After the altercation in Canterlot, Celestia contacted Rainbow to have everyone arrive in the castle while she herself contacted Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. Rainbow already knew what she wanted to talk about, having actually been there during the altercation. But she didn't know the jist of it. So she did what she asked.
"Mom.... what's going on?" Scootaloo asked, running ahead of the group being escorted inside, including her advisors, guards, friends, marefriend, adoptive mother and father, and daughter.
She lifted a wing, allowing the filly to get comfortable before lowering it over her in a motherly fashion. "There's a little.......unfortunate inconvenience revolving around the future Celestia informed of us."
"What are you talking about?" Rarity asked carefully. "There's not a problem, is there?"
They sat down in a circle in front of the golden throne the mother and daughter were situated on, giving her their full attention.
"When I arrived at the castle to inform Celestia of Spectrum, I heard a thud and crash in the hall. She wasn't in the room, so I figured she was out there, which she was.......busy shoving Blueblood's snout into a statue. Turns out Prince Blueblood had been secretly investigating my origin after being told not to, twice, by Celestia and Luna, and found a photo he wanted to obviously reveal to the public. Well, Celestia didn't like that, so she bucked him into a stone statue."
"Finally!" Rarity yelled. "I thought nopony was going to give him his just deserts!"
"While they were speaking," Rainbow continued. "We have learned that Spectrum is actively awake." They gasped in worry. "I personally think that Blueblood had awoken her early. He went to the Everfree castle and started digging, and knowing him..."
"Yelling, boasting, and ordering," Twilight sighed.
"Yes. I believe, more than likely, the alicorn woke up when he found the photo. Either way, something's wrong."
"That's an understatement, sweetheart." They all looked towards the left to see Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor trotting forward, all of them in their armor. "It is not just wrong....the cannot be predicted anymore. Before, I knew exactly how everything was going to go, but now......we have to wing it. Bluebood has altered the timeline and the events on it."
"Are you saying that because of Blueblood," Twilight said slowly. "There is absolutely no telling what could happen? That what you told us before doesn't even matter?"
"Correct," Luna replied, glancing at Scootaloo's face of disbelief. "All because Blueblood went and interruped the natural order of things."
"So there is absolutely no telling what could happen," Rainbow interpreted. Celestia sighed and walked up to the throne, pulling her daughter into a hug and nuzzling the top of her head.
"You're scared," she assumed.
"I'm scared for Scoots," she answered. "She just got a full family, she doesn't wanna lose it. Right now she's bawling underneath my wing."
She bent down and lifted her wing, exposing the crying form of her daughter, making her sigh.
"It's okay, little buddy," she whispered, picking her up. "I'll be fine."
Scootaloo only cried harder. "N-n-no! Noooo-o-o!" Rainbow pulled her into her chest, giving her the most tightest and safest hug she could muster, letting her daughter's tears soak her coat.
Celestia came around and nuzzled the back of her granddaughter's head. "It's okay, Scootaloo. Remember what your mother told you."
"I don't want her to go!" She whined, her voice muffled by Rainbow's coat. "I want her to stay here! With me!"
"I do too," Rainbow whispered, rubbing Scootaloo's back. "But remember what I said....I'm fighting for you, not just for Equestria." She pulled her daughter back and looked into her light purple eyes, tears still coming out. "So when I come back, you, I, and Fluttershy are going to Canterlot to celebrate. And you can bring your little friends too. Sound good?"
She nodded, letting Rainbow smile and kiss the top of her forehead.
"Rainbow?" The princess turned around after putting her armor on to see her marefriend looking at her concerned. "I know you have to go, but.......but please be careful. And come home."
The princess sighed and placed her helmet on her head before making her way back to Fluttershy. Stopping in front of her, she captured her lips in her own, giving her a love filled kiss that they both did not want to break.
After awhile, Rainbow parted, a peaceful smile gracing her features. "I love you, Fluttershy," she whispered.
"I love you too, Rainbow Dash." The Princess looked to her right towards the lounge before walking towards it, determined to make one little filly happy.
"Scootaloo?" The child peeked her eyes open, still being cradled in her grandmother's arms on Rainbow's throne. "I know you're upset but I want to give you something."
Rainbow grabbed the stuffed pony from behind her and placed it in her daughter's hooves. "This is a gift to keep you comfortable while I'm away. Take care of her, alright?"
Scootaloo nodded, squeezing the doll tightly before Twilight came over and took over for Celestia. Rainbow turned around focused. "SERGEANT CLOUDSTORM!"
The royal guard ran forward and saluted in front of the throne upon Rainbow's summons. "Please go and retrieve Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. She will need them. Applejack, where are they?"
"More than likely at the clubhouse in Sweet Apple Acres," she responded. "I take it you three are leaving right now?"
"If what I think is about to happen is, we will be there," Celestia said, putting on her helmet. "Any last words, daughter?" The ponies who didn't know widened their eyes, trying to figure out what she was talking about.
"I REAALLLY don't wanna do this......but it's for Equestria," Rainbow said bravely. "Let's go." Celestia lit her horn, letting them disappear in a flash, leaving the others shocked.
"Da-daughter?" Cherry asked tentatively. "Princess Celestia has a daughter?"
"Yep, Rainbow Dash," Twilight answered from behind Scootaloo, who was hugging the stuffed doll tightly. "It's been......a hectic couple of months."
"Wait, you knew about this?!" Lady Justice asked incredulously. "Why didn't you-"
"Because all of this would've happened earlier. Except, from what I gather, far worse."
"How dare she, how DARE she!" Blueblood yelled, scaring the ponies walking along the streets of Canterlot. He kicked a stone, watching as it bounced off a buff pony in front of him. The two stopped, with one looking at the other. "Out of my way, peasant!" The pony's eyes widened before they narrowed, trying to figure out this noodle of a pony's problem.
"What did you just call me?" He asked, stalking towards the offensive jerk.
"You heard me, peasant! I am Prince-"
"Yeah, right." *BAM* Prince Blueblood went sailing into an alleyway crashing into a bunch of silver trashcans before the pony shook his head and moved along. The people watching chuckled at the nameless pony who tried to boast.
Blueblood groaned and threw the trashcan off of his head, already fearing the future. "That Princess doesn't even know what she has done to me."
"And what exactly has she done to you?" A ghostly voice whispered, making him look up into the red and blue eyes of Spectrum. He gasped, preparing to scream before she plunged a hoof onto his mouth.
"Quiet, fool!" She yelled, making him quiver. "You and I have some.....discussing to do." She lit her horn, teleporting the two of them to a different area of the Everfree Castle, making him confused and more scared than he already was.
"Wh-what do you want?" He stammered, trying to get away before four vines sprouted out of the ground and held onto his legs, making him fall back to the ground.
"What was on that photograph that you dropped in the hall when you were here last?" She asked, stalking towards him threateningly. "And do not lie to me, cur!"
"It-it was a photograph of Princess Celestia, I swear! AHH!" One of the vines grew, carrying his left hind hoof, along with the rest of him dangling twenty feet in the air.
"There was more to that photograph, child! NOW WHAT WAS IT, I KNOW THERE WAS MORE!"
"OKAY, OKAY, IT WAS A PHOTO OF PRINCESS CELESTIA AND RAINBOW DASH!" He replied desperately, swinging his hooves around wildly.
"Rainbow Dash?" She asked calmly before moving in closer to his face, her anger radiating off of her and raising his fur on end. "And who is.....Rainbow Dash?"
"I don't know-"
"WHO IS RAINBOW DASH?!!" She yelled in his face.
"I think it's her daughter!" The mad alicorn's eyes snapped open in surprise before narrowing in focus.
"How old is she?"
"Very young, eighteen or nineteen!"
"That means she was born around the time I was imprisoned by my dear sister." She continued staring at Blueblood while she thought. "During the same time the Jewel of Rainbow was powerless.......so either Celestia has it....or her daughter." She yanked Blueblood back into her face with a yelp. "WHERE IS CELESTIA'S CASTLE?!"
"CANTERLOTWEWEREJUSTTHERE!"
"SPEAK NORMAL, PONY!"
"Canterlot, we were just there! It's the biggest structure in the whole city and you can see it from the mountainside!" Spectrum sneered before Blueblood went even higher, following after her as she tried to get a look. Sure enough, in the north, far away in the distance, was a golden colored castle.
"This is going to be too easy.....Thank you, pony. Your work is finished." The vine began loosening it's grip, preparing to let him drop and making Blueblood yelp.
"Wait, wait, wait, I can help you!" He yelled, flailing his hooves.
The vine stopped and retightened before Spectrum looked at him. "Pony I do not need help. I have faced off against my sister's before and clipped one's horn."
"But I know how to hit both of them where it hurts! I can help in the fight and get my title back!"
"Fool, I do not fight for titles, I fight for POWER!" She yelled, getting back in his face. "Nopony.....is able to defeat the might of the princess of nature."
"Princess Dash is the Princess of nature."
"Oh?" She asked, genuinely curious.
"Y-Yes. She can summon all the elements of it."
"Interesting," she said slowly, rubbing her chin. "That means I was correct, she holds the power of the Jewel of Rainbow. Why do you wish to help me?"
"Because that pony has caused me to lose my title!" He replied in anger. "I want to get her back!"
Spectrum looked deeply into his eyes, trying to see what he wants. Satisfied, she grinned. "There IS something I need you to do. Find a crossbow and get on top of Town Hall in Ponyville. Now begone!"
He screamed while the vine lowered rapidly to the ground and she teleported towards Canterlot. Ready to begin.
"Everypony inside a building now!" A group of Royal Guards yelled as they walked down the streets of Canterlot. Shining Armor ordered the guards to hide the citizens and empty the streets of Canterlot. Hopefully any neighboring cities wouldn't be able to experience the destruction that was to occur.
Those out on the streets quickly walked into a nearby building, leaving the stands, booths, and other things unattended as they made haste.
The princesses were all situated in the middle of the city, waiting for Spectrum to arrive. Celestia figured she would confront them first at where they resided, since she did that twice already.
"My niece," Princess Luna said, catching Rainbow's attention from the middle, next to her mother. "Whatever you do, try to refrain from using your horn in close combat. You may end up like I did."
Before Rainbow could question it a rumbling started to get their attention, making them take up their positions. In front of them, the ground started to crack open, making Celestia and Luna gasp, having already seen this trick.
"Duck!" They all dodged to the side right when large green spikes shot out towards them, jabbing forward and nearly going through Cadance.
"Celestia, why do you have to be such a pain?" The princess of the sun looked beside her, spotting a dark grean beam heading straight for her. She fired her own magic, countering it before a grapvine nearby grew and shot out towards her. It grabbed onto her barrel and lifted her into the air, making her thrash around to try and get free.
Distracted, Spectrum missed the light blue, pink, and cyan blasts going straight towards her, making her yelp as she flew from the impact into a building. The ponies inside moved out of the way as she jumped back up and fired her own magic out.
Rainbow gasped as it split into three, making her jump to the side. Using her own magic, she used the water from a pipe in that building, making it burst and hit the alicorn, having the desired effect.
She yelped from the cold, making her lose focus and release Celestia, who flew and landed back beside the other three. Spectrum growled before she looked at the others, hatred pouring off of her.
All was quiet during the stare down until Celestia groaned. "It's been nearly twenty years Spectrum. It is time to let old things go. My niece has not even had her wedding yet."
"Enough, cur!" She yelled back, slowly stalking towards them. "You know what I want......and I will get it."
"No you will not," Luna said.
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because we do not have it." Spectrum groaned in frustration.
"Do you take me for a foal?! The power is right there!" She pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash making them inhale sharply. "I now know about your transfer, Celestia. Lucky for me........little Rainbow doesn't know how to do it." The branches from a nearby tree suddenly shot out towards them, making them scatter and the branches to grab nothing.
Seeing as the fight officially beginning, Rainbow lit her horn and shot a bolt of fire at her, watching as she countered it with her own spell. Her magic doused the flame before Cadance teleported beside her and bucked her, sending her sliding a few feet away.
She hopped back up and flapped her wings, zipping towards and bucking Cadance into an incoming Luna, leaving Rainbow and Celestia running right towards her.
"A mother and daughter tag team, how sweet," she teased. "Let's take this to new heights, shall we?" She flapped her wings and zoomed straight up, allowing the other four to follow along after her.
Once high enough, she stopped and summoned her spell, allowing the nearby trees to fire the leaves at the group.
"Shields!" Celestia yelled, spotting the incoming onslaught, coming in like bullets. The princesses shielded themselves from the hundreds of leaves reaching them, distracted from Spectrum's next move.
While they were blinded from the onslaught, she zipped over to Rainbow's bubble and grabbed hold of it, making her gasp. "You're coming with me," she sneered before teleporting them both away. Once the massive amount of leaves stopped the Princesses looked around, gasping upon realization.
"No!" They yelled.
The two alicorns crashed into the stone column in the Everfree Castle, rolling around before bouncing back up and facing each other.
"Mommy can't save you, child," Spectrum taunted as they circled each other in the large hallway, an evil grin on her face.
Rainbow grunted as she unsheathed her sword, catching the mare's attention. "Spectrum, we are both at equal odds," she said calmly. "You must forget about the power, it's dangerous!"
"Quiet, child! I know what I want, now give it to me!"
"Never!" Spectrum lunged at Rainbow before she sidestepped, letting her horn pass by harmlessly. She lifted her sword and swiped at her neck before Spectrum teleported beside Rainbow and bucked her, sending her flying into a statue. Grunting from the impact, the princess of nature grabbed hold of her hooves and threw her to the side, making her break a whole nearby desk apart.
Jumping back up, Spectrum fired a bolt when her target teleported, hitting a wall behind the spot she was before. She yelped in surprise when something cut her side, making her grimace. "Give me the power!" Rainbow ducked right when Spectrum swiped at her head from the left of her, totally missing before Rainbow fired another fire spell at her ribs, making the crazy aunt yell from the burn.
"AUGGGH, you foolish child!" She grabbed hold of a statue in her magic and threw it at Rainbow's helmet, making it shatter upon impact. Rainbow grunted before Spectrum lunged and tackled her to the floor, her black form towering over her. "You will give me what I want!"
She jabbed her horn down when Rainbow struck, knocking her head away with the pommel of her sword and making Spectrum's horn sink into the ground beside her head. The princess used her magic to flip Spectrum over and onto her back while she herself got up.
Taking the advantage, she plunged her sword to where the evil pony was, only for her to teleport. Turning around, she unsheathed her sword and faced Spectrum once more, breathing heavily.
"You're good, but lack experience," Spectrum teased as they once again had another stand off. "If you were smart, you'd-" *WHAM* Rainbow zipped forward, using her speed, and bucked Spectrum all the way down the hall, leaving her stunned.
"If you were smart, you'd shut up and fight!" Rainbow zipped forward again, unaware of Spectrum's next move. The Princess froze at the large trembling that was shaking the castle walls.
"As I was saying," Spectrum said calmly, her Rainbow colored mane gradually turning white, along with her eyes. "If you were smart...." She grinned that evil smile at the princess. "Then you would know better than to fight back amongst thousands of my soldiers...the trees."
Hundreds of large branches broke through the stone walls of the building, all heading right towards Rainbow Dash. Sheathing her sword, she used her "Body of Fire" spell she demonstrated to her mother, turning her into a walking inferno. Turning her head, she used her magic and fired a ball of fire at an incoming tree branch, completely engulfing it before another swiped at her. Five more tried to grab her only to come to the same fate.
"Come now, child. Be a good girl and hand over the magic," Spectrum said, watch the alicorn struggle. "There are more coming. This is your only warning."
"Never!" She zipped her head swiftly to the right, sending out a sharp blaze that cut through some of the branches. But more were still coming.
"Suit yourself. Kill her." The branches rushed forward, intent to impale with the sharp edges before she zipped quickly into the air, blasting through the stone roof and flying higher and higher.
Once she was high enough she looked back down and gasped. They were still coming at the same speed she was going. "How is that even possible, they're tree branches!" She yelled in frustration, swiping at one with her sword.
"You forget, Rainbow Dash." She turned around and received a jab to her face from the grinning form of the pony. "I have more experience."
"Well, I have......some experience!" Rainbow lit her horn, freezing the air around her into hundreds of icicles and sending them to the mare while slicing apart the branches.
Spectrum teleported next to her again, but this time Rainbow was prepared. Her sword unsheathed, she swiped and caught her in the chest.
"AUUUGGHH!" She put a hoof over the gash before screaming in anger, flying into Rainbow at her speed and sending them right towards Ponyville.
"You insolent foal!" She reared back her hoof and banged it into Rainbow's helmet, making it dent. The Princess flipped her over and started barraging her face, the grunts like music to her ears.
They flew out over the forest, headed straight for Ponyville and the unsuspecting ponies below.
The ponies of Ponyville were all going about their afternoon, getting the last things they needed before heading back home to have dinner with their families.
Of course things were a little weird with the heavy Royal Guard presence near every building, but they didn't pay it any mind. Until someone yelled.
"Incoming fire, incoming fire!"
"TAKE COVER!" The two alicorns crashed into one of the nearby streets, creating a shockwave, sliding along the ground, creating a groove and creating a large dust cloud. The ponies scattered, heading into buildings where the guards directed them while the two got back up.
"We're not doing this here, Spectrum!" Rainbow yelled, watching as the alicorn jumped and tackled her to the ground, attempting to impale her again. She tried to jab her again and again, missing everytime before the Princess threw her to the side with her magic.
Before she could get up, Rainbow used her magic to create the icicles again, sending them flying right towards her. Seeing the incoming fire, Spectrum teleported back to Rainbow Dash, intent on taking her down, when she was knocked back a few feet, landing beside Applejack's apple booth in the square.
"That's right....keep coming, Rainbow," the alicorn muttered, getting back to her feet. "Is that all you've got?! Celestia has more power!!"
"I am not Celestia," Rainbow responded, as the two ran at each other.
Taking that as his cue, the pony on the roof poised with the crossbow, focusing his eye on the cyan alicorn.
Spectrum and Rainbow ran at each other before Spectrum teleported to the area behind her, making the princess slide to a stop in confusion.
"Bingo." The pony on the roof of the building pulled the trigger, firing the spelled crossbow right at her.
"Why would she-AAAAHHH!" She yelled at the feeling of something going straight through her. She collapsed, holding her chest in pain. Feeling a sharp object, she looked down, seeing an arrow portruding out of her chest. "How.....did I...."
"How's it feel, Rainbow Dash..." Spectrum teased, stalking back to the weakened pony. "To be stabbed in the-wait! Let me rephrase that. To be stabbed THROUGH the back?" She chuckled before bucking the Princess to the ground, making her skid and crash into a stand, yelling in pain from the movement of the arrow.
It had pierced her lung, making her cough up blood and gasp for air. She was drowning.
"You should've just gave me what I want." Spectrum walked forward, stopping right in front of her. Blood was beginning to leak out and pool around her. "And I would not have resulted to the extreme measure. Now...it is mine. Goodbye, Rainbow Dash."
She charged her horn, preparing to touch her horn her horn to hers before an orange beam hit her in the side, knocking her into a tree.
"RAINBOW! Rainbow, sweetheart!" The princess glanced to her right, hacking up more blood. Cadance and Luna engaged Spectrum while Celestia ran to her daughter, horrified. "My child, I need you stay awake, okay?"
She nodded while Cadance and Luna were busy stomping Spectrum to a pulp. She was completely caught off guard, wallowing in victory, thus completely forgetting about the other three alicorns. Her ultimate downfall.
Cadance picked her up and threw her against the brick wall of an occupied building, making her yelp. While she was stunned, Luna took this opportunity to put her horn to her own.
"Goodnight, you creature!" Before she could reply, Spectrum dropped her head, falling into the deepest sleep Luna could give her. The two stared at her for a moment before sighing.
"Go help Celestia, I will get the guard," Luna ordered. Cadance ran back to the two mares while called out, " GUARDS! COME TO ME AT ONCE!"
The doors in all the buildings opened, allowing the Royal Guard watching over the citizens to pour out. Some went to Celestia, Cadance, and Rainbow's dying form. She was gasping for air while Cadance was trying to keep the blood out. "Take her to the dungeon in the Ponyville castle. And we need a doctor for Princess Rainbow, at once! Escort her family to the Ponyville hospital! Go!"
"That was a really big boom," Apple Bloom whispered, drawing attention from the group taking cover inside. "I wonder what it was."
"Maybe it was mom kicking Spectrum's flank," Scootaloo said, hugging the doll tighter.
"I still don't know who Spectrum is," Sweetie Belle said.
"Celestia's second sister."
"What?!" The doors to the throne room burst open, shaking everyone into attacking before realizing it was a royal guard.
He wiped the sweat from his brow before giving everyone a smile. "The threat has been stopped." The ponies in the room sighed in relief before Scootaloo got up.
"Is mom okay? Did she kick Spectrum's butt?"
The guard breathed deeply making everyone look at him strangely. "Princess Luna requests the Presence of Princess Dash's family at Ponyville hos-"
All the ponies in the room rushed past him and out into the hall.
"-pital. Ugghh." He rubbed his face with a hoof.
Fluttershy picked up Scootaloo and placed her on her back as they all ran out the building's doors, taking to the air with two more pegasi beside them.
There was no telling what happened out there. But if the guard asked for the family of Rainbow to come to the hospital, then that meant it couldn't have been good. At all.