Dark Rainbows

by GemoDawn

First published 29th of December, 2011

A new, dark ruler has overcome Equestria after the execution of Princess Celestia...

Noctrule, an evil and all-powerful alicorn from the Everfree forest, has taken his dark army to conquer all of Equestria, and, more importantly, overthrow Princess Celestia. After his successful execution of the Princess, the land of Equestria has fallen to a seemingly irreversible darkness that even bright and colorful Rainbow Dash cannot permeate. However, after 20 years of oppression, Rainbow Dash - now much older, darker, and grittier, but still her competitive and determined self - puts her long-awaited plan of escape into action. She is determined that her plan will go well, which includes rescuing all her old friends from their own torments, and going up against the dark and deadly Noctrule himself to return the kingdom back to its former glory, and somehow bring back Princess Celestia. With so many odds against her, Rainbow Dash knows that death lies ahead of her, just as well as possible glory lies beside it. As Rainbow Dash risks her life, so do her friends, but that won't stop her. She's determined, confident, and willing to give up her own life to bring back Equestria the light and happiness it so deserves.

**Inspired by fan art portraying an older version of Rainbow Dash**

Prologue

Whether we like it or not, our fates have already been decided. Whether we decide to like it, or not like it, can only make our stay in this miserable place more bearable. It only makes our jobs a little easier if we just accept it. After 20 years of the same oppression over and over, it seems like any pony would crumble under the pressure and finally crack. Some did, while others, like me, toiled away, praying and hoping for something to change. Hoping for our new dark lord, Noctrule, to give his power back up, bring Princess Celestia back from the dead, and give my cherished friend Rarity back her will and sanity along with it. We hope for these things to happen, but whether they will really happen is a complete slim to none chance. All the Pegasus ponies used to believe in that false hope. They bought into our easy lifestyle, easy solutions, until they realized that the days when Princess Celestia held our order had ended, was when they truly started to believe that our fairy tale days were over.

I can’t talk much, though. I believed it, too at some point. In fact, I sort of still buy into the realm of safety and fantasy that we once had will return. I like to believe that something will happen and bring back the light that Noctrule demands us Pegasus ponies to block out. It’s now just a usual routine to me, though. Find whatever dark clouds I can, make sure they’re in every crevice that the dead sun strives to break through, and continue until my wings either give out from exhaustion, or they blow the whistle to signal the end of our shifts. It’s a sad existence that I might have missed just because of my own mane. When you’re a rainbow-colored Pegasus, you’re seen as a threat to Noctrule’s dark kingdom. At times, I believe that I missed his execution hatchet just because of how well I could maneuver the skies and control the clouds of Ponyville – or more recently known as Shroudlane.

I suppose this whole incident can be traced back to my own doing. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe that I’m the sole reason for Noctrule being the way he is today; dark, sinister, unforgiving, and evil. It was just about a year before Noctrule showed himself to everypony from the Everfree forest. I managed to create the fabled sonic rainboom for the second time in my short life, causing me to win a full day with the Wonderbolts and, in turn, causing Noctrule to gain his hatred for all things bright and colorful. No pony quite understands why seeing my sonic rainboom affected Noctrule the way it did, but it caused him to gather an army of dark ponies, and march all throughout Equestria, causing darkness and death in his wake. Those of us that remained were either too fearful of Noctrule to fight back, or handpicked by the pony himself to do his bidding.

Of course I wasn’t afraid of him. Everypony knew Rainbow Dash for being one of the bravest ponies in all of Equestria. Although, after he executed our own Princess Celestia, I knew I had no possible way of defeating him. Princess Celestia had fought hard against Noctrule, trying her best to protect not only herself, but all of Equestria. But, Noctrule’s dark powers were too much, and she fell. That was 20 years ago, and all of us ponies left had aged and hardened. I somehow think that our bodies have been tainted by the darkness that continually pervades throughout this horrible kingdom. My body, once a bright and bold light blue, was now faded, and nearly gray, my mane still barely holding onto its rainbow streaks. Even our cutie marks were nonexistent, this new world never allowing anypony to have access to their special abilities that made them unique.

It had been nearly five years since I’d seen any of my old friends. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were all hard at work with their own forced labor duties. I would not even have any way of knowing whether they were still alive or not. However, this was not new. None of this was. It was just now considered normal to never see a smile during the day, never hear any laughter, even from the young colts and phillies that were allowed to live, or even speak a single word to another pony. This was a reality that I knew well, as well as any other pony in Equestria knew. We were never allowed to congregate, and some ponies went crazy being locked into their own minds with their own thoughts providing them the only social interaction they'd receive. But, my mind was clear, and my mind had wonderful thoughts of escape, and thoughts of flying freely once more. Thoughts of rebellion, thoughts of overthrowing Noctrule and his darkness that would cause me only to plan and ponder each and every day. It then came to a point that this next day would be the day. The day that I would stop my planning, and commence actions that would free all of Equestria. I would finally put to action my long thought out plan to reunite with my old friends, and take back Equestria. I am Rainbow Dash. I am fearless. I will win.

Chapter 1: I Am Free

You know those nights when you know you need to sleep, but you can’t because something big is going to happen the next day? That’s exactly how I felt as I lay deathly quiet on my cloud along with the other Pegasi. I knew everypony else was asleep. No one else would share my feelings, only because I hadn’t trusted a single soul to keep my plans secret. With Noctrule’s guards every where, it was tough to get a word in to any other pony. I cautiously opened one of my eyes to see if there were any guards specifically watching me. I looked from left to right, making sure to double check myself by raising my wings. I paused, half-expecting to have them cut off right then and there. However, nothing came. The coast was clear… For now.

I opened both of my eyes, and slowly stood. I felt the joy and excitement build up inside my heart, that kind of excitement that used to show itself right before a race. 20 long years of no speed, no wind in my mane, no rush of momentum… It was almost enough to kill me. But this one moment that I now had was enough to give me a smile that I hadn’t felt on my lips in a very long time. I knew I could fly faster than any pony in Equestria. That was long ago… Why did it have to change now? I spread my wings out fully, noticing how much they’d grown since I’d been in captivity. Thinking of my younger self only naturally made me conscious of how large my wings were now. I was a full-grown Pegasus, and I could sure as hell fly like one.

With one large push from the cloud that once held me, I was nearly ten feet into the air. As I expected, this sudden movement alerted Noctrule’s buffoons. The black-coated Pegasi flew toward me with immense speed, threats of death already evident in their red eyes. A few Pegasi were alerted as well, turning their heads to look at the sudden commotion of wings. I took one quick glance at the ponies below me, then finally to the black-coated ones heading straight for me. I gave them as challenging a look as I dared, and pushed my wings against the wind as fast as I could. I could hear their shouts behind me as I gained speed, and fought the gravity’s pull, “You little bitch! We’ll tear your wings out!”

I knew they weren’t bluffing. If I slowed down now or even hit the wrong draft, my wings would be good as gone. And I’d be left to bleed to death from their absence. Letting instinct take over, I rode the winds like I owned them and knew their every move. I pulled sharp turns around any loose clouds I could find, climbing higher and higher. I pushed myself farther toward the infinite gray of clouds, knowing that a little longer, and I could begin making distance lateral-wise without worrying about their pursuit. I pushed and pushed my wings, so much so that it felt like the feathers might fall right out with the wind as it fell behind me. Without realizing it, I looked around my shoulder to see nothing but darkness in this gray sky. However, once I realized that I should keep my eyes ahead, it was too late.

The impact of my body with Noctrule’s henchman felt like hitting a wall of bricks. I could see nothing but redness and swirls throughout my vision. Next thing I knew, I was hurtling back down to the ground, seemingly faster than what I’d flown moments ago. My head nor my wings would not function properly, although I knew I risked being either caught, or flattened out on the hard ground if they didn’t work right. Both spelled certain death. I shook my head to try and clear the fuzziness when I realized that I was not falling alone. Above me and catching up quickly was the pony I’d just impacted onto. Those guys are hard as stone! How do they even fly?! I thought to myself as he drew closer.

His red eyes glowed as he came closer, and I knew he was looking for blood. My blood. This fear seemed as though it would have been enough to make my wings work, but it seemed the shock of the impact somehow rendered them useless. Finally close enough to reach me, he sunk his teeth into my neck, causing a scream of pain to escape my throat. One detail I somehow missed was how sharpened their teeth were. I could feel the points of his teeth break my skin, and dig deep into my neck’s nerve endings. I fought against his grip to seemingly no avail. I shook my neck, kicked my hooves into his jaw, but he really did seem to be made of stone.

Noctrule must’ve enchanted them somehow… They’re… Invincible!

I could feel the blood leaving my body. He was draining me of my blood! As disgusted as I was to find out so much about this pony, I still couldn’t seem to free myself from him. We were both falling at a continually high speed, spinning in a tangle, and my voice continuing to fade as my life did. Nonetheless, I continued my fight, and would until I was dry of blood. I managed to reach my right front leg to his back, where both his wings were flailing for some leverage in slowing his body’s descent, natural of a Pegasus’s wings. I quickly wrapped my leg around one of his wings and gave it my all.

I let out a groan of effort that mixed with pain, and pulled with what was left of my strength. After a moment of pulling, through the wind rushing past us, I heard a snap, then finally a ripping tear as I felt his wing come out from his back. Just as I freed him of his wing, he freed me of his vice grip. A blood-curdling scream now filled his mouth as his blood covered his body, his other wing frantically trying to make up for the loss of its equal. I took this opportunity to bring my wings back to life, momentarily happy to find that they were properly working once again. I realized that the ground was quickly approaching, and I had no time to waste.

I spread my wings and pushed heavily against the momentum that continued to carry me. The ground still came closer, but my wings wouldn’t let up. They flapped and pushed, finally succeeding in beginning to slow my descent. Although, I came to the realization that I’d been falling for far too long to catch even myself. I began to mentally prepare myself. I closed my eyes tightly. My wings continued to flutter uselessly as the ground became closer and closer… But there was no hard, concrete impact. In fact, I felt that I landed on… something soft.

“Ugh! Hold on… Dash!”

I didn’t recognize the voice that acknowledged me. It was somehow familiar, but as though it was from Equestria’s past reality. Someone that I’d known before Noctrule made himself known. My eyes flew open to see a smaller Pegasus body below me, its color a once bright tangerine. Her mane was a dark pink as the wind rushed through it. I then realized who it was.

“Scootaloo! You’re… You’re alive?!”

“I-“ Scootaloo began before both her and I were sent off course, and falling once more. I looked up to see that another one of Noctrule’s guards were wrestling with her. Sudden rage came over me as I watched that bastard put his teeth around her smaller neck. I spread my own wings, thankful that Scootaloo had saved me and gave me more time to recover my flight abilities. I forced my tiring wings to push me toward where Scootaloo was fighting a losing battle. I was mere feet away from them, but it was too late.

The black colt jerked his head, and I heard a large snapping sound that came from Scootaloo’s neck. I stopped just as the black Pegasus did. Scootaloo’s body went limp and fell without resistance, her wings having no reason to even save her. She was gone. As she faded from view, gravity having pulled her into her final resting place, hot tears began to swell within my eyes.

“You… Y-You… You… BASTARD!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs, ignoring the protesting pain in my neck, and my quickly fading energy. The tears flowed even heavier as I charged straight at Scootaloo’s murderer. I charged so fast at him, he did not even have the time to react. As I passed by him, I dug my teeth into the feathers of his wings, and kept going. The force was enough that I knew it pulled his wings clear out of his body. I could feel the blood on my face and all throughout my mane. But I wasn’t done with him yet. I looped back around, going toward his falling body at an insanely high speed. As I grew closer, time seemed to slow down.

For once, I saw fear in his dark red eyes. Something that made this vengeance justified. I lodged my mouth around the base of his jaw, and held on as if my own life depended on it. I pulled him with me, feeling his head begin to dislodge itself from its socket. I squeezed my eyes shut before giving one last giant pull. My tears mixed with this colt’s decapitated blood as I felt the weight I held within my mouth grow less. I threw his head to the ground where it belonged next to his falling body. I tasted his blood in my mouth, but I couldn’t care less. Scootaloo hadn’t died in vain. She saved me, and she deserved to be avenged.

I only slowed for that instant before picking up my speed once again. I flew higher, and higher, and higher, until I felt like I couldn’t fly any more. My ears popped as I climbed and climbed, not sure where I would end up, but knew I was going somewhere. With my eyes still closed, I wouldn’t know if I was going to run into something, or even be stopped. But I didn’t care. I would keep going, keep the wind in my mane. For as long as possible.

Then, I began to slow as something extraordinarily bright hit my eyelids. I opened them, and revealed to my eyes the sun. It was just coming up over the horizon, its rays never penetrating the heavy set of dark clouds Noctrule ordered to always be present. I stared into the sun until my eyes burned. I wanted it more. It’d been so long. I began to fly toward it, knowing that Noctrule’s guards wouldn’t be stupid enough to fly so high.

I don’t know how long I’d been flying toward the sun’s warm rays. It must’ve not been long, for the sun never came more than a few feet from the horizon’s edge. My eyes began to close, and my wings began to give up. I knew the wound on my neck was beginning to take its real toll. Without the adrenaline in my body to keep me going, I was now running on nothing. All my energy was gone.

As my wings stopped moving, they failed to even fold properly as I began to plummet toward the ground. I chuckled to myself lightly.

Well… I escaped… I knew I could escape.

The last thing I saw was the sun’s rays disappearing behind the dark clouds, as my eyes slowly closed, my fate sealed and my body no longer able to take it. I accepted the darkness with a smile on my face. I saw the sun again. That was freedom enough for me. I am Rainbow Dash. I am free at last.

Chapter 2: I Will Bring Safety

There’s two things I realized. Death can be peaceful and calming, almost as calming as that moment when a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You suddenly no longer care about material possessions, the plight your world’s in, or even fear of that plight. It all just vanishes. However, the second thing was that you could smell apples… Very ripe apples, those that you can taste without even putting in your mouth. Was I dreaming this? It couldn’t have been, it was too real. Even more real than my…

I died. I know I did. I was flying, then I began to fall. My wings weren’t working anymore because I’d run out of energy to make them carry my body’s weight. I had to be dead. No longer living. No longer breathing. How was it that I smelled apples? I opened my eyes to see a bleary wooden room before me. My eyes obviously hadn’t been opened in quite some time, for they took some time to adjust to the brightness found within the room. It was either the room that was extremely bright, or just how sensitive my eyes were. I could feel the blurriness begin to clear as I blinked my eyes, forcing the bleariness to clear from my vision. So I wasn’t dead after all.

I looked below me to see that I was on a bed, my neck bandaged. But… How?

The apples, the wooden room, the orange blankets… I could barely believe it. But actually seeing her made me believe it. I was in Applejack’s farm home. And there she stood, nearly as tall as me, longer mane, darker hat, but, nonetheless, the same Applejack I’d known 20 years ago.

“Apple… Applejack!”

My sudden voice filled with happiness surprised her. She smiled gently at me, nodding her head. I even missed that subtly southern way she acknowledged ponies. I could feel tears sting at my continually adjusting eyes. I jumped up to hug her, but my body just wasn’t ready for the sudden exertion. I never got more than a few inches off the bed before groaning in pain.

“R-Rainbow Dash! Ya’ll better stay still. Yer still not up to bat yet, sugarcube.”

I pushed myself up into a sitting position on the floor, where I gave Applejack a pleading smile. She rolled her eyes with a playful smile before helping me stand and sit back onto the bed. I sighed heavily before bringing her into a big hug. I could feel my neck throb in dull pain, but I couldn’t care less. I didn’t want to break my hug.

“Applejack… You don’t know how good it is to see you.”

Applejack chuckled lightly before hugging me back, her voice deceiving her true excitement, “Same here, Dash. With Noctrule runnin’ the place, I never thought I’d get to see you again. But, uh… You mind explaining…?”

We separated as she indicated the bandage around my neck, obviously meaning my wound. I cleared the tears from my eyes, and began to explain to her what had happened in the sky. Everything from my years of planning to break free, all the way to seeing the sun once again. She paid attention carefully, keeping her eyes on me throughout the entire explanation. Once I was finished, I waited for a reply, a question, anything. It’d been so long since I’d had such interaction. Especially from one of my closest friends.

“Well, Dash… I dunno where to begin! I guess I should start with what you were plannin’ on doin’ now that you’re free. You almost died, fer pony’s sake! What’s your master plan?”

I then realized that I’d somehow managed to leave out the part about taking back Equestria for Princess Celestia. I also skipped the part about needing her with me.

“Well…”

I didn’t know how to approach it. I never ever thought about how I’d just ask my friends to join me. It seemed simple up there in the clouds… But when it came down to real earth reality… It seems like I missed a lot of details. Just jumping in with all four feet before thinking about how deep it was going to be. I needed more time to approach it.

“Um… Is it safe here?” I asked, looking around suddenly concerned about being compromised, “I’m sure those idiots might be looking for me… And if you get caught hiding me, then it will be uber bad news for us both! You don’t think they’re he-”

“Calm down, worrywart. Apple acres ain’t so well watched over.”

“Huh?” I asked, generally confused, “Not… Watched over?”

“Yeah, well… You see…”

Applejack paused mid-sentence, making her way over to the window in the wooden room. She looked out it onto the farm that was covered by nothing but darkness and apple trees that somehow continued to grow despite no sun being present.

“Noctrule’s goons don’t really find it all that interestin’ out here. Big Macintosh and me ain’t got nothin’ to really get in trouble with here. They check up only every month or so just to make sure we’re still gatherin’ apples. The only way we can tell that Noctrule is still ‘round are them clouds and his lily-brained guards.”

I noticed as Applejack turned to make her way back to the center of the room that she still had her cutie mark. The apples were still there.

“Wait…”

Applejack stopped her slow trot, and turned her attention to me.

“You said you and Macintosh… What about Applebloom? She isn’t here?”

Suddenly, pain came across Applejack’s face. I must’ve hit a chord with that question. It surprised me a bit because I’d never seen such sadness in Applejack’s eyes. However, I wasn’t allowed to study them for long before she lowered her head and turned her braided tail to me.

“Applebloom…” Applejack began, her voice more broken up than I ever imagined it could be.

I waited for her to continue, but I only received silence. The silence in the air between the two of us was thick enough to cut with a knife. I realized that she wasn’t going to continue down that road. I decided to move on, already feeling that subject was too painful.

“Applejack… I have… Another question.”

“Hhm.” Applejack replied with a nod of her head.

“How did I survive that high fall? There’s no way you could’ve just caught me.”

Applejack finally lifted her head, and turned to look at me. Her eyes were now clear of any sadness that I’d seen moments before, nearly making me doubt that she was ever overcome with it. Her eyes searched the floor as she chewed over her words before speaking them.

“How do I explain this… Fate has a funny way of doin’ things. Fer example, I happened to be pullin’ some hay in an open wagon and you fell in. The hay was luckily high enough, that it stopped the impact of yer fall.”

I was amazed. A haystack broke my fall.

“This… This means something, Applejack!” I was suddenly overcome with a burst of excitement I’d felt right before I took off from those clouds.

“Like, uh… What, Dash?”

“Like it’s a sign! A sign that I should continue with my plans!”

“Your plans?” Applejack asked suspiciously, “What plans?”

I snorted a bit, “The one where you, me, and all our other friends take back Equestria! Save the day! And bring back the Princess!”

Uh-oh. That one really slipped without my permission. I got too excited. I didn’t even ask Applejack if she’d help me. Now it sounded like it was a fact she was going to help me.

“Uuhh… Wait. That came out… Not the way I was going to say it. At all.”

I could feel my hope of her joining me now leaving. I couldn’t even decipher what she was really feeling. She just gave me a blank stare as if I’d just spoke a different language.

“So you mean to tell me… That you think yer just gonna stroll right through Shroudlane, pick up everypony that’s our friends, and take Equestria back from Noctrule?”

She doubted me! I thought she may have been different. I thought she wouldn’t back down from that kind of challenge! Sure, this was dangerous, as previously proven, but the glory it brought. Just how much we’d be talked about if we succeeded. Applejack, of all ponies, I would have believed wanted to defeat Noctrule.

“Dash, that’s nearly impossible! How in the sam-hell you gonna do that?! Yer just gonna end up gettin’ yourself killed! That wound on yer neck is proof enough.” Applejack’s voice rose. Either out of anger or worry, I couldn’t tell.

“Alone, yeah, probably! But together, I know we can do it. We’ve beaten the bad guys before. Why not just do it all again?”

Applejack gave me an incredulous look, and stated, “Those things were smaller. Noctrule ain’t small, sugarcube. Noctrule could kill us with a single clop of his hooves.”

“But,” I started, beginning to feel her slipping away, “Not if we work together.”

“Work together? More like die together! Dash, I don’t think yer ego will let you see past the reality of the dangers.”

“My ego?!” I began.

“Yes,” Applejack spat back, “That thing that always keeps you so competitive, so sure. There’s nothin’ we can do, or should do!”

I began to move my wings, amazingly easier than I thought it was. I was more recovered than I first believed. I hovered above Applejack, moving closer.

“So what do we just do, then?! Lay down and die?! Cause I sure as hell am not going to do that! You can, because you aren’t constantly watched! You still even have your cutie mark!”

I flew closer toward her, feeling my anger at her reluctance half my fault, half hers.

“You have it easy in this damned world, Applejack. You should try it up in the clouds. Where you’re watched every moment…”

It seemed that my continuing rant made Applejack allow me to get my side of existence out. She never let up her stance, even as I circled her.

“You know why I can’t just stop, go back to my sad existence, and move on? Because they’ll KILL me, Applejack. I’ve gone too far to stop. I thought even you would see that. See that I’d risked my own life to try and find you, Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie…”

I could feel tears begin to fill my eyes again, which only made me more angered. Why was I crying? Was it because I finally realized that there was no way to back out? That shouldn’t have been it, but… A sense of safety had left me completely. There was no going back, no more planning and dreaming. Which meant that if I had to do this without Applejack, I would painfully do it without her.

I took a deep breath before continuing, this time in a lower, calmer voice, “I don’t need your help, then Applejack. I thought that maybe you’d be helpful, but now I see you just want to stay here at your farm. Where you feel safe. Well, let me tell you something… I don’t feel safe. Not at all. But I’ll take that damn risk to make everypony else feel it again!”

Without letting Applejack reply, I flew out the window within that room. Feeling the wind through my wings once again wasn’t even enough to calm my rising hysteria. I picked an apple tree that was closest to the edge of Apple acres, and sat on its large branch to calm myself. I’d never freaked out so much on someone. Not like that, at least. Especially to Applejack.

She didn’t even want to help me… She thought it was… Pointless. Time changed her for sure.

I’d never seen Applejack lie until today. I never thought I’d even live to see the day. I could feel the tears build up behind my eyes again. I finally gave in. I gave heavy sobs, feeling the tears run down my cheeks like rivers.

I… Can’t go back. I’ll die… I’ll die…

“I’LL DIE!” I shouted to the gray sky, allowing my sobs to ensue. My hysteria was coming to a peaking point when I heard a familiar voice. That soothing southern voice I’d heard not moments ago.

“Ya’know… Noctrule enchanted these trees to keep growing all year long.”

I looked down to see Applejack’s body leaning against the very tree I was sitting up in. I remained quiet, trying to calm myself from the hysteria I’d just allowed myself to be lulled into. I carefully listened to her as she spoke with clarity, “They never die. They just keep on growin’ their apples. It gave me a reason to keep goin’. ‘Cause I felt like, without me, them apples would just eventually fall out and rot.”

I didn’t know where she was going with this story, but I continued to listen, my sobs coming to a complete halt. My tears began to dry on my cheeks as she continued in her soothing tone, “So, for the past 20 years I been gathering these apples… It is… Was a safe job… But, Dash… Yer right.”

Her last words caught my attention, causing me to turn my eyes onto her.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I asked after a moment of silence.

“Yer right! This safety… No pony feels it nowadays. But why shouldn’t they? We can’t keep on wishin’ somethin’ will happen… Hell, we need to be that somethin’…”

“What’re you saying?” I could feel hope beginning to fill my heart once again.

“Dash, I’m sayin’ that I’ll join you. We’ll get back Equestria! It belongs to us. No one else but us here ponies!” Applejack spoke with a certainty in her voice that made me somehow believe it more than I even believed in my own life.

Without warning, I flew out of the tree and down to Applejack’s level. I gave her the biggest hug which she returned equally.

“I… I’m awfully sorry, Rainbow.”

I pulled myself away from our embrace to look at her. Her face was genuine, her eyes showing no hints of deceit.

“For what?” I nearly whispered.

“For doubting you… If yer anythin’ like you use’ta be… I know yer real determined when it comes to this kinda stuff. So, I know even my depressin’ talk won’t stop ya. So, I thought I might as well just join ya!”

Applejack smiled brightly at me, her words and smile the most comforting thing I’d felt in a very long time. I felt as though tears might come again, but it was hardly unbelievable when I had no more tears to give. I settled for a big grin, instead.

“Well, then… What are we waiting for? We need to find Twilight!”

“Great idea, Dash! Let’s get goin’, then! I know just where to find her.”

I’d gotten the help of Applejack after all, and we were now both determined to do the best we could. Not only for our own sakes’ but for every suffering pony in Equestria. I was now a step closer to defeating Noctrule and his dark reign with Applejack on my side. All ponies will feel safe again. I am Rainbow Dash. I will bring safety.

Chapter 3: I Will Not Let You Down

When it came to preparing for trips and getting ready for any kind of journey, I wasn't much of one for patience. Applejack insisted, however, that we might need some supplies on our way to find Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike. I stubbornly accepted, and was now waiting in her room, watching her quickly putting items together to go into her saddle sack. After a few more moments, I sighed heavily, trying my hardest to show her my impatience. She noticed.

"Oh, Rainbow, calm down. It's not like he's already been rulin' for twenty years." Applejack said, tauntingly.

I rolled my eyes, and stood, helping her to pack everything she'd piled onto her bed into her sack. Once it was filled, I began making my way to her doorway.

"Alright, you're all packed, so let's go!"

I could hear Applejack snort behind me. I turned my head around to look at her.

"What's so funny?"

"Ah, nothin'," Applejack replied, still holding back laughter, "It's just that you haven't changed much since I seen you last."

I smiled slightly and shook my head, continuing out of her room, and down the stairs of her barn house. As I didn't look back to see if she'd followed me, I took notice of how little Noctrule's reign had changed her home. It was still as I remembered it.

My observation was interrupted as I felt Applejack pass me, and stand by her front door. She stopped and looked at me expectantly.

"Well, come on, then. I know a secret passage we can take to get us into Shroudlane."

"Secret passage?" I asked, amazed there would be anything like that out here.

"Yeah," Applejack continued as we made our way outside, "It was built by a small resistance faction in the beginning."

This fact surprised me. I hadn't known that there were any attempts at resistance. I was suddenly extremely curious of this group and if they still existed.

"Wait, a resistance group?" I asked, the surprise evident in my voice.

As we began to enter the main part of the apple acres farm, Applejack and I both heard the familiar sound of flapping wings that stopped us both dead in our tracks. I knew it couldn't have been my wings, for they were folded, and Applejack never had wings to begin with. Suddenly Applejack looked up to the gray sky, and without warning, she knocked me into a nearby tree.

Through dazed and ringing ears, I heard her hurriedly whisper, "Climb, Dash! Hurry!"

My brain processed her words as fast as it could before allowing my large wings to spread, and push me off the ground and into the tree's brush above me. I didn't dare to look outside of its green leaves. Instead, I listened as carefully as I could, the ringing finally subsiding.

I could hear the hooves of Applejack take a few steps before stopping and coming to a rest. The flapping of the wings became louder and louder, until I felt the wind being pushed from their wings to the tree's leaves, making them sway. Moments later, the flapping of wings stopped, and was followed by the tell-tale sound of several hooves hitting the ground.

"Well, houdy, gentlecolts. How may I-" Applejack greeted.

"Where are you going?" A darkly grizzled voice cut in, obviously demanding the right kind of answers.

"Oh, I, uh, was just goin' into town. I figured we're gettin' mighty low on supplies, and it was high time I went into town."

I could hear the tension in Applejack's voice as she told those lies. I knew how she hated to lie. But it was her life on the line. Not to mention mine.

A second deep voice, different than the first but still just as intimidating, spoke up, "You are not authorized to leave this farm."

This statement worried me a little. I could feel my wings beginning to tense themselves up, as I knew I was sub-consciously preparing my body for a speedy take off. If they tried to take down Applejack, I'd kill them before they could ever get the chance. It would give me away, but I'd sure as hell enjoy tearing them apart.

Applejack laughed, mixing the atmosphere into a confused one somewhere in-between heavy and light. She continued seamlessly, "Oh, pardon my rudeness, but our Lord, Noctrule allowed for me to be able to get supplies from time to time if it meant takin' care of the farm."

Silence ensued for a moment before the first colt spoke up, "We will have to check this with Lord Noctrule. Wait here, we will be back."

In a heartbeat, I could already hear their wings flapping away, until I could hear them no more. I breathed a sigh of relief, happy to know that we were safe for the moment.

"Come on, Rainbow!" Applejack hissed, "We hafta get to that entrance before they get back!"

I jumped down from my hiding spot, allowing my wings to hover my body in front of Applejack. I nodded at her, knowing there was no time for words, and followed her on wings as she sprinted closer toward the blur of trees.

"How much farther?!" I asked, dodging around a tree just before I impacted into its wide trunk.

"Just a lil' farther!"

We continued our fast pace for what felt like hours, but was merely just minutes. We came to a clearing of trees, where Applejack suddenly stopped. It took me a moment to realize that she was no longer running, but instead digging at the ground in the center of the clearing. I flew up to her side, being careful that my wings didn't hit her.

"What're you doing, AJ?! We need to get to-"

"The secret passage!" Applejack finished, uncovering a layer of grass and dirt to reveal what looked like the entrance to an underground cellar.

"Woah," I marveled as Applejack opened the metal doors, "nicely hidden."

I folded my wings, landing on the ground in front of the underground entrance. It was unsurprisingly dark, and no other features could be made out of the pitch black emptiness.

"How can we see where we're going?"

Applejack seemed to be reminded of something as she walked forward into the darkness. I reluctantly began following her, trusting she knew what she was doing. With both of us inside the total darkness, I began to have second thoughts about where this would lead. Whether it was out of doubt of Applejack’s ability to lead in this tunnel, or just the darkness itself, I couldn’t be sure. Suddenly, I heard a click followed by a loud bang behind us.

I felt myself jump, my body tensing at the sudden and loud noise. The door had closed behind us, leaving us in nothing but pitch darkness. It was so dark around me, that I had a hard time differentiating between having my eyelids open or shut. 4

“A-Applejack?!”

“Oh, these darn lights. C’mon!” Applejack said, her tone nonchalant.

Next I heard Applejack’s hooves hit the wall, consequently making small lights appear along the stoned path before us. I finally got a clear look at the tunnel. It was entirely lined by stone, save for the cracks on the floor that let the light source stream in, and continued past what my field of vision could comprehend.

“There we are! Nothin’ to fear, Rainbow. Just some faulty wirin’.”

I could hear a slight uplift in Applejack’s voice as she began to make her way down the seemingly infinitesimal stone hall. I followed her, my previous apprehensions gone. It was now clear that my doubt came from the overwhelming amount of darkness that surrounded us just moments ago. I somewhat mentally kicked myself for ever doubting my trust in Applejack. I then remembered my surroundings, opening my mouth to question what was on my mind. However, Applejack seemed to predict what I was going to ask.

“The resistance faction built this here tunnel to get to and fro without bein’ noticed.” Applejack’s voice echoed off the narrow walls.

“Why did it start in a random clearing in your farm?”

“Secluded, highly unwatched. And it wasn’t the entrance, it was an exit.”

“But,” I paused, gathering my thoughts, “an exit to… Where?”

Applejack shook her head, looking back at me, her caramel eyes just barely visible beneath her hat.

“Now that, I wasn’t sure of.”

“So, you weren’t part of them?”

Applejack just kept her head forward, remaining silent. Only the sound of our hooves were proof that we were still making progress. Suddenly, the tunnel made a sharp right turn, which only lead us to another long hallway of stone.

“Why didn’t you join them?”

I continued to receive only silence.

“Applejack…?”

I could feel her reluctance to answer my questions, but I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Applejack,” I picked up my pace to match her growing one, “what aren’t you telling me?”

I finally got a good look at her face for a moment before she sped up again, continuing to ignore my questions. Her face was distressed, just like what I’d seen earlier when I brought up her younger sister. I matched her speed once more, now at a jogging pace.

“Why won’t you at least say something?”

It was then that she broke into a full sprint, following the narrow walls that made more turns and curves. I would have naturally flown up to her, keeping up with her on wing instead of hooves, however the walls in this tunnel were far too narrow for my large wings.

“Applejack! Just… Stop running, and talk to me!”

Suddenly, Applejack came to a halt, my body nearly colliding into hers. I had to dig my hooves into the concrete, barley stopping the momentum that carried me forward. She had tears welled up within her gaze, her caramel eyes now flowing with water.

“SHE’S DEAD, YA HEAR ME?! DEAD!” Applejack’s voice echoed off the walls, carrying her tone of anger, hatred, and sadness right back to our ears over and over until they finally subsided. Seeming to hear herself, I could see something crack within Applejack. Her expression went dumbfounded as her whole body went limp into a stupor as she sat.

“Dead?! Who’s dead?!” I asked her, putting my hooves on her shoulders, “Who do you mean, Apple-“

Rumbling… I could feel it beneath my body, to the left and right, and more importantly… Above my head. I looked all about, feeling the narrow walls shake and rumble as if it were a living creature and we were in its bosom. It was followed by a distant, yet surreally loud crashing that only came closer. I spotted cracks beginning to form along the walls of concrete, causing the only source of light we had to flicker.

Oh, God… I thought to myself. It’s caving in…!

I looked back to Applejack, my mind only set on getting us out of here alive. The crashing thuds seemed to haunt me as they drew closer. Applejack was still in her emotional stupor, not even realizing how real and imminent the danger was. Next thing I knew, my body moved on instinct.

Although Applejack was the same size as I was, I was somehow granted an extra bit of strength to lift her up onto my back, and begin running faster than I’d ever run in my life. I could feel my wings trying to spread, looking for leverage that it just couldn’t find. My mind zoned into the path ahead of me. I had to keep ahead of the cracks that seemed to be in a neck and neck race with me. My lungs screamed for more air, my hooves pounded the ground, leaving my ears ringing from their clatter as the inanimate monster came closer.

I could hear cracking from above my head, as I looked up to see through the light that continued to barely survive that the stone ceiling was beginning to collapse right above me. I narrowly dodged a few chunks of rubble, looking back for just a moment to see if Applejack was still on my back. Her eyes were now closed, either her mind shutting down due to the happenings around us, or her emotional crack only moments ago.

I could feel the cave-in closing in on us, the crashing and rumbling growing to numbing levels of clatter. Suddenly, the lights cut out, bringing back the complete darkness that I hoped to never see again. I could feel tears sting the back of my eyes, my mind racing to figure out how to deal with the sudden darkness.

I didn’t have time to think it over, as I could feel the rubble closing in, my tail just barely escaping its clutches. It was then I had a break in reality. In a split second, I realized what was at stake. Not only would I let Applejack down, I’d let Shroudlane… No, Ponyville, Cloudsdale, Equestria, Princess Celestia, and all my friends down. I couldn’t let that happen. I was stronger than the circumstance demanded.

I can… DO THIS!

I suddenly felt a burst of adrenaline, energy flowing through my veins more than ever. I was so sure of myself now. I was going to beat this monster! This would not be my fate!

My eyes were then blinded by a bright light, coming from several horizontal cracks that lay before me. I could feel the walls on each side of my body widen, granting my wings the room they demanded. I took to the air, careful to not let Applejack fall by flying too high. With my wings out, the rubble behind me seemed to know that I was going to beat it. It suddenly began collapsing on every possible angle around me and before me.

“COME… ON----!”

I yelled at the top of my lungs, giving one final push with my wings. I greeted the light with my body, crashing through the obstructions that poorly closed up the entrance – my exit – to the tunnel.

I could feel my body being sent through the air and finally landing on a hard surface. I fell to the floor, feeling pain flare up once again on my neck. I swore to myself, suddenly my body feeling extremely heavy. I could feel my lungs grabbing for any kind of air it could, and my eyes were blinded by the same brightness that guided me moments before, only it was ten times brighter.

I opened my eyes to a fuzziness that greeted me, the blinding light I finally began to recognize as an aura of flowing purple magic. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to the light. I followed its flow back to its source. Through the almost silky aura, I spotted a body in the midst of it all. A body that was colored a darker purple than what was all around me. The body of a unicorn with a deep violent sparkle on her flank.

“T… Twilight… Is that you?”