//------------------------------// // Hard Love // Story: Aeternitas Book I: Lunar Shadow // by Shadowlight Wanderer //------------------------------// Chapter 7 Rainbow Dash flew around the castle once again. She was almost hit with lightning that stroke from a nearby cloud. "Come on is that really the best you got!" shouted rainbow-mane pegasus, pointing at the castle. She almost felt like that time when she and all of her friends wandered to Castle of The Two Sisters and were scaring each other to death. Only this time it felt a lot worse. "When in all of Equestria I agreed to all of this ?" thought Rainbow Dash as she flapped her wings furiously, fighting with the wind. Since she awoke nearly an hour ago, she spent time flying around, trying to find her friends and find some cool monster to fight with. But an unknown foe decided to be more subtle. Rainbow was still flying around the castle and cursing out loud. She shouted out loud "I am Rainbow Dash, one of the best flyers in all of Equestria and bearer of the Element of Loyalty. If you are there, just show yourself and we will avoid bloodshed. And I am asking one last time ? WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS ?" A roaring laughter echoed from the darkness and the hollow voice answered "Those who fly the highest, fall the hardest. Your friends are haunted by many things: fear, memories, shadow of mind, grief and frustration. Let your pain guide you. And do your best not to die. I want to save you for later. You really think you can stop me. It is so hopeless that it is almost amusing. Watch for the ground" said the voice become fading away. "Hmm... that bastard's voice... I heard it once. But where?" thought Rainbow Dash. Then she heard it. But even she was too slow to dodge this time. She felt electric shock when lightning hit her. Probably sent by that shadowy bastard. Rainbow wouldn't be concerned about it very much cause this type of a lightning could only make her dizzy. As a pegasus she could take in more electricity than earth pony or a unicorn. But there was a more problematic part. During the shock, her muscles were shut down. Which meant she couldn't fly. With her wings folded and immobilized, Rainbow Dash started falling down. She tried to remain as calm as she could. She made an attempt to flap her wings... nothing. Ground was nearer and nearer. Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped. Acceptance flashed through her head like lightning itself. She watched approaching doom with resignation. She only wished to check if her friends were okay. She wanted to say goodbye so much. And kick AJ's butt for the lack of apple cider this year. And... CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *********************** Rainbow Dash gasped and opened her eyes. Everything hurt so badly. Rainbow managed to look around. She found herself on the statue on the roof of one of the castle's lower terraces. Rainbow quickly check the state of her body. It was emanating with pain from everywhere. Also both of her back legs and one wing seemed to be broken. But there was still one mystery that Dash couldn't solve. "How in Tartarus am I still alive?" Rainbow muttered. Not that she was complaining, but still. Fall from that height should definitely kill her. There was no chance of surviving. But she was still alive. "Maybe this is some crazy dark magic. I bet that this sadistic freak wanted to "play" with me a little longer so he prevented my death" thought Rainbow Dash Then she shivered slightly "Can he be that powerful that he can bring ponies back from the dead? I thought that nopony could do that. Twi said so..." A loud scream came from the top of the tower that Rainbow had crashed. "Oh no!!! Not on my watch, you fool." muttered pegasus, slowly slipping from the statue " you messed with wrong-" And then she felt it. She was expecting the pain but it wasn't pain. It was painful, killing agony of her entire body. Dash had to concentrate her entire willpower not to scream out loud. "No...I...must...save...the-them" she had hissed, as she used her front legs to move forward. Pain was overwhelming and Rainbow first time in her life wished to be disconnected from her body. She couldn't take it. But she couldn't stop either. If her friends were in danger, she had to be there in time to do...she didn't know what she could do in her state but she didn't care. Even with half of her limbs working she was still Rainbow Dash. The most awesome flyer in all of Equestria. She will find the way. She folded her front legs and moved once again. This time she couldn't stop scream of pain. She looked at the entrance to tower with fury in her eyes. "I am Rainbow Dash. I know that you still hear me, so listen, you freak. I don't know who you are or what's your plan. But if you hurt my friends in any way, I will end you. Even now I have more power then you can imagine. I will always be loyal to those I love. And if anypony has a problem with that, to Tartarus with you all." Rainbow moved forward, screaming in agony " I have a friends to save." ****************** 10th step Rainbow missed her speed more than ever. She yelled in frustration "Come on, move, move....Mooooooooooovvvveeeee!!!!!" She closed her eyes and stream of tears flow down her face. She HATED being powerless, especially in cases like that. She must be there before it will be too late. Step by step Dash was ascending to the top of the tower. But making it to the tenth step took her nearly ten minutes. She will never make it in time with that pace. Besides, it was humiliating for a pegasus who could fly to the top in a two second flat... **************************** " Gaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! No more, please!!!" cried Rainbow Dash after step number twenty. One move... wave of agony... one more...tsunami of pain. Rainbow shouted with her eyes red from crying " I do not want your pity. I REFUSE to stop!!!!" **************************** After twenty more steps, Rainbow couldn't see the staircase. Her vision was shaking along with her body. "This all is impossible. This can't be real. My body couldn't fail like this. No no no no no no no no no no no no no...." she thought, fighting to stay conscious. And in the moment she heard a loud "CRACK" inside of her mind... I have to go on, save them... Just sleep her and never wake up... I would not forgive myself... Let me die here... I won't ever leave them... I can't...Even if I fly away, I always come back Just lower the guard... Love me, hug me, I can't continue... Why I have to be strong one ?... Never surrender... fly to the things... not run away... Why I have to shield myself... Why can't I be soft for once... Just...rest... Please...Let me go to them... I do not want to lose anymore... Please let this be a dream... I can't trust myself.. **************************** 60th step Fold legs, push up, flap the wing, fold legs, push up, flap wing, fold legs, push up, flap wing, fold legs, push up, flap wing, fold legs, push up, flap wing...... **************************** 70th step ..... **************************** 80th step Just rest and never got up. Always the fastest, the strongest... I can't let them down... they are counting on me... KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **************************** 90th step Always hard, since the beginning. I need love too. I need caring. I need to be the best to the world so I can be seen and accepted. But what now ? Without myself I am no one.... **************************** Rainbowcould not believe what she was feeling. Her hoof slowly searched the space where the next step was supposed to be. It wasn't there. She really made it and she got to the top of the tower. Her friends... she managed to rise her head. She didn't saw a thing. Sweet Luna, she could not do a damn thing right now. She was devastated. After some time, when her vision cleared up a bit, she acknowledged that the tower she was climbing was one of the small ones, that were surrounding the endings of the stain glass corridor. She heard some kind of a roar. She shivered and continued her way through the short dark corridor. In the end she found herself in a stain glass corridor. Suddenly, she heard crying and saw Rarity, fallen under the stain glass showing the defeat of Nightmare Moon. Rainbow slowly moved closer and wrapped her not-broken wing around the unicorn. Dash was still shaking and she didn't believe in anything anymore. "Rainbow Dash? Is that you, darling?" Rarity asked quietly. Rainbow blocked the desire to burst into a maniacal laughter and exclaim " I don't know". "If you are real, Rarity, just stay with me. Stay with me before we move on. Just be with me" she said fearfully. Rarity hugged her back. Rainbow were slowly calming down. Rarity's presence always affected her this way. Rainbow could lay there whole day, inhaling sweet smell of her perfumes and crying into her perfectly soft fur. "Rari ? Is there any sense in continuing?" Rainbow asked as they were still laying on the floor "Rainbow, darling, I just... don't know anymore. But I believe that moving on through dark times shouldn't be based on rational decision. We should be going on just because it is decent and right. Just for the sake of our survival" Rarity said slowly Rainbow gulped "Rarity, I just feel that I need a change. I know I am awesome. But I fear that my awesomeness will become more me than...well, me. I have always been so tough and strong because I believe this is the way to be seen and appreciated. My parents were supporting me so much... And I loved them so much that I didn't wanted to let them down. I chose to become that awesome but now I do not know that I can be soft and caring anymore... Oh my Celestia!!!Come on, I am talking like you or Twilight. Rarity, did you noticed that this place sort of works like an..." "Illusion? Yes darling, I am certain it does" Rarity nodded Rainbow shivered " I heard a roar later and I think rest of the girls might be in danger. We have to keep moving" she gave a look to Rarity " Just for the sake of being better." Rarity giggled "Oh Rainbow, my words in your mouth sound quite funny" Rainbow rolled her eyes " Yes, hilarious. Let's go!!!" Suddenly, they noticed a light emanating from the Elements of Harmony former treasuring place in the end of the corridor. Rarity examined Rainbow Dash closely "You won't go anywhere in that condition, darling. Wait, let me try something" said the unicorn. Her horn glowed and Rainbow was bathed in a blue light. It lasted only a moment before it disappeared. Rainbow opened her eyes. The pain decreased and she was able to stand in some way. "It was the simple healing spell I learned from Twilight. It will wear off shortly, so must hurry up" exclaimed Rarity. ************************ When they opened the door of the treasure/hiding room, they were greeted with amount of chaos that Discord himself would be proud of it. Rainbow noticed Twilight disappearing in a flash of light, Cutie Mark Crusaders standing with some other pony, whose name Rainbow couldn't recall. Rarity rushed into direction were Twilight disappeared and jumped into the air but couldn't catch her friend before she vanished. Rainbow wanted to help her but something else caught her attention. Pinkie Pie were sitting, with blood on her hooves. Rainbow's eyes widened when she saw who she was hugging. "No, not her! Please, not her" Rainbow thought. Then she saw knife, probably thrown away by Pinkie after she...she... Rainbow galloped faster than ever in her life. She wrapped the wing around the knife. She was left with only one choice how to save the day.