It had been a week since the friendship map had called Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie to the Crystal Empire. Rainbow Dash fought conflicting feelings for Percy. He was just so awesome. The way he fought, the way he flew, the way he controlled water, all of it was just amazing. It didn't hurt that he was good looking too. But he was completely hung up on his special somepony, Annabeth.

They had secured most of the towns in the north and west and were headed toward Ponyville, when a pegasus managed to reach the train. He looked like he had just flown through a terrible storm. His eyes were wide with fright as he gave his report.

"Cloudsdale is under attack." He gushed out. "I couldn't even get near it, it was so bad."

"What specifically did you see?" Percy questioned.

"Pegasi were hiding and running from black clouds. It looked like magic, dark magic to me."

Everyone looked to Percy. Shining Armor addressed the pegasus. "You're the only communication we've had the last few days. Perhaps this is the reason communications are down. Do you know anything about dark magic?" Shining Armor asked Percy.

"I've come across my fair share of it, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert. My expertise is in the sword." Percy stated.

"Still, being a pegasus and more familiar with these creatures, you're the best pony for the job." Shining Armor decided.

"Agreed." Percy nodded his head.

"I'll get a team together." Shining Armor decided.

Shining Armor's team consisted of Percy, Rainbow Dash and a handful of pegasi that had been among the soldiers. So there they were flying towards Cloudsdale. Itwasn't long before they realized why pegasi were having such a hard time. The winds were horrendous, the turbulence was all over the place. It was like the sky was trying to throw them back down to the ground. Then Rainbow Dash noticed that it wasn't windy on the ground. She pointed this out to Percy, who immediately drew his sword.

"Anemoi!" He shouted.

Rainbow Dash saw a glimpse of a stallion charging toward her. It was made of just thunder clouds, so she thought she had imagined it. Percy swiped at it as soon as it got close to them and it immediately dissolved into golden dust.

"Stay close, and keep an eye out!" Percy yelled.

"What are they?" Rainbow Dash yelled over the wind. She had thought monsters could only be on the ground, this was a whole new threat.

"Anemoi. Storm spirits."

"On the right!" A soldier shouted.

Rainbow Dash whirled her head around to see another stallion charging towards them. Percy did a quick flip and put himself in between the storm spirit and the soldiers, quickly slicing through it.

"How much longer till we get to Cloudsdale?" Percy asked.

"Just another mile." Rainbow Dash replied.

They fought their way, keeping an eye out for any stallions made out of clouds and thunder and lightning. Anytime they saw something, they would call out to where it was and Percy would fly over to it to destroy it. They were relieved when Cloudsdale finally came into view. It looked as magnificent as ever, however, the lack of pegasi in the sky stood out blatantly to her.

They were just diving towards it when several Storm Spirits came out of nowhere and tackled Percy. His saddlebag was sliced off, and he was just able to fight them off with what water he had to weild his sword as he tumbled below them. Rainbow Dash was just about to dive after him, when he righted himself and rejoined them. He didn't look good and his sword was not on his flank nor did he have his fist of water to weild it. Sherealized that he had lost both saddle bag and sword. They quickly landed on Cloudsdale.

"Rainbow Dash!" A voice called out. She turned just in time to see Spitfire trotting toward her.

"What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Ever since we were notified that Equestria is being overrun by strange creatures, we've been acting as messengers and trying to fight wherever we can. But this is impossible to fight. They have us pinned."

"I can help fight them, but I'm out of water." Percy panted. Rainbow Dash realized with a start that he had a huge gash across his flank and down his leg.

"You're hurt." Spitfire noticed. "Follow me." She led them into the actual weather factory. It wasn't running at the moment. Practically every Cloudsdale resident was huddled within its spacious walls. "This is the strongest building on Cloudsdale. It was the safest place for everybody. We've been evacuating everyone here." Spitfire explained.

"Rainbow!" Two familiar voices shouted in unison. Rainbow Dash turned around just in time to see her parents bearing down on her. She had just enough time to brace yourself before they wrap their hoofs around her and smothered her.

"Mom, dad. I can't breathe." Rainbow Dash choked out.

"Sorry, honey. We were just so worried about you." Windy Whistles sighed.

"I wasn't." Bow Hothoof declared as he puffed his chest out proudly. "I new my daughter would save the day."

"Thanks, Dad. But I haven't saved the day yet." Rainbow Dash then noticed that Spitfire had escorted Percy to a medic station.

Percy collapsed to the floor. Rainbow Dash hurried over as Spitfire called out, "Medic!"

A pegasus came running up with saddle bag full of medical supplies. Percy moaned, "Water."

"It will be infected in no time, if it is not treated." The medic complained. "One scratch is lethal."

"Can somepony get him some water?" Rainbow Dash called out.

The medic was working furiously on Percy's wound as Rainbow became aware of her parents walking over towards her. "Here honey." Windy Whistles said as she handed over a canteen of water. "Who is this young pegasus?" Rainbow Dash could see the gleam in her mother's eye.

"It's not like that, mom. He's from another dimension. He's only one that can kill those things out there." Rainbow Dash said exasperatedly.

"Well, I don't care where he's from, he better make sure he treats you good." Bow Hothoof grumbled.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in exasperation. she took the water bottle from her mother and poured the contents over his wound that the medic had just put medicine on.

"Hey!" The medic began to protest, but everyone stopped as they watched the wound begin to slowly mend itself before their eyes. Percy gave a deep sigh and seem to settle into a deep sleep.

"He's from where, now?" Spitfire questioned.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and began explaining all the events that happened up until now. She explained her quest from the friendship map that led her and her friends to the black pegasus. She talked about the state he had been found in by the Crystal Empire, and how they discovered that water healed him. How they discovered that he used to have a human form before he came to this world, and how his appearance was somehow linked to all the monsters attacking Equestria coming from Canterlot. She told them how he was able to kill all the monsters he had encountered and how he was able to control water. She told them how they had come up with the system of unicorns placing a protective shield over towns that the monsters could not get through. By the time she was done talking, her audience had grown exponentially. She knew Percy Jackson's fame would spread across Cloudsdale.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging against the main doors to the building, like the wind was trying to get in. Spitfire had a look of dread as she hollered out, "Defense positions!" Allthe pegasi I ran up to the doors and pushed against them with all their might.

Percy snapped out of his size and jumped up on all fours and looked around confusedly. "What's going on?" That was when Rainbow noticed the picture of his sword was back on his flank.

"Hey, hero, we could use some help here." Spitfire hollared as she leaned up against the doors. RainbowDash looked around for ideas.

Percy looked at the door worriedly. "There's too many of them. It's different fighting in the air. I don't know if I can take them all by myself. Not to mention, we usually have a unicorn to protect the town. I'm out of ideas." Percy admitted.

Rainbow Dash didn't blame him. Just one pegasus against an army was daunting. If only there was a way to get a unicorn up here. Twilight had once gotten all her friends up here to support Rainbow Dash in her show, and they weren't unicorns. Suddenly, she had it. "We need Twilight."

"Who?"

"Twilight. My friend who turned into an alicorn. She's a unicorn with wings." Rainbow Dash emphasized.

"The one who is with Annabeth?" It was scary how he brought everything back to her.

"Yeah, but more importantly, she can get a unicorn or unicorns up here to help." The doors shook violently. "Eventually." Rainbow Dash looked nervously at the doors.

"Great! When do we leave?!" Percy looked more excited than she had ever seen him.

"Woah, woah, woah. You can't go. You have to defend Cloudsdale." Rainbow Dash said. Percy's face fell.

"So you're going? By yourself?" Percy asked disbelievingly.

""Well, the only other good flyer besides me is Spitfire."

"Can't hurt to ask." Percy shrugged as he looked at Rainbow Dash encouragingly.

When they turned to head to the doors, they discovered that Spitfire had been behind them the whole time. "No." Spitfire answered in a huff.

"What? But we need a qualified flier to get Twilight." Rainbow Dash argued.

"I understand. But if you're going, I'm the only other one qualified to protect Cloudsdale."

"That's what we're doing." Rainbow Dash tried not to whine.

Spitfire held up a hoof to stop Rainbow Dash. "There is someone else who could do it, if you could convince them."

"Who?"

Spitfire pointed over Rainbow Dash's shoulder and said, "Lightning Dust."

Rainbow Dash followed to where Spitfire was pointing. Lightning Dust was lounging around with her new friends, The Washouts, who looked like they had been roughed up quite a bit. Lightning Dust had a bandage around one of her forelegs and was limping a little. Rolling Thunder had a bandage over his nose. And Short Fuse was laid up with several bandages and his wing in a splint. "Not Lightning Dust." Rainbow Dash moaned.

"What's wrong with Lightning Dust?" Percy asked innocently.

"Nothing, nothing at all, except she likes doing all sorts of crazy stunts and has no regard for anyone's safety. She is absolutely crazy." Rainbow Dash ranted.

"Good, we need a little crazy. Do you think she could do it?" Percy stared at Rainbow Dash intently, letting her believe he was serious.

"Look she's a great flier, there's no doubt about that, but getting past the storm spirits is one thing. When we find Twilight, we have to bring her back, and she's not the best flier. Spitfire doesn't care about other's safety. She's libel to put her in danger."

"So we just have to make her want to care about other's safety." Percy began walking toward her.

"I don't know about this." Rainbow Dash reluctantly followed behind.

"Excuse me." Percy approached Lightning Dust. "Sorry to interrupt, but I understand you are a good flier."

"Good? I'm the best." Lightning Dust scoffed.

"Great." Percy grinned. "Because I'm recruiting only the best to help save Cloudsdale."

"If you're talking about those things out there, forget it. We've already tried. It's impossible." Lightning Dust snorted.

"The Anemoi are impossible, for you. But that's not what I am talking about. I need a unicorn, or more correctly, an alicorn escorted here by the best fliers in Equestria."

"You're talking about royalty." Lightning Dust raised an eyebrow. Rainbow Dash could see that she was hooked. She wanted the glory.

"And I'm sure all of Cloudsdale will be grateful to whoever saves them." Percy played along. "I can help you get past the Anemoi, you just gave to find Twilight. What do you say?" Percy grinned.

Lightning Dust seemed to be thinking it over, when she smiled and said, "Okay, I'll do it."

"Great Rainbow Dash and you will leave within the hour, stock up on supplies."

"Woah, woah, woah. Rainbow Dash? You didn't say anything about Rainbow Dash."

"Yes, Rainbow Dash. She's the only other uninjured flier, and you're going to need all the help you can get." Percy made it sound so final, like he were talking to a soldier under his command.

Lightning Dust glared at Rainbow Dash like it was all her fault. "Don't look at me. It's not my idea to fly with you, but right now, we're Cloudsdale's best chance."

"Fine." Lightning Dust agreed reluctantly.

"Great!" Percy said a little too enthusiasticly. "We'll see you in an hour." Percy began pushing Rainbow Dash away. "I need your help with something." He e said to Rainbow Dash once they were out of ear shot.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked curiously.

"I want to write a letter to Annabeth, but I can't write like this." He shook a hoof for emphasis. "Please can you help me?"

Rainbow Dash felt sick. Writing a letter to his special somepony was the last thing she wanted to do. But it wasn't in her to say no to him. "Just this once, and don't make it too sappy."

"You're the best." Percy shoulder bumped her. "I know I can count on you to get it to her." Rainbow Dash smiled back, but felt like crawling into a hole and screaming."

Percy spent the next hour dictating his letter to Rainbow Dash. Most of it was a report on what had happened to him and what towns they had been able to help. But it was the way he said it that made Rainbow Dash cringe and melt all at the same time. Rainbow Dash rolled up the letter and met up with Lightning Dust.

"Did you tell him goodbye?" Lightning Dust smirked.

"He had me write a letter to his special somepony." Rainbow Dash glared at her.

"Oh." She said unrepentant.

"Okay, you guys ready?" Percy asked. He had a ball of water hovering near him. "I'm going to clear a path for you. Rainbow Dash, you said they're South of us?"

"Yep." Rainbow replied as she adjusted her goggles. "We'll have to fly fast, so keep up, wingman." She glanced at Lightning Dust. She knew it would rub her the wrong way, si ce Lightning Dust was wingman while they were at the wonderbolts academy.

"How about, you try and keep up with me." Lightning Dust snarked back.

"It's not a race." Percy snapped at both of them. "Your survival, along with everyone else's, depends on your cooperation. So work together."

Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust both glared at each other, but they both knew he was right. Lightning Dust put her goggles on and got ready to take off.

You're not going out by yourself, are you?" Spitfire stormed up. "Always at least two together. I'll fly with Percy to make sure he gets back."

Percy shrugged. "Alright, let's go. Stay close." Percy launched into the air. The doors opened just slightly for them to slip out. Percy's ball of water soon held his sword in its fist. He sliced through the Storm Spirits as they adjusted to head straight south. Once Percy was sure the attention was on him, he broke away from them with Spitfire on his tail. Rainbow Dash put on a burst of speed, leaving Percy and Cloudsdale far behind. Lightning Dust kept up with her with ease. Now all they needed to do was find Princess Twilight Sparkle.