//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Flicker of Hope // Story: Ace Combat: The Equestrian War // by PolishValsion //------------------------------// Reinforced by the presence of the aces, The pegasi return to reclaim the city in the clouds. But in this war, not everything is as it seems. A sinister plan is enacted by the enemy... Chapter 14 "Flicker of Hope” May 5th, 2019 2007 hrs Stalliongrad HQ Gale has rounded up all pegasi who took part in the great battle above the city. After initially praising everypony though, he dismissed the members of the supporting squadrons to their quarters, saying they had earned a well-deserved rest. They welcomed those words with great enthusiasm. Once they left, only the members of Mirage squadron, the Wonderbolts and the three foreign aces remained in the briefing room. Now the two stallions who helped Lightning Bolt and Cloud Kicker were about to introduce themselves, although the green pegasus seemed to be more outgoing than his gray friend.         “The name’s Shamrock,” he spoke with a spright voice. “And the one next to me is Talisman. We come from Emareia and are otherwise known as the Garuda team, due to our insignia.” Shamrock showed the symbol of the blue eagle on his vest. Talisman bared it, too. Cloud Kicker kept on staring at them with joyful expression.         “Emareia...” Lightning Bolt thought for a moment, as that name sounded familiar to her. “Are you talking about that country to the far northwest of Equestria?”         “The very same,” Shamrock confirmed. “We had our own war a couple of years back, so we know how to handle stuff like this. We got the permission from our top brass to come and assist you.” However, when Firefly asked for details about the war, neither of the stallions was too willing to talk about it. Talisman decided to reveal just a little bit about it.         “To put it shortly: we were attacked by the enemy nation, and Emareia was virtually conquered. But we never gave up and carried on the fight. Eventually, we had managed to overpower the enemy, thanks to the help that our allies provided and we reclaimed the capital. We thought everything would end at this point, but...” He didn’t said another word. Shamrock didn’t wanted to speak about it, either. Memories of those days still lived in their minds... Spitfire remarked:         “Seems like we have a couple of things in common... and we’re in the same situation.”         “Except for the fact our capital is still intact,” Firefly commented. This statement was left without much notice, as everypony was now focused on the third ace, Mobius. He was just standing in the corner of the room, silent. Rainbow got closer to him.         “And what about you? Are you gonna tell us something about yourself?” The blue stallion didn’t seemed to have heard her at first. He haven’t said a single word and only looked at Rainbow Dash, as if he was examining her carefully. She felt a little insecure.         “So now you’re gonna pretend you’re mute again? We've heard you talking a while ago...”         “That wasn’t Mobius.” Another voice spoke, sounding exactly as the one Firefly and Rainbow heard after the battle. An unknown white pegasus with a short azure mane and bright, green eyes walked into the room. Gale greeted him as he approached the silver-maned ace.         “Were they bothering you much?” the white stallion asked. Mobius shook his head and smiled slightly. The other one took it as a positive sign.         “I see.” He then turned to the other pegasi.         “I’m sorry about the confusion from earlier, it was my voice. I was just expressing my relief after Mobius stopped that griffon. I've used a broadband frequency instead of a personal one, so you got to hear me, too.”         “Who... are you?” Derpy wondered. While the little incident was made clear, this stranger appeared visibly out of nowhere, only bringing up more questions. Yet he was more than glad to answer them.         “My name is Sky Eye. I’m Mobius’ radar, in a sense.” When Gale suggested that he should tell the Mirage fliers the reasons they are here, Sky Eye explained everything. As the Wonderbolt mentioned before, Mobius was regarded as the greatest flier in the history of ponykind, even though he was born in a country outside of Equestria. In the past few years, he, with the assistance of Sky Eye, managed to turn the tide of a war and brought the attacked nation back from the brink of annihilation. Said war took place on the east, not too far from Equestria. Thanks to Mobius’ heroic actions, the enemy nation was defeated, and he became a living legend. He continued his service in the military for the next year, during which the stallion single hoofedly managed to eliminate any rebels that would try to break the peaceful period. Sky Eye was there with him, monitoring his progress and informing him of possible enemy threats. They became sort of “combat buddies,” as the blue-maned pegasus called it, even though he never fought personally. The entire allied command was impressed by their feats. Aftermath, both of them seemingly retired, but returned to action when he heard that Equestria was attacked. Mobius was watching the Mirage squadron this whole time, with Sky Eye keeping everything under order. They were observing the struggles, and the blue stallion only came to help them when it was absolutely necessary. Now, the legendary flier decided to come out of the shadows... When Cloud Kicker asked why Mobius never talks, Sky Eye said:         “Instead of words, Mobius prefers to let his actions speak for himself. And as you can tell, he’s capable of amazing feats, much like you, Mirage flight.” The ponies were grateful for those words and Lightning Bolt used this moment to talk with Shamrock and Talisman again:         “Look guys... I’m sorry for the misunderstanding back then... It’s just that... you just appeared out of the blue and...”         “Hey, it’s OK. No hard feelings,” Shamrock assured her. Gale seemed to be slightly excited. While he was an experienced flier himself, the presence of the three famous aces was certainly rousing for the pegasi of Equestria. He announced that tomorrow morning, they will carry out an important operation, in which they will assist the Wonderbolts along with Mirage and other squadrons. At the moment, the red pegasus suggested that the ponies should go to their quarters to get some sleep and regain strength for upcoming battles. This proposition was met with positive acclaim. ========== May 6th, 2019 1000 hrs Canterlot, Royal Castle On the next morning, every combat-ready pegasus was ordered to relocate to Canterlot, where Gale was going to brief details about another important operation. While he didn’t reveal anything at first, he mentioned it may become “the greatest aerial battle in Equestria’s history.” All of Rainbow’s friends already returned back to their respective units and they were going to be sent to battles in different regions or, in case of Pinkie Pie and Rarity, help in securing Ponyville. It seemed the time for general counter-offensive has finally come. Not sooner that the pegasi from the Mirage squadron made it to the capital and landed on the ground, they were greeted by somepony calling out “GIRLS!” with a happy squeal. They noticed a familiar green pegasus with light, blue eyes, dashing toward them...         “Medley!” Fluttershy exclaimed. It was indeed her. All ponies welcomed their companion’s return warmly, especially Rainbow. Cloud Kicker was amazed at Medley’s quick recovery.         “Are your wings alright? Incredible! I thought you were gonna recover by the end of May...”         “Zecora’s medicine can work wonders,” Medley replied, but suddenly turned a little shy. “Besides... I wanted to fly alongside you again, girls. I guess my desire helped me recover, too.”         “If so, then you’ve got great spirit, Kid,” Firefly said with a praise.         “But remember, because you’ve recovered just recently, I can’t take the risk of putting you in the front line during combat. You will have to remain as a support for a while.”         “I understand, Flash,” Medley saluted. “We will be needing each other if we are to get Cloudsdale back from the enemy.” Hearing those words, other pegasi looked at her in disbelief. Rainbow outright yelled: “WHAT?” and they started asking Medley for further details. Gale approached them at this point.         “You will hear everything you need to know in the briefing room. I’ll be holding the meeting at 1100 hours, in about forty minutes. See you then.” After saying it, he left the baffled pegasi. So they are actually going to send them to recover their home in the clouds... After the initial shock, everypony started cheering. The Wonderbolts saw this, too.         “At least they know what’s coming to them,” Spitfire commented. “Once we get there, things are gonna get rough...”         “Things are gonna be fine, Spitfire,” Soarin’ readjusted her. “Their team is full again, so they shouldn’t have much problems.” Firebolt was more curious about the three foreign aces and if they would actually take a part in the upcoming operation, but also expressed her relief upon seeing the Mirage flight reunited, acknowledging the fact they might be the best team in the whole Equestria. While they waited for the briefing, all three decided to show Canterlot to Talisman and Shamrock. Mobius and Sky Eye tagged along, with the white stallion expressing hopes of meeting the Royal Sisters themselves. Spitfire remarked that while getting such an honor is quite difficult, there might be a chance for it after a successful recapture of Cloudsdale. ----------------- 1100 hrs Canterlot Castle, Briefing Room         “I’m glad to see you all together again,” Gale expressed, as the Mirage squadron has entered the briefing room, just in time for the explanation to begin. Most of the ponies who took part in defending Stalliongrad were already there and five minutes later, the Wonderbolts and the foreign aces arrived as well.         “Everypony in here? Good. Let’s start the briefing, then.” Gale turned a set of monitors on and the view of Cloudsdale appeared before the ponies’ eyes. However, upon closer inspection, Lightning Bolt noticed there was something unusual about it.         “Hey... I don’t remember those things being placed there...” She pointed at the metallic-looking towers with barrels coming out of them. Spitfire and her wingmates knew these constructions. They still remembered them from the first days of the war.         “So... they actually went and did it... Those feathered chumps have mounted anti-air turrets all over Cloudsdale. Now the city is pretty much a griffon fortress.”         “Unbelievable...” Sunburst commented. Gale started walking back and forth, telling them the details of the mission.         “Yes, this is our grim reality. These anti-air turrets are going to cause us a lot of trouble in retaking the city, unless you destroy the majority of them. Reports indicate they were reinforced with a more durable steel alloy, so they are stronger than those that were present at The Burning Talon. It’s highly likely that many griffin units are stationed around the city as well, considering our last successful battle. In order for this mission to end well and make Cloudsdale ours again, we will need all the available pegasus forces. Which is why I brought you here. I know that some of you still have scars after Stalliongrad...” The red pegasus looked at Blueberry, leader of the Clover squadron, which was wiped out completely and she was its sole survivor.         “... But we can’t give up hope. Due to the circumstances, our role lies only in recapturing Cloudsdale. The ground units below will attempt to secure area around Ponyville. Now, then... let’s go over the details.” Gale changed the screen, which was now showing the detailed map of the cloud city. All ponies in the room looked carefully on it to understand their role in this battle.         “This operation will be divided into three phases. Phase 1 consists of Mirage squadron infiltrating the airspace around the city in an attempt of destroying as much anti-air turrets as possible. You don’t have to take them all down, though. I think 70% of them all will be enough for the rest of the forces to get into Cloudsdale.”         “I guess we can safely assume there will be several griffin soldiers trying to intercept us,” Rainbow Dash noted.         “No doubt. And as soon as they will find themselves on the losing end, they will most likely call for reinforcements. This is when Phase 2 will begin. When the anti-air turrets will be destroyed by you and the squadron leaders aiding you...” Gale pointed to Sunburst, Blueberry, Quick Chaser, Thunder Flicker, Tornado Swirl and Overdrive, who instantly took a standing position.         “...the rest of the pegasi will come and help you fight against the griffins. If they will keep resisting, then we will go into Phase 3 and use the support of the Wonderbolts and our ace friends.”         “So, if you will do well enough, we won’t actually have to fight?” Shamrock asked Firefly.         “Well, at least we’ll get the best seats to watch the show unfold.” Talisman and Mobius glared at him for a short time. The green stallion excused himself for the last remark, noting he just wanted to lighten the mood. He saw that not every pony was willing to take a part in the next great battle. Some of them were already tired of this seemingly pointless war, it didn’t seemed to pay off for either side. Nopony knew the true reason behind the whole conflict, but it appeared to be turning into a meaningless loss of life every next day.         “Regardless,” Gale continued, “if we will manage to drive the griffins away from Cloudsdale, we will re-establish our air superiority and have a chance to bring the war to an end. That’s why ask you all to give your best.”         “Don’t worry,” said Rainbow Dash. “I’ve waited a long time to get the city back. We can’t forget that it’s a home of all pegasi. It’s a matter of honor, at least to me. I’m gonna fight until the city is free of those feathered freaks!”         “I’m with you, Rainbow!” Firefly added. “You can count on us all to help you.” Once Gale ended the briefing, he turned his attention to Sky Eye.         “Since I know you prefer to sit in the control room rather than fight, I’ll share my place with you, so you will be in contact with Mobius during any battle, starting with the next one.”         “I appreciate it. I hope we’ll cooperate well,” said Sky Eye The red pegasus then motioned to the other Wonderbolts and the aces to come with him and discuss further details. Rainbow Dash and her friends used this opportunity to get a better knowing of the ponies who led other squadrons. Tornado Swirl and Overdrive helped them in it. Sunburst, an orange male pegasus who led the Phoenix squadron, was a headstrong and brave warrior, willing to give his life to protect Equestria. This demeanour earned him a respect among his wingmates and other pegasi alike. In their eyes, he was an example of a fine soldier. Additionally, his family had strong patriotic traditions. Blueberry was almost a complete opposite of Sunburst. She was a magenta-colored female flier with beautiful jade eyes and wore two green rings on her right leg—clearly not a pony suited for war. Blueberry specialized in espionage and covert tactics, but her team was forced to improvise during the previous battle. Every flier from Clover team, except for her, died, and she felt guilty of being unable to protect them. It was something that made Rainbow Dash relate to her. Fluttershy sympathized with Blueberry, promising to watch her back. They managed to become good friends already. Thunder Flicker and Quick Chaser led the Lancer and Sweeper squadrons respectively. The two pegasi were male, though Chaser was slightly younger and had a cyan colored body with a mane in two colors; yellow and a red stripe in its middle. Thunder Flicker was a tall flier, bearing a bright amber coat and yellowish, icterine mane. Both favored speed over everything else. Derpy was curious about Chrome Plate and his Stingray flight, as well as the Dragon team not being present here. Overdrive explained their absence.         “The Stingray squadron got relocated to Hoofington, and the Dragon squadron was moved to Trottingham. These cities are still under griffin control, despite Applejack’s attempt of recovering the latter after The Burning Talon went down. Our enemies got a little overconfident after the battle over Ponyville, it seems. We can use it to our advantage.” Firefly agreed. If several cities would be reclaimed by the ponies at the same time, it would put their foes on the edge. She announced that her team will be readying themselves for flight, back to Cloudsdale.         “We’d appreciate your assistance. Don’t be troubled by the turrets; we’ll take care of them. You just provide us with hollers about incoming enemies.”         “We’ll do it in a jiffy,” Thunder Flicker spoke with confidence.         “Then, let’s get ready. If all goes well, the city should be recaptured before sundown. Put your mind to what you do!” the pink pegasus exclaimed. The leaders left the room moments later to round up their squadrons for the flight. Blueberry stayed behind. She didn’t had any pony to command and didn’t seemed to be willing to fight.         “Maybe... maybe I should stay here... I won’t be much of a help.... I’m all alone...”         “No, you’re not!” Cloud Kicker said. “Each of the pegasi here is a friend of yours. We’re gonna help you and we’re ain’t leaving you behind!”         “That’s right. No pony is ever alone,” Lightning Bolt spoke.         “You should keep fighting. Do it for those who aided you in Stalliongrad.”         “You can do it, Blueberry,” Fluttershy added. “I... I believe in you. We all do.” Buoyed up, the pegasus vowed to fight in the name of the whole Clover squadron and do her best to help the winged ponies recapture Cloudsdale. She followed the other leaders while Mirage squadron was getting prepped itself for the upcoming battle. ========== 1345 hrs Cloudsdale airspace The sun reached its peak. All pegasi were approaching the fortified city. They were ready and in position to begin their operation. Gale contacted them from his control room.         “All right, let’s go over it one more time. First things first, the turrets. Mirage?”         “Consider them toasted,” Rainbow said smugly.         “Since this operation, as you will be cooperating with other teams, you should refer to yourselves using numbers, from 1 to 7. You are still allowed to use your callsigns, though. Once you have made a hole in the defenses, the other pegasi from the attacker teams will join you in battling griffins. The outcome of this battle may be decisive. Are you all ready? All leaders, radios!”         “Quick Chaser, Sweeper 1! Ready for action!”         “Sunburst, Phoenix 1! Let me at’em!”         “Thunder Flicker, Lancer 1! Read you loud and clear!”         “Blueberry, Clover 1!  I’ll do my best!”         “Tornado Swirl, Burner 1! Everything’s A-OK!”         “Overdrive, Racer 1! Let’s dash to the finish line!”         “Firefly, Mirage 1! Everypony’s in position!”         “Talisman, Garuda 1! We’ll watch your backs.”         “Mobius 1 on standby!” Everypony turned to Mobius briefly upon hearing the booming voice, but that was just Sky Eye, announcing through his own radio. Mobius was alone, but could make up for the entire squadron.         “We need to get used to this, I guess,” Medley chuckled, but became serious again after the checkup was finished. Gale wished them all good luck and gave permission for the Mirage fliers to begin the raid. Right before they descended upon the first set of turrets, Cloud Kicker thought of something:         “You know, it’s kinda ironic... we have to raid Cloudsdale to liberate it.”         “Yeah... and something tells me this won’t be the last time we’ll have to resort to such actions,” Lightning Bolt added.         “But now, let’s focus on what’s ahead. RIDE OUT!”         “Uh... Thunder? What’s with that yell all of a sudden?” Firefly asked, confused.         “I thought we need a sort of battle cry, you know, to boost our spirits! …Was it bad?” the white pegasus asked.         “No... but we’re flying, not running.” Lightning sighed a little, letting out a giggle moment later. Rainbow Dash decided to play along.         “I’ve got a better one: GO FOR BROKE!” Other looked at her as she laughed. Medley and Cloud Kicker still thought the old battle cry was better. Once they reminded the other pegasi how it sounded, Firefly led them toward the turrets.         “All right, girls! Time to dive into the fireworks!”         “May the sun and moon shine upon us!” All seven fliers descended at high speed. The turrets picked their signals up and opened fire. Leading pegasi were providing distraction and allowing the heroines to destroy a few turrets without even alerting the sentries. Soon enough, all griffins who stationed in Cloudsdale knew of the ponies fighting their defenses. Night Raven was overseeing the process of assembling forces and ordered his wingmates to fight the pegasi off as quickly as possible. The remaining fliers were waiting for their leaders and Mirage squadron to open a way to the city. Within the first ten minutes of the battle, they managed to destroy 40% of the first line of defenses. By the second line, their communicators were nearly useless due to a jamming device placed in between the turrets. While Sunburst drew their fire, Lightning Bolt took the device out with a swift kick. The griffin soldiers joined the fray as well and had their sights set on the ponies, hoping the turrets will keep them distracted and they could be slowly picked off. But once Quick Chaser noticed the bandits that were approaching, he immediately reached out to Firefly’s team.         “Sweeper 1 to Mirage 1! The radar shows about six contacts, heading in your direction! Griffins incoming! Can you handle them while we take on the remaining turrets?”         “Roger that. Mirage 1 moving to intercept! All fliers, follow my lead!”         “On it, Flash! Roger, we’re on it! Let’s do this!” Medley, Rainbow Dash and Cloud Kicker turned around and took off in three different directions, trying to flank the enemies. Derpy, Fluttershy and Lightning Bolt followed soon after. Their swiftness was vital for dodging the firepower and the soldiers’ attacks. When the third one had been knocked out of the sky by Fluttershy and Derpy’s combined efforts, Night Raven decided to radio in Zeakros.         “Northwind 2 to Northwind 1! The enemy is here! Requesting additional support!”         “Be right there,” Zeakros’ calm voice answered. “You’re fighting against the Mirage squadron, are you not?”         “So would it seem. Get here with as much soldiers as you can rally.”         “Northwind 1 out.” Gale contacted the ponies again and reminded them about the headquarters being defended by another griffin team. They still had to defeat the initial group of bandits before they could proceed. Sunburst managed to overpower one of the soldiers, sending him plummeting downward on one of the turrets. Several bullets pierced his body before he crashed onto it. The orange flier noticed that the base of the turret was especially vulnerable and suggested performing direct attacks there. Taking his advice, the pegasi destroyed 60% of the turrets while remaining mostly unharmed. Soon, Quick Chaser reported about a large flight of griffins approaching from the north. There were about twenty of them. Thunder Flicker called in for the rest of the Lancer squadron to join in the fight and aid the Mirage squadron. It soon became apparent that the newly arrived forces were mostly new recruits who received harsh training, as they turned out to be especially brutal. Lancer 4 got cornered by one of the griffins. He grabbed the pony by the throat and smashed him into a nearby column, breaking the neck. Another soldier targeted Blueberry, seeing her flying alone. While she managed to avoid most of his attacks, he mercilessly drove his claws into her back, causing an injury. She froze in terror, seeing another upcoming attack...         "Forget it, bub!" Overdrive charged at the griffon. If it weren’t for her interference, Blueberry could have been dead. One powerful headbutt managed to shake him off and save the pegasus.         “Are you OK, Blueberry?” Overdrive asked, concerned.         “Yes... I’m... ow... I’ll be fine.”         “You better stay with me and Sea Spot. Come on!” Sunburst called on for his own team to join the battle and destroy the remaining turrets in the area. Despite the reinforcements, the griffins still hadn’t established air superiority. Night Raven also flew up to meet his opponents. While fighting against Thunder Flicker, he summoned another team of seven griffins. Things were turning in favor of the half eagle-lion troops, as they were on advantage in terms of numbers. Some of the ponies were wounded from the griffin ruffians. Among them, there were several female griffins, too, being just as ruthless as their comrades. Sweeper 3 has been assaulted by two of these; they incapacitated him and inflicted mortal wounds with their sharp claws. Seeing that the battle seemed to be even, Night Raven decided to call out the last reserves, when he saw Zeakros arriving with the promised forces.         “Now, time to rid the sky of those pathetic equines... Gult squadron! Finish them off!”         “Understood.” Thirteen griffins, with Echo leading them, appeared within Cloudsdale airspace a minute later. The ponies were slowly being overwhelmed. Gale seemed to have noticed it.         “I guess it’s time to stop playing around, Sky Eye.”         “I agree.” Both pegasi radioed the Wonderbolts and the three aces, who were waiting outside the city gates, at standby. Just as they flew into it, they initially gazed at its beautiful architecture. Aside from minor wanton destruction and a few remaining turrets, not much has changed, as Firebolt remarked. Noticing the enemies surrounding the ponies before them, the six fliers joined the fray. Spitfire divided her wingmates.         “Soarin’, you go help Racer and Burner teams! Firebolt, go support Sunburst and Thunder Flicker! Garuda team, can you manage the main attack force?”         “You just watch and see!” Shamrock exclaimed. “Let’s go, Garuda 1!”         “Mobius 1, you are cleared to engage,” Sky Eye’s voice boomed again. The blue stallion acknowledged it and flew straight at the pack of griffins before him. Thanks to their support, the tables had turned in favor of the ponies. About forty-one griffins faced against twenty-eight pegasi, but the difference in experience was clearly visible. Whenever Talisman, Shamrock or Mobius picked up an enemy and targeted it, they wouldn’t leave its rear end until they caught up to it and brought it down. Spitfire helped Rainbow Dash in defeating a team of ruffians, and the other pegasi teams were slowly getting the upper hand. In the midst of battle, Echo broke away from his squad and went on to meet Mobius directly. Their sights met and both seemed to have forgotten about every other warrior.         “So, we meet again... Heavenly Ribbon. Payback time for the humiliation at The Burning Talon. Let’s make this fight a good one.”         “You still can’t forgive Mobius for defeating your squadron in Urusea?” Sky Eye’s sounded clearly to him. The griffon knew he was Mobius’ assistant.         “This is a matter of pride. A pony who sits behind monitors like you all the time would not understand.”         “I’m not here to judge. But I know you were not truly evil. Maybe you can tell us the true reason behind this war. Is it really about conquering Equestria?”         “And why do you even care?” Echo asked. “You should worry about your companion, because I have no intention of holding back. He’s a worthy opponent alright, but no one is invincible. I will find a way to take you down, Mobius.” There was no point for further conversation. They have engaged in a duel. Zeakros, in the meantime, took on Firefly for the first time since the battle over Hoofington. Both of them knew what to expect, so the fight was even for a while. But the agility and determination of the ponies to recapture their home city proved to be a deciding factor. Even despite the brutality of their opponents, as the ponies witnessed two ruffians violently killing Burner 4 by breaking his spine with powerful beak attacks, the griffins were suffering from the fatigue. Night Raven was unable to comprehend how their foes were able to ward off an attack force roughly twice the size as theirs. Zeakros was about to suggest a retreat when three more griffins joined the battle. It was Edge, along with Slip and Jet. Their fierce assaults forced Garuda and Phoenix teams to focus on them. Thanks to the incredible synergy between Talisman and Shamrock, as well as their quickness, the reinforcements weren’t much of a trouble. Both stallions appeared as if they were one, zipping across the skies and aiding whichever pony was needing their help. Mobius was still busy, fighting Echo. The Mirage squadron managed to overpower the griffins by working together. Derpy and Medley managed to pull out an interesting tactic; when the green pegasus grabbed a broken piece of the turret and threw it onto a soldier, it allowed Derpy to fly behind him and dive-attack him, sending him to Medley, at which point she delivered an uppercut in the beak, knocking the griffon down. At the same time, Cloud Kicker forced Slip to tail her, which gave enough time for Lightning Bolt to aim and stomp on a fluffy cloud to generate a bolt of electricity, which zapped the rookie soldier. To his dismay, it happened several times. Frustrated and exhausted, he decided to ditch everything behind and leave, seeing no point in this battle. Unfortunately for Slip, Night Raven saw through his intent. He appeared before Slip in a blink of an eye and slashed him violently across the chest.         “What...! What are you...!” Slip was utterly shocked at Raven’s behavior.         “I don’t believe it... You’re such a basket case! A disgrace to the Kingdom and your own unit! You wanted to desert and forsake your comrades, is that it? Don’t worry...” He got closer to Slip and stabbed the chest with his claws before grabbing the rookie’s head.         “I will put you out of your misery.”         “N-N-N-No... W-Wait, I’ve changed my mind... I was wrong. I shouldn’t do it... Please...! N-NO! Y-Y-You wouldn’t...!” Despite Slip’s desperate struggle, Night Raven snapped his neck and ended his life. Echo saw his comrade falling down.         “Northwind 2! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!" he yelled.         “I’ve made you a favor of executing that traitor. He was of no use to your team anyway,” Night Raven absolved himself. Echo was still furious, but he couldn’t interfere due to his fight with Mobius. The other ponies were shocked seeing a griffon attacking one of his troops, yet there was still no time to dwell into this. Rainbow Dash went in for a stunning action.         “I’m gonna take down the power units of the turrets. This should render them useless.”         “Good idea, Rainbow. Butterfly, Ditzy, cover her six!” Firefly ordered. With Fluttershy and Derpy drawing the turrets’ attention, Rainbow easily flew past their fire and proceeded to chop and kick a medium-sized object that was connected to most turrets in the area. Hearing about the power units, Talisman asked Shamrock for cover while he went to destroy the second one, located on the opposite side of Cloudsdale. Thanks to good timing, soon after Rainbow destroyed the first unit, the gray pegasus was done with the other one. The anti-air turrets ceased fire. Edge witnessed the ponies’ actions firsthand and could not believe his eyes.         “These ponies aren’t normal... It’s as if they have unlimited energy.” Zeakros’ voice sounded in his headphones.         “I think you should leave, Edge. Report everything to Black Star and Red Cyclone in Gryphus. We will be leaving soon as well. This battle is lost.”         “You’re joking, right? We can’t give them any more ground! Their offence has to be—”         “Crimson 1, you’re in no position to argue with me. After Talon squadron’s annihilation, my team is the leading one. ... Just do as I say,” Zeakros pleaded.         “But—”         “Break, Edge!” Resigned, the griffin wearing the red vest complied with the order he received. Soon, the battle was drawing to a close. Griffins were retreating, while the pegasi regrouped and checked on any wounded, as well as the area, for possible reinforcements. Not another enemy soldier appeared, however. It was over. Cloudsdale had been retaken by the ponies. Their victory was well deserved and earned. ========== 1610 hrs Cloudsdale Cheering over their success, the brave fliers were congratulating each other. Cloud Kicker commented that the battle was indeed great, even though less forces were engaged when compared to the first clash at Cloudsdale. No less than ten pegasi fell during the battle, though. Spitfire already redirected the supporting teams back to Canterlot to spread the news and round up all the other pegasi so that the reassembly and re-establishing of pegasi air superiority in the region could commence. There were still several turrets remaining throughout the city, but they were all disabled, since the power units had been destroyed. Rainbow Dash volunteered to take out the remaining ones, and to her surprise, Spitfire proposed to help her. When asked why by Firebolt, the fiery-maned mare replied:         “Together with Rainbow, we’ll clear this place just as you’ll all get back to Canterlot. The pegasi will be able to accommodate here much easier without those steel contraptions littering the alleys and buildings. Is it alright with you, Rainbow?” The blue pegasus was utterly surprised by that declaration, but quickly snapped out of it, and agreed wholeheartedly. She barely restrained herself from jumping into the air and screaming with joy, though. Firefly agreed to the proposition, especially since many fliers got hurt during the battle and required quick treatment before they could fly again. Most injuries and wounds weren’t serious, but precaution was always appreciated. A few minutes later, only Spitfire and Rainbow Dash stayed behind and were about to start cleaning the city off those last few turrets. There were some things bothering the rainbow-maned pegasus, however.         “They could just radio Gale in and tell him to pass the message on. Why this sudden change?”         “I didn’t want to tell you to worry you... but recently, we’ve been experiencing heavy radio interference in Canterlot’s vicinity,” said Spitfire.          “...It’s probably due to electromagnetic pulses... nothing our specialists can't bypass, though,” she added quickly.  “That’s why we should finish cleaning this place up and rejoin the others later on. Is there anything else on your mind?”         “Yeah,” Rainbow confirmed. “I saw that griffon... Night Raven... He attacked and killed Slip when he was leaving... That was... I mean... geez.”         “I know what you’re trying to say—shocking, huh?” Spitfire guessed.         “That, too. I know this is war and all, but still... Getting attacked by your allies? That’s crazy.”         “You know, Rainbow, this is griffins’ mentality. It’s totally different from ours. In case we happened to have a traitor, it would just be captured and court-martialed... but these guys prefer to carry out executions immediately, without all the paperwork and technical stuff.” While Spitfire pegasus tried to sound cool, these kinds of behaviours were clearly disturbing to her. Plus, she knew that their enemies will return. Using this opportunity, she said to Rainbow:         “...There’s also another reason why I wanted to tag along.” Rainbow looked at her. Spitfire got a little closer and asked with a serious tone.         “What’s the real reason you want to join the Wonderbolts?” This question left Rainbow baffled briefly. She managed to regain her composure and explain how much she idolised the stunt aces. While Spitfire understood her dreams, she openly stated that despite Rainbow’s great flying skills and courage, her discipline was still in question. It was true that Dash was a kind of pony who preferred to do things her way and only followed orders when necessary. This was one of the reasons that Firefly’s leadership over the squadron was a matter of “friendly authority,” as she put it. Spitfire didn’t wanted to drag this subject for too long.         “If you’re serious about joining the Wonderbolts, just get less bubbly and more disciplined. Once you’ll do that, we can talk about it again,” she stated.         “...Okay. I get the message.” The disappointment in Rainbow’s voice was almost visible. But Spitfire patted her on the back and smiled.         “Don’t get me wrong, Rainbow Dash. You’re a great ally and companion. But our team has certain rules that we all follow. So if you wanna become on of us after the war, you’ll have to follow them, too.” The topic was dropped and, to ease the situation and give a chance to compete, the pegasi wanted to see who will be able to knock down more turrets. They remained linked through the radio and proceeded with cleaning up the city, disposing of the last remaining griffin weapons. ----------------- MEANWHILE Gryphus, Griffin Palace Halls Edge managed to reach the griffin capital with ease and was just finishing his report to Red Cyclone. Needless to say, he wasn’t pleased.         “And that covers our situation, sir. We’re in over our heads.”         “Enough, fool! I can’t believe you lost to those pitiable equines again!” the crimson griffon roared. “How is that even possible?” Another figure emerged from the shadow. It was Black Star, clearly in a calm mood, despite hearing about the failure.         “Once again, your strategy backfired on you. Edge is not the one to blame, you are. When will you understand that our enemies are stronger than they seem?" he asked.         “Never mind about that now!” Red Cyclone argued. “General Silverbeak will be holding a special meeting with our soldiers outside the palace soon, correct?” He turned to Black Star.         “Yes. The meeting will take place in about thirty minutes.”         “Good. I will still have time to speak with him, then...” While Black Star was curious, Red Cyclone dismissed his worries stating that he “has plans” and left without saying another word. Edge was just observing the whole conversation, not sure what was it about. He was taken off-guard when Black Star looked at him and said:         “You should go after him.” When asked why, the dark griffon confessed that his partner had become very suspicious lately, not willing to share his thoughts or plans. Convinced that Red Cyclone was preparing something big, but not necessarily beneficial, Black Star managed to persuade Edge to go after him in secret to the throne room. Once he reached the door, he overheard the conversation:         “I see... So Cloudsdale was taken over.”         “My apologies, general. Our troops were doing their best.”         “Yes, no doubt...” General Silverbeak started walking back and forth, thinking aloud.         “Maybe... it’s better this way. The war has been going on for too long. Our resources are nearly depleted and the morale of our men are getting lower with every day... This conflict is no longer paying off for us. That’s why...” Red Cyclone looked at the general with squinted eyes. The leader spoke of his plans to go to Canterlot and speak with Princesses Celestia and Luna to start the peace talks. He called all soldiers before the palace for a meeting, but in truth, he was going to announce to them to cease the fighting. The crimson griffin was clearly angry.         “Sir... are you thinking about surrendering to those wimps?”         “It’s time to face the facts, Red Cyclone. We have underestimated our foes, and now, we’re paying the price. But, as the commander and leader of the Griffin Army, I shall see to it that not another griffon will fall in battle. We’ve already lost many great aces, with Talon squadron at the head... I’m slowly running out of concepts to continue...” General Silverbeak sounded tired. “Perhaps he was also not willing to fight against the ponies in the first place”, Edge thought to himself, as he peeked from behind the door to observe the scene. However, Red Cyclone was not about to throw in the towel.         “Please, reconsider it, General. I have a plan that is sure to bring us victory!”         “...If this plan is more efficient than peace talks with the Princesses, do tell,” Silverbeak agreed, though reluctantly.         “It is actually quite simple. My plan has already been put in motion, to be honest. Ever since we’ve convinced the ruffians to join us, we’ve gained a sufficient fighting force. With them, we will give the ponies a taste of true fear!” His red eyes gave out a spark—undoubtly, a stroke of genius.         “What do you have in mind...?” General Silverbeak wondered. Red Cyclone explained; his plan was simple indeed... but also exceptionally cruel.         “We will send all of our remaining forces directly onto Canterlot. The majority of the pegasi are still stationed there, and they are recovering from the wounds sustained in the last two battles. We’ll use this opportunity to raze the capital! While that will be happening, our forces stationed in other Equestrian outposts will slowly overwhelm those ponies, bringing about our complete victory! Our enemies will be reduced to mere slaves that will have to work for our labor and await their certain demise, be it from exhaustion or our judgments! This is... the ultimate solution. Once we are done with them, we will begin our expansion... all over the world!” Both the general and Edge couldn’t believe what they heard. Not even the most addled mind could have come up with such audacious idea! The leader outwardly stated that such concepts are unacceptable.         “I cannot allow anymore pointless violence, Red Cyclone! I do not approve of this plan. I am going to remain committed to my initial concept and speak with the Royal Sisters about peace talks. You are dismissed!”         “I see...” Red Cyclone growled. “I guess that means our little deal is off... sir.” In a surprising move, he pounced at General Silverbeak, tackling him to the ground and holding him by his throat. The griffon’s eyes flared with murderous intent...         “What.... are you doing?!”         “Sorry, General. You have failed to carry out your duty and disappointed me greatly. I will take it from here.”         “The other griffins will never follow you...” Silverbeak coughed up, realizing the treachery.         “Ah, but they will. Those ignorant fools will follow whatever order I’ll issue... as they always did. Remember the plan to kidnap little ponies? I was orchestrating it in secret. Heh... Fear not... I’ll think of a convincing cover story... about your absence...!” Lifting up the one he used to herald as a great leader, Red Cyclone pinned Silverbeak against the wall and brutally stabbed him in the chest with his claw. Edge gasped silently.         “You were longing for retirement, sir... I’m happy to give you one,” the griffon chuckled.         “T-Traitorous... dog....!” General Silverbeak collapsed on the floor, breathless. Witnessing the assassination, Edge fled away from the throne room to find Black Star and tell him what happened. Unaware of it, Red Cyclone took the general’s symbol of power and said to himself:         “Now... this should be interesting... Heheheh... HAHAHA!” ========== 1730 hrs Cloudsdale, en route to Canterlot Rainbow Dash just performed a flying kick on another turret, bending it slightly. She followed with a few more direct blows which were strong enough for the contraption to be knocked down. The blue pegasus wheezed in relief.         “I think that’s the last of them,” she said to herself. Spitfire approached her.         “Nice work, Rainbow Dash. I guess we’re done here. I’m gonna call Gale and...” Before she reached out for her communicator, it gave a signal on its own. The red pegasus was calling her and as soon as she picked it up, her face froze in shock. She heard sounds of battle... somepony was screaming... Gale’s voice was also urgent. Rainbow couldn’t hear what he said and asked Spitfire what was happening. The mare’s voice sounded agitated at first.         “Canterlot... Canterlot is under attack!”         “Say WHAT?!” Rainbow said in disbelief.         “The griffins launched a full-scale attack! We must get there, on the double!” These news came out as a truly horrible and unexpected turn of events. The two pegasi turned in the direction of the capital and started flapping their wings as fast as they could. Both kept their radios online and tried to stay in contact with the teammates, but the interference in the signal was getting bigger. And the closer they were getting to Canterlot, the more dire the situation seemed to appear. About halfway, Rainbow asked Medley for status, but before she could report anything coherent, she was assaulted by two griffins and her loud shriek was the last thing Rainbow heard from the green pegasus. Spitfire picked up the speed and Rainbow Dash followed. As they were approaching the capital, they noticed smoke rising from the city area.         “Oh, HAY NO! This is not happening!” Rainbow exclaimed angrily Spitfire tried to reach Soarin’ and Firebolt, hoping to get some grasp on the situation. Unfortunately, the signal got cut off when the blue stallion was hit from behind. It appeared that the ponies were being pushed back by relentless attacks. Some of the griffin interceptors appeared on Rainbow’s radar, but Spitfire told her to ignore them and just keep flying. They passed by the mad flying pegasi, as if completely disregarding their presence. Finally, fatigued and tired, Rainbow and Spitfire arrived in Canterlot, stunned by the horrifying things they saw... There were fires everywhere. Ponies were running around, screaming, terrified beyond belief. Even in their darkest nightmares, they never saw so much destruction. In the midst of chaos, griffins kept swooping down on them, hoping to add one more victim for the surprised defenders to look after. Hovering in midair and looking around, Spitfire mumbled:         “We’re too late...” Rainbow became worried about her friends. She tried to contact them. The radio refused to work. Static was the only thing that was answering. Rainbow’s pleas were getting increasingly desperate with every name. She couldn’t reach neither her friends from the squadron, nor those who bared the Elements of Harmony. Fearing the worst, Dash attempted to contact Fluttershy as a last resort.         “Come on... Fluttershy! Fluttershy, respond! Respond, for Celestia’s sake! Somepony! Anypony! PLEASE, RESPOND!” There was no response. Rainbow’s eyes shrunk in sheer despair. Her sight appeared as being fixed on an undisclosed location when the blue pegasus kept flapping her wings, unable to move. Tears started streaming down her cheeks as Rainbow clashed her hooves against each other and flew straight ahead at the griffin soldiers, yelling angrily. She ignored all calls from Spitfire. The griffon before her, Night Raven, ordered his troops to kill Rainbow. They began a brutal assault, and despite Spitfire’s attempt to protect the blue pegasus, she was injured severely from their claws, and the griffon from the Northwind squadron delivered a final blow into Dash’s back, sending her plummeting down toward the hard ground. She was slowly losing strength and was unable to flap her wings fast enough to lessen the impact. With a loud thud, Rainbow crashed to the ground. Spitfire watched helplessly, trying to fend off the ruffians that just attacked her. The last thing Rainbow heard was some pony calling her name out loudly... then, the vision blurred before her. Reaching her hoof out, as if trying to call the pony shouting Dash’s name, her head slumped on the right arm. Her eyes closed. She lost consciousness.