Chapter 10-Our Darkest Hour
"Dash? Rainbow Dash? Are you awake?" A hushed voice called to her as she stirred, fighting off the remnants of the drug's effects. Her head bobbed as she fought from slipping back into unconsciousness. "Rainbow Dash!" The sharp call pierced through the cloud in her mind. She forced open her heavy eyelids, initially being greeted by nothing by darkness. Her eyes slowly adjusted, filtering whatever light was able to reach her eyes, giving her surroundings a rough definition.
She was lying down, on a worn, rough mattress, with only a thin blanket covering her. Above her rested another bed of the same quality, suspended from the ceiling by iron chains. The rest of the room was cold rock, broken only by a barred iron door. Rainbow Dash tried to move, but found her muscles unresponsive. Panic gripped her heart as she tried to lift her hooves with no avail. Her wings were equally useless.
"Oh no. No. Celestia no. I can't-"
"Rainbow Dash! You're awake!" The bed above her swung on its chains, the occupant rolling off and landing beside her bed.
"Surprise! You're...you're alive." The white pegasi's coat was dirty and specked with dry blood, almost to the point where almost no white was showing. Her mane lay in the same state, it's usually puffiness deflated and the bright gold dulled with grime.
"Sure I am! You don't think a measly little changeling could kill me, do you?"
"What's...what's happening to me? I can't feel anything. Am I going-"
"No, that's just the last bit of the drug wearing off. You'll be able to move in minutes."
"What do they want with me?"
"I'm not sure. I've seen a lot of high-status ponies in here though. And me, I'm a Wonderbolt; Soarin was dead and Spitfire was hacking through their mages, but I was just unconscious. So they took me, more than likely for ransom. But I don't know why they took you."
"Soarin's not dead."
"What? Really?!?"
"Yeah. He was almost dead, but he had gotten so much better before...before-" Rainbow Dash fought back the despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She could feel her chances of seeing Soarin plummet to virtually nothing, her life seemingly destined to be wasted away in her damp cell.
"Don't worry Rainbow, this will all work out. Wars don't last forever. We'll get out of here."
Dash pushed herself up, the feeling returning in her legs. "But what about him? How will he ever find me? Will he even be alive?!?"
"Soarin may be dumb sometimes, but he's tough. He'll be alive, Rainbow."
"I just wish I knew what they-" Rainbow Dash cut herself off as heavy pounding came from the hallway, steadily drawing closer. orange light flickered from under the door. Two changelings walked in, one carrying a black cloth in its mouth. Before she could comprehend what was happening, Dash was slammed to the ground. The cloth went over her head, and all was dark.
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"I don't get it! Ponies don't just disappear!" Fleetfoot paced back and forth along the barracks, muttering to herself. The sudden disappearance of Rainbow Dash had shaken both her and Spitfire. As the days went by, both grew more restless, not only trying to figure out what had happened, but also what to tell Soarin.
"She couldn't have just gone!" Spitfire mused. "That mare wouldn't leave during the assault, choosing instead to stay with Soarin!"
"You don't think..."
"What?"
"You don't think she could have gotten hit?"
"No. She didn't. Don't say that."
"I hate to ma'am, but it's a possibility. We got to consider all options with this one."
A frown crossed Spitfire's face. Something was awry. Nopony just disappeared into thin air. She suppressed her rising suspicions, instead mentally laying out all of the options.
"Alright. So either she left with no word, or she got hit. That's all we got."
"Yeah, so what do we do now?"
"We do the most difficult part of this job." Spitfire looked out the door, staring into space. "We got to tell him."
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Small flickers of light poked through the coarse fabric of the hood. Rainbow Dash stumbled down corridor after corridor between her guards, lost in the confines of the cloth covering her face. At last, she felt cold iron cross her chest, halting her. Strong forelegs gripped her own, lifting her off her feet with the sound of flapping wings. They stayed in midair for a split second, enough to make Dash begin to worry, before she lurched backwards, her back slamming onto a wooden slab. Her legs were pulled so she lay partly spread-eagled, before cold metal cuffs were clamped down on her forelegs. With a dull creak, the slab moved upright, Dash sliding down it before jerking to a stop as the chains holding the cuffs on her forelegs to the slab straightened. It was then the hood finally came off.
Before her stood an unusually large changeling, malicious smile across its face. Behind him stood another smaller, almost timid changeling. To his left was the pony in the iron armor, the one in her dream just a day ago. Rainbow Dash shook as fear took her, her nightmare now standing before her.
"Rainbow Dash," he said, deep voice sounding strangely soft, catching her off guard given the menacing appearance of his helmet. "I'm so glad you could join us."
"What-what do you want with me?" Her voice quivered as she stared down at the figures before her.
"It's all quite simple, Miss Dash. Tell us the location of the Elements of Harmony, and we can put this all behind us. You can go back to your cell, live out this war, and return to your beloved Soarin once this is over."
Rainbow Dash's mind raced at what he had said. 'I know where the Elements are, Twilight has them in the Ponyville library. Just a simple response and I am guaranteed release once the war was over. But what about your friends Dash? They would kill Twilight and Spike if they got in the way. Aren't you supposed to be the Element of Loyalty? Giving them that would stop Celestia from having any chance at using them against this guy. I would be letting down my friends, not to mention all of Equestria. And what would Soarin think? He would leave you as soon as he heard what you did.'
Rainbow Dash looked into the iron pony's vision slits, giving as resolute an expression as she could. "No. I won't betray my friends and country."
"What a pity. We could have easily been done with this." Solar Flare looked at the larger changeling. "You know what to do."
The larger changeling barked an order to the smaller one, sending it scurrying behind Rainbow Dash. She turned her head to and fro, trying to get a glimpse of what it was doing. A soft hum came from behind the slab, the smaller changeling coming back around, giving the larger one a small switch. Rainbow Dash had half a second to contemplate what it was for before he smashed down on one end with one of his hooves.
In an instant, all of her muscles locked up at once as electricity coursed through her bonds into her body. Her back arched, the cuffs tugging at her hooves. A scream caught in her throat as her windpipe contracted, choking her. Her heart pumped faster and faster, feeling as if it was going to explode inside her. Then, with a flip of the switch, it was over. Rainbow Dash thumped back against the slab, hanging limply. Tears rolled down her face, intermingling with the sweat that soaked her fur. She gasped for air, lungs trying desperately to keep up with her pounding heart. Weakly, she pulled up her head, looking into the seemingly soulless pits of Solar Flare's helmet. He stared back, making her want to shrink back all the more. He spoke in a much more hushed tone this time, but his voice was no less menacing. "Where are the Elements of Harmony?"
Rainbow Dash shook in pain, quivering forelegs barely supporting her. She braced herself, before shakily responding. "Sh-shove it up your ass."
"Again."
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"Again."
Soarin flapped his injured wing lightly, wincing as he worked the damaged muscle. Despite the rapid healing that had accompanied the departure of Solar Flare from his dreams, he still had to undergo the pain as his body repaired.
"Alright Soarin, you may cease." Soarin tucked his wing against his body, allowing it to return to a more comfortable position. The doctor motioned him away with a slight wave. Soarin limped back towards his room. As he went down the hall, he glanced out of the windows, a slight frown crossing his face.
'It's been over a week since Rainbow Dash last stopped by,' he thought. 'That's not like her at all. What's going on?' He entered his room deep in thought, unaware of bright green eyes watching him from further down the hall.
A series of swift knocks on his door caught his attention. He felt his hopes rise. Perhaps, at last she was coming to see him again. His heart sank slightly when only Spitfire and Fleetfoot walked in, wearing the dress uniform of the Wonderbolts. Soarin could sense that something was not right. They never wore their dress uniform outside of formal occasions. A pang of fear crept from the recesses of his mind as Spitfire began to speak well-rehearsed lines. Lines he had heard too often as he accompanies Spitfire to residences of military pegasi.
"Lieutenant Soarin. I regret to inform you that your marefriend, Ms. Rainbow Dash, is declared missing in action as of today. Both the Royal Guard and the Wonderbolts offer their condolences for your loss...."
He tuned her words out, lost in his own mind. She was gone. They had been torn apart, only to be reunited for merely days. Now he was alone. Grief morphed into rage, rage at the cruelty of chance, at his inability to protect her, at this "Solar Flare." He smashed his hoof into the bed stand beside him, the force of his blow splintering it.
"FUCK! CELESTIA-FUCKING-DAMNIT!" He lashed out with impunity at everything nearby, reducing them to scraps of wood and nails. His nearly-incessant swearing, combined with the shattering of furniture, began to draw a crowd outside the door; a crowd that was dissipated by Fleetfoot standing guard outside. Soarin continued his rampage for only a minute, before slumping against the wall, staring blankly at the floor.
"Hey, she can still be alive," Spitfire said, placing a hoof on Soarin's shoulder. "We haven't found anything pointing towards her being...gone."
"How many missing soldiers are ever found off the front lines? Much less a civilian. She's strong, but not like for something like this." He retained his downcast stare as he spoke, no emotion evident in his voice.
Spitfire knew all too well that he was bottling up all of the fear and grief inside. She had only seen this once before, when Soarin was still an enlisted soldier in the Equestrian Guard. He had a friend go missing then, his closest friend in the Guard. A pegasi named Wingstream...
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Wingstream wandered through the seemingly endless corridors of the changeling castle, desperately searching for Solar Flare. Room after room yielded no success, only irritating the navy blue pegasus. As he turned the corner, he caught a glimpse of blue light flickering from a door, opened just a crack. He silently moved up to it, and glanced in the entrance.
Blue light flickered off of the black iron of Solar Flare's armor. He watched the cyan pegasi before him writhe in agony as electricity charged through her, individual bolts jumping across her body. The changeling pulled the lever back, and the room was once again lit only by the soft orange glow of torches. Solar Flare looked at her, steam rising from her lithe frame, blood running from her nose and mouth. Her forelegs trembled, weakened muscles barely able to hold her up. Yet, despite the pain, her magenta eyes burned with hate, spitting defiance.
"Cease." Solar Flare motioned slightly to the changeling, the lever sliding back into its resting place. "You are stronger than you look. Very impressive young mare. What else should I have expected from the Element of Loyalty? You're not a quivering coward like your friends, are you? Like your precious Soarin?"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Rainbow Dash lurched forward, fury finding strength in her burning muscles. The chains jerked her back, leaving her only with verbal assault. "The only coward here is you! Hiding in your castle, preying on innocent ponies! Soarin's braver than you ever will be-"
Rainbow Dash was cut off as the lever once again slid up, once again sending searing pain through her body.
"Now Rainbow Dash, there's no need to be so rude. After all, you are our guest." Solar Flare watched for several more seconds, before signaling to the changeling to cease.
"That's enough for now." He turned back to the quivering pegasi, steam rising from her body. "Think long and hard about your decision, Rainbow Dash. This is only the beginning."
Wingstream slid back behind the door as Solar Flare moved to leave. He tried to comprehend what had just taken place before him.
'What is he doing? We've never used torture on anypony! We agreed to that!' He peeked through the crack of the door, where the semi-conscious Rainbow Dash was being unlatched. 'Who is she Wingstream? Why does she seem so familiar?' Questions filled his mind, questions he was unable to answer. Wingstream waited until all had left the room before leaving his hiding spot, briskly trotting back to his room.
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The walk back to her cell seemed to last for eternity. The adrenaline from the past hours had worn off, the torture now beginning to take effect. She could feel herself losing consciousness. Dash stumbled and fell, her legs unresponsive. Armored hooves caught her, and began to drag her to her cell, her head dropped. At last she allowed herself the luxury of passing out.
Rainbow Dash couldn't even catch herself as her captors threw her into her cell. Her face smacked against the cold stone, but she hardly noticed the pain anymore. Her entire body seared in pain, her muscles weak.
"Dash!" Surprise exclaimed, jumping off her bed to pick up the fallen cyan mare. "Dash! Are you alright?" She looked over the semi-conscious pegasus, taking note of the burnt fur above her hooves. Flapping as hard as she could, Surprise half-dragged Rainbow Dash to her bed, before tearing off the edges of her sheet. She soaked them in a puddle between two stones, before applying them to the wounds. Rainbow Dash hissed in pain, tensing up for a second before relaxing.
"It's okay Dash. I'm taking care of you now," Surprise said softly. "They aren't gonna hurt you anymore." She looked at the door before applying the next improvised bandage. 'Well, not for now,' she thought.
Rainbow Dash slowly began to regain her awareness to her surroundings. Everything ached. A dull soreness had seeped into her muscles, and now tormented her every movement. Slowly rolling over, she found the white pegasus still tearing her sheet to make more bandages.
"Sur-" Dash coughed, her throat dry, making her voice more raspy than usual. "Surprise. I'm good."
"Dash! You're up! I've been trying the best I can, but I'm about to run out of water-at least until they bring us some for our meal-and I was really worried about how you would be, but you're good!"
"Yeah. I'm good as new." Rainbow Dash groaned as she pulled herself to the edge of the bed. "Why wouldn't I be?" She hopped off, and collapsed onto the floor, sharp pain flaming through her legs. "Ahh! Damn that hurts!" She waved of Surprise's attempt to help her up. "I gotta do this!" Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, before shakily standing on her hind legs also. "There...I'm great."
"Dash, what happened? I've never seen this occur before."
"They...they fuckin' tortured me; trying to get information. But I didn't give in. They tried...but I told them nothing."
"That's odd...they've never done that before, at least not since I've been here. What would make them start now?"
"I don't know. Maybe he's desperate. Maybe this means Equestria's got a chance of winning this fight." Dash limped over to the barred window, staring into the night sky. She knew somewhere out there was her love. She knew she had to make it out of this prison.
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"I don't like this. I don't like it at all." Spitfire muttered to Fleetfoot as she stared at where Soarin was exercising his mending wing. She could see the emotions pent up inside him, building up but unable to be released.
"You don't like what?" Fleetfoot responded, a sarcastic tone evident in her voice. "The fact that we're in a war? That Soarin's just a damn time bomb? He's going to break eventually, and it's not going to be pretty."
"I know, but we can't do anything for him. I can't empathize, so what use are any words of comfort I offer? He's going to have to go through this alone."
"Who's going to have to go through what alone?" Soarin's voice startled the two mares, who were so caught up in their conversation that they had not noticed his approach. "You guys are talking about me, right?"
"Look, Soar-" Fleetfoot started.
"Don't 'Look, Soarin' me. I've put up with enough bullshit as it is. Don't throw pity on top of it." Soarin shoved his way past Fleetfoot, storming out of the room.
"See? That's not Soarin. We gotta help him somehow."
"You got any brilliant ideas? Because I got nothing."
"No. No I don't."
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Wingstream looked around at the flickering shadows surrounding him. He had been here before.
"LUNA! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE," he shouted, before sitting back, waiting. He knew he was dreaming. She would be around eventually. The shadows always appeared when she was.
"Wingstream," a regal voice said from behind him. He whirled around, crouching in a defensive posture.
"What do you want with me, Princess," Wingstream spat, his voice full of spite.
"I know what you have seen. I know of your questions earlier today. I know you recognize her."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play innocent with me. I've seen your thoughts while you still slept. Looked into your memories, as it were."
"YOU DID WHAT?!? How dare you! First you abandon me, then you fucking watch my life! What sort of pony are you?"
Luna rose to her full height, blue flames licking around her. Darkness crept in on the two ponies, leaving them trapped on a little oasis of blue light. She spoke with the voice of Nightmare Moon, the area around her magnifying her presence. "DO NOT QUESTION ME! I DID NOT ABANDON ANYPONY! IT IS YOU WHO CHOSE THIS LIFE! YOU CHOSE TO FORSAKE YOUR OATHS AND FIGHT THOSE WHO SEARCHED FOR YOU FOR SO LONG! I DID NOT CAUSE YOU TO FORGET ALL THOSE YOU LEFT BEHIND IN EQUESTRIA!"
Wingstream cowered on the ground, unprepared for such ferocity from the Princess of the night. The shadows receded, and the flames died away as Luna lowered herself back down to a much less fearsome size.
"Now Wingstream, I know you recognized the pegasi you saw chained and tortured. You couldn't remember her name, or where you saw her from. That is why I have come. Step forward, and remember."
Wingstream took a cautious step towards Luna, still stunned from her outburst. Her horn glowed, and touched his forehead. Instantly he was taken back through time, scenes from long-forgotten memories going by with a blur. At last he stopped, in the Cloudsdale Advanced Flight School library. He saw himself, along with the mare he saw on the slab together at a table.
'Wingstream frowned as he looked over his notes, varying aerial acrobatics and specific details laid out before him. He could feel her stare from across the table, boring into his skull. At last he broke the silence, if only to stop the awkward staring. Looking up from his notes, he leaned towards the cyan mare, crossing his forelegs is frustration.
"I just don't see how this is possible. Sonic rainbooms are stuff of myths and legends. The stress on the body should kill anypony outright."
A fiery determination sparked in her expression, as if he had issued a personal challenge. "Yeah, well I'm not just anypony, now am I? I'm well on my way to being the fastest flier in Equestria!"
"Sure you are Dash. I'd say the chances of you being the fastest flier are about the same as you making A's in all your classes."
"Oh, thanks for the support. Excuse me for not being such an egghead all the time. I'm telling you, if I pull this off, there'll be no way the Wonderbolts won't accept me!"
"Look, just don't try this now. We're still in Advanced Flight School, for Celestia's sake. The strain could be too much-"
"Yeah yeah, you worry about me too much." She rocked back in her chair, mouth forming into an overconfident smirk.
"Yeah, well..." He muttered under his breath. Rainbow Dash's ears twitched, her confident smile replaced with confusion.
"What did you say?"
Wingstream swung his head up, alarmed that she had actually heard him. "What?"
"What. Did. You. Say?"
"Nothing. Nothing. I was just talking to myself is all. You know, trying to see how you could pull this off." Wingstream looked back down towards his notes, trying to keep from embarrassing himself.
"Uh huh." She leaned back, still retaining a quizzical expression.'
Wingstream once again began to move through his memories, buried deep to keep the past hidden. He stopped to see Rainbow Dash cornered by the school bullies by the locker room of the practice field. Nopony else was around to intervene.
"How bad are ya gonna screw up this time, Rainbow Crash?" The first said.
"Yeah, you gonna send a tornado through the locker room again?"
"Or better yet, how about you hit Professor Thunder with a cloud again! That was priceless!"
Rainbow Dash was almost in tears. She knew she couldn't fight back, with both numbers and size against her. Dash looked for any escape, but was trapped, back against a wall as the barrage of mocking insults came on.
Out of nowhere a navy blue streak flew past, colliding with the largest of the three. The bully was sent flying through the air, where he was now replaced by Wingstream. Without pausing, he shot forward, delivering several blows to the second stallion's muzzle, being rewarded with several shots of blood. The last swung as Wingstream finished off the second, catching him under the jaw. More blows came, Wingstream barely able to block them in time. He ducked under a wild swing, before kicking both his hind legs into the soft belly of his opponent. The colt crumpled in pain, and Wingstream strode over to Rainbow Dash, who looked on in stunned silence.
"You alright Dash?" Wingstream queried.
"Huh? Oh yeah, uh....yeah I'm fine. Uh...thanks Wing."
"Hey, that's what I'm here for-"
The scene cut off, whirring by his face as he returned to the black void, Luna before him.
"Why did you show me that? Why are you even here?"
"Do you still not understand? This is the pegasi you saw chained and tortured. We have resurfaced memories buried deep for too long. What happened to the loyalty and honor you once showed without fear? Why do you strive against those who would welcome you with open hooves?"
"What happened? I'll tell you what happened. I was dying. Alone. In the middle of nowhere. Solar Flare found me. He healed me, made me strong. My loyalties lie with the one who actually cared enough to save me."
"And what of Rainbow Dash? Shall you doom her to a slow, agonizing death? She will not tell, we assure you."
"She was nothing more than a foolish crush, a love long since lost. I feel nothing anymore."
"You have hidden your emotions deep down, but they are not lost. Do not give into hate, as we once did. This path leads only to ruin. Solar Flare cares not of anypony's fate. You are no more than a pawn to him."
"He saved me. Which was more than you ever did."
"I know you hate me. I never meant to make you feel this way. You were afraid. I never thought I could feel so condemned. But I offer a chance for redemption-"
"Shove it up your royal ass. You are not my princess. I will never join you."
"As you wish. But the door shall always be open." Luna faded back into the shadows, her eyes glowing in the darkness before fading away. Her voice carried through his mind, almost in a whisper. "Do not forget what you have seen." The shadows rushed in on him, and all went black.
Wingstream awoke with a jolt. He tried to process what had just happened through the night. He pulled himself out of his bed, halfheartedly fixing his mane. Staring into his mirror, he steeled his resolve, trying to ignore the memories exposed in his dream. Already, he could feel doubt creep into his mind. He fought back his doubtful thoughts, donning his cold demeanor. He couldn't allow the seed of doubt to take hold, not after all he had worked for.
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Soarin cast a mournful look out his window. He thought back to his nighttime flights with Rainbow Dash, all of the love and innocence shared between them. They had had so much for so little time. Now he was stuck in some wasteland, wounded and alone. Dash was gone, and there was almost no hope of finding her. His hopes were erased, now just a distant memory.
A thunderous explosion brought Soarin out of his depressing thoughts. Green light flickered from outside, growing in intensity as another fireball flew by. Soarin ran out of his room, limping slightly. Outside the fort was illuminated by the changeling barrage, the night almost like day. He ran through the labyrinthine hallways, eventually reaching the front door. All the pain was overrun by adrenaline as he tore through the front door, running straight for the barracks.
A sudden clamor came from the walls. Turning to look, Soarin saw a massive tower trundling towards the wall, magic bolts reflecting off of a force field. Ponies filled the walls, spears held at the ready. With a groan it stopped mere feet away from the wall, then the front ramp lowered. Changelings poured out, pushing back the defenders just enough to create a beachhead. Soarin turned back to his task, going inside and retrieving his armor, donning it as fast as he could. He grabbed his sword and spear, and turned to face a surprised Spitfire.
"Soarin? What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm not going to go out without a fight. If they get through, it will be a massacre."
"Soarin-"
"Don't. I've lost almost everything because of this war. Don't try and stop me."
Spitfire started to speak, but cut herself off. She knew that he couldn't reason with him, much less stop him. All she could do is stand in dumbfounded silence as he shouldered his way past her.
Soarin looked around, trying to assess the situation. The changelings had a portion of the wall under their control, but the Equestrian Guard seemed to be holding their own. He started to go back to the hospital, to defend it from any enemies who might manage to get by. It was then the wall fell.
Tons of stone blew back into the fort, scattering across the ground. A great shout came from outside the walls, and the sound of hundreds of changeling hooves all charging at once filled the air. Soarin rallied those ponies closest to him, and charged towards the gaping hole.
Both forces met in the middle, the sounds of battle immediately filling the air. Spears punched through armor and swords swung down on exposed flesh and chitin as both armies fought with desperate frenzy. Soarin heaved his spear into his first opponent before drawing his sword. He knocked a second to the ground, battering down on its sword until he broke through the changeling's defense, gore splattering across his face. He saw several manage to sneak over a partially collapsed part of wall, and tore after them, hacking down any opposition in his way. They ran towards the hospital, several breaking off to fight scattered defenders. With a shout the small group of changelings broke through the doors, stabbing left and right with their spears.
Soarin plunged his sword into the back of the closest one, then darted forward and brought his sword across a second changeling's neck. Seizing the initiative, he continued to kill the rest in several seconds, taking advantage of their inattentiveness to the fight behind them. He took a second to regain his breath, before running back outside.
The battle had taken a turn for the worse. The changelings had managed to make a bulge in the Equestrian forces. Several towers along the wall now served as rallying points, dark flags illuminated by green fire. He paused for a second, then ran back inside, pulling aside those nearest to him.
"Doctors, it looked like they're about to break through," Soarin said, his voice cold. "Your job is to get all of the wounded and anypony who can't fight out of here. We'll cover for you. Get everyone to the boarding station." The medical ponies left without a word, scurrying off to evacuate.
The doors shattered behind him with a resounding crack as wood splintered and glass broke. Soarin turned and engaged the oncoming foe. His first swing caught a changeling under its jaw, sending green blood into the air. He smacked another with his armored hoof, sending it sprawling. A spear thrust towards him, and he swatted it aside, lunging forward to gut his attacker. Aware of a sudden presence beside him, Soarin turned, but stayed his blow. Several ponies, doctors and wounded had scavenged what weapons try could, and now were trickling into the fight. Giving a rallying shout, Soarin renewed his assault, supported by his new allies. They pressed the changelings back, both sides taking a toll. At last, that managed to secure the shattered doorway, holding long enough for others to bring up anything that could be used as a barricade to block it.
As the final items fell into place, Soarin looked over the ragtag group, now under his command. Many had fallen in the fight to press back the changelings, others suffered fresh wounds. Outside, more changelings still pounded at the barricade. He knew not of the fate of the rest of the fort; whether they had escaped or all died fighting. All of the ponies still within the hospital looked to him, the rest having left or died.
"Ok, here's what we're going to do," Soarin commanded, drawing the attention of all around him. "Gather up any supplies that can fit into your saddlebags. Essentials only-enough to survive out there. Scrounge up whatever armor and weapons you can find. You all have ten minutes. Then, we'll leave out the back door, and through the drainage ditch under the wall. Don't draw attention to yourselves. Go!"
Most of the ponies ran off to find their supplies, while few remained to guard the barricade. Soarin ran to his room, grabbing his saddlebags, filling them with bandages and whatever food and water he could find. The ten minutes passed faster than expected, with only one minute until they left. As he turned to leave, something on the table in the corner of his room caught his eye. A small box lay beside several books, almost hidden. He ran over, wondering how he hadn't noticed it before. Soarin tore the box open, and tears welled in his eyes. Inside was a small framed picture of both him and Rainbow Dash, taken after the Wonderbolts show in Ponyville. Several words were written on the picture, in Rainbow Dash's writing.
"To better times, then and now. Love, Dash." Tears streamed down his face as Soarin read her note softly. He tucked it in his saddlebag, and turned back to the war, wiping his eyes. The changelings were still at the gates. There would be time for dwelling on the past later.
He could feel the nervous tension in the room. His makeshift militia were tense, their fate now only seconds away. He glanced over them one last time. All wore a combination of Equestrian Guard and ill-fitting changeling armor. Spears and swords were scattered throughout the group. All carried saddlebags, filled to their max. With a nod, Soarin signaled for the retreat to begin.
He peeked out the back door, glancing all around. The alley was clear, the changeling army no doubt not thinking of going into the back alley, boxed in by the wall and the hospital. Waving his hoof, Soarin motioned for the group to come out, making sure they went towards the right end, where a drainage ditch was located. The first pony reached the ditch, pulling of the grate and sliding under the wall. The rest poured out of the door in a mob of gold and black, going under the wall as fast as they could. Soarin was the last to leave, looking one last time at the hospital before disappearing through the ditch.
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Green light shone on the horizon, flickering consistently. Dash lowered herself from the window, falling back down onto all fours. She thought of Soarin, undoubtedly caught in the obvious fight. She wondered if he would still be there when the war was over, be it in favor of Equestria or the changelings.
Rainbow Dash turned away from the window, not wanting to think of the potentially painful immediate future. She paused, catching a pale green stare coming from the barred window on the door. It disappeared as soon as she caught it, and Dash ran to the window, searching for whoever was watching. There was something different about those eyes. They were not the bright, malicious stares of the changelings she had encountered. They were wide, questioning, and almost sorrowful. They were the eyes of a pony.
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Wingstream pressed his back against the wall, trying to regain his composure. It was her. Luna had been right after all. After all these years, fate had crossed their paths once again. He could feel old emotions rise up, emotions buried under bitterness for years. Old friendships that he thought he had forgotten, rekindled loyalties to one he had promised to be there for. The feelings to those after her, the others he had left behind in his hate-filled crusade.
Wingstream fought back the rising tide, forcing it back into the recesses of his mind. He reminded himself of how it felt to be abandoned, wounded in a desert land. He retreated to his bedroom, hoping to find solace in sleep. Yet, in the deep corners of his conscious, he could still feel the emotions of the past.
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i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/5956875008/hDE0AFB59/
Interesting love triangle stuff you've got going.
3990185 I know this is reallyreallyreally late, but that song just became Solar Flare's theme song.
4270919 Yeah it's about time. This chapter was hard.
Stay Awesome
RDD
I love it! Nothing can counter my lock on this 'fast-mover'. If there is somepony waiting for the next chapter. It will be me! Oh yeah, here is something to chew on. Mhoehahahahahaha!
"The fresh hate trying to keep control, but 'past' has different plans. Shall the shadow upon him break? Or shall the shadow within him rise?"
May 25th, Marked.
It was awsome
4266034 Your welcome.
So are u posting may 25 ??