Present Day
"Citizens of Equestria!" Princess Celestia spoke out using her Royal Canterlot voice. "Today marks a magnificent day in our history. For too long have we hidden from the rest of the world, denied her what we Equestrians have to offer. For too long have we been content to never explore beyond our boundaries and view our magnificent world in all her splendor. To this I say, NO MORE!"
The princess stood high above the ponies in a high balcony on Canterlot Castle. The square below filled with ponies from across the land. Citizens from Ponyville, Canterlot and Cloudsdale of course were in attendance, but there were also those that hailed from Apploosa, Dodge City, Los Pegasus, the Crystal Empire, Vanhoover, and even are far as Manehatten and Baltimare. At the rousing words the packed crowds roared and stomped their hooves in praise for their monarchy. At her sides Princess Luna, Princess Cadences and Prince Shining Armor were there. The whole royal court's appearance was called for on such a grand day.
"For today we go forth! Today we venture beyond! Today we journey to places far and wide and join hands with those that share this world with us! I have no fear today my good, happy subjects for we are strong, we grow stronger every day and there is spirit that beats in each of our breasts that makes us a mighty people." The princess motioned above her to the sky and drew everyone's attention at an object that began to come from around the mountain and into full view of the square. "And to represent our strength, I give you, the pride of Canterlot, the jewel of Equestria…I give you…THE EQUUS FORTIS!"
Now the object was in full view, casting an enormous shadow over the city as it moved before the sun. A colossal airship that seemed impossibly large, constructed so great that one could build a small to moderate sized city on it, indeed you could as it was suspended by several gigantic balloons and thick billowing steam clouds held in by a tarp and superstructure of titanic proportions. Mighty ropes and chains rooted to the super structure held an enormous deck with at least seven levels.
The crowd's response was deafening. Workers from all across Equestria had come to Canterlot to build her, and now she flew for all to see. Thousands and thousands of Pony-hours had created one of the most ambitious projects Equestrians had ever seen and all it seemed as if all her inhabitants were here to view her departing on her maiden voyage.
Except for two ponies.
High in one of the castles guests rooms Twilight Sparkle looked out over the Equus Fortis with mixed emotions, next to her Rainbow Dash was dressed in her equestrian military uniform.
"Say Twilight you feeling okay?" she asked.
"Hmm?" Twilight said yanked out of her deep concentration. "Oh yes, I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately."
"I'll say, I can't believe it was you who designed her!" Rainbow said gazing at the air ship.
"Well Princess Luna helped me a whole lot Rainbow Dash."
"It's still pretty cool."
"It was a lot of hard work trying to put it together; oh I worked in a little surprise for you in the ship." She said with little bit of a devilish grin.
"A surprise?" Rainbow Dash said picking up on her smile. "What kind of surprise?"
"Now Rainbow Dash, if I told you, it would ruin it."
"Alright, it's just that I've already said my goodbyes to everypony else, and you've just, well you've been avoiding me like the plague ever since you came back."
"Oh Rainbow it's just that…Oh never mind its best you don't know."
"Don't know what?"
Twilight turned and put both hooves on Rainbow's shoulder, a desperate look in her eyes. "listen Rainbow Dash, just be careful out there. I can't say why but I just have really bad feeling about you going."
"Listen Twilight, now you're really starting to worry me, look have you seen that ship outside, what could possible be out there that could stand up to that?"
"Look, I can't say too much more, but I snuck this out because you might need it." Twilight said handing Rainbow a golden necklace with a ruby lightning bolt adorning it.
"Whoa, the Element of Loyalty, Twilight I don't think I can bri-"
"It's rightfully yours, and it may protect you when you need it most. Promise if you ever feel your in danger you'll use it."
"Sure Twilight sure…" Rainbow was nervous now, she had seen Twilight get worked up before, and sometimes it was nothing, but other times it was really bad. "Hey, I'll be fine Twilight, I promise."
Soon after the ceremony had come to a close, Rainbow Dash was off to join up with her division and take her place on the air ship. Twilight Sparkle had lingered longer, it had almost torn her in half upon her return with the Princess to find out that Rainbow Dash had joined up, once more, it burdened her significantly was that she had to hold back so much from her.
"I know it's hard, but you did the right thing Twilight." Princess Celestia reassured her as she joined her on one of her balconies. The Princess was aware of the situation for some time, as Twilight had put it down in her letters. "Rainbow Dash had made this decision for herself, and it was very important that she not know what we discussed with Lord Graywing. If fear started spreading we might not have been able to complete the airship in the time we did."
"I understand Princess, but I still feel guilty that one of my friends could be involved with something as dangerous as that blue monster."
"I too feel the same way for not only her, but for every stallion and mare on that ship. Twilight what happens now must be done. I promise you it is being done the right way."
"It just doesn't feel right to keep secrets from my friends, especially this one."
"Tell me Twilight, how comes your report on the lands abroad and Lord Graywing?" The Princess said trying to turn her thoughts.
"Very well Princess," Twilight said perking up. "The books Lord Graywing allowed us to borrow have really helped give tons of perspective to the world around and fill in holes in our own history."
"I look forward to reading your reports then," the princess said, proud of her you pupil. "Twilight I promise one day you'll be destined for great things."
It didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to run into Derpy once they started gathering for takeoff. They both were in the same division and had the same job of Air Rescue. It was their first time aboard and they quite taken with all of the interesting sights to see on the way to their bunks to store their belongings.
"Wow, this place is amazing, the last I only remember seeing the inside of the cloud and steam plant. Did you ever think it would be so big Dash?" Derpy said spinning around in circles as she walked the hallways.
"Never in a million years Derpy," she said, awestruck at the ship. "Never in a million years."
"I heard from some of the other ponies that were going up to the Artic North, others say were gonna track the dragon migration what do you think?"
"Well in-between rumors of us heading east toward the Griffons and another saying were taking the ship into orbit; I've decided to not believe any one of them." Rainbow Dash said with a smile, her comment making Derpy chuckle loudly.
"Okay, our rooms our just ahead," Derpy said rooting out a small shipboard map. "It looks like our cabin space is right next to the…Whoa cool!"
"What is it?"
"Well, you might not think its cool, but it looks like-"
"You've got to be kidding me!" an abrupt angry voice yelled out across the hallway drawing both of their attentions. Before them stood Spitfire, wearing her standard uniform instead of her Wonderbolt attire. "Since when did the Equestrian Military let in no good showboating losers?"
"About the same time they started recruiting ponies who were most qualified for the job!" Rainbow Dash shot back angrily then quickly took note of her rank, "Ma'am." The rest of the Wonderbolts rounded the corner and soon the corridor was filled, Soarin' came from around Spitfire.
"What's up Spitfire? Did you find our ro-," Soarin cut himself off as soon as he laid eyes on Rainbow Dash. "Oh hi, what, what are you doing here?"
"Just here to do my part for Equestria Sir," Rainbow Dash said, the bitter resentment she had spoken to Spitfire with hadn't ebbed as she stared angrily back at the blue haired stallion. The anger in voice threw Soarin' off a bit and responded with lowering his head and slowly trotting backwards two paces.
Spitfire grinned a little bit, "Yes Lieutenant, I did find our rooms, seems were next to the Air Rescue." Then turning here attention back to Rainbow Dash, "well then, Private, I guess I'll be seeing you around then." Spitfire quickly maneuvered her way through her team and made her way into her room, the rest of her team followed. Soarin lingered looking back at Rainbow Dash, then made his way in after the rest of the team.
"Well, this outta make things interesting," Rainbow Dash said to Derpy chuckling as she made her way into her own compartment.
"Did you see Soarin'? He looked awfully glad to see you Dash," Derpy said playfully as the two of them grabbed bunks and began to unpack their belongings.
"Let him, I'm not happy to see him. I say we try and avoid them as much as possible." Rainbow Dash said doing her best to keep a disinterested tone in her voice.
"You sure you're not happy to see Soarin' again Dash?" Derpy said, twisting the screw a little bit harder into Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash grinned, "Well, maybe a little."
It had been three weeks since the Equus Fortis had left Canterlot and was now floating steadily across the ocean. Rainbow Dash and Derpy had gotten very well acquainted to their job in the Air Rescue. Day after day a large Sargent grading their every move directed them to fly out over the ocean in formation, two of them per stretcher. They were pretending to be picking sick or wounded and returning them as soon as they could by picking up buoys that were floating in the water, boring but at least was something. Day in and day out this was the drill. Rainbow Dash was excited that she was traveling so far from home, but she never the less grew restless as the days went on.
She had also done her best to avoid dealing with Spitfire or any of the Wonderbolts, which for the most part had gone well. There was always the accidental run in that ended up with Spitfire ordering her to do some extra cleaning around the ship that Rainbow Dash started to feel were anything but accidental. All in all however, things shipboard were easy and a tad boring, until one day, when she was called into her office by her Sargent with the rest of her division.
"Congratulations are in order for all of you," The gruff Stallion grunted out.
"Congratulations? For what Sarge?" Rainbow Dash asked not knowing what this was all about.
"Seems you got the attention of some higher ups, they wanted to give their compliments to the Air Rescue for demonstrating excellent prowess in drills performed the entire ride across the ocean."
The ponies in the room all stomped their hooves and high hoofed each other at the news, but it was Derpy who actually picked up on what the Sargent has just announced.
"Wait, across the Ocean?" She stammered out, "You mean we made it?"
"What? You didn't think we could?" He barked back at her.
"No Sarge, of course I knew we could do it, it's just, well what's out there?"
"Yeah Sarge, what are we going to do now that were over here?" a stallion piped in.
"Those are both valid questions that I will answer the best that I can. We've travled to the land of the griffons, were going to be picking up a lot of ground troops. After that, from what I understand," The Sarge stopped for a minute and gathered his thoughts. "We will be briefed on our mission and our objectives then."
"Mission?" Rainbow Dash question, "What mission?"
"You'll have to ask the 1st Lieutenant that one."