> Ponycraft: Loyalty To The Past
>  by Hyperion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Episode 1: Darkness over Arion Sara
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I have a loyalty that runs in my bloodstream, when I lock into someone or something, you can’t get me away from it because I commit that thoroughly. That’s in friendship..." Jerry Lewis 

The sun is setting beyond the mountains and the red sky slowly becomes the night and the stars fill in the sea of darkness, until the dark sea is filled with bright tiny lights. But within that sea of stars, something was zooming under it and leaving behind a bright pink and blue blur. The blur started to descend and hovered above a small town and stayed there. The figured softly landed on the town's sign with "Blackwater" written on it. The figure was a young pink mare Pegasus, with a dark blue mane. She was wearing a police uniform jacket and around her waist, was a handgun and a radio device. She looked around the town and could see the town folks of yaks and ponies walking around and waving at her. She waved back and sighed as she took out her radio and called in to her dispatch.

"Yuna? Are you there?" asked the young mare through the radio system of the local police station dispatch office.
The black chair at the desk spun around to reveal a young female pink Yak with a light teal mane with pigtails and like the Pegasus, she too, is wearing the same uniform but more deck out with pins and pockets filled with treats. She picked up the ear mic and answered the call.

"Yuna here. What is it Firefly?"

Yuna sat back and spun her chair towards the desk next to her and started to take a hoof full of donuts from the box that was sitting on the desk and then grabbing her own coffee cup. She once again sat back and tossed all the donuts into mouth and started to chew the white powder treats loudly. So loud that the Pegasus known as Firefly quickly sighed.
"Yuna, you better not eating all those donuts I bought...bucking again..."

Yuna black eyes widen with fear and she slowly opened her mouth to shove the wet chewed up donuts back into the box where she got them from.

"Don't be silly pony friends! Yuna won't ever do that...again..."

Firefly placed her hoof on her face and slowly dragged it down in disbelief that her childhood friend would keep doing that to her donuts. She set the radio between her head and shoulder and took out a pair of binoculars and started to sweep the town.

"Look never mind that, can you give me the location of the marshall? Not seeing her around the inner part of town. I’m guessing she moved on into the farmer areas?"

"The marshall pony? I thought she went home for the day?" replied Yuna through the radio.

Firefly lowered her binoculars and set them back on her belt and flies off into the farming part of town and became pissed 
off as she called back in with the radio in her hoof and taking out a piece of paper.

"Not today and I have been receiving reports from yaks and ponies from Blackwater, that some old drunk with their hover bike, been doing wheelies and blasting loud music!"

Yuna sat back in her chair with her phone to play some mobile game and shipping a bit of her coffee before turning on the computer. soon, the screen was showing a radar. It soon started to sweep the terrain for something.

"Pony friend, you sure it's the marshal? Marshal drinks a lot of such but drunk driving? That's new even for her!"
Firefly stopped over a huge opened field of corn and started to read the report while still looking around.

"Yeah, it's her alright. Reports matches up with her features. Dark brown mane, light blue skin, beat up whateverbolts jacket, shitty hover bike, smells like beer, looks like a dumbass while dancing on her bike...I could keep going with the report but I rather find her as soon as I can before she does something stupid...again...god, we're still paying off Sun bean damages. How can you burn down a barn with just a beer can and beans!?"

"Yuna can take a guess..." whispered the Yuna as tried to remove the image from her mind but as did so, the screen started to beep loudly. Yuna typed on the screen and sent the information to Firefly device, which created a hologram of the area she's in.

"Thanks Yuna! I'll get back as soon as I can! Firefly out!"

The radio went dead and Yuna removed her headset and returned playing on her phone but stopped as she felt the building shaking with force. She turned to the window of the office and could see the smoking blasting from the vents from the metal streets. Ponies and Yaks in the streets started to cough but seemed to be used to it.

"Yuna grandmother is up to something big? The smoke isn't followed by fire this time!"
Within seconds of saying that, Yuna watched as the folks started to move away from the vents as fired blazed out. Yuna smiled as she returned to her phone.

"New Ponyville is always buzzing with life, thanks grandmother!"

Meanwhile, Firefly soars through the land and came to a full stop as she came to a position that was given to her. She could see a hover bike that crashed into the side of a barn and next to it was a pony that matched the reports. Firefly shut her eyes in anger as she could see the farms mailbox that read "Sun bean". She flew over to the crash site and hovered next to the throwing up mare.

"Why? Why of all of places!? Why here again!?" yelled Firefly, as she reaches down and looked over the damaged wall of the barn. The drunk mare finally finished puking her guts out and was back to drinking her six pack of beer that was hanging from her hoof but still didn't take notice of Firefly.

"GRANDMA! HELLO!? WHAT THE BUCK!? ARE YOU DEATH!?"
The blue pony turned around and smiled as she saw Firefly standing there in anger. She smashes the beer can with her forehead and tossed it over her shoulder and took another can before talking to her.

"What's up Firesides! W-what...a-are you doing here?" said the pony as she drunkenly walked over and offered the young mare a beer.

"You know I don't bucking drink, you old hag! Get that away from me!" ordered Firefly as she smacked the can out of the pony hoof.

"Well, more for me then!" The pony grinned as she picked up the beer can and tried to open it but fell backwards and started to laugh like an idiot.

"oopsies! I fell over!"

Firefly couldn't stand it anymore and walked over to the hover bike, it was a 98 Vulture model bike, with it's long body and thruster packs on the sides. The bike smelled like throw up and shit as she tried to turn it on.

"Dear god, what was the last time you wash this piece of junk?" cried Firefly as she finally got it to start up and free it from the barn wall.

"My b-baby isn't junk!" yelled the blue pony as she sat up from the ground but watched as the vulture started to blast out black smoke from the exhaust and gears falling out from sides

"Okay, she's junk but she's my junk Firesides!"

Firefly quickly shot a glare at her grandmother after hearing that nickname.

"Oh my god, stop calling me that! I'm not a filly anymore!" yelled Firefly as she powered down the vulture and walked over to her "Anyway, why are you bucking drunk out here? You mostly stay in the house or in Billy's Bar to drink."

"Marshal pony is here because I called her, Miss Firefly pony."
Firefly and her grandmother turned to see a mid age female yak with two young pony yak hybrid children. She seemed to be holding bags on her sides. Firefly looked worried.

"Hello miss Bean, I'm sorry about the barn...again. Just make out the damages to the office like before. Looks like Mr. Bean isn't here...huh?"

Firefly stopped as she noticed that Mrs Bean started to tear up. Firefly quickly panic and tried to calm her down.
"I'm sorry Firefly pony...it's just that my husband hasn't returned after checking on the fence yesterday night."
Firefly was confused but her grandmother pushed her to the side and looked to be on the level as she walked over to Mrs Bean.

"I checked the area out like you said. It was like what you told me a few hours ago, the fences were destroyed and there are claw marks..."

Firefly walked over and demand to know what's going on, which made her grandmother to ask Mrs Bean to take out a cut up cowboy hat, which belonged to Mr Bean.

"This was found near the fence this morning. Something happened to him..."
The blue pony quickly turned to the kids and smiled as she dust off the hat and returned it to their mother "Like the idiot got drunk like me and ran off to the wasteland. Don't worry kids, ya papa is fine."

The kids looked at each other and then back at the blue pony and started to cry. She was taken aback by this and tried to calm them down but wasn't working, so Mrs Bean bought them back into the house.

"Does this got to do with the reports with livestock being killed during these past few days as well, you old hag?"
The pony nodded and walked passed Firefly and leaned on her bike as she crack open another beer.

"Random attacks on livestocks around Blackwater...and it's not often but yaks and ponies are going missing as well..."

"Could be the wildlife, right?" questioned Firefly as she smacked the beer can from her grandmother hoof.

"...no. The naïve wildlife don't run in packs. What I have been noticing in these livestock attacks are all the same. large amount of paw prints, too many for just one...reminds me of "them"..."

Firefly was confused as she never saw her grandmother so serious before, since she was mostly drunk or bitter about something. Before she could ask a question, Mrs Bean returned without the kids.

"Marshal Rainbow Dash pony...I know he's dead...just please, bring..."

Dash puts a hoof on Mrs Bean shoulder and just nodded. Firefly watched as Mrs Bean left while holding back her tears. Dash returned to her granddaughter and the bike. Dash picked up the tossed beer cans and put them in the trunk and sat in the driver seat and looked over to her granddaughter.

"What is it Firesides?"

"Why did she call you Rainbow? Is it because of your cutie mark?" asked Firefly as she watched as the bike came to life by the turned on the key.
Dash didn't answer her and just took off, leaving Firefly in the dust. Dash drove down the dirt road and tried to forget what her granddaughter asked, as she felt her brown mane. She wasn't rainbow dash, the great wonderbolt or one of the heroes of the old world. She was just Dash now, the local marshal of New Ponyville and Blackwater.

"HEY!"

Dash looked into her side mirror and she could see Firefly trying to catch up. Dash cracks a smile as she increases her speed, she wanted to leave her grandkid in the dust but since she has the rainbow bloodline, Firefly could reach her, but Dash didn't give a crap as she slowly looked at Firefly flank. Her grandkid cutie mark was like hers but instead of a rainbow bolt, it was a blue bolt.

"HEY! YOU HAG, WHERE ARE WE GOING!?" yelled Firefly as she landed behind Dash and held on tight as the bike started to take off into the air as it turned into an air bike, the reason it was called a Vulture in the first place.

"Back home! I need to pick up something from the Gearhead!"

"Gearhead!? You mean Yuna grandma? Pinkie Pie?" asked Firefly as the bike soars pass Blackwater welcome sign and in the distance, she could see her home. New Ponyville city, as the city was resting over the buried remains of the colony ship that bought her kind to this planet. She recalls learning the ship's name from school, it was known as the "Hyperion", one of the four colony ships that crashed into Arion Sara five thousand years ago. The other ships landed on different planets across the solar system. As they got closer, they could see the ship's lights powering on.

"Holy cow, Gearhead got the ship running again?" laughed Dash as she put the bike in hover mode, in order to get a good look of the ship. It had two wings buried in the ground, the rear body with the engine was also half buried in the ground but its long neck was still cracked and the flat hammerhead looking front was where the city was resting on. Dash turned up the speed and shot toward the city with glee.

PonyCraft: loyalty to the Past
Episode I: Darkness over Arion Sara

Yuna and other police officers were answering calls from the scared and worried city folks as the ship was slowly coming back to life again. She also had to take the calls from Firefly desk but in doing so, she got tangled with the cords and fell to the ground.

"Yuna knew she should have taken the day off...huh?"

Yuna noticed in the window, that Firefly and Marshal returned and started to land in the parking lot of the building and quickly rolled herself away from the desk and pass her comrades but bringing the phones with her. She exited the office waved at her friends. Firefly waved back and flew off the bike before it landed.

"Yuna what the heck is going on? What did your grandma do!?" ordered Firefly as she could hear AND see smoking blasting from ships vents.

"Yuna didn't know too...well maybe? Grandma Pie said she was working on something super important this week. Maybe this is why she was locked in her house?" replied the young yak as she removed the cords from her body.

"That gearhead! This is what she was yapping about? Gonna kiss her!" laugh Dash as she jumped from her bike and headed to a lock hatch and opened it "PINKIE!"

Dash jumped into the hatch and vanished into the darkness. Firefly and Yuna looked into the hatch and back at each other.
"...Yuna...will stay behind, okay pony friend?" awkwardly giggled Yuna as she slowly backed away but Firefly flew behind her and kicked her into the hatch.

"THAT'S FOR MY DONUTS!" yelled Firefly as she flew after Yuna, who was screaming as she fell.
Firefly increase her speed and was catching up to Yuna and grabbed her horns and with her all power, she pulled Yuna up and slowly flew down to a walkway and set her down. Yuna was still screaming and didn't realized she wasn't falling anymore. Firefly looked over at her friend in annoyance.

"Are you done yet, Yuna?" asked Firefly as she checks her watch.

"Yuna almost done!" replied Yuna as she returned screaming and within a few seconds, she finally stopped "Okay, Yuna is done! Let's go find our grandmothers!"

Yuna happily skip away, while Firefly did a facehoof and flew behind her. Both girls walked down the walkway and pass through a door and entered a dark hallway. The lights wasn't on, maybe there was no power or maybe the lights are broken but Firefly didn't like it. She hated the dark and slowly got closer to Yuna side. They kept walking until they finally exited the walkway and found themselves in a large room. The room had computers and other ponies working on them and in the middle of the room was a very large tube that connects to both sides of the room. Both girls soon found Dash talking to a pink earth pony, that was wearing a blue jacket and gray goggles on her forehead. Yuna was about to call out to them but Firefly covered her mouth. She wanted to hear what they were talking about.

"So Pinkie, is the ship truly back online?" questioned Dash as she watched her old friend hopping between computers.

"Nope, Dashie! Hyperion is partly online but if we repair this tube, we might be able to get section of the ship fully online and running!"

Dash watched as Pinkie finally turned to her and smiled.

"Dashie, if we can get the factory part of the ship running again, we can make Arion into a factory planet like the other backwater planets! Maybe the-"

"I don't care about that Pinkie! Can she fly again!?" asked Dash as she check the computer screen and just seeing error pop ups.

Pinkie joyful face slowly became sad as she realized what Dash really wanted to know. Pinkie sat in her chair and turned on the hologram of the whole ship.
"...no. She's not getting enough power from the core. If we replace the core but I no have idea what to replace it with...like it's one of a kind, you should know that."

Pinkie was suddenly caught by surprised when Dash slammed her hooves into the computer keyboard. She could see that Dash joy and hope was killed off quickly.

"Damn it! If she could fly again..."

"Dash...are you still holding on to that silly-Ah!" screamed Pinkie as Dash grabbed her by the shoulders and push her to the computer. This forced Firefly and Yuna to act but stopped as soon as Pinkie waved to them to stop as she noticed they were there "Dashie...calm down. I can tell you been drinking again. Head to the armory...I finish what you wanted, okay?"
Dash bit her lip as she finally let Pinkie go and walked off to the armory like she was asked. Pinkie grabbed her chest and felt like crying but stayed strong as she the grandkids hurried over.

"Grandma Pie, are you okay? Yuna is worried!" cried Yuna as she hugged her grandmother.
Pinkie replied she's fine but Firefly knew better and told her she will smack her grandmother for what she did, since she never acted like that before.

"No, it's okay Firefly. It's my fault anyway...I shouldn't say that to her..." replied Pinkie as she stared at the exit that heads to the armory "Your grandmother dream has always been to leave this planet with the Hyperion and travel back home...to Equestria..."

Firefly, Yuna and the crew looked at Pinkie as it was rare for her to say anything about the home she left behind.

"Well, anyway let's hurry! Dashie hates waiting...besides, she might break something...again." giggled Pinkie as she hopped out of the room, with the girls behind her.

They travel down the hallway and came to a rail cart and sat in it. Pinkie punch in for the armory and the cart took off. They exited the power line and entered the holding area of dusty covered tanks and battle bikes.
"Grandma Pie, Yuna wants to know more about Equestria!" asked Yuna, while Firefly nodded in agreement "You or Marshal Dash pony almost never talks about it."

Pinkie smiled and closed her eyes as she went on about the old world. Where it was ruled by two sisters, how she worked in a shop that sells baked goods or how she had great friends like Dash, who flew in the blue skies but Firefly quickly butted in.
"Wait, that old hag could fly before?"

Pinkie nodded and went on to talk about the sonic rainboom and other stuff that Dash did in her youth. Firefly never knew this about her grandmother and was kind of shock. She always sees her as a good for nothing drunk, that the city picked to protect them. She only join the police force, just to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid like that one time she passed out drunk at City Hall and pissed on the steps.

"I know Dashie can be...hard at times but she's like that because what happened to her...to me...what we lost back then, it's hard to let it go. For Dashie, it's much harder than any of us...even if it's been five thousands years..." said Pinkie as they finally arrived in the armory section and step out "Firefly, for me. Don't push her in asking what happened. She'll tell you when she's ready, okay? I remember you used to look up to her and wanted to be a marshal like her."

Firefly just sighed as she followed Pinkie and Yuna to the armory but wasn't happy to hear that. She wanted to forget that part of her younger self. She indeed wanted to be like her great grandmother but as she got older, she realized how awful her grandmother was and didn't want to become like that. As they entered the room, they found Dash messing around with an ammo box and shutting it as she wipe away puke from her mouth.

"Hey Pinkie...you might want to clean that box later..." sadly said Dash, as she kicks the box away and walked over to them but was surprised to see the kids here "You followed me down here?"

"Yeah, I can't keep my eyes off of you or you might do something stupid again, you hag."
Dash smiled and punch Firefly on the shoulder before returning to Pinkie, who was pulling out a large gift box and setting it in front of Dash.

"Got it done like you asked Dashie. Better model than the current ones used in the Apple Core Empire!"
Dash sighed and pulled off the wrapping paper and grin as she was looking at her new slim powered armor that Pinkie created. Pinkie hopped around and spoke of its features.

"Here's my version of the Empire Marine Corps suit or in short, EMC-200 model but known mostly as the pressurized power suit that I based the design off. Unlike the old PPS, this suit has air conditioner, has "backpack" between the wings area, which channels heat away from the body, so no roasting like a marshmallow. The Heads-Up Display or HUD for short is built into the visor. Its features include infrared vision, a "navigation mode" which superimposes a map of surrounding terrain and pinpoints prominent features, displaying life support as a percentage and the amount of ammunition in a soldier's equipped weapon, the ability to detect motion to some extent and-" Pinkie mouth was quickly covered by Dash's hoof as she had enough of the gear head smart talk and just pointed at the heavy thrusters wings.

"THAT! Does it work too? " ordered Dash as she let go of Pinkie mouth. Pinkie clears her throat and started to explain the wings.

"The HALO-99 Wings aren't really Pegasus wings in spirit but more like Jetpacks for short travel as you hop around the area. I took the thrusters from the vulture flier model and just made them more powerful in lifting heavy objects. It's one of the kind right now and I know you wanted real wings Dashie but this is the best I could make do, with our current stuff. Sorry..."
Dash walk around the suit and mostly just stared at the so called wings and finally stopped in front of the armor and smiled as she took off her wonderbolt jacket. There on her back, was two stumps where her wings use to be.

"It's close enough I say, better than driving with the vulture bike. Suit me up Pinkie!"

Pinkie walked over to the computer and activate the suit to open the chest area up, allowing Dash to enter it and finally be in the suit as it lowered the visor. Everyone watched as Dash moved around all heavy like before activating the suits Jetpacks after Pinkie told her where to active it. After hovering off the ground, Dash returns the suit to the ground and reopened the visor.

"Everything looks green. No reds or errors. This is perfect, I knew asking for this was a good idea. Pinkie, does this suit comes with any weapons?"

"Well, not the current gun models but I remodeled this miner lancer gun. Still shoots spikes but a much faster rate...but are you sure Dashie? I got the report you sent a few days ago but it's hard to believe. If it's "them" then how?" questioned Pinkie as she mounted the large assault rifle into the side of Dash's armor.

"It's them Pinkie. Maybe the warp gate wasn't destroy or something but they found their way here. From the reports, it seems a small amount of them are here and if I don't find the nest soon, Arion will be covered by them." answered Dash as she took off the rifle and aimed with it before setting it back.

"Okay, what are you going on about with "them"? You have been alleging that since the farm. What's going on, you damn hag?" demanded Firefly as she stomped her hooves on the floor.
Dash and Pinkie stared at each other before facing their grand kids.

"Firesides, remember what the school taught you? About the great old war? Well, it's just lies that AC Empire just came up with. The real war wasn't fought against each other and that wasn't what ruined our home planet...we fought against something...calling it self, our creator and master over choice. First race to submit to it were the Changelings. It only took a few days but the planet was quickly overrun by the new Changelings race...everything was burning by their touch...Twi-" told Dash as she suddenly shut her eyes in pain.

Firefly and Yuna was shocked by this information and in truth, thry wouldn't have believe it, if it wasn’t for Pinkie as she too, looked hurt and depressed as well. Yuna tried to cheer her grandmother with sweets that she had but Firefly on the other hoof, didn't know what to say or to do for her grandmother. So, she headed for the exit and stopped as she turned to Dash.
"Well, let's get going then! If what you say is true, then we need to find those nests, as soon as we can. Get your sorry flank on the move, you hag!"

Dash opened her eyes and quickly stood behind Firefly as she pulled on her tail, stopping her.
"No! No way! I'm not letting you go with me! You'll get in the way an-" but before Dash could finish, Firefly buck kicks her in the face.

"Buck off, I'm dead weight, right? It's why I'm mostly doing parking ticket runs than real cop stuff right!?"
Dash rubbed her cheek and glared back at her grandkid, and quickly punched her in the face. Making Firefly fall on her flank. Cracking her hoof, Dash lowered herself to Firefly and spoke in the most serious tone "Damn right, kid. If I go alone, I don't have to worry about someone else flank but my bucking own! Be a good girl and stay out of my bucking way!"

"Buck you!" yelled Firefly as she flew off and vanished into the dark hallway, leaving Dash sighing as she walked to Pinkie.
"Pinkie, if it's them, then I need you to active the fail safe plan that we created so many years ago. I need to head out before that idiot does something...since she does carry after me..."

Pinkie grins with Dash and nodded before they went on their way, Dash heading off to catch Firefly and Pinkie returns to the computer screen and asking Yuna to come over.

"Yuna, get back to the city and get the whole police force to get everyone from the city and blackwater town, inside the Hyperion. I'll gonna call the mayor to trigger the sirens. I'm really hoping Dashie is wrong about this..."

Yuna nodded and hurry out of the room, leaving Pinkie by herself. Pinkie started to dial a video chat but stopped as she heard whispered. She looked around and saw nothing but the junk that laid around. She swore she heard somepony calling for her, like it was...

"...oh please be wrong Dashie..."

Sometime later, Firefly was heading back to Blackwater and landed on the welcome sign in order to catch her breath. She was out of breath from the fast flying but didn't want to rest too long and took off as soon as she could. She didn't know where to look for the nest but knew she could start with the Bean family, maybe getting a lead there might help but as she flew over the town, she noticed something was off. She couldn't see no ponies or yaks. In fact, there were no lights on, in every household. She sped up and finally reach the Bean farm and landed on the doorstep and knocked a few times but no answer. She forced open the door as she could see a struggle went down in the living room.

"Mrs. Bean! Are you there!?" yelled Firefly as she drew her handgun from her belt and slowly hovered over to the living room and then into the dinning room. She almost dropped her gun as she saw what was lying in front of her. Three dead bodies and Mrs. Bean, torn to bits but still alive somehow. Firefly looked over at the other bodies and could make out that they black insect exoskeleton but they had long claw like wings, than the normal wings that a Pegasus pony will have. They all seemed to be killed by Mrs. Bean horns but not without tearing her body apart, leaving her insides and blood pouring out.
"
F-Firefly...pony..." weakly asked Mrs. Bean as she raised her head to the pony.

"I'm here! Don't worry! I'll get some help-" but before she could finish, Mrs. bean asked for her children as she pointed upstairs before passing away from her wounds. Firefly nodded and quickly dashed to the second floor and could see the gaping hole in the floor. Looking down, she could see the kitchen and again, another hole. They drugged their way here. Firefly went on and called out to the kids as she finally arrived to their rooms but she wasn't ready in what she saw. A long snake like nage looking changeling, with two long scythe blade like arms, digging into the kids and tearing apart their bodies and one of the kids spines were hanging out of the creature's mouth. Firefly rose her gun and just fired like a madmare and swearing as the snake took the shots and hiss as it charged forward just as Firefly started to reload. The mare easily dodges it with her speed but she back away into a dead end of the hallway. She quickly tried to reload but her anger and fear was getting the best of her.

"DAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT!" repeated the young mare as she noticed more of the smaller ones started to pour out of the hole behind the snake changeling. She fired off a few shots but nothing fazed them like before. Her gun wasn't strong enough to break through their carapace. She looked around, anything to get out of this death trap but nothing, she was a goner like those kids. With hope lost, she raised her gun to her head and closed her eyes. With her last thoughts, she thought of her mother and father. How they suddenly vanished one day and never returned. Thoughts of her grandmother poured in as well, as she remembers her being cold towards but tried her best to raise her right.

"Buck! Why did you have to be the last thing I remember!" cried Firefly as she was about to set off the gun but stopped as one of the smaller changeling was pulled back in the hole by something and screamed as a loud bang went off. The other changelings turned to the hole as something rose from it. Firefly knew who it was, as she watched Dash, in her armor, slowly raise up with the armor wings thrusting her up.

"Don't you dare touch my daughter stupid kid!" ordered Dash as she was holding the remains of the changeling she killed, it's head was bashed in and a long spike was in it's chest as green blood oozed out.

The smaller changeling growled and charged forward but was completely killed as Dash dodged their claws and crush its head in with her metal hooves. The snake changeling hiss and opened its mouth and fired off some long spikes and it stabbed into Dash shoulder plate but that didn't stopped her as she pulled out her rifle and fired. Her own spikes stabbed into the snake changeling face, making it cried out in pain. It soon ducked into the kids room and jumped through the window, escaping before Dash could finish it off.

"Son of a bitch..." cursed Dash as she chases after the snake but only up to the window and could see something in the distance "...oh shit..."

Dash turned around but could see Firefly looking at the floor, which made her look down as well. Dash could see the blood and remains. She was too late but wasn't fazed by the scene.

"We need to head back!" ordered Dash as she pulled Firefly by her tail but Firefly screamed as she asked why Dash wasn't bothered by the scene and act so cold. Dash quickly pulled Firefly to her face and barked back "I seen this before kid but way worse! Little kids eaten, torn apart or still alive as their insides are oozing out. I had to put some down before. This is why I didn't want you to come! You're becoming dead weight!"

Dash shoved Firefly forward and made her head downstairs, to escape the horror but found herself looking eye to eye with more changelings. Dash opened fire and creating a way forward for them. As they exited the house, they could see a sea of black mass heading towards them. Firefly flew up as Dash kept firing into the house as they started to pour out in large numbers. Firefly could see nothing but millions of changelings, as they charged to the Hyperion and in the distant, she could see flashes of light beyond the mountain top. The clouds started to turn black and a heavy downpour started at the end of the world started.

End of EP1
> Episode 2: Sparking the hope
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Damn it! What is this!? How are their millions of them!?" asked Firefly as she keeps seeing an unlimited amount of changeling as they run across the open field and through the remains of Blackwater "We're just a backwater planet! Why attack here!?"

Firefly felt scared as she knew now that it was all over for them but firing from below her snapped her out of it. She looked down and could see her grandmother shooting her rifle at a large group of changelings and when some got too close, she would kick them away and sometimes maybe even breaking some bones. Firefly wanted to help but she feared returning as her whole body started to shake. She couldn't hold her firearm and let it drop into the battle below, hitting Dash helmet, which made her look up and see her grandkid.

"No! Don't you dare do this now Firefly!" screamed Dash as she rocket overhead to Firefly, as she started to panic and couldn't hold her current height in the air and was slowly falling down.

Dash was able to grabbed her and thrust a bit up and stared at her, she could tell Firefly was having a panic attack, like she always had when things got too much for her.

"Hey, listen to me! I'm here! Look at me Firesides!"

Firefly refocuses her view to Dash face and kept breathing hard, as her attack was getting worse by the second. She listened to Dash caring words. Saying she would protect her, keep her safe and won't let her get hurt. Hearing those caring words from her, made Firefly tear up and hugged her grandmother, like she used to do when she was younger "Wanna go home...please...".

Dash just petted her and held her tight as she blasted off back to the Hyperion but since her wings were thrusters, she couldn't stay in the air for long and had to bounce off the ground while dodging any attacks from the changeling and it's not going to be easy while still holding on to Firefly. The ground was coming fast, some changeling took notice of them and started to get ready to attack but Dash quickly smacked one away and used a snake changeling as a jumping plank, giving her short hop into the sky. They started to exit the town before they had to land again, to get another lift but luckily for Dash, she could use the town's sign but as she landed, something rose from within the ground, knocking over the sign and blasting them away. Both ponies landed on the ground and was soon surrounded, making Dash quickly drawing her rifle and fired at the crowed of blood thirsty changelings as she ran towards Firefly "I won't let you bucking die like the others!"

Dash landed on top of her and used the power armor as a meat shield as the changeling started to claw at it. Dash turned on her video feed from her helmet visor and she could see what knocked them away, what she saw coming from the ground, were very huge changelings but looked bear like, almost like an Ursa major "This isn't good...Pinkie, are you there!? We have more problems!"





Meanwhile, Pinkie was ordering some of her crew in moving large number of ammo across the ship. She turned on a hologram map of the ship from a device on her arm and could see on the hammerhead of the ship, large turrets. They were firing off into the distance as she could see the swarm of blackness heading their way. She zoomed into the city that was above and could see that at least 67% of the civilian had made it into the ship "Those battery turrets I created, will run out of ammo within...five minutes? no, sooner! Hurry up every creature! We need those forward turrets reloaded!"

"Pinkie!?" cut out a voice.

Pinkie quickly changed her arm device from hologram mode to radio mode "Yeah Dashie?"

"We got the Ursalings! At least six and heading your way! Better have something to take those down. I remember it took like a squad of knight earth ponies to take it down...damn it!" shouted Dash as the noise of scraping were getting louder.

"What's that noise? Are you okay?" questioned Pinkie as she started to get worried.

"Trap in the herd of changelings! Using my whole body to keep Firefly safe as she's under me. Too many for me to take off and I think Firefly is knocked out...I need help here..."

Pinkie quickly dialed in Dash location and zipped off into a puff of smoke. She was blazing down the hallway in lightning speed and dodging crew and civilian as she headed to the hanger bay 6 "Dashie, hold on! I'll be there soon! Pinkie out!" Pinkie lower her arm and zipped across the bay and came to a dead stop at a large object that was covered by a pink blanket "...sorry dear but I need to use our pet object to save my dear friends!" Pinkie pulled the blanket and cough as the dust filled the bay. Soon, headlights pierce the dust of smoke and cheerful music blasted throughout the whole bay.





"...am I dead?" whispered Firefly as she found herself in a void of darkness, she searched around but couldn't find her grandmother or the changelings "...yeah, I must be dead..."

Firefly closed her eyes and waited whatever to take her away but she quickly heard voices, voices of her grandmother and somepony else? She opened her eyes and found a purple figure in front of her. It step closer and entered her body, sending out a wave of colors and filling the void with a memory she never remember seeing.

"Mother...come with us, please. It's better to live somewhere else than here. This awful planet." asked a teal Pegasus mare with a long rainbow mane, as she stood in the doorway of Dash's living room "Father would want you to live life in a more peaceful place."

Dash, who was sitting in her wooden chair, kept drinking her beer can. She slightly turned to a picture of her and a colt but Firefly couldn't make it out who it was, since Dash never had pictures of her husband in her cabin.

"That idiot...please Rainbow Aura, that the colt would say shit like that but my place is here...in this bucking planet, in this bucking chair and drinking this bucking cold beer...just go..." whispered Dash as she pointed to door where Aura stood.

"Mother! You have to let it go! You are rotting here! Can't you see that!?" shouted Aura as she as stomped her hoof on the wooden floor.

Dash quickly risen from her chair and tossed her beer can near Aura face and her eyes were filled with anger "I BUCKING DO! I HAVE NOTHING! NO FRIENDS! NO WINGS! NO PLACE IN THIS NEW WORLD FOR AN WONDERBOLT OR WEATHER PONY! NOTHING!" she quickly picked up her chair and tossed it across the room, hitting the wall, which was filled with pictures, which made a few fall down.

"...you have me?" quietly cried Aura as she started to back away from her mother.

Dash sat on the floor and sighed before answering her with "Sometimes I wish I didn't had you...but your damn father wouldn't stopped asking for an kid..." Dash didn't turned around as she could hear crying coming from her daughter, as Aura ran out of the house and a male voice asking her what's wrong. She just said to get in the jeep and that was it, as the noise of an engine started up and driving off to somewhere.

"...What...what is this!?" questioned Firefly as she stood in the doorway and watched as Dash faded away into dust.

"Memories that you carry..."

Firefly turned around and could see the purple figure again but was slowly taking form as echoes of Dash thoughts ringed throughout the world.

"...just go...damn it, just go without me..."

Firefly turned back where Dash was sitting but could only find a younger blue Pegasus pony with rainbow mane, sitting there.

"...Why are you still here, Aura? I'll be dead weight for you...your father wanted you to succeed in life and I know i'll buck it all up...like how I failed my friends...failed to save your father...please..."

Firefly slowly walked over to the mare's and slowly called out the mare name "...Rainbow D-Dash?"

"...I always wanted you...you are my everything!" cried Dash as she faced Firefly and Firefly watched as Rainbow Dash became her current older self before disappearing into the darkness.

"Loyalty...to keep her daughter's future safe from herself..." spoke the purple mare, as her base form started to transform into a unicorn "...that same Loyalty she will use again..."

The world changed again and this time, Firefly found herself in the open field of the wasteland of Arion. It was raining as she noticed that Dash was watching a cloak pony heading for them but was carrying a basket in their mouth. They watched as the pony finally stood in front of them and lowered the basket to the ground.

"My grandfather said that our ancestor is still here, it's you...great grandmother...please keep her safe for us. We're putting her life in danger with our rebellion movements." spoke the mare, as she uncovered the blanket, to reveal a pink filly with blue mane.

Dash lowered herself and carefully picked the child up from the basket and smiled as the mare opened her little eyes and smiled back to her grandmother "...she's...beautiful...tiny...what's her name?"

"Firefly..." cried the mare as the darkness filled the world once more. Returning to the void were Firefly and the purple shape unicorn.

Within the void, Dash voice echoed through it. Her tears up voice spoke as the filly could be heard laughing "...I'll keep her safe and do anything to protect her! I swear it!"

"Why are you showing me this?" asked Firefly as she held back her tears and anger "Who are you anyway?"

"...in do time, you'll know who I am..." said the unicorn as a bright shiny light blasted from behind her "...but the reason I'm showing these memories....is...".

Firefly covered her eyes and felt a warmth she never felt before, almost like a mother holding her child in a warm blanket. As the bright whiteness consumed her, she could hear the unicorn voice as it faded away.

"...help her...relight that star...the spark..."





"Star?" asked Firefly, as she jumped from the ground but quickly bumped her head into the metal plating of Dash's marine suit, swearing under her breath as she held her pulsing bruise.

"What the hey? You awake kid?" questioned Dash as she heard the loud bang.

"...Yeah...where am I?"

"You are under me. We're being dog piled on and I don't think the suit is gonna last for much longer...red marks are showing up..." sweated Dash as she can feel something pointy touching her back and sides.

"...we're doomed then?" asked Firefly as she could hear the roaring scraping of claws against metal but she also heard something else, almost like music in the distant "Wait, do I hear polka music?"


Dash and the changelings that were on top of her, looked to the north and watched as something was blasting through the mass of changelings. With one jump from it's thrusters, came blasting out was a pink looking tank, which had party balloon paint Camo, cake styled wheels and the main cannon looking like Pinkie Pie's party cannon but more high tech looking. The tank flatted a group of changelings as it landed and quickly dropped party favors as it headed to Dash. With one wheelie around her friends, the tank dropped a huge cake with a long fuse, which was lit. The changelings jumped from Dash's body and ran to the cake and sniffed it. Dash quickly realized that was no normal cake as she could see something orange within the cake as the changelings started to eat it.

"Hurry!" shouted Pinkie as she lowered the back door of the tank "This is one surprise you should miss! hehe!"

Dash picked up Firefly and trotted over to the bouncing polka music playing tank and duck in it soon as Pinkie shut the door and placing padlocks and a chair...a kitchen sink after they entered. Wth Dash and Firefly finally inside, Pinkie jumped into her driver seat and floored it. The changelings eating the cake, noticed the orange object that Dash saw before. It could see "T.N.T" written on it before being blasted to bits as the bomb went off. The way she came from , the party flavors that were left behind, blew up as well, creating a way for the tank.

"Whoa, when you make this gearhead?" asked Dash as she looked around the place.

"Not now Dashie, we're not out of the woods yet! Firefly can you man the cannon?" pointed Pinkie, to the ladder "This tank is made for a tank crew, so I need somepony manning the cannon."

Firefly nodded and flew up the ladder and found herself a nice comfy seat and sat in it. A monitor screen popped down and turned on and a colt voice welcomed her.

"Hello cannon pilot, welcome to the CS-001 Party Tank "trade mark by the Pinkie Pie!"." cheerfully said the voice as a picture of Pinkie, half asleep in her bed, appeared on screen "Oops...wrong picture...welp too late now! Just enter your user password and the cannon will be useful for your needs, hope you don't need it right now, like in a death or life battle. That'll be awkward!"

Firefly shouted to Pinkie about the problem and she answered back with "Did you try password?". Firefly typed that in but didn't work, which then Pinkie said "What about 123456?". Firefly typed that in but nothing...

"Pinkie!" shouted Dash in anger but also because an Ursaling grabbing them with its paws and sniffing them.

"Oh yeah! Silly me! The password is..." Pinkie trotted off as something in her heart started to ache with sadness "...cheese sandwich."

Dash's anger vanished as she looked away from Pinkie and whispering sorry for the burst out. Firefly typed in the password and the cannon operation system came into view. She locked on to the Ursaling and the operation system suggested shell seven, which Firefly picked as she touch the screen. The shell could be heard being dropped down and loading into the cannon and being fired...but nothing came out but a gust of air and then...an toy tank? The Ursaling was confused and laugh at the toy tank and picked it up with its paw and placed it on it's nose and smiled.

"...uhmmm Pinkie?" questioned Firefly but before she gets an answer, the toy tank rose it's cannon and fired a huge blast of smoke, which torn the upper part of the Ursaling head, killing it.

"TIME TO JAM!" shouted Pinkie as the tank thrusters activated and jumped out of the dead Ursaling paws and hovering back to the ground and outrunning the horde of changelings as it boosted down the field and reaching the Hyperion in a few minutes.

The tank entered The Bay Area and stopped on a dime, before a gust of wind came blasting in, tossing the ponies and yaks off their hooves.

"Sorry!" shouted Pinkie as she popped out of the tank's cannon hole.

After exiting the tank and headed to the command bridge of the ship, Pinkie and Dash, who took off her suit, were met with a dark orange Pegasus mare with red mane and wearing a military dress uniform and having a microphone badge for a cutie mark, as she was shouting orders and finally turned to the two ponies as they entered.

"Marshal Dash and chief engineer Pinkie!? Welcome back!" saluted the mare as she welcomes them to the bridge.

"Deputy Sparklealoo? What's with the getup?" questioned Dash as she never saw her in that outfit before "Where's your normal outfit?"

Sparklealoo blushed deeply as she played with her tail "Well, you see...it's been my dream of commanding a spaceship...that I made this outfit and-" but she was cut off as Dash shoved her away, as she didn't care anymore and tapped the screen of the table map and could see the swarm of changeling almost reaching them.

"How many are inside?" demand Dash as she waited for a answer from the bridge crew.

One yak turned around and answered that everyone from the city is inside and are counted for but the doors are still open because their waiting on news for Blackwater folks but Dash quickly told them to shut it, as no one from Blackwater is coming. Few yaks and ponies glared with each other in sadness, as they realized what that meant and quickly sent orders to the door defenders to shut the doors. Dash and everyone watched as the video feeds shown all doors being shut and reinforce with blast doors. Everyone was safe and sound within the huge ship.

"Now what?" asked a crew member as she and everyone turned to Dash and Pinkie but both ponies said nothing as the swarm of changelings started to cover the hull of the ship and started to claw their way in and taking out the turrets.






meanwhile, after Dash and Pinkie left the tank and leaving her all alone, Firefly stepped out and was met with Yuna, who was playing on her phone again. Yuna just waved but Firefly smack her head, forcing her to look at her friend.

"Hey Yuna, when did your grandmother had this bucking sweet ride?" questioned Firefly as she scanned the tank and touching it.

Yuna exited out of her phone game and searched for something in her picture folders. Some were her with Firefly or Sparklealoo but smiled as she opened the picture she was looking for and showed it to her. Firefly looked and notice a tan colt with a brown mane and a sandwich cutie mark, standing next to Pinkie and just behind them, was an hover car with a party cannon on top.

"It's something my great grandfather pony was making with her, they wanted to start up a company about sending parties on the go or something. After his death, grandma pie kept working on it and upgrading with parts she find around the ship and learning about new car models. I think she went with a tank because she could make a larger cannon. Bigger equal longer parties...in grandma words, not mine!" finished Yuna as she returned to her phone game, as she tapped the anime ponies on their heads.

Firefly laugh off after learning about the machine and smiled as she realized it was something made by two ponies who were in love but her thoughts went to worry as she and everyone in The Bay Area, could hear something clawing their way in. Yuna and everyone exited the bay and shut the blast doors as the lights turned to red and alarms going off. With not wasting time, Yuna and Firefly dashed off to the bridge. As they hurried off, they could see crying and worried city folks as they gathered in the hallways or in different sectional areas of the ship, like in another bay area and such. As they got closer to the bridge doorway, they could hear a female voice but it wasn't someone they heard before. They entered and on the screen, was a orange mare with blond curled up hairstyle mane, also wearing a royalty looking getup armor, which had the plating chest with three apple symbols and a green cape on the shoulder guards. Both girls knew who it was and couldn't believe it as they watched as the orange mare cleared her throat and said "Well, Rainbow Dash? you goin' t' cut a path those theyer backwater folks or you gonna cash in with 'em?"

"...I..." simply said Dash as she lowered her head.

"What did she mean?" asked Firefly, as Sparklealoo explained what happened 




Few minutes ago

"So, you guys had this plan in place for something of this level of threat...and that's it!?" yelled a crew member.

"Nonono! The other part was flying off but...without the power supply to the ship, we're stuck." said Pinkie as she tried calming everyone down.

Dash on the other hoof, was fighting with herself on something, that Sparklealoo took notice and asked her, which Dash replied with "...somepony can save us...opened a commlink to Sarac, the Apple Dominion Empire and tell them...the queen's old friends want to talk."

Crew member for comms started to send a link to the empire but when she got through, she couldn't believe what she was hearing, which made Dash questioned what the mare was listening to.

"The comms are in chaos right now. I'm getting different requests of s.o.s...it seems that other backwater planets are being invaded by the changelings as well...but also...this can't be right!?" shockley said the mare as she opened a video feed on the nearby planet of Dora Sara, which was being invaded by the changelings. Everyone watched as a huge white UFO shaped spacecraft wrapped in and started to fire beams of light to the planet's and with a blinding flash of light, the planet battle torn surface was turned to a burning scarred surface. Everyone was in fear at what they saw, even more so as a figured appeared on screen, which made everyone confused. On screen were alicorns, wearing holy looking armor from old and glowing white eyes. One gray alicorn with short yellow glowing mane and wearing a golden chest piece and magical see through scarf around his neck, walked forward.

"We're known as the Helios. My name is Apollo Storm. This section of space, is protected by my race but you terrans brought this infestation here and will be burned along with these "creatures". May Arun forgive your sins."

The screen turned off and the star map turned on, to show Helios fleet was now almost near Arion Sara, since what they saw was a past recording. Everyone was shocked and freaking out. Why were alicorns attacking them? Wasn't the alicorn a super rare breed of their own species? No creature had the answers but everyone quickly put that back in their minds, as commlink with Sarac went through and sitting in her war room, was the queen that controlled most of the sector, Applecore or to her old friends, she was known as Applejack. Dash stepped forward and bit her lip.

"Rainbow Dash? Well well, this is a surprised isn't? What do you want, don't ya see we're in crisis right now?"

Dash dropped to the floor and begged, begged to her old friend "Applejac-Applecore, please! Send us a fleet of your armada to Arion! There's ponies and yaks here, we're going to die! Please, save us!".

Applecore mouth slowly turned into a smile and soon started to laugh, which made Dash look up in anger, "Why are you laughing!?"

"Why should I send my fleet to your backwater little planet? If I'm not mistaken, Arion population is not even in the billions or millions. In fact, i believe it's great that rotten little planet is gonna be destroyed by these new neighbors of ours. Buy us some time, so we can come up with counter attack plans against the changelings swarm and the alicons going by "Helios" well ya?" smugy said Applecore as she raised her hoof, to give orders to cut the feed but Dash rose up and got closer to the screen with fire in her eyes.

"So, you are doing this bullcrap again!? You are going to leave innocent lives on a doomed planet!? Like-"

"Don't ya dare say their buckin' names, Dashie..." angry said Applecore, as she too got closer to the screen.

"Like how you abandoned Twilight and Fluttershy to the changelings?" barked Dash.

Applecore face became very sour as she sat back down from the screen and poured herself a glass of apple cider "Ya'll regret saying that. If i haven't ordered the ships to back away from our world, none of us will be here right now.".

"Bucking bullshit!" barked Dash as she kicked the star map table "You don't know that!"

Applecore and Dash started to get at each other throats to the point, that Pinkie got between them and asked them to shut their traps, fighting wasn't getting them nowhere. Pinkie herself begged Applecore to at least send a lone battleship, to at least save the folks but Applecore still denied the request but her face became softer as she stared at Pinkie and sighed.

"I'll order a runner ship to head to Arion..." said Applecore before taking a ship of her drink and then continued speaking to them "BUT just you, Pinkie and Dash and any family you have left. That's my only offer. Take it or leave it."

Pinkie was taken aback by this offer and couldn't find any words to show her blazing angry she felt right now, while Dash on the other hoof, started to think about it...







the present 

"...I'll...tak-" but before Dash could finish, Firefly blazed past her and right into the screen and hovered proudly as she stared down Applecore.

"Buck you! You freaking piece of trash!" shouted Firefly as she spit on the screen, leaving a huge drooling mark on it "You'll leave so many creatures to die!? Aren't you one of the legendary heroes!?"

Applecore drank once more of her glass before addressing Dash as she glared at her "I'm guessing that your daughter, Dashie? I'm surprised you made another one, after that rebel troublemaker screamed she was related to you...maybe I should also ex-" Applecore was cut off as Dash shot a round into the screen, which made Applecore smile with joy "See, doesn't feel great, dudnit?"

Dash lowered her sidearm and let Firefly continue with her rant "We're not taking that bucking deal! I rather die with ponies and yaks I grew up with than leave them to die! I became a police officer to protect them! I TOOK A OATH! I'M LOYAL TO EVERYONE TO THE VERY END! SO BUCK OFF!" screamed Firefly as she gave Yuna the order to shut off the video feed.

"Pony friend showed her!" laughed Yuna as she hopped around Firefly, who started to breath heavily and sat on the floor but that didn't stopped her from trotting over to Dash and grabbing her by shoulders.

"Don't you ever dare think about tossing everyone lives ever again, just for me!" with that said, Firefly punched Dash right in the eye and cried as she started to get a panic attack "Don't turned your back on everyone! Be the hero like everyone said you once were...be the mare that I looked up when I was younger..."

That's when Dash started to hear everyone in the bridge, cheer her name but not just the bridge, but also through the radio feed that was coming out from every part of the ship, were calling out her name. It seemed the video feed of Applecore meeting, was somehow leaked to everyone on the ship. That's when something in Dash, within her very soul, made a spark. A spark she also felt somewhere else. Calling to her, calling to be one with her. She smiled at Firefly and then turned to Pinkie, who was also feeling the same force that was reaching out to Dash and nodded. Pinkie grabbed Firefly in a body lock and telling Dash to go. Confused, Firefly turned to Dash, who just smiled as she said "...this is goodbye...I love you Firesides..." as tears fell from her eyes and trotted out of the bridge and headed off to the power core.

"W-What!? What does she mean "goodbye"?" questioned Firefly as she tried to get free from Pinkie but couldn't, even Yuna and the crew couldn't break her grip.

"...Firefly...a long time ago, with my foolish actions in trying to reactive the Hyperion and making our planet a more advanced world, I made the core go into meltdown. Only one mare could stop it but he wouldn't allowed her to die for everyone. He knew she had to live...for a free spirited bum...he was the bravest colt that ever lived. He took Dashie place that day and stopped the meltdown..." spoke Pinkie as she started to cry heavily "Believe me...I don't want this too...the very things that kept us alive...will..."

Firefly started to freak out as she realized what's going to happen and there was nothing she could do to stop it.





Dash finally reached the core of the ship. A huge sphere rest in the center of the room, with crew ponies looking into the room from behind the safely glass. She walked forward and stared at the huge object. She could feel it, the calling that was in the sphere, reaching out to her with every second. She rested her hoof on the sphere and within her memories, she could remember that awful day. Sirens going off, lights blasting. She stood here as she glared into the sphere windows and could see him in there. Smiling back as he held the object. She remembers pounding and crying as the sphere windows started to seal off the outside world. He kept smiling as he put the object around his neck and spoke for the last time. His last words were "You'll be a great mother, my sweet Rainbow. Don't let the regrets take over...love you always and forever...".

Dash opened her eyes and watched as the doors and windows opened on the sphere and within the very sphere, were her necklace of harmony. It was glowing once more because after that day, the stone went dull...like her self. What was left of Rainbow Dash that day, finally died. 

"I'll be coming to see you...Zephyr Breeze..." whispered Dash as she stepped in and put on the necklace. The sphere slowly closed and within seconds, feedback from the necklace blasted out rainbow lightning. Dash could only scream as her whole body started to burn from the storm that was being created. She slowly shut her eyes and watched as the last window was going to be shut, to showed Firefly, as she somehow broke free from Pinkie grip and like how she acted so long ago, was pounding the window before it fully shut.

"...Firefly..."

Seconds later, the sphere started to glow with rainbow energy and soon emitted it through the whole ship. As the whole ship was covered in rainbows, the changelings that were on it, disappeared into dust and the Hyperion parts that were broken and damaged like her hull, was completely fixed and with new life from her engines, slowly pushed forward, dragging it through the ground and finally freeing from the soil and raising up into the sky. With one great push, blasted through the dark rain clouds and started to exit the planet atmosphere, as it started to burn with a bright glow. Within seconds, the Hyperion was in outer space and in front of them, were the Helios fleet.

"We're not prepared to take this fleet on! Can she jump into hyper speed!?" yelled Sparklealoo as the bridge crew was working over time to find the answer and one yak did, as he called into the engine room, asking to follow these steps. It would take a minute before they could jump and Sparklealoo was sweating bullets as the Helios fleet was almost in their range but something happened. The fleet simply passes them by and just headed for the planet. Not letting this pity going to waste, Sparklealoo ordered every creature to prepare for hyper jump. 

"SMOKE THEM IF YOU HAVE THEM!" screamed Sparklealoo as the Hyperion jumped into hyperspace and accelerated into light speed, vanishing from Arion space. 





On the flag ship said called "Faith", Stormed watched as the terran ship disappeared from their radars. He looked over and could see his men being confused, in why he spared the terrans from the flames. He knew the reason himself, as he returned to the screen as memories of a shadow mare he meant a long time ago, came into his thoughts. Those thoughts vanished as he watched as his fleet burned the surface of Arion Sara.






Somewhere else, in deep space, the Hyperion exited the hyper jump and floated there as the engines slowly powered down and became dead in the water. Within the power core, the sphere opened and everyone slowly looked at the burned remains of Dash, as she lied there. Firefly slowly sat near the remains and suddenly hugged it in sadness. Tears fell on the body, sinking into the burned flesh. Everyone lets her cried her heart out but was suddenly taken aback, as Dash body started to glow and be covered in the same color rainbow light that the ship was once covered in and after it vanish, Firefly was staring at perfectly okay Dash. Firefly brush Dash brown mane from her eyes and smiled as her grandmother's eyes opened and the first thing she said to Firefly, were...

"I need a bucking drink..."

End of EP2
> Episode 3: Answers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's only been a few days after escaping Arion but everyone been on edge after the events that been happened, first the changelings following our races here, then the alicorns appearing and wiping clean the infected worlds and learning that Applecore will turn her back on the backwater planets, leaving billions to defend for themselves. Because of the queen actions, everyone on the Hyperion started to talk about open revolt against the Empire but a certain former pegasus pony didn't want any part of it, as she lied in the medbay white beds. Even though the element burned her like a fried marshmallow, she was still alive and completely healed, well almost everything, as Dash felt her stumps on her back. Her wings didn't returned. She was just lucky that the element power didn't full on killed her or maybe it was her healing power? She turned and twisted in the bed to forget her thoughts but couldn't sleep.

"Need something?" 

"Dash sat up and watched Firefly entered the room with some food. She walked over and place the dish on the table besides Dash and took an seat. Dash could see it was just hay sandwich with juice but she didn't want it, as she returned laying down. 

"...I rather have a bucking drink." replied Dash as she faced Firefly, who just sighed at her grandmother request. Dash knew Firefly wouldn't get her the drink, since the doctors said no drinks like those, wasn't allowed but she made a deal that Firefly won't let pass by.

"Is this all you gonna say, every time I show up?" questioned Firefly as she took out a can from her pocket "I'm only doing this because you'll tell me what I want to know, okay?".

Dash nodded and was given the cold beer and quickly opened it and drank it down in one gulp. After finishing the can, she crushed it and tossed it across the room and just missing the trash bin.

"Okay kid, hit me. What you want to know?" asked Dash as she took the sandwich and started to eat it.

"...How are you still alive? It's been on my mind, also everyone else thoughts as well."

Dash finished the meal within seconds, returning the plate back to the table and finally facing Firefly.

"Well, has to be the element of loyalty. Ever since that day, the elements been part of us. At first, it was cool, saving the world with them but ever since Celestia's death..." answered Dash as she started to remember the past.

"Celestia, the princess from the old world, right? I remembered in school, they said she was killed during the great war, no?" asked Firefly as she handed the glass of juice to Dash.

Dash nodded but rejecting the drink. She started to tell her story that happened five thousands years ago. It all started during the Crystal Empire sent out a request for Luna. Dash didn't never got the whole info about it from Twilight, who joined Luna on this mission, but Dash remembered Twilight saying that a research team from the empire, were doing egghead stuff beyond the arctic north and found something. Something that was made of pure evil, that it even tricked Twilight in releasing it into the world. No creatures knew what it was but it was beyond powerful, that the Crystal Empire was the first kingdoms to fall to it. Dash remembers that night as she thought back to it...






"Where is she!?" yelled Dash as she soar into the princess throne room with her friends, as they too arrived, to find Celestia healing her own sister, who's badly hurt and was at the bottom of the steps of the throne. "Where is Twilight?" asked Dash as she looked around.

In a purple flash of light, Twilight, wearing her element crown, teleported in front of them but everypony was in shock as Twilight looked badly hurt, with cuts and bruises all over her body. Before anyone could say anything, Twilight trotted over to Rarity.

"Rarity! Here!" said Twilight as she gave Rarity her element necklace from the box she was holding with her magic.

"Dear, what's goin-" but before Rarity could finish, Twilight teleported herself and Rarity away, leaving the others with Celestia and Luna.

"Princess, what's goin' on here? Why is Luna and Twilight hurt?" questioned AJ as she could see dry blood on the palace floor.

Celestia horn stopped glowing and turned to the group of ponies and spoke as Luna teleported away "Everypony, something of pure evil has entered our lands and even now is spreading across Equestria! My sister and your friend, Twilight, are teleporting the crystal ponies here as we speak. Look!" said Celestia as her horn started to glow yellow and teleported them to the garden area, showing thousands of crystal ponies being scared as the royal guards and maids try to keep them calm. "Even with teleporting them here, Twilight and Luna are also fighting off the evil."

"Oh my!?" whispered Fluttershy as she started to see that Rarity is now the main unicorn in teleporting ponies here "What can we do, your highness?".

"Yeah! What can we do? We can kick some butts with the elements!" shouted Dash as she punched the air with her legs and hooves.

Celestia handed them the elements with her magic but she wanted to do something else than following Twilight, as she teleported them to the underground cells of the castle. Without saying anything, Celestia ordered the guards to stay back as she opened the door way to one of the cells. Everypony gasps in horror as they could see two unicorns, keeping Shining Armor down with their magic. Shining Armor body was melting with some kind of black liquid oozing out of his eyes and horn. Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow as Armor started to throw up the liquid and screaming in pain.

"What the hey!? What happened to him!?" yelled AJ as she couldn't understand what she was seeing.

"...he's infected..." called out a weak female voice.

Everyone turned to their left and found a unicorn medic as she tried to heal princess Cadance from her badly and deep wounds. Cadence was holding on to her child, who was asleep from Cadence magic.

"He went crazy...k-killing...everypony...those he killed, came back to life and became like that but worst." said Cadance as she started to cry "Twilight and these two unicorns, Sunburst and Starlight, teleported him down here. Away from the subjects, they're already scared enough...Pinkie c-can you take...her?".

Cadence weakly moved her daughter, Flutterheart, over to Pinkie and let her go with her fading magic.

"Everypony...tell...Twilight...w-we do....n....." whispered Cadance as she slowly shut her eyes as she died from her wounds, leaving the medic to stop using her magic.

"Everypony, we can grieve later!" shouted Celestia as she noticed the cell started to be covered in darkness. 

Everypony stepped back as they started to hear whispers. Whispers coming from within the darkness, it was faint but they could make out "god" and "his creation" as the cell was completely in darkness now. 

"Both you, get away from him!" ordered Celestia to Sunburst and Starlight, as Armor horn started to glow with a dark mist. Both unicorns stopped their magic as they teleported away and before the medic unicorn could leave as well, Armor summoned a dark energy sword from his horn and cut the unicorn in two, splitting the head from it's body and rolling it towards him, stomping on it.

"You half breeds will submit to me..." smiled Armor, with a echo in his voice as he started to walk towards them but Celestia blasted him back with a beam of magic, forcing him to stay as he summoned a barrier of magic. "Curse you, I never thought I would find another surviving full breed on this planet...but this will make things fun...".

All of a sudden, creatures made of bones and the black ooze, appeared out of the darkness and grabbed Celestia, letting Shining attack her by summoning a dark aura hand and crushing her face. Armor just laughed as Celestia started to screamed in pain, forcing the others to act by attacking the creatures. AJ kicked one off and returned to the darkness where it came from, Dash followed her led as she flew into two, Pinkie who gave Flutterheart to Shy, tackled the last few. With those creatures gone, they raced towards Shining Armor but was blasted away as he gave off a powerful aura, leaving them on the floor as he kept crushing Celestia skull but stopped as he sense something. Out of nowhere, three magic blast came shooting out and hitting him on the back, forcing him to let Celestia go. Everypony watched as Luna, Twilight and Rarity teleported near them.

"Sister! Are you okay!?" asked Luna as she caught her sister.

"I'm fine..." replied Celestia as she stood with her sister, ready for a fight.

Twilight turned to her friends and asked her where's Cadance, as she remembered that she left her here as well but she didn't had to get a answer from them, as she could see the lifeless body of her dear friend and hearing the cries from Flutterheart in Shy arms. Twilight couldn't believe it, her sister in law, dead. Her horn started to glow with pure magic, with anger in her eyes, Twilight blasted the whole cell with light, banishing the darkness away. With Shining blinded by the light, Twilight ordered her friends to use the elements of harmony to defeat the monster. The mane six elements started to glow and finally blasting out the rainbow of light, hitting Shining but something happened. The rainbow color started to turn black and spread back to the elements, blasting everypony out of the cell. Luna was the first to stand up and could see Twilight and her friends in pain, as the elements started to blast out lightning bolts, causing a feedback on them.

"Hold on everypony!" said Luna as she tried to removed the elements from their bodies but Luna could hear whispering coming from the cell, she turned to see Armor walking out but there were two glowing red eyes behind him. Luna ready herself as she summoned her magic as her eyes turned white but the whispers laughed as it shot out black energy arms and grabbing her by the neck.

"Foolish child. You dare fight me with my own power?"

"Your own...power?" coughed Luna as she felt her magic being drained out of her "How...are you doing this? Who are you!?"

"It's like what I said little one, I'm your creator. Everything started with me and shall end with me!" laughed the whispers as it torned opened a black hole and slowly pushed Luna into it.

"L-Luna!" cried Twilight as she tried to get up as she saw what was happening.

Celestia couldn't moved as she woke and was forced to watch as her sister was tossed into the portal and disappearing into the blackness, never to be see again. Twilight watched as her brother walked over to Fluttershy and stared down as his baby, that was shaking with fear as she held onto Fluttershy. Fluttershy herself, hugged the child and tried to crawl away but was forced to stop as Armor held her down.

"A pure alicorn with untapped magical power. I better take care of you, young one...it be over quick!" said the whispers as Armor summoned his dark sword, thrusting it down at the child and Fluttershy but was stopped as Twilight magic grabbed the blade. Armor and the red eyes turned to Twilight and smiled, he would need to take her out as he disbandished her magic and swinged the blade to her face but missed as Rainbow Dash saved her by tackling her in time. Even with the feedback happening to her, only Dash and Twilight seemed to be still able to fight. Twilight tried to use her magic but nothing was coming out of horn, so Dash opened her wings and flew towards Armor, pushing him into the ceiling and dragging him through the dirt and out to the other part of the castle. 

"Foolish!" whispered the voices as Armor kicked Dash off of him, sending Dash crashing to the roof of the castle and her chest being stepped on as Armor landed on top of her "You think you have a chance with me, with these false wings, you half breed? Let me correct them!"

Dash felt her body being turned around, her wings being spread opened and being pulled by a great force, leaving her screaming in pain as she felt her bones cracking from the force. She tried her best to kick Armor off but didn't work as he kepting pulling her wings with his magic. Everypony in the castle could hear the cries from Dash, that some guards tried to reach the roof but was blasted away by Armor magic as they got too close. Dash tried to plead with him but the whispers only laughed as one of Rainbow wings finally broke and with one strong tug, came ripping off. Dash screamed as she felt blood blasting out of the stump of her wing but she would soon feel more pain as the other wing just torn off and leaving behind a piece of bone, as it stick out of the freshly made stump. 

"There you go, now you're no longer a half breed." laughed the whispers as they burned Dash's wings with Armor magic.

Dash slowly crawl away as she wanted to escape but Armor won't let her as he stomped on her head with his hoof. He wanted to do more awful things to her but luckily for her, a rope came shooting out and grabbing Armor throat, pulling him off the roof and to the ground below. Standing near him and the owner of the rope, was no other than AJ, as she was dealing with the feedback of her element but she couldn't stay down as she heard Dash screaming.

"Ya goin' to regret doin' that to her, pal!" said AJ as she pulled in the rope, sending Armor towards her. With one great kick of her hind legs, AJ broke Shining Armor left arm as he went flying but was pulled back as AJ tugged the rope again, with another hind kick, his left leg snapped and bone stuck out. AJ tugged the rope again once more but felt her mouth being forced open, letting the rope out. Shining hovered and faced AJ as he revealed he used his magic on her. AJ tried to fight back but wasn't enough, he was too strong.

"The worthless ones, are so stubborning. You think I never fought against your kind before? I killed so many of your kind when I came here. Never thought my creation would breed with this world backwater mud ponies!" shouted the whispers as Armor horned started to glow heavily, readying to rip AJ mouth apart but a pink blur shot into him, dragging him into the castle wall, freeing AJ from his grip. As the smoke cleared, Pinkie was running in place, as she was fighting back against the magical shield that Armor created.

"Pinkie! Get away from him, he's too powerful to get close to!" yelled AJ as she rubbed her mouth.

Pinkie stopped and hopped backwards and was standing next to AJ as they watched as Shining hover up into the air and summoning his dark sword, his blade was forming but scatter as a couch smack him in the face and dragged him back to the castle wall, creating more stone rocks hitting him.

"Sorry for the wait, darlings!" coughed Rarity as she teleported to the two earth ponies, still hurting from the feedback "Teleporting my couch from ponyville took while to do."

AJ and Pinkie gave her a "ready?" face as they questioned her, of all the weapons she could get, it was her couch. They started to fight among themselves as Shining stood back up and ready himself for his next attack as the girls took noticed.

"Got another couch to spare, Rare?" joked AJ as she ready her rope.

"Sadly, yes..." weep Rarity as she summoned another but more fancy couch, leaving AJ to sigh super loudly. Pinkie on the other hoof, jumped on it and enjoyed the soft pillows.

meanwhile, Dash entered the castle through the stairway that led to it, she was weakly trying to get back down there and join her friends in the fight but stopped as Twilight and Fluttershy appeared in front of her, Twilight magic faded from the smoke. Fluttershy quickly hugged Dash and cried as she saw her friend's missing her wings.

"Oh no oh no! Rainbow! It should of been me!" quietly said Fluttershy as her tears fell on Dashie shoulders.

"Then I'm happy it was me then..." replied Dash as she petted Fluttershy head.

Twilight sat sat down and couldn't hold her tears anymore. She let it all out, yelling that it was her fault, all of it. Letting the evil out, getting her brother infected by the evil, losing her childhood friend, getting Luna killed and now THIS. Twilight could only freak out as Dash pushed Shy away and walked over to her.

"I'M SORRY! DASH, I'M SO SORRY! IF YOU HAT-" cried Twilight before getting soft tapped on the head by Dash.

"Twilight, this isn't the time to be worrying about this, besides, I won't ever hate you. Not even for this and if ponies start blaming you for this event, I'll stick by you because we're friends..." grin Dash as she collapsed onto Twilight, even saying sorry as she felt her body getting weak.

Twilight and Fluttershy watched as Dash drew her last breath, leaving the world of the living...

"What the buck?" yelled Firefly as she hovered between Dashie friends, who were also lost by this strange event.







"What?" asked Dash as she stopped acting the scene out and faced her grandkid.

"How did you die, when you are alright?"

Dash thought it would make the scene more impactful and maybe make her look cool in her grandkid eyes.

"Well, it bucking didn't! Tell the story without this crap or I won't bring you anymore beer!" ordered Firefly, leaving Dash to sigh and recorrecting herself on the scene.







Twilight put Dash on the stone wall and tried to think up of a plan. She looked at her crown of magic and at the elements around her friends necks. They couldn't removed them right now, it seemed the creature put some kind of curse on it. She also believed that's what causing the feedback right now, if they tried to use them. There had to be a way to use them without worrying about the feedback on their bodies but how? She just couldn't think of anything. She tapped her horn and thought deeply into her pool of knowledge. Within her mind, she remember something about magic and she got it!

"That must work!?" cheerfully said Twilight as she faced the others, leaving Shy to asked what will work? "Okay hear me out, the necklaces use us like a battery. Since we're the elements in a way! It's like magic itself. We use our horns to use mana from the surrounding area and create the mana into its purest form, called magic. So, how about we use the elements to gather surrounding mana of friendship across the land and focus it all into the crown. We won't take the feedback but..." Twilight trailed off as she start to panic "THE FEEDBACK WILL BE BLASTING OUT ACROSS THE LAND! LIKE A STORM! WE CAN'T DO THAT!?"

Twilight started to pace around but stopped as the stone wall near them, broke apart as AJ was laying there, in pain with cuts. Dash watched Fluttershy hurried over to AJ but was grabbed by a dark hand of magic and being taken away, forcing AJ to lash on to it and riding back with it. 

"Twilight!" shouted Dash as she tried to rush over but fell "We have no chance right now!"

Twilight looked out on the battle and watched as her friends were getting beat by her own brother. Dash was right, if they fail here, this infection will spread across the land, dooming everypony and creature. Twilight grabbed Dash and teleported to the others as they just saved Fluttershy from Armor. She quickly explained the plan and told them to think about the ponies they met, the places they went to help with friendship problems. As they started to think about friendship, lights started to appear all across Equestria. Ponies and non ponies started to glow with a rainbow light, the very same creatures they helped. The lights soared out and flew to the castle in Canterlot. Spirling around and above the mane six, as they started to hover into the air and making a heart shape formation.

"What!?" shouted the voice through Armor mouth as it watched as the rainbow light shot into the girls and soon blasting out a beam of pure white light, ripping the darkness away from Shining Armor body.

"...Twily...th-thank...y...ou...." smiled Shining Armor as his own body started to faded away as the light grew stronger.

Twilight kept going in their attack but she knew her brother died as she felt his last words in her heart. 

"...brother..."

With one last strength, the light shot across the night sky and into the heavens and right back down, towards to the Crystal Empire, as it was covered in darkness. The beam clashed into the darkness and fought its way to the crystal heart and pushing it into the sky and sending it back to ponyville before finally disbursing. The girls fell on the ground and looked on as nothing was left of Shining Armor. Everypony turned to Twilight but was shock to see her raging with sparks as her body glow with rainbow energy.

"Twilight, what are you doing!?" yelled Dash as she tried to reach her but was stopped by Celestia, who was carrying Flutterheart with her magic. 

Twilight turned to everypony and shed a tear, as she spoke to them in a godlike voice "Farewell...". Twilight started to teleport with her overflowing magic but stopped as a broomstick poked her in the face.

"Keep it down! Don't you see I'm trying to sleep?" told Discord as he lowered the broom and headed back to his flying race car bed but quickly turned around "By the way, why is Twilight a ticking time bomb?"

Fluttershy flew over to him and grabbed his lion paw and pled to save her, with his magic. Discord, confused but understanding, snapped his fingers and removed the overflowing mana and placed it on a disk. Picking it up like a donut and duking it into a mug of milk and eating it with a few bites.

"Mmmmm, you can just taste the friendship!" joked Discord as he burp as it went off within his stomach "Where are my manners? Did you girls wanted some?".

Everypony ignored him and trotted over to Twilight, as she felt like crap but was fine as she stood up and hugged her friends.

"Foolish little ponies..." whispered a faint voice as everyone looked up into the night sky and could see two large red eyes "I can't be killed that easily! Everything started with me and it shall end with me!" laughed off the voice as it formed into a ball and soared beyond the mountains.

"Okay, what's going here? What'd I miss?" asked Discord as he summoned a box of Twilight friendship donuts and eating them but quickly tossed them away as he could see the mood was depressing as the girls looked worried and Twilight, who was in tears, held onto Flutterheart...







"Wait wait wait, this is why you ordered donuts from Pinkie, during the story?" asked Firefly as she bit down on her jelly donut.

"Yeah, Discord started to sell Twilight Donuts after this. Sold like hot cakes. Shamed that never lasted long..." replied Dash as she ate her own donut.

"So, that's how you lost your wings? Didn't Discord fix it? Like, a creature that made up of world bending power, couldn't recover your wings?" questioned Firefly as she pulled out another beer can, just in case.

"He tried. For some odd reason, something was blocking his power from effecting our bodies. He couldn't even remove the dark mist from the Crystal Empire. It was a pretty easy guess, that the monster had something to do with it. Anyway, after that, Twilight started to test our bodies and found that the friendship mana somehow infused into our own mana. Our bodies became stronger like super strength, slow aging but it seems like we won't age now as you can see and quick healing. Not a bad thing I say but it's getting harder to get bucking drunk." laughed Dash as she took the beer can and opened it "I was pretty depress after the fight but AJ and Twilight helped me. Twilight wanted to use magical wings like Rarity had but like Discord magic, had no effect on me. AJ tried to come up with things that will make me forgot about it, like cooking apple pies or going out on girls night out...heh...I remember that somepony was hitting on her and going on about her nice flank, she didn't care but when the colt started to say crap about my stumps, she kicked him a good one."

"...AJ...Applecore...the queen of Sarac and this sector...who ruled over it for the last five thousands years with a tyrant hoof, are the same freaking pony? Are you making shit up again? What happened to her?" asked Firefly as she watched as Dash face became hurt.

"...I'll get there, kid. Anyway, after a few months later, the dark mist started to spread and the first places it touch, were the changelings kingdom. Celestia scouts reported that the changeling couldn't fight back and became...more monster like. They joined forces with the dark monster and started to attack every kingdom across the land. Somehow, their numbers were infinite. Like they kept coming no matter what and soon enough, they started to infected the wildlife and normal creatures around them. Different breeds of changelings were born from it. The snake versions you saw? Those were once ponies called the Hippogriffs but in their seaponies form. They're called Nagas now. The darkness spread like wildfire, each kingdom fled to Equestria and settled near Ponyville. Twilight believed the numbers of the changelings was magical based and not mass breeding like Sunburst suggested." spoke Dash as she got out of bed and stared into the sea of stars "Twilight wanted to go the changeling kingdom with Discord but something happened to Discord. He just vanished into thin air. Without him, we lost a great ally, as things started to get worst. The changeling swarm started to march it's way to Equestia and the front lines started to fold to them. Then Celestia dropped a big reveal on us, after she summoned us to her war room..." quietly said Dash as she touched the window with her forehead.







"...can you repeat ya self, your highness? I think I had corn in my ears..." asked AJ as she couldn't believe what her and her friends just heard.

"My kind, the alicorns, came to this world millions of years ago. I never found out why but my kind stayed and started to mate with the earth ponies, thus creating pegasus and unicorns. My mother told me, that our people were nomadic creatures, as they started to move on from this world. My father and mother stayed and soon had I and my sister. There was others that stayed as well. Their was four colony ships that were left behind, just in case we decided to leave this world like the others. Over time, the alicorns started to vanish and all was left was Luna and myself. Father and mother vanished as they headed off to the north, where most of the alicorns stayed. Never thought they was killed off by that "creature"." finished Celestia as AJ sighed.

"Nope, heard right..."

"Wait, why are you telling us this?" asked Twilight.

"...Remember what I said before? There are four colony ships hidden underground, within the everfree forest. They're called Thor, Athena, Hyperion and lastly, Arun." said Celestia as she created model ships with her magic. The first one created looked like Hyperion but more fortress like "Thor is the largest of the ships, made to hold millions of alicorns and has every feature that the other ships has" explained Celestia as she started to create a long spear ship with solar sails. "Athena the second largest of the four, it can store not just alicorns but important object, since it was also a library and research ship".

"Psst darling, you are drooling..." whispered Rarity as she noticed that Twilight eyes went big as she saw Athena and billions of books and other rare objects. 

"I got it!" replied Spike as he shut Twilight mouth.

Celestia created the model of the Hyperion "The Hyperion, the smallest of the four, is a colony ship with factories within its walls. Can build anything in minutes." then Celestia created a spear style ship like the Athena but had long wings and a spinning core that you could see from the outside "Last but not least, the Arun. Once built for war but is now shadow of its former self. The weapons are no more, as it was made into a colony ship like the rest. The reason I'm telling you this, is because I decided that we're leaving Equestria and finding a new home, beyond the stars like my people once did..." finished Celestia as everypony were in shock.







"So...your highness gave up?" questioned Firefly as Dash turned to her.

"Pretty much. We couldn't blame her, since her army was being beaten by the changelings and we're on our last leg. Few hours later, Celestia spread the news all over Equestria and every creature was ordered to head to the Everfree forest. Workers started to dug up the ships. They was near the old castle of the sisters. Everything was going fine until changelings started to pour into ponyville fields. We took our elements and headed there with Celestia as we heard the "voice" was calling us. When we got there, Queen Novo was infected by it, like how Shinning was. Also there was Queen Chrysalis but looked more blood thristy like her subjects but still sane. The voice teased us, saying it knew what we was doing and it didn't matter in the end. It would follow us and end us all. We started to fight but didn't last on as we got our flanks beaten. Twilight suggested the elements again and like before, we didn't had a choice. We used them and freed Novo spirit from the voice control but just like bucking before, egghead kept the feedback within her body and wanted to teleport away. With Discord missing, Celestia stepped up and removed the feedback of mana from Twilight and soar into the sky and..." Dash leaned back on the glass and slide down, till she was on the floor "Became a burning star. The world shoke with force and clouds formed all around the world. Lightning storms fired out and the world started to burn. The countdown started. End of days shit, you know? Twilight and the rest of us retreated to the forest but we all got separated as we tried to outrun the changelings. Twilight was the first one to return to the ships and found out that the power core of the ships were dead. They needed something new to power them. Twilight removed her crown and place it in the core of the Athena and ordered all crystal ponies to enter it. Sunburst, the pony that Twilight and Luna met, took Flutterheart as the ship took flight. With this new info, Twilight looked for us. I believed Rarity and Spike took the dragons and diamond dogs to Arun and with her element, activated the ship and followed after Athena ."

Firefly watched in silent as Dash face started to turn to anger as she kept going with the story...






"How are you holding up, partner?" questioned AJ as she fought off a Naga with her kicks.

"Doing fine! How many you got AJ? I got at least five! You Pinkie?" cheerfully joke Dash as she punched out a changeling with her hooves but the mares was surrounded as the forest lit up with yellow eyes.

"I took a few out with my bad muffins!" said Pinkie as she tossed her muffins into the woods.

"Hmmm...eight?" lied AJ as she backed up against Rainbow Dash.

"Ha! Good one!" replied Dash, as she knew it was all over for them "If only the stupid elements would work again! I don't care if I turn into a bomb, at least i'll take these monsters with me!"

The girls watched as the changelings and Nagas jumped out of the trees and attack. Before they reach the mares, Twilight blasted the fiends away and teleported the girls away, not too far from the ships but one Naga got a lucky hit as they hit Dash in the leg with one of it's spike attacks. Twilight quickly looked over at the wound and could see the green ooze infecting Rainbow.  

"This isn't good, Naga's spikes are coated in poison! We need to get you to the ship!" said Twilight as she ordered AJ to pull out the spike. 

Dash push AJ and Pinkie away as she face Twilight, with worry in her eyes. She wasn't leaving her behind. Twilight said she'll be fine, plus she had to find Fluttershy. Hearing this, Dash doubled down on not leaving but started to feel sick.

"Dash, listen! I'll be back to the ship with Fluttershy. Don't worry okay?" smiled Twilight in sadness, as she knew her friend was worried about her safely "AJ head to the Thor and use your element, to repower it. Thor has a magical anti-magic force field, which should block the changelings from attacking it, since their made of up dark magic. Wait for me, okay? Pinkie, take Rainbow to the Hyperion and take off." ordered Twilight as she hugged her friends.

"You better...c-come back!" called out a sick Dash as Pinkie carried her away, making Twilight slightly turned to them, before finally teleporting away.

AJ broke away from them as she headed off to the Thor, leaving Pinkie and Dash to the Hyperion by themselves. Both mares could see ponies and yaks entering the ship's hammer like head as Pinkie followed them. Once inside the ship, they met with Scootaloo and Derpy hooves.

"Rainbow Dash, I have a message for you, it's from Twilight. She said to follow this map to the ship's core." spoke Derpy as she dropped a map into the floor and her eyes went derp as she blush "oops..." 

"Hold on, I got this Dash!" quickly said Scootaloo as she held the map up, allowing Pinkie to quickly read it. 

"Okay, I know where to go! Stay here with Dash you two." asked Pinkie as she let Rainbow Dash go but felt the element of loyalty being tossed into her face.

"Pinkie, take it and run like the wind!" said Dash as Scootaloo and Derpy took her away to the bridge.

Pinkie nodded and vanish into the dark hallways. Dash body started to feel slightly much better as time went on and when they arrived to the bridge, the power turned on. The computer screens flash on and the star map flicker on and off, as it showed the ship was going to start flying off with it's auto mode on. Derpy took outside as the shutters opened up, revealing the Thor is already active and it's shield are up as a white barrier surrounded it. Suddenly, the ship started to rock as it took flight and was above the forest, revealing the fires started by the ongoing storm and swarm of changelings as they creep across the land. 

"Whoa, what is that?" questioned Scootaloo as she could see large dark mass heading their way.

In the distant, Dash could make out what seems like dragons glowing red? That's when the ships alert system went off as the star map became the map of the area, revealing thousands of dragons that became part of the changeling swarm. Dash remember that tales from the dragons that when their brothers and sisters fell to the changelings, they became bones and dark mass as lava poured out of their hearts, they were called Magmawyrms and like the changelings, they're in billions as they headed their way and soon fired fireballs at the Hyperion. The long took some damage but was fine as it kept going but on the map, Dash and everypony that were in the bridge, watched as the dragons fired upon the Thor and noticing it's shield was starting to give way. Suddenly on the radio, Dash could hear Twilight. 

"AJ, I found Fluttershy! She was gathering all the ponies that got left behind, lower the ship's shield!" ordered Twilight as Dash could hear ponies screaming in fear or fighting as the changeling were attacking them.

AJ voice returned the call as the Thor started to take off "We're taking off! All ships, move away from the planet!"

Dash and Twilight shouted "What?" at the same time as they heard the orders. The bridge lights turned red as the everything in the room went into lock mode. Dash quickly grabbed the radio and spoke to AJ in anger "You're not just gonna leave them?"

"All ships, get ready for light speed jump when the Thor exits the atmosphere. We'll link the ships supercomputers and jump as one." ordered AJ as she ignored Dash completely.

"What's going on up there? Guys? AJ? AJ, Applebloom with us! Spitfire and some of the knigh-" Twilight radio feed was cut off as the Hyperion exit the atmosphere, followed by the Thor.
Scootaloo cried out Applebloom and same can be said about Sweetie Bell, as she two cried from the bridge of the Thor.

Dash pounded the monitor and yelled into the radio "Damn you, Applejack! Don't do this!".

"It's done, Dash. Helmsman, send the signal to the fleet, and take us out of here. Now!" bark AJ as the Hyperion computer system for warp drive started to count down but before it warp with the others, black fireballs crashed into the engine area of the ship. The screen quickly alerted that the dragons were following them. With another hit, the ships warp info was messed up and jumped into a different area from the others.








"Then we bucking crashed into the wasteland of Arion. We lost a few ponies and yaks in the crash. It wasn't long before Applejack found us. She requested us to come with her, as she found a better planet to live on. Grassy field and shit. But everyone and myself included, told her to buck off. Besides, we got the Hyperion to start terraforming the planet. It took years, sure but the planet became suitable for us. The only problem was, that Hyperion was in beyond repair and because of that, we fell far behind in getting advancing tech out. We became the backwater planet that nopony wanted to go too. Heck, when other ponies started to colonize other planets near us, we were still looked down on. Then Applejack started to go with Applecore as her name and became the leader of her planet and soon the sector. The dragons and diamond dogs joined together and started a mining organizations with the new empire as the planet they landed on had rare stones to power ships and cities. Flutterheart became the new princess of the crystal ponies and settled on a snow covered planet. Her empire hasn't joined AJ's from what I heard over the years..." finished Dash as she returned to the bed and couldn't look Firefly in the eyes.

Firefly sat up from her chair and place her hoof on Dash shoulder as she spoke "I know now what happened but you can't let the past keep you like this. I know you been rejecting visitors, like the mayor. I know why...well, in truth, I really don't."

Dash slowly turned to Firefly and pushed her hoof away "I'm not becoming the leader of an rebellion...".

"Why? The backwater planets need somepony! A hero! Somepony to march wit-" before Firefly could finish, Dash jumped out of bed and flipped over her own bed.

"I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU IN DANGER LIKE THEY DID!?"

Firefly was shock but asked what she meant by "they" and what it had to do with her.

"...damn it, Firefly. Your parents were the Swords of Freedom. The rebel group that was slaughter at the battle over Sarac. Your father was killed in the fight but your mother lived, she tried to escape but was captured. She was executed live on air, billions watched as Applecore put a bullet through her head...I made a promise with her...I'm not letting my last kin die like her..." cried Dash as she held her head as tears dripped down her cheeks "AC went after all my family, till she showed up on Arion..."







Dash put Firefly to bed, next to a sleeping Yuna and kissed her forehead "Sleep well, honey. Grandma gonna be right back...".

Dash covered the kids with a blue blanket and exited the cabin, to see Pinkie standing outside, next to her was the vulture bike. Both nodded at each other and hugged before Dash jumped in her vulture and taking off into the waste land. She drove down the waste land for a few hours but she wasn't alone as she could hear something chasing her. She floored it, to out run them but she knew better as she could see space flights hanging near her. She could see the fighter had a T-shape design, with the cockpit in the top middle. At the end of the each wings, were the blasters railguns. 

"Tsk, if i had my wings, I could out fly these stupid fliers..." whispered Dash as she cut her engine as the pilot ordered her to stop by waving at her.

As she finally stop, she could see a large box shaped dropship, landing in front of her. Walking out where a squad of marines, as they pointed their rifles at her.

"Lower them." ordered Applecore as she exited the ship and walked over to Dash in her own combat suit "Howdy Dashie, it's been awhile. I think you know why i'm here, correct?"

Dash exited out of her bike, then walked over to AC and felt small in front of her, since AC was in her huge bulking marine armor "Yup..." replied Dash as stared down her former friend.

AC grin as she patted Dashie back "Good good, will be much easier then. Reports from her crew, suggested that, Rainbow Stream, headed here a few years ago. Were ya part of this little rebellion? I already had everypony that carried your bloodline, killed off. I don't want every creature realizing that the rebellion was started up by one of the six legendary heroes. Since we're good old pals, I want to hear the truth from you. In person no less. Are yo-".

"No." said Dash, not letting AC finish.

"Are you hiding somepony here?" quickly replied AC.

"No. There's no pony here." coldly replied Dash.

AC laughed a bit before pushing Dash to the floor and choking her throat, with her metal hooves "Don't play dumb, reports say she was going to hide somepony here. maah guess, it's her rotten spawn! Where is the kid, old Dashie boy?"
Dash was kicking as she tried to breath as her throat was getting crush and with her strength, coughed out that no kid was here. 

"Really, now?" smiled AC as she let go of Dash throat but quickly slammed her hooves in Dash face. She kept going, asking Dash if there was anypony here. Soon, AC metal hooves were covered in blood. After a few minutes, she stopped and picked up a bloody Dash, as her face was caved in and oozing out blood. "Last time, are there any of her spawn here!?"

Dash tried her best to speak but could only shake her head in no.

"...okay then." replied AC as she dropped Dash on the ground and turning to her marines "Did the other squad met with Pinkie?"

The squad leader step forward and reported that Pinkie handed them the birth certificates of her grandchildren's. Confirming it's her kin, since her grandkid, who was a pegasus, married a yak and had two kids.

"Good to hear. I know Pinkie, she won't ever lie to anypony. She wasn't hurt right? Because if her and her kin was..." angry replied AC as she stared down the Squad leader.

"No, my queen!" bowed the marine as AC walked passed them.

Dash slowly got up, as she felt her face being healed and able to call AC out, about how she became this evil dictator.

"Oh Dashie, I had no choice. Somepony had to rule and let's be honest here. Who was up for it? Flutterheart? She was too young at the time, all kingdoms kings or queens was killed off during the war, besides we couldn't let princess Ember take over, she's a dragon. The only reason I allied with them years ago, is because Spike became Ember husband. Rarity wasn't up for it and suggested I should led. I'm a born leader! I saved their lives and every creature knew that, it's why I'm queen now. That's the honest truth, I'm the only one!" finished AC as she held her arms up here.

"...What happened to you, Applejack? Did all that power gone to your bucking head? If Applebloom was around, she'll be disgusted by what you become..." sadly said Dash as she watched AC lower her arms and turning to face.

"If she was still around and disagreed with me, then she would end up like my dear brother. Dead and used as food for my pets timber wolves..." grin AC as she left Dash alone and entered the ship with her marines. Dash looked up and could see a smaller and different model that was based off the Thor, as it hovered there, waiting for AC dropship. After receiving the ship, it hyper jumped.

"...Stream..." cried Dash as she sat down and cried her heart out as the Arion moons rose from the mountains...







"That's why! I don't want to lose anypony else! I don't want to lose you!" spoke Dash as she walked over to Firefly but stopped as she could see anger in her eyes.

"You are a coward! You keep saying it's for me, but be honest with your bucking self. That beating made you yellow and scared of Applecore!" shouted Firefly as she trotted out the room "We don't need you!"

Dash tried to move her legs but they won't move a inch, instead shaking with fear. Fear that she knew that Firefly was right. Her Applejack was gone and she didn't want to face her in person again. She acted back but in the back of her mind, she was scared, even as she fought with AJ back on the bridge. She didn't know what to do...so she just fix her bed and slept in it. She was always good at sleeping after all...






Few days later...

The Hyperion was fully repaired after the week of escaping from Arion. It exited out of hyper jump and hovered over the planet known as Latiri 7. A rain forest class planet and home to billions of zebra ponies. 

"How's the factories going, Pinkie?" asked Firefly as her and Pinkie watched as the ship factories was chucking out Marines power suits, vultures and dropships. 

"Great, our forces are jacked up and ready to go. Of course, they're not the war smart crew like AJ armies but with this first mission, they'll understand how to fight and move on the battlefield. Also got vulture models being made with grenade launcher mounts, should be useful against small targets like the normal changelings. Also added cup holders!" giggled Pinkie as she turned to Firefly but sighed as Firefly headed off to the suiting up area "Maybe if I add cup holder to the marine suits? Maybe that'll cheer her up?"

Pinkie hopped away and returned to her work room but was shock to see Dash there, as she sat in Pinkie bean bag.

"Damn it, Pinkie. Why did get a bean bag chair? Hate these things." said Dash as she tried to find a best comfly spot but quickly said buck it and kicked the bag away.

"Nevermind that silly, why are you here? Thought you was locked up in the medbay?" asked Pinkie as she picked up her bag and placed it back where it belongs "Worried about Firefly?"

Dash nodded as she sat on the cold floor "Everypony and yaks has her back on this mission, that no creature would ask her not to go...not even you, right?".

Pinkie nodded, as she too believes that Applejack rule must be stopped but right now, saving the backwater planets was more important. She wasn't even surprised that Firefly quickly became the leader of the group, since everyone heard her talk against Applejack.  That it will be stupid to go against everyone on the ship, in making her leader...

"...well, unless the main pick finally mares up and takes her rightful place as commander, then maybe she can order Firefly not to go in combat..." suggested Pinkie as she started to work at her desk.

"Come on, Pinkie. You know that no one would follow me or believe after Firefly told everyone I won't do it because I'm a big coward..."

"That smells." added Pinkie.

"...who smells..." 

"Also likes smelling her own butt!" again, added Pinkie.

"...also like smelling my own butt...wait..." questioned Dash.

"Also like writing porn fics of Darling Do and herself as th-" but Pinkie stopped as she was getting choke hold by Dash.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU'LL NEVER TELL ANYPONY!" yelled Dash but let Pinkie go as she heard her giggling.

"Of course not, silly. I never break my pinky promises!" answered Pinkie as she hugged Dash "Go down there with them. Show them that your no coward!"

Pinkie let go, then picked up a remote and flip it on. Revealing Dash better upgraded marine suit from the closet. The suit was blue with yellow lightning bolts on the arms and legs, just like the wonderbolt outfit from old. Dash walked up to it and touch it. Pinkie joined her and asked her if cup holders will be great feature or not.


After suiting up, Firefly entered the hanger bay and met with her army, as marine ponies and yaks saluted her. Yuna walked over and handed her a mic. Firefly took it and spoke.

"Listen up fillies and gentlecolts, our first mission in our little rebel group, is to rescue the zebras from the invading changelings. We got reports that the remaining tribes are held up in the last dome city. It's anti-magic shields will go down in a few hours, letting the changelings flood in. Our objects is to give them covering fire as their ships head out to the Hyperion in space, since we can't risk the Hyperion from getting attacked by the swarm air units. We'll hold out as long as we can. After the last ship is gone, we're breaking and heading back to the dropships. Everyone got that?" finish Firefly as she gave the mic back to Yuna.

"YES MA'AM!" shouted everyone as they saluted again but started to talk among themselves as they saw "her" walking to Yuna and grabbing the mic.

"I'm coming too!" said Dash as she watched Firefly quickly turned to her "I know all of you wanted me to be the commander and I think all of ya were right but I let all of you down because, like Firesides said, I'm a coward..."

"Who smells!" added Yuna.

"...yes, who smells..."

"Also likes smelling her own butt." added Sparklealoo from the bridge, as she was watching the speech on the live feed.

"...son of a...yes, who likes sniffing her own ass..." mourned Dash as she can't believe that Firefly would say that "But let me prove myself down there. If I can't, welp, Firefly will be the leader but if I can, I'm taking over and all of you gonna call her Firesides from now on!"

"WHAT!?" blushed Firefly as she rushed over to her grandma.

"Marshal Pony Dash, why do you call her that anyway?" asked Yuna, as she always wonder it.

Dash smiled as she explained that Firefly is super ticklish on her sides, that she burst out laughing that her sides are on fire. Hint the name, Firesides. Everyone started to laugh at the answer, while Firefly turned bright red as everyone started to call her Firesides as they walked by her to their drop ships.

"YOU BUCKING HAG!" shouted Firefly as she chased Dash into their dropship.

"W-What? I think the nickname is cool?" replied Dash as she sat in her seat and was locked in.

"It's bucking not!" cried Firefly as she sat next to Dash and was locked in as well.

The dropship engines fired on and took off to the planet, giving its crew a shaky ride.

"...I'm happy your coming..." confessed Firefly as she played with her hooves but smiled as she faced her grandma "Glad I won't be the leader after this, commander hag."

Dash was confused, she wasn't the leader yet and the bet didn't started yet but Firefly quickly explained that even though she was picked, most of the older crew wasn't happy about it. It was no doubt that everyone will pick Dash over her when they get back. Dash didn't like this but she became fine with it.

"Well, as my first order as commander, Firesides, you must stay near me as all times!" ordered Dash as she petted Firefly head.

"...fine."

"Also, you must give your location at all times during mission!" added Dash, making Firefly moan in embarrassment.

"Hey, commander?" spoke Sparklealoo through Dash suit "The name and symbol of our group was finally voted and Firesides name of the group and Pinkie symbol had won. What do think?" finished Sparklealoo as she send a copy of the name of the group and symbol they'll be using.

"...simple...but it's coming from Firefly...so I like it! Dash's Raiders!" grin Dash as her visor closed shut and then followed by the blast resistant visor as it shut tight and revealing a pony skull decorated on it. On everyone shoulders, appeared two wings and between was Twilight star cutie mark but without the tiny stars. Soon the dropships lights turned from red to green as it opened the doors and unlocking it's troops. "Listen up, give them hell!" cheered Dash as her and everyone charged out of the ships and opened fired on the changelings as zebras ran to their own ships.


end of EP3