Chapter 1: New assignment.

Chapter 1
New Assignment.

The Wonderbolts second attack wing was flying over the valleys in between the mountain formations known as the unicorn range. Their Squadron consisted of five armed and armored pegasi with Soarin flying in the lead. Following behind him in a standard V formation were Wave Chill, Cloud Kicker, Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash. Each of them was armed with a pair of wingblades and a bandoleer of magi bombs. They were flying in silence, each pegasi scanning the ground and the horizon for signs of activity. It wasn’t until they started their third circle of the valley that Lightning dust spoke up.

“Yo Lt, what the heck are we doing out here? We all know the real action is happening over at Van Hoover. Why did they send us into the boonies?”

“Were you asleep during this mornings briefing?” Dash asked before Soarin could answer, “One of our ground patrols went missing in this area yesterday. It’s up to us to find them and see if they require assistance or evac.”

“That’s a job for the Aerial Rescue Pegasi, not the bolts.”

“Will you two cut the chatter and keep your eyes open,” Soarin said irritably, “And if you must know, the reason they sent us bolts in is because we got word that Sombra troops have been spotted moving into this area in force.”

Both pegasi scowled.

“If that’s true we're more likely to find a bunch of corpses rather than our missing comrades.” Dust said glumly.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Soarin muttered.

They flew on in silence once more. Rainbow did her best to focus on the task at hand, but despite the gravity of the situation she couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling of the wind beneath her wings, or wing as it were, since the metal prosthesis that replaced her lost left wing didn't have any tactile feedback. Still it allowed her to fly and that’s all that mattered, because Rainbow Dash lived to fly. However, right now she had a job to do. As they passed along the foot of mount Latigo she spotted something.

“Yo Soarin, there’s a cave and some shacks down there. Looks like an old mining complex.”

Soarin looked over to where Rainbow pointed a hoof.

“Good eyes Dash, lets go check it out. Wonderbolts, with me.”

They did a high speed fly by first just in case of a possible ambush. But no reaction came from either the old shacks or the mine. They took a low pass over the buildings next at low speed to get a more detailed look, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. At Soarin’s signal they all touched down in the center of the old mining complex.

“Alright here’s the plan. Cloudy, Wave, you two check out the shacks, I will check the mine itself. Dash, Dust, I want you two to stay in the air and fly cover for us, keep a close eye on those woods to the east. If I were the enemy that’s where I’d be hiding.”

Dash threw Soarin a salute before she shot back into the air, flying in a lazy holding pattern around the site with Lightning Dust Trailing a few meters behind her. The longer she flew circles up there the more restless she became. Dash was not a patient pony by nature, she was a mare of action, and all this waiting was eating away her patience. She would much rather fight the enemy face to face instead of playing this deadly game of hide and seek. After several long minutes Soarin re-emerged from the mine and signaled them down.

“Well the mine itself is empty, it’s sealed with a rusty steel gate that hasn’t been disturbed in ages. Did you find anything?” Soaring asked as Cloud Kicker and Wave Chill rejoined the group..

“Someone was here not too long ago Lt, can’t have been more than a couple of hours at most, but whether they were ours or the enemy is any ponies guess.” Wave Chill said, “There are some faint hoof tracks leading south east, can’t say how many. The tracks are very disturbed. Whoever was here left in a hurry.”

“So do we follow?” Asked Lightning dust.

“It would help if we had any idea about where they are headed.” Soarin said.

“I know the area Lt, southeast leads to Ghastly Gorge, there’s an abandoned carrot farm that way that would make a good place to hole up and spend the night. And seeing as It will be dark in a few hours, if I was a betting mare I’d say that’s where we’ll find our quarry.” Cloud Kicker cut in.

“Alright then,“ Soarin said, “Dust, you have the radio, get in touch with field command, tell them we’ve picked up a trail and are in pursuit. Next scheduled contact will be at eighteen hundred hours. Lets fly ponies.”

The Wonderbolts blasted into the sky as Lightning Dust relayed Soarin’s message. They followed the valley trail until it vanished into a small woodland area about a mile and a half long. They flew low over the trees to hide their approach from possible scouts. As they neared the end of the forest they spotted the silhouette of a Barn in the distance. An old damaged silo stood next to it. The once pristine red paint of the barn was chipped away to the bare wood in most places, leaving only a few hints of color. As they did their first flyby their sharp pegasus eyes spotted ponies peeking out the windows while trying to stay hidden. Ponies wearing Equestrian uniforms.

“Looks like we found our lost patrol, let's get down there and say hi.” Lightning dust said.

“Agreed, but stay cautious.” Soarin responded.

As they touched down a trio of ponies emerged from the barn while the rest of them covered them from the windows. Crossbows held at the ready. All of them looked like they had been through the wringer. Their eyes were tired but determined, and upon recognising the wonderbolt insignia on their uniforms they flooded with relief. The earth pony in the lead threw Soarin a salute.

“Are you ponies a sight for sore eyes.”

Soarin gave a salute of his own, “ First Lieutenant Soarin, commander of this squadron, good to see you. Who’s in charge?”

“That would be me sir. Corporal Iron Fur, Ember Squad, at your service. These are privates Quick Wit and Cherry Spice.”

“What happened to your lieutenant?”

“He took a crossbow bolt to the eye sir. Dead before he even knew what hit him.”

Every one of the wonderbolts grimaced at the news.

“What happened exactly?”

“We were patrolling the valley up north near the Saddle Woods when they ambushed us. A whole platoon of them just burst out of the treeline. They shot down our pegasi scout and our radio operator took one to the chest, blew a hole clean through her, totalling the radio. That’s why we’ve been unable to call for help. We managed to break free though it cost us several more lives in the process, we’ve been on the run since then, knowing somepony would come looking for us if headquarters didn’t hear from us in twentyfour hours.”

“Wait a sec, blew a hole right through her? What the heck were they shooting at you?” Wave Chill interrupted as more of the ponies emerged from the barn. A lot of them sporting bandages.

“I don’t know, Celestia damnit, I’ve never seen anything like it before. One minute we’re up to our necks in sombra’s cannon fodder, barely holding our own, the next thing we know some new kind of pony shows up. He wasn’t a unicorn yet he fired spells from some kind of device, never seen anything like it.”

“New kind of pony?” Soarin asked.

“Huge, bigger than Dusty over there,” He pointed at a stallion who could give Big Macintosh a run for his bits when it came to size, “Armored like a fortress. Our arrows and spells seemed to bounce right off.”

“And this weapon? What can you tell us?”

“Nothing, we didn't exactly get a good look at it. All I can tell you is it fires energy blasts similar to a unicorn's kinetic bolt spell.”

“Where is the enemy now?”

“We don’t know, we lost them in the woods northwest of our position, but they can’t be too far behind. We have too many wounded to keep running so we were planning to make a last stand here.”

“Dust, get on the horn and tell base we need immediate evac.”

“On it Lt.” she saluted before busying herself with the radio.

“Even at maximum speed it will take at least two hours before we can expect reinforcements and medevac. We must assume the enemy will attack before then.” Soarin said gravely.

“At least now we know evac is coming, we just gotta hold out till then.” Iron fur replied, “We secured the wounded inside the barns hayloft and fortified it as best we could. Probably won’t hold very long. We have two good firing positions, one on the second floor window and one atop the old silo.”

“Well at least now you have wonderbolt backup.” Dash said with confidence.

“I hope it’s enough.”

“It will have to be.” said Soarin.

It was just before sunset when the enemy emerged from the woods. A single platoon at least forty strong. They marched out of the woods like a phalanx, brandishing repeater crossbows and barbed spears. Their helmets green eye slits glowed ominously in the twilight. The fact that they ushered no battle cries was more unnerving than anything. Instead they just marched straight into the farm's former carrot field like a silent horde. As they neared the center of the field iron fur gave the order to open fire. Crossbow bolts filled the air as the defenders opened up with a volley. Several sombra troopers went down, crying out in pain as crossbow bolts found their marks. Some never got up again. The rest of them began to return fire. Midnight black bolts with iron hard crystal tips thudded into the side of the barn. Some going all the way through the old wood. One earth pony got hit in the neck and toppled from the second floor window, dead before he hit the ground below. As the sombra troops closed in, the unicorns began adding spells to the barrage. Colorful blasts of arcane energy zipping back and forth between the barn, the silo and the soldiers in the field. Many troopers fell, yet their comrades marched on, seemingly oblivious to their losses. A small cylindrical device landed amidst a group of crystal unicorns who were raking the lower floor of the barn with spellfire. The device detonated with a dull crump and a brilliant blast of arcane energy, obliterating those inside the blast radius.

“Wonderbolts with me!” Soarin shouted as he hurled another magi bomb at the enemy before taking to the skies.

As one the wonderbolts took to the air with dazzling speed. They circled the field twice to build up even more speed, all the while dodging crossbow bolts and spell fire before swooping down like meteors.

“Aim for the joints.”

Wing blades flashed as the bolts zipped through the enemy ranks at breakneck speeds. Ponies cried out as tendons were severed and necks cut open. It was grisly work, but this was war. Leaving behind a line of dead and wounded ponies the bolts broke off their attack and zipped back into the sky. Their attack had given the ponies of Ember squad enough time to reload their crossbows, and a new volley was beginning to rain down among sombra’s forces.

Then, from the forest emerged a pony unlike any they had seen before. The pony was a giant, easily dwarfing the average stallion. He was clad head to hoof in midnight black armor, and his eyes glowed red instead of green. In one hoof he carried a strange three feet long flashlight like device, connected to a strange glowing backpack via a ribbed hose or cable.

“I got this!” Lightning dust shouted cockily as she began a dive bomb attack.

“Dust, NO!” Soarin yelled but he was too late.

Lightning dust dove straight at the strange pony, her wingblades flashed in the fiery light of the setting sun. But just as she was about to connect with his neck she was smashed out of the air and into the ground.

If Dash hadn’t seen it with her own eyes she wouldn’t have believed it. Few creatures could intercept a pegasus at full speed, yet this monstrous pony had swatted Lightning Dust out of the air like a fly. She lay stunned in the dirt, groggy from the blow. Then the pony raised a hoof and brought it down right on top of her wing. An earsplitting cry of agony pierced the air as Lightning Dust felt the bones of her right wing shatter like glass beneath the giant ponies hoof. A second stomp nearly made her pass out as the shards of broken bone ground into her flesh. Some even piercing through her skin in a bloody mess.The armored pony raised its strange weapon, intent on finishing the wounded pegasus off.

“DUST!” Rainbow cried out as she made a desperate dive to aid her friend.

The armored pony was so absorbed in its desire to kill the wounded pegasus at its hooves that it failed to notice Dash’s approach. She slammed into the pony at full force with all four hooves at once, sending it into a sideways stagger just as it activated the weapon. A hailstorm of magical bolts blasted from the barrel of the device, stitching a ragged pattern across the side of the barn, blasting a series of smoldering holes in the woodwork before the armored pony lost its footing completely and went down into the dirt. Its weapon firing a dozen or more shots into the air before it cut off.

“Sweet Celestia!” Dash exclaimed in horror at the destructive power of the weapon.

She didn’t have long to contemplate it though as she was beset on all sides by sombra troops, but Dash was no slouch in hoof to hoof combat. She smashed the first trooper to engage her with a series of rapid hoof punches, knocking him aside. She then took a wing assisted leap and lashed out with a hind leg kick into another before slamming into a third one with a headbutt. The impact broke her helmet visor but it knocked the enemy pony down. She slammed her metal wing into his throat, and he went down for the count, his larynx crushed.

“Dash, move! Get lightning and get out of there!” Soarin yelled from overhead as he tossed the last of his bombs into the thick of the enemy forces.

“I can’t, she’s badly hurt, she needs a medic.” Dash shouted back.

Behind her the armored pony got back on its hooves, leveling its weapon at her.

“Look out!.” Soarin yelled.

Dash barely managed to leap out of the way, throwing herself into a spin as emerald blasts of magical death hurled her way. One bolt grazed the sleeve of her uniform, scorching it and burning the skin beneath it. She could smell the stink of her singed fur and blistering flesh, and hissed in pain. Another bolt of energy was deflected by her metal wing, leaving the point of impact glowing red hot. She managed to leap clear and shot off like greased lightning into the air. The armored pony growled and strafed the sky with spellfire, causing the remaining Wonderbolts to scatter madly in order to evade death.

Iron fur was breathing hard. He was bleeding badly from a gash in the left side of his barrel caused by flying debris. Several of his comrades lay bleeding around him. Cut down by flying shrapnel or energy blasts that had penetrated the walls. Some would never rise again. He lined up his crossbow as best he could, letting the bolt fly as another sombra soldier moved in range. The projectile flew true and buried itself up to the vanes in the enemy pony’s throat. He collapsed into the dirt with a gurgle.

“We are dead. We are so very dead. Celestia preserve us we’re all gonna die.” Cherry spice kept muttering beside him. His eyes wide with terror..

“You stow that manure and keep shooting soldier.” Iron fur barked, “The Wonderbolts are doing everything they can to cover our plots and keep the enemy busy, we are not going to let their efforts go to waste. Now reload and fire.”

The squad medic growled irritably. “Corporal would you sit still and let me bandage your wounds already. You’re bleeding all over the place.”

“I don’t have time to bleed, those bastards keep coming. I’m not letting them have the satisfaction of killing me.” Iron growled.

“Well then stop doing their work for them and let me dress that wound before you bleed out you crazy mule.”

Before Iron fur could retort they were blinded by a brilliant flash of light, followed by a powerful shock wave.

“Okay that’s it, time to give this sucker the rainbow special.” Dash thought as she performed a Split S manoeuvre, building up speed.

She began a completely vertical divebomb, heading straight for the armored pony. As she picked up speed a vapor cone began forming in front of her. Spotting Dash’s signature move, Soarin turned to shout a warning at the defenders.

“Everypony duck!”

As Dash slammed into the armored pony everything vanished in a blast of light.

“Sweet Celestia would you look at that!” Said one of the pegasi pulling a medevac chariot.

The horizon briefly lit up with a brilliant explosion of light, and a rainbow colored mushroom cloud was rising into the evening sky. The pegasus next to him shook his head with a chuckle.

“Those wonderbolts don’t do anything by halves do they.”

Less than ten minutes after the battle was over the medevac chariots touched down just outside the farm. With their leader taken out, crushed to a pulp by the impact of Dash´ magical attack, the rest of the sombra forces had retreated into the woods, leaving their wounded to die.

Rainbow Dash shook the dust and dirt off herself as she approached the medics tending to Lightning Dust. She ached all over after performing her sonic divebomb, but she refused to show weakness. Lightning Dust was looking a bit pale, the spunky pegasus had been strapped to a stretcher with her shattered and bleeding wing wrapped in bandages. As Dash neared, she turned her head to look at her.

“Medic says I have a concussion and might lose my wing.” She croaked.

Dash involuntarily tucked her own wings in tighter.

“It’s not so bad, you will be up and flying again in no time. And this way we’ll have something else in common.” She tried sounding cheerful.

“I’m scared Dash.” She said quietly, Blinking away a few tears that began forming in the corners of her eyes.

Dash could tell from her tone of voice it wasn’t easy for her to admit to being afraid. She placed a comforting hoof on Dusts shoulder.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay, really. Losing a wing is a terrible thing, but it’s not the end of the world. Just look at me, I’m still flying. You’re gonna be fine Lightning.” She said sincerely.

Lightning Dust gave her a weak smile as they loaded her onto the evac chariot.

“Take good care of her.” Dash said quietly to one of the medics as she turned to rejoin the rest of the squad.

“Of course, she’s in good hooves.” The med pony replied.

As she walked back to the rest of the bolts, who were helping the surviving members of Ember Squad onto the transports she was approached by one of the pegasi from the Air Rescue team.

“Airmare, Rainbow Dash?” The stallion asked as she got within speaking distance.

“Thats me, what can I do for you?”

“Message from high command ma’am, you are being recalled to headquarters immediately, commander Spitfire wants to talk to you, in person.”

United Equestrian Army Headquarters
three hours later

With a tired sigh Rainbow Dash raised a hoof to knock on the door to Spitfire's office. She didn’t know what to expect and that made her uncharacteristically nervous. Steeling herself she rapped her hoof on the door twice and waited.

“Enter.” Came the commanders raspy voice.

“You wanted to see me Ma'am?” Dash said as she stepped inside the small office and closed the door.

“I did, why don't you have a seat.” Spitfire offered while motioning at the chair in front of her desk. Her expression was unreadable.

“If it's all the same to you Ma'am I'd rather stand.”

“Suit yourself.” Spitfire replied as she pushed aside the paperwork she had been going over.

“You might be wondering why I had you recalled.”

“The thought did cross my mind Ma'am.” Dash said.

“I called you here to personally inform you of your transfer, and give you your orders.”

“Transfer? But.. but why commander? Is it my performance? I know it took me some time to get used to the new wing, but I have given every mission for the Wonderbolts my all.” Dash blurted out, her prosthetic wing twitching subconsciously.

Spitfire held up a hoof to silence Dash.

“This isn't about a lack of performance on your part Airmare, quite the opposite in fact.”

“Ma'am?” Dash looked utterly confused now.

Spitfire sighed as she took off her sunglasses and rubbed a hoof over her muzzle. She looked tired.

“What I'm about to say doesn't leave this room.” She gave Dash a stern glare to which the pegasus nodded solemnly.

“Equestria is losing the war. Everyday we're losing more and more ground to Sombra's forces. If this keeps up, if their forces continue to push us back, we'll lose the war within a year.”

Dash bit her lower lip as she took in that information. She knew the United Equestrian Army wasn't doing too well, but she had no idea the situation was this bad.

“Ma'am, if the situation is this dire, then why in Celestia's name are you bucking me out of the bolts?”

“Buck you out?” Spitfire said incredulously. “I've fought tooth and wing to keep you with us. But these orders come from the highest authority.”

Dash looked even more confused at her statement.

“Dash, you are one of the best, if not the best soldier to ever fly with the Wonderbolts. Your record, while not spotless, shows you are brave, skilled, devoted and utterly loyal. If I had my way you would have made squadron commander when the next round of promotions comes.”

She took a brief pause to let her words sink in.

“You have talent Dash, and I’m not the only one who noticed. You are one of the best, and right now Equestria needs the very best if we are to survive. That is why, effective immediately, you are being transferred, to Pony Joe.”

Pony Joe: The First Mission

by Aprion

Chapter 1: New assignment.