//------------------------------// // A Rainbow's Shadow // Story: End of the Beginning: Darkness Falls // by NerdyByrd //------------------------------// Lightening sat in the chair right next to Nightmare Moon. She didn't look like the alicorn Dashie told him about. This mare was different. Instead of having a flowing mane that looked like the starry night sky, her mane was just like any other ponies mane. A long dark blue mane. One small braid covered her face while the rest was in a separate braid. Instead of a black coat, her coat was a light grey. She didn't wear blue armor, and she didn't have sharp teeth. But she did have dragon eyes. Maybe that's why being in her presence made him shiver. Nightmare Moon slowly lifted her hoof and rubbed the back of his neck. Lightening flinched. "So my child. Can you tell me where your sister is", Nightmare Moon asked. Lightening kept his mouth shut. "Maybe after our meal you will be more talkative", she said, leaning back into her chair. He watched as two Bat Pony mares came in holding trays of food. They sat the trays down and left without a single word. Nightmare Moon smiled. "Brownie", she asked picking up a small brownie from one of the trays. Lightening stared at it for a moment before taking it from her hoof. He took a bite out of it. "Lightening, do you know where Rainbow Dash is", Nightmare Moon asked again. Lightening stayed quiet. "You know, I do not wish to hurt Rainbow Dash", she said before taking a bite of salad. Lightening looked up at her. "You don't", he whispered. "Of course not", she laughed," I want to help her." "Why would Dashie need help from Nightmare Moon", he asked quietly as he took another bite out of his brownie. "Please Lightening", she said making him a bowl of salad. "Call me Moon." Moon picked up the bowl of salad in front of Lightening. He stared at his salad. He was hungry, but too confused to eat. Rainbow Dash had said that Nightm-... Moon was bad. But she seems so nice. Dashie wouldn't have lied to him... but it wasn't making sense. "Dashie said you were bad and really mean", Lightening told Moon. "She was confused", Moon simply answered," Scared. And I was still very angry about past incidents. The truth is, I want to help her. Your sister has magic." Lightening snickered," Dashie doesn't have magic." "She does", she insisted," All ponies magic. It just that Pegasus and Earth Ponies don't know how to use that magic. They have a different way of using it. And your sister is special." Lightening's eyes widen. He heard stories of Pegasus and Earth Ponies using magic before, but those were just stories. There was no way possible that they were true. Or was it? He looked up at Moon. It felt like her dragon eyes were looking into his soul. Before, it was earie feeling, but know it was almost comforting. The same feeling he felt when Rainbow Dash watched him. The feeling that somepony was always there. "I can teach you how to use magic", she whispered. "Really?" "Yes. All you have to tell me, is what you know about your sister. All you know about where she is." Lightening thought about this. Moon is very nice. She would never hurt Dashie. She only wants to help. And I really want to use magic. "Okay! I'll tell you", Lightening said happily. "Alright. You eat your salad, and I'll be right back. Okay?" Lightening nodded. He quickly shoved the rest of the brownie before working on his salad. *** Princess Moon left the dining hall and went to speak to the guard. The guard was a young mare, possible in her late teens, and held a stern expression on her face. Today, however, she seemed rather confused. "Is there something troubling you", Princess Moon asked her. "Why yes your majesty", the guard said lowering her head," Why are you asking this child about the mare's whereabouts? Not only is there the fact that he's a mere colt, Echo the Captain of the Guard is tracking her at this very moment. What's the point in figuring out her location." "Simple", Princess Moon said as she felt a smile spread across her face," If the colt tells where his sister is headed, we can figure out what they are planning." Moon picked up a dagger off a lonesome table, and turn back towards the dining hall. "We can stop them before it is too late." *** Rainbow Dash enter a long dark hallway that had know doors or exits. It lead to more long and twisting halls, and eventually, a dead end. She couldn't believe how big the place was compared on the outside. Rainbow Dash came to stop, and watched as Spark ran to the end of the hall. "Spark", Rainbow Dash said, grabbing Spark's attention," That's a dead end." "Or is it", Spark said with a grin. He pried on one of the boards, revealing a built in door. The wooden door open up to another door. This door was a metal door with a peephole at eye level. Spark knocked on the door and took a step back. The peephole open up and two bright red eyes looked through. "What's the secret password", the pony chirped before slamming the peephole shut. "There's no secret password", Spark said, looking confused. "Yes there is", the pony chirped back. "Since when", Spark asked. Rainbow Dash watched as Spark started getting slightly angry. "Since now", the pony answered. "I just made it up." Spark looked down at the floor, then look back up with a smile on his face as if he had an "Ah-ha" moment. "Well I guess I don't know the password", Spark said with over the top sadness. "I'll never be able to share this chocolate bar that's in my secret pocket with you. I'll just have to eat myself." There was a long paused, but then Rainbow Dash heard the clicking sound of locks. The door swung open, and on the other side was the pony who wouldn't let them in... but it wasn't a pony. It was... a Draconequus? It didn't look lot like Discord, in fact, it looked quite different. He looked quite different. He looked mostly pony, and looked to be little older than Rainbow Dash's younger siblings. His features in his face looked like a pony's and he didn't have a long neck like Discord. And he had two perfect pony-like hooves, but only two. These two hooves were his hind legs and his forelegs, no, arms were two grey paws. He had a pair of batwings and two horns that came out of his head. One was smooth and the other was bumpy, reminding her of one of Discord's horns. They were both black, and had thin, red stripes around it. The draconequus also had a long red dragon tail with a grey triangular tip at the end of it. He had a grey mane and his head, torso, and legs were white. At least, Rainbow Dash thought his legs were white. Oddly enough, he was wearing pants... with no shirt. He flash Rainbow Dash a smile, showing of his fangs. "My names Spiral", he greeted her. "Hi... I'm Rainbow Dash", she said, trying not stare at him too much. "I'm okay with the staring", Spiral told her," It's not everyday you see a half Draconequus." "Half Draconequus", Rainbow Dash repeated. "Yup", Spiral said proudly. Rainbow Dash watched as Spiral ran off further into the room, and that's when Rainbow Dash noticed how odd the room looked. The inside of the room reminded her of some sort of cave. There were no windows and there were small rooms that were ten feet or so up in the air with built in stairs. The only other way you could go besides back out, and not have to climb up a ladder either, was a short hall with picture frames hanging on the walls. Rainbow Dash looked back at Spark. "So he's half draconequus", Rainbow Dash asked, hoping to get more of an explanation. "Half draconequus and half pony to be precise", Spark answered. "Yeah. I should of given you a warning. These kids are quite eccentric, and they also have no parents. That's a touchy subject. Don't bring it up!" "Okay", Rainbow Dash said shaking her head. That's a good thing to know. "Do you want to take your cloak off", Spark asked. "Thank you" Rainbow Dash said giving him her cloak. "Don't you want to take yours off?" "No", Spark quickly said with a stern face. Realizing how harsh he may of came off as, he quickly apologized. Rainbow Dash gave him a smile to show there were no hard feelings. Spark turned from her and bang on the side of the wall. "Lunimist! Moonstone! Get your tails down here", he shouted. Rainbow Dash watched as two young colts, that looked about the same age as Spiral, came down from one of the rooms. One was a Pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail with deep blue eyes. His coat was bright white and wore a expressionless look on his face. Rainbow Dash also caught a glimpse of the colt's cutie mark. It was a paint brush that painted a stroke of what appear to be the starry sky. The other colt was a Unicorn, and had also had a bright white coat. He had black mane and tail, and a cutie mark of a crescent that was slightly covered by grey mist. He also wore a white blindfold over his eyes. "Rainbow Dash , this is Lunimist", Spark said, pointing at the Unicorn, and then pointed at the Pegasus," And this is Moonstone." "Hey", Rainbow Dash said waving. "Hi", Lunimist said cheerfully. Moonstone, on the other hoof, said nothing. "Moonstone! You can at least say hi", Lunimist scolded his friend. "Whatever", Moonstone growled. "Moonstone", Spark said, getting his attention," Do you know where that old vault filled with treasure is?" "Maybe", Moonstone said, glaring at the ground. "Well can you show us now", Rainbow Dash asked. She was growing impatient. And the constant thought about Twister wasn't helping. Twister... "So if you're not willing to tell us where that vault is, will you tell us where Maxium and Jeffery are", Spark asked. "We can't travel on an empty stomach", Lunimist argued. A bell began to ring out, and young fillies and colts began to pour out from rooms and began to make their way into one of the biggest rooms. Rainbow Dash followed Spark into the room. There was long table with plates of food. Nuts, salad, fresh fruit; it was nothing fancy but there was plenty of it. The kids began to dig into the food, not showing any manners at all. If Rarity saw this she would have a fit. "Lunimist! Can you read us the script to A Rainbow's Shadow", one colt, who looked like a cross between a pony and a dog, asked. "Fine, but you know how long it takes to read this", Lunimist said with a sigh as he pulled out a stack of papers. "Don't worry", the colt replied," We have all the time in the world." But that's exactly what I don't have, Rainbow Dash thought as Lunimist began the story. *** Twilight looked around at the different shops before being bumped into by somepony. "Hey", Twilight shouted. "Sorry", a voice apologized. Twilight turned around to find a young stallion with bat wings and fangs and..... Twilight widen her eyes as she realized that the stallion before her was a Bat Pony. "Hi", the stallion said giving her a toothy grin. "Ummm.... hi", Twilight whisper. "The name's Echo", the Bat Pony said, introducing himself. "Twilight", she said quietly. "Nice to meet you", he said politely. What the hay, Twilight thought, This is a Bat Pony! Why did I tell him my name?! I mean, he would of recognize me anyways so..... why isn't he attacking me? "Are you okay", Echo asked. "Y-yes", Twilight stuttered," I'm just.... thinking." "It's okay. I do it all the time." "Ummm.... what are doing out today", Twilight asked. "Oh... I need to talk to Spark", Echo answered, looking away. "Oh! You know him?" "Yeah", he said slowly," Something like that...." Twilight took the time to study the Bat Pony's features. Grey coat, dark blue mane, lavender eyes..... he seemed familiar. But why? What was so special about him? What made him stand out? Could he be one of the Bat Ponies that attacked Canterlot? And if that was it, how did he get here so fast? Twilight looked away. Why did she feel like he couldn't be trusted? Echo," Is something wrong?" Twilight forced a smile. "No." "Twily!" Twilight turned around to see her brother running to her to her. "Twilight", he said with a smile. Then he saw Echo. "We got to get going....." "Ummm.... ok", Twilight said. She looked back at Echo," Goodbye Echo." "Maybe sometime later", Echo replied, and then disappeared into the crowd. Twilight was pulled by her hoof into an alley. Her brother gave her a look. "You shouldn't talk to Bat Ponies. What if they're part of Nightmare Moon's guard?" "I'm sorry", Twilight snapped," I thought it wasn't such a big deal! He didn't look like he was part of any guard!" "I'm trying to protect you", he shot back. "Well I'm just having a hard time right now", Twilight said and crossed her hooves. There was a long pause. "I'm sorry", Shining Armor whispered. Twilight sighed. "It's not your fault. I.... I just don't know who to believe anymore." Twilight stared at the ground. Everypony seems to be lying to me...... *** Rainbow Dash listen as the play came to a close. It was amazing. And sad. It was about a Alicorn princess who loses everything. Her mother, her brothers, her sons, her husband..... everything. Eventually her grief and rage made her become evil. She was imprison and never heard from again. But the last part snapped her to attention. It was about how her descendants each bared a certain mark. Something rainbow. And the very end has forever burned into her memory. "And thus marking her descendants with her sadness and pain, Because you can't have a rainbow Without a little rain." "And then they all died. The end", one colt said. Lunimist looked down on him. "Will you shut up?" "You shut up", the colt shouted back. Spark patted the colt on the head," Now guys. Let's not fight." Moonstone walked into the room and everypony went silent. "Alright", Moonstone said, throwing a pile of scrolls on the table. "Jeffery is back at his house like usual. Maxium, on the other hoof, is in the Lunar Capital. I such you get moving." "Can you please show us", Spark asked pleadingly. Moonstone stared at him with an unblinking stare. "I may make an exception." Spark smiled. " What do you want?" Moonstone frowned. "We'll have that discussion later." Spark gave him a look. "I feel like I'm being tricked. But I will agree with that despite by better judgement." Rainbow Dash felt Spiral grab her hoof. "Come on", he said, puling on her. Rainbow Dash watched as Spiral and Moonstone each strapped a bag on their back, while Lunimist wrapped a blindfold around his eyes. She followed Spiral, Lunimist, Moonstone, and Spark out the secret entrance. They went down the long, winding hallway until the reached their apartment. When Rainbow Dash opened it, all her friends and family were their waiting for her. "Hi", Rainbow Dash said, waving. "So", Flash Sentry said with an angry tone in his voice. "You got those scary kids you?" "Shut up", Moonstone growled. Flash looked at him," Did you tell me what to do?" "Yeah! Get over it", Moonstone snapped. "I need clear table. NOW!" Spark rushed over and cleared a table off for him. In the process, he revealed Spiral. "What the-", Flash started, but Spark covered his mouth. Don't, Spark mouthed. "Rainbow Dash, who's that", Twilight asked. "That's Spiral", Rainbow Dash answered. " And that's Lunimist and Moonstone." Spiral waved from the doorway. "Well Moonstone is a jerk", Flash grumbled. "I can hear you, idiot", Moonstone shouted. Flash turned around and glared at Moonstone. Rainbow Dash could already tell it was going to be a long day.