//------------------------------// // Seventeen, part A: Kindred Spirits // Story: Rain without Rainbows // by Leoshi //------------------------------// Rain without Rainbows A tale from two authors, companions, and friends. Author: Leoshi Co-author: Cyros Lugoth !Disclaimer!: I hope I got this out before season four. I also hope you enjoy Hasbro’s show as much as I do. Be sure to support them for their efforts, and especially Faust, Theisson, and the Hub for their stellar work. (In case you haven’t read ANY of my disclaimers at ALL before, this means that I own nothing beyond this story. So there!) Welcome back to the story of sacrifice and intrigue. If you missed the previous chapter, then you missed everything. Several truths were revealed and a grand battle was had, during which time Rainbow Dash and company discovered what Alucard really was. But they fell from the sky, completely drained and incapable of movement. So were their efforts rewarded? What became of the unidentified stallion found in the clouds? And how are Celestia and Luna dealing with the resulting fallout in the shadow of Alucard’s attempted takeover? Read on. Chapter seventeen: Kindred Spirits Equestria was far away. Mountains and valleys and seas obstructed the journey between the two lands. And this other land, separate from Equestria in so many ways, was about to go dark for a short span of time. Far above, the sun and moon crossed paths in the sky, coating the region in an expected darkness. Response was immediate, but not of the hostile variety. In fact, the ponies affected by this eclipse were calm, almost bored, as they powered on their lamps and lanterns. Streets that were growing cold were slowly alight with warm glows, illuminating passers-by and guiding their paths home. Shops closed and locks turned, but again it was not done out of hostility or fear. The eclipse simply signaled the end of business. This was a common event in this land. It happened twice a day. Yet there was one area in this land that was dark before the sun hid behind the moon. It would remain dark after Sol re-emerged and continued its descent, and while the moon pressed ever toward its zenith. It had remained dark for the eclipse earlier that morning - and every day with every cycle from the start of the stallion’s plan hence. For four long years, the room had been dark. There was no furniture in the room. No lamps, only one door, and four narrow vents that allowed airflow. Inside this room were two bodies. One was undoubtedly Alucard, with his usual batlike membrane wings folded across his back, his alabaster mane and tail softly waving in a nonexistent breeze, and his coat a solid shadow of darkness itself. His eyes were closed, as they had been for years, and he softly breathed as he concentrated - again, as he had done for years on-end. Finally, his long horn was engulfed in a soft field of magic, rippling in an exact mimicry of his empowered mane. But one difference stood out. This Alucard seemed older. More mature, even. Whereas the Alucard that so recently conquered Equestria for an afternoon was dangerous, this one was clearly a viper among rodents. He was dangerous, and did not need to prove it to be known. Alucard’s breath jolted suddenly, and his chest tensed with the reflex of a cough. Slowly, his eyes opened, revealing two tired orbs of red. He stared straight ahead for a moment, analyzing his surroundings. He started to blink, but did not speak. Again, inside this room were two bodies. The second body rose from a sitting position, slowly trotting over. This pony was young, eager to prove herself, and incredibly devoted to the alicorn nearby. She had sensed his mental return to her presence. She was just a filly, but owed everything she knew to Alucard. Knowing he would be wracked with fatigue, she hoisted a saddlebag filled with oats and a deep bowl of water, balancing both with little effort. She didn't say a word as she set them to his side, nor when she backpedaled in his full view. The filly met his gaze dead-center, but unlike everypony else, her eyes held no fear or revulsion. “Welcome back,” she finally said. Alucard finally noticed her, tilting his head slightly in regard. The aura of his magic faded to nothing. He blinked rapidly, sharpening his vision after years spent in concentration, before he finally opened his mouth to speak. “How long?” His voice was dry and raspy, as Rainbow Dash’s had been when she was found by her friends. Normally, someone would need context to answer him. But the filly knew him well enough. “Four years, three months, and eighteen days. We’ve had no hunters since two months and five days after you entered your trance. You were pronounced missing one month after the final search, and dead two months and one day after that. There is nopony searching for you now.” “The princess?” “On the throne. Her rule has been uneventful since your brief experience in politics occurred. There have been no ponies to oppose her as you have.” Alucard nodded, satisfied. “Then I have all I need.” “What of Equestria?” the filly asked, a ghost of a smile gracing her teeth. “She stands. A wounded prey, but one I will not hunt.” A flicker of disbelief crossed the child’s face as the news reached her. “You failed?” “I did not fail,” Alucard replied venomously. “I succeeded in what I set out to do. I proved my power with only a fraction of what I wield, and I was a god above them for a day. Unfortunately, I was undone by the smallest of oversights, none of which hold any power here.” “But Equestria stands, you said.” “It does.” The alicorn took a moment to drink deeply of the water near him. His voice was stronger as he continued. “It stands only because Harmony was its crutch, and the power of that magic equaled my own. But it matters not, as my goal was never to own Equestria.” The filly nodded. “That’s right; forgive me. I remember you saying your destiny lies here, not there.” “Very good.” “So what happens now?” she asked, calmly walking forward and popping some of the oats into her own mouth. Alucard gave the barest hint of a smile, then turned his head and regarded a far wall. “Simple, really. By so easily overtaking the Equestria region, I've proven that I am ready to contest the throne here at home. The only things I need are you...” At the walls of the room, dark oily magic began to seep in. It coated the walls and pooled into four separate masses, before they too joined as one rippling orb. A phantom growl sounded from everywhere at once. In reply, Alucard stretched out a foreleg toward the magic. “...and me,” he finished. The magic extended a tendril of power, wrapping around his offered foreleg. It seeped into his dark coat, connecting with him effortlessly. The magic was a fragment of himself, the piece of his own soul he had sent against Equestria. As it was reclaimed by its rightful owner, every ounce of memory and stolen strength joined with him. As before, the foreign power burned him, but he did not grunt or wince. As his soul was once again made whole, he closed his eyes and savored the feeling. When he opened them again, their color had gone. Replaced by blank fields of white. “Eat well, my dear,” he said. “My destiny awaits, and you will want to see every moment of it.” The filly gave a wicked smile of anticipation - a perfect match of Alucard’s own. Rainbow Dash stood alone atop a sheer cliff once more. She oversaw the Everfree Forest, suffering the hot, harsh winds of a terrible storm. A daunting eclipse gazed down upon her from on high, throwing the entire region into an unfathomable darkness. Blasts of nightmarish lightning scorched the land, splintering trees and boiling away rivers. The abandoned hub of Ponyville was a ruin, frames and foundations of buildings forming a skeletal labyrinth from which there was no exit. And as before, a single, haunting scream rang out into the air, unending and unrelenting. She looked around in a daze, taking note of how much things had not changed since the last time she had seen this. With no small amount of hesitation, Rainbow Dash stepped to the lip of the cliff, gazing down to where the scream’s source undoubtedly was. And she was right - her own broken body was stuck on the rocks at the foot of the cliff. The copy’s wings were at sickening angles, and her body was riddled with injuries and flowing blood. A moment passed as the two Rainbows exchanged stares. The pegasus on the cliff looked at her foreleg, not at all surprised to find the mock Wonderbolt uniform adorning her body. The detail was disturbing - every stitch and pattern was matched exactly as the official suits, yet the entire thing was darker and, she imagined, more stifling. The suit she wore seemed to constrict her movement, and it was warm...alive. At that moment, Rainbow Dash refused to bear the burden of that suit any further. She reached out with her foreleg, extending it past the cliff edge. Slowly, a rivulet of blood formed warm drops in the same spot as four years before, and they fell to the bottom of the cliff, landing directly on the broken Rainbow below. She stood still as the blood continued to flow. After a moment, she felt the burden begin to shift. As her tainted blood left her and landed on the dying visage of herself below, the dark uniform she wore rippled and shifted, ripping and receding as it left her soul. It, too, began to fall with the blood, landing on the injured pegasus. ‘I’m tired of running and hiding,’ she thought as her own body began to change. ‘I’m tired of being scared of what I could not explain. I’m tired of all this, and I’m ready for whatever comes next.’ The tainted blood flowed as a steady stream now, covering the double of her. As contact was made, the screaming Rainbow took on the suit for herself, and the actual Rainbow’s body was slowly restored. Their appearances were being exchanged, and with them, their burdens. ‘I gave up everything to keep my friends safe. But still, my choices put everypony in a lot of danger. Even the princesses. I made those choices because I wanted something bigger, something more than what I had.’ Eventually, the flow of blood stopped completely. Rainbow Dash, standing on the cliff, was back to her original body, free from the darkness that had ensnared her for so long. Her colorful mane hung slack and lifeless, her vibrant cutie mark now weathered and bruised. In all, she appeared weathered and worn, yet somehow retained an inner strength and knowledge of what she was. She let out a relieved sigh, and looked down at her double. The other Rainbow was a pitiful sight. The magic had overtaken her body, seeping into her very soul. The unending scream finally began to break, unable to cope with the injuries and the magic at once. She moved her head and one leg in a desperate grasp at nothing, trying to escape what had become of her. But it was a doomed effort. After a minute, she let out one final, heart-wrenching shriek. Then she accomplished what the real Rainbow Dash had attempted - she died on the rocks. Rainbow Dash couldn’t hold back. She cried for the pegasus, because some parts of her had died, as well. ‘No more. It never should have been like this. I now know that I have what I’ve always wanted. Nothing else is as important to me as what I finally got back...even if it was just for a few hours.’ With a new sense of resolve and wisdom, Rainbow Dash turned away. This world, this Equestria, was the result of her choices. In the distance, the rage of the storm began to quiet, and the shaking of the world began to settle. She knew without looking that the sun was emerging from behind the moon, bathing the dying land with light and life. Giving it one more chance. She opened her eyes, facing the dark wall of fog that separated her from the unknown. A great divide that symbolized everything she feared as one, last gate. A barrier that split the world she had chosen from the world she had earned. ‘I’ve done all I can.’ With a deep breath, she nodded and stepped forward. Her body eased through the unnatural fog, and she walked bravely into the void. Darkness took her. The tug of consciousness slowly brought awareness to Rainbow Dash. Her eyes opened in a fitful shudder, an action she immediately regretted due to an ungodly light hanging above her. She grimaced and brought her left foreleg around, shielding her eyes. As she moved, she felt a slight pressure move with her, a light touch along her stomach. It felt very much like a bedsheet. As the seconds passed, her awareness shapened. She cast her glance around, barely registering the objects around her. To her left stood a nightstand with a collection of medical items and a few errant feathers placed within a glass dish. Among the items was her Harmony necklace, inert but intact. Beyond that were other beds, lined up in a precise row, all vacant and all with their own privacy curtains pulled open. A single window adorned a wall at the end, showing a dark and peaceful night. To her right, her own privacy curtain was present, blocking her view further. But within reach was a metal pole that held a sac of clear liquid, dripping down through a plastic tube. Rainbow’s eyes followed that tube until it vanished beneath a thin sheet, covering her body as it was. She slowly raised her left foreleg, casting the material aside, where it bunched on the linoleum floor in a pathetic heap. With no obstruction, she focused on the end of the plastic tube, slightly unnerved at the fact that it led into a needle and fed beneath her coat. Unnerved, but not panicked. She was alive. And that fact unnerved her further...because it shouldn’t have been possible. The unforgiving light above her cast its radiance along her body, and she spotted bandages of purest white wrapping around her stomach. Her eyes narrowed at the sight - it reminded her much of the night she had spent in the care center over four years past. Cautiously, she moved her forelegs away to look upon the wrapping properly. To her relief, there was no ominous glow of blue-black. The bandages were just bandages, and whatever they covered wasn’t magical. However, a distinct pain came from her side beneath the wrapping. Rainbow Dash tugged at the cloth, intent on seeing what had happened to her. “Now, now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, miss.” Rainbow’s head shot up in shock, and she found herself face-to-face with a unicorn whose name she couldn’t place, but whose face seemed oddly familiar. He smiled gently through his eyeglasses, considering her from the end of the bed. She swallowed, realizing just how thirsty she was. “You...are you...” “Don’t strain yourself. You’ve worked yourself past your limit, and it’s important that you take things slow. For once in your life, at least.” The unicorn doctor’s horn became alight with magic, lifting a chart that held details about her. Rainbow wanted to nod, but still found herself lacking. “Aren’t you the doctor who cared for my wing after a big crash I had a long time ago?” He smiled, glancing up at her. “I’m surprised you recognize me. Stable’s the name, and it’s wonderful to see you awake at last.” “What’s going on?” she rasped. “What happened?” “You mean it’s not obvious?” Doctor Stable replied, his tone going serious. “You won, Rainbow Dash. You saved us.” His magic flicked a switch on the lamp above her, banishing the light and casting the hospital room into an uneven darkness. Light spilled in from an open doorway and a few strips of fluorescent bulbs above, which were all dim during the overnight hours. Rainbow blinked away the worst of the miosis, looking out to her left once more. The window at the end of the room gave an unobstructed view of the sky outside, replete with telltale stars and the embracing glow of the moon. Strands of wispy cloud wove ribbons through the sky, framing the constellations in a natural gallery of appreciation. Luna’s moon was free. The sky was free. Equestria was free. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Stable mused, stricken by the sight as much as she. “The eclipse and the storm seemed to last forever, yet here is a night as fantastic as any other.” Rainbow Dash allowed the words to enter her as a welcome truth, but her confusion remained. Her gaze drifted downward, coming across the row of vacant beds. She realized then that she had awoken alone. “Doctor...my friends...” she whispered, somewhat afraid of the truth. “Fine,” the doctor replied. “They’re all fine. Each of them were brought here to be revived, and you’re the last one. You and your friends gave us all quite a scare.” “But we fell,” she murmured, looking into his eyes. “How am I here?” “I should think it obvious. You fell; you were caught.” “Caught? But-” Doctor Stable waved a hoof. “You’ll find out, but I’ve been asked not to reveal anything. Mainly because I myself haven’t been told anything. Just relax while I take a look at you, okay?” The dismissal coaxed out an onset of fatigue in her, and she slumped down on her pillow. The doctor walked up and began his examination, taking various notes on his clipboard as he went. After a brief minute spent in silence, Stable spoke up again. “Sit up for me?” With a moan, Rainbow rose and swung her hind legs over the right side of the bed. She kept her gaze down, lids half-closed, as the doctor took a magical hold on her stomach bandages and began unwrapping them. The firm pressure along her side began to loosen as each second passed. “Have you ever met my family, Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow’s breath slowed as she thought back to her life before now. “I don’t think so. I only saw you after I sprained my wing.” “Perhaps you should see them someday,” Stable went on, suddenly wistful. “My wife and I just had our second daughter this past spring. She’s a unicorn like me, and is just now starting to develop some talent. I have a feeling she’ll be just as rambunctious as her sister by the time she’s ready for her first year of school.” “Doctor?” Rainbow Dash questioned, not understanding the sudden conversation. “Nopony’s seen you in years, Rainbow Dash. You disappear off the face of the earth, leaving us all to wonder what happened to you. Then one day, the castle guard forces us all from our homes and has us take refuge here in the city. Only for some ghost of a stallion to come down on us and say he will give us his day.” The doctor removed the last of the bandage wrapping, revealing a distinct bruise along Rainbow’s left side, trailing to her back. Something had impacted her with considerable force, but she couldn’t remember what. In a moment of memory, she recalled how the magic bound to her had been described as a bruise by Fluttershy - to see a real one now was at once a terrible reminder and a welcome relief. “Then, suddenly, I heard you were back,” Stable went on. “My friends and colleagues from back home tell me they saw you pushing your way through the palace with a fire in your eyes. Your friends all with you, as well. You force your way out into the city, and I don’t hear anything more until a series of bangs ring through Canterlot. They’re already giving a name to what you six did, you know. I’ve heard it called the Promised Day, a phenomenon unique to you and your friends.” “It was just needed to get up there,” she muttered, not terribly proud of what she had endured. “And it did get you up there,” the doctor reassured, setting down his clipboard and walking to her side of the hospital bed. “We all saw the rings of light, and we saw the lightning come down to meet you. Then it all stopped for a couple hours, while we wondered what was happening. But soon, another brilliant light shone through the clouds, and then those began to break up. The storm ended, and we all cheered as the sun and moon parted ways.” Rainbow looked up at him, her tired gaze meeting his serious eyes. “My wife and daughters are safe because of you. They’re safe because you came back to us. Whatever happened up there above the clouds...I don’t have to hear the story to know you and your friends performed some kind of miracle.” A knock nearby alerted them that they were no longer alone. A pair of Canterlot guards, pegasi, had come by to check in on her. Rainbow and Stable looked to the doorway in unison. “Morning, doctor,” one of the guards greeted. “How is our patient?” Rainbow caught on to the word. ‘Morning?’ “She’ll be fine with another day of rest. I don’t suppose I can convince you to let her stay here?” the doctor asked, his welcome demeanor returning as though it had never left. The same guard shook his head. “No can do. Both princesses had made the same request to see her as soon as she was well enough to walk.” Stable let out a defeated sigh. “Just as I thought. Very well, let me apply a booster and you can take her where she’s needed.” He rounded the bed once more, opening a drawer beneath the nightstand. His magic lifted a prepared box of syrettes, pulling one out and removing the overwrap. “Doctor,” Rainbow started, “how long have I been out?” “Well, I wouldn’t know how long you’ve been unconscious. But I do know that you and your friends were  brought to me some nine, maybe ten hours ago.” ‘It’s only been half a day?’ “And where are my friends?” A sharp prick ran up her side as Stable injected the syrette into her bruised skin. “These two fine guards are here to take you to them. It seems this whole situation counts as a matter of national security, so I don’t qualify as a need-to-know pony.” “But you’re the palace doctor, aren’t you?” Stable gave a good-hearted laugh. “Oh-ho, I wish I was as talented as he! No, no, I’m just making use of his facility. The real palace doctor hasn’t left Celestia’s side since you six were brought here. Now then, go ahead and try to stand.” Rainbow released a gentle huff, pushing herself off the bedside with significant effort. Her hind hooves contacted the floor, followed swiftly by her forehooves. All of her legs trembled with the strain of holding her up, but hold her up they did. She grimaced as pressure and pain mingled together from all over her body. She felt like she had been caught in an avalanche. “You took a bad hit to your side,” Stable informed. “Any trouble breathing?” “It hurts on the outside.” “That’d be the bruise. Good, you should be back to normal after a couple weeks of easy resting.” Rainbow lowered her gaze. ‘How can I be normal again after all of this?’ The doctor came to her side once again, this time carrying a set of fresh bandages. With practiced ease, he applied a balm to Rainbow’s bruised midsection, wrapped her torso in the cloth, and tugged it firmly shut. Afterward, he lifted her foreleg and magically retracted the intravenous therapy line, tossing the bloodied plastic into a nearby trash bin. He placed a second bandage on her foreleg, cinched it to itself, and stepped back. “I’d rather keep you here another day before turning you loose, but the powers-that-be have spoken. Off with you.” Stable magically reached out and took hold of her Element, bringing it to a hover in front of her mouth. Rainbow took the artifact in her teeth. As she turned aside, she kept her head down, slowly walking to the guard pair that waited at the doorway. Before she left the hospital room, the doctor called out once more. “You saved my family, Rainbow Dash. Thank you.” She paused, turned her head, and gave a weak smile in reply. She didn’t feel all that victorious. Rainbow learned quickly that the guards escorting her were doing more than merely guiding her path. They also took the task of keeping citizens and refugees away, all of whom seemed determined to gaze upon the weakened pegasus. Those who recognized her gave a cheer, those who knew what her necklace meant shouted their thanks, and some others respectfully kept their distance with nothing but an honest smile. Several tried to get close to greet her properly, but the guards assigned to her kept them at a good length away. She was being granted a hero’s welcome by most, but not all. A select few ponies from Canterlot and Ponyville alike eyed her with suspicion. Those unhappy few stood incredulously, and as she passed by, she caught some of them muttering “Wonderbolts” or “murderer” beneath their breaths. Clearly, not everypony was willing to let go of the past, regardless of what newly-discovered truths may have existed. As she was led past the groups, she didn’t return a gesture. The most she did was make eye contact, bite on her Harmony necklace a little firmer, and continue her slow voyage. She and her escorts were silent, though the latter’s lack of speech was brought on by professionalism. She just didn’t feel like talking. ‘All of these ponies came so close to being killed by Alucard,’ she thought. ‘Not all of them were saved. And it was all made possible because I was stupid enough to believe him.’ They rounded a corner, and Rainbow finally had to look up properly. A line of hardened guards of all colors stood still, each of them keeping wary eyes on an assorted group of ponies. There was even a score of pegasi who had taken to the air, preventing anypony from bypassing their comrades. The guards formed a breathing barricade against which the citizens couldn’t overcome, while the citizens tried in vain to wrest answers from the line of guards. “Stay close,” one of Rainbow’s escorts ordered. He then nodded toward the row of comrades before him. Three members of the guard broke off and joined her, forming a five-point circle around her. Rainbow Dash paused to consider what was happening, but was interrupted as her group began moving forward at a slow pace. After they took a step, her ears were suddenly flooded with questions from all sides. “Hey, you’re one of the mares who flew up there! What happened to the dark one?” “Have any of you seen my son? Please, I lost sight of him after the shield was put up!” “How long until repairs on the city can begin?” “We deserve to see the princesses! You can’t keep us out forever!” “Oh goodness, look at her! Is she about to collapse?” “You weren’t fast enough!!!” came a particularly heart-wrenching cry. “My wife...my wife, she’s...!” Rainbow tried to stop and look upon the gathered herd, but was pushed along by the circle of guards surrounding her. As they progressed, the line ahead of them split, allowing access to wherever they were guarding. “Don’t listen to them,” one of them whispered as she passed. “You’ve done more than any of us could.” In little time, her group stepped past the living barricade. The five guards broke off and joined their comrades, keeping the agitated citizens and refugees held back. “Just keep going. They’re waiting for you,” one of them called back. The cyan pegasus hesitated for a full minute, trying her best to push aside the questions and accusations of those she had just passed. Something about their words dug into her, and she was thrown. Finally, she gathered her wits and continued down the hallway. As Rainbow walked, she noticed the various burn marks of attack magic and sullied polish of rushing hooves. The hallway in which she walked was the place where Alucard had attacked Celestia the morning before. In proof of her silent realization, the damaged doorways to the throne room met her gaze as she rounded one last corner. But those doors were not the only things she saw. “Rainbow Dash!” A happy cheer slammed her ears, soon followed by hugs that could be nearly counted as full-bodied tackles. Rainbow’s vision was an assortment of pink and purple as the manes of four ponies invaded her personal space. She gasped and dropped her Element artifact, forced to the ground under the happy weight. “Oh gosh, we were so worried!” “You’re awake...you’re awake!” “I’m so glad to see you!” “When the doctor said you were worse than us, I had feared that he meant...oh, Rainbow!” Suddenly, the words and worries of other ponies meant nothing to Rainbow. She gave a genuine smile and returned the hug as best she could, though she couldn’t suppress a wince as her friends gripped her bandaged bruise. Sensing her discomfort, her four friends released at once and gave her a proper embrace in turn. Twilight Sparkle voiced their collective concern as she wrapped her forelegs around her friend. “We were all scared that you wouldn’t wake up! When Celestia asked that we gather here instead of wait for you, we all started to worry ourselves sick. Oh, Rainbow Dash, it’s like we lost you a second time!” The unicorn pulled away, looking toward the dropped necklace of Loyalty. She scooped it up and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck once more, attaching the Element to the pegasus. Rainbow Dash’s Element of Harmony was dark like the rest, but it attained a welcoming warmth against her coat. “I’m here, I’m here,” Rainbow replied. “I’m more worried about the rest of you.” “We’re all fine. The doctor managed to wake us up a few hours ago. We’ve been fighting to stay awake ever since.” Nodding happily, Rainbow glanced around at the tired faces looking toward her. Twilight’s eyes were bagged and shadowed, a side-effect from the magical output she had endured. Pinkie Pie was all a-grin, with a few unshed tears forming at the edge of her sight. Rarity gripped one of Rainbow’s hooves and held it close, as a silent way of proving that she was, indeed, there with them. As for Fluttershy, she was doing what Pinkie was not: crying in jubilation. They each wore their respective Element of Harmony, and like Rainbow’s own, theirs were dark yet warm. Even Sweetie Belle and Spike were looking at her, both sharing feelings of relief and pleasant surprise. Rainbow’s expression fell when she counted who was around her. Somepony was missing. “Where’s Applejack?” she asked. Her friends turned to look at one another before silently moving aside. Rainbow’s gaze was drawn to an orange mare resting on the floor, her back to the wall and her little sister resting in the crook of her neck. Nearby, a trademark stetson hat rested unworn, with a golden necklace bearing an apple-shaped crest laying atop. The mare, however, was giving the most relieved smile of them all, straining her neck to look properly on her best friend. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash,” she managed weakly. Applejack, for of course it was she, was unable to stand and embrace her friend as the others had. Alucard’s work had seen to it. Her left foreleg was adorned with a sturdy pair of wooden splints, their ends visible beyond the edges of a thick white cast, which held the leg sturdy in a gentle bend. Her eyes, while open, were glazed with fatigue and lingering medicine. Rainbow Dash stepped forward, a sob escaping her throat. “None o’ that, alright?” the farm mare rasped, gently nudging her sister’s sleeping form. “Ah only just now got this one to stop cryin’, and it won’t do to have you start right after.” “Applejack, your...” “Ah know, Ah know. Jus’ means Ah won’t be able to work mah orchard for a couple months. But hey, some o’ the guards were kind enough to find mah hat for me. Didn’t even realize Ah had dropped it.” The change in subject didn’t fool Rainbow. She knew that her friend was more distressed about her injury than she let on, putting on a brave face to spare that distress from transferring. With a slight shake of her head, the pegasus slowly dropped to her haunches. “I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered. Applejack, struggling not to wake her sister, managed to move her right foreleg and gently nudge the side of Rainbow Dash’s head. “Ah said none o’ that. You ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry about.” “B-but, you wouldn’t be like this if it wasn’t for me!” “You’re right,” the earth pony said, her gentle smile unwavering. “That’s true enough. But you know what else? Ah’d do it again in a second.” Rainbow gave a small gasp. “What? You would?” “Absolutely. If it meant bringing you back home where you belong, Ah’d do the whole thing by myself. Your home ain’t some musty cave outside the forest, ponygirl - it’s with us,” Applejack finished. She let her foreleg slowly drop to the floor, the impact underlining her point. Rainbow Dash let out a heavy sigh. “How have you been able to believe in me for so long?” “Hey, somepony had to.” “That’s all?” “What else do Ah need? And besides...now Ah’m not the only one,” Applejack added, giving a small nod to their gathered friends behind her. The mares and one dragonling all spent a few moments delighting in their own survival. They celebrated silently, making sure to stay close to each other as a reminder that the others were there. But very few words were shared. The time for talk would come; for those precious moments, all they needed was each other. A short while later, the doors to the throne room cracked open. The doors themselves had suffered the onslaught of Celestia’s power directly, and were thus misaligned. One of Celestia’s personal guards, who had been allowed to shed his armor, stepped out after a good deal of pushing. “Oh, she’s awake! Are you all feeling alright?” Spike, standing closest to the guard, stared right at him. “Ask us a serious question.” His sarcasm earned a series of laughs from the mares behind him. The guard, realizing the absurdity of his question, tried again. “Ahem. Yes, well...are you all ready to come in?” Twilight Sparkle stood and walked up, looking behind the guard into the throne room proper. She hesitated, looked back at Rainbow Dash, then nodded. “Yes, I think now will have to do.” Rainbow turned her head to one side. “What? What’s going on?” “The princesses,” Twilight explained. “They want to talk with us about what’s going to happen next.” 'Oh, right. Those guards mentioned that back in the hospital...' Rainbow Dash recalled. She had momentarily forgotten it against the shock of seeing Applejack in such poor shape. Applejack wasn’t pleased with having to rouse her sister, but after a bit of consoling, she halted another episode of grief and crying on Apple Bloom’s part. With the aid of Apple Bloom and Rainbow Dash, Applejack was able to stand. The pegasus had offered to carry her friend, to which the earth pony loudly refused. “Ah ain’t some invalid, Rainbow Dash - get me balanced enough and Ah’ll do the rest on mah own!” Rainbow couldn’t suppress a good-humored grin. “I’m just trying to help you like you helped me coming back to Ponyville.” “Huh,” Applejack scoffed. “If memory serves, Ah helped Rarity a good bit just gettin’ to you in the first place. If anythin’, she’s the one who owes me a favor.” In response, Rainbow Dash turned to look at Rarity, arching her eyebrow in question. “Oh, really? How about it, Rarity?” The unicorn promptly shook her head. “I think Applejack is perfectly justified in wanting to carry herself.” The group of ten turned inward and entered the throne room, where the guard set about with forcing the askew doors closed once again. The remaining nine continued at a tired pace, taking in the state of affairs. A few overworked guards were busying themselves with debriefing or cleaning up the wreckage. They, like the one before, had been allowed to remove their armor and work voluntarily. Further along, a pile of shining rubble rested on the raised dais. It was the remains of Celestia’s throne, gathered from the town square. A veteran guard stood near it, inspecting the damage and looking like he was weighing values in his mind. Rainbow led the group forward, but she stopped when a sight made her insides clench. Laid out along the floor were bulging white sheets, resting atop the cold bodies of the ponies who had not been able to escape the storm. Their bodies were hidden beneath the sheets, but the simplicity of it ate at her heart. She broke away from her friends and walked toward the corpses in a daze. Rainbow looked at them all, her vision unable to discern between one body and the next. What she did notice, however, were the precious few that were much smaller in stature than those surrounding them, as well as shining sets of armor lying near a selection of others. The pegasus sunk to her haunches after a minute of staring numbly. She hung her head low, her forehead gracing the floor beneath her. The activity in the room went unnoticed as she mourned for those she did not know. At that moment, Rainbow realized that she had never paid her respects to the Wonderbolts. The fact saddened her further. Her friends had all joined her, emulating her silence as they too paid their respects. Twilight slowly wrapped Spike in her foreleg, drawing him close. Rarity and Applejack mimicked the action, respectively embracing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. The message of death so closely avoided was not lost on the group. They all felt a soft chill come over them. After a moment, the sound of approaching hooves alerted the friends. Rainbow Dash looked up to see both princesses nearing her, each of them with a look of relief in their eyes. Members of their personal guard flanked them, and they all seemed edgy. The sisters stopped in front of the group. “You’ve done it,” Luna whispered, unable to hold back a smile that was all her own. “You’ve all done it.” Rainbow turned her head away, looking back on the cold bodies nearby. Praise meant nothing to her when the consequences were so vivid. “Oh, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia began, seeing her plight. “Do not blame yourself, young one. You’ve accomplished more than my sister or I could.” “Don’t thank me,” she replied bitterly. “Rainbow-” “How many?” Celestia and Luna exchanged worried glances, the younger of the two swallowing a dry lump. “Nineteen,” Luna finally said, earning a strangled sob from Rainbow Dash. “Eight were from Canterlot, these five here hail from Ponyville, and those six-” she nodded toward the sets of royal armor, “-were members of our palace guard.” “All taken by Alucard,” Celestia added, pressing her point. “And Alucard alone. Do you understand?” But her words fell short. Rainbow’s mind became noisy with guilt after hearing how many innocents had died to her enemy’s whim. And all for an example in some grander scheme. For an experiment. ‘Nineteen were killed today...no, yesterday. And the Wonderbolts as well...that’s twenty-three. I can’t...’ “This isn’t fair,” she muttered, her throat starting to burn. Wordlessly, Twilight walked up and put a hoof around Rainbow’s withers, gently tugging as she did so. After a moment, Rainbow allowed herself to be led away from the bodies. She and her friends walked, but she didn’t pay attention where. She wasn’t interested in knowing. “How are all of you feeling?” Celestia asked without breaking stride. Twilight gave her friend a firmer hug before answering for the group. “We’re fine.” “Can Ah tell you after the drugs’ve worn off?” Applejack added. She gently shook her head to illustrate her fatigue. Celestia gave a good-natured nod. “Of course, of course. I hate to keep you all further, especially after everything that’s happened, but it’s crucial that you answer some questions of our own.” The reversal in role was not lost on the tired group of friends. For once, Celestia had questions. “But Princess,” Twilight began, looking toward her mentor, “you’ve been through just as much as us. Can’t we rest for a bit? If not for our sake, then maybe for yours?” It was Luna who answered. “We cannot spare the moment. There is unrest in the city, and fear is still running rampant. The public demands answers, and frankly, my sister and I must demand the same.” The two sisters turned and faced the group as Luna finished her response. As Luna had said, she did not spare a moment before continuing. “What happened up there?” Hesitation arrived and swept over the group. Their struggle was only hours behind them, yet it felt so distant. How much could they remember from the time they were last in the throne room to the time they lost consciousness? How much did they feel comfortable saying? Or a better question, how much did they actually understand at all? Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash, expecting her to speak up first. This, after all, had been her battle. But her gaze was distant, and it seemed like she hadn’t heard the question at all. To Twilight, it looked as though her friend had conquered her demons, only to have traded them for ghosts. With a sigh, the unicorn released her friend and took a step forward. “I don’t quite understand it myself,” Twilight said, still looking at the cyan mare. “So much has happened since Rainbow Dash came back to us. It would take longer to explain what happened than to simply tell what happened, and even then...” “We’ll work out the details afterward. Don’t explain yet - just tell,” Celestia encouraged. And so she did. Twilight looked to her mentor and began talking, covering the events of the previous afternoon one by one. She told how terrifying and exhilarating the run through the city had been, and how close they had all come to being caught in lightning and then buried beneath rubble. She took a moment to appreciate her first flight, the experience sharpened through hindsight. She spoke of the power of their Elements pooling together to break through Alucard’s lightning, and of how Rainbow Dash had been captured as soon as they landed on the clouds. Then she recalled breaking through the dome that separated the pegasus from her friends, noting how instinct had guided her actions. Rainbow remained silent through the story, her mind a cacophony of thoughts. As her friends carried on with the debriefing, she felt out of place. She knew they were speaking, but the only thing she heard was her own breathing. Suddenly the room felt very confining, and she had to quell an instinct to leave. “You mean there was another stallion up there?” Celestia asked. Clearly, the story had reached the point of Alucard’s secret defense. The two princess spared a moment to look at each other. “Yeah,” Twilight answered, “he was a host to bound magic, just like Rainbow Dash had been.” “Rainbow mentioned that it was Alucard’s way of winnin’ no matter what,” Applejack added. “That he had never been here in the first place.” It looked as though the royal sisters had something to say, but they remained silent. With a nod, they gave the floor back to the Bearers, listening to the rest of the story. Twilight carried on, telling how the magic that was Alucard tried to kill them all, but the power of their Elements had managed to protect them. By her count, the Elements of Harmony had unleashed their full power four times, so it was no mystery why they were all so drained afterward. “The last thing I remember was being pushed away from the magic,” Twilight continued. “I’m not sure what caused it, because I lost consciousness right afterward. And...well, that was it until I woke up in the hospital room.” Luna nodded. “And that’s the same for the rest of you as well?” Affirmative nods came from the group. “Ah managed to stay awake long enough to fall through the clouds, but Ah don’t remember anythin’ after that,” Applejack added, looking back at her friends. “You fell through the clouds?” asked Fluttershy, clearly shocked. “Yeah. Think the rest of us did too.” “Oh my!” Pinkie, Twilight, and Rarity gave similar reactions to the news. Of course they hadn’t known because they had lost consciousness just before then. Apple Bloom leaned against her sister’s uninjured leg, turning her head toward the floor. “Odd...” Luna spoke again. “The spell I gave you should have prevented that. It had not been six hours when our pegasi guards caught you.” Twilight had an answer. “There was a lot of magical output during the ordeal. I think maybe the spell was consumed during the fight.” “Hm. That’s not unheard of...” Finally, Rainbow Dash spoke up. She looked straight at Princess Luna. “Wait...you said we were caught?” The group fell silent for a moment. It seemed they weren’t expecting the pegasus to jump back in. “Well, yes,” Luna replied. “We were all keeping a watchful eye on the clouds, so we quickly saw you six falling. Our pegasi guards took to the sky once we realized what was happening. Some refugees even joined them and helped save you all.” “We should commend them for that later,” Celestia noted. “Okay, but I’m the only one with a bruise along my side,” Rainbow said, confused. “The doctor said I took a bad hit. What happened? Why am I in a worse shape?” A quick look around confirmed her point. Aside from Applejack’s broken leg, Rainbow Dash was the only one with any bandages. Her other friends all looked tired, but were otherwise unhurt. Even Twilight’s pain didn’t extend beyond phantom aches caused by her direct contact with violent telepathy magic. For the second time in as many minutes, Luna and Celestia fell silent. They exchanged glances, just as they had done while Twilight was recalling the events against Alucard. It was obvious that there was an answer. “Rainbow Dash,” Celestia began, turning her eyes without moving her head. “The truth is, our guardponies did not catch you. They were only able to reach your friends in time.” Rainbow’s eyes went from one alicorn to the other. “What do you mean? What happened?” “You see...” Luna continued. She took a step forward, meeting Rainbow’s gaze dead-center. “Something happened, and we’re hoping you can shed some light on it. There was somepony else who caught you before our guards could.” A chill ran up the pegasus’ spine. “Y-you don’t mean...” “No, no! It wasn’t Alucard...at least we don’t believe it was. We’ve been conducting searches through the city all night, and nothing has turned up so far.” Celestia took a step forward, gaining their attention. “I think it’s our turn to tell you what has happened.” She began by telling of how the sky went eerily quiet following a great flash of light, which could be seen through the malicious clouds. Both Celestia and Luna had remained in the throne room, keeping a constant watch through the gaping hole in the ceiling. At their sides stood what few guards could be spared, mostly those who no longer had duties to perform. Spike and Apple Bloom were among them. Luna gasped sharply. “That’s no ordinary light.” “Yes, it looks like a magical reaction. Something of great magnitude,” Celestia agreed, suddenly determined not to blink. Nobody else breathed a word. The city had fallen silent, no longer beset by dark lightning or growling thunder. The only movement was that of debris within Canterlot, falling prey to the hold of gravity. All else was still - even the ethereal manes of the Royal Sisters were too weakened to flow naturally. Minutes crawled by like full-length days before anything happened. High above, bits of sky began to show. The cloud layer which protected Alucard was dissolving by the second. It wasn’t long before a distant figure was seen, plummeting through the sky. The faintest stream of golden hair whipped along. Apple Bloom screamed. “No!!!” With a start, Celestia stood and jumped, instinct demanding she take action. But her injuries brought her down again before she had a chance to spread her wings. “Tch!” she grunted, shaking off the shock. “Get somepony up there!” Luna was already turning her head. “Bring down the barrier!” she commanded. “Pegasi, full wing! Get up there now!” Time was precariously short. It wouldn’t even be half a minute before Applejack would contact the city streets - assuming she didn’t first land on a building. Precious seconds passed by as the order was received, and teams of pegasi were already taking to the air in flocks. Some were not even members of the guard, but citizens and refugees who refused to stand idly by. The barrier which had shielded them from Alucard’s lightning gently faded from existence, its natural light disappearing and leaving a cold darkness behind. Guards and citizens were already passing through where it stood, their wings cutting through the air rapidly. “No attacks,” Luna noted. “The storm has been quiet. Could this mean...?” ‘Please...’ Apple Bloom quietly thought. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the falling body. ‘Please...’ Then other bodies were seen, falling just as quickly through the darkened sky. The colors of their pelts just barely stood out against the fading clouds, some even less than others. And as the color of orange neared the city - as Applejack fell ever closer to death - the tension within the throne room finally broke. Apple Bloom began to wail. The sound was heart-wrenching, causing Spike to ball his hands so tight his claws began to pierce his own hide. Even Celestia clenched her teeth, unable to do anything else. At that moment, one pegasi of the guard turned upward sharply, hooking his foreleg around Applejack’s chest. The impact instantly caused him to spin in midair, but it slowed the descent long enough for two more pegasi to assist him. One rose up beneath her to support her body, while the third flew against the spin in order to stable the group. Around them, other groups of pegasi found similar success. Some were able to rescue a mare with only two ponies helping, while others required three or four. One group had caught Rarity, but the initial impact had caused her to roll out of their grasp. However, they managed to turn that slip into a pass toward another team only a few meters below. It had been just over twenty seconds. Apple Bloom’s cries quieted. Spike visibly relaxed, and Celestia’s teeth unclenched. But as her eyes focused on each telltale speck of armor and coat color, she began to tense once more. She counted five groups of pegasi. Who was missing? Her unspoken question received an immediate answer as Luna took a step forward. “There!” she shouted, violently pointing to a spot higher in the sky. The movement upset her broken wing, and she bit down a cry of pain. One final form was falling to the city. Above her, small streams of sunlight began to filter through, speeding the destruction of the magical clouds. Her body was framed in one such ray of light, tracking her descent. Rainbow Dash. Three pegasi who were not holding anypony saw her and spun around. They dived for momentum, arcing upward after a second that felt much longer. The occupants of the throne room tracked their movements, unwilling to feel relief just yet. But then something else caught Celestia’s eye. A seventh form shot down from the clouds, not far from where Applejack or the rest had fallen. This final body was much faster than anyone else in the air, and had easily caught Rainbow long before any of the other pegasi could get close. The mere sight of this seventh body brought a harsh tension back to all who saw it. “Oh, no...” Celestia whispered. “Is that...did they fail?” In the sky, the unknown figure began a slow, calculated descent, his form growing larger as he neared the unprotected palace. Even at a distance, the princesses could tell he was struggling to fly upright, though they could not gauge whether it was due to the added weight of Rainbow Dash or something else. However, despite the slow approach, the guards and refugees were apprehensive, keeping their distance as they too carefully glided back to ground zero. Luna gently touched her sister’s foreleg. “The square,” she urged. With a numb nod, Celestia stood and followed her sister out of the throne room. Innumerable hooves followed her in turn, the remainder of the guardsponies. They rushed as quickly as they could, shouting at gathered citizens to make way. Sweetie Belle, who had been helping with the barrier, spotted her friends and managed to join them. Half a minute later, Celestia, Luna, and their entourage poured through the palace doors into the Canterlot square, where the remains of the throne were scattered. They looked to the sky, spotting the groups of pegasi who had saved their saviors. They each touched down in turn, laying out the unconscious mares as gently as they could, before joining ranks behind the Royal Sisters. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Spike all spotted their friends and family, pushing through the herd to reach them. Spike let out a jubilant shout when he found them all breathing, but was left speechless at the sight of Applejack’s mangled limb. Both he and Sweetie Belle consoled Apple Bloom, reminding her that Applejack was still alive. Finally, the one who had caught Rainbow Dash was seen clearly, and the sight of him was enough to stun Celestia into silence. She had been expecting the dark, menacing look of Alucard, but this was nothing if not the opposite. An alicorn with a white coat, who was barely larger than Luna. He seemed focused and confused, his eyes darting from the ground to the mare he was holding. A moment later, he touched down in front of Celestia and Luna, but he immediately looked to the gathered guards. “Here, take her,” he said between labored panting. “I-I think I might have hurt her.” With a few seconds of hesitation, the royal guards moved forward and allowed Rainbow Dash to be settled across their backs. They moved as a unit to in front of the palace doors, where the rest of the Bearers lay. The unknown stallion looked toward Celestia and Luna, immediately nodding toward them. “I’m sorry,” he said. Luna didn’t reply, surprised as she was by the third alicorn. However, Celestia didn’t stay silent. “Detain him,” she ordered. A set of her personal guards instantly took a step forward. When he heard the command, the white stallion jumped off and began to hover, keeping himself a few yards away. Celestia bared her teeth, more wary than angry. “Stay right where you are!” she called. “I’m sorry, I can’t!” Luna stepped forward. “How dare you. After all that’s happened, and you would defy us?” “Listen, if staying would undo all of this, I would stay. But Alucard is moving forward with his plan, and this time it’s my homeland on the line. I can’t stay here!” “Homeland?” Luna looked to her sister, but didn’t receive a glance back. “You’re a foreigner, too?” But he wasn’t listening. “All of you have gone through enough...there’s no need for you to do any more. This is my responsibility now!” Celestia finally returned her sister’s gaze. Unspoken questions danced between them. “Responsibility?” she echoed, facing the stallion again. “Actions have taken place here, actions that must be answered.” “And Alucard will answer for them, I swear.” The elder sister shook her head. “I cannot let you leave!” Then, utter defiance. “Leader, you do not control me.” “Leader?” “Listen, tell that one-” he quickly gestured to Rainbow Dash’s unconscious form, “-not to worry. Her part in this is over now. I won’t stop until things are made right.” Celestia shook her head again, taking a firm step forward. “No!” “I’m going to make things right!” he called, turning away and gaining height. With a strong push on his wings, he gained speed and began putting distance between himself and the square. A few pegasi guards pushed off in pursuit, but the white stallion was far quicker than they could ever be. Within seconds, any hope of catching up to him was lost. Celestia took a few steps forward as he flew away, a guttural sound coming from her voice. She watched as his form sped through the air before finally hooking eastward and disappearing beyond the mountainside. A few moments later, her guards returned to her, asking for orders. Her sight went unfocused as her mind became noisy with questions. Who was that alicorn? What purpose did he have in all this? Was he in league with Alucard? But if he was, why did he take time to save Rainbow Dash? And if he wasn’t Alucard’s ally, was he instead Celestia’s? Or were there other forces in play that were beyond her sight? She remained like that for some time before a pressure on her foreleg drew her attention. Luna was gently tugging at her, motioning back toward the palace. With a confused grunt, Celestia looked back and finally noticed what was still waiting for her. Grouped near her were dozens of her guards and officers, all tired and more confused than she. They needed direction. At the seams of the castle doorways were Canterlot citizens and Ponyville refugees, pushing against each other in the hope for answers to their own questions. And between those two groups was a line of unconscious mares, their features split between peaceful sleep and agonizing pain. Their loved ones moved among them, comforting each other with constant reminders that the ponies at their hooves and feet were still breathing. Then Celestia noticed how easily she could see them. The day had grown progressively brighter, and she remembered how the clouds had vanished. Sunlight streamed down upon them all, undeniable proof that the day had been won. Even if she felt helpless, confused, and defeated, they had been spared. After another moment, Celestia closed her eyes and swallowed dryly. She didn’t have any options. “Princess!” one of the pegasi called out. “Perhaps we can still follow him! Should we give chase?” The only thing she could do... “No,” she answered. “We...will not give chase.” Luna looked up, herself surprised by the decision. “Pegasi, send a message to ready the medical wing,” Celestia ordered, her voice just above a whisper. “Get those six over there, and keep them separated from the other wounded if you can. And form search parties for the city...sweep the buildings and roads for any hint of Alucard or his power.” A few seconds passed before the few pegasi still in the air touched down, moving toward Twilight Sparkle and her companions. With the help of Spike and Sweetie Belle, the unconscious mares were each set atop the back of a guard, who carefully began walking back inside the palace. The crowded herd at the doorway immediately parted for them. Other pegasi slowly paired and began flying through the city, wordlessly navigating toward the empty buildings. “Earth ponies,” Celestia continued, unable to open her eyes, “walk the city. Bring in the dead. T-...try not to miss anyone.” She hated having to give that order, and the guards in question immediately felt uncomfortable. They were prepared for death, but not of those they were supposed to protect. Without a word, the gathered guards began moving in a slow march. Three of them immediately went for the fallen mother and daughter who were struck down not far away. “What magic remains, unicorns?” she asked. “Your Highness,” one of the remaining guards answered. “We’re tired, but not beaten. What do you need us to do?” Finally, Celestia opened her eyes. There only remained twenty or so guards near her, all unicorns. She could see in there eyes that she had not been lied to - there remained a desire to act, even though their morale was all but trampled. She was thankful for that. “Bring sheets to the throne room. Make sure they’re large enough to cover a body. And some of you will need to carry that back as well.” She pointed to a spot further away, where chunks of gold and crimson were strewn about. The remains of the royal throne, reduced to dented rubble. Around her, activity slowly began. Weakened magic was called upon to move the throne back inside, while the passing-by of other guards went back and forth. Celestia lost touch with what was happening around her. She closed her eyes again, trying very hard to think if there were any other options available to her. Several seconds went by unnoticed before Celestia’s eyes opened again. Standing directly in front of her was her sister, looking up. They gazed at each other, neither saying a word. Unlike other instances, they were not able to gauge each others’ thoughts - this time, both were at a total loss. Slowly, Luna took a step forward and pressed her head against Celestia’s breast. Her foreleg soon rose up and gripped her sister. Celestia took a few shaky breaths, her eyes glazing over. Then finally...finally, she allowed herself to relax, slumping her shoulders and gently bringing Luna closer into their hug. Dry sobs tore through her throat as the anger and frustration was allowed out at last. Celestia wasn’t able to properly cry, instead forced to a pitiful pile of hiccups and strained groans. Luna closed her eyes as her sister lost herself to the emotion. The younger sibling also allowed her body to go limp, letting all of her gathered tension out in one long, saddened sigh. She heard the clack of hooves against pavement as their guards went about their tasks, but soon the sounds seemed far away. The two Royal Sisters remained like that for a while, neither speaking and neither moving. Deep down, they knew that they had earned a victory...but the sight of their destroyed city felt like a defeat, and the lifeless bodies being carried around them were like haunting ghosts. By the time Celestia finished telling her side of the story, the entire room had stopped to listen. She rested on her haunches while Luna remained standing at her side. After a moment, Celestia released a sigh, trying her best not to break again. “Luna was barely able to move the moon back into the sky. We both came back inside, and have been here ever since. And we first heard about one of you regaining consciousness a little past midnight, about four hours ago. Everything else is as you see,” she concluded, briefly nodding toward the state of the throne room. A moment of silence followed her words, prompting ponies to turn their heads and reconsider the area. Piles of dust and rubble were pushed against a far wall, beneath the gaping hole in the ceiling. Cool night air came through unfiltered, bringing a chill to the neck of anypony caught in a breeze. The remains of the throne were left unattended, while the rows of dead bodies were surrounded by guards both in and out of uniform. And off to one side rested the empty chest that would normally contain the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow Dash had kept her gaze stern during Celestia’s story. When the silence proved too much, she broke it. “You didn’t go after him?” Luna shook her head, but it was Celestia who spoke. “No, we didn’t have a choice.” “No choice?” “Correct. Between the destruction of Canterlot, the lives that were claimed, and you six nearly killed, our only option was to recover ourselves.” “So you let that guy get away. After everything that’s happened, all that I could ask him, you just let him escape?” Celestia, Luna, and the other Bearers of Harmony looked at Rainbow Dash. She was scowling, her tail twitching in poorly-hidden aggravation. She was more upset than angry. “I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia quietly spoke. “We didn’t know who he was or what he was capable of. Luna and I were counting on all of you to answer our questions, but the truth eluded all of you as well.” Rainbow held back a snort. “Wh-what do you mean by that?” “Well, what do you know about that stallion, Rainbow? And not what Twilight has told us...what do you really know about him?” The pegasus was about to give an answer when she realized she lacked one. She paused, her mouth moving with no sound being made, her eyes blinking as she considered the few things she had learned. Finally, she settled on the only thing she could think of. “He was the missing band member, from the one that toured Ponyville a long time ago.” Celestia gave a small nod. “You see, not knowing who or what that alicorn is prevents me from taking any action. Especially when so much happened here that I needed to address.” Luna jumped in. “It sounds like he was another victim of binding magic, like you were. That much you’ve already figured out. But since he was capable of such fast flight, any chance we had of catching him was little to none. The truth is he was simply in a better condition that anypony else.” “Fast flying?” Rainbow echoed, her tail twitching again. “Well, I was the fastest pegasus in Ponyville! I...I can do the Sonic Rainboom! Maybe I can catch him!” At the suggestion, Fluttershy stepped forward and draped her wing across Rainbow’s backside. “Rainbow Dash, please...no. It’s been so long already. Even you can’t catch up by now.” The cyan pegasus shook her head, not accepting the response. “No, no, there has to be a way. I can do something, I just don’t know what!” “There really isn’t, young one,” Celestia replied. She got a sour look before continuing. “Whoever that alicorn is, he is right about one thing: your part in this entire affair is over.” “No, I can...I can...” Finally, Celestia stood. Rainbow looked at her, desperate for a reason to keep fighting. Their eyes met, Rainbow’s dancing and wild while Celestia’s were gentle. “You’ve done all you can,” the princess softly said. She stepped forward and lifted Rainbow’s chin with her hoof, keeping their gazes connected. “When my sister and I failed, you and your friends flew up there and halted Alucard’s plan. You six accomplished more than anypony here could, but now your job is done. “Whatever happens from now on is a burden that I must bear. There are serious consequences that must be faced, changes that must be made, and demands that must be met. The populations of two cities have just survived destruction; some of them will call for blood. And above all, I need to consider how to be better prepared in case Alucard decides to return.” Luna took a step forward. “We have to know, Rainbow Dash...does he intend to return? Must we face the biggest threat to Equestria once more?” Rainbow swallowed a lump in her throat. The memory of her battle against Alucard burned her as much as his magic. After a moment, she pulled her head out of Celestia’s grasp and looked down. “No,” she muttered. “He said that Equestria is worthless to him. He never intended to claim it...he just wanted to practice on us.” “Practice, you say?” Luna practically spat the word. “Practice with lives, indeed. I pity those he does intend to rule.” “B-but that’s why we should keep looking!” the pegasus shouted. Her eyes went wild again. “Somewhere out there, he’s threatening other ponies! We have to help them somehow!” “Rainbow Dash?” called a voice behind her. Rainbow turned her head to look at her gathered friends. Unlike her, they were not hoping for a reason to keep fighting. They were tired and confused, and each of them longed for things to go back to normal. Twilight Sparkle was the one who had spoken. She looked away for a moment, seemed to reach a decision, then looked back up. “I understand why you want to find Alucard. I felt the same way about trying to find you when you left us four years ago.” Rainbow’s eyes widened. She had nearly forgotten her own wrongdoings in the wake of her enemy’s. “Listen,” Twilight continued, “back then, I devoted every waking moment to finding you. I wanted so badly to help you in the only way I knew how. But I had nothing, Rainbow, absolutely nothing to lead me to you. I’ve always regretted giving up my research, but the fact remained that I had no information. That same fact is here, now, with all of this. And this is so much bigger than us.” “We want you back, dear,” Rarity added. “We’ve always wanted you back home.” Twilight nodded. “You were lost to us for four years because of what Alucard did. Please don’t put us through that anymore. We can’t stand to lose you again.” She took another step and brought Rainbow in for a tight hug, one that conveyed how desperately she wanted her friend to stay. Rainbow looked at her, lifting a foreleg to touch hers, unable to return the embrace properly. “But you said this was bigger than us...” she whispered. “This could involve so much more, couldn’t it?” “I don’t know, Rainbow, I just don’t know.” “Rainbow Dash,” Luna pitched in again, “this is more than just you and your friends. And to be honest, this is one mystery that’s best left unsolved, if for nopony’s sake but your own." Rainbow Dash gently pulled away from the hug, turning to look at the princesses again. “I’ve lost so much to this monster, and you’re all asking me to just stop here. How can you say these things? How can I possibly move on?” Nopony answered for five whole seconds. Then Luna cleared her throat. “I know you can.” “How?” she challenged. Luna gave her a grim frown, beating back a bitter memory. “Because you’re not the only one here who was once swallowed in darkness, then brought back to the light.” The realization struck home. Rainbow held her breath, looking at Luna for what felt like the first time. Of course, the younger princess had more experience with darkness and evil than any of them. She had once tried what Alucard had done - overtaking Equestria and defeating its ruler. And in the wake of her history, four years in a cave seemed like nothing. Rainbow Dash looked down, coming to terms with what she was being asked to do. She was affected more than anypony else by Alucard, of course...but there was nothing prompting her to seek him out other than her own sense of loyalty. He had already accomplished what he came to Equestria to do, so he had no reason to come back unless his pride demanded it. But even that wasn’t true, because he had said how his destiny was elsewhere in the world. Surely his calling would leave little room for revenge. The more she thought about it, the fewer reasons she found to go after him. Even the white alicorn she had seen while fighting Alucard seemed to be his victim. If his homeland was threatened, then it really was up to him now. She had no means of finding where he came from, and nothing to suggest he wouldn’t continue where she left off. Besides, she had wanted to make things right with Spitfire and her friends...hadn’t she done that? Rainbow swallowed again. “I...need to think...” A few seconds passed by without a response, so Rainbow slowly moved toward a window that had been blown out. She sat down in front of it, gazing into the early-morning sky. Members of the guard gave her a respectable berth, not that she noticed them - the events of the last week were all catching up to her, and all she could see were memories. After a moment watching her walk away, her friends slowly began to move, breaking into pairs and drifting around the room in search of a place to rest. Twilight looked down at Spike, who was gazing at Rainbow Dash with a concerned expression. “Perhaps we should all find some rest,” Celestia began. “We’re not likely to learn anything more tonight.” Twilight looked up at her mentor, a thought hitting her. “Actually...there is something.” Celestia and Luna both looked at her. “Something?” Luna echoed. “Like what?” “I...really don’t know how to describe it,” Twilight stammered. “I just need to tell you both about what I saw.” “I don’t understand...you saw something?” The unicorn gave a nod, nudging Spike to give her some privacy. The dragonling hesitated before walking away, joining his other friends across the room. With the attention of both princesses on her, Twilight took a breath and began. “It’s what I saw when trying to unbind Alucard from the other stallion. Something in his soul.”