Pegasi by Aileen Rose

The Truth

  "Chug how much did you pack!?" Dottie exclaimed looking at the pile of footage. "We're only going for two days!"

Dottie, Chug, Sparky and Skipper were getting ready to leave for Las Pegasus and were boarding the ferry that had come to pick them up.

"I've never really been out of our part of Equestria before, gotta be sure I got everything. Whatever you do don't drink the water in Las Pegasus!" Chug exclaimed as he got on with his luggage.

Dottie chuckled rolling her eyes. "Whatever you say Chug."

Skipper was finishing up his packing when he heard the radio go off.

"This is Dusty Crophopper to Propwash Junction."

Skipper hurried over answering it. "Dusty, good to hear from you, we're just about to head off to Las Pegasus. Good thing you got there when you did, storm's a brewing-"

"I'm not in Las Pegasus, I'm with the Jolly Wrenches."

Skipper's eyes widened as he swallowed hard, a pang of guilt forming. If they showed him that blasted wall..."You're on the Flysenhower?"

"Yeah, they're getting me fixed up. By the way I saw the Wall of Fame and you only have one mission listed-"

"Dusty! You have to get moving, if you wanna get ahead of the storm, you have to fly UP! You can't go through it-"

"That can't be right though, it's a mistake right-"

"DUSTY! Listen to me, get ABOVE THE STORM-" Skipper really didn't want to talk about this, right now, it was the last thing he wanted to talk about.

Dusty was shocked at the tone in his voice and found himself barking back, saying something he didn't expect to say.

"Skipper... did you only fly one mission!? Is that... Is that true?!"

Skipper was shocked at this question and didn't realize he was growling at his student.

"...Yes..." He finally sighed. "...It's true..."

Dusty was silent on the other end. "... But... But all those stories..."

"Crophopper." One of the Wrenches called looking in. "Weather's acting up, you need to get moving."

"W-Wait! Let me finish-"

"No, you don't go now, you're stuck with us until the storm passes. Now MOVE!"

Dusty was pulled away from the radio. He could still hear Skipper calling to him but he knew he wouldn't be able to answer back. He was brought to the upper deck. The rain was coming down in sheets. He was soaked as soon as he stepped out onto the runway.

"Alright Dusty, we got the runway all cleared for you to take off on, go at top speed and take to the skies and get above the storm!" Bravo instructed

Dusty nodded, taking his position.

"Go win it for the Wrenches Dusty, Volo Pro Veritas."

Dusty closed his eyes focusing before taking off to the sky. Fighting against the winds and the rain. But his mind heavy with questions. Actually just one.

Skipper... What aren't you telling me...?

The stories he was told echoed in his mind.

The Fight against Sombra.

The Battle of Cloudsdale.

The fight at Vanhoover harbor.

Why did he tell me all those... If he only flew one mission...?

Dusty kept mulling over the thoughts as he flew over the ocean, not really keeping track where he was. His mind was all focused on what he had just discovered... and he wanted answers. Badly.

His thoughts were cut short as a lightning bolt struck near him.
He gasped, and got startled when a wave clipped his wing.

"I gotta get above the storm..." he told himself as he tried to fly up... only to be met with more lightning bolts... and a giant wave that was coming right at him.

His eyes widen with fear as the wave engulfed him. He flew right through it... but his wings gave out and he found himself going down.

"MAYDAY! MAYDAY! I'M GOING DOWN!" He shouted in his radio, quickly giving out coordinates before water came over him. He held his breath as he was under, quickly trying to paddle his way back up, only to be engulfed by another wave.

He broke the surface again, but found himself being held down by his wings. He gasped for air, desperation in his eyes.

"H-Help..." he gasped before he went under again.

He looked above to see the lightning striking the water. He felt himself losing consciousness... he closed his eyes... feeling weak.

Help... please...

There was sounds coming from above as somepony dived in with a harness. The pony was part of the rescue team that was sent to find him who had gotten his radio call. As Dusty was retrieved from the water, he was unconscious at this point... or so they thought.

The last thing he heard before everything went dark was:

"He's never going to fly again."

------

"Ripslinger, what are you thoughts on the current situation with Dusty Crophopper?" a reporter asked Ripslinger at the resting area in Las Pegasus.

Ripslinger gave his best sad look. "He was a great stallion who soared above the clouds of mediocrity." he sniffled a little. "We all feel sorry for what has happened to him.

He smirked. "Excuse me." he said as he trotted off with Ned and Zed behind him. "Too bad he's most likely grounded for life."

"You!" somepony called out.

Ripslinger looked to see El Chupacabra approaching him, snorting at him.

"Senior Dusty has ten times the heart that you ever had!" he shouted.

"And ten times the integrity!"

Ripslinger looked to see Ishani on his left, a cold glare fixed in her eyes, tears present in them.

"Says the Pegasus with the shiny new feathers. How much integrity did those cost you, sweet heart?"

Tears slipped out of her eyes as she answered. "Too much... You used to be a great champion... how the mighty have fallen."

She turned away, swishing her tail at him.

El Chupacabra snorted at him. "You're not even worthy of a cape swish." El Chupacabra said as he turned away leaving.

Ripslinger rolled his eyes.

Really?

Commotion was heard as a rescue team came in, carrying Dusty in a net. Immediately, ponies began to gather around him along with Skipper and the others who had just arrived. They all looked in horror as Dusty was lowered to the ground. His wings bent and broken and his body bruised in various areas.

"Oh Celestia..." Twilight whispered as she got a look at him.

"Get him inside!" Dottie ordered.

No pony hesitated in doing what Dottie told. Fluttershy and Apple Jack hurried over, picking up Dusty and bringing him into the makeshift clinic.

Dottie began examining him and his wings... she frowned at the results.

"This isn't good..." she whispered.

A coughing noise was heard from Dusty. All attention was turned to him as he slowly opened his eyes.

Twilight stood in his view. "Dusty? Can you hear me?"

"Y-Yeah..." he answered, coughing. "Where... Where am I...?"

"Las Pegasus, you're in the clinic right now... You're injured... We were just waiting on the results.." She explained giving him a worried look. "How do you feel?"

He lowered his head, trying to fight back a sob. "Weak..."

Poor thing... Twilight gently brought one of her wings around him. "It's alright... You've been through a lot..." She looked over to Dottie. "Dottie...? How bad is it...?"

Dottie sighed as she looked at the x-rays of his wings and of him. "His body mainly sustained bruises and some minor internal bleeds that can be fixed with magic... but his wings..." she looked over to where she had them set down. "They're... they're too far gone."

Dusty followed her gaze, a look of horror in his eyes as he saw his wings were completely bent and the harness was busted.

"My wings..."

Dottie lowered her head. "It's over... I'm sorry..."

Dusty closed his eyes, laying his head back down.

Twilight frowned bringing a blanket over him stepping back. "Poor thing..."

"He got so far too..." Apple Jack commented.

"He was amazing." Fluttershy said quietly.

Dusty sighed, looking around the room. He could see all of Twilight's council that was on the spot team was present, El Chupacabra was there, his team from Propwash... and Skipper. He fixed a bit of a glare on Skipper.

I want answers.

Dusty was silent for a moment before he spoke. "One mission." he started "So much for Volo Pro Veritas."

Skipper lowered his head a bit. "... Can we talk... Alone?" He gave the rest of the ponies a look.

The ponies nodded, leaving the room... all but Sparky who was looking at Skipper with a worried look.

Skipper gave a gentle look. "You too Sparky..."

Sparky nodded before leaving the room. Dusty sat up, looking Skipper directly in the eyes.

Skipper sighed as he started to think back to the memory.

"My first flight as a Jolly Wrench was at Horseshoe Bay, during the Discord War. It was a recon mission, a milk run. My squadron was all rookies, razor sharp. I should know, I trained them. All was well until one of my trainees, Lucas, pointed out an enemy sea serpent that was below us, that we could easily take it out. I told him no reminding him of our objective... but the others insisted."

Skipper lowered his head. "I should've never listened to them... I agreed and we went in for a closer look... it was too late to turn back once we saw what was really down there... it was the whole enemy fleet."

Dusty's eyes widened in horror.

Skipper closed his eyes. "We all went down... burned right of the sky... I... I was the only survivor found... I was told my whole squadron had drowned..." He looked Dusty right in the eyes. "They all died... under my command... after that... I... I just couldn't bring myself to fly again..."

Dusty frowned, he couldn't imagine being with someone once second and then seeing them die before his eyes. He didn't want to. "Skipper..."

Skipper's eyes narrowed. "Let me ask you something... If you knew about my past... Would you still have wanted me to train you?"

Dusty was silent, but shook his head. I had to be talked into even asking him in the first place... If I knew he got a bunch of dragons killed... I wouldn't have even thought once about it...

Skipper sighed. "I'm sorry... Dusty..."

Dusty laid back down resting his head on his hooves. "I'm tired... Excuse me..."

Skipper nodded, leaving the room, feeling ashamed.

I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...

Dusty frowned to himself, curling up a bit, hissing some from the pain of his injuries. I... I don't know what to think anymore...

He closed his eyes, biting down on his lip to hold back a sob.

I should've never entered this race in the first place. They were all right...

I wasn't built or born for this... I never was.

A small sob got out.

I should've listened to Dottie...