//------------------------------// // Chapter 11-Light in the Dark // Story: In Love and War // by Rainbow_Danger_Dash //------------------------------// Soarin idly dug through his saddlebags, looking over his ragtag mix of soldiers and noncombat ponies. They had been forced to retreat from Fort Hooffall three days ago, but still had no sign of friendly forces. Soarin's hoof struck a familiar wooden object, and he pulled out the framed picture of him and Rainbow Dash, taken after the Ponyville Wonderbolt's show. He cracked a slight smile, recalling the crazy antics of that night. Life had seemed so much simpler then. "Back then," Soarin scoffed to himself. "Back then was no more than a few months ago. I'm here talking like it was years. Sheesh." But he felt that he was right, in his own way. So much had happened in such little time, it felt like years. He gently slid the picture back inside his saddlebag. While the chances of him ever seeing Dash were slim to none, he was going to be damn well sure he had something to remember her by. As he withdrew his hoof, he felt cool metal, accompanied by a slight jingle. Curious, he dug deeper, finding a small side pocket on the inside flap. Soarin felt a small chain, and wrapped it around his hoof, before withdrawing it. A weathered pair of dog tags slid out as he withdrew his hoof. Bringing them close to his eyes, he could just make out the name inscribed: "Wingstream." Almost instantly old memories came back to him, memories before he really knew Dash, from his early days in the guard. -Saddle Arabia, five years ago- Soarin, just a squad leader in the Equestrian Guard, trotted briskly down the line. Recent attacks by covert cells of anti-Equestria Saddle Arabians had put everyone on edge. No one knew who had supplied them with weapons, but they were attacking with renewed vengeance. He paused in front of an underground dugout, marked only by a sign roughly inscribed with "Home Sweet Home" and a drawing of a skull and crossbones. He took off his helmet, ducking under the low entrance and entering the dimly lit room. Inside, a navy blue pegasus with black mane sat hunched over a desk, writing furiously. Two cots lay on opposite sides of the room, spears propped up beside them. Soarin sat down on his silently, waiting for the other pegasus to notice. "Hey Wingstream, whatchya writing?" Soarin said at last, making the navy pegasus jump slightly. Wingstream turned in his chair, an annoyed look plastered across his face. He flipped the pen up in his mouth, complementing his annoyed appearance. "A letter." "To whom? Is it any mare I know?" "None of your business." "Was it that one that was there when we shoved off? You know, the one with that lovely silver mane?" "You're a real pain in my ass, you know that Soar?" "Oh, so it is! D'awww! Big old Wingstream here's finally got himself a marefriend!" "Yeah, yeah. She's not interested in stuff like that. All we are good friends. Nothing more." "Pfft, like I'm going to believe that for a second. I betcha you're writing a mushy letter right now, aren't you?" "Fuck off. You can come read it if you-" Wingstream was cut off by a thunderous explosion, dirt shaking from the roof onto both the ponies. They grabbed their spears and darted into the open, preparing for any attackers. Soarin glanced around, and saw the commander's building reduced to a heap of broken timbers. Another blast erupted, this time from the supply shed. Soarin ducked as pieces of wood flew through the air, striking several ponies unable to get out of the way in time. Wingstream came up alongside him, several squads trailing behind him. "Soar, we're almost certain the perpetrators of those attacks ran off into the valley over there," Wingstream said as he pointed his hoof towards a gulch a short distance away. "I'm going to take these lot and clear them out. You help organize things here. We'll be back in a few." "Hey, be careful." "Yeah, always am," Wingstream said with a forced smile, before turning back to those following him. "Let's go!" With that, the group ran down the hill, going off to clear the valley. Soarin waited for several hours. The rubble had been cleaned, bodies identified and shipped off, and the wounded tended to. He was left to sit and wait for his closest friend I return from the scouting mission in the valley. He scuffed the dirt lightly, almost ready to try and catch up on his sleep, when he caught the faint trace of a green flash come from the valley. Soarin ran to the edge of the camp, peering out. He tried to catch a sign of movement, but nothing appeared. Suddenly, a crimson blast erupted from behind the rock walls of the gulch, accompanied by a thunderous boom. Several smaller flashes of light flickered on the rocky walls, a variety of colors vying for dominance. The lights faded away in minutes, red and green flashing repeatedly before ceasing. Soarin waited nervously for any sign of the patrol. Part of him wanted to run out and investigate. But he had his orders, and he wasn't going to abandon his post. He ran to find the new commander, anxious to discover the fate of his closest friend. -Next day- Black craters scorched the tan desert walls, marking the heaviest point of contact. Dried blood mixed with the sandy floor. Broken armor and weapons lay scattered about, partially buried by sand. But of the bodies, there was no sign. Despite obvious signs of intense combat, not a single member of the patrol was located. Soarin picked his way over a browned pool of blood, making sure to not step on anything. He searched for any sign of the patrol member, but found naught but the armor and weapons. As he reached the center of the killzone, a silver glint caught his eye. Soarin warily walked forward, worried that it could be a trap left by the attackers. He reached the source, and his heart broke. Lying in the sand, coated with blood, lay the dog tags of Wingstream. Soarin frowned as he recalled the loss of what had been his closest friend. It seemed like no matter what, he always was losing those close to him. For all he knew, Spitfire and Fleetfoot were gone as well. He slid the tags back into his bags, and pulled them back on. The rest of the group caught on to his unspoken signal, and packed up before moving on once again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wingstream frowned as he sat at his desk, a map of troop deployments before him. He tried to concentrate, but doubting thoughts continued to run through his mind. What had happened to his loyalty? Why did he feel this way, when he had been left to die? Solar Flare had saved his life. Then the Princess of the Night had found him in his dreams, showed him the past. "The past is dead," Wingstream muttered to himself, leaving his desk and stepping outside onto his balcony. "The life I had is gone. They left me. I have found a secure life here. Then why do I still feel so far away from everything? Where'd I go lost?" He grew more frustrated with each second, unable to shake the feeling that had started after his dream. He heard the door to his room swing open. Glancing inside, he caught an unarmored Solar Flare stepping inside, looking over his tactical maps and combat simulations. Even without his armor, Solar Flare was intimidating enough to make most want to shrink away. Wingstream appeared to have not been noticed, or he wasn't being paid attention to at least. "Wingstream," Solar Flare said with a softness that didn't match his size. He didn't look up from the maps as he spoke. "I know you're out there." Wingstream stepped into the doorway, his cover blown. "I sense you're troubled. What's bothering you?" "Milord-" "Drop the formalities. We are friends after all, are we not?" "Yes sir-I mean yes, we are. Consider it just an old habit." "Now, what seems to be the matter?" Wingstream paused for a moment. He couldn't reveal his true troubles to Solar Flare. He didn't know what would happen. His mind raced, and he grasped the story that would look the most credible. "I find our soldiers to be...incompetent. We have punched through the initial resistance, but our armies have only managed to take seven forts in their line of twenty. We should be in Canterlot by now. But our soldiers don't seem to be able to fight well enough." "The changelings are fodder. We have elite units, such as yours and the Iron Guard, but other than that they are expendable. We will grind the Equestrians into the dust with the weight of our dead if it need be." "I see. But what should we do about our position now?" "Concentrate on the bulge we have made, and expand it. Push for Canterlot. We take there, this war is over." "Yes milord." Wingstream turned away, and pretended to work on battle plans. He waited until he heard the door close behind him before relaxing. Solar Flare had bought the story, giving him the time he needed to sort out his scrambled mind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rainbow Dash collapsed onto the cold floor as the guard threw her back into her cell, steam still rising from her body. She lay curled into a ball, the new pain overwhelming her senses. Each interrogation was longer and more intense than the previous, and Dash had finally reached a point where she couldn't suppress her injuries. Slowly she looked up, hoping to see Surprise soaking her makeshift bandages. But there was no sign of the white pegasus. Dash slowly extended her legs, forcing down a cry as she stretched her locked-up muscles. After what seemed like an eternity, she managed to fully straighten out her legs. She shakily tried to stand up, but collapsed. Again she tried, this time using the bed for support. Slowly Dash pulled herself up, legs quivering. The door creaked as it was lightly swung open. Rainbow Dash turned around as quick as she could, biting down on her lip as she forced her throbbing muscles to work. In the doorway stood a navy blue pegasus, with a black mane blown back almost like Soarin's. Pale green eyes stared at her with a look of sorrow. "You're really her, aren't you?" He asked at last, his voice heavy. "What do you mean 'really her?'" Dash replied, trying to appear steadfast and fearless despite her weakness. "Yeah. You're Rainbow Dash. Thought I recognize the mane. It's been a long time." "Who the hell are you? How do you know me?" She grew more defensive with each passing minute. Somehow, the pegasus knew her, yet she could not recognize him. "You really don't remember. I guess I should have expected it. You haven't seen me since flight school." "Flight school? Who the-" The pegasus let out a heavy sigh, looking down slightly. He lifted his head back up, looking back into her eyes. "I'm Wingstream." Wingstream. The name seemed so familiar, almost at the edge of her mind. She continued to eye him warily, trying to place the name. All of a sudden her memory clicked. Basic flight school. A time of carefree flights and fierce competitions. She had never had a large group of friends, just a few pegasi she could chill with. Her eyes widened as she mentally flicked through the names of her few friends. Wingstream; one of the few ponies she could go to for anything. An pegasus us what seemed unwavering loyalty and care, willing to fight for anypony who couldn't defend themselves. And then there was the incident when... 'No Dash, don't go there. You don't want to.' She ceased her wondering thoughts and drew her attention back to the pegasus before her. "W-Wing? What are you doing here?!? How are you-" "I'm not...with the Equestrians anymore." Wingstream cut her off while he was ahead. "They betrayed me, so I left them." "So you're...with him?" "Yes, if by him, you mean Solar Fl-" "Get out." Rainbow Dash shot an icy glare at him, daggers of hate stabbing into his conscious. "I didn't think he had taken you. I just wanted to-" "Get. The. Fuck. Out." Dash spat through gritted teeth. If she had not been in such an injured condition, Rainbow Dash was sure she would have been pummeling him by now. "Let me explain Dashie. You don't-" "DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARD!" She paused for a moment, tension heavy in the air. "You don't get to call me 'Dashie'. I don't want anything to do with you. Now get your ass out of this damn cell before I kill you. And never come back. You don't deserve to talk to me." Wingstream stood in stunned silence, shocked from Rainbow Dash's outburst. Slowly, he backed out the door, pulling it shut behind him. "Damn," he said, before turning away from the locked door. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Soarin braced himself against the harsh desert wind, sand stinging as it sliced through the air. The rest of his group struggled against the storm. He tried to speak, but his voice was lost in the harsh winds. All that resulted was a mouth full of sand, which he tried in vain to spit out. He didn't know how long they could keep going like this. The wounded ponies had already started to fall behind, their weakened state combined with the harsh storm taking its toll. The wind only continued to pick up, lowering his visibility even more. At this rate, the storm would end up killing them all, fatigue wearing them down until they could no longer move. At last he spotted what seemed to be a small cave. Slowly and steadily he trudged through the sands, making sure to maintain sight of the others in his group. He stumbled inside, finally free from the stinging winds. Soarin wiped the sand away from his eyes and mouth, taking deep breaths, enjoying the dust-free air. The rest of his group trickled in slowly. Soarin took a head count once he was sure the last pony had entered, and was pleased to find that everyone was present. "Alright guys," he said, allowing everyone to catch their breath. "We'll wait for this storm to clear out, then we'll get moving again. Go ahead and rest. We're going to need the energy for later." By the time the sandstorm and blown over, night had already fallen. Soarin stood watch at the cave's mouth, looking over the moonlit desert. Finally able to have some solace, his thoughts turned back to Rainbow Dash. Part of him wished she had stayed back in Ponyville, where she would be safe in her own home. But her loyalty had drawn her out into this wasteland, and now she was gone. Spitfire had said that there was a chance she had lived, either returned home or captured. Soarin ruled out the former, and almost hoped the latter wasn't true. He had heard rumors of what happened to those captured by changelings. A slow, agonizing imprisonment as they siphoned any love you had, until you are a shell of the pony you once were. Soarin shivered, the thought of Dash being empty of love haunting him. He suppressed the idea, not wanting to think of her fate. A small flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned, and saw several figures rapidly moving towards the cave entrance. Soarin silently ran back inside and woke up his group, preparing for another fight. Looking back outside, he saw more figures storming across the sands, moonlight reflecting off of their armor. "To the entrance, quickly, quickly!" Soarin whispered. "Armored ponies in front! Stay in the shadows until they are within striking range!" Ponies darted to and fro, grabbing their weapons and putting their armor back on. As the last few scrambled into their hiding spots, Soarin caught a glimpse of the enemy. A large, armored covered pony stood atop a sand dune, flanked by what he assumed to be changelings. Green light flashed from his eyes, and the tide surged forward. The first few changelings made it through the entrance, unaware of the ponies hiding in the shadows. As more began to pour in, Soarin stepped out, gutting the nearest one with his sword. As one, the rest of his band kept from the dark, catching a large portion of those inside off guard. The flanks withered against the onslaught, spears and swords punching through armor and chitin. The ponies at the forefront of the assault formed a rudimentary line, stopping any reinforcements from reaching those trapped in the cave. Soarin sent more ponies to the entrance to help hold the line, then pressed into the remainder of those trapped inside, hacking through the stunned attackers. Several changelings threw down their weapons and cowered in the corners of the cave, only to be forced to used them once again as they were caught up in the frenzy. As the last of those inside were either slain or rendered unconscious, Soarin turned back to the fight at the mouth. The rest of the group had gone to aid the fight, but multiple ponies laid strewn about, while others retreated with grievous wounds. The initial counterattack had gone well, with minimal casualties for his forces. But now the changelings had regrouped and began to press on Soarin's group. The battle raged on, small victories and heroic sacrifices combined with the thin confines of the cave being the only reason Soarin's forces had not been overwhelmed. Here, a guardpony dragged down by sheer weight of numbers and butchered, but allowed several others to retreat to the line. There, the civilians staved off a breach in the line with whatever weapons they could scrounge from the dead. A charge led by several guards and civilians pushed the changelings back long enough for Soarin to consolidate his forces back again into a line. As the last of the sacrificial charge fell, the changelings faced a spear wall, backed up by others wielding swords. They hesitated, unwilling to impale themselves on the line of spears before them. There was an awkward silence, two opposing forces staring down each other, each unwilling to make the first move. At last the changeling lines parted ways, allowing the armored figure Soarin had first seen atop the dune to the front. Its faceplate slid off, revealing a lime green pony, golden eyes full of hate. "Soarin of the Wonderbolts," he said, voice equally hateful. "My lord told me you would be here. What an honor, to be able to kill the one that has been a thorn in his side." Soarin flew up slightly, so that the armored pony could see him above the spears. "Who are you, and what do I have to do with him?" "You don't know? No matter. I still get to kill you. As for my name, you need not know. It's not going to matter to a corpse, now will it?" "How about this? I come with you, and you allow these ponies to return home safely. I ask no more than that." "Oh, I assume you would like to speak to my lord in person? Oh yes, that would be wonderful." He barked out an intelligible order, and the changelings all lowered their weapons. "Now, I suggest you come with me." Soarin looked over his group, returning sorrowful glances and respectful nods. He flew over his line, and landed in front of the armored pony. Two changelings tied rope around his wings, while another out one around his neck. As he was led off, he heard another shout and turned to see a wave of changelings crash against the spear wall. Soarin tugged against the rope, and was thrown down by the changelings and dragged away. As his captors reached the mouth of the cave, a piercing shriek cut through the air. All those around him put their hooves to their ears and cried out in pain. As dark as the night itself, shadowy pegasi flew across the horde, slashing at the stunned foes below them. A great trumpet blast along with the sound of grinding rock came from the cave, and with a great shout golden-armored guardponies poured from a hidden tunnel, reinforcing the hard pressed survivors. Meanwhile, more of the dark pegasi swept down from the night sky, forming a ring around Soarin while his bonds were cut. He looked up into the bright amber eyes of a bat-winged pony. "You're Soarin, right? Luna told us we could find you here." The Lunar Guardpony asked as she picked up Soarin, seemingly oblivious to the fighting around the two of them. "How the hell does everypony know where I am?" Soarin said, exasperated. "You're guess is as good as mine," she said, laughing slightly. "We brought the Equestrians with us. You're going to be fine." Soarin looked past the ring of Lunar Guardponies, and saw the changeling forces already beginning to rout. More of the bat-pegasi swept through their ranks, taking several swipes with their swords before returning to the safety of the air. Meanwhile, a tide of gold armor pushed past the exhausted remnants of the fort and into the retreating army. More importantly, Soarin saw the armored pony fall, drug down by sheer weight of numbers. The fighting was over within minutes. With the tide turned by the death of their general, the changeling force broke and scattered across the desert. Soarin headed back to the cave, the batpony accompanying him. As he reached the entrance, his mouth dropped. "Soarin!" Spitfire exclaimed, wrapping her hooves around him. "Hey Fleet, I found him!" She pulled back just in time for Fleetfoot to catch him in another embrace. "Spitfire...Fleetfoot...what? How-? I don't-" "Of course, we show up and save his ass, and he goes on and does this," Fleetfoot said with mock anger, easily betrayed by the large smile crossing her face. "Thanks a lot buddy." "You're stammering like a foal, Soar. Geez, can't you be happy we made it out and wait for an explanation later?" Spitfire said, grinning widely. "Yes ma'am. I just-I mean I-" "Shut up," both mares said in unison. "Okay. It's nice to see you guys. You don't know what we've been through." "You're safe now. We got a tunnel here that leads straight to the wall. You're lucky that you picked this cave to hole up in." "More than lucky, Fleet. What's the chance of them hiding in the cave that just happens to be the secret tunnel out?" "The wall?" "Yeah, it's-" "Uh, if I may, ma'am," the Lunar Guard interjected, cutting off Fleetfoot's explanation. "I would like to give my report now, so I can head back. It's almost sunrise." "Go ahead, Lieutenant Nightfall." "Primary objective, Lieutenant Soarin, secured without extensive casualties sustained. Secondary objective Alpha eliminated by Equestrian Guard. Secondary objective Bravo was not present in the fight-I can safely assume he has not yet broken, despite Luna's pressure. End report." "Very well Lieutenant. Carry on." Spitfire gave a nod, and Nightfall flew off. She turned back to Soarin, still smiling. "Come on Soar, let's get you home. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wingstream tinkered with the golden hoofguard on his desk. The white pegasus with the gold mane had worn it in battle, an flip-out clip allowing for the use of swords. Now, all he had to do was disassemble it, find out how everything went together, and copy it for use in the Changeling armies. He could feel that he was on the verge of discovering the final pieces to the ornate puzzle before him. With a click, the clip came out, resulting in an ecstatic laugh from Wingstream. "I've done it! Finally! Now, just gotta finish this drawing here-" he murmured to himself. He was so absorbed in his work that he hardly noticed the door open behind him. It was not until a red aura surrounded the hoofguard that Wingstream realized who was behind him. "Milord, I-I'm sorry, I just was busy, and didn't notice, and-" Wingstream's rushed stammering was cut off by a simple gesture from Solar Flare. "You need not fear me, Wingstream. How could I harm my closest friend? No, I just was stopping in to check on your progress." "I've almost solved it! All I gotta do is make sure I can put it back together right, then we can begin production!" Wingstream reported energetically. His work had provided an ample distraction from the havoc of his mind, providing him with renewed vigor. "Very well." Solar Flare motioned to leave, but turned as he reached the door. "Wingstream, is everything alright? You've seemed a bit off lately." "What? No sir, I'm perfectly alright. Just a bit tired is all. I've gotten a bit rusty from all these peacetime years is all." "Hmm. If that is what you say. Carry on." Wingstream waited before he was out of sight before slumping down against his wall. His inner struggles were beginning to show. He worried that it was only a matter of time before Solar Flare would catch on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rainbow Dash shakily paced across her cell, trying to loosen her tight muscles. As she walked, questions filled her mind. Why was Wingstream with Solar Flare? How had he found her? More importantly, why show an interest in her- somepony he hadn't seen since foalhood. Her mind became ever more clouded, only increasing her anxiety. Suddenly, all of her questions faded away, replaced by a feeling of serenity and calm. She turned to none other than the Princess of the Night. "Princess Luna," she said, bowing. It took her a few seconds to recognize the oddity of her situation. "What are you doing in here? Am I-?" "Yes, you are in a dream. We must not waste time. My window is small, and we must hurry, lest he detects us. Now come." Dash followed Luna out of the prison cell, flying into the night sky. "I sense you are conflicted with your discovery of Wingstream among the ranks of Solar Flare. I have come to show you the truth." "What truth? He is a traitor! He betrayed his country, his friends, and even me! What truth is there besides that?" "Everypony who turns against their friends has a reason. Behold, the past." A desert canyon lay under them, pockmarked with craters and strewn with bodies and wargear. Masked ponies trotted among the fallen, prodding the bodies. Among the mass stood the stout armored frame of Solar Flare. As he surveyed the view before him, two of the masked ponies dragged an Equestrian Guard pegasus to his hooves. Looking the unconscious guardpony over, Solar Flare's horn flashed, touching the pegasus' forehead. The pony's eyes flickered red for a split second, before he fell onto the sand. With a wave of his hoof, Solar Flare motioned for his lessers to grab the guardpony, taking him inside a hidden cave. "I don't get it, Princess Luna. All he did was zap that guard that looked like..." Dash trailed off as she came to the realization of what happened. "A memory spell, cast by a powerful unicorn, can alter the memories of others. What you saw there was Solar Flare changing the memory of your old friend Wingstream. I was there in his unconscious dreams, but was held back by a power that rivals my own. But this is not all. Changelings feed on love; it's how they gain power. In doing so, they drain most of the ability to love from their victim. Wingstream was drained after his capture; only his deepest emotions remained, and these were hidden by the hate planted by Solar Flare. For years now, I was unable to find him again, but with the war I have returned to him. Wingstream is not an evil pony. He has good in him, but he must find it. Do not hate him for the pain others have forced on him." "So what should I do? I'm stuck in a cell, useless!" "Reach out to him by any means possible. Bring him back to the light." Luna faded from Rainbow Dash's dream, which was cut abruptly short by the slamming of her door. Dash jumped up with a start, Solar Flare standing before her. "Luna found a way to you after all my precautions. Interesting. Now, Rainbow Dash, I'd suggest you tell me everything." He leaned in close, blue eyes glaring into her magenta eyes. "What did the false Princess say?" Rainbow Dash steeled herself for the oncoming storm she was about to be subject to. "She said-"Dash muttered, almost at a whisper. "She said fuck you." Solar Flare drew back, initial shock replaced by anger. He expected no less, but part of him had hoped that the constant grinding on her resolve was working. He smacked her with an iron-shod hoof before turning to his guards. "Bring her to the chamber. We'll get what we need one way or another." Dash was helpless as the guards grabbed her forelegs and half-dragged her out of the room. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "So what did you mean back there by 'the wall'?" Soarin asked as he followed Spitfire and Fleetfoot down the tunnel. They had fell behind the rest of the guardponies so that they could talk. "We're almost there Soar. You'll see for yourself." "Since Fleetfoot wants to try and keep you lost, I'll fill you in. Basically, while we were holding the fort, a massive wall was being constructed at the edge of the desert. We have them the useless sands in order to consolidate and defend our resources." "Wait, so we were nothing but fodder? They left us to die so they could build a wall?" "I told you we should have waited!" Fleetfoot exclaimed. "When he sees it, he'll understand." "Exit is just around the corner. He'll see." Soarin stepped out of the exit into the blinding light. He shaded his eyes with a hoof while they adjusted from the dark tunnel. As his vision cleared, he saw it. A massive palisade, stretching as far as he could see cut off the desert. To the back was a river that marked the land where fertile soil began. Hundreds of barracks and shelters dotted the land, filled with thousands of guardponies. "What the hell?" Soarin was dumbstruck by the sheer size of the fortification. He had never seen such a large concentration of guards. "Never thought we had so many, did ya Soar?" Fleetfoot asked as she bumped him lightly. "Amazing how many will join to defend their homes." "Our barracks is down that way," Spitfire said with a nod. "Head for a medic, then meet us there. It's impossible to miss; look for the large Wonderbolt symbol. It was late morning by the time Soarin had his variety of wounds patched up. He wandered around the base, taking in what he was seeing. After several minutes of aimless walking, he decided to head to the Wonderbolts barracks. As he finally caught sight of the familiar emblem of the Wonderbolts, another sight caught his eye. "Twilight!" He shouted, catching the lavender alicorn's attention. He ran over as fast as his exhausted legs could carry him. "Princess Twilight! What are you doing here?" Twilight frowned, looking at the ground. "I heard what happened to Rainbow Dash," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I decided to come and aid in any way possible. I know what happened was not your fault, so don't think I'm upset at you. I just don't want to lose a friend." "Has anything worked? Is there any sign of her out there?" Soarin felt both his hopes and fears rise. Part of him wanted to know, yet the other feared that she was dead. "No," Twilight said, biting back a tear. "There's nothing." "We'll find her Twilight. She's out there somewhere." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Blue light flashed from under the heavy iron door, flickering in tune to the muffled electrical pops and hums that came from behind the door. As Wingstream crept closer, the smell of singed fur and sweat began to grow stronger. At last he reached the door, careful to not make a sound on the stone floor of the castle. Ever so gently, he peeked through a small crack between the door and the wall, listening closely as the lever flipped off. Solar Flare stood before the suspended Rainbow Dash, wearing all his armor but his helmet. His scarred snout was broken by an arrogant smirk, while his navy blue eyes gleaned with malice. Beside him stood his changeling guard, an almost psychotic smile plastered on his face. Dash's head hung low, while steam hissed from her fur. She appeared as the striking image of defeat, her resolute nature brought low by constant grinding on her physical and mental state. "Rainbow Dash," Solar Flare said, lifting up her chin with his hoof. Blood trickled from her mouth as he brought her head up, trailing down his armored hoof. "Rainbow Dash. Why do you still hold on? Do you not wish safety for your friends? For your beloved Soarin? All you have to do is tell me one simple thing, and all this will be over. It's not hard." He spoke with a unusual softness, his expression matching his voice. Rainbow pulled her head away, her eyes glancing away, looking at anything but Solar Flare. She looked over the door, and locked eyes with Wingstream. He didn't feel the sharp knives of hate in her magenta eyes, nor the fire of anger . Instead, he saw pity, directed straight towards him. Wingstream wanted to break contact, but his hooves wouldn't move, as if something had him locked in place. He looked further, and could feel the strength and love that Rainbow Dash still held for the friends she had been taken from. She turned away, bracing for the inevitable. Wingstream could only watch with a jumbled mind as blue lightning coursed across her. Every other time had been the same. She had been unable to make the slightest noise, all her muscles locked by the electricity coursing through her. But as Wingstream finally turned away from the crack, he heard it. A pained, broken scream rang from behind the door, stopping him in his tracks. He paused, emotions he had thought buried rising up once again. As Rainbow Dash's cry faded, he sprinted down the halls, longing for the security of his room. He rushed inside, slamming the door closed behind him. Wingstream slumped against the door, trying with all his might to stop the chaos inside his mind. He didn't even notice the tears running down his face.