//------------------------------// // Fading Shadows // Story: Rainbow Dash's Nightmare // by There Is Nothing Here //------------------------------// It's over Alphion has regained his strength and has begun to devour Equestria. His shadows are tearing apart the souls of every pony in Equestria. Dooming them to forever live in this nightmare. This is where it would end... or that's what I thought, we weren't finished yet. ******************************************************************************************* "BLITZ!" Sonic Spark charged into Blitz's house. "What is it Sonic Spark?" "I know how we can do it, I know how we can get to Rainbow Dash!" Bltiz instantly jumped up. "How?" "Since I replaced Dash in history I had all of her memories. We'll get to her the same way she first reached Alphion." "How is that?" "Rainbow Dash tricked Pinkie Pie into fading into Alphion's realm with her. All we need to do is get Black Flare back here. When we do we grab onto him and poof, back into Alphion's nightmare." "Sweet Celestia! That would work! But wait... how are we supposed to get Black Flare to show up again? He said he would return if we continued searching for Rainbow Dash. We continued, but he never showed up." "It was because we had lost faith, we knew we couldn't do anything. We were at a loss from our friend, but now there's hope. Come Blitz, get up. It's time to save Rainbow Dash." ******************************************************************************************* "Applejack run!" Twilight shouted as a shadow nearly landed on her friend. "Jeez Twilight, what are we s'possed to do!?! These thing's are everywhere!" "I don't know Applejack." "Twilight!" Twilight glanced around as she saw Fluttershy and Rarity running towards her. "What's wrong Fluttershy?!" "Pinkie... they got Pinkie!" "What!? Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing, her friend had been captured. She held back tears, determined to save everyone else. "Come on girls... we gotta get out of here!" Shadows rained from the sky, obliterating anything they touched. Twilight looked around her, and all she saw was ponies, unicorns and pegasi alike trying to escape. It was useless no pony could escape. "Sweetie Belle!" Again she turned around and saw Applebloom and Scootaloo trying to pull Sweetie Belle out of a dark hole. "Hang on girls!" Twilight's horn began to glow, and using all her energy pulled Sweetie Belle out of the hole. "Come on girls we need to move now!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed as the rest of the ponies ran for the edge of Ponyville. Then suddenly a shadow came flying down aimed directly at Twilight. "Watch out!" She jumped out of the way, she dodged the shadow, but it hit Rarity straight on. She fell into the dark void of Alphion's nightmare. "Rarity!" Applejack said as she saw her friend fall into oblivion. "Come on Applejack we need to move!" She followed, reluctant to leave her friend behind. "Stick together or we'll get picked off one by one!" All the ponies listened, clumping up together. Another shadow plunged towards them. "Every pony jump right now!" They all did, except for Fluttershy who was in the middle and tripped. The shadow struck her and she fell into the dark swirling abyss as well. "Fluttershy!" Twilight began to cry as she was running, no matter what they did, they still got picked off one by one. "There's the edge of Ponyville. Come on every pony we almost made it." "I'm afraid I can't let you do that..." The ponies all came to a screeching halt. A pony rose up from the ground, an alicorn to be exact. It had a white coat, black mane and silver spiked chains were clipped to its legs. "My name... is Black Flare, the agent of Alphion. You're not leaving Ponyville. Ahk'naa shith ar'aan" As those words were uttered a dark beam shot out of the white alicorns cracked horn. It struck the 5 ponies and they all rose into the air. The dark beam crushing their throats. "Good luck... ahahaahahaaa." Black Flare faded away and a shadow plunged at Applejack, Twilight and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Applejack stood up and knocked the other ponies away from the blast. They all looked at her... She winked at them and smiled as the shadow dragged her into the abyss. "Applejack!" Applebloom began to cry. The rest of the ponies began to cry as well. Twilight stood up, rubbing her eyes. "Come on girls... we need to keep moving, it's what Applejack would've wanted...." ******************************************************************************************* Rainbow Dash was watching in horror as Alphion destroyed Ponyville and the rest of Equestria. She couldn't do anything... she was too weak to move or even speak. She just stood there, legs wobbling and mouth agape. "Like what you see Rainbow Dash? It's lovely isn't it." She didn't respond, she was too focused on Twilight, still dodging shadows. "Come on Twilight." she thought to herself. ******************************************************************************************* Blitz and Sonic Spark had been spreading word about Rainbow Dash for hours nonstop. No one believed them, they expected that but they need to lure Black Flare here. "I thought I warned you fools!" The dark alicorn rose up from the ground. "But I see you two are as ignorant and stubborn as Rainbow Dash herself. Which is why I'm going to end both of you right now. I will sever your souls from your bodies and incinerate your souls until there is nothing left of you both!" A dark ray shot out of Black Flare's horn. Blitz and Sonic Spark both circled around it, easily dodging it. Every pony else was watching, jaws dropped as they witnessed what was happening. The black maned alicorn lifted his wings and rose into the air. His wings spread bringing down a huge lightning bolt on Blitz. She barely dodged it, the lightning slightly singing her tail. Black pulses began emanating from the alicorn, striking the two Pegasi, knocking them to the ground. They both stood up. Blitz leaned closer to her friend and whispered something into her ear. Sonic Spark nodded her head. Blitz flew up flying circles around Black Flare. He shot a dark ray at her, it was tailing just behind her. Then the alicorn stopped the beam. He turned around and received a hard hoof to the face as Sonic Spark struck him. He fell to the ground. "We got him..." Blitz said. "Not quite..." Sonic Spark charged at the ground where Black Flare landed and charged straight into him, severely injuring him. He stood up, his legs shaking. His horn began to glow... "Now!" Blitz and Sonic Spark both grabbed onto him and all 3 of them faded away... ******************************************************************************************* "Come on girls... don't give up. Please...." It was hopeless, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were all hysterical. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle had lost their sisters, while Scootalo had lost her idol Rainbow Dash. Twilight began to cry as well, all of her friends were gone. Alphion hadn't been defeated... he was back and he had claimed everything she loved. Rainbow Dash must have felt the same way..... But she couldn't let it end like this... she was going to make this right and make sure everything returned to normal. "Girls..." The 3 fillies looked up at Twilight. "We're going after them... follow me." They walked back into Ponyville. As Twilight expected... a shadow plunged directly at them. "I'm coming girls... Don't you worry." The shadow struck the four ponies, bringing them all into Alphion's nightmare. ******************************************************************************************* "Well... that's that. All of the ponies of Equestria now reside within my nightmare. And now Rainbow Dash.... it's time for you to join them." The cyan Pegasus faded away, back into the frozen wasteland, back into the nightmare, back.... into hell. "Well.... I'm back...." Then almost instantly, three ponies appeared next her. Blitz, Sonic Spark and Black Flare. "DAMMIT!" Black Flare shouted. His voice echoing throughout the nightmare. "You bastards..... latching onto me screwed up my travel path...." "What?" "Why in hell would I be stupid enough to bring you into Rainbow Dash's Nightmare!" "If only you weren't that stupid...." Alphion said. He rose up from the floor. "Black Flare... you have failed me... You were beaten by these two pegasi, DEAD pegasi... Besides, I have no further use for you anyway... So I might as well end you now." "NO... Alphion!" "Take this!" Alphion fired a dark beam at Black Flare. It struck him straight on. Smoke filled the area, making sight impossible. The smoke cleared and the white alicorn was still standing. "Alphion... you fool. You trusted me too much, granting me all this power has made me equivalent to you!" "Hahahaha..." Alphion merely laughed at the alicorn's threat. Black Flare shot a dark missile at Alphion. The dark lard shrugged it off like it was a paper ball. "I don't trust any pony Black Flare." The alicorn was lifted into the air, as dark beams shot into his throat, crushing it. He fell to the ground. Alphion then turned to the 3 Pegasi. "Since you're stuck here... I have no reason to separate you. Very well, you three will remain together... but be warned. My illusions are still looking for you, I'd get moving if I were you." Alphion faded away, letting out a menacing laugh as he disappeared. Blitz had so many things to say to Rainbow Dash... but now wasn't the time. Instead her and Sonic Spark both gave her a big hug and began to cry. "I'm so glad you're ok." Sonic Spark said, her voice almost drowned out from her crying. "Hey......girls.................." The pegasi turned around and saw Black Flare sprawled out on the ground. "Hmph.. good riddens." "Here........ take this......" Black Flare tossed a purple amulet at them. It was the Amulet of Screaming Agony! "With my power..... I modified it.......... use it....... to find your friends......... and please........stop Alphion..............." The alicorn closed his soulless eyes... and his heartbeat stopped. ".....Come on you two let's go. I still have a shred of Alphion's power in me.... I can activate the amulet. We can use it to get into you're Twilight and the rest of our friends' nightmares." The amulet began to glow and the 3 pegasi disappeared, into their friend's nightmare. They 3 pegasi awoke, in some sort of hedge maze. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. Alphion had brought her here before, this was where she was stabbed by Fluttershy's illusion and strangled by Alphion's psychic torment. There was no doubt that her friends were in trouble. "Come on... let's find them." They rushed through the hedge maze, making sure to stick together. They turned a corner and Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were all face to face with their illusions. "Oh no, not them again." Rainbow Dash rushed to her friends. "Rainbow Dash!" The 5 ponies turned around and cheered with excitement as they saw their three winged friends. Then, the illusions of Alphion charged at the 8 ponies. "Watch out!" Twilight pushed the other ponies out of the way, she shot a purple beam at the 5 illusions, striking all of them. "You're not escaping us... not again." The illusion's eye sockets began to glow red. They all stepped closer to Rainbow Dash. Twilight began to step next to Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy's illusion looked at her. Twilight smashed her hooves over her ears. "AHHHH!" Fluttershy was getting into her mind and torturing her from within. Soon, every other pony began to hear a sharp loud screeching in their heads. They all backed away, ignoring whatever the illusion's might be trying to do to Rainbow Dash. "You're all going to die here.... Alphion's power exceeds the Elements of Harmony. We will rip your souls from you bodies and use them and elevate our powers beyond maximum limits. Prepare for a true glimpse, into the future of Equestria." The hedge maze began to burn, the sky turned a dark purple. The clouds began swirling around rapidly. "Enough of this..." Alphion rose up from the ground... "Fluttershy..... My power is great, you're weak and feeble. I have no further use for you..." Alphion raised his hand... and the 5 illusions disappeared. The ponies removed their hooves from their ears, no longer being tortured by the illusions. Alphion's eyes began to glow, every pony and Alphion faded away, back into the main chamber of his lair. "Now girls... it's come to this..." The dark lord looked at Sonic Spark.... "You... I gave you life, strength and you betrayed me. I'm about to return the favor." Alphion disappeared, and reappeared in front of Sonic Spark. He raised his dark fist and struck the Pegasus with extreme force. She collapsed unconscious. "Sparkie!" Blitz began to run towards the pegasus. Alphion pointed his arm at Blitz. She was raised into the air and put back next to her friends. "No, no, no Blitz. Stay there." "What do you want from us Alphion! You did it! You have all of Equestria in this nightmare. Equestria is yours for the taking! What else do you want from us!" the cyan pegasus said. "Well.... since Equestria's mine... the only threat to me ruling it is you. So... you can imagine what's about to happen." The ponies all gulped, this was it. Alphion rose into the air, his eyes emanating shadows... "A'laat ishnu, kreet i'hknon dul'isha!" As Alphion uttered those words he raised his arms and two dark beams shot out of them. They separated into 7 beams each of them striking one of the ponies. "Errgh... What... what is this?" Rainbow Dash felt something... it felt like something was being torn out of her.... That was it.... Alphion was tearing out their souls and using them to empower himself. A pulse began running out of the ponies and into Alphion... his power was increasing. The 7 ponies howled in agony. Sonic Spark opened her eyes... she saw her friends, having their souls destroyed by Alphion... "No.... I helped him do this... I manipulated Rainbow Dash... I did this to my friends... and now.... I'm going to end this...." The pegasus stood up and charged at Alphion's beam. She stood right where the 7 beams conjoined... All of them striking Sonic Spark. The other ponies were dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. Sonic Spark turned around... "Girls... this was my fault. I couldn't let Alphion take your souls... his power is still stored inside me... If he absorbs my souls, he will be destroyed by his own power. Friends... goodbye." "No!" All the ponies said as Sonic Sparks souls was torn from her body and pushed into Alphion. Alphion howled in pain... making horrifying bloodcurdling noises. Parts of him began to fade away... "EERRAH!" His voice thundered as he screeched in pain. He was knocked down... he began to pull himself towards the other ponies. "Burn in hell...." Rainbow Dash said as she looked into Alphion's eyes... The other ponies backed away. Alphion stopped looking straight into Dash's eyes. He didn't say a word... instead he started to laugh, menacingly. He faded away, like dust in the wind... his laugh still echoing. "Well.... it's over isn't it?" The 7 ponies looked up. A beam of light shot down, and a figured descended from above. It looked like some kind of... they didn't know. Nothing like it had ever been seen before. It had the same body style as Alphion except, it was a light yellow and white color. It had large white wings, the size of a full grown colt. "Girls... you each contributed to the fall of Alphion... I must repay you for this..." "Wait... who are you?" Rainbow Dash said. "My name... I am Angealla. Alphion's counterpart. For every dark being such as himself, there must be a counter. That is me. He was the spirit of darkness, and me the spirit of light and the heavens." "Wait... so if you're his counterpart, you could have stopped him the whole time! But instead you watched!" "I wish that was true, Alphion's powers grew beyond my reach when he took Rainbow Dash. Feeding off the darkness in her soul bolstered his powers to triple of mine. Unfortunately, I cannot gain power off the souls of others, so my power remained the same. Even after being weakened by the Elements of Harmony he was still too strong." Every pony was speechless... "Now moving on... For defeating Alphion... I shall return you five to Equestria... And.... as the spirit of light and the heavens... I shall grant Blitz and Rainbow Dash their lives. They will return to Equestria with you." Every pony began to cheer, they all began to hug the two pegasi. "Wait..." Rainbow Dash pulled herself away from her friends. "What about Sonic Spark?" "I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do for her.... her spirit is trapped inside Alphion... and since he has been destroyed... so is her soul... I'm sorry." Angealla raised both of her arms... a light began to glow from them, and the 7 ponies were transferred back to Equestria. 6 months later..... Life in Ponyville returned to normal. "Hey... Blitz..." "What is it Applejack?" "Tell her..." "What? Tell who what?" "Don't play around Blitz, I know how you feel about RD. It's been pretty obvious ever since you both came back." Blitz began to blush... "Come on... go tell her." "Oh...Ok..." Blitz began walking towards Ponyville... ******************************************************************************************* "Hey Pinkie!" "*Yawn* Oh hi Rainbow Dash." Pinkie looked a little tired... what was wrong? "What's wrong Pinkie?" "Oh... I don't know, I couldn't sleep last night... It was weird... I just sat in bed all night and couldn't sleep....." Rainbow Dash's heart stopped, this couldn't be happening..... "Hey Rainbow Dash!" She turned around and saw Blitz running towards her. "I have something to tell you." Dash didn't respond... her eyes looked very wide and she looked pale. "Is something wrong Rainbow Dash?" "No..... nothing....." (The Temporal Shattering is a sequel to this if you want to check it out and see what happens next!)