Moves Ahead
The night sky above Trottingham was patchwork blackness, large swathes of clouds obscuring what stars had chosen to venture forth tonight, heralding ill weather from the Everfree. The air held a chill, appropriate for the lateness of the year, and most ponies that were able to had gone home. Those that were not banded together, huddling in what shelter they could find in order to conserve warmth. Though the city was home to many gangs, even those ponies realized that in the face of winter, it was better to cooperate for survival. The breeze was low, but the city Weather Crew said that it was blowing straight off of the mountain, heading south towards the stone towers. All of these served to worry ponies, but had they known what raced towards them even now, having circumnavigated the forest to the south and heading north, against the wind, they would have huddled low in fear.
It was not common knowledge, but the Element of Generosity had left the glass spires of Manehatten behind, going to Canterlot briefly and then heading into the city. She had stepped off of a private train that afternoon, meeting with a group of ponies who did not exist, and had settled down in a manor near the center of the city, not two blocks away from the river, in order to wait for one of her oldest and most loyal of friends. This friend was the one all who opposed the Solar Crown feared, one who had been responsible for numerous failed Ever Free plans, one who had pursued the topmost leadership of the rebels with an almost single-minded determinedness, and one who had proven herself an elite warrior on the two major battlefields of the war. Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty, leader of the Solar Wing, was coming to Trottingham.
And she was not coming alone. Wherever she went, her elite squad of Pegasi followed. Elite flyers, former Wonderbolts and Air Guard, all of them sharpshooters, close quarters specialists, counter-guerilla warriors. There were five besides her, just five, but they had cleared nests of Lunar Guards with no help, crippled the Ever Free air forces, and Rainbow Dash herself had defeated Silent Shield in combat last year, though he had vanished from captivity two short weeks later. The Solar Wing hit hard and fast, seemingly everywhere at once, like the light of their namesake.
So it was that just as the sun was setting, the sky crackled with the sound of thunder, heralding the arrival of the Six. The Element of Generosity stepped from the relative shelter of the house into the cold of its garden, her black scarf blowing in the wind, and allowed the latent power in her pendant to flow freely, spilling arcane energy into the air as a beacon, and she felt the answering pulse from Rainbow Dash in return, as the Pegasus honed in on her location. She waited for one minute without moving a muscle, and then two. Just as the clock was about to turn to three minutes, there was a slight whistle of wind through feathers, and six Pegasi slammed into the ground, bending their hooves slightly on impact before fanning out to cover all possible angles. Rarity did not flinch as dirt sprayed across her coat, the offending particles merely rolling off, leaving her alabaster beauty unmarred.
“Hello, Rainbow Dash.” she said carefully. “How are you?”
Rainbow Dash had changed in years gone by, but in many ways she had also stayed the same. Her coat and mane held the hues they once had when she had allowed her Element to possess her, dark cobalt instead of cyan, and a vibrant array of colors that contrasted sharply with themselves. She moved with the arrogant grace of a predator, not a single movement wasted, and her eyes gleamed sharply in the failing light of the sun. Her Element had changed as well, perhaps undergoing the most drastic change out of all of the Catalysts. It had spread over her shoulders and chest, forming a breastplate of metal that had stood up to all of the most powerful magic attacks. The red stone in its center (not a ruby, Rarity would have been able to distinguish a ruby) gleamed a bloody red, and the metal was etched with the noontime sun. The Pegasus wore full armor and still managed to outfly and outmaneuver every one of her squadmates with ease, the helm covering her head rimed with ice from their flight. She lifted it off of her head, tucking it under one arm. Her face was a hard thing, with nary a hint of joy or good humor to be seen at the sight of her old friend. It possessed a strange, severe beauty, like that of a hawk. When she spoke, her voice was not the low, rough thing that Rarity had grown used to hearing. It was a voice of command, imperious and entrancing.
“Rarity. I heard what happened to Sweetie Belle. My Wing and I are at your disposal. What parts of the city are in lockdown right now?”
Rarity gestured to the house behind her. “Please, let’s talk inside. It’s far more comfortable, and we have less of a chance of being overheard.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Right. Spitfire, Thunderhead, you two are on guard detail. Stay here. Velocity, Tornado, you two are up. Give me eyes in the sky, half mile radius. Keep the loops tight. Soarin’, you come with me.” The Pegasi leapt to obey, two of them taking to the air almost too quickly for a normal pony to see them. Rainbow Dash turned back to Rarity. “Right, let’s go. If we’re going to catch the scumbags that kidnapped your sister, then we’ll need to move fast. Tonight’s going to be dark and cold, which means odds are good they’ll be moving downriver, into the Forest. Once she’s in there, it’ll be too late.”
As they entered the house, the two Pegasi shedding the majority of their gear, they continued their discussion. Rarity trotted to a nearby table, pouring a cup of tea for her. “As far as we know, the entire river is locked down. Nothing is entering or exiting the city through there. And papers must be presented at each and every gate, staffed by freshly rotated Guards from Canterlot. This means…”
“They’ll be more difficult to bribe.” Rainbow said, turning down the tea. Rarity nodded as she offered it to Soarin’ instead, who gratefully accepted. “Good in theory, but this is the Ever Free’s city, make no mistake. Were it up to me, we’d check every house for them and root them out like in Canterlot, but we haven’t got the resources to do that here. Now, we took a quick sweep of the city before we landed. We’ve got it narrowed down to a few options available to them. The first is….”
“We considered traveling through the city to the edge of town, and then stealing a boat and making a break for it. However, we have received intelligence that the Solar Wing is in town.” Lively Song said.
Sweetie Belle nodded. They were going over the exit strategy for that night, which had been altered. Apparently, her sister was also in the city. She hoped that they would not encounter her. Not only would it make the escape more difficult and put lives in danger, but she also did not relish her sister discovering the allegiance she had claimed.
“What other options are available?” she asked.
Lively Song nodded approvingly. “Good. You’d be surprised how often our ponies try to tackle that sort of thing head on. I’ve seen the Solar Wing fight, and they’ve earned every inch of their reputation. It’s best to avoid them if at all possible. That’s why we’ve considered…”
“Traveling downriver with cargo, probably from upcity. Find a barge carrying tools or supplies to a logging camp, stash a boat somewhere along the way, a short distance outside of the city, and slip into the night.” Soarin’ said, indicating a map spread out on the kitchen table.
Rarity made an approving noise around the cup in her mouth. She lowered it, wiping daintily with a napkin. “That’s what I’d do. Get you looking in one direction, and slip by in something coming from the other.”
Rainbow grunted. “But they run just a tad more devious than that. The Ever Free are masters of disguise, perfect spies and saboteurs.”
“I wasn't aware you knew the word ‘saboteur’, darling.” Rarity said absentmindedly, perusing the map.
Soarin’ chuckled. Rainbow Dash did not. “The point is, they could easily forge papers and slip through one of the gates in the west side of the city. Changelings can imitate ponies with ease, so getting through checkpoints without magical scanners is a breeze for them. And from what I hear, Sweetie Belle shows some promise in illusion magic. So, that leaves us with option three, and by far the most likely…”
“We take a route from here through the city after dark but before curfew, under illusory magic. There are two gates that flank both sides of the river, leading out to the camps and our eventual freedom. These are where they expect us to be, however, so that is where we are often not.” Lively Song said.
“What’s the alternative route?”
Night Light stepped forward. “A small service gate on the southerly side of the river, hardly worth watching. Watched it is, however, so we are going to knock out the pair of Guards on duty and slip through. After that, we have a small skiff for our party being moved upstream tonight. Once we turn that nose downriver, they’ll be hard pressed to catch us.”
Sweetie Belle’s brow wrinkled in thought. “What if they do catch us? You said it yourself, the Solar Wing isn’t to be taken lightly.”
Scootaloo hefted a small metal sphere, the top of which gleamed with crystal. “This is full of some new weapon, straight from the Regia. Crack the crystal and toss it. The inside contains explosive powder, and a little something extra.” She tossed a hooffull of metal spheres on the table. “The inside has these as well. The sphere explodes, lots of heat and fire, the shards from the sphere itself, and about one hundred of these sling bullets go every which way.”
Sweetie Belle looked at the sphere with newfound respect. “Sounds nasty.”
Night Light nodded. “A little surprise for those who wish to throw a party.”
“And we’ve come to the conclusion that they will probably exit along the south side of the river, through one of the less closely watched gates. A transport will likely meet them there, one of their faster skiffs. If they can turn that nose towards the forest, nopony except for a fast Pegasi will be able to catch up to them.” Rainbow Dash said.
Rarity put a hoof to her chin in thought. “What if they anticipate your arrival?”
She heard a clack from behind her, and saw Soarin’ unloading a bolt from his crossbow. He handed her the shaft, and she turned it over, peering at it closely. “We carry several different heads on these. That one is made to punch through armor.”
Rainbow laid several others on the table. “The heads of these are magically charged crystal. One contains a stunner spell, one contains an ignition spell, and one an electrical charge. They break, the spell is released, and the magic takes hold. If we can confirm Sweetie Belle is with them, I’ll signal my team to switch to the knockout and electrical heads. If she isn’t, then…”
“You’ll hit them with fire and iron.” Rarity said. “Quite brutal, and extremely effective.”
Rainbow gave the first smile Rarity had seen from her in years. “A little surprise, something we can bring to the party.”
Sweetie Belle slung a bandolier over her back, setting the cloak she would be concealing it with to one side. She ran one idle hoof over the arsenal in front of her. It was her first mission, and she was to arm herself as she saw fit from the stores left in the armory. She could not shoot, and she didn’t trust the spheres, so…she settled on her choices. Three crystals containing a knockout gas, and two containing a “flash” spell, a dazzling and silent burst of light designed to draw attention and blind the eyes of a pony, depending on the use. She selected a short coil of rope just in case, and was just about to consider herself armed and ready, when her gaze fell upon a dagger, sheathed and waiting for use, on a nearby rack. Unbidden, a voice spoke in her head.
“We don’t encourage killing, Sweetie Belle. But when it’s you or them, and you have to make a tough choice, it’s better for you to walk away and live.”
She walked towards the dagger slowly, carefully, as if it was an animal that could bite her if she wasn’t careful. Gently, she tugged it from its sheath, watching how the well-oiled steel gleamed in the torchlight. She hoped that it wouldn’t come down to it, but if she had to make the tough choice, then…better she live. She replaced the dagger in its sheath and bound it to the bandolier. Throwing the cloak over her back, she fastened it carefully, making sure that it concealed the weapons before trotting to the door.
Night Light and Scootaloo were waiting for her on the other side. Sweetie Belle met their silent gazes with a nod of affirmation. They would be leaving one hour before curfew came into effect. Them, the Changeling warriors who had come to rescue her, and a few others. They were ready, they were prepared, and they had been smart. Sweetie Belle calmed herself. There was nothing to worry about, she told herself. She was sure this would go over without a hitch.
Rainbow Dash looked out over the well-kept lawn below. She had called her fighters back in, and they would be leaving soon. She had ordered them to get some rest before they set out, a quick reprieve. They would be leaving about an hour before curfew, when the Ever Free were most likely to make their move. She had taken the opportunity to slip away quietly, seeking a moment to be alone with her thoughts.
She turned over a feather in her hooves. To the eyes of any other pony, it would have been nothing special, just a Pegasus feather. It was a dark grey, fading to black near the end. It was, however, in perfect condition, and it did not belong to any member of her squad. And to Rainbow Dash, it was the most precious thing in the world.
A gentle knock sounded behind her. She turned to see Rarity standing in the doorway, her horn still glowing with magical discharge and a set of dragonfly wings protruding from her back, enabling her to keep up with the Pegasi. Her eyes were resting on the feather in Rainbow Dash’s hooves, and when at last they looked up, they were filled with equal measures sympathy and sadness.
“Is that…” she asked.
Rainbow Dash nodded.
“And you’ve kept it, after all of these years.”
“I’ll keep it forever. It’s all I’ve got left of her.” Rainbow Dash said.
Rarity sighed. “Rainbow…”
She was cut off. “Four years ago last week, I found out what had happened. Killed in the line of duty, while pursuing the fugitive Twilight Sparkle. Burial with full honors. One of the first official casualties of the war. Killed, with a knife to the back. To the back, by one of the Condottieri who helped her escape.”
Rarity was beside her now, with a sympathetic hoof on her shoulder. “If you wish to talk…”
“She’s the reason why I fight like this, you know. Twilight Sparkle took her from me. She took her, and now she won’t ever come back to me. We were going to apply for marriage after she got out, but…we never got the chance.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes were on fire with rage, grief, and bloodlust. “Twilight Sparkle took the most precious thing in my life away from me four years ago, and she will pay for that, I swear. But tonight, she’s trying to take something of yours away, something precious to you. And I’m not going to let that happen.”
She rose, strapping on her gear as Rarity watched. She placed the helm over her head. “Let’s go. We’re going to get your sister back.”
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Ahah, well... Now Dash's motives become transparent, because she is always transparent.
I doubt there will be any resolution between Dash and Twilight that doesn't end with one of them dead. Oh well... nice knowing you Dash, but you really don't bring much depth of character. I guess I'd call Dash a Rook, a powerful piece, but only in straight lines and lacking in subtlety.
I wonder if Celestia is egging Dash on via her Element. Probably doesn't see a need for it.
I'm still very curious how the rest of the Mane 6 take Celestia's plan to beget an Alicorn on Twilight. Really, I haven't seen any mention of it or their feelings towards the plan, an the inevitable death of Twilight in the process. Do they understand that Celestia's betrayal was what sparked off this conflict in the first place?
I imagine Rainbow looking a lot like this now. Ponies look surprisingly good in armor.
Gunpowder rears it's ugly head yet again. Such a useful, yet horrible invention. As for the death of RD's loved one, I have nothing to say.
1678977
Pretty sure they do. If you are asking if they see it from Twilight's perspective, then no. They were pretty happy to sacrifice Twilight.
1678988
Not a word? Not a thing? Not a broken heartstring? That a love was cut short before it could be held on high? The warrior does weep, but no tear in your eye? Death no longer faceless, the cost now made real? Her accusations not baseless, her motive now real? All of that and more, and you say you don't feel?
1679021
Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I can't even remember her name. Add that to the fact she may or may not be have been a servant of Celestia whose relationship with Dash was only under orders and I'd say Death is still pretty faceless.
1678996
In their defense though that was at a high point of Celestia's puppetry of them. Pinkie, Fluttershy, and AJ are showing signs of actually being capable of rational thought again. Unfortunately it doesn't look like Rainbow Dash will be giving it a second thought, and Rarity is still up in the air.
I see this conflict as an artifice of Celestia's own making. All her wrongs are coming back to bite her. She chose to pursue a path of domination, and even if it was masterfully done, there were breaks enough for one mare to find out. She then pursued her, by force, rather than reason. The fact that there's a conflict at all was because Celestia wouldn't let Twilight leave peacefully, granted this point is probably lost on everypony. I won't say Twilight hadn't upped the ante a bit with what happened at the university, but even then, it was Celestia's decision to use force. Twilight was simply operating in self-defense.
I can totally see Rainbow Dash being distraught seeing her mare-friend killed, and of course she's going to blame Twilight for it. It's rational, but only superficially, Twilight and the Pegasi troop are really guilty of nothing more than self-defense. Maybe Rainbow will have an epiphany over the situation and realize that Celestia was the one who pulled all the strings initially, but I doubt it. I really don't see anything as being able to smack Rainbow out of her rage, though I expect there will be some sort of showdown between Rainbow and Twilight's mate (who's name eludes me atm), which will undoubtedly end up with Rainbow killing the Pegasi, thus reciprocating the feud. I'd rather not see the Airstream fall into such a trope, but we'll see.
1679021
It's more like I have no words. Both mares have their reasons. I feel for both sides and in turn those feelings lead to neutrality.
1679042
While it is true that the Elements bind the Bearers to Celestia, whether they are bound to her now is up in the air. Looks can be deceiving. Twilight figured that out the hard way.
This pleases me greatly. There has been poni a plenty. I do say though that I think the part with RD's lover felt abit forced. I don't quite remember who it was or even how their relationship was. I think it would have worked abit better if you had reminded us in some way before that part like, say, that we "see" RD's memories or whatnot. Explaining what RD is thinking about, about the memories she had with her or something like that.
I don't know I'm not a writer i just read stuff.
// Sphex
1679021
I would feel more sympathy if RD had not betrayed Twilight and set her up to be bodily raped + mind raped + murdered by Celestia. All so Celestia could execute her grand plan to rape free will from every living thing on the planet.
1679093 in the last chapter Celestia demonstrated the binding on Generosity, I'd say that it's still in effect.
1679021 What is there to say? She was stabbed in the back huh? I bet on Celestia's orders she was killed to get Rainbow's loyalty, and that Twilight didn't have anything to do with it. After all, so far Twilight has been keeping away from her friends and their family, and even went to one of their daughter's first birthdays. I highly doubt she would have killed Rainbow's lover, especially if they were planning on getting married soon.
great chapter! it promises a major shitstorm next chapter!dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Sweetie_happy.png
and i knew they were gonna go with "sweetie belle is a victim in all this, the everfree is to blame, they kidnapped her". rarity is in for a surprise when they catch up. i wonder what kind of "reunion" RD and scoots will have...
Well so much for Dash being friends with Twilight again. Will the others stay enemies too? How does Dash feel about Scootaloo being on the enemies side?
Holy crap the excitement is unbearable MOAR i need MOAR!!!!!!!
1679794
Well, a pegasus getting stabbed in the back by one of the mercenaries is mentioned in the penultimate chapter of 'Lines and Webs', but even then it seemed more like a throwaway line than anything of import. Plus I'm surprised that Twilight didn't show any recognition of a pony she was in theory fairly familiar with.
1681719
Nice use of the word "penultimate".
Have a happy Twilight!
1682307
Thank you, I occasionally like to imagine that I make my old English teachers proud. Plus I like that word and how often do you get to use it in a sentence?
I feel sympathy for RD, but I do not sympathize with her. At best, she is a pawn being manipulated without knowing. At worst, she is knowingly supporting a tyrant in the effort to lobotomize her own species.
Oh well, it'll make for good action.
By Luna's flowing mane, I just spent all day reading this story and the one before it. It's 1:13 AM, I started at 8AM yesterday. You sir are a genius. I've been wondering one thing the entire time, Why haven't the elements realized that Celestia essentially bred Twilight to die? I mean that's the only logical explenation for anything that's happened. But then they do still have those after acts around their necks, don't they? Well, I'm going to sleep now, you sir(or Madame) have woven an excellent tale here.
1699088
That's coming up in a few chapters. I know that's a question many people have, but I'm keeping to my original story, and the answer to that is a sort of crux for the relationship Twilight may or may not be rebuilding with her friends. So it will be a while before that's answered.
I'm very glad you like the story! I keep odd hours, so I'm going to spend some time tonight and tomorrow typing up the next chapter. Hopefully it remains to your liking!
The idiocy that the Tyrant is pouring into the innocent...
Very intriguing.
It's funny, really. I support Twilight in this story, because I feel I would do the same if I was so thouroughly betrayed.
At the same time, though, if i found myself in Rainbow's position I would've gladly sold my SOUL to vengeance, so I can symphasise with her.
Damn you airstream and your ability to make this perfect gray area to cunfuse me, please continue.
Sandova out.
not being a heartless bastard, i can't help but feel SOME sympathy towards rainbow dash...but only some. and i can understand her motives to want twi dead.
her loved one was killed with a knife to the back, were i in the same position, i would vow vengeance on such a cowardly attack as well.
although, i only have a small amount of sympathy. let's not forget how willing RD was to hand twi over to celstia in the previous act, and the fact that twi and her soldiers tend to act purely out of self-defense.
i can't really see any way twi and dash will make up that won't result in bloodshed, but we'll have to see. from what i've noticed airstream, one cannot predict what you have up your sleeve for future chapters.
i'm still waiting for belle to meet twi, and now i really want to see a scoots/dash meeting.
but....rarity...i can understand RD's loyalty to celestia, element of loyalty and what-not, but you
Y U NO TURN TO THE LIGHT SIDE!!???!?!?!
RAINBOW HAS SISTER?!
eeyup
2163672
I agree!
woah who was RD going to marry?
1679794
Hey, one benefit of reading all this in one go?
I easily remember that Princess Celestia is a homophobic bigot so this suggestion is far, far too plausible for my tastes at this point in time.
2875422
All in one go?! hardcore man
I think I might remember the point when Rainbow's marefriend was killed... In the last story, when Twilight regains her memories, incapacitates Celestia, and flees Canterlot, I think I remember Twilight's lover (Tara?) stabbing a Pegasus with a knife...
DUN DUN DUN!
Rainbow, you disappoint me. I wondered what made you such an unrelenting force for Celestia's will. You are Loyalty gone very, very wrong, unable to see past your emotions and brainwashing and see the cause behind it all. With Rainbow in this deep, we'll sooner see Celestia attempt a compromise before Rainbow Dash sees the truth and let go of her determination.
2173298
6200572 Ehhh... Why? I mean, nearly all moral/ethical systems around recognize self defense as acceptable. While it's certainly embellished for the squeamish new recruit, it in itself is pretty much just "if someone is trying to kill you, you are not bad for killing them while trying to protect yourself".
TAKE THAT LESBIAN