Twilight tried her best to climb out of the rubble of the airship. “Is everypony okay?” asked Twilight as she crawled through the wreckage. Rainbow Dash and Soarin had somehow landed the airship on the other edge of the massive crater, which put them far from Fallen Canterlot. The problem now was to see who else survived the crash.

Rainbow Dash woke up and found herself outside the Airship. “Wait, what?” she said as she got up and tried to regain her bearings. Then she saw the wreckage, “No, no, no, not again,” said Rainbow Dash as she rushed as fast as she could to the wreckage. “Soarin?!?”

“I’m okay,” said Soarin as he pushed some wreckage off his wheelchair. “Is anypony else alive?” He looked at Rainbow Dash, “What’s with that tear?”

“I thought it happen again,” whispered Rainbow Dash. She wiped away the tear. “What tear?” She said boldly back. Soarin just laughed. Rainbow moved closer to Soarin. As Soarin did the same.

Suddenly Twilight’s scream broke the moment. Rainbow Dash ran through the wreckage to find her. She found Twilight as well as what made her scream. Twilight had found Thunderlane skewered by a metal pipe. He was dead.

******

Rainbow Dash and Fleetfoot dug an improvised grave for Thunderlane. Then after they put him in, they had a moment of silence for their fallen comrade. Twilight could see little to no tears being shed. It was clear that this was not the first ally they had had to dig a grave for, but Twilight couldn't help but to at least shed some tears.

But they couldn’t stay long because they knew the Shadowbolts wouldn’t be too far behind. They had to stay hidden until they could reach the CD ruins, so they went through the nearby forest. The coverage would keep them hidden.

“So Discord, what is this CD ruins,” whispered Twilight to Discord, who was still a fly on her shoulder. She kept her pace up with the others as she listened to his answer.

“It is a refugee camp where most of the ponies that escape the enslavement of the Empire go."

"Enslavement?"

"Yes, anypony who doesn't join the Empire willingly is enslaved to it instead."

"Those poor ponies," said Twilight. "Isn't there something to be done for the ones that don't escape?"

"Actually we have somepony on the inside," said Discord. "Spitfire. She secretly works with the Cloud Rebels and Dark Rebels."

"Cloud Rebels? Dark Rebels?"

"Yes. Spitfire will send secret information on anypony that are trying to escape the Empire, then the Cloud Rebels will go in and rescue any pony they can. Meanwhile, the Dark Rebels will rescue any other creature, like Griffins, Hippogryphs, Minotaurs and other creatures," said Discord. "And any creature too weak to fight stays hidden in the CD ruins because very few would think of looking in the old ruins of -- ”

“Cloudsdale!” said Twilight as they reached the ruins.

“Yeah. CD for Cloudsdale, or what is left of it anyway.”

Twilight looked in utter sorrow. It was no longer in the sky; no surprise given the fact it needed pegasi magic to stay afloat. Several buildings were just rubble, while very few still stood tall. There was moss everywhere, which actually did help hide the city pretty well, but still gave an air of foreboding to it.

They stepped inside one of the buildings. Inside was a bunch of orphan ponies. It seemed to be some sort of orphanage. Twilight looked to see Rainbow Dash approach two pegasi. One was a gray pegasus mare with a blue mane, the other a small gray pegasus colt. Rainbow Dash told them the bad news about Thunderlane. They were both in tears like they had lost family. Maybe in this timeline they were family. Unknown for sure, but Twilight did know at least the small gray pegasus was family - it was Thunderlane’s little brother, Rumble.

Little brother. Those words instantly brought a reaction out of Twilight. Tears started to fall from her face as she sat in a chair away from everypony. Discord, still being on her shoulder asked why she was in tears. Twilight replied, “I am in tears over one I always thought of as a little brother.”

“Who?”

“Spike,” Twilight took a moment to continue. “How could he be so different in this timeline?”

“What do you mean?” Discord asked. “If you want answers from Spike, you have to ask Rarity. In this timeline, those two have been at each other’s sides for years.”

“Yeah, but in my timeline, Spike and I have been as close as family. I was the one who hatched him.” Then Twilight paused upon realizing something. ‘Wait if I hatched him in my timeline, then who hatched him in this timeline?’ She took a breath. “Discord it is time for the truth. What happen in this timeline?”

“Where do we start?” Discord began. ‘Where to start?’ “I can only give you some of the story since I broke out of stone after the rulers of the empire took over.”

“Fine. I will get the information from three sources then; you, Rainbow Dash and Soarin.” Twilight got up and headed straight to Rainbow Dash and Soarin. “Rainbow Dash, Soarin, can I talk to you two in private?"

"Sure."

******

<Spike and Rarity’s POV>

Spike was heading straight for the cave as he slowly shrank back to his normal size, which in this timeline put him at slightly taller that Rarity. She held tightly to Spike. He hoped he would at least land straight, but of course, he landed in the cave with a tumble.

As the two finally stopped tumbling, they found themselves in a bit of an awkward position. Rarity was laying right on top of Spike’s gut, which would have been extremely awkward for the original Spike and Rarity, but this Rarity and Spike did not move at all. In fact, they stayed like that for the moment in bliss Until a diamond dog showed up.

“Lady Rarity, Sir Spike… oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you two, I will give you two some privacy. You two are clearly busy.”

And with that killing the mood, Rarity climbed off of Spike. “How many times have we told you Strax to get your mind out of the gutter,” she said as she cleaned the dust off her Mare Do Well suit.

“I just thought you two were…..” Strax words were drifting off.

“Seriously, Strax, you need to stop thinking such vulgar things,” said Spike with an obvious frown, getting back up.

“But I just thought with you two being….. And the position you two were in.”

“Oh please Strax, do you really think we would do such a thing outside the privacy of our own bedroom,” Rarity went up and slapped him. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need you to gather some the other diamond dogs and deal with the Alphabolts outside.”

“I am sorry Lady Rarity,” said Strax. “I will get right on that.” He dug back into the dirt.

Meanwhile, Rarity and Spike just stood there beside each other for a moment Until Spike said, “So…. still were we…..about to,” now his words were drifting.

“Oh fine darling, I guess you deserve some sort of reward, for getting me to safety,” she agreed. Spike gave a blushing smile as Rarity lifted up the mouthpiece of her mask, then they pulled in for a long passionate kiss. After they broke away, “Now if you want the rest you will have to wait until we get home.”

Spike was in a complete daze from the bliss of the moment.

‘Sometimes I wonder why did I fall in love and marry such a goofball,’ Rarity thought, giggling.

******