• Published 22nd Aug 2012
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II - adcoon



Can Rainbow Dash fight destiny, or will she and her friends have to give up the Magic of Friendship?

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II.6 - Love at First Glance

She was alone now. She knew it was late as she wandered the darkened halls and corridors back to the room where she woke up earlier, but she had no idea of the actual time. It was certainly past midnight by now, maybe much later. It was as if the place had gone to sleep when Eden left, as if she had taken the light and life with her. The strange illumination was gone, and if the wandering wisps were still there they were neither seen nor heard by Rainbow as she lay down slowly on the bed of pillows. It unsettled her more than when they were visible and right in front of her.

She pulled the blanket over herself and stared into the dark. She was all alone here, and it was so quiet. It never got this quiet back in Ponyville. There was always the wind or little sounds of shifting clouds or creaking wood. Sometimes she had slept at Fluttershy's cottage where even the nights were full of life and sounds. But here there was no sound, not even the sound of her own breath.

And in the lonely silence it all came back to her. Everything since the letter. The image of Fluttershy and Soarin' together, the memories of the times she had spent with the shy pegasus, of the love she thought they had. It was all gone. She had lost what she never really had, and now she might end up losing all her friends, and why? She didn't even know.

Rainbow hugged the pillows and cried, wishing she had somepony there, somepony to lean on.

***

A deep rumble in the earth woke her up. She opened her eyes and stared tensely into the dark, uncertain if it had only been a dream. She lay for a while, listening in the breathless silence until her eyes closed and she fell back to sleep.

***

She woke again at the quiet sound of hooves stepping carefully to not disturb her. A warm light greeted her as she opened her eyes and looked around. The whole place felt different, more alive and fresh, like a forest in the summer. She lay for a while and listened to the soft shuffling going on next to her, before turning a little to look at where Blaze was standing with his back to her. The stallion was still in his uniform and looked like he had just come in from a long night on the wing. She remained silent, watching him work. There was something hypnotizing about how he moved.

He turned his body as if to leave, his eyes lingering on the table for a moment lost in a thought. He took a few steps before he noticed Rainbow looking at him. He stopped. “Oh, I didn't mean to wake you.” He gave her a little tired smile before continuing towards the door. “I'll not disturb you further.”

Rainbow frowned at him. “I've been alone all night,” she said accusingly. “Are you going to leave me alone all day too?”

Blaze stopped at the door and turned back around. “I didn't mean to … I just thought you might want to sleep. I'm really sorry we had to leave, but the princess requires our presence during the night so we're only here during the day most of the time. Last night was a bit of an exception.”

“You can stay now, then,” Rainbow said. It was a wish, and a hint of a command as well.

“I wasn't going to go far.” Blaze walked over and sat down next to her. “This place is pretty big, but we only really use this small part of it, so if you ever need me you can just call. Or yell really loud, since I might be sleeping.” He grinned. “But seeing as you're awake now, I suppose I should have a look at your leg. Has it given you any problems?”

“No.” Rainbow made no complaints as he removed the blanket to look at her broken leg. “Where are the others? Are you the only ones here?” she asked.

“Frostfell is here somewhere, probably sleeping. Normally only one of us is here at a time so we aren't missed elsewhere, but with you around we thought you might want some company so we try to be here a little more.” He carefully checked the bandage and the rest of her wounds. They were all fairly minor, but she had some nasty-looking purple marks under her coat where the roots had grabbed her. “As for Eden, she comes and goes. For now it can get pretty empty around here, I admit.”

Rainbow watched him work. All she knew right now was that she didn't want to be alone. “What else do you do, then? When you're not here?”

“Work.” Blaze grinned. “There honestly hasn't been room for much else of late, what with both the Princess and Eden needing us.”

“All work, eh?” Rainbow smiled and hesitated. No, no hesitating! She had hesitated enough, and where had it brought her? She was done hesitating and done being lonely. “So … no special somepony out there somewhere?”

Blaze sat up and smirked. “Not at present, but I might have somepony pretty special in m—”

No more hesitating, no more waiting. Rainbow pushed herself up and pressed her lips against his. Blaze looked surprised for a second before he closed his eyes and wrapped a hoof around her back. She broke the kiss and blushed, touching her nose against his. “It's been pretty lonely here tonight. Won't you lie down here with me for a while?”

He wrapped the other hoof around her and whispered in her ear, “Only if you say you love me.”

Rainbow unzipped his uniform and slipped it off his shoulders. “I love you,” she whispered and placed her hooves on his chest. She could feel his heart beating under the soft, warm coat and powerful muscles.

He smiled and caressed the back of her neck. “Will you be mine?”

Rainbow shivered. “I am all yours,” she whispered back and wrapped her hooves around his body. He made no effort to resist as she kissed him again and pulled him down with her.

Part of Rainbow couldn't believe she was doing this. Part of her was telling her to slow down, that she wasn't ready, that she barely knew him. Another part was cheering and chanting her on, and besides … what fun was slowing down? She had tried that already. She hugged him tightly and buried her face in his mane as he kissed her neck.

“Please be gentle,” she whispered.

***

Rainbow lay on the soft pillows, watching the golden light play on the walls of the room. She had been lying like that for a long time, simply watching the wall and listening to the slow breathing of the stallion holding her in his strong hooves. She had missed the sound of a breath and the warmth of an embrace. She hadn't realized how much until now. She almost never remained still for so long while still awake, but she didn't want to let go yet.

She felt his wing brush against her flank, and his warm breath caressed her neck as he buried his muzzle in her mane and breathed contentedly in his sleep. Rainbow sighed happily. It came out strangely with no breath, not really a sigh at all. She snuggled closer, feeling his chest heaving against her body. If only she could breathe, she would breathe in the scent of their love. She half-sighed again and closed her eyes, caressing his hoof with hers.

A low, persistent rumble from her stomach broke her from the dreamlike bliss of the embrace. She opened her eyes again and looked around. She remembered that she hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday, and she was starting to get a little sore from lying down. She moved a little, not really wanting to let go, but she couldn't lie still all day either. She needed to move, needed to spread her wings.

She turned her head a little to look at Blaze calmly sleeping behind her. It was strange. She wanted him, wanted to feel his breath and his love. But it wasn't like she had imagined. For so long she had thought she knew she would be with Fluttershy, always and forever. There had never really been another, and it had all be a dream, or a lie. She closed her eyes. A lie.

She had been blinded by stupid dreams for too long. This was what was real … this was love? Had she ever truly loved? Had she ever really wanted more from Fluttershy than a … a very close friend? Had she ever looked at Fluttershy and seen … a lover?

Rainbow gently pushed Blaze's hoof away and crawled out from under his wing. He opened his eyes and looked at her blearily. She wanted to say something, but after a second she just leaned over and kissed him instead. He closed his eyes again and fell back to sleep with a happy smile on his lips. Rainbow watched him for a moment longer before stretching her wings. She would just find something to eat, maybe have a look around the place now that she had the time.

She pushed the door open and slipped through into the corridor beyond, closing the door behind her again. The place looked different in the light of day, wherever the light came from. It still looked dreamlike and surreal, only warmer and softer. A door was open a little further down the corridor. Rainbow approached and looked inside.

The room was a small lounge. It had three small couches and a low table taking up most of the space. Bookcases, cabinets and a desk were set in the corners next to the door. Exotic flowers decorated the various surfaces, a pair of small palm trees grew next to the bookcases, and vivid green creepers crawled and winded their way up a pair of tall lamp stands in the back. The light was a warm orange, making the room seem darker than the corridor outside. It looked foreign and inviting, like a place where one could kick back and just relax. Somepony had been doing that until recently, it seemed.

Rainbow approached the table. It had an empty cup and a pot of tea, with an empty sugar bowl next to a brown paper bag and today's paper. She ignored the tea and, both curious and hungry, sneaked a peek in the bag. Rainbow licked her lips at the sight of the muffins and looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone around now, and besides, she was starving. She hadn't had anything to eat for what felt like forever. Almost, anyway. Rainbow grabbed two muffins, hesitated as she watched the door, then snatched a third for good measure.

She turned to the desk and bookcases as she gobbled up the first muffin. Most of the books looked boring. Histories of Equestria, biographies of important ponies, books on politics and culture … whoever read these were almost as big an egghead as Twilight. Only a pair caught her attention, a history of the aerial teams of Equestria and a recent biography of the Shadowbolts. She'd seen the first one before and made a note to have a look at the other one if she ever got bored enough.

There were a lot of newspapers, too, but nothing else of note. Rainbow finished her second muffin and left the room. The other rooms on this corridor didn't seem to be used much at a glance. Everything was quiet, with no sign of anypony. There weren't even any wisps drifting about as she found her way back to the grand hall from the other day. The big doors to the well were open, but no one was there. Rainbow paused for a while to look around at the drifting clouds and the water before turning back around.

She left the stairs at the other end of the hall and turned down another corridor instead. There seemed to be quite a few rooms, all of them barely if ever used. Rainbow wondered what the place was and why it looked like it had been left untouched for ages. There was no dust or dirt anywhere. Everything looked so pristine and perfect it strained belief. She closed another door and turned another corner when a sound caught her ear and made her turn to listen.

Somewhere a door had closed. Blaze had said Frostfell was here somewhere, hadn't he? Uncertain of the direction the sound had come from, Rainbow turned and followed a flight of stairs leading down. She passed through a heavy door into another hallway. It looked like the kind of door that was normally locked very firmly. The light was dimmer here, colder too. She stopped to listen and thought she heard a brief voice somewhere. A moment later the faint sound of hoof steps echoed in a hall somewhere to her left. Curious, she followed.

She entered another corridor and turned a corner. A light flickered in a doorway up ahead, and she could hear quiet voices coming from inside. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. For some reason she got the feeling she shouldn't be here. Perhaps it was the light, or the coolness. She gathered her courage and snuck closer to the door.

“I dinnae ken …” the unmistakable voice of Frostfell said with an audible shrug up ahead. “It could be worse, way I reckon'. It's really good eatin', even got real rum I think, and nae the worst place either.”

Rainbow stopped outside the door and listened.

“You always say that. I bet you enjoy this.” Dash stared a the door. That voice …

“ 'cause it be true, aye?” Frostfell commented. “An' I simply dinnae moan aboot it.”

“You ever think they're feeding us this stuff to … you know?”

“Dinnae be daft now, you're way too clever fer that kinda thinkin'.”

Rainbow shook her head and moved closer, peeking around the door. She had been right about the voice. Frostfell was sitting on a pillow, eating what looked like fruitcake. On the other side of the room sat Blaze, poking at his own cake. The really strange thing about the vision in front of her were the steel bars separating the two and herself. It wasn't a very bad prison, it had soft pillows and blankets, even books and flowers, but it was very definitely a prison, and they were on the inside.

Frostfell noticed her first. “Oh, will ye look at tha', they brought another.”

“She looks familiar,” Blaze said with a hoof to his chin in thought. “That rainbow mane …”

“Oh aye, the famous Rainbow Dash innit?”

“Wh-what are you doing here?” Rainbow managed as she moved into the room, bewildered by the situation and their strange response to seeing her. “Is this some kind of prank?”

The two ponies looked at each other. A sudden feeling of dread filled her at the sound of a gentle hoofstep behind her. She turned around slowly and looked into the eyes of Frostfell.

“Oh, ye're up an' aboot, I see,” the Frostfell in the doorway said with a friendly smile and put down a pair of lemonades she had been carrying. “Dinnae ye listen to those two,” she continued. “They just be tryin' tae trick ye an' make ye confused. Crafty bastards, them changelings,” she grinned. “Aye?”

A torrent of emotions and wild thoughts raged through Rainbow's mind as she backed away and looked between the two Frostfells and the one Blaze who should be up there sleeping. The Blaze she had just … “Oh … no!” she cried. “Wh-who are you!? What are you!”

“Changelings,” all three echoed and looked at each other.

“Dinnae just stand there,” the Frostfell behind the bars said. “Knock 'er doon and get us oot o' here! Dinnae tell me ye believe her! She's the one who locked us up 'n here.”

“Aye,” the second Frostfell said calmly. “ 'cause ye be lousy changeling spies. Wha' else should we do wit' ye? Just let ye go? Hah, that'd be pretty!”

Rainbow stared at them, feeling sick and angry and confused all at once. “Who's the real one!? Tell me!” she demanded helplessly, facing the Frostfell in the door, ready to attack.

“Ask her something,” Blaze said. “Ask her something only we would know.”

“Aye, ask me anythin',” the second Frostfell said calmly and ruffled her wings.

“Aye, anythin',” the first echoed.

“What?” Rainbow cried desperately. “I don't know what you'd—Oh!” She glared at the Frostfell in the door as a memory hit her. “Badmouth your 'Queen'. Go ahead, tell me how much you hate her guts, both of you!”

“Quin? Never 'ad any Quin. Dinnae care fer Quins.” The voice came from behind her. “Bloody bastard I bet ye. Never trust a bloody Quin, just ask any pony. Now, the Princess, she's a fine mare an' a proper pony. Her sister too, 'course. Nae Quin can hold a candle to the Princess.”

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at the Frostfell in the door.

“…” Her wing twitched slightly. “Aye. I spit on the Queen! May she rot in Tartarus, the bastard!”

“You hesitated!” Rainbow hissed and rushed at the doorway, tackling the surprised Frostfell to the ground before she could react. “Tell me the truth! And where are the keys?”

Frostfell closed her eyes and shook her head. Her wing twitched slightly again. “I dinnae have any keys. The Queen keeps 'em safe. She warned ye would jump tae conclusions an' get it all wrong,” she said. “Now let go o' me an' listen. I dinnae want tae hurt ye.”

“No!” Rainbow pressed the other mare harder down against the floor. “Don't think I can't take you on, just 'cause I have a bad leg!”

“Ye dinnae have a brother, I think.” Before Rainbow could blink, Frostfell had twisted herself free of her grip and tackled her. “Dinnae get doon on the floor if ye cannae brawl. Free tip.”

Rainbow rolled around and struggled. Her hoof struck out in reflex and connected with Frostfell's muzzle. The mare groaned at the blow and raised a hoof to grab Rainbow's leg. The hoof was black and chitinous. It had holes. Frostfell's body shifted and changed in front of Rainbow's eyes, revealing the changeling behind the mask. For a second Rainbow felt like throwing up, the revelation hitting her harder than she had expected. Horror gripped her and panic struck. She tore herself free and fluttered wildly through the door into the corridor, her heart racing as she regained her balance and raced blindly down the passage.

All she could think of was to get away and find the key. I'll come back for you, I swear, she kept repeating in the back of her mind at the thought of the two ponies she was leaving behind.

Behind her she could hear wings beating in pursuit. She picked up pace, dashing madly around a corner, scraping the wall in passing. She had no idea where she was going. The place seemed to go on and on, through endless corridors and empty rooms. Several times she could have sworn she had turned and headed up a flight of stairs, only to find herself headed further down instead. Her heart raced in panic as she continued blindly, as if something was driving her on.

She wasn't sure how long she had been lost, but the sound of wings behind her had ceased long ago. She slowed down and finally came to a halt as she passed through a grand arch into a vast open space. Rainbow looked around in the dark. Faint flickering lights glittered far above, and thick smoke billowed around her hooves. She hadn't noticed the smoke before. Perhaps that was a benefit of not having a breath.

Rainbow continued slowly and bumped into something in the dark. Backing away, she stared up at a grim face in front of her. The ground shook with a low rumble as the huge creature came alive, and a single great eye opened to consider her.