Take note: As I receive input about each chapter through comments and private messages, I will be editing the chapters AFTER they are published in order to fine tune the story and fix significant errors.

However, the story will not be altered after a chapter is published. I simply wish to have a story as close to perfect as possible, as well as give more input to those who would care to help me develop my writing by giving me feedback.

Anyway, it will be as though everyone got to write a little bit of it, you know? In the end, everybody who gave a feedback comment will be put into a special thanks portion of the last chapter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chaper 1: Calm before the Storm (Part 1)

Rarity fell out of her silken, mare-sized bed with a soft thud. "The nerve! Wrenching me from my beauty sleep with that Sonic Rainboom of hers. And at this hour?" The exasperated mare pouted and tossed her voluptuous, violet mane as she glanced out her window toward the clock tower and returned to her place of rest. "I shall have a talk with her in the morning. I'm going to give her a piece... of my mind," yawned Rarity as she fell back to sleep, snoring loudly.

--------------------

Applejack was so frustrated, she was ready to whine like Rarity. "Rainbow Dash, oh please, oh please oh please oh PLEASE let me sleep... First I coralled up them critters for Fluttershy, and then I helped you with your tricks and whatnot from from dusk 'til..." That was as far as she got before she dozed off again. As always, Applejack had worked herself too hard.

--------------------

Fluttershy felt terrible; She forgot to grind carrots for Mister and Missus Bunny's sick baby bunnies beneath the cobble bridge. The creme colored pony was always willing to help others, but had one fatal flaw: She never thought of herself. As she got out of bed and walked toward the door, she bruised her leg on a chair and knocked it over, which she then apologized to. Fluttershy tried to wake up as she dashed out into the darkness. She fell flat on her face outside of her door, spilling the carrot mash in the grass in front of her, as well as getting a good bit of it in her eyes. "Oh no, they're probably so hungry..." As she wiped the remainder of the carrot paste and dirt off of her face, she was knocked off of her feet by the loudest thing she had ever herd.

With a screech, Fluttershy rose to her hooves and darted underneath the nearest cart, trembling as the plethora of colored lights expanded over Equestria for the eighth time that week. "And they wont get their sleep, either... Why, Rainbow Dash, why?" With a huff, Fluttershy trotted toward the garden to pick more carrots. "Oh... I bet they wont even be able to eat now!" Tears coming to her eyes, she returned to her work. But not with ease; Something was seriously wrong. The fauna and the Everfree Forest were quiet... They were never quiet.

--------------------

Pinkie Pie was nowhere near ready to sleep. Although her eyes were kept closed softly shut, her eyes were racing underneath their lids. So were her plans for the next day:

"Oh my gosh! I bet Rainbow Dash is feeling down after getting yelled at by the Princess... Maybe she got over it maybe she didn't - OH, I could make cupcakes... Cupcakes... Cupcakes! Oh, why can't it be tomorrow now? Then it would be today, and not the next day... But if it was, then time would be," Pinkie let out an excited gasp, "GONE! But what would that mean, would anything change? Would I fall asleep? Boy, I'm getting tired, but-" Pinkie began convulsing and twitching violently, so much so that she began rolling around on the floor uncontrollably for several seconds, until she finally came to rest on the wooden floor.

"I wonder what that one means! I've never had a doozy quite like-" Pinkie projected one of her signature shrieks of fear as her silent home was shaken by what could have been none other than a Sonic Rainboom. "To the window, to the window," she thought to herself. She couldn't help but grin; She loved to see the expanding nova of florescent colors left behind as Rainbow Dash broke the sound barrier. For not but a split second in time, Pinkie could see Rainbow Dash zipping through Ponyville and into the Everfree Forest...

...but with a look of fear on her face that she had never seen her wear before. What could it mean? Pinkie was already out the door, galloping after her. "Dashie, wait up!"

--------------------

An earsplitting crack filled the air around and inside of Twilight Sparkle's home.

"Twilight," Spike began to groan, "can't you do something about her? The Princess obviously isn't getting to her." With that, he rolled over in his little dragon bed and shut his eyes. He was already exhausted, what with getting up extra early to assist Twilight Sparkle with her day.

Twilight had been in a convenient position to catch Rainbow Dash zipping through Ponyville just outside her window... "Spike, Rainbow Dash can be stubborn, but she's not inconsiderate... I don't think she would create a Sonic Rainboom this late at night just for the fun of it."

"What could possibly make waking up everypony in Ponyville worth the trouble? Twilight, you're really smart, but are you sure you don't need to sleep, too?"

Twilight  stared out her window for one long moment. Spike, shifting from foot to foot, finally broke the silence. "What, Twilight?"

"She looked scared... Of something... I think I might be right. If Rainbow Dash is doing this... now of all times... then something is seriously wrong."

"Don't you think you're overreacting... Just a tiny-?"

"Spike, take a letter."

--------------------

Princess Celestia had been so, so proud of Rainbow Dash. The Sonic Rainboom had been only a myth before Equestria was gifted with that multicolored filly. As of late, the spectacular display of speed and determination had become a routine happening in the sky above Ponyville. That was the problem.

Celestia normally had no issues telling somebody what they needed to hear; She did have all of Equestria to rule, after all, and remaining stern with others was part of her job... But Rainbow Dash was different. She was so concerned with doing everything she does, and doing it better every day... And having to scold her the day before was truly quite a challenge for Celestia. She was a just ruler, but it was so hard not to show that filly any favoritism. She was just so... Innocent... She was truly a child inside. Celestia wasn't sure if her friends could tell, but the Princess could look right through people, and that's what she saw in Rainbow Dash.

Princess Luna cantered gracefully toward where Celestia was sitting, a troubled expression plaguing her usually majestic visage. "Come now, Sister, surely you ought to be sleeping. You can't fatigue yourself too much, what with your responsibilities over-" Luna was cut off by the Sonic Rainboom, dropping quietly to her knees. After the floor beneath her hooves ceased to quake, Luna rose up to her full height a addressed Celestia not with her tired mare voice, but with the Royal Canterlot voice: "I see you weren't able to get through to her. Perhaps I should be the one-" Luna was taken aback by her sister's face, now wrought with concern.

"Rainbow Dash is an ambitious mare, but she's not disobedient. Something truly is wrong if she's going to behave this way at this hour..."

Luna spoke up once more. "I shall have a word with her, then," as she dashed for the balcony.

"Wait, sister... Something is wrong... Something my pupil has been reading about comes to mind, and it is perhaps the only story interesting enough to captivate even our Rainbow Dash is about to unfold."

Luna stopped. "Your student was reading a tome about... You don't mean-?"

Celestia now stood in front of her throne, making a dash for the balcony, herself. As she spread her wings for flight toward the Everfree Forest, she turned her head toward her sister. "Luna, you're staying here."

"But I read a copy of that myself... And if it's-"

Celestia's word was final as she made a graceful bound out of the balcony...

...and was knocked several yards back into the throne room by a force she could not see. Both the regal sisters were speechless. Celestia cautiously rose to her hooves cantered to where the barrier had blocked her exit. She raised a single hoof against the air in front of her and met no resistance. Luna rushed to her sister's side. Looking into the Princess's face, she saw something that terrified her: Celestia was truly afraid of something. She was never afraid. "Could it be?"

The Princess did not hesitate, nor did she bother to further test the nature of the barrier. She hung her head, and as her horn began to glimmer in the dim light, she whispered, "Nuntius," and raised her head again. With a bright flash, there was a third being in the room with them. It was a small, purple dragon. She resembled Spike to the smallest detail, and could easily be mistaken for him had it not been for her solid orange eyes. "Nuntius, take a letter."

"As you wish, your majesty." Nuntius answered in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere in the room. In as much time as she needed to appear, so did an ornate parchment and quill.

Luna jumped as another letter popped into existence in front of her. "Your pupil is well informed... Are you confident that-"

Celestia looked upon her little sister once more. "I would never toy with you this way, Sister," rubbing her face gently across Luna's own. "Equestria is in as much peril as it has ever been."

--------------------

Rainbow Dash had to come to a painfully slow glide as she weaved between trees and branches through the Everfree forest. Was she going the right way? Was she too... No, she couldn't think about that. Trixie and the others needed her help.

She feared the worst. If the book Twilight lent her had anything to it, then this could be very, very bad.

As she glided silently over and under the natural obstacles of the Forest, Rainbow Dash noticed something: It was so quiet, she could hear her heart beat. And the air... It seemed... Depressing, somehow... She tossed her head and frowned. "I can't go back, I can't... Trixie and the others-"

Rainbow Dash nearly flew face-first into a tree; A voice... So quiet, so far away... Was groaning in some guttural language... Like the sound of something vomiting and yelling actual syllables. As terrifying as it was, she suddenly felt tired... She didn't want to go on anymore. "That's what the book said! You can't listen to them..." She tossed her head once more and kept her eyes focused forward. What was the rhyme scribbled into the margin...

"Keep a mind as strong as stone

and keep your own heart even stronger,

for even if you stand alone,

you'll stay awake for even longer.

The Somnum song will try to break you,

the Mort song try to take you,

but neither one will your soul heed

if you truly are a steadfast steed."

Rainbow Dash was energized once again as she she flew faster than she normally would have in such a dense forest. Suddenly, all the trees and vines were gone, and she landed at the edge of the clearing where the air condensed into a purple Miasma.

The Song rang out again, this time having no effect her... Or Trixie for that matter. Trixie was flying low through the Miasma on sparkling, azure wings, carrying Snips and Snails on either side. They were both out cold.

"You've got wings? I thought-"

"Rainbow Dash, there's no time! Take Snails, and lets go! We have to warn Ponyville!"

Trixie grabbed hold of Snips with both arms, and Rainbow dash did the same with Snails. Exchanging glances, the mares took off above the tree tops as fast as they possibly could. Dashie looked back into the clearing, and saw it again:

It was a pony... No, how much of the legend could be right? If that thing was what she thought it was... She gulped. It was made of many ponies of different colors... Rotting... Lopsided and hobbling awkwardly, clawing at the air as though to take hold of them in its necrotic hooves.

"Rainbow Dash, come on! We have to hurry!"

As she looked back one last time, the... thing... fell to pieces as it left the boundary of the Miasma, and Rainbow Dash wretched.

It was very real, and if it was unable to continue past the expanding Miasma... Then there was still time. It was still a small cloud, and hadn't yet exceeded the perimeter of the clearing. She had to warn Ponyville...

Flying at full speed, the rainbow filly and the show-pony rushed over the treetops and toward Ponyville.

Twilight must have known more than she did... Maybe she could find a way to stop the Umbri before they became too powerful.

The moon, not far above the horizon, illuminated their scenic flight path of trees and Equestrian mountains with her lunar radiance. If anypony looked close enough, they might have seen that the moon was slowly changing to a dark violet.

End of Chapter 1.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I edited as I went, so pointing out mistakes in comments will be very helpful. I made very little editions to keep it original, and to move the story along quickly, yet fulfillingly for my budding fan base. :)

I intend for there to be some drama and action in chapter 2.

Please, please PLEASE comment. Thank you.

Somnum: Latin for "Sleep" or "Fatigue." Hence "the Somnum Song."

Mort: Latin for Death. Hence "the Mort Song."

Umbri: Comes from the Latin word for "Darkness."

Nuntius: This word fits the name of a mysterious character, but I don't recall the meaning. Apologies from your author. xD Next Chapter: Chapter 1: Calm before the Storm (Part 2) Estimated time remaining: 25 Minutes