Ch 2: Fall of the Factory
a tearful reunion
As Scootaloo sat back up she could hear Lead "Scootaloo can you hear me" Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes to see Lead standing over her "yeah I’m alright Lead i thought i saw rainbow dash" Lead looked at her with a look of surprise in his eyes "you did Scootaloo she's right over there on my bed unconscious" scoots looked up and saw the light cyan pony laid out on the bed "Scootaloo i told you might not like what you see but i need you to hear me out" Scootaloo slowly rose back up to her feet and cautiously approached Rainbow Dash"but i saw her in the factory" "no scoots what you saw wasn't Rainbow Dash but I do know what you saw" "what Lead rainbow's twin sister" Lead took a deep breath "it was a changeling" Scootaloo stared back in horror "what like that attacked the wedding" "no it was different" Scootaloo slowly looked at Rainbow Dash laying there "her cutie mark" Lead looked over at her "what" "when i was attacked in the factory the cutie mark was off it was the wrong color if that is really Rainbow Dash then her cutie mark will be correct and not wrong like the one i saw. "alright Scootaloo i take it you want me to show you" Lead slowly walked over and pulled the sheet back to reveal dash's flank along with her cutie mark Scootaloo glanced at the cloud and lightning bolt "it wasn't Rainbow Dash she didn't attack me Lead slowly covered Dash back up "no i found her locked up in one of the factory's room i rescued her with the help of an old friend on the inside" Scootaloo walked over and looked at Dash her body bruised and bandaged the monitor next to her beeped slowly as Scootaloo felt a tear run down her cheek and land on rainbow dash. "I'm sorry Dash i should have never mistrusted you" Scootaloo laid her head on rainbow dash's chest Lead walked over and ran his hand down scoots back "Lead I’m sorry i doubted you too" "it's alright Scootaloo" "Lead can she hear me" "yeah" "so she knows I’m here" "hold on Scootaloo watch this" "Dash it's Lead move your ear for me baby" Scootaloo watched as dash's ear twitched slightly" "she's conscious" "yeah i barley got her out of there I’ve been nursing her back to health" "so she's been here this entire time" "yeah I’ve been here taking care of her i know when she wakes up we'll finally be able to expose the truth about who's running the factory" "i can't believe she's really here though" "hey Scootaloo you alright" Lead glanced back to see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walking through the door they both froze when they saw Rainbow Dash"but she's" Scootaloo turned around "it wasn't her that attacked me Lead was telling the truth" "yeah and i was about to tell you how it is i stumbled across this truth" "wait hold on Twilight and my big sis Applejack don't know this do they" "no I’m the only one besides you three now" "so shouldn't they know" "yeah i suppose i could tell them the story tell you what go ahead and go grab both of them then meet me back here" "alright hey what about Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie and my sister Rarity" "get them too i think it's time i tell the story to them maybe then we can seriously take that place down" "alright we be back as soon as we can." as the two of them took off back out the door Lead turned back to Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash"Lead what did they do to her she looks horrible" "they tortured her if you'd seen her when i first found her she was barley alive i mean she was hanging on by a thread" Lead walked over and ran his hoof across dash's head "i would give anything to hear her speak again to say anything to see her beautiful rose eyes" Scootaloo could see the tear running down Lead's cheek she reached over and wiped it away "so i take it all that medicine you got was really for her and not you" "yeah some of it though a few of the things are for me too i still haven't fully recovered myself" "so how long do you think it take for Sweetie Belle and Applebloom to get back" "oh I’d say about fifteen minutes or so why Scootaloo?" "oh uh no reason Lead" "i know your afraid to be here alone with me i can see it in your eyes" Scootaloo looked at the floor "actually Lead it's just that i can't believe I’m looking at Dash and you Lead it just feels like a huge weight was lifted off my chest when i saw Rainbow Dash laying here."your welcome to stay here with her while i slip out of my gear i really need to get this uniform off and adjust my bandage" "alright" Lead turned and walked out of the room leaving Scootaloo standing there with Rainbow Dash the mare's slow steady breathing was the only sound she could hear besides the rhythmic beeping of the EKG Scootaloo sat down on the floor next to Rainbow Dash"i knew it i just knew it couldn't have been you Dash you would never hurt me I'm sorry it took me till now to realize that though all this time I’ve been blaming you when it wasn't even you" Scootaloo glanced up at Dash her lifeless body just laying there and began to cry to herself as she sat there crying Lead slowly walked back into the room this time in an armored vest "Scootaloo you okay" "yeah I'm alright Lead i was just thinking of all the good times Dash and me had together she was like the sister i never had" "yeah i know how you feel i never really had any family either aside from her in fact she was the one who first introduced me to the weather factory which Lead me to work in the rainbow part of the factory which the more i think about it the more i wonder if that really was Dash or the changeling" "Lead i have a question to ask you" "alright Scootaloo what's on your mind?" "Lead as you saw I’m living with Twilight" "yeah" Scootaloo took a deep breath and looked up at Lead "Lead do you think i could move in with you it would be nice to be with Dash again" Lead stepped back sort of surprised by the little filly's request "Scootaloo we're back" Lead snapped back to reality "oh it's sounds like the Sweetie belle and Applebloom are back" Scootaloo looked down at the floor Lead glanced over at her "scoots i never said no" scoots looked back up "technically i was interrupted before i could answer the thing would be that I’m not sure how Dash would feel about it" "does she know what i called her the things i said about her" Lead slowly walked over and laid his head on dash's chest "no she's been unconscious the entire time" Lead slowly ran his hand across dash's stomach "i really don't think she'd care anyway after all you did think you saw here i just wish she'd wake up" Lead buried his head in dash's chest "I’d give anything to have her back" scoots could see Lead crying as he laid there with Dash"I’m sorry Dash i should have protected you better i should have been there for you" Lead slowly ran his hoof through her mane. Scootaloo glanced at dash's hoof that was moving slightly "huh" Lead suddenly felt the sensation of something rubbing against his wing "what the" he quickly turned expecting to find Scootaloo rubbing him but instead what he saw made him smile a little bit rainbow dash's hoof slowly ran against his wings "Lead looked up "rainbow dash" as Leadbarrage watched the mare slowly began to stir a little more "come on Dash open your eyes" almost as though on cue Rainbow Dash moaned a little bit and slowly opened one of her eyes "Le...Lead is that you" "yeah it's me Rainbow Dash it’s really good to hear your voice again." Rainbow Dash glanced over to see Scootaloo standing there "hey squirt you look like you've seen a ghost or something" "she might as well have dash" Lead turned around to look over at Scootaloo "yeah she's been through hell too dash" Lead suddenly felt Dash rubbing his front hoof "Lead your arm and your side" "it's alright dashie I'm fine" Scootaloo slowly walked over "rainbow dash" "yeah scoots" "I’m sorry" Rainbow Dash looked at her with a surprised look "huh what for" "for all the things i said about you i should have known it wasn't you" Dash slowly began to sit up "what is she talking about Lead" "hey scoots can you run downstairs and show the girls back up here for me? "yeah sure thing Lead" as Scootaloo turned to run out the door as soon as she was clear Lead turned back to Rainbow Dash"Dash what's the last thing you remember?" "i was at the weather factory with the girls then aah" Dash cringed in pain "then it all get's blurry" "alright let me fill you in" "the reason Scootaloo looked like she had seen a ghost was because well they're doing horrible things in the factory they we're grinding up ponies to make rainbow's" Rainbow Dash cringed "what" "yeah Scootaloo almost wound up in the machine but i rescued her at the cost of my arm but that's not the worst part" Lead stopped for a moment "what" "nothing i just needed to stop for a second the reason scoots was so weird acting was because there's a changeling running the factory" "so what's that got to do with me" "it took your form Dash Scootaloo thought it was you that had tried to kill her in the factory." Rainbow Dash leaned back down in the bed "that's horrible" "yeah i know i barley escaped with my life i found you in one of the rooms" "you rescued me too" Lead slowly raised his head "i would do anything for you Rainbow dash" Rainbow Dash suddenly cringed again "ah it's coming back to me they tortured me i remember being dragged through the factory past all the machine's" Lead stepped back "that's it Dash fight to remember what happened to you. "i remember seeing a figure an alicorn standing in front of me" Lead slowly glanced towards the door "i know your there Twilight you might as well come in" twilight stepped in to the room "sorry i didn't want to just barge in it sounded like you were having a private conversation with rainbow dash" Twilight looked over at Dash with a look of slight surprise "so where are the others? "oh their down in your living room Lead i figured maybe only one of us should be up here at a time" "well I’d really only prefer to tell the story once" "hey Lead why don't i come downstairs i feel the need to move anyway" Lead turned around to see Dash turning to slip out of the bed as her feet hit the ground Lead saw her back hoofs give out from under her in a flash Lead caught her "Rainbow Dash you haven't moved in a month you need to take it slow your legs and wings are going to be catatonic" "right sorry Lead i guess i should have know that but I’m just so anxious to move around" "yeah i know you never were one for sitting still that's one of the reasons i fell in love with you. Lead slipped Rainbow Dash back up into the bed if you want Dash I’ll carry you downstairs but i need to unhook the heart monitor first alright then you can ride on my back downstairs i mean i carried you all the way here with my side ripped open from Cloudsdale." Dash sat back in the bed as she thought about Lead carrying her. Lead walked around the bed and flipped off the monitor he then pulled the Lead's off dash's body one at a time revealing the bald spots in her coat where they had been the entire time Dash reached out and rubbed Leads side as her hoof ran down his side he cringed slightly as the pain coursed through his body "oh I’m sorry Lead i didn't mean to hurt you" Lead slowly rubbed his side "it's alright Dash you didn't know my wound was still sore" as soon as all the Lead's were removed Lead walked over and bent down "hey Twilight you think you could help me a little bit" "sure you want me to pick Dash up and set her on your back" "yes please" Twilight slowly picked Dash up "don't drop me Twilight" Lead extended his wings slightly so Dash wouldn't fall off his back "i forgot how big your wing span was Lead" Lead grinned a little bit "yeah they have to lift a pretty good amount of weight when I’m flying" as soon as Dash was fully laid out on Lead's back he turned and looked over at Twilight "thanks Twilight " "no problem Lead" Lead turned and began to walk out of the room with Twilight right behind them. "so how long was i out for Lead?" 'you've been here in my house for about a month but I'm not sure how long they had you at the factory before i found you" Dash slowly pulled herself forward slightly on Lead's back and nuzzled the gunmetal stallions side "thanks Lead" Lead turned around and nuzzled Dash back "I’d do anything for you dash" "so you've been nursing me back to health this entire time" "yeah to be honest Dash when i first found you i thought you were dead you were barley clinging to life" twilight looked over at Lead "so you've been taking care of her this entire time all by yourself" Lead slowly nodded "yes i hated to leave her side when i did it was only for a short time and i raced to get back here" "so no pony knows she's here not even princess Celestia" Lead glanced over at twilight "no and until i know she's not involved i won't reveal it to her either" as Lead stepped down the stairs he glanced down to see Scootaloo standing at the bottom "she decided to come downstairs so i would only have to tell my story one time as Lead walked into the living room he felt like a prisoner walking towards the gallows all four of Dash's friends along with the cutie mark crusaders were sitting there. Lead felt a lump in his throat "no they'll understand Lead thought to himself" as he slipped Dash off his back onto the couch he glanced over at Pinkie Pie who returned his look Lead slowly sat down on the couch too and took a deep breath "alright so girls now that your here I'll do my best to fill you in but please as i tell my story feel free to interrupt with your questions after all i guess i owe you all an explanation so here it goes" Lead closed his eyes and then opened them slowly. "there’s a good chance most of you don't know me my name's Leadbarrage i used to work at the rainbow factory i was a third shift security supervisor meaning say exactly what Scootaloo did were to happen again i would have been the one tasked with ensuring that she didn't escape" Applejack raised her hoof stopping Lead mid sentence "but she did escape" "yes that is true but she only escaped because i helped her to Pinkie Pie chimed in "so you worked at the factory then how do we know we can trust you" Lead glanced over at her "you can't but how do i know i can trust you as far as i know you may all be changeling's" "I’ll vouch for Lead" "but Dash you only just met him" "i know but i can tell he's sincere it's something in his eyes he has a look" Lead glanced over at her "see what i mean he rescued me didn't he badly injuring himself in the process Dash pointed at the scar on Lead's side. "now as i was saying i stumbled across something one day while making my normal rounds of the factory i overheard two of the scientist talking they mentioned something about a sonic rainboom now i knew Dash was the only pony who could do it so that made me suspicious so after they left i slipped into the room where they had just come out of and what i saw dropped me to my flank there in front of me lay Dash hooked up to all sorts of machines even thinking about it now makes my blood run cold. "hold on your saying she was hooked up to a bunch of machines" "yeah i was?" "yes Dash they had you hooked up to all kinds of machines I’m not sure what they all did" "so just to clarify princess celestia doesn’t know about Dash being here with you" "as i said upstairs no she has no clue only because i don't know if i can trust her but look" Lead took a breath 'one of the princess's does know since she's the only one i know i can trust" "who sugar cube" "princess Luna" "what" "yeah princess Luna's been on my side since the beginning and thanks to her along with a few other allies i have we'll be taking that place down and this time i will take it down" "hey Lead what do you suppose your just going to walk right in and shut it down?" Lead grinned "no me along with a few friends of mine are going to" "who in Equestrian are you going to get you to help you exactly i thought no pony in this town trusted you" Lead sat back "the wonderbolt's" in an instant it went so quiet you could hear a pin drop "the wonderbolt's but how" "i got an old friend who's a wonderbolt he convinced Spitfire to back me on the grounds that i had plenty of proof and well i do so i got them to back me" "um Lead" "sorry Pinkie Pie but my hearing was damaged by years of working in the factory so you'll have to speak up" "sorry what i was saying was why didn't you tell me I’m dash's oldest and best friend why didn't you tell us any of us" Dash glared at her "look if Lead kept it a secret he probably had a good reason it may not be easy for you to accept but you have to because i do i know he's a little hard to get used but" Lead stopped her "you don't have to defend me dashie I’m used to being hated" Fluttershy looked at him "alright Lead i trust you" Twilight and Rarity nodded too. "shoot sugar cube if Dash trust you then i do too" Dash looked over at Pinkie Pie "what about you Pinkie Pie" Lead glanced at the shy mare "she has the most reason to not trust me i got her beloved stallion killed" "yeah you never did tell us how Steelwing died" Lead sighed "he took an arrow through the back while helping me rescue you Scootaloo he died in Pinkie Pie's hoof's so if she hate's me for the rest of her life i really don't blame her i would" Pinkie Pie dropped her head Lead could see the tear running down her cheek. "Pinkie Pie you alright" "i trust you too Lead it may be hard for me to but i trust you Lead after all you have been looking out for me since steel died. "alright so all five of you girls are filled in now I’ll let you ask me any questions you'd like to ask me I’ll do my damnedest to answer them even if the question is painful to me" Twilight looked at him "so your plan is to just storm the factory and do what exactly" Lead grinned "hold on I’ll show you what i plan to do" Lead stood up and slipped out of the room "what do you suppose he meant by that" Lead slowly trotted back in twin mini-guns hanging from each of his sides "this is my plan these bad boy spit out lead at a rate of three thousand rounds a minute so they can cut a pony clean in half with one quick blast. all seven ponies stared in horror at the shiny weapons. finally Rarity managed to find her voice "where did you get those exactly?" "an old friend made them for me" "how do they work" "like this" Lead tapped the button on his side the guns slowly began to whirl up as they did the ponies cringed "relax their not loaded so as you see i tap the button on my side to power them up then i simply step down to fire them. Fluttershy spoke softly "Steel made those didn't he" "yeah he used his rift spell to get them for me. i wish i could thank him i never really got the chance" "well alright Lead we better get going it's getting late and i imagine you'd like to be alone with dash" Lead glanced at the clock hanging on the wall "man your right the day sure did go by fast well girls thanks for coming and hearing me out "it's just good to see your not an evil monster rainbow dash" Dash glanced over at twilight "yeah it's good to know my friends still care about me too. as the six of them walked towards the door Lead glanced at Scootaloo standing there "right sorry hey Rainbow Scottsdale has something she would like to ask you" Rainbow Dash glanced up alright squirt what's up "Rainbow Dash do you think i could maybe move in here with you and Lead" Rainbow Dash looked away then back sure Scootaloo why not it's the least i can do after all you went through" Lead glanced over to see Pinkie Pie still standing in the door way. Lead walked over "I'm sorry Pinkie Pie i thought you all had left "oh i was just on my way out Lead" "you understand why I had to keep this is secret right" the yellow mare nodded and began to walk away as she did she glancing back at Lead "we all have our secrets Lead" with those words she walked away leaving Lead standing there puzzled.
