//------------------------------//
// Prologue  
// Story: Our Hero 
// by RedRaven 
//------------------------------//

	The small pebbles on the dusty road crushed under the hooves of the six wielders of the elements of Harmony. This quest had forced the ponies to bring their elements. Celestia had insisted upon it. 

The burning sun shone overhead, making everypony sweat. It was so hot, you could almost see the heat by gazing ahead. Even Pinkie Pie remained silent, she had stopped bouncing 5 hours ago, for her legs were getting rather tired after 2 days of endless "bouncing". Celestia had told them not to take train, in case the dark magic flipped it or did something unpredictable. 

"Can we take a break?" Rarity moaned,"My hooves hurt!"

"No," Twilight said," Princess Celestia said it was imperative that we get there by this afternoon!"

"Do we even know where we are going?" Rainbow Dash sighed, remembering Celestia just telling them the general direction of the dark magic source. "She said Eastern Equestria! That could be anywhere EAST!"

"Guys," Fluttershy whispered,"I see a creepy cave..." Nopony paid her any mind, everypony was too tired to even care. "Um...Guys."

"Oh look there it is! The cave!" Applejack smiled,"Finally! No more walking!"

"Great job Applejack! Good Eye! Now we can rest" Twilight stated, obviously happy for any excuse to welcome the break."Oh! Is there something you needed Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy shook her head,"Nothing." Everypony pulled out a blanket from their saddle bags and lie it in the grass, just outside the mouth of the cave. Rarity feel fast asleep, her belly contracting and inflating with each breath. Rainbow Dash did some wing stretches, while Twilight went over their mission plan. Fluttershy was taking a light nap, and Pinkie Pie was working with Applejack to make food and refreshments for everypony with the little food they brought. 

Rainbow Dash lie on a cloud, yawning,"This mission doesn't seem very dangerous. It's more like a field trip actually. Nothing I can't handle."

Twilight tolled her eyes, knowing this was just an act to make her look cooler than everypony else. Twilight looked up at the sky, where clouds were spread out like lost sheep. Celestia's last minute meeting had ruined today's to-do list. Today she was going to rearrange the library. The only thing she could do without throwing off the schedule for the rest of the month was to get Spike to do it, which she was very reluctant to do, but it was her only choice.

Rainbow Dash's ears perked up. She thought she had heard a noise. Like thunder, which was impossible, since it was so nice outside. Rainbow surveyed the area, quite confused. She just shook her head, thinking her mind was playing tricks on her. She looked down upon her other pony friends, to see their confused expressions.

"Um... Guys? Did you hear something?" Rainbow Dash asked worriedly.

"You certainly did." Said a familiar voice, in a very evil tone. 

"Who's there?" Twilight asked, trying to sound brave. Fluttershy hid behind a bush with Rarity. Applejack and Pinky picked up some frying pans to use as weapons. 

A giant red and navy blue tornado whipped up a storm as thunder and lightning cracked around it. The strange thing was the storm was only in one spot in this peaceful environment. The tornado kept swirling round and round, with no signs of stopping. Fluttershy shivered underneath the bush, as Rarity shielded her. The tornado was swirling so fast, it was threatening to tug ever pony of the ground. Their manes where standing up from all the electricity. Fluttershy and Rarity's eyes where squeezed shut, as they clung to 

"Show yourself dark magic!" Twilight yelled as the tornado spun faster.

"As you wish." said a familiar voice. The tornado came to a halt and two ponies appeared, none other than Sunset Shimmer and Trixie. They stood there grinning, as the navy blue magic swirled around them. The thunder stopped, and Lightning Dust deseded from the sky to stand with the other two.

"What?" Twilight gasped,"What are you ponies doing here? What is the meaning of this? A prank?"

Sunset Shimmer laughed," Oh, this is much more than a prank. This is revenge. For everything you ponies have done to ruin our lives!" The magic whipped stronger, as her voice stirred with pure anger.

"You stole our lives from us," Lightning Dust cried out in the horrified Rainbow Dash's direction,"Now its our turn to take yours!" With that the magic storm swirled up into the sky, becoming a pitch black storm cloud, the nastiest one could ever imagine and slashed out at the helpless Fluttershy. The magic storm burned the bush to ashes, reveling the petrified Fluttershy.

"Now we take one of your worthless friends!" Trixie laughed,"Now I may say goodbye to all my humiliation."

Time seemed to slow down as a dark lightning bolt lashed out at Fluttershy, who was so terrified she couldn't move. Rarity cried out, and jumped up, the Lightning bolt hitting her square in the stomach. She flew back, her body frail and limp. Then there was the horrifying moment when before she hit the ground, her body was ashes. Her element of Harmony clinked to the ground. 

Everypony was dead silent. Nopony moved. Nopony spoke. Nopony breathed. Tears welled up in Fluttershy's eyes, and she burst into tears. A huge grin came across the three enemies faces.

"What have you done?" Applejack cried out.

"Our magic is more powerful than we thought." Sunset Shimmer laughed,"Now you cannot defeat us with the Elements of Harmony! You are all powerless!"

Fluttershy's face seemed to darken,"What did you do to Rarity."

Fluttershy got no answer.

"I said," Fluttershy whispered,"WHAT DID YOU DO TO RARITY?" 

Pinky Pie trotted over to Fluttershy,"She's gone... They killed her." 

Trixie laughed,"I would pay anything to see the look on Celestia's face when she finds out." Applejack and Pinky Pie nodded at each other. Then, they galloped as fast as they could to the three villains.

"YOU FOOLS!" Sunset Shimmer yelled, casting a spell on them. The two brave ones were frozen in time. They just stood there helpless. "Anypony else?"

Rainbow Dash didn't know what to do. She always claimed that she was brave, but on the inside, she was just a normal pony, longing for a strong reputation. She had to do something. But what could she do without them using their evil magic to do something terrible. Was her fate the same as Rarity's?

She had to do something.

"Now for you Twilight Sparkle," Sunset Shimmer started, the look on her face saying she's been waiting for this moment. "A very special spell for you." Sunset Shimmer took control of the dark cloud through unicorn magic, and sent a blast of it to Twilight. The magic hit her, but all that happened was Twilight became a very dark purple, almost black.

"What have you done?" Twilight croaked. Pain flew through her body. She felt very sick, poisoned. She wheezed, and threw up. She collapsed onto the ground from all the pain. All three of the evil villains looked down onto Twilight's misery. Now is the time. Rainbow thought. 

Rainbow Dash flew down using all of the speed she had. She scooped up Rarity's Element, and threw it into her saddle bag. Then, in a flash of rainbow, she flew by AJ and Pinky pulling of their Elements and throwing them into a her bag. She pulled of Twilight's, and flew by a stunned Fluttershy, who simply handed her The Element of Kindness. Rainbow Dash didn't know why she needed the elements, but she knew she didn't want Lightnign Dust and her gang to have them.

"You can fly away, but you cannot hide Rainbow Dash!" Lightning Dust yelled after her, as Rainbow Dash  created a Sonic Rainboom at her great speed.