Chapter 16: Foul Play in the Sky
Scales stood in the Everfree Forest. He stared off into the sky as the sun finally
set over the land. For a while he stared at his newest conquest: Cloudsdale! His next
target was the brash and arrogant Rainbow Dash.
'Hmmmm… Someone such as her can get angry quite easily, but only for a moment. I need to
do something to her that would keep her in a perpetual state of hatred… What can I take
from her that would cause her to feel nothing but hate?' Scales thought.
Just then a small flier blew past him. Scales snatched the flier out of the air and saw
that it was an old ad for a Wonderbolts show. Scales smiled.
'Ahhh this will do… Yyyyyyeeeeeeeesssss…'
Scales walked over to a hole in the earth that led to his tunnels. He looked down it and
shouted.
"Idiots! Up here! NOW!"
Nimrod and T.O.N.3 rose from the hole, cowering next to each other when they stood before
Scales.
"Y-y-yes Scales, w-what do you w-w-want form us?" Asked T.O.N.3
"Prepare yourselves; we're going to fly to Cloudsdale!" Said Scales
"B-but why?" Asked Nimrod.
Scales chuckled. "Because we're going to wage war upon the pegusi! Yeees!
Nimrod and T.O.N.3 could only stare on, shocked at what they heard Scales say.
"Now stop gawking like the idiots you are and follow me!" Scales said, turning from Nimrod
and T.O.N.3
"Follow you? But Scales, you can't fly!" Said T.O.N.3
"I can't can I?" Scales whispered.
With that Scales pulled off his coat and dropped it the ground. He began to flex his back
and groan as dark energy formed on his back. Suddenly two clouds of black smoke formed on
his back and began to take shape and solidify! In only a few minutes the transformation
was complete. Scales had grown wings!
"Now come on! I won't ask you two fools again! Yes!"
It was peaceful in Cloudsdale that night. It was a warm night in late spring, the
were no events going on in the Cloudiseum and the weekend had just started. All was quiet.
All was peaceful… Until Scales came to town! Without warning a loud bang was heard
throughout the whole city and smoke began to billow higher into the sky! It was soon
followed by more and more! Fire was breaking out in smaller parts of the city and some
homes and shops were now reduced to burning rubble! Scales walked down the street of the
city, pointing his claws at random buildings and firing powerful magical bolts at them,
destroying all in his path! He laughed at the chaos he created, he laughed as he laid
waste to Cloudsdale and he laughed at the pegusi who fled in terror of him. Fear and
destruction. What could be better. As Scales caused more and more destruction Nimrod and
T.O.N.3 only stood off to the side, watching on in horror of what Scales was doing. They
couldn't believe that he was capable of such things.
"How could he do this T?" Whispered Nimrod.
"I don't know Nimrod… But we have to do something!"
"Like what? Raise our voices in anger? Write a petition? Give him a time out? For goodness
sake T there's nothing we can do to him! He would turn us into scrap metal if he so much
as thought that we were planning something against him! What can we do T? Huh? What can
we-"
T.O.N.3 smacked Nimrod upside the head.
"Get a hold of yerself, Nimrod! You want to talk about Scales not being the same as he
once was? Well I can say the same about you! The Nimrod I know wouldn't be so dang
pessimistic! Now stop yer belly achin' and follow me! We might not be able to do anything
about Scales but we can still help these pegusi… Just make sure he doesn't see us doing
it!"
"IDIOTS!" Scales shouted. "What are you waiting for? Destroy something! Lay waste to these
vermin! YES!"
"Uh… Sure Scales, we'll do just that! We'll be over on this side of the city, uh, laying
waste to something, OK?" Said T.O.N.3
Scales didn't hear what T.O.N.3 said. He had returned his attention to destroying
Cloudsdale.
"Come on Nimrod, these pegusi need our help!"
Nimrod nodded as he and T.O.N.3 took off. They had to help someone, anyone!
Rainbow Dash was hanging out with Fluttershy when the attack started. At first she
didn't pay any mind to it, thinking it was nothing more then fireworks. They were always
setting them off ever since Scales was defeated… At least they thought he had been
defeated. The thought of what he had done to Applejack's farm had come to mind. How could
he do such a thing? How could he do something so cruel? Thank goodness that the Princess
allowed Applejack and her family to move into the castle while they figured out what to do
about her farm. It brought Rainbow Dash some relief that the Princess could help her
friend and it caused her to be in a better mood as she hung out with Fluttershy. She
mostly ignored the bangs in the sky but soon they got louder and louder… and screams were
soon mixed in with them! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy ran out of Fluttershy's cottage to
see what was the matter. They looked up at the sky and saw that Cloudsdale was shrouded in
smoke! Rainbow Dash panicked and immideitly took off, knowing she had to save Cloudsdale,
as Fluttershy stayed at her home, too afraid to move. She hoped Rainbow dash would be OK…
Scales continued his assault on Cloudsdale. He laughed as the city was being
reduced to nothing! He actually started to hope that Rainbow Dash would never come, he was
having far too much fun as it was. Elsewhere, without his knowing Nimrod and T.O.N.3 were
helping wounded and stranded pegusi. They lifted debris off of those who were trapped and
flew whoever they could to safety. The pegusi would scream at the sight of them and kick
and thrash when the brothers carried them to safety. Nimrod and T.O.N.3 couldn't blame
them after all that had happened over the past year. As they were helping some pegusi
escape the crumbling weather factory, Nimrod and T.O.N.3 saw a colorful blur fly overhead.
It was Rainbow Dash! She had come!
"T." Asked Nimrod.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think it's wrong of me to hope that she beats the crud out of Scales?"
T.O.N.3 was silent for a moment. "No" he whispered "Not at all…"
"Stop! Right! There!" Shouted Rainbow Dash as she landed behind Scales.
Scales smirked and slowly turned around to look upon his prey. There she stood, anger and
rage burned in her eyes as she glared and grimaced at him. Scales began to chuckle.
"Well, well, well… The infamous Rainbow Dash, the only pegusi in history to successfully
do the 'Sonic Rainboom'!" Scales used a mocking tone when he said 'Sonic Rainboom'. "Why
did it take you so long to get here, Rainbow Dash? Too busy sleeping? Or perhaps you were
reveling in your own arrogance… Yyyeeeeessss…"
"SHUT UP! You… You monster! I'm gonna make you pay for what you've done here!"
"Ooohh I'm shaking in my flesh! Yyyeeesss…"
"Stop doing that!"
Scales chuckled. "Oh Rainbow Dash, so brash and arrogant! You really want me to pay, don't
you? Well… try and catch me!"
Scales extended his wings and took off into the sky. Rainbow Dash stared for a moment,
shocked at what she was seeing. She shook her head and took off after Scales.
Scales was high in the sky when Rainbow Dash attacked. He easily drifted out of
the way before she got him. Rainbow Dash tried so many times to hit Scales, flying as fast
as she could, swerving, weaving, and hoping to catch him off guard. But it was no use,
Scales saw it all coming and easily managed to dodge all of her attacks! He started to
yawn and mock Rainbow Dash, causing her to get angrier and angrier. Because of this
Rainbow Dash couldn't think straight anymore and her attacks became more predictable and
sloppy.
"This is all well and good Rainbow Dash, but I'm afraid I have to cut things short. You
see I still have much left to do and I can't spend all of my time with you. So with a
heavy heart I must say that I have to cut our fun short!"
Scales shot a magical bolt at Rainbow Dash, intending on finishing the fight. However,
Rainbow Dash dodged the attack with great ease despite being tired from her failed
attacks. Scales was shocked.
"Not… not possi-"
Rainbow Dash flew up to Scales at great speed, turned and kicked him in the face, sending
Scales falling for a bit. Scales managed to regain his composure and glared at Rainbow
dash, gritting his fangs and growling.
"Insolent vermin! I'll make you pay for that!"
Scales tried firing his magic bolts again, but unfortunately for him the tides had turned!
Rainbow Dash had managed to avoid all of his attacks and began to strike him over and
over. It was now Scales who was blinded by his own anger. He shot wildly around him in
hopes of striking Rainbow Dash. But not a single bolt hit Rainbow Dash. Scales was in pain
and he was worn out, it was the perfect opportunity for Rainbow Dash to make her final
attack! Rainbow Dash flew up into the air, higher then Scales could ever fly and flew back
down. She gained more and more speed, the air was bending around her. She was going to
finish Scales off with a Sonic Rainboom! With a loud *BANG!* and a brilliant flash of many
colors Rainbow Dash did the sonic rainboom and hit Scales with all of her might. She now
intended to slam Scales into the ground… Or so she thought. Faster and faster they flew
towards the ground, Rainbow dash smirking in her victory. But Scales was stronger then she
thought. He grabbed onto the side of her head and began to turn. It took all of his
strength but he managed to do it! He was now on top of Rainbow Dash and was sending her
into the ground! Rainbow Dash struggled with all of her might but it was no use. In mere
moments they hit the ground, a large, rainbow dust cloud erupting from where they landed.
In the crater where they landed Rainbow Dash breathed slowly and painfully as Scales
easily got up on his knees. He turned Rainbow Dash onto her stomach, revealing her wings
which were still in good condition.
"Well Rainbow Dash… it seems you have failed… Yyyeeeessss…" Scales started to laugh. "It
really has been fun Rainbow Dash but I'm afraid I have no more time to play. It pains me
to say that I'll have to finish you now… Yyyeeeesss…"
"Eeerrggh… Then why don't you stop bragging and do it you coward! Said Rainbow Dash.
"Alright Rainbow Dash." Scales gripped one of Rainbow Dash's wings with both of his claws.
"If you insist, I'll just… SNAP too it!"
Twilight and the others ran to where they saw Rainbow Dash crash. They ran all
over looking for her, in hopes that they could find her before Scales could o anything to
her. Unfortunately they were too late…
"AAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!" Screamed Rainbow Dash.
Twilight and the others knew she was in pain and followed her scream to where she was.
They found her but Scales was nowhere to be seen. Twilight and the others gasped when they
saw Rainbow Dash.
"Come on! We have to get her to the hospital! QUICKLY!" Shouted Twilight.
-A few hours later-
Twilight and the others stayed in the hospital waiting room. Rainbow Dash was still in
critical condition as the doctors worked to save her wing. During this whole event
Fluttershy couldn't stop crying, she was so worried about Rainbow Dash. Just then, after
so many hours, the doctor came out of the operating room. He looked grim.
"Rainbow Dash will be fine, you can see her now if you want." Said the doctor.
With that Fluttershy ran into the operating room to see Rainbow Dash. The others quickly
followed. Rainbow Dash lay on her bed. She was alive but in pain. She was so happy to see
everypony, especially Fluttershy who was hugging Rainbow Dash and crying.
"So doc… will I make a full recovery?" Said Rainbow Dash in a joking matter.
The doctor looked at the ground. "Rainbow Dash… I'm afraid I have some bad news…"
"Bad news? What bad news? I feel fine…"
"There's no easy way to say this Rainbow Dash… But your wing was broken in such a way that
it won't mend properly… I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, but… you'll never fly again."
Rainbow Dash was silent. He pupils constricted and she stopped breathing. It was like she
was struck by a Minotaur. All time stopped as the news truly sank in. Rainbow Dash's life
was over…
"No… No! NO! NO! You have to be lying! Why are you lying to me?" Rainbow Dash wailed.
"This can't be happening… This can't be happening! This has to be a dream! Wake up Rainbow
Dash! WAKE UP!"
Rainbow Dash started hitting herself in the head in the slim hope that she was dreaming.
She cried harder as Fluttershy tried to stop her. Finally, Rainbow Dash lost it.
"MY LIFE IS OVER! I'll never be a Wonderbolt now! I hate that monster! I HATE HIM!"
It took a long time to get Rainbow Dash to calm down, but her suffering had only just
begun… Scales on the other hand couldn't be happier.
-In the tunnels-
"Ahhhh, there were are… I thought she would never wake up… Yyyyeeeeessss…"
Scales sat in his room, a dark purple energy engulfed him, filling him with power.
"Three down… Two to go! Yyyyeeeessss...