Rainbow Dash’s eyes fluttered open. Her vision was blurry and her head was achey, but she was alive. I looked down at her chest, spotting a familiar blanket covering her. “What the….” Rainbow Dash muttered as she tried to get up. “But…- but I...this is--”

        A loud creak cut her off, followed by the scarred pony walking in with a huge bundle of papers under his wing. “I told you to stay away.”

        “How do you have this!?” Rainbow Dash screamed, letting out a pained wince as her ribs started to hurt. “Where did you steal this from!?”

        The scarred pony walked over to Rainbow Dash, lifting the blanket under his hoof. “I didn’t steal this, it’s been in my family for years.” The scarred pony let it drop as he undid his helmet. As he let his helmet drop to the floor, his faded multicolored mane flooded down, hanging low as he undid his tail wrap. “I really don’t blame you. I’ve changed a lot.”

        Rainbow Dash didn’t gawk or stare, she simply lowered her head and sobbed. “You...why did you make me leave.”

        “I needed you to be safe.”

        “Why didn’t you tell me!?”

        “Because you would have come after me!”

        “I hate you!” Rainbow Dash screamed. “I hate you, I hate you, I hope you die!”

        The scarred pony cut her off, wrapping his hooves around his daughter’s neck and pulling her against his chest. “Dash...Dash...sshsshshh, daddy’s here.”

        Rainbow Dash threw her hooves around the scarred poy’s back, pulling tight against him. She buried her face into his coat to try and muffle her cries. “I thought it was over, I thought you were gone!” Rainbow Dash let go, weeping loudly into her father’s shoulder and holding him tight. “Daddy, why didn’t you tell me!? I- you- I just wanted to help them! I only wanted to help them!”

        “I know...I know dear….” The scarred pony ran his hoof along his daughter’s back. “I’m so sorry, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you, I tried to keep you away.” The scarred pony let the papers drop from under his wing, wrapping them around Rainbow Dash and cradling her against the cold damp air. “You’re safe now sweetie, I’ve got you, I’m here.”

        Rainbow Dash continued to rock, sobbing into the scarred pony’s coat and trying to catch her breath. “It’s never going to be okay dad, never!”

        “Rainbow Dash--”

        “They hated me, the chased me out of town-”

        “Dash…--”

        “My house is gone, my friends left me to--”

        “Rainbow Dash!” The scarred pony boomed, the same tone that stopped her dead before shaking her to the core. “Calm down.”

        Rainbow Dash took a few shaky breaths as she snuffled and sobbed. “Daddy I’m scared...I’m so scared.”

        “Rainbow Dash, stop. If ever there was a pony I knew could stand up to this, it was you. Now pick yourself up, read this-” The scarred pony picked up the papers and plopped them down on Rainbow’s blanket, “- and get ready. I think it’s finally time….” The scarred pony pulled away, leaving Rainbow Dash’s legs outstretched for her father’s touch. He walked off, closing the door softly behind him.

        Rainbow Dash took a moment to wipe off her face, clearing her eyes and staining her forelegs. She opened the bundles of paper and looked them over.

        The night guard captain’s asking for more land. We offered him Manehattan and it seems like he’s ready to work with us…

        Shining armor’s out of the picture, off to live in the north. We’re pushing for Buckler to get the captainship, but even if he doesn’t he can keep the guard crippled for the time we need…

        Copper’s getting restless, he says ponies are getting suspicious about him hanging near the reservoir. We might need to distance ourselves until we can…

        Blue Blood’s being a pain, he’s having seconds thoughts. We need to step up the timetable, hit them soon or we’ll lose our chance at…without him we can’t keep Canterlot busy long enough…

        This is it. Hail Storm’s managed to get some stupid archaeologist to agree to look for Commander Hurricane’s grave. We don’t need much, just enough justification to start things off…

        Apples are the biggest target at this point. We’ve already been halving their normal water usage but I’m going to make sure we drain their river before we start. Same deal across the towns we...

        The list went on, some of the plans dating back to before Luna’s resurgence. Rainbow Dash flipped a few pages.

        Contingencies for artificial water creation.

        The page was littered with easy recipes for poisons that could be made using plants from Cloudsdale. Places that could be easily flooded were clearly marked out on a map of Equestria, Canterlot’s water table was marked at accessible locations, as was a list of names with various percentages next to them.

        She flipped the page again.

        C-1

        In event of artificial water production by either Unicorns or the Princesses, flood targets have been identified. Mobilization time, three hours.

        C-2

        In event of attempted theft we have poisoned the false storage areas in the cloud factory.

        C-3

        In event of forced retrieval by the Royal Guard, we will destroy the main storage area, flooding the land in mist before spreading out the poisoned water we have in the false storage. Mobilization time, thirty minutes.

        Rainbow Dash flipped the pages once more.

        A map of Equestria, divided into huge chunks around the cities. A huge red X was laid through the southern towns in the desert. Detailed drawing littered the page, too many to follow with the little time she had.

        She flipped through the pages for a final time.

        A list of names ran for six pages. Three standing out.

        Guard Lieutenant, Brass Buckler.

        Head of Royal Cartography and Geography, Prince Blue Blood.

        Head of Cloudsdale’s Pony Committee, Clash.

        She knew that name, Clash, she recognized it from her days before leaving Cloudsdale. She remembered him, always wearing a coat, a hat, he always wore clothes. It struck her, the pony in the hat.

        A loud crunch came from the door, sending it open in a flash. The scarred pony burst into the room. “We need to go--now.” he ran over, yanking the covers off of Rainbow Dash and shoved her onto her hooves. He tossed her a tattered pair of saddlebags and started getting his armor back on. “You make sure those papers stay in that bucking bag, got it!?”

        Rainbow Dash snapped awake. “I- what happened!?”

        The scarred pony shook his head. “They found the bodies. You’ve got about an hour before there’s no way out of the city.” The scarred pony started guiding her towards the door. “I think this is it. I’ve got all the information anypony would need to end this, just make sure it gets to the right pony.”

        Rainbow Dash ground her hooves into the floor, bringing her to a full stop. “Just bucking stop, what is this!? What happened to Cloudsdale, what’s in these papers!?”

        “Dash I just need you to--”

        “I do trust you! But I want to know, I need to know!”

        The scarred pony took a deep breath. “There isn’t time for this….”

        “Make time!”

        The scarred pony rolled his head, armor clanking as he did. “Five years, five years of watching. I could have acted sooner, but I needed to be sure just how deep this ran, all the players on the field. But this is as good as it’s gonna get.”

        “Then why don’t you take it!? You’d know who to give it--”

        The scarred pony stamped his hoof. “I can’t leave. If this is ending...I...I have something to finish up.” The scarred pony took a deep breath. “Something that I have to do, something...delicate. And I’m either going to do it right, and end this, or screw up and create a sea under Cloudsdale.” The scarred pony licked his lips. “Goodbye Rainbow Dash.”

        He ran past, throwing himself into the sky and flying towards the weather factory. Rainbow Dash ran outside, watching him leave. Her heart dropped as she realized what he was going to do. “No! No no no!” She screamed, pacing on the steps of her old home. “Dad! Daddy!?”

        Rainbow Dash took off, heading towards the Weather Factory. She stopped half way, watching her father dash into the building, ponies running out behind him. She knew what was to come, she knew her last memories of her father would be of him rushing to save the ponies of Equestria. At this point, she couldn’t ask for more.

        She turned towards Ponyville. Get the papers to someone who will know what to do, rang in her ears. And so she flew, she flew as fast as her injured body could take her. She could feel herself trying to hesitate, trying to turn around and watch the city. She forced herself onward, against her baser instincts and towards Ponyville.

        “No!” A hat fell past her, quickly being joined by a heavy body, piledriving her into the ground. The pair of bodies landed with a thud, kicking up a plume of dust and dried grass. “I’m not about to let you ruin this!” The pony, now without his hat, towered over Rainbow Dash’s battered body. “I planned for everything, I planned for this!”

        Rainbow Dash tried to speak, her voice catching in her throat. She tried to move, the hatted pony’s, Clash, hooves pinning her wings. “I’m done with this...and I’m sure I could bury you deep enough in the mud.” He reared up, towering his hooves Over Rainbow Dash’s head. “Bucking useless--” He brought his hooves down hard.

        “What about this is okay?” A gritty voice asked. Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes as it became apparent she wasn’t dead. She watched as a pair of hooves lifted from the sand and dust. “Not since Starswirl went mad. Not since Equestria was divided. Not until now, have I been called up. And you, have the audacity to bring strife to my land!?” Pulvis lifted from the sand, his hooves enveloping Clash’s and lifting him up. “I killed Commander Hurricane, I locked Starswirl away, I blanketed the old world in ice and snow, and now, I think it’s time you joined it.”

        Pulvis threw Clash a few feet away, fading back into the dust and popping up underneath him. “I think it’s time you join us.” Pulvis croaked, wrapping his hooves around Clash and slowly dragging him into the dust below. Clash screamed and kicked as he was slowly dragged into the dust. His cries were short lived as his head was pulled under the ground, his back legs kicking wildly as he was swallowed up by the ground.

        Rainbow Dash rolled onto her front, her wings slightly bent from the harsh landing. She took a moment and just fell apart. She laid down in the dust wishing that she could just rest for a while. “It’s okay to be tired. We’re all tired.” Pulvis’ voice croaked from under her. Rainbow Dash found herself riding along the sand pony’s back as he walked gingerly towards Ponyville. “Thank you Rainbow Dash. You did everything I could have asked of you. And I’m sorry.”

        Rainbow Dash lingered on the edge of exhaustion as Pulvis plodded along. “What...why are you sorry?”

        “The tree, the town turning on you, that wasn’t exactly easy to achieve. But I needed you to get to Cloudsdale when the time was right. And...as sorry as I am, you played your part perfectly.” Pulvis let out a rattly breath. “There it is...can you feel it, that sudden surge of pressure?”

        Pulvis stopped, turning towards Cloudsdale so Rainbow Dash could see. The weather factory had exploded, spewing hundreds of gallons into the sky. A strange pattern spread out over the city, growing wider and wider. It reached its apex, spreading out and blanketing the sky.

        The pattern seemed strange. Not a normal mushroom cloud, but something wider, spreading out as it reached the highest point and thinning out as it went. As the cloud reached her and Pulvis it brought down a torrent of rain, quickly thinning out into a light patter as the crest swept past.

        Rainbow Dash let her body go limp against Pulvis’ back. “Is it over?” She croaked out. “Please...let it be over.”

        Pulvis let out a sigh of relief, his voice growing less and less gravely as the rain fell. “Yes, I think your part in this play is over. Now you only need to play courier a final time before reclaiming what was yours.”

        Pulvis carried Rainbow Dash through the rain, on towards the cheering town of Ponyville, their systems overcome with joy at the return of the rain. Pulvis ignored their cheers, carrying Rainbow Dash towards the town’s library.

        Once there, the waning elemental started to crumble into mud. “Rainbow Dash, it’s time, my love. You have done so well, finish this and earn your rest.” Pulvis started to gently set Rainbow Dash on the ground, melting into mud as the rain soaked his body. “Thank you Rainbow Dash, we shall never forget your service and sacrifice.”

        Rainbow Dash was left on her hooves, leaning against the library door. She took a deep breath as the sound of hooves started growing louder. Rainbow Dash suddenly fell, stumbling into the mud as the door opened outward.

        Twilight Sparkle ran out after her friend. “Rainbow Dash!” She pulled her out of the mud and started dragging her into the library. “Rainbow Dash what happened!?”

        Dash just went limp, letting the cold rain and mud draw her excess heat out. She relaxed as she was pulled inside the library. “I was worried sick, Fluttershy started talking about going after you, Pinkie hasn’t--” Twilight’s tirade was cut short.

        “Twilight...papers….” Dash undid the straps on her saddlebags and let them fall to the floor. “Papers….”

        “Huh--” Twilight stopped dead as the stack of papers flopped out onto the library floor. Twilight slowly looked over the papers as Rainbow Dash rested on the floor. “I--” she flipped like mad through the pages. “This is- I- Spike!? Spike where are you!? Spike!?”

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