Vengeance
Vengeance
Ken Atkinson
“Okay, Rainbow Dash. Could we have your opinion on the Unicorn regieme?”
I sighed, suddenly feeling like curling up in a ball somewhere.
“Look. I swore to myself; to everypony, that I would help create a better Equestria after the end of the war, but let's just say the Unicorns are making it pretty f... Pretty damn difficult.”
The reporter nodded with a smile.
“Thank you for your comment, Miss Dash.”
I nodded.
“Just don't spin it to make me look like a revolutionary. I'd rather not be lined up and shot, thanks.”
Her smile became strained.
“We'll do our best.”
She vanished around the corner a moment later, probably to ambush another 'war hero'. I just sighed to myself. The war had fucked everything up. Unicorns started it, Unicorns take the muffins at the end... I had to wonder if the Unicorn 'extremists' who had assassinated the princesses Celestia and Luna fully intended to start a war only the Unicorns could win. If that had been their agenda, then it sure as hell worked. Without the princesses and the elements of harmony to unite them, the three races, Pegasus, Unicorn, and Earth Pony, flew into violent and bloody conflict against one another. My people, the Pegasi, got it the hardest: according to the post-war census, at least half our number were killed. HALF. Fucking genocide. Anyway, by the end of the war, our leadership was getting pretty desperate, so they ordered me and a small team to assassinate the Earth Pony general, with the intent lightening the load on our forces.
It got messy, but long story short, we got the job done. The Earth Ponies collapsed... and that left the Unicorns with only us to flatten. We surrendered in under a month, and since then, the Unicorns had stuck their little republic in place. A large group of the wisest Unicorns in Equestria, deciding how best to punish and oppress the other two races for resisting them in the war. Ironically enough, they still gave me a bunch of medals and paraded me around as a war hero – simply because my mission directly resulted in the surrender of the Pegasi. Part of me wished command had seen sense and realized taking out the Earth Ponies would focus the Unicorns on us, but in retrospect, I knew that a quick surrender had been the best shot for the Pegasus race and Equestria overall. If the mission had been shelved, we might've kept fighting for months. But no matter how much I reasoned, no matter how much I told myself it was for the best, I still got a little mad that we'd lost every now and again. It'd be a long time before the soldier got chased out of my system, and that's assuming it ever was.
I shook my head to clear it, suddenly feeling downright miserable. I decided to head back home; Twilight always knew how to cheer me up. Usually with something sexual, I thought to myself as I cracked a slight smile and approached the library in the tree: one of the few structures in Ponyville that had survived the beginning of the war several years ago. Everything else in the city was still spitshine new, but the library... it invoked some kind of reverence from everypony here. Ponies remembered what things were like before, remembered how good everything was... the library was the only thing in the city that still survived from that time. I approached the door, and frowned when I found it ajar. No matter; probably one of Twilight's games. She'd picked up my pranking streak and was probably looking to get the drop on me, I thought with a smile as I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
“Twi?” I called into the livingroom. We'd remodeled the library into something more resembling a house when we were making the initial repairs; it was now divided into three floors, the lowest of which served as the library, reading room, and general relaxation space. It was empty and dark; the lights were off.
“Honey, I'm home,” I called out as I started up the stairs, “Had a bad day; could use some fun, if you know what I mean. Should I get my socks?”
Silence. I laughed nervously.
“Okay, Twi... you win, joke's on me... come on, please come out. You're scaring me.”
I reached the second floor, which served as our kitchen, dining room, and larder, and checked every room. Empty.
“Twilight! Please, say something!”
I took the next flight of stairs at a gallop, and when I made it to the top floor, my heart leaped into my throat.
“Celestia's bones...”
The room had been trashed. The pictures we'd taken of progress rebuilding Ponyville were in varying states of disarray; some crooked, some knocked to the floor. The glass front of my medal case had been smashed; the 'Cross of Extraordinary Bravery' hanging from the fragments by its band. The window was broken, and a light breeze tugged at the curtains, which had been drawn for some reason. The bed was a mess: the sheets looked like somepony had grabbed them and intentionally ripped them off... and if I looked closely at the floor, I could see small splotches of blood. It didn't take an egghead to figure out what had happened. Unicorns. Unicorns happened. They'd thumped on the door, and she panicked; ran up here and hid under the covers with the blinds drawn, just hoping they'd leave. They didn't. I gritted my teeth and fought back the tears in my eyes; I loved her to death, but she'd never been too good under pressure. I spent the longest time pacing back and forth amid the tattered ruins of our life together: I fought for lasting peace, I fought so hard... but this... this was too much. So I unlocked the chest at the foot of our bed, and lifted out the fully loaded six-shooter. I'd never become so idealistic that I'd forgotten the war. I hung the holster across my shoulder and put the weapon away, before slowly starting down the stairs. I knew what I had to do. I was a soldier. I had to find her, and I had to kill every pony who had a hoof in this.
“Oh, you must be looking for miss Sparkle.”
I whirled on my heel, the gun in my hoof – there was still somepony inside the house. I was half way down the stairs, and the voice had echoed from further down – he was in the library. I took a deep breath and clicked back the hammer, before storming down the stairs, weapon in hoof.
“HOOVES UP!! ON THE FUCKING FLOOR, NOW!!”
The armored Unicorn just shook his head. Celestia, he was wearing so much gear I couldn't even figure out what colour his coat was.
“The bullet in that gun wouldn't even penetrate the outermost layer of my armor, so I recommend you holster that weapon and talk sensible.”
I refused.
“Where's my wife?” I growled, my voice shaking.
“She's been arrested.”
“On what charge?”
“Terrorism, High Treason, and conspiracy to murder a ranking Unicorn official.”
My jaw fell slack, and I nearly dropped my gun.
“The penalty for all three individually is...”
“Death, yes.”
“That means Twilight is about to be...”
“Executed. Within the hour.”
I had to remind myself that I was a soldier a dozen times to avoid breaking down into tears. Twilight was the love of my life: the only good thing I had left after the war. In a second, I'd assessed the Unicorn's armor: the shoulder plate wasn't well fastened. If I planted my hoof in the gap, I could easily dislocate his shoulder. With some extra force, I could break his shoulder blade and snap the joint off his front left leg, much as had happened to me during the mission. In half a second, the Unicorn was on the ground, my rear hoof was planted on the back of his shoulder, and my front legs were wrapped around his, ready to pop the joint.
“Tell me where she is.”
“Go suck on Luna's dead pussy you psychotic lesbian b...”
The shoulder disconnected with a nice, satisfying crack.
“Have some respect for the memories of those you murder,” I spat, “Now WHERE IS MY WIFE!?”
“Go to hell!” he growled through the pain.
“I was hoping you'd say that.”
And with that, I drove my rear hoof down against the joint, and wrenched his leg back until I heard something important snap. The soldier howled in agony.
“Not so tough now, are you,” I whispered in his ear, letting awkwardly bent leg fall limply to the carpet and shifting my hoof to the knee of the same leg.
“You know,” I said, contemplating, “There are a lot of joints in your body, so you've got two options: man up, fight through the pain, and knock me the fuck out, or tell me where you're keeping my wife.”
“Alright,” he moaned, “Alright, just... don't break anything else, please!”
“Well, I see you've come to your senses,” I replied nonchalantly, keeping my hoof pressed against his knee, just in case.
“They're rounding them up at the base of Dragon Mountain; the execution is at ten o’clock tonight. It's eight right now; there's no way you'll make it in time!”
I leaned in close.
“My name is Rainbow Dash. I'm sure you've heard of me. Speed isn't a problem.”
I kicked sharply across the jaw, knocking him cold, before starting out the door. In all honesty, I was terrified. Even though my wing was set properly and had fully recovered after I was shot down at the end of the war, I hadn't flown since that last, blood-soaked mission. I spread my wings, but all I could think of was the thunder of the flak, the sudden, searing agony as my feathers caught fire... I shuddered, and reluctantly let my wings close. I was fast on my hooves, too... I just hoped I was fast enough.
***
I had nearly collapsed from exhaustion several times; sprinting as fast as I could for nearly two straight hours. I felt like death, but I knew I had to keep going. It was getting dark, but fortunately, I was blessed with a full moon and clear sky: I could still see well enough to know that I was getting close. I hid behind some low shrubs for a few minutes, catching my breath, then took a careful peek to get a sense of the situation. I was shocked. There were at least twenty ponies, all blindfolded and standing upright, their backs to the sheer, rocky cliff that was the base of Dragon Mountain. There were about six Unicorn shooters, standing around checking their weapons, and two others on guard. A large tent stood off to the right, just at the edge of the treeline. All appeared lightly armored, unlike the raider unit I'd taken down back at home. I couldn't see a commander – but that was rectified soon when a towering Unicorn stepped out of the tent. I focused as well as I could manage on what they were saying.
“...forget it, just shoot them now. Command doesn't give a shit if we kill them ten minutes early.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The commander stood off to one side as his subordinate gave the news to the shooters, then stood back and illuminated the victims with a flare of light magic from his horn. My heart plummeted as I realized I knew almost all of them. I counted the ones I knew as one of the shooters moved across, removing the blindfolds one by one... Cheerilee, Lyra Heartstrings, Bon Bon, Granny Apple... and of course, Twilight Sparkle. Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns... they weren't discriminating here. I craned my neck around, trying to get a handle on what was happening, and saw that they'd finished taking off the blindfolds, the last shooter stepping in line. Some ponies were crying, some too scared to make a sound, while others glared the shooters down, defiant to the end. I had to move, NOW.
“Hey, I think I saw something over there. I'll go check it out; hang on a sec.”
I cursed under my breath and dropped to the ground, watching the guard approach from under the shrub. He paused a few meters ahead, carefully examining the area. I held my breath... but his eyes had been addled by the bright light, and he missed me entirely. He turned around, and shouted back to the rest;
“I'm not seeing anything, but let's play this safe. Shoot 'em one at a time: I need the rest of you ponies on guard detail.”
Mentally, I cursed a thousand times as the five shooters formed a guard perimeter I had no chance of breaking. There was nothing, absolutely nothing I could do. What I'd have given for one of my old wartime grenades...
Crack.
I sucked in a breath as the first shot went off; the first pony collapsing back against the rock face and sliding to the ground. The shooter cycled the chamber with a harsh rasp, and moved onto the next one: Cheerilee. She was doing her best, trying to stand tall and be brave, looking the shooter in the eye despite the tears rushing down her face. Crack. I had to try so hard to keep myself from breaking into sobs. The shooter moved to the next one. Crack. Next one. Crack. Eventually, he got to Granny Apple. She just smiled sadly up at the shooter, and said,
“It's okay, child. I had a good life.”
Crack. I wasn't even resisting it anymore; just trying to keep quiet as tears poured from my eyes.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Then they came to Bon Bon, who was stunned stiff; too terrified even to cry. The shooter cycled the chamber, and took aim.
“NO!!”
Lyra's anguished scream split the cold night air like a knife as she sprinted from her place on the wall, skidding to a stop in front of Bon Bon. The shooter's aim shifted downward for a moment as he silently regarded the situation... then brought the weapon up and fired anyway. The bullet caught Lyra in the chest, setting her stumbling back, her eyes hurt and shining with tears. She collapsed to the dirt a moment later, coughed once, and lay still. Then the shooter simply cycled the chamber... and fired again. Bon Bon was dead too less than a second later. It made me sick; heartless, absolutely heartless. There weren't many ponies left; just four, then Twilight. I was frantically looking for a way in, a way to save her... but there was nothing. Crack. The guards weren't faltering, and there were too many to take in a straight up fight. I'd get killed. Crack. But did it matter? What was the life of a Pegasus ex-soldier too scared to fly against an up and coming magical genius? Crack. I paused to wonder for a moment: what would she do if she were in this situation? It didn't take much thought to realize that, even if she knew she couldn't take it all the way, she'd still try. I owed her that much, at least. Crack. Twilight was now the last one standing. It was too late for hesitation.
I withdrew my revolver and fired twice; catching the nearest two guards in the chest and head respectively, leaping from the bush and firing a third time, putting down the guard on the far right side.
“RUN!!” I screamed at Twilight as another guard tackled me from behind, but I threw her off and fired a fourth round through her skull. The fifth bullet went into the most distant guard. The last remaining guard charged me, trying to land a kill in close quarters combat – I just snapped his neck and let his body fall limply to the ground. I paused for a moment to reassess the situation. The six guard were dead, and the light carrier had let the spell die and was staring at me in abject terror, as was the Unicorn commander. The shooter was catching up with Twilight; I had to be quick. I shot the commander with my last bullet and flung the empty pistol at the light carrier, sprinting after the shooter as he tackled Twilight from behind, just praying that he wouldn't...
Crack.
I bodily tackled the shooter, wrenching the rifle from his grip and blowing his head in two. The moon was hidden by drifting clouds as I glanced around wildly, making sure I wasn't about to get shanked... it looked like I was clear for the moment, but where was Twilight? I had to see her, had to know she was okay... A weak cough reached my ears from the ground to my left, and my heart plummeted.
“Twilight? Twilight, where are you? I can't see anything.”
Then the cloud passed, and I saw her.
“Oh no...”
She lay on her side with a weak smile, tears collecting in her eyes and blood flowing form a very serious chest wound. I knelt next to her, and kissed her passionately.
“I'm so sorry, Rainbow... I was never very good at hiding...”
“It's okay,” I choked out, “Just hold still, don't stress it...”
Memories of the day I'd found her rushed through my mind; she'd been badly injured after her resistance cell within the Unicorn military was found out and raided, barely managing to limp into Pegasus territory before she passed out and was brought back to a medical tent in one of the perimeter camp. When I found her, well... I reacted much like I was reacting now. I'd brought her back to flight command where I could keep an eye on her, and she'd been on her feet again before the day was out. She was tough and very resilient, but this... I wasn't sure she had much time left.
“Don't be silly, Dash... It's over...”
I nuzzled her neck, feeling her tears against my skin.
“No, don't say that... Fight it, please! You can't leave me alone...”
She laughed dryly.
“Come on, Dash... you're the tough one, remember? Bona fide war hero, medals on the wall and media stalking you days on end...”
“That mission ruined me, Twilight,” I whispered, “You're what held me together... I love you, Twi...”
She smiled.
“I love you too... Rainbow Dash. Now... if you really do love me, let me go...”
And she fell limp, her eyes fluttering closed and her head thumping to the hard, dusty ground. So many emotions coursed through my system at once and at such magnitude, I didn't know whether to cry, scream, run away... my mouth just hinged open in a silent shriek as I scrambled back, realizing I was soaked in her blood. The blood of my dead wife.
“I don't... I... I can't...” I whispered, then just fell to the ground and howled. I didn't know what to do. I didn't care. Right then, I had nothing left. I loved her the way ponies write in storybooks and act in movies; loved her the way we we're all told stories about. Celestia, she was so beautiful... Suicide was the first thing I considered when I finally stumbled to my feet. The world was still hell, the peace I'd fought for was falling apart, and the only thing I still cared about in life was dead. Who'd miss me? No, not like that – everypony who'd even seen me in passing would be at my funeral. Who'd really miss me? Who would care enough to bring flowers long after everypony else had left? Only one name came to mind. Spitfire. I had to find Spitfire. I had no doubt she was still in love with me, but I didn't have the courtesy of allowing her some distance. The day of the mission burned bright in my mind: she'd flown into the flak zone in my place, not waiting for my opinion, and had nearly been killed. Soarin' had to drag her back by the scruff of her neck. Her wing had been in worse shape than mine, but she'd been back to flying in mere weeks, while I still couldn’t so much as flap without shaking in terror. That was strength; the strength I needed to borrow for a while. I cast one forlorn glance at the still body of my wife.
“Bye...”
It was a few minutes more before I could bring myself to start back to Ponyville, tripping over one of the dead guards in the dark. I paused when I heard a voice cry out behind me.
“I'm sorry!”
I almost didn't stop because I knew how hard it would be to start walking again, but curiosity overpowered my dread. I glanced over my shoulder. The light carrier was stumbling after me, a black eye standing out strong against his pale coat where the flung pistol had connected with his head.
“I tried to get them to stop, I really did! But they all had guns, and Commander Ironhooves shouted so loud... this isn't justice, it's murder! If you're going to try and do something about this, I... I want to help!”
I almost snapped his neck right then and there, but... he sounded sincere, and he couldn't have been much more than a kid, eighteen, nineteen at most. Probably drafted.
“I don't plan to fight back,” I sighed, “I don't really have anything planned. My future consists of crashing at home and seeing how long I can avoid giving a revolver a blowjob.”
“But... but doesn't this make you mad!? She was your friend, aren't you going to do something!?”
“She... was my wife,” I managed to force out, “I don't have enough heart left to fight.”
That stopped him talking.
“Oh,” he said eventually.
“Look, kid. If you want to follow me back to Ponyville and do something, be my guest. Just don't expect me to join you.”
I started towards the path again, and heard him catch up a moment later.
“What's your name?” he asked.
“Me? I'm Rainbow Dash,” I replied, “Or... I used to be.”
***
It was some ungodly time in the morning when I thumped on Spitfire's door, exhausted, dejected, and completely out of tears. It was a few minutes before she opened it, blinking sleep out of her eyes and shaking knots out of her mane. She jumped when she saw it was me.
“Dash! You look like shit.”
She frowned and motioned me to come inside, quickly closing the door behind me.
“What happened?” she asked urgently. I opened my mouth to speak, but it was a while before something came out.
“I came home yesterday... our bedroom was trashed, Twilight was gone. There was still a soldier in our house. I broke bones until he told me where she was.”
I paused, collecting myself.
“She was taken out to Dragon Mountain with nineteen other ponies to be... executed.”
I moved into the living room, and collapsed onto her couch.
“I wasn't fast enough.”
Spitfire stopped in her tracks, and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Oh... Celestia.”
I just shook my head.
“I don't know what to do. I'm too tired to think; just... spent. I guess I just kinda want to die.”
She didn't say anything, just came close to me and put a hoof on my shoulder.
“Please,” she whispered eventually, “You can't.”
“Why? What do I have left? I'm a broken down veteran with a dead wife and a fear of flying, and I'm not even thirty, for Celestia's sake! What is there for me!?”
“Vengeance.”
The way she said the word... cold. Angry. I liked it. I smiled inwardly; Spitfire had always been good at getting me in gear. I remembered why she'd been such a good squad leader, because suddenly, I wanted to fight back. I met her gaze.
“Do you have something in mind?”
She nodded.
“I'm a member of an underground resistance group. We've stayed quiet, mostly just planning, taking out a few wandering guards and low-level officers, but having somepony like you on board would be a shot in the arm for morale. I think we can actually start setting fires... that is, if you're interested.”
I got to my feet, and smiled as well as I was able.
“Let's kill some Unicorns.”
Spitfire grinned, and raised a hoof.
“Just like old times?”
I raised my own, and they met in mid air with a 'clop'.
“Just like old times, Spitfire.”
She smiled, and gestured to the door.
“I'll let the rest know you're coming; you can meet them tomorrow. For now, just get some sleep, for Celestia's sake.”
***
I had a dream as I slept through the rest of the day and the following night: a dream I would come to hate and fear. I flew through flak: thunder and fire shredding the sky around me, Spitfire flying on my right and Scootaloo on my left, trying to reach Twilight, who floated just out of reach, always just out of reach... The field got more and more intense. Scoot was caught first, blown to red mist by a direct hit. Spitfire went down second, tears in her eyes as she fell with flaming wings. Then it was my turn. I fell, plummeting from the sky like a rock as pain shot through my body, watching the ground come rushing up...
I awoke with a startled gasp, and checked the time. Eight AM; Celestia, I'd been asleep for a while. It hadn't been a particularly restful night, but I felt a little bit better than I had yesterday. I rolled over in bed and moved to kiss Twilight awake... felt a strangling pang when she wasn't there. I missed her so much... the Unicorn regime would pay for this. I would kill every last Unicorn associated with their happy little dictatorship if I had to, collateral damage be fucked. They'd taken everything from me; I would take everything from them. I rolled out of bed and straightened the sheets, starting down the stairs to find Spitfire... and paused when I saw Twilight's old scarf, discarded over the banister. I paused, staring at it for a moment, then wrapped it around my own neck. I would wear it for a while, at least; in honour of her memory. I knocked on Spitfire's door a few minutes later. She opened it with a little half-smile, looking me up and down.
“You look good. Got some sleep?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, good. Come on in; the meeting's not for another couple of hours.”
I glanced around Spitfire's home as I stepped inside. I'd never been here for very long, but it looked like it was a nice place. She'd moved to Ponyville from Cloudsdale shortly after the reconstruction was finished; said the place 'grew on her' while she was helping rebuild. I smiled as I remembered the way it had grown on me. Spitfire hopped on the couch, and clicked on the TV as I sat down next to her.
“Propaganda,” she muttered to herself as she clicked through channels, “Propaganda, propaganda... Celestia's bones, you'd think the war was still on. Propaganda, bullshit, bullshit, propaganda...”
“Do you still love me?”
I blurted the question out almost the moment it entered my head; certainly before I'd had a chance to think it through. Her eyes were like saucers for a moment, and her jaw hung slack. She shook her head and pulled herself together after a moment.
“I... um... ah...”
Well, now that it was out there, might as well be straight with it.
“Spitfire, if we're going to be working together, I need to know what to expect. I need you to be level with me on this.”
She sighed, and flipped off the TV, turning to me.
“Dash, I...
She gritted her teeth for a moment.
“...yeah,” she said eventually, “Yeah. I do.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
“But I'm not going to pull a move on you or anything, I'm your friend and I know that you need some...”
“Spitfire,” I interrupted with a slight smile, “Okay.”
She nodded nervously.
“Okay. Good. I need a drink.”
***
I jumped when somepony thumped on the door. Spitfire was on her feet in moments, motioning me to grab the gun she'd left out on the coffee table, just in case.
“What time is it!?” she shouted through the door, 'Late enough that it shouldn't matter' echoed back through. She undid the lock and let the door swing open, admitting a female Pegasus with a dark blue coat, light blue mane and tail, and bright red eyes. I noticed a red crosshairs on her flank as she moved into the living room, staring me down. Spitfire glanced between us.
“Rainbow Dash, this is Navy Blue, professional assassin. She founded the local resistance cell.”
Navy Blue nodded curtly.
“By founded,” she said in a quiet, chilling voice, “She means I was the first one to run a blade through a Unicorn's neck and dispose of the body. The rest just... kind of fell into place after I kicked things off.”
Navy glanced to Spitfire.
“Spitfire does most of the management. I just kill Unicorns.”
I nodded.
“Fair enough.”
When I looked to Navy again, her eyes were on me with unbelievable intensity.
“Given how adamantly you spoke for peace,” she said in that terrifying half-whisper, “Something horrible must have driven you to this; something that made you so mad you simply needed to kill. That's good. It'll be an excellent reminder of our cause and the Unicorn's brutality to see an advocate of peace fighting the fight with the rest of us.”
I glanced between Spitfire and Navy Blue; she was making me nervous.
“Look,” I said to the assassin, “I'm getting a sense you're more interested in killing ponies than overturning the Unicorns. This just happens to be an outlet for your murderous tendencies.”
“Murderous? I'm not a murderer.”
She started to pace.
“Anypony can grab a stick and beat somepony else to death with it. That is a murderer. I am an assassin. I don't murder, I kill, and killing is an art that few master.”
I frowned.
“I think your priorities are in the wrong places. I don't like you.”
She met my gaze.
“Good. You're not supposed to like me; we wouldn't have use for you if you did.”
Navy started for the door without waiting for my reply.
“Spitfire, the meeting's in twenty minutes.”
The door slammed a moment later. Spitfire was just shaking her head.
“Well, that was Navy,” she said with a slight laugh, “Hell of a character.”
I just shook my head.
“Bloody psychopath is more like. Are you sure you trust her?”
She nodded.
“Yeah, I'm sure.”
I glanced out the window.
“Well, I'm not.”
Spitfire sighed.
“She's telling the truth when she says she's not a murderer. She chose to be an assassin because killing is indeed what she enjoys most, but she has incredible restraint and control, probably as a by-product of her training. She won't say a word or move a muscle unless she means to, and it makes her extremely reliable.”
“I can respect that, but it's not her control I'm questioning, it's her motivation. Do we really include somepony who openly acknowledges they enjoy killing?”
Spitfire shook her head.
“You don't have to worry about her. She might as well not experience emotion; she'll kill only when and where we tell her to.”
I sat back on the couch.
“In the end, I'll trust your judgment, Spitfire. But for the record, I think it's wrong to have her in a position of control.”
We headed off a few minutes later, Spitfire leading me to an old shack a few hundred meters out of town and pulling back an ancient, ratty rug to reveal a trapdoor. Once we were underground, it became clear to me this was a sizable organization; the place was very big, and extremely well put together. The walls and floor were all wood paneled, there was a variety of furniture scattered about, and it was well lit with gas lamps. But it wasn't the environment that struck me the most – it was the number of ponies. The room was packed to bursting... and everypony was looking at me.
“everypony,” Spitfire called out, “As I'm sure you know, this is the great Rainbow Dash. She's here to aid us in our cause!”
The room erupted in applause and cheers. Some expressions were shocked, some disbelieving, some just ecstatic. I paused to wonder if they'd been planning something to try and lasso me into this, but dismissed the notion. If they had, it was water under the bridge, and now that I was here anyway, it really didn't matter. I smiled stiffly as I shook Spitfire's hoof, and the cheering died down.
“Alright,” Spitfire began as she started pacing, “With Dash here, we can finally get something done! There's a Unicorn supply depot not far from here; they stash weapons, medical supplies, and ammunition there, as well as providing lodging for all Unicorn regieme soldiers operating in the local area. We're going to blow it up.”
She paused, as she looked out over the crowd.
“Right now,” she clarified, and everypony started scurrying about, readying weapons, donning armor, and a couple of Unicorn rebels ran into another room, probably to fetch the bomb. Spitfire looked to me.
“Alright, Dash. Before we attack, we'll need you to make a low-altitude fly-over, just to...”
She saw my expression drop.
“Dash? You alright?”
“I can't fly,” I whispered.
“What was that? I can't hear you over this racket.”
“I can't fly,” I said slightly more loudly.
“WHAT!?”
Her shocked shout brought the entire base to a standstill as I backed away slightly, trying to make myself smaller. Spitfire calmed herself down, and put a hoof on my shoulder.
“Rainbow, why can't you fly?”
“I just...”
Memories of the mission flickered through my mind; memories of the pain, the falling...
“I haven't been able to so much as flap since I was shot down. Physically, I'm capable of it, it's just that...”
I sighed, and averted my gaze, pulling away from her.
“I thought you knew this.”
“I did. I guess I just assumed you'd get over it.”
“Well I haven't,” I snapped, tears welling in my eyes, “And it's not going to just go away. When I heard Twilight was going to be executed, I had a choice: fly, or arrive too late. Now she's dead, not because I didn't want to fly, but because I couldn't.”
The tears started to fall, despite my best efforts. I was spending too much time crying.
“I just...” I whimpered, “I've never felt so helpless... so useless...”
Spitfire came close and pulled me into a comforting hug.
“Hey, it's alright. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed.”
I didn't say anything for a while, just being thankful I still had Spitfire.
“Will you help me?” I asked quietly, “Can you teach me to fly again?”
She spent a long time in thought.
“I can try. Are you sure you want me to do this? It might hurt.”
I nodded.
“Yeah. If there's one emotion stronger than my fear, it's my longing for revenge. I need to do this... besides. I'm not sure I know how to feel anything anymore, besides 'hurt'.”
She let me go, and patted me on the shoulder.
“Tomorrow. We'll start tomorrow. Until then, I should probably show you to your quarters – the library will probably be under watch, and we can't risk you being followed, so it's best if you stay here.”
I nodded.
“Alright. Show me the way.”
“Change of plans, guys, we're calling this off!” she shouted over the crowd as we moved off to one side, “Sorry about the false alarm; as you were!”
Most of the ponies seemed a little let down, but nodded and went about their business. One approached, glaring, and got in Spitfire's face, shooting me a glance.
“Spitfire, do you mean to say that we're calling this off because she can't get her act together?”
The stallion found himself hoisted against the wall by his neck.
“Rainbow Dash has been through things you couldn't imagine,” she growled as the Earth Pony flailed, “So next time you question anything, and I mean ANYTHING she does, you try this first: fight a war on the front lines, then be sent on a suicide mission like trash. Get slashed, burned, shot, blown up, and crushed on the job, but somehow manage to survive, only to return just in time for surrender. Then, watch as the pony you loved most in the world is shot dead.”
She dropped him to the ground, where he gasped for breath.
“Rainbow Dash is stronger than ten of you,” she snapped as she started to move off again, “If I could shoot you and get another Dash in your place, I'd do it in an instant.”
“Sorry,” I whispered with a forced smile as I carefully stepped around him, trying to keep up with Spitfire's angry steam-engine walking speed.
“You didn't need to do that,” I said as I caught up with her. She just snorted.
“Dash, you need to know that I am going to defend you, even if you won't.”
I shook my head.
“It's not that I won't, it's that I don't need it. I'm okay.”
Spitfire kept moving until we were alone in the bedchamber, then nosed the door shut. It took her a while to assemble her words.
“After the war,” she finally began, “There were two things that made me mad. The first was our surrender. The second was how you were treated. They pinned some made-up medals on you for indirectly helping facilitate a Unicorn victory, then swept you under the rug, intentionally quenching any emotion or sympathy your words of peace evoked in others.”
“You don't know that,” I interrupted. She just looked to me sadly.
“Yes I do. We busted into some Unicorn records we stole about a week back; soldiers made a few scheduled 'visits' to the homes of ponies who were spreading your word. The new regime wanted their victory to be complete, and that meant oppression. Punishment of their enemies for resisting them. You were actively working against that, talking about love and tolerance on public television, and because they couldn't disappear you for fear of starting an all-out rebellion, they did the next best thing: shut down anything you stirred up, hoping to keep you at bay until the day you died.”
She paused for a moment, then blurted out,
“I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I know I should've but it was too dangerous for the resistance, I couldn't draw attention...”
I nodded.
“It's okay. I get it.”
She shook her head, giving herself a moment to calm down.
“I'm sorry, I got a bit off topic there, but... at least you know the truth now.”
She met my gaze.
“Look, Dash, I know you. I know what you're like. Since the end of the war, you've just stood up and weathered everything: criticism, threats, ignorance... Twilight helped you bear it, helped you let it out, but now, all you've got is me, and I'm no Twilight. I'm not as subtle, as smart, as... I don't know, pony-oriented. So I'm going to help you in the only way I know how: by finding anyone who tries to hurt you, and shutting them the FUCK DOWN.”
I cracked a slight smile.
“Thank you, Spitfire, just... try not to strangle any of your men, okay?”
She paused, then smiled in return.
“No promises.”
Six Months Later...
Spitfire glanced over to me, her goggles pushed up her forehead.
“This is it. You ready?”
I gulped, and nodded.
“As I'll ever be.”
We stood near the peak of Dragon Mountain, angry winds slashing at us from all sides, whipping the clouds into a storm-primed frenzy. I laughed a short, sharp laugh.
“Unicorns still haven't managed to put together a functional weather detail.”
“Maybe we can help with that when we're in charge.”
I nodded, returning to the task at hoof.
“Right,” I said with a deep breath, glancing out over the edge, “When we're in charge.”
“On five,” she said, spreading her wings. I nodded, and spread my own.
“One.”
I sucked in a deep breath, savoring the crisp, cold high-altitude air.
“Two.”
Could I really do this, I began to wonder. Up until now, I'd only managed little hops and skips...
“Three.”
I steeled myself. I had to do this. I had to.
“FOUR!! NOW!!”
I gasped as I instinctively threw myself over the edge. For a brief, nerve-shattering moment, I plummeted straight down, the jagged rocks at the base of Dragon Mountain rushing towards me... but then, I flapped once. Twice. A smile slowly worked its way across my face. I had wings again. With a strong flap I righted my course, pulling out of my steep dive and soaring into the air, rising above the clouds and riding the dangerously fast storm winds. Oh, the rush, the excitement... I had missed this more than I could have comprehended until that very moment. I was laughing when Spitfire pulled level with me, a wide smile radiating like sunshine from her beautiful face.
“You bitch,” I shouted over the wind, “What happened to five!?”
“Come on, we both know it was a good idea! On another note, I'm shocked you didn't anticipate it!”
She gestured downwards.
“Come on! Remember that maneuver we'd do during the war, to practice pulling out of steep dives?”
“Oh, I remember!”
She winked.
“Then you're on!”
Almost before I knew what was happening, she'd folded her wings flat against her body and started plummeting like a rock. My instincts kicked in, and moments later, I was hurtling after her. The clouds gave way momentarily, opening into a panoramic expanse of green. Well, mostly green, anyway – the area in and around Ponyville was still splotchy with patches of brown, dead grass and barren dirt. I found Spitfire a moment later; just a few meters ahead, her wings still folded flat. I cracked a smile as I remembered how I'd beat her during training... by playing hardball with the rules. I spread my wings again and began to flap furiously, accelerating until the wind screamed past me like a living, angry thing. Not a second later, I'd passed her again, slowing down until we were flying parallel again.
“I knew you still had it in you,” she shouted over the wind ripping past us, then moved in closer, closer... and before I knew what was happening, she was kissing me as we fell – kissing me tenderly, lovingly. I was shocked at first... maybe a bit angry, but I eased into it after a while. The truth was I didn't want to be alone anymore. Twilight's final wish had been that I get on with my life... why keep Spitfire away? Why deny what she felt for me, and what I was beginning to feel for her? It was an unpleasant shock when I saw the ground roaring up to meet us – we parted at the last moment and snapped to horizontal, screaming mere meters from the ground as we blazed through Ponyville, skidding to a stop a half kilometer later, just outside the Resistance headquarters. I was breathing hard as I shook out my mane, and for the first time, the first time in six months... I felt good. There must have been fucking stars in my eyes.
“Dash, I...” Spitfire started hesitantly, and my spirits fell. I knew what she was going to say. I glanced to her, and saw her face flushed red and held low in embarrassment.
“I'm sorry,” she blurted out, “I know I shouldn't have and I know it's too soon, you're probably still upset and I know that, but the rush of flying and the happiness that you were up there with me... it was too much. I'm...”
“Shh,” I said with a coy smile, “Don't worry about it. Things happen.”
She just smiled sheepishly as we headed inside. She moved off to help some of her men fix the Shipping Chart; somepony had scribbled lines all over it a few days ago, and since then, getting our bearings in terms of Unicorn supply transfers had been hell. I went into the barracks and hung up my goggles... then froze as I realized I'd left Twilight's scarf on my bed this morning. I lifted it into my hooves with a sort of quiet reverence, then folded it up and slid it under my mattress.
“Rest in peace, Twi,” I whispered as I left the darkened room, making my way back to the central chamber, where a few ponies were planning a raid.
“You guys need aerial recon?” I asked as I stepped up, smiling. It was finally time to hit Unicorn regime back.
***
I rolled over in bed another time, but it wasn't helping. I'd been lying awake for hours now, but I wasn't the only one. Dim, flickering light worked its way through the crack under the door as a few ponies played some cards out in the main chamber, just passing the time. I supposed everypony had a right to be nervous – the raid we had planned for tomorrow was ambitious enough that we expected many wouldn't make it back alive. I sighed to myself and clambered out of bed, making tracks towards the exit. I could use a little fresh air. The card-playing ponies nodded in acknowledgment as I wandered past, climbing the stairs and opening the door with a creak. The chill night air and the dim glow of the moon and stars in the clear night sky was relaxing, and I lay down on the grass, staring up into space.
“Can't sleep?”
I started, glancing to where the voice had come from. It was Spitfire, lying on the grass in much the same way. I got up and moved closer, lying down again next to her.
“Nope,” I said bluntly. Spitfire shook her head.
“Only dream I ever have... is the surface of the sun. Every time I close my eyes, it's always the same. I'm falling through space, plummeting towards the fire, but I can't open my wings... then, when I hit, I burn for a moment, then... I wake up again. Sometimes it's morning, sometimes it's the middle of the night.”
“Tonight,” she sighed, “Is one of those nights.”
I stretched, and rested my head on my hooves as I tried to find constellations in the inky canvas spread out above me.
“I used to have this nightmare every night,” I replied after a while, “You, me and Scoot were flying through a flak field, trying to reach Twilight. She's floating ahead, always moving away, just out of reach... Scoot gets shot down first, then you, then me. I always woke up when I finally hit the ground.”
I shrugged.
“Suppose it said something about the futility I was feeling; the hopelessness. I was so close to saving her... but I understand now. What's past is past. Would Twilight want me to hate myself forever? Would she want me to ignore everything, just so I could wallow in my misery? To be so angry, just because I don't know what to do?”
I met Spitfire's gaze.
“To ignore what I'm feeling, just so I can mourn her a little longer?”
Spitfire frowned slightly.
“Dash, what do you...”
And before I could stop myself, I pulled her close and kissed her. Her eyes were wide with shock at first, but after a moment, they fluttered closed as I felt her holding me tight.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” she whispered, her cheeks flushed and her breathing heavy. I nodded.
“I'm sure.”
In a word, it was... intense. Spitfire was finally releasing and acknowledging two and a half years of pent up emotion, and it showed. Her movements were violent – I'd almost say angry, if her passion wasn't so clear. It seemed to last forever, and when we finally came apart, gasping for breath, the air felt like ice against my overheated body. Spitfire shifted close and buried her nose in my mane, sucking in a deep breath, taking in my scent.
“Dash, you're so beautiful... you have no idea how long I've wanted this.”
I kissed her with a smile.
“I think I've got a pretty good idea.”
She shook her head.
“No, you really don't. Remember back when you saved me, during the Best Young Flier competition?”
My jaw dropped.
“That was...”
“Years ago, yeah.”
“If you were interested in me that long ago,” I laughed, “Then why the fuck were you ignoring me at the Gala?”
She looked sheepish.
“Jealousy, believe it or not. Somepony told me you were with Twilight at that point.”
“You could've just asked,” I whispered, giving her a hug. She got to her feet a moment later, giving me a hoof up.
“Come on,” she said, starting down the road, “Let's go for a romantic midnight walk.”
She shook the tangles out of her mane as I caught up with her, taking a deep breath from the gentle breeze sweeping past us.
“I've always liked nights,” she commented offhand as we continued down the road, “Partially for the cool air, partially for the isolation. Back when the name 'Wonderbolts' meant something, I'd often go for walks like this on my own to calm my nerves. Believe it or not, I'm terrible in front of crowds.”
“Believe it I don't,” I said with a half smile, “I think you love it.”
She looked thoughtful for a moment.
“Yeah, you're right, but that doesn't mean it didn't take a toll on me.”
I nodded.
“I think I can understand that.”
We walked a few more minutes in silence, just enjoying being close to one another.
“Ready for tomorrow?” Spitfire asked eventually. I shook my head.
“Nope.”
“Yeah,” she sighed, “Neither am I. I think Navy's the only one of us who's confident she'll make it out in one piece.”
“Speaking of Navy, how old is she?”
“Young. Very young. Nineteen or twenty, I think. She doesn't talk about her past much, but I'm pretty sure she went through the same process as Scootaloo did – blank flank until the war, murdered another pony, discovered death was her special talent. But unlike Scoot, Navy accepted it; honed it. Over the course of the last few years, she's done nothing but train, kill, and train to kill. I don't know what she was like before, but she's a machine now.”
“I don't know, Scoot seemed pretty accepting...”
Spitfire shook her head.
“Scoot became resigned to it. Navy accepted it. The difference is small, but big enough to change what path you take in life. I still wonder, though... is Navy's talent a curse or a virtue? She seems to be okay with it, but is she really?”
I shrugged.
“I'm pretty sure that, at some level, none of us are okay with any of it. Even ponies like Scoot and Navy have to be terrified of what they've become, on some level at least.”
I laughed dryly.
“I know I certainly miss the old days. Being a cocky bitch was much easier than this whole 'weight of the world' thing.”
“Ten seconds flat,” Spitfire laughed.
“Ten seconds flat,” I repeated with a small smile.
We didn't head back to base until some time in the early AM, but both of us managed to get to sleep fairly quickly, thank Celestia. The last thing we needed during a high-stakes run was for our entire compliment to be short on sleep. Even so, morning rolled around far too soon, and I was grumbling to myself as I rolled out of bed and started to pull on my flying gear. Boots, check... insulated bomber jacket, check... goggles, check. I almost left Twilight's old scarf again, but after considering for a moment, I wrapped it around my neck anyway. If Twi was watching from somewhere, then she'd be glad to know I was doing this for her. At least... I thought she'd be glad. I tucked the loose ends of the scarf into my jacket, and stepped out into the main chamber. Not many ponies were there; everypony who wasn't explicitly needed on this mission was staying home, out of harm's way, and most of the ponies who were needed were getting some last-minute shuteye.
“Morning, Dash.”
Spitfire was leaning over the maps scattered across the central table, her head propped up on one elbow and heavy bags under her eyes. She'd gotten to sleep just a little before me, but judging by her appearance, that hadn't lasted long. She glanced over to the other two ponies, Navy Blue and one I didn't recognize, and nodded towards the armory.
“Can you two go and quickly take stock of the hardware we need? Better safe than sorry.”
Navy nodded, and the two moved into the other room, leaving just myself and Spitfire. She looked me up and down with a small smile.
“You look good in full gear. First time you've kitted out since the war, isn't it?”
I nodded.
“It's been a while, but it still feels familiar enough.”
I paused.
“How much sleep did you get?” I asked after a moment. She glanced away.
“Enough.”
I moved around the table so I was in her line of sight again.
“Hey,don't be like that. I think I've got a license to worry, particularly after what happened last night.”
“On that topic,” she replied sadly, “If you want to keep it quiet... that's alright. I understand if you...”
I didn't let her finish, stepping around the table, pulling her close, and kissing her as the other two ponies stepped back into the main room. I made sure they saw before I let her go.
“Nope,” I said quietly.
Over the course of the next half hour, as ponies slowly filtered in one at a time, we worked out the specifics of the plan. There was a Unicorn compound about ten kilometers out of Ponyville; it was the only major compound for hundreds of kilometers, and as such, if it were removed, it would mean a massive interruption in Unicorn control over Ponyville. We didn't know what we'd do in the gap yet, but baby steps, right? The compound had been hastily erected after the end of the war, mostly to keep an eye on the rebuilding of Ponyville and keep the longing for the old days from turning into the seeds of rebellion. This meant it wasn't the best designed. The base had a single magic amplification turret, dead center, and a couple of machine gun nests, one on either side of the gate. Past that, its only defenses were the razor-wire fences and the small army of Unicorns bunked in the barracks. The plan was simple: the three best flyers make a fast pass. I bomb the amp turret, crippling their anti-air, and Spitfire and Navy Blue each bomb one of the machine guns. Spitfire and myself would continue to offer air support as the ground force stormed the entrance, while Navy would take up a sniping position on the hill behind the base. Provided everything went well, the Unicorns would be trapped by their own defenses between a small army, a deadshot sniper, and an aggressive air contingent. If we were lucky, they'd panic, but even if they didn't, we'd probably have this in the bag.
“Any objections?” Spitfire asked to the crowd now that everypony was gathered. Nopony made a sound.
“Alright! Dash, Navy, you two on me. We're fetching some grenade belts. Everypony else, arm up and get ready! It's time to fuck up some bad guys!”
The room roared with approval, even the few Unicorns among our ranks cheering. This was probably the last time many of them would be so happy, I thought to myself grimly. We were expecting to win, but with heavy losses. Even with their mechanized defenses down, Unicorn fighters were a force to be reckoned with; the strongest ones could turn you to dust with a thought, and even those less powerful could lay your ribs bare. One of the scars on my side twinged as I remembered the magic beam that had put it there, and my heart ached along with it as I remembered Twilight's magical prowess. Even though I was happy with Spitfire, I realized then that Twilight's death would probably haunt me until the end of my life, not because I was mourning her... but because it was my actions that had cost her her life. No matter how much other ponies tell you it's not your fault, things like that never really leave you alone. I glanced up as Spitfire motioned me over, and followed her and Navy into the armory, where we each fetched a grenade belt; two in Spitfire's case. She'd always been better at flying with cargo. I fitted the belt snugly over my coat, looping it over my shoulder and across my chest, then pulling it tight behind my front left leg. Navy grabbed her sniper rifle from where it was propped against the wall in the corner, stuffing a few magazines into pockets on her coat and sliding the massive gun into a long holster that stretched across her back. Now, we were ready. We stepped out of the armory, and Spitfire motioned for the rest to head in and grab their gear while we took a seat, savoring the last few moments of calm before the storm.
“You ready?” Spitfire asked. I shrugged.
“Yes. At least, as ready as can be expected.”
She laughed nervously.
“I'm not. I know, I know, it's my op, my plan, but...”
I put a leg around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“Hey. We'll be okay. We fly faster than bullets.”
“Yeah, that's the problem. The Unicorns fight with magic, and that moves as fast as light,” she scoffed.
“Depends on your viewpoint,” Navy said as she checked the action on her rifle, “Bullets are slow, but can be fired very quickly. Unicorn magic has pinpoint accuracy and speed, but it takes some time for an individual Unicorn to regain the energy to fire another shot, and Unicorns are not infallible. Despite the accuracy of their attacks, they're still trying to hit a fast-moving target at altitude, and if they miss, which they probably will, they need to wait at least a minute before they can fire again. I haven't done the math, but I'd say there's a significantly higher chance of getting hit if we were fighting ground targets using machine guns, despite the fact that we do, literally, move faster than bullets.”
I nodded.
“That's actually... very reassuring. Thank you, Navy.”
“Not an excuse to get cocky,” she said sidelong as she loaded a bullet into the chamber, the bolt rasping noisily, “As I'm sure you're aware, Unicorn magic will usually kill in one hit.”
“Usually,” I said with a half cocked smile. I'd been hit by attack magic at least three times during the war.
“Luck won't save you if their aim is on,” Navy said, handing me my revolver, butt first, “So keep moving in unpredictable patterns, and keep dropping those grenades. Make sure to keep luck out of the equation.”
“You'd better. If you die, I'll kill you,” Spitfire whispered as she nuzzled my neck.
“Likewise,” I replied with a small smile. A few minutes later, everypony was ready – the room was packed with ponies of all races, colours and sizes, all kitted out with as much armor and armament as they could carry, all wild-eyed with excitement and dark anticipation. There would never be a better time than now. Spitfire got up on the map table and stomped on its wooden surface, calling the room to silence and attention.
“You all know the plan,” she shouted to the room, “You all know your jobs, and you all know the risks.”
She paused.
“You going to let that stop us!?”
The room roared in approval, and Spitfire gestured to the exit.
“Out there are ponies who would have us pay for a war THEY started! Out there are ponies who would tax you, oppress you, and step on your rights until you're too weak to fight back anymore! Out there are ponies who would round up and KILL ponies you know and love! Let this day go down in history as the day their end began, and let OUR names go down in history as those who heralded their destruction! MOVE OUT!!”
And with one last cheer, we did that. Ponies filtered outside until the base was empty, then began to march. The excitement and the gung-ho rush stayed with us for some time, but as the walk wore on and the objective grew nearer, things became less certain. Victory became less certain. Ponies began to look around at their compatriots, began to realize that most of us had received minimal training and were less than optimally equipped. We were truly outnumbered and outgunned – I could only hope that desperation and the shock of the surprise attack would carry us through until victory. Two hours later, we stood at the foot of a hill, the Unicorn base perched on the top like a razor-wire bird's nest. Everypony was glancing around nervously, clutching weapons tightly in shaking hooves – they needed a moral boost. Fortunately, we had one lined up.
“Dash! Navy!” Spitfire called out, “We're up! The rest of you, when you hear the explosions start, rush the gate!”
I tightened my grenade belt and pulled down my goggles as I stepped out in front, spreading my wings in preparation for starting a revolution.
“On me!” I called out to Spitfire and Navy as they formed up behind me... and hesitated. Words, my own words echoed through my head: 'Surrender is always better than endless war.' This revolution would be long and bloody, we simply weren't equipped to knock out the Unicorns in one fell swoop... and would that really be any better than war? I was doing this for Twilight. Would she really want this violence to be her eulogy? I almost folded my wings, but then I remembered something she'd said, so very long ago...
“I hate bullies.”
And who was a bigger bully than the Unicorn regime? Without a second thought, I took to the sky. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Navy and Spitfire were following, then made a wide bank and set the base in my sights – there was the anti-air gun, sitting pretty in the very center with no idea of what was about to hit it. I plucked a grenade from my belt and tapped the timing switch, before accelerating to the highest speed I could manage and screaming towards the gun, the air ripping past my head like a solid object and the target growing closer, closer...
“THIS IS FOR TWILIGHT!” I screamed as I let the explosive fall... and a moment later, the mounted weapon evaporated in a cloud of smoke and shrapnel. Well, they knew we were here now. I made a sharp turn and watched as Spitfire and Navy Blue unleashed hell on the two forward machinegun emplacements, dropping two grenades per and leaving the weapons, as well as anything within ten meters, a smoking, blackened crater. Then I heard the roar as the main force began to charge up the hill. The Pegasi we had took to the skies with their rifles, the chatter of automatic weapons-fire quickly filling the air as the Unicorns scrambled to form some kind of defensive line, but it was too late: the ground force was already through the ruined main gate and had a better foothold than the panicked Unicorns in seconds. Unfortunately, our luck wasn't destined to last as the Unicorns finally managed to start firing back, searing blasts of purple and green magic cris-crossing the open field below, picking off stragglers and slowing the advance. This was where I came in.
I took a grenade in each hoof and flung them into the scattered Unicorn defense; so focused were they on trying to contain the advance that they didn't even notice the explosives before they'd gone off. From where I was, the fight looked like it was already won. For some unknown reason, the Unicorns had been very slow to act, and it had cost them the base. If all Unicorn guard details were this well trained, I almost felt sorry for them... perhaps this rebellion wouldn't be as long or as bloody after all. That is when I finally learned the true meaning of 'don't count your eggs 'till they're hatched'. Massive doors swung open one one of the barracks, and a fucking TANK rolled out. Not a barracks after all, I guess. For a moment, I thought it was a commandeered Earth Pony machine, but that was quickly proven incorrect as the vehicle drew power from some kind of magic reserve and began firing beams of magic into the sky from two small turrets, needling through the group of flyers as the main cannon turned to target the main force.
For a second, I locked up. Beams of magic were flickering around me, much like the flak shells that had taken me down once before, and my mind was filled with memories of the fall, the agony, the dangerously close brush with death... and then Spitfire went down in flames. The panic, the fear, the terrifying memories were all gone as my mind focused to a razor sharp edge, filled to the brink with one word: no. I would NOT lose another lover. I undid the clasp at the back of my grenade belt and quickly ran my hoof across the activation switches, holding the explosive-lined strap high as I powered towards the tank at best speed, draping it over the barrel as I made a close pass and hollered at the ground force,
“BACK UP!! BACK UP!!”
The Earth Ponies and Unicorns on the ground didn't need any extra encouragement; between the belt loaded with armed grenades and the yawning barrel of the tank's main cannon, there was a lot to be running away from. I probably should've been running too, but I had a more important objective: Spitfire was starting to move where she had fallen, dangerously close to the tank. I swooped as close to the ground as I dared and grabbed her at full speed. It wasn't the best idea. The ground turbulence, coupled with the sudden shock of extra weight yanked me to the dirt as if I was connected to a chain, sending the two of us rolling at high speed until we skidded to a stop, tangled in each other's limbs. Spitfire was laughing weakly.
“Shout or something next time,” she gasped as she put pressure on the bloody wound in her abdomen. I shoot her an apologetic smile, then pushed us both to the dirt... and not a moment too soon. The tank erupted in a towering plume of fire, the scrapped hulk skidding backwards into the closed hangar doors as bits of its armor and framework rained down like snow. I was laughing as I got to my feet, bits of tank and ash falling from the sky as the remaining Unicorn troops got on their knees, weapons down and hooves held high.
“THAT WAS FOR YOU, TWILIGHT!” I cried to the sky as joy flooded through my body like fire in my veins. My vengeance was complete, she could rest easy now... but I was just getting started. There had been a lot more ponies shot that day... who was going to speak for them? The answer was simple. We would. We would take this all the way; kill Unicorn soldiers, blow up their machines and tear down their fences until we made it all the way to New Canterlot and ended it once and for all. That... that would be a good day. But for now, I had more pressing matters to attend to.
“Sorry,” I whispered as I knelt down next to Spitfire and helped her dress the wound, but she was smiling.
“Don't apologize, it's because of you we made it this far. I'd say you've earned a little gloating.”
I smiled back.
“You ready to take this all the way?”
She took my hoof and pulled me close, kissing me and whispering in my ear,
“Now that you're here, with me... I can do anything.”