The Crystal War

by EpicMuttonChops


05: The Wonderbolt Academy

Rainbow Dash broke through the clouds and arrived in Cloudsdale, the place of her birth. Cloudsdale had settled in the skies near Ponyville ever since King Sombra's crystals started creeping outward from the Crystal Empire. She inhaled, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air. "Damn, it feels good to fly again!" she exclaimed.

The cyan pegasus flew a little bit more, letting the wind blow through her feathers. It still felt weird; before, she felt the wind in both wings, but now, she only felt it on her right side. She sighed and lowered herself onto the clouds. As she landed, she folded her wings to her flanks. She rubbed her aching left shoulder with a grimace and walked the fluffy pathways to her home.

Pegasi greeted her as she walked, stallions and mares who stayed home to take care of their families. She waved back at them, trying to keep conversations to a minimum. She had to get home, then to the Academy.

She entered the front doorway of her home, and walked up the stairs to her room. She pushed her hoof against the door and it opened with a creak, sending vortexes of dust into the air. The sunlight pouring through the windows illuminated the particles, making the whole appear abandoned, and in a way it was. "Geez," the cyan pegasus groaned. "I forgot how long it's been since I was here."

Rainbow Dash stood frozen in the center of the room. She realized she needed nothing at the Academy; not her Wonderbolts posters, not her bedsheets, not her Daring Do comic books. Everything she needed, the Academy already had. As she turned to leave, a short flash of light in the corner of the room caught her eye. She walked to where the flash had come from.

She saw an old photo album. "When did I make this?" she asked out loud as she flipped through the pages. She knew she had to get going, but for some reason, she was compelled to finish looking through the pictures.

Then, one photo stood out to her. It was one of a sequence of photos taken at Sweet Apple Acres, soon after Discord's temporary return. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had the idea to get their Cutie Marks in party planning. Despite Pinkie's objections that she'll be out of a job, she helped them anyway; the fillies threw out ideas, and Pinkie gathered them all together and gave advice as the fillies put together their first party.

"Heh," the cyan pegasus chuckled. "For once Pinkie was the level-headed one."

The party, an "Awesome Sister Party," was for Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, but their other friends were also invited. Featherweight was invited to take pictures. The picture that Rainbow Dash was now staring and smiling at showed Rainbow Dash with her forelegs around Twilight and Scootaloo's shoulders. All three of them were laughing.

Rainbow Dash took the picture out of the photo album and placed it in a small pouch, which she slung around her neck. She was ready to go now.

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

The other cadets were already taking laps when Rainbow Dash arrived at the Academy. One of the stallions noticed her arrival, and said something to Spitfire. Spitfire turned and took off her aviators before approaching her. "Glad you could make it, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire said in her rough voice. "How ya holding up?"

"Feeling a lot better, Captain," she replied with a smirk. "I'm already flying as good as the average pegasus again."

Spitfire chuckled. "Well, that's good." The yellow pegasus turned, and Rainbow followed beside her. "This group of cadets has got real potential," she continued. She pointed a hoof at an aqua mare. "Ya see that pegasus with the yellow and orange mane?" She nodded. "That's Lightning Dust. She's probably the most skilled flyer this term. I think you two will really hit it off."

"Ma'am?" Rainbow Dash interjected. "What's the plan here?"

"Excuse me?" Spitfire was confused.

"I mean, I know the Wonderbolts are a paramilitary force, and they also entertain ponies across Equestria..."

"Uh-huh?"

"But we're going up against King Sombra. He may not seem like much, but he enslaved an entire culture, and somehow made the whole Crystal Empire disappear! I don't know how smart he is, but he's got tact, that's for sure."

"So I've heard."

"The crystal ponies under his control are just regular ponies like you and me, and the cadets. But what's your plan for defeating Sombra?" She had followed Captain Spitfire to her office.

The yellow mare sat down behind her desk and set her chin on her hooves. "That's what we're training for, Rainbow Dash. I've talked to Princess Celestia about it, and she's allowed training techniques that we haven't used in a long time. I've already explained to the other cadets that these techniques can be brutal sometimes, but they need to be at their best for this war effort."

Rainbow Dash stood awkwardly, crossing her forelegs. A moment later, Spitfire saw her and said, "Oh, you're dismissed. And don't forget to connect with Lightning Dust."

"Yes ma'am!"

The cyan mare exited her office and almost ran into one of the other stallions who monitored the cadets. "Are you...Rainbow Dash?" he asked her, looking down at his clipboard.

"That's me."

"The other cadets just finished up laps. They're headed into the cafeteria for lunch."

"Thank you, sir!" she saluted him and trotted away.

The stallion tipped his cap and entered Captain Spitfire's office.

Rainbow Dash trotted into the Academy's cafeteria, not expecting anypony to turn their heads. She heard many conversations going on, but didn't understand any of it, since they were all talking at once. Then, she felt some eyes land upon her, and there was a low murmur as she received her food. All other conversations died off as more and more ponies turned to look at her.

One of the cadets, a black stallion with a white and silver mane was the first to cheer for her. "Wooo! Rainbow Dash!" Everypony else joined in cheering as she walked among the tables, causing the cyan mare to blush, her cheeks growing warm.

As Rainbow Dash scanned her audience, she noticed that a certain yellow- and orange-maned mare wasn't. As she approached Lightning Dust, the rest of the cadets grew quiet. Before she sat down, she looked back at the other pegasi. Most of them had already returned to their seats, and others were still doing so.

Rainbow set her food on the table beside Lightning Dust. After a moment of contemplating how to begin, she said, "Spitfire told me you were a pretty good flyer."

The aqua mare scoffed. "'Pretty good?' Is that it?" She turned to Rainbow Dash. "I'm better than good; I'm the best!"

"Easy, Lightning Dust. I didn't mean to make you mad," she stressed. Another silent moment passed. "But you are talking to the only pony who's ever done a Sonic Rainboom," she said with a sly grin.

The aqua mare scrunched her brow, then opened her eyes wide as she realized who she had just shouted at. "Ohmigosh, Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow nodded. "I saw you do it at the Best Young Flyer competition."

The two mares were fast friends, just as Spitfire had thought they would. Everypony else's nerves settled down as Lightning Dust, who was at first gaining a reputation as an intimidating rogue, was now being seen as a normal pony. She and Rainbow Dash talked whenever they could between drills.

After dinner that evening, Soarin stood at the door of the cafeteria. He dismissed the ponies to the barracks as they left the hall, but stopped Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust as they passed by. "Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust, meet me in Spitfire's office before bed."

"Yes, sir!" they both replied, saluting the Wonderbolt.

Spitfire was reading reports behind her desk when the two mares entered. "Dash, Dust, welcome. I have a special assignment for you two."

The cyan and aqua mares looked at each other. "Special assignment, ma'am?" Lightning Dust asked.

"That's right," Soarin confirmed as he walked into the room behind the mares. "Myself and some of the other Wonderbolts have been watching the cadets, monitoring their progress and assessing their skill levels." The pale blue stallion walked to the edge of Spitfire's desk and turned to face them. "Rainbow Dash, you've already proven your skills as a flyer, and the fact that you're here so soon after your battle in the Crystal Empire shows us you will do whatever it takes to help."

"Lightning Dust," he continued, "there is no doubt that you are one of the most-skilled flyers we've ever seen at the Academy. Your speed and vitality will be valuable assets when we ultimately face King Sombra."

Captain Spitfire removed her sunglasses. "Exactly," she said. "The Princesses have asked us to not only train pegasi for battle, but also to put together a team for special operations. Stealth, extraction, that sort of thing."

Rainbow Dash's eyes fell as she whispered Twilight's name.

"The Wonderbolts have decided that because of your abilities, we want the two of you to lead this operation. Tomorrow morning, the cadets will receive their team assignments. They will be assigned to teams of two, with a lead pony and a wingpony. I'm assigning you two together."

Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash saluted her and replied in unison, "Thank you, ma'am!"

Spitfire put her sunglasses back on. "You're dismissed."

Soarin watched as the two mares left the room, closing the door behind them. Once they had gone, he turned to his superior and inquired of her, "Ma'am, are you sure putting the two of them together is a good idea?"

The yellow mare rested her chin on her crossed hooves. "I trust that Rainbow Dash knows what she's doing," she said, "but I think the other one is still too wild. She needs to learn how to control herself."

All he could do was nod at that.

<>--<>--<>--<>--<>

Somepony rang the bell, waking up all the cadets, letting them know to prepare for the day to come. They all lined up at the foot of their bunks, standing at attention, ready for the morning's debriefing. Soarin debriefed the stallions in their bunkhouse, while Spitfire did the same for the mares.

"Cadets! This morning at breakfast, you will be assigned to teams of two," they barked. "Each team will consist of a lead pony and a wingpony. Our observations of your talents since you arrived have given us everything we need to form these teams. You will be expected to work together, to the point that you and your partner become a unit. You are free to discuss maneuvers or tactics, but the lead pony has the final say. Wingponies, you must abide by your lead pony's decision. If you still have concerns, bring them to your superior officer, which is me."

The cadets were visibly excited as Spitfire and Soarin dismissed them to breakfast. The mess hall stirred with it, as conversations droned on at each table. A single mustachioed stallion walked in, nearly unseen by the restless pegasi. As he approached the far end of the hall, a few ponies noticed him and grew quiet.

He posted the list as the crowd of pegasi slowly stood up. They eagerly walked toward the back wall as the mustachioed stallion left the mess hall. Their soft murmur grew louder and louder until every sound in the building was indiscernible from another. The ponies nearest the list whooped and searched for their partners.

Since Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust were toward the rear of the crowd, they were among the last to see the list. "We already know we're on a team," Lightning Dust said, "but who's lead pony?"

Rainbow Dash searched the list for their names. She found Lightning Dust's name, about halfway down the page, with the letter "W" after her name. Next to it was her own name, marked with an "L." She stared at the page as she answered. "I am."

"What?" Lightning Dust pushed the cyan mare out of her way to see for herself. Once she saw the result, her shoulders drooped and she slowly took a few steps back. The few ponies that had not seen the list yet moved in to view it.

Rainbow Dash stepped closer to the aqua mare. Lightning Dust's eyes twinkled with sorrow and confusion. "Lightning Dust, I'm sure Spitfire kn-" Lightning Dust ran out the door and Rainbow Dash chased after her. "Lightning Dust!" The aqua mare took to the sky, wiping salty droplets from her eyes. She was headed straight toward Captain Spitfire's office. She burst through the door.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion, cadet?" Spitfire barked.

"What's the meaning of making me wingpony?" she snapped back. "I'm clearly the best flyer here, and you've seen that I like to push my limits."

Spitfire sighed. "I know you do. You're also brash, egotistical, and disrespectful. If I put you as lead pony, and you made a risky decision, you'd put the lives of many ponies in danger."

"But..."

"I will not put anything above the safety of my cadets, Miss Dust. This is a war. Dismissed."

Lightning Dust huffed out of the office, just as Rainbow Dash reached it. Rainbow Dash turned to follow her. "What'd she say?"

"I'd put ponies in danger," she replied, falling to her haunches on the edge of the mountain. She didn't let the cyan mare respond before she blurted, "This is war! Like there's not gonna be any lives in danger during a war!"

"She was talking about unnecessary danger, Lightning Dust," she said. "Besides," she continued, sitting next to her friend, "we've got a different mission. We're supposed to be looking for the elite flyers, and put together a special operations team."

"Oh yeah," the aqua mare grumbled as she stood up. "Well, let's go find some."

<>--<>--<>--<>--<>

"What about that one?" Lightning Dust pointed her hoof at a team consisting of a black stallion with a silver and white mane, and a purple mare with a brown mane.

"Hmm, precision maneuvers, good speed.... Looks good! Let's go check 'em out." The two mares flew over to them, who continued their drills, expertly weaving through cloud rings, flying as fast as they could manage without breaking the rings. Soon, Rainbow Dash was able to gain their attention. "I'm Rainbow Dash, and this is Lightning Dust," she said, pointing to the aqua mare. "Fastest pegasi in Equestria," she added, sly and confident grins stretching across their faces.

The black stallion nodded at Lightning Dust. "What's up, Rainbow Dash?"

The cyan mare explained the situation to them; why Captain Spitfire recruited her, how she had given the two of them the task of forming an elite team for special operations. "That's why we're here," she explained. "We think you two got what it takes."

The stallion and the purple mare smiled. "Thanks," the stallion raised his hoof. "My name's Eclipse."

"Little Angel," the mare said, raising her hoof as well.

"Nice to meet you," the cyan and aqua mares replied, knocking each hoof in turn. "So, tell us about yourselves."

Little Angel looked around, a confused look upon her face. "Shouldn't we be doing our drills?"

Lightning Dust stepped toward her. "We've been given a special mission by Captain Spitfire herself. She knows we'll take ponies away from drills for a few minutes."

"It'll be fine," Rainbow Dash added. "Tell us about yourselves," she said again.

Both of them had grown up in Cloudsdale, and both their parents worked in the weather factory. Eclipse had seen Rainbow Dash perform the Sonic Rainboom at the Best Young Flyer's Competition. From that moment on, he was inspired to be just like her, but since he could never be as fast as her, he turned to learning aerial tricks until he had heard the news of the Crystal Empire. "Ever since King Sombra's return, I wanted to help. I didn't know what else I could do, except join the Wonderbolts."

Angel Cattleya, nicknamed "Little Angel" by her friends and family, was fond of the orchids that her parents nurtured at home, which fueled her interest in Equestrian flora. As a filly, she was teased a lot in school, and was frequently chased through Cloudsdale after school let out. Since she was small, she was able to get away from them with relative ease after a while. "I used to hate it," she said of her nickname, "but after realizing that my small stature could help me, it started to grow on me."

"Alright," Lightning Dust said. "Let's see what we can come up with together!"

The four pegasi went aside and discussed maneuvers, practicing technique and form until Dusk, when all the other pegasi had already gone inside. Spitfire had seen the four of them practicing all afternoon. She smiled as she flew out to greet them.

"Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust!" she interrupted their practice. "How's the team coming along?"

Eclipse turned to the blue duo. "Oh wow, you were actually serious about this," he said. "That's awesome!"

Rainbow Dash beamed. "I know, right?" She turned toward Spitfire. "It's goin' pretty well, Captain. What Lightning Dust and I have in speed, Eclipse and Little Angel have in maneuverability." The black and purple pegasi saluted their captain as their names were spoken.

Spitfire smiled again. "Show me whatcha got," she barked. Lightning Dust told her to stand right where she was while the new recruits flew right for her. Eclipse zoomed by, twisting his body to the right to avoid hitting her, twisting back as soon as his tail had passed hers. Little Angel did the same, twisting her body to the left. "Not bad," she congratulated them. "But we'll be flying around giant crystals. Lemme see how precise your climb is." She directed them to the wall of the nearest building and hovered above the clouds, facing the wall.

Eclipse and Little Angel flew as fast as they could until they reached the wall, and then turned their wings forward, rapidly slowing them down. Then, with a strong flap of their wings, they sped toward the sky with almost as much speed as they had started with. Little Angel almost got a little too close to the wall; the tips of her hooves scraped against it.

"Impressive. Keep working on things," she told them as the sun dropped below the horizon and she started back to her office. She paused and added, "Tomorrow."