The moon hung like a ghostly lamp, static against the backwash of endless stars that spoke to one another, twinkling bright in grand conversation across unmeasurable miles of black void, often one would burst from the emerald spray of the galaxy, streaking across the night sky with a silver trail, burning a path like a holy messenger on a quest elsewhere, glancing momentarily to smile on the turning planet, to smile at her. The stars spoke but what did they speak of, what did these tiny illuminations whisper in the night, they told her of hope and of freedom, telling her tales of boundless exploration as she stared deep into the astral glitter with eyes, awestruck by the beauty of creation, they told her this every single night she turned her eyes upward, beckoning her to look upon their beauty as they did with all lesser creatures and when she did look upon them, they always whispered back the same beautiful promises with a smile.
Rainbow Dash smiled back, wondering if anything out there could see it, be warmed by it as she trod this globe, an insignificant speck upon another, perhaps Luna had been right so many hundred of years ago, perhaps the ponies were foolish to sleep through such beautiful nights. Chuckling away her own poetic thoughts lest they intrude on the bastion of cool that was her personality, Rainbow turned her attention back to the cobbled path she slowly clip clopped her way up surrounded by they chirps and calls of insects and the arcane beasts that called the forest home surrounded her in brilliant, natural symphony. She smirked at he gnarled and throned trees of the Everfree, the forest had lost it mask of threat on that magical night, all those bygone years ago.
Bitter-sweet was the flavour of the memory and even now she could recalled it well, a party had, a bond of friendship forged, the world saved and yet another party had, all in one wonderful night , she smiled in sad remembrance but did nothing to push the biting images from her mind, Dash knew loyalty and it knew her and that is how she would remain, loyal to their memory. It passed into the back of her mind as easily as the moon passed behind the approaching clouds, hovering through the air like floating sentinels, dark and full of anger, she could feel the static in the air, the rising heat and the anticipation of rain, a storm was on its way, she grinned, a storm could only aid in helping them.
Veering off the path to the right, she shook and shimmied her way through thick foliage and branches into the darkness of the woods, pulling up her black leather hood to hide her prismatic mane, but realised the futility as she had no way of hiding her tail, she was clad from neck to hoof in segmented black leather, impressive articulated leg armour, boasting steel plating at the joints was enough to keep her safe and fast at the same time, as well as the dozens of the separate hardened leather rectangles around her chest and body, strengthened further with steel studs for that small defencive edge in battle, her flank was coated with thick segmented sheets of leather, joined together in a skirt like shape that ended just at the top of her hind legs, Rainbow Dash wasn't one for an all black get up she was a mare of colour and vibrancy, hell the word rainbow made up half of her name, but when you worked in Lunas service, there wasn't a great deal of variation in colour to be seen.
Rainbow pushed her way into a small clearing, her ears twitched as she heard the unmistakable sounds of approaching hooves clad in metal trailing her, she quickly vanished ducking behind one of the nearby trees out of sight from her stalker, waiting with baited breath as she listened intently to the approaching hooves, unbeknownst to the unfortunate pony their gait gave them away, nothing but a slow and relaxed stroll in the forest on a calm night, this would be easy too easy. A knowing grin played across her face as her eyes narrowed, her muscles tensed as she got ready to pounce on her unknowing victim, as there hoof falls sounded mere inches away she sprung her deadly trap, leaping out at the stalker with a screech.
“Boo!” Dash yelled at the top of her lungs flailing her hooves about erratically, her face mere centimetres apart from that of a distraught bat pony, his amber eyes wide with terror as he fell back screaming, covering his face to protect himself from this mad pony he'd encountered in the woods, Rainbow swore his silver tail had gone rigid in fear, his greyish purple fur turned pale with fear, Rainbows prank fell apart instantly at his reaction, her lips trembled as she struggled to hold back the laughter rising in her stomach a battle she quickly lost as she exploded into a mess of laughter, gripping her stomach with her hooves and rolling about on the floor.
The pony in question took slow deliberate breaths as he calmed down, his embarrassment outweighing his terror, huffing in annoyance as he got two his hooves, shooting rainbow an angry glare as she thrashed about on the ground laughter, at his full stand he was a large pony, broad and tall, considerably more so than dash, no doubt sporting a toned muscular body beneath his armour that was not unlike Rainbows but more adorned with far more plate, the most unique feature was his helmet, angled and polished to perfection with three wicked spikes protruding out across the brow, his face was sharp and pointed with elegance.
“That's not funny Rainbow Dash!” He yelled back at her, his voice instantly shattering his stern features and intimidating size, it was high and flowed softly with a slightly effeminate tone, even as he yelled.
“It...hehe...looked pretty...heh..hehe..funny to me!” Dash choke out in response her voice broke up by sharp breathless laughs, batting away the forming tears with her hoof, there was a rustle in the leaves above them that silenced Rainbows laughter, she smirked and got to her feet.
“C'mon Gildy, no need to be such a sour pony, it was just a prank” Rainbow said cooly, waving a dismissive hoof at him.
“That's Gilded Glider to you!” He replied with a pout, turning his nose up at her “Besides! Where on mission! Now's no time for pranks! You could get us spotted or worse!” Glider replied with a stomp, gurning at her, oblivious to the slender form that dropped out of the trees behind him, hanging upside down like a sleeping bat, Rainbow sniggered, struggling to hold in a second wave of frothing giggles.
“Oh come on Guildy” Rainbow drew out the last word, purposefully surrounding out the syllables to get under his skin “Lighten up Dude, you're such a kill joy” Dash leaned casually against the tree, staring Gilded down with half lidded eyes.
“Fine!” He snorted “If I'm such a killjoy I'll just trot my way back on to the castle!” Glider scoffed, believing he had gained the upper hand, Rainbow trembled with suppressed laughter as he turned around, obliviously becoming face to face with another horrific prank.
“BOO!” Shouted the new bat pony, hanging upside down from her hiding place staring into Gilded Glider with fierce, blood red eyes her mouth wide open baring her fangs as though she was about to pounce on her prey, hungry for a meal. A chorus of shrill shrieks fled his body as quickly as he fled this new attacker, he hurtled toward the dirt impacting with a loud thud as the two girls around him burst into an uproar of raucous laughter once more. Rainbow gripped her chest as her sides became riddled with stitches from the sheer force of the laughter, she fell to the floor tears forming in her eyes, the albino bat pony across from her swayed back and forth gripping at her chest as she hung upside down, she dropped from the tree flipping in the air and landing gracefully on her hooves, a movement she performed with as much ease as putting one hoof in front of the other, even while in a painful fit of laughter.
“I hate you two” Mumbled Glider, his dull fur turned vibrant as a deep crimson rush burnt across his face, huffing and crossing his hooves.
“That was perfect Fangs, oh man Gildy, how'd you ever manage to make rank” Rainbow bopped him on the back of the helmet straining the words out through laughter.
Gilded Glider stared daggers at the giggling bat pony standing over him, she was short, even shorter than Rainbow, with a slender and lithe frame and a short mane that fell just over her eyes in a spiky mess but had no tail to speak of, her mane and fur where pure white, broken here and there by grey scars that covered her face and her eyes were a piercing blood red, the most prominent feature were her fearsome canines however far more sharp and pointed than Gilded Gliders, almost like she'd sharpened them herself, every feature of her body screamed danger. Her armour was quite unlike the other two ponies, it was less armour and more of a rugged, black leather body suit held together by thick thonging that ran down her belly, her joints where the only place that had any real armour and that was just simply, hardened leather pads, her armour sported one feature that supported her dangerous demeanour, hardened leather hoof guards that worked around the back of her legs, each one had a small metal blade protruding out the back like a murderous steel thorn, tainted red with years of use.
“You're really flank hole White Night, you know that right?” Gilded said sternly, staring into her eyes as he got to his hooves, towering over the much smaller pony and trying his best to look imposing and threatening, snorting into her face.
White Night stopped her giggles, her tongue rubbed quick circles against her canines, purposefully pressing into the sharp points, she raised a hoof placing the blade on his breast plate with a clink and pulling down with a sharp metallic creak, she stared up at him obviously unaffected at his attempt to seem menacing.
“How about you put me in my place then tough guy? Huh?” White Night said calmly her voice high and raspy, tapping the blade on his armour, the repeated annoying clinks seemed to shake him slightly, breaking his act as he spoke out, the words getting caught in his mouth.
“Oh...I-I'm gonna” He replied shakily, trying hard not to falter under White Nights unblinking daze.
“Well, do it then” The tapping got faster and louder a she spoke a deadly smirk tugged at her mouth.
“Here it comes! You're gonna be sorry!” He tried to yell, pushing himself up on his hind legs in an attempt to looking bigger, rearing over her. Rainbow watched the petty squabble unfold, her laughter had long since died a bored and deadpan look plastered on her face, she rolled her eyes and rested her face in a hoof grumbling.
“Great! Can't wait!” White Night hissed back, flapping her wings to meet Gilded Glider at eye level, moving to tap the blade on his helmet instead. Gilded squirmed on the spot, his eyes darting from place to place trying to avoid White Nights stare, he opened his mouth slowly trying in vain to think of a biting comeback that would win him the game but could only wrap his lips around one pathetic phrase.
“M-me neither” He whispered pathetically, conceding in his defeat, White Night let out a goofy laugh, giving Gilded Gilder a pat on the head that seemed almost loving, falling to her hooves without so much as a breath of noise.
“You'll win one day buddy, chin up” She snickered, bumping him on the shoulder as he stared at the floor looking far more dejected than he probably was.
“Alright you two cut the crap, missions on fillys” Rainbow exclaimed sternly, taking an authoritative step towards the over towards the bat pony.
“That's what I already said” Mumbled Gilded gilder, slouching as he stood to attention, White Night gave Rainbow a mock salute grinning.
“Aye-Aye cap, what's the game plan?”
“Scouting mission, we need to get some high ground and do a full survey of the Red Alliances activity at Ghastly gorge. Any questions Lieutenant?” Trotting back and forth before them Rainbow made a show of giving white night a pointed glare with a grin that betrayed her stern tone.
“Just one captain!” White Knight yelled, adopting firm posture “Why are we bringing along this dweeb on a stealth mission captain!” White Knight threw the irritated pony by her side a glance.
“I outrank you!” He yelled back with a snort.
“Yeah but I'm better” White Night replied, regarding her hooves with disinterest.
“And I outrank you both so shut up!” Rainbow interjected, sensing the verge on another fight between the two.
“Yeah about that” Glider raised a questioning hoof “How did you even become captain anyway? Because I've been in the Night guard way longer than you” He bumped a hoof against Rainbows chest that she quickly batted away, frowning at him.
“You ask this every time, element of harmony, saved the world multiple times, faced down manticores, dragons, chaos gods, personal friends with the princess, come on dude you know the sitch, that and I'm captain because you're such a dork” White Night snickered quietly by his side, raising a hoof that dash returned with a bump, Gilded responded with a sigh rolling his eyes.
“Right, now that's over, let's roll fillies, follow me, survey point ain't far from here” Rainbow yelled at the two Bat ponies, taking off in a quick trot towards the thick of the forest.
“Heh, don't worry cap, I'll follow, watch your flank for ya” White Light said with a sultry tone, staring half lidded at Rainbow who shook her head with a smirk.
“Luna help me...” Glider muttered quietly, quickly catching up with the two in a brisk trot once he realised he was being left behind.
Rainbow trampled her way through the thick undergrowth, trying to waste as little time as possible getting caught up in the bushels and branches, every now and then she could hear Glider behind her, muttering curse words under his breath as he had to yank his armour free from the entangling vines, White Night on the over hand seemed to have no difficulty finding where to place her hooves, moving slightly and quickly through the undergrowth, scaling trees and leaping silently when she found a particularly dense patch she couldn't find a direct route across, it amazed Rainbow how silently the slight pony could move and she found herself having to focus to even hear her steps.
The black forest was illuminated a striking blue for a split second as lightning lashed across the sky, the low rumble of thunder followed not more than a moment later, Rainbows surroundings became suddenly loud, and damp, dripping wet as the furious clouds above assaulted the world below with all they could muster, booming thunder and devilish forks of lightning alongside a heavy burst of torrential rain that drowned away any noise she could have heard previous, pulling her hood to protect herself from the relentless downpour, Rainbow couldn't help but smile at the ease of the mission at hand, the storm would give them the perfect cover and the Red Alliance would have no idea what was coming for them.
Pushing through a final wall of bushes, Rainbow stepped out on a cliff that looked over the gorge, White Night was already waiting, perched at the edge, intently surveying the target location through damp strands of her mane, Glider forced his way through the bushes in a not so graceful movement, both of them joined White night at the edge. Rainbow stared down into the darkness for a moment, unable to make out the canopy of leaves below, it'd be a mean drop without wings, Ghastly gorge was lit up like a molten scar across the earth and Rainbow couldn't see any of the lands beyond the gorge, or even much surrounding it due to the sheer volume of rain falling around them.
“All right Fillies” Rainbow said with a grin, turning to her comrades “Let's get to work” With that rainbow spread her wings and dove from the cliff, cutting a trail through the rain as she made her slow glide towards the hostile gorge, the other two quickly falling in behind her as they tore a winged path towards the enemy.