Ace Combat: Shattered Friendships

by Draconis187

Downtime: The Precipice of Liberty

Ace Combat: Shattered Friendships
Downtime: The Precipice of Liberty
Author: Draconis187

The deafening roar of multiple aircraft permeated the air around Valiant Airbase, coupled with the stomping applause and praise of the ground crew that came to greet the pilots.

The planes returned to their respective hangars and the maintenance crews immediately got busy. They had less than twenty-four hours to get the planes back into flying shape. Tools hammered out the dents in the fuselage, holes were patched up – and some magic to bond the patch to the plane so it didn’t look like a flying patchwork quilt of death – and the engines were drained of fuel so they could be worked on without fear of getting burned.

The tension amongst the maintenance crews was thick as they scrutinised every inch of the airframes, looking for damage, imperfections and repairing or replacing anything that was out of place.

Their dedication was fuelled by a single desire to ensure the pilots’ planes were in pristine condition once they left to liberate the Crystal Empire. Bolts – aging or recently used – were taken out and replaced by brand new ones. If anypony hadn’t been watching them work from the start, they would have thought they were building an entirely new plane instead of repairing it.

All save for Galm’s planes. Techno was working on Grabcr’s planes but he was directing the maintenance staff as he worked with them.

Snake mostly observed but he did lend a hoof when it was necessary, “So what’s the prognosis, doc? Think she’ll be ready by tomorrow?”

Techno Watt nodded his head as he came out from under the F-16XL, “She’ll be primed and ready tomorrow. Just need to replace the wheel bearings and check the rudder cables for damage and she’ll be ready.”

Snake smiled, “Perfect.”

Pinkamena and Cipher were working on Pinkamena’s Eagle in their hangar, patching up the holes on the underside of the plane. Cipher levitated the pieces and Pinkamena welded or riveted them on to the body for Cipher to fuse them into the metal shell.

Anti-air fire had left a slew of holes, piercing the engines and her left wing. It was a miracle or sheer dumb luck that the Eagle survived. The damage only served to stand as a testament to the Eagle’s robust construction. A round was wedged between two pipes in the engine and was removed by Cipher’s magic.

The two mares silently worked together, the only sounds coming from their work as the Eagle was slowly returning back to fighting form. Solace and Vampir were celebrating with the Wonderbolts as usual but not even he was touching alcohol. They all needed to be clearheaded for the next day’s sortie.

Twilight was beside herself, torn between sheer joy and agonising anxiety. She was happy that the nightmare of the war was turned on its head but she worried if whether the pilots would be up to the task of liberating the sprawling, enormous city that is the Crystal Empire. She knew they were capable of much and she believed in them but her nagging fears kept gnawing at her mind. It was hypocritical but it was a part of who she was.

If they were not attacking the next day, she would have downed a whole bottle of any available liquor to steady her nerves. She wasn’t a heavy drinker but the events of the war were bad enough to drive her to alcoholism.

The maintenance crews worked well into the night with the control tower running on a skeleton staff to keep an eye on the radar. Pinkamena turned in for the night and left Cipher behind to finish reattaching a fuel line to one of her own Eagle’s engines. It had a long crack running along the side of the pipe, formed from the impact of a bullet that was most likely from AA fire.

Pinkamena passed the mess hall and found Jack Hammer sharing a joke with one of the air-traffic controllers who was not on shift just yet. He waved to Pinkamena as she walked past but she only nodded her head to acknowledge the fact that she saw him as she carried on walking to the barracks.

It took a few minutes for Cipher to double-check her work before sealing the engine back up and riveting it to the rest of the plane. She was sweating under her suit and helmet but refused to remove any part of it, lest others see her face. Changeling or not, Cipher did not want them to ever know of her, even if it meant she would stink to high heaven until she washed up.

She left the hangar and locked it with a special, magic padlock. It was specially designed so that, when closed, completed a magic circuit that negated other external magic to keep others from tampering with it. It was easily broken with the appropriate key. The ones who had a key was the pilot, the maintenance crew and the highest ranking officer of the base, which was Twilight Sparkle.

As Cipher walked to her barracks, she spotted Solace who beamed at her. She mentally facehoofed when Solace made a gesture with both his forelegs, using them to remove an imaginary helmet from his head.

When Cipher shook her head, Solace smirked, “Worth a shot.” He reared onto his hind legs and pointed dramatically to the sky. “I shall see your face on of these says!”

‘You can see my face when I’m a lifeless corpse,’ Cipher thought as she continued to walk to her barracks.

**** **** **** ****

Chrysalis stood on an airfield in Baltimare, staring up at the blue and yellow Gripen that belonged to Wonderbolt Six as the rest all stood parked in a line near the runway. The Gripen’s sleek airframe enraptured her as she continued to look at the plane, taking in every detail about it, from rudder to nose. She saw the disguise she was using reflected in the plane’s well-polished fuselage.

The Gripen was lacking any form of armament, as their squadron had been re-fitted for acrobatic stunts with the rest of its squadron. Missile racks were removed, the gun had been taken too and the port it shot from was covered up by a small piece of metal. It reduced overall weight and that gave it slightly better handling in the air.

“They may not be the best planes one can buy but they are decent multi-role aircraft,” A voice said, startling Chrysalis a little as she turned around. Chrysalis saw it was Spitfire, looking at her with a smirk. “There’s not much need for them in a fighting capacity but instead of collecting dust in the hangars, we fly them in these airshows to keep our skills sharp. But some of our old group got bored and left to become mercenaries…”

“So they went and became mercenaries…” Chrysalis said, contemplating. “That is quite a drastic change in profession.”

“Just two of them left really… Wave Chill and Lightning Streak. I couldn’t believe Lightning Streak would leave his brother Fire Streak behind,” Spitfire said with annoyance. “It’s absolutely deplorable behaviour.”

Chrysalis was unsure of whether to remark about that statement or not. Their problems were not her concern but one of the ponies’ traits was to… care. The mere thought made Chrysalis’ blood go cold and sent a shiver down her spine.

Rather than to risk Spitfire getting suspicious, Chrysalis spoke up, “It is rather peculiar that kin would act in such fashion. Is all well between them? Sometimes problems like that have far deeper, more painful reasons than simply getting bored with one’s occupation.”

“That I’m not too sure. Neither of them spoke all that much about their personal lives,” Spitfire replied unhappily.

Chrysalis disregarded Spitfire’s tone and continued, “So… mercenaries. Do tell me: how does one take up such a profession?”

**** **** **** ****

Pinkamena’s dull pink mane was coated in black oil and her coat smelt of jet fuel. The gun-metal grey F-14D Tomcat she was under had a shattered oil filter and one of the fuel lines were broken in four places with the fragments flying about within the plane, denting it from the inside-out. It was a miracle the thing didn’t explode.

The most damage it had sustained was heavily scorching the engine’s cover. It was beyond help and got sent off for scrap after its dimensions were taken for a new one to be fabricated.

“Pinkamena, how’s that Tomcat looking?!” A burly stallion asked. “It was supposed to go out yesterday!”

Pinkamena had just about had enough of her boss’ callous behaviour and mistreatment of the mares that worked in his hangar, “Just waiting for the replacements, you aging ogre!”

The puce stallion looked as if he was about to throttle Pinkamena but she had a blowtorch nearby and that evil look she was giving him made him wonder if she wouldn’t hesitate to use it on him.

“Fine… get over to the Osprey and help Resonance. I swear Crystal Ponies are as useless as you Earth Ponies,” He ordered callously.

“At least I’m not some stupid unicorn who’s scared to even do levitation! Fillies are braver than you!” She answered back as she walked to the dark green V-22 Osprey.

“Why do you put up with him? You could quit anytime and I doubt he’d object,” Resonance asked. The pale lime Crystal Pony had great skills with power tools and was one of the few ponies Pinkamena didn’t want to let her frustrations out on.

“I wanted to know more about aircraft so I took this mechanic gig,” Pinkamena replied. “Even if Twisted Metal there does make a griffon seem as cuddly as a new-born foal.”

Resonance chuckled softly, “Yeah, he’s not exactly Mr. Personality. He works in Hangar 21.”

**** **** **** ****

“What do you mean you’re leaving?!” Dash asked incredulously at Fluttershy as she sat in the mare’s bedroom.

“Oh… um… I-I’m sorry…” Fluttershy replied as she closed a large leather trunk, filled with assorted, personal items. “I’ve… b-been thinking… since everypony else moved on… maybe it is time I did too…”

“But we’re your friends!” Dash exclaimed, throwing her hooves up into the air in exasperation. “I’m your friend!”

“…I’m sorry…” Fluttershy said as she tried to hide behind the large, pink collection of locks that was her mane.

“Fluttershy… I don’t want to lose you as well…” Dash replied sadly.

Luckily for Dash, she had her glasses over her eyes to shield herself as her aforementioned eyes welled up slightly. Even if she didn’t have them, she would have cared less. Her friends knew she was sensitive… somewhat.

“We’ve already lost Twilight due to her princess-y stuff… and Pinkie’s long gone. Then Rarity left,” Dash said as a tear broke free from the dam and ran down her cheek.

Fluttershy hugged her friend tightly, “I’m sorry, Dash… really…”

When the two mares parted ways, it would have been the last time Dash and Fluttershy saw each other’s faces…

**** **** **** ****

Dash woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. The dream plagued her often, always leaving her in a depressed state and it messed with her sleeping schedule. Although it was the images of the dream that she

“Why in the wide world of Equestria does that dream keep happening?” She complained softly to the air as she laid her head back down on the pillow. “Should’ve tried harder to keep her in Ponyville, keep our friends together. Some loyal friend I am. Maybe Twi’s up…”

Dash rolled out of bed, her limbs protesting to their forced motions as she landed on the ground. Her joints popped as she stretched them before moving another inch. She opened one of the drawers in her room and took out a piece of paper and tucked it under her wing before walking out.

The halls of the barracks were dimly lit with a few overhanging lights, bathing the paths in a faint yellow glow. The only sounds that Dash heard were the clip-clopping of her hooves and the odd sound of the maintenance staff as they kept working. She had to admire their dedication to their job.

Only two hangars still had the sounds of power tools echoing within, Dash realised that the hangars belonged to her Wonderbolts’ planes. Dash complained under her breath about the distance she had to walk to Twilight’s office, especially at the exceptionally early hour, but as luck would have it, the lights were still on inside, sparing her the trip back to her barracks.

“Least I didn’t come this way for nothing…” Dash mumbled.

Three short and loud knocks of her hoof against the cold steel door rewarded Dash with the sound of Twilight crashing to the floor as she had fallen asleep at her desk once again with the lights still on. She was the Princess of Magic and yet she was unable to figure out a spell that made the lights go out when the occupants in the room had either left or fell asleep.

“Whosthere?” Twilight slurred as she got back up to her hooves. She opened the door slightly, using her hooves, to see Dash in a similar, dishevelled state. “You alright, Rainbow? What are you doing up at this time? It’s not like you.”

“Twi… it’s… I didn’t tell you the whole truth about Fluttershy,” Rainbow said sadly. “With this big operation in a few hours… I really want to get it off my chest. You know, just in case I don’t make it back.”

“Oh… okay. Come in,” Twilight said as she fully opened the door, allowing Rainbow to enter. “You don’t need to worry about not coming back, Rainbow. Nopony can fly like you do.”

“Thanks but I still need to tell you everything I know about what happened to Fluttershy,” Dash said as she walked through the room.

Twilight was too tired to remove all the paperwork from her desk and sat down with Rainbow occupying the leather seat opposite her. Dash sat down and unfurled her wing, allowing the clipping to fall out. She grabbed it and placed it on the table, atop some documents that both were too tired to care about, turning it around so Twilight could read it.

“Flight 201 vanished without a trace near rumoured Windigo territory, 43 ponies unaccounted for and presumed dead. This… you don’t mean?” Twilight asked, looking gobsmacked at Dash.

Dash slowly nodded her head, “Fluttershy was on that flight… The plane, the two pilots, crew and passengers… all vanished without a trace. There was no wreckage or even a body part. They were worried when the flight didn’t return and only then did they investigate. A lot of good it did, though.

“The official report states they think they flew into an ‘anomaly’ or some cockamamie story like that. But flying through that patch of sea is dangerous and the rumours have been proven to be fact several times now.”

“So she’s… gone?” Twilight asked, her mind trying to wrap itself around the horrifying news despite her brain’s refusal to start up.

With one of the Elements dead it meant that the rest of the Elements were now useless until another Bearer was found. Not only that, but Fluttershy was also a dear friend to both mares. The news made Twilight’s heart sink even lower than when Dash told her why Pinkamena left Ponyville.

‘Again… this is my fault… if only I had taken the time to be with my friends… this never would have happened. Just something else I am going to blame myself for,’ Twilight thought bitterly. ‘Why can’t things go right for once without me messing it up in some way and ruining another’s life?’

As if reading her mind, although it was the miserable expression on her face that gave her away, Dash cleared her throat to bring Twilight back to reality, “It wasn’t your fault. She was talking about it since your coronation. Guess she wanted to find her own path. Or she got tired of that stick-in-the-mud Angel Bunny and decided to get as far away from him as she could.”

Twilight chuckled softly, a small smirk spreading across her face, “Would’ve been about time. He always mistreated her no matter how nice she was to him.”

Rainbow chuckled as well, “Yeah, no matter how much he kicked up a fuss, she’d always bend over backwards and inside out, just to make him happy. Kind of like your relationship with Celestia back when you were not a princess.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, “I don’t mistreat the Princess, Dash. And she does not mistreat me either so you can forget that train of thought right now.”

“No but you would do anything to make her happy, wouldn’t you?” Dash teased.

Twilight smirked a little, “I guess you’re right there. I’ve done some crazy things to try make her happy.”

“Like the time you made the entire town go mad over that rag-doll of yours just because you didn’t have a friendship report to give her,” Rainbow giggled. “I had never seen Mayor Mare act so aggressively over something like that doll.”

Twilight blushed with embarrassment, “I still couldn’t find Smarty Pants after that. I thought it got trampled into nothing.”

Dash began to laugh loudly, “That’s because Big Mac took it! In all the confusion he took it as a sign to make off with the doll!”

“Seriously? What would he want with Smarty Pants?” Twilight asked, confused. “He’s a grown stallion after all. If it was for Apple Bloom I would have understood.”

“Dunno, but I had never seen such a large stallion look so embarrassed with himself in my life! He was the darkest shade of red I had ever seen!” Rainbow chortled as she fell off her seat. “Ow…”

“That’ll teach you to laugh about Applejack’s brother. Just because he liked a doll didn’t mean you had to make fun of him,” Twilight giggled as she looked back at the newspaper clipping. “Do you really think she’s gone?”

“Doubt it. Fluttershy may look all weak and timid but she does know how to look after herself,” Rainbow said as she got back up. “After all, she did make quite a number of trips into the Everfree on her own. I’ve seen it whenever I worked over her house with the weather team. Then there was the dragon she stood up to at the top of that mountain.”

“Dash… I hope you are right,” Twilight said as she picked up the clipping.

Rainbow’s happy expression fell, becoming solemn frighteningly quickly, “Me too, Twi…”

**** **** **** ****

Dash found herself waking up in her bed, safely tucked in like her mother used to when she was a little filly. Sadly it was done too well and she struggled for a good five minutes before getting out. She made a note to tell Twilight to never do that again.

The barracks were abuzz with the sound of the pilots getting into their flight suits after they got washed and the Pegasi preened their wings. The Wonderbolts were muttering a little to each other as they all walked to the briefing room. Grabcr, Galm and Vampir were not far behind and soon all the pilots took their seats.

Pinkamena had a devilish smirk on her face while Solace made the same gesture he performed last night at Cipher. She refused to acknowledge his presence, more focused on Twilight as she inserted a series of slides into the projector.

Twilight cleared her throat as the projector began showing them slides of the Crystal Empire, getting all the pilots’ attention. Several districts within the city were filled with various AA sites, SAMs, tanks, APCs and the odd makeshift barracks for the occupying ground forces.

“This is it ponies. This is what we’ve been fighting for since we started our retaliation,” Twilight said. “The Griffons have occupied the five main districts within the Empire. The Northern District, the Southern District, as well as the East and West Districts are all under their complete control.”

“What’s the fifth district?” Spitfire asked.

“That will be the Central District also known as the Heart District due to it being the location of the Crystal Spire Palace and the Crystal Heart itself if it has not been taken and sold,” Twilight answered. “The objective is to eliminate all their military hardware and we’ll wrestle control back from the Griffons.”

“What’s the point? We take out the forces in the Heart District and then we’ve won,” Pinkamena pointed out. “Take their hold on the capital and they lose morale. Should be enough to make them retreat at best and think twice at worst.”

“Because we still have the enemy’s ground forces in the outer districts that can easily reinforce the Central District without spreading themselves too thinly,” Twilight reasoned. “We are attacking all four outer districts simultaneously so they can not reinforce and entrench in the Central District. Grabcr, you are taking the South District. Vampir will hit the West and Galm will take out the East with the Wonderbolts attacking the Northern District.

“Once the outer districts are dealt with, we move in and attack the Heart District. There are tanks as well as APCs on the ground that may give our ground forces some trouble so do us all a favour and take them out whenever you get a chance.”

Snake smirked, “They’ll never see it coming.”

“Any questions?” Twilight asked.

“So we are attacking the Empire from both land and air?” Pinkamena asked.

“Yes, we are sending in a few platoons of tanks, APCs as well as conventional troops,” Twilight responded. “Minotaurs, Saddle Arabians, Unicorns, Pegasi, Earth Ponies and some Crystal Ponies are what make up our ground troops. Once a path is cleared, they can assist with clearing out the Griffons alongside the populace.”

“How much resistance are we expecting from the air?” Solace asked. “The ground is easy to avoid but chasing aircraft are not so simple.”

“Expect a few Typhoons and MiGs. I believe they’re Fulcrums if our preliminary recon data is anything to go by,” Twilight responded. “The ground forces are going to assault the four districts simultaneously as well. This will ensure they do not escape.”

“So… we’re really doing it?” Rainbow said as she got up. “We’re actually going to assault the Crystal Empire…”

“That’s right,” Twilight said with growing conviction in her voice. “Get to your planes everypony! We leave in two hours! For Equestria and the Crystal Empire!”

Author's Note:

Got convinced to do a Downtime before Operation: Constantine. Some more insight into Fluttershy's vanishing act and how the Chrysalis and Pinkamena got into aeronautics.

Comments

[Spartan-1138]

I bet those griffens were working on some super weapon or something and tested it on the flight that fluttershy was on....... ITS ALWAYS A CRAZY SUPER WEAPON FOR THE BAD GUYS.