Hold Your Color

by Quillery

First published 9th of January, 2015

The fate of colors in Equestria are in Dash's hooves as an ancient artifact tied to her family is stolen. Old enemies are rising from the darkness, vying for her life, and time is running out.

Rainbow Dash has a new problem.

It isn’t that her relationship with Twilight Sparkle has diminished in the year that they have been together, even despite Twilight’s new position as an Equestrian Princess. If anything, the past year has brought them closer together than before. As far as Rainbow Dash is concerned, her life is pretty much perfect. That is, until she notices that her colors are fading.

In a panic to discover what is happening to her, she stumbles headfirst into an ancient secret dating back to long before the formation of Equestria, with her family in the middle. With Twilight and her friends, both old and new, at her side, she will once again venture out into the wide world of Equus, not for love, but for answers. About her family, her heritage, and the theft of the oldest artifact known to pony kind: The Celestial Prism.

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Takes place canonically shortly after the Season 3 finale and well before the Season 4 Premier

Prologue- Father Knows Best

It was hard to escape the smell of antiseptic throughout the halls of any hospital, even a pegasus one. Despite the usefulness of clouds as a building material, it was a commonly accepted standard to keep important civic structures on the ground just below a pegasus friendly city, just to be safe. This was a shame, as clouds were very useful for absorbing foul odors, such as those that would emanate from a care facility. It was this smell, among other things, that kept a lone pegasus from getting any rest as he sat quietly in his room.

He shifted his weight repeatedly in a small chair that was a size too small for his imposing frame. A dozen plastic cups littered the floor around him; they dripped a dark brown liquid onto the hard tile. He tapped his hooves on the arms of the chair to the beat of the clock on the wall. There was a pause, where he took in a long deep breath and leaned back, running a hoof through his mane, which was ragged and worn from days of missed showers.

He blinked at a small sound from the bed that sat in the middle of the room. He smiled and moved towards it. A single shape traced out the bedspread, which rose and fell to a slow and steady rhythm. The stallion ran his hoof along the shape, which mumbled sleepily in response. He tugged at the blanket and revealed the face of the bed’s occupant. Her mane was a tangled, sweaty mess. Her coat was blotchy and pale. Drool oozed from her lips, and sticky gunk coated her eyes. Despite all of this, in the stallion’s mind, she was the picture of beauty.

The sound came again, and he looked down in between the mare’s forelegs. Wrapped in a small sky blue blanket was a tiny little foal that babbled and cooed as it writhed around in her mother’s grasp. She reached out with her tiny hooves and batted at the strands of her mother’s mane that hung down, and chirped with glee with each successful strike.

The stallion smiled and brought his hoof to the child. She stared at the giant limb now within her reach. Her eyes widened as she poked it with her little legs, and suddenly, leaned forward with her mouth and bit down.

“Ouch!” the stallion said, wincing through a smile. His voice was deep, and rang with frigid cold from an accent of a faraway land. He withdrew his hoof and examined the tiny welt that formed in the flesh. He grinned and looked down at the tiny filly. “You have quite the bite on you, little one.”

The child tilted her head a moment and started smiling. She waggled her hooves as she reached out for the stallion again, babbling.

He chuckled. “And you are without fear, only moments in the world.” He placed his hoof on the filly’s head and rubbed it. “You are certainly my child.”

The filly sputtered and shrieked as the massive hoof tousled her mane. She giggled and batted at the leg. The stallion smiled at his daughter’s assaults, which were little more than bug bites to him.

He turned his attention to the mare on the bed. She was still sleeping soundly despite the racket the child in her legs was causing. The stallion lifted his hoof from the filly and placed it on her mother’s forehead. It was warm to the touch. He brushed the errant strands of her mane aside in a slow, gentle motion. He leaned forward and placed a kiss, just above her eyes. “Rest, my darling. You deserve it.”

“Is she well?”

He turned his head. A younger pegasus mare stood in the doorway. She turned a moment to shut the door behind her, and trotted towards him. Her steps were silent, her body almost fluid as she glided across the room. Her silvery mane drifted like a flowing river as she walked, and she wasted no time in wrapping her hooves tightly around the stallion.

“You made it,” he said.

“Of course I did,” she replied. “I had to cancel an entire production and leave on the earliest ship possible.”

He smirked. “Your managers must be thrilled with that.”

She released her grip from him and smiled. “Their opinions will matter little when they discover that I am purchasing the theater. If they want to keep their jobs, they will be wise to keep their disapproval behind sealed lips.” She glanced to the bed. “And I would be damned to Tartarus before missing the birth of my niece.”

He gave a gruff chuckle. “And here I thought you were here to see me.”

The mare released him and laughed. “Hah! Do not flatter yourself, brother. Let us not forget that my love for you is best felt at a distance.” She stopped a moment and placed a hoof on her mouth as she glanced at the mare sleeping on the bed.

The stallion shook his head. “Do not worry. The birthing was… difficult for her. She has been sedated to help her get enough rest. You could not wake her if you tried.”

She blinked. “I see. She is a stubborn one.” She smirked. “A fitting partner for you, brother.”

He sighed. “Always the same, aren’t you?” He glanced at the door. “Are mother and father with you?”

She shook his head. “They were going to catch the next ship after mine. Perhaps another day.”

The stallion nodded. He turned to the bed and indicated the bundle in his wife’s legs. He stepped aside so his sister could get a better look at the child. Her eyes widened with delight. “Ah!” she exclaimed. “What an adorable little filly!”

The filly looked up at the silver haired mare looking at her. She tilted her head side to side, cooing. She reached up towards the new face with a childish squeal. The mare babbled in a foreign tongue as she waggled her hoof in front of the filly.

“Be careful,” the stallion warned. “She bites.”

“Hah!” she laughed. “A fighter straight from the womb! A perfect niece indeed.” She curled her tongue behind her lips as she examined the filly. “She has her mother’s beautiful coat, and grandpapa’s eyes, just like mine.” She ran her hooves along the filly, who giggled at the touch. She ruffled the feathers of the filly’s wings, who tugged at her legs while she did. “She has mama’s strong wings, and father’s powerful legs.”

There was a pregnant pause as she brought her hooves to the top of the filly’s head. She scratched the child’s ear, which earned another squeal of delight, before she began tousling her mane. The mare’s voice darkened as she shifted language from Equestrian to the colder dialect from the frozen wastes to the west and across the sea. “And your mane…”

The stallion shrugged, also shifting his tone. “You say that like it matters.”

“Do not play coy with me, brother.” She stepped away from the bed and faced him directly. “You know as well as I do what that means. She bears the same mark you do, and everything it entails.”

He shook his head. “She bears no such mark. She shares a genetic link with her father, nothing more.”

“Are you blind? Or simply ignorant? You would risk your child’s future safety because of some stubborn pride?”

“My pride has nothing to do with it. She is a beautiful child with an appearance fashioned from her parents. She needs not bother herself with my burdens.”

She scoffed and tossed her head. “Then you are a fool. I will not have you endanger the life of your own family for—”

“My family,” the stallion growled, “will be safe. I have ensured this, over many years of work.” He grabbed his sister by the leg. “I have everything in place to ensure its protection, including her involvement.”

She blinked a moment, before recognition hit. After a moment of thought, she turned away. “You did go to her for help. That is… unlike you.”

“For the sake of my family, I will do anything. Even abandon my pride.”

She turned back, her eyes twisting into a glare. “You may find, brother, to your displeasure, that even goddesses can have blind spots. She is not as infallible as she appears to be. History proves this.”

“History proves that she is long lived enough to make a wise decision. I trust in that.”

“History has a way of interfering with the modern, brother. Something you and your precious new princess should keep in mind.”

The stallion sighed. “You will not relent, will you?”

“Not until I am certain that you understand the weight of the burden you have bestowed upon your newborn daughter. She is too young now, yes, to take this role, but when she is of age—”

“When she is of age, she will be a happy, grown mare, with a life of her own, with its own perils and challenges without this burden interfering. She will make friends and make enemies. She will fall in and out of love. She will build a home for herself, perhaps a family of her own. She will find a career that she desires, like a normal mare. Nothing more.”

“How can you be so sure!?” she snapped. “Ponies of our lineage have died because of this! Have you forgotten grandpapa?”

He shook his head. “I have not.”

“Then you realize the danger you face as long as you protect this secret, and when it falls to her…”

“It will not. I will not allow it. As my duty as a father, I will protect my daughter. I have put too much time into keeping my wife safe, I will extend the same for my child.”

“Does your wife even know the dangers you place on her and her child?”

He looked away. “I see no reason to burden her with fear. She is happy. I wish to keep it that way.”

“Ignorance, then? That is the gift you bestow your wife and daughter? I must say I am surprised, brother. You extended no such courtesy to your own sister.”

He smirked. “I knew you were capable of defending yourself. We were raised as such, were we not?”

She sighed. “I cannot convince you otherwise, can I?”

He shook his head in silence.

“Let us hope she does not inherit your stubbornness as well.”

He managed a smile. “Let us hope.”

They returned to the bedside, peering down at the little filly. She had curled herself into her blankets and nestled herself under her mother’s head. She was still as her nose whistled quietly.

“Have you decided on a name?” the mare asked.

“Zephyr insisted on naming her after her father.”

She blinked. “You argued against it, I hope?”

He shifted his jaw. “Well, not entirely. I had to admit, there was some appeal to it, with a minor amendment.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Amendment? Such as?”

“I thought it fitting to name her after the color of her mane. I think it is a wonderful combination.”

The mare twisted her mouth in thought. She tilted her head from side to side, humming in contemplation. After a while, she smiled, and placed a hoof on the sleeping filly. “Rainbow Dash, then? I love it. You chose well, Khroma.”

Khroma chucked. “I’d like to think so, Aurora. I have some sense, after all.”

Aurora laughed. “Some… I suppose. After all, why else would Zephyr marry somepony like you?”

Aurora leaned forward and kissed the filly on the head. “Sleep well, my little Prizma. I see great things in your future.”

Author's Notes:

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Top of the World

Few things could build up adrenaline better for Rainbow Dash than a good natured wager. There was rarely a time she would turn down a challenge, and when there was cider on the line, her determination to win had no limit. She shot through the sky like a spear, lancing through clouds that hung over the Ponyville swimming hole.

She grit her teeth, throwing her weight into each strike as the pesky clouds exploded into bursts of water. She glanced briefly at the crowds gathered around the edge of the pond, cheering her on as she went. Her eyes found a single pony within the crowd. She was staring up at Dash in the sky, a smug grin on her face as she held a watch in one hoof, and a stein in the other. She shook her head and shouted, “Yer runnin’ outta time, Dash! You’d better hurry if ya want this cider!”

Dash smirked as she popped three more clouds with a single thrust of her wings. “Don’t you worry, Applejack! I’ll be drinking that cider in no time, just you watch!”

She cackled with glee as she snapped her wings to her side and barrelled down towards the final set of clouds just above the pond. She could hear her name being chanted by the onlookers below, and that only drove her further, faster. The clouds grew as she rapidly approached them. In an instant, her mind plotted the most ideal route to their demise.

She swung out her forelegs and sent her body into a spin. The world rotated around her, but her path was perfectly centered on the clouds. She spun faster and faster, like a cyclone bearing down from the sky towards the ground. At the last second, just before impact, she thrust her wings open.

The air around her whirled into a violent torrent. It lashed at the clouds as she passed through them. They detonated and sprinkled their watery contents into the sky from the turbulent wind emanating from Dash.

She laughed and flared her wings as she came out the other side of what used to be a tightly packed bundle of clouds, and was now nothing but a spray of mist in the air. She glanced towards the crowd. “Like I said, Applejack!” she shouted. “Easy peasy.”

She blinked a moment later, as she noticed the crowd, including Applejack, were upside down. They were shouting, but not with excitement, but worry. She craned her neck back to her trajectory, and saw a rapidly approaching pond just in front of her.

“Oh, ponyfeath—”

There was a tremendous splash as Dash struck the surface of the water. She felt the sting of the water against her open wings. It was a feeling akin to slamming into a stone wall, and the ache set in immediately. After that, she felt the torrents of water closing in all around her, tossing her around like a ragdoll.

After a while, the water calmed and Dash was able to find her balance again. She floated under the surface a moment, waiting for her head to clear. She stared upwards through the water at the ponies standing at the water’s edge. Rays of sunlight poured into the depths of the water, illuminating the smiling faces of all Rainbow Dash could see. Her thoughts, however, were clouded, as in spite of the joy she witnessed, worry gripped at her. Her vision might have been blurred by the water, but that should not have affected her ability to see color. Under the water, all she could see was grey, cold and lifeless, in all the ponies looking down into the depths at her.

She shook her head as she felt her lungs gasping in her chest for fresh air. She kicked her legs and broke the surface, gasping in a huge gulp of air. After a moment of heavy breathing, she opened her eyes, staring into the sky, bright and blue; color had returned. She turned around to find the crowd on the beach, dripping wet, staring in awe at her. Applejack was busy wringing out her hat and brushing away her soaking mane from her eyes.

Dash blinked as a stomping noise started from the crowd. It was a gradual sound at first, a it slowly overtook every pony in attendance as they started to cheer and shout Rainbow Dash’s name. In that moment of praise, the strange feeling that struck Dash’s core had faded. She shook it off. Nothing but adrenaline, she thought.

“Yeehaw!” Apple Bloom said, appearing by her sister’s side. She sported a bright red inner tube around her waist and a pair of diving goggles on her forehead. “The swimmin’ hole’s open!” The little filly darted towards the beach and took to the air with a great leap. She curled herself into a ball and crashed into the water, not far from where Dash was floating.

Dash shrugged to avoid the splash, but it wasn’t long until other ponies began diving into the water. She kicked her legs furiously, weaving through the cannon balls that assaulted her and doused her repeatedly with more water. By the time she made it to the beach, she was only able to crawl from the churning surf. Her wings were sore, her lungs were burning, and her legs felt like rubber. She could barely lift her head as she tried to walk away, only to bump into something.

She struggled to look up, and just barely made out Applejack’s face, looking down at her with a smirk. “Havin’ yer fun in the sun yet, Dash?”

Dash let out a wheeze. “Whew! Do you have any idea how hard it is to swim with wet feathers? I might as well weigh as much as Big Mac.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are you implyin’ my brother’s fat?”

Dash rolled her eyes and screwed up her nose at Applejack. She tightened her voice into a drawl. “I ain’t implyin’ nothin’. Now where’s that cider ya’ll promised me?”

Applejack guffawed. She lifted the watch. Its hands were perfectly lined up on the twelve, except for the second hand, which stopped five seconds past. Dash’s heart sank. “I… I lost the bet?”

Applejack nodded grimly. “Eeyup. Looks like this cider’s stayin’ with me.”

Dash collapsed to her haunches. “B-but… my cider…”

Applejack started laughing. Dash looked up and saw her withdrawing the stein and placing it on the ground in front of her. “Oh here, ya big galoot. I was gonna give it you ya anyways.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “But...I lost. You bet me I couldn’t clear all the clouds around the pond in ten seconds flat, and I didn’t.”

“Well, to be honest, I didn’t think you’d be able to clear all of it in twenty. That had to have been a full acre or two of clouds to break!”

“It was more like three. Don’t forget the vertical height.”

Applejack blinked. She nodded her head once, slowly. “Right… What I meant was, it was way easier to bet you that you can’t, than to ask you if you can. That way, somethin’ actually got done.” She glanced out over the pond with a smile. “An’ look what good it did.”

Dash turned around. Dozens of ponies were splashing about in the water behind her, smiling, laughing, playing. Just down the road, she could also see dozens more coming in from town, looking to beat the summer heat, carrying umbrellas, coolers and beach chairs.

She turned back to Applejack. “You used my own competitiveness against me?” Dash smirked. “You’re an evil pony, Applejack.”

Applejack smirked back. “So long as I use my evil for good, I think it balances out. Mayhap I could get you to do anythin’, so long as I bet you you couldn’t.”

Dash stood up, taking the cider stein in her hoof. She downed it all in one quick gulp, savoring the tangy cider on her tongue. A shiver raced down her spine as she licked the last few drops and tossed the mug into the air.

Applejack fell onto her hind legs as it fell towards her; she reached out to grab it and fumbled it in her hooves. When she finally had a grip on it, she glared at Dash, who returned a grin. “I’m on to your games, Applejack,” she said. “It’s gonna take more than a bet to get me to work.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. She placed the mug on the ground, with the rest of her and Apple Bloom’s things, and started towards the water. “Well, than at least join me fer some fun. After bringin’ out the sun, the least you can do is take a load off.”

Dash shook her head. “Nah, I can’t stay.”

Applejack paused. She turned back and raised an eyebrow. “And why the hay not?”

Dash smirked. “Because I’ve got a beautiful marefriend at home who wants to spend a quiet afternoon with yours truly.”

Applejack sighed. “I figured somethin’ was up when Twi didn’t show up fer this. Ya sure she ain’t too princessy fer a little dip in the sun?”

Dash flicked her hoof. “Being a princess doesn’t have anything to do with it. Our anniversary is coming up, and she wanted us to spend some quiet time together. I even got Fluttershy to take care of Tank and Cloud Kicker to take over the weather office for the weekend just so its the two of us.”

Applejack puckered her lips. “Aw, don’t be goin’ all lovey dovey on me, wing-girl. Ain’t gonna be nothin’ but saps in the bunch if you go all Rarity on us.”

Dash chuckled and nudged Applejack. “Well, maybe you should get working on finding your own special somepony. If I could do it, shouldn’t be too hard—whoa.”

Dash’s vision suddenly spun and blurred as she lost focus on Applejack beside her. Her head was turning like a tornado as the balance swayed out of her legs.

“Dash!” Applejack said, worried. “You alright?”

Dash shook her head, and the spinning slowed. She glanced at Applejack, and for an instant, she could swear the green in her eyes was dull and empty, like a stone.

She wheezed out another ragged breath, and shook her hoof dismissively. “Y-yeah. I’m fine. Just exhausted I guess. I better get going.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Ain’t like you to get tuckered out from so little flyin’. Maybe you should take a load off after all.”

Dash declined with another shake of her head. “I’m fine, Applejack, really. I’m just gonna head over to Twilight’s. I can rest there. Promise.”

Applejack exhaled slowly and shifted her jaw. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the pond. “Suit yerself. Just take care not to pass out on your way there. We’ll be havin’ some words if you go and push yourself too hard again.”

Dash smirked, and with a quick goodbye, pumped her wings and took off into the sky. She was still sore from her landing in the pond, but Twilight’s wasn’t far, and a quick wing sprint went a long way to softening up muscles. She did a few practiced turns to to make sure everything still worked, and she let out a shout of victory as she was, as usual, proven right.

Still, the lingering doubts tugged at her mind. Applejack was right. She never got so tired so fast from something so simple. A few measly clouds? Easy. She had trained herself to reduce dizziness from flying and spinning years ago and yet she felt almost foalish in her sudden weakness. She shook her head. Easy Dash, she thought. Everypony can have an off day. Just get to Twi’s. I’ve just been working too hard lately to get this time off to spend with her.

Less than a minute later, she found herself landing on the Golden Oaks balcony. It only took her a year of dating Twilight Sparkle to learn how to not crash in unannounced and Dash gave herself a mental pat on the back for getting it right eventually.

She crept up to the window and peeked inside. She smiled as she saw Twilight Sparkle, her marefriend of nearly a full year, sitting on a small cushion in the middle of her bedroom. Dash wasn’t surprised to see her surrounded by piles of books, all placed in neat stacks. She smiled as Twilight pressed her nose deeper into the book she was reading, and her wings seemed to be flapping from excitement alone. Dash shrugged her head and knocked on the window.

Twilight jumped at the noise and looked up to the window. She smiled when she met Dash’s gaze, and got up to open the door. As she swung it open with her magic, she opened her mouth to say hello, only for Dash to speak first. “Hey, Twi, I’m all wet. Can I come in?”

Twilight froze. Her eyes twitched, and her face started burning a bright scarlet. “D-Dash!” she blurted. She stepped to the edge of the balcony and scanned the road below with darting eyes. “Don’t say things like that! Ponies might hear you!”

Dash kept smirking. “Aw, you know you love it.” She glanced around the balcony. “And I don’t see anypony else up here except a pair of lovebirds.”

Twilight twisted her lips and shot a flat look at Dash. “You’re awful, you know that?”

Dash blinked, and her smile deepened. “Uh oh, we got a grumpy princess on our hooves. Luckily, I know exactly how to fix that.” Dash quickly leaned in and nuzzled Twilight just under her ear. She grinned as she felt Twilight’s fur bristle and shudder at her touch. She pulled away, admiring the fruits of her labor.

Twilight’s blush deepened, and was biting her lip while her wings were twitching of their own accord. “I...I really shouldn’t have showed you that…” she breathed.

Dash kneeled and pouted her lip up at Twilight. “But then how else can I show you my undying affection for you, my princess?” She tried to hold the pose, but the sight of Twilight’s immediate deadpan glare was too much. Dash broke out into a laugh, wiping tears from her eyes.

Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed. “Har, har, Dash. Do you want to come in or not?”

Dash sucked in a breath to slow her laughs, letting out a last few snickers. She stood from her bow and trotted past Twilight into her loft. “I’m sorry, Twi. But sometimes it’s too easy to rile you up. You’re too adorable when you’re mad.”

Twilight shut the door and glanced back at Dash with a thin smile. “I guess it’s my fault that I let you get to me so easily.”

Dash turned. She lifted a hoof to Twilight’s chin. She leaned forward and kissed Twilight gently on the cheek. “You know I’ll stop the second you ask.”

Twilight pushed Dash’s hoof away. Dash blinked a moment, when Twilight leaned in and gave Dash her own kiss. She felt a hoof on the back of her head that held her there as they shared a moment alone in the room. Dash always remarked a special spark that crossed between them when they kissed, and she loved every second of it. Her wings tingled as the feeling of happiness and bliss shot through her, and the way Twilight pushed back was enough for her to know she felt the same.

After a while they separated, and basked in a moment of staring into each other’s eyes, smiling. Dash shuddered and shook her head after a while, bringing herself back to reality. “So, what did you want to do for our anniversary? You said something about spending some time together, but you weren’t very clear about it.”

A sly smile spread across Twilight’s lips. “Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?” She turned towards her bookshelf. She made a point of brushing her tail across Dash’s nose as she walked away. Dash blinked, and felt her face starting to heat up. She caught herself staring as Twilight took slow, methodical steps as she swayed her hips.

Twilight stopped at the shelf and glanced back at Dash. She smiled as she noted her open mouth and wide eyed expression. She turned back to the shelf and pulled out a book. “I just got this book, and I was thinking about reading it together.” She batted her eyes. “What do you say… Dashie?”

Dash couldn’t stop blinking. “Uh...I...You… wha…?” she stammered.

Twilight started laughing. She fell to her haunches and rubbed her eyes. “You...you should see the look on your face!”

Dash frowned. “Okay, what gives?”

Twilight snorted one last time as she stood back up. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” she said, with a coy grin. “You aren’t the only one who can be lewd, Dash. And you’re just as easy to rile up.”

Dash stared. Afterwards, she started chuckling. “Oh, ok. You got me, Twi.” She walked towards Twilight. “So, is that really a new book, or have you been pilfering those cheesy romances Rarity keeps ordering again?”

Dash glanced at the cover once she was close enough, and immediately felt like falling over again. Her mouth fell open as she tried to read the title aloud. “D-Daring Do and the Celestial P-Prism?!” She turned to Twilight. “That’s not supposed to be out for months!”

Twilight grinned. “True. But I ended up running into Ms. Talonmark when I was in Canterlot last week over tea. She wanted us to have an advanced copy as a gift.”

“R-really? So we have it before anypony else?”

Twilight nodded. “In the world.”

Dash slapped her hooves to her cheeks. “Best. Anniversary. Gift. Ever!”

Twilight planted another kiss on Dash’s cheek. “Only the best for my Dashie.”

Dash’s blush was more subdued the second time, but she couldn’t help but give Twilight a bashful grin. “Twilight, you’re too good to me, you know that?”

Twilight smiled. “You’d do the same for me. Now let’s get up to the bed and start reading, shall we?”

Dash nodded. “Okay, after you—whoa…” Dash’s head started to spin. The ache in her limbs seemed to double in intensity as she wobbled on her legs. Twilight gasped and rushed to her side to keep her from falling over.

“Dash! Are you okay?” she said, concerned.

Dash blinked away a blur in her vision and shook her head. The world cleared and her balance trickled back. “Y-yeah. I’m fine.” She let out an exhausted sigh. “Whew! I must be more tired than I thought from earlier.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Were you working out this morning?”

“Nah. Applejack got me to clear out some clouds over the swimming pond so the town could have a sunny day.” She shrugged her shoulders and stretched her wings with a grunt. “Those pesky Everfree clouds are getting annoying.”

“Well, let’s get you to bed then. We can just relax for the rest of the day. You’ve earned it.”

They climbed the stairs together and climbed into the bed. Dash rubbed her head to quell the headache that gnawed at her, which prompted another worried look from Twilight. “Are you sure you’re okay, Dash? Do you want me to get a nurse to look at you?”

Dash shook her head. Instead, she curled up under the blankets and shuffled closer to Twilight. “I’m sure, Twi. As long as I’m here with you, nothing could be better. Life is good.”

The Mare Next Door

A breeze wafted in through the open window and caressed the bed as Dash lay still. The wind brushed her nose and she opened her eyes. The sunlight poured into the room from the window and brought warmth to the covers that wrapped around her. She smiled, rolled over, and reached out her hooves for Twilight, blinking when she felt nothing there.

She lifted her head and scanned the room from underneath the blankets. Her ears twitched as she looked over to the mirror, where Twilight stood brushing her mane. Her smiled widened as she saw Twilight’s reflection in the mirror. She was humming a quiet song in tune with the birds that passed by the window.

Twilight’s reflection was fixed on her mane, but she glanced briefly towards the bed and found Dash’s gaze. Her own smile deepened. “Good morning, Dash.”

Dash sighed and stretched out in the bed. She pulled the covers tighter around herself and mumbled a reply. “Good morning yourself. I think I got a few more minutes left in me before I’m getting up.”

Twilight giggled as she set down her brush. “Oh, okay. You earned it considering how late we were reading. But don’t think that gets you out of your chores.”

Dash groaned. “I know, I know. I promised, didn’t I?”

Twilight walked over to the bed and placed a hoof on the sheets. She leaned in and kissed Dash on the head through the blanket. “It’s only a few things. Spike said the garden needs some fresh rainwater, and after that, we can do something special together. Maybe lunch?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Wonderful. Now I’ll give you a few minutes to—”

A knock sounded at the door. “Twilight!” a voice said from the other side. “There’s somepony here to see you!”

Twilight turned to the door. “Okay, Spike. I’ll be right there!”

She turned back to Dash. “Who on Equus would need to see me this early?”

Dash shrugged and coiled herself in the blankets. “Who knows? All I know is they’re cutting into my morning nap.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and walked towards the door. “I’ll be back up with breakfast in a few minutes. After that, it’s time for work.”

Twilight shut the door behind her, leaving Dash alone. She stretched out again and rippled her muscles. She felt a dull ache seep into her legs, and a lingering exhaustion tugging at her eyes. She blinked it away, and rolled over again. “Sheesh,” she mumbled. “I’m more worn out than I thought. Maybe I should take it easy for a bit.”

She parted the blankets and stared at the ceiling. “Maybe a nice, quiet day with Twi is exactly what I need.” She nuzzled the blankets around her and inhaled deeply. “They still smell like her.” She let out the breath with a long, peaceful sigh. “I should spend more nights over—”

Twilight shouted from the main room below. “Rainbow Dash! It’s for you!”

Dash sat up in the bed and grunted. “What the hay? What would anypony be doing looking for me here?”

She rolled from the bed, not bothering to discard the blanket. She trudged along the room towards the door with the sheets still draped over her head. She passed through and descended the stairs, listening to the conversation drifting up from the foyer below.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, Princess Twilight.” A bright, cheerful voice said. “It’s just real important that I talk to Dash.”

“Oh, you don’t need to call me that, Ditzy. Twilight is just fine.”

Dash paused on the stairs. She looked down to the door, and frowned at the fact that Ditzy Doo was actually standing at the door chatting with Twilight.

“Oh, okay Princ—” Ditzy’s eyes widened as she stopped herself and placed a hoof on her mouth. “Oop, sorry,” she said, blushing. “I almost did it again.”

Twilight laughed. “It’s fine, really. Dash should be down any—” She looked away to the stairs, and smiled. “There she is.”

Dash sighed as Ditzy smiled and swung her leg in an energetic wave. “Hi, Rainbow Dash!”

Dash waved, sleep still dulling her senses. “Hey, Ditzy. What’s up?”

Ditzy stopped waving and blinked. “That’s right. I came to talk to you, didn’t I?” She placed a hoof on her chin and frowned. “Well, I was trying to find you at your house, but you weren’t there. So I started flying around town, checking all of your favorite napping places, and then I ran into one of your friends who said you might be with your marefriend.”

She smiled and pointed at Twilight. “And I felt so silly that I didn’t remember that you might be staying with Princess Twilight and—” She stopped and slapped a hoof to her face. “I did it again.” She looked at Twilight with an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

Twilight laughed, but Dash’s frown deepened. “Okay, but why were you flying all over to find me?”

Ditzy blinked again. “Oh, because your dad’s in town.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “My dad? What’s he want?”

Ditzy sat down and shrugged her legs. “I have no idea! He just told me to get you really fast because it was really, really important.”

Dash started down the stairs again. “Hmph. And it couldn’t kill him to write ahead or—” Her sentence was cut short when Dash felt the blanket on her head tug at her legs. It wrapped tightly around her and she felt her front legs lock together, while her rear legs kept going. She tumbled over forward and rolled down the stairs. Instinctively, her wings tried to open, but the blankets had lashed them shut.

She landed in a heap at the bottom. Pain burned at her sides as she groaned in an attempt to move. She felt a pair of hooves on her. “Dash!” Twilight shouted. “Are you okay?”

“Nng,” Dash groaned. “N-not one of my better mornings.”

She felt the blankets being pulled off her. “Let me have a look at you. You might have broken a bone or—”

Twilight gasped. Dash craned her head to see her face, and blinked. There was a still look of horror on Twilight’s face. She took a step back. Her leg was trembling. Dash glanced over to Ditzy, and she too had a surprised look on her face as she stared straight at her, despite her crooked eyes.

“Uh… guys? What are you staring at? You’re kinda freaking me out.” She felt around her body, wincing with pain. A jolt of worry shot through her as her search hastened. “Please tell me it’s not that bad,” she breathed. “I don’t have a bone sticking out or anything do I?”

Twilight shook her head silently. “N-no… It’s your...your mane!”

Dash tilted her head. She rolled onto her belly and rubbed her head. “My mane? What’s wrong with my mane? Don’t tell me I’m bleeding into it or anything.”

“It’s not blood. It’s—I—just see for yourself.” A violet glow appeared in the air in front of Dash. It formed a small circle in the air as Twilight focused her magic. The air within the circle began to ripple and shimmer like a mirror.

Dash looked at her mane. She frowned as she looked over it, and although it was ruffled and un-brushed, it looked as it usually did. She ran a hoof through it, brushing over each of the colors that made up her namesake: violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, re—

Her eyes widened as she saw that the tips of her mane, where it was usually a bright shade of red, was darkening into a dull gray. A few errant strands of red remained, but they seemed to be fading away before her eyes.

“W-what?” she gasped. “I’m...going gray? What the hay is going on?”

Twilight blinked and scratched her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Even if it was some kind of genetic predisposition, it wouldn’t take like this overnight.”

“But my dad never went gray! His mane is brighter than mine! And—whoa...” Dash’s head started to spin again. She felt like her brain was in a torrent as the room started to wobble and blur. Twilight’s voice started to echo from different directions and she seemed to shift to different places in the room all at once. Strangest of all, was that the colors seemed to drain and fade away. Twilight’s purple coat turned dull, Ditzy’s blonde mane lost all brightness, and the slice of blue sky outside began to darken.

“Dash!” Twilight shouted. “What’s wrong?”

Dash shook her head. The spinning slowed as everything returned to normal. The colors returned, the spinning stopped, and Dash could feel her ability to breathe return. She was shaking on her legs and felt compelled to sit, holding a hoof to her head. She panted a few ragged breaths and lifted her head to Twilight. “What a rush…” she said. She still felt a lingering dizzy feeling, but the worst of it seemed to over.

“That’s it,” Twilight said. “I’m taking you to the hospital. Something is really wrong with you Dash.”

Dash’s head was swaying. “S-sure, Twi. I’m not feeling so hot right now.” She struggled to get back to her hooves. Twilight leaned against her and put a leg over her back to steady her as she helped carry her to the door, but Ditzy was still standing in the way, now pacing.

Twilight stopped in front of her, frowning. “I’m sorry, Ditzy, but I have to get her to the hospital. Could you please step aside?”

Ditzy paused and turned to Twilight. Her eyes were closed a moment as she shook her head with a slow, sorrowful sigh. Her tone turned worrisome, and Twilight’s ears wilted as she spoke. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that. I gotta bring Dash to her dad.”

Twilight blinked. “Ditzy? What’s gotten in to you?”

Ditzy opened her eyes. Despite the skew of her left eye, there was a feeling of dread and seriousness seeping from her now concerned expression. She took a step forward and reached out for Dash, and Twilight took a step back. Ditzy bit her lip. “I really can’t waste anymore time, Twilight. I need to get her to her dad. He’s the only one who can help now.”

Twilight twitched as she tried to shake her head. “There’s time for an explanation. Why is this important to you?”

“Because there is no hospital that can help her now. I really need to get her to her dad and…” She turned her head quickly to the street outside, scanning up and down before turning back. “Her life is now in grave danger.”

She stepped forward, quicker than Twilight could react. In a moment, Ditzy had overtaken Twilight’s hold on Dash and hoisted most of the weight to herself. “You should be fine to fly on your own soon, Dash, but we have no time to waste.”

Dash groaned. “What’s going on?”

Ditzy shook her head as she guided Dash out the door. “I can’t explain, not here. Your dad will have more to say when get back to your place.”

“I’m coming too!” Twilight said.

Ditzy turned and gulped. “Please don’t. Nopony else is to come. Khroma will be really mad at me if I bring anypony but Dash.”

Twilight glared. “That’s my marefriend you have there. She’s sick, and you think you’re going to take her away from me? As Princess, if you think I’ll stay, you have another thing coming.”

Ditzy blinked and stared. She slumped her head and sighed. “You will find too soon, Twilight Sparkle, that your title of Princess has less meaning than you think. If you have to come, then you will have to deal with Khroma. He can deal with you if he sees reason to.” She spread her wings and started into the sky with Dash in her grasp. “So if you’re coming, keep up. I really don’t have any more time.”

A gust of wind rushed into the open door of the library as Ditzy surged into the sky. Twilight gasped a moment, inhaling a cloud of dirt at Ditzy’s departure. She sputtered and coughed, skipping ahead in a stumble as she tried to open her wings and take off. She was unbalanced but she managed to get airborne after a few tries and took off after Ditzy towards Rainbow Dash’s home.

Family Reunion

For all the time Dash knew the bright and cheerful mare, she had never seen Ditzy fly so fast and so straight. Usually a flying disaster, now she was flying with practiced precision in a quiet, disciplined nature. She hadn’t spoken since they left the ground and once Dash was able to fly on her own strength as they approached the hills where Dash’s home lay.

Dash looked behind her. Twilight was keeping up with labored effort. She was breathing heavily as she flapped her wings out of sync in an effort to keep up. Dash slowed down as best she could without her wings locking up completely. The worry in Twilight’s face was plain as day, as she glanced quickly between her, and Ditzy ahead.

“What’s going on, Dash?” she asked.

Dash shrugged. “I have no idea. She hasn’t said a word.”

Dash squinted an eye as she thought. “I’ve seen her angry before, mostly when her daughter was involved, but I’ve never seen her so…”

“Worried?”

“Yeah… I guess that’s a good way of putting it. It’s like she’s a completely different pony.”

Twilight eased over closer and touched a hoof to Dash’s head. “What do you think this means, Dash?”

Dash looked up to the tip of her mane. She rubbed her hoof through the hair and shook her head. “I have no idea, Twi.” She glanced ahead. “But apparently my dad knows. And it sounds serious.”

“Ditzy said you were in danger.”

Dash scoffed. “Because my mane is turning gray? You can’t honestly tell me that makes any sense.”

“I’ve also never been scared of Ditzy before. Today is already full of nonsense, so I’m pretty much open to anything at this point.”

Ditzy turned in the air, and Dash and Twilight followed suit. The three ponies banked in the air and climbed as Rainbow Dash’s home came into view. They touched down on the front landing, and Ditzy spun around to face them. She stared at them with narrowed eyes for a moment, then turned her attention to the sky around them. She searched for a full minute before she turned to the door. “Get inside, quickly.”

Dash frowned. “I don’t need to be told to go inside my own house, Ditzy.”

Ditzy’s face was pleading. “Please?”

Dash blinked as a chill crawled through her. As long as she had known Ditzy, she had never thought it possible to hear such fear and worry from another pony. Ditzy actually sounded like she was on the verge of tears with dread.

Dash swallowed and stepped through the door, with Twilight right behind her. They stepped into her foyer, and the first thing she noticed was voices. Two ponies seemed to be engrossed in a heated argument further in the house. It was a muffled argument from where she stood, but one voice, deep and stone-like, was more than memorable.

“Who’s with dad, Ditzy?” Dash asked.

Ditzy didn’t answer. She stepped towards the hallway where the voices were coming from. She turned back a moment before she went around the corner and said, “Wait here,” and then she disappeared.

Dash looked to Twilight. Her look of worry had not faded as she tilted her ears towards the arguing voices. “I’ve never heard your dad so angry before.”

Dash forced a weak chuckle. “I have. He has his moments, being a Stalliongrad pony. Short tempers and anger is just something they tend to have. Even I have my moments.” She shrugged. “I just vent it into my flying. You’d be surprised how much frustration helps a workout.”

She turned back to the yelling. Her ears fell, and she felt a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight stood closer, smiling with assurance. Dash tried to return it, but her gaze fell to the floor. “Dad never yells with mom around, though. When she’s around, its like the anger is sapped right out of him. I guess she’s not here.”

Twilight fidgeted. “I just wish somepony would tell us what’s going on.” She brushed her hoof through Dash’s mane again. “It seems to have stopped, for now.”

“You can’t think of anything that might be doing this to me?”

“Honestly?” Twilight said, shrugging. “No. Only one possible thing comes to mind, but I don’t think that’s it.”

“What?”

Twilight frowned. “Discord.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Discord? What would he have to do with this? It’s not his style.”

“Well…” Twilight rubbed her chin. “The only reason I brought it up was because when he broke free the first time, after he had manipulated us, we all lost our colors. I don’t think this is him because it’s too gradual. The rest of you looks perfectly fine, its just the one shade in your mane.”

Dash groaned. She turned to the hallway. “Well, I’m sick of sitting here like a mule in my own house. I’m going to get answers.”

Dash started for the hallway, only for Twilight to reach out and stop her. “Wait. Won’t they notice us approach? Pegasus hooves, right?”

Dash glanced at the floor and tested it with a prod of her hoof. She turned back and smiled. “Don’t worry. There’s a few spots that are hardened cloud for extra support. They don’t give off any vibrations for pegasi to notice very well, if you know where to step. Just wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Twilight nodded, and Dash set off. She took her time, stepping very carefully along the way. The voices grew louder as she went, and she focused her attention on the conversation. She blinked in surprise, as she noticed the voices were not speaking in Equestrian, but in Trotsky, the language of Stalliongrad. It was a cold and harsh language, which only multiplied the tension of the argument as she listened.

“You promised, Khroma!” the second voice shouted. It was a feminine voice that shook with rage. “You stood there, with your newborn child in attendance, and promised me this would not happen. You spent how many years of your life ensuring that this would not come to pass?!”

“Ten years,” a male voice replied. Dash blinked at how unnaturally calm her dad’s voice sounded in the presence of another, angrier voice. Usually, when shouting was involved, he would spare no quarter. Dash crept closer and kept listening.

“Ten years! Ten long years for you to take every single little precaution as you prepared your life with your precious Equestrian wife, and look at the results!”

The house shook under Dash’s hooves as she heard the rebuttal. “Do not think I am not affected by this! To see all my work amount to nothing! A decade of blood, secrets and lies, to my own wife, to my own child, wasted! I asked you here for help to correct this, not to berate me. Remember who is eldest here!”

“I will remember you as eldest when you begin to act the part! Even now, your own guardian attests to the fate of your daughter.”

A third voice entered the conversation. Dash’s mouth fell open as she recognized it as Ditzy’s voice, speaking perfect Trotsky. “It’s true, Khroma. The process has begun, and I can already see weakness overtaking her.”

The house shuddered again as Dash’s dad sighed. “At least let me see her and explain. She needs to hear it from me.”

“Then do it now, Khroma,” the first voice said. “She is waiting.”

Dash felt ripples in the clouds as a set of hooves approached the door. She scrambled to back out of the hallway, when the door suddenly swung open. She felt to her rump as she stared up at three faces looking down at her from the doorway.

The first was Ditzy’s. Even her skewed eye managed to find its place in a silent stare in her direction on the floor. The second was her dad. He filled out the frame of the door, towering over the rest. His golden eyes felt as they had an actual weight to them as he gazed down at her, pinning her to the floor.

Dash blinked as she noted the third figure in the door, with her hoof on the knob. She held her head in a haughty stare as she looked down at her behind a veil of silvery hair. The mane cascaded down, nearly to the floor like a flowing river of diamonds. Her eyes flickered like rubies in a cold and piercing stare.

“Auntie?” Dash said. “What are you doing here?”

Aurora blinked and quickly smiled. “Prizma!” she said with honey laced scorn. “Did your father not teach you that eavesdropping is impolite?”

Dash stood, frowning. “Didn’t grandpapa teach you that breaking into other ponies’ houses is wrong?”

Aurora's mouth fell open, aghast. “My! Is your home not open to family?”

“It isn’t when they aren’t announced.” She glared at her dad. “Dad, what is going on?! First Ditzy shows up telling me I’m in danger and now I’m losing the colors in my mane.”

Khroma stepped through the door. He lifted a hoof to rest on her head, but she stepped away, glaring. He blinked, and after a moment, smiled. “Always a fighter, just like when you were born.”

“Dad, talk to me. What are you hiding?”

Khroma sighed. “It is a… long story.”

Dash glanced at Aurora a second, and back to her father, smirking as she did. “We’re all Stalliongrad ponies here, Dad. We love long stories, don’t we?”

Aurora chuckled, when Dash heard a cough from behind. Twilight had stepped into the hall. Her head was lowered as she approached Dash. She stopped and waved. “H-hello, Miss Aurora. It’s good to see you.”

Aurora smiled. “It is good to see you too, darling. You are looking well.”

“Yes, yes,” Dash snapped. “It’s nice to see everypony, but I want answers.”

Khroma nodded and silently moved out of the hallway into the living room, with Aurora and Ditzy following close behind. They gathered into their seats, sitting in a circle. Dash sat opposite her father, and kept her eyes locked on his. He did the same to her.

Khroma began with a sigh. “I wished that this would never come to pass, my dear. You must understand this. Even before I moved here to be with your mother, I put so much work into keeping this out of your life.”

“Keeping what out of my life?”

Khroma looked down. “Do you know how many ponies exist in this age with our color of mane?”

Dash blinked. “What the hay does that have to do with anything? Ponies have all kinds of mane colors! There’s bound to be a bunch of ponies with it!”

Khroma shook his head. “Then perhaps you can account for this ‘bunch of ponies’?”

Dash leaned back in her chair. “Well, see… there was…” She rubbed her chin, searching through memory. Her rubbing slowed through each moment she tried to account for and her mouth fell further open with each passing one. “I… can’t think of one.” She turned to Twilight. “Twi, help me out here! You have to have seen at least one other pony with a rainbow colored mane.”

Twilight blinked, and searched through her own memory. After a while, she shook her head. “No… I can’t either. Not even during my time in Canterlot.”

Dash looked back to her dad. “What does this mean, Dad?”

He leaned back in his seat. “The answer is two. There is only ever two ponies with rainbow colored manes to exist at one given time, for the past several millennia. Even before the founding of Equestria. For now, the most recent ones would be mine…” He pointed at himself, then towards Dash. “...and yours.”

“So? Okay, we both have awesome mane colors and are the only ones, that doesn’t explain why I’m losing mine.”

Dash blinked when her dad shifted his attention to Twilight. He stared quietly at her with a smoldering gaze. Twilight gulped from the new attention.

Khroma’s voice rumbled again. “Miss Twilight. Can you tell me how many ancient artifacts exist in public knowledge today?”

Twilight’s brow furrowed in confusion. “U-um. Hundreds? Maybe more? There are so many public treasures in museums, and there are even more magical artifacts that are in safekeeping, such as the Elements of Harmony, among many others. Mostly in Canterlot under lock and key.”

Khroma nodded. “And how many exist outside of public knowledge?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Outside?” Twilight paused and put a hoof to her chin. After a moment, she shrugged. “Who knows? Hundreds? Thousands? The old kingdoms and empires of Equestria and the Eastern Kingdoms combined might have countless magical objects unaccounted for, not to mention the empires that existed before that.”

“And how many of them do you think have has the power to bring about the end of Celestia’s rule here in Equestria?”

Twilight’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open. “W-what do you mean?”

“I mean what I say, Miss Sparkle. We have seen Celestia’s power threatened before, so how difficult would it really be for one such as Discord, or Chrysalis, or Nightmare Moon to possess just one of these items and put an end to her reign?” His eyes narrowed gravely. “And yours…?”

Twilight trembled as she tried to voice a response. “I...I… I don’t know. It’s… possible that something like that exists, b-but I’ve never really encountered anything like that.”

“Dad!” Dash shouted. “You’re freaking her out. And me! And this isn’t answering any of my questions.”

Khroma turned back to her. “This is leading exactly to my point. One such artifact has been stolen from its hiding place. I know of this because I was its protector, until…”

“Until what?”

“Until you were born and turned eighteen. The duty of its stewardship has fallen to you, my daughter.”

Dash blinked. She stole a glance with Twilight. She looked scared, more so than she had ever been before, before Discord, before Chrysalis, before Nightmare Moon. She looked back to her dad. “What’s been stolen? What was I supposed to look after?”

“The Celestial Prism.”

Dash frowned. “You mean the thing from the latest Daring Do book?”

Khroma glanced between Aurora and Ditzy and looked back. “What book?”

She looked to Twilight. “It’s an adventure series I like. Twilight got an advance copy of it from the author and we were reading it last night. The title said Celestial Prism on it.”

Khroma’s voice growled with interest. “And what did the book say about the Prism?”

Dash shrugged. “I don’t know, we didn’t get that far yet. I suppose it’s just a big piece of glass that reflects light.”

“Refracts,” Twilight corrected.

Dash rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She glared at her dad. “So, you guys are worried about some fictional thing from a book?”

“The Prism is real!” Aurora snapped. “And the fact that this author uses it by name is most unnerving. You will take us to her at once. We have questions for her.”

Dash turned her attention to Twilight with a pleading look. Twilight tapped her hooves together. “She might still be in Canterlot. She said she was getting ready for a book tour.”

“Then we shall go there at once.” Aurora, Ditzy and Khroma stood from the couch and flocked to the door.

Dash and Twilight watched them, still seated. “You still haven’t answered my question on what is happening to me, dad.”

Khroma turned. “That is true, but the more time we waste explaining, the less time we have to reverse this. If you want answers, then come and assist me, and it will be made clear in time.”

Dash put a hoof on Twilight’s cheek. “Let’s go, then, okay? Dad says we can reverse this, and I want you there with me.”

Twilight’s smile was uncertain, but she wrapped a hoof around Dash’s leg. “Of course.”

They rose and joined the others at the door. Ditzy opened the door and stepped outside first. A gust of wind rushed past her in the doorway, and Dash frowned at the sight outside. The sunny day had been overtaken by an approaching murk of dark clouds. The wind was bristling against the house, and the echoes of thunder rumbled from above.

Dash grunted. “Of all the days to take off of work…” she muttered.

Khroma and Aurora paused just outside the door. “What do you mean, Prizma?” Aurora said.

Dash looked up into the sky as she stepped out. “There wasn’t supposed to be a storm today.”

Khroma and Aurora frowned and glanced at each other. Their eyes suddenly widened and they snapped open their wings. “We have to get out of here, now!”

“What are you talking abou—”

There was a blaze of light across the sky as the clouds began to roar. The explosion of sound followed in seconds, stinging in Dash’s ears. The flashes grew in intensity and speed as the noise became louder. She clamped her eyes shut as something shoved her off the edge of the cloud, only to open them to a blinding force of light that engulfed her. Her senses screamed in pain all around her as she felt herself falling, and everything faded into darkness.

Rising Shadows

The darkness lingered. Like a great, swirling presence it whirled around Rainbow Dash, tightening around her legs, her barrel, her neck. Coils and tendrils of living darkness gripped her, holding her still as she fell deeper into oblivion. Her chest burned with fearful breaths as she tried to fight against her bonds, further tightening with each move of resistance.

A shred of light cut out in the darkness. Her head twisted as she tried to reach for it, but she met with only more resistance. She felt the beat of her heart in her chest and heard it echo in her ears. The light grew with each rhythmic pound, cutting out more of the void that tried to consume her. The bonds lost their strength and she wriggled her way from their grasp.

She grabbed the tendrils that tried to reaffirm their grip with her hooves and bit down. They let out ear-shattering shrieks as they let go. She freed her wings, immediately spreading them wide and beat them furiously. She pulled away from the cords that remained, flying towards the light that she prayed led to safety. The beating in her chest became louder, followed by a steady ringing in her ears. She kicked her legs at any bonds that pawed at her to regain their hold on her as she broke away. The light grew as she got closer, and she felt a comforting warmth embrace her as the darkness faded behind her.

The light suddenly vanished, and Dash landed on something hard. She rolled a few times and lay prostrate on her back, staring up into more darkness. She felt the ground with her hooves, turning her head to look. It was a cold, lifeless stone, rough and natural. She followed it to an edge, where it melded with the shadows into nothing.

A faint glow drew her attention. She turned her head and gasped. A large stone pillar, smoothly cut and towering above her, stood in the middle of a small circle of stone. At its base, staring up at it, was a small filly. Her white mane flowed to an ethereal wind as she sat still in silence.

“Hello?” Dash said. Her voice echoed into the distance all around her for a long while before dying away into a whisper in the wind.

The filly turned her head. Her eyes widened at the sight of Dash, stood up, and started galloping towards her. She tackled into Dash with an enormous grin on her face and wrapped her legs around Dash’s.

“Whoa there, kid,” Dash said. “There’s no need to be rough.”

The filly broke away from Dash and peered up at her. She was bouncing in place wagging her tail.

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Can you tell me where I am?”

The filly nodded.

Dash smiled a moment, waiting for the filly to answer, but when one didn’t come, her frown returned. The child merely stared at her with a smile, not saying a word.

“Okay…” Dash said, scratching her head. “Can you at least show me how to get out of here?”

The filly nodded again, and grabbed one of Dash’s legs. She pulled her towards the stone in the center, pointing up at it with each step with enthusiasm, but no words.

Dash’s frown deepened. “What? The rock? How is that supposed to help me get out of here?”

The filly kept pointing at the stone, puffing her cheeks in frustration. She took Dash’s hoof and pressed it against her chest. The filly then let go and wrapped her legs around herself tightly and pouted.

Dash looked at her hoof against her chest, then to the filly. “I don’t get it…”

The filly rolled her eyes. She pulled at her mane with one leg, and pointed at Dash with with other.

Dash looked up, and saw the tips of her mane hanging down. Her eyes fell quickly on the patch of hair that was once a bright red, and was now turning a dark gray. She suddenly looked back at the filly, who was nodding.

“Do you know what’s going on? Why is this happening to me? Why am I here?”

The filly sighed and slumped her head. She started gesturing with her hooves wildly, when a gust of cold wind drifted across the plateau. The filly froze, and turned to face the dark void surrounding them. Dash looked too, and saw that the tendrils of shadow had returned, and were slowly crawling towards them.

Dash stood and turned around, looking for an escape. The filly clamped onto her hind leg, and she backed up into the center beside the stone pillar. The coiling darkness approached closer, and started to tense in the air. They twitched and wavered like a snake, waiting patiently.

Dash scuffed the ground with the edge of her hoof. “Gimme your best shot,” she growled between her teeth.

As if waiting for the invitation, the darkness lashed at her, snapping at her hooves. She jumped back, avoiding their strikes, although with difficulty with the filly attached to her leg. She stumbled as she regained her footing, backing into the stone.

The lashing continued, but, as it did, Dash blinked as the effort needed to dodge them was minimal. Even when she stopped trying to avoid them, they did not harm her. She gasped and lunged aside, when she realized that they were not aiming for her, but for the child.

She took the child in her legs and gripped tightly as she turned her back to the edge of the plateau. She craned her head back with a scowl. “You aren’t getting her!” she shouted. “You’ll have to go through me first!”

A deep rumbling emitted from the depths of the shadows. It shook the plateau as each bellow heaved through the wind. Dash felt her skin crawling when she noticed the sound was laughter, dark and dripping with malice.

The shadows drew closer, and Dash’s grip on the filly tightened. “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I won’t let it take you.”

The filly tapped Dash on the chest. Dash pulled away enough to see the child’s face. Despite the darkness swirling around them, there was no fear in her eyes. Her hoof rested on Dash’s chest, just above her heart as she stared with a forceful gaze.

The filly began to glow, and Dash’s vision blurred to white. She tried to shield her eyes, but her legs suddenly felt tired and heavy. She squinted instead, as she tried to lift herself further towards the light, but her wings felt numb on her back. A soft feeling started pressing against her back, and she sprang up out of instinct.

She blinked. The darkness was gone, replaced by a green curtain that surrounded her on a rail. Her vision adjusted to the light as she looked down to the equally green sheets that wrapped around her. She ruffled them with her hooves, feeling the soft warmth of reality return her senses to order.

“Dash!”

Dash turned her head, only to be met with a lavender blurr rushing to her sides and squeezing around her. She blinked a moment as her hooves moved on their own to return the embrace as Twilight wept into her.

“I was so scared! Thank Celestia you’re alright.”

Dash’s voice was shaky as she tried to form words in her mouth. “Y-yeah. I-I’m alright, Twi.” She pulled away from Twilight to look at her, and she gasped. Twilight’s mane was a mess, it was rife with split ends and tangles that looked as if they hadn’t seen a brush in days. Her eyes were stained from tears, and deepened with wrinkles from sleepless nights.

“Twi,” Dash breathed. She turned and faced her marefriend, with an increasing look of confusion. “What happened?”

Twilight choked back a sob and looked away. “I-I… shouldn’t… I can’t…”

Dash tightened her grip. “Twi. Tell me what happened. Please.”

Twilight rubbed her shoulder. “W-well, the official report is that somepony stole a storm cloud and let it loose, and it happened to end up over your house, b-but…”

Dash pressed harder against Twilight. “But?”

The curtain surrounding them flew aside. Dash sucked in a breath as she pulled Twilight closer and tried to put herself in front. Pain lanced at her sides as she did, but she grit her teeth to fight it back. She allowed herself to breathe, when she saw that her dad, her aunt, and Ditzy stood on the other side. They too looked ragged and worn, with a few spots of black char staining their manes and coats as they stared at Dash.

“D-dad? What’s going on? Why do you look all burnt?”

He glanced at his wounds. “Such is what happens when you barely escape a lightning strike aimed at you.”

Dash’s chest tightened as she looked to Twilight. She nodded, her face reeking with regret. “I barely got us away in time, but you were closest to the blast. There were some bad burns, but they got the best healing magic they could for you.”

Dash exhaled a breath, as if her mind was only now taking in the weight of what she had heard. “That was a lightning strike?” She looked at her dad. “What about my house?”

Khroma blinked as his expression turned grim. Twilight put a hoof on Dash and she turned to see great sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dash. Your house didn’t survive. There was more than one strike, and whoever did this wanted to make sure you were—” Twilight choked on the final word.

“M-my house is...gone?” She looked to her dad, who nodded gravely.

“Aurora and I tried to give chase,” he said, “but whoever did this was long gone.” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I am so sorry this has happened. It’s all my fault.”

Dash stared at the bed. She gripped the blankets tight as she fought back tears. Her body trembled as the words Twilight and her father said slowly sunk their way into her mind. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath, and turned to Khroma.

“I want answers, dad. You’re telling me I’m connected to this Prism thing and you’ve known about it your entire life. You lied to me, probably Mom too about a whole lot of things, like how Ditzy is somehow your BFF.” Rage started seeping into Dash’s voice as her trembling worsened. “My house just blew up because somepony tried to kill me and you, not to mention Twilight and Auntie! And it’s all because of you, "Dash shouted, pointing a hoof at her dad, "screwing something up! Now you’re going to tell me. Everything. Or so help me Celestia I will get out of this bed and beat it out of you.”

The room went still. Khroma blinked. Then he scoffed. A small smirk formed on his mouth as he shook his head. “I don’t doubt you would try. Always a fighter.” He dipped his head into a slow nod, and then took a seat on the floor. “But perhaps it would be best to hear it from somepony you trust more.”

He turned his head to Ditzy. She nodded and stepped towards the door, opening it. Dash and Twilight gasped as Princess Celestia entered the room. Her eyes found them immediately, and were set in concern. She passed by Ditzy and Khroma towards the bed, where Twilight finally left her place at Dash’s side. She rushed to Celestia’s side, stopping her with a weeping hug.

Celestia steeled her expression as Twilight squeezed her hooves tightly. She wrapped one of her long, flowing wings around her student, craned her head, and spoke softly into her ear. “There, there, Twilight. It’s okay.”

Celestia looked at Dash. “You are looking well, Miss Dash.”

“Could be better,” Dash muttered.

Celestia nodded. “Considering the circumstances…” Celestia smiled. She turned to Khroma and nodded at him, and then turned back. “I know this is a difficult time for you two, but I would start by saying to not be too angry with your father, Rainbow Dash.”

Dash crossed her forelegs and snorted, glancing a moment in Khroma’s direction. “He hasn’t given me much reason not to.”

Celestia lips pursed into the faintest of smiles. “I understand, but I ask this because he is not to blame for what has happened.” Her smile faded. “I am.”

Dash’s eyebrows arched. “What do you mean?”

Celestia indicated Khroma with another nod of her head. “Khroma entrusted me with the knowledge of the Prism’s existence shortly before you were born, Rainbow Dash. He was willing to sacrifice the secrecy of his mission to protect it for his family, a sacrifice I took with the utmost seriousness. I promised I would do everything in my power to keep its burden from ever affecting you, and I failed.”

“And a spectacular job you did of that!” Aurora barked. All eyes fell on her as she stepped in between Dash and Celestia. Her wings flared out and she lowered her head to the princess, glaring. “My idiot brother foolishly entrusted the stewardship of the Prism to you, and now look at what has happened.” Aurora turned her attention to Khroma. “I told you this would happen, and now look at what your choice has caused. If you had just passed the duty to your daughter like you were supposed to, at least she would be ready to deal with these risks!”

Khroma returned the glare, but said nothing. Even Celestia was silent as Aurora continued screaming. “And now, the Prism is missing, and it is taking what it lent to my darling Prizma, and whoever stole it is trying to kill her!”

“Shut up, Auntie!” Dash said. Aurora blinked as she stared at Dash, mouth agape. “What did the Prism give to me that it’s taking back?”

“Your colors, dear,” Khroma said.

“Why?”

“Because it cannot produce any of its own anymore,” Celestia said. She nuzzled Twilight, who finally broke her embrace. She circled the bed towards the window and pulled away the curtain with her magic. Sunlight poured into the room, casting a square patch of light on the hospital floor.

Celestia withdrew a small triangular crystal and placed it on the windowsill. The light passed through it and the square of sunlight changed to a shimmering rainbow. All eyes stared at the glowing section of color on the floor a moment, before Celestia removed the prism and the light returned to white.

“It is a little known fact that color is a tangible resource in our world. Without it, rainbows would be an impossibility, and the lands we live in would seem much more gloomy than we’d like to believe possible.”

“But Celestia,” Twilight said. “Color is just a product of how our eyes interpret light. There is no magical quality behind it.”

Celestia smiled. “True. There is a plain, scientific quality to light and color that serves as a basis, but in the world we live in, with all its magical wonder, can you truly say even color has no magic of its own?”

Twilight’s mouth opened to respond, but she blinked and shut it again, allowing Celestia to continue.

“I had been aware of the Prism’s existence long before Khroma approached me, but he and his family had done such a wonderful job hiding it, I thought I would never see it in my lifetime, long as it is.

“The magic of the Prism allows pegasi to collect and manufacture rainbows, and it is this process that saturates the world with bright and lively colors. Without it…” Celestia turned her head to a small flowerpot outside the window. She opened it and took the pot, grabbing a clump of dirt from it and coating the window with it. After she finished, she returned the pot, and shut the window.

The light that passed through had darkened from the dirt, shifting the bright white to a dull gray on the floor. Celestia’s magic continued as it shaped around the small blotch of dismal light, and with a wince of effort, it began to grow. It traveled across the floor like a living wave, draining the color of anything it touched. It washed over her body, robbing her opalescent coat of its radiance. The golden glow of her magic turned an ugly brass.

The wave did not stop there. It traveled up the bed and through the curtains, turning the sterile green into a distinguishing muck of gray. In turn, each other pony in the room quivered as the invasive magic rushed through them, taking away their color in a sudden, malicious breath.

Dash pawed at the magic as it raced towards her, fighting in vain to keep it from her. It traveled up her body, and she felt a powerful tug in the depths of her heart. Her joy was being stolen. Her happiness. Her love. All of it faded into gray as Celestia’s spell completed its intention.

With an audible snap, Celestia’s breath gave out, and the wave retreated. It washed back over the room, returning everything back to normal. Everypony was panting as they shook the uneasy feelings the magic had caused away. Celestia’s chest was heaving as she finished, and took a moment to collect herself. She lifted her head up back to Dash. “That… was only a taste of what the world would become should the Prism be displaced for too long.”

“But if it’s been moved, why hasn’t it happened yet?” Dash said.

“That is where our family comes in, dear,” Khroma said. He stood and rose to the end of the bed. “Throughout history, there were instances of where the magic of the Prism has failed. The birth of Equestria, the Rise of Discord, the fall of Nightmare Moon. Each of these events precursed a severe displacement of the Prism’s power, and its effects were well underway. In order to prevent its effects from being noticed again, the Prism gained… a sense of sentience.”

Khroma took the prism from Celestia and took it to Dash. He placed it into her hoof. She stared at it as a flicker of light passed through it. “It chooses a host, to contain a fraction of its power, so that in the event of its displacement, it can still function, for a time, living through its host. When you turned eighteen, you became its new host.”

“B-but, your mane is still normal!” Dash said. ”Why doesn’t it take something from you?”

“Well…” He lifted a hoof to his mane and scrubbed. After that, he parted a section of his mane aside, revealing the roots of his hair were a plain gray. “I discovered the most difficult thing in life is to maintain appearances.” He dropped his hoof. “Even your mother doesn’t know I was turning gray.”

Aurora scoffed. “Stallions. Always concerned with going gray. Does nopony see graying as a sign of age and experience?”

Khroma glowered. “This is hardly the time, Aurora.”

She rolled her eyes. “I am merely saying.”

Dash continued to stare at the prism in her hooves. She squeezed it tight as she shielded it from the light in the room. It faded to gray, and a shiver crawled up her back as she tore her gaze away from it. “How long do I have?” she asked.

Khroma frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t try and lighten the issue, Dad!” Dash shouted. “I’ve been feeling weak ever since this started, getting tired by stuff that never bothered me before. I was wobbling on my hooves like a foal. I could barely fly back to my place. How long to we have until this… finishes?”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth. Celestia also looked at Dash with a raised eyebrow. Khroma shook his head. “The Prism’s effects may worsen, but they should not for long.” He placed a hoof on Dash with a reassuring smile. “Your life is not in danger because of what the Prism is doing to you. You may feel weak, but your life is not what it wants, merely what it lent you.”

Dash swallowed and let out a small breath. “Then if the Prism isn’t going to kill me, why would anypony else want to?”

Khroma slouched his shoulders. “Because so long as the Prism is active, they cannot use it for their own ends. As long as it has you to feed from, it cannot be stopped in its intended use.”

“So… as long as I’m alive, I’m a problem for… whoever took it.”

Khroma nodded. “It is likely they have an intended use for it in mind, but are constrained by time. The sooner you were to… die, the sooner they would be able to achieve their goals.”

“Do you have any ideas of who might have taken it, Khroma?” Celestia asked.

He shook his head. “No. Only you and myself knew where the Prism was kept. I have no idea who could have stumbled upon it.”

“What about Edweena?” Twilight said.

All eyes fell to Twilight. She blinked at the sudden attention and slouched to the ground.

“Who is that?” Khroma asked. His eyes went wide. “Is that the author you mentioned?”

Twilight nodded. She went to the bedside cabinet where her saddle bags lay. She retrieved the hardcover from inside and floated it to Khroma. He snapped it in his hooves and stared at the cover, disbelief overtaking his expression. He opened the book and flipped through the pages, scanning numerous entries. His face trembled with hints of anger and confusion when he reached the end of the book and slammed it shut. He glared at Celestia, shoving the book in her direction.

“I will speak to this gryphon. Now!”

Celestia nodded. “I will dispatch my seekers immediately. I believe she was still in Canterlot when I left. You will have her no later than sunset.”

Aurora muscled past her and her brother. “I will have her now!” She paused at the door, glaring at Khroma. “Let us go, brother. I am done leaving this in her hooves.” She stepped through and vanished on the other side.

Khroma sighed and looked at Celestia. “She is right. No offense to your support, but we will have greater luck leaving immediately.”

Celestia nodded. “I understand. I will still send my own aid. You will all cover more ground together. I will instruct them to obey your commands as necessary.”

Khroma nodded and turned back to Dash. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, and stared into her eyes. “I want you to help, dear, but not right now. I want you to get some rest tonight and recover your strength. I promise to return in the morning.”

“But Dad!” Dash said.

Khroma silenced her with his hoof on her mouth. “No buts. You may be a grown mare, but I am still your father. You will respect my wishes. One night. That is all I ask.”

Dash stared her father down, but his face was like stone, and would not relent. After a while, she sighed and groaned in defeat. “Fine. One night, then I’m outta here and helping you and auntie find the jerks who did this.”

Khroma smiled, and with one final fatherly pat on the head, he rose from the bedside and turned to leave. He stopped, one last time beside Ditzy, who had stood silent vigil during the entire conversation. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear, to which she quickly nodded. After that, Khroma stole one last glance of his daughter, and left the room.

Dash grumbled and sunk into her bed. She knocked her head against the headboard, letting out angry grunts with each hit. “I can’t believe him. Keeping something like this hidden from me for so long.”

Celestia rose and returned to the foot of the bed. “Do not underestimate the love of a father, Rainbow Dash. He did all of this to attempt to protect you.”

“Fat load of good it did.”

“You will see in time the difficulty he endured to do this, and hopefully you will appreciate it better when you do.”

Celestia glanced at Twilight one last time and turned to leave. “I should let you get some rest. I must speak with my seekers. It is going to be a long night.”

“Princess, wait,” Dash said.

Celestia paused and turned her head.

“Dad said you knew where the Prism was kept?”

She nodded. “I do, yes. It was my suggestion.”

Dash tore the blankets aside and moved to get out of the bed. “I need you to take me there. There’s something I need to see.”

She's a Rebel

“What?!” Twilight exclaimed. “You can’t be serious, Dash! You just said you would stay put!”

Dash grunted as she landed on the ground. She stretched her legs and spread her wings. Everything was accounted for and working, which she was grateful for. She knew one quick flight would knead out all the stiffness of lying in bed for a few days, and felt like doing just that.

She glanced at Twilight with a smirk. “I just agreed because I know arguing with him is pointless. He and auntie can do his thing, and I’ll do mine.” Dash faced the door, and frowned. Ditzy was still standing there, watching. She fidgeted her hooves as she stared mournfully at her.

“Your dad asked me to keep you here, Dash,” Ditzy said. “I’d really like it if you listened to him.”

Dash bared her teeth and snorted. “I don’t care if you’re some secret agent pony working for my dad, Ditzy, you aren’t stopping me.”

Ditzy winced. “I’m only doing what he asked. He gets really mad when ponies don’t do what he says.”

Dash continued to glare at the resilient Ditzy, when a dainty chuckle broke the silence. They turned their attention to Celestia.

“Now, ladies,” she said, “there is no need to resort to such tension between friends.” She turned her attention to Ditzy. “Now, I am aware that your loyalties to me are more of a facade for your duties, miss Ditzy, but perhaps if all four of us were to travel together to the Prism's chamber, would that be sufficient? There would be few that would approach us with ill intent without proper planning.”

Ditzy held her stare. She bit her lips behind an uneasy smile. “I’ve lived here long enough to respect you, Celestia, but when Khroma asks me to do something, I owe it to him to do it.”

Celestia smiled. “That is true, but I am certain if all of us were to go together, whomever has started this problem will be less inclined to approach us. I would have enlisted others, perhaps even your friends, if not for Khroma. With his injured pride, he will be resentful to any additional help.”

Dash scoffed. “That’s Dad, alright.” She paused. “Wait… where are our friends?” She looked at Twilight.

“Um, well…” Twilight started. “I wanted to tell them, but your dad wouldn’t let me. He said that it was too dangerous to let anypony else know what was happening.” She looked away towards the window. “With what happened, I was inclined to believe him.”

“That still doesn’t matter,” Ditzy said. “Khroma said for Dash to stay put, and he told me to keep her here. You getting your friends to help doesn’t change that he wanted you to stay here where it’s safe.”

Celestia grinned. “If my hearing recalls, Miss Ditzy, Khroma instructed you to keep her safe, not keep her here against her will.”

Ditzy blinked. She hung her head as she carefully considered the idea, but swiftly shook her head. “Khroma does... not care for bending rules.”

“Neither do I, but we are clearly dealing with a force that can slip past our notice with ease. I understand the importance this has on Khroma’s shoulders, but I have no intention of letting further danger come to my little ponies so long as I have a say.” She glanced at Dash and Twilight. “Or those under my stewardship who wish to lend their aid as well.”

Dash nodded. “We’re going Ditzy. If you wanna keep sucking up to Dad, then you can come with. I don’t care. Just get out of our way.”

Ditzy winced. She held her place in front of the door, staring at each pony in turn. Her expression faded, for just a moment, as she let out a short sigh. She turned and opened the door. “Fine. But you need to stay within my sight at all times.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “That shouldn’t be too hard, considering…”

Ditzy twisted her head back, glaring. “Considering what?” she snapped.

Dash reared back, letting out a weak chuckle. “Nothing! Nothing…”

Ditzy went to leave, when Celestia stepped to the door and placed a hoof on her shoulder to stop her. “In the interest of saving time, Miss Doo, I have an alternative way to get where we are going.”

Her horn began to glow, and the frame of the door began to shimmer with magic. A thin golden line traced out in the space of the open door, and slowly slid open wider as it took over the empty air. Soon, the entire frame was filled with an effervescent gold that rippled like water.

Celestia nodded at Ditzy. “After you, Miss Doo.”

Ditzy nodded and stepped through. The portal let out a low hum as she disappeared in a flash of light. Celestia turned back to the others, indicating the gateway with another nod of her head. “Quickly now, we haven’t much time.”

Dash and Twilight stood together as they approached. Twilight turned her attention to Celestia one last time, who gave her an encouraging nod. She then turned to Dash. “Are you sure about this?”

Dash nodded. “I gotta know, Twi. This is big, and I’m not gonna sit on the sidelines.” She grabbed one of Twilight’s hooves in her own. “As long as we’re together, I know we can do anything.”

Twilight blinked and looked down, descending into deep thought. After a moment, a thin smile formed on her lips. “You’re right. I’m just worried. After what happened to your house…”

Dash leaned forward and kissed Twilight on the cheek. She lifted Twilight’s head by the chin and smiled. “Don’t worry so much. I’ll be fine. Cloud houses are easy to replace.” She nuzzled Twilight. “Maybe I’ll build it closer to your place next time.”

“That would be nice, I suppose…” Twilight gasped. “Oh! I almost forgot.”

Twilight opened her bags and pulled out a small box. “While you were asleep, I went back to… what was left of your house. There wasn’t much left, but I did find this…”

She opened the box, which revealed a small heart shaped amethyst. It glowed bright at Twilight’s touch, as she lifted it over Dash’s head and let it hang from her neck. “I know wearing it while practicing was a bother, but I think it would be a good idea to keep this on for now.”

Dash held the gem in her hoof and stared at it. She caressed it gently and smiled. “I thought I lost this… The thing that brought us together last year.”

“Having something that can lead you to me might be useful.”

Dash put a hoof around Twilight and hugged her. “Are you kidding? I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

Twilight giggled, and Celestia cleared her throat. “I hate to interrupt, but time is short. The sooner we solve this, the sooner the two of you can get back to your lives.”

Dash felt a brief moment of longing as Twilight pulled away from her. “Of course, Princess,” she said. “Lets get going.”

Twilight took in a deep breath as she stood at the threshold and released it slowly as she stepped through, leaving Dash alone with Celestia.

Dash went to follow her, but Celestia held up a leg across the door, barring her. Her smiled had diminished, but only slightly, as she held a serious but gentle gaze. “I do not wish to worry her more than necessary, Rainbow Dash. I care for her well-being, and have for a long time. It brings me great joy that you two have found something special between yourselves, but also great pain that in a way, she relies on you more than me these days.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Princess?”

“Love has a way of revising our priorities. Twilight has looked up to me for a long time, but for the past year, I have seen her dedication to you flourish. Even as a Princess herself, she has become her own mare in more ways than one, and I am glad that she has you.”

Celestia’s tone darkened as she lowered her head, bringing her eyes level with Dash’s. “And so believe that I say this with the utmost seriousness, and promise that you will keep it to yourself. Until we truly know the gravity of this situation, I worry for her safety, as well as yours, in what is to come. I have seen the pain that this burden has on its guardians. I have looked through the passages of time and history, and only seen blood, and death, and misery follow in the Prism’s wake.”

Celestia steeled herself with a single, long breath. “I know that whomever is behind this has no light intentions, Rainbow Dash. What happened to your home was only a taste of their power, and it will only become worse. Until we know exactly who we are dealing with, we must be on our guard. This is something your father tried to prevent. I hope in time, you will understand that.”

Celestia said nothing more. She returned to her natural posture, and stepped through the doorway. Dash blinked as she stood alone, staring at the portal. Celestia’s words repeated in her mind as they stuck deep into her memory.

The portal shimmered as the humming began to dwindle. Dash snapped out of her haze, and swallowed as she forced herself to take the first step into the unknown behind it.

Pillar of the Sun

A blast of cold wind met Dash in the face as she stepped onto a darkened cliff. The sky was spotted with murky clouds that streaked over the light of the sun. She brushed her mane out of her eyes and looked for Twilight and the others. Turning into the mountain, she saw them, standing in a narrow crevice dug into the side of the cliff.

She joined them, escaping the deafening winds. Her friends stood against the walls of the rock as Celestia moved in between them towards the back of the cave. Ditzy stood at the mouth of the opening, staring past Dash into the sky. Her stance was wide, and her eyes were searching. Twilight was the first to Dash’s side. They stood together as they watched the princess move through with silent intent.

“Princess,” Twilight said, “where are we?”

Celestia didn’t turn around. “We are on the other side of Canterlot Mountain, near the peak. It is rather gloomy up this far, which is one of the many reasons I chose this as the Prism’s hiding place.”

“A little obvious, if you ask me,” Ditzy said. Her tone was reserved and calm. “Dark, windswept cliff sides just scream ‘hiding place’.”

Celestia turned her head slightly, sporting a slight amused grin. “I assure you, Miss Doo, that both Khroma and I did plenty to see to this place’s security.”

Ditzy scoffed. “And yet, here we are, investigating the scene of the crime.”

Celestia’s grin soured and turned away.

Ditzy blinked. “Um, I didn’t mean it like that…”

Celestia stopped at the edge of the cave, and stared at the rock. Her horn began to glow as she scraped it against the rock. Her movements were precise and smooth, as the rock grated with her etching.

The ground under Dash’s hooves began to shake. The cave walls rumbled as the crevice began to kick loose dust and stray pebbles from above. Celestia stepped away from the wall, as it began to move with a loud grinding echo. The sliver of space began to widen slightly as the mouth gave way to an opening.

Dash was the first to move towards it, stopping next to Celestia and staring down into the entrance. A smooth stone staircase was carved into the rock that descended further into the mountain. The glow of Celestia’s horn cast a faint light in the hall, revealing lifeless sconces along the wall. With a wave of her magic, the torches roared to life, bringing a living glow to the path before them.

Dash stepped closer to the doorway, but Celestia stopped her. “It would be best for your health if I went first, Rainbow Dash. I am not certain what countermeasures were deactivated by the thieves, or merely ignored. It is best I examine them each in turn before you follow.”

Dash gulped and nodded. “R-right. Sure, after you.”

Celestia smiled and proceeded to take the first step into the stairs. Dash turned back to Twilight and shrugged. Twilight walked over, glancing down the cave. “How can she be so calm? Your dad and aunt seemed so worried, yet none of this is bothering her…”

Dash recalled Celestia’s words, just before she came here, and the silent promise that came with them. She put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “You know Celestia, she’s gotta put on a strong face. You had to have seen it all the time when you grew up with her.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and nodded. “I… suppose thats true. I almost never saw her lose her composure, unless somepony was in danger, but even that didn’t start happening until I left Canterlot.”

Dash chuckled, when an echoing voice called up from the depths of the mountain. “You all may follow now.”

Dash glanced again at the entrance, uncertainty overtaking her expression. Twilight and Ditzy, also taking the time to look warily at the dimly lit passage before them. Even Dash felt a clawing feeling nagging at her as she considered the descent ahead of her.

She forced a smirk through her unease and smiled at her friends. “C’mon guys. What’s there to worry about. We got Celestia with us, no need to be a bunch of wimps.”

Ditzy approached the rear of the group. “Let’s hurry up. The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can get back, hopefully before Khroma notices I’ve disobeyed him.”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Fine, let’s go.” Dash went first, taking careful steps down the stairs. The carved stone was pristine. In the ebbing glow of the torches, the stones acted like mirrors and the narrow passage became brighter the further down they went.

Dash kept a careful eye on the group as she led. They packed in a single line, with Twilight right behind her. Ditzy took up the back, and kept looking behind her every few steps.

As she turned her focus to where she was stepping, she heard Twilight clear her throat. “So… Ditzy. What exactly is your role in all this?”

Dash turned back to see Twilight addressing Ditzy with a curious look. Ditzy blinked a few times at the question and shrugged her head. “I’d rather not say...”

“I mean, clearly you know so much of what’s happening. You must be able to tell us something.”

Ditzy didn’t answer. Dash slowed her pace and turned her head. “I want an answer too, Ditzy. I’ve been pretty lax about this whole thing so far, but I want an explanation. How the hay do you know my dad?”

Ditzy bit her lip. “I really shouldn’t say.”

“Horseapples. Auntie called you my guardian. Is that what you’ve been doing? Keeping an eye on me?”

Ditzy rolled her good eye. “Sorta...”

“And..?”

She coughed. “I… really don’t want to say. Your dad asked me not to.”

Dash grit her teeth. “I’m pretty sure its my business when my dad has somepony I’ve known forever keeping an eye on me like a glorified foalsitter. I certainly didn’t ask for one.”

Ditzy sighed. “You didn’t ask for a lot of things. And yet you got them anyways. Your dad thought ahead for decades. Too bad the one thing he didn’t warn me of was how stubborn you were going to be.”

Dash stopped and turned around. “Wait, what? How long have you been doing this?”

Ditzy stared in silence as Dash and Twilight looked back with confusion. Her eyes fell on each of them, remarking them with a solemn gaze. There was a feeling of tension in the air as they stared at each other, and an oppressive weight seemed to press down on them.

After a while, Ditzy sighed and looked down, rubbing her crooked eye. “Ugh, it’s hard to win a staring match when you only have one good eye.”

Dash didn’t even blink at her silent victory. “Start talking, Ditzy.”

She looked up. Ditzy’s eyes had taken on a more sombre look to them, as if her previous resentment had been punctured like a balloon. “Can we at least keep walking?”

Dash’s eyes narrowed, but she nodded. She turned back and started walking, perking her ears for Ditzy’s response.

“First thing, my full name is Ditzanya. I grew up with your aunt back home in Stalliongrad.”

Dash’s head lurched forward. She choked on a breath as she twisted her neck. “What!?”

Ditzy nodded. “She introduced me to your father when we were still in primary school. We were pretty much best friends back then.”

“B-but… you look my age!”

Ditzy frowned. “So? On a good day, Aurora looks younger than the both of us. Blame it on the Stalliongrad genes.”

Dash sputtered a few disjointed responses. Twilight cleared her throat. “How is it that you are involved in this particular problem, though?”

“Like I said, I grew up with Aurora. We went to school together, graduated together, and joined the Prizraks together.”

Dash tripped and landed on her face. She felt a pair of hooves at her side immediately as Twilight tried to help her up. As soon as she was standing, she wheeled around and shouted, “What?!”

Twilight looked confused. “I don’t think you taught me that word yet, Dash. What does Prizr—Prizerk—”

“Prizrak,” Dash breathed. “It means ghost in Trotsky.” Dash returned her gaze to Ditzy. “You were part of the Stalliongrad Secret Service?!”

Ditzy nodded nonchalantly. “We were both skilled at acrobatics and guile as foals. It seemed a natural choice.”

“Since when did they let cross-eyed ponies into the Prizraks?!”

Dash slapped her hooves to her mouth the second the words passed her lips, but the damage had already been done. Ditzy glared and slowly brought a hoof to her crooked eye. There was a long silence as Ditzy inhaled and exhaled deeply, running her hoof across her face.

“My eyes weren’t always like this. When your father went to move the Prism here to Equestria, he didn’t want Aurora to know, because she might try to stop him. I didn’t want to lie to her, but he insisted it was in the best interest of its safety. I earned his trust and helped him move it.”

Ditzy reached out, grasping for something that was not there. “I had never seen anything so beautiful before, and…” She clenched her hoof and put it down. “I reached too far for the sun.” She turned her eyes back to Dash. “The Prism is powerful, Dash… and dangerous. Especially in the wrong hooves.”

Dash couldn’t form a response. She and Twilight stared quietly at Ditzy, who blinked as she noted the change of demeanor and cleared her throat. “After that, I stayed in Equestria with Khroma, pretending to be a family friend that traveled with him. When you were born, he appointed me your legal guardian in private, and when you were planning to move to Ponyville, he asked me to move there first, to keep an eye on you.” She smirked. “My good eye…”

Dash felt a smile coming on, but only another question invaded her thoughts. “But wait… you have a kid! Was that fake too?”

Ditzy raised an eyebrow. “My job was to watch you. I was never told to not have a life.” Ditzy’s face softened. “Dinky is my daughter, and I have never been happier to leave behind a fragment of my more… dangerous past and create a happier one.” She swallowed. “But I made a promise to your father as old as our friendship, and I must at least see this through. Dinky’s father understands that I can have… absences, and he will care for her in my stead.” She looked away. “And if the worst should happen, I have left everything to them, including a letter of explanation.”

“That seems… dark.”

Ditzy nodded. “Such is the life I chose to live, Rainbow Dash. Your father and aunt understand this, I hope that maybe you can too.”

“But why are you such a stickler now? I liked you when you better when you were just annoying and clumsy. Now you’re all secret agent and scary.”

Ditzy smiled. “Because it is easier to be overlooked as the town buffoon, than be recognized as a Prizrak in plain sight. I suppose my bad eye helped with the disguise a bit. It made staying closer to you easier in case something went wrong.”

“But something did go wrong!” Dash shouted. “I’d say my house blowing up counts as something going wrong! What changed?”

Ditzy shot her a blank stare. “Your father fell in love. Then he had a child. Stallions don’t seem to think too clearly when their family is on the line. Moving everything to Equestria was bad enough, but when you were born and showed signs of becoming the new host, he got defensive and complacent. Try as he might, he missed something, and now you are paying for it.”

Dash couldn’t bring herself to voice a response as her heart pulled at her chest. She turned away, facing back into the darkened staircase in front of her. She huffed a quick breath and continued her descent. “He should have just told me. I’m not a foal anymore, I could have handled this.”

“Well, you were busy defending Equestria from its own problems. Khroma felt that even if something did go wrong, you would be able to handle it.”

Dash snorted. “Usually if something happens, I at least have a plan.” She glanced back to Twilight with a smirk. “Or Twi does.”

Twilight smiled back, but it quickly faded as her gaze turned to something behind Dash. Celestia was standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at an ornate metal door embedded into the rock. Her face was grim, and she hadn’t given any sign that she had noticed the others’ approach.

“Princess?” Twilight said.

Celestia’s head snapped to attention. She turned back briefly and nodded, returning her attention to the door. “I don’t understand…”

“What?” Dash said. “What’s wrong?”

“The door… It hasn’t been disturbed. It is just the way I left it over twenty years ago. All of the enchantments are still in place.”

Dash frowned. “Was my dad wrong? Is there somepony else out to get me?”

Celestia shook her head. “No, he is not wrong. There are additional enchantments inside that would alert him if the Prism was moved or touched, as well as myself. Somepony was in this room recently, but they didn’t use the door…”

“Is that bad?”

Celestia expression hardened. “It means whomever did this has considerable power, enough to bypass this door.” She turned back. “I want all of you to be on your guard. I do not know what might have been left behind as a warning.”

Dash and her friends backed away from the door as Celestia’s horn began to glow. She touched it to the door, marking several spots on its frame. Small, glowing lights emerged from within the metal, and with a quick wave, Celestia dispelled them all.

The rock surrounding them began to rumble. Dust and pebbles rained from the ceiling as the hall rocked with grinding metal. A crooked plate on the door popped out and started to spin, chugging with each spin. With one final, mighty groan, there was a deep, metallic click, and the door started to slide into the rock.

Light flowed into the hall from the opening. Dash shielded her eyes, squinting to see what lay on the other side. Celestia went first, her magic glowing at the ready. She took slow, careful steps as her head craned in every direction. Dash took a few steps to follow her, but Twilight reached out and held her by the shoulder. She shook her head, and continued watching Celestia.

From the door, Dash could see that the room was rather large. The furthest wall must have been several meters away. The walls looked rough, almost natural. As she became accustomed to the bright light, she saw that its source was somewhere to the side, from what appeared to be the center of the room.

Celestia paused a few feet from the door, continuing her scan of the room. After a few moments, she turned back. “Come in,” she said quietly. “Keep an eye out for anything strange.”

Dash took the invitation and followed her in. She kept her attention on the light as she entered the main chamber, and gasped as she saw it clearly. A large, shimmering hole was bored into the ceiling, from which a fountain of light poured into the room. It formed an enormous pillar of white in the center.

At its base was a triangular groove in the floor, several feet wide. From the central etching, several channels snaked out along the ground and flowed into the walls, disappearing into small crevices that led to darkness.

Celestia stepped towards the center. The sunlight bathed her in a warm, shimmering glow which radiated from her being. She took in a long, deep breath and let out a relaxed sigh. “I almost forgot the power of a good sunbath.”

“How is this possible?” Twilight said. “There are no vents that would allow light in like that in this mountain, and even if there were, that would compromise the security, wouldn’t it?”

Celestia smiled. “Ah, but you don’t look closely enough, Twilight.” She turned her head upwards. “What do you see?”

Twilight stepped beside Dash and stared up into the hole. She tilted her head and frowned. “I don’t see—wait!” Her eyes widened. “A Resheph Mirror? Aren’t there only ten left in existence?”

“Eleven I think. Saddle Arabia has six of them, I managed to collect the rest over time.”

“Hold on,” Dash said. “What the hay is a Resheph Mirror?” She looked up into the hole, and blinked when she saw that it only traveled a few feet deeper into the rock above them. At the back of the throat, was a large, polished disk that the light flowed from.

“Resheph is one of the ancient desert kingdoms to the east,” Twilight said. “It’s south of Esponya and west of Saddle Arabia. They mastered a form of magic that allowed them to collect solar energy for their mana source, and used these mirrors to do it. We lost the means to replicate that magic when the empire fell thousands of years ago, but some of the mirrors survived.”

Celestia nodded. “I have these mirrors placed at some of the highest peaks in Equestria, free of clouds and prying eyes. In turn, they collect the purest sunlight nearly all day long, and deliver it here, so that the Prism has the most potent source, without leaving it in the open.”

“Amazing…”

Dash grunted. “Okay, cool. So we know how this set-up works. What we still don’t know is how anypony managed get—”

Dash blinked as she glanced once more at the floor of the room. The way the grooves flowed from the center sparked a familiar feeling in her mind. She rubbed her hooves on the stone, further strengthening the sensation.

“What is it, Dash?” Twilight asked. “Is something wrong?”

“No… I just feel, like I’ve been here before.” Dash followed a groove on the floor towards the center. Her hooves slid on the rock as she moved, keeping the recollection fresh in her senses.

As she reached the center, she looked up from the large triangle indentation. She reared her head back, as for an instant, a tower of glass overtook her vision, replaced by stone, and then nothing. She rubbed her eyes and opened them again, but nothing returned.

“I think I’ve been in this room before. In a dream.”

Celestia tilted her head as she stepped beside Dash. “Considering the sentience rumored to exist within the Prism, it is possible it has a link to its host. Its very possible that it was trying to contact you, in a way, as if to ask for help.”

“Pretty weird way of doing it.”

Dash looked down, beside the indentation. She frowned at a discolored spot on the rock beside the middle that was almost shrouded by the bright light. She moved towards it, and touched it with her hoof.

A wheezing breath erupted from her lungs as her heart felt like it was plummeting in her chest. Her skin went cold, her bones numb as the form of a pony filled the spot on the floor. It was prostrate, curled under feathers and blood. It was trying to move, painfully, to look up at the center of the room, before the illusion vanished.

Dash reeled back and fell to the ground, panting. Her skin crawled with chill sweat as she tried to control her breathing. Twilight was at her side in seconds, easing her upright.

“Dash!” she exclaimed. “What’s wrong? What did you see?”

Dash swallowed a ragged breath, gulping in as much air as she could manage while trying to respond. “Some-somepony was here. They looked hurt, real hurt. I think it was a pegasus, but I couldn’t see her face very well. She was bleeding really bad.” Dash’s eyes traced the stained rock. “I think some of it is still here.”

“Did you see anything else?”

Dash shook her head. “N-no. It was too dark to see anything else in the room.” She lifted her head and tried to stand, when she glanced towards the walls. She frowned, as she peered deeply into the darkness.“Wait. Why are the walls so dark with the light?”

Twilight blinked and followed her gaze. Celestia too stared at the walls, as her eyebrows arched. “That’s not possible…”

A cold wind drifted from the cliffs into the room. The torches from the hallways flickered, as a low, groaning bellow creaked from the earth and stone. Twilight was close to Celestia and Dash, with Ditzy not far off, as the cold grew stronger around them.

"What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“Get behind me, Twilight,” Celestia commanded. “And stay away from the walls. We are not alone.”

A quiet, malicious laugh seemed to respond from the wind. It echoed from the walls, as the dark shadows began to ooze onto the floor and crawl towards the center of the room. They broke into long tendrils of darkness that grasped towards the ponies, but never reached far enough.

The ring of shadow slowly washed over the light, turning the gray stone into black, and stopped only inches from Dash and the rest. Her eyes widened as a shape, formed from nothing but shadow and darkness rose out of the encroaching black in front of her. It flowed in the phantom wind, and the light defined its edges with shimmering incandescence.

A dark, shadowy pony shape soon stood in front of her, towering, menacing, cold. Its eyes peered down at her, glowing like the dark of night under the moon and stars. It smiled with a sinister, cruel grin, and spoke softly. “Well,” it said. “It’s so nice that everypony is finally here.”

Pitch Black

Dash stood in front of her friends as she kept a close eye on the dark apparition that had appeared before them. It was silent, for a long, painful while as it watched them with calm amusement. Dash chanced a look back to Celestia, who returned the shadow pony’s gaze with stoic rigidity.

“Who are you?” she asked firmly.

The shadow placed a hoof to its chest, and shrugged her head in dramatic sadness. “Oh, that hurts, Celestia. It truly does.” The shadow’s voice almost swirled in the cold wind that flowed into the room from the mountains above. It was a composed, feminine voice, laced with quiet anger. “How could you possibly have forgotten me? We used to be so close.”

The shadow took a step forward. Her hoof grazed the edge of the light’s influence. A small hiss erupted from her leg as it touched the light, but she held firm. “Has it really been so long that you’ve discarded all memory of me? I recall you being better than that.”

Celestia frowned. “If you were somepony worth remembering, you would either be honored in my halls, or banished in the depths of Tartarus. I promise that I would remember either. You clearly are not worth remembering.”

The shadow’s eyes flickered, as if the stars and suns locked in their depths detonated in a celestial explosion. “Oh, that really hurts, Celestia. After all I did…” She laughed. “Oh well, I suppose that there are some things even you hide in the dark.”

“Where is the Prism?” Celestia demanded. “What have you done with it?”

“Yeah!” Dash said. “You better give it back, or it’ll be my hoof in your face!”

The shadow waggled her hoof. “Ah, ah.” She lowered her head to Dash. “You mustn't rush into things you do not comprehend, little host. You will see how little your pride will serve you in time.” She returned her attention to Celestia. “The game has only just begun Celestia. What fun would there be in me revealing my intentions? It all seems rather predictable really. You ask me where it is, I say no, then we start fighting. Why not just skip the theatrics and go right to the fun part?” She completed her statement with a wide, thirsting smile.

Celestia blinked and lifted her head, nodding with a regal flair. “Because, it would not be proper for a princess to not offer mercy to her enemies, would it not? After all, somepony must adhere to fairness. But if you are so interested in violence—”

Celestia’s eyes flickered a moment, and narrowed ever so slightly. She took in a sharp breath and plunged her horn into the fountain of light above her. It began to glow like a hundred suns, and Dash turned away, shielding her eyes.

A thundering boom arced across the room, over Dash’s head towards the shadow. A wave of heat washed over Dash, flooding out the pervasive cold the shadow had brought. When the light faded, Dash chanced opening her eyes. The shadowy form was no longer in front of her.

“Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Dash said.

Celestia show her a stern glance. “Do not celebrate yet, Rainbow Dash. The shadows are still dangerously close.”

Dash looked at the ground, and felt her heart drop when she confirmed that Celestia was right. As quickly as the heat had calmed her, the deep chill crept back and filled the void of warmth. The same, quiet cackling returned, from all directions as the shadows swirled around them.

“Well!” the shadow’s voice exclaimed. “Celestia, the monarch of the sun, trying to catch me off guard. I must say times have changed. You were always so honorable before, Celestia. You offered a fair and reasonable chance to everypony, and now, you’re willing to destroy me as quickly as possible.”

Dash spotted a section of the shadows whorling not far from her. Again, the dark, towering shape rose from the darkness, cackling all the while. Her eyes bobbed in amusement as it finished a long winded laugh. “Ah… how time was weathered away at the might of the sun. It is only a matter of time, then, Celestia, wouldn’t you agree?”

Celestia’s frown held, veiled by a fragment of her regal grace. “Your play of the shadows is impressive, but it will not hold. Darkness always yields to the presence of the sun.”

The shadow chuckled. “Clearly, you do not understand how powerful the shadows can be.” A spiral of dark, whirling energy glowed around her body. The magic coiled into long, grasping limbs that emerged from the field of darkness surrounding Celestia and her group. Dash stepped closer to the center with her friends, as the tendrils ebbed in the air, weaving, bobbing, waiting.

Celestia lowered her head, and widened her stance as she stared the shadow down. Dash did the same, taking position along with the Princess, Twilight, and Ditzy. Celestia and Twilight’s horns were glowing. Ditzy took a stance of her own, spreading her wings and holding them out wide.

The shadows struck first. The tendrils lashed out in unison, lunging towards them in the center. A burst of golden light flashed from Celestia, forming a sphere of energy around herself and her company. Many of the tendrils burst and evaporated instantly on contact with the barrier. Those that made it through hissed with heat and pain, but powered through as they struggled to reach.

Bolts of magic flew from Twilight and struck any that drifted to near to her. They detonated in a flash of purple and burned away under the sway of Celestia’s light. Those that strayed near Ditzy lasted nearly as long. With effortless dives and spins, the shadows skirted past her harmlessly. Those that didn’t, she cleaved with fluid strokes of her wings, severing them from their source.

Dash took on her own attackers with her usual style of blunt aggression. Any tendril that approached her was met head on. She swung her legs at any of the shadow’s attackers that got too close, bashing them with years of trained physical strength. Under the stress of being in Celestia’s light, they all but popped under the assault Dash and her allies made against them.

Their numbers kept growing, and the attacks only quickened in frequency. Dash found a rhythm in their strikes, and her victories grew faster in number, along with Twilight and Ditzy’s.

Dash kept an eye on Celestia as best she could. In the midst of the battle, the shadow kept her own attention directly on the princess with her own dark magic. She and Celestia were connected by a long arc of magic. Light and dark collided in the air, pushing against each other. Blazing heat and frigid cold swirled in the chamber, whipping dust and rocks in every direction. Dash felt a few choice rocks strike her sides. They stung, but it was hardly enough to slow her down.

The bristling magic in the air hummed, and the winds only strengthened the longer the connection held. For every bit Celestia pushed forward, the shadowy mare pushed back just as much. The resonant sound of the warring magic rose higher and higher, until finally, it broke. The coalesced magic detonated in a wave of dark and light. One last gust of air rushed over the room. The dark tendrils burned away as the force of Celestia’s light enveloped the center, while the shadows eclipsed the rest. The room went still, as everypony in the room repositioned, waiting for another attack.

The shadow stood tall, laughing. “This balance of power is invigorating, Celestia! You know no idea how much I missed this, this futile war between light and darkness.”

Dash and the others were heaving, except for Celestia. Dash was amazed that after all that had happened, Celestia wasn’t the least bit tired. She held herself high, keeping a level gaze on the shadow as the flowing light washed over her from above.

Dash blinked. That was it. The mirror that brought in the sunlight must have been empowering Celestia. She grinned at the fact that they had such a powerful boon. Nothing can stop Celestia, not here!

“What do you seek to gain from this?” Celestia asked. “Why approach so early, when you have the advantage? You have the Prism, and we have no idea where you’ve taken it. Why not remain in anonymity?”

The shadow smiled behind a silhouette of pearlescent teeth that stood out from her darkened form. “Because hope is a disgusting emotion.” She glanced at all the ponies that stood before her. “I see it in your eyes. All of you. You have hope that you will succeed, that you will find the Prism and stop me. You cling to that hope like a raft of one lost at sea. Even though you know that I have the advantage, you still think you will win.”

Her smile faded into a scowl. The starscape or her eyes slanted into a seething, hateful glare. “I hate hope. And what better way to crush it than now, with the Princess of the Light at my mercy?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “I fail to see myself at your mercy.”

The shadow cackled. “Ah, yes, you fail to see it now. But, just as the darkness yields to the presence of the sun, so does the darkness thrive in its absence!”

The cave shook as the shadow let out a primal roar. The darkness surrounding her pushed against the field of light that Celestia held. It slowly crept towards the center of the room, darkening the stone in shadow, despite the light above them.

Celestia stood her ground. She held her head high, channeling the source of power at her disposal, pushing back against the rising shadows around her. Her hooves scraped against the ground as she slowly slid back against the shadow. Despite the fount of power at Celestia’s command, she was losing.

The shadow smiled as she advanced. Celestia grit her teeth as she strained back against her. Dash felt helpless in their presence. She had no magic to help, and physical force wouldn’t amount to much in the presence of such dangerous magic. I can’t do anything! she thought, biting back tears. Im just a pegasus, I can’t fight against this. I can’t help Celestia.

She blinked as somepony stepped beside her. Twilight, panting, struggling to stand, stepped past her towards Celestia. Her horn glowed in the midst of the encroaching shadow, and added her magic to Celestia’s.

The princess turned her head slightly. Her eyes were wide, just a moment, before it faded into a grateful smile. She redoubled her efforts, and with Twilight’s help, the shadow’s advance slowed to a stop. Princess and student, standing together against their foe, and Dash couldn’t help but be in awe.

The ring of shadow was only a few meters from the center, giving them minimal space to stand. It boiled and raged as it pressed against Celestia and Twilight’s resistance, as the shadow herself seethed.

“Hope springs eternal…” the shadow breathed. Her tone shifted from anger suddenly, into a loud, insane shriek of laughter. “But darkness reigns forever!”

She shrugged her magic aside, for an instant. Twilight and Celestia stumbled forward as the great pressure they pushed against vanished, and let loose a torrent of magic in the empty space. When the light faded, the shadow had moved again, and they searched for her.

“Up there!” Ditzy yelled.

Dash looked up. The shadow was on the ceiling, beside the Resheph Mirror. She was cackling as her magic coils of darkness merged together into one large appendage. It skimmed the edge of the light’s influence, and swiftly reared back and swung.

Celestia let out a strangled cry as the mirror shattered. There was a sudden, chilling silence, before the mirror erupted in a flash of light. Shards of glass fell from the mirror’s housing, but they evaporated before they came close to the ground.

The room filled with a persistent glare of light. Dash shielded her eyes as the magic roared above her. The mountain shook, sending motes of dust and rock to scatter across the room. When the final light of the mirror began to fade, the room slowly became immersed in darkness.

Before the shadows could surround them, though, a single light cut the darkness back. Celestia’s horn emulated the light of the sun as she looked around the room with quick jerks of her head. Her expression was focused, as she peered into the shadows around them, searching.

The shadow’s laughter returned. A pair of sparkling eyes gazed from the darkness. Despite Celestia’s magic, they drew closer, carrying the darkness with them. Celestia strained all of her effort into her magic, but the shadow was not deterred as the light slowly drained away.

Even as Twilight stepped in and offered her aid, nothing pushed the shadow back. Closer the shadow drew, cackling all the way. Dash stepped back, her mind reeling. I can't just give up! There has to be something I can do!

“Twilight…” Celestia said, her voice strained. “I cannot stop her.”

“Don’t say that, Princess!” Twilight said. “Just keep trying!”

Dash raised an eyebrow when Celestia somehow managed a smile. “No, Twilight. One must know when a battle is lost, so they can fight again to win the war…”

Twilight blinked. “What are you saying?”

Celestia closed her eyes. Her horn brightened, as a warming sensation surround Dash, Twilight and Ditzy. Dash felt weightless, lighter than air, lighter than… light. She felt awash in pure solar energy as she and her friends rose from the ground.

“Celestia!” Twilight shouted. “What are you doing?!”

Celestia managed one final smile, her effort spent as she turned her head to the door, and the lit stairway beyond. “Winning the war…”

Dash felt herself flying as Celestia threw them, shielded in light, towards the door. Twilight screamed as Celestia grew further away.

They landed roughly in the hallway. Dash managed to get up, just in time to see the light surrounding Celestia fade away, and the shadows close on her as the door slammed shut in front of them.

Twilight was on her hooves in seconds. She leaned against the door, pounding on it with tears streaming from her eyes. “No! Celestia! Don’t do this!” She grunted as she shoved against the stone. “Let me in! I have to help her!”

Dash placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twi, we gotta—”

Twilight shrugged Dash away. “No! We need to get back in there! I can’t let her do this alone! I won’t!” Twilight descended into hysterics as she slammed her hooves and her magic against the door. Her wails echoed in the halls, as Dash wilted at the sight of her.

Ditzy grunted. “We can’t stay here. Once that thing is done with Celestia, we’re next.”

Dash nodded and went to Twilight’s side. “Twi, Ditzy’s right. We can’t stay. Celestia gave us a chance to fight back, but not now.”

Twilight showed no sign of hearing her. She slammed her hooves again on the door, seething. “I’m. Not. Leaving her!”

On the final strike, the door gave way. It creaked open slowly, the stone groaning against its frame. The light of the hall cast a patch of light into the lightless room. Dash leaned forward, senses on edge. She awaited a fresh assault, but none came. The chilling cold was gone, and the room was stale with dust. The light caught a fleck of gold at the edge of its influence and sparkled brightly.

Twilight took off running into the room. “Celestia!”

“Twilight!” Dash yelled. “It might be a trap!”

She beat her wings to chase after Twilight, but Ditzy swooped past her. She landed in front of Twilight, and what she was running for. Ditzy held up a hoof, and glared at Twilight, which was enough to stop her in her tracks. “Did Celestia teach you nothing about sense?”

“Get out of my way Ditzy,” Twilight said.

Ditzy’s ears twitched, and her frown deepened. She sighed, and stepped aside, turning into the darkness. She shot a glance at Dash. “Keep an eye out.”

Dash nodded and caught up with Twilight in the center of the room. Her horn was glowing, casting a faint light around Celestia’s lying form. Dash felt panic tearing at her chest as she stared at the princess in this state; broken, beaten.

“She’s still breathing,” Twilight said, her voice breaking in relief. Dash’s chest lightened at that news, and moved over to help Twilight lift Celestia up from the ground. She craned her leg under Celestia’s head and lifted it up.

She gasped and nearly fell back. Celestia’s eyes were still open, staring in a vacant gaze. They glowed like the night sky, an endless expanse of stars, galaxies and the void of the night sky. A chill gripped Dash as she looked deep into Celestia’s eyes, and felt herself losing herself in them. She shook herself from falling to the void, as Twilight wrapped her legs around Celestia, tears streaming down her face.

“No… please no… Celestia… please wake up…”

By the Light of the Moon

Dash heaved for a breath as she landed hard on the ground. She writhed in pain as she tried to understand her senses that screamed out from every direction. Her vision focused on a gray form next to her. Ditzy also seemed to be struggling to get her head to stop spinning.

Screaming tore at Dash’s hearing. She lifted her head, and saw Twilight, still curled around Celestia’s body, howling into the darkness. “Somepony! Anypony! Help us! The princess is hurt!”

Dash winced as she rolled onto her front. Her vision was steadily clearing, but the dim light made it difficult to determine what had happened. She felt the ground under her. It was no longer the rough stone of the cave, but a smooth, polished surface.

Her head felt like it was weighing her entire body down. Every movement in standing was a challenge to not topple over.

Her ears twitched again at the sound of approaching hooves. Many approaching hooves. It felt like a percussion section going off in her head as they drew closer, and a section of darkness split open in front of her, revealing a wall of light.

Several shapes stood in the light, as Dash squinted her eyes to see what they were.

“Princess Twilight!” a new voice said. “What are you doing in Celestia’s bedchambers?”

“Nevermind that!” Twilight shouted. “Celestia’s been hurt! Get help!”

Dash blinked. Finally, she could clearly see the pair of royal guards standing in a tall doorway. They stared at Twilight with deep concern in their eyes as their gaze fell on Celestia. They started shouting and ran off into the hallway.

Dash grunted as she limped over to Twilight.

“Sure, don’t help the cross-eyed pony off the ground,” Ditzy grunted. Dash turned to her, still on the ground as she struggled to get on her hooves. Dash rolled her eyes and went to help.

Despite her own body’s protests, she managed to hoist Ditzy upright. She muttered a quiet “thanks,” and Dash went over to Twilight and Celestia.

“Twi, are you okay?”

Twilight twisted her head towards her. “Do I look okay?! I could have helped her, Dash. I could have kept this from happening!”

Dash winced and rubbed her neck. “I meant from bringing us here. I know teleporting more than one pony can be tough.”

“That’s not important right now. What’s important is that we get help for Celestia!”

Dash frowned. She knelt down beside Twilight and grabbed her hoof. “Hey, your wellbeing is just as important. To me, its everything. I dont need you pushing yourself too hard and getting hurt too. There is nothing more important in this world to me than you, Twi. Don’t forget that.”

Twilight blinked as tears started welling in her eyes. The tears fell down her face as she started crying again. Dash took a steadying breath and sat down, draping a wing over Twilight. “It’ll be okay, Twi. We’ll figure this out.”

“We’d better soon,” Ditzy said. She was looking at Dash’s head. “You’re down another color…”

Dash’s heart jumped as she looked up at her mane. First the red, now the orange streak in her mane had turned completely gray, and the yellow was well on its way. “Ugh,” she said. “This sucks. After all that, and we aren’t any closer to figuring out what the hay is going on. Now with Celestia like this… how are we going to fight that… thing, again?”

“I’m sure Khroma and Aurora found something. They would have tried to find us by now.” Ditzy went over to the window and parted the curtains. Light poured into the room, breaking the shadows. “Hmm.”

“What?”

“The sun is still up. I figured something would have happened to it if…” She glanced at Celestia. “Well, you know what I mean.”

Dash frowned at Ditzy, when she sensed a new presence in the room.

“Perhaps I had something to do with that…”

Dash turned to the door. Princess Luna stood in the entrance. She walked in and promptly closed the door behind her. Her face was calm, composed as she walked towards Twilight and Celestia.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight said. “I tried to help her, but she—”

Luna held up a hoof. “Please, before we discuss how this happened, let us get her to the bed. She deserves at least to be comfortable.”

Twilight opened her mouth to continue, but she relented, nodding. Her horn, along with Luna’s began to glow and lift Celestia gently from the ground towards her bed. They laid her down, and Luna took a seat next to her.

“Oh, sweet sister, what have you gotten into now?”

She closed her eyes as her magic hummed to life. Silvery strands flowed from her horn and connected with Celestia’s. Her eyes danced behind her eyelids, as she followed an ethereal presence. Her face looked strained the longer she held, and eventually her eyes snapped open. She was panting loudly as she rubbed her head.

Luna looked at Twilight. “I felt something was wrong the second the noon sun failed to move from its apex. I felt Celestia’s connection to it had been interrupted, so I knew to keep it in alignment. Ponies tend to panic more often these days when the sun isn’t moving accordingly.”

She allowed herself a faint laugh, but her tone quickly turned serious. “Now, explain what happened.”

Twilight scratched her head. “I… have no idea where to start.”

Dash frowned. “I do.” She glanced at Luna. “Princess, have you heard of the Celestial Prism?”

Luna’s expression didn’t shift. “Of course.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “And I am to understand you are its current host, Miss Rainbow Dash. Your name is no longer befitting your appearance.”

Dash shrugged. “Yeah, unfortunately, my dad neglected to tell me that bit until now, after it’s been stolen.”

“I assumed as much. He often had nightmares concerning you and its discovery. I rarely see residents of Stalliongrad be so worrisome.”

“Is that how you know of it?”

Luna nodded. “Among other reasons. The world’s history is embedded into the dreams of all, and through it I see the passages of time that I have missed. It is far easier to understand than to read a book. The Prism’s history is quite interesting indeed.”

Luna turned her head to Celestia. “And it seems that whomever took it sought to keep my sister from interfering. I can understand that much. It is her way.”

Dash exchanged a glance with Twilight, before they both looked at Luna again in shock. “Wait, you know who did this?”

Luna nodded. “More of a what, than a who, but yes, I believe I know what force is capable of doing this to my sister.” She glanced at Celestia. “And you have met it before.”

Dash frowned. “We have? When?”

Luna’s eyes flickered. “When we first met ourselves.”

Twilight gasped. “You mean…”

Luna nodded gravely. “The Nightmare has returned. I once served as its host in a moment of jealousy and attempted to defeat my sister, and spent a thousand years with it locked away. Whatever force of darkness that once made me Nightmare Moon has found a new home, and has grown powerful indeed.”

“That… can’t be possible. We used the Elements of Harmony to get rid of it!”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, when the Elements have ‘gotten rid’ of something.”

Twilight jerked her head. “What do you mean? We sealed Discord away, we—”

“Exactly my point. The Elements of Harmony are not a weapon, Twilight Sparkle. They are a means to empower the ideals we ponies hold dear. They are meant to create and purify, not corrupt and destroy. The Nightmare was not destroyed, merely removed from me.” Luna looked away. “It shames me that it took me so long to fully understand that limitation of the Elements’ powers, for I would have predicted this sooner.”

“So wait,” Dash interrupted, “that means this Nightmare thing has been just hanging around all this time? That was over three years ago!”

“It most likely has been searching for a suitable host that it can easily control, and biding its time. The longer it possesses a host, the more its own latent power emerges, and its will becomes harder to resist.” Luna sighed, and looked at Celestia. “It pains me to admit this, but my banishment allowed me a grace from the Nightmare fully controlling me. My mind rested in stasis, far from its reach. Had Celestia not put me there, it would have overtaken me, and my return three years ago would have been… far less merciful.”

Luna shuddered and looked away, while Dash and Twilight looked on in shock.

Ditzy cleared her throat. “Okay, so the question is, who is the Nightmare’s current host? Who would have enough latent power to out-do Celestia?”

Luna glanced at her and shook her head. “I do not know. It wouldn’t take much of the host’s power, coupled with the Nightmare’s own to overtake Celestia. Especially if they had something advantageous.”

“Like being in a pitch black room with no sunlight?” Dash said.

Luna nodded. “The Nightmare sources its power from darkness and shadows, but also negative emotions. It feeds off them, such as jealousy…” Luna paused a moment before continuing. “Arrogance, pride, anger. Any being that exhibits any of these to an extreme would be irresistible to the Nightmare. And ponies are far from perfect. There are countless in the world that it would use.”

Twilight looked away. Dash raised an eyebrow, when Ditzy spoke up again. “So, what will happen to Celestia?”

Luna blinked, and placed a hoof on the bedside. “The Nightmare has trapped her in a perpetual dreamscape of her worst fears. I only saw a glimpse of it, but it was very strong. I do not know if I can rouse her from this sleep on my own, even with my power over dreams.”

“Then how do we help her?” Twilight said.

“I can enter her dream for moments at a time, to keep her from slipping too far, with some help of course.”

At that moment, the door opened. A ruby maned unicorn walked in, a dark blue robe skirting on the floor behind her. She wasted no time in approaching the bedside with Luna, offering the princess a low bow. “I came as soon as I heard, your majesty.”

Luna nodded. “Thank you for your haste, Crystal Dream. We have much work ahead of us. I will prepare everything first, and we can work to keep this from affecting Celestia for too long.”

Crystal Dream nodded, and began pulling supplies out of her saddlebags.

Luna looked back to Twilight and Dash. “As for you, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash. Your way of helping Celestia is simple, and is not.” Luna’s expression turned grim. “So long as the Nightmare is in power, I do not know if I can pull Celestia from her slumber. You must destroy it. Permanently. Only then will its influence leave my sister’s mind. I can keep her from falling too far, but only for a time.”

“Great, so just one more thing to add to the list, then,” Dash grunted. “At least it falls in line with the same thing.” She looked to the window again. “Has there been any word from Celestia’s seekers?”

“I sent for a report from the captain when I heard what happened. He should be here shortly.”

Dash turned her head when somepony knocked at the door. A gold clad pegasus poked his head inside and bowed. “Princess Luna, you requested me?”

Luna, now focusing her attention on Celestia, waved her hoof at the stallion. “Yes, you are to catch these three up to speed on your pursuit of the gryphon and aid them in any way possible. Let them aid you if they wish to do so.”

The stallion blinked, but nodded. “Of course your majesty.” He turned to Dash and Twilight. “I can inform you on the way, we found Miss Talonmark, and the two Stalliongrad operatives are in pursuit.”

“About time!” Dash said. “C’mon, Twi. Let’s go get some answers.”

Twilight hesitated. “I… You go ahead and help your dad, Dash. I want to stay here with Celestia, and see if I can help in any way.”

Dash paused. “Are you sure? I really don’t want to leave you alone with all that’s going on.”

“There is no safer place from the Nightmare at this time than with me, Miss Dash,” Luna said. “She may have been arrogant enough to think she had a chance against Celestia, but she would not be so foolish to challenge me without a true advantage. Her power is the same as mine.”

Twilight smiled. “See?” She leaned forward and placed a kiss on Dash’s cheek. “Now go find Edweena, and hopefully some real answers.” She frowned. “I just hope she isn’t actually behind any of this. She’s always been such a nice gryphon to know.”

Dash nodded. “Maybe, Twi. We’ll know more when we talk with her.” She looked at Ditzy. “Lets go.”

Author Appeal

Dash raced through the skies of Canterlot with Ditzy close behind. They followed the royal guard as he led them towards the towers of the Cloud Quarter; a section of the city built at cloud height over the Canterlot Cliffs to accommodate the pegasus population.

Dash frowned, as she saw, scattered over the district, several squadrons of pegasus soldiers were about, flying in formation as far as the eye could see.

“Celestia wasn’t screwing around when she sent out her seekers, wasn’t she?” Dash said.

“Nearly ninety percent of the Canterlot Seekers are in the field to find the gryphon, as per Celestia’s urgence," the guard said. "The rest are out of the city limits, making sure she doesn’t slip out.”

“I don’t think we’re expecting her to run. I think Twi’s right, I don’t think she’s the problem here.”

“If that were the case, Dash, then why is she running from the guards?” Ditzy said. “If she really was trying to help, she’d have turned herself in so we could get out questions out of the way.”

Dash glared at her. “Would you stick around when the entire seeker brigade is out looking for you? I know I’d probably have better things to do than sit around and get arrested for something I didn’t do.”

Ditzy rolled her eyes and sighed. She directed her attention to the guard. “Where are Khroma and Aurora? They would be close to her by now.”

“You mean the Stalliongrad operatives? They were near the warehouses down on the cliff sides near the airship dock the last we saw them.”

“Then that’s where we’re going.” Ditzy tilted over and banked down, breaking away from Dash and the guard.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Dash spun in the air and followed Ditzy. She glanced back at the guard. “You’d better get some ponies to follow us, I have a feeling she’s right.”

The guard paused a moment, raising an eyebrow. He shrugged, nodded, and continued on his way towards the other guards ponies above the city.

Dash turned back and pumped her wings to catch up with Ditzy. Dash recalled, only days ago, where she would have given Ditzy a wide berth when flying anywhere near her in the air. Now, Ditzy was the one leaving her in the dust, flying with skill and speed that could very well have rivaled her own in a fair race.

Dash caught up and flew aside Ditzy as they descended towards the city cliffs. “Do you really think they found Edweena?”

“Aurora was the best tracker in the Prizraks before we retired. Your dad learned a lot from her as they grew up and trained together.”

“Was my dad a Prizrak too?”

Ditzy shook her head. “No. His commitment to guarding the Prism forbade him from joining them. He had to have his attention focused on protecting it. Your great grandfather and grandfather trained him specially. Aurora just showed him a few tricks.”

Dash sighed. “I can’t believe there’s so much I don't know about my own family. How could my dad just lie to me for over twenty years?”

Ditzy didn’t answer. She increased her speed as they approached the ground. Dash grumbled and scanned the area below. Low, stubby buildings dressed the sides of the cliffs. Small airships, laden with cargo hovered near the edge, lashed by thick ropes. Piles of wooden crates and metal containers were spread all over the area as they were stacked and moved by the dozen or so workers that moved in between the buildings.

Ditzy slowed to a hover over the warehouses and looked around. The air was still, and as far as Dash could see, there were no disturbances. The workers below didn’t even seem to notice their presence, continuing their work unabated.

Dash stared at the back of Ditzy’s head as she kept searching. They both hovered in silence, waiting.

Ditzy sighed and faced Dash with a strained frown. “Look, im not blood to you, but I might as well be considering how close I am to your father and your aunt. Your dad wasn’t trying to lie to you. He was trying to protect you. All of this prism business brought a heavy burden on your family, and the last thing he wanted was to put it on you. He wanted you to be free to live your own life. Surely you can appreciate that.”

Dash looked away. “I guess. Still, it would have been nice to know that he trusted me enough to tell me about it at least. Being blindsided isn’t a great way to bond as father and daughter.”

Ditzy’s face softened. There was a long, calming look of fondness in her eyes, when something caught her attention. She smirked and pointed at something behind Dash. “Well, when we catch that gryphon, I’m sure you’ll have all the time in the world to bond with him at your leisure.”

Dash spun around. In the distance, was a small winged shape diving through the buildings at the far end of the cliff. It was larger than an average pegasus, Dash noted, even from this distance. A pair of smaller shapes followed close behind, gaining with each passing moment.

Dash grit her teeth and pumped her wings. Ditzy shouted something, but Dash was already too far to hear it.

Ditzy was right. The sooner she talked to Edweena, the sooner she might get some answers, and the sooner she should just go home and go back to her normal life with Twilight. And what better way to get answers than from an old friend who you just saved you from the Stalliongrad Secret Service?

Dash flew low through the buildings, staying out of sight from anypony above her. She weaved through the maze of boxes to keep Ditzy from following her. She was a good flyer, but there was no way Dash would let a pony she knew until now as the village clutz get the best of her, phony persona or not.

Dash kept an eye on the distant chase through the gaps. It was drawing closer, as the shapes of her father and aunt grew more distinct against the mountains. Dash had to hoof it to Edweena. While she knew her dad was a good flyer, and her aunt had to have been one by extension of her… interesting past, Edweena was keeping her lead quite well.

Dash had to get ahead of her, enough to have just a second with Edweena before anypony else interfered. She pushed her wings to their limit, slicing through the narrow alleys with practiced precision.

She came to an open space that curved along the mountainside, and Edweena was closing in. Dash propped herself against a building, and peeked her head out and watched.

Sure enough, the gryphon chose to drop under the rooftops in the open space, trying to get out of sight from her pursuers. Dash looked behind her, and her dad and aunt were slowing down. It was now or never.

She poked her head out and waved. “Edweena! Over here!”

Edweena looked over, and her eyes widened. She stretched out her wings to brake, and came to a halt in the air. She stared at Dash wordlessly, and then glanced behind her. Khroma and Aurora were plodding about in the air, slowly regaining their ground. It wouldn’t be long until they found her again, and both Dash and Edweena knew that.

Edweena spared little time in flying over to Dash, and hid with her against the same wall. Dash nodded at her, and put a hoof to her mouth, gesturing to a nearby alley.

The gryphon agreed wordlessly, and they both slunk off into the warehouses, keeping away from the open air. Dash spotted an open storage room, and beckoned Edweena to follow her inside. Once they were past the door, Dash looked outside one last time to ensure they weren’t followed, and then shut the door.

She turned to Edweena. She sat on the floor against the nearby wall, panting. Her feathers looked weathered and dirty, and she held one arm tightly to her side. Edweena lifted her head and looked at Dash with a curious look. “Thank you, Miss Dash. It’s good to see you again.”

Dash smiled. “Well, I don’t leave my friends hanging, and anyone who sends me an advanced copy of the next Daring Do book is a friend to me.”

Edweena raised an eyebrow. “I sent you a copy of my next book?”

Dash nodded. “Well, you gave it to Twilight, she brought it over to me. We already read most of it together.”

“Oh, I see. She never mentioned anything of sharing it with anyone. I intended her to read it through and—” Edweena paused and looked away.

“Look through it and what?” Dash asked. She drew closer to the laying gryphon, eyes narrowing.

“It isn’t my place to say. I’m already in enough trouble with those Stalliongrad insurgents. They think I’ve stolen something from them, and considering the things I’ve researched of them, I’d rather not find out how they actually treat their prisoners for questioning.”

“The Celestial Prism?”

Edweena blinked. “O-of course not!” Her eyes darted. “That’s just an artifact I conceived for the book, nothing more. They must think I’ve taken something else.”

Dash frowned. “My dad isn’t usually wrong about what ponies take, Edweena.”

Edweena’s mouth fell open. “Your… No, it can’t be…”

Her eyes scanned Dash, and for the first time, she took a long look at her head. “Your mane… You’re the Prism’s host?”

Dash nodded slowly. “And you seem to know way too much about it.”

Edweena placed a claw on the floor and pushed away from Dash.

Dash shook her head and lifted a hoof. “Look, Edweena. He may be my dad, but I don’t have any interest in hurting you. We’re friends, and I just want your take on what’s going on.” Dash kneeled to the ground. “Please, tell me what you know. A lot of ponies I care about are in danger because of this, and I need to get to the bottom of it before its too late.”

Edweena pressed herself against the wall, steeling herself with a slow breath. “I’d be a fool to distrust the bearer of Loyalty now wouldn’t I?”

Dash managed a soft smile.

Edweena exhaled. “Well, I personally don’t know much about the Prism. Not exactly anyways. A majority of my information comes from my friend. You remember? The one Daring Do is based off of?”

“Your archeologist friend? Yeah, I remember you mentioning her.”

Edweena sighed. “She told me she retired. I had plenty of material left over for a few more novels, then I was most likely going to end the series and move on to something else.”

“Aww, really?” Dash pouted.

Edweena frowned. “You can’t possibly think it was going to go on forever, did you? And we have more important things to worry about than a book series.”

Dash chuckled weakly. “Aheh, yeah. Sorry.”

Edweena rolled her eyes. “Anyways. I was happy she retired. Her life was plenty dangerous for a lifetime and then some, but then she tells me she was offered a job some months ago, to search for one last artifact.”

“The Prism.”

“As I eventually found out, yes. She never disclosed any information about the interested party, but she sent me details about the investigation as she always did.”

Her mood darkened. “But then, her messages started coming with encryptions. Little hidden messages we used to communicate with each other when in less than favorable company. She was worried about her benefactor’s intentions for the Prism. And then, the messages suddenly stopped, less than a month ago. I tried searching her usual haunts, but she was nowhere to be found. Her old apartment had been ransacked.”

She turned her head to Dash. “That is when I knew I needed help. As far as I could tell, her search led her to Equestria, so I looked up the one friend who was smart enough and connected to help.”

“Twilight.”

Edweena nodded. “I had spoken with Miss Sparkle some time after we first met back in Antlerdam through letters. When I met her in Canterlot a few days ago, I kept turning the conversation to the theme of puzzles and hidden notes, and purposely left her a modified copy of my latest book. Considering her interest in the series, I felt she would read the book overnight, and spot all the clues I had left her.”

“But why? Why not just tell her straight up that something was wrong? That sounds like a Bat-Mare gambit if I’ve ever heard one.”

Edweena chuckled. “Because I thought I was being followed. And it turns out I was right.” Her frown deepened. “I grew up in one of the more dangerous villages of Northern Germane, Miss Dash. You don’t survive to adolescence by making friends, you survive by trusting no one, and fighting anyone that tries to step over you to get out. Luckily, I managed just that, and gained an unhealthy paranoia to go along with it.” She shuddered. “I thought I was just being shadowed, but I didn’t think I’d actually be followed by actual shadows!”

“Wait, what?”

“I didn’t want to believe it either. Shadowy ponies with wings, black as night and fast as nightmares, chasing after me in the middle of the day! I haven’t slept well in days, and now I have half the Equestrian Royal guard and two Stalliongrad Prizraks searching after me as well.” Edweena let out a labored breath. “Daring Do was the adventurer, not me! I’m not cut out for all this running.”

Dash chuckled. She leaned against the wall and faced the ceiling, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. “I’m sure my dad or Ditzy will find us soon. Let’s just enjoy the breather.”

She opened her eyes again, and saw a pair of dark, yellow eyes looking down at her from a darkened corner of the ceiling. A set of sharp teeth appeared from the shadows, as a small, winged shape started to ooze into view.

Dash gulped, and reached out for Edweena. She tapped the ground as she missed the first few times, but when she found Edweena’s arm, she pulled it close.

“Ow!” she said. “What was that for?”

“Because we need to start running again. Now.”

Edweena frowned and looked up. “Wh—oh Tartarus…”

The shadow lunged, beating its wings into a dive. Dash felt her body lurch forward away from the wall as a pointed claw dug into her back and hoisted her up. The shadow landed on its head, and lay still on the ground, stunned.

Dash spun around and faced the shadow creature, as it recovered and got back to its hooves.

“One of your friends?” Dash breathed.

“Might as well be,” Edweena said. “They look the bloody same. Though I recall there being—”

A guttural snarl came from behind them, They spun around and saw a second monster walking slowly towards them, its eyes narrowed dangerously. A twin stood just beside it, lashing a black tongue behind its own razor sharp teeth. Dash’s ears twitched, and turned towards a fourth and fifth monster trying to flank them from the sides.

“—more of them.”

Dash groaned. “I’d really like my dad to find us now.”

Edweena managed a weak chuckle. “Now, that doesn’t sound like any fun. How often does one get a chance to fight side by side with an Element Bearer?”

Dash smirked. “Hey, if you’re down, I’m down. But, we’re running out of time, and it’s only five on two. That doesn’t sound very fair for them, does it?”

Edweena heaved herself onto her hind legs and held out her claws. “Fair? I’m from Germane, my dear. Fair is for pony folk.”

Dash laughed and grit her teeth. She set her back against Edweena’s as the shadow monsters began to circle them, gnashing and growling. Dash kept her eyes on each one as they paced around her. She felt Edweena’s arms flexing against her as she moved her paws in tandem with their circling foes.

A shriek signaled the first strike, as one of the shadows took initiative and leapt at Dash. Her eyes narrowed as she followed its flight. Time seemed to slow for an instant as she knelt down, waiting for the perfect moment.

The monster flew true, baring its teeth and beating its wings. It approached quickly, but Dash planted her hooves down, and shoved against the ground, headbutting the freak in the chin. It wailed as it bit down on its own tongue and was sent flying past its companions.

The two remaining shadow monsters in front of Dash watched their friend sail past, and when it landed in a heap behind them, turned back. They snarled and approached Dash together.

“Now it’s getting interesting,” Dash said. “C’mon! Show me what you got!”

Edweena shrugged away from Dash as she shrieked and lashed her claws with predatory ferocity. Her own assailants charged against her, and met talon and beak with painful recourse. They crashed into something large and wooden as far as Dash could tell, and Edweena stepped away to finish them off.

Dash eyed the two that approached her from the front. They came at two different angles, leaving Dash with less room to work, not that she needed it. She grinned as she lurched forward. The two shadows reacted, leaping at her simultaneously.

Dash lowered her legs and slid low, as her attackers almost flew right over top of her. When they were right above her, she dug a hoof into the ground and lifted her wings high. She ground to a halt and spun around on the spot. She slapped her wings together, and brought the two monsters to crash into each other in mid air, and topple on to the ground in a heap.

She stood up and admired her work. Her attackers were rolling on the floor, barely moving and piled together. Edweena’s were leaking a dark, porous muck from several cuts that covered their bodies. She stood tall, brandishing her talons as she rubbed them clean.

“Not the usual fare I beat my talons against,” she said. “But suitable practice. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a good fight.”

Dash shook her head. “Are you sure you’re not the adventurous one?”

Edweena grinned. “It’s easier to narrate the action if you know how to live it.”

“I guess.”

Edweena sighed a breath of relief, and rubbed her arm, wincing slightly. “It would have been easier without this previous injury. Your father is rather rough with his interrogation. And that mare with him… your mother?”

Dash chuckled. “My aunt. It might be hard to believe, but she’s probably the meaner one.”

Someone cleared their throat behind them. “Now, Prizma. Can you say nothing kind of me?”

Dash felt her chest tighten and her heart plummet into a tailspin in her gut. She slowly turned around, finding herself staring into Aurora’s narrowed gaze. Her dad, along with Ditzy, was standing beside her in the opened doorway of the warehouse, staring at Edweena.

“Uh, hey a-auntie. Dad.” She pointed at Edweena. “This is my friend Edweena, the author of that book.”

Khroma’s eyes narrowed. “You have a lot of explaining to do, gryphon.”

He took a step forward towards her, but Dash stepped in between them. “Whoa. Stop right there, Dad. I don’t know what kind of Stalliongrad interrogation you’re planning, but you aren’t laying another hoof on her.”

Khroma shot a level glare at her. “She plays with knowledge she has no right knowing. She flaunts an ancient secret my family has lived and died for like it is a plaything for others’ amusement. I will not have that sacrifice be ridiculed while I draw breath.”

Dash matched her father’s stare. “And I won’t let you hurt my friend while I draw breath, Dad. So back off. I don’t care what fancy tricks auntie and grandpapa taught you, I’ll trade hooves with you before I let you touch her.”

Khroma’s gaze smoldered, but Dash didn’t budge an inch. Edweena stepped forward, holding her claws up. “I yield, I yield.” She glanced at Dash with a smile. “I appreciate the effort, Miss Dash, but there will be no need for bloodshed between blood on my account.” She turned back to Khroma. “There will be no need for an interrogation. This ‘book’ you are so concerned with is but an idea that has yet to become a reality. Only one copy exists, and it should still remain in the possession of Twilight Sparkle, does it not?”

Khroma blinked. “And you expect me to believe you?”

“Considering I know the one pony who may actually know where the Prism is now, its your best option.”

“Wait,” Dash said. “You do?”

“Of course. My friend, remember? The one who found its original hiding place. I believe she’s still in Canterlot, held by whatever sent those apparitions after me.”

“What apparitions?” Aurora said.

Dash pointed into the warehouse. “The ones right—” Once she turned, she saw that the shadowy monsters were gone. The three she had stacked herself, as well as the two Edweena cut to ribbons.The only sign that they have been there at all was a trail of dark, oozing stains that trailed from where they were to a nearby door.

“We gotta go after them!” Dash spun on her hooves and headed for the door, when she heard more steps following after her.

“Wait, dear!” Khroma shouted. “We don’t know what—”

The ground began to shake as the warehouse shelves began to rattle. A bloodcurdling roar erupted from outside the building, and the sound of screaming and panic soon followed. Twisting steel and shattering rock rumbled all around as the earth quaked in short, powerful bursts.

Dash stared at the door, frozen, as her mind reeled at what might lay on the other side. Edweena appeared at her side and placed a claw on the handle. “So much for an easy fight.” She turned to Khroma. “If you want answers, you best get out there and show me what a Prizrak can do…”

From Stalliongrad, With Love

Outside was chaos. Panicked dock workers ran in every direction, trampling over each other as they ran from the source of the trembling earth. Smoke and ash erupted from the nearby buildings as they crumbled into dust while huge chunks of concrete and metal flew threw the air.

Dash skidded to a halt outside as she watched everything descend into madness around her. Her father stepped beside her, his face set in shock. “What in Equus—”

“Look out!”

Before Dash could react, she felt herself be yanked by her tail from behind. She landed with a thud on the ground, just as a metal girder crashed into the ground where she and her father once stood. It pierced the slab of rock like a toothpick in pastry, and Dash felt her chest hammering away at her insides.

Edweena stepped forward as she let go of Dash and Khroma’s tails. “It looks like our friends learned a new trick.” She pointed down the main road of the dock.

Dash’s eyes widened. The area at the far end seemed devoid of color and light. Despite the afternoon sun, a thick blanket of shadows covered everything in sight. At its center, a single, towering shape stood out. Its head was the size of a small house. Its eyes blazed like red suns, as it swung an enormous, black appendage through another nearby building.

The warehouse buckled as if it were tissue paper. Another chorus of screams echoed in the distance, as everypony nearby ran as fast as they could from the shadow monster.

“So,” Ditzy said. “Any ideas?”

“Bah,” Aurora grunted. “I’ve danced with wyverns bigger than that.”

“Aurora…” Khroma intoned. “We are dealing with something far worse than a whelping.”

Aurora glared at him. “Oh? Please tell me of your vast experience of creatures worse than back home, dear brother. Perhaps a domestic argument? Or maybe child rearing?” She turned to Dash a moment. “No offense dear.”

“None taken,” Dash said, rolling her eyes.

“What I am saying…” Khroma said, growling. “Is that a dragon’s movements are easily predicted. This monster, we have no idea what it is capable of.”

His gaze narrowed on Aurora. “And do not think for a second that my ability to fight is lessened due to raising my daughter. She was just as much a fighter as you were growing up. I managed to keep up with your tracking, didn’t I?”

“Fah! I let you keep up. If not for that, I would have had the gryphon hours ago!”

Khroma went for another retort, when Dash slapped a hoof to his mouth and at the same time, glared at Aurora. “Will you two grow up!? You’re the adults here, and you’re bickering like a bunch of pre-school foals! We have a colossal problem here, and we can do without your stupid sibling rivalry right now!”

“Dash is right,” Ditzy said. “You two can pretend the world cares of your differences later.”

Aurora gasped. “Ditzanya! You have never spoken to me like that before!”

“You were never an idiot before. If you haven’t noticed, like your niece has pointed out, there is a massive shadow monstrosity tearing apart this dock, and it might be the only lead we have to finding the Prism. So can we stay focused here?”

Aurora sputtered a few disjointed responses, and Dash couldn’t help but chuckle. Edweena flapped her wings and lifted into a hover. “We need to get that thing’s attention so it doesn’t risk hurting any innocents. Considering it might not like seeing us again, Miss Dash, a few flybys might be a good start.”

Dash nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a good start. A thing that big, it won't be very fast.” She looked to Ditzy, Aurora and Khroma. “Me and Edweena will tick it off, you guys try and cut it down to size.”

“Absolutely not,” Khroma said. “I’m not letting you put yourself in more danger than I already have.”

“Save it, dad. I’m not your little filly anymore. I can take care of myself.”

Khroma froze. His head slouched ever so slightly and he descended into silence. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His eyes opened again and he looked deeply into Dash’s eyes. “As you wish, my dear. Just be careful.”

Dash scoffed and grinned. “When am I not careful?”

She glanced back to Edweena with a nod, and they took to the sky with a pump of their wings. They flew across the docks straight towards the shadow creature. Its attention was focused on another building crushed under its massive legs, and it was in the process of moving on to another.

“Hey ugly!” Dash shouted. “Did you miss us!?”

The monster halted, and turned its massive head towards the approaching fliers. As soon as its eyes met theirs, it let out another primal roar. On its back, Dash noticed the ‘flesh’ boiling like black water. Her eyes widened, and she swerved away. “Edweena! Look out for its back hair!”

At that moment, tendrils of black erupted from the shadow, flying towards them. Dash skirted just outside of its range, but Edweena was still heading towards it, too late to escape its reach.

She shrieked as she thrashed her claws. Many of the tendrils snapped at her flesh, but any that go too close to Edweena’s talons were severed like ribbons and evaporated into dust. She banked hard into a hover and gained altitude to get out of range. She shuddered as she drifted towards Dash. “Ugh, that was certainly a…” She grimaced.

Dash shot her a deadpan stare. “Please tell me you weren’t going to say ‘hair raising experience’…”

Edweena smiled weakly. “Sorry. Writer, remember? Puns sell.”

Dash rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “Remember, focus. Don’t make me give you the same speech I did my dad.”

“Right. So, getting too close is a bit risky. Any second thoughts?”

“Well, if we expect it trying to swat us like bugs, we can probably dodge ‘em pretty good. Just a bit of warning was enough for you.”

Edweena shrugged. “I suppose. But I don’t know how long I can keep that up. I’m already injured, plus I’ve been flying for my life most of the afternoon.”

Dash smirked. “Then you’re lucky I like my power naps. I’m more than ready to go.” She beat her wings, winding up for a dive. “Just try to keep up.”

She let out a cry of joy as she dropped into a dive, aiming for the monster. The beast kneeled as it watched her approach, its back beginning to boil again. Dash bobbed and weaved in the air as she dropped, anticipating the monster’s next move.

As she expected, a swarm of tendrils emerged from the monster, and lunged straight towards her. She smiled at its predictability, and she ebbed naturally with her evasive dive. The tendrils nipped at her as he passed, but none struck her soundly as she tilted her wings up sharply and wrenched into a hasty ascent.

Glancing back, the monster roared at her as it stretched its limbs as far as possible to chase her in her climb. Some tickled at her hind legs, but their grasp was short lived as she shot out of range just as quickly as she entered it.

The monster, so focused on Dash, that it failed to noticed three shimmering trails, one blue, one gold and one white lancing towards it. They roared past in a torrent of wind and dust as they rushed past the monster, slicing into its sides.

It let out an agonized roar, and its front legs trembled as it struggled to remain standing. The contrails banked out wide, far out of reach as they slowly spun around for another go.

Dash smiled. “Way to go, dad! Just a few more of those! We got him on the ropes!”

She saw the buildings quake as the monster struggled to stand. Its tail coiled into a single massive limb and sweeped through the nearby buildings. The remaining tendrils dug themselves into the ground. Dash gasped as she saw the light cast from the sun be drained from the very ground, and be replaced with a pervasive shadow.

The monster began to rise, as it grew larger. The gaping wounds from Khroma, Aurora and Ditzy’s attack began to knit themselves back together.

Dash groaned. “You gotta be kidding me! That’s not even fair!”

“I think our foes have little regard for fairness, Miss Dash,” Edweena said as she appeared at Dash’s side. “We may have to rethink our plan of attack.”

“We can keep doing that all day, but if we don’t get a decent hit, that thing will just keep getting bigger.”

Edweena looked to the sun. “The question is, how is that thing getting stronger in the presence of the sunlight? It is a monster of shadows, how can it spread its influence on such a clear day?”

Dash’s head lurched as she glanced at the sun herself. “No…” she breathed. “It can’t be…”

“Can’t be what?”

Dash’s eyes darted away. “I mean… maybe this thing is just more powerful than we thought…” Or that Celestia is out for the count, and that thing is just a ball of light, and nothing else, she thought.

Edweena shook her head. “Regardless, we need to think on how we can get a decent hit then. You seemed to be able to distract it quite well. We just need to expose a vital spot.”

Dash looked at the beast again. Considering its new size, she assumed it could only have gotten slower. “I guess I can try again. But what kind of weak spot does a giant shadow monster have?”

Edweena shrugged. “I’d say try the head, but you are right, we don’t have much of an idea. Start with the classics, I suppose, and improvise.”

Dash smiled. “I love improvising.”

She and Edweena split off and prepared for another dive at the creature. It beat the ground like a drum as it awaited a new attack, lashing at nearby buildings with its tail. New tendrils formed from its back and neck. They were much larger this time, and they coiled back like snakes, waiting to strike.

Dash shook her head as she started to pull sharp corkscrews in the air for her descent. “Now come on. That’s just lazy.”

The strikes came, like the previous time. Dash modified her trajectory in reverse, throwing off the tendrils just as easily as before. They lashed at every spot she was not, and when they tried to correct, she was well past them.

Edweena dove between them. The held her wings firm and cleaved them through the black limbs and severed them just as before. Dash was surprised a gryphon of her age was as dexterous as she was. Perhaps she really had accompanied the real Daring Do on a few adventures after all, and was not as bookish as she led on.

They prepared to escape the monster’s reach again, just as Khroma and the rest were preparing their second pass. They banked hard and pulled up, spiraling upwards to keep away from the grasping monster. It lashed out at them, chasing them up into the sky, growling for vengeance.

Dash slowed as they rose out of reach, and spun around in her hover to watch her dad’s next strike. She blinked. The tendrils were still coming.

She allowed a moment to release a panicked breath, before her wings reacted. She felt herself peel backwards into another dive, just before she was grabbed. She shook her instincts back, looking back for her partner. “Edweena! Look out!”

Edweena hadn’t turned back yet. She looked down towards Dash’s voice, frowning. Her eyes kept turning, falling on the black grasping coils surrounding her. She flared her wings wide, but it was too late. She lashed her claws at them as they closed in, but she could not get them all. Many grabbed onto her legs and yanked her down closer to more, which in turn bound her arms.

Dash righted herself in the air and halted her expeditious retreat. She climbed high and climbed hard, racing towards Edweena. “Hang on! I’m coming!”

She held her hooves forward, and her wings extended as far as they could. Her eyes locked on to the tangle of darkness that held the gryphon down. They quivered as Edweena fought against them, but they only tightened further as she struggled.

Dash drifted to the side, lining up her strike. She took a note from Edweena’s fighting style, and braced her wings for impact.

The use of the muscles of the upper wing as a weapon was not an uncommon trait for pegasus warriors, which Dash was not. She was a sprinter, and her wings had to be as slim as possible to keep up her requirements for speed and agility. That bulky layer of cartilage would have been helpful in absorbing the massive blow against her primaries as she collided with the black cords that held her friend.

Her attempt, at the very least, was a success. She felt her wing cleave through just as Edweena’s had. There was an ooze-like quality that crawled over her wing, but it managed to cut through with little trouble. The only thing she wasn’t counting on was the jolt of pain that lanced through her sides as she passed through.

Her vision blurred immediately, and began to darken. She saw glimpses of buildings and solid earth fast approaching from the bits of clarity she could see, as everything started fading away.

She felt herself being jerked back into the air, and her consciousness started to waver back. She looked up, and saw Edweena carrying her away from the shadow. “A valiant attempt,” she said, smiling. “But a gryphon’s wings are a bit more resilient for such attacks. Best not to do it again without some practice.”

Dash shook her head, trying to alleviate the dizzying feeling that tugged at her stomach. “Well…” she groaned. “Somepony’s got to save your feathery butt.”

“And I thank you for that.” Edweena grunted and heaved Dash up. She got back to her own rhythm and started flying on her own again. “This little friend of ours is learning plenty of new tricks that are making this difficult, isn’t it?”

Dash looked down at the monster. It was still getting bigger as it drained more color and light from the area. “Sure… little.”

Another rush of wind blazed past, as the three trails of light sliced past the monster. It roared again in pain as larger wounds were dug out of its shadowy flesh, and it stumbled sideways into another warehouse. It struck its wall with an earth shattering quake and fell over into the rubble. The tendrils that remained from its back still writhed in the air above it. After a while, they decided to dig out the concrete that weighed its body down.

“Ugh. What they’re doing works, but only for a bit. We just need to hit it way harder in one go.”

“Well, perhaps if you added your attacks to theirs?”

Dash blinked. Then she smiled. She started rubbing her hooves together as her smile widened. Then she started to cackle. “Or…” she said, looking up into the sky. “I could do something way more awesome.”

She glanced at Edweena. “You keep him busy just a bit longer. I totally got this!”

She pumped her wings and started to climb. Edweena, the monster and the docks all shrank beneath her as she went higher and higher. She noticed in the distance the flock of guards they had seen earlier, finally approaching the docks after the several minutes of commotion. Dash laughed to herself. Better late than never, she thought.

Higher and higher she climbed as Canterlot grew further away. Despite her height, she could see the glowing trails of her dad and the others as they beelined and prepared for another strike. Dash followed their trajectory as she climbed, and spotted the column of fire and smoke that pointed out the rough location of the monster. The shadowy influence was spreading, and that pushed Dash to fly even harder.

She whirled around at a height she deemed sufficient, after dozens of successful past attempts and years of practice. She took in a deep breath of the clean, glacial air, tilted her wings forward, and began her dive.

The cold air wind nipped at her wings almost immediately. The sky roared around her ears as she dropped, beating her wings as hard as she could. Her eyes watered as she stinging cold assaulted her, but she narrowed on her target. She wasn’t going to miss. She couldn’t miss. Not now.

Within seconds, the city was in full view as the misty air faded behind her. The pillar of smoke had grown, and she tilted her wings ever so slightly towards it. Any sudden change in her descent, and she would spin out, or worse, rebound off the air cushion pressing against her from every direction.

The corona of light formed around the hoof tips as she pressed harder downward. Her hooves clamped together from the force, and her wings began to struggled with each flap. The spiraling smoke was drifting nearer to her, filling her lungs with dust and ashen debris. She took a final breath of clear air and held it, discarding all other necessities save for pushing herself harder.

The world below seemed to slow. Every moment, every breath passed by scrutinized by every single one of Dash’s senses as time bled into a crawl. The shadow monster was swatting at the air around itself as she approached. Edweena was still buzzing around the beast, doing all she could to keep its attention on her. Whatever she was doing, it was working, as it was turned away from Dash as she approached.

Coming from behind, Khroma’s group was approaching for another strike. Dash leaned back, easing off the smallest amount of speed. Her wings protested as pain lanced at them from the extra wind resistance, but she bit her lips through it. The timing had to be perfect. Otherwise… things would get messy.

The blazing lights of their contrail sped towards the beast. Their marks were true, their speed incredible. They shone like stars as they approached , and Dash felt in awe at their precision, their speed, their synchronisation.

Dash almost felt skies break under her as they passed under her, only a few hundred meters from their target. The beast was still busy with the pestering gryphon. One hundred meters, fifty meters. Nearly there!

Warning bells rang in Dash’s mind. The beast’s tail was swinging in the air savagely. It crushed the bits of rock and rubble behind it, knocking over what standing structures remained in the vicinity.

Then, the massive beast spun around, despite its size. A whirl of dust erupted from the impossible maneuver, knocking Edweena out of the air. Dash’s mind clamoured in panic as her dad was charging headlong into it. It growled hungrily as its mouth twisted into a wicked grin.

The approaching trails didn’t waver a moment. They were still going, despite the preparedness of their foe. Dad, no! Dash’s mind screamed. Don’t be an idiot!

The beast reared its tail and its many spiraling tendrils, readying for an attack. The blue light split off from the others, racing ahead and facing it head on. Moments flashed by, as the incoming rainboom forming at her hooftips began coalescing into existence. Her focus on her father waned as her ability to keep her eyes open faded.

Her dad, only meters away from the monster, sheared to the side as the monster took its first prepared swing. The beam of blue light bounced off its sides, and spiraled away towards the wreckages of the warehouses.

Dash’s heart screamed. Tears beaded at her eyes and were sucked away from her speed. The two remaining lights of Ditzy and Aurora took its chance. They dropped low, and sliced at the monster’s front legs. It howled in pain as it collapsed again onto its knees.

It hung its head down as it trembled. The darkness around it started to boil again, as its size continued to grow. Dash screamed as she snapped her wings to her side, finding her target. She spiraled out, flying like an orbital harpoon, straight towards the monster’s neck.

The air pressure around her hummed loudly in her ears as she reached the apex of her dive. Her body screamed at her as she could go no faster. She felt herself being squeezed tighter and tighter from every direction. The corona of light crackled with energy at her hoof tips, threatening to burst.

When it finally came, there was a burst of relief as the air around her exploded in a ear-shattering snap. She launched forward in a wave of new speed, as the Rainboom roared from Dash’s body, as the color invaded the air all around her. What color there was, that is.

Panic quickly set into Dash’s mind. The cascades of light that raced across the sky were different than she remembered from her previous attempts. The feeling of warmth and energy she usually felt rushing through here was replaced by a half feeling. A feeling of cold, of sadness that gripped at her mind, body and soul. It felt alien. Her skin crawled with a frigid cold as she watched the colors leave her body. The purple, the blue, the green. All that remained was gray. An endless sea of gray. And then, there were only darkness and shadows.

Drowning in Darkness

Rainbow Dash awoke in darkness. She felt frigid water assaulting her from all sides, thrown about by a rogue current. She struggled to find light to guide herself, but there was none to be found. Holding her breath became difficult as her heart started racing as she searched in desperation for the surface, if there was one.

A child’s cry filled her ears and caused her body to still. The current around her stopped, and her body seemed to float upwards. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and a faint outline of shallow water etched out of the corner of her vision. She kicked her legs and drifted towards the solid ground.

She managed to stand and bring her head above water. The wandering surf still struck the base of her neck, but she greedily sucked in air, discarding all worry for a moment. The dark water ebbed against her as she struggled to stay standing in the shallow water. Faint mist escaped her mouth with each breath. Her skin trembled as flecks of ice nipped at her fur.

She trudged forward, pushing her entire body against the water. The ground beneath her was level, and no chance of rising any higher from its icy confines presented itself.

Her ears twitched again at the same sound as before. A single, piercing cry of a child, echoing in the distance. Dash pushed herself forward towards its source. “Hello?” she called out. “Anypony there?”

The splashing water was the only reply. She shrugged and continued on, searching. The expanse of darkness before her only seemed to grow the further she went. What little light she used to see only dwindled away, putting her remaining senses on edge. The water flowing chipped at her hearing, the cold searing her touch.

Her hooves touched something just in front of her. She felt around the new obstruction in her path. A large, smooth surface. The grit against her hooves rasped like stone, but it was so smooth. She followed it along its sides. It was large, like a column, several feet wide with corners.

On the other side, a faint light graced a section of her vision. She blinked at the etching in the stone pillar. She had seen it before.

She looked around. “Hey, kid! Are you out there? I need your help.”

A small, tiny whimper replied from above. Dash spun around and looked up the side of the pillar, and gasped. The small silver filly she remembered from the dream before, was there. Her mane cast off the faint light Dash used to see, but it remained still. Dark coils of shadows, much like the ones from before, oozed from cracks in the stone around her, holding her still against it. Her eyes were held tightly shut as she trembled in fear.

“Hang on!” Dash said. “I’ll get you down!”

Dash reached up to help her down, but the shadows retaliated at her approach. A free limb snapped down and slapped her hoof away. “Ow!” Dash examined the welt forming in her flesh, as she examined the state the child was in.

The child was shaking her head briskly, warning Dash to stay away.

Dash scoffed. “No dice, kid. There’s no way I’m leaving you up there. Don’t worry. I’ll get you down.” She looked at the shadows holding the child, and the darkness surrounding them both in the abyss. “Somehow.”

Her senses screamed in alarm as a rumbling emerged in the distance. She turned around, searching. The waters pushed against her, as if something large displaced the current towards her. Fresh waves crashed into her, but she held her ground. Her body trembled in the cold, her mind frayed from exhaustion, her heart aching in panic, but she held her ground, for her.

The new presence rumbled closer. The light from the filly cast small silhouettes of movement approaching. A pair of eyes stuck out from the darkness, cold and emotionless. A set of pointed teeth, curled into a malevolent smile completed the image as the shadowy shape was only a few meters away.

“I’m not afraid of you!” Dash screamed.

The shadows rumbled in laughter, low and growling. They continued their approach.

“I won’t let you take her!” Dash backed up, bracing herself against the stone.

“Foolish child,” she shadows said, a million voices acting as one.

Dash felt cold, colder than the frigid water as the sound of the shadow’s voice washed over her.

“She is already mine. Your resilience is admirable. But here, hope has no power. I will break you in time, as I broke her.”

“Never! I will stop you!”

Dash tensed, just as something wrapped around her body. She tried to see what, but the darkness was too thick. She thrashed in the water as something coiled around her legs, and slowly drug her down into the water.

As her head sunk into the icy depths, she heard one, final laughter. “I implore you to try. It will make it fun. I haven’t had fun in centuries…”

Water rushed into Dash’s ears. She heard her own screams boiling in the water was she fought against the shadows that pulled her down. She twisted and writhed, desperately trying to break free. Their grip only tightened as she sunk further into the depths.

Her vision began to darken. She cast one last look at the stone before it was completely gone. The light of the filly was fading, but she could still see her. Hang on, kid! I’ll save you! I promise!

The current raged all around her. Specks of light exploded in her vision, as a single beam of daylight opened itself before her. She felt the binds pulling at her weaken, if only for a second, and she kicked her legs as hard as she could towards the light.

Her body felt heavy. A great, smooth surface pressed against her back, as her vision started to clear. Smoke invaded her nose, and she felt the urge to cough. Her lungs hacked and wheezed, but no water emerged from her lungs. Only air, dim and smoky.

She sprang up. She was on her back, staring into a pair of ruby eyes peering down at her. Her chest heaved as the darkness faded away, revealing a fading afternoon sun.

“Prizma!” Aurora said. “Calm yourself. Just breathe, darling. You are safe.”

“What…” Dash wheezed. “What happened?”

“Well, we created a fair mess of Canterlot, my dear.”

Dash found the strength to turn her head. Debris and wreckage surrounded her. Armored guards scurried about, shouting orders amongst themselves and digging out survivors of the collapsed warehouses. Pillars of smoke dotted the landscape, and cries of fear and panic rang in her ears

Behind Aurora was Ditzy, looking down at her, none the worse for wear. Edweena stood there as well. She was clutching her arm, which had a fresh bandage wrapped around it.

Dash’s heart jumped. “Where’s dad?”

“Right here.”

Dash turned her head. Khroma limped a few steps towards her, wincing. His legs were covered in strips of white with stains of red. One of his wings was lashed to his side by a sling, and one of his eyes was circled in black.

Dash got to her hooves as fast as she could manage, and tackled into her father. He lurched back at the impact as Dash wrapped her legs around him and squeezed tight.

“I was so scared! When I saw you spin out… I…”

Khroma squeezed back. He nestled his head behind Dash’s. His breathing was steady and tickled her ear. “I’m fine, dear. It will take more than a monstrosity of shadows and nightmares to get the best of me.”

Dash pulled away from the hug and shot him a level glare. “Don’t ever do anything that stupid and featherbrained again.”

Khroma smiled. “And what, leave all the glory to my daughter? My parent’s would roil in their graves to see me ousted by a mare, even if it was my own daughter.”

“I’ve ousted you plenty of times, Khroma,” Aurora said snarkily. “I’d say you lost your stallion’s honor years ago.”

Khroma huffed and let go of Dash. He examined her carefully, and stopped on her mane, shaking his head. “Are you sure you feel okay? You took quite a fall.”

“I’m okay, dad. But what happened? I remember doing the Rainboom, and then I passed out.”

Khroma gestured his head to a group of unicorn guards nearby. Five of them stood together, channeling magic. Dash stepped away from her dad to get a better view. Five magic bubbles sat in a row, each containing a dark, shadowy pony sized shape.

“Once the beast’s head was severed from your strike, it reverted back to its original forms. The royal magicians arrived just in time to contain them.”

Dash smiled. “Heh. I knew it was an awesome idea.”

“No, dear. It was not…”

Dash looked at her dad, eyebrow raised. “What do you mean? Nothing solves a problem faster than a good ol’ Sonic Rainboom.”

“Really?” Khroma said, fatherly indignation in his voice. “Then explain how you have lost another color so soon.”

Dash’s eyes widened. “W-what?” She pulled at her mane and examined the colors. Blue, green, purple, ye—

“Not yellow… Not already. I just lost orange.”

“Such is the demand of the Prism, dear. The magic of a Rainboom is so great, that without an endless supply, it would drain everything away. You are lucky it did not take more.”

“Your tail is fading now, too, “Ditzy said.

Dash turned her head to look, and felt her heart drop when she confirmed it. The top of her tail was fading out as well to match her mane. Her breathing quickened, and slowed only when Khroma put his hoof on her shoulder. “Do not panic yet. We still have time. But you must not perform a Rainboom again until this is solved. Do you understand?”

Dash nodded shakily. “Y-yes, dad. No more Rainbooms. I can do that.”

Khroma exhaled. “Right, then.” He turned his attention to Edweena. “I don’t suppose you’d be interested in enlightening us with what you know?”

Edweena shrugged. “As I said, it is my friend, who may have been the one to stumble on your hiding place of the Prism. She certainly didn’t tell me where it was. I can only think the one who paid her to reveal it was the one who sent these beasts after me.”

Khroma turned to the confined shadow monsters. “Then perhaps we can extract something from them.”

“If any of them knew where she was, that would be our best hope at figuring out what is going on.”

“How does one interrogate a shadow monster?” Aurora said. “It was not a subject of training in the Prizrak.”

Khroma’s eyes smoldered. He licked his teeth, an act that sent worry through Dash’s mind.

“Very carefully,” he said dangerously.

“Actually,” Edweena added. “There might be an easier way.”

She hobbled towards the guards. They acknowledged her presence with a brief glance, before returning their attention to maintaining their prisoners.

“What exactly is your intention with these creatures, guard?”

“That is for the princess’s to decide. They have been informed. We will maintain them until they arrive.”

“The princesses aren’t coming,” Dash said.

Everypony looked at her. She shied back a moment from the new attention, but nodded gravely. “Celestia… was hurt. By whatever created these things. Luna’s busy keeping her from sleeping forever.”

Everypony’s eyes widened. Ditzy cleared her throat and nodded as well. “She’s right. I was there, too.”

Khroma glared at her. “And this happened when I left you in the hospital?!”

“No, dad," Dash said. "I asked Celestia to take me and Twilight to where the Prism was kept. We were ambushed by the Nightmare.”

Khroma staggered back in shock. “The… Nightmare? That’s who took the Prism?”

Dash nodded.

“I… that…” Try as he might, he could not complete a coherent thought.

“And Celestia fell to the Nightmare?” Aurora asked.

Dash nodded again. “She tried to protect me, Twi and Ditzy. She’s in some kind of coma, and Luna’s at her side, keeping her from slipping too far.”

“This is far more serious than we thought, Khroma,” Ditzy said.

“You do not think I know that!? The damned Koshmar, stealing the Prism from us!” Khroma turned and slammed a hoof against one of the magic bubbles. It flashed and rippled from his blow, but was otherwise unaffected.

“Watch yourself, Prizrak!” the guard maintaining the shield warned. “We do not need this thing to get out.”

“This thing is the only clue we have to finding the Prism before its too late, and I will tear it to pieces if I have to!”

“Edweena,” Dash said, cutting off her ranting father. “You had an idea?”

Edweena nodded. She leaned towards the bubble, placing her head close. “As I was fighting these things, I remarked that while they are rather frightening, their eyes…” She tapped the shield. The beast within writed and ravaged against the bubble, glaring at her. “... are remarkably pony like.”

She stood straight. “Guard, do you by chance know any cleansing magic? Preferably similar to Celestia’s? They hate sunlight.”

The guard blinked. “I… suppose I can try something. It isn’t quite cleansing magic, but its close…”

He bowed his head and tapped the shield with his horn. It’s whorling shape ceased, and began to harden like glass. The monster inside continued to beat against its cage, which now started to crack.

“Stand back,” the guard warned. His horn started to glow. A beam of sunlight poured over the bubble, and it began to glow brightly. The monster inside started screaming, and doubled its efforts into escaping. The bubble chipped away as the magic continued, and shards began to split off. A small hole formed, and the monster tried desperately to escape.

It’s strength waned, however, as the magic intensified. Slowly, its struggle to escape vanished as it fell back into the illuminated confines of the glass sphere. When the light faded, the monster was still.

The guard tapped the shell and it shattered into dust. Inside, the monster was supine on the ground. Dash turned up her nose in disgust at the fact that the monster appeared to be melting. It’s shadowy body was leaking and soaking into the ground.

She blinked at the sight of color in its body. A spot of blue, and then yellow began to emerge from the darkness as it melted away. A mane became distinct, as well as a bright tail. As the shadow cleared from its face, everypony saw the pair of goggles over its eyes.

Dash couldn’t believe it. “Its a Wonderbolt!”

“How is this possible?” the guard exclaimed.

“Because the Nightmare cannot create physical beings to harm us.” Edweena said. “It’s only true strength in its current form is in our dreams. In the physical world, it requires a host, the same can be said of its minions. A touch of its dark magic on a will it can break, and it has a willing accomplice.”

Dash stood still a moment, absorbing the new information. After a while, she cocked an eyebrow at her. “How do you know so much about the Nightmare?”

Edweena rotated her wrist in quick, jagged motions. “You’d be surprised at what you can learn in a dusty old history book. There are old legends, even among my kind, of the Nightmare’s powers.”

The guard kneeled down to the Wonderbolt. His horn glowed and washed over, bringing back color to the pegasus’ skin.

The guard stood and looked to his fellows. “Get the medics! We have to free these ponies right away!”

After a few hasty minutes, a group of medic guards were brought in and aided the rest in cleansing the dark shadows off the remaining monsters. One by one, an entire group of indoctrinated Wonderbolts was released from the Nightmare’s magic, and placed into healing auras.

Dash and everypony else kept close to them as the medics worked to ensure all traces of the dark miasma was gone. They remained unconscious for some time, as the hysteria of the district’s evacuation was starting to wane.

Dash was pacing around them, keeping a close eye on her dad, her aunt, Ditzy, Edweena, and the sleeping Wonderbolts. She caught herself staring at the mountain in the center of the city, where Canterlot Castle loomed.

“I hope Twilight is okay,” she said aloud.

“She’s got a good head on her shoulders,” Ditzy said, appearing at her side. “She’ll be fine.”

Dash sighed. “I guess. It's not that I don’t trust Luna, but I just don’t believe that she’s as good a defence from the Nightmare as she says she is.”

“I know what you mean. Stalliongrad, while respectful to the princesses, doesn’t really hold them to the absolute highest regard. They’re just ponies, like everyone else. We handled the dragons on our own. We conquered the ashlands and turned it into a fertile land capable of sustaining a population, all without the princesses.”

“But they’ve dealt with so much. Things that we just don’t understand.”

“Things that they don’t understand either. If they did, they would have removed them, not imprisoned them. You only cage what you don’t understand, or don’t know how to kill.”

Dash winced. “Really missing the old Ditzy Doo right now. The one who crashed into town hall with her butt and broke everything, then ate all the muffins.”

Ditzy laughed. “It was certainly easier to do that than keep you out of trouble against cosmic monstrosities.”

“Prizma. Ditzanya,” Aurora interrupted. “One of the Wonderbolts is waking up.”

They followed Aurora towards the medics area. Khroma was standing near the wakening Wonderbolt, with two medics and guards nearby. The pegasus rolled on his bed, groaning and uttering other sounds of great pain and discomfort. His eyes opened slowly, and he brought a hoof to his eyes.

“Nng,” he said. “The light… turn off the light…”

Khroma lifted one of his massive wings and held it over him, blocking the sunlight from his eyes.

“Th-thank you…” he groaned.

“Do you know where you are?” Khroma asked.

“Now wait a minute!” one of the guards exclaimed. “This is our prisoner, and we will be doing the questioning!”

Khroma drifted his gaze to them. Dash felt her skin crawl. She recognized that look. That look that broke many a refusal to go to bed on time. That look that elicited a stricter sense of getting passing grades in school. That look that inspired a lifestyle of working hard, working often, and never giving up. That look that Dash knew all too well that meant yes, no, and anything else possible when listening to her father.

The guards ears wilted against their heads as they took a noticeable step back without uttering another word. Khroma nodded his head approvingly, and turned his attention back to the Wonderbolt.

“Well?”

“I…” the Wonderbolt breathed. “C-canterlot…”

Khroma nodded. “What is your name?”

“W-wind Drift.”

“What do you remember last?”

Wind Drift blinked. He stared into Khroma’s eyes. His breathing steadied, as his mouth mouthed out soundless words, trying to piece a sentence together. “I...I don’t…”

Khroma set a hoof on Wind Drift’s horehead. “Calm your mind. Think of the high winds and the low ebbs of the sky. Think of the crystal blue skies of the day, and the icy black of the skies of night. Breath in the winds, breathe out the fog.”

Dash felt as if her hooves wanted to give out and drift off to sleep underneath her just listening to her dad speak. It was amazing to see… whatever her dad was doing, but it seemed to be working. Wind Drift was trembling less, and his chest rose slower than before.

“I remember… leaving a show… It was night… I was with some of the team… And then…”

His eyes widened suddenly. He jolted upright in the bed, screaming. “Those eyes! Just staring at you from the dark. You can’t run from them, no matter where you go!”

Khroma placed a hoof on Wind Drift’s shoulder and eased him back down.

Wind Drift kept blubbering. “And the darkness. It just keeps following you! You can’t see anything! Its just dark! All the time! I hate the dark!”

“Good…” Khroma whispered. “What else? Where do you remember going?”

“G-going? I didn’t go anywhere. I was everywhere. I felt like… I was darkness. All of it. Everywhere. I…”

A short breath escaped his mouth as he began hacking hoarse breaths. A medic rushed to his side and offered him a glass of water. He drank from it greedily, getting more of it on himself then in his mouth.

The glass fumbled out of his grip as he finished, and he flattened back against the bed. He let out more ragged breaths, as he met Khroma’s gaze again.

“I...don’t know what you want…”

“Did you remember taking anypony against their will? Somepony you maybe were told to guard?”

“I can’t remember! I… can’t…” He wheezed suddenly and sucked in another painful breath. “There was a cave… I think… It wasn’t far… It felt like… home…”

“Where? There must be something you can identify.”

Wind Drift looked up into Khroma’s eyes. His expression was nearly vacant as color started to drain from his face. “At the base of the mountain. Where the sun has never been.”

In the Hall of the Mountain Queen

The descent from Canterlot went in silence. Dash lingered behind alongside Edweena, as they followed her father and the rest. They followed the mountain down, below the city. A dense cloud wall drifted in the sky, casting a low fog on the mountain in the evening calm.

Dash had never been this far below Canterlot. It was strange to be this low on the mountain before. Where all the excitement was high on the peak near the castle and the adjacent city, nopony ever really questioned what the base of the mountain was like. Certainly it was a bit darker than the rest of the mountain range that held Equestria’s capital, but there had to be something of note down there.

They passed through the fog, and came into clear sky just before the ground. A thick forest lay below them, dug into the side of the mountain. Vines crawled up the rock, reaching as high as it could. Dash recalled no vines above the clouds.

“Devil’s snare…” Edweena said. “They hate sunlight. We’re in the right place.”

“Great…” Dash said, gulping. “At least they look… cool.”

“Perhaps, just don’t get too close. It tends to get grabby around warm blooded creatures.”

Dash grunted. “Awesome.”

“Do you see anything, Prizma?” Aurora called back.

Dash looked around the trees and the rock. It was an unnaturally thick forest, almost like the Everfree. It wasn’t too far from where they were, and was possible that its influence extended further than anypony realized. As long as the sun kept it at bay, there was no threat to Canterlot. So as long as Celestia is…

Dash shook the thought from her mind. No. She’ll be fine. We’re gonna find the Prism. We have to…

She looked back to Aurora. “No. The canopy is too thick. We need to look on the surface.”

Aurora nodded, and she signaled the descent to the others. They landed in a vacant spot near the edge of the forest. The air was cold and murky, and felt sickening just to breathe. The grass looked sickly and was damp to the touch.

“Ugh,” Dash said, wiping off the muddy muck from her hooves. “Do we even know what we’re looking for? A cave at the bottom of a mountain seems pretty standard a place.”

“Chances are, we’ll know it when we see it,” Edweena said. “The things we’ve been chasing have a pleasant gloom to them, don’t they?”

Dash rolled her eyes. “You really need to stop thinking like a writer. There’s no way it works like that in real life.”

Edweena managed a smirk. “You don’t survive in this business without being a little genre savvy.”

Dash stuck out her tongue, when her dad glanced their way. “Be quiet. We don’t know what’s waiting for us. Either the forest itself or who we’re looking for will get spooked if we are too noticeable.”

Dash nodded and followed silently into the trees. The ground was soft, so at least they had that going for them. Even the stray sticks and underbrush seemed to be mushy to the touch, making their steps quiet, if wet.

The further they traveled, the more the light from above dwindled. Only after a few minutes of walking, it was getting difficult to see, and Dash bumped into their Edweena behind her or Aurora ahead of her every few steps.

“Can anypony see anything?” Dash asked. “I’m about to just trip on my hooves here.”

“Da. It is far too dark, Khroma, “Aurora said. “We’d sooner fall into a carnivorous plant in this darkness than find a cave.”

“We’ll, unless any of you can perform light magic,” Khroma grumbled.

Dash felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around out of instinct, and met Edweena’s face. She held up her claws.

“Easy, Miss Dash. I merely wished to point out that necklace you’re wearing. It seems to glow a bit, even in this dark.”

Dash blinked and took the gem in her hoof. She stared at it a moment, as it radiated a faint glimmer. She smiled a moment as she pressed it to her chest. It began to glow brighter, enough to cast a violet light strong enough to see the immediate area.

“What kind of gem is that?”

“Just an amethyst, attuned to the one I love. All I gotta do is think of Twilight, and it does that.”

“I see. Unicorn magic is so fascinating.”

Khroma grunted. “Very well, it is a useful trinket. Dash, come stand in front so we can see where we’re going.”

Dash glared at her dad. She obeyed without comment and trudged to the front of the group. As she passed Khroma she whipped her tail at him and huffed indignantly.

They continued with no further comment, deeper into the forest. The light served its purpose adequately and Dash was able to point out a few choice hazards that would have slowed them down. Some of the vines she had seen on the mountain side were down in here in mass, but even the faint light of her necklace kept them still.

In the distance, a faint clearing in the trees showed that they were approaching the mountain wall. Many of the trees were pushed right against the rock, leaving little room to maneuver.

“See anything ahead?” Khroma asked.

“No,” Dash replied. “Just more trees and rock. Can’t see a cave yet.”

“Let’s keep circling the mountain, then. It can’t be too far.”

Dash rolled her eyes and kept moving. She grunted, as one of her legs refused to move. She glanced down, and saw that one of the snare vines had wrapped around her leg. She tried pulling free, but it would not let go.

“What’s wrong, Dash?” Khroma said. “Why have you stopped?”

“One of these stupid vines has my leg. I can’t pull free.”

Her dad moved around to her side and knelt down to the vine. He dug at it with his hoof, exposing a meaty portion of the vine that clung to Dash’s leg. He slashed the edge of his hoof against it and began to cut through.

The vine writhed, and Dash thought she heard a high pitched wail come from the plant as Khroma cut. The grip on her leg tightened, and she felt more vines moving under her hooves.

“Dad, stop. You’re making them angry.”

Khroma scoffed. “They are plants, they don’t have feelings.”

A talon grabbed Khroma’s leg, and he looked up to see Edweena’s stern glare. “Perhaps in that frigid wasteland you call home where plant life is scarce. Here in Equestria, you’d best respect the life around you, feelings or not.”

Khroma jerked his hoof out of Edweena’s grasp. He grunted and stomped his hoof down on the plant holding Dash. It let out one last squeal, before it started to recede. Dash felt the grip on her let go.

Khroma shot Edweena a contemptuous scowl. Edweena shook her head and turned to Dash. She took her now free leg and looked at it under the light. “Devils Snare isn’t poisonous, but it does excrete something that tends to give you a rash when it grabs tight enough. Let me have a look at you.”

“Uh, sure…” Dash said. The vines were still moving away from her under her hooves. Nothing new grabbed her, and she allowed herself a moment to breathe as Edweena brushed her fetlocks clean.

Edweena stood when she was done. “There, you should be ok.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “What about you? You’ve got it all over you now.”

Edweena shrugged. “Talons aren’t quite skin. It won’t have as much an effect on me as it would you.”

Aurora stepped forward. “Surely we can discuss the care of our hooves and talons later?” She stepped next to Khroma. “We have more important things to do.”

Dash shot her aunt a look, when her hooves tingled. She pulled it away from the ground, but noticed that all her hooves were tingling. She kneeled, and listened carefully. The ground was rumbling under them. As she stood, she noticed that she was starting to sink into the muddy ground.

Dash went to say something, when a loud squelch tore open in the ground beneath them. The mud parted aside and sucked them in. Dash tried to fly away, but the mud was too thick around her legs, and she was sucked in with everyone else.

After a few echoing thuds, the rumbling earth subsided as Dash hit a hard bottom. She groaned and looked around. She sat in a large cave that spindled off in several directions. Everyone was piled around her in a heap as they all tried to regain their balance from their sudden fall.

“Everyone okay?” Dash said.

There was a unified groan of agreement as they all slowly rose to their hooves and paws respectively. Edweena was the first to be fully standing. She rubbed her head as she peered down the tunnels. “Well, at least we found a cave…”

“Look how many different directions it leads!” Aurora said. “We have no idea which way we need to go. It is not as if these shadow things would have left a trail for me to follow.”

“Then we go the way the light is weakest,” Dash said. She held the amulet up, casting an equal light on the tunnels, save for one. This one cave seemed to actively shun the presence of the light. The shadows crawled all the way to their hooves, fighting against the glow of Dash’s necklace. A cold breeze wafted from deeper inside. Dash looked up, and saw the mountain wall looming above from the hole they fell into. “Of course it goes right under the mountain.”

“Well,” Edweena said. “It’s as good a lead as any.”

“Then let’s go.” Khroma said. He turned to Dash. “Stay at my side.”

Dash nodded, and the continued their trek into the tunnels. The air was cool, but felt colder the deeper they went. The light of her amulet struggled against the darkness around them. She focused her thoughts on Twilight, of the time they had shared as a couple in the past year. It was a shaky start, as all new couples start out, but they soon found common ground and it wasn’t long before their relationship flourished. It was the talk of the town for weeks, and those were the happiest times in Dash’s life.

The amulet burned brighter with each memory that Dash brought to her mind. The edges of her light carved more darkness away from the path they followed, no matter how much the shadows pushed back. Her heart felt warm and the cold no longer bothered her. She let out the faintest of sighs, longing for Twilight’s presence.

She felt a nudge to her side. To Dash’s surprise, it was Aurora, who chanced a quick nuzzle and smile. “You will be with her again soon, Prizma. Keep her strong in your heart, and she will never be far.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

Guilt invaded Dash’s thoughts as she looked at Aurora. “You know, I never apologised for how I acted last year when I visited.”

Aurora raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” She smiled. “I never expected you to, Prizma. My methods were… not as clean as I would have hoped.”

“But it worked. What you did, it was kinda… well, mean. But it was exactly what I needed to admit it to her. As weird it as it is to say, you’re the one that pushed us together in the end.”

Aurora’s smile deepened, when Khroma chuckled. “Now if only she could apply her talents in matchmaking to herself.”

Aurora scowled as she bore a seething glare into Khroma’s head.

Ditzy grunted. “Khroma. What did I say not two hours ago? Keep your big brother stupidity to yourself. You aren’t helping.”

Dash smirked, but kept her urge to laugh to herself. She wasn’t sure how anypony, least of all her was able to stay positive in light of where they were, what they were doing, and what they were looking for. Family had the strangest effect on her, and no matter the squabbles, she could always smile in the presence of those she loved most. Friends, family, it did not matter which. She always felt at home.

They continued into the earth. The tunnel was uneven under their hooves. Up and down they climbed as the path snaked further into the mountain. Reflections started to emerge from ahead. They slowed at the strange lights in the distance, but as they approached, they saw that there were gemstones embedded into the rock.

“We must be approaching a lower section of the crystal caves under Canterlot,” Dash said. “This is where Twilight said Cadence was kept when the Changelings were trying to invade.”

“Considering how high Canterlot is from us, it must be a massive network of tunnels.” Edweena said.

“Twi said Celestia decided to remap the caves after the wedding, but who knows how much they did. I doubt they came this far down.”

“A cave of crystals would be a good place to hide the Prism,” Khroma said, quickening his pace.

“I doubt it. Why would the Nightmare steal it just to move it from the top of the mountain to the bottom? Wouldn’t you be able to tell if it was close?”

Khroma slowed again and sighed. “I suppose you are right. I may not be the host any longer, but there is still some latent magic left, meant for me to teach you during the transition. I would be able to feel something if it were near.”

“Right. Cause I don’t feel a thing.” Dash felt out her senses, and only felt more darkness waiting for them beyond the influence of her light.

“Let’s just keep going,” Dash said. “I’d rather not be down here longer than we need to.”

They continued through the caves. The light of Dash’s amulet bounced off the crystals in the walls, adding more light further into the tunnel. The shadows started to disperse as the dirt and rock were steadily replaced by more and more gems and other shimmering stones.

There was an eerie beauty to the dim violet light dancing through the crystal as Dash walked. It all reminded her of Twilight, and she felt compelled to maybe show her this place in the future, after it had been properly lit of course.

“Stop!” Aurora whispered.

Dash ducked and looked at Aurora. Her ear twitched as she cocked her head to the sides. “I hear something. Something talking, not far ahead.” She pointed at Dash’s amulet.

Dash nodded, and pressed her hoof to it. The light faded to the faintest candescence. All she could see were thin silhouettes of her friends. Aurora stood beside her.

“When I give the word, make that as bright as you can, Prizma.”

Dash nodded and followed her aunt past the next bend. Dash heard the faint echoes that Aurora had mentioned. There was definitely somepony else down here talking. As they crept closer, they could hear the yelling more clearly.

“What aren’t you telling us about the Prism?!” it shouted. “What secrets are you hiding!?”

A second, weaker voice drifted through the caves. “Come now, dearie. What fun is there in spoiling all the surprises?”

Edweena gasped. “That voice…” she whispered. “It’s her!”

“Do not give our position away,” Khroma said. “We have no reason to think they expect us yet.”

They approached the voices. A bend in the cave lay ahead, where a small source of blue light radiated from around the corner. As best Dash could tell, whoever was talking were just on the other side.

“We paid you for answers, not snide comments! Now tell us everything, or we’ll rip the secrets from your flesh!”

The second voice chuckled hoarsely, and coughed. “Now, all this us and we talk is rather strange don’t you think? If you’re going to threaten me, at least speak proper.”

“Why you insolent little whelp! You speak to a power beyond reckoning!”

“Oh blimey, will you sod off? You ain’t got a spit of power to fit in my pinkie hoof. Ya just a poppet, little one. Why don’t you clean out the fluff from those ears of yours and ‘elp me down?”

Dash reached the corner just as the first voice started screaming. The caves rumbled as its voice roared through the caves. “Do not speak to a goddess in such a tone! You will pay dearly for this disrespect!”

Dash peeked around the corner. The light was coming from two sticks pointing out of the ground with bright blue gems glowing at their heads. They dimly lit the corner of the cave, where a large smooth stone was embedded in the wall on the other side. A pale pegasus was lashed to it with vines and ropes. Her coat was speckled in bruises and blood, but she somehow managed to smile in the midst of her captor.

Just in front of the stone was a hooded figure. The cloak around it fluttered savagely in a phantom wind, as the pony under it writhed in anger. A dark, otherworldly glow surrounded her as the cave continued to shake. Loose rocks and motes of dust trickled down from the ceiling, as dark tendrils emerged from the cloak and drifted dangerously towards the pegasus on the wall.

The pegasus laughed. “Wot, you gonna tickle me to death with those little warbly bits? Come off it, dear. Clearly ya ain’t been in one o’ the temples in Mesopoponyta. Them old magic types would give old Nightmare Moon the skivvies.”

The hooded figure stomped on the ground, and another rush of air erupted down the cave. “I am the Nightmare!”

Dash gasped. She felt a hoof on her shoulder. Aurora was there, nodding. “Now, Prizma.”

Dash stared a moment before she understood. She nodded and stepped out into the cave, with Aurora and the rest behind her. Dash let her memories of Twilight fill her mind, and her amulet sparked to life. The violet light blazed, filling the cave.

The hooded figure spun around. Her eyes glistened in the violet light as she backed away slowly. “We have been discovered!”

The blue staffs extinguished themselves as a pervasive chill entered the cave. Shadows danced on the ground underneath the hooded pony as more magic surrounded her. A dark, malevolence came from the cloak, as more dark limbs came to life.

The hooded pony took a step forward, her focus on Dash and her friends. So much so that she lost interest in the pegasus on the wall, who was struggling against her binds. Dash blinked as she watched the vines snap and break.

The pegasus wriggled out of the ropes with ease, and once free, took her chance. She dove into the hooded pony from behind and tackled her to the ground. They rolled on the cave floor, shouting curses and trading blows as they tore into each other.

Dash rushed forward to help, but an errant tendril struck her in the side and sent her into the wall. Her vision spun as the cave filled with sounds of chaos and fighting. Her vision cleared, as she saw her dad, aunt and Ditzy advancing on the scuffle between the pegasus and hooded pony. The tendrils kept them at bay, while the brawl carried on.

A gust of freezing air exploded from the hooded pony. The pegasus was launched from her back, and the rest of them were thrown away.

The hooded pony stood, its head bobbing as it wheezed ragged breaths. A voice spoke, coming from her direction, but this one was far deeper, darker, and more dangerous sounding than the previous. “We are at a disadvantage. There is no telling how many more are coming. Flee.”

“Yes. Flee,” the hooded pony replied. “Soon. We only need time, now. The host is weakening.”

“Flee!”

Dash charged forward. “Oh no you don’t!” she yelled. “You aren’t going anywhere!”

She lept at the hooded pony, but landed on the ground as she passed through a formless shadow. She turned back, and saw the hood fade into the shadows on the ground and vanish from sight.

The cave went quiet, and the chill had disappeared. They were alone in the cave.

Edweena rushed forward for the her friend. The prostrate pegasus put up a hoof to stop her and smirked. “Not now, Edie. I’m far too old for that now.”

“You’re hurt.” Edweena said sternly. “I’m trying to check your wounds. Remember who you taught first aid?”

The pegasus plopped down on the ground and let out a long sigh. “Right.” She rubbed her head. “Spot of bad luck, I’d wager. That buggering thrall hit me on the head a few times.”

“Who was that?” Dash said. “Was that really the Nightmare?”

The pegasus shook her head. “Nah. Just the host she’s been fancying lately. Got a bit o’ talent that one. The Nightmare couldn’t a picked a better mess to live in. Shame really, she seemed like a nice old girl.”

“And you are?” Dash said.

“Oh!” Edweena said. “I can’t believe I never introduced you.” She cleared her throat. “Allow me to introduce you to the real Daring Do, or at least the mare I fashioned her after: Archaeologist, adventurer, and my good friend, A. K. Yearling.”

Author's Notes:

---

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In Dreams...

Any lingering presence of the Nightmare or its host were nowhere to be found as Dash and the rest escaped the depths of the cave with Ms. Yearling in tow. Despite her insistence that she was fine enough to fly on her own, Edweena refused to let her exert herself any further. Once they returned to the surface and distanced them from the forest, the little light they could find revealed the severity of Ms. Yearling’s injuries.

So, they departed the gloomy forest for Canterlot as quickly as possible, with Edweena carrying Ms. Yearling in her talons for their ascent. As they climbed over the thick clouds that shrouded the base of the mountain from the light of the sun, they discovered that it was very nearly night. The moon’s glow began to rise over the mountains, as the fading rays of the sun dipped below the cliffs of Canterlot Mountain above them.

They passed the docks as they returned within the city limits. A contingent of guards were still present on the scene, diverting the gawking civilians that came from the further reaches of the city to see the devastation of the Nightmare’s minions. Most of the debris had been cleaned, but there would still be much work in the following weeks to return everything to normal.

Dash and her group did not stop there. While there were medics for Ms. Yearling at the docks, they felt the urgency to return to princess Luna with answers of their progress. They had been gone for hours, and Dash insisted she needed to see Twilight, and there would be undoubtedly help for Ms. Yearling in the castle.

As they approached the castle, they saw that there were far more guards present in the sky around the mountain. The castle walls were alight with magical braziers that light the night, culling the encroaching darkness.

It wasn’t long before they were spotted in the air. They were approached by a few squads of royal guards. They were surrounded quickly, and a single pegasus, dressed in officers colors hovered closer. His eyes scanned Dash’s group, before he noticed Dash herself.

“Miss Rainbow Dash?” he said.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“We were informed to bring you back to Princess Luna upon your return.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Why? Did something happen?”

“Please, follow me. Guards! Escort formation!”

The guards repositioned themselves around Dash’s group, and the continued on towards the castle. Dash’s mind started to wander when the guard did not answer her. Her worry for Twilight started to rise. It had been hours since she last saw her, and who knows what the Nightmare could have done while they were running around the docks.

Her worry got the better of her, and without a word, she sped off without the group. She heard shouting behind her as the guards mobilized to follow her, but she was already well out of reach. Nothing was going to stop her from getting to Twilight.

She flew straight to the tower which held Celestia’s bed chamber. She reached the balcony and burst through the door. “Twilight! Are you okay!?”

Dash blinked at the scene she found on the other side. Luna was still at Celestia’s bedside. She directed an amused glance in Dash’s direction as her horn glowed. A shimmering light encompassed Celestia on the bed as Luna focused her magic. Her eyes were closed, but still were awash with the Nightmare’s dark influence.

Twilight was still there, unhurt. She was sitting still on the floor, eyes closed. Crystal Dream was sitting in front of her, her eyes also closed as her horn glowed. She and Twilight were connected by a faint cord of magic, and did not rouse from Dash’s entrance.

“T-twilight?” Dash said.

Giggling from the bed prompted Dash to turn to Luna. She looked rather amused as she regarded the worry on Dash’s face. Her magic continued to glow over Celestia’s still form on the bed beside her. “I’d recommend keeping your voice down, Miss Dash. Dreamwalking works best if they are actually dreaming.”

“Princess Luna, what’s going on? Why is Twilight asleep?” Dash’s heart began to race. “Did something happen to her too?! Did she catch the same thing that Celestia did, but we didn’t see it in time?” Dash darted from the window to Twilight’s side, when she felt something tug at her tail.

Luna’s horn dimmed and released Dash. “Calm yourself, Rainbow Dash. Twilight is fine. She is attempting to look through her memories for something important.”

“Her memories? For what?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “She claims to know the identity of the Nightmare’s host.”

Dash blinked. “W-what? We just ran into her less than an hour ago in the caves under Canterlot Mountain, how could Twilight know?”

“Caves beneath the mountain? Did you find something?”

Dash waved her hoof impatiently. “Long story. We found Edweena, and one of the Nightmare’s goons started trashing the cloud district docks. We managed to stop it, and it turns out the Nightmare corrupted more ponies than just her host. We followed a lead into the caves and found the one who discovered the Prism’s location for the Nightmare.”

She gestured to Twilight. “Now will you please tell me what’s going on with Twilight? I have a right to know!”

Luna stared a Dash without so much as a blink as she listened. Her gaze drifted to Twilight and she nodded slowly. “Of course, Miss Dash. I’m sure somepony will be along to give me a more detailed report.”

Dash’s eyes narrowed as Luna rose from the bed. She placed a hoof on Celestia’s forehead and held it for a moment, before she walked over to Twilight and Crystal Dream.

Dash bit her lip as guilt tugged at her mind. She glanced at Celestia. The moment Luna left her side, Dash could see Celestia’s eyes moving underneath her eyelids. Her mouth moved as she muttered quietly and her brow furrowed as her body began to shake on the bed.

Dash gulped. “Is she okay?”

Luna glanced back to the bed. “Celestia has fears like any pony does. They are few and complicated, as is expected of one who has lived as long as she.” Luna smiled. “But she is strong. I can give her strength in these dark times, but it is ultimately up to her to fight. I can leave her for a time, long enough to learn more of our enemies.”

Luna stopped beside Crystal Dream and Twilight. “Twilight had been getting worried the longer you were absent. She was concerned deeply for your well being, and was starting to feel guilt over not accompanying you on your hunt for the gryphon.”

Dash sighed and place a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Oh, Twi. The last thing you need to worry about is me. Nothing can get me down. You know that...”

“And I can tell she knows that, but love has its way of turning devotion into obsession. So she looked for any way to help your search.”

Luna sat on the ground beside Twilight. Her horn came to life again as she added her magic to the link between Crystal Dream and Twilight.

“Crystal Dream is my court esper. A magician of the mind and emotions. I call on her aid when there is troubles in the minds of dreamers and other similar woes that befall those under my care.”

Luna turned to Twilight. “Miss Sparkle claimed she saw something in the Prism’s hiding place. A light in the darkness, so to speak, and a tiny fragment of a memory that may identify the host that the Nightmare has corrupted.”

Dash’s eyes widened. “Really? She actually saw something?”

Luna nodded. “It is possible. Considering what happened to my sister, and the strain that has had on Twilight’s psyche, it was difficult for her to remember. And so, Crystal Dream offered to aid her in locating the memory. It is her special talent, after all. If it wasn’t for her, I would be forgetting the birthdays of all the nobles every year. It is a bother to learn so many different names and dates after only being back for a few years.”

Dash smirked as she turned her attention to Twilight. She was still, as if sleeping upright. Her face was calm, focused. Dash recalled many sleepless nights where she lay beside Twilight, and found peace enough to drift and dream by simply watching Twilight sleep.

“Does this usually take a while?” Dash said after a while.

“It can, but it solely depends on Twilight’s ability to focus on the important details. Any stray thoughts could easily distract her subconscious mind from finding what she wants.”

“Ugh. I wish there was something I could do to help.”

Luna’s eyes flickered. “There may be.”

Dash perked up. “Really? Anything!”

Luna gestured to the spot across from her, between Crystal Dream and Twilight. “I can pull you into their trance, and you can join them in their search. You were both present at the time Twilight is trying to recall. The memory that she is looking for would stand out greater if you both were there.”

Dash hesitated. “I… are you sure? I mean, this is Twilight’s mind. I wouldn’t want to invade on her privacy.”

Luna’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “And why would there be something she would hide from you, but not Crystal Dream? It is the nature of love to share in each other’s lives is it not? There should be no secrets between lovers, if the bond is to remain strong.”

“P-princess!” Dash said, her face glowing. “Don’t say it like that!”

Luna tilted her head. “Say it like what?”

Dash rubbed her face and quelled the flushed feeling away. “N-nothing. Just forget it.” She took a deep breath and nodded briskly as she sat down across from Luna. “I’m ready to help her any way I can.”

Luna nodded. Her horn glowed again, as she plucked a thread of light from the cord between Twilight and Crystal Dream. She wove the magic in the air, and slowly drifted it towards Dash.

Dash winced away from the thread. Luna halted. “Calm yourself, Miss Dash. Think of sleep. Let your mind wander.”

Dash let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. “Right. Calm. Wander. I can do that.” She chuckled. “I mean, I nap all the time, falling asleep should be a—”

Dash opened her eyes. She was no longer in Celestia’s bedchamber. She sat on a cloud, high in the night sky.

“ —breeze.”

She stood and glanced below. There was no ground that she could see. It was only a clear sky above an endless ocean. Bright lights glowed from deep under the water, casting an ethereal glow on the surface.

“Wow… This is Twilight’s dream?”

She looked around. She saw nothing else. Not a cloud, nor land, nor any other pony. She was alone.

“Twilight!” Dash shouted. “Where are you?”

No response. Only the wind replied over her tiny plot of cloud. Dash grunted and sat down, propping her chin with a leg. “Well this was a great plan. I’m in Twilight’s head, which is probably the size of Equestria on the inside, and I have no idea how to find her.”

She tapped the cloud, watching the water blow drift past. The lights seemed to be dancing under the surface, flashing as far as the eyes could follow. A closer light shook her from her thoughts. She grabbed the necklace around her neck and stared into it. “Would this work in here?”

The amulet glowed as she filled her mind with thoughts of Twilight. She shrugged. “Well, no sense not trying it out.”

She stood and spread her wings. She let another phantom wind drift through her feathers, before she tipped of the edge of the cloud and dove off. Her wings caught a faint current of wind and she let it carry her along. The amulet glowed brighter, so it was as good a bearing as any.

Other clouds drifted into view as she glid. They were small, barely enough for a single pony to stand on. Dash steered towards them and used them to propel herself further into the endless sea ahead.

The flashing lights continued their dance below, seemingly following Dash as she continued her flight. Dash stared at them, feeling more thoughts of Twilight invading her thoughts. Her amulet shone brighter with each passing moment, which brought an empowering calm to Dash’s mind.

Her ears twitched suddenly at a loud crash of water. She turned, and saw that great geysers erupted from the water. They played in a strange rhythm all around her, bringing with them the effervescent colors of the water. It was like a show of water, light and color, playing solely for Dash. She hovered past them slowly, captivated by the display.

A rumble from the water below broke her from her haze. The water trembled and roiled as the light underneath began to blaze. It faded into a crimson red as the water swirled like blood. Dash tried to hasten her flight, but in that instant, a pillar of water exploded from below and rushed towards her.

She was engulfed by the torrent of water. Dash took in a deep breath and tried to escape its confines. She reopened her eyes, and was face to face with Twilight… as a filly.

Dash blinked as she watched her marefriend, well under ten years old, sitting on a small dirt path. She was clutching her leg, wailing loudly. Tears streamed from her eyes as she rocked back and forth.

“Twi?” Dash said.

The young Twilight didn’t respond. She kept crying, as she lifted her hoof from her leg a moment, and her cries got even louder. Dash spotted red in Twilight’s fur, and small streaks falling to the ground under her.

“Shining!” she wailed. “Shining, where are you!?”

“Easy there, Twi.” Dash said. “I’m here. Let me help.”

Dash reached out to help the filly Twilight with her cut, but her hoof passed right through like she wasn’t there.

Dash jerked her hoof back, stunned. She could see right through it.

“Twilight?” a voice asked.

Dash turned, and saw Shining Armor standing there. He too was far younger than she remembered. He had a small saddlebag hanging off his smaller frame as he approached his little sister.

Twilight looked up and saw her brother. Her crying stuttered a moment, and the constant stream of tears halted just for a moment as they welled in her eyes. “Sh-shining! It hu~urts!”

Shining Armor smiled. He knelt down and he withdrew a bandage from his bags. He administered it to his sister’s cut, and her cries started to lessen.

He lifted a hoof to her face and wiped away the tears. “Hey, now kiddo. Dry those tears. Let’s go get some ice cream.”

Twilight’s face lit up immediately, as if she had never been injured at all. “Yay! Ice cream!”

Dash stood, dumbfounded as she watched Twilight and Shining Armor walk away, fading into a distant veil. Her vision darkened suddenly, as she felt water and cold fade away from her. She shook her head and opened her eyes again to see that she had returned to the endless sea.

The waters below her churned and ebbed as they fell away, leaving her completely dry. She scratched her head, her mind reeling.

“Well, that was… weird.”

She located the closest cloud and took a moment to rest. Her attention remained on the water, keeping a close eyes on the geysers as they jumped and soared into the air all around. The amulet’s light held steady, and brightened slightly as each geyser erupted nearby.

Dash groaned. “All of these geysers lead to Twilight. I knew this thing wouldn’t work!” She rapped a hoof against the cloud and slumped into it. She flicked her tail, propelling the cloud into a light drift as her attention wandered lazily below.

“I don’t know what Luna was thinking sending me here. I have no idea what I’m doing! Twilight could be anywhere in here.”

Dash heard a faint chuckle behind her. “And I assumed you knew everything about your lady love.”

Dash’s head popped up from the cloud and turned around. She tilted her head at the sight of Crystal Dream, hovering in the air before her. She had a faint smile as she stared at Dash, who only returned blinking eyes and stuttering.

“I… uh… how…” Dash managed, pointing at Crystal Dream's obvious lack of wings.

Crystal Dream’s smile deepened. “This is the land of dreams and memory. Logic and limitations only hold sway here if you let them.”

Dash slowly nodded in understanding, when she snapped to her hooves. “Wait. Where’s Twilight? Isn’t she with you?”

Crystal Dream looked to both sides slowly. “She is, and she is not.”

Dash frowned. “And what does that mean?”

Crystal Dream waved her hoof with a flourish and bowed her head. “Traveling dreamscapes is one of my many talents as a maiden of Princess Luna’s court. Considering the vast landscape of the mind, especially one of Twilight Sparkle’s renown, it is preferable to be in many places at once.” Her eyes fluttered to Dash. “I detected my lady’s intervention and your added presence to this realm, so I came to collect you.”

“And you couldn’t just bring Twilight with you?”

Crystal Dream looked away. “She is...currently distracted. It would be unhealthy to interrupt her.”

Dash’s breathing quickened. “What do you mean? Is she in trouble?”

Crystal Dream’s expression held. “I would not say as much. Her search for answers has confronted her with things she would rather not face.”

“Then bring me to her! I can help her!”

Crystal Dream shook her head. “I do not think there is anypony who can help her at this point. Twilight Sparkle is special, in a way that is not beneficial to her here. I have discovered in my time with her in this place that she does not like to be vulnerable. Being faced with one’s own memories, even recent ones, can be overwhelming to those not prepared for the complexities of dreams.”

“So she is in trouble then.”

Crystal Dream’s eyes flickered with amusement. “And you are as every bit loyal and protective of her as her dreams have led me to understand, Rainbow Dash. Perhaps even more so.”

She waved her hoof, and below, the waters began to rise. A single pillar of water shaped dozens of meters up, until it reached their height. At its peak, the water swirled around and around like a whirlpool. The gushing torrent sped faster as it emptied into the ocean below.

“Very well,” Crystal Dream continued. “If you wish to see her and aid her as you say, then you must make the first step.”

Dash stared at the spinning water. There were a million reasons that jumping into it was a stupid idea, and the deepest corners of her mind were quick to remind her of that a thousand times over. But only one reason was good enough for her to listen to.

She glanced at Crystal Dream. “For Twilight. I’ll do anything.”

Dash pumped her wings once and floated over the whirling tide. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and dove in. Hang on, Twi. I’m coming!

Author's Notes:

---

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Eternal Twilight of the Spotless Mind

Surfing through a whirpool was as every bit as disorienting as Dash expected. She felt every twist and bend of the current as it raced through the unknown spaces in between Twilight’s mind. Her body was wrenched side to side, but felt no pain, only a persistent tug that guided her to her destination.

A light twinkled in the distance as Dash struggled to see where she was going. The waters carried directly towards it and it grew brighter the closer she got. There was a rush of air that flowed over Dash’s body as she was ejected suddenly from the current and came to a rolling stop when she landed on solid ground.

Dash tried to cough up water, but her lungs were dry. Her eyes snapped open. She was sitting on a dirt path, completely devoid of water.

She groaned as she worked to get to her hooves. “Wow. What a ride…”

She turned to Crystal Dream, whom she expected to be right behind her. “Was that really—”

Dash was alone on the path. A quick glance around confirmed this. There was no sign of Crystal Dream anywhere, or Twilight for that matter.

“Hey!” Dash shouted. “What gives! You said you’d take me to Twilight!”

Dash grunted when no reply came, only a bristling of wind on the grass. She snorted angrily and looked around, trying to figure out where she was.

The path climbed a small hill not far away. Dash shrugged and plodded up the road. The area seemed familiar, but there was something strange that put Dash on edge. She wasn’t certain if it was the taste of the wind, or the smell of the air, but she could have sworn she had stood on this ground before, not long ago.

Over the crest of the hill, Ponyville lay below. Dash frowned and scratched her head. “Am I still dreaming, or am I actually home?” she wondered.

A minute later she was approaching the edge of the village. It had to have been nearing noon, as everypony was out and about in the village square. The market was in full swing, school foals were playing in the schoolhouse yard and the smells of lunch foods being prepared drifted from every direction.

No pony paid Dash any special mind as she wandered through in her confused daze. Everything screamed at her that this was a perfectly normal Ponyville, but she could just feel something wrong in the air around her. It was almost as if something was missing.

A flash of color above her stole her attention. A rainbow roared across the sky, darting from cloud to cloud, popping each as it passed. She heard a familiar laugh cackle from above as each ball of fluff met a watery end.

Dash blinked as she watched the scene above, as her own memories started to pull at her mind. “Is that…”

The streak of colors dipped behind a building, followed by a crash and shouting. Dash chased after it around the corner. She dug her hooves into the dirt to a speedy halt as soon as she came to the other side. She stood still, mouth hanging open, as she watched Twilight, lying in a puddle of mud, trying to untangle herself from…

“Is that… me?”

Dash couldn’t believe her eyes. There in front of her was Twilight Sparkle and herself, standing in a mud puddle. They were too far for Dash to hear what they were saying, but she recalled everything perfectly.

“Uh.. ‘scuse me?” Dash said, chuckling.

Twilight looked at her with a glare.

Dash laughed again. “Let me help you.” She took the to the sky, and quickly returned with a nearby raincloud. After a few quick stomps, the cloud let out its watery contents, and doused Twilight with water.

Dash looked down from the cloud to examine her efforts, and broke out laughing at the sight of the now clean, but soaking wet, Twilight Sparkle.

“Oops, I guess I overdid it. Um, uh, how bout this?”

Off into the sky again, Dash began to pull tight turns around Twilight. In the blink of an eye, a small tornado swirled around her. Once it was complete. Dash slowed to a hover.

“My very own patented, Rain-blow-dry!” She lowered herself to the ground, chin high.

When she bothered to open her eyes again, she was met with a glaring, tangle-maned Twilight. She couldn’t contain herself anymore, and fell to the ground, rolling with laughter.

Twilight sighed. “Let me guess: you’re Rainbow Dash?”

Dash, the real Dash ducked behind her hiding place, her mind racing. “... the one and only,” she whispered. “I can’t believe it. The day we met. Was I really that much of a dork in front of her?” She slapped a hoof to her face. “Ugh, of course Twi would have a perfect memory of this…”

“Her mind has drifted to you often as of late,” Crystal Dream said.

Dash yelped and fell backwards. She slapped her head to get her eyes to stop pulling loops and glared up at Crystal Dream. “Jeez, lady. Give a mare some warning before you do that!”

Crystal Dream chuckled. “And I thought Rainbow Dash was a fearless bulwark.”

Dash frowned. “I‘m not a bull, and I’m way too fast to be a lark, so why don’t you can it with the fancy words and tell me what I’m doing here?”

Crystal Dream blinked and started shaking her head. She cast a glance in the direction of the echoes of Dash and Twilight’s first encounter. “Because, this is as close to Twilight I can bring you myself. You will have to manually travel from this memory to the others if you wish to find her.”

“But… why this memory? It was so long ago.”

“Because, it appears Twilight has repurposed her priorities as of late. Her waking thoughts, her resting thoughts, and even her dreams all seem to be of you.”

Dash shrugged. “So? We’ve been in a relationship for a year. I think about her all the time too, it's nothing special.”

“Ah, but there is something else at play here. In my experience as Princess Luna’s esper, I have found predictable occurrences, and signs of mental strain. This… fixation may seem normal from the outside, but in here, it borders on obsession.”

Crystal Dream flicked her hoof. Ponyville faded into white as a gust of air blew over Dash. Images flew by, as if moving pictures of Dash’s life from the time she met Twilight to the present.

“When one dwells this much on a single pony, even on events of the past, they are worrying of the importance on their lives.” She turned to Dash. “Twilight has concerns, strong concerns for your safety. She feels as if you will not be there in her future, and is fixated on the memories of the good to compensate for that possible loss.”

Dash felt her chest burn and twist. “Twi’s… scared of losing me?”

Crystal Dream nodded grimly. “These past few days have heralded dark events, Rainbow Dash. Even you cannot deny them.”

“But she thinks I’m not gonna make it? That’s insane!”

Crystal Dream’s eyes narrowed. “Some have said love itself is insane. That the mind, lost in love, does what it would never rationally do otherwise for love’s sake. Twilight said it herself that love was a… mystery to her. It was you that opened that path to her. You both embraced it together, and how found greater happiness with it, but unbeknownst, you have also accepted the far greater risks it can pose on you both.”

Against the endless white of the dream, a glowing light that matched Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark appeared. A second light appeared, this time of Twilight’s cutie mark. They were joined together by a single thread of light.

Crystal Dream waved her hoof and the thread was severed. The two cutie marks separated and burned into the blinding white surrounding them. “Just as you have found each other and bound yourselves to the the throes of love, so have you placed yourself on the precipice of oblivion. Should the thread be severed, you will both be lost, alone and separated. That is the risk love places on our hearts, Rainbow Dash. Twilight is just now seeing the fragility of it and it is consuming her.”

The veil surrounding them faded to black as it parted aside. Dash felt water spattering at her coat, and thunder rumbling in the distance. She stood on a cobblestone road, as a harsh wind drifted past, carrying along the drizzling rain.

She heard galloping hooves approaching her. She turned towards them, and saw Twilight running towards her. Dash smiled as she ran towards Twilight, her heart soaring. “There you are!”

A cold wind rushed through Dash as Twilight ran right through her. She turned, just another ghost in Twilight’s memories as she tried to understand what Crystal Dream was trying to show her.

Twilight ducked into a small alley, hiding in the shadows. She was breathing heavily as she pressed herself against the brick wall. Dash frowned as she looked around at the state of the buildings and how familiar they were.

“This… this is Stalliongrad… We’re in St. Poniesburg when…” Dash clutched her chest as the memory came back to her. Tears formed at her eyes. “When she ran…”

A voice shouted from above. “Twilight! Please stop running! I only want to talk!”

Dash looked up and saw herself hovering in the sky. The echo of her was flush with panic as she drifted back and forth, peering down through the buildings. She slowly descended towards the building, holding something close to her chest.

Dash looked down around her neck, to the same amulet her echo held, trying to find Twilight. The echo of Twilight was still holding herself to the shadows, hiding. She stared forward, her eyes almost vacant in confusion and worry.

The echo of Dash called out again. “Twilight… I just want to talk. Please talk to me. I can explain. Just… give me a chance. I know you can hear me. I know you’re there.”

The echo of Twilight gave a start, as she looked down to the necklace she too wore. She looked around, searching in desperation for an escape as the echo of Dash flew closer. She froze and squeezed the necklace between her hooves. With a quick tug, she pulled it from her neck and let it drop to the ground. She lifted her hoof.

Dash rushed forward, hoof outstretched. “No! Don’t!”

The phantom Twilight brought her hoof down, ignorant to Dash’s protests. The amulet shattered under her hooves, and the memory itself began to split and break like glass all around her. Dash began to fall into nothing, as the last images of Twilight vanishing in a flash of violet filled her eyes.

She landed on something firm, and opened her eyes to Crystal Dream once again, floating in a twilight glow. Dash groaned as she regained her balance on the shapeless ground she stood on.

“What the hay was the point of that!?” Dash shouted. “That was the last memory either of us needed to relive.”

Crystal Dream pursed her hooves together. “But it was the first real step towards your bond. As far as I am concerned, it is the most important memory to show. Even in the beginning, Twilight’s grasp of what it meant to love and be loved was weak, shapeless, much like the place we stand. In the year since, you have both seen that understanding grow. Unfortunately, for Twilight, she is one who must understand all aspects of something influential in her life. It is her nature.”

Crystal Dream began to float away. She beckoned Dash with a wave of her hoof. “Come, we are almost there.”

Dash followed, trudging further into the strange landscape that Crystal Dream escorted her through. Her mind felt weary from all the games the esper was playing on her. She felt no closer to an real understanding. She looked up, intent on more questions.

She frowned. Once again, Crystal Dream had vanished without a trace, leaving Dash in darkness. She looked around, trying to figure out what memory of Twilight’s she was in now.

A faint violet glow shimmered in the distance that drew Dash’s attention. She crept towards it. There was a change in the air the closer she got. It felt like something pounded heavily against the earth and sent great tremors in every direction. Dust and sparkling particles drifted through the air, as the light blazed brighter.

The light was a large sphere that shone like the sun. Dark malevolent energy like the night sky smashed against it, sending out sparks that crackled through the air. The wind raged with each strike and nearly knocked Dash from her hooves.

When Dash got close enough, she gasped. Twilight was the one in the sphere, channeling her magic into the barrier with all her might. The Nightmare; there could be no other thing it could be, opposed Twilight in this endless void. Their powers were matched, each of them gritting their teeth and straining everything into ending the other.

“I…” Twilight seethed. “Won’t. Let. You. Have. Her!”

The Nightmare laughed. “She is already mine, little princess!”

Dash’s heart skipped. In between Twilight and the Nightmare, was a grey form, lying still. Despite the lack of color, the cutie mark was the only proof she needed to see that the two powers she was witnessing were fighting over her. What was left of her.

“Do you see now, Miss Dash?” Crystal Dream said.

Dash remained calm as the question came. She turned, unphased by Crystal Dream’s sudden appearance. “See what? My marefriend giving her all to save me? Scared out her wits probably? And me? Not able to save her?” She grabbed Crystal Dream and glared at her. “What are you trying to pull here? Are you enjoying putting us through this? Is this a game to you?”

Crystal Dream blinked. “Games are meant to be won, Miss Dash. I am merely showing you what needs to be seen. The rest is up to you.”

Dash didn’t even blink as Crystal Dream faded away before her eyes. She turned back to Twilight. The Nightmare was growing larger. The darkness whirled around her as her magic glowed brighter against Twilight’s shield. Sweat poured from Twilight’s forehead as she was slowly pushed back.

The air around Twilight’s shield crackled with energy. Dash could see splinters forming in the magic, and she sprang into action. It didn’t matter if it was a dream or not, she wasn’t going to stand around and do nothing to protect the one she cared about most. Twilight was strong, but they were stronger together.

She ran as fast as her legs could take her. There was an audible crunch in the air, as Twilight’s shield began to fail. Tears were falling from Twilight’s eyes, as she cast a panicked glance in the other Dash’s direction. Her knees started to give out as she wobbled on her legs.

Dash could hear Twilight beginning to cry, not just out of sadness, but of desperation, of failure, and it tore Dash to pieces on the inside.

The shield shattered, filling the air with an echoing explosion of glass. The shards of Twilight’s broken magic struck the ground before evaporating before her eyes as she collapsed to the ground. She held her head down as her tears fell freely to the ground.

The Nightmare halted a moment, laughing in victory as she prepared one final spell. The air around began to chill, as all of the light drained from Twilight’s body.

The Nightmare lowered her head, and let the spell loose. Twilight didn’t try to move, acceptant in her fate.

A fate that Dash would not allow. She dove with all her speed towards Twilight. A surge of surprise shot through her mind when she actually collided with the unicorn, and the two toppled out of the Nightmare’s path. They rolled over each other, safe from the final strike.

Dash wheezed as she regained her balance and found herself staring into Twilight’s eyes. She was staring straight back.

“D-dash? Is that really you?”

Dash took Twilight’s hoof and placed it on her cheek. “I feel real, don’t I? I told you I’d always be there for you.”

Twilight’s face quivered as she stood on the edge of another breakdown. Tears welled at her eyes, but Dash did not allow them to last for long. She wiped them away and placed a hoof on Twilight’s chin. “Now buck up, babe. We gotta a big shadowy jerk to put down.”

Twilight nodded shakily as she struggled to get back to her hooves. Dash helped her up as best she could, but it became quickly clear that the Nightmare was not going to give them much more time.

The air continued to crackle with dark magic and rage as the Nightmare screamed. Her magic began to swirl from everywhere, bringing savage winds to bear against Dash and Twilight.

They stood their ground as the next spell came to life. They shared a glance, and nodded to each other, affirming their bond, their love, and that nothing would break it, not even in dreams. They faced the Nightmare, hoof in hoof, waiting.

The dark sphere of magic soared towards them. Dash refused to blink, but she felt Twilight trembling against her. She squeezed Twilight’s hoof and cast one more affirming glance. For that moment, Twilight went still, and breathed a single, calm sigh.

The magic never came. When they looked again, the nightmare had stopped moving. She stood above them, near a stone ceiling in a small, narrow chamber. A fountain of light poured from nearby. The light it cast flowed down onto Princess Celestia, accompanied by Ditzy Doo, frozen in time.

“Twi?” Dash asked. “What is this?”

Twilight walked away from the light, towards the Nightmare’s silhouette. “This is the moment before the Nightmare shattered the Reshef mirror and cut Celestia off from the sunlight. I know I saw something in the shadow when it exploded.” She turned back to Dash. “This was the memory I was trying to find.”

The ticking of a clock rang in Dash’s mind. Before her eyes, seconds began to crawl past like dull hours. The extended tendril of the Nightmare’s magic rose up from her form towards the mirror. It struck soundly, and filled the chamber with a blinding light.

Dash shielded her eyes as the nova held through the passage of time. She stumbled towards Twilight, as she was peering up at the Nightmare’s shadow.

The light cut through the dark miasma that enveloped her body. Underneath was the form of a regular pony, clothed in long robes and a hood. A strange pendant hung from her neck, it was a red thorn that shimmered with dark magic, but Dash blinked when she recognized it.

“That’s… that’s King Sombra’s horn, isn’t it Twi?”

Twilight didn’t answer. She was looking directly at the Nightmare’s face, her eyes wide. Twilight’s mouth opened and closed as if trying to speak, but the words refused to come.

Dash peered through the light, trying to see the face more clearly. It was certainly a unicorn, she knew that from her encounter in the cave. Her coat was a lightish blue, almost indistinguishable from the dark shadows that covered her. Her mane was a shimmering blue and silver, tainted by streaks of black. It was her eyes, though, that Dash finally lost herself in.

Her eyes were like a blanket of the night sky, speckled with stars and endless galaxies. They all glowed with a deep purple, shimmering with magic.

“Oh,” Twilight said, once again on the verge of tears. “Trixie… what have you done?”

Author's Notes:

---

Questions?
Comments?
Feel free to send me a mail
Either here on Fimfiction
Or at [email protected]
Im on Tumblr! Follow me for additional information of upcoming stories, as well as my day to day ramblings about life, writing, and of course, ponies.

Call of Crystal

Dash lurched from rest as the train car rocked against its rails. She yawned and stretched, looking around as she rubbed her eyes. Edweena and Yearling were across from her in the chair, engrossed in their own discussion with Aurora and Khroma, who sat beside Dash. Their words echoed like white noise in Dash’s mind, as she continued searching the car.

Ditzy was alone across from them, also trying to sleep. She had her head propped against the window. The window fogged with each breath and her body bobbed with the motions of the train.

Twilight, as Dash eventually found, was seated on the other side of the car, surrounded by books in her seat. Her head jerked to and fro as she jumped from line to line, from book to book as they sat open in front of her.

Dash sighed. Twilight had been doing that since they left Canterlot. Not a moment on the train and she was burying herself in research. Dash knew all too well what this meant. After a year with Twilight, there were plenty of little quirks that Dash picked up on and understood of her friend, but this one was not one she enjoyed tolerating.

Twilight found deep comfort in research. Anytime she was concerned or worried about something, she would study, either to determine if she was right, or if there was anything new she could understand. She would do so for days on end, sometimes forgoing sleep just to keep her conscious mind occupied and not directly face the problem. And the problem they now faced would take plenty of research to understand.

Dash, her mind still weary from rest, found herself drifting back to the previous night. She too had difficulty dealing with the revelation they had discovered, and the scope of the threat they now faced.

She remembered awaking on Celestia’s bedroom floor. Twilight was right beside her, her eyes also fluttering open. Crystal Dream was already standing, watching her carefully as she regained consciousness.

There were more ponies in the room then when Dash went to follow Twilight into her dreams. Her dad, aunt, Edweena, Ms. Yearling and Ditzy had finally caught up with her, and were waiting patiently beside Celestia’s bed, where they shared what they knew with Luna.

Crystal Dream raised her hoof, signaling the others. “They are awake.”

The group by the bed turned their attention to Dash and Twilight. Luna was the first to stand and approach, her expression inquisitive.

“Well, Miss Sparkle? Did you find what you sought?”

Twilight blinked and started trembling. Luna raised an eyebrow when she didn’t answer and turned her attention to Dash. “Were you not successful, Miss Dash?”

Dash gulped and met Luna’s eyes. “N-no, we found what we wanted. B-but, we just can’t believe it…”

Luna nodded tersely. “I understand your wariness, but there is no room to conceal the truth if we are to understand this mystery. Please, share what you know.”

“It’s…” Twilight tried. “It’s somepony we know.”

Khroma frowned. “A friend of yours?”

Twilight shook her head, her eyes watering. She stifled a sniffle and gulped. “N-not exactly. Somepony we’ve met in the past. She was… a difficult individual, but I know she has a kind heart. I just… don’t understand how this happened.”

Dash placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. They shared a moment, staring into each others eyes as Twilight searched for the strength to continue.

Twilight looked back to the group with a steadying sigh. “It’s Trixie Lulamoon. The traveling entertainer.”

Luna blinked. “The one who discovered the Alicorn Amulet?”

Twilight nodded. “Y-yes, her.”

Luna turned and closed her eyes. “Pride… and jealousy…” she whispered. “Coupled with the power of the amulet on her mind…” She turned back and opened her eyes. “It is no surprise the Nightmare chose her as a host. She would have been irresistible, and easily broken with the presence of the amulet’s influence.”

“She’s not like that!” Twilight shouted. “I know she’s made some mistakes, but she’s always shown hope and determination to do better. I refuse to believe that she’s being controlled by the Nightmare because she’s weak!”

Luna lifted her chin, staring down at Twilight with a level gaze. “I do not mean to besmirch Miss Lulamoon’s spirit, but the facts must be understood. She has fallen, perhaps not willingly, to the Nightmare's influence, and acts as an enemy against us. Steps must be taken to free her, without harming her.” Luna closed her eyes again. “If it is not already too late…”

“What do you mean, ‘too late’?” Twilight demanded.

“The longer one remains enthralled to the Nightmare’s power, the further their own will is suppressed. Too long, and it ceases to be, and the Nightmare will have a permanent home.”

Twilight’s mouth fell open in shock. The tears started flowing freely as her face fell into unbearable sadness.

“That’s not going to happen,” Dash said. “We’ll get Trixie out of there, even if we have to boot the Nightmare across Equestria.” She put a leg around Twilight. “I promise, Twi. We’ll get her back.”

Twilight trembled under her leg and said nothing.

“What else did you see?” Khroma asked. “Was there anything else to determine what they are up to?”

Dash tensed. She found great difficulty in lifting her head to face her father. The look in his eyes was enough to show the concern he felt.

Dash sighed. “Yeah… there is…” She looked at Luna. “Trixie is wearing King Sombra’s horn around her neck.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “King Sombra’s—You cannot be serious?!”

Dash nodded. “I know what I saw. The very same bit that got sliced off by Cadence’s shield thing last fall. All red and glowy and dripping with evil. It was pretty obvious.”

Luna’s head shrugged as she stared at the ground. She looked like her mind was going a million miles a second, crossing multiple stages of disbelief, worry and dread. “This… this is far more serious than Celestia led me to believe. The theft of the Prism is one thing, but to conceive that it would be, or even could be used in such a manner…”

“Princess Luna…” Edweena chimed in. “You cannot possibly mean to suggest—”

“Is it not obvious?!” Luna shouted. A raging wind escaped her mouth, as the ancient speaking pattern of ages past crept back into her voice. “An artifact as powerful as the Celestial Prism, and the last physical manifestation of the King of Shadows, the power of the Nightmare and an indoctrinated host… What other possibility is there that Sombra’s possible return now looms on the horizon!?”

The room was locked in a frozen chill as Luna finished her rant. She stood, wide stanced and her face was set in anger as she panted.

“That… That can’t be all that’s at stake here…” Edweena said. She turned to Khroma and Aurora. “You know most about the Prism, is that even possible?”

Khroma’s expression turned grim. “It is not… impossible.”

Edweena’s mouth opened in shock.

Khroma nodded, keeping his gaze on the gryphon. “The Prism, at its core, is still a crystal focus, capable of channeling untold amounts of magical energy. Its primary function has always been the manifestation of colors and light in the world. The magic surrounding it prevents its task from being halted suddenly, which is why my family’s burden exists. But if it were to remain idle for too long, its stored magic would fade, and would wait for new magic to saturate it. Any magic.”

Khroma turned to Dash. “As soon as my daughter’s colors fade away completely, anyone could do anything with the Prism. And we could do nothing to stop it…”

Dash wasn’t sure what to say, what to think, what to feel. She just stood still, staring in disbelief at her father. Twilight was still trembling beside her, crying. If anything, she was getting worse as the revelations continued, and the future looked bleaker with each minute.

Ms. Yearling cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Well then. I’m sure this lot has ‘ad plenty o’ bad news to last a life time. So how’s about we move on from the doom an’ gloom and start commin’ up wit a solution?”

“Like what?” Aurora snapped. “What in Equus do we know that actually helps us. We know our enemies, but nothing of where they are going next, or when they wish to move forward with their plans.”

Yearling, to everyone's surprise, managed a wink, and smirked deeply. “Now that, dearie, is where you could use a bit o’ catchin’ up.”

Aurora’s fur bristled as he fumed at Yearling. “Why you insufferable Buckingham busybody! You stand here and toss insults like you think you understand the gravity of the situation.”

Yearling shrugged. “I ain’t tossin’ nottin’ my dear. I threw it right in that pretty face o’ yours.”

Aurora snapped her wings open and stomped towards Yearling, her face set in fury.

“Auntie, stop!” Dash said. “Just don’t punch anything in the face for five seconds and we might learn something!”

Aurora stopped at Dash’s request. She glanced at her niece, eyes narrowed before she turned back to Yearling. She let out a snort, and lowered her wings. “Well? I am waiting.”

Yearling shot a hoofs-up at Dash. “Thanks, luv. Now, as I was sayin’. I got a pretty good idea where we can dig up a few things.”

“Not literally, I hope,” Edweena said.

Yearling guffawed. “Oh heavens no. An excavation would take way too much soddin’ time. I meant just looking up some history on big ol’ Sombra and Nightmare.”

“Wh-where?” Twilight sputtered. She wiped her eyes and choked back further tears as she stared Yearling down. “There is almost no history in any books today on Sombra’s downfall or the Nightmare. Only legends and myths! Princess Celestia and Luna are the only ones to have ever met these individuals for any period of time, and even that isn’t any help.”

Twilight blinked as the words left her mouth and she suddenly looked at Luna. “U-um. I didn’t mean…”

Luna waggled her hoof dismissively. “I understand what you meant, Miss Sparkle. And you are correct. I know much of Sombra’s history, but not much of his new powers before he was banished. Nor the origin of the Nightmare.” Her gaze drifted to Yearling. “But clearly, you know something.”

Yearling flashed a smile. “That I do. The real question is, what do King Sombra, the Nightmare, an’ one thousand years ‘ave in common?”

A moment of silence drifted through the room. Everypony exchanged glances. They blinked each in turn as realisation slowly crept in and they slowly looked back to Yearling.

“You don’t mean…” Edweena said.

“Yep!” Yearling said. “We’re off to the Crystal Empire!”

And that was it. No lengthy goodbyes, no fanfare. In under a few minutes, a private train en route directly to the Crystal Empire was personally requested by Princess Luna, with Dash and company on board. Dash tried to get some sleep, but the jostling of the train and the tension on her nerves prevented any useful amount of rest.

Which led to the her current moment. Everypony was still engrossed in their discussion of what Yearling knew of the old archives in the Crystal Empire Library, and where anything of note on the Nightmare, Sombra, or anything in between might lay. Everypony but Twilight.

Dash slipped away from the group and trotted over to Twilight’s seat. If she had been aware of Dash’s approach, she made no effort to show it. Her nose was buried in a book, as she usually was, but there was a far more grim look of determination in her eyes. They flicked from page to page, not stopping for a second as Twilight digested several decades of history and information in minutes.

Twilight hadn’t tried to get any sleep as Dash had, as far as Dash could tell anyway. Her mane was slowly deteriorating into a frazzled mess. Her eyes were turning red, and the skin on her face was tingeing black from hours of missed rest.

“Twi?” Dash said quietly.

“Mmm…” Twilight mumbled in reply.

“Twi. Are you okay? You’ve been cramming for hours.”

“Mmfine… reading…”

Dash frowned. “Twi, please. Talk to me.”

At this point, Twilight stopped replying altogether, and it set Dash’s nerves even further on edge.

“Twilight. We need to talk about what happened in that dream.”

“Not now…” Twilight said. She spoke like she was talking to no pony at all, just a faceless presence that lingered nearby.

Dash huffed as the last straw was crossed. She took the book in Twilight’s possession and pulled it down from her eyes, slamming it shut.

Twilight blinked in surprise and frowned. “Rainbow Dash! I was reading that! It could have something important on the Nightmare or Sombra!”

Dash shook her head. “No, Twi. You aren’t finding anything useful in this book,” she said, tapping the cover.

“And why is that?” Twilight said, trying to pull the book from Dash’s grasp.

“Because you’ve been reading the same page over and over for ten minutes now. You do that all the time when you’re worried and reading at the same time.”

“No I wasn’t! I was just trying not to miss anything important!”

“Twi, stop lying to me. After a year of dating, you pick up little things about the one you spend time with. There’s a lot of little things you do when something’s bothering you, and I’ve taken the time to notice.” Dash pushed the book away, and cleared a small section next to Twilight so she could sit down. “Now please. Just take a breather and talk to me. You’re starting to freak me out.”

Twilight shuffled away. “I… I really would rather not…”

“Twi…” Dash put a hoof on Twilight, who winced at the touch. Dash blinked, and pulled the hoof away. “Twi?”

“Its just… that dream…” Twilight closed her eyes and sighed. “More like nightmare.” She looked up and away, her eyes searching through memory. “I felt like I relived every important moment of our lives together. It was… strange, almost nostaligic, really. And so… calming.” Twilight sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t think my mind was ever so calm after reliving the happier moments of us being together, even some of the less… favorable days.”

Dash smirked. “Like the time I brought you roses and it turned out you were allergic?”

Twilight giggled. “My face almost looked like a big purple balloon!” She sighed after she stopped laughing, as her expression turned sombre. “Its just… the last one… the last dream. It wasn’t something that happened, it was something that was going to happen. I could feel it… You were lying there, cold, empty, I couldn’t tell if you were living or…” She hesitated and sucked in a sharp breath. “... or worse.”

She choked on her words as tears started beading at her eyes. “I couldn’t take it, seeing you like that. The Nightmare standing over your body, like some great prize she had won, laughing at me.”

Dash gasped when Twilight turned to her, seeing the haunted look in her eyes.

“I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t save you. I couldn’t even fight for you. I just lost. I lost everything. The Prism. The Princess.” Twilight grabbed Dash and squeezed tight. “I lost you. And I couldn’t take it.”

Dash squeezed back. “Twi, you know you don’t have to protect me. I can look after myself.”

“But you don’t know that! Look at what’s happened in the past few days: Someone tried to blow up your house, the Nightmare almost killed Celestia and us, half of Canterlot might have been destroyed because of her minions, and now Trixie is wrapped around her hooves. What if it was one our friends she had instead? What if it was Rarity, or Pinkie Pie, or Applejack? She would just use them against us. How could we possibly fight against our own friends?!”

Twilight was panting through tears and trembling anger as she completed her rant. Dash sat, stunned.

“Twilight… You can’t think like this. We’ve been through rough spots before. We’ve beaten the Nightmare before. We beat Sombra before. We beat everything the world has thrown at us, and we can do it again. I don’t know what we’re up against, but—”

“I thought you died!” Twilight screamed.

Dash froze. The car went still as the conversation just a few seats away quickly ended. Everypony turned their heads towards Dash and Twilight, just as the latter broke down and began to sob.

“Twi…” Dash said, putting her hoof around Twilight.

Twilight’s voice was shaking as she fought back more tears. “Back at your house… My head felt like it was splitting open from the blast. Everything was a blurry mess. It was raining… and all I remember after the first hit was falling. I hit the ground really hard and nearly rolled down the hill. You landed right beside me, but you weren’t moving. You weren’t breathing. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do! You had burns all over. I tried C.P.R, but I couldn’t stop my hooves from shaking to do it properly. I thought I was going to lose you and I couldn’t do anything to save you. I felt helpless. Your dad finally showed up and brought you back… and I did nothing.”

Twilight lifted her head and peered into Dash’s eyes. “I know you say you can protect yourself, but where does that leave me? We’re suppose to share together in each others lives, to protect and nurture each other. How do you think it makes me feel when I can’t even do something as simple as resuscitating you?”

“Twilight…”

“No! I’m not finished!” Twilight breathed deeply as she brushed more tears from her eyes. “Do you know how many times you’ve been in the hospital since we’ve been dating?”

Dash blinked. “Uh…

“Six! Not including this time. Do you know how worried I get when you keep doing your stunts and ending up there? I always support you, and I always know you’ll be fine, but when it actually happens… I feel like a little piece of me is hurt with you.”

“C’mon, Twi. I only get a little banged up, its never anything—”

“Its always serious. Wounds like that never fully heal. There’s always a scar, always a bruise. The more you hurt yourself, the more likely that you won’t come back—and I can’t take that. This year has shown me so much on how important it is to love, Dash, and I have you to thank you for that, but now that I have you, I can’t bear the thought of losing you either, just like when you first told me last year.”

“Twi!” Dash said sternly. “You won’t lose me. You need to stop thinking like this.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, I won’t lose you. I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, even if it means distancing myself until I solve this.

Dash frowned. “T-twi? What do you mean?”

“I’m going to figure out how to beat this, Dash. I don’t care how long it takes, or what I have to do, but I’m going to do it, even if it means I can’t be around you. I know you mean well, but being overprotective now is only going to slow me down.”

“Twi,” Dash said in exasperation. “C’mon, d-don’t say things like that. We can do this together, we always have. You don’t need to push me away to protect me.”

“No, I don’t, but its the best way that I can see right now. The Nightmare wants you, Dash. Us keeping our distance keeps us both safer.”

“Twilight, you aren’t making sense—”

“I’ve made,” Twilight intoned, putting her hoof down, “my decision. Please, Dash. Just give me some space, and we’ll get through this better in the long run.”

Twilight used her magic to retrieve the book Dash had taken from her and opened it back to her previous page. Dash sat there in silence, as Twilight completely shut her out and returned to her research without a single hesitation.

Dash wanted to say no. She wanted to resist, and tell Twilight she was acting like an idiot, but should couldn’t. Twilight was right. There was more danger in them being too close. As much as it pained Dash, she got up and moved back to her seat.

She plopped down next to Ditzy and stared forward in a daze. She felt a hoof on her back and turned. For the first time in what felt like a long while, she saw concern in Ditzy’s eyes. It felt like seeing an old friend, the Ditzy she knew and remembered, always cheerful and full of joy looking back at her like a caring friend.

“You okay?” Ditzy said.

“Yeah…” Dash said. She gulped and sighed, hanging her head. “No…”

Ditzy blinked. “She didn’t...y’know…” She shrugged her head in Twilight’s direction. “Did she?”

Dash shook her head. “No, we didn’t break up.” She lifted a hoof to her chest. All she could feel was the pain and ache deep within her heart, which only worsened as she reminded herself of the rift that now lay between her and Twilight. “But it sure hurts like it.”

Author's Notes:

---

Questions?
Comments?
Feel free to send me a mail
Either here on Fimfiction
Or at [email protected]
Im on Tumblr! Follow me for additional information of upcoming stories, as well as my day to day ramblings about life, writing, and of course, ponies.

Ghosts of the Past

Dash was staring out the window watching the sunset as they approached the Crystal Empire. Her eyes drifted occasionally to the reflection of her head, and the dwindling sight of her mane. The purple was about halfway gone from her head, and her tail was nearly as bad. She huffed indifferently. There were plenty of things on her mind, and the one thing she didn’t care for was her stupid mane, the stupid Prism, and her stupid birthright. The only thing she cared about was the mare sitting as far away from her as possible.

Dash sighed and cast a glance towards Twilight. She was still pouring her time into her books. She did eventually get some sleep, but it was hardly for long. Not once did she look back to Dash, not to signal that everything was going to be alright, or at least to show that she still cared. The Twilight that Dash knew and loved had been replaced, and she could feel herself being eaten away on the inside because of it.

The train whistle blared above, and the car shook as the brakes squealed. Dash felt her body lurch with the slowing of the train, but she paid no real attention to it. Her eyes were stuck on the clear night sky outside with the full moon looming overhead.

The wheels underneath gave one final hiss before the train came to a stop. With the platform in sight, Dash noticed a small squadron of crystal pony royal guards standing in front of the train.

“Prizma,” Aurora said.

Dash turned to her aunt.

“It’s time to go.”

Dash grunted a response and tore herself away from the window. She trudged behind Aurora and her father as they exited from the train last. Twilight was already gone with her books, as were Edweena and Yearling.

Outside the train, the group of guards stomped in unison to receive their new guests. Dash looked around, spotting Twilight already in the middle of the platform with her brother. The two siblings shared a short hug as Dash moved towards them.

“It’s good to see you, Twily,” Shining Armor said.

“It’s good to see you too, big brother,” Twilight said. She glanced around. “Where’s Cadence?”

“Back at the castle. Once we heard what happened, she personally went through the archives to find every old book she could. She’ll meet you there.”

Twilight nodded and started for the castle without another word. Even Shining Armor blinked at his sister’s sudden exit and turned to Dash with a raised eyebrow.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash. Haven’t seen you in a while.” He shrugged his head in Twilight’s direction. “I’d ask how you’re treating my sister, but it seems that’s asked itself. What happened?”

Dash couldn’t look Shining Armor in the eyes, so she settled for the ground. “We… had a fight, I guess. She doesn’t want to be helpless in protecting me or something, so she’s putting all her focus into figuring out what’s going on, and keeping me at a safe distance.”

Shining Armor shifted his jaw. “Hmm, sounds familiar.”

Dash blinked. “Wait, this has happened before?”

Shining chuckled. “Oh yeah, I could tell you dozens of stories. Once, she accidentally ripped her Smarty Pants doll, so she locked it away until she learned the fine arts of sewing and stitching. By the time she got to a skill level she deemed ‘acceptable’ to keep Smarty Pants in perfect condition, she had forgotten where she put her. Lost her for the entire summer until we had a junk sale to clean out the house and almost sold her.”

“So, what do you think I should do?”

Shining scratched his chin. “Honestly? Wait it out. Keep showing your support on the sidelines. She might push harder back, but eventually she’ll either prove her point, or accept that she can’t change anything.”

Shining gave Dash a playful punch in the shoulder. “Just don’t give up on her. She’s got her stubborn streaks. We all do. I can tell you’ve been good for her.”

“Thanks… I guess.”

Shining nodded, and turned to the group of ponies now approaching from the train. He scanned them in turn, but paused when his eyes fell on Dash’s father and aunt. His gaze narrowed.

“Privet, Khroma,” he said in rough Trotsky.

Dash’s eyes widened, but her dad was stone faced, offering a terse nod himself.

“You speak Trotsky, Shining?” Dash asked.

“Little bit.”

“And you know my dad?”

He nodded. “Mostly by reputation, but I’ve met him once or twice.”

“How?”

“I was the captain of Celestia’s guard, y’know. It was my job to know of agents from other countries that were wandering around.”

Khroma chuckled. “He may have tried to arrest me on suspicious behavior once or twice.”

Shining laughed as well. “Well, in my defense, you were acting pretty shifty in all those jewelry stores.”

“You don’t know my wife. She has eyes and ears everywhere with her friends and coworkers. I couldn’t let them report back what I was planning.”

Dash rolled his eyes as the two stallions laughed between themselves. Shining glanced over to his guards who were still watching the train. Yearling was busy attempting to entertain them with some grand tale with the way she was waving and flourishing her hooves, while Edweena stood by and shook her head.

Shining glanced to see who was within earshot, and his demeanor dipped suddenly as he leaned in and spoke in hushed tones. “Is what I’ve been hearing from Canterlot true? Did something really happen to Celestia?”

Dash blinked and turned to her father. He and Aurora shrugged indifferently. She turned back. “Yeah. We’re dealing with something pretty bad, and it might be connected to Sombra and something that happened a thousand years ago.”

Shining’s eyes darted at the utterance of the word ‘Sombra.’

“Be careful with the ‘S’ word around here. Ponies are still recovering from everything that happened last fall. Its been slow, but everything is starting to really get back to what it used to be a thousand years. Before… y’know.”

Dash nodded.

“We’d better catch up to Twilight. The sooner we figure this out, the sooner we can get you all back home.”

Shining and his squad escorted Dash and company to the castle in short order. Once inside, Shining personally took them towards the libraries within the tower. Dash in the past was surprised at how much the Crystal Empire castle could contain in what seemed like such a small building on the outside. The library was no exception, almost taking up an entire half of the lower floors.

Inside the main foyer was a buzz of activity even in the approaching evening. Ponies of all sizes were scampering around the shelves, carrying books in every direction. They all followed suit to commands ushered by Princess Cadence near the front desk. Twilight was already by her side, and was picking through a selection of books already laid out for her.

Shining took Dash aside as the entered the room, leaving the rest to scatter and find their place to search.

“So, are you looking for anything particular?” he said.

“We’re looking for anything that would cover what turned Sombra into what he became, what might have created the Nightmare, or both, before this place was banished for a thousand years.”

Shining rubbed his neck. “Well, I don’t exactly know what we might have. The archives do have a lot of old information that was preserved from back then, but there’s no telling what we would have on his downfall. From what I know, it was very sudden and poorly recorded until he vanished.”

“Well, there’s gotta be something. I don’t know much about libraries, but there’s gotta be like… a super secret book collection somewhere, right? I know Twi has one for the older books she’s got.”

“Well, Cadence started with the archives, so she’s probably already got them over there with her and Twilight, but I can show you if you want to look yourself.”

“An’ me!”

Dash turned to see Yearling and Edweena standing beside her. “Ain’t no way we gonna be bobbin’ about here without me gettin’ a gander at those oldies.”

“Uh…” Shining said.

Dash waved a hoof. “They’re fine. It was their idea to come here anyways. She might know what to look for.”

Shining shrugged. “Okay, follow me then.”

“Just a sec.” Dash paused a moment and turned to Ditzy, Khroma and Aurora. “Can you guys stay close to Twilight? She doesn’t want me near her right now, but I’d feel way better if somepony I trust was keeping an eye on her.”

Khroma and Aurora exchanged a glance. Aurora nodded with a smile. “Of course, Prizma. I will guard her with my life for you.”

Dash offered her thanks, and after casting one last glance at Twilight, left with Shining Armor.

They left the main halls of the library further up the tower. There were increasingly more guards the further they climbed, all of which bowed their heads to the passing Shining Armor. The top floor of the library was a loft that overlooked all the lower floors. Dash took a moment to look down the various floors. While the small army of ponies scurrying about with books in tow, it didn't take her long to spot the speck of purple that she cared about most. She sighed and turned back to the others.

Shining stood in front of a crystal portcullis. A shield emblem was carved into the gemstone around the frame of the door. Shining focused his magic into the carving, and the gate began to glow. A moment later, they shook against their holding and began to climb, scraping the walls as they did.

Once the door was opened, Shining turned back. “This is pretty much our version Starswirl wing. The oldest and rarest books are in here under lock and key. Cadence would have already pulled the history books, but there might be something they missed.”

Dash nodded and followed him and the others into the archive. Despite the fact that nearly everything in the crystal Empire was made of crystal and gems, Dash noted the inescapable smell of moulding books and dry air. Several tall shelves of books were crammed into the room. They winded down the length of the archive, and spindled around the tower.

“Wow,” Dash said. “That’s a lot of books.”

“Yep. I don’t think we’ve managed to get through recategorizing half of it yet. I’m not even sure how Cadence found what to take to help Twilight. It was almost like she knew…”

Shining’s gaze drifted a moment when he shook himself out of his trance. “Anyway, I don’t know how much help I’ll be in there, but I’ll wait here if you need any help.” He cast a glance towards the door. “I know I won’t be much help out there. Libraries were always Twilight's thing.”

Dash sighed. “I know what that’s like.”

Shining smiled. “Buck up, kiddo. She’ll come around. Once we find what we need to take down the Nightmare and get Celestia back on her hooves, everything will go back to normal.”

“Here’s hoping.” Dash glanced down the stacks. Yearling and Edweena were already drifting towards them, glancing up at the high shelves and examining each cover and title. Dash turned back to Shining Armor. “Thanks, Shining.”

Shining Armor offered her a nod before she followed Yearling and Edweena further in to archives. The strange smell of the older books grew overpowering in seconds just a few meters into the narrow rows. The dust tickled at Dash’s nose, and she felt the urge to sneeze crop up many times in just a few seconds. A few misadventures in Twilight’s own archives was enough practice to know how to not sneeze at the absolute worst possible time.

Dash’s heart grew heavy in her chest. Even the slightest reminder of Twilight brought the reality of what happened just hours ago to the front of her mind. The titles of the books around her faded into a blur as she stumbled through the shelves. Try as she might to push the rogue thoughts, they wormed their way back to the forefront of her mind and drug her down into lethargy and doubt.

She felt a claw on her shoulder and looked up to see Edweena looking down at her with a faint smile. “You know, the fastest way to getting back to Twilight would be to find the answer to this mystery.”

Dash slumped her head. “I know. You’re right, but I have no idea where to start!” She indicated the room with a sweep of her leg. “I mean, look how big this place is! We’ll be here for hours, and I’ve got a few days left at best before my colors run out.” Dash bit her lip. “I’m running out of time, Edweena, and I’m scared.”

Dash tried to look away, but Edweena lifted Dash’s chin with a talon and stared into her eyes. “Considering the mess we’ve been through thus far, I’d say you have every right to be scared, Miss Dash.” She glanced around, seeing if anyone was nearby to listen. Yearling was a few rows ahead, and Shining was still far away at the door. Satisfied, Edweena turned back, speaking quietly. “To be perfectly honest, I’m absolutely terrified. The old gryphon legends don’t hold a candle to what the Nightmare is actually like. Never would they think she’d be capable of laying low Celestia.”

“But how are you keeping so calm?” Dash said. “I’m going grey right before my eyes, I’ve lost my home, my family has been lying to me, and my marefriend just cut me off entirely. I feel like I’m falling apart on the inside and the outside, and its only a matter of time before this tailspin lands me six feet in dirt.”

Edweena shook her head. “Worries only worry you if you let them. Everyone on this world has their problems, Miss Dash. You aren’t the only one. Some of those problems might be… more titanic than others, but we all face them with either the same kind of determination, or submit to them with the same kind of defeat. Which one you choose is up to you.”

Dash heaved another deep breath as she let Edweena’s words sink in. It was about that time when there was a loud clatter a few rows down, followed by a string of unintelligible swearing.

“Blimey!” Yearling shouted. “What in the seven corners of Tartarus is that doin’ in ‘ere?”

Dash and Edweena darted off to find Yearling. On the other side of the ring, they stepped out into a small space in between the rows. A large statue was carved into the wall, and looked like it had been recently covered with a cloth, which now lay at Yearling’s hooves.

A small sprinkle of dust motes drifted off the statue, casting a cloudy gloom over its impressive features. It was well carved, almost to the finest detail. The fur looked silky and radiant. The cloak it wore looked warm and wearable with the finest comfort, and the crown was worn proud and resplendent. Not the image one would consider of the late King Sombra, the likeness of which towered above Dash and the others with terrifying presence.

“Wow…” Dash breathed.

“You said it…” Edweena said. “He almost looks...real.”

“Real, nottin’!” Yearling said. “I want this impressive hunk of stallion in my den!”

“Yearling!” Edweena said. “You know who that is, right?”

“O’ course. Don’t mean I can’t appreciate the sights, luv. An’ he be an impressive sight.” Yearling’s voice was purring by the time another set of hooves stepped behind Dash and Edweena.

“Whoa,” Shining Armor said. “Didn’t know that was back here…”

“Looks like its been here awhile,” Dash said, spitting up some dust in the process.

“Weird. All of the existing guards said they went through the entire empire and destroyed anything that would have represented Sombra. How would they have missed this?”

“They musta’ been mares, dear,” Yearling said dreamily. “No mare could break those beautiful eyes…”

Dash had to, in the most revolting corners of her mind, agree slightly with Yearling’s observation. She was no stranger to attraction to stallion in ages past, and she had to admit, there was something incredibly alluring to the way the eyes of the statue surveyed everything in front of it. They were powerful, yet… kind. Almost as if…

“He honestly doesn’t look all that bad…” Dash said.

It took only a second for the strange looks to shoot her way as if she might be at least partially insane. Her face flushed as she sputtered. “N-not like that! I mean, he doesn’t look bad bad. Like…” Dash blinked as he looked at the statues forehead. “Look at his horn. It looks normal.”

Shining Armor was taken aback, but he reluctantly nodded. “You’re right. This statue had to have been made before he was corrupted.”

“So why hide it all the way up here?” Dash said. “It was bad enough that Sombra hid the Crystal Heart at the top of the spire, but who would go out of their way to move the one good statue of him behind a bunch of bookcases?”

“Someone with something to hide…” Edweena said.

“Right you are, Edie,” Yearling said. “Any excuse to lay my hooves on that flank is as good as any!”

Edweena dropped her face into her claws and sighed loudly as Yearling moved over to the statue and started shoving against it. She grunted as she tried to find a place for her hooves and push, opting for the most illicit places possible. Despite her efforts, the statue didn’t budge.

“Yearling, what in Equus are you doing?” Edweena chided.

“Wot’s it look like? I’m tryin’ to move this bloody thing.”

“Do you honestly think it would be that simple? It’s part of the wall!” She pointed at the corner the statue sat next to, and the seamless corner in between them. “Its not moving.”

Yearling huffed. “Well. I don’t see you tryin’ anything!”

Dash shook her head as Yearling and Edweena bickered. She stared at the statue, looking for anything unusual. Her eyes fell on the base, where a small inscription was chiseled into the gemstone.

“What’s that?” Dash said, pointing.

Yearling and Edweena stopped, and looked at the statue’s base. Yearling twisted her head and leaned in close. “It’s old Equestrian Common,” she said. “Lucky I’ve got a hoof o’ practice with old tongue’s.” She ginned and ran her hoof along the letters, muttering under her breath as she mouthed the words.

She cleared her throat. “It says: May the reign of our glorious King Sombra be as eternal as crystal, his judgement ever benevolent, and his eyes ever watchful for the darkness that surrounds us.”

Yearling tilted her head. “Hmm.”

“What?” Edweena said.

Yearling pointed to the end of the inscription. There was a symbol carved into the stone. “That don’t fit. It was put there after this was writ.”

Edweena scratched her chin. “I don’t recognize the symbol.”

“Neither do I.”

“I do,” Shining Armor said. “That’s the symbol of the Court Scrivener. They’re the one who records all the major histories, declarations and happenings of the kingdom. He would have access to this room.”

Yearling shook her head. “It mighta been one of these scriveners, but it ain’t the one you got now. This mark is a bit older than the inscription, so I think the one who was around during Sombra’s time might’a put this here.”

Shining Armor frowned and scratched his head. “You know… you’re right. Most of the populace was preserved in time, but there was no scrivener from before. We had to find a replacement. The previous was never found.”

“So what does the symbol mean then? Dash asked. “What does it tell us?”

“That somepony ‘ah somethin’ to hide,” Yearling said, winking at Edweena. “An’ that somepony is tryin’ to tell us now. We just gotta figure out what.”

Yearling plopped down onto her haunches and stared up at the statue. She rubbed her neck as she pondered, while everyone else also drifted into silence as they considered the possibilities.

“Perhaps its a riddle?” Edweena said.

“Nah,” Yearling said. “The inscription was made way before the scrivener messed wit’ it. It couldn’t ‘ave been that specific.”

Edweena frowned as she ran her talon along the mark. She tapped it, scratched it, and rubbed her claws against the stone as she sighed louder with each attempt.

Yearling chuckled. “An’ I don’t think there’s a hidden button, Miss “part o’ the wall’ gryphon fussy britches.”

Edweena groaned. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Dash stared at the words on the statue and at the mark carved into it. She played the words in her mind, looking up and down at the statue. With every pass, she found herself fixating on Sombra’s face. She only caught a few glimpses of the fallen king the past fall, mired in shadows and darkness. To see him as just a normal pony, one who might have been respected and loved long ago was awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time.

The statue was so lifelike, that Dash expected it to come to life at any moment. The details captured in his face, his horn, his eyes. Dash blinked. His eyes!

“The last line of the inscription, what was it exactly?” Dash said.

Yearling turned to her with a raised eyebrow. She turned to the writing and cleared her throat again. “And his eyes ever watchful for the—”

“—darkness that surrounds us.” Dash spun around, looking at the wall opposite the statue. “What’s the statue looking at? Exactly?”

“Um,” Shining said. “Behind that shelf?”

Dash darted over to the offending shelf and looked back to the statue. She craned her head, trying to match with Sombra’s gaze as closely as possible. Her eyes widened when she connected perfectly and a shiver crawled up her spine. “Y-yeah. This is it.” She tapped the shelf. “We gotta move this shelf.”

“I got it,” Shining Armor said. His magic glowed and washed over the shelf. The stone and crystal shelves grinded against the floor as it shrugged aside. As the wall was cleared away, Dash peered around it to see if anything was revealed. She frowned when there was nothing but more rock embedded into the base of the wall.

“Ugh! Nothing!” She said, slamming her hoof against the wall. Her strike echoed into a hollow space that rang throughout the archive, emanating directly behind the wall.

Dash blinked as she turned to Shining Armor. He was smiling. “Looks like you found something, Dash.”

“Y-yeah. Awesome.” She lifted her hoof for another hit. “Now lets get it open!”

Shining Armor grabbed her hoof. “Why don’t you let me? I’m sure Cadence wouldn’t appreciate you punching holes in the wall.”

Dash shrugged. “Sure, after you.”

Shining Armor nodded and prodded his hoof against the slab of crystal that Dash had struck. He tapped along it, hearing out the echoes that bounced from the other side. When he found a spot he deemed the strongest, he focused his magic again and began prying the slab out.

The crystal and rock rumbled quietly as he tried to pull it out. He growled in effort as he pulled harder and harder, and finally it came free. He shrugged back and dropped the rock on the ground with a loud thud.

A small hole had been revealed in the wall, which Dash immediately stuck her head in. It took maybe a second for her to be met with a wave of stale, disgusting air that caused her stomach to boil and her lungs to scream in protest. She stumbled back from the hole, heaving.

“Whoa, there, kiddo,” Shining said. “Are you okay?”

Dash’s will was solely focused on not losing control of her stomach. She managed to jerkily nod her head while steadying her breathing. “Y-yeah. Just...wow. What a stink.”

Shining raised an eyebrow and approached the hole. He leaned towards is, sniffing. His nose wrinkled, but he pressed further in. “I see what you mean. I wonder what—oh…”

Dash looked up. “What? What ‘oh’?”

Shining pulled away from the hole, his face grim. “I think I just found the missing scrivener.”

Author's Notes:

---

Questions?
Comments?
Feel free to send me a mail
Either here on Fimfiction
Or at [email protected]
Im on Tumblr! Follow me for additional information of upcoming stories, as well as my day to day ramblings about life, writing, and of course, ponies.

A Walk by Moonlight

Dash was no stranger to death, or the sight of a body. The only really painful memory she had was the death of her grandparents over five years ago. It was a lengthy, emotional ordeal. She recalled the boat ride to Stalliongrad rather vividly. Her father barely spoke. Her mother was quiet, but responsive. They weren’t her parents, after all, but they still had been very close with her inclusion in Khroma’s family.

Aurora was a different mare altogether when they first met her on the docks. She would begin crying at the drop of a hat and look to her big brother for comfort. It was the most vulnerable Dash ever saw her aunt, and would never see her dip so low again since. In a way, at that moment in her life, she became harder, colder than Dash thought possible.

To Dash, the sight of her grandparents side by side in their coffins was a strange and otherworldly feeling. To see the bright and smiling faces of her loving elders lying cold and motionless, never to move again was hard on a teen, especially one who had never thought her family to be vulnerable.

Her grandfather was strong, even stronger than his son. He could cleave rock with his bare hooves and move boulders with his breath, as his stories would claim. Her grandmother was fast, faster than light, than air, and nothing could catch her in her prime. There was no better union of her grandparents, and their love was so strong that they could not be apart for long. It was an uncanny but accepted fact of life on Equus that when a bond between two is so strong, that they will stay tethered into death, even into Elysium.

These feelings and more came flooding back as Shining Armor carefully extracted the frail corpse of a unicorn from its hiding place in the wall. He had to move more stones to accomplish his task, but he eventually set the body on the ground.

The pony was clothed in tattered robes that hung torn and ripped from age. His skin was dry and taut against his bones. The crystalline quality of his flesh was present, but it looked like pressed glass, ground and shattered like a broken window. His eyes were clouded and cold, reflecting like dull gemstones.

The body was holding a book in its legs. Its cover was gilded with the scrivener’s symbol, covered in a thin layer of dust. A lock sealed it shut, but it had no slot for a key. Shining took great care in pulling the book free, slowly prying the legs apart and fighting its stiffened limbs.

Everypony else stared in rapt silence as the body was exhumed. Even Yearling had removed her hat and placed it against her chest. She closed her eyes and uttered a quiet prayer under her breath, and Edweena did the same.

Dash stared at the book. Her mind was racing. This has gotta be it! she thought. This is exactly what Twilight needs, I know it!

“We gotta get this to Twi!” she said.

Shining examined the book. He turned it over, looking at the lock and the pages it held shut. “Maybe we should figure out how to open it first? There’s no place for a key.”

“Twilight will know something, I’m sure of it.” Dash reached to grab the book from Shining’s grasp.

Shining pulled it away, shielding it from her. “Easy, Dash. Just be patient. We’ll get it to Twilight, but lets just have a look ourselves. There’s gotta be something we can get from this.”

Dash frowned. “Well, if you can figure out how to read a book that doesn’t open, then go for it.”

Shining shrugged and went back to the book. “Scriveners are meant to know magic to protect their books. Magic locks, spells that keep ponies from reading the pages, all kinds of things. Let’s see if there is anything like that.”

Shining Armor’s magic glowed around the book. It radiated a calming light that glinted off the golden cover. As the spell faded, a small etching of light remained on the cover.

“Hmm. More old equestrian.” He hovered the book towards Yearling. “If you would be so kind, Miss Yearling.”

Yearling took the book and nodded at him. She frowned very soon after. “For the eyes of the princesses.”

Dash blinked. “Huh?”

Yearling looked up and shrugged. “That’s wot it says, dear. For the eyes of the princesses.”

“What kind of magical lock is that!?” she shouted. “How does that open it?”

Shining was scratching his head. “Well. I have heard of some magical locks that only can open for certain individuals. Its completely possible for a lock to be made only to open for the princesses.”

“Well how does that help us? Luna and Celestia are a thousand miles away!”

“What about Cadence? Or Twilight? They’re princesses too.”

Dash stared at him a second, before she bonked herself on the head. “Of course! Now can we see Twi?”

She went to grab the book from Yearling, but she too held it out of her reach. “Not so fast, luv,” she said.

“Ugh, what is it with the game of keep away?” Dash said. “Just gimme the book.”

Yearling shook her head. “I don’t think its so simple. Think on it a second. Miss Cadence and Twilight are princesses yeah, but there weren't no princesses other than Luna or Celestia a thousand years ago. An’ I don’t think a bloke like a scrivener would let any pint-sized colt or filly with a five bit declaration of ‘princess’ to stumble along and open their books. I’d wager a fair prize that only the real deal will open this here book.”

Dash’s face fell. Yearling had a point, a thousand mile trip back to Canterlot point. A quick glance to her mane signaled that she probably didn’t have that kind of time. At the rate her colors were fading away, the Prism had maybe a few more days at most of color to give off before the world was due for an extended period of colorless, monochromatic gloom.

“How do we do that without just trekking all the way back to Canterlot?”

Yearling shrugged. “Bring Luna to us?”

Dash glowered. “And how do we do that? We don’t have Spike with us, so we can’t send a letter.” Dash sighed. “Poor Spike. He and the others have gotta be so worried by now. We didn’t even say where we were going.” She looked back to Yearling. “So unless you got a direct line to Luna in that big hat of yours, we’re running out of ideas.”

“You could begin by asking politely,” an ethereal voice responded.

Heads turned towards a small shimmering light floating in the center of the hall. The crystal walls twinkled with an otherworldly glow as a shape began to form out of thin air. A silvery border etched out a slender, pony-like shape that stood taller than any in attendance. Deep, powerful shadows filled in between the silver borders, as the standing form of Princess Luna stood before Dash and her company.

Her image blinked while casting slow sweeping glances around the hall. A smirk formed on her lips as she met eyes with the open mouths and the ponies attached to them.

“Princess Luna?” Dash said. “But… how?”

Luna’s expression turned serious. “The threat of Sombra’s possible return has forced my hoof. It is clear we are dealing with a power we cannot yet fully comprehend, and while I may be bedridden here in Canterlot to keep my sister in good health, I will not let that stop me from doing anything possible to keep a vigilant eye on your investigation.”

Luna turned to the rays of silver light that filtered through the crystalline walls. “The moon reflects the light of the sun. It is a little known ability of my sister that wherever the light shines, she may see, with concentration. With the light reflected by the moon, I may do the same. So I choose to keep a close eye on you, in case you found something valuable.”

Luna’s apparition began to glow, as ribbons of silver light ebbed from her horn and washed over the scriveners tome. The lock began to whiz and click from its internal contraptions under Luna’s magic. She nodded her head once, speaking softly. “Reveal your secrets. The princess of the night commands it.”

The book twitched, and with one final snap of the lock, the clasp clicked open and fell off. Yearling’s hooves jerked free from the sudden yank from the lock and dropped the book. It landed on its spine and fell open.

Everypony stared at the open book warily. Yearling was the first to approach it again, her hooves shaking. She whisked through the pages, flipping backwards and forwards through the entries.

Yearling cleared her throat. “Lotta entries in ‘ere, far as I can tell. Probably a couple decades worth, if these dates are right.”

“It might be best to search through the final entry, Miss Yearling,” Luna suggested. “If the contents of this book were worth hiding to the grave, it would be there where we would find answers.”

Yearling nodded. “R-right.” Yearling scooped past a bulk of the book and fell to the last few pages. She glanced at the first few lines and after a moment she smiled.

“What?” Dash said, leaning forward. She tried to look at the pages, but the language was archaic and strange, well beyond her comprehension. “What’s so funny?”

Yearling shook her head. “Jus’ the openin’ line, luv.” She picked up the book and read the entry aloud.

“The king has gone mad,” she began. “I have no other alternative to consider. King Sombra’s delusions have finally begun to get the best of him. He shies from his own shadows, refuses to meet with his oldest friends and counselors. He bars himself in his chambers, only to exit while muttering old tongues under his breath. I shudder to think of the purpose, only dark and foul magics come from the old languages.”

Yearling paused a moment as she read ahead, going suddenly quiet. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened as she tried to shape words on her lips. “That… that don’t make any sense at all…”

Luna tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Who in the bloody depths of Tartarus is Nocturne?”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “What?” she hissed. “What in Equus are you talking about?”

Yearling pointed at the page. “Right ‘ere.” She cleared her throat and continued reading. “I fear that Queen Nocturne might be to blame for the king’s recent behavior. Her mood has only darkened with each passing day. Her disdain for other members of the servants has turned from idle gossip to threats of revenge and outcry. Her interest in the occult and ancient magics of old have always worried me, and I now convinced she is to blame for Sombra’s affliction, though I don’t dare repeat it aloud.”

The room went still as all eyes fell on Yearling. She looked up from the book, an eyebrow raised and turned to Luna. “Well? I never heard that name before. You must know something.”

Luna had dropped her head while Yearling was reading. Upon her completion, Luna’s body was trembling as she snapped up straight, fury in her eyes. “You mean to mock me?!” she shouted. “To play with this knowledge like it is a game?! We are on the cusp of oblivion and you see fit to waste my time?”

Yearling backed away from the shouting image of Luna, dropping the book. Everyone stared at the raging princess, confused at her sudden shift from calm to rage.

“Princess!” Dash said. “What’s wrong? Why are you so mad?”

“Mad? I am not mad! I am furious!” The image stomped the ground and edged closer to the group. “I expend the last traces of my magic to aid you while my sister slow drifts deeper into a wakeless dream, while this miscreant attempts to play games with the one thing that may bring us peace again!” Luna directed her glare directly at Yearling, who was quivering from her tirade.

“I didn’t make it up!” Yearling said. “I swear, thats what it says. The name Nocturne shows up all over the damned book!”

“There. Is. No. Nocturne! There was only Sombra! It was his madness alone that stole the Crystal Empire from us. Do you think me a fool to simply forget somepony such as his queen?! There was no queen! Ever!”

Yearling turned to Dash. “I swear I’m not makin’ it up! She’s gone bloomin’ mad!”

Dash stared at the trembling Yearling as she backed away from the advancing image of Luna. She wasn’t certain what was happening, and it was pretty obvious no one did. What Dash did know was that Yearling, despite the things she had been through so far in the pursuit of the Prism had been for its protection, and she had not steered them off course so far.

With only a few steps left, Dash stepped in between Yearling and Luna. The princess snorted in anger as she stared her down. “Miss Dash, why do you defend this pony who mocks your princess? Where does your Loyalty lie, if not to the throne of Equestria?”

Dash held her ground. “My ‘loyalty’ is to my friends. I don’t know what your problem is, but I’m not gonna stand by and let you yell at her because you can’t face the truth.”

Luna’s rage intensified. “What truth?! I have only heard lies and slander of history in this time of peril, and you stand in the way of justice!”

Dash glared. “Well, why don’t you face the truth yourself!” Dash kicked at the edge of the book and flipped it into her hooves. She swung it open and held it in front of Luna’s eyes. She winced and turned away, hoping something would knock Luna back to her senses.

After a few, lengthy seconds, Dash allowed herself to peek around the book. Luna’s gaze was fixed on the pages of the book. The anger and rage had drained from her face, and was replaced with confusion and loss.

Luna’s gaze went vacant as she stared at the book. Her eyes twitched and her lips quivered as phantom words drifted past her lips. The entirety of her phantasmal form flickered and faded in and out of view as she stood, silent, still, staring.

A cold wind picked up around the room, kicking up motes of dust and stray scraps of paper. The pages of the book flipped and snapped against itself. Pages tore loose and circled in the growing gusts, surrounding Dash and everyone else.

“What’s going on?!” Dash shouted over the wind.

“I have no idea!” Shining Armor shouted back. “But hold on!”

The whirling dust grew in size, encircling them in a vortex of white and grey. The walls of the library blurred away. Dash held her ground against the wind, but felt herself scraping against the ground. It would not be long until the winds took her, no matter how hard she held herself down.

And just as fast as the winds appeared, they began to fade. The dust receded and swirled into the ground and out of sight. The air went still, save for the sound of panicked breathing.

“Everypony alright?” Dash said.

Edweena brushed her shirt. “A few ruffled feathers here, but fine.”

Shining Armor wiped his brow. “Could be better. What the hay happened?”

Dash shrugged. “No idea.” She turned to Luna. “Princess? Are you o—”

She paused. Luna’s image was no longer translucent and instead replaced by what appeared to be the true physical form of the Princess of Night. Her mane rippled in a phantom wind and shimmered with the brilliance of the night sky. The silvery glow around her body remained, ebbing in and out of sight.

Luna’s face was still set in a vacant, distant expression. Her eyes appeared to be staring at multiple things at once, some far away and other impossibly close. Her mouth was open, lower lip trembling as soundless words were shaped but swiftly died in the air. She was transfixed on something directly behind Dash and the others.

Dash turned towards the center of the room and peered through the fading mists. Several shapes wavered into view as the dust cleared. The library was gone, replaced by a large, circular chamber. Dash and her friends stood on the edge of this new room, facing into the middle. A group of dark hooded ponies stood in a circle around the center, chanting in low voices.

In the center, a tall figure loomed. Dash’s breath caught in her throat as her mind tried to form a rational explanation as what she saw. A stallion, grey as the mountain, and nearly as tall towered in the center. His mane was as black as night, held by a steely crown around his face. His cloak treaded on the ground as he paced, trimmed with white fur and lined with sapphire blue. A blue that matched his eyes, deep and endless. Dash lost herself in those eyes, piercing, judging. Her lips struggled to move as it tried to utter a single, terrified word.

“S-sombra…”

Author's Notes:

---

Questions?
Comments?
Feel free to send me a mail
Either here on Fimfiction
Or at [email protected]
Im on Tumblr! Follow me for additional information of upcoming stories, as well as my day to day ramblings about life, writing, and of course, ponies.

A Midnight Intervention

Dash was at a loss for words as she stood only a short distance from a living, breathing King Sombra. His eyes were focused in a motionless stare in her direction. There wasn’t a twitch or flicker of interest in them as he stared while listening quietly to the resonant chanting from the thralls that stood around him.

The lighting of the room was provided by a circle of candles which cast everything in shadows and dim silhouettes. The flickering candlelight danced in Sombra’s eyes, revealing an endless void of black behind them.

Dash took a single, careful step backwards towards her friends. “W-what is this?” she said. “Where are we?”

She turned to her friends. Shining Armor, Edweena, Yearling and Princess Luna all stood, frozen in confusion and fear as they stared at the sight of what should have been the late King Sombra, standing in the center of a dark, gloomy ritual chamber.

Luna sucked in a sharp, pained breath. “This… this is the Crystal Empire… one thousand years ago…”

“Is this a dream?”

“No… A clairvoyance charm… Meant not to recite what happened to Sombra in a book, but to show me first hoof…”

At that moment, the doors of the chamber burst open. An elderly pony strode in. He wore a grey robe with his hood folded back. A large, gilded book hung from his sides by a chain, bearing the exact symbol as the book in Dash's hooves.

The scrivener strode up to Sombra, who only barely acknowledged his presence with a faint glance. The elder’s face was set in anger, his hooves echoing against the chamber walls.

“Your Highness, I must insist!” he shouted. “This madness has gone on long enough! Your people yearn to see their beloved king’s face once again, and all you do is hide in the shadows of your palace!”

Sombra’s eyes drifted once more, regarding the scrivener with cold indifference. “What do the people know of the shadows I face?” he said. His voice was deep, resonant, earthly. “The shadows they all face. We are besieged on all sides, and they are blind to see it.”

“Besieged by what? Ghosts and myths? The Windigoes have been dead and gone for millennia. We are in a time of peace and prosperity. The people of your empire deserve joy and happiness, not fear and tyranny!”

Sombra at last turned his head. “Then… if the people are unhappy free under a king, then they shall live in chains as slaves under an emperor.”

The scrivener stepped back, shocked. “You… you cannot be serious my king! Can you not hear yourself speak? You speak of slavery like it was a simple choice. You speak of monsters at our gates when there are none. The only evils in this place is that witch you call a wife.”

Sombra’s eyes smoldered. “You would insult your queen in the presence of your king?”

The scrivener stomped his hooves. “I insult no queen, only a monster! She has poisoned your mind! Can you not see that?!”

Once again, the doors burst open. This time, a tall, slender mare strode in. She held her head regally under the weight of her crown and the the burden of her attire. Her mane flowed like a river of ink, and her eyes glittered like diamonds as she stared at the frustrated old pony she slowly approached.

The hooded ponies surrounding the circle bowed their heads to the mare’s entrance and began to chant louder. There was a bloated stillness in the air as she passed the scrivener. Sweat beaded at his temples as he watched her carefully.

The new mare stopped beside Sombra and kissed him gently on the cheek. “You are looking well, my King,” she said. Her voice dripped with ice that sent shivers down Dash’s spine.

“As do you, my Queen,” Sombra replied. He turned to the scrivener. “Perhaps, my trusted scribe, if you are so bold to defame my beloved in my presence, can you do so in hers?”

Amusement flickered in the mare’s eyes. “Oh, has he been saying things behind my back again? I do so enjoy the gossip that reaches my ears. I have not fully tallied the amount of dungeon space we shall need, but I would be thrilled to make room for another.”

She leaned in closer towards the scrivener, dangerously close. “Well? I’m listening.”

“I...I,” the scrivener stammered.

The queen puckered her lips in disappointment .”Oh, pity. I was looking so forward to a trading of insults from this old windbag.” She glanced at Sombra. “Why do you keep this pile of bones and dust around, my love? What purpose does he serve to your greatness?”

Sombra’s eyebrows arched as he glared into the scriveners eyes. “The scrivener will do his duty, as he always has. He will witness this time of rebirth under your guidance and record it into the annals of history as he always has. Then the world will know our power, our greatness, as we ascend into the realm of gods.” Sombra nuzzled his wife, which brought a sickening feeling to Dash’s stomach as she watched. “Only the best for you, my beloved Nocturne.”

Nocturne’s eyes flickered as she swooned at the touch of her husband. “You are too kind, my King. It will be your greatness that the world will be held to account for. I am merely your humble servant.”

“I will do no such thing!” the scrivener shouted. “I will take no part in this madness!”

Nocturne turned away from Sombra, her head still pressed into his neck as she stared at the scrivener with narrowed eyes. “Oh! There is the resistance I wanted! Please! More! It will please me to see you tremble and beg for your lords mercy once he has ascended into godhood and tires of your service.”

The scrivener at last found resolve as he glared into Nocturne’s eyes. “I am not afraid of you any longer, you witch! You poison our king's mind with your promises of power and turned him against his own people. You fill his mind with illusions of shadows and monsters that besiege our gates when there are none! How do you expect to succeed when the people revolt?”

Nocturne laughed, causing a chill to crawl through Dash’s skin. Nocturne’s laugh was loud enough to sting, quiet enough to infest, and cold enough to freeze the blood in her veins. And it was so painfully familiar, memories grasping at the corners of her mind.

“I would like to see them revolt against the power our lord Sombra will command upon this very evening. Not even the princesses will contend with his might.”

The scrivener smiled. “Then we shall see very soon, witch. They should be here soon to stop this insanity.”

At last, Nocturne’s expression turned fearful. Her eyes twitched slightly as she mouthed her next words carefully. “What did you say?”

“I said the princesses should be here shortly. I warned them of your mad ritual and they have dispatched from Canterlot already. It will not be long until they arrive to purge your evil from this land and our king.”

Nocturne bared her teeth in rage. “Guards! I want his head for this treason!”

The scrivener didn’t blink as armored guards approached him and braced against his sides. He maintained his victorious smile, content that his duty had been done. “You may kill me now, and I will have done so in service to the true King Sombra, not this empty shell you have tied your strings around.”

Nocturne’s nose curled in barely constrained fury as she glanced at the guards with a quick, decisive nod. The sound of grinding metal echoed in the chamber as one of the guards withdrew a long, sharpened blade. He poised it above the scrivener’s head and quickly lifted it into a swing.

A single gesture from Sombra’s hoof ceased all movement in the room. The guard’s blade stopped, inches from the scriveners neck, the gleaming metal singing in anticipation. Nocturne turned to Sombra, her expression tempering. She took in a short breath and composed herself, discarding her anger. “My king? Has my jugement gone too far?”

There was no hiding the patronizing tone in Nocturne’s voice, not even from Dash. She sneered in revulsion at how easily the queen had control over Sombra and how oblivious he was to it.

“No, my queen,” Sombra said. “Your jugement is just. But, his service is required a moment longer before we can enact his punishment for defiance to the throne and treason to the kingdom.”

Nocturne nodded and bowed her head. “Of course, my king. But time grows short. If his words are true, the princesses would interfere with your ascension.”

Sombra glanced to the thralls that held their chanting. “Then we shall begin immediately. They will be too late to stop it, even if they should arrive in time.”

Nocturne blinked as her expression melted from calm composure to sadistic glee. Sombra didn’t even look in her face to notice. Nocturne did everything but rub her hooves together and cackle manically to signal her intense pleasure and anticipation of what was about to happen.

“Of course my king!” Nocturne turned to the thralls. “It is time, my subjects! Let the darkness flow and bring about the true age of nightmares and shadows!”

Dash jerked back as the hooded figures began to glow with dark radiance. White, glowing eyes emerged from underneath their hoods as their chanting grew louder. The candles danced and burned brighter in the twisting of magical energy in the air. The chamber doors swung shut of their own accord.

The scrivener watched in horror at the dark display of power and magic that he was witnessing. The guards held their steel to his throat, so it was all he could do but stand and watch.

Nocturne stared into Sombra’s eyes. She gently lifted his crown from his head with her hooves and placed it on the ground. She brushed through his mane with slow, affectionate strokes as Sombra closed his eyes, sighing heavily.

“There will be no need for mortal crowns any longer, my King. Only a crown worthy of your new stature will suffice.”

Nocturne turned and gestured one of her servants closer. A hooded pony stepped from the circle, bringing with him a small gilded box. He laid it beside Nocturne and backed into the circle, keeping his head low.

Nocturne opened the chest with a flick of her magic and reached inside. First she withdrew a new cape, lined with red and white along its edges. “A new cloak for his majesty,” she said, removing the old and replacing it with the new, “to show his continued regal grace into the realm of gods.”

Next, a set of dark metal sabatons were pulled from the box. She kneeled to remove Sombra’s plated slippers and affixed the new armor to his legs. “Metal of the earth, to show your iron will and determination to command all the realms that befit your majesty.”

After Nocturne finished with his leggings, she then pulled a metal chest plate and slid it carefully over Sombra’s head. It covered his barrel nearly completely and most of his neck. “Armor forged from the deep mountains, strong enough to resist even the might of the pantheons.”

Lastly, Nocturne pulled out the final object from the chest. It was a slab of rock, that glowed even darker than Nocturne herself.

Luna gasped. “Nightstone!”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“A very rare, very dangerous mineral that can only only manifest upon the death of a star as it falls to the earth. I have always held a careful vigilance to ensure each one is found and repaired to be returned to the night sky. How was she able to find one?”

Nocturne gathered Sombra’s old regalia in the center of the room. A spark of magic jumped from her horn and created a black, roiling flame on the floor, setting the clothing and armor alight. As they burned, she slowly lowered the nightstone into the flames, which devoured the rock as it crept closer.

The dark flames twisted and raged from the new fuel. The objects in the flames disintegrated in seconds, leaving only the crown. The fire danced around it and shrank steadily. The metal stained into grey and black as its natural colors died in the flames. All that remained as the fires vanished was a twisted, broken and corrupted reflection of its former glory.

The brim reflected like pristine platinum, lined with fangs around its form. Black shards of metal extended down from it’s sides, forming the crest of a helmet that would protect its wearers face. At the peak of the crown, was the remnants of the nightstone, now burning a bright red.

The crown complete, Nocturne carefully lifted it and positioned it above Sombra’s head. It hovered, the very air singing, screaming in anticipation for it to find its new home.

Nocturne looked again into Sombra’s eyes. “Are you ready for this gift, my king? There is no turning back.”

Sombra’s eyes were trained forward, locked in a distant stare. His brows arched into a determined frown. His head bowed slightly towards Nocturne, who smiled victoriously and lowered the crown onto his head. He closed his eyes as the crown slid into place. The metal ground against his horn like steel against a whetstone that prickled in Dash’s skin. She held her breath, waiting, watching for what was going to happen next.

Sombra’s eyes were moving behind his eyelids, spinning as if lost in a dream. His head jerked slightly as well as his hooves as the chanting grew ever louder. Nocturne herself joined in, adding her magic to the grand spell as the air twisted and churned in the air. Her mane danced in the influence of the magic as if it had a life of its own.

Sombra’s lips curled up, revealing his teeth, clenched shut as his face slowly showed signs of strain. The muscles of his face were pitted in a battle as the air around him radiated with dark, growing power. The air raged faster, the magic coiled tighter, howling for release like a dying animal.

Dash slapped her hooves to her ears as the sounds became unbearable, and her friends did the same, save for Luna. She had barely moved since the vision had began, and even in the midst of the dark ritual unfurling before her, she could only watch in abject horror. She knew it was a dream and she could do nothing to interfere. Only watch.

Dash looked back to Sombra. Whatever battle he was facing inside, she had no way of telling if he was winning. She could feel the air getting colder as her coat began to bristle her skin.

After an eternity of chanting, frigid winds and swirling magic, a sudden halt broke in the chamber. Sombra stood, heaving ragged breaths behind closed eyes as Nocturne and her followers watched in silence, rapt with interest.

“My King?” she asked. “Are you well?”

Sombra’s eyes snapped open, and Tartarus itself was let loose. The fallen king let loose a primal roar of ancient evil, malicious power and endless hatred. The very crystal quaked under Dash’s hooves as the mad king of shadows’s power was coming to fruition right in front of her. His eyes were flowing with dark energy, which slowly tainted his sapphire eyes into crimson. His mane writhed and twitched as if it were a living shadow, pouring even more magic into the air around him.

“Yes!” Nocturne shouted. “Now my servants! Offer your wills to your King. Aid him with his ascension! Give your lives if necessary, but do not let him fall!”

The chanting began anew, even louder than before. The thralls channeled their magic into Sombra. His roar lessened in intensity, but his body began to deteriorate, as it he was being torn apart from the inside. He stomped his hooves and shrugged his head, bearing his teeth on deep focus.

Nocturne was laughing. It echoed throughout the halls over Sombra’s howls as she poured her magic into his own. “Yes! More! More power!”

A sudden, shattering explosion rocked the room. Nocturne turned suddenly towards the door, confused. Another boom rattled the chamber, as the door began to quiver from the outside.

“King Sombra!” a powerful voice shouted from the other side. It rocked the room with deafening clarity. Dash gasped and turned to Luna. She was blinking as her eyes fell on the door.

A second voice, equally as powerful roared through. “You’re crimes have been brought to light, King Sombra! Your people lie in chains and shrouded in darkness no longer! Surrender yourself before our might and we may find mercy on your mortal soul!”

Nocturne sneered and turned back to her servants. “Continue the spell! I will not let those foalish princesses interfere!”

The doors rocked against their hinges with each strike. Cords of white and silver light peeked through the slivers that chipped from it.

“Now you see the fury you have wrought, witch!” the scrivener shouted. “The might of the true goddesses of this world will see you banished to the darkest pit of Tartarus for this!”

Nocturne’s face twisted into a gleeful smile. “They will discover, you miserable creature, that I, Queen Nocturne, Mistress of Shadows, am the darkness and will never be shackled under its eternal might! It is they who will be lost to it!”

The room began to quake from yet another source as Nocturne began to channel her own furious magic around herself. As if she drew strength from Sombra, the overflow of magic that emanated from him was hastily drawn into herself. She began to grow in size, her mane stood on end as it came to life, and her eyes began to darken into spheres of utter shadow.

The door was giving way to the assault from the other side. The crystal bent and broke from the magical onslaught, chipping away from the adjoining walls. The slivers of light that pierced through grew larger, stronger, brighter. The beams struck against the veil of darkness swirling in the middle of the room, hissing in protest.

The chamber door offered one last groan of resistance before one final blast reduced it to crystalline splinters. A wave of light, mixed of a burning white and searing silver erupted from outside. It crashed against the whirling storm of magic of the ritual, shrugging aside like a tide beating against a stone.

The guards holding the scrivener were blasted aside. The frail old unicorn took his chance to rush to the side of the room, bracing himself against the wall out of the line of fire as a swell of light poured into the now open doorway.

Behind the curtain of light, the silhouettes of two resplendent figures filled the entrance. Celestia glowed like the sun itself, adorned in golden armor, while Luna shimmered like the moon in her silver plate. They held spears of pure energy, gold and silver aloft in their magic.

Dash had never seen Celestia or Luna filled with such unbridled fury and appear so earth shatteringly dangerous. The very ground under their hooves burned and cracked from their touch as if they both burned like stars.

They glared into the chamber, focusing their attention on Nocturne who stood defiantly before them.

“Queen Nocturne!” Celestia said. Her voice shook the room with the ancient strength of ages past. “What madness is this?! What abominations have you dared to let loose?!”

Nocturne grinned as her own darkened form continued to feed from Sombra’s expulsion of energy. “Oh come now, Celestia. You can’t possibly tell me you didn’t see this coming. After all, we were so close once, and you didn’t see my true intentions.”

Celestia’s spear blazed as a lance of light sliced across the floor and struck Nocturne’s barrier. “That is Princess Celestia to you, cur! You will see justice done today for your crimes, fallen one.”

Nocturne’s size suddenly grew as she absorbed more power. Sombra was screaming wildly in agony behind her, but he held his ground. He stomped against the binds of the spell, sending quakes of shadows throughout the room. Fissures split in the crystal earth, glowing with dark magic.

Celestia and Luna’s expressions wavered slightly at the unimaginable power that was unleashing from Sombra and the might that Nocturne harnessed for herself.

Nocturne cackled. “Do you see it now, puny princesses!? The might you see is only a fraction of what is to come! No mortal can hold this burden alone, but together my darling lord and I shall rule over the darkness and shadows together and extinguish your precious lights forever!”

Nocturne let loose a nova of shadows towards the princesses. The crevices in the floor roiled and spit forth black miasma. Luna was the first to react and drop her spear into the floor. A cord of silver magic burst forth and swiped the dark magic aside.

“You’re power of darkness is no match for the might of the solstice,” Luna bellowed. “You toy with powers beyond your understanding and control!”

Nocturne bit her lip as her maddened grin widened. “But you both taught me so well!” She formed a tendril of dark magic and launched it at Luna. “All those endless days and nights of studying!”

Luna tried to pull her spear from the earth, but could not in time. It was Celestia that stood forth and brandished her weapon to guard her sister and cleave the dark projectile in half.

Nocturne formed more lances, pulling stone and crystal from the floor and adding it to her arsenal. Without a pause, she loosed another volley. “All those practical exams!”

Together, Celestia and Luna deflected the strikes with practiced ease. They advanced slowly in the breaks of Nocturnes assault, even as they grew larger and more powerful.

Nocturne began smashing the ground and sending fissures of her own, coursing with dark magic at the sisters. “You both tried so hard to make me the perfect student! And you succeeded!”

Celestia continued her advance, sidestepping the approaching waves with a flick of her wings. It was almost a dance to her, flowing side to side, watching the strikes drift past her like an errant wind. Luna lingered behind, returning her own consecration upon the ground towards Nocturne. Silver met with black, mixing and warring as the very ground of the chamber began to buckle under its might.

“Are you not proud of me, princesses!?” Nocturne shrieked. The air filled with dozens of black limbs, their razor edges glinting in the light. “Am I not everything you wanted me to be and more!?”

Her spines launched towards Celestia and Luna. Celestia continued her evasive dance in the air, her spear acting like a skilled partner as she ebbed like a flowing stream, slicing and cutting through Nocturne’s attack.

Luna took to spinning her spear like a windmill, creating a silvery disk that ground the tendrils into dust. She flicked her weapon aside, letting the dark ooze fall from her weapon and spray onto the ground.

Nocturne raged, stomping the earth in a tantrum of fury. The very world seemed to shake from her might as the chamber began to split at its seams. Dash was finding it very hard to stand amidst the battle as it only escalated further.

Celestia had the high ground and Luna had the low as the approached closer and closer to Nocturne and Sombra. Nocturne took a step backwards into her King, her eyes darting between the advancing princesses. The ritual had yet to complete as Sombra’s transformation continued to wage a war on his body and mind.

For a brief moment, Luna’s voice calmed. “Give in, Nocturne,” she urged. “Perhaps the fates will hold mercy for your soul if you turn back now. Do not commit yourself to Tartarus for this power. You will find no other home if you do.”

Nocturne face trembled in anger. “It will be you who will find no peace in Tartarus! This realm is mine to control, and I will not let the moon nor the sun stand in my way!”

Nocturne’s body melded into pure shadows and receded into the ground. A dark taint quickly overtook and stained the crystal floor, reaching every edge of the room. Luna’s eyes traced the floor, while Celestia searched the walls.

Panic gripped at Dash’s heart. She had seen this tactic before, not long ago. She searched herself, finding two pinpricks of light forming in the shadows above Celestia. She shouted in vain to the memory of the princess, as Nocturne appeared above her and crashed into her sides from above.

Luna turned her head upwards to Celestia’s grunt of surprise as she and Nocturne crashed to the ground. Celestia was in a daze for only a moment, but Nocturne’s fluid form allowed her a quick recovery. Before Celestia could regain her awareness, a great blade of shadow formed at Nocturne’s will and plunged it towards the ground.

Both Dash and Luna, the real and the image shouted,” No!”

A flash of silver burst in the room. Dash winced a brief second, blinking.

Nocturne herself, blinked in shock, as instead of sinking her weapon into the flesh of Celestia, it was Luna’s form that stood before her, impaled with her shadowy weapon.

Luna’s body trembled and held her head down, as her breathing became labored and pained.

Nocturne, on the other hoof, could barely contain her glee. A grin, slow and sadistic formed on her lips as she took in the relief of victory. ”Yes…” she breathed. “Yes!” she said. “Yes!” she screamed.

“No!” Celestia shouted. She tried to stand, but Nocturne quickly turned her attention back. Before Celestia could get up and help her sister, the ground burst with more tendrils that lashed her down.

“Ah, ah…” Nocturne crooned. “You must wait your turn, dear Celestia. You will meet your fate in time.” She turned back to Luna. “But first… little Luna, it is your suffering we will enjoy first.”

Luna wheezed a painful sounding breath as she struggled to speak. “I… I think I will pass, if it is all the same to you, dear Nocturne.”

Nocturne chuckled venomously. “Now, Luna. There is no need to be formal. We are all goddesses here. We can—”

Nocturne’s head shrugged forward as a silvery spear plunged into her chest. Her head recoiled in shock as her eyes slowly fell onto the blade. Blood dripped from her lips as she struggled to look up to Luna.

The Princess of the Night was smiling. The blade that had stuck through her evaporated into the air, revealing no wound, no blood, no nothing. She stood to her full height, perfectly fine.

She lowered her head into Nocturne’s ear, speaking softly. “Clearly you forget who’s realm the power of darkness hold sway. The night commands the dark. It is the natural order. It seems, my dear student, that you were not as attentive to your lessons as you claim.”

Luna withdrew her spear from Nocturne, who lurched back to the ground, clutching at her wound. She stumbled back, crawling towards Sombra as Luna flicked her spear to free her sister from her shadowy bonds. She turned back, casting a powerful gaze over the retreating Nocturne. “It pains me greatly, my dear, former student, that you have made your choice.”

She glanced at Sombra. The fury surrounding him began to abide and wane. “This ruse of power is over, Nocturne. I may yet pay homage to the fates for mercy, but I would not guarantee it.”

“No…” Nocturne wheezed as she coughed up blood. “No no no…..” She struggled to wrap herself around Sombra. “My King!” she wailed. “Your Queen calls for aid! Show these false godesses your true power! Awaken, Lord Sombra, King of Shadows!”

The air went suddenly still, suddenly cold. Like a great breath of the earth itself was released, the air tremored like a beating heart. Shivers crawled up and down Dash’s spine with each pulse as Sombra’s eyes finally reopened.

His form burned in black fire as the shadows encompassed him. He turned his attention to the princesses, their weapons bared before him. His eyes burned with unimaginable hatred, almost burning, yet the feel of his gaze was as cold as ice.

“King Sombra!” Celestia said. “Surrender yourself to the judgment of your princesses. Your dabbling in dark magic has forfeited the right of your succession and the sovereignty of your crown. Surrender peacefully, and we may grant mercy to your soul as they are judged by the fates beyond.”

A dark, malicious growl perverted the air as Sombra spoke. His voice turned cold, like a great echo in the endless dark. “Mercy…” He shook his head. “No mercy…” He took a step towards the princesses. The earth shook. “No princesses. No goddesses.”

A small, flicker of Sombra’s magic emanated from his horn, now curved into a sharpened tip that burned like hellfire. “Only power… Only darkness. Only… slaves!”

Like a tidal wave, Sombra’s magic roared to life as a monstrous surge of darkness appeared from nothing and raged towards Celestia and Luna. They blinked in surprise, bringing forth their magic and holding it against Sombra’s attack.

Gold and silver met against black in the air, heaving against each other as magic crackled everywhere. The ground beneath both Sombra and the princesses shrugged under the pressure and broke away. The walls split like glass and shattered, sending debris and rubble in every direction as the room fell apart.

Dash had no other word to describe what she watched than amazing. The full fury of Celestia and Luna raging against Sombra in his ancient prime. The two forces were perfectly matched as their combined magic clashed in the center, neither side giving way.

“More… power…” Sombra echoed.

“Yes, my King!” Nocturne begged. “Take back the power I have borrowed. Use it to lay low our enemies!”

Sombra’s gaze flickered a moment to Nocturne. An extension of his will emerged from his shadowy shape and plucked her from the ground. Her eyes widened as Sombra lifted her by the throat.

“M-my King? she gasped. “W-what are you doing?”

Sombra stared into her eyes. “My… power…”

He opened his mouth wide and took a deep breath. A cord of darkness was ripped from Nocturne as it poured into Sombra. She wailed in agony, writhing in his grasp. “N-no! My King! Stop!”

Sombra did not stop there. His shadowy form grew further, extending towards Nocturne’s many servants. Like a needle, they punctured into flesh and tore their magic, their minds and souls asunder, claiming it for Sombra’s own.

“Sombra!” Luna roared. “Stop this madness!” With a heave of effort, Luna and Celestia broke the clash and deflected the great wave of shadows aside. Luna charged forward in the break, spear aloft. With a mighty swing, she severed the cord that Sombra drained from Nocturne, and reached to pull her away.

The moment Luna touched Nocturne, an otherworldly wail of agony and despair shook Dash to her core. It was for a brief moment that Nocturne’s form blazed in incomprehensible darkness. Her very body burned in black fire and her screams of agony pierced Dash’s ears. The image of Luna watched in horror as Nocturne disintegrated before her eyes as the fire claimed her.

Luna recoiled as the flames threatened to take her as well. Her body was trembling as black ooze coated her hoof. She stumbled backwards, frozen, helpless, as the same fate was met with all of Nocturne’s followers.

Sombra grew further as he stole their magic and their lives, leaving only himself, the princesses and the scrivener alive. The elderly pony struggled to stand against the crumbling wall and tried desperately to reach the exit. A wave of light shaped as his hooves, as the shaking earth steadied for only a moment.

He glanced at Celestia, who shrugged her head to the exit. “Get out of here! We shall deal with him. Find somewhere to hide!”

He needed no other order and bolted for the door. The screams and roars of the dark magic began to fade all around, and the memory started to bleed into incoherence. The whirling vortex of light that had brought Dash and her friends to this place returned as he escaped the chamber, leaving only the echoing thunder of Sombra’s evil rattling in the distance behind him.

The light of the ancient spellwork began to unravel around Dash and everyone else, tearing the memory apart, leaving nothing but darkness and shadows behind them.

Author's Notes:

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Distance Makes the Heart...

Dash wheezed as she returned to her senses. Groans surrounded her as her friends lay prostrate beside her. They were back in the archives, fragments of old books and torn paper scattered around them. The scrivener’s tome lay shut on the ground beside her. The ancient runes had gone dark, laying inert and useless once again.

Dash looked for Luna. Her form had returned to its ethereal image. Her face was a mix of multiple broken emotions. Confusion, fear, turmoil and more raged on her face as she stared into nothing. Her eyes twitched as if she were looking at millions of different things at once all of them conflicting, disjoined, unwhole.

“Princess?” Dash said. “Are you alright?”

Luna didn’t respond. Her lips trembled as she muttered something unintelligible that sung from her illusory form.

“Luna!” she shouted.

The princess turned, bearing the weight of her gaze on Dash. She recoiled a moment, stunned at the sudden intensity of her eyes, before Luna blinked. Her expression softened, and lucidity returned to her face.

“I…” Luna tried. “I cannot believe this.”

“Luna?”

“It is so vivid upon my mind now. Clear in my memory, as if I had only just witnessed it days ago.”

Dash frowned. “But you just watched it now.”

Luna shot her a serious glare. “You know what I mean, Rainbow Dash.”

Dash shook her head. “No, I don’t. How did you forget something like that, especially if you were there? Even Celestia didn’t remember.”

“Because… Nocturne made us forget…”

Dash blinked. “How?”

Luna sighed and slumped her head. “Because Nocturne was our prized student. Back during a time when both Celestia and I would share a protege, teaching them all the splendor we had to offer. After Starswirl, she was our next best student. We believed great things for her future. She was so intelligent, so wise at such a young age.” Luna shuddered. “When she found love in Sombra, myself and my sister were so proud of her. We believed the Crystal Empire would enter a new age of prosperity and harmony under their rule. We were right… for a time.”

Luna wandered over to the still form of the late scrivener. “When we received the scrivener’s summons, we didn’t want to believe it. Dark power was rising in the north, but we didn’t want to face it.” She looked to Dash. “But we had to.”

“That still doesn’t explain how you both forgot everything about her.”

“Because her physical existence was destroyed. Everything that tangibly tied her to this world was severed when Sombra attempted to consume her. We believed her dead. It was only because of my intervention that she survived at all.” Luna lifted her hoof and stared at it. It trembled as if it was something that needed to be cut off, and Luna’s expression signified that she was strongly considering doing so.

“But… she was vaporised! How can you say that she survived!?”

“I said her physical tethers were destroyed. Her mind remained, and from the moment I touched her in an effort to save her… her soul attempted to join with mine.” Luna closed her eyes as a painful sorrow dredged in her voice. “Nocturne is the Nightmare, and I was her first victim.”

“That… no. That can’t be it!”

“There is no alternative!” Luna shouted. “It was not long after the disappearance of the Crystal Empire that I could feel her malice seeping into my veins. My very being was saturated with her evil, and forced me to turn against my very own sister and I was too blind to see it. Even when her evil was purged from me three years ago, she was wise enough to take the last remnants of my my memories of her. This is the only reason I can think of why I nearly lost myself moments ago.”

Luna shook her head. “A vide histoire curse. How could I have been so foolish?”

Dash scratched her head digging up snippets of prancy that Twilight had tried to teach her. “An empty history? What does that mean?”

“Blank would be a more accurate translation. A vide histoire purges the collective memory of a specific event from history. If the history is recalled, it is meant to cause intense rage in those affected to deflect the possibility of uncovering the truth, unless you are presented with proof.”

Dash placed a hoof on her chin. “When I showed you the journal…”

Luna nodded and released a long, harrowing sigh. “And now, Nocturne has returned to power, intent on reviving her late husband in another mad bid for power. Like she did long ago.”

“Well, we know her plans now! Right? We know what she’s doing and how she’s going to do it. We just gotta find her and stop her!”

“That is easier said than done, Rainbow Dash. Our enemy may be revealed, but we have learned nothing of her whereabouts, nor the location of the Prism.”

Dash glanced around the room. So engrossed in her conversation with Luna, they had not noticed that Shining Armor and the rest were staring at them, wide eyed and unblinking.

Shining Armor gulped as he approached Luna. “Princess, are you certain that is the Ni—Nocturne’s— intention?” He glanced at the room around him. “This place, these ponies. They barely survived his first return. A revival… would shatter the Crystal Empire.”

Luna regarded Shining Armor sternly. “I am afraid that it is the possibility we face, Captain.” She shook her head. “But I assure you, it will not be only the Crystal Empire that will suffer his wrath. With his lady love at his side, with the new and terrible power she commands, they will be a force we may not be able to face.”

“How can you say that!?” Dash shouted. “We’ve kicked their flanks both like it was nothing!”

Luna cast a serious glare in her direction. “Because you and your friends faced each of them separately, and neither of them were at their full potential. Together, and now with mastery of their powers, I fear what fate lies ahead, especially with the Prism in their grasp. My sister drifts further into Nocturne’s curse, and our enemies gather at the gates…” She sighed.

Luna’s eyes found Dash’s. “We only have the advantage of knowledge. We know our enemies and their intentions. We must make a move with that, and hope that it is enough.”

Luna’s posture stiffened. “Rainbow Dash. You and Twilight Sparkle are to return to Canterlot immediately. Bring the scrivener’s tome with you, and we shall discuss our next move.”

Dash nodded. “Got it. I’ll get Twi and we’ll head back right—”

Dash’s body shuddered as a sudden, chilling wind crept over her. She turned her head, and saw that she wasn’t the only one.

Luna’s image raised an eyebrow. “What is the matter?”

Dash shrugged. “N-nothing. Just a freak breeze. Somepony’s probably got a window open up here somewhere.”

Shining Armor frowned. “There aren’t any windows this high in the tower. It would be kinda hard to keep the books safe if any pegasus could just fly in.”

“But then how—” Dash’s body went still, as the chill feeling in her body sparked a thought, one of the worst possibility. “No….”

“Rain...ow…ash….” Luna’s image said in broken words. Dash spun to face it, and saw that Luna’s projection was flickering from view. The sliver light of the moon that filtered in from the glassy walls was being cut off by a shrouding darkness from outside. The cold feeling worsened as her Dash's skin crawled. Luna’s words died into severed fragments and then the image dissipated entirely.

“Princess Luna!” Shining Armor shouted, turning to Dash. “What’s going on?”

Dash turned to him with a haunted expression. “She’s here…” Her eyes fell on the shelves behind them towards the door. A dark, brooding gloom was drifting in, darkening the candles and moon from outside.

Shining turned. “Who’s here? What are you—” He blinked, horror creeping onto his face. “How…?”

Dash bolted for the door. “We’ve gotta get downstairs. Now!”

She sped down the winding staircase with everything she had. If it weren't for the tight spaces of the tower, she would certainly have taken to the air, but the Crystal Empire was not made for pegasi in mind. The limiting of her speed only drove her worry harder, as every second she wasted was more time she wouldn’t get back to Twilight in time.

The cold gloom worsened the further she went. Her legs struggled to fight off the pervasive chill that seeped into her skin and bones. She pushed her senses to their limit, reaching out her hearing.

Her heart dropped as the sound of screaming and panic seeped in through the walls into her ears. She silently wished she had been horribly wrong, but her luck in such prayers had dwindled to nothing in the past few days.

Her hooves were clattering unsteadily as she burst through the last door of the tower. She raced through the still open portcullis at the base of the archive tower. The guards were absent from their posts, and the screaming echoed from below.

Dash reached the edge of the balcony and looked down. Her breath caught in her throat. A black, seeping miasma had invaded the lower floors of the library. Crystal ponies and guards alike were fleeing from the encroaching darkness as its chilling touch wracked through the chamber.

Blazing beams of bright azure cut through the wave of darkness, pushing it back from whatever hellish pit that had spawned it. A second presence swiftly joined Dash on the balcony edge, panting.

“Cadence!” Shining Armor shouted.

He lingered only a moment longer before he sped to the next set of stairs down. Dash searched for another display of magic, one that would have belonged to Twilight. She never did and her heart sank further.

Without a second for reason, she hurled herself over the balcony and dove into the lower floors. The biting cold nipped at her skin as she plummeted through the icy air to the bottom of the palace. The screams grew louder as well as the deep rumbling of the tower itself as the dark cloud seeped into every crevice.

Dash braked only meters above the dark shape on the floor. Shelves and books were scattered everywhere, slowly being consumed by the shadows. Lancing pink light cut through them, filling the room with loud shrieks and wails.

Princess Cadence stood on top of one of the shelves, surrounded by a barrier of magic as she launched projectiles at the invader of her kingdom. The dark muck boiled and raged in response to her attacks and grew larger with every strike. Cadence grit her teeth and bolstered her strikes, but they only continued to enrage the beast.

A blazing shot of magenta struck the monster. It shrugged back as Shining Armor leapt from the staircase and joined his wife, adding his magic to her own. Their barrier grew and increased their influence. The shadows retreated from its presence, giving them a moment to breathe.

Dash hovered over to Cadence. It didn’t take long for her to lean her weight into her husband her face flush with exhaustion. Sweat streamed from her face and her breaths were ragged. “It… it just came from nowhere. The cold… the darkness. It’s so powerful.”

“Don’t worry, Cadence. I’m here. We’ll beat it back.”

Cadence nodded weakly and pressed herself against Shining Armor, on the brink of passing out. Dash buzzed closer. “Where’s Twilight!?” she said in alarm. “Where are my friends?!”

Cadence struggled to lift her head back up. Her eyes instead fell onto the great mass of shadows roiling only a short distance away.

A powerful, chilling laugh echoed throughout the chamber. The shadows circled and merged together into a single, imposing shape. Like a giant towering over the entire floor, a pony face peered down on Dash and the rest. Eyes like the night sky stared in delight at them, all the while cackling behind pointed teeth.

“There you are, precious host,” The Nightmare said. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Dash girded herself before the loud, deafening voice that bellowed above her. “What did you do with my friends?!” she demanded.

The Nightmare chuckled coldly. “Oh? You mean these little baubles I’ve collected?”

The Nightmare’s form blurred as her dark tendrils of shadow returned. They crawled from her body, four in all and danced in the air. Like a ball of yarn, they uncoiled themselves, revealing Dash’s friends. They were all unconscious, slumped limply in the Nightmare’s grasp.

Dash’s heart screamed. “Let them go!”

The Nightmare leaned down, her massive shape looming directly above Dash. “Oh, but that is not how the game is played, little one. You do as I command, not the other way. Such is the law of a queen.”

“You’re no queen to me, Nocturne. Now let them go!”

The Nightmare blinked. Her smile widened. “My! You have been busy. I was wondering when the world would realize their true queen had returned. It will make my return so much easier without have to reeducated the pathetic masses.”

Dash grit her teeth and lowered her head dangerously. “That’s not going to happen! I kicked your flank to the curb before, I’ll do it again. Now I’ll tell you one last time. Let. Them. Go!”

The Nightmare flicked back her head. Her tendrils moved, dragging the still forms of Twilight and the others in between her and Dash. “Oh? But which ones? They all look so important to you.”

“All of them!”

The Nightmare waggled her hoof. “Tut tut, little host. My mercy has its limits. You don’t think I’d let you win that easily, did you? Perhaps a choice? Yes. Choice. Two to keep, two to lose.

Dash’s face fell into a sneer as she lifted her hoof. A fifth tendril snapped out and struck her, sending a jolt of pain through her leg.

The Nightmare guffawed. “Ah, ah! I didn’t say you could make the choice. Now, let us see whom is most important to you of all.”

The Nightmare first presented Khroma, bound and tied by shadowy coils. His head wavered as he struggled to regain consciousness as he bobbed in front of Dash. “Such a strong and handsome fellow, this one. And a lovely mane, just like yours.” She laughed. “Almost like yours. Oh well, like father, like daughter?”

The coils tightened around him. He wheezed as a strained breath forced itself out of his lips. Dash reached out to her dad, biting at her lip.

The Nightmare hummed as she withdrew Khroma and replaced him with Aurora. “Oh, how about this one, dear?” The Nightmare crooned. “She was the fiercest of all. Clearly she must be worth something to you?”

Dash’s snouted trembled in rage as she stared at her aunt helplessly. Aurora groaned under the Nightmare’s grip. “This one must be important to you, musn’t she?” the Nightmare said. She placed her face directly beside Aurora’s while sporting a condescending pout on her shadowy lips. “Coat black as the night, but eyes of fire, just like yours. She reminds me of myself once upon a time.”

Again, the Nightmare’s twisted gallery was changed. Third in line was Ditzy. A fresh wound in her forehead oozed blood over her eyes, which only fueled Dash’s inner anger as she watched uselessly at the Nightmare’s games, her friend’s lives in the balance.

“This one put up an admirable display of courage and skill. I am truly surprised at her tenacity, despite her disability.” She hummed a single, chilling note. “Considering such an abomination would likely be executed for her differences back then, she should consider herself lucky in this age, long as it lasts.”

Dash could barely keep herself from trembling in rage at the words that spewed from the Nightmare’s mouth, dripping with evil. Her friends, her family were being held in front of her, just at leg’s reach and she could do nothing to help them.

Dash’s resolve nearly shriveled and died on her lips as Nocturne finally presented Twilight before her. Her mane was hanging loosely from her head, frayed and worn. Her face was covered in scratches and blood. She whimpered loudly in a comatose wail as the Nightmare squeezed her grip, cackling.

“Stop it!” Dash screamed, tears beading at her eyes. “Stop hurting her you monster! What do you want from me!?”

The Nightmare paused and slowly smiled. “Nothing… my dear. You’ve already given me so much.”

She lifted Twilight and Ditzy away out of Dash’s reach. The shadows holding them tightened further and shrouded them again within the Nightmare’s influence. “Clearly, your feelings for these two is strongest of all.” She lowered Khroma and Aurora, discarding them at Dash’s hooves.

Dash glanced at her dad and aunt in shock. Her tears flowed freely as she snapped her head back to the Nightmare. “Wait! Give Twilight back!”

The Nightmare began to retreat, her ethereal form fading into the walls and out of sight. “Oh, come now,” she said, chuckling. “I cannot do that. The game would be over far too quick. Just keep from nosing around a while longer, and I might see fit to release your precious princess in time.”

Just before the Nightmare faded behind the wall, Dash tore into the air after her. The tears flew from her eyes as she charged, leg propped out like a lance directly at the Nightmare’s face. “Don’t you take her!” she screamed.

The last visage of the Nightmare evaporated into the crystal wall. Just like that, the shadows that had invaded the Crystal Empire had vanished just as they had appeared, quick, without mercy, and leaving no trace behind. Her last parting gift was burned into Dash’s mind as she collided with the wall and started beating against it with all her might. The Nightmare’s cruel grin seared her vision, as it blurred into tears and cries.

“TWILIGHT!”

But it was too late. Twilight was gone.

Author's Notes:

---

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Armed by Moonlight

Dash stared down into an endless desert valley. Sand and dust kicked up from unnatural winds and raked across her skin. The sun held itself perilously in the sky above, beating down waves of unbearable heat. The ground she sat on was hard, rough and blisteringly hot. She paid no mind.

Her body was coated in days of accumulated sweat, dust and hunger. A lesser pony would have collapsed long ago from the punishment she was exerting on herself. Dash was not a lesser pony. Endless days of training, blood sweat and tears gave her the will and power to struggle through anything and come out on top. There was little in the world that could hold her down, and if anything came close, she would work tirelessly at overcoming it like anything else.

What she faced now, however… was far different than any challenge she had faced before. A race she could do wind sprints for hours a day to prepare for. A marathon took some more, focusing on stamina exercises that could span weeks. Agility was easy, especially if there was a dense forest on her training route. Years of hard training had given her plenty of opportunities to prepare for anything life could throw at her.

Fighting a megalomaniac spirit incarnation of darkness and nightmares born from an ancient sorceress queen bent on resurrecting a mad king by stealing a magical artifact that provided the world with colors took… finesse. Finesse Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure if she could handle, not when said maniac had the love of her life in captivity.

Dirt and rock ground behind her and she casually turned towards it. Aurora stood with her on the high mesa. Khroma was not far away, sitting down and wiping his brow.

Aurora’s expression was serious. It had been since they left Canterlot. Days of endless flying south. Always south. Dash gripped at the necklace she wore. It glowed bright, brighter the further south they went. They were on the right track. They had to be.

“Prizma, we must rest,” Aurora said. “We’ve been flying for days.”

Dash glanced back over the barren vista below. The sun danced on the dead earth. Her mane fluttered in the rough winds. Only two colors remained. Purple, and most of the blue. It was steadily fading before her eyes, and the rate only quickened with each passing moment.

“No,” Dash said shortly. “We don’t have time to stop.”

“Prizma,” Aurora said sternly. “We are all strong of body to push ourselves like this, but we are not immortal. The body needs rest. It needs food. We can afford a few minutes to make use of our provisions. You haven’t eaten since we left Canterlot.”

“M’not hungry.”

Dash’s growling stomach said otherwise. She sighed in relent and turned to follow her aunt over to her dad. Khroma was busy setting down some of the food they had packed away. Aurora sat gently beside her brother, while Dash took her place opposite them, still facing the south horizon.

She placed a hoof to her necklace, filling her mind with images of Twilight, safe and whole, back home. The gem glowed brightly, pointing ever southward. Dash lost herself in her mind, falling back into the despair that led her to this moment.

Dash was certain the train conductor was about to lose his mind with how much Dash pestered him to go faster after leaving the Crystal Empire back to Canterlot. After Twilight’s disappearance, Dash had to get back to Luna and tell her what had happened.

Shining Armor returned with them with a group of his best guards. After the madness the Nightmare had caused back in the Crystal Empire and the ponynapping of his sister, he was prepared to go to war with any resources he could get his hooves on.

Preparations that were short lived, however. Luna was waiting for them at the train station. Her first order was for Shining Armor to return to Cadence and the Crystal Empire. With the threat of Sombra’s return, and the Nightmare’s power becoming rapidly public knowledge, the many populaces of Equus must be kept calm and under control.

Shining Armor resisted, but in the end, Luna made short work of any rebuttal he could muster. He was still a member of the royal guard, and his princesses command was his to carry out. Luna assured that every available resource would be used to save his sister. She could spare nothing less.

Which left Dash, Khroma and Aurora, once again standing in Celestia’s bedroom. Crystal Dream was preoccupied with Celestia at the moment, leaving Luna to stand and confront the issue with full attention.

Dash was a trembling mess as she stepped into Celestia’s room. Khroma and Aurora were ragged from their battle with the Nightmare, and found little time for rest on the train back. Luna’s expression was serious but calm as she paced in front of her window. She cast long, worried glances at the moonlight cast down on the city below.

“There are times that I never believed I would let worry grip me so,” she said, turning back. “In times like these, I would look to my sister for guidance and strength.” She glanced to the bed. Celestia’s trembling had lessened, but Crystal Dreams face was strained, even in her dreamstate.

“Now, my sister sits idle, on the verge of being a silent husk forever more, and I am the one who must guide and strengthen her.”

A single tear drifted down her cheek, glinting in the silver light of the moon. She drifted towards Dash, placing a hoof on her head. Dash’s trembling stilled, if only for a moment, as Luna’s presence the first vestiges of calm Dash had felt in hours.

“You are strong, Rainbow Dash. Do not fear for your lost love. Pray for her. Fight for her. If you do with all your heart, nothing can stop you.”

Dash swallowed a lump in her throat and steadied herself. “How? How can I be strong when she’s gone? How can I fight something that I can’t hit, something that hides where the light isn’t? Nocturne just took Twilight, just like that, and I couldn’t do anything to stop her.”

Luna’s expression narrowed. “Nocturne is not one to play fair. She caught you off guard, when she knew you would be vulnerable.” She sighed. “I knew sending you out of my sight would not end well, but I did not foresee how quickly she could pursue you.”

Dash glanced at Celestia on the bed. “And with Celestia like this… you can’t leave to chase after her.”

Luna nodded. “Nocturne has grown wiser. She knows approaching me without a clear advantage would end in her failure, so she shackles me to my sister’s bedside.” Luna moved her hoof from Dash's forehead to her chest. “But she does not know the power you possess within yourself, Rainbow Dash, and what it can be used for.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. Luna smirked and returned to the bed. Her magic washed over Celestia. Peice by peice, Celestia’s regalia began to unlatch and float over to the center of the room. Her crown, her torc and her slippers one by one, golden and glittering in the moonlight floated around Luna in her silver glow.

“Khroma, Aurora. Please step forward,” Luna said.

The two siblings glanced at each other warily. They warily approached Luna, who held Celestia’s jewelry in tow.

Luna bowed her head. “There are few artifacts that we have in our possession that would harm the Nightmare, but sometimes, the simplest weapons can be found in the most unlikely of sources.”

The regalia began to glow as its shape began to bend and warp under the Luna’s magic. The various pieces grew and reformed to her will as easily as folding paper. When she was finished, she had in her grasp instead a formidable set of armor.

“That looks like…” Dash said.

Luna smiled. “Not quite the armaments myself and Celestia wore in ages past to unseat the mad king, but I believe it will be more than sufficient.” She turned to Khroma. “If you will, Khroma of Stalliongrad.”

Khroma shrugged his head, and Luna slid the freshly formed breastplate, once Celestia’s torc, over his head. It fit him well, guarding his neck, his barrel and his back in a golden sheen.

Aurora stifled a laugh. “You look ridiculous, brother.”

Luna chuckled. “We had blacksmiths of the finest order prepare our armor in the past. This will have to suffice.”

Aurora gasped as Luna quickly clamped Celestia’s slippers, now a shapley set of sabatons, to her legs. Celestia’s crown slid onto her head, now bent and hollowed like a helmet.

Luna stepped back, admiring her work with a satisfied nod. Dash stared, unable to find the words.

Khroma glared at Dash. “Not one word to your mother.”

Despite all that had happened, Dash found the strength to smile. She looked at Luna. “Was there a point to making them look like badly dressed royal guards?”

Luna nodded. “Celestia’s regalia was forged from the very first mirror of Reshef. It glows faintly with the might of the sun at all times, but in much smaller amounts than her device that once powered the Prism. The enchantments upon it would allow you to strike the Nightmare and her minions with ease.”

“But what about me?”

Luna didn’t allow a moment of pause as she now turned her magic on herself. Slowly her own regalia floated from her body and reshaped in the air. A helmet, chestplate and sabatons, not quite what she wore in the past, but light enough for a pegasus chiseled itself from nothing and equipped itself to Dash.

She shrugged her body under the new weight. The last time Dash had worn armor, it was during the same time they were dealing with the threat of Sombra’s return just the past fall. It was a mock display of jousting armor, but it fit all the same. This was far heavier. The edges sunk lightly into her flesh, and she wriggled to smooth how the metal sat on her body.

Luna placed her hoof on the moon sigil on the front of the chestplate and stared into Dash’s eyes. “Nightstone, when properly forged under the sunlight purges its evil taint and shimmers like the light of the moon. While the light of the sun lingering in Celestia’s regalia will give an edge against her and her minions, such an object forged in the power of the moon will give you a distinct advantage. Her trickery and shadowy illusions will not harm you any further than a mundane weapon.”

“I…. Thank you, Princess.”

Luna nodded. “Nocturne will see through this ruse soon enough and will keep her distance. I trust your speed will be sufficient to keep up with her.”

Dash smirked. “Oh yeah, that won’t be a problem.”

Luna’s expression turned serious. “Stay your pride, Rainbow Dash. I know full well of your talents in speed, but this is not a time to misplace our abilities for arrogance. You must take this with the utmost seriousness in the hours to come, for we are on the verge of darkness if Nocturne’s will shall come to fruition.”

Luna brushed Dash’s mane with a sweep of her hoof. “Your colors are nearly depleted. Whatever barriers Nocturne has to use the Prism for her own ends will soon be gone.”

Dash sighed. “I know… It’s just… How can I do this without Twilight? How can I do this when she’s the one in trouble? How can I even find her?”

Luna looked away. “Such is the risk you both share in love.” Luna’s hoof returned to Dash’s barrel. “But, as I recall, the bond you share is far more than one of mind.” She smiled and touched her hoof the Dash’s amulet. It’s light was faint, but not extinguished, not yet.

Dash blinked. “The necklace…” She smiled. “The necklace! That’s it! I can’t believe it… this is the…”

Dash paused as a sombre memory drifted to her mind. “Stalliongrad, when she ran. I tried to find her with it before, but she broke hers. The scrying enchantment stopped, but when I did a Rainboom to clear out the rain, it lit up again. I found her… I saved her….”

She gripped the necklace tightly in her hooves. “And I’ll do it again, for her.”

Luna smiled. “Your love will keep you together, that is the magic of life in our world.” Her expression turned suddenly grim. She turned around and walked over to the window again. Staring up at the moonlight, she let out a long, painful sigh.

“Princess?”

Luna didn’t turn around. “Nocturne’s power has grown considerably in her new form. An intangible shape of darkness… even my ability to harm her in such a state would be difficult. But through her host… she has her vulnerabilities.”

Luna turned. Her eyes were trained town in quiet anger. “I must ask something terrible of you Rainbow Dash, if it comes to the worst.”

Dash tilted her head. “W-what do you mean?”

“If you cannot separate Nocturne from Trixie Lulamoon and break her control, then you must destroy her physical tether to limit her power.”

Dash jerked back. Her ears pressed against her head, her mouth went dry. “P-princess, you’re not saying I need to—”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash. The Nightmare only has true power should she control a host. If you cannot forcibly break the connection, you must terminate it. Even if it means killing miss Lulamoon.”

“Pizma?” Aurora said.

Dash’s shook her head, returning to the present. She looked up at her aunt.

“I believe we are rested enough for another journey.”

Dash nodded and got to her hooves. She glanced down at the bundle of cloth she kept her lunch in. A few carrots were nibbled, but none completely eaten. She shrugged and re-tied the knot and placed it with her things.

Khroma and Aurora moved to the edge of of the mesa, wings open. The harsh breeze ruffled their feathers as they shrugged their muscles in preparation for another long flight ahead of them.

Dash stepped beside them and tugged at her necklace. The gemstone glowed bright, brighter when facing south. Always south.

Dash turned to the others and nodded. “Let’s go.”

The three pegasi dove from the edge of the cliff, letting the errant desert currents carry them deeper into the badlands. Dash kept the necklace always in hoof, glowing with thoughts of Twilight stuck in her mind. Hang on, Twi. I’m coming!

From Dust

Of all the old pony tales that Dash was aware of, the current state of the Badlands was a mystery to even the kookiest of old story teller. Rumors ranged from the endless wasteland of rock and sand being the home of the changeling hive, to a secret monastery of gryphon monks, to a local spawning ground for dragons and other large reptiles alike. It was unmapped, untamed, unknown. Even the princesses either didn’t know what was out there, or didn’t want anypony else to know and kept it under close guard.

All Dash knew is that her only hope at finding Twilight and Ditzy pulled her ever southward. For days she, her father and her aunt pushed through the scorching mesas and razor sharp rocks that were one of many telltale markers of the southern end of the Equestrian continent. The days were long, the nights short, the weather extreme and unforgiving.

They pushed on taking little time for rest. Into the day and even further into the night they just kept going. Dash was a pony possessed. Her dad was a strong and sturdy pony, and Aurora must have had years of physical training to qualify for the Prizraks, and yet it was they who needed time for breathers more often than Dash. Either she wasn’t tired, as was the only truth she would believe, or she was on the verge of a complete physical collapse and she simply ignored it.

The breaks agitated Dash further the more they took. Her desperation tugged at her chest the longer it took for them to travel. Her mind was starting to unravel with thoughts of Twilight, gone forever; Dash, unable to save her.

Her mane was nearly gone. The last traces of purple had faded hours ago, and only left her with blue. Her time was almost up, and the journey into the Badlands seemed as endless as the legends of the discarded plot of land.

A point finally came, when the three pegasi stopped for another break atop a spindled rock. A great ocean of water, or a glacier of ice must have once existed here, and eroded the stone into a needle sticking out of the earth. It was like a garden of rocky spikes, spanning in all directions.

In the center of the needled rock, was a great, lonely mountain. There was an ominous gloom that oozed into the air around it. The blazing sun seemed to wither and die in the presence of it, and the wind that fled carried a cold, chilling presence with it.

Dash stood on the rocky edge, holding her necklace aloft. She pointed it at the mountain, and the necklace glowed the brightest it had in days.

“This is it,” she said. “Twilight’s in there.”

“Then the Prism will be as well,” Khroma said. “Nopony would think to come all this way to look for it.”

“The Nightmare will be here as well,” Aurora said. “If she has made this her home, we cannot venture foolishly. She will be ready for us.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” Dash snapped. “If she’s hurt Twilight at all, it’s her that’s gonna be afraid of me!”

Khroma placed a hoof on Dash’s shoulder. “Calm yourself, dear. You are weary from travel. We will take only a moment to rest and plan. We will strike soon. This I promise.”

Dash turned away, grumbling in compliance. She sat on the rock and stared at the mountain. Khroma settled down next to Aurora and discussed his plan, but it wasn’t long before Dash’s mind drifted elsewhere. Try as she might, she couldn’t focus on anything but the mountain, and what was inside.

Twilight was so close. She could feel it, regardless of the necklace around her neck. Only a few kilometers away, just out of reach, held by a strengthening enemy. The last of her colors were draining fast. There was maybe a day at the most, and then Nocturne could do whatever she wanted with the Prism’s power. In less than a day, the world could be facing the revival of one of its darkest evils. A future Dash’s wasn’t about to let happen.

But as she stared at the mountain and the dark clouds that circled it from above, she found herself brooding. Luna’s ultimatum was a troubling presence in her mind. Twilight was so sure they could help Trixie break free of the Nightmare’s grasp. But what if she was wrong? What if Trixie really was too far gone? What if despite all her efforts, Dash would have to take the life of another pony?

Dash shook her head. No! I won’t let it go that far. Twilight’s right, Trixie is stronger than that. She’ll make it. She has to.

Her necklace began to flicker. She lifted it again and stared at it, as the light from within was threatening to fade. Alarm crept into her mind. The amulet had many functions, as Twilight had specified when she created the original. It was a minor creation at best, meant to keep them together, even when they were apart. One led to the other at all times. When Twilight had broken hers in a panic the previous year in Stalliongrad, it took a desperate Rainboom from Dash to reignite the connection, giving her a permanent fixture to locate Twilight whenever she wanted to.

When it flickered, it was meant to signal that the opposite wearer was calling for the other, and the intensity dictated the desire. Dash had never seen the light react in such a way. She glanced at the mountain and could almost see the faint trace of Twilight’s presence drifting from the earth up to the cliffside. When the blinking light suddenly stopped, so nearly did Dash’s heart.

She slid from the edge of the rock into a freefall, eyes trained on the mountain ahead. Her father shouted after her as she hear rock and dirt crunch from above. She snapped her wings open and soared towards the mountain, fresh tears forming on her eyes. She refused to think the worst had happened. She would get there in time. She would break the Nightmare into pieces if anything happened to Twilight.

The shadows around the mountain grew with proximity. It was as if the atmosphere burned and turned to ash near this place, cutting out the light as if were itself a cancer to be purged. The air was cold even in the midst of the desert sun. The days of sweat on her coat beaded and threatened to coat Dash in ice, but the rage that burned her her chest was enough to combat the chill, at least for now.

As Dash approached the mountain, she felt a faint pull from the wind. The rocky cliff was coarse and threatening with huge blades of stone protruding from every corner. A small, darkened fissure looked to be the only flattened area capable of of providing a safe landing, or entry. It was here that the wind held sway and she felt no other compulsion to ignore it.

Her hooves touched solidly on the outcropping for only a moment when she felt a jerking pull on her legs.

“Have you completely lost your mind?” Khroma hissed in a low, strained voice. “We are on the edge of our enemy’s fortress and you rush headlong without a plan. I raised you better than that.”

“Twi needs me, dad. I’m not just gonna sit around when the Nightmare is doing Celestia knows what to her. If they knew were were coming, they would have done something already. They’ve been on our tail from the start, one step ahead every time. Do you see any rampaging shadow monsters trying to stop us?”

“That is hardly the point. I could believe that the Nightmare, while powerful, is not omniscient, but a blunder is still a blunder. It would not take much to end us if we do not take this seriously. You are no good to Twilight dead.”

Dash’s mind wracked with further worry at her father’s choice of words. She looked in toward the mountain. The fissure ran far deeper than was apparent from the air. The sunlight, while dim, traced an opening between the rock large enough for ponies to pass through.

An otherworldly cold drifted from the inside of the mountain, bristling Dash’s fur. It felt a like a living breath of the earth, calling out and inviting them into the dark recesses of the world.

A second song played on the wind, one that forced Dash’s body to tense. Her ears barely managed to catch the errant sound, veiled in the gasping rock. It was a faltering wail that beat against the rocks. The darkness carried it from the depths to the surface, bringing all its pain and agony. Dash’s mind picked up where it left off from her father’s intervention as she moved towards the crevice.

“Prizma!” Aurora said.

Dash was already pushing ahead into the mountain. Even as the pair of hoofsteps followed in behind her, she did not slow for them. Whatever the Nightmare had planned for them, she would face it. It would not stop her. Not with Twilight on the line.

Inside the depths of the mountain, the corridors of rock were not as dark as Dash expected. Faint, glimmering pillars of crystal etched out of the walls, much like the ancient caves beneath Canterlot. They cast out a faint, alien glow, that seemed not from sunlight or moonlight. It was a low, earthly incandescence, a light without light born in darkness.

These crystals emitted a calming presence on the cold air that passed by, even to Dash’s rampant mind. The wind from within continued its painful song that grated in her ears. Like an axe chipping away rock or ice, the chilling wail dug at her mind and flesh the deeper in she traveled.

Khroma and Aurora were silent. Their eyes danced in the twilight darkness, observing every crevice and earthly noise with immediate scrutiny. The crunch of rock and dirt under their hooves were the only conversation, their breaths their only signs of life.

The distant wailing of the twisting wind grew to a rising crescendo, ringing from the very crystals their lit their way. It was as if an orchestra of dark, brooding emotions were tightened to a string and played for their own amusment in the darkness. As their journey continued, just as quickly as it breathed into life, the earth’s song dwindled into open spaces.

The narrow rock parted ways, opening into a large domed chamber deep within the mountain. The crystals grew to titanic size within this room, easily dwarfing a large building. Their glow intensified, but instead of the cutting back the shadows, they lived as one, coalescing together in the absence of the sun.

From where they now stood, the path slipped down a steep cliff. Something glinted in the distance, far below at the bottom of the dome. Dash turned to the others, nodding while she extended her wings. They entered a quiet dive towards the bottom, sweeping over the still, crystalline figures that stuck out like blades of grass.

Large, pillared gemstones encircled a small void of rock at the bottom. The ebbing of water against a sandy beach rasped in the midst of the crystal garden. A small lake, with a plot of earth covered in large, towering crystals lay at the bottom of the chamber. Dash landed on the island, her eyes searching.

She felt a weak presence nearby, calling faintly to her mind. She glanced down at her necklace. It’s light was dim. She blinked when as she stared at the amulet she wore, she realized the tug at her mind was not from it, but something else, something much closer.

“Rainbow Dash…” Khroma whispered. “Do you—”

Dash cut her father off with a terse nod. She shrugged her head towards the middle of the island and they quietly moved inward. The crystals around them weaved and lay haphazardly, creating a winding path to the islands center.

The presence pulling at her grew stronger, but it was still as if a whisper in a crowd. It was the tiniest voice, like that of a frightened child, begging, pleading for her to find her. She rounded a corner and froze in her place.

Back in the hidden chamber that Celestia had brought them to, the strange indentations on the floor had given Dash an approximate size of what the Prizm would look like. Even further, the strange dreams she had had when afflicted by the Nightmare’s influence showed her a great stone pillar, cut smooth into a perfect triangular shape.

But to see the Celestial Prism now up close was not something she was prepared for. It was a massive, perfectly cut crystal that loomed before Dash, Khroma and Aurora in the island’s center. The colors of a million different lights danced within its confines as Dash stared deeply into its faceted sides. It cast a glow much different from its partners in the faint lit chamber, one that was slowly dying. A small, trickling stream of pure rainbows flowed from its base, only to be absorbed by the dark sand they stood on.

“By my ancestors,” Khroma breathed in Trotsky. He rushed forward and touched his hoof to the Prism. “It is nearly gone… “ He turned back, his face set in alarm. “We must get this into the sunlight! Even a few moments would stave off hours of thirst until we could secure it.”

“But how?” Dash said. “This thing is huge! There’s no way we’d get it out the way we came in, let alone lift it.”

Khroma shrugged. “Lifting it is no matter, not for you. The host may carry it like a unicorn would carry a stone, you need only focus your mind. We can find another way out. That breeze must be coming from somewhere.”

Dash stepped up to the Prism. The small, lingering presence in her mind grew louder, almost distinct in the echoes that shrouded it. Placing a hoof on it, she felt a tingle of magic pass through to her. The chill in her fur dissipated for only a moment, as Dash’s awareness soared. For the briefest second, she felt as if she and the Prism were one. Small, fragmented details of her surroundings became as clear as crystal. The babbling of the water, the humm of the glimmering lights, the breaths of her and her companions.

The small, fading voice that flew in her mind became instantly clear, as if its owner were only inches from her. It was a young, worried presence that screamed a single, dreadful warning. “Run!”

Dash ripped her hoof away from the Prism and spun around. Khroma and Aurora immediately raised their guard and quickly flanked Dash on both sides.

A new presence, cold and malicious drifted in from the darkness. Under the light from the crystals, a pair of starry eyes emerged from the darkness, slowly approaching. A set of glowing, pearlescent teeth were curled into an evil grin as its host became clearer in the light.

The dark, ebony form of the Nightmare, her host’s body awashed in shadows and darkness. Without the cloak over her, nor the deep shadows of the Prism’s chamber, Dash could clearly see the visage of Trixie behind the Nightmare’s corruption, smiling gleefully down at her. Sombra’s horn swung loosely from her neck, shimmering in its hellish glow.

“I was wondering when you would show up,” the Nightmare said. Her voice and Trixie’s overlapped in a haunting echo.

“Trixie!” Dash said. “You don’t have to do this! I know you’re stronger than this witch! Fight back!”

The Nightmare blinked and laughed. “Oh? The entertainer? Is that who you speak to? I never bothered to remember her name. All I cared for was her power, and there was plenty of it.”

“Get out of her head, Nocturne, before I rip you out.”

“Oh ho! Such defiance. Clearly you misunderstand the gravity of your situation.” Nocturne glanced at Dash’s mane, then to the Prism. “There are only moments left until the Prism’s power is gone. And then… the true nightmare of the world will begin.”

“Not gonna happen, Nocturne,” Dash said, lowering herself defensively. Not as long as I’m still breathing.”

“Well, that is to be hoped for, little one. But if you are so inclined to fight back, I would be happy to oblige.”

Without warning, a spike of shadowy energy ripped from the Nightmare's body and lunged towards Dash. She stumbled for only a moment, unprepared, as the spike raced towards her.

Aurora made the first move, stepping in front of Dash and swinging her wing, cleaving the spike from its base. It evaporated in a burst of dark mist, leaving the Nightmare stunned.

The Nightmare blinked at Aurora. “When does the magic of a lowly pegasus stand against the might of a queen in her domain?”

“When the sun guides my strikes, you сука!” Aurora spat.

The Nightmare’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the golden helmet on Aurora’s head and the sabatons on her legs. “So… even when lost in the realm of nightmares, Celestia’s infernal sun dares impune upon my majesty?” She shook her head. “Ridding the world of those princesses will be difficult indeed.”

Her eyes glanced to Khroma and then to Dash, regarding their armor. “Truly frustrating indeed. They must always make things difficult.” She lifted her head, displaying a haughty, regal composure. “If you wish a fair encounter, then it is only fair that I grant it.”

Dash glared. “Yeah, right. You’d sooner stab us in the back than fight fair.”

The Nightmare grinned. “Of course, which is why you will not fight me. I see no need to dirty my hooves on the requests of the peasants.”

A pair of hissing, shambling forms emerged from the dark corners of the island. Dash turned to the closest presence, directly to her right. It walked in, hunched low, snarling and drooling with a pair of spiked wings jutting out from its sides. Razor sharp teeth housed a lashing tongue as it slowly approached to the Nightmare’s side. It stared directly at Dash, its eyes glowing a faint gold against the inky black of its body. At least, it tried to stare, but one of its eyes skewed slightly awry, staring off into the distance.

Dash felt her chest tighten as her heart plummeted into a freefall. Aurora hissed a painful gasp under her breath, while Khroma remained silent. His eyes were trained on the second presence approaching towards them.

The second apparition strode in from the left to the Nightmare’s side. It was far taller than the second, with both a pair of wings, large and flowing, and a single curved horn upon its head. It’s eyes were large, glowing a deep violet.

Dash’s body felt like ice as she stared into the shadow monster’s eyes. Eyes that she knew, eyes that she remembered, eyes that she loved. The necklace around her neck struggled to glow as a single tear fell from Dash’s eyes. “Goddess no…” she said, trembling. “Twilight…”

Author's Notes:

Thus begins the final stretch. As long as everything goes according to plan, expect daily updates until the end.

Hour of Twilight

“What did you do to her!?” Dash screamed. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she stared into the blank, lifeless eyes of Twilight, now ensconced in Nocturne’s cruel embrace.

Nocturne giggled evilly. “Oh, what’s the matter, dear?” She said, pouting her lip. “Do you not like what I have done to my new pets? After all, you freed my previous minions. I had to replace them somehow.”

Ditzy and Twilight growled obediently beside her, flashing their fangs. Nocturne spawned two new tendrils and reached out to stroke her two indoctrinated minions affectionately.

“Let them go!” Dash said. “Or I swear to Celestia I’ll—”

Nocturne’s playful attitude swiftly vanished. “Or you’ll what? Fight back? And harm your precious little friends?” Her smile returned as a wicked grin as she let out a low, dangerous chuckle. “I find them far more useful like this. Considering how hard it was to break them, they have grown on me.”

Dash’s heart skipped, and Nocturne raised an eyebrow in interest. “But, you would love to hear about it, wouldn’t you?” Nocturne turned her head to Ditzy. “This one was by far more resilient. So devoted to you and her mission. The pain I inflicted on her body was nowhere as useful as I had hoped. It is so much of a bother to break their mind, but, I mustn’t argue results.”

Dash’s clenched her teeth as her body trembled. She couldn’t bring herself to move, barely to think as Nocturne coddled over her friends as if they were toys, playthings, and the horrible atrocities she had done to them.

“Dreams are such vast libraries of knowledge. Our dear Princess Luna taught me that once. As soon as I discovered this one’s love for her daughter...” Nocturne let out a squeal of joy. ”Oh! It was so much more fun to reeducate her! Can you imagine the torment on a mother’s mind, to see her daughter taken from her, over and over, until she is nothing but a shell fit for the shaping?”

Dash’s mouth opened in shock as she stared at Ditzy. Of all the things she knew about Ditzy before all this happened, the tales of her devotion to Dinky were the stuff of legends. Taking her to school every day, regardless of the weather, if she was sick, or if she had only seconds to get to work on time afterwards, she did it. She helped Dinky with homework, cared for her every second of every day. When a child from class gave Dinky a hard time, whispers of Ditzy visiting the bully’s parents and what happened therein turned into urban myths that sent chills down even Dash’s spine.

To have Dinky taken away, according to Nocturne’s twisted machinations, Dash couldn’t even comprehend how Ditzy would cope. To have it happen in a malevolent dreamscape, over and over… Dash bit her lip to keep from crying out in agony and anger herself, in fear that there might not be anything of Ditzy left to save. Just how her corrupted form almost seemed to purr in contact with its new master, Dash’s trembling rage only worsened.

When Nocturne turned to Twilight, however, Dash’s mind descended further into despair. Twilight was strong, Dash knew this. Perhaps not as strong as Ditzy physically, but mentally, she was a beacon of endurance. Especially when it came to her friends, she knew Twilight would withstand anything for them. Which would only push Nocturne harder into breaking her. Dash felt her breaths weakening as her body wanted to simply shut down at just the thought of what Nocturne did to her.

Nocturne smiled as she watched Dash intently. “Oh, but you are far more interested in this one, aren’t you?” She said, stroking her tendril over Twilight’s chin. “She was far more… interesting to influence. She had so many different barriers upon her mind to resist. Her family, her brother, her pet dragon, her friends, the princesses. So many presences she looks up to and admires for strength and will.”

Nocturne’s eyes narrowed on Dash. “But you. You were the most prevalent on her mind. Even with the might of a princess behind her station, she would lower herself to have an affair with such a… common pony.” Disgust drifted into Nocturne’s words. “What an age I’ve reawoken to.”

Dash curled her lips, trying desperately to curb her anger. She had to keep calm, she had to hold back. It was her fault they were in this mess, without a plan. Being stupid now would end badly, for her, or for Twilight.

Nocturne’s eyes flickered with amusement. “Nothing? Well, I haven’t even begun to entail what I did to precious little Twilight. Love is such a fleeting thing, but it has so many opportunities to break one’s spirit, don’t you think? Such a relationship could end amicably, yes, but that so boring. What if you were to leave her, hmm?”

“That would never happen!” Dash snarled.

“Oh, never say never dear. But, you have a point. Even in her dreams, she seems so adamant that you would never leave her. After all, loyalty is your realm, is it not, Rainbow Dash?”

Dash tensed as Nocturne addressed her by her full name, which she was quick to notice.

“So, I had to explore other alternatives. What if she left you? Not nearly as possible, but as you have seen in her mind, her grasp on love is frail.”

Dash blinked. Nocturne laughed.

“Oh, yes. I am fully aware of your journey through her mind. It was all so clear to me as I broke her. She is so clever, so smart. She analyses everything to such an impressive level. She reminds me of myself when I was young, just a little filly under the princesses.”

Nocturne’s expression turned grim. “So, imagine what little Twilight Sparkle must be thinking when all she see’s is this precious little affair of yours ending in increasingly different ways? You leave her, she leaves you. You both leave each other.” She laughed. “Perhaps even most poetically of all, one of you dies, leaving the other completely alone.”

Nocturne’s laughter intensified. “Or! One of you leaves the other for another! Perhaps one of your other friends! Your past and existing relationships begin to collide and conflict, bringing about not only the end of your love, but to the unbreakable bond you have forged with your best friends! It might simply sound awful to you, but can you imagine how somepony such as Twilight would process all of that pain?”

Nocturne leaned down, meeting Dash’s eyes with a final, victorious smile. “Truly delicious, isn’t it?”

Dash’s mind screamed. Every inch of her body shouted out in anger, yearning for revenge. There was never a point in her life where she was filled with such an excruciating desire to harm another, let alone kill. She stared at this monster that was once somepony she loved with everything she had, now reduced to a mindless slave of shadows.

Her body moved first, finally choosing to ignore her better nature. With a snap of her wings and a launch of her hooves, she flew at Nocturne like an arrow, screaming. She held out her hoof, seeking to slam into Nocturne as hard as she possibly could.

Ditzy and Twilight let out high pitched snarls and sprang to their mistress's aid. Ditzy was far faster than Twilight, and blocked Dash’s path. Dash tried to swing out of their path, but Nocturne used Ditzy’s speed and prowess to her own advantage.

Dash hovered, almost frozen as her brainwashed friends stood in her way. Despite all her speed, her only real option was to go through them; a reality she just couldn’t bear. Dash clenched her hooves as doubt and pain seeped back into her mind. “I… can’t. I just can’t…”

Nocturne laughed coldly. “Not so easy, is it? Only further proof that friendship makes you weak. And love…love makes you easy to break.”

“Speak not of love, you wretched harpy!” Khroma shouted. Dash blinked as her senses slowly trickled back. In all the pain that plagued her mind, she had nearly forgotten that she was not alone. She was still surrounded by loved ones. Even more: Family. Ponies she knew she could count on.

Khroma and Aurora soared into the sky after Dash. Ditzy and Twilight were so focused on Dash, that they did not see her allies approach them from the sides and tackled them from the air. Khroma clamped his hooves around Ditzy and carried her to the ground, while Aurora forced Twilight at a distance, turning back to Dash. “Prizma! Your father and I can handle Ditzanya, but you must face Twilight yourself! Speak to her. Force her to remember! Your love can free her!”

“B-but auntie, I—”

“No buts! There are no buts or what if’s in love! I have told you this before and I will tell you again!” Aurora twisted her wings and dove down towards Khroma, who was already grappling with a furious Ditzy. “Now go!”

Dash stared at Twilight, hovering only a few meters away. Their eyes were locked on each other, but their expressions couldn’t be any more different. Dash was awash in doubt, while Twilight seethed in primal rage.

Nocturne chuckled. Her shadowy form ebbed in the darkness of the cave as she slowly faded into the shadows. Her voice was all that remained as it echoed in the massive chamber. “Oh, yes, dear! Auntie knows best! Oh! This will be fun to watch!” Her laughter lingered in the air as her presence disappeared, leaving Dash alone with Twilight.

Dash tried to look away, tried to force the fact that it was Twilight she might have to face. They were so far from home in this endless wasteland. Her friends were so far away, the ones who would give her strength on the other side of the world. All she had was herself and her family at her side to carry her, and doubt judged her if it was enough.

It did not feel like it, not to her. Despite the shadowy shape that had enveloped Twilight, it was so obviously her. The spring of her bangs, the curves of her face, the span of her wings. These things were all present even now, things that Dash had spent the last year memorizing.

“Twi?” Dash said softly. “It’s me…It’s Dash. Can you hear me?”

Twilight growled.

Dash pumped her wings and drifted closer to Twilight, holding out her hoof. “I know we kinda left on a bad spot. Goddess I wish I was there to protect you. But I wasn’t.”

Twilight blinked at Dash’s approach. Her glowing eyes watched her carefully, waiting.

Dash gulped as the distance shrank to mere meters. “You were right, you know. It was dangerous for us to be together. Chances are, Nocturne woulda got us both.” She shook her head. “But she shoulda got me instead. It shoulda been you in that archive and me… left with her.”

Twilight’s face descended into mild confusion as the words reached her ears. Her stance was still defensive and her wings buzzed with anticipation as Dash was nearly close enough to touch her.

“But I'm here to make it right, Twi. I love you, you know that. And I always will. Just… come back to me… please?”

Dash felt only cold as she placed a hoof on Twilight’s cheek. The shadowy form of her marefriend hovered in stunned silence at the contact. Her eyes quivered in confusion as a long, weighted pause stretched out in the cave.

The chuckling presence of Nocturne cooed softly into Dash's ears. “Oh, come now, you didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?”

Dash spun her head, but she only saw Nocturne’s visage fading away into darkness. Twilight’s growls returned, and Dash turned back in time to see her plunge her fangs into an unarmored part of her leg.

Dash coughed in pain as she jerked her leg away. Twilight edged closer, blood dripping from her teeth as she swooped forward for another taste. Dash stiffened her wings and dropped into a dive. She panted heavily as she distanced herself from Twilight.

She winced as she peeled the armor aside to see her wound. It was a deep puncture, but it wasn’t gushing. What little Dash knew of first aid warned her that Twilight hadn’t hit anything important… this time.

“Heh,” she breathed. “Okay… if we’re gonna play rough…” she gulped. “I can play rough. You’re still a pony under there, Twi. You'll wear out sooner or later. Just like the Wonderbolts.”

Dash chanced a look back. “And we both know I’m better at wearing you—”

Dash blinked. Twilight’s horn was glowing an umbral light that absorbed the nearby shadows into her own form. She hissed as a lance of black magic speared towards Dash.

“Right. Alicorn. Damn…”

Dash’s instincts kicked in and she pulled up out of her dive. Twilight’s magic hummed in her ears and grazed a tuft of her fur. Luna’s armor shrugged against the blast and threw off her balance. The tip of her wing clipped on one of the many giant crystals that dotted the island. She grunted in pain but adjusted her rhythm to keep afloat. She’d suffered more at the academy; she’d power through more for Twilight.

“C’mon, Twi! I trained you better than this. I didn’t wake you up at six in the morning for flight practice for nothing you know!”

Twilight’s guttural screaming intensified as she called up more dark magic to throw at Dash. Nocturne’s influence made good use of Twilight's natural talent for magic, but Dash still allowed herself to smile. Twilight was a far better shot than this. Twilight was fighting back against Nocturne.

Dash pumped her wings for another burst of speed, all the while pulling tight corkscrews to stay out of Twilight’s range. She passed over the Prism’s resting place. Flashes of gold and silver caught her attention. Khroma and Aurora faced off against Ditzy. Even by herself, Ditzy held her ground against her lifelong friends. Blows were traded with primal ferocity and refined precision, and neither side gave an inch to the other.

Alarm rang in Dash’s mind as she shrugged suddenly aside to avoid another towering crystal. She blinked, however, when as she passed by, she noticed that in her reflection she was no longer being followed. She went to look back, when a dark flash blazed from the other side of the crystal.

Dash twisted her wings upwards and hooked into another dive just as Twilight appeared in front of her around the corner. Another blast of her magic cut a razors edge of distance from Dash’s sides. A freezing cold seared at her body and she gasped as air felt forced out of her chest.

She spun tightly and wheezed as hard as she could to recover her breath. “Teleporting… that’s not even fair.” Dash turned to the outer edges of the dark chamber. “C’mon you ugly hag! Twilight’s way better than this! At least give me challenge if you’re going to just watch!”

Nocturne’s response was immediate. The cave began to rumble as heavy rock and stone ground heavily in Dash’s ears. The titanic crystal formations began to tremble and shake as they rose from the earth. The smaller ones rose higher and faster… straight towards Dash.

“Whoa!” Dash said, sweeping to the side as a narrow spike of crystal lanced past her. Deep in the faces of the crystal, Dash could see the eyes of Nocturne, reflected a thousand times in the broken facets, followed by her resonant laughter.

“Is that better?” she mocked. “I wouldn’t want you to feel under appreciated in your skill!” The reflection admired its crystal home. “Do you like them? Umbral crystals are so fascinating. They absorb and exude such a powerful aura of darkness that light actually forms at the absence surrounding them. It is a far more pleasing light than the sun, however, one that will decorate the world when I am done here.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Dash warned.

The many faces of Nocturne faded from the crystals as they continued to rise and grow towards Dash. “Oh, I assure you, I haven’t even begun.”

Twilight was at her back again, and launched her attacks once more. Dash panted a breath and soared off again, Nocturne’s laughter ringing in her ears.

Dash mapped the chamber as best she could, but Nocturne’s intrusion made the chamber fluid and unpredictable. The crystals almost seemed alive now, growing like a plague along the walls and over the ceiling. Their haunting glow brought new, fresh light to the darkness, but it was a hollow, chilling incandescence.

Ugh, Dash thought. I can’t keep flying in circles like this, I’m just gonna get skewered. The ragged beating of Twilight’s shadowy wings grated in Dash’s ear. She turned, her mind scrambling for a plan. How do I do this without hurting her? Is it even possible?

Twilight’s power was nearly limitless. Certainly Dash could evade her on a physical level, but Twilight was so much more than just a simple unicorn. With her wings, she was keeping a worrying proximity, and with her magic getting closer, Dash was running out of options.

Dash solidified her mind, pushing the worry and dread back as much as she could. It was possible to beat Nocturne’s minions without killing them. If she could just separate Twilight from the black magic controlling her, they might stand a chance at fighting back. She knew what she had to do, but she wasn’t sure if she would be able to forgive herself afterwards.

Tears started falling from her eyes once again. Dash grit her teeth and searched for a space, small and narrow between the looming crystal garden. She sped towards a small crevice that might serve her purpose. She twisted sideways and flew like a knife through the slit in the gemstone.

Her senses were on edge as she squeezed through. Small rough patches scraped against her wings, but she anticipated it. She bit her lips and fought through the pain.

From behind her, she could hear scraping and howling as Twilight kept up her pursuit. Her skill at flying, even with Nocturne’s influence heightening her abilities, was not nearly enough to match Dash’s agility. Where Dash’s wings merely grazed, Twilight’s clumsy flying bashed her wings across the sharp crystal.

Dash pulled up just as she left the confines of the narrow passage. She spun upwards and stalled her wings into a hasty descent. She planned her timing down to the second, and one missed mark would spell disaster.

The fumbling form of Twilight emerged from the crystals, her eyes immediately searching. Dash plummeted from above, her wings still to keep herself silent as she tackled into Twilight and pulled her down.

They tumbled together towards the ground. Dash had control as Twilight writhed in her grasp. Whatever retaliation Twilight could muster at close range was nothing more than useless bug bites against Luna’s armor. Dash aimed for the center island where the Prism and the others remained.

As they approached the ground, Dash held Twilight down by her sides. She winced in anticipation, her eyes watering that her plan was about to work.

Impacting the earth always carried a sickening thud with it, a sound that Dash never felt accustomed to in her many rough landings. The ear shattering howl that joined this one was nearly enough to send Dash to her knees.

As planned, Twilight had landed on her side. Her wing was bent crookedly outwards, splayed out at an angle that made Dash sick to her stomach. Bile rose to her lips as she stood, staring at her marefriend whom she just purposely injured to save her. “Oh, Celestia… Twilight! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Twilight tried to rise from her daze, lashing at Dash. Dash knocked her strikes aside and quickly spun Twilight to her back and pinned her down. One hoof held her one lashing leg down, while the other kept her head flat against the ground so she could not aim her magic. Even with the powers that controlled her, Twilight’s efforts to press back against Dash’s strength was no match.

“Just stop, Twilight. I got you beat. Just please… stop…” Dash’s trembling hooves made it difficult to keep Twilight down, and her watering eyes made it hard to keep her mind clear. “Stop fighting… please. I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

A grunt of exertion a short distance away ripped Dash’s attention from Twilight. Khroma and Aurora were still busy dealing with Ditzy. Black bile was dripping from her head as she wavered between her two opponents.

“Are you guys okay?” Dash asked.

Khroma stepped back from another one of Ditzy’s swings. “We are fine. Ditzanya is good, but not enough for the both of us.” He and Aurora sported a few choice cuts on their faces, but they had a clear advantage. Khroma glanced at Dash. “Are you well?”

Dash nodded. “I’m f—”

Cold assaulted Dash from all sides. A great, heavy lethargy pulled her body down like it were lead. She could barely keep her head up as she felt every ounce of her strength leaving her. Her eyes went blurry as she tried to focus on Twilight below. Her hooves trembled violently, and her mind began to falter.

Twilight continued to fight back, and was gaining ground in light of Dash’s sudden weakness. “Dad!” Dash croaked. “Help! Something’s….wrong…”

The small, fleeting presence that nicked at Dash’s mind was fading away like a great echo in an abyss. A gentle crystal humming that she had not noticed until now was now groaning in effort. She lifted her head to its source.

The light of the Prism was beginning to disappear. The expanse of colors she saw within were winking out as the great behemoth was exhaling is last breath. It’s its face, she saw her reflection, and her face fell upon seeing it.

The last trickle of color in her mane was gone. Down to the last drop. Her mane and tail were completely grey, and the Prism was finally going silent after being cut off from its precious sun for so long.

Dash wobbled on her legs as if they were rubber. Twilight continued to strain against her, and finally took her chance. It was quick, painful motion that sent Dash to her back with Twilight now above her, holding her down.

“Prizma!” Aurora shouted. Dash’s head fell to the side, only to watch her aunt break away from her engagement with Ditzy to her aid. Ditzy took her chance and lunged into Aurora’s unguarded side. Khroma was too slow to react as Ditzy crashed into Aurora and sent her head first into a nearby crystal.

Aurora landed and fell still. Khroma yelled out in alarm when Nocturne’s tendrils erupted from the earth and lashed him down. Nocturne herself rose from the earth like a malevolent mist. Her eyes sparkled in the Prism’s dying breath. She smiled, victoriously. "I love it when I win."

Author's Notes:

---

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Bastion of Twilight

Rainbow Dash’s would never had believed she would witness the day where color would vanish before her eyes. Even when Celestia demonstrated the overwhelming effects of the Prism’s might and what would happen if it were displaced for too long, Dash didn’t want to imagine it. Color was her life, it was her identity, her namesake. Without it, she was just Dash. Sure it was a simpler way of addressing her at times, but that was only between friends. To the rest of the world she was Rainbow Dash, future Wonderbolt, Element of Loyalty and daredevil extraordinaire.

Now, she was nothing. Helpless, cold. The dim tint of the umbral crystals faded all around her into grey as the Prism fell silent. Khroma’s icy coat and golden eyes blanched. His own rainbow tinted mane faded away like Dash’s own had. The colorful glows of Twilight and Ditzy’s eyes were next, as as if a great wave emitted from the Prism, robbing the last breaths of color from the world one by one.

Nocturne chuckled quietly to herself as she stared up at the Prism, watching the light disappear from its depths. “Ah, what a delightful sound it is, to feel the very colors die from this wretched world. Such an appropriate herald of what is to come, don’t you think?”

Nocturne turned and looked to Dash, still pinned on the ground by Twilight. Dash tried to wriggle free, but Twilight, with her added strength from Nocturne’s corruption, had the clear advantage.

“I’ll stop you!” Dash grunted while bracing against Twilight’s strength. “Just you wait! This isn’t over!”

Nocturne blinked in amusement. “Such tenacity. Admirable. Even in certain defeat you think you have hope. Clearly I hadn’t extinguished it nearly enough by dealing with Celestia.” She brought a hoof to her chin and hummed contemplatively. “Perhaps I should have killed her after all?”

Anger rose in Dash’s heart as she struggled harder. Nocturne rolled her eyes and waggled her hoof at Twilight. “Please silence her, dear, her struggling is wearing on me.”

Twilight nodded and turned to Dash, teeth bared. She snarled as her horn began to glow. Dash struggled harder, grunting with all her might to get free, when a whip crack brought a sudden silence to the room.

“Not like that!” Nocturne bellowed. “Do not harm one more hair on her, little one. Or you will face my wrath.”

Twilight jerked back slightly with a frightened yelp. Her magic ceased and instead she repositioned her grip on Dash, standing obediently and waiting for Nocturne’s next command.

Dash frowned. “What, you wanna keep me around long enough to gloat? Can I just pass on that? Listening to you talk hurts my ears.”

Nocturne released a venomous giggle. “Oh, so feisty! I admire that, truly I do. It will make you all the most useful to me, little host…”

Dash growled. “Will you stop calling me that? We all know I’m the Prism’s host. I have real name, y’know!”

Nocturne blinked and began to laugh. “Oh… Is that why you think I call you that? Oh my dear sweet child. You couldn't be further from the truth.”

She walked over to Khroma. He was resisting against his binds beside Aurora, who still hadn’t regained consciousness. Ditzy stood overtop of them, watching the struggling stallion carefully.

Khroma kept a close eye on Nocturne as she approached, slowing his movements as she did.

“Dear, sweet Khroma. Your family has done a wonderful service in keeping the Prism safe. I am truly sorry to relieve you of your burden at long last.”

Khroma spat at her hooves, sneering. “If you harm my daughter I swear to the seven realms of Tartarus I will destroy you with my final breath, Koshmar!”

Nocturne smiled, repeating her caustic cackle. “Oh my, no! I would never dream of harming her, dear Khroma. She is far more valuable to me alive.”

Khroma frowned, eliciting another laugh from Nocturne. She turned towards the Prism and walked over. She placed a hoof upon it and took a deep breath. “You don’t know, do you?” She turned back to him. “How the Prism truly works?”

Khroma continued struggling in silence as he stared at her.

Nocturne bit her lip in a cruel smile. “The Prism, as designed, takes in any kind of magic and channels it. It purifies it, gives it life beyond. When sunlight strikes it, colors are borne to the world.” She scoffed and shook her head. “This is only a portion of its power. This magic always passes through the host. It is this process that gives the Prism its saving grace, this little period of safety should it be taken from the sun.”

Nocturne chuckled. “So, what would happen to its host if another form of magic were to pass through it?”

Khroma’s eyes widened and he glanced over to Dash. “No! You wouldn’t dare!”

“D-dad?” Dash said. “What does she mean?”

Khroma was focused on Nocturne as he spat insults and curses in Trotsky and raged against his binds. “Don’t you dare do that to my daughter. I would sooner die than allow you to corrupt her with Sombra’s madness!”

Nocturne scowled. “That could most certainly be arranged. Now please, be—”

She blinked. A small, barely audible laugh escaped her lips. After a moment, it quickly and suddenly rose into a deafening screech of insane laughter. Nocturne nearly buckled over in delight as she laughed herself hoarse, stomping her hooves in delight.

“Oh…” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “You poor, blind fools.” She reached down and plucked Sombra’s horn from the chain around her neck. She admired it a brief moment, its burning glow twinkling in her eyes. “You thought this to be a means of Sombra’s rebirth? To bring my dear, precious king back from the dead?”

Khroma and Dash were still.

Nocturne threw back her head, laughing once again. When it finally subsided to a quiet chuckle, she wandered slowly over to Dash. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I never loved Sombra. I hated him. He was just another oafish stallion who thought he understood power. He was nothing more than a vessel to me, a means to an end.”

She looked away, her eyes drifting in memory. “That ritual was never meant to ascent him to godhood. It was meant to ascend me! I knew his body would not be able to handle the raw might that I brought upon him. But if I were to share the burden, even for only a moment, it would be enough that he would be destroyed, and I would keep all the power to myself.” She growled. “And then the princesses,” she said, spitting venom and rage, “had to go and ruin everything.”

Nocturne turned to Dash. “Sombra’s mind was the first thing damaged as the magic tore him apart. He became nothing but a host of rage and gluttony, destroying my physical body as his own instincts became his only direction.”

She ripped the horn from its chain as she stood overtop Rainbow Dash. “I wouldn’t dare tarnish that pretty little body of yours with his foolishness. You aren’t his new body. You. Are. Mine!”

Dash’s body trembled as cold sweat took hold. She continued her struggle as Nocturne laughed above her, holding the horn just above her head. “B-but,” Dash stammered, “you tried to kill me! You blew up my house!”

Nocturne’s smile deepened. “A minor oversight, I assure you. My minions were overzealous in their commands to… ‘keep you out of the way.’ Why else do you think I let you be back in the Prism’s chambers? Why didn’t I fight back in the caves under Canterlot? Why didn’t I take you with the rest back in the Crystal Empire? Surely you saw that I was keeping you as safe as I possibly could, all to lead you here. To my ascension.”

She flourished Sombra’s horn. “With this horn, and your wings, I will combine the three pony magics together and rise as one of the true goddesses in this world. And the death of the Prism will herald my dark regime for the world to see. It is almost poetic.”

Nocturne turned back to the Prism and stood beside it. “But first, your body must be adequately prepared.” Her horn began to glow and her magic began to flow around the Prism like dark ribbons. “Please try not to resist, it will hurt less in the long run.”

Like a torrent of water twisting into a whirlpool, Nocturne’s magic roared to life around the Prism. The air crackled with dark energy, swirling closer to the great crystal. Dash felt a chill wash over her, not from the swirling wind, but deep within her soul. As Nocturne’s magic drew closer, she braced herself for what would come next.

Her resolve got the better of her. She panicked and her breathing hastened. She bucked her legs and twisted her body every way she could. Twilight was holding her down with just as much strength and didn’t seem anywhere near to budging.

As the wind raged in the chamber, however, Dash felt the strong breeze push against her. Twilight was growling from the wind that pushed against her, giving Dash an idea. Not leaving time to chance, she suddenly shifted all her weight to one side.

Twilight’s hooves jerked as they slipped off Dash. Her forelegs were freed and she quickly reached up to brace Twilight’s head. She tried to thrash back and escape, but Dash held on with everything she had. “Easy, Twi. C’mon, I know you’re in there. You don’t want this. Fight back. Come back to me. I need your help.” A tear fell from her eye. “Please, Twi. I love you. Don’t do this to me.”

Dash sniffed and brought her legs around Twilight’s neck into a hug. She held tight, purposely oblivious to Twilight’s attempts to command her master’s call. Nocturnewas lost in her trance of corrupting the Prism, giving Dash only seconds to think of something, anything to get her out of this mess.

A faint flash of light caught Dash’s attention. She glanced down to the necklace around her neck. Even with the colors washing out, the little gem struggled to glow, even with Twilight’s body so close. It was as if the dreadful shadows engulfing her blocked the magic like the clouds would block the sun.

Twilight was calling for her, trapped in her own mind. Even so close, her desire for Dash to find her burned through the darkness that poisoned her body. A crazed thought drifted in Dash’s mind, one that she felt ridiculous for considering. Twilight’s mind was the one seeking freedom, it should only take a reminder to her body to do the same.

Dash pushed Twilight away at hooves reach. She was a snarling, raging mess that struggled against her, seeking to be free to serve her mistress. Throwing all present of sanity out the window, Dash leaned in, forcibly pulling Twilight into a kiss.

Twilight went still as Dash held her close. Her raging snarls and mad gibbering quieted into stunned silence. Her eyes went wide and unblinking. As Dash pulled away, she looked into Twilight’s eyes. Eyes that stared straight back. Eyes that were trying to remember.

From Twilight’s glowing eyes, a small crack formed in the shadows that formed around her. It grew like a fissure of lightning down her body, growing with a colorless light. Like crumbling earth the cracks multiplied like a shell being shattered from the inside.

Dash let go of Twilight and backed away, shielding her eyes as the light grew brighter. In a brilliant flash and the sound of shattering glass, Dash stumbled backwards as Twilight was engulfed in a deafening explosion.

When the dust and light cleared, the air was still. Dash peeked from behind her hooves. Twilight lay before her, free of the shadows that Nocturne had tainted her with. She was breathing heavily, legs splayed flat on the ground as her head bobbed into consciousness. She struggled to lift herself up, wincing with effort.

Her eyes fell on Dash’, filled with confusion. “D-dash? “What’s going—”

Dash didn’t give her a chance to finish as she lunged forward and wrapped her hooves around Twilight. She squeezed as tightly as she could, fresh tears flowing from her eyes. “I was so scared! I thought I lost you!”

Twilight blinked as she slowly wrapped her own hooves around Dash. “I… I remember being in the Crystal Empire and then… nothing but darkness.” She sucked in a sudden, pained breath. “I.. she stuttered, her throat clenching. “I tried to hurt you! Nocturne got into my head, and she made me want to hurt you, she—”

Tears drifted from her eyes as well as her body trembled. “She made me think I’d lost you.”

Dash shook her head. “Never, Twi. I’ll always be there for you.”

Twilight gasped and looked around. “What happened to her? Wasn’t she here?”

Dash’s eyes widened and spun around. Nocturne was gone. She could feel her taint on the air, but whatever had happened must have scared her off. Her eyes fell on her dad. He was picking himself from the ground and stumbling over to Ditzy, who was now lying on the ground.

Whatever had happened to Twilight, the same had happened to her. She was on her back, staring into the air with a vacant, haunted expression. “D-d…” she stammered. “D-dinky. I w-want D-dinky… Wh-where’s my daughter?”

Khroma whispered into her ears. “Rest, dear Ditzanya. She is safe. We will take you to her. I promise.”

“I want my b-baby… I want my D-dinky!” Tears flowed from her eyes as she lashed at the ground in a trembling howl.

Khroma glanced to Dash with a level stare. “Can you see if you can wake Aurora? We must take this chance to escape while we can.”

Dash nodded. She turned back to Twilight and guided her to the ground. “Can you just wait here? You need to rest.”

Twilight nodded shakily. “M-my wing hurts…”

Dash winced. “Y-yeah. We’ll get that looked at when we ge—”

There was a sudden roar of dark magic that flooded Dash’s eyes. Her body tensed as an unbelievable surge of pain flowed through her. She screamed in agony as Twilight scrambled back in horror.

“Dash!” she shouted.

Dash collapsed to her knees as her vision blurred. She tried to lift her head as a steady, echoing thud rattled her mind every few seconds. Her eyes fell on the visage of Trixie, eyes glowing with Nocturne’s taint stepping from the other side of the Prism. She held Sombra’s horn aloft in her grip as she poured her power into the crystal.

A swirling mass of shadows appeared above Trixie. A pair of glittering eyes glowed in the mass of darkness, carrying with it a voice trembling with rage. “Well! That was certainly rude!” Nocturne roared. “I don’t know what foul magic you dared employ to slow me down, but I assure you won't get a second chance!”

The eyes in the cloud turned to Trixie. “Now my loyal minion, fill it with the magic I have blessed you with. Bring that stubborn pegasus to the gates of Tartarus if you must! I tire of these delays!”

Trixie nodded in silent obedience and her magic pushed even harder. Dash’s vision was failing her as she struggled against the evil taint that was turning her blood to ice in her veins.

Twilight appeared at her side, her horn glowing. “Trixie stop! You don’t have to listen to her! You’re stronger than this!”

Trixie showed no signs of hearing her and only poured forth more of her dark, twisted magic into the Prism.

Twilight tried to focus her magic, but the glow of her horn sputtered with even the most basic effort. Her groaning echoed in Dash’s head.

“Trixie! You’re as every bit great and powerful as you say you are! You’re better than her! I know you are! She’s nothing without you! You’re everything without her!”

Trixie, for a split second, blinked. There was a small, fragmented moment where her devoted stare wavered and her gaze turned to Twilight’s.

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Yes! I know you can hear me! She can never push you that far out of your own mind! Resist her!”

The pain roiling in Dash’s mind slowed, for only a moment. Trixie’s body began to tremble as her face was washing with multiple emotions.

That moment ended when Nocturne shrieked in rage and flew towards Twilight in a fury. “Must I kill every interruption myself!?”

A long, razor sharp spike erupted from Nocturne’s ghostly form and speared towards Twilight. Dash heaved a painful breath to try and move. Twilight was frozen still in fright as the great monstrous shadow bared down on her.

A flash of faded gold appeared in front of Twilight, just inches before Nocturne reached her. Khroma grunted in pain as the shadowy lance pierced through him and threw her aside.

Time slowed as Dash watched her father fall from the sky and crash to the ground in perfect, painful clarity. He landed hard on his back, blood oozing from his sides. He coughed weakly as he tried to glance at Dash, forcing a smile. He opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes could stay open no longer and rolled back into his head.

Dash couldn’t keep the tears back as she watched his body go still. “Dad?” she wheezed. Her voice trembled with confusion, doubt, denial. She didn’t want to believe what she was seeing. Her dad was the strongest pony in the world. Nothing could hurt him, nothing could bring him down. But why wasn’t he moving?

“No… dad…. DAD!” Her body burned as she tried to crawl over to him, but the air continued to rage around her as Nocturne was once again above her. Her gaze was focused on Twilight, as she began to produce another lengthy blade.

“No!” Dash screamed. “Stop! I’ll give in!”

Nocturne paused, and Twilight spun to her. “No! You can’t!”

Dash trembled with rage, with sadness, with failure. “I… I can’t keep letting ponies I love get hurt…” She brought a hoof to Twilight’s face. “I’m sorry, Twi. I lied. I’m not gonna always be there. But at least you will be.”

As hard as it was to turn away from Twilight’s teary face, she did and stared directly at Nocturne. She regarded the exchange with quiet amusement. “Just let them go. Let them live. Please. And You can do whatever you want with me.”

“And why would I care? You are mine no matter what. There is no escape from your fate.”

Dash scowled. “Y-you think I’ll make this easy for you?” She winced against the pain that crawled through her from the Prism’s tainting influence. “I swear with every ounce of my will I will fight you. It might take weeks, months, years, but I promise to the depths of Tartarus that I’ll still be there, in my head fighting you every step of the way. And I’ll make you work for it. You think I’m stubborn now? I’ll make it a nightmare, even for you.”

She glanced at Twilight. “Just let them go…”

“N-no..” Twilight wept. “Dash, don’t…”

Nocturne’s eyes closed as she descended into quiet contemplation. A single tendril reached out towards Trixie, plucking Sombra’s horn from her grasp. The glowing thorn of an appendage floated towards Dash. Her breathing quickened as the burning heat from that evil object drifted closer.

“Just let it in, dear,” Nocturne said. “It will all be over soon.”

“Dash no!” Twilight screamed. She tried to intervene, but Nocturne reached out a new limb and flicked Twilight away.

Fresh rage filled Dash’s mind, but her attention quickly fell to the horn slowly approaching her forehead.

“Just sleep, darling,” Nocturne sang. “Dream…forever more.”

Dash closed her eyes, filling her thoughts with the one thing she would want to dream of forever: Twilight. She felt the burning horn touch her skin, and after, there was nothing but darkness.

The Twilight Zone

Twilight couldn’t keep herself from trembling as she watched her love give in willingly to the Nightmare’s madness. As Sombra’s horn was placed upon Rainbow Dash’s forehead, the Nightmare’s dark miasma overtook her in an instant. Her greyed mane turned black before Twilight’s eyes, and her coat darkened into a blue like the depths of the universe.

She was screaming in agony. The chamber echoed with her cries as the dark magic absorbed into her body, and Twilight could only watch in horror as one of her best friends, her marefriend being taken away from her.

She poured everything she could into casting a spell; a cleansing spell, a counter-spell, anything to stop this process before it was too late and Rainbow Dash was lost forever. It made no difference. Her horn sputtered uselessly. Her magic was drained, her body weak. Her wing hung crookedly from her side and it was most likely only due to the shock of the situation that kept the pain from knocking her unconscious once more.

Her breathing was panicked while her mind raced for a solution, but it grasped at blank thoughts and dead ends. All she felt like doing was collapsing and breaking down into tears, but she shook those thoughts away. She couldn’t give up. Not on Dash. Dash would never give up on her, and she would do the same for Dash.

A faint groan broke her thoughts and she turned to Aurora, who was beginning to stir. Ditzy had passed out again beside her and was whimpering quietly in her horrid sleep. Twilight limped over to Aurora.

“P-prizma…” Aurora wheezed.

“D-don’t move,” Twilight said. “You took quite a hit to your head.”

“W-what is happening?”

Twilight bit her lip. “We need to get out of here. Dash—” Tears threatened to burst forth again just at the utterance of Dash’s name. “She’s sacrificed herself to give us a chance to escape…”

Aurora’s eyes widened. “W-what?! No! I won’t let her—”

Her eyes finally fell on Dash. Aurora brought a hoof to her mouth as horror overtook her face. She mouthed a quiet ‘no’, and turned back to Twilight. “What has happened? Where is Khroma!? Why is he not stopping this madness?”

Twilight winced. Aurora’s eyes bored into her with rage as she tried to avoid eye contact. Aurora’s eyes drifted away for just a moment, and her face fell as she found Khroma, several meters away, laying still on the sandy earth.

Aurora reached out a hoof towards her brother as she scrambled to her hooves and rushed to his side. She skidded to a stop beside him and propped up his head. There was an unbearable pain in her face as she held Khroma’s head in her lap, examining the wounds. Blood marred her silky coat, but she showed no thought for it.

Twilight’s grasp of Trotsky was limited at best, even with Dash trying to teach her, but it didn’t take a master to understand the pain in Aurora’s voice. “No,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “Not like this, brother... Don’t you dare leave me alone, Khroma". Her cries turned into wails as she collapsed into Khroma’s chest and wept.

Twilight felt like every part of her was in a well of despair. On one side, a sister mourned for her brother, and on the other, she herself mourned for the loss of her best friend and more. Again, she called up her reserves of magic, but could barely manage even a simple light.

Dash’s screams grew louder, and showed no signs of stopping soon. Her eyes were beginning to glow with The Nightmare’s shimmering darkness. The shadows that enveloped her began to twist and reshape her body as it and Sombra’s horn became one. Dash’s legs and wings stretched and were remolded before Twilight’s eyes as she slowly grew to the proportions of Celestia, or even Luna.

Even Luna’s armor was perverted by the Nightmare’s essence. What was poorly molded and thinly spread became hardened like platinum. Much like Sombra’s own attire, the transformation the Nightmare inflicted on Dash bent the otherworldly metals into an ensemble of heavy metal and resplendent regalia.

Twilight broke her gaze from Dash. The pain was too great to witness, and even still was the pain she felt in her own heart. She limped over to Aurora, who was still tearfully weeping over top Khroma’s body.

“Aurora…” Twilight said. “We have to get out of here. There’s nothing we can do.”

Aurora’s cries slowed. She slowly rose her head from Khroma’s chest. Twilight jerked back at the absolute glare of hatred and rage dripping from Aurora’s face. Her lips trembled, fighting back from outright sneering as her eyes were squarely trained on Dash.

“I will not run…” Aurora whispered. “Not now. It would be an insult to my brother, to my family!”

“What can we do!?” Twilight said. “Ditzy is still unconscious, and I can’t even cast a spell. What chance do we have against that?!” Twilight said, pointing at Dash. “Especially without hurting her?”

Aurora twisted her head to Twilight. “Are you deaf, child?! Can you not hear the agony in her screams? She is already in pain, I doubt we can inflict worse than what that monster Koshmar is doing to her.”

“B-but… I-I…”

Aurora scoffed and clicked her tongue. “Perhaps I was wrong about you. My darling Prizma deserves somepony who can call to action just as she can. But if you are too afraid to give anything to save her, just as she is doing for you right now, then you were never any good for her.”

Twilight blinked as more tears, this time not of sadness, but of anger clouded her vision. “How… how dare you say that! I would do anything for Dash.”

“Then why do you stand there like a filly and tell me that it hopeless? There is always hope. Love by definition is hope for a tomorrow together. Why don’t you prove it to me, like she did for you back in Stalliongrad?”

“I…” Twilight stammered. “I just… I don’t know how we can stop this.” Her face fell. “This is my fault… I pushed her away. If we had been together, we could have fought against this together. I was so stupid to think I could solve this on my own. That hasn’t worked for me in years, not since I met her.”

Aurora nodded. “That very well may be, but we can worry about who is to blame later. Now, we must end this insanity. I will not let my brother’s sacrifice be in vain.”

Twilight glanced back to Dash, what was left of her, anyways. The Nightmare was getting closer to corrupting her entirely. The air raged and hummed with magic as it threatened to burst.

The Prism itself seemed to be glowing in agony. The clear crystal was now awash in black and a dark, faded red. Trixie continued to pour her magic into it, but Twilight could see the signs of strain on her face.

“We have to stop Trixie. Her magic is empowering the ritual. We might be able to slow it down if we stop her from corrupting the Prism any further.”

Aurora nodded. She gently laid Khroma down, kissing him on the forehead as she did. “Rest well, brother,” she said in a solemn tone. “Bring peace with you to mama and papa in Elysium. I may join you soon.”

Twilight felt guilt wrench at her heart as Aurora said her vows. As grim as they may be, they brought Aurora a new resolve as she got back to her hooves and charged towards the Prism with Twilight right behind.

Trixie’s attention was fixed on her task and did not notice them approach. Sweat streamed from her face and her breaths were getting shallower by the second. Sparks flew from her horn and mixed with the waves of dark magic that flowed from her. Twilight blinked, however, as in the spell work Trixie was putting forth, she could see the core flickering.

“Trixie!” she shouted. “You have to stop!”

Trixie wheezed an intake of air. “I must not fail my mistress.”

“It’s killing you! You don’t have that much power! You’re going to run out!”

“I have power.” Trixie’s voice was monotone, devoid of spirit or soul of its own. Just a slave, lifeless and subservient. “My Mistress would not have chosen me for this great task if I was weak.”

“If you keep pushing, you’re going to Null yourself! What would the Great and Powerful Trixie be without her ability to use magic?! Fight her control! I know you can!”

Trixie blinked and tilted her head slightly. She stared straight into Twilight’s eyes. Twilight trembled as all she saw was vacant and empty deep within. Tears trickled in the corner of Trixie’s eyes. “I… can’t stop…”

Twilight bit her lip and turned to Aurora. “You have to stop her! Just please don’t hurt her!”

Aurora ground her teeth. “I make no promises.” Her wings snapped open and she bolted into a sudden charge towards Trixie.

Trixie was still staring at Twilight, but her magic reacted as if it had a life of its own. Coils of dark magic broke off from her original spell and spun like ribbons towards Aurora. She cackled as she spun in tight circles, weaving past the length’s of dark magic with practiced, fluid ease. Much like her skills as a dancer, she flowed through the air in unprecedented grace. Aurora wasn’t simply just a dancer. She was a pioneer of her art. She was like water, and Trixie’s attacks like rocks in a raging river. Aurora coursed like a stream, beating across the rocks in an endless storm, but never taking a strike in retaliation.

Meters turned into inches as Aurora gained ground on Trixie. Every strike the enthralled unicorn sent at the Stalliongrad agent was only another game to be played, one that Trixie was most assuredly losing.

The great swirling mass of dark magic erupted and snapped out of existence as Aurora pushed for one massive dive and tackled Trixie off her hooves. The spell interrupted, the Prism almost heaved a sigh of relief as the air of the chamber suddenly calmed.

Dash’s screaming suddenly halted. Twilight turned to her. The Nightmare's taint had halted, but much of the damage had already been done. She was barely recognizable, standing easily as tall as Celestia, but radiating with unimaginable evil. Her body twitched in the power that crackled all around her as her head slumped low, her eyes closed.

“No!” Trixie shouted. “I must fulfil my mistress’ wish!” Aurora held her her down by the head, pressing her horn into the dirt with her hooves. Trixie struggled and wriggled, trying to stand, but she had no strength to compare to the practiced Aurora. Tears of anguish fell from her eyes as she howled, reaching out for the Prism.

Aurora suddenly lifted her hoof, and bashed it into Trixie’s temple. She let out a small, pained whimper before her body went still. Twilight winced at the savagery, but steeled herself for the necessity of it.

Aurora looked to Twilight. “I have her. She won’t be tainting the Prism any longer.” She shrugged her head to Dash. “See what you can do for her. It might not be too late.”

Twilight nodded and spun towards Dash, running as fast as she could. “Dash! Wake up! We’ve stopped Trixie! You can fight back!”

Dash’s face twitched. Her eyelids flexed and she grunted, letting out short, angered breaths.

Twilight recoiled, her ears wilting back. “D-dash?”

Dash’s eyes snapped open. Twilight gasped as a dark, cosmic glow flowed from the edges of Dash’s eyes. It was like staring deep into the abyss of space and beyond. Her mouth slowly pulled into a grin, evil and malicious.

“Not anymore,” Nocturne’s voice echoed from Dash’s mouth.

“No…” Twilight said, backing away in horror. “No!”

Nocturne threw her head back and laughed. “Yes!” She stomped the earth and sent powerful tremors through the cave. The crystals hummed and sang their song as dust and rock trickled from the vast ceiling above.

Twilight stepped back, her face awash in terror as Nocturne exhibited her control of her newfound powers in Dash’s body. She send lances of dark magic into the fields of crystal, eradicating them hundreds at a time. She cackled with unrestrained glee. “A new goddess has risen in this pathetic world! And not even the blessed sisters of solstice will stop me!”

She looked down at Twilight. Her eyes, glowing with her starry glimmer, twisted in psychotic joy. “And especially not the tiny princess of friendship!”

Nocturne laughed maniacally as her horn began to blaze with darkness. Twilight’s eyes widened as she tried to move, but her legs were frozen in fear. The roar of Nocturne’s madness came to bare before her, but she could not flee.

Nocturne dipped her head to deliver the final strike, when a blood curdling roar broke her attention. She turned just in time to meet with Aurora’s hoof smashing into her face and sending her to the sand.

Aurora landed beside Twilight, glaring at Nocturne while she shook her head and tried to stand. “Do not think I have forgotten about you, сука! I have a great score to settle with you.”

Nocturne’s face trembled with fury. “You dare strike a queen!? There will be an endless abyss for you!”

“I strike no queen!” Aurora screamed. “Only a monster who pretends! I pay homage to no queen, no princess, no lord! I only pay homage to my family, one you have broken! You murder my brother and steal his daughter from me! I will see you dead at my hooves before this day is over!”

Aurora lept into the sky once more, charging for Nocturne. She brought forth her magic, but, just as Aurora had danced through Trixie’s attempts at stopping her, the fury-borne pegasus cleaved through the black magic with violent precision. Aurora screamed as she approached like a golden comet through the sky, despite the Prism having fallen dark. Her rage glowed like a star that cut out the shadows.

Nocturne’s eyes widened as her attempts to stop Aurora were failing. She send out tremors that quaked the earth, legions of her dark spines and waves of chilling shadows, but Aurora burned through them all. The might of Celestia’s sun blazed through her armor, poised to stamp out Nocturne like the frail silhouette she was.

Panic quickly raced through Twilight once more when Aurora sailed through Nocturne’s shadow as if she were not there. Her towering shape faded into the ground, her laughter echoing in the air as she vanished from sight.

Aurora shrugged when her blow did not strike true and pulled herself up with a painful grunt. Her blazing trail faded as she slowed to a hover, scanning for the false queen. “Face me you coward! Or is the so called queen of darkness afraid of a single pegasus dancer!?”

“I am fear,” Nocturne’s voice quaked. “Your arrogance will be your undoing, foalish girl.”

As Aurora buzzed in the air, her senses at their peak to locate Nocturne, there was a ripple in the darkness behind her. A faint, umbral glow etched out Nocturne’s eyes in the shadows. Twilight’s eyes widened as she found them first, and screamed out, “Aurora! Behind you!”

Aurora spun, but it was too late. A burst of magic exploded in the air around her and struck her in the sides. It was a painful sounding grunt that rocked the cave as Aurora fell to the ground. Twilight bolted, running for the place Aurora would land to try and catch her.

It would not be enough, though. As hard as she pushed her legs, she would not reach Aurora in time. She bit back tears as she cried out in desperation that she was about to lose another ally, another friend to Nocturne’s insanity. A surge of will flowed from her in a torrent as her horn finally ignited. She felt herself wink out of existence for a single breath, skidding to a halt underneath Aurora.

Gravity carried Aurora onto Twilight’s back. She grunted under the sudden weight, but she held herself upright. Aurora groaned as she tried to right herself. “Run, child,” she whispered. “We need more time.”

Twilight didn’t need to be told twice and took off immediately. She raced back towards the Prism and any cover the crystal forest could give. Nocturne cackled with glee from above as she sent down more blasts that shook the ground under Twilight’s hoofs. It was a chore to keep steady as the stumbled to balance Aurora on her back and her hooves on the soft ground.

Twilight made it to the Prism and dug her hooves in the sand for a sharp turn. She ducked behind it, spinning in place to wait for Nocturne’s next assault. Worry pricked at her senses when it never came, and it boiled to panic as the ground began to swell underneath her.

The sand and dirt burst forth, knocking Twilight over. Aurora sailed from her back and landed further away, not far from where Ditzy lay, still unconscious. Twilight could hear Aurora’s ragged breathing as she tried to pick herself up, but trembled and collapsed under her own weight.

Nocturne’s wretched laughter made Twilight’s fur stand on end as she slowly turned back to face her. Her great, shadowy form stood, towering above her with her deviant grin spread wide. “Tut tut, little princess. You stand before a queen. There is no further use for you in this world of mine.”

Twilight glared. “Its… not yours.”

Nocturne chuckled in amusement. “What was that dear? Please speak up.”

“I said its not yours! This world belongs to the princesses, to the ponies of Equus! They don’t belong to you! I don’t belong to you. Dash doesn’t belong to you!”

Twilight’s magic began to shape all around her. A bright, shimmering barrier enveloped her. She grit her teeth, pouring all that she had and more into a single, focused spell.

Nocturne laughed again. “Please, child. You may be talented in magic, but you stand before the very darkness itself. Your pathetic magic of friendship holds no power here.”

Twilight offered no response, only action. She grit her teeth as the magic she channeled sparked the very air. The umbral crystals glowed from her aura and cut back the encroaching shadows surrounding her.

She let loose her magic and sent the crackling wave of pure light towards Nocturne. Again, Nocturne blended into the shadows, but as the light passed through her, she let out a loud, scathing hiss of discomfort.

Twilight grinned as she called more magic for another. “You can hide in the shadows all you want, Nocturne! You can’t hide from me!”

Nocturne’s voice echoed as Twilight waited for her to reappear. “Foalish child… Your play of the light will not ssave you…”

“Try me!” Twilight barked. “I’ve studied long enough under Celestia to know how much the sun stings monsters such as you! As long as I’m standing, I will fight you!”

A sudden cold washed over Twilight as Nocturne’s form rose directly in front of her, mere inches away. She almost lost herself in the depths of Nocturne’s eyes as her shadows began to wash over her.

Twilight fired blind from instinct. Her blast flew true straight for Nocturne a point blank range. Twilight expected Nocturn to attempt to fade into shadows again, but this time, her entire body split in two around the pillar of light, passing harmlessly through her.

As Nocturne’s body rejoined, she sauntered closer to Twilight. “Now, what were you saying, dear?”

Twilight blinked as her mouth fell open, trembling. She tried to backpedal out of Nocturne’s reach, but her reach was flowing over her already. She braced herself for what was to come, when a great crackling explosion flashed across the cave.

Nocturne froze and turned around. Twilight took her chance and stepped away, looking behind her to see what had distracted Nocturne. She hadn’t noticed before, but Nocturne had been standing directly in front of the Prism when she reappeared. When she avoided her attack, the lance of pure light had nowhere else to go but the Prism itself.

Twilight’s magic raged within Prism and cast fresh light in the vicinity. The dark influence from Trixie’s spell was being pushed back as the crystal’s hum echoed like a primal roar across the chamber.

Nocturne swung back, fury in her eyes. “How dare you taint my beautiful Prism! You will pay dearly for—”

At that moment, a tremendous arcing explosion escaped from the Prism and flew directly towards Nocturne. She shrieked in agony as the light magic began to tear her apart.

Twilight blinked. She had a way to hurt Nocturne. She called up any and all magic that she could, aiming at the Prism for another blast. If she could keep it up, she might be able to stop her.

A plan short lived, however. As Twilight tried to bolster her mana, Nocturne’s painful screaming stopped. Twilight turned, just as something hooked around her neck and began to pull her into the air. She wheezed from breath as she tried to pull free, as Nocturne held her suspended before her.

“An excellent attempt, little Princess, but I will soon extinguish that hope into darkness. Say goodbye to the light of day… forever.”

Nocturne’s grip tightened, and Twilight lost her ability to breathe. She gasped and kicked in a panic, trying to pull what precious little air she could. Her vision was starting to fade as the life was being wrenched from her. Darkness clouded everything and started to vanish into black. Only Nocturne’s cackling was left for her senses as her consciousness threatened to give in.

In an instant, the grip on her neck ceased. Twilight fell to the ground, gasping heavily for air. She panted while her vision returned. Nocturne stood above her, confusion in her eyes. She was staring at her own hooves with a strange, frightened expression.

Twilight took her chance and brought back her magic, only to freeze at the sight of Nocturne’s eyes. No longer were they glowing with the light of a thousand stars, nor were they glowing at all. The shadowy taint that had twisted her eyes was replaced with a faint, reddish hue. They twitched in panic and fear, and when they fell on Twilight, her entire body trembled.

“T-twilight?” she said. It was not Nocturne’s voice that echoed from her body. It was one Twilight knew, one she remembered, one she loved.

Twilight gasped. “Rainbow Dash?”

Author's Notes:

---

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In the Elysian Fields

From the moment Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, she expected nothing but an endless sea of darkness to be her only companion. She imagined the punishment for succumbing to Nocturne’s will, her final act of sacrifice for Twilight to be cold, empty, nothingness.

For a time it was. As soon as the burning sensation of the mad king Sombra’s tainted horn touched her head, she felt her very soul cry out in agony for only a moment. The pain stopped, the light vanished, leaving her to float forever more in the void before her.

There was no wind, no heat, no cold. Just nothing. She needed no effort of her wings to keep afloat. There was a strange power in this place that carried her, to where, she did not know. She did not care. Rainbow Dash knew her fate and was resigned to it. After all, for Twilight, she would do anything, even face oblivion itself.

Minutes dragged on like hours, hours like days. Dash did not feel the need for sleep nor drink. As she floated, her bodily needs and senses washed away, days seemed to drift past unnoticed. With no ties to her physical being, time was irrelevant.

Much of her time was spent thinking of Twilight. In the depths of this strange place, she felt that her memories and thoughts could come to life, dancing before her like a play of her own life. She remembered the happy times, focused on the good days. Many of which were of Twilight, but, there were almost more of family.

After what might have been an eternity, however, the void began to change. The realm of dark blended into light. It was like a distant star at first, just a pinprick of light far off in an uncountable distance.

As the eternal days went by, the light grew closer, growing into a second expanse joined to this one. One of light, of warmth and joy. She could feel the happiness seeping into her from a distance as she approached.

Once the border was in sight, Dash frowned at what shaped before her on the edge. A small, grassy hill, both shrouded in dark and bathed in light. Intermixed and intertwined, dark and light met, not in war, but in unity.

Dash touched down on this fragment of land, relishing the feel of grass and earth under her hooves. Her senses rejoiced to once again feel alive. But it was not enough. While her body once again felt whole and real, her mind was still plagued with her sense of being. What was this place? Why was she here? What did it mean?

“Hello?” she called.

The wind was the only answer. Her body tensed. The wind! Just as she felt the grass under her hooves, the wind bristled over her fur and revived the lost sense of the sky within herself.

The wind drifted, calling her in its ethereal song. It blew in only one way, towards the horizon, along the divide between light and dark. With no other heading to follow, she made her choice and began to walk.

The ruffling of grass underneath her fell into a rhythm that dictated the time. She walked for days, always following the wind towards the horizon. Her mind kept her occupied with questions of wonder. Questions of what might lay ahead, and if they might ease her passing into the realms beyond life.

Her journey, seemingly endless, finally came to a head, after what seemed like years of travel in the landscape of her mind, her soul, or the great beyond. The hills she cross crested in a small plateau overlooking the continued boundaries of light and dark.

A great stone pillar, smooth and grey loomed at the cliff edge. Dash blinked at the familiar monolith, her head immediately turning in search. Her ears twitched at the sound of laughter, childish and free, not far in the tall grass along the hillside.

She turned towards it, keeping her senses at their limit to locate the source of the new sounds. At the peak of the hill, she could see a small, silvery shape bounding up out of the grass and quickly disappearing once again. Shimmering lights drifted over the field as the small creature that stalked within lept from it protective cover like a lion hunting its prey. What wasn’t lion-like was the childish squeal of delight that swiftly followed each strike.

Dash climbed down the hill towards the bouncing filly, who was still oblivious to her presence. It wasn’t until Dash was only meters away did the child stumble out of a small clearing of grass in full view. She looked up to Dash, wonder shimmering in her crystalline eyes as she sat still in the low grass. The wind tossed her silver mane in the breeze, gentle and calm. She suddenly smiled and scrambled to her hooves, running to Dash’s side.

“Hey, kid,” Dash said. “I just can’t keep away from you, can I?”

The child giggled and pulled on Dash’s leg, guiding her further into the grassy plain.

“Okay, okay!” Dash said, smiling. “I get it! I follow you.”

The child nodded and took off, disappearing again into the field. Dash followed the spaces that parted in the blades of grass and the growling laughter of the strange and otherworldly filly.

The child led her through the field into a wide and flat valley. She charged ahead for the basin below, while Dash froze at its edge. Down in the valley was a second figure. She could make out little at this distance, only that whatever, or whoever it was quite tall and dimly colored.

Dash approached warily to this new being at the child’s insistence, who kept laughing and squealing with eternal delight. More details of the area became clearer the more she approached. The gloomy figure was seated at a table cut from stone at a rivers edge. There was a stone kettle resting upon it with a cloud of steam drifting from it.

The child had taken to bouncing and hopping around the figure at the table. His voice was low and gravely as he regarded the child’s excitement. “Yes, yes,” he said. “We have a new guest. I can see that. Now be polite and invite her to the table.”

The child paused and nodded, rushing over to Dash’s side once more. Again she grabbed at her side and guided her to a spot by the table. Dash masked her unease of the strange, yet familiar presence the child was leading her to, hiding it behind a veneer of a smile.

The stallion, as best as she could tell, was draped in a worn brown cloak, tattered at the edges and caked in a light coating of dirt and grass stain. His mane was black with streaks of grey and white, disheveled and unkempt, and his coat was as grey as a mountain.

He was still as Dash approached, sitting straight ahead towards the river’s edge. It wasn’t until Dash stood beside the table that she could see his face, and she nearly fell over when she did.

“S-sombra?!”

Dash jerked her hoof from the child’s grasp as she backed away. Disappointment overtook the filly’s face, overcome with the expression that she had done something wrong.

Sombra turned to filly. “Fret not, little one. It is expected that this one would fear me. Take your seat, I will explain to her.”

The child’s face brightened and she skipped over to the table and sat down. Sombra then turned to Dash.

She felt a chill crawl through her body at the sight of the mad king sitting before her, broken and weary. His eyes were sunken and dark, as if he had not slept soundly for centuries. His fur was tangled and scruffy, despite his repeated attempts to smooth it down with a brush of his hoof.

“Well?” he said. “I am certain you have questions. Sit, Rainbow Dash. I will answer.”

“You… know who I am?”

Sombra nodded. “You are the great descendant of Cerulean Vale, the very first to hold the gift and burden of guarding the Celestial Prism. Your family is old indeed, older than mine, passing down the responsibility of this great hunk of rock for countless centuries.”

Dash blinked. “This great—”

The ground rumbled slightly under her hooves. She turned her head, and jerked back at the sight of the stone pillar, now only inches from her. She turned back to Sombra, who had a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

“What’s the big deal, scaring me with a big ro—wait.” She turned to the pillar. “This is the Prism?”

Sombra nodded. “In a way, yes. In this realm, it has two bodies, one of its physical representation in the material world, and one of its soul.” Sombra turned his head slightly, towards the silver filly. She had a look of absolute joy on her face, as if the entire world were talking about her with praise and adoration.

Dash’s mouth fell open. “She—she’s the Prism too?”

Sombra nodded. “My family were the ones who helped create the Prism, millennia ago, well before the arrival of the princesses. It was yours that gave it purpose and protection.” Sombra turned to the child. “I still don’t know exactly why the Prism manifested a consciousness of its own, nor why it began its use of your family as its hosts, but it seems to have been a beneficial decision, whatever the cause. I spent a considerable portion of my youth looking into the old family artifacts, the Prism included.”

“Is that why Nocturne knows so much about it?”

Sombra’s eyes narrowed at Nocturne’s name. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Dash begrudgingly lowered her guard and sat down where she stood. She kept a close eye on Sombra, she wasn’t yet ready to trust him fully, regardless of his current intentions.

“So, what is this place? Why am I here? Why are any of us here?”

Sombra chuckled. “That is a question for the fates, child, not an old king who has long since grown tired under the weight of his crown.”

Dash frowned. “You’ve obviously been here a while. You’ve gotta have some idea.”

“Oh, I have an clear idea of where we are. We are dead.”

Dash’s eyes widened. “Wh-what?”

“If I must spell it out for you, we are in the realm in between, the place where all souls go to be judged and carry on into their eternal reward, or punishment in the gardens of Elysium, or the pits of Tartarus.”

“B-but, when does the...judging happen? It feels like I’ve been here forever.”

“Time has no meaning here. Free of your earthly desires for food, sleep and senses, time seems to drift by unnoticed.” He closed his eyes. “But, it is clear that your judgement has already been passed, or you would not be here now.”

“Wait, what? What does that mean?”

“It means that you deserve neither the peace of Elysium, nor the chains of Tartarus. Your mortal soul has been weighed for its deeds of benevolence and malevolence, and found to be in perfect balance. As such, the fates have decided you deserve no gift nor punishment, simply eternity.”

“That… that makes no sense! I’ve never done anything that bad! I’ve done loads of good things in the world. I can’t be just dead even like that!”

“Then perhaps you should not have sacrificed your body to Nocturne to save the life of another.”

Dash trembled. “Wh-what?”

Sombra nodded. “I mean what I say. By giving Nocturne your body and soul to take as her own, her vileness and evil has tainted yours. The fates care not for whose sins stain which soul. In the end, it is the value of an individual soul that is measured, and Nocturne’s sins have tipped the scales against you, just like she did to me.”

“That… that’s not—”

Sombra tapped his hoof against the table and snorted. “I certainly hope you weren’t meaning to say fair, my dear. Life is not meant to be fair. Life is a test, and we are judged at its end. You willingly gave a being of unspeakable evil and power access to your physical body for the thinly veiled promise that she would not bring further harm to those you care about. As far as frivolities go, that is one the fates do not take kindly to.”

“What was I supposed to do then? I couldn’t just stand there any watch Twilight die! Not after my da—” Dash’s voice broke. She shuddered as tears rushed to her eyes. “My dad… I just watched him die. He tried to protect Twilight for me. He didn’t have to. She was mine to protect, not his, and he paid for it.” Dash slammed the table with her hoof, causing the filly to jump in fright. “I wasn’t going to let him die for nothing!”

Sombra shrugged. “Then Nocturne has already won. She twisted everything to her advantage and wore your resolve like water against a stone. It is only a matter of time until the whole of Equus is lost to her madness.”

Dash grit her teeth. “What did you even see in her? How could you let her do what she did. I saw what happened that night. The only one that seemed to care for you was your scrivener. He said the people loved you. What happened?”

Sombra’s face fell. He stared blankly into the distance as a faint breeze drifted through his mane. “Love happened.”

“You actually loved that...thing?”

He shrugged his head and sighed. “I don’t know what changed in Nocturne. When we first met, she would barely give me the time of day. She was so studious under the wing of the princesses. All she was interested were books.”

Dash smirked. “Reminds me of somepony.”

Sombra smiled back. “The princesses, for lack of a better term, forced her to remain in the empire for a time, to learn to be sociable and requested me to guide her. It was… difficult at first, but we eventually found some common ground in certain old histories. Even then, I did not detect a hint of malice behind her intentions.

“It was just love, pure and true. Her smile was enough to brighten my days for months on end, and her laughter cured my deepest bordomes as ruler.

“But, after we were wed, I could feel a change drifting over the kingdoms with her as queen. I did not wish to believe it, until it was too late. Looking back on it now, I cannot be certain if it was her plan from the start, or something that changed her from within. Either way, her evil soon consumed me, and I was powerless to stop it.”

Sombra’s eyes went cold as he stared back at Dash. “Love is a poison, Rainbow Dash. You either succumb to its design and be destroyed by it, or you endure its destructive nature and grow stronger in the face of it. History tells vividly which one I was. The question is, which one are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You sacrificed for love, Rainbow Dash. You faced love’s poison, and gave in. But, it is not yet too late. You can still fight back. You can still grow stronger from it.”

“How?! I’m here already, doesn’t that mean I’ve already lost?”

Sombra shook his head. “You still carry with her, in your heart. I can see it in your eyes. And within that necklace you wear.”

Dash gasped and felt for the necklace. It was in fact there. She had not noticed the faint glow it cast, even when her thoughts were filled of Twilight.

“The love you feel for her guided you through the abyss of this place to sanctuary. You may think it is over, but I do not believe it is.” He pointed to the filly. “Nor does she.”

The child adamantly shook her head with a wide, impish grin.

Sombra chuckled. “So you see. There is always hope, even in the realm of death. Take the fight back to Nocturne. Show her how strong your love truly is, and she will not win.”

Dash trembled. “I… but… how? How can I just up and leave this place and go back?”

Sombra’s eyes turned to the sky as he smiled. “Oh, the fates have their way of making things work out in the end. You just need to be patient.”

At that moment, the sky began to blaze with light. Bright colors flooded the air as the afterworld crackled with thunder and lightning. Dash’s vision blurred and cleared as the echoing sounds shook the very reality she sat in. Her balance was pushed to its limit as she swayed in place.

“Do the universe justice, Rainbow Dash. Destroy Nocturne and bring peace to my sins. Perhaps the princesses will be right, and she may yet find mercy in this place.”

He turned to the filly. “Oh, and take her with you. As pleasant company as she is, this is no place for her. I have a feeling she will no longer need to remain here.”

The child gasped in delight and skipped around the table. She hopped over to Dash and clamped onto her leg, staring up at her with her big, round eyes.

“Jeeze, kid. Alright. You can come too.”

A second series of quaking thunder ripped open a tear in the sky above, casting a glowing silver light down on the small valley. It flooded over Dash and the child in a blinding wave. Dash winced and shielded her eyes as the might of a thousand suns encased her and the child. The calm valley in the ever after began to fade away into black.

The light bled into darkness as new shapes cut out in Dash’s vision. The flat, ambient haze was replaced by more familiar landscapes. A dark, gloomy cave, one she felt she had not seen in years. A forest of crystal spreading out over a sea of darkness. A great pillar of fading light in the middle, crackling with the power of the sun.

And Twilight Sparkle, held in front of her eyes by a dark, shadowy appendage that came from Dash’s own body.

She gasped in shock suddenly as her body went tense. Twilight was released and fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Dash fell to her haunches, staring at her own trembling hooves. They were tainted with Nocturne’s corruption and were now as black as night. She felt Sombra’s horn burning into her head, but it was a minor discomfort the shrieking presence stampeding through her mind.

A flash of light snapped her to her senses as her eyes returned to Twilight. Her magic was swirling in rage, aimed directly at Dash. When Dash’s eyes fell on Twilight’s, however, there was a sudden change in Twilight’s demeanor. She looked confused, lost, scared.

“T-Twilight?” Dash said.

Twilight gasped. “Rainbow Dash?”

Author's Notes:

---

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...To be Loved

A sudden stillness overtook the great chamber as Dash, in a body that should have been her own but was not, stared into Twilight’s eyes. They were immersed in pain and confusion, and Dash could see the same in her own eyes in their reflection.

Twilight was trembling, tears wetted at her face. “Rainbow Dash… you came back…”

Dash smiled raised a hoof to Twilight’s cheek. “I’ll always come back for you, Twi.”

Twilight sighed and relaxed, leaning forward for Dash’s touch. She jerked back as a loud hiss sizzled on her cheek as Dash touched her.

Dash’s chest heaved. “Twilight! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

Twilight rubbed the spot where the shadows had burned her, taking a cautious step back. “I-I’m fine… just don’t do that again… not until we figure out how to change you back.”

“R-right. I… don’t feel so hot right now.”

Twilight managed a weak smile as she took her hoof away from her cheek, revealing a small welt in the skin. “You feel plenty hot to me…”

Dash shuddered. “No… Twi. I feel… cold. Ice cold.This—this isn’t right.”

“It’s just Nocturne trying to take over your body. We can fix this, I know we can!”

Dash paused. “Wait, where is Nocturne?”

Twilight’s face fell. “You mean, you didn’t defeat her on a metaphysical level and regained control of your body?”

Dash’s tensed. “No… I just—”

A furious, earth breaking roar exploded from nearby. The umbral crystals were humming in a harmonious chorus as their dark power was ripped and shaped into a growing, whirling shadow above the Prism.

Nocturne’s glittering eyes, drowned in rage, glowed from the depths of the mass of shadow. “How!? How do you keep resisting!? There is no might you can posses that can keep me out!”

Dash steeled herself. Her body, even with Nocturne’s taint, was still her own. Despite the alien quality that crawled through her veins and assaulted her mind, she was in full control. She allowed herself a smirk, staring up at what remained of Nocturne’s being. “I told you I’d fight you every step of the way! You shoulda believed me!”

Nocturne snarled as her form grew larger. As was her tactic, tendrils of physical shadows reached from her ethereal shape. They coiled and quivered from the churning power that radiated from the umbral crystals all around her. The faint light they produced seemed to strain from the overpowering darkness and slowly faded away. Even the remaining glow of the Prism was dying off.

“I have not come this far to be stopped!” Nocturne howled. “My realm of darkness will not be jeopardized! Now you will taste true power!”

Nocturne unleashed a wave of darkness, letting loose the combined might of her own power and the umbral crystals. The cave shrugged and sighed under the weight of her magical might and began to crumble. Stalactites let loose from the ceiling and impaled the ground all around. The crystal fields shattered in every direction, large chunks embedding into the sandy turf beside Dash and Twilight.

As the wave passed through Dash, she felt her own body relishing in its presence. She turned Twilight beside her. Her horn was glowing as it shaped a barrier around herself, casting off the tidal force of Nocturne’s anger. Her body was trembling from the immense cold, and Dash’s heart wrenched in her chest to see her in any pain after all she had been through.

“Twi! Are you alright?”

“Nng,” Twilight groaned. “I’m okay… just—look out!”

Dash spun around, just in time to see Nocturne’s blazing eyes meeting with her own as her disembodied spirit collided with Dash. Dash’s mind screamed in alarm as the outside force began worming its way into her consciousness. She could hear Nocturne’s labored grunts of exhaustion ringing in her ears as she waged a mental and physical war for control.

Dash jerked her head to Twilight as she fought back. “Twi! Get away from me! She’s—ugh—trying to take over again!”

Twilight took only a few steps back as she adamantly shook her head. “I’m not leaving you again! I can stop her! Just give me a second!”

Dash could feel Nocturne’s mind oozing into her own. Her thoughts, her actions, her memories collided in an all out brawl. Her own body fought against her, as every attempt to move was merely a jerk or a twitch as her muscles spasmed and revolted.

Twilight brought forth her magic once again. Her horn glowed with the faint light of the sun and aimed it at the Prism. Dash felt her attention being ripped towards Twilight and the searing horn on her head began to glow in turn.

“Urg—Twi!” she tried, her teeth grating against each other. “Look out!”

Twilight’s attention wavered for only a moment to see a blast of shadow flying towards her. She stopped her casting and leapt aside. The dark, cold energy grazed her. She winced at its touch, but only landed with a minor stumble. She took no time to bring up her magic again, not noticing the growing limb that sailed from Dash’s body.

Dash fought against her own mouth to speak, but could only manage a single, “No!”

Twilight turned from the warning, but too slowly as the tendril smashed into her side. She let out a whimper of pain as she flew several meters away. She was still stirring as she landed, but it was groggy and disoriented.

Dash felt her body vying for another attempt, and she plowed through the rival commands. “No! You aren’t… hurting her… again!”

Dash wrenched herself back, taking slow, deliberate steps away from Twilight and getting as much distance as possible as Nocturne’s advances slowed her every step of the way.

“Give in!” Nocturne screamed, her voice echoing in the chamber. “You promised you would not resist if I let her be! Now you must be punished from breaking it! I will flay her alive if I must! You will not stop me!”

Dash kept walking, one leg after the other as Nocturne’s voice began to break with psychotic fury. “How!? You are nothing! You are a lowly pegasus! What gives you such power against me!?”

“That’s my marefriend you’re trying to skewer over there. And you’ll have hell to pay if you think I’ll let you hurt her any more. Maybe you shoulda given love a chance you bitch. It mighta worked out for you.”

“Love?! You think love is going to save you?! I will show you here and now how useful love can be when I bring this wretched world to its knees! No amount of love will stop the coming darkness!”

Dash’s will wavered for only a moment. She felt her body bend out of her control for only an instant. Nocturne turned towards Twilight and called up her magic. Try as Dash might, her grasp of how to use a horn was limited, and her ability to fight against Nocturne was limited.

Nocturne’s next assault went unhindered as she called up a mighty surge of dark magic and sent it flying to Twilight, who was still struggling to recover. Dash’s mind wailed as she tried to regain control and stop Nocturne, but it would not come.

“Twilight! No!”

Twilight lifted her head, just in time to see the lance of magic inches from her. Her horn glowed out of instinct, but it was too late. She blinked in stunned silence as it struck, rocking the cave in another tremor.

Dash’s mind came to a screaming halt. She stared, through Nocturne’s eyes at the dust spewing crater where Twilight once stood. Sparks of the remnants of Twilight’s magic floated out from the billowing smoke, settling in the sand like embers. Their light fizzled in the earth, before turning dark and cold.

Dash’s very soul trembled in overwhelming sadness, so powerful that even Nocturne’s control could not prevent her from crying. “Twilight…”

“Now, tell me,” Nocturne cackled. “How powerful is your love now?!” She let loose a terrifying howl of laughter that chilled Dash to the core. She couldn’t bring herself to look away. Her world was gone in a plume of smoke, helpless to stop it. Dash could feel Nocturne’s essence seeping deeper into her mind as her resistance faltered. What point was there to anything, with Twilight gone?

As the smoke cleared, Dash blinked at a flicker of light from the obscuring cloud. Her heart began to race as tiny fragments of hope began to trickle back. Even Nocturne gasped in disbelief as the dust settled. A faint coughing came from deep within the smoky blurr. The small twinkle of light grew as the dust and shadows from Nocturne’s magic continued to fade, revealing Twilight sitting behind a shimmering barrier, completely unhurt.

“Twilight!” Dash cried. “You’re alright!”

“I…” Twilight muttered. She was struggling to breath between the gouts of smoke that flooded the air around her, and the close brush with death she just encountered. Her eyes wavered with wide unease. “I don’t know how…” She tapped the barrier, almost hesitant to acknowledge its existence. “This wasn’t me.”

Dash could feel the roiling hatred of Nocturn burning in her head as her voice screamed into the edges of the cave. “Why won’t you miserable ponies just die already?! I’ve laid low Celestia like she were a child, but you meaningless interlopers defy me at every turn! What magic could you possible employ against the queen of darkness!?”

Dash scowled. “You’re really starting to sound like a broken record, lady. Why don’t you give up already?”

Her body jerked, taking a forced, laborious step towards Twilight as Nocturne continued to wrestle for control. “I will kill this miserable excuse for a princess, I will break your spirit, and I will destroy every fragment of your soul before I am done here today!” Her horn began to glow.

Dash tried to jerk her neck away to throw Nocturne’s aim, but this time, her magic was different. Instead of a mass of boiling shadows, it was a faint, thin coil of crimson that flowed like ribbons into the air. “I will find this rogue magic that shields you, and I will keep it from interfering again!”

As Dash struggled, she watched the crimson light dance in the air as it picked out small motes of lingering magic. They were small, incandescent streams of light, some coming from the umbral crystals, some from Nocturne’s own magic.

Nocturne grinned as her spell sound a single strand of magic, bound to the barrier that encased Twilight. she followed it along towards it source, but her glee faded when the tether led straight back to her. “What…?”

Dash blinked as her head craned down. Her eyes widened as Nocturne pulled her gaze to the necklace around her neck. The tether pulsed faintly from the enchanted amethyst, sending fresh magic towards Twilight’s barrier.

“This? This pathetic gemstone is the source of your magic?” Nocturne’s voice growled with understanding. “A symbol of your bond, a magical facet of your love. Disgusting, but potent. Now I see how you could resist so easily. A force tethering you beyond life and death itself.” The edge of the crimson ribbon gleamed dangerously as it cut across Dash’s neck and severed the cord that held it.

“No!” Dash said. She tried to jerk herself away as the necklace fell to the ground. Nocturne focused her will into lifting her hoof, positioning it directly over the amulet as she cackled.

“Once this bond is broken, so will your ability to fight back. It would be piteous for the world to know that I was nearly undone by a bauble such as this.” She scoffed. “No matter. Nopony will know what happened here today. Only the legend of my ascension.”

Dash yanked back with all her might against Nocturne’s control, but the dark queen exerted so much more. Dash could only surmise that for years of controlling hosts, her dominance was absolute if the held on long enough. If Dash lost the one thing that interfered, there would be no stopping Nocturne.

Her hoof quivered as it reached as high as it would go. Dash screamed out for Twilight. “Twi! You gotta stop her! I can’t fight her!”

Dash’s alarm was mirrored in Twilight’s face as she quickly got back to her hooves and manipulated the barrier around her. She reshaped it into a bulwark of energy and charged forward towards Dash and Nocturne.

Dash held back the leg as long as she could while she could hear the strain in Nocturne’s voice hissing in her ear. “You can’t hold back forever… This body is more mine than yours. You can fight it as much as you want, but you can’t keep me out forever.”

“Nng! Twi! Hurry! She’s too strong!”

Nocturne channeled dark magic in the tip of her hoof. Frigid cold and burning heat prickled on Dash’s senses as she pressed against Nocturne. Her hooves jerked and trembled as the two warring minds vied for control.

Dash was so focused on keeping the hoof motionless, that she failed to see a new limb bursting from Nocturne’s magic. It sliced towards Twilight and bashed into her shield, shrugging her sideways. She let out a grunt of pain, and Dash’s concentration faltered.

Faltered long enough to feel the hoof fall from her control. With a sudden laugh, Nocturne dropped the hoof with all her might into the amulet.

The crunch of breaking crystal echoed in Dash’s mind. Time slowed to a crawl as the fragments scattered into the air. Their light glittered in the faint glow of the crystalline forest as their last traces of magic dissipated into nothing.

The world darkened in Dash’s eyes. Hope faded, victory fell into the impossible. Despair gripped her hard as Nocturne’s essence seeped into every fibre of her being and forced Dash’s out. The cave faded into darkness, as Dash felt herself being pulled into the cold void.

Faint glances of Twilight, Aurora, her father, Ditzy all burned into her vision as the last things she would ever see, ever remember in the depths of oblivion. All that she ever loved would disappear into the corners of her dreams, never again to feel their touch again.

As despair gripped her heart, a faint flicker of light cut out from the darkness. A silhouette stood out in the darkness that approached her with slow, methodical steps. A regal mane, like a lion of midnight. A resplendent cloak, glowing with sapphire beauty. A shimmering crown, glowing with majestic splendor. All these and more that befitted a Sombra of ages past, lingering in the realm in-between.

He had a smile on his face as he stopped in front of Dash. She felt herself held in place, in a space between dark and light, between life and death, held by the fallen king’s presence.

“I told you, Rainbow Dash. Love is a poison. It destroys you, or it strengthens you. The choice is yours. It is not too late.”

Dash blinked as Sombra’s form faded into the light just as quickly as it had appeared. In his place, the crystalline filly remained. She was staring back at Dash with a wide, wondrous smile. She was glowing brightly in the dark void that surrounded them with all the colors of the rainbow. Dash had never noticed before, but she had never seen the child in such a state. Her body was always dull, a smoldering light under glass. Now, she was the rainbow itself.

The filly approached Dash. The light that washed off of her calmed Dash’s rampaging soul, burned away the pain of her flesh and bone, and soothed her mind of its doubts and worries. The child stopped a breath away from Dash, staring into her eyes. She lifted her hoof and placed it to Dash’s heart.

At that moment, Dash felt a surge of energy flow through her. She felt all the cold, smoldering anger that had welled inside of her vanish and in its place, filled with joy and happiness. The shimmering form of the child flickered from sight, as it burned into a white light that flowed into Dash. Before she completely vanished, for the first time, she spoke, “Thank you.”

The crystal hum of the child’s voice resonated within Dash’s mind. It brought memories to the front of her consciousness. She witnessed the good times, the happy times. From the moment she sat with Twilight Sparkle one night watching the stars so many months ago, love was nearly everything to her. It made her happy. It made her feel unstoppable. It made her feel whole.

With that thought on the forefront of her mind, the shadows around her began to burn away. Like paper to a flame, the light overtook everything, discarding the shadows like they were fuel to feed its ravenous hunger. Like Celestia once said, the shadows yield in the presence of the light. Now, Rainbow Dash felt like nothing less than a sun.

Color invaded Dash’s eyes. A wave of unimaginable energy coursed through her body as she was awash in color. It flowed from her like a raging waterfall. It radiated into the earth around her, the air above her. She felt awake. She felt alive!

Her eyes adjusted to the fountain of energy that crackled and sang in her ears. Her mane danced in the raging winds, free and wild. She blinked. Her colors had returned! In an instant, her grayscale hair was revitalized with its bright, colorful glow. She looked down at her hooves. The black, poisonous taint of Nocturne’s corruption was burning away before her eyes. The fallen horn of Sombra splintered and withered into dust.

“Rainbow Dash!”

Dash turned. Twilight was there, a hoof over her eyes to block out the gusts of wind that emanated from Dash.

“Twi! You’re alright!”

“I’m fine! But what about you!? What’s happening?”

Dash laughed. “I have no idea! But I feel great! What happened?”

“I don’t know either! Nocturne broke the amulet and it just exploded in colors!” She pointed at the Prism. “Look!”

The Prism was returning to life. Even in the darkness of the cave, the Prism glowed with the might of the sun. Torrents of liquid color began to gush from its base and saturated the dark sand with its prismatic essence.

The umbral crystals quivered and hummed a painful song in the presence of the light. Their surfaces cracked and split, as their slowly hardened into lifeless stone before Dash’s eyes. Their dark, ominous glow was replaced by the Dash’s aura as it carried throughout the entire cave.

An ear piercing howl shook throughout the cave. Dash followed it to its source, grinning when she found it. The shadowing form of Nocturne hovered in the air, quivering in the bright light that assaulted her from all sides. Like the shadows of Dash’s mind, she too was set alight like a blazing fire.

“No!” she wailed. “This isn’t possible! I broke the symbol of your bond! I reduced the Prism to a lifeless husk! How?! How can you do this!”

Dash smiled, dangerously so as she looked up at Nocturne’s withering form. She opened her wings, stretching her body as she relished being in full control. “Easy. I’m Rainbow Dash, thats why!”

Nocturne started to drift away. Dash frowned and dipped down. “Oh no you don’t!”

Dash launched into the air with incredible speed. Even she blinked in surprise at how fast she took to the sky and rocketed towards Nocturne. In an instant, Dash overtook the fleeing shadow and grasped it in her hooves. So fast, that she had no time even to stop.

She slammed into the mountain ceiling like a cannonball. The rock and stone buckled under the force as she sailed through it into open sky like it were not there at all. The mountain burst open, sending huge boulders into the nearby valleys. The field of stony thorns fell over like bowling pins, and clouds of dust erupted from their landing.

Nocturne shrieked in Dash’s grasp as she tried to wriggle free. Dash smirked. “Well! Looks like you’re not so hot in the light. Well eat it up, Nocturne. There’s plenty to go around!”

Dash cackled as she banked wide and descended back down towards the Prism. The cave now open and exposed to the sun of the Badlands, the crystalline forest was now a graveyard of stone as Nocturne’s dark creations shriveled into nothing.

Dash dropped and pulled laps in the air above the Prism, as the great crystal hummed a great sigh of relief to be once again in the sunlight. Bit by bit, the dark, gloomy quality of the earth and sky returned to their natural hues as the great artifact returned to its earthly purpose. The sand and rock regained their dry, orange tint that even in the midst of the endless wasteland, the colors of life had returned to the world.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called.

Dash glanced down to her. “Just a sec, Twi! I’m not done with her just yet!”

“We don’t have time to play around! Remember what Luna said! We need to deal with her before its too late!”

Dash frowned. Twilight was right. She looked to the trembling shadow pony in her grasp as it tried to break free and run. After all the trouble she had caused, the great and mighty Nocturne was reduced to a powerless shadow. She would not remain like that for long, however. If she got away, she would just return and try again. Dash wasn’t about to let that happen.

She glanced down to the Prism, and a single thought entered her mind. It was foolish, crazy, downright moronic, but it was too perfect to pass up. So she began to climb.

Her newfound speed make short work of her ascent. She felt the high winds pushing and shoving against her as the rose high above the earth. The Prism’s glow kept her centered, which radiated like a great pillar of light high into the sky.

“What are you doing?!” Nocturne screamed.

Dash quickly banked and prepared herself for her dive. She was miles high, the Badlands stretched out below. If she had to guess, she thought she might even see the edge of Equestria over the horizon.

A smile spread across her lips as she judged her fall. “You tell me, Nocturne. I’m sure you took science class before. We all know what happens when light passes through a prism, but what happens when a rainbow goes back through one?”

A single moment passed as Nocturne went still. “No... “ she whispered. “No. NO!” She twisted and writhed in agony as she tried to escape Dash’s grasp, but the radiant power of the Prism that washed over her offered no chance at escape as Dash began her dive.

The air pressure bent at Dash’s hooves. The twisting winds squeezed at her hooves and held them still. She beat her wings furiously, dropping faster and faster. The air crackled and hummed, ascending into a deafening scream that begged for release.

The colors ebbed from Dash like ribbons, flying in the air behind her in a stream of light. The twisted and danced in the wind, flowing from her like water and evaporating in a stream of mist. Rings of pressure contracted and burst as she dropped, scattering clouds and color alike.

The pillar of light drew closer as the Prism etched out in her vision. Less than a few miles to go and the air around her was already full to burst. She steadied her descent. The timing had to be perfect.

Nocturne’s screams died the moment they left her mouth on the wind. Dash’s brows furrowed, tensing in focus. She controlled her breaths, in and out. Wingbeat by wingbeat. The chorus of the heavens chimed in her ears.

The ancient cave laid before her, the Prism a breath away. The air seized, the Rainboom detonated in her ears. The eyes filled with color for only a moment, and then, there was only light. Bright, purifying light that engulfed her senses. She felt her body drift off into sleep, her mind calm and at rest, with a single thought drifting across her mind.

This one’s for you, dad.

Hospital Flowers

Dash’s eyes fluttered open to the sight of cards. A set of bright, colorful cards lay on a bedside table only a hoof’s reach away. They were hoof made, painted and covered with glitter and stickers. They were scrawled with messages, some crudely drawn as if from a school aged foal, but some were more refined. The words they carried varied from ‘Get Well Soon!,’ to ‘You’re the best!’ and ‘Lot’s of love.’

She smiled as she observed the kind words meant for her as she groggily tried to lift her head. Her senses were dull, slow. It was as if a great weight pressed down on her entire soul, making her efforts of climbing out of the bed difficult, if not impossible. Despite her efforts, she barely managed to turn over.

But, as minimal actions went, just facing the ceiling was as good as any. The first thing thing that came into view was a pair of bright violet eyes, staring down at her above a warm, inviting smile. After a night’s sleep, there was nothing more amazing to Rainbow Dash than waking up, staring into Twilight Sparkle’s eyes. After the restless nights of the past few weeks, she missed them more than anything.

“Hey…” Dash said quietly. Her voice was raw and broken, but not painful.

Twilight smiled. “Hey yourself.”

Dash tried to lift her head more, but the blankets surrounding her had better ideas. Accepting defeat, Dash sunk back into the bed. “Where am I?”

“Canterlot hospital.”

Dash blinked. “Whoa, really?” Dash wriggled on her back. “I don’t remember the beds being this comfortable.”

Twilight leaned in and kissed Dash on the cheek. “Only the best for the hero of Equestria.”

Twilight leaned back off the bed and turned to the room. “She’s awake.”

Hoofsteps on the hard hospital floors rattled towards the bed. Dash smiled wide as the sight of her friends came into view. They all looked down at her, bright smiles and eyes filled with fond approval.

“Hey, guys,” Dash said hoarsely. “How you been?”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Ya’ll got a lot of explaining to do, missy. You had us scared half to death running off without telling us!”

Dash tried to flick her hoof, but it was more of a flop of her leg. “Oh, its not big deal. I was just busy saving your butts from living in a grey world from a crazy queen.” She yawned. “No big deal…”

Applejack smirked. “Yeah, yeah… Twi’s filled us in on most of it. But next time, try not to hog all the glory for yerself. I don’t think I can rightly handle your ego gettin’ any bigger than it already is.”

Dash and Applejack shared a laugh, as the rest of her friends took their turns at voicing their concerns. Pinkie nearly latched herself to Dash's side with a spine breaking hug, but Twilight eventually managed to pry her off. Rarity and Fluttershy shared in their pride of Rainbow Dash’s selflessness.

Dash sat back in her bed and glanced at Twilight. “Twi, what exactly happened? I remember doing the rainboom, and then there was nothing but light.”

Twilight’s lips tightened. “Well… I don’t really know. You passed through the Prism, but you didn’t come out the other side. It started to glow really really bright. I couldn’t even look at it directly. Then… it exploded.”

Dash tried to spring up in the bed, but she only managed to lift herself a few inches before succumbing to the weight of her exhaustion. “What?! But, then… how?”

“How is everything still colorful, you mean?” Twilight went into her saddlebags and withdrew a small, silken pouch. “I only managed to get a few grains of it.”

Twilight took Dash’s hoof and cupped it upwards as she emptied the contents of the pouch. A few smooth beads of glass trickled out. They sparkled faintly in the light, glowing with the colors of the rainbow.

Dash looked at Twilight with a raised eyebrow.

Twilight shrugged. “These are the largest fragments I could find. The Prism essentially turned to dust and scattered with the Rainboom across the globe. It’s now reduced to such small particles that I don’t think anypony could ever misuse it ever again, but it will be forever in the presence of the sun.”

Dash gasped. “Wait, the globe? How could you tell?”

“Well, considering the rate of how fast the Rainboom grew, I can’t imagine it going any less than the entire distance of Equus. Canterlot has been getting messages from all over the world asking what happened in the Badlands.”

Dash frowned. “All over the world? Since when is the mail that fast?”

Twilight chuckled. “Dash, you’ve been asleep for over a week.”

Dash’s mouth fell open” A week? Is it because it took so long to get back from the Badlands?”

Twilight shook her head. “Well… no, that was—”

Dash heard the doors open. A radiant glow filled the room and she felt her strength returning, at least enough to move herself. She grunted to hoist herself against the headboard of the bed, only for her eyes to fall on a standing, smiling Princess Celestia.

Her eyes were worn. Her mane lacked the usual bounce it carried throughout the day. Her steps lacked the fluid grace that befell her station, and seemed remarkably plain without her regalia, but she was awake, well, and happy.

“Princess Celestia!” Dash said. “You’re alright!”

Celestia smiled deeper and nodded. “Yes, thanks to you, Rainbow Dash. Your actions have cleansed Nocturne’s tainted essence from our world for good, and her curse upon my mind broke the moment she was sent to Tartarus where she belongs. Even now my sister wanders the realm of the wakeless dream to ensure she has been scoured from Equus forever. So far, she has found no sign.”

Dash glanced at Twilight, who nodded, and she turned back. “It was you that brought us back?”

Celestia nodded. “When I awoke, I could feel the might of the Prism returning. Your Rainboom crossed over Canterlot in seconds, and I knew that you might need my help. I followed the trail of light and found you in that mountain, and brought you all home.”

“All?”

Celestia smiled. “I certainly wasn’t going to leave anypony behind.” Her horn glowed and her golden glow covered the curtain to Dash’s left. “Isn’t that right, Miss Doo?”

The curtain parted, revealing Ditzy Doo in the neighboring bed. She yawned behind black rimmed eyes, bundled tightly in her blankets, staring out across the room with a mild, ponderous expression.

She glanced at Celestia and offered a terse nod, then turned to Dash with a smile. “You look like hell, Dash.”

Dash smirked back. “I could say the same for you.”

Ditzy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I bet. Having the personification of shadows and nightmare’s screwing with your head will do that.”

Dash’s mouth went dry, her face sombre. “Are you… okay? With everything that happened?”

Ditzy closed her eyes and sighed. “I could be better. That Crystal Dream was in here a few times, helping clear away the—” She swallowed heavily. “The worse dreams.” She managed a smile. “I’ll be okay after awhile.” She grunted. “I’d be better if they’d hurry up and bring me—”

At that moment, the doors burst open once more as childish giggling filled the air. “Momma!” a small voice shouted, as little Dinky Doo scurried across the room past the many others in the room and leapt onto Ditzy’s bed.

Dinky clamped her hooves around Ditzy’s midsection without another word, nuzzling her head into her mother’s chin. Ditzy was silent, stunned as she held her daughter. Her eyes were haunted, as if she didn’t truly believe the child was there. After a few reassuring pats on Dinky’s back, tears fell from her eyes and she finally squeezed back.

Dinky wrestled her head out and looked at her mother, her smile fading for a moment. “Momma, why are you crying? Is it because you’re sick? Is that why you’re in the hopsitle?”

Ditzy wiped back the tears and bopped Dinky lightly on the nose. Her voice lost its recent hardness, returning to its past bubbly, joyful and carefree demeanor.“It’s hospital little muffin. And no, I’m not sick. I’m just… really happy to see you.”

“Where were you momma? Daddy said you were working, but you never came home!”

Ditzy rubbed Dinky’s head. She glanced at Dash with another smile. “Momma was just busy saving the world.”

Dinky’s eyes twinkled with awe. “Really!? Didja really save the world momma?”

Ditzy kissed Dinky on the forehead and pulled her into another hug, rocking her daughter back and forth. “You bet!” She winked at Dash. “With a little help.”

Dash chuckled and relaxed back into her bed, turning back to Celestia and Twilight. “So, where’s auntie and—”

Dash’s voice broke as she tried to bring the word to her lips, but was slowed by a painful wrenching in her chest. Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder with a reassuring smile. “She’s fine. She had the least injuries. She was up and about after a day, and she’s been pacing the halls since.”

Twilight turned away. “As for your dad…”

“I can tell her myself,” a cold, gravely voice said.

Dash’s heart skipped as a faint squeaking noise rolled across the floor into the room, followed by uneven hoofsteps. Her body trembled as her eyes fell on her dad, propped up against a rolling crutch and limping slowly into the room and towards the bed. He was wrapped in bandages along his midsection which were only partially concealed by a hospital gown hanging off his imposing body.

His eyes met hers in a long, motionless stare. Dash fought off her most immediate emotions, but blinked in surprise when her father was first to give in. His eyes watered, but he managed to wipe them away before they came close to threatening his reputation.

Dash found new strength in her body. Whatever resistance her tired self had to offer, it crumbled under her resolve to leave the bed. She tossed her covers aside, leapt to the floor on shaky hooves, and ran over to her father and swept him up in a hug.

“Oof!” Khroma grunted. “Easy, child. I wind easily these days.”

Dash sniffled as she stepped back to look her dad in the eyes. “I thought you were… I mean… I saw the wound… and you weren’t moving… and—”

Khroma put his hooves to her lips, uttering a quiet hush. “I’m fine, my darling daughter. Wounds caused by dark magic tend to heal well in the majesty of the sun.” He turned to Celestia with a gentle nod.

He leaned in for a whisper. “Plus, it would be more advantageous to stay alive, lest Aurora try to destroy me in Elysium for leaving her alone.”

Dash chuckled and squeezed her father tighter. “I’m just so glad you’re okay! I was so scared I’d lost you.”

Khroma grunted a gruff chuckle. “Hah! It will take more than a mad queen to bring me down.” He glanced at Twilight. “And I had my daughter's love to protect.”

Dash glanced at Twilight then back, understanding. “Thank you, dad. Thank you so much.”

“You are most welcome. Now back into bed with you! Your mother will have my head if I kept you from getting any rest.”

“Speaking of whom,” Aurora said as she stepped into the room. “She’s here.”

Khroma blinked. “What?”

Aurora shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. Sky blue coat. Cloudy white mane. Eyes like the rage of a storm? You know, your wife? I just saw her enter the lobby from the window. She’ll be up shortly im sure.”

Khroma’s blinking intensified. “Oh dear.” He glanced to the other ponies in the room, worry growing on his face. “You all may want to take cover. Preferably behind Celestia.”

Dash’s friends, Twilight, and even Celestia shared a series of confused, frightened looks. Twilight was the first to speak up, turning to Dash. “What does he mean, take co—”

At that moment, a thundering voice rocked the room from down the hall. “Where are they!?” Eyes widened in the room, gasps let out and sweat formed on foreheads just in time for the second tirade to swiftly follow. “You know who I’m talking about! That useless layabout husband of mine who endangered my daughter’s life with his secrets and lies! This way!?”

The tiled floor quivered as a stomping presence trundled down the hall towards the room. True to Khroma’s warning, the group of ponies not in beds slowly made their way behind Celestia on the right side as they waited for the owner of the shouting voice to arrive.

Khroma turned with his crutch towards the door. He stood tall, setting his expression in stone. Dash blinked as she saw his throat quiver as he swallowed, waiting.

The room sat in stunned silence as a petite, bright blue mare stomped into the room. Easily half Khroma’s size, Rainbow Dash’s mother found her husband’s eyes instantly. She strode towards him, fury and rage fuming from her nostrils. Dash took her chance to tap Twilight on the shoulder, and indicate that covering her ears might be a good idea.

“And what’s the meaning of this, Khroma?” Zephyr bellowed. “I get a note in the mail that my daughter is in the hospital for the past week and nopony bothers to come tell me directly?! Not only that, she’s been here already two weeks ago?! Am I no longer worth knowing when my precious daughter has been injured?!”

Dash caught a break as Zephyr stopped for air and piped in. “Ma, I’m fi—”

Zephyr’s head spun to Dash’s for a single moment with a bright smile. “Quiet, dear. Mommy’s not done with your father yet.” And her head suddenly spun back, smile vanishing.

“And another thing! What’s this about some great family burden? Do you have any idea how mad I am with you right now?! Do you know how many night’s you’re going to be sleeping on the ground before I let you back into my house?!”

Khroma tried to get a word in edgewise, his lips trembling. “Darling, please, if you let me exp—”

“Oh, you’re gonna give me explanations alright! Starting with why I shouldn’t divorce you right here and now!”

Aurora chuckled. “My, I never saw this side of your wife, Khroma. She’s more a Stalliongrad pony that I th—”

Zephyr twisted her head to Aurora, pointing an accusatory hoof. “And you!”

Aurora jumped back, bringing a hoof to her chest. “Me?!”

Zephyr nodded. “Yes you! You’re supposed to be the sensible one in the family! Why didn’t you put a stop to this madness when it started?!”

Aurora, in an instant, was reduced to mindless blubbering before Zephyr’s vocal onslaught.

Dash rolled her eyes and shook her head. She drew in a single, steadying breath. “Ma! All feathers primed and accounted for!”

Zephyr froze. Her hoof dropped to the ground and she began to brush herself off. She hummed quietly a moment, cleaning up her frazzled mane and fur before she spun on the spot and moved to the bed and threw her hooves around Dash.

“Oh my poor sweet bluebird!” she wailed. “Are you sure everything’s okay? No broken bones, no ruffled primaries? Please, tell momma where it hurts!”

Dash tensed as she tried to push her mother back. “I’m fine, mom. Really. You’re scaring my friends.”

“Nonsense!” She turned and smiled to the rest of the ponies in the room. They were still, quiet, and open mouthed. The moment Zephyr turned to them, they shut their mouths and smiled warily. Even Celestia had a look of deep concern of her face as she regarded the small pegasus.

Zephyr turned back. “See? They’re perfectly fine.”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, okay. Whatever. You can let go now, mom.”

Zephyr managed one last squeeze before she let go and sighed. “Oh, alright. But you should be getting your rest!” She spun and started flicking her hooves at everyone huddled in the corner. “Okay, everypony. Let’s move! My daughter needs her rest! Out, out!”

Everypony moved without hesitation towards the door, even Celestia. She chuckled quietly to herself as she slipped past and escaped first. Twilight lingered a moment behind everypony else, staring at Dash.

Dash smiled. “Remember when I said my mom sapped the anger out of my dad? I meant that literally.”

“I… see,” Twilight said. She touched her hoof to Dash’s one last time, before she slowly broke away. “I probably should go too. You really need some rest. You aren’t quite ready to leave the hospital just yet, at least until the doctors get another look at you now that you’re awake.”

Dash wanted to refuse, but a yawn ruined any chance at rebuttal. “Yeah,” she said sleepily. “I guess I’m still pretty tired.”

Twilight smiled and kissed Dash on the cheek. “You’ve earned a break. These past few weeks have been pretty stressful for all of us. I’ll be around here in the hospital, maybe I’ll bring you something to eat?”

Dash pulled her sheets tighter and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’d love that.”

She nestled into the bed and watched Twilight turn to leave. Her eyes grew heavy, and she welcomed sleep into her mind. Just before she fell into rest, however, she heard one last comment from Dinky on the other bed.

“Momma, who was that scary lady?”

“That was Dash’s momma, little muffin. She’s harmless.”

Dash couldn’t help but chuckle.

Dash awoke to the evening sun. The clock on the wall signaled that she had been resting for most of the day. Ditzy had fallen asleep as well, and was still snoring peacefully. Dinky was gone. Dash assumed that her father had eventually come around and took her back to Ponyville. Ditzy was least injured after Aurora. Chances are, they would be leaving together.

The door handle began to turn, and Dash turned towards it. She didn’t even wait to for it to open all the way before she started talking. “Hey, Twi—”

She blinked when it was only a nurse that wandered in with cart of bedsheets. She stared in surprise at Dash. “Oh! Sorry. I thought everypony in this room was still asleep.”

Dash shook her hoof. “No, its fine. I was just waking up. It’ll be a while before I’ll want to get back to sleep.” She glanced over to Ditzy. “And she can sleep through anything.”

The nurse smiled. “Alright. Do you need anything? Fresh sheets, something to drink?”

Dash looked to the empty chair next to her bed. “Yeah. Could you tell me where Twilight is?”

The nurse tapped her chin. “Princess Twilight? Um, I think she was in intensive care visiting another patient.”

Dash frowned. “Who?”

“Trixie Lulamoon, I think it was.”

Dash felt ice in her veins. Right. Trixie. She felt a fool for forgetting the one last pony that would have survived the endeavor back in the Badlands. She never even thought about it until now.

“Can… can I go see her?”

The nurse approached the bed. “Well, usually patients aren’t supposed to wander around after hours.” She looked at the foot of the bed at Dash’s chart. “But the doctor’s notes say you’ll most likely be fit for release tomorrow morning. I suppose letting you stretch your legs wouldn’t be a problem, so long as I escort you.”

Dash nodded and peeled away her blankets. The nurse helped her to the floor. She was far less wobbly than they were earlier, but she certainly felt a weeks worth of lethargy seeping out of her muscles. It was going to take days of training to make up for lost time.

With the nurse’s help, Dash followed her up the floors of the hospital until she was brought to a single hallway. It was long, quiet, still. Very few staff members were wandering the halls, keeping the floor as quiet as possible.

“Just this way,” the nurse said, indicating one of the doors. She guided Dash towards it and opened it for her.

Dash peeked in. Medical instruments hummed and chimed in a steady rhythm. In the light from the hall, Dash spotted Twilight, sitting before the bed in the room. Her head was slumped towards the bed, and its owner.

Trixie was still. Cords and arcane wires were attached to her, all glowing with many different colors of light. A hose was attached to her nose which wobbled as her chest rose and fell. Above her bed was a series of arcane gemstones, glowing faintly as they washed her and Twilight with a magical glow.

The nurse nodded quietly. “I’ll just wait out here,” she whispered.

Dash nodded back and ventured into the room, letting the nurse close the door behind her. She approached Twilight quietly, not saying a word. Twilight didn’t stir from her spot against the bed.

“Twi?” Dash eventually said.

Twilight jerked up. She turned, rubbing her eyes. “Dash?”

Dash sat on the floor beside Twilight and leaned into her. “How is she?”

Twilight’s mouth crinkled. “I… I’m not sure…” She turned back to Trixie. “The doctor’s think she’s been Nulled.”

Dash frowned. “What’s that?”

“Its…” Twilight sighed. “It’s not good.” Twilight placed a hoof on Trixie’s and squeezed. “Do you know how a furnace works?”

Dash’s frown deepened. “Uh…”

“Unicorns only have so much magic to use before they need to rest. Some have more than others, but it is never infinite. Even Celestia or Luna don’t have endless supplies. We’re trained to never use more than we have all throughout school, and rest often to replenish it. If you use too much, you risk burning through it, like a broken furnace. You consume more and more fuel, but the supply can’t keep up. Eventually, you run out of fuel, and all that’s left is the pilot light on emergency reserves. If that pilot light goes out, the furnace breaks.”

Twilight shuddered. “That’s what Nulled is. Nocturne pushed Trixie to her limit and beyond. She wanted to stop, I could see it in her eyes, but she couldn’t. She fought so hard against her control, but…” A tear fell from Twilight’s eyes. “Luna was right. Her time with the Alicorn amulet weakened her ability to fight back against outside control.”

Twilight let go of Trixie’s hoof. “It’s too soon to tell if she’s permanently lost her ability to use magic. We won’t know until she wakes up. If she’s wake up.”

Dash swallowed. “And if she does?”

Twilight released a harrowing sigh. “Then… we’ll evaluate our options. If she’s lost her magic completely, she’ll… need help adjusting to life without magic. She’ll most likely be assigned a nurse until she’s capable of taking care of herself.”

“But she could still have her magic, right? We both know Trixie’s strong, right? She’s gotta bounce back!”

Twilight shared Dash’s uncertain smile. “I want to think that’s true. If she does still have her magic, she’ll most likely need rehabilitation to use it properly. She may very well need to completely relearn how to use it from the start, in order to strengthen her mana reserves again.”

Dash put a hoof on Trixie’s. “She can do it, I know she can. She’s always shown resolve.” She turned to Twilight. “And we can help her.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Dash?”

Dash smiled. “Maybe, when she wakes up, she can stay with us for a bit? I can’t think of anypony better to retrain her in magic than you.”

Twilight smiled uneasily. “While that’s flattering, it would be best if a specialist in magic rehabilitation did it.”

Dash’s face fell. “Yeah, you’re right.” She rubbed her neck sheepishly. “I guess I got carried away.”

Twilight leaned over and kissed Dash on the cheek. “Your heart’s in the right place. That’s all that matters. I’ll look into it, maybe I could help her at the very least. Its the least I could do for her.”

“It’s the least we can do for her, Twi. Remember, my house is still blown up.” She gave Twilight a kiss of her own. “Trixie or not, it looks like I'm moving in too.”

Twilight giggled. “I suppose you're right.” Twilight leaned over and nestled herself under Dash’s head. “I suppose we’ll just keep facing our troubles together like always.”

Dash smirked. “You bet! Nothing can stop us when we’re together. Add our friends in, and it is supremely unfair for anyone who gets in our way.”

Twilight didn’t respond. Dash blinked as Twilight began to snore against her. She smiled and pulled her close, draping a wing over her for warmth. She yawned. “Yeah, I guess it's bedtime for everypony. But as long as we’re together… we’re unstoppable.”

Author's Notes:

---

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Epilogue: Mother Knows Better

“Ma!” Dash whined, as Zephyr flitted about the room gathering Dash’s things. “I can pack my own stuff!”

It was early morning the following day. Twilight had gone to sleep at her parents place in town along with the rest of their friends. Zephyr, however, had returned bright and early directly from her hotel to prepare Dash to be released as soon as the doctors came about for their morning rounds.

Ditzy was already gone, most likely to fetch breakfast. Being a mail pony demanded early hours, a habit Ditzy seemed to hang onto even through the ordeal of the past two weeks. This of course left Dash alone with her mother, as she gathered things from the bedside and stuffed them into a luggage box.

“Nonsense! It’s the least I can do to help. You have a long recovery to get you back into shape. Isn’t the next Wonderbolts training session coming up soon? You want to be at your best, don’t you?”

Dash rubbed her cheek. Dealing with her mother’s overbearance was not how she wanted to spend her morning. “Ma, please. Twilight’s gonna be here soon to take me home.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll be out of your mane soon, once I get everything packed.”

“Its just a few cards, ma. You don’t need to fuss about those, there couldn’t possibly be anything else worth packing.”

Zephyr tilted her head. “But what about this? Isn’t this important?” She turned to the bed, producing a small box in her hooves. She opened it, revealing two small pouches inside. Dash recognized one of them as the few fragments of the Celestial Prism as it was scattered to the far corners of the world. The other though, was a mystery.

Dash pointed at the second pouch. “Let me see that one, ma.”

Zephyr hoofed it over. Dash tipped the silk container over and let a few shards of crystal roll into her hoof. She gasped. It was a broken amethyst, a bent metal housing and worn cord. “It’s my necklace…”

Zephyr stared at the broken amulet. “Oh dear. That’s the one you told me about, isn’t it? The one that led you to Twilight just before you two got together?”

Dash nodded. “I can’t believe its actually broken.” Sadness overcame her voice as she stared quietly at the shattered symbol of her and Twilight’s relationship in her hooves.

“Oh, it can’t be that difficult to repair. I’m sure there’s somewhere we can take it to be fixed.”

Dash shook her head. “It just wouldn’t be the same…”

Zephyr grimaced. “Because of an enchantment? Dear…” She sat on the bed and patted a spot next to her. Dash sighed and sat down next to her mother.

Zephyr wrapped a leg and wing over Dash’s back. “Oh, Rainbow Dash. There are many symbols in life that signify our love for another. You can’t just hold yourself the old ones. Love evolves, it grows, it blooms. There are times to move on, move up. If you hold too hard to the moments of the past, you never look forward to your future.”

Dash said nothing, she just kept staring at the gemstone.

“Dash?”

“It’s just… I don’t know how I feel about this anymore…”

Surprised drifted in Zephyr’s voice. “What do you mean? Is something else wrong?”

“Well, not really. I don’t think so. It’s just... during this whole mess, we had a fight. I want to believe it was a heat of the moment thing, but… it hurt. Like, it really hurt. I actually felt like Twilight was going to leave me because she couldn’t bear the thought of watching me get hurt.”

Her hooves trembled, but Zephyr reached over to steady them. She shared a gentle smile with her mother as she continued.

“And when she was taken from me, I thought I was going to lose her. I was just in this horrible, scary place that neither of us would end up coming out alive, or happy. Just… alone. It terrified me.”

Zephyr nodded. “That is life, my little bluebird. Life, love, they are both hard, they both take work, and they are both worth it in the end. It’s all a matter of what you put in.”

Dash grinded her teeth. “I just… I don’t want to push her away. I want to be with her forever, Ma. I know that’s the future I see for us, but… it just feels so fragile. These past few weeks have made me see that.”

“Then make her yours.”

Dash blinked and turned to her mother. “What?”

“You heard me. Make her yours. Stop thinking about it so hard. Stop wondering about the fragility of it. If you think its fragile, make it stronger. If its going to break, you can fix it. Stop keeping her at hoof’s length. Bring her close, and never let her go.”

“I… Mom?”

Zephyr smiled. “That’s all the advice I can give you, dear. The rest is up to you.” She leaned in and kissed Dash on the forehead.

At that moment, the door handle began to turn. Dash tilted her head as Rarity was the one who stepped in. “Good morning, Rainbow Dash!” she said.

“Hey, Rarity. I wasn’t expecting you.”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, I imagine you were expecting Twilight to come fetch you. She sent me to tell you she’d be a bit late. She’s speaking to the doctors about Miss Lulamoon’s condition. I imagine she’ll be a while.”

Dash looked down. “Oh, okay.”

Zephyr touched Dash’s shoulder and smiled, then she got up off the bed. “I’ll leave you with your friend and I’ll see you at the train station back to Ponyville.”

Dash smiled. “Okay, ma. I’ll see you there.”

Zephyr passed Rarity and offered a quiet courtesy before she disappeared into the hall. Rarity kept a close eye on her as she left, biting her lip as she did. Once she was certain Zephyr was out of earshot, Rarity approached the bed. “Your mother is a lovely mare, darling. She would be a prime model for my spring collection.”

“Uh, it’s almost fall, Rarity.”

Rarity waggled her hoof. “Oh, pish posh. One can never think too far ahead to stay competitive.” She cleared her throat. “Now, I’m certain we could sit here and gush in awkward conversation until Twilight arrives, but I don’t suppose you would like something to eat or drink? I would be happy to fetch you something.”

Dash stretched and yawned as she hopped off the bed and moved over to her luggage. “A coffee would be great.”

“Certainly.” Rarity smiled and turned to leave, just as Dash went to to return the two pouches to their box. She paused as she stared at the two containers, and the two crystalline objects they held within. Her mother's words echoed in her mind. Make her yours, and never let go.

Dash reached out her hoof. “Rarity, wait!”

Rarity turned, eyebrow raised.

Dash showed her the two pouches. “I need your help with something.”

Dash winced slightly as she was exposed to the bright Canterlot sun. She sat in a wheelchair as she was ferried out of the main entrance. Twilight was pushing her gently into the terrace, humming all the way.

“It’s such a lovely day, isn’t it, Dash?”

“Uh, yeah. Great day to be discharged from a hospital.”

Twilight giggled. “Well, its all thanks to you. We will continue to have bright, sunny and colorful days because of what you did, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

Dash smiled half-heartedly. “Yep.”

“It’s just funny how we always seem to get involved in one more catastrophe after another. It’s a wonder how we find time to ourselves at all.”

“Oh, you know… we’ll manage.”

Twilight went silent as the wheelchair slowed. “Are you okay, Rainbow Dash? You seem… distracted.”

Dash tightened her legs around her barrel. “No, no. I’m fine. I… guess I just need some coffee. Not really an early riser, you know?”

“Oh!” The wheelchair began to move forward again. “Well, I know the perfect little cafe in town we can visit. Its on the way to the train station, so we won’t miss our ride home.”

“Cool.”

Dash jerked her head as she mentally chastised herself. Of all the times she needed to maintain her composure, this was it. It was bad enough that she didn’t have any room in her luggage for one last item, but Twilight seeing it now was the last thing she needed.

She loosened her grip around her barrel, revealing a small velvet lined box hiding under her legs. She turned her head slightly. Twilight was humming happily to herself, blissfully looking towards the distant morning sun.

Dash took a chance to examine the contents of the box once more. Carefully, she opened the lid and peeked inside. It may have cost her her dignity as one of Rarity’s living pincushions for a few dozen dresses, but what she had within the box was more than worth it.

A small golden coil sat on a satin cushion inside the box. A series of settings were embedded into the valuable metals, fitted with small shards of silvery diamonds and radiant amethysts.

Dash had to hoof it to Rarity, she knew her jewelry. Her design was immaculate, her refitting of the broken shards of Dash’s necklace and the last remnants of the Celestial Prism worked perfectly, and the coiled shape would fit perfectly on Twilight’s horn. It glimmered faintly in the small patches of light that drifted across it.

“Hey, Dash? Do you know why Rarity was so… giddy, earlier?”

Dash sucked in a breath and snapped the box shut. “Nope! No, I can’t think of a single reason she would be giddy. Not me. Nope.”

The wheelchair stopped again. “Dash…” Twilight said flatly. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Dash chuckled weakly and turned her head. “Nah, Twi. You’re acting crazy. Why would I hide something from you?”

Twilight shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Dash sighed as she brought the box to her chest, directly over her heart. “Yeah. I’m sure, Twi. As long as I’m here with you, nothing could be better. Life is good.”

Author's Notes:

Finale Pic by Ambris