Rainbow Dark landed on the ground with a boom, the ground cracked beneath her hooves and a ripple of dust extended away from her. Other ponies in the vicinity backed away as she flared her wings and scowled, her eyes full of rage. Luna landed behind her and started to make her way toward her. Rainbow Dark turned and bellowed;
"No! Stay back. How dare you try something like that. It was not your place." She yelled, and Luna took a step back as spittle flew from Rainbow Dark's mouth. Rarity and Black Diamond galloped toward the scene, looking at Rainbow Dark in fear.
"Rainbow, what happened?" asked Rarity, still keeping her distance from the enraged Pegasus. Rainbow Dark kept her eyes fixed on Luna, the red irises glowing.
"You precious Princess Luna just forced a kiss on me." She told Rarity, who gasped and looked at Luna in shock.
"Is that true Luna?" Rarity asked, and Luna could only look at the ground and nod in shame. Rainbow could hear the hurt in Rarity's voice as she galloped over to Luna and slapped the Alicorn across the face.
"How could you! Do I mean nothing to you at all?" She screeched, and Rainbow Dark could see the tears running down Rarity's face. Luna looked her in the eyes and took a deep breath.
"Rarity, please…. I… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Luna said quietly. Rarity just shook her head and walked back to Black Diamond, who hugged Rarity as she cried.
"I don't want to talk to you Luna. Just stay out of my life for a while okay." Said Rarity and Black Diamond led her away. A single tear ran down Luna's face as she watched her leave. Suddenly, Rainbow Dark cried out in pain, as she quickly transformed back to normal for a moment and then back to Rainbow Dark. She flickered between forms, each time causing great pain, until it finally settled on Rainbow Dark. She shakily made her way toward Luna, breathing heavily.
"Luna, what have you done? You have disrupted Rainbow's powers by kissing her and cutting the connection to Applejack." Said the Doctor, emerging from the large crowd that had gathered around to watch. Rainbow took a moment to steady herself. Luna shook her head, her eyes wide and her voice fearful.
"I… Didn't mean…. Is there anything I can do?" she asked the Doctor, who walked over to Rainbow and shined his device at her. It made its usual whirring noise, before stopping and intermittently producing a high-pitched beeping sound. The Doctor sighed and looked at Luna.
"The… Energy I suppose… that fuels Rainbow's abilities has been practically cut off at the source. When you kissed her, you closed the connections between Rainbow and Applejack. That's why Rainbow is switching between forms, she doesn't have the endless source of energy that she used to, and barely any is getting through. And I have no idea what this is doing to Applejack's powers." The Doctor explained. Rainbow Dark pushed past him, heading straight for Luna.
"Applejack could die because of what you did!" She yelled, her voice completely distorted with rage. She flung herself at Luna, knocking the Alicorn down and punching her in the face. Luna threw Rainbow off herself and stood, as a small trail of blood flowed from her nose. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Rainbow Dark stand.
"If that's what you want, then bring it. You will find the true power of the Princess of the night." She bellowed in the traditional Canterlot voice. Her eyes started to glow white as Rainbow Dark attacked again.
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Applejack groaned as the weight of the collapsing building pressed down on her. The gang had lit the school on fire with students still inside and Applejack was the only thing standing between the collapsing roof and the children. She stood on her back legs with her front ones holding up a support beam as the fire department ushered the children out of a small hole that they had blasted into a wall. She watched as the last filly was pulled out of the hole, clearing the building except for the teacher, Cheerilee, who was too big to fit through the gap. Applejack looked down at Cheerilee as she cowered on the ground. Tears of fear filled Cheerilee's eyes as burning cinders and smoke swirled around in the small space.
"Do you trust me?" Applejack asked her, as she was forced down by the weight. Cheerilee looked up at her, coughing up smoke.
"Yes… yes I do Mare Do Well." She replied, and Applejack smiled beneath her mask.
"Good, then grab onto me and hold tight." She said. Cheerilee did so as Applejack closed her eyes and forced the sad memory that she was holding onto away. The roof suddenly got much heavier as she lost her super strength; she quickly focused her imagination to envision the school's playground. She let her heart fill up with fear and teleported both herself and Cheerilee outside. The school crumbled as Applejack and Cheerilee landed outside. Fire fighter ponies rushed toward them with first aid equipment, as Applejack took off her hat and put out the small burn holes that dotted it. Cheerilee was coughing up smoke as a fire fighter used a special apparatus to force fresh air into her lungs. Another one offered the same device to Applejack, who shook her head, not needing it since her mask had an air filter built in for a situation such as a fire. The mayor and head of the Minotaur gangs, Flame, walked toward her. Applejack wanted nothing more than to think of her saddest memory and bury the unicorn's head into the ground. He was followed by reporters that were busy taking photos of the burning school as well as the Mayor and Applejack. Flame put his arm around Applejack, who grimaced under her mask at the thought of being touched by a pony that was such a moral sewer.
"This could have gone much worse if not for the intervention of Mare Do Well, who has pledged to aid me in my fight against the gangs that are plaguing our fair town of Ponyville." Exclaimed Flame to the crowd. He smiled for the cameras, before turning and whispering into Applejack's ear.
"Say anything about me, and the next attack won't be something you can save anypony from. Think arrows in sugarcube corner during a party." He whispered. Applejack felt the surge of electricity rush to her hooves, ready to give Flame an electro-punch that would singe the hair off his face. She repressed the emotion, knowing that hitting him would send a bad message to the ponies that she was trying to help, as well as put them in direct danger from attacks by the gangs. Gritting her teeth, Applejack waved at the crowd and shook Flame's hoof, posing for a photo. She suddenly cried out in pain as her mind was assaulted with layers and layers of emotion, sending her powers wild. Flame took a few steps back as giant arcs of lightening shot off her body. She cried out again, and her voice splintered an old oak tree that had stood in the schoolyard for one hundred years. The crowd screamed and started to run away, taking quick photos as they did. Applejack began to teleport wildly, catching the briefest glimpses of Sweet Apple Acres, the town hall, and even the Cloudsdale coliseum. Finally her powers seemed to settle as she teleported to the library, slamming through the wall with super strength. DuskDrift and Applethunder galloped over to her as she collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. Applethunder pulled the mask off her head as DuskDrift levitated her to the bed upstairs, albeit with great effort, as she was still weak from altering Spike. Applejack was laid down on the bed, coughing up a small amount of blood.
"I…I need Rainbow." She said weakly, before passing out.
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Rainbow Dark was blasted through a water tower by Luna's magic, sending the hundreds of gallons of water that was inside cascading over the camp, knocking over tents and sweeping ponies away. Rainbow attacked again, tackling Luna and forcing her to the ground. The two super powerful ponies traded blows, with Rainbow Dark looking to punish and Luna just looking to protect herself. Each punch was akin to a small explosion, as dark blue and dark rainbow energy spiralled from both ponies with every impact. Luna grabbed Rainbow Dark's leg and flung her at archer's stage. Rainbow Dark hit the main support beam and the entire structure collapsed on top of her. She burst out of the wreckage, and galloped straight for Luna, only to have an arrow pierce her back leg and stick into the ground. Rainbow tripped, slamming her face into the dirt as another arrow went into her left front leg, pinning her to the ground even more. Rainbow Dark looked around for the source of the arrow and found Fluttershy hovering above what remained of archer's stage, another arrow cocked and aiming at Luna.
"Enough! Both of you!" Yelled Fluttershy, letting the arrow loose, it landed in between Luna's front legs. Luna took a step back, still staring Rainbow Dark in the face.
"Look around at what you have done. The camp is trashed; there are ponies that almost drowned because of the water tower and archer's stage, my sanctuary has been destroyed because neither of you can control your impulses." Fluttershy continued. Rainbow Dark did her best to look around and take in the chaos that she had helped create. An entire section of tents had been flattened, the ground now nothing more than a pool of mud and water. Archer's stage was just a pile of splintered wood and Rainbow could make out ponies being given CPR in the distance. She pulled the arrows out of her legs and stood, the wounds healing over instantly. Rainbow Dark looked at Fluttershy and saw how upset she was. The transformation reversed and Rainbow looked downwards, ashamed.
"I'm sorry Fluttershy. I lost control of myself." She explained, looking back at Luna and giving her a dirty look.
"But can you blame me? Luna put all of our lives at risk. If I can't access or control my powers, how am I meant to fulfil that prophecy?" Rainbow said. The Doctor walked in between the scowling ponies, looking at them both nervously.
"Rainbow, while we both agree that Luna did the wrong thing, she had no idea that I would affect your powers in the way that it did. I'm sure she feels as bad as you do." He said, desperately trying to defuse the tense situation. Rainbow scoffed and turned, heading towards archer's stage with the intention of helping Fluttershy rebuild it.
"He's correct Rainbow. It was not my intention to put everypony at risk with my actions." Said Luna, wiping blood off her face as she talked.
"Then what was your intention Princess?" Snapped Rainbow, not looking at Luna.
"I just wanted what you and Applejack have; a pony that I can call my own, and not have to share her with anypony else." Luna explained. Rainbow turned, as Fluttershy put her bow away and landed beside her.
"I think that it's a bit late for that now. " Said Rainbow angrily.
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Applejack vomited into the bucket beside her bed as Applebloom held her mane out of her face. Her entire body ached and her powers kept fluctuating, one moment she would have super strength and the next she would be teleported into the library's basement. She wiped the last of the vomit from her mouth and sat back, breathing heavily. Applebloom went to kiss her on the forehead, but pulled back suddenly.
"Ow! You just electrocuted my face." Exclaimed Applebloom, as her eyes watered from the pain.
"Ah'm so sorry sugarcube. Ah have no idea why my powers are going all funny like this." Said Applejack. Applebloom smiled, trying again and succeeding to kiss her on the forehead.
"AJ, ah was going to say this earlier, but….. Ah think that Granny Smith would be proud of the pony that you have become." Applebloom said, and Applejack smiled. She could feel her powers settle slightly as she remembered Granny Smith and all of the good times she had spent with her over the year. She started to cry as she thought of never seeing her again. Applebloom hugged her, albeit very cautiously.
"Ah miss her so much Applebloom."
"We all do AJ. But we have to fight on, show the gangs and that pig of a mayor that they can't mess with Ponyville. That's what Granny Smith would have wanted." Applebloom told her. Applejack nodded. She started to say something, but was interrupted by another wave of vomit.
'I will do Granny Smith proud, powers or no powers.' Thought Applejack, as Applebloom grabbed her hair and held it out of the way.