A Compass to the Soul

by CartoonNerd12

Ultimatum

Dash and Soarin were settling down for the night after a lengthy process of explaining the trade plan to the king and he seemed pleased by it and will most likely agree to the trade, however they still have to tell the king about the island's inhabitants and that was going to be the tricky part.

If there was one good thing today brought was Quibble telling them that Scootaloo helped Wind Sprit see how important it was for the filly to get along with Quibble and now they were.

With that pleasant thought on their minds they went to sleep.

---

The next day they had entered the throne room where to their surprise Spitfire was there beside the king.

Neighsay saw them and stated, "Ah, there you are Count and Countess, as it is I have completely forgotten that there's some other business I need to attend to today, so with your permission, will you be willing to talk with Captain Spitfire of our glorious navy to choose a trade route that will be acceptable?"

Soarin inquired, "Does that mean the trade agreement will happen?"

"Not yet. But I do believe that a partnership with you will be most profitable."

Rainbow said, "You're too kind Your Majesty."

Soarin motioned, "And to answer your question, we will be most honored to work with the captain."

"Excellent, I shall leave you to it then. Good day." and he took his leave with his advisors.

Once they were gone, Spitfire started, "So… what exactly is the purpose of this trade agreement?"

Dash answered, "It's not so much of a trade agreement as it is to prove to the king that he can reach out to other kingdoms."

The tough mare gawked before she blew, "Are you crazy?! You know that's never going to work! What were you two thinking?!"

Soarin replied, "Believe us, we were perfectly happy staying on our island but it's our duty to do this."

"Duty? For what?"

Rainbow slowly said, "I know this is going to be hard to swallow… but we were visited by the Moon Goddess Luna."

Spitfire gapped again before saying, "You're pulling my tail."

Soarin shook his head, "Spit, why would we make up something like that? When it comes to you we have always been straightforward because we know you don't take any nonsense. So trust us when we say that we're not lying about this."

Shock was written all over Spitfire's face as she could see her friends were expressing serious looks and uttered out, "That's… whoa…"

"I know, right?!" exclaimed Dash, "Even I still can't believe it happened and I was there!"

Spitfire rubbed her temples, "I still don't think this is a good idea, why the great moon goddess thinks it is I have no clue but… as it is, I can see why you have to do this and hopefully it will work as you say it will but I still have my doubts about it."

Soarin asked, "Well how do you think we should go about it?"

"Truthfully? I don't know. Right now, it's seems your approach is the best idea we have."

Dash nodded, "We're thinking of mentioning the different species on our island once he decides to trade with us."

"Yes… and that's what worries me… I just know he's going to flat out refuse the notion but… what can you do?"

The question hung in the air not sure how it could be answered by the ponies in the room. Then they went on to discuss a possible trade route should by some miracle the king agreed to it after all.

Rainbow then said she needed to use the lavatory and quickly went out. When she was done, she was heading back to the throne room when suddenly something grabbed her to the side and to her complete surprise she saw Lightning Dust holding her and stared back menacingly.

The mare spoke, "I know exactly who you are Countess… Or should I just call you… Rainbow Dash…"

Dash's eyes widen in fright before scowling, "So… what are you going to do about it? Turn me in? Because I'll understand if you do, since it's your job Lightning but before you do, will you at least hear me out."

She smirked, "I don't have to. I know you're not the traitor that everyone thinks you are."

RD gawked, "You… you don't?"

"Of course not! Especially when…" she smirked further, "I was the one that set you up…"

Rainbow's mouth felt like it dropped to the floor as she couldn't believe what she just heard.

Lightning gloated, "That's right, it was me who framed you by breaking into your room and stole your dagger, and you know what the most amazing part of that was? The fact that you were still in the room I did it and you never even noticed!"

"What?! No way!"

"It's true, your back was turned to the whole thing, all because you were grieving over your precious fiancé that died at sea. Though I guess that was false assumption after all because he's here now with you, but I digress."

Dash was utterly floored by this revelation before she quietly demanded, "Why…? Why would you do that?"

Lightning furrowed her brows as she stated, "Why? I'll give you why. You're a pony that gets to have everything she wants… You were the first of us to get a promotion to be an officer, and the first to get a senior officer under her hoof and get engaged with him. At first I thought that was a sneaky plan on your part to make sure your standing as a navy officer was permanent, of course imagine my surprise when I learned that you genuinely cared for him hence your grief and I knew then that it was the perfect moment to strike."

Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing and it made her more upset than before and got furious, "Okay, first off, I earned my spot as an officer! Second, Soarin came to me, not the other way around! And yes, I grieved for him because I love him! Say what you will about my place at the academy but…" she narrowed her eyes dangerously, "Don't. Ever. Say I didn't care about my husband…"

LD however was unfazed and simply said, "Whoof, struck a nerve there…"

This made her rival gnash her teeth looking like she was about to boil over.

"Which brings us to now, and I'm sure you're wondering why I would tell this. Well I'll tell you why… Yesterday, I watched a certain pegasus filly that can't fly and it certainly would be awful if something were to happen to her…" she grinned maliciously.

Suddenly she was shoved across the hallway and tumbled onto the floor seeing the other pegasus fly above her in fury.

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER! OR ELSE!"

Lightning just kept smirking, "Or what? You'll risk me exposing your true identity? Then the king will have you locked away and your mission will have been for nothing is that what you want?"

Dash was still angry but didn't say anything as she barred her teeth wishing that her old comrade was wrong.

Once she knew that Rainbow was listening, Lightning got up and said smugly, "I thought not… So here's what I'm going to offer to you, once you've finished your plans with the king, I want you to leave and never come back. And that you will never say a word to Spitfire of what I have told you. Agreed?"

Dash frowned and pointed, "So I am supposed to let you get away with what you did…? It wasn't simply enough you had to ruin my reputation you have to threaten my family too?"

"Hey, if you want to expose yourself, I can take the kid for myself; even if she can't fly I saw how useful she can be. She'd make a great apprentice."

"An apprentice? That's all you want from her? That's pathetic." she spat.

"Well it's either that or you decide to go and do what I ask. So what's it going to be?"

There was an ominous pause between the two while staring the other down for the longest time. Until finally Rainbow gave in, deeply sighing while landing down and turned away, "Fine… you win."

Lightning could not stop smiling.

"Just stay away from my kid. If not, all bets are off."

"Fine, I don't care just hearing you say I won, makes this all the more sweeter."

Dash snorted irritably and started making her way back to the throne room.

Lightning merely smirked again and went on her way.

---

Soarin was discussing to Spitfire what happened to him after he was shipwrecked until his wife walked in looking distraught making him ask in concern, "Are you okay? You took longer than usual…"

"Yeah… I'm fine…" and thought, For the most part… then said, "When we get done, think we can go see Scootaloo?"

"Oh! Of course, whatever you want, honey. I want to see her too."

Spitfire commented, "Before you do go, I got a something for you." she took out Dash's dagger, holding out it to her.

Rainbow gapped then she moved her hoof over the blade, taking it.

"Thanks… Captain…" she saluted to her.

Spitfire felt a tear coming on but kept a stone face on and saluted back.

Soarin just smiled warmly at the sight.

Comments

[Godslittleprincess]

Okay, I guess protective barriers can't pass through the fourth wall.

[CartoonNerd12]

9677921
Meaning?

[Foxhelm]

While RD might not like the idea, becoming an apprentice was a major step up for a lot of people (mostly boys) during the 1600's and 1700's, because it gave them a know-how of a trade that wasn't their families' and allowed them to provide for themselves down the road, especially for second and third born sons, even to this day apprenticeship is actually very good. Say what you want but in the society of the ponies, being the first apprentice of someone like Lightning, given her rank and such, would be something many fillies and colts would long for. In a way it's technically an upgrade from being the adopted child of an outlaw and someone who is legally dead... from a sociological point of view...

[Foxhelm]

9677921
Only if Pinkie is conjuring it with you, in which case she has friends from the other side...

[Godslittleprincess]

9677962
Whatever danger the plot requires Scootaloo to be in is going to happen whether I like it or not.

[Godslittleprincess]

9677975
Just for that you get this moustache.

[CartoonNerd12]

9677971
This is very true. But basically through RD was expressing that Scootaloo needed more than an apprenticeship but that she needed a mother as we all do. I'm certainly okay with people getting a head start in their life but they also need affection and love in order to grow.

[AutumnSky98]

Huh.
You know... I thought it'd be more, serious, than that.
Then again, Lightning or Rider could still kick Scoots off a cliff later, so I'm not letting myself relax just yet.
Aki