Chapter 27: The Storm

August 11, 2558
2031 hours
Somewhere 185 miles southeast of Ottapaw

As dusk began to overtake the land, Rainbow Dash and the remaining five members of Fireteam Icebreaker were bringing their slumber to a close.

Rainbow dash awoke to find herself resting on Jenkins’ shoulder-pad. One of her arms was nested between him and her while the other rested in his lap. She quickly retracted herself off of him, before looking him up-and-down awkwardly.

He was still fast asleep, and still feeling drowsy herself, the pegasus mare decided not to wake him by moving to rest on the ground next to him.

But as she began to move, a sharp pain shot up her back and through all of her appendages! She audibly gasped as she tensed-up.

“AAH! Ow!” she shrieked as she came to rest on her knees, forehooves brought up near her face and eyes wide in shock.

Every breath that was even remotely too deep resulted in a lightning-bolt of pain up and down her spine, forcing the cerulean pegasus to resort to quick, shallow breathing.

What’s happening to me?! she thought in genuine fear.

She momentarily shut her eyes and loudly inhaled and exhaled through clenched teeth, stirring Jenkins awake.

“Ah! Good evening Rainbow,” he said as he stretched out his arms. “I guess we move out soon, huh?”

He soon noticed the pegasus still had her back to him, sitting in place and quivering as if possessed.

“You alright?” he asked.

“No!” she said in a higher octave as yet more tears began to stream from her eyes, unwilling to even turn her neck. “E-everything hurts! Everything hurts and I can’t move!”

“Oh shit, you must be insanely sore after yesterday,” said Jenkins. “Here, let me help. Where does it hurt the most?”

“It-It s-started at m-my lower back,” she stuttered.

She breathed sharply in her pain as Jenkins began to massage her abdomen.

“Remember what I taught you earlier?” he asked.

“It hurts if I breathe too deep!” she croaked.

“Doesn’t matter. The extra oxygen helps. C’mon.”

Rainbow shakily began to slow her breathing, inhaling quickly before exhaling more slowly as if blowing through a straw.

“Ow!” she squeaked.

“That feel better?” Jenkins asked.

“A little,” she said, slightly lowering her forehooves. “C-can you get my neck too? I don’t know if I can turn it!”

As Jenkins moved his hands up to her neck, Gunny came over with the scanner.

“All of her major muscle groups are hella stiff,” he said. “And it’s not just from the long walk yesterday: this is from all her past few days of torture!”

“H-how do you know that?! AAH!” Rainbow stuttered and squeaked. “Stop! Stop!”

She rotated her neck a couple of times, which felt fine until she winced again with another sharp intake of breath.

“Aahow! Upper back! Upper back!” she said to Jenkins behind him, who then got right on it.

“It’s telling me your muscles haven’t had sufficient time to repair themselves for a couple of days,” Gunny answered finally. “Since we only rescued you this morning, I can only presume…”

“Right,” she said tensely, still wincing. “BUCK!”

“Hey! Keep it down!” Jenkins hissed, still rubbing her clavicle and upper back. “Geeze, I know it’s gotta hurt, but there are still changelings nearby!”

“S-sorry...I-I think that’s enough. Now my legs?”

“Ooooh yeah, those would be sore from yesterday alone! Can you lower yourself? Or do you need help?”

“I got it.”

Rainbow shakily dropped to all fours before lowering herself onto her stomach. As Jenkins began to massage her hind legs, Gunny took this opportunity to state the obvious.

“Rainbow, your...coloration, is waaay to obvious from above,” he said tactfully. “I know we’ll be moving in the dark, but changelings could potentially still spot you from the air and start taking pot-shots.”

“I was born this way!” Dash protested. “What am I supposed to do about that?!”

“Well, for starters,” Gunny said as he pointed at the dirt in front of her. “You could rub that stuff into your mane. If we ever come across mud, that’d be ideal.”

“You can’t be serious,” she deadpanned. “You want me to rub dirt on my head?”

“Actually all over yourself! But hey, it’s your choice, unless you’d actually rather be vaporized by a changeling’s magic fireball tonight?...”

Rainbow scoffed in disgust, but she knew he was right. Without another word, she began throwing the dry soil on top of herself.

“That’s what I thought,” said Gunny.

“Hey! Watch it!” said Jenkins as some of it hit him.

Her frustrated slathering of dirt slowed, until her arms appeared to become limp. It wasn’t long before the two ODSTs began to hear sobs again.

Jenkins slowly stopped massaging her legs as her sobs became her bawling into her forehooves, at which point he quietly motioned to Gunny as if to say, “I can handle it”.

Nodding in understanding, Alvarez quietly climbed out of the foxhole, leaving Jenkins and Rainbow alone.

Jenkins tugged on her shoulder, lifting her back to her knees. It was the ugly kind of crying, the kind where it felt like each of your previous sobs weren’t hard enough.

He warmly embraced her from behind, and she wordlessly held his arms with her forehooves as she struggled for breath.

“Remember what I taught you,” Jenkins said simply as he held her. “Breath.”

Once again she slowed her breathing, focusing on deep inhalation and slow, as if through a straw, exhalation. The Canadian ODST just stroked the mane atop her head as she shakily did so.

“It’s okay,” Jenkins said soothingly. “You’re okay.”

“I saw his face again,” she tried explaining. “I’m not normally like this!”

“I know.”

“I’m not! I’m not! I-I just keep seeing his f-face!”

She buried her face into his arm. So much trauma in such a short period of time. How her little heart was able to take it, he could not know.

“You said we’d all make it out of this,” she finished softly. “Together.”

Oddly enough, it was then that Jenkins finally figured out what he needed to say, what he needed to tell her.

“Rainbow, lemme tell you something: Sidney is fine, and you are fine,” he said, looking down at her. “Here’s why…”

He let go of Rainbow and laid back on the wall of the foxhole. The cerulean blue pegasus turned to look at him, listening intently with tears still quietly streaming down her face.

“You know how you can’t see your own eyes without a mirror?” he started.

Rainbow thought about it for a moment before nodding.

“Well, has that consciousness, which looks through your eyes, ever changed throughout your life?” Jenkins continued. “Through thick and thin? Ever?”

“No,” she said inquisitively, sniffing and rubbing her last tears away. “I don’t think so.”

“And does it change depending on how you feel?”

“Yeah, kind of. Like how a few moments ago I could barely see my own hands because I was crying so much. Or how when I’m angry, I can get a kind of tunnel vision.”

“Well sure, but does the fact that your consciousness looks through your eyes change regardless?”

“No? Maybe? I’m not sure. Why are we talking about this?”

“There’s a point to it, just bare with me! It doesn’t change does it? No matter if you’re sad, happy, or angry, there’s always something looking through your eyes. An experiencer that’s almost, unique to you, right?”

“Yeah?”

“I have one, you have one, and Sidney had one when he was alive, but it doesn’t feel anything. It's just a cold, hard observer. Here’s the thing: that’s you!”

“But, what if I’m killed? Won’t it change then? Won’t it go away? Disappear...forever?”

“No. Actually, in my belief, it just goes to a different body and continues to exist there.”

“You believe in reincarnation?”

“Hey! You know that word. Cool!...And yeah, I do.”

“How do you know that’s true? Where’s your proof?”

“To be honest, I don’t have any. I just have faith that it’s true. Also, it’s the belief system I grew up with, so…I guess the only reason I still believe in it is because, to me, it makes logical sense; it’s how I make sense of where that observer goes if this physical body gives out. Gunny, Marcus, Shifty, all the others?”

He pointed closely at Rainbow’s eyes with two fingers.

“They all have their own faiths,” he said. “Their own beliefs on where this observer goes when we die.”

He retracted his hand and laid back once again.

“But that’s not the point,” he continued. “The point here is: this detached observer, which you can agree is undoubtedly there and which is you, never changes. No matter what!”

Rainbow just stared, almost shocked by this revelation.

“I know it’s a lot to take in,” said Jenkins. “But don’t get too bogged down by the details. Do you think you can repeat what I just told you? In your own words?”

“Uh, maaaybe later?” said Rainbow, looking slightly confused. “But I think I get the gist of it...are you basically trying to tell me I’m indestructible?”

“Kinda, yeah! I mean, how do you think I’ve been able to run and jump into battle without hesitation for all these years?”

The cerulean pegasus nodded wordlessly.

“Exactly. I felt invincible. In fact, I still do!” said the PFC before lightly punching Rainbow on her shoulder. “And right now, we need you to feel invincible too!”

“Right!” said Rainbow confidently.

“Awesome sauce!” said Jenkins before putting up cautious hands. “But remember, your body isn’t invincible! And to complete the mission, we’re gunna need that to come home in one piece alright?”

Rainbow breathed out a focused breath from her mouth.

“Right,” she said more nervously, but still with confidence.

The two then shared a laugh, glad to have relieved some stress.

“So don’t you worry about Sidney either,” Jenkins said finally. “His body is just useless to him now, but his observer is still with us in spirit.”

“I thought he’d be born somewhere else?” asked Rainbow, now smiling at the thought.

“Nah, he’d wanna see this mission through first. I’m sure of it!”

August 11, 2558
2056 hours
Gildedale Shoreline

Greyblade wordlessly hopped out of the Equestrian fishing boat as Cinder Pine tried to pay off its owner.

“This is for the trip,” said the brown Dalepony, holding some bits. “I know you didn’t have to travel all this way.”

“No need to pay me just to send to ponies home,” said the skipper.

“You knew?”

“O’course! Who else in their right mind would wanna visit Gildedale after that? Plus yer cutie marks ain’t very typical o’ Equestria either.”

Cinder just looked behind him at his dagger cutie mark as his marefriend leaned over the boat.

“Yes Cinder, it’s that obvious,” said Greyblade.

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Cinder mumbled in response.

“Heh, she’s a keeper alright!” the skipper told him.

The two Daleponies mildly blushed at this.

“Anyways, you can keep yer bits,” the fisherman continued. “It’s been a trying time for both o’ us ya hear?”

“Thank you,” said Greyblade as Cinder hopped off the boat. “We appreciate everything you’ve done for us!”

“Ma pleasure ma’am.”

He tipped his fishing hat as she let go of the boat.

“You both take it easy now!” he finished after pushing his vehicle off the sand and began sailing away.

The grey and brown earthponies waved him goodbye before turning to face inland. Before them, just as the sand ended, lay the seemingly infinite golden fields of their country.

Both of them just took one more deep breath as they stared ahead, both with their mane and tail drifting with the wind.

“Let’s just hope they don’t arrest us on sight for desertion,” said Greyblade anxiously. “Or high treason.”

“They probably will,” Cinder Pine deadpanned. “Though they’ll mainly be mad with you.”

The mare just rolled her eyes.

“Thanks Cinder,” she said. “Real motivating!”

“Hey! I’m just trying to be realistic, Grey. We shouldn’t expect a royal welcome after what happened. Princess or no.”

Greyblade then gave a long, drawn-out sigh of disgust.

“At least I forgive you,” he said somberly.

She gave him a smile on that sentiment.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” she started as she began to trot towards the grass. “Let’s get moving.”

August 11, 2558
2109 hours
Gildedale

To non-natives, the endless fields of grass would be dizzying, and said unfortunate souls would soon find themselves lost and without hope. But luckily for Greyblade and Cinder Pine, this was their home, and they knew exactly where they were going.

Thatchholm, their capital city (or barn, as most outsiders would call it).

“Should we still be wearing these clothes?” Cinder asked, breaking the silence between them. “I mean, we look like Equestrian tourists or something!”

Because he was only wearing a scarf, Greyblade knew he was really just referring to her outfit: she still wore her tan jacket over a white t-shirt, along with her plain-black sports cap.

“You can toss away your scarf if you want,” she responded, shaking her head. “It won’t make a difference. They’ll still know who we are.”

The couple froze when they felt the ground rumble, paired with the sound of many distant hoofsteps, knowing it could only mean one thing.

The sound was emanating from the very same direction in which they were traveling, indicating that their “welcoming committee” had been dispatched from the capital itself.

Over the distant and gradual rise, they finally appeared: a platoon of Gildedale earthponies, all clad in armor and running in formation toward them!

Cinder, standing behind Greyblade, looked down and saw her hind legs quivering in fear. This was it.

The moment of truth.

Less than a minute had passed before the contingent of warriors had surrounded them. The standard procedure that the two of them were all too familiar with.

Speaking of familiarity, the one leading the group, a dark red stallion with deep blue eyes, stepped forward with a stern look on his face.

“Good evening Ashtail,” Cinder greeted formally.

“Shut your mouth, Cinder!” the superior officer barked, clearly not happy.

“Yes sir,” he replied.

Ashtail hadn’t once taken his eyes off of Greyblade as he continued walking up to her. She and him had never liked each other, and it was because of that fact that she knew this was only going to end one way.

“M’lady,” he said, still being professional even though he clearly rather wouldn’t be.

“Captain,” she responded, holding his glare with her own steely gaze. Her mane continuing to silently flow with the calm breeze.

They stood in silence for a few more moments, his deep blue eyes and her sky blue ones continuing to stare the other down, before Ashtail’s mouth slowly grew into a smirk.

“I knew you’d fail,” he said simply.

“At least I went to war,” she replied. “Coward.”

They spoke just above a whisper, so that they were the only ponies who could hear each other.

“Hmph! Well, I’m still under orders from the Lord of the Dale to bring all who return empty-hooved to justice.”

“Typical. You don’t think I know my father? Those are your orders, not his!”

She pointed an accusational hoof at him when she said this, before her eyes finally revealed how vulnerable she felt.

“You don’t think I feel guilty for what happened?” she continued as her ears flopped. “For all those young stallions and mares? And their families? I can never take it back…”

Ashtail just chuckled quietly.

“Ah princess, still spoiled as ever,” he said condescendingly. “You think your feelings entitle you to avoid punishment? As though they themselves serve that purpose?”

Greyblade hung her head, breaking eye contact. Deep down, she knew he was right.

“No, you will serve your punishment just like everypony else,” he continued.

He let the blonde mare stand there in silence for a few more moments, anxiously holding one hoof with the other. Letting it all sink in.

“What about Cinder?” she asked finally.

“He will be the one detaining you,” he said with a malicious grin.

“What?!”

Her ears perked back up as she raised her head.

She looked behind him to see Cinder Pine get a pair of shackles tossed to him. Then the two of them made eye contact, wearing equally shocked looks on their faces.

“Cinder Pine, you have served your country honorably,” said Ashtail. “Greyblade is the one who made the error, not you. Arrest her and you will be free.”

“S-sir?” the brown stallion stammered. “W-with all due respect-”

“That’s an order, soldier!” Ashtail interrupted.

Cinder looked nervously back at Greyblade, shrugging nervously.

Greyblade looked back at Ashtail with a pleading look, at which he continued to smirk confidently as he backed out of the circle.

The mare looked behind her once again to see the guilt on his face as he held up the pair of shackles, before turning and walking towards him.

“Guess I was right, huh?” he said remorsefully.

“It’s okay Cinder,” she told him. “I know you don’t want to be doing this. That's all that matters.”

Calmly, she turned her back to him and got down on her knees, placing her forehooves behind her back.

“Sorry Grey, but I’m gunna have to make this look convincing!” he whispered into her ear as he locked the shackles to her.

“Do what you have to,” she replied, keeping a stoic look on her face.

Without warning, he swiftly yanked and spun her onto her stomach, before shoving one knee between her shoulder-blades.

“He never liked the idea of a mare holding more power than him,” he said, whispering into her ear once again.

“You think?!” she wheezed back angrily as he held her head down with a hoof.

August 11, 2558
2200 hours
Changeling Grand Palace

Queen Chrysalis stood on the balcony that overlooked the now empty training grounds. She had received the news earlier in the day:

General Hives, her second in command, was dead, and Rainbow Dash was on the run.

Though to the humans it looked like a reinforcement wave, the changeling leader had actually ordered her last remaining battalion to hunt her down and kill her.

But it wasn’t enough for Chrysalis. She wanted to do more, something extra, just for good measure.

Her eyes and horn began to glow their bright shade of green as she flapped her bug-like wings and raised her hooves to the sky.

In the far distance, violent thunderclaps could be heard.

The foolish humans and Equestrians were about to witness her true power, for she hadn’t just been sitting idly-by all these years.

No...she had been practicing…

August 11, 2558
2200 hours
Somewhere 180 miles southeast of Ottapaw

“You almost done, sweetheart?” asked Private Eugene Phillips.

The group had traveled another five miles northwest towards their destination, but the group had paused to give Rainbow Dash a bathroom-break out in the open. Well, sort of out in the open, as they had at least found another shrub for her to hide behind.

“Don’t call me that!” she called back as Shifty just laughed. “And there’s nothing to wipe with!”

“Are you kiddin’ me?” said Sgt. Alex Thompson. “That’s why this is takin’ so long?”

“You’ll be fine,” said Jenkins. “It’s only for a little while longer. Plus you wouldn’t want fecal-matter all over your hooves, now would you?”

“Ugh, I guess not,” said Rainbow, finally coming out from behind the shrub.

“We’re nearing a safe LZ,” said Gunny. “If we get moving now, won’t have to travel all the way to Canida!”

“Hey, does anyone else notice how the sky is overcast?” said Corporal Marcus Williams. “And getting darker by the second?”

Rainbow Dash’s face twisted into one of extreme terror as the sudden sound of thunder filled the air.

“AAH!” she screamed, instantly curling into a ball next to Jenkins.

Private First Class Ogden Jenkins knelt down next to her and placed a consoling hand on her back.

“What the hay?!” she said quietly and shakily.

“How are you the first one to notice Corporal?” asked Sergeant Alex Thompson. “I thought you’d be used to this kind of weather, growin’ up in England and whatnot?”

“Yeah, but it’s the desert,” Marcus deadpanned. “How the fuck?...”

“You’re not used to hearing sudden thunderclaps, are you?” Jenkins asked Rainbow in the meantime. “For you it’s always been planned ahead of time with the weatherponies, right?”

“Yeah,” said Rainbow, shivering in fear.

“But, how is this happening?” said Gunny calmly. “Marcus is right: there shouldn’t be a storm like this in the desert!”

...Gunnery Sergeant Alvarez? Come in Alvarez!...

“Go Roland,” said the squad leader.

...We’re observing an unusual weather anomaly above your location…

“Yeah, we see it.”

...Storms do appear in deserts from time to time, but never this large…

“Really?”

...Yes, and Twilight tells me some powerful magic must be behind it, giving it purpose…

“Purpose? The hell is that supposed to mean?”

...Twilight? You wanna take over? You could probably explain this better than me…

...David? Can you hear me?...

“Loud and clear, ma’am.”

...There are only a few creatures powerful enough to conjure up a storm like this: potentially myself and Cadence, along with Celestia and Luna, but as far as I’m aware, none of us are using are magic at all right now! Which leaves just one other likely candidate…

“Don’t tell me: it’s Chrysalis isn’t it?”

...Bingo, and I think it’s possible that the purpose she gave to this storm may make the lightning avoid her changeling troops and target any Pelican we send down to pick you all up…

“Great. So pick us up before the storm hits.”

...No can do Alvarez…

“Captain! Apologies sir, I didn’t realize you were on the line. How do you mean?”

...I mean the storm is accelerating, and it’s already too late. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen, and we won’t be able to send a pelican in time. I’m sorry, but you, Rainbow Dash, and your squad are going to have to survive the night...

Gunny was unsure how to process what he was hearing. One moment they’re home free, the next they’re deep in the soup!

“Aye, sir,” he said into his helmet mic. “We’ll check in tomorrow morning, then?”

...Hopefully. We aren’t yet sure how long Chrysalis is going to make this last, though Twilight tells me she can’t keep it up forever; she’ll have to take a break at some point…

“Roger.”

...And speaking of Twilight, she has a request for you before we disconnect…

Twilight Sparkle’s voice came over the radio once again.

...May I speak with Rainbow? I think it’d be good for her to at least hear my voice…

“Uh, sure. I’ll see what I can do real quick.”

Gunny then pulled out a small, disk-like object.

“Roland?” he started. “Could you patch her hologram through to my mini-projector?”

Some moments later, as Gunny held the device in front of Rainbow Dash, a small and holographic blue projection in the figure of Twilight appeared just above it.

...Rainbow?...

“Tw-Twilight?” said Rainbow shakily, the rest of Icebreaker supportively gathering around her.

...Hey there! How-how are you?...

A few tears rolled down the cerulean pegasus’ cheeks as her friend spoke as though everything were fine.

“I’m...alive,” she responded softly, smiling. “So I guess I’m doing alright.”

She let out a small sob as her smile faded as quickly as it had arrived. Jenkins placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

“I-I’m scared Twi,” she said finally. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Twilight’s hologram appeared to be tearing-up as well, though she was also smiled, suggesting they were tears of joy.

...Well we were never scared. None of us had our doubts, because the humans standing around you now? We knew they would keep you safe!...

“I figured as much,” said Rainbow as her smile returned.

...And I couldn’t be happier to see you too, but it looks like you all are going to need to hold out for a little while longer…

Rainbow’s face turned to panic once more.

“What?!” she said, shocked. “But-but I was so ready to see you again! All of you!”

...I know Rainbow! I don’t like it either. But trust these humans, they know what they’re doing. Do everything they say and you’ll be fine!...

“But-!”

...It’s only for a little longer Rainbow! I promise we’ll all be together again soon…

The pegasus mare only remained wide-eyed in shock, before slowly nodding in understanding with a gloomy expression on her face.

“I hope so too,” she said somberly.

Twilight’s image just nodded before the transmission cut out.

“Sir?” asked Sgt. Alex as Gunny simply hung his head. “What was she talkin’ about?”

“The storm,” said David as he stowed the hologram device away. “She thinks Chrysalis is powering it with her magic.”

“Shit,” said Alex under his breath as he turned away.

“And she’s pretty sure that overgrown bug can control what the lightning hits, so Pelicans can be targeted while her changeling soldiers are avoided.”

“Wha-what do we do?” asked Rainbow.

“There’s no shelter around, is there?” asked Jenkins.

“Hang on,” said Marcus, looking away from the group. “I just got a waypoint.”

“Me too,” said Jenkins.

“I see it,” said Gunny.

“It’s telling me there’s a cave, just over the crest of that dune,” said the Brit, pointing. “If we hurry, we can make it!”

“Infinity must have routed that info to us,” said Gunny. “Let’s move Icebreaker!”

The group ran as the electricity and rain from the darkened sky came ever closer. Thankfully though, they soon crested the hill of sand and saw their new home for the night:

“It’s elevated as well,” said Corporal Williams. “So hopefully it won’t flood!”

“Everyone inside!” ordered Gunny. “We’ll eat some leftover MREs and wait out the storm!”

August 12, 2558
0630 hours
Somewhere 180 miles southeast of Ottapaw

This time, Jenkins woke up before Rainbow did. She had laid down next to him like usual, and could still be heard breathing deeply and regularly, fast asleep.

He was amazed that she was able to sleep through the storm at all, given she had never experienced weather that was fully out of her control. Perhaps she was just that exhausted?

The ODST pulled out his MRE bag, which held what remained of last night’s dinner, and unobtrusively prepared her breakfast.

He watched as her eyes quietly fluttered open, her face remaining expressionless as she raised her head and looked around her.

Slowly, began giving off the same air of anxiety she’d had for the past couple of days, realizing once again that: yes, the nightmare is still real, and yes, today will probably suck.

Ogden, noticing her familiar and primal demeanor, smiled and held out a cracker.

“Morning,” he said. “Breakfast?”

“When will this end?” she asked forlornly, seeming to ignore Jenkins’ positivity.

The human simply frowned and sighed, looking away.

“I don’t know,” he replied finally, looking back at her. “But, look on the bright side! Literally.”

He pointed at the sunlight coming in through the cave entrance.

“Storm’s over!” he told her. “And with any luck, today will be the day.”

He held out the cracker once again.

“Now, are you gunna eat this or not?”

Rainbow Dash smiled weakly before grabbing the snack with her mouth. She and Jenkins chewed on their meal wordlessly for some time as the rest of the squad awakened.

Behind Jenkins, Private Eugene Phillips could be seen stretching as he walked over to the cave entrance, just to see a nice view in the morning.

His body-language changed almost the instant he looked out, appearing to freeze in shock before rubbing his eyes and slowly lowering his arms.

“Guys!” said Shifty in astonishment, now beckoning to everyone with his full arm. ”Come look at this!”

Curious, everyone got to their feet/hooves and and headed towards the opening. What they saw stunned them all: