War, Apples, and Love

by Island_Dancer96

Chapter 9: The Last Patrol

The day on the Canterlot Airfield began just like any other day. But Spitfire had an announcement to make. "Wonderbolts, this just came in from General McCarthur, Okinawa is ours!" She announced."

Her words caused cheering to ring throughout the airfield, Spitfire turned to Rainbow Dash, "Vice Commander, pull out the cider, we're celebrating!" She declared.

"With pleasure!" She declared. Rainbow Dash popped open a bottle of apple cider, pouring some for the rest of the pilots including Riley.

"They did it." Spitfire said turning to Riley.

"Yes, the war's over, Spitfire!" Riley said to Spitfire, hugging her.

"Yep, just a little longer." Spitfire replied. Her words dawned on Riley, in just a few more months, the war was going to be over and the moment Germany and Japan surrendered, he would be back on the orchard in Applejack's arms and playing with Applebloom.

"I'm coming home soon, Applejack, just wait a little bit longer." Riley sighed, looking out the window of his barracks towards the ground.

But the festivities were cut short by a report of a possible Me-262 fighter base. "This is it. Our last patrol." Riley said to himself as he climbed into his Mustang. He was just about to close his canopy when Fleetfoot and Misty came running out of their barracks. They were just getting into their planes when Spitfire walked over to them.

"What took you so long Fleetfoot and Misty?" Spitfire asked.

"Sorry we're late, Ma'am. Readjusting our hoods took a little longer then expected," Misty replied.

"Alright, you two, get in your planes and let's get on this patrol." she said as she closed her canopy and proceeded to start her Mustang's engine. The 9 planes took off from the airfield. 15 minutes later, the formation of 9 P-51D Mustangs were at 13,500 feet.

"Hey, Rainbow, can you see anything down there?" Riley asked.

"Negative, Riley, I can't" she replied.

"What about you Soarin'?" Rainbow Dash asked the pilot in the Mustang next to Riley's.

"No." He replied. He looked down at the ground below them. He spotted something.

"Look Spitfire. Enemy Airbase, Two O' Clock low, two miles. Easy pickings, what do you say? Let's do it!" he asked Spitfire.

"Negative, Soarin'. Our orders are to recon, and report back," Spitfire sternly replied.

"Oh come on, Spitfire, it'll be like the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot." Soarin' said.

"Let's do it, Spitfire," Misty said.

"Yeah, come on," Wave Chill and Fleetfoot pleaded.

Finally Spitfire gave in. "Alright. We're going in for a closer look." she replied.

"But keep your distance," Riley ordered. Then the Wonderbolts jettisoned their drop tanks, lined up in a dive-bomb formation and headed down towards the ground. As they got lower and lower, and they popped out of the base of the clouds, bullets started flying towards them.

"Holy Celestia, it's the enemy antiaircraft batteries!" Wave Chill screamed.

The Wonderbolts all opened fire onto the base below them.

In a frantic effort to save the squadron, Spitfire gave the order to abort the patrol. "Mission abort! Everyone pull up!" Spitfire desperately ordered. But amazingly, despite the barrage of shells, all 9 Mustangs in the squadron were able to escape the deadly hurricane of antiaircraft fire with their planes in one place.

After a few harrowing minutes, Riley's voice crackled over Spitfire's headphones. "Okay, Spitfire, everyone's here and accounted for!" Riley said.

"Thank you, Commander. The mission is now aborted. Back to base, Wonderbolts!" Spitfire said.

The flight back to the Canterlot Airfield went smoothly, until Misty looked at her fuel gauge and she saw that she was almost out.

"Riley, Rainbow Dash, I'm almost out of fuel! How much longer until the airfield?" Misty said.

"About 12 minutes!" Riley replied.

"I don't think my plane's engine will last 12 minutes. I'm almost out!" Misty said.

"Can you tap into your emergency reserves?" Riley asked.

"No, the emergency reserves were in the drop tanks and we jettisoned them." Misty said.

"How much fuel do you have Misty?" Riley asked.

"I'm almost on empty." She said.

"Well, we've got a good tailwind, so it shouldn't be too long...I hope." Riley said.

"Spitfire, and everyone else, you go ahead and head back to the airfield, we'll catch up!" Riley ordered.

"What about you Riley?" Wave Chill asked.

"I'm staying with Rainbow and Misty. Go now! That's an order!" Riley shouted.

"Yes sir." Misty said. The other Mustangs left, and once they did, Riley, Rainbow Dash, and Misty were completely alone.

A short while later, the patrol was almost 4 miles away from the airfield. The other 6 Wonderbolts were beginning to land. "Her Mustang's engine doesn't sound good at all…" Rainbow Dash said to herself as she listened to the worsening sputtering.

Then came a grinding sound and Misty's Mustang's propeller stopped completely. Misty panicked, "Rainbow Dash, RILEY, HELP!!!!" She screamed.

Then, Rainbow dived towards Misty. "Hang on, Misty! I'm coming!" Rainbow said.

In a quick maneuver, and with Riley watching, Rainbow Dash flew under Misty's Mustang and held it up with the right wing of her Mustang. "I got you, Misty!" She said to Misty.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash." She said.

With Misty's engine now out of commission and Rainbow Dash holding her up, Riley knew that both pilots were now vulnerable to attack. A plan formed in his head. "Okay, Rainbow Dash, here's the plan. While you're holding Misty up, I'll keep top cover for you two." Riley said.

"Got it!" Rainbow acknowledged him.

"How far to the airfield?" Rainbow asked.

"About 5 minutes." Riley said. "Come on, Misty, keep your wings level.." Riley said, watching Misty. The flight back, with Misty in tow went smoothly up until the final two miles from Canterlot Airfield.

"Riley, I can't hold Misty up much longer…her Mustang is starting to drag mine down.…" Rainbow Dash strained, struggling to hold Misty's P-51D Mustang in the air.

"Alright, Dash, it looks like this going to have to be a joint effort if we want to get Misty back to the airfield alive and with her plane in one piece." Riley said. He then joined Rainbow Dash in holding Misty's P-51D Mustang up.

A few minutes later, the formation of 3 P-51D Mustangs were approaching the airfield. "Alright, Misty, gear down." Riley ordered.

Misty did as Riley ordered her to. "Alright Riley, gear's down and locked!" She said.

"Very good." Riley said, acknowledging her.

Then Misty's Mustang began to accelerate its altitude loss. Riley quickly broke formation with Misty and Rainbow Dash. "It's not going to work, Dash, get off Misty's Mustang, she'll only drag you down with her!" Riley ordered.

"Sorry Riley…she's my friend." she thought before focusing as she flew with Misty, holding her P-51D Mustang up with everything she had. The strain made the metal groan. She ignored it growling a little while holding Misty up. "I'm not...Giving up!" Rainbow Dash said, she was determined to get her fellow Wonderbolt pilot back to base alive and her plane in one piece.

Misty's Mustang hit the ground hard, but it was a landing that the airframe was designed for. Misty applied the brakes and the fighter plane stopped just barely halfway down the runway. Misty took the chance and got out of her plane as fast as she could. The men on the airfield cheered at Rainbow Dash's remarkable rescue. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash!" Misty said as Rainbow Dash streaked overhead in her P-51D.

Rainbow Dash climbed, flying up to avoid hitting the ground. Riley watched as Rainbow's Mustang flew through the sky, all the while smiling proudly at her.

"Rainbow Dash." Riley called to her over the radio, and she turned and looked at Riley's Mustang, he was flying right next to her on her left side. "Good move…Vice Commander.." Riley said, saluting the rainbow haired pilot. Rainbow smiled, and saluted back. Riley and Rainbow Dash were the last to land on the airfield. Riley was the first to step out of his Mustang, and Rainbow Dash was the last.

"Oh, thank you, Rainbow Dash, you saved my life, again!" Misty said, running up to Rainbow Dash and hugging her.

"Hey, I never leave my fellow Wonderbolts hanging." Rainbow said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, Dash. I guess I was wrong about you. I always knew you were loyal, but I just didn't know HOW loyal you were." Riley said, trying to hide a rapidly developing blush.

Rainbow Dash was touched by Riley's compliment, touched to the point where she was on the verge of tears. "Darn it! Since when did you get all sappy Samborski?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just good at complimenting people." Riley said, shrugging his shoulders.

The next day, Spitfire and Riley walked up to Rainbow, smiling. "Rainbow Dash, for your extraordinary act of bravery, for saving Misty's life, I hereby award you The Bronze Star!" She declared, pinning the medal on her flight suit. Spitfire, Riley and the other Wonderbolts saluted, Rainbow saluted back.