> Star Bolts > by Norwegian boy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Arrival of a Hero > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Man, it’s look at this train, it looks like is going to fall apart. Who designed this?” A pegasus pony was on his was to Ponyville on the local friendship express train from Manehattan, but for almost the entire train ride he has complained about the structure of the train and it have driven the other passenger’s crazy. The pegasus had light blue fur while his tail and mane was dark blue, he was red around his eyes. But was stood out the most was his cutie mark; He then stuck his head out the window. “And this speed.” When he came back in his mane was a mess that made the kids laugh a little. “It’s so slow, it’s feels like we are never going to reach Ponyville.” Then the conductor came up to him. “Sir, you have been complained the entire trip. You are bothering the other passengers, I’m asking you to stop complaining.” The pegasus looked around the carriages and the other passengers was giving him a look that said that they were not happy, he leaned back in seat and crossed his hoofs over his chest. “Fine, I’ll shut up.” The conductor nodded with a smile. “Thank you, just so you know. We are arriving in Ponyville soon.” The stallion was happy when he heard that. “About time.” The train finally arrived in Ponyville and the peagsus stallion step out from the carriages and looked around. “It’s been a while since I have been her, better stay clear of the farm or AJ would kill me.” He headed towards town. While he was walking through town he noticed something. “Where the hell is everyone? There’s almost no pony in the street.” He was right, last time he was in Ponyville there was many ponies in the street but now, now there was almost none. “Maybe Twilight knows.” He headed towards the library. When he arrived, he could see ‘were close’ sign on the door and the curtains was closed. “What’s going on?” He walked to one of the windows to see if he could see if Twilight was home. He manged to looked through one of them and he saw Twilight, she was cutting newspaper with a scissor and hanging to article up on a blackboard. He manged to read on word and that was Shadowbolts. “What the hell is she doing.” It was pretty dark in there and he manged to get a glimpse of her and it looked like she hadn’t taken a shower in weeks. He stepped away from the window. “This is just getting creepy, what the hell is going on in this town?” He decided to find her friends. He did know where to look so he just walked throw town if he could see them, then he came over a building that read. “Sugarcube corner.” When he saw the building, he didn’t know what to do. “Do I eat it or go in?” It looked like gingerbread house to him, he decided to go in. Well inside he looked around, it looked like a normal restaurant to him. Tables, chairs and cash register. “Looks okay.” He then noticed a yellow pegasus with purple mane sitting by one of table, it was the same one that hug him two months ago. It looked like she was waiting or someone. He then decided to eavesdrop on her, he saw a newspaper lying on the table behind her. “How convenient.” He put his bag down beside the table, sat down and stared to ‘read’ the newspaper. It didn’t take long before one of them showed up, it was the white unicorn, she walked over the pegasus. “Sorry am late Fluttershy, I was working on some dresses and lost track of time.” The unicorn sat down on one of the chairs by the table. “It’s okay Rarity, I haven’t been her long.” “That’s good, where’s Pinkie?” As soon as she said the name Pinkie appeared out of nowhere, she was sitting by the table. ‘That’s not creepy at all.’ Thought the stallion behind the newspaper. “Hi girls, I just got off work. So, how are things going with you two?” Pinkie asked her friends. “I’m doing fine Pinkie, I just finished my latest dresses. I can’t wait to show them to public.” Said Rarity. “I’m also doing fine, I have been busy with my animals.” Said Fluttershy. Pinkie smiled of that. “That’s good to hear.” Then her mood dropped. “What about Applejack, Dash and Twilight? Are they still ignoring us?” That got the stallion’s attention. “I’m afraid so Pinkie, Twilight has not yet left the library. The same goes with Dash, she hasn’t left her house. I have seen her by food but that’s it. Applejack has kept on working since Falco died, and that was two month ago.” That got Falco to look over the newspaper. ‘Is she missing me that much?’ He then looked back at paper and saw something that caught his attention. “The Shadowbolts strikes again. Three days ago the pegasus group Shadowbolts terrorized the city of Canterlot, making sure that they were in control of Equestria. The royal guard just watch as the group looted the stores in the town.” Falco frowned after reading that. ‘What the hell, there’s more.’ He kept on reading. “When the press asked princess Celestia what she intend to do with the threat she said that is under control.” He couldn’t believe what he was reading. “What bullshit.” He may have said that a little too loud. Rarity looked over to Falco. “Excuse me sir, do you have to speak that kind of language?” Falco slammed the newspaper on the table. “Mind your own businesses high and prissy, I have work to do.” He grabbed his bag and walked out leaving three shook ponies. When he was outside he looked around and just as before there were almost no ponies in the streets. “As least I know the reason.” He headed towards the library. “I bet that Twilight has the info of these Shadowbolts.” When he arrived at the library he looked closer at it. “Why didn’t I see that it was tree before? Oh well.” He went over to the door and knock, Twilight didn’t answer. He knocked again. “Nopony is home.” He raised an eyebrow of that answer. “If there’s nopony in there, why did you answer?” She didn’t answer. “Listen Twilight, I know you’re in there and I’m not leaving until you open the door.” Still no answer. “I’m coming in even if I have to huff and puff the door down.” Inside the library couldn’t help but question his method. “That makes absolute no sense at all, a normal pony can’t breathe that hard. There’s no way you can’t get in that way.” “Alright then, then I will do this the hard way.” She heard something hitting the door. “Okay, my rear legs aren’t strong enough to break the door. I should remember that, then I’ll use my shoulder.” Now she heard multiple bangs against her door, she stopped what she was doing and walked over to the door. “I don’t know who you are but would you please stop whatever you are doing.” “Not until you open this door.” Twilight couldn’t help but groan. ‘Better let him in before he hurt himself.’ She used her magic to open the door, then a blue pegasus flew in and crashed with one of the bookshelf’s. He landed upside down. “Victory.” Then a book land on him. “And ouch, that hurt.” Twilight just watch as the strange stallion got up, as he did that she couldn’t help that she had seen him somewhere before. When he was up she got a better looked at him. “Have I seen you before? You look familiar.” Falco brushed the dust of him. “You should, considering you got me arrested two months ago.” “Got you arrested two months ago?” Right now, she thought that this stallion was crazy then it dawned on her. She pointed a hoof at him. “Falco Lombardi, you are Falco Lombardi.” He bowed. “The one and only.” “That’s impossible, princess Luna said that you sacrifice yourself to save Canterlot, you can’t be alive. It’s not possible.” “What do you want me to say? That I came back because of magic? I don’t how I am alive. Look, that’s not why I am here, I’m here because I was hoping you know something about the Shadowbolts. When I was before I saw that you were hanging an article on a blackboard that read Shadowbolts, do you have any information about them?” “Not much.” She walked over to the blackboard and Falco followed her. “The only thing I know about them is that they are pegasus, they are wearing some kind of costume and that they appeared four weeks ago.” “You are right, that’s not much.” Then he felt Twilight poking him with her hoof. “May I ask what the hell you are doing?” “I just want to make sure that you are real.” He swapped away her hoof. “Well I am, what do I have to prove that I am real?” “What happened the first time I saw you?” She asked him. “The yellow pegasus, who names are Fluttershy hug me. And then I yell at her, are you happy now?” She nodded. “Not really, but you are Falco that’s for sure.” He couldn’t help but rolled his eyes. “That’s great, now that we have confirmed that I’m alive. Mind telling what happened after I died.” Twilight stared explained. “After you took down the enemy ship princess Celestia put an arrest order on princess Luna…” Falco cut her off. “Wait a minute, are you telling me that Celestia is trying to arrest her little sister?” Twilight just nodded. “What the hell is wrong with her?” “I don’t know, when I heard that I decide to stop being her student. After that she salvages what was left of the enemy ship, she even took the drone that Dash crashed into, I didn’t have time to study it probably.” “What about my ship? Did she fine my Arwing.” He asked. “I’m not sure but I don’t think so.” He nodded. “That’s good to hear.” He then tried to read the news article on the blackboard but it was difficult, it was pretty dark in the library. “I can’t read these articles, it’s too dark.” He went over to one of the windows. “I need light.” “No, wait.” It was too late, Falco pulled away the curtains. “That’s better, let there be light.” He turned around. “Now, back to the articles. Holy shit.” Now that he could see better he could see Twilight better. Her mane and tail was a mess and so was het fur, she had bags under her eyes but what stood out the most was her horn. It was broken in half, he could only see the base of it. “Twilight, what the hell happened to your horn?” “Ponyville was the first town these Shadowbolts attack, when they arrived they said that Equestria and this town belongs to their master, this didn’t Rainbow like so she attacked their leader. But she was faster than Rainbow and manged pin her to the ground, that made me so angry that I fire a beam at their leader, that was a mistake.” “The beam just bounced right off her, then somepony pin me to the ground. I tried to use my magic to get lose put the pony the was holding me keep pressure on my ribs so I couldn’t use my magic, then their leader punched Rainbow in the face knocking her out. She then walked over to me and said; ‘Equestria belongs to our master.’ Then she stepped on my horn so hard that it snapped off, the pain was too much so I passed out.” “When I woke up my friends had carried me inside except Rainbow, they told me after her defeat by the Shadowbolts leader she flew home and hasn’t come out since.” Falco couldn’t believe what he was hearing, Celestia has gone mad and are trying to arrest her sister, there’s a new threat to Equestria called the Shadowbolts and they are theorize the ponies who lives in the land. Then they broke the horn off a unicorn and humiliated Rainbow Dash. He stared to walked towards the door. “Where are you going?” She asked him. “I’m going to form a team and I’m going to stop the Shadowbolts but first I’m going to talk to Applejack.” > Let's Talk > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- While Falco was flying towards AJ’s farm couldn’t help but feel very nervous, truth be told he was terrified. If he had pants he would probably have crapped in them right about now. ‘What the hell am I’m going to say to her? Hey, I sacrificed myself to save a bunch of ponies and guess what I came back as a pony.’ He just sighed. “Someone give me strength.” He landed on a cloud over the farm, he looked down on it. “I can’t still believe that pegasus can walk on clouds.” He shook his head. “This world.” He looked over the cloud to see if he could spot her. “Let’s see, high and prissy said that AJ has been working on the farm since my death.” It didn’t take long before he saw her, it was pretty easy considering that she was wearing a cowboy hat. She was kicking a tree not far from the house, he could also see her brother and little sister there. Falco grabbed the cloud with his legs and moved closer with the help of his wings, he stopped when he was close enough to hear what they were saying. Applebloom. “Would you please stop working Applejack? You are going to wear yourself out.” “How many time must I say this Applebloom, I’m fine.” She answered her little sister. “You are not fine, ever since Falco died you have work and work. You need to stop.” Mac told her. “I said that I’m fine, would you two leave me alone.” She told them with anger in her voice. Applebloom looked at her brother with a worried face, he just shook his head. “Let go Applebloom, your sister is to stubborn to listen to reason.” They both walked away leaving Applejack alone. Above them Falco heard everything. ‘I didn’t think she missed me that much.’ He grabbed the cloud and brought it closer to the ground and stubborn pony. Applejack had just place some baskets around a tree and got ready to kick it, when she turned around she didn’t expect to see a blue pegasus lying on a cloud, looking at her with a smile on his face. “Can I help you with something?” She asked Falco. “Yeah, you can stop working.” Applejack snorted. “You sound like Mac and Applebloom, I’m going to tell you what I told them; I’m fine. And who are you anyway? I haven’t seen you around before.” He put a hoof on his chest. “That hurt, I know that I have been away for two months but that you have forgotten me that hurt’s me.” He said in a dramatic tone. Applejack just looked at the stallion trying to decide if the he was crazy or not. “I don’t know who you think you are but you better chose your next words carefully.” She went back to her work. “The first thing you ask me when I woke up was how I was feeling, I said that I had hit my head because I was talking to a pony that walks on four legs.” That got Applejack to miss the tree when she tried to kick it, she looked at the pegasus. “Falco.” He just smiled. “But, you died. Luna told me that you sacrificed yourself to save Canterlot, you can’t be alive. It’s not possible, you can’t be Falco.” Falco just stared at her. “When we went into the Everfree forest a Manticore jump out from bushes, I went straight to it and stared into its eyes. Then Manticore walked away.” Applejack was trying to prosses what she was hearing from this strange pegasus, she was trying to decide if he really was Falco or not. She shook her head. “If you really are Falco, what did you do with Pinkie when you first meet her.” “I punch her in the face, I can go on all day.” She walked over and touched his face. “It’s really you.” “You know it.” Then he felt a hoof to his face that made him fall of the cloud. “What the hell AJ.” He stared to rub where she punched him. “Why did you do that?” He got up. “That was because you died.” And the she kissed him on the mouth. “And that was because you saved us and came back.” Falco touch where she hit him will trying to comprehend wat just happened. “Right now, I’m not looking forward to the day I saved a town and actually survived. Did you have to punch me that hard?” She blushed. “Sorry, I don’t know my own strength.” “That’s just fine and dandy but I’m here because I heard that you have been working nonstop for two months, and apparently it’s my fault.” She hung her head. “Yeah, I guess that I didn’t handle your dead very well.” “Look AJ, I appreciate that you care for me and you apparently love me.” Now Applejack’s face was completely red. “But that’s no excuse for working so hard, if you had keep going you could have died.” She rubbed her neck. “Yeah, I intend ignore others advice. I’m kind of stubborn.” “You could have fooled me, why don’t we go back to the house and tell them that you are going to stop this madness. But first.” He went over to the cloud and hick it so it disappeared. “I still don’t understand how pegasus can do that.” They stared to walk back. While walking Applejack asked him. “So, where have you been?” “Sun shore city.” He answered her. “I heard about that place, you have to take a boat from Manehattan. Isn’t it sun there 24/7?” Falco shrugged. “Pretty much.” Applejack stopped. “Wait a minute, are you telling me that you have been alive for two months?” Falco nodded. “Why didn’t you come early?” “That’s a good question AJ and I have an answer but something tells me that Twilight also want to know where I have been, but first we are going to tell your family that you are going to stop working and then we are going to find your friends.” Whit that said the went to tell her family. When arrived at the house Applejack told them that she was going to stop working and the made the rest of the family happy, when they told that the pegasus was Falco they didn’t believe her at first but then Falco told them what he did when he arrived and the convinced them. Applebloom was happier and the others that Falco was alive, he helped her get her cutie mark after all. She gave him a hug so hard that she almost choked him, luckily for him her siblings manged to pry her of him. “Man, I never thought that you sister was that strong.” After they had talk to Applejack family, she and Falco headed towards the town. “She almost killed me.” Falco stop and put a hoof on his neck. “It still hurt.” “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m pretty sure that she didn’t mean it.” Applejack told him. “I’m not so sure about that.” He stared to walk again. “I heard from high and prissy that Twilight and Skittle suffered when the Shadowbolts arrived, I know that Twilight lost part of her horn but what happened to Skittle?” Applejack looked at him with a confused face. “Skittle?” “Oh right, the pegasus with the colourful hair.” “You mean Rainbow Dash, well.” She stopped. “When the Shadowbolts arrived in Ponyville…” Falco cut her off. “I already know that part, Twilight told me. I want to know what happened to Rainbow Dash?” “Right, her pride took a hit. She has always said that she is the fasted pegasus in Ponyville, in Equestria. When one of the Shadowbolt manged to pin her to ground and knock her out she chance, she has stopped talking to use and she almost don’t leave her house. I don’t know what happened to her.” Falco was listing to her and he knew exactly what happened to Dash. “Are you telling me that her ego took a hit and she won’t admit it?” She thought about what Falco said. “Huh, I never thought about it that way. She does have a big ego so that could be the problem.” Falco couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Oh man, her ego gets hurt a little and she gives up. I would laugh if I didn’t was so pathetic. Oh man.” She looked at him with one of her eyebrow raised. “Are you any better?” “No, I’m not.” He looked at her. “Can you go and gather the rest of your friend and meet me at the library? They should be at Sugarcube corner.” She nodded. “Sure, what are you going to do?” “I’m going to talk to the pegasus with a ego and see if I can convince her to come out from her house.” He was about to take of but then he remembered something. “Do you know where she lives, I have no clue.” Applejack could help but smile. “She lives in a cloud house, it’s the only one in town. It’s usually over the park.” “Thanks.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek, he then took to the sky. Applejack just stood there red as a tomato, she shook her head and headed towards town to find her friends. Falco flew through town felling the wind through his fur. “Man, I can understand why pegasus like to fly. This feeling is great. I still miss my friends and my Arwing.” As soon he said that his mood dropped. He then member the time he spent with Fox and the rest of the team, all the missions the went out together. He shook his head. “Forget it Falco, there’s nothing you can do now. There’s no way home, this place is my home now.” He frowned. “Why did that sound depressing?” He then saw Dash’s house. “I can think about that another time, time to talk with a pegasus with big ego.” When he landed in front Dash’s door he could see that she had manged to make a house out of clouds, there where windows and a second floor. He couldn’t help but stare at the house. “I think I’ll never understand this world, maybe I should stop trying.” He just shook his head and went over to knock on the door. After knocking on the door, he went a little while but no one answer, he then knocked again and this time. “Go away Fluttershy, I don’t want to talk.” “Wrong gender Skittle and I’m not going anywhere until we have talk.” “Look pal, I don’t know who you are but I don’t feel like talking right now.” “If you don’t feel like talking, then what do you call this?” Falco could actually hear her brain crack. “Just shut up and leave me alone.” That didn't work. ‘Alright, that didn’t work time for another tactic.’ He smiled a little. “Oh, what’s the matter? Is the little pegasus afraid? I heard about your little defeat, are you just going to hide in your house like a coward?” He heard some noise inside her house so he decided to step away from the door so he could be ready for Dash, I didn’t take long before Rainbow came out through the door and she was mad. “I’ll show you who is a coward.” She flew towards him with incredible speed, she tried to punch but Falco manged to doge the attack with ease. She flew past him. “Is that all you got? That was pathetic.” He said while he turned around to face an angry Rainbow Dash. “Alright, you ask for it pal.” She flew towards him again with even more speed but Falco just stood there waiting for the right moment to act, when she was just a few centimetres from him grabbed one of her hoofs and threw her over his shoulder and into the cloud. She landed on it with a thumb. He looked down on her. “Are you done?” The answer he got was a hoof to his nose, Dash got up and was ready to attack again. “We are not done.” Falco staggered back after the punch he got from Dash, he put a hoof on his nose. “Son a of bitch, first Twilight poked me, then Applejack slapped me in the face and now you hit me in the nose. What’s next? You are going to kick me in the crotch? Shit Skittles.” Dash manged to calm herself down a little but was still ready to attack. “Alright, who are you? The only one that called me Skittles died two months ago.” “I not dead, yet. But if you ponies keep hitting me I might be dead soon.” He rub his nose. “I like it better when you followed me around on the cloud.” Dash’s eyes widen. “Fffffalco? It’s not possible, princess Luna told us that you died.” “So, I been told.” He stopped rubbing his nose and took a look at good look Dash for the first time, she looked almost like Twilight. Her fur and hair was a mess and she also had bags under her eyes, the only thing that was different was that Dash stank. He wadded a hoof in front of his face. “Wow Skittles, you stink.” She was a little embarrassed. “Yeah, I haven’t taken a shower in a while.” “You don’t say so, here’s what we are going to do.” He walked over to her and stared to push her to her house. “You are going to take a shower and then we are going to the library where your friends are.” She tried to struggle. “Wait a minute.” “No butts, you are going to take a shower.” She wanted to protest but she was to tired, she eventually gave up and went headed to bathroom to take a shower. While she was doing that Falco look around her living room and one thing was clear. “What a mess.” He cloud see junk lying around the room, food scattered around the room. “Time to get to work.” He stared to clean up the mess. “And here I thought that my room on the Great Fox was a mess.” He said while cleaning. When Dash was finished with the shower she felt like a new mare, she walked to the living room and when she arrived, she saw that Falco had cleaned there. “I see that you have been busy.” He was sitting on her couch. “You place was a pigsty, I cleaned your living room.” He got up and headed to the door. “Come on, let’s get to your friends.” “I can’t.” That made Falco stop just as he was about to open the door, he turned around. “What do you mean you can’t?” “I’m supposed to the element of loyalty, but I couldn’t help Twilight when one of the Shadowbolts snap her horn off.” Her ears folded as she looked down at the floor. “It’s my fault that she lost her horn, some friend I am.” “Listen Dash, I talk to Twilight and there was nothing you could have done. You can’t blame yourself.” She walked to him so they were almost face to face. “It is my fault, you weren’t there so you don’t know what happened. You don’t know how I feel.” “You are right, I wasn’t there but I know how you feel.” Dash turned her head away. “I doubt that.” “When I was young me and my friend was playing the forest, it was probably one of the best days of my life until my friend died.” Dash looked him. “We came to a river, a very big river and the only way across it was a tree. I told my friend that the tree didn’t look safe but he didn’t listen, so he stared to walk over. When he almost halfway across the whole thing stared to shake and he feel into the river.” “I just watched as he fell into the river, then stared to float down the river. I stared to run after him trying to find something that could help him, I found nothing. Eventually he manged to grabbed a stone, he held on for his dear life. I told him that I would save him even I didn’t know how, I looked around for something to pull him to safety but I found nothing.” “I felt so helpless that I couldn’t save my friend, but somehow he knew. He just gave me a smile and then he let go of the rock. He drowned and I just watch as he did and here’s the worst past Dash, I was ten years old when it happened. You don’t think how I know how you feel, I know exactly how you feel. But unlike you I didn’t hide in my house, sure I hide in my room for a few days.” “But I promise that I would never let it happen again.” He looked at Dash who was shocked of what she heard. “Don’t you dear tell me that I don’t know how you feel, but the different is that you have still the chance to make a different.” “And what’s that?” “You have a choice here Skittle. You can stay here and fell sorry for yourself or you can do something, and that’s helping me stop the Shadowbolts. The choice is yours.” He turned around and ran out the door, then he jumped of the cloud while shouted “Geronimo.” Dash ran over to the edge of the cloud to see if he was alright, she saw that he was just hovering in the air. “That was not so cool as I thought.” He flew towards the library. “See you around Skittles.” Dash walked back into her house, she closed the door and walked over to her couch and sat down. She let out a long sad sigh. “What am I going to do?” She said to herself. “Falco was right, you are a coward.” A voice told her. Dash looked around to see who was talking, she saw no one. “Great, now I’m losing my mind.” She leant back and looked at the celling. “Don’t you ignore me you coward.” Dash got up. “Alright, show yourself.” Right in front of her appeared a ghostly little filly. “What the... Who are you?” She said while pointed at the filly. “I’m you, you coward.” Dash blink a couple of time. “Your me?” The filly nodded. “How? What’s going on?” “I’ll tell you what’s going on, you are running away from your friend like a coward. That’s what’s going on.” “What friend?” Dash asked the filly. “Twilight Sparkle, you are supposed to be the element of loyalty. Then why not liv up to the title?” Little Dash answered. Dash shook her head. “I don’t deserve the title, I fail her when she needed me.” She hanged her head in shame. “I’m a failure.” “Oh bu uh, you do one mistake and you think you are not worthy. You are not a coward, you are pathetic.” That got Dash to see red. “Don’t you dear call me that, you don’t know me.” Filly Dash hit her head with a hoof. “Duh, I am you, you idiot. Tell me something, did you run away when those kids bully Fluttershy? No, you protect her from them. And right now, Twilight needs her friend and Falco need our help to stop the Shadowbolts. Like Falco said; You can stay here and fell sorry for yourself or you can do something. The choice is yours.” As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the little Dash was right. She didn’t abandon Fluttershy when she was in trouble and she wasn’t about to do it Twilight, Falco and her younger self was right, she was a coward. “I’m not going to stay here and fell sorry for myself, I’m going to help Falco stop the Shadowbolts.” She flew so fast out the door that filly Dash almost fell to floor, she looked out the door. “Wow, I can still see that I’m as fast as I am now.” She then looked around the house. “Can’t complain about the house, it’s awesome.” Rainbow flew as fast as she could towards the library, as she flew she wonder what her friends would say about her behaviour for the last two weeks. Do they hater her, she shook her head. ‘No, they can’t hate me, they are my best friends.’ As she approached the library she could see a pony sitting by the door, it was Falco. She landed beside him. “Why aren’t you inside with the others?” She asked him. He looked at the door. “High and prissy and her friends are inside, Twilight and AJ are trying to convince them that I am alive, and it’s not going well.” He looked at Dash. “Are you ready to face them?” “No really, but I have to face them sooner or later.” She took a deep breath. “Alright, let’s do this.” With that said the both walk into the library to face her friends. > Tracking a Princess > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dash and Falco walked into the library, they could see Dash’s friend standing together, talking. “Twilight and Applejack, please. You are both talking nonsense, you can’t actually believe that Falco is alive, he died two months ago.” Said Rarity. “I have to agree with Rarity on this one, my pink senses haven’t told me that he’s alive.” Said Pinkie. Falco leaned towards Dash. “Do I want to know what ‘pinkie senses’ are?” He asked her. “I advise you to let it go, Twilight tried to figure them out and she just ended up with a headache and a lot of pain.” She answered him. “Got it, ignore pinkie senses.” He then walked towards them. “I don’t know high and prissy, I feel pretty alive.” They all turned towards Falco and Rarity was not happy to see him. “You.” She pointed a hoof at him. “You’re that rube pony that insulted me at Sugarcube corner.” He smiled at that. “That I did.” He took off his saddlebags and put it down on the floor, then he sat down on the couch. “And I just did again a few seconds ago.” Rarity turned towards Twilight. “Just who is this rude pony?” She asked her friend. “This is Falco.” All three of them looked Falco who just a normal expression his face, then at Twilight. “Do you expect us to believe that this rub pony is Falco? The one who sacrificed himself two months ago? I don’t believe you.” Fluttershy and Pinkie nodded in agreement. Falco just rolled his eyes. ‘It seems like I need to convince them.’ He thought. “The first thing I did when I arrived here was to punch Pinkie in the face, then I scared the yellow one.” He pointed at Fluttershy. “And then Dash wanted to punch me in the face.” Rarity and Fluttershy didn’t know what to say while Pinkie ran so fast to him that he didn’t have time to react, she gave him a hug that was a little too hard. “You are alive, we can finally have your party.” She stared to squeeze even harder and Falco had difficulty breathing. Applejack and Dash ran over Pinkie to stop her. “Let him go Pinkie, you are suffocating him.” They manged to pry her off him. Falco feel on the floor trying to regain his breath, Applejack walked over to him. “You okay Falco.” “Am I’m NOT okay.” He pointed a hoof at Pinkie. “She just tried to kill me, again.” “She didn’t mean it.” She tried to tell him, but he didn’t want to listen. “She didn’t mean it? She tried to give me heart attack two months ago and now she tried to strangle me, if this goes on I might be dead before the day is finished. I have already died once, and I would like to stay alive.” He sat back on the couch and stared to rub his neck. “Fuck this hurt.” Pinkie looked down on the floor. “I’m sorry.” “Sorry isn’t going to cut it, I was going to ask you to throw me a party but right now I don’t want to. Here’s an idea, think before you act.” Twilight cleared her throat. “Now that we all know that Falco is alive, you might tell us why you told Applejack to gather us all her.” Falco said nothing, he just looked at Dash. “I think he did that because of me.” Her friends looked at her. “Darling, what do you mean?” Dash hung her head. “I Failed Twilight, I should have saved you, but I was to slow and because of me she lost her horn.” She fell on the floor and stared to cry. “I don’t deserve to be her friend and I don’t deserve the title of loyalty.” Twilight went over to her and gave her hug. “I don’t care that you are not worthy to be the element of loyalty, I just want you to be my friend.” Dash returned the hug. “Thanks Twilight.” The others also joined the hug. Then they looked over to Falco who watch the whole thing. “If you girls think that I’m going to join the hug, then you can think again. I’, not the hugging type.” They all broke the group the hug, Twilight decide to as Falco something. “So, Falco. You said that you would stop the Shadowbolt. How exactly? They are faster and stronger than a normal pegasus, they are even faster than Rainbow and she is the fast pegasus I know.” He just smiled of her question. “I’m glad you asked the question Twilight, I do have a way to stop them. But, if I going to show you then you six must promise me that you aren’t going to tell Celestia that I am alive. Something tells me that she wants to arrest me after I escaped from captivate.” “I think I speak for all us that none of us are going to tell princess Celestia, I’m not even a big fan of her anymore.” Said Twilight, the other nodded in agreement. “Alright then.” Falco went over to his saddlebags and open it with his mouth. “Let’s see here.” Her reached his hoof into the bag and tried to pick up something, but it wasn’t easy for him. “Dame it, how can ponies grab thing with their hoofs? AJ, can you help me.” She walked over to him and looked into the bag. “Which one of them do you want me to take?” She asked him. “The one that has my cutie mark on it.” He told her. AJ reached into the bag and grabbed a neckless that had his cutie mark and put it around Falco’s neck. “Thanks.” He turned to the other’s. “Watch this.” He pressed the cutie mark, when he did metal surrounded his body. When the girls saw that they were so impressed that their jaws fell on the floor, Falco just smiled under his mask. “Pretty cool huh.” He said in a metallic voice. Dash was the first to say something. “That’s so cool.” She ran over to him. “How did you do that?” She asked him. “I think this is what happened to my Arwing.” He told them. That confused them all. “What do you mean by that?” Twilight asked him. “Well Twilight, the couple that found me also found four neckless beside me and after I studied them I found out that they are made of the exact material as my Arwing. I guess that’s the reason Celestia didn’t find my Arwing.” “Whatever happened to you had to happened to your Arwing, I would like to study them.” Twilight said with The helmet disappeared and revealed unhappy Falco. “As I said two months ago, over my dead body. This is what we need to defeat the Shadowbolts and last thing I need is you breaking them.” He told her. Twilight just crossed her forearms and stared to pout. “Pout as much as you want, I’m not given them to you.” He pressed the mark on his chest and the armor disappeared, he gave the bag to Applejack. “Here AJ, you keep it safe.” She hesitated a little. “Are you sure about that?” “Yeah, I trust you.” He just gave her a smile reassuring smile as she took it, he then walked over to blackboard. “Alright then, what do we know about the Shadowbolts?” He asked Twilight and the others. Twilight walked over to him. “As I said before, not much. They are pegasus and they are very skilled flyers.” She told him. “I can confirm that last part.” Said Dash. Rarity. “Their clothes are just hideous.” Fluttershy. “They are very scary.” Pinkie. “They aren’t very nice, they wouldn’t let me throw them a party.” All of them gave Pinkie a question stare. “What? They won’t.” Falco was the first to say something. “Okay, let’s just focus on the important things. Like that they are pegasus and they are good flyers.” Pinkie just sat down on the floor and crossed her hoofs and was not happy. “I think we should fight fire with fire.” “You want to create your own team with four peagsus and try and stop the Shadowbolts?” Twilight asked him. “I already have one pegasus, if she wants to help me.” He turned around and looked at Dash. “What do you say Skittle? Want to help me stop these evil pegasus?” Dash already knew the answer to that. “Yes, I will help you stop them.” That got her fiends to react, special Twilight. “Are you sure Rainbow? The last time you tried to stop them didn’t go so well.” “I am fully aware of that Twilight, but this time I think we have a chance. You saw the armor Falco had and with him as our leader, I think we have a chance to stop them.” Dash told her. “Alright, if you say so. But how are you going to do that? I don’t think that princess Celestia is going to help you.” Dash didn’t have answer for that but Falco. “You are right Twilight, Celestia isn’t going to help use. Luna are.” All of them looked at him with confusion, Twilight was one who had to ask. “Say what? How can she help you? She is a wanted criminal, according to princess Celestia.” Falco just smiled. “Call it a hunch.” That got Twilight’s jaw to drop. “You are going on a hunch?” Falco just smiled. “You got to be kidding me.” She just walked to her blackboard shaking her head. “This is all well and all, but I want to talk about the elephant in the room.” Said Rarity. When Pinkie heard that she got curious. “Oh, there’s an elephant in the library? Isn’t it a little big to be in a library.” When they heard that, there was mix reactions. Twilight slammed her head against blackboard, Dash was on the floor laughing, Applejack and Fluttershy couldn’t help but smile of what she said while Falco wasn’t sure if she serious or not. “Pinkie dear, it’s just a metaphor. It’s means that we are ignoring the obvious problem.” Rarity explained to Pinkie who let out a bit oh. “And that’s how Falco is still alive, princess Luna told us that you sacrifice yourself to save us. How are you still alive?” “I don’t know, I’m no expert in magic. What I remember was that I woke up in a bed after what I did.” He told her. Applejack decide to say something. “Why did it take you two months to come here?” “First of, I was hurt. It took me a week before I was healed and the second was that I didn’t have any money, the couple that found me said that they could pay for it all, but I refused. I decide to get a job to pay for boat and train ticket, I was just glad I found a job and I had to learn how to fly. After seven weeks I had enough. How I am alive, I have no idea.” Falco wasn’t giving them an answer, so they look at Twilight for the answer, she was busy writing something on a piece of paper with her magic. She stopped when she saw her friends looking at her. “I don’t know.” She went back to the paper. Rarity blinked a few times. “Well, I did not expect that.” “Look, it doesn’t matter how I am alive and to be honest I don’t care. We live in a world where magic is possible, can we just leave it at that.” Again, it was not the answer they were looking for, but they said nothing. “Now, if you all will excuse me and Dash, we have a princess to find.” He stared to walked towards the door but didn’t get very far. “Wait.” He stopped and looked at Twilight. “I would like to talk to Falco alone for few minutes.” Falco just gave her a nod, he then looked over to Dash. “Wait for me at AJ farm, I be there as soon as I can.” Dash just gave him a salute and walked out the door, her friends followed her. Then it was just him and Twilight. “So, what do want to talk about Twilight?” “I want to thank you.” That got Falco to tilt his head to the side. “Thank me? For what?” “For what you did to Spike, you help him when I didn’t. I didn’t do anything and princess Celestia didn’t gave any answer, so I’m glad that you brought him to his father.” Falco just waved a hoof. “Don mention it, I’m just glad that the little guy is with his father. But there’s one thing I don’t understand, why didn’t you help Spike? Why didn’t you try to find them?” Twilight hang her head in shame. “I don’t know alright, it never came up.” Then her ears fell. “I was like a big sister for him and I didn’t do anything.” Falco walk over to her and gave her a hug, he doesn’t normally do this stuff but this he made an exception. “There, There.” He said while patting her on her back. Twilight just stood there, taking the hug. It didn’t fell right. “You don’t do this often, do you?” “No, no I don’t.” They just stood there. “You can let go now.” She told him. He did that. “Thank god, it was getting awkward.” Now, they just stood there not knowing what to do. Falco cleared his throat. “Well, if you will excuse me. I have a princess to find.” He started to walk towards the door, he stopped just before the door. “Oh, there’s one thing. I kind of threw up in your flower two months ago.” She pointed a hoof at him. “That was you?” “I didn’t mean it, Luna teleported me and AJ from the castle. I didn’t know the trip would make me throw up.” He tried to explain to her. Twilight scratched her cheek. “I guess that make sense, I guess is because ponies have resistance against magic while other species…” “Wow, wow. I didn’t not ask for you to go into geek mood.” Twilight just gave him annoying glance, which he ignored. “Now, if you will excuse me. I have princess to find.” He ran out the door before Twilight could say anything else. Falco landed in front of the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Dash was waring for him there. “Ready to find a princess?” He asked her. “Sure, but how are we going to find her? Princess Celestia has searched over all of Equestrian and found nothing, how are we going to find princess Luna.” Falco just gave her cocky smile. “I already know where she is thanks to my armor, follow me.” He took flight towards the Everfree forest, Dash hesitated a little when she saw where he was flying towards, she eventually followed him. After flying over the forest in silence, Dash decide to ask Falco something. “Have you figured out who ells that could joined the team?” Falco didn’t hesitate to answer. “No.” Dash almost stopped flying when she heard that. “What do you mean by no? I thought you had a plan, I thought you knew who to join the team.” He looked at her. “How the hell should I know that? I’m not from this world and the only peagsus I have ever meet is you, the yellow one with pink hair who is afraid and Celestia’s guards. So, tell me how I could possible know who to join the team.” Dash opened her mouth to answer but she had no answer, he was right. He wasn’t from this world and the only pegasus he had meet was herself, Fluttershy and Celestia’s guards. “Sorry, I forgot.” She said with embarrassment in her voice. Falco just shrugged it off. “Don’t worry about it, I was hoping you knew a pony that would be willing to help us.” Dash thought for a moment and she knew a pony. “Yeah, I know of a pony. My old flight instructor, Dawn Star.” “Is she a good flyer?” He asked her. “She is one of the best there is, she taught me fly and thanks to her I am now the fastest flyer in Equestria.” Falco could hear Dash brag about herself. “Begging fast doesn’t mean that you are the best, you need skills to back it up.” Dash just rolled her eyes of what he said. “I know that.” She said in and annoyed tone, Falco just laugh at the way she answered. After some flying, Falco and Dash landed inside the old castle in the Everfree forest. They landed in the throne room and the first thing they saw was two thrones, one had sun over it and the other had a moon. It also looked like nobody had been in the castle for centuries. Falco looked around. “So, I’m guessing that this is Celestia and Luna’s old castle.” Rainbow walked over to a column and touched it. “Yeah, I heard that they lived happy here. Until Nightmare Moon took over princess Luna.” Falco raised an eye brown of what Dash said. “Say what?” She looked at him. “Ask Twilight about Nightmare Moon, she knows the story better than me.” Falco decide not to say any more about that, he active the armor, Dash walked over to him. “How are we going to find the princess? I know for a fact the princess Celestia has already search here, five times and she found nothing.” “Luna is here, I’m getting a strong signal from her headset.” Dash just gave him a confused look. “It’s like a magic signal.” He explained to her. “Oh, why didn’t you just say that.” Falco just rolled his eyes under the armor. “It looks like the signal is coming from down below, no wonder Celestia didn’t find her sister.” He took a few steps back. “I’m going to blast a hole in the floor, so I suggest you step away.” Dash did as he said, and Falco summons out a couple pf blaster from his armor, he aimed them down on the ground and was about to fire when the floor opened up. he looked over to Dash. “Hide.” Dash ran over to one of the column while Falco disappeared. Falco watch as the floor opened up and moved back, he could see stairs going down and the two bat ponies walked up from the floor, both were male. Falco moved away very quietly so they wouldn’t hear him or know that he was there. “Can you believe it? That we have to live underground like this.” Said one of them. “What can we do? We are wanted criminals, thanks to Celestia.” Said the other one who looked older than the first one. “It’s just stupid, princess Luna wasn’t responsible for what happened, and Falco Lombardi saved us all by sacrifice himself to save us all. I saw it with my own eyes.” Said the young guard. The older guard just shrugged his shoulder. “What are we going to do? Celestia’s guard are twice are large as princess Luna’s and it looks like that Celestia has more power than princess Luna.” He then pressed one of his hoofs on a necklace that was hanging around his neck, when he did that he changed into a normal pegasus. He then looked at the young guard. “Now come on, we have work to do.” He then took to the sky. The younger guard just stood there. “I still think it’s stupid.” He then also pressed the necklace hanging around his neck and he also changed into a normal pegasus, before he flew away he pressed a switch on the floor and the floor started to move again and it was back into it original place, he then took off after the other one. Once they were gone, Dash poked her head out from the column to see if the coast was clear. She couldn’t see anyone. “Falco? Are you here?” She walked out from it and started to look around. “Falco? Where are you?” She got no answer. “I’m right here.” Falco reappeared right beside Rainbow making here jump a couple of feet in the air, she landed on the ground with thump. She managed pulled herself up. “Was it really necessary to scare me like that?” She asked with an annoying voice. Falco removed the armor. “Yes.” He walked over to the switch in the floor and pressed it with his hoof, then the floor started to move revealing stairs that was going down. “Come on, let’s talk to Luna.” He walked down the stairs and Dash followed him. > Talking to a Princess > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After finding the secret entrance, Falco and Rainbow was walking down some stairs. The stairs was light up with blue light that was hanging on the wall. Falco, who was walking in front, looked back and saw that Dash was nervous. “Would you relax Skittles.” He told her on a calm tone. “Relax? How can I relax? We are going to be wanted ponies if we go thought with this.” Falco stopped and looked her straight in eyes. “Then what should we do? Go and talk to Celestia? She hasn’t done anything since the Shadowbolts showed up six weeks ago and if we went to her, there’s a big chance that I would get arrested, you could get arrested, then your friends. Do you want that?” She looked down on the floor. “No, I don’t want that.” Falco nodded. “Thought so, sometimes when you want to do the right thing you have to it the wrong thing.” She looked up at him. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” “No, it’s not.” Dash blinked a few time. “Wow, you suck when it comes to pep talks.” Falco just shrugged his shoulders. “It’s gift, now come on, let find Luna.” They continued to walk down the stairs. When they finally reached end of the stairs they were surprised of what they saw, it was a giant room filled with bat ponies. They saw some of them on a table on the left and right, they where working on something which they couldn’t see. In the middle of the room was a giant table and standing beside was three bat ponies and Luna herself. Then Falco decide to speak. “Wow tuts, quite the operation you got here.” That got ever bat pony and Luna too look at them, Dash look at Falco like he had gone mad or something. Then a bat pony with purple hair stared too look around. “Why are you standing there like statues? We have intrudes, move it.” That got every bat pony to react, they grabbed sword and spears, they ran over to Falco and Dash and pointed the weapons towards them. Dash became worried while Falco didn’t react at all. “Wow, when it comes to a hero’s welcome, this one suck the most.” He then look at Luna. “Hey, tuts, is this what I get for saving your ass?” The way he talk to Luna didn’t not the purple bat pony like, she walk to him. “How dare you talk to princess Luna like that.” Said one off the bat pony who was pointed a sword against him. “I talk the way I wanted, that’s what make me so charming.” He said with a big smile on his face. The guard didn’t look amused of what he said. “Wow, tough crowed.” Dash decided to say something. “It’s wise to anger them? They have weapons and you don’t.” He looked at her. “Do you really think that swords and spears scare me? I have my armour, I just active it and kick their asses.” That got the guard to laugh. Luna on other hand, had just watch the hole thing, trying to figure out of he was really Falco Lombardi. He talk like him, which means that he bad mouth. Then the guard started to shout at them, she decided to do something before the situation got out of hand. She walked towards them. “Guards, stand down.” That shocked the guards, even Dash was shocked, a little. “Your highness, you can’t be serious. They are intrudes, we should put them in jail.” Said the same guard as before. “I said stand down.” None of the guard listen to Luna and she did not like that. “I SAID STAND DOWN, NOW.” That got them to put away the weapons. “Get back to your stations, NOW.” The guard could hear the anger in her voice and decided it was not wise to anger her more, they went back to work. Once they were gone, it was just two pegasus, a bat pony and alicorn left. Luna decided to ask the question. “Ok Falco, how are you alive? I saw you sacrifice yourself to save us all, so I’ll ask again; how are you alive?” She asked him with narrows eyes. Falco looked over to Dash. “Something tells me that ‘how I am alive’ is going to be mentioned a lot.” Dash just snicker off what he said. He looked back at Luna. “I don’t know what to tell you tuts, magic?” Luna just gave him a look that said he was crazy. “That’s your answer? Magic?” Falco just rolled his eyes. “What do you want me to say? I really don’t know how I am alive I remember ramming my Arwing into the enemy ship and then I woke up on a beach near Sun shore city. That’s what I remember.” Then the bat pony beside Luna decide to speak. “Do you honesty expect us to believe that?” Falco looked at the bat pony. “Who the hell are you?” “My name is Shadow, and I am the captain of the Night guards, and you will threat the princess with respect.” Falco just snorted. “Yeah, that’s not going to happened.” Shadow was not happy with that answer and was about to give Falco a piece of her mind, but Luna held hoof in front of her, stopping her. “It’s ok Shadow.” Shadow looked at Luna with shocked expression. “Princess Luna, you can’t be serious, he called you tuts. That’s no way to talk to you.” “I said it was ok Shadow, he can call me that if he wants to and something tells me he’ll say it anyway, no matter what we say to him.” Shadow was in shocked, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Princess Luna, her princess was okay with that Falco could call her tuts. For as long as she has served the princess, none have called her tuts or anything ells, expected for her sister Celestia. Shadow look over to Falco who had a smudged smiled on his face. Is was official, Shadow didn’t like him at all. “Before I asked you why you are here Falco, I want to know how you found us. My sister has been here before and have not found us so, how did you?” “Your headset, it has a tracking beacon.” Luna just confused, and Falco saw that. “Right, you don’t know what it is. Do you ponies use any form of magic tracking?” Luna nodded. “Yes, we use it when we don’t want to lose things.” “It’s just like that, I track you headset here.” He look around. “And I have to say, it’s quite the operation you have her tuts.” That was the last straw for Shadow, she flew towards him, faster then Falco could react and pinned him to the wall. “I had enough, you will not call the princess ‘tuts’, you will talk to her with respect.” She said in the most treating voice that she could. Falco didn’t react at all. “Is that all?” He said in calm tone which Shadow didn’t like. She was about to punch him but never got the chance. “Captain Shadow, that’s is enough.” Shadow look over to Luna. “Let him go him now.” Shadow was just confused. “But, why? He is insulting you when he is calling you ‘tuts’ and I won’t allow it.” She went back to punching Falco, this time Luna pulled her back with her magic. Shadow was yanked away from Falco with levitation magic, Luna brought the captain to her, so they were face to face and the princess was not happy. “Did you just disobey my order?” Shadow didn’t try to answer, she started to sweat. “Answer me.” “But, he insulted you by calling you…” Luna cut her off. “Answer me captain.” Luna said her own threating voice. Shadow looked down on the floor. “Yes, I did disobey your order.” Luna was satisfied by her answer. “Good, don’t do it again. Understood.” Shadow nodded, Luna place her back on the ground, she then looked over the rest of the room. “This goes for the rest you to, don’t disobey my orders again, understood?” All bat ponies in the room saluted and she was happy by that, she then looked at Falco and Dash. “Now, the reason that you two are here. I’m guessing it’s because of those Shadowbolts.” Both of them nodded. “Yeap, we are going to try and stop them, and I was hoping that you had some information about them.” Luna shocked her head. “Not much I am afraid, my bat ponies has tried to get information about them ever since they first appear, but they haven’t had much luck.” “They disappeared as fast as they appeared.” Shadow told them while walking back to where she stood before. “We know that they are pegasus and they are skilled flyers and that’s it.” Falco was not pleased when he heard that. “That’s it? that’s all you got?” Both Luna and Shadow nodded. Falco let out a frustrated groan, he had hope that Luna had more information about them. “That’s all Twilight had on them.” He then slammed his head into the table. “Ouch, that hurt. Also, we are right back where we were, knowing nothing about them.” He then look at Luna. “Do you at least know about any skilled pegasus.” Luna raised an eyebrow of that. “Why?” He just gave her a smile. “Me and Dash are going to form are own team.” When Shadow heard that she couldn’t help but snort. “And how are you two going to defat them? They are too fast for any normal pegasus.” Falco just keep on smiling. “A magician never reveal his tricks.” Shadow was annoyed by that answer but never got to say anything. “Matter of fact, yes. I know off a pegasus, have you ever heard about the Wonderbolts?” Falco just gave Luna a confused look. “Who the hell are they?” He had never heard about them. “I could tell you about them, but I think that Rainbow Dash knows more about them than I do.” Falco look at Dash who was more then happy to tell about them. “The Wonderbolts are the best flyer in all of Equestria, they are just so awesome.” Falco could hear the enthusiasm in her voice but that was replaced by sadness very fast. “Unfortunately, they disappeared about six weeks ago.” “Wait a minute, are you telling me that they just disappeared?” Dash nodded. Falco look at Luna after that. “Then why did you mention them?” Luna used her magic to pick up a folder. “Not all of them are missing, Soarin.” Dash perk up when she heard that name. “Soarin is still here?” Luna nodded. She levitated the folder to Falco who tried to grabbed it but no luck, he dropped it on the floor. “Soon of a bitch, two months in this body and I can’t still grabbed things.” He decided to read on the ground. “I can see that he is a skilled flyer, he’s not as fast as the other.” Luna couldn’t help but giggle a little by Falco, Dash was trying to contain her laugher, while Shadow wasn’t sure what she was seeing. Luna decide to use her magic to help Falco, she brought the folder up, so she could read it better. “Thanks, my neck started to hurt.” He read it again. “It looks like he is in Manhattan.” He look over to the princess. “How the hell do you know that?” She put the folder down on the table. “After we heard that the Wonderbolts disappeared and that Soarin was still around, we decided to keep an eye on him, so he wouldn’t vanish like the others.” Falco was impressed by that “That’s actually a good idea.” He then look around the room. “But, how are your bat ponies moving around? We saw two of them changing appearance.” Luna became a little nervous. “Well…” Before she could answer, a door open and a blue unicorn with light blue hair and tail came out. “The great and powerful Trixie has done it again, I have created another necklaces.” All eyes were on the unicorn. “Yes, give Trixie your attention because she deserve it.” She looked around the room with pride on her face, until she saw two pegasus ponies. She didn’t recognise the stallion but the mare. She did. Dash and Trixie pointed a hoof at each other and said at the same time. “YOU.” Falco look between them. “Do you know her Skittles?” “You could say that, last time I saw her she imprisoned entire Ponyville because she was jealousy off Twilight.” Dash answered with some irritation in her voice. “Yes, not Trixie’s greatest moment but I am a chance pony.” She then saw that the stallion was just staring at her. “What? Are you amaze by the great and powerful Trixie’s beauty?” “No, I am just wondering if you are going to pull a rabbit out of that hat yours or your ass.” After that comment, the entire rom became quiet, the only thing that was making noise was Dash who was on the floor, laughing. Every bat pony eyes widen, and Trixie’s mouth was on the floor, while Luna had trouble containing her laughter. “How dare you speak to Trixie like that, don’t you know how I am?” “I don’t know how you are, and I don’t care, I just don’t like other who think they are better than others.” Trixie was mad, she was not going to let this pony talk her like that, her horn started to glow and was about to shoot the pegasus. “Trixie, don’t.” Luna’s words made her stop. “But he insulted Trixie, he should be punished.” “Yes, he insulted you but that doesn’t give you the right to attack him. He is now an allied in our fight against the Shadowbolts and we need him alive, get back to making more necklaces.” Trixie was about to protest but when she saw Luna glance, she decided not to test her luck. She walked back to the room mumbling something they didn’t hear. After she was gone. Dash, who had manged to calm herself down, look at Luna as she had gone mad. “Why did you ask her for help? You know what she have done, right?” She almost shouted at the princess. “I know what she have done Rainbow Dash, but I needed a way to disguise my guards so my sister’s guards wouldn’t arrest them. My first thought was to ask Rarity, but I couldn’t risk her talking to Celestia, then I remember seeing Trixie’s show and when I asked her, she was happy to help.” Dash was still not happy. “Can we get back to the point here?” Said Falco. “I would like to get this done and get out of this place, it’s starting to give me the creeps.” “It’s not that bad.” Luna told him. “Well, you have been here for two months, you’ve got used to it.” Luna nodded her head. “You have a point there. What are you going to next?” “Well, I am going to Manhattan to talk to Soarin tomorrow and Dash here.” He look over to the rainbow pegasus. “She is going to ask her mentor to help us, wherever she is.” Luna looked over to Dash who just nodded. “So, you are really going to try and stop the Shadowbolts.” Falco just smile. “Are you familiar with the city of Manhattan?” “No, how could I? I have only been here a couple of days.” “Good point.” Luna looked at Shadow. “Captain, I want you to assignee a guard to help Falco in Manhattan.” She then looked the captain straight into her eyes. “That’s an order.” Shadow swallowed that big lump she had in the throat. “Yes, your highness.” Shadow looked over the room to see which guard, all of them busy with their own stuff expect for one. She saw a guard that sleeping while standing straight. “Hey, Blood Rain.” No answer, she picked up a rock then threw it at the guard’s head, the stone hit the guard’s helmet and it manged to wake the guard up. Falco wanted to have better look at the bat pony, he walked around the table to have a look, Dash followed him. Her mane and tail are a dark red and cobalt blue about half and half, there was one thing that stood out, she had normal pegasus wings. Blood Rain smack her mouth a couple of time while trying to wake up. “Is there something you want captain?” She said in a tired tone, while walking towards the group. “Yes, I want you to escorted Falco to where Soarin is in Manhattan tomorrow.” “Yes, captain.” Blood Rain saluted. “Now we have settle that, I am staying at apple farm.” Falco told his escorted, Blood Rain nodded. “See you tomorrow.” He hand Dash started to walk towards the exit, but they didn’t get very far. “Wait a minute you two.” Luna told them while walking towards them. “I want to know that you aren’t going to tell anypony that we are hiding here, especially Twilight Sparkle.” “I don’t have any problem lying.” Falco told her. Dash was the first to question that. “You are living with Applejack, she is like a bloodhound when it comes to a liar, she can sniff out a lie.” “Oh please, I can beat a lie detector, I can beat her.” Dash could hear the confident in his voice, but she was still worried. “And besides, I can just tell her that I am lying to protect her.” Luna was satisfied with his answer. “Very well.” Luna then look at Dash. “What about you Rainbow Dash? Can you keep this secret from your friends.” She answered right away. “Yes, unlike Applejack, I can keep a secret and I also can just say that I am lying to protect them.” Luna was also satisfied with Dash’s answer. “Good, I will tell my bat pony in Ponyville that they will report to you Falco when these Shadowbolts appeared.” Falco nodded. “Sounds good to me.” With that done, he and Dash left. “There’s a lever you can use to open the secret door.” Luna said to them before they left. Once they had climbed the stair to the hideout, Falco found the lever and floor opened up, once they were outside, Falco pressed the switch on the floor and the hidden door closed. “Ok, that’s pretty cool.” He looked over to Dash who had a worried face. “Something wrong Dash?” “I am just worried about princess Celestia finding out about us.” “As long as your friends don’t run their mouth, we will be fine. Try not to think about things that might happened, it will drive you crazy.” She gave him a small smile. “You have a point.” “Come on, let’s head back.” Both spread their wings and flew up. Once they were over the trees, they notice that sun was setting. “Holy crap, how long were we done there?” Said Falco. “I have no idea.” Dash looked over to Falco. “Do I have to go to Clodsdale today? It’s getting late.” “Nah, just go there when you can tomorrow. It’s going to take me all day to find this Soarin, let’s just head home for now.” Dash didn’t argue with that. They both flew towards Ponyville. Once they were over Sweet Apple Acres, they said goodbye to each other, Falco flew down towards the house while Dash counited to Ponyville. Falco landed not far from the house, once he was at the door, he walked straight inn. Once inside, he could see Applejack and the rest of her family eating supper. Falco couldn’t help but smile of what he saw, a family that eat and was happy, didn’t care about what happened around them. It remembers about his own friends, Fox, Slippy and Peppy. He missed them. Applejack, who was sitting with her back to him, heard that he entered the house. She turned around. “Hey Falco, want to join us?” She asked him. That made the whole family to look at him. Falco shocked his head. “No thanks, I tiered after a long day. I am going to bed.” Applejack could hear that was something was wrong but decide not to ask. “Ok, if you say so. Good night.” They all watch bas he walked up the stairs to the second floor. Apple bloom looked at her sister with a worried face. “Is there something wrong with Falco?” The youngest asked her sister. “I don’t know Bloom, I’ll asked him tomorrow.” With that said, they went back to their food. Later that night. Applejack was sleeping peacefully in her own bed she was dreaming that she and Falco was on a date. They were both sitting under a tree, looking at the stars, they looked in each other eyes and was about to kiss when suddenly Falco disappeared, of some noise. Applejack opened her tired eyes, she could hear some noise coming from the hallway, it sounds like someone was walking. She managed to get up from her bed, she managed to look at the clock, it was 3 am. She walked towards the door, not still awake. He opened the door and she saw a pony walking past her, it was Falco. ‘Where is he going?’ She watched as he walked down the stairs, she decided to follow him. Once outside, she tried to see if she could spot Falco. It was easy, he was sitting by the barn. She walked towards him and she got closer she could see that he was holding something with both hoofs, it was a bottle. As she got closer, she could smell the alcohol. He was drinking. “Falco?” Falco stopped drink for a moment. “Hey, it’s Applejack, the mare who is in love with me. Want to have drink with me?” He asked her in an intoxicated state. “No thanks, are you drink alcohol?” “Yeap, it’s sooooooo good, are you sure you won’t have some?” “Yes, I am sure.” Falco shrugged his shoulders. “More for me then.” He went back to the bottle. Applejack walked over to him and tried and tried to take the bottle away from him, Falco didn’t like that. “What the hell?” “I don’t want you drink on my farm, give me the bottle.” Falco tired to hold on the bottle but Applejack was surprisingly strong. “I need it, it’s keeps away the nightmare.” He managed to take away the bottle from AJ but that’s because she let go of it. “Nightmare? What kind of nightmares?” She asked with concerns in her voice. “Of my fucking death.” He took a slip of the bottle. “Two weeks after I was ‘alive’ again, the nightmare started, of me crashing my ship into Andross ship. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night, I have lost sleep thanks to this fucking nightmare and the only thing that helps are alcohol.” He took another sip of the bottle. “Now, if you are not going to join me. You can fuck of and leave me alone.” He went back to the bottle. Applejack was in utter shock when she heard what Falco said, there was no way she could comprehend how to relive his death. The only thing she could do was to help him, and the first thing was to take away the alcohol. She grabbed the bottle with force this time, she managed to take it away from Falco, she then threw it away from him. The bottle landed in a rock and smashed in half, spilling the alcohol. “What the hell Applejack, that was my last bottle.” He said to her in an angry voice. “Good, as I said before, I don’t want to drink on my farm. That’s not the answer.” She retorted. “It’s the only thing that work, thanks to you I am going to have nightmare for the rest of my life.” He snapped back at her. Then Applejack suggested. “Maybe princess Luna can help you?” “She can’t, she has already tried, and she can’t help me.” Applejack looked at him with a sombre face. “Don’t you dare look at me like that, I don’t need your sympathy or anyone ells.” He then started to cry. “I just want the nightmare to stop.” He then broke down and started to cry even more. Applejack just watch as he cried. She did the only thing she could do she gave him a hug. He didn’t return it, he just cried on her shoulder. “Come on.” Let’s get you back to bed.” He didn’t say anything he just followed her back to the house. Once they were inside. Applejack lead him back to his room and got him back to the bed, she then walked out and closed the door. ‘Poor guy, this can’t be easy for him.’ She had no idea what he was going through. On her way back to her own room, she passed by Mac’s room. He was standing in the doorway. “What’s wrong with Falco?” He asked his sister. Applejack looked back at the guestroom. “He’s going through some personal problems at the moment.” She looked at her brother. “I don’t want to say anything without his permission.” Mac just nodded, if his sister doesn’t want to say anything, then he won’t push her. He went back into his room and closed the door. Applejack want back to her own room. She lay on her bed, just staring up at the celling, she couldn’t help but worried about Falco. She had no idea what he was going through. She eventually fell asleep.