'Oh shit,'
The only thing that raced through Cloud's mind were those two simple words. Cloud Strider had never experienced what teleportation was like, nor did he expect how it affected him. After pinning Rainbow Dash to a wooden wall, he felt himself roll across smooth flooring. Rainbow Dash blurred in and out, going through the same process as he was. He grappled onto the slick floor as best as possible and found his footing.
Rainbow Dash managed to stand up on all fours, just seconds before him. She stood her ground firmly and watched Cloud shake his head. He managed to put his pain on hold to address the problem standing only feet away from him. Her mad growling and stamping hooves on the ground signaled a fight. With no one to hold her back, she was free.
"You don't wanna' do this, Rainbow," Cloud Strider looked up at Rainbow Dash slowly. Her hoof dragged across the marble floor as if digging into the dirt.
"Watch me."
Failing to recuperate in time earned him another tackle and a punch to the face.
"Ahh!-Dammit!" Cloud Strider tried peeling Rainbow Dash off of his torso.
"Told ya' you're not so tough-whoa!" Rainbow lost her grip and was flung to the ground, exchanging glares of static lightning.
'Shit, she's fast!' Cloud Strider studied her body desperately for any sign of movement. Feeling his sword and shield so close pained him inside, biding his time. 'Faster than me, too fuckin' fast! I gotta' wait for an opportunity.'
Cloud Strider picked up the sword and sheathed his weapon securely to his back. His shield easily slid off of his scabbard once he grabbed the handle. Rainbow Dash looked at his patterned shield and squinted at the pieces of wood and linen.
'What is he up to?!' Rainbow Dash peered even closer. Cloud's eyes peeked from behind the shield, rising above the rim just enough to see the fight progress. His shielded hoof caused him to coil back like a metal spring while on three legs. The pacing of Rainbow's gait signaled an injury.
"Kom igjen!" Cloud Strider called out.
"What did you call me?!" Rainbow Dash let her anger rekindle while he thumped the front of his shield to the sound of his pounding heart. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it!" Rainbow bolted straight into him, again and again.
'Fucking hell!' his eyes widened. She flew through the air so fast and with such energy that he slid back and nearly let his body upend. The shield bashed against his head as Rainbow Dash crashed into him.
"Gah!" Cloud pushed back in a sudden burst forward. Both of his hind legs strained against the pressure once Cloud grabbed his shield completely. Rainbow Dash tried to pry the wooden shield away instead.
"Let—go!" Rainbow Dash glowered at him just behind his defenses. Cloud Strider ignored her demands as she continued to thrash. He struggled in the fight of brawn but continued to hold fast. Rainbow Dash slipped to the side and pulled Cloud into the marble wall. Guttural yells from the two ponies echoed throughout the white halls. Both crashed into the wall forcefully, but Cloud Strider had his back against the wall.
'Push, damn you! Push!' he gave his hind legs everything he had and finally managed to make it back into the middle of the hallway. Cloud felt Rainbow Dash subtly jerk and breathe deeply; he prepared himself. Her breath clung to his fur she was so close. He waited on edge until suddenly she pushed back at full force.
'Now!' Cloud Strider reached around his shield, grabbing Rainbow.
"Huh?! H-Hey!"
Cloud charged under her center mass and hoisted her up on his shield. With his momentum at its peak, he slid under and flipped her over to the ground. Rainbow Dash hit the floor hard and felt a sharp pain run through her body. He pinned her down and held her muzzle against the floor while on her side. She moved her legs but she was barely able to do anything but wheeze in discomfort.
"Let me go! Get off me!" Rainbow Dash flared her nostrils, locking heads with him.
"Calm down, then."
"N-No! Gah-ow! Stop, stop! S-Stop!" Rainbow felt the pain intensify.
"If you calm down, you'll breathe better," Cloud Strider added.
"Ok...! ok," Rainbow began to slow her breathing slightly, "just—please stop!"
"Do you promise to relax and not attack me?" he asked and waited in gaps of silence. But without a response, he pushed down harder, "do you promise?!"
"Yes! Yes! Stop!" Rainbow Dash said much to her dismay. Noticing the shield lift up was a great feeling until his leg brushed up against hers. "Tch! Ow!"
Cloud moved his hoof down next to her wing, letting Rainbow Dash stumble back to her hooves. The two ponies were still panting for their next fix of wind. A faint trickle of blood dripped down from Cloud's forehead as the structures around him began to settle in. Looking out and beyond, he examined the ornate and gilded walls around him. Monolithic archways above stood firm and tapestries hung from anchors. Crystal torches lining the walls gave the never-ending hallways an inviting yellow warmth.
'Where—What is this place? It looks so familiar.' Cloud Strider stopped and turned back around, remembering that he was not alone. He gave off such a subtle air of confusion."I woulda' thought you'd run off..." he said.
"I know that, idiot!"
"Well, why didn't you?" he strapped his shield to his back once he found a quiet moment, standing over her. She failed to respond, but Cloud studied her leg. "Your leg, l-let me help you."
"Don't touch me!"
Cloud Strider sighed, taking in a few more deep, shaky breaths. He heard Rainbow Dash continue to suppress her breathing and twinges of pain.
"It's ok to accept help, you know?" Cloud said.
"Yeah, for weaklings. I'm not weak," Rainbow Dash curled up, "and I don't want help from a magic using—weirdo, like you."
Cloud Strider snorted in silence and smirked, annoying her further. Before long, nothing could stop his small outbursts of laughter.
"What so funny, huh?!" Rainbow Dash snapped.
"I wouldn't call you weak. Hehe, I don't think anyone would. You're a pretty tough son of a bitch. Anyone who'd call you weak is even more of a fool..."
Rainbow Dash turned around, albeit slowly. She glanced away and studied the ground below her forelegs. Rainbow shifted her body and sat up away from the walls. Gritting her teeth and scratching her neck, she stammered out, "I—could use, you know, some help... But only because you popped my leg outta' place! You owe me, that's it!"
"On second thought, why should I even trust you?! I saw you use magic. And-and you made Twilight cry... What did she see in you? Why'd you make her cry, huh?!" Rainbow's chest puffed out. The stark expression lining his muzzle was enough to make her ears curl.
"I'll tell you, I'll show you a-anything I know, Rainbow Dash. But I need your help, too. She's the only one—that I think can help me."
Rainbow Dash pulled her head back after hearing Cloud almost beg her to get him to his destination. A sensible rush of mistrust and anxiety caused the tips of her hooves to tingle.
"O-Ok, I... I will," Rainbow replied, feeling a fraction of her anger strangely melt away. Giant hallways filled in the space around Cloud, taking her mind off of the pain temporarily, 'I'm gonna' regret this. I just know it.'
"Stay still," Cloud Strider went behind her with Rainbow's bum leg in his grasp. He sat down and placed his other foreleg on the nape of her neck.
"Hey! Wh-"
"Relax," he said.
"I know how this works, you don't need to tell me!" Rainbow Dash breathed in once her forelegs became limp. Cloud lifted her injured leg up towards her head, pushing lightly on her neck.
"On three, alright?" Cloud said and received a timid nod. "Ok, one... two!" He quickly pulled up and felt her leg roll back into place with a resounding, sharp thud.
"Ah! The fuck is your problem! Why'd you do that?!" Rainbow Dash pushed him back and held her leg. After a moment, she experimented a little by twisting and stretching. Rainbow stood up and paced around the hallway, making sure the job was done.
'Well... I hate to say it, but that little stunt fuckin' worked. Which is why I'm not gonna' say it out loud.' Rainbow Dash turned towards him half-assed with a sullen expression.
"Th-Thanks, I guess," even with a scowl on her face, he felt that her expression was genuine. "And I'm not sure you know, but we're already in Canterlot."
"R—Really? You're kidding. H-How do you know?"
"Well, this isn't my first time here," Rainbow Dash said, flexing her leg.
'Things like this, they only exist in fairy tales. But this is actually real,' the walls around Cloud Strider were not safe from her touch. He touched everything: from the fine engravings to stained glass windows—every detail he touched had a story.
"Well, come on. You said you needed me to find Princess Luna," Rainbow Dash mustered up the energy to face him, but his response was delayed by the stunning scenes before him. 'Looks like someone's never been to Canterlot...'
"Aye, uh, yeah—yes," he nodded.
"And just because I'm being nice, doesn't mean we're friends, by the way. I just always deliver on my promises, got it?!" Rainbow Dash was already down the hall, with or without Cloud. But he caught up without much of a problem.
"That's—respectable," Cloud Strider bobbed his head, "besides, we'll probably never see each other again, anyway."
"Good," Rainbow Dash replied, continuing down the pristine hallways with Cloud Strider following close behind. The two ponies remained silent which put Rainbow on edge thinking about what he was plotting.
'This-this fuck is going to kill Princess Luna or somethin'. Well, he's got another thing comin'!' Succeeding in angering herself again, she let out a low growl. Rainbow Dash continued to let her thoughts fester, feeling more and more as if she needed to act. She looked back at him with glancing eyes, making sure he did not catch onto her actions. She squinted at him but received a different answer to her innate questioning. Cloud was oblivious to her staring and gazed around the halls in captivation.
'Hmm...' Rainbow frowned and grimaced at the sight after a few more moments of wracking her mind. 'Maybe he's really tellin' the truth. The way he's acting doesn't seem, I don't know, bad. A-Almost like he's not really capable of hurting anyone.'
'No. No-he's capable of killing! He could have easily killed me... He's got me beat,' Rainbow continued to sour over both her personal and collective ordeals. Fighting between reason and hasty conclusions.
'But, he didn't try to—just, keep an eye on him, Rainbow,' she shook her head, 'don't let him trick you!'
"Ugh, dammit," Rainbow Dash stared down the converging hallways in front of her.
"Lost?"
"What do you think, huh?!"
Cloud Strider took her offense and shrugged it off. A pony acting such as Rainbow Dash was not uncommon to him. Instead, he moved on to ask the next question. "You live here?"
"No," Rainbow Dash said in return.
"But, isn't Canterlot part of your hold? Or clan?"
"W-What?! No!" Rainbow Dash looked at him in disbelief for a brief moment.
"Well, who's the jarl of this land?" Cloud asked.
"What are you talking about? There's no 'jarl' or 'clan' or, whatever you're fuckin' saying. Just shut up," Rainbow Dash shook her head at Cloud's unintelligible mind. To her surprise, he listened.
"This castle is massive..." Rainbow Dash said. Another flight of stairs led up to another floor and the hallway before cut both ways. She trotted up to the very instance of another forked path, growling in agony. "No, No! Are you kidding me?!"
Cloud Strider brought up the rear, stopping well behind her. He watched her look both ways and pound the floor with her hoof, stepping a little bit closer after a few moments of serious thinking.
"Go right," he said, gaining Rainbow's utmost attention.
"And what made you the expert all of a sudden?"
"Nothing," Cloud stayed still, "you just gotta' guess sometimes."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and growled some more, "fine, we'll do it your way."
She marched down the right lane. Being alone with Cloud made Rainbow have feelings of distress, which caused her muscles to tighten. She soon began to trot instead, hoping to alleviate her stress. ''You just gotta' guess sometimes', huh?Who made you King Philosopher...? Well, I guess he's not entirely wrong about that. Something's better than nothing.'
"Keep up," she said, having him trot after her. Rainbow Dash scanned the halls, looking for any sign that she was on the right path.
"Do you know where she might be? Like, a throne room or livin' area?" Cloud Strider asked. Rainbow Dash pinched the top of her muzzle.
"Why would I keep track of that?"
Cloud shrugged, "dunno', just thought it might help us find her."
"Princess Luna?" Rainbow Dash looked at him and received a nod in return. Rainbow slowly turned away and continued to guide him through the maze of hallways.
"Um..." she scratched the back of her head, "Princess Luna isn't really someone ponies know a lotta' 'bout."
"So, she's reclusive," Cloud replied, "like what your friend Twilight said?"
"Y-Yeah, she is," Rainbow Dash said. What came next threw her out of her tizzy.
"What does she look like?"
Rainbow Dash soon raised her head and slowed down to a complete stop. Baffled; enthralled—encompassed by an array of odd astonishment.
"I-I have an idea of what she looks like, but—my ideas and my culture are, different, to put it lightly," Cloud Strider tilted his head, eager for an answer but unwilling to show it. He stared at the back of her neck until she locked eyes with him.
"What do you see?" Rainbow peered deep into his searching eyes.
"When I close my eyes... when I dream, I see a black horse. Her eyes sharper than steel, and her jaw is lined with teeth like a hoof saw. She changes shape I think, turning into all forms of evil and sin. She tries taking over my body sometimes, and other times she tortures me to strike a nerve, tempting me with things I want back in life," Cloud Strider watched Rainbow go through a cycle of intrigue to horror.
"Luna isn't—" Rainbow Dash forced her eyes away, "—like that. S-She's very different, but also very kind too... Are you sure you're talkin' about the right pony?"
"I know that Luna's the better half—the part I don't see at night. I see flashes and glimpses of her looks, but they're never long enough to see any features... What does she look like to you, Rainbow Dash?"
"Uh, her mane and tail are filled with little stars. And she's... she's dark blue, kinda' like you," Rainbow Dash nodded her head, fighting off the image of who Cloud had just described. "But most of all, she's just—a very brave pony."
"I see," Cloud said, "I can't wait to finally meet her in the real world."
"This way," Rainbow Dash turned left; it was the only way to go. She slowed her speedy trot and stopped. In front of her lay the foundation of an open hall. One with pillars spearing into the ceiling and with all the grandeur of the castle flowing into it. Rainbow immediately recognized the place and felt an aggressive beating in her chest. 'Shit, this is all happening so fast!'
Cloud Strider nearly passed her by before noticing she stopped, "hmm? Something wrong?"
"Easy," Rainbow Dash put her hoof in front of him and paced ahead of him. She crept up to the mouth of the large room and studied the grandiose regal court.
"What do you-"
"Shh," Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her muzzle gently before glancing around the corner. The room was so clean and polished that some of the surfaces mimicked mirrors.
'Ok, no guards,' she further examined the room, seeing no activity.
'Strange, I—' Rainbow Dash spotted Twilight and the rest of her friends. Her subconscious made her lean forward and walk, wanting to go hug each of her friends. But her troubling thoughts of Cloud Strider and who he was infested her mind. She made a promise to show him to Princess Luna, and so Rainbow stopped and looked back at Cloud with trouble in her heart; his heart too. She clenched her eyes shut and soon stared at the ground.
'—I could make a break for it! I can outrun this bastard and make it over to everyone right now and he'd be in trouble!' Rainbow Dash glanced up at him desperately. Cloud Strider depended on Rainbow Dash, he needed her to bring him deliverance and it showed. It showed like no other.
"What's the plan, Rainbow Dash?"
With every passing second, Rainbow's ears throbbed painfully with a racing heart. It was her choice whether to double cross him or stay true to her word.
'Dammit... Damn you and your loud mouth, Rainbow! Why do you have to be so damn stupid?!' she covered her sealed lips and glazed over in the head, letting her mind become a victim of her own scorn. Rainbow Dash stared up at her friends, oblivious of her current existence. She noticed the gentle waver and flare of an airy mane, seeing Princess Celestia tower over them.
"Princess Celestia!" Rainbow Dash whispered.
"Who?" Cloud whispered back but she never responded.
'If Twilight's here, then it's too late. She's told her everything,' Rainbow made sure her body was hidden from anyone looking her direction.
'What do I do?' without even thinking about it, Rainbow Dash fled deeper into the shadows next to Cloud.
'Why am I helpin' him? W-Why am I doing this?!' she edged closer to the lip of the connecting hallway. Once again, her subconscious took over. Rainbow Dash breathed deeply, subduing her uneasy thoughts for what she was about to do. Turning her head, she pushed him against the wall with her two front legs and looked him straight in the eyes without making a sound.
"Listen up and listen good. You follow my lead and don't say anything stupid, hear me? I'm stickin' my neck out for you and you'll know what's good for you if you don't act like an idiot. And don't try anything because you'll sure as hell regret it, understand?" Rainbow Dash said, inches away from his face.
"Yes, ma'am," Cloud Strider's eyes widened from Rainbow's unanticipated but quiet outburst. He knew just by her gait and the way she carried herself that this was really important to her. Cloud noticed it right as she started pacing down the halls beforehand, and how much being forcefully pacified impacted her self-esteem.
"Good... N-No sudden movements, ok?"
Cloud Strider nodded. Rainbow Dash tried to relax before going out on a limb but was overwhelmed by genuine fear. She carefully stepped out towards the giant pillar and motioned him to stay.
'Ok... Ok, here goes,' Rainbow's legs trembled, not knowing what was going to happen to her or Cloud Strider. Her vision coned and she could see every pulse of her heart, her fur stood straight on end. Rainbow Dash paced out and looked at everyone.
"You're a brave pony for doin' this for me," Cloud said, hearing gasps and cries of joy. He knew well that she was far beyond earshot, but Cloud did not care. "I hope you understand that."
"Rainbow Dash!" almost everyone she looked at said her name in perfect unison. Charging down the steps, her friends rushed to her side.
"Wait! Wait, stop!" Rainbow Dash waved her hoof, getting her friends to stop. They seemed confused and looked at one another. Rainbow Dash looked to her side and beckoned Cloud to come out of the shadows.
'Nice and easy, Cloud Strider,' Cloud paced into the lights. His breathing and the pulse of his heart was on par with Rainbow Dash's, maybe even faster. He saw Twilight and a couple new faces mix in with the crowd. But nothing came close once he found his eyes transfixed on the pure entity of white fur before him.
"Twilight, don't!" Rainbow Dash wedged herself between Twilight and Cloud. Twilight was ready, more than ready, to charge over with a raging scowl on her face and blast him. All the while, Cloud gazed at the wonderous body rising far above all the other ponies. The white alicorn emblazoned in gold stared directly into his eyes, intrigued. Her mane flowed like the wind, giving off an infinity of sparkles in the changing flow of colors. Even her presence before her loyal subjects radiated with otherworldly traits in the likes he had never seen before.
The alicorn stared directly into his eyes with curiosity and studied him. Cloud Strider watched the pony stand tall, making his legs go numb with inspiration.
"Rainbow, what are you doing?! Get away from him!" Twilight said, "You saw what he did! He's dangerous!"
"But—why is he though?" Rainbow Dash stepped towards Twilight, "I know he's dangerous, but-"
"Rainbow, he's Nightmare Moon!"
"What?" Rainbow's ears pointed to the ceiling. Hearing that name forced shivers down her spine and through her tail.
'The—Is that, true? N-No, it can't be. That's just... impossible!'
"Don't you dare compare me that piece of shit, Twilight! I share nothing in common with her!" Cloud said.
"What did I say about talking, you idiot?!" Rainbow Dash reminded him of his place. Twilight Sparkle squinted at Rainbow after seeing what she did. Twilight wanted to help her but feared the worst for her friend.
"You liar! R-Release Rainbow from your-your, mind control! She would never side with a monster like y—" Twilight felt a large hoof across her chest, making her look up.
"What? Aheh, you can't be serious, Twilight!" Rainbow's head turned.
"—Shining Armor, what are you doing here?"
"Step back, Twilight. All of you!" he said. Cloud Strider tensed up more and stepped back. Rainbow Dash followed him, standing neck and neck with one another.
'Fuck,' Rainbow looked back and forth at Cloud and Shining Armor. 'I'm caught in the crossfire! They think I'm under his control!'
Rainbow Dash and Cloud Strider watched more guards filter in and bolster the ranks on both sides of the throne.
"Oh fuck me," Cloud pulled out his sword and shield. The rawhide lining the rim of his shield moaned under his body weight.
"Let her go, now! Or you're not getting outta' this alive!" Shining Armor said, his spearhead pointed directly at Cloud's head. Cloud Strider glared at Shining Armor, the leather-wrapped handle of his sword now taut.
"Rainbow," Cloud let his sword reach out towards her neck. Rainbow Dash looked down at the steel and backed up towards Cloud. "Rainbow Dash, don't. They think you're under a spell of mine."
"Well? What are you gonna' do? You got me in this mess, get me out!" Rainbow Dash forced a whisper of annoyance from her throat, "and don't put that sword up to my neck!"
Rainbow Dash felt a wave of exasperation wash over her, noticing just how deep she was in. "Are you going to fight them?!"
"Allfather, I hope not."
"This is your last chance! Surrender now or face the consequences!" Shining Armor said once more.
"Think of somethin', idiot!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Shut your mouth, dammit!" Cloud Strider replied.
'I'm kinda' up shit creek without a paddle here,' Cloud darted his eyes every which way, looking for a sign. Things were looking grim staring at the guards, they were as ready as everyone else, if not more. He stared at the alicorns, and he soon stared at Rainbow Dash. Her face of trepidation rooted itself in the back of his mind, anxious as to what he was going to do.
"D-Do you think I'm afraid of you? I have a sword, a shield, and a mare willing to do anything for me!" Cloud said.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Rainbow Dash went to push him but was suddenly stopped by his look, leaving Rainbow to her own devices.
"Just play along," he soon heard some of the ponies in the crowd bark in disgust. Cloud Strider studied his surroundings more and eventually gazed upon the white alicorn. Her manner of gestures and body language towards the guards looked promising. Something about the overgrown stallion that called the shots made Cloud think he was more than just a grunt or lackey. The alicorn made some rather apparent gestures that made Shining Armor cower. Cloud reared his head back once he noticed the white alicorn directed her attention to him.
She stepped down from her throne, giving him her undivided attention. No one in the room dared to speak, allowing Princess Celestia to fringe closer to the intruder.
"I can tell quite clearly that she is not under any spell you may have..." her voice was unable to fall short of her grace. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rainbow Dash move away from him a few steps.
"Please, sir. I would like for this—farce, to end. And perhaps work out this misunderstanding."
"Who... Who are you?" Cloud asked.
"Pardon me, I am Princess Celestia. But as for your name, that still remains to be seen. Princess Twilight failed to mention yours," she continued to step down until her hooves planted firmly on the main floor. Celestia could tell by his transfixed gaze that he was overloaded by her prestige.
"That's quite a unique sword you have there. And that symbol on your shield does not quite fit in around these parts," Princess Celestia commented. "You're not from Equestria, are you?"
"His name is Cloud Strider, Princess," Rainbow Dash bowed her head.
"My thanks, Rainbow Dash," Celestia immediately looked back to Cloud Strider, "is this true?"
"Yes," he glanced at Rainbow, mildly vexed, "it is."
Princess Celestia fell silent for a few moments and studied him even more.
"Hmm... Cloud Strider, might you stand down? We can talk further in confidence, but you need to prove that you can quell any hostility you may have," Celestia said. Cloud Strider breathed in the mountain scent and exhaled his sticky breath in return.
"Please, no one needs to get hurt," Princess Celestia added. Cloud Strider licked his chapped lips.
'What do I do now?' he did not realize his heavy breathing until he glanced down at his sword and shield. Cloud tried to snap himself out of his lethargic haze and met eyes with Princess Celestia. He noticed a pale smile on her face.
'I'm not going to let anything stop me. I need to see this pony, now. I can't, can't do it,' Cloud Strider stopped ogling at Celestia and squinted at Twilight.
"What the—?"
Twilight struggled against Shining Armor who seemed to be unjustifiable in his fury. Sporadic ramblings came out of Twilight's mouth, telling him to stop. Shining Armor's partisan whirled around his head carelessly, causing the guards to back away. He easily muscled past Twilight who continued to grab his leg in vain.
"Twily, get-off!" Shining Armor shook her off and grabbed his weapon. He moved forward with loud, boisterous steps. Cloud watched Twilight slip off and lay frozen where she was, looking up at Shining Armor. He inspected his partisan and suddenly held the shaft backward. His stare of senselessness and a miasma of spite met Cloud's eyes.
'I know what you're doin'! Just don't even think about it!' Cloud Strider watched as Shining Armor's partisan hefted over his shoulder and all the way back.
"Shit...!" By the sight and his stirring emotions, time itself shifted. Shining Armor did not stop, even after Cloud Strider shook his head. Princess Celestia had only just enough time to watch the large projectile fly through the air. She gasped, noticing Shining Armor had nearly tipped over after exerting so much energy and being pushed by Twilight.
"Shit!" Cloud Strider dropped his sword, letting the polished steel crash to the ground. The partisan veered off its intended course and all Rainbow Dash could do was stay still, frozen. She continued to remain unresponsive to the danger, helpless to do anything. Cloud had abandoned his weapon and his objective, rushing to her with his shield tightly strapped to his leg. His wings launched him full-bore at Rainbow Dash while galloping in long, adrenaline-fueled strokes. Time was of the essence and Cloud Strider knew he was scraping by with milliseconds remaining. He pounced forward with every ounce of energy in his hind legs and held his shield close. Rainbow barely turned her body before receiving the full force of his charge.
'I gotta' save this girl...' Cloud Strider clinched his eyes shut, 'I don't know why but I just gotta' do it...! Something about her feels—close.'
"Move, move, move, Rainbow!" he pushed Rainbow Dash out of harm's way, latching on around her back. But the undaunting force behind the partisan's impact peeled him off with little effort. His shield bashed into his head with a terrific thud, jarring him into darkness. The weapon's energy surged through every inch of his body and paralyzed him. Cloud barreled away from Rainbow Dash, powerless to stop from smashing against a colossal pillar across from her.
Everyone fell into total shock and disbelief at what had just happened before their eyes. Rainbow Dash sluggishly rose from the floor and spotted Cloud Strider convulsing, twitching on the ground. The wooden shield around his leg caught the partisan between its fibers and a giant wooden shaft protruded out.
"H-Holy shit!" Rainbow Dash skidded back into the wall and stared. She tried looking away, but her eyes were glued to his body.
'Shit, shit! Is he dead?!' Rainbow Dash whimpered, unable to control her words and actions. The sight of his body and seeing her life nearly end, it made her curl up against the marble walls. She heard her friends call out her name, their hooves grew louder with every step. Rainbow Dash looked up, breathing without a pace. Princess Celestia wasted no time turning into the kind, mother-like figure ponies knew her for.
"Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?" Celestia leaned down and put a hoof on her shoulder, taking glimpses of Cloud Strider on her right. Celestia patted Rainbow's back, but nothing was enough to elicit a response out of her.
"Guards! Get Shining Armor out of this court, right now!" Celestia spoke and took a deep, calming breath. The guards saluted and followed her demands, escorting Shining Armor and themselves out of the room. She knew Shining Armor would have to be dealt with later, the situation in front of her had priority over everything.
"Rainbow Dash, are you ok?!" Fluttershy and every one of Rainbow's friends crowded around her. Rainbow Dash simply nodded, lost for words.
"Girls, girls! Give her some space," Twilight sat down in front of Rainbow and managed to lead her towards the steps of the throne. She stared back, searching Cloud's body for any movement. 'I'd never wish that on anyone, no matter how bad they are... Please, please! Be ok!'
"C-Cloud Strider? Can you hear me?" Princess Celestia carefully moved the shield and partisan out of the way, but his grasp on the shield's handle was tight. She touched the partisan and began to pull with deficient understanding, confused whether to leave it in or not. Celestia peeked behind his shield and felt relief once she realized the weapon did not go all the way through his leg.
'Well, here's hoping,' Celestia felt his head and ran her hoof along his back for any abnormalities. The golden horseshoe she had was blotched faintly with blood.
"He certainly did get hit hard..." Celestia knew Shining Armor had power, but even she was shocked at how hard Cloud Strider flew off of Rainbow Dash.
"Twilight, is Rainbow Dash injured?" Celestia massaged the sides of her head, forcing herself to step back from the situation.
"She's ok, Princess. Just a little startled," Twilight replied, holding Rainbow Dash close.
"Thank goodness," Celestia turned completely, "I... I don't think that'd be the—"
Twilight nodded, but her gaze shifted beyond Celestia. Twilight's diverted attention forced Celestia to look back too.
"Nnh, uhh..." Celestia's ears moved toward the noise behind her.
Cloud Strider struggled to get up but was finally able to sit on his flank. He ignored their presence, looking ahead of him with a thousand-yard stare and a weak scowl. His breath hung heavy and in long strokes, feeling the tightness of muscle around his pierced skin. Cloud bared his teeth and grabbed the wooden handle of the partisan.
"Ach!" he pulled back and forth, allowing the pain to surge through his skin.
"—hey, hey! Stop that! Relax, you're ok," Celestia grabbed his raging hoof, but he did not stop. No sooner did she speak, he popped the weapon out of his leg and shield. She took a mighty step back now that he was armed. Everyone stared at him as he peeled the shield off of his leg. Parts of his head were mildly caked in both dry and fresh blood. Cloud Strider dropped the shield and stared back at his audience. He looked at the partisan he held onto, now standing in front of them, and dropped the weapon.
"Just, relax," Celestia's soft words did well to put him at ease.
"Are you ok? Do you feel any pain anywhere else? Please, you need to tell me," she motioned for everyone behind her to be on guard. Cloud looked down at his injured leg. The wound was small and just by glancing at the weapon, his cut was no more than half an inch deep.
'Damn, that stings though!' Cloud Strider wiped the blood away and smeared it around in his fur. He applied pressure to his leg in a sloppy manner, fighting the urge to black out again, "I'm ok."
"You need medical attention, Cloud Strider. Take a moment to breathe," Princess Celestia said.
"Is the girl ok?" Cloud stepped past Celestia and set his sights on his abandoned sword. In all honesty, Celestia felt somewhat betrayed and offended that he gave her the cold shoulder. "Is Rainbow Dash ok?!
"She's fine," Celestia tried getting him to stop.
"Cloud, stop moving," Twilight interjected, "you've got to stop. We can help you! You're obviously concussed right now, don't make it worse!"
"No... No, you can't help me. Luna can."
"Do not pick up that sword. I will detain you without any hesitation whatsoever!" Princess Celestia's voice carried her grave tone, enough to make Cloud stop cold in his tracks. He put his injured hoof firmly to the ground and met her venomous glare.
"I can't leave my sword," he stepped directly over his weapon and stopped.
"Hey, stupid!" Rainbow Dash said to the room's surprise, "she's givin' you a chance!"
She was right. Somewhere in Cloud's mind, it clicked that Rainbow Dash was only trying to help; that Celestia was trying to help. 'Maybe I'm not thinking straight like Twilight said. The past few minutes—I can't remember well.'
"If I step away from my weapon and let you do away with me, will you let me see Luna? I need to see her."
Celestia swallowed and glanced away stiffly, "I shall think about it."
"No!" Cloud said to her face. Everyone behind Celestia gasped as a single unit.
"A definite answer dammit! Yes or no!" everything he staked had come down to the wire. It was a pivotal moment for him and the fate of his future self. Princess Celestia raised her head and stared down at him.
"No, Cloud."
Cloud wasted no time and slammed his hoof down on his sword, quickly picking it up. But with the odds stacked against him and moments fleeting, his reunition with his weapon was short-lived. His entire body went stiff but Cloud tried to fight it. Celestia bound him in golden magic and pushed him to the ground. He glowed and sparkled in the soft gold aura, unable to do anything.
"How dare you pull a sword on me! Give me your brandished weapon!" Celestia disarmed him of everything strapped to his body without much effort. Powerful grunts slithered from his muzzle.
"You—bitch! You fucking monster!" words continued to spew out of his gullet until all of the air in his lungs escaped. Celestia ignored him and turned towards everyone else.
"Do not touch any of that, understand? I need to imprison this heretic in chains for doing something as stupid as threatening a princess!" Celestia said, her sense of regality vanished with a sentence. Ponies thought she was incapable of projecting such a hateful voice of disbelief. But when she did, it was truly a once in a lifetime experience.