yellow pegasus already on her way up.

        The urge to head-butt her wing-pony was there for certain. The act was never done because somewhere inside of her, had Rainbow still some sort of sympathy for the lime green mare. So instead were the foreheads separated from one another again and the preparations finished. The goggles were placed before her eyes and Rainbow gave one last look to herself in the mirror.

        Happy with the way she looked, Rainbow gave herself a small nod. Only then she peeked over to Lightning in the mirror. It was in that fraction of a second that they both looked into the mirror, that Rainbow got the scare of her life. For Lightning Dust wasn't the one she knew. Her body had turned into that of a unicorn with a set of eyes that were creeping up to her.

        Cat-like irises and that haunting blue coloring. It was something she couldn't believe and shook her head rapidly from side to side to side. “You okay?” Lighting asked when she noticed that Rainbow looked like she had seen a ghost.

        “Yeah, yes, let’s, let’s go to the runway,” replied Rainbow before she gave her head a little rub. She would have turned over to the staircase afterwards. The time to show Spitfire just what the two were worth was there. Rainbow wouldn't let her down in any way. Too much had she been risking already to become part of the Wonderbolts and then, then she wanted to continue that fight with every last ember in her heart. The time would be there and they both knew it.


~~~~

                     
When the two of them arrived at the runway was Spitfire waiting for them at the start and they both galloped over to her to hear the briefing. “Alright ladies, what you are going to be doing is a normal reconnaissance trip. The buoy’s should still be in the air. It’s not the hardest trip but you need to be watching out for the lightning. Complete the course as quick as you can, am I clear to you?”

        Both of the pegasi gave a nod to her who then nodded in return. “Good luck buttercups.” With those words had she turned around, only to walk away from them. The two of them would be on their own from there on out until the course was completed. Whether it be through one way or the other, they would finish it.

        Dash and Dust looked at one another and managed to somehow set their differences aside and simultaneously gave a nod to the other. They faced down the runway in order to make the last preparations. In sync with one another had they started to galloped over the runway with their wings spread out. Battling the wind and rain already had the two managed to come off the ground like it was nothing and made a steep curve to the left in order to start their course.

        They soared through the skies with everything they got while keeping the other in the corner of their eyes. There where Dash wanted to fly harder and faster, she wasn't allowed because she then risked losing Dust through the thick and black clouds. It was a massive give and take relationship where the two went through as the circled around the entire floating complex a couple of times to find the first buoy.

        With all the other ponies safe bunked down in the canteen, they saw the duo flying by a couple of times. Most of them had declared them crazy right there on the spot. It didn't matter just what they thought of them though. For both Dash and Dust had their own agenda to keep up. A thing which was changed by the fact that Dust nudged Rainbow in the side. She pointed to the very first buoy in the air. The cyan mare nodded in return and they were both off towards it.

        Meanwhile on the ground, Spitfire was keeping a close eye on the two through a set of binoculars. Around her were the other instructors that were just there in order to make certain that the lightning wouldn't come crashing down right on top of them. Through the binoculars had Spitfire managed to keep the two of them in check and followed them as they traveled from airborne buoy to buoy. It even came down to the very point that she seemed to be content and even happy with the performances of the two mares.

        Vocal directions couldn't be heard at the altitude they were flying on, especially with the wind and rain roaring through the ears. Everything they did in order to communicate was done perfectly by the books. “I haven’t seen this kind of flight in years from first grade cadets,” she whispered to herself. Spitfire had to admit that she was at least a bit impressed by them.


~~~~

                     
Everything seemed to be going pretty much perfect in the skies high above them. Both Dash and Dust evaded the lightning that was thrown at them like it was nothing and managed to find the marks time and time again. The differences set aside and the minds in sync with one another truly did some wonders for the mares. If it wasn't for the bitching attitude of Dust, it would have been a match made in heaven for Rainbow.

        Speaking of the heavens, those were as gray as they possibly could have been and it worried the pegasi to no end. Every single second there was something or anything that could have gone wrong. In the worst case, they would be forced down to the ground. Something that had already happened without them knowing.

        Back on the ground had the wings of Spitfire opened themselves in surprise as she went over and over on the particular spot of where she had seen both of the mares for the last time. “This is impossible, this can’t be happening!” she spoke up softly to herself while the eyes continued to look through the binoculars. “I lost… I lost them!” Spitfire yelled aloud before she turned herself over to the other instructors. “You, you and you, go up there and find them. They should be going to the eleventh buoy by now. Hurry up and get them back here!”

        With a nod given by the appointed ponies did they all spread their wings. They were ready to leave the safety of the runway. Though just when they wanted to get out of the way to hit the skies there was something else managed to scatter them all across that same runway. For literally not three hooves behind them was a massive thunder strike happened whose electric discharge was enough to knock the ponies over.

        Spitfire hoisted herself off from the concrete runway and shook her head. “Stay on the ground! It’s too dangerous to go up there and pray to Celestia for those buttercups.” It was about the wisest thing that she could be doing in the situation. Sending more of her ponies up there would only result in more losses. Dash and Dust knew the dangers of the track all too well, but still they went with the plan. “Everypony inside, now!” Spitfire yelled before she glanced one last time to the skies above. She still had the faint hope of finding the two of them somewhere among the clouds.

        Though she saw nothing. Not even a shimmer of the mares that were racing through it. She took a deep sniff to inhale the air and turned herself slowly around. Without a word had she walked back to the main building and straight into the canteen to join the others of the platoon. Though also to perhaps manage to capture a glimpse of the two that were still high in the skies.

        Spitfire wasn't quickly afraid when it came down to a training or anything the like but at that moment, after being flung through the air by an electric discharge for the first time in her entire life, she was scared. Her posture and face perhaps didn't gave it away but the eyes screamed as loud as they could.

        On the ground it was thought to be bad already, high up in the skies was it even worse. Literally every few, agonizing seconds after one another did either Rainbow or Lightning had to evade another bolt that was being shot down towards the ground. The both of them knew that they couldn't finish the course in the condition they were flying in. It was a tough call for Rainbow to make. It was better if they tried to just go back down to the ground or to the runway of the academy.

        Dash turned herself over to Dust before one of her hooves pointed down. At first the other mare didn't understood just what was meant with it and shrugged in midair. After a couple more hoofgestures had made by Rainbow and her even pointing to a lightning bolt that traveled through the skies, Dust would have gotten the massege.

        The lime green mare nodded to the proposed offer. She would be following Rainbow in the descend to come. They wanted to get as low as possible, as fast as possible. Though it would be something that was a lot more risky. When a pegasus plummeted out of the skies –especially during a thunderstorm like they were in– they would becoming the most perfect lightning conductors.

        It was a tiny mistake that Rainbow didn't notice. They just did it, Rainbow was the first of them to make the drop downwards. Even Lightning Dust herself went down with the cyan mare. Not even she knew that little fact. It would be a price that the both of them needed to be paying.


~~~~

                     
The two of them were in luck as they rocketed down straight towards the runway of the academy. With the wind that was howling in her ears could Rainbow only have caught the sounds of a bolt crashing. One perhaps a little bit too nearby of them and she only increased in speed. For some reason didn't she check behind her if Lightning Dust was alright or possible even there still. All that Rainbow cared about at the moment, was making it down to the ground as quick as she could.

        In the end had Rainbow pulled back up in to the skies to drop her terminal velocity and approach the runway in order to make a safe landing. It would be something that took her a bit more time, but it was better than crashing right into the thing. She soared through the skies while her velocity lowered itself and one last turn being made in order to make the approach to the runway.

        A runway on which she touched down almost perfect according to the books. The mare gave her wings a couple of last flaps before they were tucked against her body. Yet when she landed upon the massive runway, in the distance she saw all the other ponies in the platoon, in her platoon rounding up around something. Something that stood close to the edge of the floating rock.

        Curiosity was the only thing that started to flow through her body before she heard another strike coming down with a crushing sound. It startled her a little bit, but she still went over to the place of the other ponies. She wanted to know what happened. Could it be that another pony tried the course in the storm or had Spitfire fainted from just how they both soared through the skies?

        Again without looking where Lightning Dust happened to be, Rainbow walked over to the group of ponies. The very first set of eyes she looked into, where those of Spitfire. They expression was everything but happy. “How could you have forgotten your place, buttercup! Always, always communicate with your partner no matter what you’re planning to do!” she shouted right in the face of Rainbow. The pegasus genuinely had not even a single clue of what was going on.

        Spitfire just huffed in her face before she turned herself around. She then pushed some of the recruits to the side. Only to reveal the very thing they were looking at to Rainbow Dash. With the thing clearly visible in her eyes, she couldn't believe it for one bit. Almost in an instant had she began to hyperventilate and reached for both her mouth or chest. The hoof couldn't make the decision but eventually was placed on the goggles to move them away from the eyes.

        It seemed to be impossible to what she was looking. Yet the truth was there as clear as the day itself. Dash dared to take a step or two forward to have a better look. It was that it rained just as hard as it did, otherwise the tears that she had could be clearly seen inside of her eyes. She was a the brink of crying and for good reason, she had hunted somepony straight into death itself.

        The thing each and every soul out there was watching towards, happened to be the body of Lightning Dust. One of her wings burned to nothing but a crisp while the body itself was unnatural flat. “N-No,” was all Rainbow could say to it at first. “S-She was, she was right behind me, I swear!”

        “Well apparently not, cadet Dash! Because she is lying here on the runway, you killed her, Rainbow, simple as that!” Spitfire growled towards the cyan mare. A mare who couldn't believe the thing she had done there and then and did the only thing she could be doing in her own eyes.

        With some care had Rainbow walked over to the edge of the floating rock. She gulped deep before the eyes were closed. “If, if she dropped to her death because of me, what good to the world am I then? I don’t deserve to be a captain of anything. I’m sorry everypony…” she brought out.

        “Don’t you dare!” Spitfire yelled at her. She rushed over to Rainbow. But she was too late, by the time that she was there in the hope to grab Rainbow, was all she held in her hoof just empty air and looked over the side of the rock. There she saw Rainbow falling and gaining speed with her forehooves placed against her wings. They couldn't open themselves and with the tail literally between her hind legs, it meant that she had given up on everything. “No!” Spitfire yelled before Rainbow disappeared in the dark clouds and another zap of the lightning could be heard.


~~~~

                     
Without a warning to anypony were the blankets under which Rainbow laid flung up. The pegasus all of the sudden sat upright in the bed with her wings spread. She panted like an animal and the only pony who looked at her was Pinkie. Digressing of just why she looked almost right away, Rainbow started to inspect her body left and right to see if everything was still there.

        “It was, it was just, a, a nightmare,” the cyan pegasus mumbled to herself. She then chuckled in a stuttering manner to herself and dropped back in the bed. But it did confirm the theory of Pinkie. Rainbow had woken up ten minutes after Applejack which meant that over another ten, Twilight would be woken up from her nightmare. After that would hopefully everything be revealed to them all. They needed some answers, anything would have done the trick.