//------------------------------// // A Long Train Ride // Story: End of the Beginning: Darkness Falls // by NerdyByrd //------------------------------// "Hope, Wisp, Twister? Is that really you", Rainbow Dash asked. "Hi Rainbow Dash", Hope said with a smile. Behind him was Wisp and Twister. "What are you three doing here?" "We wanted to go with you", Hope answered. "You three are not supposed to be on this train. Only certain few ponies are allowed to come", said the guard that Rainbow Dash knew as Flash Sentry. "Oh, and what are you gonna do", Hope teased," Throw us off the train." A smile crept across Flash Sentry's face. "I take that back", Hope quickly said. He took a seat next to Rainbow Dash. He looked at her," Soooooo... where we going?" "Over the Wall", Rainbow Dash answered. "Riiiiight", Hope said slowly," What's over the Wall." "A whole other region", Twilight explain. "Interesting. When we get there?" "A couple days or so", Twilight said. Hope's smile faltered," This is going to be boring." *** Echo laid his body against the snow. The only thing keeping him barely warm was the cloak on his back, and his thick fur. He watched as the train ran down the tracks, puffing a stream of smoke out. Little did they know it, they lead them straight to the other kingdom. What was it called again? The Crystal Empire. Echo had already sent his brother back to inform Nightmare Moon of where the Crystal Empire was. The reason he couldn't have gone himself was because he had a different mission. His mission was to track down Rainbow Dash, and bring her to Nightmare Moon. He stood up and shook off the snow that piled up on him when he was laying down, and continued his mission. He willed himself through the cold, willed himself to capture her. And nothing will stop him. *** "OHHHHHH..... the boredom it kills", Hope shouted out loud. "Quiet saying that", Rainbow Dash growled," It's annoying!" "Well excuse me, but I'm bored", Hope whined," There's nothing to do, and nothing to talk about!" Rainbow Dash sighed. She loved Hope. She really did, but sometimes he can be the most annoying pony ever! Rainbow Dash looked over at Hope who sat on the back of the booth. To cure his boredom, Hope would purposely put his tail in her face. Right now, Rainbow Dash wanted to kill him. "I just wished something would happen already." A loud thud rang out. The train jerked, throwing everypony into the floor. Rainbow Dash hit her head on the side of the booth. She quickly got up, and looked around for the pony who caused the train to jerk. There was nopony there... and it was dead quiet. "What was that", her Mom whispered. There was a click sound, and the train door was being pried open by somepony. Shining Armor order everypony to stay down as he moved towards the door. He stood right next to the door, hidden from sight. Finally the doors widen enough for the pony to slip in. This pony looked a few inches smaller than Rainbow Dash. His identity was hidden by the black cloak he wore. The only hint of information she could get from his looks was his pale blue hooves that peaked out of the bottom of his cloak. And then Rainbow Dash and his eyes met. His blazing red eyes. And then Shining Armor hit him over the head with the hilt of his sword. The pony drop the the ground, face-planting into the floor. Fluttershy, basically in tears, ran over the pony and flipped him over, revealing what appeared to be a young stallion. He was obviously unconscious. But his most striking feature was the one thing she saw only in her family. His rainbow mane. Rainbow Dash watched as Fluttershy checked his pulse. Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief, making Rainbow Dash guess the stallion was still alive. Although, Rainbow Dash doubt he was dead in the first place because there was no way Shining Armor would kill somepony like that. "I take it back. This trip isn't boring at all", Hope muttered to nopony in particular. Rainbow Dash just shook her head. She manage to carry the stallion to the cart with the bunks in the very back off the train. It wasn't hard since the stallion had to be the lightest pony she ever carried. She laid him down on the bunk, and pulled his cloak off. Rainbow Dash looked down upon the stallion and realized his right wing has completely wrapped in tattered bandages. She heard the clopping of hooves behind her. She turned around to find Fluttershy racing behind her, and Flash shuffling behind. "Oh you poor dear", Fluttershy cried, taking a first aid kit out of her suitcase. She began to unwrapped the bandages off his wing. Rainbow Dash looked at Flash. "How did he get on", Rainbow Dash asked. "Not sure", Flash answered with a shrug. He then cuffed his hoof to the railing of the bunk. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "What", Flash asked," Safety first." Rainbow Dash nodded and looked back down at the stallion. She laid down on the bunk across from him. She needed to rest for awhile. So many things been happening lately, and she just needed time to process it all. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and went into a deep slumber. *** Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, hoping to find Color Streak, Fractured Light, or Smoke, but instead, she found herself in a hallway. A hallway of doors. Rainbow Dash looked down the hallway, trying to get a good look at the door at the end. Every single one of the doors had some type of way of showing that it shouldn't be opened. Some had simple 'keep out' signs on them, others were boarded up. "Boo", a voice said behind her. Rainbow Dash jumped and jerked around to see Nightmare Moon before here. "You", Rainbow Dash growled. "Nice to see you too", Nightmare Moon grumbled," And please just call me Moon. I do not know were the Nightmare part came from." "Tell me why you're here", Rainbow Dash demanded. "I want to help you", Moon said innocently. "Yeah, right", Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes," Last time I checked, you wanted to kill Twilight." "Sorry I got a little carried away", Moon said apologetically. She then laid one hoof over her eye ,"I Pinkie Promise I will never do it again to any of your friends." "Wait...", Rainbow Dash said slowly," How do you know about the Pinkie Promise?" Rainbow Dash was completely confused. How could a pony who was possible older then Princess Celestia, and didn't have contact with the outside world, know what a Pinkie Promise is? Rainbow Dash stared up at her questioningly, but Moon ignored her. "Rainbow Dash, follow me", Moon simply said, opening up one of the closed doors. Rainbow Dash watched as she disappeared into the room. Finally she decided to make the worst decision of her life. She followed Moon through the door, and found herself in a very familiar place. A forest and a small cabin next to a seemingly never ending lake. The sunlight shimmered through the small holes in the treetops. Three little fillies and three small colts stood were hanging around the lake. pushing each other around. Laughing. Running towards them was a filly that was a little smaller then the others, and she knew this filly well. It was Rainbow Dash. "Hey wait for me", the young Rainbow Dash cried out, chasing after her friends. Rainbow Dash remembered this moment. The day she went to the Shadow Falls Flight Camp. The day she met her friends... the day she earn the title Rainbow Crash. "Who are you", Eon asked young Rainbow Dash. "I'm Rainbow Dash. I want to be apart of your group", she answered happily. Her friends huddled together, whispering and murmuring to each other. The glance back at the young Rainbow Dash cautiously. They all nodded at each other, and looked back at the young filly. "Sure. But first, you need to complete a task", Fireball said with a sly smile. "Okay", little Dashie squeaked. Rainbow Dash watched as the young colts and fillies of her past began to plot. Rainbow Dash winced as they began to talk a race. The race. The race that scarred her with that horrible nickname. She watched as her six-year-old self, take flight to the sky, flying so graceful, only to come back crashing to the ground. All because of her stupid uneven wings. The one that was smaller then the other, causing her shame. Rainbow Dash fought back her tears. "Why", Rainbow Dash asked in a barely audible whisper," Why would you show me this?" "Why would you let this change who are", Moon returned in question. "You don't know me", Rainbow Dash shouted," You don't know what it like to be ashamed of yourself! To feel like nopony will accept you for who you are!" "Really? Guess again", a dark voice growled. Rainbow Dash turned around to find a monster in the place of Moon. Her blacked streaked mane. Her pupils of her dragon eyes were at pinpoint. She had razor sharp teeth, and she was battered and bruised. The monster laid her eyes upon Rainbow Dash. "It is only going to get worse", Moon said in a raspy voice," They'll tear you apart. Beyond recognition. Lies destroy Rainbow Dash." Moon now stood only inches from her face. "Lies destroy." *** Rainbow Dash nearly jumped out onto the floor. She tried telling herself that it was just a dream, but she could still feel Moon's icy breath on her coat. Moon. Rainbow Dash heard a rattling sound. Kinda like metal clanking together. She twist her head around to see the stallion from earlier pulling on the hoofcuffs as hard as he could. The stallion head was bandaged up. She also noticed that his right wing now had newer bandages. Rainbow Dash could see his cutie mark; a white star-like shape. "Ahem", Rainbow Dash said loudly. The stallion looked up at her and gave her his best charming smile. "Heeeeeeeyyyyyy", the stallion said very cheerfully," You seem like a nice mare. Care to help a stallion out?" Rainbow Dash just shook her head. His smile vanished," Fine! I'll find my own way out!" He raised his hoof into the air, and just held it there. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but stare. Just then she thought she saw a crackle of electricity. Like red lightening flickering around his hoof. Then the hoofcuff started melting off of his hoof. It fell to the floor as a red hot mass. Rainbow Dash's mouth hung open. How was he able to do that? Pegasus couldn't use magic! She slowly started to back away from the stallion. At first, the stallion looked up in confusion, and then let out a heavy sigh. "Darn it. Forgot", he muttered under his breath. He looked over at Rainbow Dash," You better not freak out." Rainbow Dash felt her jaw work for a moment, and then she said in a huge rush," Freak out! I'm not freaking out! Why would I be freaking out?! You know, besides the fact you're a Pegasus and Pegasus can't use magic! My dear sweet Celestia, how are you able to that?!" The stallion just stared at her. "I could teach you", he offered. "Nonononono! I'm good! I'm... good", Rainbow Dash quickly said, twisting around. She had to still be dreaming. There was no way possible that could really happen in real life. She look back the stallion. He was still there. "The name's Spark", he said, extending his hoof. Rainbow Dash hesitantly took his hoof," Yeah. Rainbow Dash." Spark frowned," After your mane?" "Sure", Rainbow Dash said, looking away. Why does everypony keep saying that? "That's kind of sad", Spark snickered. Rainbow Dash shoot him a look. "Or not sad at all", Spark quickly said. Rainbow Dash just stared at Spark. A question flickered through her mind." Do you have other powers or do you just melt things?" "I have other powers", Spark said proudly. "Come on. Follow me", Rainbow Dash said, turning towards the door. Her friends had to see this. "Where are we going", Spark asked. "To see my friends", Rainbow Dash simply said. She seen Nightmare Moon's return, found out the secret her parents been hiding, had a stallion sneak aboard the train, and now that same stallion could use magic. What could make life any weirder?