//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Rescue at Cloud City // Story: Equestria Wars Episode II: The Lunar Republic Strikes Back // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Twilight seemed to be lost in a fog, her soft expression troubled. Rainbow was busy busy operating the ship while Shining Armor stood behind, watching the readouts. "Charming Thunder," Twilight muttered under her breath. "We've got to go back," she demanded. "Whatever do you mean, Twilight?" Cadence asked. "I know where Charming Thunder is," Twilight explained. "But what about those fighters?" Shining Armor asked. "Rainbow, just do it." "You got it, Twilight," Rainbow replied. The freighter then made a graceful banking turn towards the city. The ship dove to the underside of the floating city. Twilight tried to remain calm until Cadence pointed out of the window. "Look, somepony's up there," Cadence said. "It's Charming Thunder," Twilight shouted. "Rainbow, slow down. Slow down and we'll get under him. Applejack, open the top hatch." Charming Thunder hung desperately by one leg, his body swaying in the wind below the city. The vane continued cracking, more pieces breaking off. As his vision began to fade, his leg slipped from the vane, and he began to tumble downwards. His fall quickly broken by the top of the YT-2400 freighter. Applejack, emerging from the top hatch, grabbed the battered colt's body and pulled him inside. Flak started to burst around the ship as Rainbow struggled with the controls. "Applejack?" "Okay. Lets go," Applejack's voice replied in the comlink. The ship raced away, followed by droid starfighters which continued firing at the freighter. They turned to see Charming Thunder, bloody and battered, enter the cockpit, supported by Applejack. Twilight jumped up and wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. "Oh, Twilight," Charming Thunder mumbled as he returned the hug. "Alright, Rainbow. Lets go," Applejack called as she sat in the co pilots chair. Twilight helped Charming Thunder from the cockpit to as another blast rocked the ship. He lays down on the on a cot, his injured leg wrapped in a protective cuff. Twilight gently wiped his face as the ship got hit by another blast. "I'll be back," Twilight whispered before giving Charming Thunder a kiss on the cheek and turned to Fluttershy and said, "Watch over him." "Okay," Fluttershy said as he walked up to where Charming Thunder laid and sat next to him. As Twilight made her way back to the cockpit, Shining Armor and Applejack were madly working the ship's controls. A huge blip had recently appeared on the radar screen, and Twilight recognized it right away. "Lucrehulk battleship," she murmured. "It looks like a blockade," Fancypants said as he pointed to the other ships. --------------------- King Sombra was at the window of the battleship's bridge watching as the escaping ship gets closer. A battle droid pilot approached him and said, "They'll be in range of our tractor beam in moments, your highness." "Good. Prepare the boarding party," King Sombra said. "And set your weapons for stun." "Yes, your highness." The droid went back to its controls of the battleship and readied the battleship to activate the tractor beam. --------------------- Twilight was pressing buttons as she plotted a course back to Ponyville. "The coordinates are set to Ponyville," Twilight said. "Even if we have to push through the blockade." "We can loose them if we go under them," Rainbow suggested. "Once we fly under the blockade, we won't have to bother flying over them and getting caught in their tractor beam." "Great idea, Rainbow," Cadence said. "Lets try it." As the freighter was about to fly under the blockade, Charming Thunder was resting until he heard a voice. "Charming Thunder," Sombra's voice said in his head. "Father!" he said when he opened his eyes. Fluttershy noticed him awake and asked, "Who?" "Son, come with me," the voice said again. "Luna, why didn't you tell me." "Tell you what?" The ship shook as he got up and walked to the cockpit. Fluttershy followed him as he walked. Back at the cockpit, Rainbow checked the sensors and said, "We're undetected. They're blind." Cadence and Shining Armor worked frantically as the freighter raced under the blockade. Charming Thunder limped his way into the cockpit, gazing out the window. "Its Sombra," he mumbled as he lifted his hoof to the glass. "Charming Thunder, it is your destiny," Sombra's voice echoed again. "Luna, why didn't you tell me," Charming Thunder asked himself. "Strap yourselves in," Rainbow said. "This is going to be bumpy." "Why?" Shining Armor asked. "Before we left Canterlot, I installed something that will give us a boost away from those fighters behind us. Lets just say that it is kind of like a sonic rainboom." She then pulled a lever and the ship got a boost of speed away from the fighters. They finally escaped King Sombra's forces and headed straight to Ponyville. Sombra stood at the window transfixed on cloud city as he sensed that the ship has escaped. The droids then glanced at him in terror as he slowly turned and trotted off of the bridge. --------------------- Charming Thunder's eyes slowly slid opened and noticed that he wasn't on the ship anymore. He was laying on a hospital bed. He turned to see a tall medical droid with modular arm attachments as he was checking his medical conditions. "Good morning," the medical droid said. "What happened?" Charming Thunder asked. "You've been sent here in a coma for two days. Your hoof is replaced with a cybernetic one." Charming Thunder then looked at his right hoof and saw his golden cybernetic hoof. "Thank you for helping me. I appreciate it." "It was my pleasure. Now if you excuse me. Nurse Redheart needs me with another patient. In the meantime, I'll send the visitors in." The droid opened the door and as it left the room Twilight and the rest of his friends entered the room. "Hey, Charming Thunder," Twilight said. "How are ya' feeling." "I'm fine thanks to you." He looked around and noticed something missing. "Where's Canderous?" "He sacrificed himself to let us escape cloud city." "He was an honorable colt," Rarity added. "And what of Fancypants and Fleur? Where are they now?" "They are staying at Canterlot 'til we find a way to take back the city," Rainbow said. "Twilight, can I talk to your friends alone for a second?" "Of course." Twilight trotted out of the room and closed the door. "Listen, girls. I have something to tell you. Fluttershy, do you remember the time back on the ship that I was talking to myself?" "Yes. I was confused at first," Fluttershy replied. "And now you are going to tell us. But why not Twilight?" "Because she wouldn't understand what I'm about to tell you. When the time comes, I will tell her. Tell Cadence and Shining Armor about it as well. Promise me that you won't tell nopony else." "Of course, sugarcube," Applejack said as she placed a hoof on his arm. "Cross my heart hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye," Pinkie said as she gestured the words. "Thank you." Charming Thunder took a deep breath and said, "King Sombra is...my father." The group then gasped at what he said. "Wait a second," Pinkie said as she grabbed a cup of water and took a sip. She then spat out the water and shouted, "SOMBRA IS YOUR FATHER!!!" "Really?" Rainbow asked. "Are you sure?" "Yes. He told me himself before you rescued me." "How's your hoof by the way?" Fluttershy asked. Charming Thunder then showed the group his new and approved arm as it shined to their faces. "The medical droid did what it could." "We better get going," Applejack said. "I need to start bucking those apples out of those trees." "I'll see you later once I'm out of the hospital, okay?" "Okie dokie loki," Pinkie Pie said as she bounced out of the room. Twilight then entered the room to talk to Charming Thunder as the group left. "I'm glad that you're all right," Twilight said as she placed a hoof on his cybernetic hoof. "I was afraid that you died." "Me too," he said. He then turned to the window and said to her, "Don't worry, Twilight. This time when I see King Sombra again, I will defeat him." TIE Interceptors flew over the hospital as they flew towards the fleet and headed straight for Canterlot. THE END