Chapter 8: Shattered Skies
The enemy is on the move, approaching the city in the clouds.
Those who have wings are called forth to defend it.
The heroines are ready to assist, but will this be enough?
As the sun reaches its peak, the battle begins.
Chapter 8
"Shattered Skies”
February 2nd, 2019
0445 hrs
Cloudsdale, Mirage squadron’s baseIt was still dark on the Equestrian skies. The recent days had put everypony on the edge. Despite recovering the supplies from the bunkers taken by the griffins, it turned out it was all a cleverly placed trap. Lured out to help, the Mirage squadron was unable to assist other towns as the griffins began the full-scale attack. Manehattan fell not long after they fought on Gildsedale Plains. The whole EAF was still holding several key cities; aside from Canterlot and Cloudsdale, Stalliongrad and Ponyville were also important places of resistance.
However, while things looked a little bleak, the ponies were not alone in defending their land. By calling out for assistance from their relatives in distant Appleloosa, they agreed, with a little help from the buffaloes, to help them transport and stock up on their apple pies, but not for digesting purposes. As it was once proved, they could be used as effective weapons, too. The whole operation lasted almost three days, and since it was carried out in absolute secrecy, it didn’t draw the griffins’ attention. Meanwhile, the ponies were doing their best trying to keep them busy. Though successful, in the end, they suffered several casualties and lost Trottingham two days ago.
Luckily, the citizens were evacuated to Canterlot where they tried to reorganize. And after taking over Manehattan, the invaders were now in dangerously close vicinity of Cloudsdale. While they couldn’t surround it and take it by storm, some were worried if the pegasus ponies, even with Mirage squadron supporting them, would be strong enough to hold the city. Nopony knew about the mysterious pegasus that appeared on Gildsedale Plains two weeks ago, as Gale wasn’t certain if he would actually take a part in the war and didn’t wanted to spread any rumors. Things were quite complicated, but the pegasi remained confident that they would save Cloudsdale.
Rainbow and her friends were still resting in their beds. Medley kept on rolling back and forth; it seemed like she was dreaming of an intense fight. Lightning Bolt and Cloud Kicker were sleeping together, with the lavender mare resting her head on Lightning’s flank. She didn’t mind at all. They looked cute while asleep. Even Fluttershy and Derpy slept tight.However, Rainbow herself was already awake. She was just staring at the ceiling for the past thirty minutes, trying to get some sleep, but to no avail. She had a lot on her mind. Recent events invoked some questions that needed answers. As she turned to the left, she suddenly heard some noises—as if someone was strolling the hallway. Rainbow noticed that Firefly left her bed. She decided to sneak out of the room as quietly as possible and look for the source of this disturbance. She knew Firefly had a lot on her mind, too, but she didn’t want to tell anypony. Her recent behaviour seemed to confirm it. For the last few days, she became increasingly cold and aggressive to the point of outright yelling at her teammates during training, even when they showed signs of fatigue.
As Rainbow was passing by the Mission Control, she saw her at the computer. At first, the blue pegasus just stood there, uncertain what to do. She heard some faint whispers:
“And here I thought I would never run into him again... fate can be cruel. Why were you hiding all this time...? If you’d wanted, you would just show up and tell me it all...”
Rainbow had no idea what Firefly was referring to, but she saw that the pink pegasus was checking data on Black Star. She apparently was thinking to herself aloud. Rainbow walked in quietly, trying to talk with her.
“Hey, Firefly...”
Hearing her name, she turned around. The look on her face suggested she woke up recently, too. Firefly let out a mild yawn, trying to cover her mouth.
“Oh, morning, Rainbow. I’m sorry if I woke you up. I’ll be done in a minute.”
“No, it’s fine,” Rainbow replied. “I was... wondering about that mysterious pegasus...”
“Again?” Firefly asked. “He’s all you’ve been thinking about in the last two weeks. You even say your predictions about him while we’re training. You know... I’m starting to think you’ve fallen for him,” she added with a snicker.
“Like hay I would! He’s not even my type,” Rainbow said with a loud whisper.
It wasn’t all true, though. Rainbow was greatly impressed by Mobius’ speed, fighting skills and strength. He’d probably be a great example for others.
“I admit the guy is pretty good... even kinda handsome. But that doesn’t mean I feel anything toward him.“
A barely visible blush appeared on Rainbow’s cheeks when she said that. The room was only lit by computer’s monitor, so Firefly didn’t noticed it.
“Well, if you say so... Anyway, there’s no place for love during the war. And we can’t count on his help much. Besides...”
She didn’t speak further. It was obvious they were anxious about him. That pegasus wasn’t from Equestria and they weren’t sure if he would actually bother to try and help them. But in reality, Rainbow was thinking about something else. “Since you’re already up, can we talk?” she asked Firefly.
The pink pegasus turned to her again.
“About?”
“About you. I see you have some problems...” Rainbow whispered.
“What are you talking about?”
At first, Dash didn’t answer, trying to put everything in her together. Finally, she spoke:
“Why didn’t you tell us about that griffon? Why were you hiding the real reason you came to Equestria? It’s about revenge, isn’t it? So, that whole speech about protecting our land was just smoke and mirrors? Can you explain this to me?”
This sudden barrage of questions caused Firefly to hang her head. Moments later, when she tried to explain, her eyes met with Rainbow’s. The blue pegasus saw they were reflecting sadness in her friend’s heart. Firefly’s voice was shaky.
“I wanted to tell you all... I had no idea he would show up like that all of a sudden. I never even thought he would actually appear in Equestria again. And I didn’t come here just for revenge. Dash, you have to believe me. The main reason I came back was to protect Equestria from the invasion! I want to protect the land we all call home!”
She rose the volume a bit in her last statement. Rainbow wanted to believe her, but something was still uncertain for the rainbow-maned flier. She decided to ask her something else.
“Alright, then tell me: why didn’t you tell us about him outright? Why keep it a secret?”
This time, Firefly looked angrily at Rainbow. To her, it probably seemed like a meaningless argument. She had no idea how painful it was for her to witness everything again in her mind.
“Why? You want to know why?! I’ll tell you why! What if your parents were killed and you saw their dead bodies AND their killer before your very eyes?! HOW would YOU feel then? Would it be easy for you to tell somepony about it!? Well? Tell me!”
She exclaimed those words in Rainbow’s face, not bothered by the fact she did it loudly. The blue pegasus felt regret. She spoke quietly:
“I—I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Save it!”
Firefly walked back to the computer. Rainbow felt bitter. She said one word too many. Firefly sat on the floor, looking at Black Star’s data. She whispered again.
“You don’t know how this feels... You don’t know the pain I feel. Nopony knows...”
“Then tell me about it,” Rainbow suggested. “It might ease this pain a little.”
The pink pegasus wasn’t sure if she was ready to confess the whole truth, even though she trusted Rainbow greatly. Her last few phrases, being louder than normal, led to other pegasi waking up and slowly entering the Mission Control. Firefly looked down on the floor.
“So, you girls woke up too, huh? How much did you heard?”
“We’ve heard enough,” Lightning Bolt remarked.
“We know that you and this Black Star are in a sort of conflict. But keeping it a mystery does not benefit our team.”
“Maybe it’s time you should tell us something more about him,” Cloud Kicker added. “Are you so cold to us because of him? You know we can always talk about it.”
Fluttershy came closer to Firefly and assured her that if things will be too painful for her to explain, she doesn’t have to confess. They will understand. The pink pegasus smiled somberly and looked at Rainbow.
“I told you. You’re really lucky to have such friends. OK, then. I’ll tell you what happened between me and Black Star. Hopefully, I’ll finish this painful chapter of my life before sunrise.”
Medley noticed that 5AM was approaching. They all sat around Firefly and she begun her story.
“You see, I wasn’t considered a ‘typical’ pegasus pony when I was younger. My parents were always proud of my agility and courage. They hoped that one day I’ll grow into a fine mare. Back then, I had a dream, very much like yours, Rainbow Dash—to become a member of the Wonderbolts.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised. The Wonderbolts were always the best fliers in Equestria, every pegasus had a dream of joining them at least once,” Rainbow pointed out.
“That’s right. And I had every possible skill needed to become one. I was never afraid of doing even the most dangerous-looking tricks. I used to show them to my parents often. I had my dad’s approval, while my mom was a bit more careful.”
“Mothers are usually like that,” said Derpy. “Sometimes I wonder how Dinky is doing...”
“I’m sure she’s fine. After all, Cheerilee is taking care of all the fillies,“ Cloud Kicker reminded her.
She promptly turned to Firefly, asking if she’s interrupting her.
“Nah, it’s fine. We have plenty of time ‘till morning.” She brushed Cloud’s worries off.
“Anyways, one day I received a once in a lifetime chance—one of the Wonderbolts noticed me during a particularly impressive stunt and invited me to Cloudseum, so I could show them what I was made off. My parents were quite thrilled by this, so they agreed to let me go there without a second thought. I was so excited that my dream would finally come true...”
Firefly hanged her voice for a while. The pegasi looked at each other, wondering if she needed a moment to gather her thoughts. She resumed talking moments later.
“But as I was showing them my skills, I suddenly noticed smoke appearing in the place where my home was. I grew worried about my parents, and even though I was close to becoming a Wonderbolt, I decided to see if they were alright. So, I flew away. They probably thought I chickened out or something...”
“I’m sure they would understand if they learned what happened”, Medley spoke.
“Maybe. I guess I’ll never know the answer to that,” Firefly replied.
“So... when I got back home... I saw everything falling apart. My home was on fire and it seemed it was burning for a while now. I was terrified. I called out to my parents, but they never responded. I went inside, ignoring the flames and smoke. I kept on calling them, to no avail. And when I lost all hope... I saw them. Or should I say... their bodies.”
“Bodies? Were.... were they...!” Fluttershy gasped.
“Yeah... dead. Both of them were burned so much, their bodies were charcoal. They had claw wounds on them, too, like they were tortured or assaulted. And then, I saw him...”
“You mean, that griffon, Black Star?” Lightning Bolt asked.
"... Yeah. But I didn’t knew who he was then. He was standing before the flames, almost right next to my parents’ bodies. At first, I had no idea what was happening...”
-----------------
“Mommy... Daddy... What happened to you?! Please, wake up! Say something!”
“Don’t bother,” the griffon said to the pink filly. He was facing her with his back.
“Your parents thought they could stand up to me, but I showed them what happens to those who scheme against my kingdom.”
“What... What are you... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THEM!?” Firefly screamed.
“Why... Why aren’t they waking up? What did you do!?”
The griffon turned around and looked at Firefly with his piercing eyes. She felt her entire body froze in horror. She never felt so scared before. He then extended his wings, revealing a symbol that looked like a black star on the vest he was wearing.
“I was given an order by my superiors. They believed that your parents were planning to stage a mutiny against the Griffin Kingdom. As its sworn soldier, I had to make sure such thing would not occur. They have been put to rest forever.”
He had a monotone and grim voice. The flames around only made him look more intimidating.
“Is... is this some kind of a cruel joke!? ‘CAUSE I’M NOT LAUGHING! My parents never planned anything against your kingdom. Who told you this nonsense?”
Firefly kept yelling at the griffon. Anger and fear were mixing in her heart.
“Like I said, I had an order and I had to execute it. But, now that I did, I can see that what you say is true. I haven’t found any traces that would indicate their involvement in the mutiny. It seems I was mistaken.”
The griffon seemed completely unmoved despite what he just did.
Firefly was infuriated by his seeming lack of any emotions. She let out a scream and flew straight at the feathered soldier. He simply smacked her away with his wings. But she got up, forgetting the fear, her mind focused solely on this seemingly heartless being that stood before her.
“I will... I will NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I’m going to avenge them! I’ll make you pay for what you did to them! I’LL MAKE YOU PAY!”
Screaming so loud her voice echoed around the mountains, she flew at the griffon again. But he knocked her back without much of an effort. Despite being at a clear disadvantage, she kept attacking him. The pink pegasus relentlessly tried to hurt her opponent, but every time she tried, he just sent her back to the ground. Panting heavily, with tears streaming down her cheeks, Firefly yelled at him again.
“You... you won’t get away with this, you feathered bastard! I’ll make you suffer, like you made me! My parents did not deserve this! What you did is UNFORGIVABLE! You’ll regret ever coming here!”
With these words she charged at the griffon once more. But he decided to stop playing around.
“Try as you might, but you are no match for me.”
Seconds later, he flew directly at Firefly and smashed her with his claws. The pegasus was tossed outside the burning house, into the gorge below. Screaming, she tumbled down, scratching her body on the sharp rocks and hitting the ground hard. The griffon soldier got out and looked down, noticing the wounded, but still breathing filly. He flew down, approached her and then, instead of dealing the killing blow, he whispered to her ear:
“I commend your courage. But if you really want to avenge your parents, you mustn't die. You’re not yet ready to face me. When you will become stronger, I will find you. Then, we will finish our fight. I hope you will not disappoint me. Remember my name, little filly; I am Black Star, soldier of the Griffin Kingdom ”.
He then flew away.
Firefly tried to reach her hoof and stop him, but it was futile. The pink pegasus pony collapsed and burst into tears. She cried because of pain, because of her parents’ deaths, because her dreams were utterly crushed... all by this single encounter. All these feelings and despair overwhelmed her. She lay down for many minutes, sobbing and reminiscing about the two ponies who raised her since her birth... but were now gone forever. When she released the whole torment inside her, the pink pegasus used the last ounce of strength to fly back up to the scorching ruins of her home. Taking one final glimpse on the burned bodies, she made a vow.
-----------------
“I swore to myself that I shall become the strongest pegasus Equestria ever knew. And that I will become strong enough to avenge my mom and dad. Though it seems that time is yet to come.”
Firefly finished her story. An unsettling silence had fallen. But needless to say, her friends were shocked upon hearing the reasons behind the pink pegasus’ actions. Cloud Kicker spoke first.
“That Black Star is an A-class jerk! And that’s the least offending way I can think of calling him! He even admitted he killed your parents like it was everyday work for him!”
“It’s hard to blame you for acting the way you did,” Lightning Bolt added.“If that had happened to me, I would do the same.”
Fluttershy was sympathizing with Firefly more than ever before. She came closer to her and nuzzled her cheek. The yellow pegasus tried to cheer her up, stating that Firefly doesn’t need to face her past alone. Others agreed wholeheartedly. Rainbow Dash then said:
“The only thing that would stop you from taking down Black Star is you alone, Firefly. Of that, I’m certain. You’ve got what it takes to beat him. And I’m sure you’ll do it the next time you run into that bastard.”
Firefly looked at her friends. For the first time in many years, she finally felt a bit more peaceful. With a simple but honest “thank you”, she left the Mission Control to fly to the Headquarters.
The others followed. Sun was rising. They were about to go on their hardest mission so far.==========
0722 hrs
Cloudsdale HeadquartersAs the seven pegasi arrived at the Headquarters, they were greeted by Gale. He motioned them to come inside and follow him. Looking around, they noticed everypony was acting busy, with some of them analyzing tactics, and others training steadily by performing various aerial maneuvers. Seeing these preparations prompted Medley to ask:
“Hey, Gale. Are they all preparing for the upcoming battle?” “Yes. As you know, Cloudsdale is considered a home to most, if not all, pegasi. In a manner of speaking, it’s our main aerial base. So we must make sure that the enemy will not overrun it,” the red pegasus explained.
Firefly approached Gale and whispered something to his ear. Judging by his reaction, it must have been quite important, as he looked at her with eyes wide open, asking if “it” was true. The other pegasi looked suspiciously at them.
“Hey, I thought there weren’t supposed to be any more secrets in our team, Firefly!”
Derpy sounded a bit frustrated. The pink pegasus stopped and looked at her.
“It’s not a secret. I’ve already told Princesses Celestia and Luna about it. And you’re going to hear about it today, too.Not knowing what she meant, the girls kept following Gale until they reached the Briefing Room. A large map of Equestria was hanging on one of the walls. Other than this, the room, which contained several benches, was almost completely empty. Gale explained that he brought them earlier than everypony else, as this was concerning an important matter. He stated that the griffins were en route to Cloudsdale and their approximate strength was anywhere between seventy to ninety five units. Among all pegasi living in Cloudsdale, only about sixty were capable of fighting. Everypony else was moved to safer areas. The red pegasus then started the actual briefing on their mission, suggesting they should split into three groups.
“I know you have done this before, so I expect no difficulties. There are three key sectors in Cloudsdale; the north one, the center one and the south one. Each of these will require your presence to be properly fortified. Our pegasi forces are capable of putting up a good fight, but the griffins have an advantage in numbers and strength, so your assistance is necessary. It is entirely up to you how will you divide your team, but I suggest balancing it to avoid problems. We’re expecting that the griffins’ main attack force will move toward the center sector, so that one will be having three of you. The north and south ones will have two members of the squadron in it. Is everything clear so far?”
The pegasi noded, indicating they understood the message so far. Gale continued with showing them various squadrons formed in Cloudsdale that would participate in this mission. Once he finished, he then announced something that surprised Rainbow and her friends.
“I’m glad to add that you will not be alone in this mission.”
After saying this, he turned his communicator on and said:
“You can come in now, guys.”
The doors to the room drew open and three pegasi in familiar blue uniforms walked in. Everypony gasped. The Wonderbolts were standing right in front of them. Gale noticed their reactions and, with a smirk, he told them everything.
“That’s right. As you can see, the Wonderbolts are back in action. And each of your teams will get a support from one of them. Firebolt will aid the ponies in southern sector, Soarin’ will be flying with those in the northern one and Spitfire will help the ones in the center.”
After the initial shock, all pegasi bursted into happy cheering. With Wonderbolts flying with them, the spirits of other fliers would rise. Rainbow was especially excited, which was completely understandable. Firefly then approached the three pegasi. They seemed to have recognized her.
“So, you’re Firefly?” Spitfire asked. “The leader of Mirage? It’s a pleasure to see you again. I see you’ve gotten even tougher.”
“Thanks. But there’s something I need to tell you all.”
She then gave Gale a small round disc. He inserted it into the computer and soon, everypony saw several pictures that presented a gigantic structure in the mountains. Some of its parts looked like a fortress, while others resembled turrets. But the most significant feature was a long barrel cannon extending from the main building. When Derpy asked what this contraption could be, Firefly responded:
“That is a superweapon the griffins were building long before this war even started. A few months before coming back to Equestria, I’ve discovered it. This is supposed to be their trump card. It’s codenamed “The Burning Talon”. I’m not sure if it's in operational status yet, but judging by how much they were rushing the construction, I say it would actually be soon.”
“And what’s about this Burning Talon?” Rainbow Dash asked. “This weapon is supposed to store the solar energy in its generators, which are located deep within the facility. If that’s true, then said energy is then transported to the core of the structure”—saying this, Firefly showed them the detailed model of the superweapon—“where the operators can use that long barrel you see here to literally fire a beam of scorching light. In other words, it’s a chemical laser-firing fortress. I’m not sure how far that laser would reach, but I predict it could do damage to Cloudsdale. This is the secret I’ve been holding on with ‘till now. If it’s finished, we’ll be in a world of hurt...”
Others tried to learn something more about this superweapon, but suddenly, alarm went off.==========
0950 hrs
Cloudsdale Central SectorThe enemy was approaching the city, and slightly sooner than the ponies calculated. Racing against time, the Wonderbolts, along with Firefly’s team, flew to the city center. Some pegasi who noticed them flying side by side cheered on them, seeing it as a sign of good luck. Upon reaching their positions, Firefly split the team so they could aid each Wonderbolt in their proper sectors. Lightning Bolt and Cloud Kicker were asked to fly with Firebolt, while Derpy and Medley joined Soarin’. When they left, it left Firefly, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to stick with Spitfire. The blue pegasus was trembling with emotions—she finally got a chance to fly along one of her idols. Spitfire informed her about the possible attack force and stated that they must fight their best. Rainbow, with her smug tone, told her that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Many other pegasi were also settling on their positions.
When Fluttershy did the counting, they amassed to about thirty-five fliers, though many of them still looked and acted like rookies. Gale’s voice then sounded in their communicators stating that the griffins will be within Cloudsdale in about ten minutes. Everypony braced themselves for the coming battle. Firefly then saw the attackers coming after a few moments of nervous waiting. A band of about forty to fifty griffins, flying directly at them. The girls recognized some of their opponents; Razor, Scythe and Echo were among the squadrons. They assumed that some of their other foes must be with different groups. Lightning Bolt sent a message, having identified Jet and Zeakros in the enemy units that were coming at the southern sector. A few seconds later, Medley reported that the griffins who were heading toward the northern sector were being led by Greyback and a griffon with a green vest, bearing #2. Firefly immediately knew that it was Vulture from the Talon squadron. She thought he probably volunteered for this mission and hoped to run into her again.
Seeing the assailants coming closer, the pegasus ponies were about to meet them in battle.
“This is where the fun begins!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“Hostiles confirmed. All allies, you’re clear to engage and eliminate them. Just don’t do anything stupid,” Spitfire advised her friends.
“Everypony, FLY!”
-----------------
Cloudsdale Northern SectorThe job of Soarin’, Derpy and Medley was to defend the gates to the city. While heavily fortified, they would not last long against a concentrated attack. Soarin’ decided to fly ahead and see if any enemies were coming, and just then, the first of the griffins flew right past him. Medley saw him coming, though and went to intercept him. Soarin’ turned his communicator on and contacted other pegasi stationed by the gate:
“I see them! Got a tally-ho on the bandits! Protect the gate!”
Within the next few minutes, a group of fifteen griffins appeared in the airspace. Derpy joined Soarin’ in fighting them. Medley just dealt with the first attacker and flew to Soarin’ for further instructions. He dispatched her to the left flank with several other pegasi backing her up. She decided to keep an eye on a single griffon at a time and pick them off with direct assaults. In the meantime, Derpy aided the defenders on the right flank, initially clashing with two griffins and severely wounding one of them. It appeared the pegasi had the situation under control, at least for the moment. Jet picked up Derpy on his radar and went to meet her in battle. The grey pegasus noticed him, too. While not as swift as Firefly, she managed to keep Jet’s attention. Zeakros decided to not interfere and simply observed the fight from a distance, at least until Soarin’ found him and the two fought briefly.-----------------
1013 hrs
Cloudsdale Southern SectorLightning Bolt confirmed the enemy presence and directed a group of four pegasi to keep them occupied. The numbers of bandits were smaller than in other sectors, due to southern Sector having simply a strategic value. But the pegasi knew that keeping this sector under their control would make it easier for their forces to sortie. Firebolt and Cloud Kicker flew side by side, heading toward a second wave of griffins. The violet pegasus noticed Vulture among them. While Firebolt advised her to stay behind, she headed directly for him and ultimately decided to clash with Vulture instead, leaving Cloud Kicker to deal with three griffins supporting him. Luckily for the flier, she, too, had an assistance. Vulture’s brash thinking became his doom.
He tried to take on Firebolt head-on and perform a trick that would allow him to be directly above her, leaving her open to be attacked. But the Wonderbolt had seen such situations before, and she wasn’t fooled. In the middle of the trick, Vulture saw Firebolt performing a counter maneuver that put the griffon right before the pegasus’ eyes. Having difficulties with balancing his body, Vulture was an easy target. Firebolt rushed toward him and struck him with full force, sending the feathered soldier onto a nearby column. Yelling, he crashed onto it and plummeted down, blood streaming from his head.
That loud yell alarmed Greyback. He saw Vulture falling, defeated, his eyes closed and not giving a sign of life. The griffon was overcame with rage and out for blood. He targeted Cloud Kicker, but thanks to Lightning’s guidance, she was prepared. With a group of three other pegasi, she clashed with Greyback. A brief struggle later, he was forced to retreat due to the risk of being surrounded. He still vowed revenge for Vulture’s death, though. Firebolt reported to Gale that situation in southern Sector was slowly cooling down, which met with praising comments from him. Soon, the griffins retreated from the airspace. Lightning Bolt was called to assist fliers in the northern Sector, while Cloud was sent to the center one. Firebolt kept a few pegasi with her to ensure that the enemy would not try any surprise attacks.
-----------------
1241 hrs
Cloudsdale Central SectorThe battle raged on. As expected, the biggest attack group was concentrating on the central Sector. In the ensuing dogfights, Firefly and Spitfire managed to defeat many assailants, but it seemed like defeating one griffon made three more appear. Rainbow found herself face to face with Scythe. He recognized her as a pegasus who tried to fight his squadron all by herself. The fight between them lasted only a couple of minutes as Scythe broke away and flew to a group of several pegasi clashing with other griffins. They were fighting bravely, but the feathered soldiers had an advantage in strength. Rainbow tried to follow Scythe, but she suddenly heard Spitfire’s voice, calling for assistance. Freezing in place, she turned around and saw her, fighting Echo. They were evenly matched.
While Rainbow was flying toward them, she noticed another griffon trying to attack Spitfire from behind. Without hesitating, she intercepted him with a swift strike in the face, making him fall down. Echo noticed it and decided to break away and look for other targets. Spitfire looked at Rainbow with signs of relief.
“Thanks for the help. It’s good to have you with us, Rainbow.”
Hearing one of the Wonderbolts praising her almost made her explode with joy, but she managed to hold it off and said:
“Ditto that, Spitfire. They can keep sending more and we’ll dispatch them all!”
Making a few somersaults in the air, being a clear sign of showing her emotions, Rainbow flew to save a band of pegasi from the attacking griffins. Firefly joined in the assist, having just bested Razor in a duel. She had a small wound on her left side, but she wasn’t troubled by it. A new wave of griffins then entered the airspace. Firefly and Rainbow split in an attempt to stop them from advancing, but their numbers were too great for just them. Rainbow called Fluttershy for assistance, as her job was purely defensive and consisted of backing other pegasi. Together, while helping the defenders keep the griffins at bay, they managed to hold their positions. Cloud Kicker made a timely appearance, knocking one of the attackers off course and into another pegasus, who finished him off.
Yet, all these successful attempts at defending Cloudsdale would come at a high price. Several ponies were already badly injured and barely able to fly. Despite Mirage squadron’s support, losses were inevitable. When another wave of bandits approached them, they immediately went to pick off the wounded ponies. Their screams could be heard from a distance. Firefly charged at the new wave, trying to break their formation and keep them away. Echo once again got in her way.
“We’re even,” he said. “Now you know how it feels to lose soldiers in battle!”
But that comment only infuriated Firefly, as it reminded the mare of her parents again.
“Don’t you DARE tell me that! I know how it feels, all right!”
Fueled by anger, she delivered a powerful blow against Echo. The griffon was forced to retreat and even though Firefly tried pursuing him, she was called back by Spitfire and Gale. The battle was far from over as new enemies were coming. After regrouping their forces, Rainbow and Cloud Kicker led an attack against the upcoming bandits. While some ponies suffered claw wounds, they drove the griffins away and even took a few down. Many fell under the combined efforts of Spitfire and the Mirage squadron members, but the griffins had no intention of ceasing their attempts in capturing Cloudsdale. Hours continued to pass, with neither side being able to gain clear advantage in the battle.==========
1620 hrs
Cloudsdale Northern SectorWhile the situation was in the favor of Soarin’s group, now with Lightning Bolt supporting them, he couldn’t shake off a thought that something was wrong. While the enemy kept attacking the gates, their numbers were drastically smaller than before, with only four to six griffins attacking in between fifteen minutes. This gave the ponies enough time to tend to any wounded, fortify the defenses and reorganize their formations.
“Is it just me, or are they’re starting to give up?” Derpy asked.
While it definitely seemed that way, Lightning was more careful.
“They’re probably trying to wear us off. But the breaks between the attacks are too long. And they seem to be more interested in fighting us than breaching the gates. I don’t like this.”
“Can’t you try to do some research? Use that scanner thingamajig of yours,” Medley suggested.
Lightning thought about it for a while. At this point, anything was worth a try. She turned her scanner on to find some more incoming enemies. To her surprise, no one could be seen on the horizon. Instead, she noticed a small blink of light in the distance... there was something in this light that made her shiver. Soarin’s asked her for report.
“No bandits. The sky is clear. But I saw a light... and it seemed to be getting bigger...”
She gasped.
“You... you don’t think?!”
“What? What’s going on? Are they preparing an attack?” Medley asked.
“Impossible!” Derpy jumped in.
“From that distance? It’s like... several tens of thousands of feet away from here! No weapon could had such...!”
Her speech was abruptly cut by a booming sound. A beam of light was heading toward the gate. The pegasi flew upward to avoid getting hit. However, the beam delivered a critical and precise hit to the fortified doors that shattered them into pieces in a matter of seconds. The ponies couldn’t move a muscle at first— their shock was too great. It seemed their worst fears were about to come true. Soarin’ tried to reach Spitfire and tell her of what happened, while Lightning Bolt desperately attempted to contact Firefly. Medley and Derpy just stared at the ruined gates.
The griffins could now invade the city from the north.
-----------------
1630 hrs
Cloudsdale Central SectorFirefly had just knocked down another griffon assailant when she heard static in her communicator. She answered the call. Lightning Bolt’s voice was incoherent at first, but when Firefly asked her to calm down, she shouted:
“The gates are down! A beam of light took them out in one hit! Was that...!?”
The pink pegasus stopped dead in place. She had no doubt. The griffins completed their superweapon and it was fully operational. Another booming sound was heard and a second beam ripped through the skies, blasting a nearby column and causing ponies around to panic. Some griffins started cheering and resumed attacking. Rainbow, Fluttershy, Cloud Kicker and Spitfire tried their best to prevent any more losses, but two ponies fell from the enemy’s joint assault and one was badly hurt from the column’s falling rubble.
Spitfire called out to Firebolt and Soarin’ to rejoin them in the central Sector, to which the pegasi complied.
“Flash! Respond, for Celestia’s sake! What’s happening?” Lightning’s voice sounded in her communicator again.
Firefly replied with somber voice.
“The Burning Talon... We’re in major trouble. Thunder, you are to leave the northern Sector and come here. We must regroup our team.”
“And leave the north Sector defenseless?” she responded.
“We have no choice! Get in here, double-time! Flash out!”
Before Lightning Bolt could say another word, Firefly cut the communication and flew toward Rainbow, who was busy engaging the griffins left and right. When one of them performed a somersault and got behind her, Firefly intercepted him and took him out with a precise blow to the neck. Rainbow was about to thank her, but another beam hit a nearby column, leaving it in ruins. The blue pegasus wanted to fly toward a different group of ponies being attacked by the griffins, but Firefly grabbed her tail, stopping her.
“Hey! What are you doing? You want me to leave them stranded?” Rainbow asked.
“They will manage! We have to worry about ourselves. The Burning Talon is operational! And as you just saw, it’s capable of attacking Cloudsdale! We must reorganize or we’ll be having one major disaster here!”
“Cool down, Firefly,” Rainbow replied. “Me and Spitfire got things covered in here.”
“It’s not that. The city itself might be in danger!”
Before she could continue, she noticed the other members of her squadron, with Soarin’ and Firebolt coming along. Firefly told them that these three attacks were the Burning Talon’s laser. She tried to persuade the other to leave the airspace and aid the wounded ponies with getting to safer area, but Rainbow didn’t wanted to hear about it.
“You... You want us to abandon Cloudsdale? Firefly, are you out of your mind?!”
The frustration in Dash’s voice was understandable. After all, she was born and raised here, like many others. Any thoughts of abandoning her hometown never crossed her mind. But Firefly tried to reason.
“We won’t abandon it. But we don’t stand a chance against the griffins and the Burning Talon firing at us at the same time! While it can only fire three times before its generators and cooling units must recharge for several minutes, they hit with deadly precision.”
Saying this, she pointed at the two destroyed columns.
“I wouldn’t have trouble with that! I can handle both things!” Rainbow exclaimed.
Firefly was starting to lose her patience, but tried something else.
“You, maybe. But what about the others? We’re all exhausted from the battle. Our performance is greatly hindered. We need to recover and help the others. Consider this, Rainbow Dash. We’re not really abandoning Cloudsdale, we’re—”
Rainbow turned away from her. She was getting confused. The blue pegasus had no intentions of leaving the wounded ponies or Cloudsdale in need, but when she realized that making either choice would had her and her friends sacrifice the other, she screamed in anger. Others looked at her, uncertain what else to say.
Fluttershy understood Rainbow’s pain well. She put her arm on Rainbow’s shoulder and looked into her eyes. Despite all the carnage going around, she remained calm the whole time. She was aware that this war would come at a heavy price, just like any other conflict. Rainbow lowered her head and looked at her own hooves, before closing her eyes and saying in a resigned voice:
“I’ll stand by the leader’s decision.”
The Wonderbolts also agreed that moving to safer place is top priority. Spitfire called Gale and asked him to dispatch medical wagons. Then, the three aces assigned the Mirage squadron to help them recover any wounded in the area and help them carry them to the transports. Strangely, the griffins ceased fighting and tried to reorganize their forces outside the city, too. It probably had something to do with that fact that the Burning Talon needed time to recharge.
Rainbow seemed apathetic during the entire operation, not wanting to speak with anypony. She felt like a part of her died inside. The city that she could never abandon was now about to fall into the enemy’s claws. It frustrated her to no end. At one moment, after the ponies were taken to safety, Spitfire approached her.
“Trust me. I know how this feels. I think every pegasi shares their feelings with you inside them. But I’m afraid we have no choice.”
Rainbow almost broke down hearing these words. So, her heroes were powerless in that matter as well. The fiery-maned pegasus tried to find a way to cheer her up.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash. Look at me.”
The blue pegasus slowly rose its head to meet Spitfire’s sight. She was smiling dimly.
“Do not think this is over. This battle is pretty much undecided. The enemy suffered heavy causalities, but unfortunately, so did we. They may think they’ve won, but in truth, neither side succeeded. Once we bring our forces together, we’ll strike back at them.”
These words made Rainbow feel a little better. She saw other ponies from her squadron coming to them. With a determined voice, the blue pegasus said:
“You’re right, Spitfire. I mustn’t think of this as a loss. We all did an awesome job.”
Others nodded and, leaving behind the damaged Cloudsdale, they began to fly in the direction of Canterlot. It was there where the ponies were ordered to regroup. The entire battle made the pegasi lose about six fliers and while the griffins reported greater casualties, they at least acquired a moral victory by taking over enemy’s base.
Fluttershy approached Rainbow Dash on the way and asked her if she was feeling any better. Rainbow didn’t respond at first, but then she gave her friend a look full of confidence and replied by saying:
“Don’t worry about me. We’ll return... and we’ll take back our shattered skies.”
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There better not be a "coming home" chapter. I'm going to say it now. There better NOT. BE. A "COMING HOME" chapter.
Into The Dusk was a good song to use for the emotional story that Firefly told.
I love how epic and emotional you make your story. However, it would do good to put a little more description into the actual fighting. Also, I'm wondering why Mobius is here...or where he's from.
I know English isn't your first language but the grammar is a little quirky. Don't get me wrong, this story is awesome and beautiful at the same time, but seriously man...
Can I preread for you? You're worth my time.
Maybe you should write a prequel explaining his story and maybe how he ended up in Equestria if you don't explain it here.
Also, this line struck my heart:
“Don’t worry about me. We’ll return... and we’ll take back our shattered skies."
Silver out!
677479
Your help will be most appreciated, comrade
And thank you for kind words.
1. Were Firefly's parents working with the Griffons?
2. Why did Equestria allow griffons to kill its citizens?
The burning talon seems like Stonehenge and Excaliber smashed together. We're in deep trouble.
Once again:
The pegasi and griffins held nothing back from each other. You're pretty good at writing fight scenes. Though neither side won, Cloudsdale now belongs to the griffins. The Wonderbolts and Mirage Squadron are now forced to retreat to Canterlot. I'm getting even more intrigued now.