Rainbow Dash & Lightning Dust vs. Evil

by Argonaut44

02: The Truce

Below black sails and bronze lamps dripping oil, Spitfire kept her eyes fixed on the floorboards. She was trapped on her knees, her legs clasped in irons, her wings tied down with itchy rope. Her cerulean suit was torn at the sides and along her left foreleg, stained with blood.

Spitfire shot a quick glance at her companions - Vapor and Soarin were tied directly to the great oak mast a few feet away, while Thunderlane was kneeling right at her side.

Soarin had still not woken up, not since their captors carelessly dropped him on his head upon boarding the great vessel they were trapped on. Vapor had finally stopped begging for somepony to help him, resigning instead to sniffling and trembling against her ropes. The other few hundred captives had been stored in the galley below, and Spitfire could still make out the sound of muffled wailing from right beneath her.

As for their captors, no two of them were quite alike, she had discovered. Some wore pairs of black horns, others had red skin cracked like molten rock, and some hardly resembled ponies at all.

She glanced at Soarin, sound asleep and Vapor, pale-faced and trembling like it was forty-below, and Thunderlane, stretching his jaw in spite of a new bruise. What made these four special? she wondered. Why keep us above deck?

“There’s more of us than there are of them,” Thunderlane muttered to her. Spitfire had thought the black eye he was sporting would have reminded him not to open his mouth again, “All it’ll take is one of us to spring open the hatch to get below deck, free the others, and we’ll overwhelm them.”

Spitfire fought herself to keep from replying, though she realized Thunderlane was intent on following through with this plan of his, with or without her.

“The only ponies down there who can stand a chance are the rest of the team, and the Washouts. I saw them put all the soldiers somewhere deeper in the ship, someplace we won't reach easily. Everypony down there are civilians. They’ll scream, they’ll run, they’ll freeze. They won’t fight.”

“Washouts,” Thunderlane laughed, “I saw a rat run past my hoof earlier. He’d be better use to us than the Washouts.”

“They can fight.”

“For themselves, maybe. They’ll leave us stranded here if it gives them a chance to run off,” Thunderlane said, “We don’t need them, Spits. We just need to-”

“Shut your mouth!”

It was Grimbol who had barked at them from across deck, that hulking thug with the wet snarl. The spiked ring of a buzz-saw was half-stuck in his forehead, but his skull was so thick it could not be removed. The skin had grown back right around the metal.

He stormed toward the pair in his clunky suit of gun-metal armor. Thunderlane’s smile fell from his face, but only for a moment. For all his faults, Spitfire thought, he never let his fear take the better of him.

“Grimbol!” Thunderlane smiled, “Careful now, I’ve only got one eye left to bludgeon.”

“No worries. I’ll be ripping out that glib tongue of yours next,” Grimbol laughed. His hoof landed against Thunderlane’s skull with an audible crack, and in a single blink Thunderlane’s head was bouncing against the splintery floorboards.

Vapor was still shrieking when Spitfire finally opened her eyes. She first caught sight of the small puddle of blood draining through the boards, though Thunderlane was already teetering back to his knees. Spitfire gritted her teeth. Stop talking, you idiot.

Thunderlane could barely see, she realized, as he laughed off a second black-eye drenched in blood drizzling down his forehead. He turned to where he thought Grimbol was, as more of the black-armored soldiers began to draw in closer. The scent of blood seemed to lure them in like moths to flame.

“Many a mare would go begging from north to south, without that glib tongue of mine. For their sakes, I’ll ask for mercy,” Thunderlane grinned.

One of the other creatures, a small filly with a ghostly white coat and bouncy sky-blue curls, started giggling, and the host of soldiers slowly came around, grinning, bellowing, and stomping their hooves, rowdy like a wild pack of dogs. Even Grimbol gave a snort. For a second, Thunderlane could laugh as well. Everypony always came around to him eventually, after all.

He kept thinking as much, even when Grimbol picked him up by the scruff of his throat, lifting him up into the air.

“Leave him alone!” Vapor yelled. Spitfire glared at her. Don’t follow his example. The girl had pissed her suit at the sight of the blood, and her shaking seemed to have gotten worse. Luckily Grimbol seemed to only care about Thunderlane.

The other creatures descended on Thunderlane, who seemed to have finally given into the pain in his forehead, struggling to keep that stupid smirk on his face.

“Make way!” boomed a new voice from behind the crowd of soldiers. Spitfire glanced up, alarmed by the sudden silence that swept over the ship.

Grimbol threw Thunderlane down to the ground. Spitfire could not look at him for long, that bloody mess of purple pulp that used to be his face. Thunderlane coughed and reeled on his side, struggling to move as his head began pounding harder and harder.

The crowd broke apart as a new creature stormed down the deck.

His skin was black leather, buried under a coat of blood-matted black fur. His skull was sharp, studded with three pairs of purple serpent’s eyes. Along the edge of his jaws were spider-like pincers, or fangs maybe, and his drooling red maw was guarded by rows of pointed teeth. He was larger than all of the others except Grimbol, but had a sturdier rhythm to his strut. Heads came bowing as he trotted past, until he came to a stop before Thunderlane.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked in a cold voice.

Grimbol had never seemed smaller, shrinking at just the creature’s voice. Nobody dared answer, not that Gorgo had a need for one.

Gorgo’s six eyes darted down to Thunderlane.

“Tender flesh might have done nicely, for the journey home,” Gorgo supposed, “But this one is too broad of shoulder. He will stick in my throat. This will not do.”

Spitfire’s eyes widened. She caught herself before her jaw could drop. He’s just trying to scare us. They’re ponynappers, not cannibals.

Grimbol glared at Gorgo. The six-eyed beast truly did live up to that moniker of his. The Insatiable. They had a great many captives, and already Gorgo could hardly keep himself from picking out his next meal.

Vapor shut her eyes when Gorgo caught sight of her. He slithered towards her, sticking his six eyes just inching away from her, examining every part of her.

“This one,” Gorgo grinned a sickly, twisted grin, “Slender and fair. She will go down nicely.”

Vapor kept her eyes shut, trying her best to be brave, though she felt her spine shiver and her skin turn pale.

“These ones are not for you. None of them are to be spoiled before we reach the island,” Grimbol reminded. He was the only one brave enough to deny Gorgo his lunch.

“Her time will come,” Gorgo promised, “Now…Where is he?”

The crowd rustled to produce a familiar face.

“Forecheck!” Spitfire exclaimed. She was too shocked to remember to keep her mouth shut. What is he doing here?

Forecheck, the president of the Equestrian Athletic Association, had been an old friend of the Wonderbolts. Spitfire could feel her heartbeat hasten, as hope returned. Perhaps Forecheck had made a deal of some kind, to earn them their freedom.

“Change out of that ridiculous disguise,” Gorgo scoffed.

Forecheck sighed.

Spitfire’s smile dropped in an instant, as she watched Forecheck’s flesh begin to draw back against the muscle. She heard bones snapping, organs popping, and a low grunting sound, before a new form remained, a red muscly creature with sad eyes and raspy breath.

He was some kind of shapeshifter, Spitfire deduced, but not like a changeling, who could revert to an original form. This creature had no true form, able only to adopt the guise of others.

The shapeshifter, whose name was Mimic, meant to address Gorgo, before he noticed Spitfire glaring at him from the floor.

“Ah,” Mimic said, “My dear, I do apologize for ruining your afternoon. Though I will say, your Wonderbolts were not having such a good day to begin with.”

“Forecheck - he…you-...” Spitfire stuttered.

“There never was a Forecheck,” Mimic said, bluntly.

Spitfire shook his head, laughing in disbelief. How long has he been running this ruse?

“Why are you doing this?” Spitfire yelled, “What do you want?”

“Why, it’s you that we want, my dear,” Mimic replied, “You and all your friends below. But even all the mighty Wonderbolts won’t make up for the last pony left that we need.”

Mimic turned back to Gorgo, who seemed so frustrated he could hardly breathe.

“Rainbow Dash,” Gorgo said, “No one can seem to find her.”

Mimic twitched.

“These ponies will make a sorry substitute if we can’t find her,” Mimic said, approaching Gorgo with a furrowed brow.

Gorgo growled something under his breath.

“These four are her friends, you said,” Gorgo recalled, “Wrap some rope around their necks, and the Element of Loyalty might be more willing to show her face.”

Mimic raised an eyebrow.

“What creature would be weak enough to fall for that?”

“A pony of Equestria,” Gorgo guffawed. The crew of black-armored soldiers roared in laughter, while Spitfire’s eyes narrowed.

“Scour the city!” Mimic yelled, laughing to himself, “Find Rainbow Dash and inform her what will happen to her friends if she keeps playing hard-to-get. Find her and bring her to me, alive.”

Spitfire shuddered as Gorgo’s cloven hoof came stroking against her cheek.

“Pray for our safe return, girl,” Gorgo grinned.

The soldiers broke out into a frenzy, spreading their wings or teleporting away or jumping overboard to swim the way back to the island.

He stormed off, leaving Mimic alone, while Thunderlane remained writhing and groaning, lying on the deck. Spitfire shook her head, laughing to herself. Of all the ponies in Equestria, Rainbow Dash would not make such easy prey.

They’ll have to catch her first.

---

The scrambling streets of Messara were a flood of screams, bodies barreling over one another, thrashing through for air and dashing for cover. The sky had begun to sour overhead, a pink and gold sunset.

Ponies scurried to the scanty shelters and makeshift markets. The merchants had remained as they were, oblivious to the madness that had swept the arena.

Lightning Dust staggered along behind Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. She left a trail of blood behind her, and she could feel herself lose her strength with every step. Those devils had poked her full of holes, and she was bleeding right into her sweaty suit.

Rainbow and Scootaloo were sprinting along up ahead, taking care to make sure Lightning had not fallen too far behind.

“For once you can’t keep up,” Rainbow laughed.

“Stuff it,” Lightning growled.

They had wound away from the main crowd of ponies, taking refuge in a dank cobblestone alley, sitting in the shadow of a ruinous bathhouse.

Lightning caught her breath, leaning against the wall for support.

Rainbow’s smirk dropped, when she finally noticed the extent of Lightning’s injuries.

“They got you bad,” Rainbow realized, “Lightning! Why didn’t you say anything?!”

Lightning ignored her, glancing over her shoulder to scan the skies.

Rainbow trotted towards her, frustrated.

“Hey. I need you to work with me, OK? We have to help each other.”

Lightning glared at her.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I seem to remember saving your skin back there! They were turning you into a pony-pin cushion!”

Lightning scoffed.

“Look out for yourself, Rainbow Dash. I’m surprised you can string a sentence together, after that fall you took.”

Rainbow shook her head, and flinched abruptly. Scootaloo, who had been trembling on the ground, suddenly became alert.

“I’m taking Scootaloo to the palace. If you’d rather fend for yourself, be my guest. But if you’ve got any sense left, you’ll come with us. My friend Twilight’s probably there right now, she’ll know what’s going on. Now, if you would kindly….A-Augh.”

Rainbow’s shoulders suddenly fell slack, and she lost her balance completely, lunging forward off her hooves. She would have landed flat on her face, if Lightning hadn’t been there to catch her.

“Rainbow!” Scootaloo cried, rushing over.

Lightning set her down on the ground, gently, and backed away.

Scootaloo pounced over Rainbow, examining her with shaky hooves.

“She’s…She’s-”

“She fainted,” Lightning determined, “Head trauma. She’ll wanna get that checked out.”

Lightning’s wings stretched out, and she turned back toward the street, while Scootaloo glanced up at her with tears in her eyes.

“Wait! Don’t go!”

Lightning eyed her, skeptically.

“Look kid, I’ve had as much of a rough day as everypony else, OK? I’m bleeding out a bit here, and if I don’t get stitched up, I won’t be much help to anypony. The palace isn’t far from here, you can make it.”

Lightning crouched down to propel herself up, until Scootaloo lunged toward her, wrapping her hooves around Lightning’s leg.

“What the-Hey! Get off!”

“Please Please Please don’t! Please!”

Lightning’s glare softened, and she glanced back at Rainbow, whose mouth hung open, whose eyes were glazed over.

Her eyes fell back to Scootaloo, and she gave a muted sigh.

Lightning bent down beside Rainbow and tore off the grass-stained cerulean suit drenched in sweat, handing it to Scootaloo.

“Help me pick her up,” Lightning said.

“Oh thank you thank you thank you!” Scootaloo exclaimed, rushing over back to Rainbow.

Lightning grunted, crouching down to her knees beside Rainbow’s slumped over body. Lightning winced. Both of them reeked after a day of racing in the summer heat. Scootaloo helped push Rainbow on top of Lightning’s back.

“Keep an eye out for trouble, OK?” Lightning said, struggling to keep her balance.

Scootaloo nodded her head, too terrified to speak.

Lightning led Scootaloo further down the alley, emerging at the other side.

Lightning’s ears perked up, as the screaming returned from afar.

“Don’t slow down,” Lightning cautioned, ushering Scootaloo alongside her.

They soon came to another alleyway that emptied out down a flight of steps into a street, and continued on into a narrower lane crowded with dumpsters and debris.

“It’s that way,” Scootaloo said, pointing towards the narrow lane.

They passed by the steps, until the sound of metal scraping against stone brought Lightning to a sudden stop.

“Wait!” Lightning yelled, sticking her hoof in front of Scootaloo. The arrow shot right past Scootaloo’s snout, and would have plunged through her right ear if Lightning hadn’t caught her first.

Lightning turned to face him, the lone archer in black armor.

She found him an underwhelming sight at a closer glance; he resembled a pony, only his skin was blackened and coarse like ash. He wore a set of red horns, and a pair of ruby-red eyes. He was short of stature, not much larger than Scootaloo. His teeth were pointed, his tongue forked, and his tail was leathery like a reptile, pointed at the tip. His wings were bristled with angry red veins, frayed and scaly like that of a dragon.

“You guys are a lot uglier up close,” Lightning admitted.

“Speak for yourself, pegasus,” the creature hissed. He was glaring at her, until he noticed the pony slumped on her back, and Scootaloo beside her.

“R-Rainbow Dash!” the creature exclaimed, frantically searching for his radio, strapped somewhere to his belt.

Lightning heard him clear as day, and acted before she could think about it too much.

She dumped Rainbow on Scootaloo’s shoulders, nearly crushing the poor filly under her weight.

“Leave the suit,” Lightning instructed. Scootaloo obliged, dropping Rainbow’s suit to the ground.

“What are you-” Scootaloo began.

“The palace is just one block away. You’ll make it. Find your friends,” Lightning said.

Scootaloo’s eyes darted back over to the creature in the alley. He had been muttering something into his radio, and quickly stuck it back into his belt, with shaky hooves.

“First day on the job or something? You look terrified,” Lightning laughed.

“You and the girl are free to go. As long as you hand over your friend there,” he said.

Lightning glanced at Rainbow.

“And what do you want with her?”

“That’s none of your concern,” the creature snarled, “Now play nice. My friends are on their way here. Make it easy on yourself.”

Lightning bit her lip and glanced down at Scootaloo.

“Run, kid, go! Take her,” Lightning said.

Scootaloo shook her head.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Yes, you are. If things go south, find me at the eastern boardwalk. Now go.”

Scootaloo gulped, and nodded her head.

“Oh, and when she wakes up, tell her we’re even now, got it?”

Scootaloo jogged off, struggling to make any speed with Rainbow bouncing on her back.

The creature in the alley shook his head, regretfully.

“She won’t make it far. One last chance. All we want is Rainbow Dash,” the creature said.

“She would’ve been too easy of a fight, trust me,” Lightning said, “Unlucky for you, you’re stuck with me instead.”

The creature hissed and lunged forward, his wings buzzing like a hummingbird.

Lightning straightened herself out and stuck her hooves wider apart. He arrived quicker than she had anticipated, darting toward her like a hornet with its stinger, only he wielded a short-sword.

Lightning threw herself out of the way, and dodged the follow-up strike, spinning around him in a circle, trying her best to wear him down as he sprang towards her with blade in hoof. He hissed with each slice, and managed to nick her across the chest three times in all. But Lightning was larger as well as quicker, and with his first misplaced step, she pounced on him from the side, tackling him against the wall.

He reeled back against her hoof, which caught him by the helm, smashing his head into the brick. His body froze as the disorientation swept through him. His legs started scrambling, kicking and clawing in every which way, only Lightning had time to throw him down against the cobblestone, rattling his armor.

He groaned in agony and reached for his blade on the ground, only for Lightning to kick it away.

Lightning knelt down beside him and pinned her foreleg against his neck.

“What’s your name?”

The creature grunted in pain, and glared at her, struggling against the pressure on his neck.

“Gump!” he cried, “Gump!”

Lightning stared at him. She pitied him even more now. What kind of name is that?

“OK, Gump. Listen to me. I’m not gonna hurt you. As long as you do exactly as I say. Got it?”

Gump convulsed on the ground, groaning in frustration.

“No, you listen to me. We have hostages,” Gump spat, “Hundreds. If you don’t give her up, we’ll slaughter them all, one by one. It’s Rainbow Dash we need. Her and her friends!”

Lightning eyed him. Rainbow and her friends. Sometimes it really felt like the world revolved around them.

“For all I know you’ll slaughter them anyways,” Lightning argued, “You’re not getting Rainbow.”

“Let her decide for herself! She might not be so willing to let her friends die!”

“Right. Lucky for her, I am,” Lightning said, “Now you’re gonna call up your friends again, Gump. And you’re gonna tell them that Rainbow got caught in a fire, and that she didn’t make it out. You’re gonna tell them to give up the search, because she’s dead.”

“There is no fire, pegasus!”

“Leave that part to me,” Lightning assured, “Do it. Now.”

Gump hesitated, until Lightning increased the pressure on his throat.

“Alright! Alright! Let go!”

Lightning released him, but kept a watchful eye, as he reached for his radio.

He flipped a switch and held down a button.

“Basilisk-Six. Four-Zero-Four. Dash was caught in the fire. She didn’t make it out. Dead, presumed. Over,” he said.

Before he could receive any response, Lightning retrieved the radio and crushed it under her hoof.

“Wicked pegasus!” Gump cried, “They’ll find out, they’ll have me killed!”

“No they won’t,” Lightning replied, rising to her hooves.

Gump meant to reply, before Lightning kicked him right in the head. His words slipped back down his throat, as he fell back in a slump.

She dragged Gump over back to the dark alley, hiding him beside a dumpster, burying him in trash bags. She found a pair of hoof-cuffs in his belt, and latched one end to the leg of the dumpster, and the other end to his hind leg. The keys, she kept for herself.

Darting back to retrieve Rainbow’s suit from the ground, Lightning left Gump and scurried off, thinking along the way of what the fastest method of starting a fire might be.

---

“Dead?!”

Soarin awoke to the shriek, jumping beneath the ropes that held him to the great oak mast. Vapor was quivering beside him, when Soarin caught sight of Mimic smacking the messenger across his face.

“I don’t believe it,” Mimic roared, “This needs to be confirmed by an officer.”

“It has, sir,” replied the ghostly-white filly, Specter, who stepped forward to take the place of the messenger, “It was the private who had first reported what happened. Then the Twins reported the fire in the markets, and Alcazar found charred bones in the wreckage.”

“That’s not enough,” Mimic said, “Bones could belong to anybody.”

“They found scraps of her Wonderbolt suit still intact. We have all the Wonderbolts except for her, sir. It had to have been her.”

Mimic hesitated, and glanced at the ground.

“We needed her alive.”

“The Queen will understand,” Specter insisted.

Mimic shook his head, unconvinced.

“If she’s dead, there’s no more we can do. Burn the island to be sure. Then call them all back,” Mimic commanded.

“And what of these ones, sir?” Specter asked.

Mimic glanced at Soarin, Vapor, Thunderlane, and Spitfire.

“Give the girl to Gorgo. Throw the other three into the sea.”

Spitfire felt her breath give out, while Vapor began thrashing against her ropes, desperately trying to break free.

“Sir,” Specter said, hesitantly, “If Dash has survived somehow, we’re going to need them to get her to give up.”

Mimic eyed her.

“You pity them, is that it? You take pity on the ponies?” Mimic demanded.

“No, of course not, sir,” Specter replied, catching the eye of Spitfire for a brief moment, “I only fear that we should not waste our hostages without the Queen’s approval, since we’ll be returning short-handed.”

Mimic’s breath was jagged and rippling with rage.

“Very well. The Queen will decide their fate. Stick them with the others below, then send out the order.”

“At once, sir,” Specter replied, bowing her head.

Specter glided over toward Spitfire and the others. She was semi-translucent, Spitfire realized, and her hooves did not quite touch the ground. In all other ways, however, she resembled a typical earth pony filly, especially in comparison to the bloody monstrosity that was called Mimic.

Specter gently lifted Thunderlane up, and grabbed a hold of his leg. With her other hoof, she reached for Spitfire.

Soarin watched the three of them descend straight through the wood as if it were a layer of seawater. Soarin glanced at Vapor, who felt too ill to be shocked at such a defiance of natural law.

Specter emerged back up from below deck, phasing through the wood. She reached for Soarin and Vapor.

“Don’t you dare put your-” Soarin attempted, before her hoof wrapped around his leg. He felt the air around him become denser, shifting like a current. He felt as though he was submerged underwater, and yet could still breathe. The filly seemed amused by his confusion, and before he could quite get used to the feeling, he was falling, deeper and deeper, farther than the ground his legs had dangled against. He slipped right through the ropes, and Vapor beside him.

They emerged through the wooden floor of the deck, and found themselves below in the dark of the galley, gliding down deeper and deeper, until Soarin could feel the breath of the ponies packed in alongside each other, crammed like sardines.

Specter released her grasp on them, dropping them a few inches beside Spitfire and Thunderlane.

“He meant to kill us,” Spitfire said, staggering up to her hooves, staring up at Specter, who was hovering in the air, “Why did you stop him?”

“Did I need a reason?” Specter replied, curtly, “...I’m sorry about your friend.”

She had little affection or respect for Mimic anyway, though Spitfire did not need to be made aware of it. Mimic was not truly one of them, after all, only a hired mercenary.

Spitfire did not get to reply, before Specter flew off back up through the ceiling, disappearing.

“What was that?” Soarin said, “What was that?”

He found himself surrounded by sixty or seventy other ponies, cluttered together for warmth or comfort.

“Captain,” came Sky Stinger, followed by Fleetfoot, Surprise, Misty Fly, and a dozen other Wonderbolts, excusing their way through the crowd.

"Sky!" cried Vapor, leaping into his embrace.

"You're not hurt!" Sky remarked, relieved. He held her close to him, while Fleetfoot and Misty immediately began fretting over Thunderlane, who groggily assured them he was fine.

Spitfire checked in on each of them, but was grieved to learn that the rest of the team was being held in another compartment of the ship, with the other eighty-odd captives.

“Where are they taking us?” asked one colt from the back of the galley.

“Listen, everypony, we’re not sure. I need all of you to be brave, and be calm, and stick out the ride for a little while until we can get some answers,” Spitfire said.

“And who put you in charge?”

Spitfire had dreaded the rebuke, having noticed that familiar toxic green and black pattern from the furthest corner of the room.

Only four of the Washouts were present in the galley to challenge the Wonderbolts, who, as usual, outnumbered them.

She recognized Rolling Thunder as the one who had spoken; the mare’s accent was unmistakable. Beside her was the one they called Breakbones, a pale yellow pegasus with a thick black mustache, itchy stubble, and a curly black mane. Spitfire recalled he was rejected from the academy because of his startling propensity for injury. Even now, the stallion wore a bandage around his left foreleg knee. Spitfire had never relished in rejecting trainees, though she understood the hard truths of her job. Not everypony was cut out to be a Wonderbolt. End of story. Still, she felt a tinge of regret to look them in the eyes after the fact, knowing it was her who shattered their dreams.

Madcap was the other Washout, and next to her was Hat Trick, both rejected academy applicants from the class of ‘79. Hat Trick was the youngest of the Washouts, sporting a wavy mane of bronze locks, and a lighter orange coat. Madcap was not much older, with a pale green coat and a curly mane of baby blue and lavender, and a pair of wild eyes.

Thunderlane grunted something under his breath from the ground, and sat himself up as if to meet the challenge.

“Go back to lurking in your corner of shame, Washouts,” Thunderlane coughed.

“Pretty shiner they gave you, Thunderlane. And here I didn’t think that face could get any uglier,” Hat Trick laughed.

“Somepony has to take the hits so little girls like you don’t have to,” Thunderlane sneered.

“What did they want with you?” Rolling Thunder asked Spitfire, ignoring the japes. Rolling might have been the most reasonable of the bunch, though that wasn't saying much. Still, Spitfire had no intention of perpetuating any bad blood between anypony, not while they all remained locked up in the dark.

“They thought they could lure Rainbow out if they threatened our lives," Spitfire explained, "Now they’re saying Rainbow’s dead,”

“But you don’t seem to be grieving,” Rolling Thunder said, suspiciously.

“I know Rainbow better than they do. She got out. I know she did. And she’s coming for us,” Spitfire insisted.

“...Ms. Spitfire, did they mention Lightning Dust?” Madcap asked, hesitant to speak up to Spitfire, “Did they take her too?”

“I don’t know,” Spitfire said, gently.

“If Rainbow’s really dead, it should’ve been Lightning Dust to take her place,” Fleetfoot said through a heavy lisp, “Your blonde bimbo captain almost got Rainbow killed.”

“Lightning had nothing to do with that crash,” Breakbones said, and he happened to be an expert on the subject of crashing, “I saw what happened. Dash tensed up, lost control, spiraled off into the dirt. Happens to the best of us."

"Maybe for the likes of you," Misty said, eyeing him up and down, "The Cloudsdale paramedics know you by name. Rainbow doesn't make those kind of mistakes. Unlike you all she takes her job seriously."

“Keep telling yourself that," Hat Trick grinned, "Sorry your hero isn’t all she’s cracked up to be."

“One more word from you and you’ll be a few teeth shorter,” Thunderlane said, struggling up to his hooves. Soarin helped him up, standing beside Sky Stinger and Vapor. Breakbones and Hat Trick were right beside Rolling, while Madcap nervously hung back. The crowd of civilians backed away from the centerfloor of the galley. Nopony had expected an encore of the fight from earlier that day.

"Sky, tell them to stop," Vapor pleaded. But Sky seemed only concerned with the two of them, keeping away from the confrontation.

“Stop! All of you,” Spitfire yelled, “We can’t be fighting with each other. Not right now. For Celestia’s sake, ponies could die if we’re not careful.”

“They can find their own way out of here,” Fleetfoot turned toward Spitfire, before turning back to Rolling, “You won’t get any help from us.”

“Good thing we didn’t ask for any,” Rolling Thunder pointed out, “I reckon we get out of here first, in fact. And you’ll be wishing you acted nicer.”

“As if,” Misty Fly recoiled, “You’re not a team. Just a collection of rejects.”

“We’ll see about that,” Rolling said, turning and leading the other three back to their corner.

Spitfire glared at the others.

“We’d be better off all working together,” Spitfire insisted.

“We won’t be at each other’s throats, if we work separately. That’s the best we can do,” Sky Stinger supposed, “We won’t have to put up with them much longer. Let’s find a way out of here.”

---

Scootaloo tugged on Rainbow by her shoulders, struggling up the marble steps. She had made it two steps with Rainbow on her back before she had to give up, resorting now to dragging her up all the way to the palace.

The higher she rose, the more devastation she could make out - fires had started to the west, east, north and south, and she could make out the sound of ponies’s screams coming from all directions.

She thought of Lightning Dust, of where she might be. I left her.

Scootaloo jumped when she heard Rainbow cough, and let go of her, rushing down to her side.

“Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo yelled, shaking Rainbow awake.

Rainbow’s eyes slowly opened, and she seemed alarmed, confused as to where she was or how much time had passed.

“Scootaloo,” Rainbow gasped, sitting herself up. She realized that was a mistake, as a deep pressure overcame her around the front of her skull.

Rainbow turned her head and saw they were near the palace.

“What happened?” Rainbow stammered, “Where’s Lightning?”

“We have to get inside! They’re after you, Rainbow! We have to get out of the open!” Scootaloo wailed.

Rainbow grunted as she struggled up to her hooves. Her head was pounding, along with the rest of her body. She could feel every bruise.

“C’mon,” she said, scooping up Scootaloo and dashing off up the steps.

At the top of the palace steps, they were met by a lone royal guard, a broad-shouldered stallion colored off-white with a stubbly face of faded black. Beneath his golden helm, his mane was all shaved off.

“You look lonely up here,” Rainbow remarked, setting Scootaloo down on the ground. She approached the soldier, who had yet to acknowledge her.

He did not budge from his post, blocking the path to the doors.

“That’s far enough,” he said at last.

“What’s the idea? I need to see Twilight.”

“You won’t find her here. The princesses have all been taken,” the soldier replied, grimly.

Rainbow’s mouth tightened; she did her best to appear unphased, while Scootaloo’s trembling returned.

“Who’s left, then?”

“The chain of command has left Princess Twilight’s assistant as the interim sovereign.”

Rainbow and Scootaloo shared a look.

“Spike?” Scootaloo figured, raising an eyebrow.

“Let me inside, I need to see him,” Rainbow said.

“I don’t take orders from you,” the soldier rebuked, “Nopony is allowed entry. Word is there’s a shapeshifter lurking about.”

Rainbow gestured to Scootaloo.

“Did they mention two?”

“Might be the girl is fool enough to trust in an illusion,” the soldier supposed.

Scootaloo marched right up to him, scowling all the way.

“If you don’t let us inside, I’m going to let Spike know it was you who left her outside to be ponynapped like everypony else!” Scootaloo barked, “Do you understand me?!”

The soldier glanced up at Rainbow, who was too exhausted to match Scootaloo’s frustration.

He shook his head.

“Follow me,” he said.

The soldier, whose name was Dire Strait, led the pair deeper into the palace, up a winding flight of stairs to the solar, where Twilight had taken as her personal quarters.

There were roughly thirty-or-so survivors, sprawled around the floor in filthy heaps, mending wounds or strategizing for where to run next.

“Miss Cheerilee!” Scootaloo exclaimed. She found the schoolteacher wrapped in a blanket by the western window, her mane a mess, her eyes red and runny.

Cheerilee leapt up from the ground in time to receive Scootaloo, who embraced her like a lost dog coming home.

“Scootaloo, dear, you’re alright!” Cheerilee exclaimed, holding the quivering filly to her chest.

Rainbow staggered in, catching the eyes of the other survivors. She recognized a few faces - Paint Job and Feather Flatterfly, Sunshower, Fancy Pants, Orange Slice, and Party Favor. But it was Spike who she was most concerned with.

To his left was the Treasury Secretary, Posh Paramount, and the Chancellor of the Equestrian Academic Association, Neighsay; and to his right was Moonbeam, the Colonel of the 19th Lunar Regiment, and the Royal Physician, Dr. Bone Marrow. They were huddled around chalkboards and maps, and she caught them in the midst of a terrible argument.

“Rainbow?” Spike exclaimed, loud enough to be heard over the others’ bickering, “You’re here!”

Rainbow wrapped her foreleg around Spike’s head as he came in for a hug.

“So you’re running the show now, is that right?” Rainbow asked Spike, glancing over his head at the disgruntled quartet of government officials.

“On a technicality,” Neighsay growled, “Princess Twilight’s emergency powers were to be given to Princess Cadance, then to Starlight Glimmer, and finally to him.”

“And we’re all better off for it,” Spike smiled, “How did you make it out of there?”

“I had help,” Rainbow said, glancing at Scootaloo, “Is it safe here?”

“It is now. The enemy has begun to withdraw,” Moonbeam said, “We’re not sure why. They were last seen sailing southwest.”

“They’re taking a a few hundred ponies back with them on that ship of theirs,” Posh said, “They took Celestia, Twilight, Luna, Cadance, even little princess Flurry.”

“Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, what about them? And my parents, they were here too…Are they…” Rainbow asked, glancing down at Spike.

Spike shook his head.

“I was looking for Celestia and Luna when it happened, but I was too late to help anypony. They’re all gone, Rainbow. Your parents too,” Spike said.

Rainbow’s face twitched with rage.

“We can’t wait around here or we’ll lose the trail,” Rainbow said, “We have to follow that ship.”

“We can’t,” Moonbeam said, “They disabled all of our ships. Civilian boats too. We’ll have to wait for ships from the mainland to reach us, until then we’re stranded here.”

“Even if we could catch them, we wouldn’t stand much of a chance,” came Posh, “Our standing army is depleted, and the citizenry is too terrified to leave their homes.”

“We can’t just do nothing,” Rainbow said.

“We’ll do what we can,” Spike replied, “We have to try and figure out where they’re sailing to, who they are and what they want.”

He glanced over at the maps that lay strewn about Twilight’s work tables.

“They couldn’t have come from Zebrabwe or Evenchain,” Neighsay said, “Not Saddle Arabia or the Grey Isle.”

“An island then. The Storm King’s domain, maybe. Some acolytes of his seeking revenge,” Moonbeam posited.

Rainbow shook her head, unconvinced.

“Those creatures weren’t like anything I’ve seen,” Rainbow said, “Something tells me we won’t find them on any map.”

“They weren’t sailing for the Gap of Aashtethos,” Moonbeam recalled, “They mean to remain in the Meditermarian. Sailing to some uncharted isle, if we’re to believe our friends on the west continent really have nothing to do with this.”

“Let’s not create more enemies than we already have,” Posh counseled, “We should contact the Zebras and the Saddle Arabians, see if they know anything about these creatures. They may be able to help us locate them.”

“I’ll handle that,” Neighsay said, slipping off from the group.

Rainbow stepped closer to Spike.

“We might not have time to figure things out, Spike. We don’t know what those creatures are or what they’re planning,” Rainbow said, “All those ponies could end up dead by the time we finally reach them, if we don’t follow them while we can.”

“Rainbow, I would if I could, but-” Spike said.

“I’ll go. Me alone,” Rainbow said, “I can fly after them, follow them to their island, and report back. Otherwise we’ll never be able to find out where they are.”

“Rainbow, that’s crazy. Way too dangerous. You? By yourself? Against all of those creatures? You’re hurt anyways. You’re not going anywhere. We need you here,” Spike said.

“I wasn’t asking for permission,” Rainbow said. Posh and Moonbeam glanced up at her.

“Twilight left me in charge,” Spike reminded, glaring at her, “You’re not going, Rainbow.”

Rainbow glanced around the room, and could feel their stares.

She turned away and stormed out of the solar.

Scootaloo scampered after her, glancing over her shoulder one last time.

Spike, meanwhile, lowered his head and sighed, and glanced over to Dire, who had been lingering in the doorway.

“Sergeant, follow her. Don’t let her leave this island.”

---

The barracks were a mess, even by the Washouts’ standards.

None of her teammates had made it back, or if they had, they hadn’t stayed long.

Maybe they made it out. Maybe they flew across the sea, all the way back home.

Lightning winced. It was a fool’s hope. She had seen them take Rolling Thunder, Strawberry Switchblade and Loudmouth. Breakbones had been with the trainer, Sugar Rush, and the team coordinator, Snapwing. They were gone too, they all were.

She dragged Gump behind her, just as he began to stir awake.

She cuffed him to a radiator by the window of the lounge, and even flipped on the television to keep him company.

Lightning sulked off to Sugar Rush’s office, and raided each drawer for medical supplies. She first took to cleaning her many wounds, before promptly moving onto the stitching.

She climbed out of her bloodied suit and leapt into the shower, eager to scrub off all of the dirt and blood.

Unlike the Wonderbolts, each Washout had a collection of a spare suits, an unfortunate necessity considering how often disaster would strike the group. She slipped her fore legs inside, shimmied her hips around and reached back with her aching wings. Gripping each end of the suit, she slid the suit over her muscular, tone hindlegs. Whatever fat remained to her only ever seemed to end up in her rump, providing a tired challenge to squeeze her suit over. She thought of Hat Trick then, how’d he be sure to make some perverted comment, or, if he was feeling bold, some proper advance on her.

She was worried about them, she realized. They’re not my friends. She kept reminding herself of that, but it did little to quell her concerns. They would find a way to escape, she thought.

She thought of Strawberry’s dry humor, and Loudmouth’s semi-accurate stories of his past. She thought of Feather Twirl’s hypochondria, Indigo’s afternoon brooding sessions, and Breakbones’ newest injuries.

And for Rolling Thunder and Short Fuse, she feared for them the most.

They were all one in the same, and had found each other on such grounds. Cast-outs and second-stringers. They were practically a family. But not friends. I don’t need friends.

She found Gump awake, his eyes fixed to the TV.

Though she had come into the room with a burning rage, her heart softened at the sight of Gump. He was not quite so repulsive anymore, if anything, somewhat pathetic. He was a stunted creature, with a head too large for his body, and legs too short. His face was shrunken and twisted, but his eyes were a marvel of a sight, endless shimmering stars, precious gems. He was some sort of dwarf pony, she thought, though she could not be certain. His species was alien to her, after all.

“Enjoying yourself?” she asked, catching Gump by surprise. He had been engrossed with the television, not unlike a child admiring a ring of jingling keys.

Gump immediately began wrestling with the cuff around his hoof, to no avail.

“Free me, witch!” Gump roared.

Lightning stood in front of him, staring him down. She could see the fear in his eyes, but did not relent.

“Your friends are all gone,” Lightning said, “They left you. Now you’re stuck with me.”

“Liar!” Gump yelled, “Wicked little pegasus! Unchain me!”

Lightning grunted, feeling a sting around one of her wounds.

"You think your little trick could fool us? Stupid pegasus. They know exactly what you've done!"

"Yes, your friends' brilliance is astounding," Lightning japed, "Some discard butcher's bones and a torn-up Wonderbolt suit, and they're content to give up and go home....Gump, what are the chances they come back for you?”

Gump’s face fell, as realization overcame him.

“My duty is to fight and die for the Queen. There’s no honor to be had as a prisoner! Kill me now! As long as I live in chains, I’ve disgraced myself!”

“I’ll take that as not anytime soon….” Lightning reasoned, “Alright. Well if they won’t come back, then I’ll have to go to them.”

“Your friends will all be dead soon, pegasus. Their fates are sealed. You should consider yourself lucky. When the real war begins, you might be made into a slave instead of a corpse. Wouldn’t that be a sight,” Gump snarled.

Lightning smacked him across the face.

“You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Lightning spat. She tensed up at the thought. She scowled; she refused to let Gump succeed in scaring her. "And they’re not my friends. They’re my teammates,” Lightning corrected.

Lightning stuck out a map of the South Lunar Sea, which she had taken from Snapwing’s office.

“Where exactly are you taking all those ponies? Point out the place on the map,” Lightning said.

Gump guffawed.

“The island is not on any map. It can only be found by those who have been there before,” Gump said.

“Then I suppose I’ll be taking you with me,” Lightning figured. “Still. I’ll be needing a heading.”

Gump shook his head.

“Never. I’ll never help you, pegasus!” Gump spat.

“You’re going to tell me what I want to know, or I’ll snap every bone in your body,” Lightning threatened, “So what’s it going to be?”

Gump gulped, as the sweat dripped off his chin.

---

At the Wonderbolts' barracks, Rainbow was grieved to find she was indeed the last Wonderbolt remaining. Scootaloo had tagged along with her, unwilling to go anywhere else but Rainbow's side.

Rainbow slid into her blue jacket with the fur around the collar and the Wonderbolt insignia on the breast, and filled a bag with a first aid kit, bottles of water, protein pills, rope, and matches.

"That ship can't be more than a few hours out," Rainbow said, "I can catch it. No problem."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know how far it'll be, and you'll have no place to rest over open water," Scootaloo pointed out, "We all saw that crash, Rainbow. Maybe it's not such a good idea to go out alone to a place you don't know, miles and miles or leagues away."

"You sound like Spike," Rainbow muttered, cramming in the last of her supplies into the bag, "They have my parents. They have all my friends, and they have my entire team. The longer we wait, the harder the trail will be to find. I have to go."

"I know, but....You're not the only pony on this island who'll try to catch up to them."

Rainbow eyed her, after stuffing her bag with the last of the barracks' Munchos dried-fruit jerky.

"...Lightning Dust?" Rainbow supposed.

“She told me to find her at the boardwalk,” Scootaloo said, “...She wanted me to tell you that the two of you are even now.”

Rainbow scoffed.

“Well there you have it,” Rainbow said, “Scootaloo, I’ve warned you about her before. Lightning Dust is a pony who doesn’t care if ponies get hurt. She's reckless and arrogant and only cares about herself."

“She didn’t have to help me,” Scootaloo said, “She could’ve left me right then and there. She could’ve left me when that creature found us, too. But she didn’t. You know that she’s going to want to find her friends, just as much as you do. We should all be working together.”

Rainbow sighed, unconvinced.

“You’re forgetting that we can’t work together,” Rainbow said.

"Can't you at least try?" came Scootaloo.

Rainbow laughed.

"I did try. When we first met, I couldn't sleep at night because of how excited I was. A friend my age who was as fast as me, who was as determined as me, who loved flying as much as me. She was supposed to be the friend I'd always wanted. I was her wing-pony, and that meant something to me. But it didn't mean much to her, in the end. I trusted her, and she took advantage of that. She almost got my friends killed, and didn't show a hint of remorse. She wouldn't even speak to me, not until the Washouts showed up at Ponyville. And then she tries to turn you against me, and almost gets you killed too! Just to get under my skin! I've been as nice as I can be to her, Scootaloo, because that's the right thing to do. But I won't put my trust in her. Not again. Not for something as important as this, when my real friends are in danger."

Scootaloo sighed.

“If you really plan on flying off into open water, searching for an island that may or may not exist - then you’re gonna need help," Scootaloo said, "That's the plain truth, and you know it. Everypony else is gone, Rainbow Dash. I know you don't like her, and I'm not saying you don't have a good reason, but Lightning Dust is all that’s left."

Rainbow glanced down at her. She gritted her teeth.

“Alright, Scootaloo. I’ll talk to her. But if she won’t play nice, this isn’t happening, got it?...”

Scootaloo smiled.

---

The sun had nearly sunk past the edge of the sea, when Rainbow touched down on the boardwalk.

The docks looked abandoned when they arrived; Rainbow and Scootaloo parked themselves on the roof of one of the shops. There was no sign of Lightning, and though Rainbow’s patience was razor-thin, Scootaloo had a talent for persuasion. After the first hour, though, even Scootaloo had begun to doubt herself. Perhaps that creature had killed Lightning after all, or taken her hostage, or perhaps Lightning had already left the island.

But her fears were put to rest, when a familiar green blur shot through the wispy rose clouds that hovered over the sunset.

Scootaloo shook Rainbow alert, and pointed to the sky.

Rainbow sighed, and took to her hooves.

They followed Lightning to one of the wooden garages closer to the beach. The sky turned from pink to purple, and the garage’s orange oil lamps left it a beacon by the shoreline.

Rainbow led Scootaloo down to the edge of the garage, staking out behind a boat engine large enough to obscure the both of them. They were only a few minutes behind Lightning, whose voice became clearer the closer they crept.

But she was not alone, they discovered. She had come to visit somepony, Rainbow realized.

The garage itself was closer to a scrapyard, littered with rusty tools and black oily rags.

At the center of it all was a boat, or something close to a boat - a collection of scrap metal and driftwood, fixed with a strange kind of engine, rivets and two funnel-shaped exhaust vents in its rear. Up on its helm, a pair of canvas wings folded neatly on either side, clutching to fixable metal poles.

Rainbow could only barely peek into the garage without revealing herself. Scootaloo, meanwhile, was intent on marching right inside to confront Lightning.

“Wait,” Rainbow said, catching Scootaloo in her hoof, “Not yet…”

They crouched behind the engine. Rainbow noticed a large box near Lightning Dust’s hooves, and another pony, a pegasus stallion, with a dark orange mane, a trimmed, scruffy beard, and a pale tan coat.

“I could’ve sworn the last thing you said to me was, ‘I never want to see you again,” the stallion grunted, fiddling with the open hatch beneath his monstrous ship.

“I heard you’d come to watch my race,” Lightning said.

The stallion laughed. Lightning blushed beet red.

“There’s tens of thousands of ponies on this island, some of them with deep pockets and generous spirits, in need of a ride home after a well-deserved vacation. They’re why I’m here, not you,” he corrected, “I watched your race. You were good.

“I know I was,” Lightning snapped, though she seemed to crave his validation.

Rocket glanced at her.

“I’m surprised that ass of yours still fits in that suit,” Rocket laughed, “I’m kidding. Not about your ass. That I’d be surprised.”

“Shut up,” Lightning replied, promptly, “Where’s Harefoot? Wrench?”

“Got held up in the markets, they haven’t come back. Same as your friends, no doubt.”

“They’re not my-....Look, I have something to show you,” Lightning said.

The stallion glanced at her.

Lightning kicked over the box, and the lid promptly fell off. Out fell Gump, tumbling over his head into a heap.

From the engine, Rainbow's eyes widened.

"She took one captive," Rainbow whispered, and she could feel her heart fill with hope. The creature could lead them right to where they needed to go, nevermind the ship's trail.

Rocket Fuel backed away from the ship, and from Gump, who was stretching his legs in a pair of manacles.

“Of course you took one as a pet,” Rocket remarked, “Does it speak?”

“Of course I speak,” Gump spat. He spun around to face Lightning Dust, “I told you what you wanted. Set me free, pegasus!”

Lightning smirked.

“That was never the deal. The deal was you do what I say, and I don’t beat you bloody.”

Rocket laughed.

“You haven’t changed at all.”

“I have, actually. I know better than to ask you a favor without you expecting something in return,” Lightning said.

He grinned.

“You know what I want, Dusty,” Rocket said.

Lightning sighed.

“I’m not…We can’t. You know we can’t,” Lightning said, “Rocket, listen to me. You’re the only pony left on this island with a working boat.”

The stallion’s eyes wavered back and forth, before he came to a grim understanding.

“You want to follow that monstrous ship of theirs, is that it? I think you’ve had one too many crash landings, Dusty. You’re nuts. They’ve got an army. And nopony knows where they’ve gone, anyhow.”

“I do,” Lightning declared. She reached into her satchel and snatched her map, laying it out on Rocket’s workbench. “Do you know anything about this?”

Rocket humored her, trotting over to inspect the map. He narrowed his eyes, before glancing over to Gump.

“Your little creature here is suggesting we sail to the Sirius Circle," Rocket said, "Fishwives’ tales tell of ships disappearing there, for hundreds and hundreds of moons, they say. A death trap of jagged stone, crushing waves, and fog so dense you can’t see your own hoof in front of you. Nothing to be found there but certain doom."

Lightning frowned.

“Is that right, Gump? You’re trying to play a trick on me? What did I say would happen if-”

“Stupid pegasus! Are all ponies as thick as the two of you?! The Circle guards the island, protects us from the outside world, and protects the outside world from us. That’s where they’ve gone. Back home,” Gump snarled.

Lightning glanced at Rocket.

“Oh no, don’t give me that look,” Rocket said, “That boat is my livelihood, Dusty. I’m not crashing it into the most cursed place in the sea just so you can get slaughtered by that army of flying devils.”

“Oh for Luna’s sake. You’re scared, that’s it,” Lightning laughed.

“You call it scared, I call it common sense, something you still haven’t seemed to pick up.”

“Gump. Say we do find a way to reach the island,” Lightning said, “What will be waiting for us?”

Gump laughed aloud.

“We are all damned, and the island is our hell. The ground will quake and devour you if you take the wrong step. Even the plants will try to kill you if you trot down the wrong path. Some of us have minds of our own, but some are savage beasts who ravage whatever comes their way. Every pony who winds up on our shores has never lasted longer than a day.”

“Sounds like a pleasant place. We should set sail immediately,” Rocket laughed.

“If it’s so horrible, why do you stay?” Lightning said, skeptically.

“The Circle compels us to stay,” Gump said, “Any monster who manages to break free has but three days before they crumble to ash. A wicked curse, cast by a cruel Equestrian king of a bygone age to punish us and keep us trapped.”

“So if I don’t return you back soon, you’d-”

“Die. As I was meant to, the moment you strapped me in chains. There is no place for the weak in the Queen’s Army.”

“A queen, you say? How old?” Rocket wondered.

“Three-thousand, two-hundred and seventy-two,” Gump replied. He seemed proud to have answered so promptly.

Rocket glanced at Lightning and shrugged.

“I’ve had worse.”

Lightning glared at him.

“They have your friends, Rocket,” Lightning reminded, “Don’t you want to get them back?”

Rocket scratched at his ears.

“Harefoot’s a lousy mechanic. And Wrench is dull as dirt. I can find better.”

“I can’t believe you,” Lightning said, “I need your help. You won’t have to pull your boat to shore. Just get me close, and I’ll fly the rest of the way myself. I can pay double whatever fare you’d earn for the same distance. Rocket. Rocket, please.”

Rocket smiled. He had such an easy smile to him.

“Well, I never could deny you anything.”

Lightning smiled, but only for a moment, before she noticed a strand of purple hair sticking out from behind a tarp-covered engine outside.

Lightning was on them in an instant, darting through the air to catch Scootaloo by her hoof.

Rainbow Dash was at her hooves already, while Lightning led Scootaloo into the light.

“Eavesdropping, huh?” Lightning growled.

“Lightning, put her down now,” Rainbow warned.

“More friends. Great,” Rocket muttered.

“Rocket, this is Rainbow Dash,” Lightning said. Rocket raised an eyebrow.

“This is the one you’re always harping on about, Dusty? Doesn’t look so tough,” Rocket said, “And the twerp?”

“I’m not a twerp, I’m Scootaloo,” Scootaloo said.

“Haven’t you got something better to do than spy on me?” Lightning demanded.

“It just so happens I was planning on flying after that ship," Rainbow said, "Seems like you’ve got the same idea.”

Lightning laughed.

“Me saving your butt back there does not make us friends,” Lightning said.

“Like I'd ever want to be friends with you," Rainbow snapped. But she saw Lightning's mouth tighten and her cheeks burn red with embarrassment. Rainbow's own face flushed with regret, "Look, both of us want the same thing - our friends back. If what your little prisoner there said about that island is true, then you’re going to need my help."

“I don’t need anypony’s help!” Lightning barked.

“Except for me and my ship, of course,” Rocket reminded, “And considering I’ve got the only good ship on the island, my rates are about to go up. There's a few thousand terrified ponies left on this rock, desperate to get back home…I’m about to be rich. Very rich. For Celestia’s sake, why would I give that up?”

“For me,” Lightning said, eyeing him.

Rocket hesitated, and glanced down at Gump. His eyes drifted over to Rainbow, and a smile found its way to his face.

“Alright, I’ll do it,” he announced, “I’ll ferry you to the Circle. But that’s as far as I’ll go. And you’ll be paying triple the fare.”

He slid his way toward Rainbow Dash.

“But if I do it, she comes too.”

Lightning’s face reddened again. Rainbow eyes darted from Lightning to Rocket.

“Rocket,” Lightning said through gritted teeth.

“For Dusty’s safety, of course,” Rocket said, turning back to Lightning, “I wouldn’t have you journey to that island by your lonesome. And after all, when you’re getting liquefied in some carnivorous plant’s stomach acids, you’d at least do it with some company.”

“No way. She’s not coming,” Lightning insisted, “She’ll be trouble.”

“Like you’re not trouble enough?” Rocket laughed, “It’s my ship. And world-famous beauties like Rainbow Dash are always welcome on my ship. You call her trouble, I call her a sight for sore eyes…I’ve got a few repairs to make before we can set off. Shouldn’t take long.”

Lightning grumbled something under her breath, while Rainbow ushered Scootaloo to sit herself down on one of Rocket’s benches.

---

Rainbow and Scootaloo served as something of an audience for Rocket, who toiled with his beastly ship, sporting a pair of bulky black goggles.

But after twenty minutes, Rainbow could not avoid some strange sense of guilt; from the corner of her eyes Lightning had been sitting silently by her lonesome, picking at her wounds.

Gump refuses to speak with anybody, brooding in chains by his toppled-over crate,

Rainbow sighed to herself, and stood up from the bench.

“Scootaloo, go see if he needs any help,” Rainbow instructed.

Scootaloo acquiesced, skipping off toward Rocket.

Rainbow, meanwhile, glided over to Lightning.

“Scoot over,” Rainbow said.

Lightning glared at her, but after a brief hesitation, she complied, making room on the bench for Rainbow.

“I never said thanks for what you did,” Rainbow said.

“Don’t mention it. Seriously,” Lightning muttered, “...You never found your friends?”

“They’re all gone,” Rainbow said, “My parents too. And unlike you I actually like my friends.”

Lightning glared at her.

“...I shouldn’t have been the only Washout to make it out,” Lightning confessed, “It shouldn’t have been me. It’s not right. I brought them all together, I brought them here. I’m supposed to be responsible for them. That’s why I have to get them back, get it? By all rights I should be in chains with them. And what’s worse, it was you who pulled me out of there.”

“You did me a favor, too,” Rainbow reminded, and by the softness in Lightning's voice, she began to wonder if she had judged her old rival too harshly.

“You know I can’t stand you,” Lightning said, quickly changing Rainbow's mind, “...But I’m sorry if I gave you a hard time earlier, OK?”

“Me too,” Rainbow conceded, “I’m angry too. They took all my friends, and I might never see them again.”

“We’ll find them,” Lightning said, firmly.

“We?”

Lightning sighed.

“I don’t trust you,” Lightning said, “But I guess it wouldn't hurt to have somepony to check my back. And Celestia knows - you’re gonna need me.”

Rainbow smiled.

“All aboard,” Rocket said from the ramp of his ship, “She still isn’t pretty, but she’ll fly.”

“Fly?” Lightning said, rising from the bench with Rainbow.

“There’s a reason I charge double,” Rocket grinned.

Rainbow followed Lightning toward the ramp that led inside the vessel. But she stopped short, when she heard Scootaloo skipping along beside her.

“Where do y’think you’re going, Scoots?” Rainbow said, catching Scootaloo with her hoof.

“Wherever you go,” Scootaloo said, “Don’t even think about leaving me here.”

“Scootaloo, you saw what those creatures can do,” Rainbow said, shaking her head, “The place we’re going is dangerous. And I can’t be worrying about you while I try to get everypony back.”

“I’m not gonna get in the way,” Scootaloo said, shoving Rainbow’s hoof away, “They took my friends too. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell need me. I can help. You know I can.”

Rainbow sighed.

“Yeah, I know you can. But maybe I’m not brave enough to take that risk,” Rainbow said, “For all I know, you’re all I have left, Scoots. I won’t let them take you too. You’re safest here.”

Scootaloo scowled, but seemed to concede, remaining as she was while Rainbow boarded the ship.

Gump crawled up after Rainbow, taking care to hiss at Scootaloo before boarding.

The inside of the ship was cozy - too cozy. The front portion was all glass, held together by warped black steel. The cockpit was fitted with a dozen blinking control panels, flashing red, green, blue, gold. Levers and pulleys and dials protruded from the console. In the rear, there were two more compartments, storage areas.

“I’ll be shocked if this hunk of junk can float, let alone fly,” Lightning said. Rainbow and Gump piled in behind her, while Rocket took his seat behind the control panel.

“She does more than that,” Rocket laughed.

With the flick of a few switches, two pairs of wheels popped out from the underbelly of the ship. They extended outward on either side.

Rocket pulled down on a lever, and the ramp the ship was resting on began to rise at an incline.

“You built this thing?” Rainbow wondered, as the ship began to descend down the rank, as gravity took its toll. The ship landed on its wheels, and Rocket took a firm grip of the steering wheel. He pressed down on the gas pedal, and the ship began rolling forward, right out of the garage.

“Bought the prototype off some crackpot Casaflankan. His greatest work ended up his undoing, it didn’t pass regulation, and he lost his license. He thought I’d break it down for spare parts. But I had other ideas.”

“Does it have a name?” Rainbow asked.

Rocket meant to answer, before the words stuck in his throat, “Uh, no.”

He steered the ship to face the boardwalk.

“Better hold onto something,” Rocket advised.

He flipped another switch and slammed a button, and the canvas wings promptly extended from the bow, bending and stretching out, covering a great many yards in its total wingspan.

“This cannot be legal,” Lightning muttered.

“Funny. That’s what the port authority told me,” Rocket said.

The ship set forward down the boardwalk, building speed as they went.

“R-Rocket, I don’t th-” Lightning stuttered, as the ship sped up more and more.

“Don’t get cold hooves now, Dusty. This was your idea.”

The edge of the boardwalk was fast approaching. The sea beyond was deep enough, though with the speeds they were going, the collision would not be pretty.

“Here we go!” Rocket grinned, pulling the lever to his right.

The ship began to rise, first gradually, and then at a steep, steep climb, clawing up through the air.

Rocket gritted his teeth, holding the lever and keeping a firm hold of the steering wheel.

The turbulence came quickly, as the ship bounced through tunnels of wind, gaining great swathes of altitude with each passing second.

Rainbow shook her head in disbelief.

“This thing really flies,” she said, shocked.

“This thing really flies!” Rocket exclaimed. He sounded somewhat surprised himself.

Lightning glared at him.

“It gets off the ground alright. But can you land it?” Lightning asked.

Rocket’s smile dropped.

The ship returned to a straight course, as the thrusters coughed up fire and smoke, swimming through the air currents half-a-mile above the crashing waves.

“Well, that’s the trouble,” Rocket admitted.

“You don’t know how to land it. Am I right?” Lightning scoffed, “You neglected to mention that.”

“I have landed it. It’s just…It never goes well.”

“Great,” Rainbow said, “I guess we’ll just have to - whooaoa!!”

Against a particularly strong bump in the air, Rainbow came flying forward, right toward the dashboard.

But before she could land face-first against the glass, it was Rocket who caught her, setting her back on her hooves.

Rainbow glanced at him, and he seemed reluctant to say anything. She did not pull away, however, remaining in his hooves.

Lighting, meanwhile, had turned red again.

She meant to step forward, until she heard some rustling from behind her. Scootaloo and Gump stepped out of her way, as she investigated.

She reached for the handle to the storage closet, and opened the hatch.

Lightning screamed and swung her hoof into the compartment. A stallion came stumbling out, only to suffer another blow from Lightning.

She had him pinned to the ground soon enough.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

Lightning lifted her hoof off of Dire Strait’s neck and backed away.

Rocket Fuel checked over his shoulder, and had to glance again to see if his eyes were tricking him.

“Tell me that’s not who I think it is,” Rocket remarked, having checked his mirror.

“How did you get here?!” Lightning stammered.

Dire leapt to his hooves, backed against the rear wall of the ship. His silver armor clanged and creaked as he straightened himself out.

“I was supposed to be keeping tabs on her,” Dire said, glancing at Rainbow, “I was gonna surprise you earlier, but I…I got stuck.”

“That’s Equestria’s finest for ya. Defeated by a broom closet. Still wearing that polished suit of armor, huh soldier boy? Not a scratch on it, I see,” Rocket said from the pilot’s seat.

“Ponies like you keep trying, but they always seem to miss,” Dire replied.

“There are no ponies like me, soldier boy,” Rocket spat, “You don’t have permission to be on my ship. The exit is to your left. I’m afraid it’s a long swim back to Messara. You might have to lose that armor, unless you’d prefer drowning. I would, if I looked like that.”

“All bark and no bite. Same as always,” Dire spat, “Lightning, what are you doing with him? And you, Miss Dash, why in Celestia’s name are you doing this? Spike commanded that-”

“I know what Spike said. But I have to do this,” Rainbow said, “You all know each other?”

“She and me…” Dire began.

“He and I, we…” Lightning said, glancing to the side.

Rainbow shook her head.

“Is there anybody on that island you haven’t dated?” she said, incredulously.

Lightning crossed her hind legs, embarrassed.

“She’s a vicious little thing, isn’t she?” Rocket said, “Plays with hearts like a lyrist picks strings.”

Lightning glared at him. She turned to Dire, taking care to make sure Rocket could overhear her.

“Actually, I’m so glad to see you, Dire,” Lightning said, wrapping her forelegs around his shoulders, nuzzling under his chin, “Take that helmet off. I want to see your face.”

Dire was hesitant, but relented, unstrapping his helmet and setting it aside.

“I missed you,” Lightning whispered.

“I…missed you too,” Dire replied.

“That’s enough, I get it,” Rocket muttered, “I can still turn this ship around, Dusty.”

Lightning smirked and released Dire, stepping off toward Gump.

“Rainbow, I have to bring you back,” Dire said.

“How do you plan on doing that?” Rainbow asked, “We’re not going back. So you can either help us find our friends, or swim your way home.”

Dire shook his head in disbelief.

“This is madness. There are three of you, against an army? This is brazen, even for you, Lightning,” Dire said, “Not to mention this island you speak of is unnavigable.”

“For a lesser captain, maybe,” Rocket said.

“You require a ship to be a captain,” Dire pointed out.

“And what do you call this?” Rocket guffawed, glancing around.

“Certainly not a ship,” Dire said, “Our tomb, maybe.”

Dire’s horn came alive with blue light, aimed right for Rocket’s head.

“I’m under orders to bring her back to Messara.” Dire said, “Lightning, tell him to turn the ship around.”

Lightning hesitated, though Dire’s horn had begun to frighten her.

“Rocket, you heard him,” Lightning said, “And I think he means it.”

“Mr. Gump, please tell Lightning to tell Sergeant Dire that the captain is extremely busy at the moment,” Rocket said.

Gump glanced at Lightning.

“The captain would like me to tell you to tell Sergeant Dire that-” Gump began.

“I’d be just as glad to put a hole through your head, if it pleases,” Dire warned.

Rocket meant to retort, before the distinct sound of metal against bone cut him off.

Dire fell to his knees, while Scootaloo stood behind him, triumphantly wielding a steel pipe.

“Scootaloo!” Rainbow exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

“Are there any other stowaways I need to be aware of?” Rocket said.

Lightning knelt beside Dire, checking the bump on the back of his head.

“Nice swing, kid,” Lightning muttered. She turned to Rocket. “Why did you have to provoke him?”

“Because he’s easy to provoke,” Rocket said, “Sirius Circle is about an hour’s way. Get comfortable. And have your friend be ready with that pipe, if soldier boy gets an early break from his beauty sleep.”

Rainbow rushed to Scootaloo, snatching the pipe out of her hooves.

“I told you to-” Rainbow began.

“You disobeyed Spike, so I disobeyed you,” Scootaloo smiled.

Rainbow shut her eyes, realizing her hypocrisy.

“You do exactly as I say now,” Rainbow instructed.

“I’ll do exactly as you say,” Scootaloo confirmed, “Except when I have the better plan.”

Rainbow shook her head, and smiled.

Rainbow sat herself down on the floor against the wall, where Scootaloo promptly followed.

She watched Lightning sit herself near Dire. Lightning could hardly take her eyes off of him, even while he lay unconscious. Gump grumbled some curses under his breath and rested his legs near Rocket, who kept his attention on the sea below and the storm brewing in the distance. Rainbow shut her eyes, hoping to get some rest in after the exhaustion of the day.

---

Rainbow Dash awoke to a sudden jolt of the ship.

Lightning and Gump were standing behind Rocket, who was gritting his teeth as a torrent of rain slammed against the windshield. The sky had darkened into a near pitch-black, and the ship’s headlights did little against the fog, that seemed to suck up all the light it touched.

Rainbow scurried up to her hooves, with Scootaloo at her side.

“Is this it?” Rainbow asked, terrified, “I thought you were only taking us near it, not into it!”

“It's a ways off, still!” Rocket yelled, “Lightning! Get the lifeboat ready, you’ll have to jump ship sooner than later!”

“Without you?” Lightning stammered.

“If I can drop you down and steer this ship out of here somehow, I can pull around to pick you up in open water. But I’ll have to land it!” Rocket said.

Rocking by the black, the storms roared above and below as Rocket’s hooves began to slip off the steering.

“How close are we to land?” Rainbow demanded.

“We’re close,” Rocket said, “Fuck! I can’t see a thing!” he yelled, “The wind’s gonna spin us into the sea! We’ll crash!”

“Bring it down!” Lightning advised, “Bring it down into the water!”

“The rocks!” Rocket yelled, “We’ll smash right into them!”

“If you’re as good of a captain as you say, we won’t,” Lightning said, grabbing his shoulder.

Rocket felt emboldened with the simple touch of her hoof, and he promptly reached for a series of buttons, switches, and a slow-pull lever.

Rainbow held her hoof around Scootaloo’s head.

Gump cackled to himself nearby.

“What just deserts!” Gump grinned, “What joy that I may watch the wicked pegasus die!”

“Gump!,” Lightning yelled, “Not now!”

By the time Lightning caught sight of the blue water ahead of them, the ship had already smashed into the sea, sending all of them flying backwards.

The ship settled straight atop the water, while Rocket reached back for the steering. He flipped the switch to pull the ship’s wings in, and noticed the many flashing lights on his console, indicating the extent of the damage to the ship.

In the rear, Dire Strait lifted his head, slurring his words as he pulled himself out of his slumber.

“What’s happened?” he muttered, “Did we land?”

“More or less,” Rocket replied.

The ship broke against the ruthless waves, crudely splintering forward at a wild speed. The sea had teeth of a cruel kind - jagged sharp rocks jutting out with the waves, pointing in every which way. Rocket had avoided them as best as he could, though their number was increasing the further he sailed.

“This is it!” Rocket said, “The island! The island! This is where it should be!”

“Then where is it?” Lightning demanded. She turned to Gump, “There is no island, is there?” “You made it all up. You just wanted us dead!”

Gump flashed his fangs.

“Scootaloo, don’t let go of me,” Rainbow said.

“We’re gonna hit the rocks!” Rocket yelled.

“There’s nothing here. There’s nothing!” Lightning exclaimed.

Then the greatest of the waves came hurling overhead, capsizing the ship in a heavy, heaving throw. Scootaloo was screaming, Gump was praying, Dire was trying to figure out what was happening. Rocket’s head smashed into the console with an audible crack, and Rainbow meant to unbuckle him from his chair, before she too lost balance, spinning upside down into the ceiling of the ship. Lightning fared not much better, and she heard the hull of the ship crack open against one of the rocks, tearing right through the frame. But before the black overcame her, Lightning’s eyes widened at a speck of shore, some dark beach biting through a hole in the fog.

Land.

Comments

[RainandFire]

Is there going to be an update for this?

[Argonaut44]

11886839
Yea the next update should come out next month