> The Eventide Watch
>  by Sun Dial
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Twilight's Hooves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The magnificent halls of Canterlot flooded with sunlight dancing through glass windows, colors waltzing along the walls to a serenade of love as a brilliant glow filled the entire castle with the gentleness of morning dew. The castle brimmed with this energy as maids couldn’t help but prance to their duties and the royal guard all smiled as they took their posts from Luna’s regiment. In all the wondrous magic that the morning brought,  Kibitz grumbled about the Celestia damned morning hours and turned over in his covers, leaving Raven to do the morning paperwork on her own.

As the castle danced alive, Raven had already been sorting paperwork, preparing the needed assignments to make things run as smoothly as possible. As the sun rose, she made a note to have Kibitz deal with press for the next month for leaving the paperwork all to her.  

The unicorn’s eyes looked through the next document on the list, a request for new department form concerning one Eventide Watch with Rainbow Dash labeled as the captain of the watch. Raven sighed and placed the form in the much too large pile labeled PPPPONY.  

That is  Possible Pranks the Princess Play’s ON You.

At least, Raven had to admit, Kibitz and the two princesses kept her entertained.  

Meanwhile, in a different part of the castle, as the light continued its tango through the halls, two ponies enjoyed some time alone. Twilight was following Princess Celestia back from the dining hall, the sun god dressed in her yellow robe and carrying her ‘I <3 Mornings’ mug full of a hot steaming lemon tea.  

It was a sight Twilight had first giggled at before Celestia reminded her about the nights she walked across the castle with Smarty Pants and her blankie dragging behind to the chef’s private room for late night cookies. Cookies that Celestia had specifically said would ruin her appetite.

With the small talk out of the way, Twilight turned to the issue bothering her. “I was talking to Shining yesterday,” she admitted “and he wants me to assign me a guard detachment.”

“Oh?” Celestia said warmly, her all-knowing smile plastered across her face. “You are of a different opinion?”

“I rather hotly told him that he could mind his own business and I could take care of it myself,” Twilight said.

“Does having a bunch of finely dressed stallions who could lift you with a single hoof intimidate you?” Celestia teased.

Twilight instinctively flew into the air, using her hooves to emphasize her point. “Yes! I don’t know what’s worse! The fact that he thinks I need protection, or that he’s using it as an excuse to try and get me a coltfriend,” Twilight waved her hooves downwards repeatedly. “I know he’s just trying to watch over me, but I feel awkward enough being a princess without having a detachment of guards watching everything I do.” 

Celestia gave light laugh, before shoving Twilight to the side. “Oh, don’t be such a ball of stress Twilight. Your brother is just looking after you, and I think it would an excellent idea for you to have your own guard.”

“But what would they do? I don’t have anything for them to do. My castle doesn’t need sentries, the only things worth stealing are the books! It’s less work to just check them out! I don’t need the guard to double as staff either. Spike takes care of everything that staff would do. I don’t go out fighting monsters like Luna and her Night Guard. They’d just stand around being bored all the time!” 

Celestia smiled and took a satisfying drink from her tea. “All are issues that could easily be solved.” She took a moment to look at a stained glass window of herself and a yellow student with wavy red and yellow hair. Another pain, another loss, another reminder of just how imperfect she really was. “Twilight, I would feel much better if you had someone to watch over you, to be your eyes when you can not see. To be your voice when you can not speak. The royal guard aren’t just eye candy, you know. They are in many ways an extension of my hoof, a branch that lets me shade those who I can’t attend to myself.”

Twilight opened her mouth, only to have Celestia’s hoof placed up against it.  Opening a nearby set of doors, Celestia walked out onto a balcony that overlooked all of western Equestria.  A  puzzled Twilight followed her mentor out the door.

The sight was incredible, the rising eastern sun’s rays reflected off Smokey Mountain, the shimmering rivers, the ever-present rainbow beauty of Cloudsdale.  It was a sight that eased the overly worried mare’s senses.

“For almost a thousand years, I felt a loneliness, a hole in my chest that could not be filled. I had many friends, unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies alike.  Even a dragon or two that I owe my life and sanity to. I would often look out over all of Equestria and understand that I was the last of my kind,” Celestia took a sip of her tea. 

“There’s a certain kind of loneliness that I hope you never feel, Twilight. It’s the kind of loneliness that makes you wish you never existed. I had no desire to kill myself…. That would have never been enough.   I wished that I had never existed.  Annihilation from all time and space. By my own machinations, I had destroyed everyone and everything I had ever cared about.  The loneliness was merely my punishment.”

Twilight felt small tears in her eyes as her mind diagnosed the source. Mirror neurons, a strange little aspect that allowed sentient beings to feel pain and sorrow of others as if they had experienced it themselves, the things that made empathy a reality. Neurons that seemed to be having a rave party in Twilights brain as she listened to the princess.

“Cadence was so beautiful when I first saw her as an alicorn and hope somehow snuck into this old heart of mine.” Celestia turned to Twilight, her face sorrowful, but to Twilight’s surprise, no tears traced down her face.  “To have Luna back was a joy I never thought I could experience again.  It would do this old mare some good to know that you have somepony watching over you. Even if it was just a squad of pegasi.”

Twilight wiped the tears forming on her eyes. “I think I can accept that, Princess.” Twilight wrapped her forelegs around her mentor’s torso.

“Oh, gag me!” a familiar voice pelted the alicorns’ ears as nearby pillar had strangely morphed into a statue. “I never knew it was so eazy to get the great and powerful Twilight Sparkle to just agree to something.”  The draconequus snaked up the pillar that looked like himself, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. “Oh, Twilight!” he mocked, “I’m the last of my kind. Make hot, passionate love to me so you can continue on my race.”

Twilight laughed. “What do you think, Princess? Should I take the poor animal up on his offer?” she asked innocently.

“Well, surely we can not leave this world with such a travesty of only one Discord,” Celestia remarked.  “Are you current on your biology spells? Shall we test how mitosis works on a multi-celled organism?”

Discord put his paw to his heart. “Oh, you wound me. Is one of me not worthy of your love? Very  well. Hit me with your best shot. If you require two of me to love you in full, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Fire away!”  Discord threw his head back, hand covering his eyes as he prepared for cloning, thoroughly enjoying this little banter.

He was unprepared when he felt two hooves grab him around his waist. Standing straight, he looked down at the purple princess with her bright eyes looking up at him.  “Thank you, Discord.” 

The draconequus was perplexed, completely unsure where this token of affection was coming from. “For what?”

“Making this decision easier.” Twilight said, letting go of her friend. “I need to get home.  I’ve been away from Ponyville for a few days and if I wait any longer, Pinkie’s gonna throw me a ‘You’re finally home from your hero’s journey party’. Remind me never to teach her about literary cliches again.”  

Discord waved goodbye as Twilight teleported.  He turned his face towards Celestia and stuck out his tongue. “This is all your fault.”

Celestia took a sip of tea.  “It always is.” she replied,  steam wafting over her serene face.





“How the hell do you expect me to keep you on lead squad if you can’t even perform better than a foal out of its mother’s womb!?” Spitfire yelled over her desk, hooves on the table and making herself as imposing as she possibly could. “Your endurance test results are worse than Surprise’s and she’s our bucking SPRINTER!”

Soarin rubbed the back of his neck worriedly. “Uh… sorry?”

“SORRY! YOU THINK SORRY IS GONNA SOLVE THIS ISSUE!?” Spitfire’s eyes lit with fire. “You place twenty-fifth in speed, thirty-third in the agility tests and your weather management was forty-fourth in the BUCKING ENTIRE SQUAD!  YOU’RE OUR SUN DAMNED ARCHMAGE, YOU PISSHEAD!  HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP YOU IN THE LEAD SQUAD IF YOU CAN’T PERFORM ON QUALIFYING DAY!”

Soarin’s rigid body sagged under Spitfire’s shouting.  “If I can’t perform, then maybe I shouldn’t be on the lead squad.”

Spitfire pushed her hooves into her eyeballs in an attempt to gouge out her own brain. “Soarin. YOU ARE OUR BUCKIN ARCHMAGE, I CAN’T just drop someone who can make a class four storm on his own! You’re skills and capabilities are phenomenal. There’s no one else who should be on the lead squad. It used to take six wonderbolts to do the kind of weatherwork you do in AN HOUR! BUT IF YOU DON’T PROVE YOU’RE SORRY FLANK TO EVERYPONY ELSE, WHAT THE BUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?” Spitfire let out a heavy breath before sagging in her chair.  “If the press gets ahold of these results, you’ll be kicked out of lead squad,” Spitfire spoke as she massaged her head with her hooves.

Despite Soarin’s phenomenal flying and magic skills, he had such a hard time dealing with stress. It usually didn’t affect his flying performance, he wasn’t normally stressed out by things that could drive others into flying the coop. Most of his anxiety came from insecurities, but he had nothing to be insecure about.  Work had been going well, he didn’t have bullies other than herself breathing down his neck. That pretty much left mares as the final option for things Soarin could be a complete and total mess about. Normally she knew when this happened, but he hadn’t been acting weird around any of the other Wonderbolts.

Spitfire let out a groan as the ‘ah ha’ hit her. “Exactly how long have you been going out?”

“Ummm… ten weeks, four days and three hours?” 

Fleetfoot’s eyes flicked up dangerously from her magazine as the conversation finally became interesting. “Oh?” she asked coyly, “And exactly who is the lucky mare who gets to bed the most boring pegasus in Equestria?”

Fleetfoot’s mischievous look and Spitfire’s unamused expression did nothing for his anxiety levels. “Well… you see… she umm…” he audibly gulped. “She doesn’t want anypony to know we’re dating. It’s…. uhh…. umm… personal?  Yeah… personal reasons.”

Fleetfoot was in the air, clenching her gut and her mocking laughter rippled throughout the room. “Wowwwww! Our little Soarin has fallen in love with some mare he found at a strip club!” She began to gasp and choke from laughing.

Soarin’s eyes found a very interesting spot on the ground. “She’s not a whore.”

Fleetfoot gasped and wheezed for air, falling flat on her stomach with a lopsided grin. “Awww, don’t be a Mr. Grumpy. It’s so romantic that you’re saving her from a life of waving her cutie mark around at all the pervs.  Now she gets to do it only for you!” 

Soarin rubbed his hoof awkwardly, desperately hoping for Spitfire to save him. 

Spitfire rolled her eyes at Soarin, but helped him out anyways. “Enough Fleetfoot!” she barked.

Fleetfoot snapped to attention, still wearing that mocking smile. “Yes, not a whore ma’am!” 

Soarin was practically a ball on the floor now.

Spitfire had never been so relieved for Fleetfoot to snap to attention, considering Princess Celestia stood in the door frame.

“Good afternoon captain. I’m not interrupting anything important am I?” The princess asked with just a hint of mischievousness in her eye.

“Just a little stress relief, your highness.” Spitfire said. “Is there anything we can do for you?”

“I’d appreciate a good thunderstorm at the next upcoming garden party for the rich and wealthy. I do believe a rogue cloud after the Wonderbolt Derby wouldn’t be too much to find roaming Canterlot?” 

Soarin immediately perked up, being the weather master that he was. “Hmmm, there has been a couple of spells I’ve needed to run diagnostic tests on.” 

“Not a problem princess!” Fleetfoot chirped. “One rained on garden party coming up!”

Spitfire swore that Fleetfoot was a little too happy to be pranking most of their sponsors. So much for those budget expansions she hoped for. 

“Thank you, Fleetfoot, Soarin. I have a request of you all. Princess Twilight has decided to put into power a small regiment of guards known as the Eventide Watch. Rainbow Dash will be the new captain and I would appreciate if you three would train her.” the princess said, with her loving motherly overtone that Spitfire had come to learn as a command.

“Oh yeah!” Fleetfoot did a flip in the air. “I’ll be able to show her the ropes of what it means to be a real pegasus!”

“Ummm…. Princess?” Soarin asked, tapping his hooves together nervously.

“I do not mind that you two are dating.” the princess said. “She needs drastic help with understanding of pegasus magic. I feel that your current situation will help her understand her emotions and how they affect her flying.”

Soarin smiled, a small weight off his chest.  Spitfire had an eyebrow raised in surprise. 

Fleetfoot’s jaw fell off and crashed on the ground. “You’re bucking RAINBOW DASH!?”

Soarin nodded cautiously, hoof up in case she hit him. 

“As your commanding officer, Fleetfoot, for insulting another pony and besmirching their name, especially one of your now commanding officers,  I want sixteen thousand laps. You will start immediately. You will be in charge of Rainbow Dash’s conditioning while she’s here training,” the princess said calmly.

“But... What? I didn’t know he was dating Rainbow Dash!” Fleetfoot whined, “I totally take back my whore comment! How the buck did he get a date? Much less with her?

“Make that eighteen thousand.”

Fleetfoot groaned before flying out the door.

Spitfire silently thanked the sun that its avatar had dealt with Fleetfoot for her. “Thank you, princess. What would you have me teach to Rainbow?”

“No. Do not teach her. Rainbow is to be your legacy. Mold her, ingrain into her your fighting style. Make her a warrior to be remembered for eternity,” the princess said. “She is to be your gift to equinity.”





Twilight paced back and forth in her library. She had already sent Spike to fetch Rainbow Dash and was attempting to gather her thoughts. “Uggh. I don’t think there’s a proper way to say ‘I completely disregard all your hopes and dreams so that I don’t have to deal with my older brother over worrying about me and installing his own guard full of hot, sexy stallions in armor that most definitely will include Flash Sentry’.”

Twilight flopped to the ground. “Am I really that pathetic that I would destroy her chance at being a Wonderbolt so I’ll have guard captain that I know?” Her eyes gazed upon the red rug that decorated the floor, her eyes so close she could see the dust particles swirling around her head, roller coasting through the air, unable to settle themselves.  A feeling that Twilight was well acquainted with at the moment.

A chibi filly Celestia showed up stuffing itself with cake over one of Twilight’s shoulders. It gulped down the last piece before turning to Twilight. “Is that really why you want Dash to be your guard?” the adorable mentor asked. “For your brother not have influence in your love life?”

“Maybe not?” Twilight admitted. She set chibi Celestia on the desk so that she could be eye level with her. “I just don’t want to force her into something she doesn’t want to do.”

The chibi walked to the other side of the table, grabbing a paper and quill. “There’s only one way to solve this.” She sat down firmly. “Time to make a list! We need to write down all the pros and cons of why Rainbow Dash would make a good captain of the Eventide.”

Twilight perked up with her thinking face on. “Pros: Dash is a good friend and I can trust her. She’s dependable and loyal when she has to be. She’ll be able to fill a prestigious position that could possibly become more famous than the Wonderbolts. She’s well acquainted with leadership as the Ponyville Weather Captain.” The little Celestia’s magic flickered as the quill flew across the paper, writing down each thing.

“Good. Now for the reasons she wouldn’t be a good captain.”

“Well… cons: She’s reckless, obnoxious and just as likely to offend some foreign dignitary as save my life.” Twilight chuckled. “Check that, more likely. That might actually be a pro now that I think about it.” 

“Con: Dash doesn’t have any experience as a guard other than her black belt training. Oh, and let’s not forget that I’m abusing the nature of one of my best friends in order to make my life easier. Making our friendship null and void. I might as well decree that she banish herself from Equestria. She might actually forgive me for that.” Twilight hissed.

Chibi gave her a look of pity, trying to hide itself behind its checklist.

“Or maybe I’m so stubborn that you don’t have to worry about that.”

Twilight jumped into the air, wings and limbs flailing, swatting the chibi across the room, poofing into magic dust. She landed with a manic grin and several hairs out of place, not hearing Dash’s words, merely registering Dash’s presence. “Rainbow. How are you? Isn’t the weather nice? I mean it’s just so wonderful that you take care of it so quickly!”

Dash blinked and Twilight’s ear twitched. “You okay, Twi?” Dash asked, plopping herself down beside her friend, throwing a wing over her. “Need a friend to bail you out of some trouble?” 

The athlete’s wing felt warm to Twilight and she could feel tension slowly ease out of her body. “I… uhhh… thanks, Dash.” She muttered.

Dash socked her on the shoulder. “Like I’d leave you hanging. So, captain of the Eventide Guard, huh? I like the sound of that. That’d put me on the same rank as your brother.”

“But what about the Wonderbolts? Your hopes and dreams? Everything you’ve worked for so long!” Twilight yelped, “You can’t just throw that all away for me!”

“Why not? It’s not like any of its going away. I’m going to be trained by the Wonderbolt elite, get to bring my own team for the position and get away with any prank I want. I could probably order Spitfire to make me a Wonderbolt if she’s right about how high in the chain of command I’ll be.”

Twilight let a smile slip onto her face as her mane began to smooth itself down. “I uh… wha… Ummm….Thank you, Rainbow. It means a lot.”

“No sweat,” Dash said, hovering next to Twilight. “Check that, actually there will lots of sweat. Especially yours.”

“Huh?”

“As captain of the Eventide Guard, I will also be her highness Princess Twilight Sparkle’s royal fitness trainer.”

“Buck me,” Twilight muttered, as Dash burst out laughing.

“I was saving myself for Soarin, but as your highness commands!” 


> Dust Bowl
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dash heaved, her body making a thud and indention in the training mats. She didn’t even try to roll away or brace for the inevitable follow up attack. She groaned in pain when the attack never came, taking pleasure in being able to just lie on the mat for a couple of seconds.

“Get your rear end up before I come over and use it as a punching bag, recruit!” Spitfire barked.

Dash moaned, rolled to her belly and pushed herself up with her wings. Her muscles complained, her body whined and she had more bruises than muscles. Despite all this, she kept her eyes on Spitfire. A lesson that Spit had drilled into of her the week before.

She pulled up on her rear legs her wings keeping her steady, forelegs held in front. Spitfire took the same stance and the two opponents watched each other carefully. Dash was looking for Spitfire’s first move while Spitfire studied Dash’s form.  Dash was tired and worn after taking a beating for an hour and a half. The fact that Dash was still standing, and not only standing but able to keep herself going was a testament to the training she had received the past sixteen days. Still, Spitfire noted, her hind legs were too far apart, her wings beat too slowly and her magic flowed too freely from her wings.

“Step one,” Spitfire started.

“Grab ahold of your emotions. Pegasus magic is ruled by emotions,” Dash replied, eyes locked on Spitfire’s.

Spitfire’s veins burned like fire, a bloodlust of magic, heat flaring around her wings.  “Step two,” Spitfire demanded, springing forward.

Dash blocked with her forehoof, pushing the attack aside and came in her with her own hoof. The fight continued as hoof met hoof, wings blocked kicks and stubbornness was grounded to pieces against skill. “Magic is your will exerted on the universe. Know what you can and can not make the universe do.”

Spitfire kicked into a block by Dash, pulling her other leg up, she pushed off the rainbow mare. Dash’s magic flared out, counter-pushing the force from Spitfire’s kick. Satisfied that she hadn’t moved at all, Dash rose into the air.

“Step three,” Spitfire continued, wrapping her wings in a fireball and throwing the flame at Dash.

A solid airblade from Dash’s wings forced the fire to disperse, Dash following right behind her magic to get the drop on Spitfire.

Spitfire fought with fire enough that dispelling any kind of explosion meant a follow up attack and as Dash’s back hoof came down, she met it with a tick of annoyance. “I said, step three,” she growled, throwing Dash’s hooves upwards and grabbing her by the waist.

Dash had fought Spitfire enough by this point to know how this was going to end.  Usually with her face in the mat and considering the speeds Spitfire moved, more bruises. This same thing had happened too many times already.  “Step Three! Buck Soarin until he agrees I bring him as much bliss as that Celestia damned meditation pad!” Dash spat, gambling.

Mentally Dash did a quick woohoo, her shoulder angel and devil giving the other a high five as Spitfire balked for just a moment.  A moment was all Dash needed.

The rainbow haired pegasus expanded her flight magic, forming an air bubble around her. The change in pressure pushed Spitfire up and with a quick angle of her wings, Dash pinned Spitfire’s wings and poured speed into her own, driving Spitfire into the far wall.

A Spitfire shaped indent was imprinted in wall, slowly disappearing as its previous owner had Dash on the ground, holding Dash’s left hoof behind her while grinding Dash’s face into the ground.  “What kind of sorry ass move was that, recruit!  I’ve seen foals without their cutie marks not act as stupid as you! The Eventide Watch is going to be the sun damned laughing stock if that’s what it takes to get your stupid flank out of basic holds!  How the hell do you think you’re going to keep Twilight safe you donkey humping moron, if your best move, IS MOTHER BUCKING LEWD COMMENTS?!”

Dash was in an uncomfortable position. Her ear ached from Spitfire’s yelling, the mats her face was being ground into smelled kind of funny. Soarin didn’t want to go out while they were training and she was supposed to be the captain of a entire guard with all the experience of managing the weather of small town.

All that aside, she did just get the drop on Spitfire, so a rather large smile rested on her face. 

“Buckin idiot. Wipe that stupid sneer off your face.” Spitfire muttered, glaring at Dash as the blue pegasus got up. “I want two hundred laps before you see Fleetfoot. Now get out of my sight.”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am.” Dash shouted, smugness permeating the air around her.  ‘

Spitfire rolled her eyes, a little proud, a little annoyed and mostly shocked that Dash was able to surprise her yet again, even if how she did it left little to be desired.

With Spitfire out of the room, Rainbow’s smirk grew into a large twisted smile. “Waahoo!” she brayed in pleasure, doing a couple of loops in excitement.  “Take that, Spitfire, only sixteen days and I got you once!  Everypony will wanna protect Twilight when they learn I’m running the show!”





Dash’s every muscle was screaming out in pain of overuse. Her wings cramped so bad that she wasn’t sure if she’d ever fly again. Her chest heaved, still trying to catch her breath fifteen minutes after her endurance training with Fleetfoot. Spitfire had come to make sure she did every last one of those laps assigned to her, and she had to redo a lap unless she was beating Spitfire running the same laps. 

Add that on top of Fleetfoot’s cruel and unusual punishment she called a light workout, and Dash felt like she was going to pass out right into Soarin’s hooves that were working wonders on her sore muscles.  “Oooooooooo,” she murmured, as he pressed all the right spots on her back, slowly easing her pain.

Her brain slowly coming to, Soarin heard the beautiful rainbow haired beauty groan beneath him. “Did I pass out again?” she grumbled.

“Mhhmmm.” Soarin muttered, starting to preen her right wing. Soarin got slapped in the face as she jerked the wing away from his muzzle.

“Ahh. Not there,” she murmured. “Damn, that hurts.”

Soarin nodded, before berating himself for it when he realized she couldn’t see his head. “Spitfire really put you through the wringer,” he noted, returning to massaging the tension out of her back, reaching her flanks and cutie mark.

Dash sighed contentedly, glad he was here to help with her muscles. It was nice when he did things like this, made her feel safe and warm. His gentle hooves could make any problem disappear as long as she just laid here and let her stallion work his magic. 

“I know you’re sore and just passed out in my hooves, but we really should probably do at least a little bit of review,” Soarin said, gently rubbing out a particularly hard knot in her upper hip. “Basic points of magic flow in pegasi?”

“Mhhmm,” Dash muttered, sighing internally. Soarin always seemed to know how to disrupt any moment that could be even remotely romantic. “Raptorian or oceanic?” 

“Raptorian. You need to know your own body more than others,” Soarin said, having moved up to her wing joints, carefully working the knots as to not get another muzzle full of feathers.

“Equus Pegasinian Raptor. Pegasi who lived more inland evolved slightly different traits from their oceanic counterparts.” Dash drawled, completely bored. “Biggest difference being in color variations and small magical thaumic changes to their internal ley lines. A raptor’s stomach can digest fish, but not in high quantities. Their thaumic ports at the base of their wings release magic at much higher rate, allowing for faster speeds, if less endurance than their oceanic counterparts. Thaumic ports around the eyes are also designed to provide more protection from dust and particles while flying, but are less keen. Other focal points include the frogs of the hind hooves and along the legs. Excess magic is often exhausted through the mane and tail.”

“That’s a good summary,” Soarin said, riding on top of Dash as he gently pushed her neck down to get to those muscles. “Did you write that down?” 

“Nah. Twilight’s been putting note cards around her tower to help me get all this magic stuff down while I fly,” Dash admitted. “Has it helped?”

“A little.”

Dash sighed, her shoulders sagging. Soarin instantly noticed the the change. “Everything alright?” he asked.

“Soar… I uh,” Dash took a deep breath. “I know you love being a Wonderbolt, but would you be willing to be apart of the Eventide?” Dash asked hopefully.

She berated herself mentally as she felt Soarin rear back from her. How did she ever think this was a good idea? She didn’t move, the silence filling the air. “Look, you don’t have to. I just wanted somepony I could trust for awhile. You could come back after the Eventide had settled down. I could really use somebody I trust by my side while I’m setting the guard up, though.”

“Are you sure? I’m… well… you know… an idiot… a moron. I’m not exactly guard material, much less the personal guard of a princess. I’d.. well… I’d just screw things up.” 

Dash got up and turned around to look at her coltfriend rubbing his hooves uncomfortably. She walked over and grabbed a quick kiss, pulling out of it and giving him a comforting look. Soarin widened his eyes in surprise, before pulling her back into it. “That’s why I’ll be your screwdriver,” Dash said.

“You sure?”

“Well, duh.”

Soarin smiled, nuzzling her affectionately. “How can I say no then?”

“Thanks.” Dash said. “It’ll be nice to have you around.”

Soarin grinned goofily. “I never really had a choice, did I?”

“Not really.”

“Oh… okay. Well, we should get back to studying if you’re feeling better. We’ll start with weather spells,” he said, gathering moisture in the air to form a cloud.

Dash rolled her eyes, then chuckled. Books before romance for that one, hardly a romantic bone in his body. Well… maybe there was one very particular bone.





“Welcome mares and colts to the Manehatten Pegasi Derby Races!” the announcer said as the crowd roared. “We’ve gotten an impressive line up of a racers, all for your viewing and betting pleasure! Starting in lane 1 with 1 to 5 odds is Fast Feet from our very own Manehatten!” A large cheer went up, with a possible ‘I love you, Fast Feet!’ thrown in there.

“In lane 2 with 1 to 2 odds is Storm Forged from Cloudsdale!” The crowd around the stadium cheered as Storm flew around before bucking a black cloud. Lightning struck the ground and the fans roared into applause as they stomped in the stands, causing a mini earthquake.

“In Lane 3, the rookie who came out of nowhere this past year, leaving her opponents in her name sake! With odds of 2 to 1, it’s this derby’s favorite! It’s LIGHTNING DUST!” The announcer belted as the crowd exploded into hysterics as a whirlwind swirled onto the track, lightning arcing around a class two dust devil. A teal and orange blur shot out of the whirlwind and  the storm exploded in a shower of color. The crowd exploded in excitement and cheers.

Dust brushed her mane back, cameras flashing for pictures to appear in tomorrow’s paper.  She settled down into her lane with a smug smile as she prepared herself for the race. The announcer continued to call out contestants, but Dust tuned it all out. The top three contenders had already been announced. She let herself focus and shifted into her racing mindset.

Dust could feel her magic flow through her body, racing through thaumic veins. It fed into every appendage, a warmth that began to flow into her wings and down through her hooves.  She snapped on her goggles, then concentrated on her legs, her secret weapon. She had become a legend at sprinting in just a short time. She had trained herself to use her rare affinity with the earth to her advantage, using the earth itself to propel her at takeoff.  

She had been scoffed at when the racers learned her magic affinity wasn’t with air, the only type that ever won in the derby races. She was born with an affinity to land, a weakness, an obstacle to derby sprinting that couldn’t be overcome. She was Lightning Dust and she bucked down whatever was in her way. Be the best no matter the cost, no matter the weakness, she proved to everyone that she could buck the officials and their little air affinities only club. When life bucked you down, you just bucked them right back.

Magic flowed into the ground through her hooves, the earth gathering its energy, poised right beneath her, ready to lend her its power, its momentum and its speed. The starting lighting bolt crashed to the ground, the starting block raised, and the earth released its power. Lightning Dust rocketed forward ahead of the competition, her wings pounding at the air, pouring every ounce of energy and magic she had into moving forward.

For Dust this was just another day at the derby, another day at proving that she wasn’t a useless tripe, another moment to prove that she wasn’t some two bit mare with no future. 

“And they’re off! And to no one’s surprise, Dust takes the lead and hangs on to it with plenty of room to spare! What’s this? Late entry Rainbow Dash is catching up to her!  Hang on to your wallets, ponies! She’s pulling ahead!”

Dust pounded her wings, tears welling in her eyes as she saw that stupid and all too familiar rainbow mane and blue fur passing by on her far left, a full pony length ahead of her as they crossed the finish line.

“And Rainbow Dash is the winner! The princess sponsored pegasus wins! Never bet against royalty, folks.

Less than a second. That’s all it took for everything she worked for to be ripped out from under her.

Dust fumed as she bled off speed and finally came to a halt. Her eyes shot venom at  Dash, her mouth contorted in a raging sneer. “Not enough for you to destroy my life once was it!” Dust yelled at her competitor. “YOU HAVE TO RUIN THIS ONE TOO, DAMNIT!” Dust yelled in her face.

“I didn’t...” Dash started.

“DIDN’T WHAT? DIDN’T MEAN TO RUIN MY LIFE!? TO MAKE EVERYTHING I DO SEEM SECOND RATE? LIKE  I’M JUST A  STUPID FILLY WHO DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING? TOO LATE YOU PRINCESS BUCKING DODO!”  Dust screamed. She stood there for a second, all her hate and rage willing itself into Dash through her eyes. Dash opened her mouth to say something, but Dust turned around and took off before she could.

After quickly collecting her second prize money, Dust disappeared as fast as she could. She wasn’t ready to face anypony right now, not her disappointed fans, not Dash, and especially not her sponsors. She spun around town, flying through the buildings, hitting the salt blocks and just being as reckless as she could. Bits dwindled quickly as she bought salt sticks for everyone in several different taverns. 

After feeling in relatively high spirits out of one of the taverns, where everypony had broken into a heart song about their troubles and woes, Dust headed home as the sun began to set. 

“I had it all, no really!” Dust slurred with her dehydrated mind. “My dream since I was a filly! Then in a Lightning Flash, I lost it all to a one horse Dash!” Dust stopped singing, her mind putting together the figures of what seemed to be ponies in her house. Her sponsors, no doubt. “If I wanted to deal with you fish faces, I would’ve called.” Dust said flippantly, stumbling towards the fridge. The events of the day weighing in on her, sorrow that her dehydrated mind could only live over and over. That blue hoof crossing the line in front of her. The roar of the crowd for that rainbow dodo while she was left the measly earnings of second place.

“Not a wise time to get haughty, Dust. You just cost us a lot of money.  Bits that you’re gonna make sure we get back.” 

Dust took a swig from her water jug, snorting. “How is that? If you didn’t notice little Miss Perfect Dash ran off with everything.”

“Not our problem.”

Dust threw the jug against the wall, the water spewing everywhere. She grabbed her nearest sponsor. “You wanna know what’s not my problem? Some high and mighty, prissy little Cloudsdalian who gets born with perfect genes, perfect family and magically is one of the most powerful pegasi since General Firefly! That’s not my problem! SO WHAT IF I WORK MY CUTIE MARK OFF TRYING TO PROVE I CAN FLY!? SO WHAT IF I NEVER GIVE UP WHILE SHE SPENDS HALF HER TIME DICKING AROUND WITH HER FRIENDS!? FRIENDS I NEVER HAD!  IT’S NOT MY PROBLEM THAT BRAINLESS BIRD FLAPS HER WINGS ONCE AND THE WHOLE WORLD FALLS DOWN AT HER HOOVES WORSHIPING HER!”

Dust shoved the pony aside before stumbling towards her room.  Dust yelped as she felt a bag was thrown over her body. “Get your stupid frogs off me!” she yelled kicking around in the bag, trying to get out, before a quick rapt against her head left her dazed. 

“Thing is Dust, boss doesn’t like having races he doesn’t win, and you’ve just proved you ain’t all that you said you were. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure you aint’ ever gonna get beat again.” The unicorn lifted up the bag, turning to head out with the mare.

“Hey… uhh. you’re the ones Dust borrowed money from, right?” Rainbow asked from the door frame, placing her winnings from the derby down onto the floor. “Uhh... heard she got in some trouble, this should be enough to pay it off. Didn’t mean to steal her winnings.”

“Sorry girl, Dust is worth more as a guinea pig,” the unicorn said. “But I’m sure that the boss would be interested in one as yourself. Boss would be more than willing to help you become faster and stronger, Miss Dash. You’d be able to achieve your dream with ease.  The Wonderbolts will be begging for you to join them.”

“Uhh… Huh?  Look, I’m just here for Dust. Not interested in any super juice or whatnot,” Dash said.

“Pity. You’ll still be an excellent patient,” the unicorn said, his horn glowing. Dash struggled in the unicorn’s glow, as she was brought over to him. Her partner pulling out another bag.

“Dispelling a unicorn’s telekinesis is a basic matter of Pansy’s 2nd law on thaumic expulsion,” Soarin droned on. “If you’re moving quickly, a unicorn must expunge a greater amount of thaumic energy equivalent to your momentum.  However, if you get caught, how will Pansy’s second law help you?”

Dash looked at him blankly.  “Uhhh… energy spent equals emotional constant times degrees of reality that need to be changed?” She guessed hopefully.

“That’s Star Swirl’s formula for magic.”

“Ugh. I can’t do this Soarin. All this magic, all these formulas and numbers! It’s not helping. I can’t remember this kind of stuff.”

“Oh… uhhh… well…” Soarin stared at her blankly, unsure of how to teach an unteachable student.

“Don’t give me that crap, recruit.” Spitfire snapped. “Pansy’s second law. Magic dispels in the face of its antithesis. Telekinesis holding you up? Bend reality to get you on the ground. Holding you down? Fly up as fast and quick as you can. If someone’s reality is holding you, buck that gelding’s magic and do exactly the opposite of what they want!” 

“Oh, that’s it?” Dash asked.

“Uhh…. That’s about right, I guess. If you grossly oversimplify it,” Soarin said clearly disappointed.

Dash calmed herself, feeling her magic, her desire. She wanted to help Dust, she wouldn’t let something happen to Dust because she wanted to show off to Lightning before she asked her to join the guard. She wanted to be on the ground, so she could save her friend. 

Dash’s magic bent reality to her will, fighting the unicorns magic. The aura flickeedr around her. Dash landed with a swift positioning of her wings and lept into action, Spitfire’s training kicking in.

The unicorn was startled, finding his front legs swept from under him. His mind still wasn’t working when the frog of Dash’s hoof collapsed on his head, using him as a platform to leap at the pegasus sponsor.  Dash angled her wings up, twisting to face away from the pegasus, and gave a powerful buck to the face. 

The pegasus stumbled back, tripping over a table, smacking against the floor, his vision blurry as he watched the rainbow maned pegasus grapple and throw his earth pony buddy. 

Dash looked at her hooves in awe. “Huh… That was awesome.” She walked over to the earth pony sponsor.  “Look, leave her alone, you got your money. Could you grab your unicorn buddy and go?”

It took a little bit more threatening, but Dash finally got them out the door. Taking a breath, she got Dust out the bag and onto her bed. “Ugh. You’re completely dehydrated.  Did you have to hit every salt lick in town? I was chasing you all over town.”

“Go away.” Dust rolled over so that she wasn’t facing Dash. Dust was kind of surprised when Dash actually walked out of the room, but just pulled the covers over her more. She didn’t need Dash.

“Here,” Dash said, flying back in. “I found some water. You’re gonna want to drink.” 

Dust groaned, and after a little bit more pressuring from Dash, finally downed some water. “What are you doing here?” Dust finally asked.

“I Wanted to offer you a job, but I couldn’t resist showing off when I learned you had made a name for yourself in the derby races.” 

Dust snorted. “Yeah, sure. Just needed to rub it in my face how much better you were?”

“Yeah… sorry about that. Kind of got things in a worse situation than they were.” Dash’s hooves rubbed the back of her neck.

“Buck off.”

“Why? So you can continue to mope in self pity? I wouldn’t trust your sponsors to not come back.”

“So what? I’m in your debt?” Dust spat. Even in her salt addled mind, Dash’s offer was infinitely better than waiting for her sponsors to do whatever lab experiments they wanted on her. “What’s this job and what’s the pay? I pay you back for your winnings, then I’m gone.”

Dash's smile could rival Pinkie’s. 

 






 

> Gathering the Watch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dust was bored as their small tour guide lead them around the castle. She couldn’t believe that a creature of such legendary power and strength could be so pathetic. Whoever thought a firebreathing, magic impervious species with a penchant for hoarding everything in sight could produce such a lame offspring as the one in front of her.

“And here we have the kitchen. Meals will be prepared by yours truly, provided you can keep snacking to a minimum,” Spike told the three pegasi following him. “Library is on the right, where you’ll be able to find Twilight most of the time.”

Could Dash have offered her a more boring job? Sure, Dash saved her and paid a debt she now owed her back, but she never believed Dash would offer her such a dull job.  At least the pay was more than it should have been. Play bouncer for the pretty princess for three months and she’ll have her debt paid and enough to get back into the derby races on her own.  

The three pegasi followed Spike up the stairs.  “Continuing up the stairs, you’ll find the observatory. Here on the second floor, the bathroom will be on your first right.” 

Nice place to piss at least. Dust had never taken a dump in a shiny crystal bowl before.

“And that room is yours, Dust,” Spike said, pointing.

Dust pushed the door opening to a room dazzling in light as the sun shone through the rear window. “Nice digs.” she commented at the crystal lined bed, dresser and just about everything. “Is that?” she questioned going over to the mattress in the bed.

“It’s a dust cloud.” Twilight spoke, walking through the door as Soarin bowed. “Dash and Soarin put their heads together to create it. I trust it’s to your liking?”

“It… it’s fine,” Dust said. Dust clouds were expensive and not in high demand. A bed made of them would have been worth a pretty penny. “So what’s with the gift? Doesn’t exactly seem like something you give somepony that’s not gonna stick around, Captain.”

“Soarin’s idea. He wanted to work with some advanced weather techniques. I just helped with the cloud construction,” Dash admitted.

“As much as I’d love to talk about cloud construction, Thunderlane and the twins are downstairs,” Twilight said.

 “Oh, yeah, “ Dash said. “I forgot I asked them to meet me here.” Dash took an easy glide over to the stairs.

Dust petted her dust bed a couple times before following the entourage downstairs.

As she arrived, she instantly picked out the two twins, leaving the other to be...

“Name’s Thunderlane,” the stallion pegasus said, holding his hoof out to her.

“I know. You’re one of recruits that couldn’t fly at the academy. Ponyville must be really hurting if you’re on the weather team,” Dust replied, shaking his hoof.

“And you’re the mare who needed to prove she had the biggest dick.” 

“How’s your marefriend? I’m sure that cloud you buck every night is feeling lonely right now.”

Twilight wanted to throw up a little. “Eww…” Twilight blurted. “That’s not actually a thing, is it?”

Everypony suddenly grew an inexplicable interest in crystal architecture.

 “Dibs on giving the seagull and the hawk lesson to our princess there,” Dust said.

“Nope. That’s Celestia’s job,” Dash teased. “Nobody else would be able to use big enough words for her to understand.

“I’m already regretting this,” Twilight said.

“Lightning Dust, I see you already know Thunderlane. This is Cloudchaser and Flitter. They’ll be helping out with the weather around here. With the induction of the Eventide Watch, Ponyville skies will be classified as a level three security area. These three are our weather team. They’ll handle most of the weather duties, but we’ll be responsible for organizing and helping out when we get a chance. Everypony will be required ten hours of weather duty a week,” Dash continued.

“The level three security protocols require that the castle have a clear sky for at least a hundred feet, with authorized enchanted clouds allowed within a five hundred foot radius. I’ll be putting together those. They will be enchanted with several different spells, the most prominent being an intrusion spell,” Soarin explained. “Tomorrow, I’ll need everyone to imprint their signatures on all the classified clouds.”

“Thunderlane. You’re in charge of the Everfree line now. Yes, that includes Sweet Apple Acres,” Dash said. Thunderlane raised his hoof, “Yes, Applejack will inform me if she’s getting extra rain or if you’re shirking your duties for a roll in the hay.  She doesn’t have to tell me for me to know if you were slacking. Her poker face is worse than Twilight’s OCD.” Thunderlane put his hoof down. “Any other questions? None? Okay, good.”

The group began to disperse when Twilight spoke up. “Wait… seagulls and hawks? That must be a reference to the more dominant mating styles of pegasi. How old is that story? Does it date back to pre-equestrian times? …I wonder if it has any influence from the mating rituals of the other tribes or if the pegasi courtship rituals are similar to those of Commander Hurricane’s time.” 

“Surprisingly, some of the most well known rituals are actually earth pony influenced, including the famous sky dance...” Soarin said, leaping into a conversation about the mating rituals of the ancient pegasi and some philosophy stuff that Dust quickly tuned out. 

Dust leaned over to Rainbow Dash. “Did she just make sex boring…. and did your coltfriend just get turned on by it?”

“I’m trying to ignore that.”





Soarin sat on top of the water, a feat made possible by a small layer of cloud combined with the water’s tension and his currently very small body mass. (Or at least as reality was concerned, his actual body mass didn’t change. Merely the water’s perception of his body mass). Magic flowed steadily from his wings and frogs as he layered another cloud he had been working on with a proximity enchantment.  

The enchantment danced through the cloud, little bits of reality being sown into its white fluffiness. He weaved together a reality where the clouds provided protection, peace of mind and way to protect those he cared for. This was his realm, years of books and studying allowed for such complex masteries as the fluffy whiteness in front of him. 

Soarin loved flying, more than most pegasi. It allowed a freedom from life, a way to escape your problems.  For all the power flying gave magic released an even greater freedom. Magic allowed you to change reality, turn problems into solution, enemies into friends and danger into protection. Flying allowed you to run away from your problems, magic let you turn your problems into answers. An amalgamation of the two had become Soarins life, and he couldn’t be happier.

It was so peaceful, just him, this small pond of water and his magic. Gently, he wrapped the cloud in a stasis spell, before lowering it into the water, pushing it under as the final rays of the sun began to fall.

He smiled at his hoofwork, but it was time to go. He had a long flight back to Cloudsdale.

It was short flight to the castle to tell Dash goodbye. A quick search found her in the library speaking with Twilight. 

“So I just need to set the book up there? That’s it?” Dash confirmed with Twilight.

“Yeah. I’ve already calibrated it for a week. The time distortion between the two worlds increases the reality restitution factor on an exponential scale.” Twilight said. “I’ll need to recalibrate it if you wait any longer than that.” The statement completely went over Dash’s head.

“Have you come up with a simplified equation for the system?” Soarin asked, staring at the machine that would take Dash to the human world. “I could probably put one together so you don’t have to do that many calculations each time Shimmer wants to visit her home.

“I’ve been attempting to create one, but there’s a few too many unknowns.  I’ve been able to narrow down the equation to three lines.” Twilight said. She was going to say something about Equestria being Sunset’s homeworld, but held back. 

“Before you two go into egghead land again, what did the princess say about our armor?” Dash asked Twilight.

“She said she’d handle it. Something about forging the armor in the heart of a star with nothing but  raw magic to bend the elements to her will as she unleashes the fury a thousand suns.  Rarity will be coming over tomorrow to get your sizes.”

“Sounds awesome.” Dash said.

“Actually, I should probably head out too. Long trip back to Cloudsdale and everything. I’ll be back by seven for training, Dash.” Soarin said.

Twilight shot Dash a disapproving glare. “You didn’t tell him?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. No need to fly home Soarin. You’re staying at my place.” Dash said.

“Excuse us one moment.” Twilight apologized to Soarin, dragging Dash by her ear with her magic. “You didn’t ask him!?” Twilight yelled at Dash as soon as she got behind the nearest bookshelf.

“It just slipped my mind. I’ve kind of got a lot on it, you know?” Dash said. “What’s the big deal anyways?”

“What’s the big deal? What’s the BIG DEAL?!” Twilight’s mane began to fray. “What if he thinks you're pushing him too fast? What if he thinks you're just using this as an opportunity to get him to bed you? What if he’s not comfortable sleeping with you? What if he’s TOO comfortable sleeping with you?! You can’t just blow such an important detail off like this!” Twilight lectured. 

“Uhh… Twilight?” 

Soarin poked his head around the corner, “I uh… well. I’ll just get a room at the motel if you need me here that badly.”

Dash brushed Twilight off. “I’m not gonna force you to spend your bits, Soarin. Just stay at my place. It’s gonna be the cheapest way if we’re going to hold the extra rooms for foreign dignitaries. Nor is it worth the coin to keep you in a motel. You’re stuck with me, buddy.”

Soarin opened and closed his mouth a few times. “Okay?” he said uncertainly.  “I’ll… ummm. I’ll see you there?” He said quickly moving out the door. 

“What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing!? Now he thinks you invited him over just because it was convenient!” Twilight exasperated.

“Wha…?” Dash said confused.

“Dash, why did you invite Soarin over to your place?  Because it was the best option for him to live there? Are you even listening to yourself?”

“Look, Twilight. That’s exactly the reason. I haven’t exactly had time lately to listen to myself. If I’m not training with the Wonderbolts, I’m getting caught up on all the rules and regulations I have to follow for this thrice damned job, or I’m going to another meeting with the other guards, or I’m practicing all that magic crap that a foal can figure out, but I can’t seem to. Spike’s had more letters for me in a day then you’ve gotten in the past month. So no, I didn’t listen to myself. It was an easy, convenient solution and a problem that could be solved before I jumped to the next thrice damned issue I have to deal with.

“The only thing keeping me sane have been the nights where I get to just lay down and let Soarin work his magic over me. His endless support willing to come by and fly me home like I’m some little filly when I can barely move my wings or think is probably the only reason I’m still in on this stupid idea! So yeah. I didn’t think it would be an issue when I have everything else in Equus on my shoulders right now!” Dash shouted.

Twilight was taken back, as Dash breathed heavily. “I’m sorry Twilight. You’re right. I should have asked him. I can’t just drop things on ponies. Happy?” she said, lingering rage in her voice.

“It’s not about whether or not I’m happy, Dash. Is this the kind of relationship with Soarin you want?” Twilight asked. 

“I don’t know, and I don’t really have time to think about it right now,” Dash said. “And if you’ll excuse me, I have things to take care of.” 

Dash didn’t quite slam the window as she flew out with burning speed to take out some anger. She had so much riding on her right now that she didn’t need Twilight of all ponies to tell her how to deal with her love life. 

She arrived at the Ponyville Weather Team Headquarters faster than expected. She moved into her office, a small thing which had notes, bulletins and paper scattered everywhere. She looked at it all, feeling overwhelmed.  She pulled her notecards off the shelf and began to lap the room as she went over them.

“Code Cattle Call. Incoming blitz attack. Immediate reaction, civilians are to hide,  local garrisons are to assemble in groups of five? Six?” Dash looked at the back of her card. “Twenty-five? Oh, right.”

“Code Crowd Control. Rioting at high security locations with potential danger to high profile targets. Put garrisons to riot prevention tactics while a small trusted tactical squad moves the targets to safe location.”  Dash checked the back of the card, smiling as she got all the information right.

“Lets see. Ponies classified as high profile targets?” Dash wracked her brain, unconsciously picking up the pace as she tried to remember a name. “Uhh… Raven? Kibitz for sure…. Spitfire?  Oh, yeah. Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack.”  She wracked her brain for more, but couldn’t come up with them. She groaned in defeat and flipped the card over and seeing about thirty more ponies classified as high profile. A large amount of them being government officials in Canterlot, Cloudsdale and Manehatten. 

She spent the next half hour, pouring over the names, pictures and profiles of all the ponies on the list. She eventually threw down the papers in disgust, matching face with name of but a mouthful of ponies.

She put the papers back on the shelf before picking up her mail for the day.  Her wings keeping her in the air. She ripped opened a letter from Star Whistle, general of the guard’s Cloudsdale branches.

Dear Captain Rainbow Dash,

The results for the Psychological Compatibility tests have come back and are enclosed. I can’t say that I’m impressed with your choices. Officer Dust shows no capability in being able to participate in a squad and I had a long and deep conversation with Spitfire about Soarin’s latest scores on the Wonderbolt Performance Test.
 I highly recommend that you reconsider your choice of squadmates for protecting her Highness, The Spellweaver, Twilight Sparkle. Nor do I agree with your choice to not reveal who you have chosen for your Magic Support, despite Princess Celestia’s acceptance of your decision.  
All eyes are on you right now, Captain Dash.  Your choices affect the image of the army as a whole. Narcissism and nepotism are not a good way to start a new section of the Guard. Captain Armor, Captain Wall and myself all have candidates that would be much better suited for Eventide Watch. 

Fly Straight Foal, 
Star Whistle

Dash  flipped to the psychological results for Soarin and Dust, and sighed. While both of them could potentially work with Dash, (big emphasis on potentially), according to the results, the two shouldn’t be able to stand being in the same room with each other. Dash was glad that she wasn’t subjecting Sunset to this test.  They’d probably kick her out of the position for suggesting a one time demon pony for protecting Twilight.

Dust had several red flags all over her. A gambling addiction, tendency to act without thinking, and being an adrenaline junkie. Small ties with the mafia made a nice cherry on top.  There was a couple of notes about that if she could convince Dust that protecting Twilight was her dream, she’d be an excellent guard. Also a note that if she were to discharge Dust, the Wonderbolts have a position to fill.  Dash smiled, recognizing her mentor’s hoof writing.

Soarin was quite a different story, there was praise for everything he was, High Archmage of Cloudsdale, favored Wonderbolt, an ability to study and create wards.  Several magic degrees and knowledge of some very powerful spells, he was highly recommended for filling the position of Magic Support. Experience with working with other ponies and combat experience was a plus. They proceed to go on to say all the reasons he would be a horrible squad member. Not attentive, focuses too much on small details that don’t matter and socially awkward. Not things you want on either a guard or the representative of her highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Dash stashed the papers away, pulling off a note concerning a change in the weather plans for the coronation day. A quick glance at the calendar confirmed that she had told the Weather Department to not plan for a downpour that day. They didn’t listen, scheduled a rainstorm and now were requiring clear skies. Too bad they’re still going to deliver the thunderclouds that day. 

 Dash sat down at the calendar that planned out everypony’s hours. She grimaced. They were low on salary funds, which meant no overtime could be paid. If she wanted the full team to help handle the clouds when they arrived, she needed to be on weather duty by herself for three days straight.

She wrote down the times, reprinted the schedules and put them up around the small weather building. A small flame dropped a scroll onto her desk. 

        I have some free time tomorrow at noon. I have set it aside to provide some more training for you. Arrive promptly at 12:00. Lunch will be provided.

        -Celestia -

Dash was happy for the brevity of the letter, marking down on her calendar the appointment and headed out as the moon rose into the sky. She was on weather duty tonight. 

She pushed towards Fluttershy’s, clearing out any clouds she found on the way. Fluttershy’s house was a quick cloud clear and stern warning to the Everfree clouds that she wasn’t in the mood for their pranks right now. The clouds thoroughly cowed (she hoped), she moved towards Sweet Apple Acres.  It took about a half hour to round up enough clouds to stitch a blanket around Sweet Apple Acres.

Finished, she finally headed home.

Soarin heard her land outside as he was doing the dishes. He had already made himself a bed on her couch, cleaned up the house and took care of Tank. He looked over at her as she closed the door, looking absolutely exhausted. “Holding up?”

“Hmm? Oh, hi Soarin.” Dash paused, opening her mouth. She should apologize to Soarin. Explain that she wasn’t blowing him off, that she was just busy.  You know, so busy that she couldn’t even take a spare minute to ask him if he’d like to stay with her.

“You okay… Dashie?” he asked, hesitating as if asking if he could call her a pet name.

“What? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Totally cool, you know. I...uhh...  just have some more studying I need to get to,” she said. “I’ll, uh… be in my study… to you know… study.” 

Soarin frowned before going back to the dishes, unsure of what to do.

Dash sat at the desk, snagging a lantern that Soarin had already pre-filled with fireflies. She pulled out her textbook and notes and began the long struggle through the magical theories concerning the difference between unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony enchantments.  Her paper filled with numbers as she attempted to use the equations she learned to find the most optimal weave for an earth pony enchantment and several other similar problems. To her relief, all thoughts of her conundrum with Soarin floated away as her head filled with numbers.
        
She felt a comforting hoof on her shoulder after about forty minutes of working, a tray of food and a hot mug of mint tea placed on the table.  Soarin’s amazing frogs wormed away the tension she held in the back of her shoulders and she sighed contently. Soarin, gave her a light kiss on the cheek, before leaving the room.

Dash took a bite of the daisy sandwich, and let the tea flow down her throat.  She worked on her magic studies deep into the night.





Rainbow Dash had only one thought. She hated humans.

Not only did she not have her wings, she didn’t have any super awesome powers, nor was she that terrifying. Even as a breezy she had awesome wind magic.

“Officially the lamest alternate dimension ever. Why would Sunset even be here?” She muttered, trying to find Sunset in the school Twilight said she’d be in.

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Dash spun in surprise towards the voice, a tall figure with very distinctly colored hair that could only be one pony.

 “Princess…!”
        
“Principal actually. The other Rainbow Dash then?”

 “She’s the other one.” 
        
“Of course she is.” Principal Celestia smiled at pony version of her student. “So tell me. Why have you decided to grace our lame dimension with your presence, miss Dash?” 

“You heard that, huh?” Dash asked. 

The principal nodded, “One can hardly blame you though, living in a land of magical ponies.”

“I’m looking for Sunset, you know where she’s at?”

“Practicing, currently. Take a left at the end of the hall, and then your second right. Should be room 165.” 

“Thanks Princess… I, uh, mean, Principal.” Dash said, running down the halls.

A familiar tug at her heart and vocal chords guided Dash easily to the room where Sunset Shimmer was singing.

“All I wanted was respect!” Sunset rapped as Dash slid in quietly. “But I just couldn’t connect with one who said she’d give me everything I ever wanted. Imagine seeing all your dreams waved and be flaunted, right in front of your face, and now you're called a disgrace!” 

Dash had to admit, Sunset had a voice on her, better than Twilight’s even.

“I chase her down to… AHH!” Sunset screamed finally seeing Dash. 

Dash smiled, “Now that’s a rocking song. Haven’t heard a heart song with that much guitar since Vinyl started singing about the difference between wub and electronic.”

“Ironic,” Sunset Shimmer said, putting away her guitar. “You must be the Twilight's Rainbow.” 

“That obvious?” 

“This world doesn’t have heart songs.  Took me awhile to get used to the fact that you can have songs with lyrics that aren’t leaping from the heart.” Sunset said. “Wanna go get milkshakes? They’re delicious.”

Dash found herself walking through the strange little world, noticing strange things, like the amount of motorized vehicles and how everything was built tall, as opposed to wide. The two of them had a great conversation about everything and anything till the finally arrived at Sugarcube Corner.

The milkshake in front of her was delicious, and using her hands wasn’t as difficult as Twilight had claimed. “Don’t know how you stand having to control five appendages at once.” Dash remarked.

Sunset laughed, “Yeah, it is pretty different. Hooves are way better.” Sunset took a quick drink of her milkshake. “So what’s the occasion? Somehow I don’t feel this is a social visit, as neat as that would be.”

“I know. You’re way cooler than what Twilight described,” Dash said. “I came to offer you a job.”

“A job? As in go to work eight to five and come home to video games?”

“I wish I had your jobs. Nah, this is more of a get up at five in the morning for training, work all day, come home late at night to get about three hours of sleep before you get up and do it all over again.”

 “Sounds fun.”

 “Loads.”

“You haven’t actually explained the job, and aren’t exactly inspiring me to take it,” Sunset said, waving her spoon around. 

 “I’m forming a squadron to be the Eventide Watch. Princess Twilight’s guard,” Dash explained. 

 “Sounds enticing.” Sunset said. “But I’m not quite convinced I want to join.”

“Did I mention that it’s just a dimension door away? Most of the time is going to spent just listening to Twilight nerd out and you’ll get to be a pony.  Pay is stupid good, even after all the bits going to setting up a lab for you.” Dash said cooly, her smug smile met Sunset’s. “And did I mention… personal lessons from the Princess of Magic, herself?”

“You've twisted my hoof, but I think I can accept such an offer,” Sunset said. 

The two chatted amicably for the next little bit, Dash filling Sunset in on the details. The two headed back, where Principal Celestia nodded and smiled at Sunset’s soon to be intermittent behavior in her classes. She said she’d work things out, and the two went back to Equestria. 

It had been a while since Shimmer had come back to Equestria. It was far from the first time since she stole the crown. She could hardly say no to tea with Twilight. She stepped out into the familiar room of Twilight's library. At the table was Twilight, pouring over a book with a blue pegasus stallion…. a very handsome pegasus stallion who was conversing with Twilight about arcane lattice structures within living and half living creatures.  A stallion who Twilight was making no romantic inclinations towards despite the proximity of their bodies.  A smart, handsome stallion.

Dash materialized next to her, and Sunset let a very large smile creep up her face.

“What’s up?” Dash asked.

Sunset indicated her head towards Soarin. “Dibs.”

        

        


> Chess Pawns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

4:30.  Wake up, gather a couple of storm clouds for a shower, handle morning weather prep.

5:30. Return home, check on a snoozing coltfriend splayed across the couch with his tongue sticking out. Place a quick peck on the cheek and move to shower.

6:00. Make breakfast for two, set an alarm for Soarin.

6:30. Perimeter around Twilight’s castle secured. Wards anchored in the clouds are holding firm. Go over morning training routine.

7:00. Meet up with a yawning Lightning Dust, a way too cheerful for this early in the morning Sunset and Soarin. Start training. Keep myself to a light regiment, need to fly to Canterlot today.

8:30. Write up morning review on training and give the watch their orders for the day.

9:00. Check on Thunderlane and the twins. Write up morning weather report.

10:00. Deliver reports to postal office. Fly to Canterlot.

11:00. Report to Princess Celestia.

Rainbow stared hard at the chessboard. She moved her rook forward. The princess’s knight glowed.

 “Checkmate,” Celestia said, sipping tea from behind a report she was reading. “You’re learning quickly. It took me fifty-six moves.” The princess of the sun moved the pieces around, presenting yet another scenario for Rainbow Dash. They had played one normal game, before moving on to smaller scenarios that Celestia had presented to her.  

Celestia had proven her suspicion in the last two hours. Dash learned quickly, adapted quicker and was a much better field commander than general. The smaller the scenario, the more pieces she saved and the longer it took for Celestia to win.

The princess refocused on the report about a rumored super soldier program as Dash took her turn.  Without taking her eyes away from the document, she moved her piece forward.

Twilight had warned Dash about how unusual Celestia’s teaching style could be and warned her that most of the lessons were simple, but overreading into the situation will inevitably be worse than under-reading the lesson Celestia tried to teach. Playing chess for a couple hours, (a game she sheepishly admitted to not actually knowing all the rules), had not been what Dash had been expecting.

Not that she wasn’t enjoying it. There was something unique about sitting down and moving the pieces around, trying to outsmart her opponent and prove her skill against a vastly superior opponent.

So far she hadn’t taken a single piece of Celestia’s.

Dash ruffled her wings, her mind racing through all the different moves she and the princess made.  As she stared, something clicked inside of her thought process. She analyzed the field, and realized she had a chance to test her theory.  She moved her first piece.

The princess moved another piece as she wrote some personal notes about the report. 

It took twelve moves before the princess finally looked up at the board. The first time she had actually needed to in the past two hours, usually cursory glances had been more than sufficient.
She blinked in surprise.  

Dash smiled as she internally cheered. Rainbow had thrown away a couple of pieces for one goal and one goal only. To corner a single pawn.  Celestia hadn’t lost a single piece, and Dash was interested in seeing if she could get one.  A feat, that Dash felt very few accomplished against Celestia.  The princess looked the board over several times.

“Well done, Rainbow.  You are the fourth fastest pony to ever catch on.  I concede.” Celestia tipped over her princess.

Dash was flabbergasted. “Wait. What? No,” Dash growled, “I finally manage to snag a single pawn, throwing away half my troops for it, and you concede? What the buck is the point of that? It’s a freakin pawn! Just move your archmage here,” Dash moved the princess’s piece forward, “and you have checkmate next round!”

Celestia moved her piece back. “Yes, but you’ve won, Rainbow. I hardly see the value in continuing a fight I’ve lost.”

“Pony-feathers! I haven’t won! I’d get one horse-dropping off this stupid board. You yammer on about how I’m improving but as soon as I get the fruit of my labors you’re taking it away from me!” Dash huffed. “Why drag me all the way out here if I can’t even take a single pawn from you!”

The princess lowered her papers and looked Rainbow… no, Captain Rainbow Dash, in the eye.  Dash didn’t back down.  The princess held up the pawn Dash had been about to take.  “Tell me, Rainbow. What do you see?”

“A pawn. The basic unit of the game chess that moves in small increments, easily the weakest but due to its large numbers can be useful,” Dash retorted. “The most worthless piece on the board.”

“Is that what you consider Lightning Dust? Worthless? No? What about Soarin? Surely he is the most worthless pawn on the board, doing nothing but hindering your rook from becoming useful.”

Dash opened her mouth.  Lightning Dust and Soarin were pawns? “But they’re not pawns!  They aren’t useless, pawns are weak, useless and most often get in the way, the only reason they’re any good is because they’re the first line of defense against your Princess!”

Dash paused, her comment sinking in. “Oh…”

“Mmmhmm,” Celestia said. “Tell me now, how important is that worthless pawn?”

Dash wracked her brain, trying to use what Twilight had taught her about learning from Celestia. “So… what? I’m just supposed to let Twilight die or get captured just because one of them are in danger? Isn’t she who I’m supposed to be protecting?”

Celestia’s voice became soft and motherly, “It’s not about what you’re supposed to Dash, but what will you do, when you’re forced to choose between a pawn and your princess?”

Dash sat there silently pondering, looking over the pieces. On the board was a rook threatening a pawn and her princess, she could move a single pawn forward to protect her princess, but would lose the other one. “That’s why you never let me take any of your pieces, even though you could have won faster by letting me take them.” Dash frowned at the board.  “So if Lightning and Soarin are my pawns, are you saying I should never sacrifice them? Even if Twilight is in danger?”

“That won’t be my decision, will it?” Celestia asked. “When the time comes, would you be willing to sacrifice them?”

Dash rubbed her forhoof against her leg. “I… I don’t know…. I guess… if I had to.”

Celestia face turned into a concerned frown.  “Could you live with that decision?”

Rainbow averted her eyes from Celestia. “I… no,” her voice was shaky, not fully confident. “I’d save them both… give myself up.”

Celestia hummed to herself. “Could they live with that decision?  Would they want you to give yourself up for their sake? Would not they be willing to sacrifice themselves to save Twilight?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. Why does it matter? It’s not like that kind of situation is ever going to come up. We’re there to parade around and look important to protect a being who’s in every way better than we are!” Dash snapped. “Everyone’s making a big fuss, but no one is actually going to be attacking Twilight, and anybody who could is so far out of the watch’s league we might as well be...” 

“Pawns on a chessboard with next to no value trying to protect a far more powerful piece,” Celestia finished for Dash.  “Yes, I’m aware Rainbow. Like many leaders, you will have to learn and experience the hardship of leading an ideal rather than a group. There will be times where you feel helpless, where the world overwhelms you.” Celestia stood on her hooves, her normal content smile had been replaced with a snarl. 

“You will find yourself, useless, hopeless and not worth anything. The Eventide Watch is nothing but a fluke, an attempt to appease some vague political notion that princesses must be protected! So where does that leave you? Why do you continue? Why not leave it all? Let it fall apart! You are nothing but a mere pawn in a scheme you don’t know anything about! So why do you continue to waste every second trying to keep the watch going? Why do you study into the wee hours of the night? Why don’t you just GIVE UP?!”

Dash was flat against the floor, Celestia’s muzzle mere inches from her twisted in a toxic snarl. Dash backed away from the princess. “I don’t know what kind of game you're playing at, but I’m not going to leave Twilight hanging. Maybe we are a farce, maybe we shouldn’t exist, but that mistake is on your head, not mine. You gave me this power, so I’m gonna do everything I can with it. Give up? You think just because it’s difficult, I’m gonna give up? I’ll be your little political pawn, but I’m gonna use everything you gave me to make sure some good comes out of it! I won’t let Twilight’s name be tarnished because I couldn’t hold together a measly squad of four!”

Celestia stepped back, her face once again resting that smile that never betrayed her emotions. She took a sip of tea.  “Perhaps you were the wrong pony for the job. Forgive me, Rainbow Dash, but I thought you’d be able to handle it.”

“Handle what?  You aren’t making any sense!” Dash was furious and exasperated. “I can do this!”

“Really? Then why did I receive a concerned letter from Twilight concerning your behavior the past two months?” Celestia asked.

“My behavior? I’ve been a little stressed doing everything you required me to do! I’ve been flying into the ground to make sure I’m ready! So yes! Maybe I’ve been a bit snippy lately! What’s that got to do with me being Captain!”

Celestia held up a pawn in her magic, turning it to face Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow Merriem Dash. Tell me what this is.”

“It’s a pawn, a basic…”

“Strike one, Dash.” 

“A soldier to protect Twilight!”

“Strike two.”

“It’s me! It’s Soarin, It’s BUCKING LIGHTNING DUST!” Rainbow roared. “What do you want from me! IT’S A STUPID PAWN… IT’S…” Rainbow’s voice stopped as her eyes focused in on the piece in front of her, for the first time noticing the detail on the piece. Its muzzle was clearly male, its ears stood up straight. Its eyes almost seemed to gaze into Rainbow. It looked like, “... a pony.” Dash’s voice was quiet and soft.

“Yes, Rainbow.  This is a pony. His name was Trumpet Solo, and he saved many ponies lives and brought much happiness by preventing a group of parasprites from eating all of Manehatten’s fields.” Celestia held up another pawn. “This is Blind Eye, coming from the phrase ‘In the land of the blind, the one eyed pony is king.’ He saw the signs and patterns of life and it is because of him that Luna has returned to me now.  Without his prophecy, I’d have had to commit sororicide.”  

Celestia held up the rest of the pawns, “Each one these pawns were friends of mine. Friends who stayed loyal to me to the bitter end. Why would I give up a match just because you could take one piece? Because some battles aren’t worth losing your friends for. The moment you forget that your pawns are your squad mates and friends, is the moment that you lose the ability to protect any of them.”

Dash looked down in shame. The princess was right. She had been treating her squad mates as pawns. Tools to be used. Soarin was there to relieve her stress, Lightning Dust was the quickest pony she knew who could join. Sunset Shimmer? Dash knew she was powerful, and while she did want to help Dust and Shimmer out, she could see just how quickly they had become soliders of the watch, and not actual ponies in her mind. Worst, she had been focusing so hard on preparing for this position that she and Soarin hadn’t gone on a date in over a month, she hadn’t spent anytime catching up with Lightning Dust, and she couldn’t remember the last time she saw any of her friends just to hang out. 

“Twilight was right. I have been ignoring the important things.  I…” Dash rubbed the tears out of her eyes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have forgotten what was most important.”

One of the pieces on the board began to clap. “Bravo, bravo! Such drama! Such anger!” Discord pulled out a skull and held it aloft in his left claw. “Such acting.  Good show! I give this a seven out of five. Bravo.” Discord snaked off the board and pulled up a camera off to the side as he pointed it at Celestia and Rainbow. “Such a shame though.” He opened up the camera and pulled out a jaguar. “It seems that somebody misplaced the film. We’ll have to do it all again.” He tossed the jaguar behind him, it making a ‘raewr’ in terror.

Celestia rolled her eyes, turning to the mare in front of her, and putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder.  “It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. Twilight was merely concerned for you. Forgive me if I went a bit overboard.”

“Yes… yes,” Discord said in a posh accent, “We all know how much Celestia loves her theatrics.  If Sunbutt doesn't get a chance everyday to cause mischief, fear and anger in somepony, whatever would our Soap Opera's be about.!” Discord said, clasping his clapperboard between them, before sneaking it off to the side.  

Dash wiped the tears out of her eyes, Discords antics and the princess’s hoof seeming to have  calmed her.  “Twilight’s really looks out for us.” A thought occurred to Dash. “Princess? Are me and Twilight pawns to you?”

“Twilight and I, but not quite, Captain.” She picked up a rook. “Twilight could be compared to a rook, one that I’ll want always by my side, but very effective at dealing with situations.”

“Oh, goody!” the princess piece on Celestia’s side of the board spoke up. “Does that mean I’m the princess piece. I’ve always wanted to rule country with a checkerboard landscape. White and black is much too drab though.” The piece pointed its dragon claw at the board, changing it to a goldenrod and yellow checkerboard.

“Rainbow, I do believe it’s your turn. Is that your archmage in position to take out my princess piece?” Celestia asked wryly. 

Dash smiled like a mad mare, grateful for the chance to take off some stress. She grabbed her piece and slammed it into the chess piece that was looking more and more like Discord as it tried to hop away. Discord went flying, landing as a two dimensional figure in the nearby wall, with the word ‘Splat’ sprawled out in red next to him.

“Oh, the brutality that is smitten upon me by those who call themselves my friends!” Discord lamented, a painting in the wall. “I’m telling Fluttershy.”

Celestia laughed and Dash let out a small giggle at the draconequus sticking out his tongue like a small child. Celestia patted a pawn on the head. “You’re a very useful and appreciated pawn, Discord.”

“Tsk. As if I could ever be a pawn to a being of such order and boredom.” Discord sauntered off, opening the wall as if it was a doorway and walking out.

Celestia stood up, “As much as I’ve enjoyed this, Captain. I have a meeting to attend in five minutes.”

“Ugh…” Dash sighed. “Yeah, I should get back and apologize..”

“That would be a wise and loyal thing for you to do,” Celestia commented, her motherly tone and smile warming Dash up.

As Dash and Celestia left the room, Discord sauntered over the chessboard with a cheery tune as he eyed the pieces.  “Just what are you up to, Celestia?” He muttered, stroking his beard thoughtfully.  

His claw picked up a single pawn that he dyed blue with a rainbow mane, and moved it one space… the very last space a pawn can move.  





Soarin sat calmly as Rarity ran around him, taking his measurements.  “Forgive me, darling, but Celestia asked for some very odd measurements,” Rarity said, reading ‘from middle of cutie mark to middle of cutie mark’.  Sure the princess had asked for the traditional measurements, ‘size of head’, ‘nape to flank’, ‘nape to cutie mark’, ‘nape to tail bone’.  However, she also included things like ‘frog to frog’, on both forehooves and back. Only Celestia knew what she wanted ‘throat to tailbone’ for… speaking of which.

“Oh, do forgive me. It seems the Princess wants a measurement that's not exactly… how do we say, comfortable, for either party?” Rarity said nervously.

“Hmm?” Soarin questioned. Rarity brought her hoof from her neck down to her tail, crossing her stomach.  “Oh? Ummmm… I don’t mind, that’s not really that awkward for me.  You know, tight suits and all that.”

Rarity blinked and blushed.

In the front of the boutique, Lightning Dust and Sunset Shimmer were waiting their turns. Sunset reading a book on charms and enchantments while Lightning Dust was lounging on a sofa staring boredly at the ceiling.  

“So… Daylight?” Dust mused, looking for anything to pass the time.

Sunset looked up as Dust called the name she went by whenever she visited Equestria.  “What’s your history with Rainbow? I thought she would have gotten one of those fancy college types to be our magic support.”

“I’m a friend of Twilight’s,” Sunset said.

Dust snorted, “That’s really funny. I have this job because I accidentally almost killed her royalness.”

Sunset smirked, “Don’t worry, I tried to commit regicide on Twilight before we became friends. Makes you wonder what Rainbow was thinking when she hired us.” 

“What? No way!” Dust said laughing. “You really tried to off the princess? What’d you do, take her books away from her?”

Sunset chuckled, “Nothing of the sort.  Threw a fireball at her.  I used to be awful.”

Lightning Dust got up on her hooves, her interest piqued.  “You’re joking, right?”

Sunset put her book down. “That’s not exactly something to be joking about.  You asked, so I gave an answer.  What about you? What’s your story in attempted regicide?” 

“I was clearing some clouds and decided to create a small tornado. Twilight and the rest of Dash’s friends were coming to visit her in a cloud balloon.  They survived thanks to Dash,” Dust replied calmly, rolling her eyes.

While Dust seemed cool, Sunset’s instincts told her there was something Dust was hiding. “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Sunset commented.  

“If you can call almost killing somepony simple,” Dust smirked, but Sunset could see the pain and regret in the smile.

“That’s true.  So what happened next?” Sunset pried.

“Dash pointed out that I was being too reckless,  so I threw it in her face that the Wonderbolts liked me better,” Dust said, non-chalantly. Then she laughed. “I almost killed somepony and all I could care about is proving I’m better than everypony else. I’m so messed up!”  Dust wheezed in her laughter. “Sure was a rush though. I was the absolute best at camp. Not even Dash was better than me!”

Dust let out a huff of air, her voice quieting down as she turned away from Sunset. It was always like that, she always put herself first. The situation never seemed matter. As long as she proved herself, nothing else was important. That’s why she refused the Wonderbolts invitation to get back in. That’s why she was beaten by Dash in the races that she worked her tail off to win. That’s why Dash was Captain of the Eventide and she was living on the charity of others.  Because she was the best.

Sunset could see what was happening to Lightning Dust, the internal berating of yourself for a mistake you couldn’t let go of. “I know what it’s like to have a dream, one so powerful you’d do anything for it.  You feel so locked and trapped if you don’t make that dream a reality, like you’re a failure. You’d do anything to prove everyone else wrong. That you’re worthy of their respect, of their power.  Trust me, I tried to kill Twilight just to prove I was better than her.” 

Dust said nothing, but she didn’t blow Sunset off, which Sunset took as a good sign.  “I’m not the same pony you were back then.  Even if I was a literal demon, my past is not today.  I’ll admit, don’t think I’d discovered how poorly I had been going about my dream if it wasn’t for Twilight and her friends.  They helped me realize I’m not the same pony I was, no matter how much I told myself I was.”

Soarin walked to the front of the store. “You’re up, Burning Daylight,” Sunset glanced over, slightly disappointed she didn’t get to finish this conversation, but she wouldn’t ever give up a chance to talk with Rarity. She nodded and walked towards the back, where she found a pristine white coat with a spot of red rushing to its cheeks. She laughed as Rarity instantly broke into a rant about how she hoped Rainbow would forgive her for a travesty she committed!

Back up front, Soarin turned to Lightning Dust, “Did Dash give us weather duty today?” 

“Who cares,” Dust said. She seemed to pause for a moment.  Her brain was full of thoughts, mostly on how stupid she was and blind and vain, but something in Sunset’s words seemed to worm through all the negative thoughts.  “Soarin… are we friends?”

“Uhh… well….” Soarin said, so taken back by the comment he lifted his front hoof and shifted his weight backwards.  “Do you want to be?”

Dust groaned in frustration.  How did Rainbow ever put up with this guy?  He was such a loser. “You know what? Never mind.”  Dust sat down as Soarin gave her a strange look.

“Oh…okay… umm… so does that mean you don’t want to be friends?”

Lightning’s hoof quickly met her face.