The Hidden Story

by Cryogenii


Rainbow Dash finds something Dark

As she crossed the nighttime skies over Canterlot, Rainbow Dash's attention was taken by a solitary figure in one of the smaller side-gardens off the main castle grounds. In the shadows cast by the high walls the dark furred figure was nearly invisible, but Rainbow was no ordinary pony. Her eyesight was almost as sharp as her flying skills.

Circling gently down, she checked to confirm that no royal guards were lurking in the darkness.  The last thing she needed was to be bundled into a holding cell for the night.  It appeared though, that Princess Luna was sitting all alone under a cold moon.  Motionless, with her eyes cast to the stars, she could almost have been a statue carved from black marble if it weren't for the constant rippling of her shimmering mane and tail.

Rainbow Dash gently put down on a small lawn near the entrance of the garden.  She waited a moment, unsure of how to attract the princess's attention.  It was so unusual to see one of the royal sisters out in the open without a retinue of attendants and guards.  Something about the utter stillness of the moment made this pony who was so used to being in motion deeply unsettled.

She was just about to speak when the princess called out softly, "Well met under moonlight, Rainbow Dash. What mayst We do for you this eve?"

Rainbow Dash paced around to the side of Luna and bowed deeply before speaking, "Erm.  Are you ok, your highness?"

"We are well, thank you. Art thou concerned for Our wellbeing?" The alicorn raised an eyebrow and looked sidelong at the pegasus.

"Well yeah, you're out here all alone and I kinda thought you'd be busy fighting nightmares," Rainbow Dash winced at her choice of words.

Luna displayed a melancholy smile. "The subjects of Equestria sleep unusually well tonight. There art some fearful dreams, but none that require Our remediation."

"Awesome! You get a night off, Princess," came Rainbow Dash's light-hearted if slightly forced reply, "what're you going to do?"

"Some quiet reflection is a welcome change, We don't often get to visit our garden of Moonflowers and Night Jasmine," replied Luna gravely, after a moment's pause.

Now the pegasus pony looked uncomfortable, seeming embarrassed at having intruded on such a private moment. She averted her gaze, somehow unable to meet the princess's sad blue eyes.  She started to tense her wings, in preparation to say her excuses and depart, when the princess spoke again.

"We do not mind the interruption, Rainbow Dash", Luna continued, "But know that it is actually We that should not delay thou this night."

"Huh? I've got nowhere I need to be, Princess." Rainbow frowned, unsure of what was on the alicorn's mind.

"We know why thou art about at such an hour," Luna now spoke with a light smile, "Thou hast been performing thine duties as a Wonderbolt, but now wishth to be abed with thou true love Applejack."

Rainbow Dash's magenta eyes widened in shock, as she started to stammer out a denial. Luna spoke again, with an even more gentle tone.

"We are the Princess of Night, the keeper of dreams," she asserted, "We know countless secrets. There are many ponies who think fondly of thou in thine handsome Wonderbolt uniform, Rainbow Dash, but only one who knows thy embrace."

The cyan colour Pegasus blushed deeply, "Ernm, thanks Princess. You are a keeper of secrets, right?"

"Naught shall hear of it from Us," the alicorn tried to be as reassuring as possible, "Although We believe it is uncommon to hide good news.

"Have no fear, Rainbow Dash," she continued, "We are certain thine friends will be overjoyed wenst thou'st share the glad tidings."

Rainbow Dash looked down, feeling very exposed. When she spoke again there was obvious pain in her voice.

"We want to tell the fillies, but there just never seems the right time," she tried to explain, "Keeping secrets like this doesn't feel right for AJ or me."

"Thou two are indeed known for thine honesty and loyalty," Luna agreed, "However some conversations have to occur at the time of thine own choosing. The shared joy will not be diminished."

The two shared a minute of silence, each gazing up at the night sky and lost in their own thoughts. Eventually the alicorn spoke again.

"The stars were friends to Us for so long, We miss their voices for they cannot be heard from here on Equestria."

Rainbow Dash contemplated this, "You are glad to be back home though, with your sister?"

Luna let out a quivering sigh, "We were… less than cordial for a while. However, by her reckless actions the pony known as Starlight Glimmer managed to get Us to recognise that We did not wish to serve Equestria in the manner that Our counterpart did."

"I get it," said Rainbow Dash, "you don't want Celestia's job."

There was another pause as the alicorn considered her words.  It seemed as though under this moon, in this company, she felt the time had come to speak honestly to her feelings.

"We do not wish to perform those duties as Our sister does," was the eventual reply, "and were it possible, performing those duties in the manner We would choose to would not serve Equestria adequately… It has taken a long time for Us to reach this conclusion, likewise We feel that our sister has realised that she did not fully address the needs of my domain whilst We were banished."

There was once more a period of silence, although whether companionable or awkward it seemed impossible to tell. Maybe it was both, but for a while neither pony saw fit to break it.  Then the alicorn continued.

"We have spent… lost so much time rebelling against something, only to find that the place which was made for Us… The one We fought so hard against being placed into, was that which We were the most comfortable occupying," she spoke sadly, "Those who We knew have lived and died without Us and for a while the world forgot of Our true existence, for naught than the stubborn pride of two young fillies who could not share the throne.

"We have been lucky enough to form a new bond with the ponies of Equestria. A more intimate connection than that of Our sister, where We provide comfort in the darkest of times. We make merry, on the celebration of Our imprisonment and torture, with the foals who are to innocenct to know what thy revelry is truly about. It seems to Us that this is far more fulfilling than directing matters of state."

Under the cold moonlight the alicorn's expression appeared to harden, as if the next few thoughts were old wounds, long inflicted and yet to heal.

"Thy friend Twilight Sparkle has earned her place as an alicorn, but the events leading to it were a plan known only to Our sister. Naught has happened that she didn't set in motion, and thine friends did play thy part, innocent and unknowingly.  Our sister is wiley, and We have no doubts that the wheels of her schemes turn still whether we perceive them or not.  We are all pawns on her board, played by her rules."

"But,  but,  but…," stammered the pegasus, "we weren't forced together! We, we, were just there. Together, in Ponyville."

"Did thou believe thy parts occurred by mere happenstance? Nay, t'was ordained by my sister placing thee in the correct position at the time of her choosing. Be that as it may, Our guiding hand that which unwittingly brought thou to the place where thy friends could cripple Us in another betrayal of trust by my sister, who never intended that We should return as an equal.

"Fear not, for the pain of being enslaved to my sister's tyranny, that thou'st friends and thee inflicted upon Us, is forgiven. We understand now what it is to be loved. Our sister is idolised, which is a comparatively poor and impersonal emotion.  Thy accolades have been earned by thy own hoof, even if by unseen forces were thy opportunities conjured."

Luna turned to to look at Rainbow Dash's shocked and ashen face.  She smiled gently and spoke again, "Thine lover sleeps restlessly without thee. Fly away Rainbow Dash, and be assured that all that appears terrible in the darkness will be gone as the sun rises."