//------------------------------//
// Inferno 
// Story: Rainbow Dash Goes to Hell 
// by Obsidian Chitin 
//------------------------------//

The first thing Rainbow Dash realized about Hell was just how hot it was. While she wasn't in pain, it felt extremely uncomfortable. She found it hard to breathe, and just as difficult to breathe. If she still had a physical body, she would have collapsed. Instead, she forced herself to take in her surroundings.

Like before, she was on a mountaintop. But, the rock was blood red with miniscule lines of magma running throughout. She stepped to the edge and let out a gasp.

The land seemed filled with an ocean of lava. The islands looked like misshapen hands trying to claw their way out of the molten rock. A closer look gave Rainbow a large pang of fear; The islands seemed to be made of rock, metal, and burnt flesh. She was quite thankful that she was without a sense of smell. The distant sounds of painful screaming brushed her ears like white noise.

"So you are one of the puppets of my sister."

The presence of the voice put a weight on Rainbow far harsher than the heat choking her. It was like a thousand voices in one, each syllable conveying an existence far longer than that of even Celestia. This was a voice that commanded the heavens and damned the wicked.

Slowly, Rainbow Dash turned around.

The Alicorn before her was massive, twice the size of the Sun Princess herself. She was made of black brimstone that cracked and reformed with every movement. Lines of magma featured on her body like exposed veins and arteries, cracked open and exposed. Her wings had a dull sheen, seemingly made of millions of minuscule scales. Her mane and tail were raging infernos, the smokeless red flames somehow remaining in a curled shape. Her eyes were red throughout with strange pulsing yellow veins and snake like slit pupils of a pure black that seemed to suck your soul into their cold abyss. Rainbow Dash sat on her haunches, terrified of this monstrous being.

"Rainbow Dash. Element of Loyalty. Wonderbolt. Several friends, an unrequited love, a large ego conflicting with a selfless nature."

Rainbow closed her dry gaping mouth and nodded.

"My name is Persephone. This is my domain." The alicorn said. "I have existed far longer than your world, and I have watched it from below. For eons, I have watched your kind evolve. I have watched them grow in strength and number, divide themselves and then unite again. I have punished those who were never served justice, and left all others alone. You are but an insignificant speck to me. At least, you were."

After a long moment of silence, Rainbow realized that the nightmarish white noise was gone. There was no sound of any kind. Persephone stared at Rainbow Dash expectantly, waiting for her response.

Rainbow Dash gulped. "What changed?"

"You know very well what changed." Persephone replied, sounding more impatient than angry.
"...I became an Element of Harmony?" Rainbow Dash guessed.

"Yes. You found yourself able to wield an ancient artifact of unimaginable power." Persephone said. "So great that power, that you and your friends became the sole defenders of an entire nation."

Dash chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "We are pretty awesome."

"After one of your friends ascended, a certain incident forced you to give up your Elements. Equestria would have been defenceless, if not for the Tree of Harmony giving you access to the full power of Harmony itself. A castle was planted, within which is a map designed to give you and your friends missions in the name of Harmony."

There was more silence. Rainbow Dash felt quite uncomfortable. "Yeah, what about it?"

"You never questioned why."

Rainbow tilted her head. "Why what?"

"Why Harmony thought Equestria so weak and defenceless that it had to win your battles for you."

Dash's eyes widened. "What?"

"Have you not noticed how many times your foes were defeated by a sudden power gained from nowhere? How would you have defeated Chrysalis if it were not for Princess Cadance using love magic to fuel a force field spell, despite being drained from being held in captivity for so long? How many of your victories come from the Elements of Harmony? What about the Map? Have you never questioned how it knew these 'friendship problems' existed, and who would be able to solve it?"

Persephone's face was an inch from Rainbow's, and the latter was starting to cower.

"What would have happened if you had died after the Element of Loyalty was bound to you?"

Rainbow was shaking heavily, curling up to escape the glare of the goddess.

"Equestria would have fallen. But tell me, what would have happened if, all those centuries ago, Celestia and Luna had destroyed Discord with their own power, and not relied on Harmony? Do you think they would have been so careless as to rely on those artifacts from then on, or would they have strengthened themselves and their subjects to deal with the next threat? What if there was an Equestria that could win a war?"

Persephone leaned back, then turned around. "Tell me, Rainbow Dash. Why do you think I brought you here?"

Rainbow Dash got back up, and shook her head to get her thoughts straight. It was clear this pony hated harmony, but there was an underlying value that Persephone wanted the world to live by. The gears turned in Rainbow's head as she turned this over once, then again. "You want to get rid of the Elements of Harmony."

Persephone looked back. "Why do you think I brought you here?"

Rainbow felt like she was missing something vital. "...Because I died first?"

Persephone began to glare. "What makes you important? Loyalty. Ponies trust you, because they know they know you will always be there for them."

Rainbow could only let out an "Uhh..."

"I have a sister." Persephone said, waiting for Rainbow to see what was obvious.

"Sister...?"

It clicked. "Your sister is the source of Harmony?"

"My sister is Harmony. She created the Tree of Harmony, and have begun to shape the world with it. The world is soft, weak. I could simply place an artifact of my own upon the world, but what is more effective than an artifact? An avatar. You."

Rainbow Dash held up a hoof. "Hold it right there. You want me to go against harmony? Against my friends?"

"I want you to open their eyes. They must understand how to be self-reliant. My sister wishes to end conflict altogether. Without conflict, there is no strife. Without strife, there is no growth. In a world without saddness, without anger, without fear, happiness has no meaning. Do you understand now?"

Rainbow Dash mulled it over. "...Kinda. It just seems kind of fishy, y'know. This is Hell, and you look pretty evil. How do I know you aren't just doing this so you can take over Equestria yourself?"

"What makes you think I can't already?"

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I don't think I can do it."

"So you wish to abandon your friends."

She froze.

"You have the chance to see them again, to return to the world of the living. Perhaps the next pony will be more receptive. My sister is not the only one who can influence the world."

"I'll do it! Just please, don't hurt my friends!" Rainbow cried out.

"Good. I do hope you remember your mission, or I may have to do this again."

"You monster..." Rainbow growled.

"Had she never been bullied, would you have ever befriended Fluttershy?"

She blinked. "Wha?"

"Would you have made friends with Applejack, Rarity, or Twilight if the threat of Nightmare Moon hadn't brought you together? Would you have won the Best Fliers competition if Rarity hadn't fallen, prompting you to perform your second Sonic Rainboom? What would you have learned about Loyalty if it was not tested?"

Rainbow Dash blinked again as she processed all that. She was starting to see Persephone's point.

"If you had the job of Wonderbolt simply hooved to you without you having to work for it, if you had no need to make friends to further your goal, would there be anypony you would truly be willing to die for?"

The silence began again as Rainbow Dash thought about this.

Persephone smiled. "I chose you not because you would be willing to do this for me, but because you are willing to do it for your friends."

Flames surrounded Rainbow as she found her soul body beginning to burn.

"Become the Avatar of Persephone, Rainbow Dash. Bring freedom to Equestria."

Once the fire consumed the pegasus, she was gone.