"Another explosion rattled the airship. A gust of wind entered the opened platform gate and swayed the pegasus' chromatic mane. If anypony else had paid attention, they would've seen the slightest of shivers run down her back. Alas, they were preoccupied.

"This one almost lit us! We can't get any closer, or we'll be blown out of the sky! What the hay happened to that cloaking spell?"

"I couldn't know they would set up a thaumaturgic search net! My calculations only accounted for echoing magical pulses of varia-"

An orange hoof crashed against the console. "Consarn it, this is no time for excuses! How are we going to get in now?"

"Oh my goodness, we must turn back. Simply must!"

The blue pegasus looked over the disarray. “It’s simple, really. No need for complicated plans, just do what you do best.” She took a deep breath and let it out as a smirk stretched on her lips.

"I'm going in."

Silence fell on the ponies.

"Rainbow, you can’t be serious..."

"You know what they say," grinned the pegasus. "Better dead than sorry."

For the moment the only noise in the cabin were the distant booms of artillery and the sound of wind thrashing around.

"Rainbow, nopony says tha-"

Dash took a step back and the last few words of the purple unicorn were cut off as wind roared past her ears. For a moment, she enjoyed that little tingle in the pit of her stomach as gravity took hold of her and plunged her down. She let her wings flap listlessly at her sides and watched the airship get smaller and smaller until a nearby explosion finally shook her from her reverie. With a jerk, her body angled down and she gave a powerful flap, speeding towards the ground. She could feel an air cone forming around her, the pressure making her eyes water. She gave another beat of her wings. And another. The cone grew tighter and tighter, fighting against her, and it almost looked like she wouldn't make it...

But then, just as the alien overlord was about to plunge the scepter of eternal darkness into the planet core, an explosion of brilliant colors erupted in the sky. From it, a rainbow-colored streak shot straight down, headed right for-"

"A-hem," came an amused noise as a white unicorn made her way into the hospital room. "You know, Dash, your version seems to have a lot more explosions and laser fights than I remember," she chuckled.

Dash had frozen in mid-gesture on the hospital bed, one wing spread dramatically and the other struggling slightly against its cast. On the floor in front of her, Pinkie and the three young members of the CMC had gathered in a semi circle, sparks of wonderment in their eyes.

"Oh! Oh! Don't interrupt her now, this is the best part!"

"Yeah! Dash, tell her about your epic fight with Zandu, the Lizard Space Lord!" shouted out Scootaloo.

"And the crystal dragon of Aroza!"

"And the fire-breathing spider king!"

Rarity's demure smile twitched wider and she took a few dainty steps, joining the quartet around the impromptu campfire. "Yes, Dash, do go on. I really wanna hear more about that Zandu rascallion," she said, batting her eyes at the pegasus.

Dash gave a little cough and sat down. Her ears had turned a shade of red that easily rivaled the one in her mane. "T-That's all for today, guys. No more stories."

"Awww!" came four disappointed voices from around the bed.

"Oh whelsies," Pinkie shook her head and sprung up. "Guys, do you know what I would do if I were a furious space lizard fighting supermare?" she whinnied, striking a very furious pose indeed. "I would plunder untold treasures, and then get space ice cream! Or regular ice cream… Hey, do you wanna go get some ice cream?"

"Yeah!" shouted out the three fillies. The band waved goodbye and left the room, caught up in an intense discussion about what superpower should chocolate chip ice cream grant.

"You don't have to come visit every day, you know," Rainbow huffed. "It's just a sprain."

Rarity stood up and stepped closer to the bed. "I know."

"You don't owe me anything. We're cool."

Rarity took a breath and laid her forehead against Rainbow's. "I know." She then surged forward and planted a quick kiss on Dash's lips.

"W-W-Wha-?!"

The white unicorn took a step back and grinned. "Better dead than sorry, right?"