Chapter 5 - The Roles Cast

Edited by Clavier

Applejack was close.

She was thankful for the full moon and clear sky.  Finding her way through the mountains would be much more difficult without them.  She only had a rough idea of where she was, but she knew that she was on the right path.

Applejack's ears were perked, listening for danger.  The only sounds that she heard were the steady beat of her hooves on the ground and her even panting.  Otherwise, it was strangely and unnervingly quiet.  The sounds of nocturnal creatures and gentle wind, which usually graced the Ponyville nights she was accustomed to, were absent.  

The trees she passed looked dull and lifeless.  The mountain air seemed to be missing its distinctive crisp smell.  What in tarnation was going on?

Then it hit her.  She had entered the dragon's domain.  Magic, which usually existed everywhere, was being syphoned out of everything around the dragon.  This is what a world absent of magic felt like: dull, hollow, and colorless.  

She felt a mix of joy and fear as she realized how near he must be.  She stopped running and, catching her breath, looked around.

At first, she did not see any signs that may could help her.  The mountains above her seemed in no way different from one another.  'If I was a dragon,' she thought, 'where would I be?'  She could see no caves where a dragon could live.  She knew he was close, but if she had to comb every mountain for him, it would take all night, and she might not have all night.

She nearly groaned, frustrated at her lack of ability to think like a dragon, stopping herself only when she realized how foolish it would be.

An idea popped into her head.  Why was she trying to think like a black dragon, who she knew nothing about, and not Rainbow Dash, who she knew better than anypony?  'If I were Rainbow,' she thought, 'Where would I land?'

She looked around again, and this time she tried to see the mountains as Rainbow Dash would.  With that in mind, her eyes settled on a huge cliff face.  Applejack could barely make out the form of a dying tree at the ledge on top of it.  The cliff was so high, and the ledge undoubtedly gave a spectacular view.  It practically screamed "land here!" to anyone that could fly.

Applejack smiled.  That's where Rainbow Dash would touch down.  No doubt about it.

Applejack felt another mix of emotions.  She now had at least a place to start looking, but there seemed to be no way to get there but straight up the cliff face.  Small ledges jutted out of the bluff, which would allow her to jump up the cliff face, if she was careful.  Nonetheless, it would be a terribly tough and dangerous climb.          

An image of Rainbow Dash hurt and alone suddenly flashed through Applejack's mind.  Applejack could see her curled up in a cave somewhere, bloody and bruised, in need of help.  Her need to be at Rainbow Dash's side overpowered any fear she had of the cliff face, and, without even realizing it, she had already made the run over to the imposing obstacle.  Taking a deep breath, she put one hoof on it, and began the climb.

Climbing is a difficult task for a pony, even one as athletic as Applejack.  She had to jump to and from precarious ledges, looking for any hoofhold she could.  When she saw a branch or rock jutting out of the cliff, she could lasso it with her rope and pull herself up.  The climb was grueling, but she was making a steady pace up the cliff.

Looking down from the height would paralyze her with fear.  As long as she did not look down, she would be fine, though.

She prepared herself, facing a particularly difficult jump.  She would have to clear ten feet of nothing before landing on the large ledge on the other side.  She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, and then, with as much strength as she could muster, flung herself in the air.

Mid-air, she realized that she would not make it.

She watched the ledge drop .  She was coming down too fast, and would not be able to land the jump.  This was it.  She would fall.

Her chest slammed into the ledge, and she managed to get her front hooves on top of it.  Her back legs frantically scrambled against the cliff, until she somehow forced her body up and over the edge.    

Before she had time to deal with the new pain in her chest, the ledge gave a deafening crack.

She scrambled away from the edge as quickly as she could, slamming her body against the cliff face, and watched as the ground below her cracked.  The ledge was falling away from the cliff.

With only a few seconds to react, she pushed off and scrambled onto another one above it.  Heart pounding, she could not help herself, and watched as the ledge fell down the side of the cliff.

She watched as the ledge broke into rocks, fell the dizzying height, and slammed against the ground, pulverized instantly.  It was a informative display of what would happen to her if she fell.

She froze, hating herself for looking down.  It was so high, she could not help thinking.  So unbelievably high.  And she was only halfway there.  Doubt that she could make the climb alive, let alone save Rainbow Dash, suddenly filled her, nearly breaking her spirit and ending the journey.

The doubts were replaced in a flash by more thoughts of Rainbow Dash.  This time, Rainbow Dash was cornered by a dragon and fighting for her life.  She was alone, and she needed help.  

Applejack found her resolve again, and, ignoring the stinging pain in her chest, continued to move up the cliff.

What was it driving her so fearlessly, she wondered?  Why was it that every time she thought about Rainbow Dash, the fear melted away, and nothing but the will to get to her friend remained?  Would she have the same resolve if it were anypony else?

What was it about the lazy, immature and overly competitive Rainbow Dash that pushed Applejack forward?  Rainbow Dash had gotten on her nerves more than once in their friendship.  In fact, she had argued more times with Rainbow Dash than she had with any of her other friends.

Still, there was no doubt that nopony was as loyal, as passionate and as driven as Rainbow Dash.  She was the fastest flyer in Equestria, and pegasus all over Equestria looked up to her.  Over these past few years, she had gained speed and grace.  She was witty and confident.  And beautiful, admitted Applejack to herself.

But all these thoughts just brought up more questions.  Applejack decided that maybe she just needed to answer one, and she would feel better.  These thoughts of Rainbow Dash were too confusing.  She needed to start small.  So, as Applejack was nearly at the top of the cliff, she decided to think about the simplest question that came to mind.

Did she enjoy the kiss?

Applejack thought back to the moment.  How Rainbow Dash had looked in the hay.  The way she had been looking into Applejack's eyes.  The way she had leaned in, with so much confidence.  The way her lips had felt.  The gentleness in the kiss, yet the passion so clear.  The way she tasted like... electricity.  She lost herself in these thoughts, until suddenly, she knew the answer.

Yes.  Yes, of course.

As Applejack climbed over the last edge, finding herself at the top, she felt the heat in her cheeks.  She couldn't help but blush at her discovery.  She enjoyed the kiss with Rainbow Dash very much.  She stopped to catch her breath at the top, proud of herself for figuring out at least one question and for scaling the massive cliff.  Her chest stung and her heart ached.

She found her breath stuck in her throat as she noticed the giant footprints and the cave where they led.

***

Applejack carefully entered the cave.  It took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the dark, but in a distant corner she saw a streak of color.

Rainbow Dash!  Applejack almost yelled out to her, but restrained herself.  Instead, she carefully looked around the cave for the dragon.  She couldn't help but notice how weak Rainbow Dash looked.  She was on the ground, completely still, and Applejack was filled with the horrifying fear that she was too late.

She didn’t see the dragon anywhere in the cave, and so quickly and quietly made her way over to Rainbow Dash.  

"Rainbow!" she said in an intense whisper.  "Rainbow!"

No answer.  The fear increased exponentially.  "Rainbow!" she whispered again, prodding her still friend with a hoof.

Rainbow Dash lay still.

She pushed her nose against Rainbow Dash's cheek.  "Rainbow?"  Her voice was weaker now.

No answer.  

She nudged Rainbow Dash with her nose again.  "No, no, no... please, no..."

She felt tears in her eyes, and the fear was drowning her.  Her eyes tightly shut, Applejack pressed her forehead against Rainbow Dash's cheek.  "...Dash?"  Her voice cracked.

Nothing.

She began to sob, and curled up next to Rainbow Dash, now pressing her whole body against her fallen friend.  She couldn't believe she had come too late.  She couldn't believe this was it.

"What's the matter, AJ?"

Applejack's eyes flew open and saw Rainbow Dash weakly opening her eyes to look at Applejack.  Applejack was utterly relieved and threw her hooves around Rainbow Dash's neck.  "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you're okay!"  She began sobbing again.

"Yeah, of course I'm okay," she assured Applejack weakly.  "What do you..." Rainbow Dash trailed off, as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.  In her weakened state, she was having a lot of trouble thinking.

Suddenly it all came back to her.  "Applejack, listen to me.  You have to leave, right now," she said urgently.

"Can you walk?"

"No, you don't understand!" whispered Rainbow Dash.  "You have to go, Applejack, without me.  This dragon knew you were coming... he wanted you to come!  He'll be back any second!"

"Ah am not leaving here without you," explained Applejack, her voice still weak. "Nothing could make me leave here without you."

"I can't walk or fly, and you'll never be able to escape him carrying me."

"Ah will get you out of here," said Applejack.  "Ah am not leaving you behind!"

"Go, Applejack, please!" she begged.  She could not have Applejack getting hurt trying to save her.  She would never forgive herself.

"Rainbow Dash, we can get out of here before the dragon comes back!"

"Come back?”  

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked about, completely thrown off.

The new, third voice boomed from the inky blackness of the cave. “How can I come back if I never left?"

Applejack whipped around, and to her horror, out of the darkness, an enormous black shape formed.  The dragon's massive mouth opened, and the fire forming in his throat lit up the dark cave.

Applejack immediately jumped on top of Rainbow Dash, covering her in an attempt to protect her from the fire.  She felt the heat at her back, and hugged Rainbow Dash tightly in preparation.

But the fire never came.  His laughter did.  The two ponies turned to look at him.

"I cannot tell you how many times I have been in this situation," he explained, "And that is the moment when our 'hero' shows his true colors.  Most of them dive away from the fire, scared of losing their life.  But you?  You dove right on your damsel in distress.  No hesitation.”  He eyed her before adding with sincere admiration, "You're a true hero, in the classic sense.”

Applejack turned and took a step towards him, putting herself between him and Rainbow Dash.  She may have been afraid, but with Rainbow Dash weak at her back, her fear didn't seem so important.

"So, because you are a true hero, I will treat you like one."  He casually lay down in front of them.  "Applejack, is it?  Have you come to slay me?"

"No," she answered steadily.  "Ah came to save my friend."

"And that plan did not involve killing me?"

"Only if it had to," she answered honestly.

He laughed.  "You're very forward.  What would you be willing to do to save your friend?"

She held his gaze.  "Anything," she answered simply.

"Anything?" he said, his eyes sparkling.

"Yes," she said evenly, "Anything to save her."

He laughed.  "I like that.  But you know what I like more?"  His tone suddenly turned very dark.  "Seeing 'heroes' break their own moral code.  Let's see how 'good' you really are.”  The humor was back in his voice.  “They used to tell a story about me... completely embellished, of course... about how I made a young adventurer choose between what he wanted most, and what he knew was right.  Unable to decide, the story says he ended up losing both.”  His head was suddenly inches from Applejack.  “I quite like the story, it’s a shame that it’s a mere fabrication... so why don’t I play me, the brilliant and terrifying black dragon, and you play the brave but foolhardy adventurer?”

He stood up, opening his huge, black wings as he talked.  "Your friend Rainbow Dash will not live much longer unless she gets help from a good magician.  You know one, or you couldn't have found me so quickly."  He smiled.  "My role in all this is to attack Ponyville... is that what it was called?... at dawn."  Applejack gritted her teeth, angrily.  “Just like in the story, I'm giving you two options, little pony.  

"One: You leave now and run as fast as you can to warn Ponyville of my attack.  You will give them time to prepare their defense and evacuate those would could be hurt.  By doing so, you will save countless lives.  But you have to leave Rainbow Dash behind.  She will die by morning without help.  

"Or, two: You carry Rainbow Dash back to your magician friend.  You will save her life, but with her on your back you won’t make it to your town before I do.  The attack will come as a surprise, and your town will be completely unprepared.  In other words: to save Rainbow Dash, you must sacrifice many."

Applejack was burning with anger.  "Twi figured out where you are, she can figure out if you're coming!"

"Twi?  Is that the name of the magician?"  He laughed again.  "How quaint.  No, my skills in stealth are not just limited to blending in with darkness.  I assure you she won’t be able to track me.  It will come as a surprise."

“Oh,” he added, “and don’t worry about this ‘Twi’ of yours.  Even under my influence, a powerful magician could survive, huddled in a corner, her protective bubble stained by the fresh blood of your friends.  She’ll still be there to save Rainbow Dash.  Most of her, anyway.”

He started walking out the cave entrance as he finished.  "You are their only hope for salvation.  You are also her only hope for salvation.  Choose wisely... ‘hero.’”  He spat the last word before flying off into the night.

Applejack turned slowly and looked into Rainbow Dash’s eyes.  Rainbow Dash looked as though she was having trouble holding her head up she was so weak.  Applejack could not believe the choice she was being given.  The weight of many lives was on her back, and there was no right answer.

She could save Rainbow Dash, but doing so meant she sacrificed countless amounts of ponies.  But how could they live with themselves, knowing the cost?  How could anyone?  She felt tears well up in her eyes, and her heart felt so empty.  

Because if she wanted to save all those ponies... if she wanted to go back and save her family, and her other friends, and her beloved town...

Rainbow Dash would have to be left behind.

***

Two more chapters to go.  Let me know what you think!

-Gold