A shadows Rainbow
[Re-write/edited]
Dark. Everything was dark. silence reined as Rainbow's mind come out from unconsciousness. Her ears suddenly jerked up as if just to show that her nerves were still working. They twitched searching for any sound. Again she found nothing but silence but she hadn't decide whether that was a good or bad thing yet. Her tail was next twitch,. It began sweeping around the floor involuntarily before it finally laid still. Small things like this and her ears made Dash wonder how long she had been out for.
Rainbow finally found the strength to let out a small groan and attempt to move the rest of her body. She felt somewhat numb but at the same time her bones ached. Her body trembled uncontrolled ably due to the cold that filled the room. Her hind legs twitched and the sores that covered them stung. Her neck was incredibly stiff due to her head leaning against her shoulder for Celestia knows how long. The only thing she couldn't seem to feel was her wings. She tried shifting her position to get more comfortable but that would prove to be harder that she though as she quickly found she wasn't laying down. From what she could tell still being half conscious she was leaning against a cold hard wall. She only managed to open her eyes a slit before her heavy eye lids began to protest. She went to rub them with her hooves but found they were bound behind her back. Confused, she tried to jerk them to free but whatever was holding them in place dug into her skin. She let out a hiss of pain.
“Ugh…wh…wha….?”
Her throat was dry and sore preventing her from talking any further. She tried to clear her throat but that only made it burn more. The fur around her eyes was tear stained and her mane was tangled and matted. She tried spreading her wings but it felt as if the weren't there. Well, if she couldn't move her fore legs or her wings she should at least try to figure out where she was and thus a way to escape. She tried again to open her eyes, taking a bit longer than usually and was met with almost complete darkness.
She took a few second for her eyes to adjust and found she was in a dark room. The walls were made of stone and a candle in the corner served as the only source of light as there were no windows. The heavy looking wooden door was on the wall to the right of her and was all the way at the other side of the room. The room its self was not very big, though it was mostly empty it felt oddly small and cramped.
“Hah…huh…? She grunted.
She tried lifting herself off the wall but sense her forelegs were unable to keep her balance she ended up fall her side on the even colder floor.
She let out another moan her face squished against the cold surface.
“Oh my…” A cold voice said suddenly. “…already getting ourselves in trouble are we?”
Rainbow let out a sharp gasp at the new voice. She tried lifting her head but it was into much pain as well.
“Wh…who…?” She tried asking in a hoarse voice.
“Shhh…” The voice hushed. Rainbow could now see the dark figure standing in the corner where the candle once was. “We wouldn't want to strain that strong voice of yours, would we?”
Rainbow clenched her teeth both in anger and in pain. She felt the familiar aura of magic around her body as she was suddenly forced to sit back up.
“There we go now.” The voice muttered. “The floor is no place for a mare of your stature.”
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes half way and raised an eye brow. “Stature….?”
“That’s right.”
Rainbow suddenly her hoof steps coming towards her. They made a small clank with each step so she new they must have been wearing some kind of metal slippers lie the princess wear. A red light sprang into being and illuminated the dark room and revealing the identity on the voice. “You are much to good for such a dirty floor.”
Rainbows eyes widened. The light fell upon the dark face of an all to familiar Unicorn. His irises glowed red with slit pupils, the ones you'd more commonly see on a dragon.His mouth was lined with sharp teeth which curled up into a sly grin.his mane was sleek and black. It flowed from his scalp much like smoke. Rainbow Remembered this pony, but boy she wish she hadn't. HE was known as Sombra. but most refer to him as a greedy selfish monster who was destroyed by the love and unity that the crystal heart contained from he crystal ponies, and yet he was standing in front of Rainbow, armor, without so much as a scratch on him!
She didn't have time to ask about his sudden appearance before something was pushed up to her lips. Sombra was levitating a goblet up to her lips and was now pouring water into her mouth. Rainbow wanted to protest but her throat longed for water so she instead gulped it down.
“There we go…” Sombra said taking the cup away once it was empty, much to Rainbows dismay. “Now maybe we can carry on an actually conversation, hm?” He gave her a small smirk.
Rainbow narrowed her eyes and cleared her throat. “What’s going on here?” She finally shouted.
Sombra chuckled coldly. “Oh, you don’t remember then, do you?”
Rainbow was taken back a bit. “Remember? Remember what?” she leaned forward a bit. “You better start making sense soon “highness” Before you get a royal flank whopping!”
Sombra pretending to look intimidated before continuing. “Oh, my apologizes my dear, I suppose you would remember much after hitting you head as hard as you did.”
“That aint making sense!” Rainbow growled.
Sombra ignored her and went on. “Well, you and your little friends were paying a visit to your precious princess and her husband, when I felt it was time to take back what was mine”
Rainbow listen to Sombra further explain as parts of her memory started returning to her.
~/\~
“Twilight, slow down!” Spike called as Twilight ran full speed towards the Crystal castle.
He was clinging onto the unicorn neck for dear life. Twilight was wearing her element of harmony that had been modified into her royal crown atop her head. while Rarity, Pinkie pie, and Applejack followed close behind running though there street of the suspiciously quiet crystal empire. Rainbow dash and Fluttershy flew overhead looking out for any possible signs of trouble. All the ponies also wore there elements after being instructed to do so by Twilight upon arrival at the crystal empire.
“We have to hurry, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed. “Celestia said something bad might have happened in the crystal empire!”
“Did she?” Spike asked. “Really?”
Twilight paused for a second. “Well not exactly…”
“Then what exactly did she say?” Applejack asked from behind.
“And why did it require us getting up so early in the morning..."
Twilight glared back at him. “She said she hasn't heard from Cadence or my brother in weeks so she asked us to see if something was wrong!”
“Or maybe they just haven’t had to time to sent letters to Celestia in a while.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Either way we have to make sure everything is fine.” Twilight looked up to Rainbow and Fluttershy. “Rainbow Dash, Fluttlershy. Fly over the city and see if you can find any of the crystal ponies, see if they know anything.”
Rainbow saluted. "Aye aye, captain." Rainbow looked over to Fluttershy. “You take east, I'll take west.”
“Oh…okay.” Fluttershy answered with a small nod.
The two took off in different directions while the rest kept running to the castle. Rainbow looked all around for and signs of life in the village. Most of the doors to the homes hung open and trash littered the streets. It was extremely silent.
“Hello?” She called sounding somewhat annoyed. “Any pony home?”
Silence rained. Confused, Rainbow landed in one of the streets her hooves clanking against the crystal surface. She looked from side to side and she took a few steps forward.
“Where is every pony? She said to herself. “It’s like a ghost town here.”
Her hoof suddenly ran into something causing her to cry out in pain and snap her hoof away.
“OW!!! Stupid-“ She looked down to see what she had run into.
It was a small crystal, not just a normal crystal. It was a small pitch black crystal sticking up from the ground. Rainbow tilted her head to the side and bit and lean in closer to examine it.
“What kind of crystal is this?”
She tapped it with her hoof and bit but it suddenly jolted up almost as if it had grown.
“What the-?!!” Dash exclaimed jumping back a bit.
She stared and the crystal for a second before her gaze suddenly shifted forward. She saw a wall that looked similar the small crystal with jagged bits poked out looking rather sharp. Except not only was it bigger, but after a closer examination there appeared to be something in the middle. She couldn't exactly make it out so she took a few steps closer.
“What in the name of Cele-“
She couldn't finish before she let out a small gasp and brought a hoof to her mouth in shock and disgust. For she was finally able to see what was trapped in the middle of the wall of black crystal. It was the crystal ponies. It’s was almost like they were frozen in ice though that might have been a less cruel imprisonment. Some had their eyes closed and Rainbow prayed that they were mere unconscious. The worst one though were the ones who had their eyes wide with looks of pure terror.Rainbow could imagine anyone so cruel as to do this to such innocent ponies. But then it hit her, abandon town, black crystals, imprisoned ponies. Her eyes widened. She did know somepony like that. But… that was impossible…
A loud scream caught Rainbows attention. She snapped her head in the direction of the cry and found herself looking in the direction of the crystal castle.
“Oh no…” She whispered. "No! No!" She shut her eyes tight and slammed a hoof to her forehead. "it's couldn’t be possible! It's not possible! He's gone! Dead! Blown out of existence! Litterally!"
Another scream she recognized as Fluttershy’s made it that much harder to believe herself. Her head fell and she stared blankly at the ground. This could't be happening...her friends. Her blank stare turned to and expression of rage. She bolted towards the Castle.
"What ever's goin' on... isn't goin' on any longer!
She zoomed towards the front but found it was blocked by a large wall of spiky crystals. The castle itself was now fading to a black shade and the sky was turning a sickening red. Rainbow clenched her teeth in fury and dashed upwards to find the nearest window. She the one that lead to the throne room and without hesitation crashed inside tumbling to a halt.
Bits of broken glass protruded from her skin as she slowly got back to her hooves. She opened her eyes and she couldn’t believe her eyes. All around the room all her friends along with Cadence and shining armor were in cased in crystals just like the poor crystal ponies from before. Some guard lay on the far side of the room unmoving a puddle of blood pooled around them with crystals protruding from their chest. Up by the Throne Sombra had a blade of crystal pressed against Twilights neck and both were looking at her in shock.
A smirk spread across Sombra’s face.
“Well well well… Miss Dash, is it?” He said calmly. “So glad you could join us…”
“What have you done to my friends?!!” Dash demanded looking ready to charge.
“Ah, getting a bit testy, are we?”
Sombra’s horn glowed black purple and green summoning crystal around Twilight's hooves and horn keeping her in place.
“Let her go!” Dash growled.
“Oh, but that’s no fun.” Sombra joked.
“Enough of your pathetic jokes!” Dash shouted spreading her wings. “Let them go or else!!”
Sombra’s smirk disappeared and he looked at here through half shut eyes and raised an eye brow.
“Are you suggesting you want to fight…with me?”
“Unless you know what good for ya!”
Sombra was silent for a moment before chuckling a bit.
“Well at least someone here is entertaining.” Sombra walked over to where Fluttershy was incased in crystal, her face showed sere horror. “I’m afraid I couldn't say the same for the rest of you.”
That made something snap inside Rainbow and she lunged forward and Sombra tackling him ground Sombra only laughed and kicked the young mare across the room.
“Rainbow!” Twilight screamed as rainbow slid across the floor.
Rainbow was quick to get back to her feet and fly full speed back at Sombra. He jumped out of the way but Rainbow stopped herself before she could crash and turn herself around. She charged at him again but he teleported away except this time he wasn't any where in sight. She floated in the air looking around frantically.
“Rainbow look out!”
Rainbow didin’t have time to respond to her friends warning before the wind was knocked out of her as Sombra slammed a hoof into her stomach launching her across the room again. She slammed hard into the crystal block that Applejack had been encased in.
Rainbows head throbbed but she forced herself to stand. Shaking off her headache she flew right at Sombra again kicking him to the ground.
When he got back to his hooves Dash brought up a hoof and slammed it in the side of Sombra's face repeated this action again and again. Before she could do it one last time Sombra caught her hoof and her wings in his magic hanging her in the air. She clenched her teeth in pain
“Ah, you’re quite the fighter aren't you.” He released her hoof so that she was hanging only from her wings, causing her to cry out.
“Sombra Stop!! Please!!” Twilight cried.
“Oh, but we’re having far too much fun, aren’t we, Dashie?” Sombra said with a smirk.
Rainbow growled and swung at Sombra’s face again, land a strong punch against his cheek. Sombra only laughed again and released his magic on one of her wings so that she was only hanging by one. Rainbow screamed in pure agony, tears appearing in the side of her eyes.
“STOP!! PLEASE JUST STOP!!” Twilight sobbed. “I….I’ll do it…” She sniffled. “I’ll do it alright? Just please….stop…”
“Oh, sorry to disappoint you, princess, but I have changed my mind.”
Twilight’s head snapped up as did Rainbow’s.
“Wha…what?” Twilight whispered.
“I have changed my mind.” Sombra repeated. “I have no use for you any more my dear Twilight.” He leaned closer to Rainbow looking deep into her eyes. “I prefer you friend here.”
Rainbow was speechless but Twilight began to wail.
“NO!! SWEET CELESTIA NO!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!”
Sombra ignored her as he leaned his forehead forward touching his horn to Rainbows head. A sharp pain spread thorough her head as her vision turned red and wavy pools of purple smoke poured out the side of her eyes. She screamed and Sombra dropped her to the ground.
“Stand up.” He ordered.
Unwillingly Rainbow found herself forced to stand. Her teeth clenched as tight as possible but her eyes were forced to stay open. Sombra placed a hoof to Rainbow’s chin forcing her to look up at him.
“Don’t worry my dear.” He said with a smirk. “We’re going to keep each other company.”
Twilight continued to scream but Rainbow could now longer hear her as everything faded to black.
~/\~
Rainbow sat in silence once Sombra had finished telling her what had happened.
“But…but my friends…” She narrowed her eyes. “Where are my friends?!”
Sombra chuckled putting a hoof to Rainbows chin, the cold metal giving her chills. “Do not worry, they are back in there hole of a town.”
“They…they’ll be back! They’ll come back for me!” Rainbow yelled pulling away from sombra’s hoof.
“’Oh I doubt that, and even if they did, they couldn't get in.”
Rainbow raised an eye brow. “What are you talking about?”
“You’re precious princess isn't the only one who can summon force fields, but mine doesn't require constant magic.” He explained.
Rainbow began to shake but continued to protest.
“The…the princesses! They’re more powerful that you’ll ever be! They can take down your lame force field!”
Sombra grinned and shook his head. “Dark magic is much more complicated that normal magic, and mine is more experienced than there’s could ever hope to be.” Sombra put his hoof back to Rainbow’s face. “Just face it my dear, you’re stuck with me.”
Rainbow didn't’t pull a way this time but instead started back into Sombra cold red eyes with her wide rose ones.
“Bu…but why me?” She croaked. “What do you need me for?”
Sombra chuckled again. Leaning close to Rainbows ear he whispered.
“Wheres a king without his queen?”