14

Late

A dark red dot caught the corner of Rainbow's eye. She turned and looked, squinting in the torrential rains. She flew closer, attempting to figure out what it was. She climbed upwards to get a better view, shielding her face from the downpour. She wished she had her helmet. She stopped her ascent and looked back at the red spot but nothing was made any clearer. Dread mounting, she drew nearer to it and soon saw a dark figure was on top of the red.

Adrenaline feebly trickled through her body. Rainbow's eyes widened, and she sped quickly towards what she hoped wasn't what she thought. As she approached, she winced, her fear confirmed. It was a Wonderbolt. The blood surrounding it was being absorbed by the cloud it lay upon. She landed on the cloud, just outside of the blood's perimeter. She gasped, recognizing the Wonderbolt. Her breathing quivered.

"F-Fleetfoot?" Rainbow asked, not daring to hope. The Wonderbolt did not stir. Rainbow crept up to her fallen wingmate. She rolled her to one side and had a small intake of breath. A small wooden shaft, broken at its end, jutted out of the pegasus' chest. The blood around the wound had not yet caked.

"Fleetfoot..." Rainbow took off her fallen's helmet, and a blank stare greeted her. "No." She shook her. "No, no, no..." She hung her head. Looking at Fleetfoot, she saw her dog tags poking out from under her uniform. She hesitated, feeling sick again. She took a dog tag off of her and put it on the chain around her own neck. "I'm so... so sorry..."

She saw a cloud adjacent to her and flew over. Grabbing it, she returned to Fleetfoot and covered her with it. She did not know what to say again, becoming frustrated with herself for her lack of eloquence. She took one last look at Fleetfoot's clouds, whispered her final apology, and took off. She held the dog tag close to her chest. She hoped against hope this was the only dead pony out here.

She saw it again, another red splotch. She almost denied it, not wanting to see what could be lying there. But it could be just a griffon, she thought, and she could move on with her search. She shook her head. What good was this search? She looked again, slowing somewhat, but couldn't make anything else out. Out of morbid curiosity, she decided to go to it. As she flew closer, it became clear the figure was another Wonderbolt. It was face down on the cloud, unmoving.

She again landed outside the blood's borders. She recognized the pegasus as Misty Fly. Not the missing Wonderbolt, she thought. This was a nightmare. It had to be. She walked towards the figure. "Misty?" She could hardly speak anymore. She turned the Wonderbolt over and flinched away immediately.

Claw marks were all over Misty's body, and her chest had been torn open, exposing her insides to the outside. Her face was marred in a similar fashion—one eye was absent, as was part of her cheek and a chunk of an ear. "O-oh—" was all Rainbow could say before she turned and began heaving again. Fortunately, not much came up.

Coughing, wiping her mouth, she dared to peek at the fallen pegasus again. "How could they do this to you?" She now saw chunks of flesh intermingled with the blood stained cloud. She absentmindedly held her own stomach. She didn't want to be out here anymore.

She looked around for Misty's dog tags and had the disturbing thought that they might be inside the body. She found them, thankfully, outside on an adjacent cloud. They were seemingly thrown from the site a ways, perhaps during the attack. She shuddered, placing one dog tag next to the corpse, and the other next to hers and Fleetfoot's. She only had one griffon to deal with. Misty looked as though two or three had gotten to her, with the different sized claw marks and—

Rainbow pulled on her mane. She wanted out. She wanted to be gone, away from all of this. She looked at the body and quickly away. She used the cloud the dog tags rested upon and placed it overtop of Misty. She said goodbye.

She stopped. "Why am I saying goodbye?" she muttered. "It's not like you're there anymore. Whatever." She took off once more, more ready to be done than ever.

The rain still poured from the heavens in droves. Rainbow shivered, her usually warm uniform soaked clean through. Her mane clung to her head and forced her ears down. The dog tags jangled about on her chest. Two more had joined Fleetfoot and Misty. To Rainbow, they all seemed impossibly heavy, physically hurting her to carry them.

Four Wonderbolts were dead, and a fifth probably wasn't coming back home either. Rainbow had to make sure, for her own sake, that somepony, anypony, made it out of this death trap. She kept telling herself she would return to Thunderhead if she didn't find anypony within twenty or so minutes. She didn't know how she would break the news to the rest of the team, whatever was left of them.

The rain continued to pound Rainbow. She wanted to fly above the clouds but knew if she did, she would be out of the search zone, where nopony would be. Her teeth began chattering. The adrenaline was long gone, and her body ached from the fight with Gwen and from the strain of flying. She tried to keep her thoughts off of what she had seen and done. Not much else, though, was relevant in her mind, and she continued to torment herself.

From her left, she heard a faraway screech. She flinched, covering her head. Realizing she wasn't being attacked, she flew to where she thought she heard it. Passing over a cloud, she squinted and could make out two figures, seemingly dancing in the distance. One was smaller—a pony, she assumed—and the other was larger—a griffon. She cautiously flew towards them, watching them fight. She could not see who was winning, as the rain made everything a blur.

As she flew closer, there was a flash of lightning which illuminated the sky behind the two, and Rainbow saw a second large figure hurdling straight for the pony. She gasped and picked up her speed. She thought she had seen the other griffon with a spear. She got closer and closer but arrived too late. The second griffon had reached the pony first, and the pony instantly stopped moving.

"No!" Rainbow yelled. She quickly covered her mouth, coughing with the effort. The first griffon had looked in Rainbow's direction while the second threw the pony off of the spear downwards. Rainbow ducked below the clouds and made to catch the falling Wonderbolt. She arced downwards, lining up hers and the pony's motion. She caught the downed pegasus and sped off as quickly as she could away from the two griffons. As she neared a suitable patch of clouds to hide in, she realized with a gasp the pony was Spitfire. She made her way to a cloud in the middle and placed her captain atop of it. She ripped off the scratched helmet, flinging it away.

"Spitfire!" Rainbow said, grabbing ahold of Spitfire's shoulders. The captain had her eyes clamped shut. She coughed, blood staining her teeth, and she let out a loud and shuddered groan. She rolled away from Rainbow, curling up in a ball and holding her stomach, coughing and taking shaky breaths. The grey cloud below them began to turn scarlet, and Rainbow couldn't help but stare. She racked her brain for something, anything, to help.

Spitfire groaned again, and Rainbow stood up, desperately looking around. She saw small clouds and immediately thought they could help. She zipped over and, after a quick scan of the skies, returned with two pillow-sized clouds. Spitfire continued to shudder. Rainbow tentatively rolled her back over, trying to keep herself calm.

"O-o-okay, Sp-pit." She reached for Spitfire's hooves. "I-I need you t-to—"

"No!" Spitfire said, coughing again. Rainbow flinched. Spitfire's eyes snapped open and bored into Rainbow's. "D-d-don't touch me!"

"Spitfire, please! I need to help you!"

"Don't touch me..." she said more weakly.

"Spitfire, you're bleeding badly! You're gonna die if you don't let me help you!" Rainbow picked up one of the small clouds, and Spitfire groaned again. Rainbow reached for one of Spitfire's hooves, and Spitfire closed her eyes again. Her hoof shook in Rainbow's violently, and she kept pulling it back toward herself. Rainbow placed the cloud on Spitfire's chest and let the hoof go. It landed with a puff, and Spitfire pressed it tightly against her with both hooves.

Spitfire coughed again and looked at Rainbow. Her eyes widened as she looked at Rainbow's neck. She closed her eyes, struggling to form words. Opening her eyes, she turned to look at Rainbow again. "Who... didn't...?"

"Spitfire, we need to worry about you right now, and—""

"Who," Spitfire said, more forcefully now, "d-died?"

Rainbow sighed. "I-I found Fleetfoot, M-Misty Fly, Fire Streak, and High W-Winds... ma'am." Spitfire groaned, quieter now. The first small cloud was already half red, and Rainbow quickly stuffed the other one between hooves. "Now I need you to stay on your back, okay? Okay, Spit?" The captain muttered something. "The other wound doesn't have anything but the cloud to stop it."

"Four?" Spitfire managed to croak. Rainbow stopped and looked at Spitfire. She nodded solemnly. Spitfire rested her head on the cloud, coughing again. "You... you d-didn't see... anypony else?"

"No, ma'am," Rainbow said, hovering next to her captain. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

"It's not... not your fault... Let's hope... that they... t-the rest... made it back."

Rainbow busied herself, molding the cloud to prop Spitfire's hind legs and head up. "Spit, not being rude, but I kinda want you to stop talking for a while, alright? I need you to save your energy."

She flew to a bigger cloud, grabbed it, and placed it above Spitfire. "This is for the rain," Rainbow said, gesturing to the cloud. "I'm gonna make sure you'll be alright." She placed the cloud closer to Spitfire. "I'll get you over to Thunderhead as fast as I can, ma'am. You're gonna be alright. You're not gonna die here." All Spitfire could do was groan and nod.

Rainbow positioned herself behind the cloud and heaved, trying to get it to move. After a few attempts, it slowly began drifting where she wanted. It took almost all of her remaining strength to keep it going. She had hoped she could speed up to a sonic rainboom, but could only muster a dozen or so miles per hour. She had hoped she had enough adrenaline to get her going, but she guessed it was all used up. Her wings protested every movement she made long before she found Fleetfoot, let alone Spitfire. Her right side was on fire from where the griffon slammed into her.

After a few minutes of coughs and groans, Spitfire talked again, quieter. "Do... was I a... good captain?" Rainbow muttered something close to assent. Spitfire coughed. "No. I wasn't. I could've done... more. I," a cough, "shouldn't have thrown my... my doubts at them. I should've... I should've listened to you... Didn't think... griffons..."

"Spitfire," Rainbow said between breaths, "save your energy. I don't want you worrying over stuff that's already happened. We need to worry about you right now. I don't want you to die. Keep pressure on those clouds."

"Dash. W-what do I have now? I've... I've let... my team down. F-five are d-dead now... because of m-me..."

"Come on, Spit," Rainbow said, trying to keep her aches out of mind. "You need to work with me."

"First Canterlot, now... What do I... I say to the rest...? How can I," a cough, "face them?"

"Spitfire, please."

"S-sorry."

Rainbow tried to think of the right words. "You... you did what you thought was best. We had to find Surprise, and separating was the quickest way. We didn't know that they'd—"

"I-It's still my fault—"

"No, Spit, it isn't. We all did our best. There were just a lot more of them than of us."

Spitfire winced, causing a tremor in the cloud. "What if... w-what if nopony is back? What if it's... it's o-only us left?" Rainbow hadn't thought about that, and she let out an audible whimper. Spitfire heard it, and she began to cry softly, gripping the clouds and pressing it against her wounds. "I'm so stupid... stupid... stupid..." Rainbow looked away from the figure of Spitfire shifting around, feeling terrible. "I d-don't think..." Spitfire continued, "I can look at... m-myself anymore. They're dead. Gone." She stopped crying, her energy presumably sapped by it.

"I'm sorry," was all Rainbow could utter.

"We m-might not... make it back e-either..." She paused, looking out from the crack between the two clouds. "Rainbow?"

"Yes ma'am?" she replied, now curious. Spitfire never called her that.

"I... I o-order you... leave me."

Rainbow nearly stopped, losing her grip on the clouds momentarily. She couldn't believe her ears. "What?!" she blurted, straining her throat.

Her captain sniffed again, but her voice was now more firm. "L-leave me."

Rainbow pushed on resolutely. "I'm sorry, captain, but I can't do that."

Spitfire coughed, then winced. "Rainbow," she said, "listen to m-me... I'm as good as d-dead. I-I don't want you to... to die out here too."

"No, Spit, you're not gonna die. We're not gonna die."

"Rainbow, leave me!" She went into another coughing fit, worrying Rainbow. She quieted down. "W-what good am I n-now?"

"What good? You're the captain! Think of the other Wonderbolts. I..." She hoped she wouldn't regret saying this. "I-I guarantee you that the rest are still alive. What're we gonna do without you?"

"Then I w-want you... to meet them, not... w-waste time lugging... around a body."

"Spit, we're not that far from Thunderhead now. I can do this."

"I'm not... saying you can't... I..." She paused, and Rainbow thought she would cry again. "I can't. I'm d-dead enough... knowing five are dead..."

"Yeah, well, I plan on keeping it at five. I will get you to Thunderhead, Spitfire, I promise you."

Spitfire sighed. "O-okay. But if... if I d-don't make it—"

"—which you will—"

"Rainbow," she said, coughing again. "Listen. If I d-don't... make it... a-and things... somehow... haven't gone to hell... would you... you lead the Wonderbolts?"

Rainbow almost lost her grip again. "What? You mean become captain?"

"Yes."

"Me?" Rainbow couldn't find her voice for a moment, her brain stumbling over Spitfire's words. "But what about Soarin'? He's—"

"If he's even alive," said Spitfire coldly. Rainbow's words again got stuck in her throat. She didn't dare think Soarin' could be dead. "And if he's alive," Spitfire continued, "he'll understand."

Rainbow fought back stray tears. "What do you mean he'll—" She shook her head. "You want me to be captain? Why? Why me? I've only been in the Wonderbolts for, what, a couple months? Soarin's been in for years! He's second-in-command for Celestia's sake!"

"A-and here you are. Y-you got those dog tags... a-and you're p-pushing me back to base. I don't see him."

"But—"

"And you're the one who... who said we should stick together, even... even going against me. S-Soarin' wouldn't ever do that."

"Spitfire—"

"You've done more... more than he's dreamt of. You've saved Equestria... a d-dozen times over."

"But that's completely different! I had help then." She briefly thought of Twilight and the others and blinked them away from her mind. "This is a whole different game. How does any of that stuff qualify me to lead a squadron in war? He's been in the squadron longer, been second-in-command for all that time. Let him lead."

Spitfire managed to chuckle. "You think I got... got where I'm at... knowing a-all the things I-I know now? Ponies still... still learn in life, Rainbow... And you, from what... what I-I've heard... you've done some learning... I-I think you can handle it."

Rainbow had no reply. She wanted to say something else, but she couldn't find the right words. She pushed on in relative silence, the rain beginning to lessen somewhat. She guessed they were now just a mile out. Spitfire's words about Soarin's fate continued to ring in her mind, and she hoped desperately that he was okay.

A few minutes passed. Rainbow now no longer heard thunder nor saw lightning. The rain, once a torrent, now was a few notches above a light shower. Her wings had now become mercifully numb, allowing her to trek on unimpeded. She grew tired of her outstretched forehooves, so she switched to pushing with her head, and later to pushing with her back. She wished she had a rope with which to drag the cloud.

A dark shape appeared on the horizon against lighter clouds. Rainbow sighed. Thunderhead. They were so close. She tried to give some extra energy to her wings, but they refused. The rain became a drizzle, then a sprinkle. Rainbow shook off the moisture from her face, whipping her mane from her eyes.

"Sorry..." Rainbow's ears perked up. "So... sorry..." She heard soft crying from Spitfire again. She thought she could hear Spitfire muttering something between breaths. Rainbow strained to listen. The humble pitter-patter of the sprinkling rains drowned out most of the sounds. Spitfire was growing softer, and Rainbow was nearly pressing her ears against the cloud. Silence. Then Rainbow heard her mutter something which sounded like "thank you." Silence once more.

Rainbow's eyes widened. "Spitfire?" She peeked over the clouds. She saw they were close enough to Thunderhead for them to help. She took a deep breath and whistled shrilly. Several ponies at the cloud headquarters squinted in the misty night. Rainbow urged her wings to keep flapping, to pick up the pace. One pony saw Rainbow pushing the cloud and began to fly to her. Rainbow, panting, finally allowed herself to slow.

"Heh... heh... we... we made it, Spit... heh..." She looked at the cloud in front of her expectantly. "Spit?" She stopped, her heart pounding. "No, no, no no no..." She flew to the side and batted away the top layer of the cloud. She sighed in relief. Spitfire was there. She had her eyes closed, her mouth in a smile.

"Come on Spit, let's get you to the infirmary." She pushed on her captain's shoulder to wake her. She did not stir. "Spit, come on." The pegasus who flew to meet them was Soarin', who looked relieved beyond comprehension. "Spitfire..." Rainbow croaked. Her hovering wavered slightly.

"Rainbow Dash!" Soarin' yelled. "Oh, thank Celestia, you made it!" He flew to the opposite side of the cloud from Rainbow . "I was so worried that—" he saw his captain lying still. "Spitfire? Oh, oh no..." He turned to Rainbow. "Are you—" Soarin' gasped, a hoof slightly raised to her face. "Oh, Dash..."

Rainbow looked at Soarin'. He was wounded as well. His right forehoof was bandaged, and numerous cuts were etched around his face and neck. Rainbow just stared at Soarin', lost for words, joy fighting despair. She looked back to her captain and began mumbling to herself. Soarin' noticed Rainbow was wavering and flew over to the other side of the cloud to hold her steady. She didn't seem to notice him now.

"Medic!" Soarin' yelled, seeing the red pool beneath the captain. He shook Spitfire's forehoof. "We need medics over here!" He kept calling, straining his voice. Four ponies, one by one, hurried to them.

"Spitfire..." she said, her voice almost a whisper. "Please..." She nudged her captain again, tears welling in her eyes. She put her head on the cloud. "No... No, no, no, no no no no no! I-it's not fair! I saved you! I-I did e-everything! S-she, those griffons, I-I went a-as fast as I c-could!" She looked at Spitfire. "Damn it! Why?!" She pleaded, her captain blissfully ignoring her. "Why d-did you have to d-die?!" She fell out of the air a little, but Soarin' caught her.

Her tears stung her cuts. She felt she couldn't breathe. Her wings no longer felt numb, and their pain had seemingly spread to the rest of her body. Soarin', alone, guided her to the clouds of the base, tears crawling down his own face. Rainbow did not object. She hardly even realized he was there. Far from sobbing now, she was led away from Spitfire, who was now mobbed by the medical team. Soarin' was saying something to her, but she either couldn't hear or couldn't care to listen. Her hooves no sooner touched the cloud floor of the base when she slipped through Soarin's grasp and collapsed.