The Rainbow (Dash) of Darkness

by Matthais Unidostres

Chapter 5: El Tango de Soarin

Scootaloo was an orange streak through Ponyville as she zoomed at top speed on her scooter. She was focused on building up her speed until she reached the right momentum when she hit that ramp. The whole plan depended on it.

It was a very ingenious plan indeed. A plan only Rainbow Dash could come up with. It was an unconventional technique to get Scootaloo flying. The set up was a ramp Scootaloo would hit at top speed on her scooter. After being launched into the air, Scootaloo would let go of her scooter and open her wings. Rainbow Dash would then fly underneath her, flapping her wings hard to create an updraft with her wings that Scootaloo's wings could catch.

Scootaloo saw the wooden ramp coming up fast, and she braced herself.

"Here I go!" Scootaloo called out, and the next thing she knew, she was up at least 15 feet into the air.

"On it!" shouted Rainbow Dash, and the multicolored mare zoomed in beneath Scootaloo, flying upside down and beating her wings fast and strong. The breeze she created was caught by Scootaloo's small orange wings. The filly strained hard to gather the updraft in her wings. Rainbow Dash looked up elatedly as she saw her little sister gain some height. For a few brief seconds, the filly gained altitude and flew forward at an angle. But then, the small wings lost catch, and she spun out to the left.

"I gotcha!" Dash said as she quickly rolled towards Scootaloo and caught her in her forelegs. The pair landed safely, and Scootaloo jumped down to the ground with a smile.

"That was amazing! I was actually flying for a few seconds there!" Scootaloo said excitedly.

Dash nodded, "Yep. Ya sure were, Squirt! Give it some time, and you'll be flying with the best of them. It took me years to get to where I am now, after all."

Scootaloo hugged Rainbow Dash and said, "Thank you so much, Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow ruffled Scootaloo's hair affectionately. As she did this, she couldn't help be feel a strong sense of worry. Dash knew that Rainbow Dark was still out there, meaning that everypony she cared for, Scootaloo included, was in danger. This Rainbow of Darkness power didn't sound good, and who knew where it was now. Rainbow Dash hoped that all the research Twilight and the other Princesses were doing would come up with something quickly. If they could just find that Rainbow of Light, they could probably take care of that cheap copy in ten seconds flat. The sooner the better as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned. If anything happened to her friends, or Tank, or Scootaloo. . .

"Rainbow Dash? Are you okay?" Scootaloo asked in response to her big sister's long period of silence.

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her thoughts and put on a quick smile. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking about how we could really get you flying." The older mare put a gentle hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder and said, "Just play it a little safer. What kind of big sister would I be if I let you get banged up too much."

Soarin felt a huge headache pulse within his skull as he regained consciousness. He could also hear a voice calling out to him.

"Come on, Soarin! Come on! Climb out of that fog! Come to! Come to!"

"Urrrrr. . .Spitfire. . ." he moaned as he opened his eyes and looked up to the worried orange mare laying next to him. He tried to get to his hooves, and was greeting by a clanking sound and a heaviness on his legs. He looked down, and the dim light of the room they were in revealed the heavy metal chains around his fetlocks and neck. "They got us both," he remarked.

"Not just you two," a voice said.

Soarin turned and gasped. Also chained up in the room were Rapidfire, Blaze, Lightning Streak, Silver Lining, Wave Chill, Fire Streak, Surprise, Misty Fly, and High Winds.

"All of you. . ." Soarin gasped in horror. He then turned to Spitifre and sighed with relief. "Well, at least you're safe and sound."

Spitfire breathed out angrily and said, "High treason against Cloudsdale. . .Lightning Dust has sunken so low-"

"Forget her!" Soarin shouted furiously, his bound wings burning with righteous anger, "Fleetfoot is the true traitor here. . .how- how could she. . .I just. . ." Soarin's voice trailed off despairingly.

Spitifre sighed and looked down at her fettered hooves. "Fleetfoot always was the ambitious type. Winning was all that mattered to her. She always was the kind that believed that the ends justified the means."

"Oh, but they do, Spitfire. They most certainly do," said an eerily familiar voice.

Spitifre's ears shot up, and her mind reeled in shock. She didn't have time to think, because then the doors to the darkened gymnasium opened up, letting a brief flood of light in as three Pegasi entered the room. Fleetfoot and Lightning Dust, still in their Shadowbolt flight suits, walked in flanking the familiar monochrome haired Pegasus in the middle.

"Whaaaaaat. . ." Soarin said slowly as all the captured Wonderbolts stared at purple eyed Pegasus.

"Surprise, foals," Rainbow Dash said with a malicious grin.

"No. . ." Spitfire said slowly, her eyes getting harder by the second, "No, this can't be true. Rainbow Dash can't be the mastermind behind all this! I know her from the Academy! From Rainbow Falls! She'd never do this!"

"That's right! She wouldn't!" Soarin affirmed, "This mare must be an impostor!"

Rainbow Dark grinned and nodded, "You're close, actually. I'm not really Rainbow Dash. I merely have taken her form. I am the Rainbow of Darkness."

The prisoners felt a sense of dread invade their souls as they noticed Rainbow Dark's sharp teeth and snakelike eyes. Spitfire looked at Fleetfoot and shouted, "Fleetfoot! Don't go along with this! Can't you see that. . .thing is evil! Don't you remember what Rainbow Dash taught us about loyalty back at Rainbow Falls?"

Fleetfoot's response was to smirk and say, "No, Spitfire. Rainbow Dash taught you a worthless lesson about loyalty, You're the one who gave her that golden badge. I just got my Equestria Games Winning Plan spoiled by a stupid stallion who just couldn't keep his mouth shut when Rainbow Dash was put in the same hospital room with him."

"Hey, wait a minute-" Soarin began defensively.

"SHUT-UP!" Fleetfoot spat furiosly at the stallion. Glaring hatefully at him, she continued, "Rainbow Dash told me off in front of everypony because you ratted me and Spitfire out to her. So, while Spitfire yielded to all that goody-four-shoe ideology, I just had to chomp on the bit and go along with the stupid apologies."

"Dash would have still faked her injury," Soarin argued, "You wouldn't have been able to qualify for the games at all if I hadn't told her the truth!"

"That doesn't matter anymore," Fleetfoot said with a triumphant grin, "Because right now, the Wonderbolts have been destroyed. The Shadowbolts will take their place. And all of Equestria will be ours!"

During the conversation, Fleetfoot got a little close to Soarin. The chains binding him were short, but they were long enough for Soarin to headbutt Fleetfoot in the chest hard enough to knock the wind out of her and land her flat on her back.

"Yes," Spitfire said with a satisfied smirk. She turned to Soarin, who gave her a cocky winking smile. However, there attention was caught by the sound of Rainbow Dark clapping slowly.

"Not bad, Soarin. . .you've got a lot of . . .spunk. . ." she said with a malicious smile.

Fleetfoot got up quickly, seething with rage. "I'll break his skull!" she growled out.

"No you won't," Rainbow Dark said sternly, "I have a better idea. . ." She walked within a safe distance of the stallion and said, "Listen carefully. I need to have a talk with you. I want to reveal something to you. If you try to escape me, attack me, rescue your friends, or refuse to listen to me; then Lightning Dust will. . .well. . .let's just say. . .make things difficult for Spitfire. . ."

Realizing that was her cue, Lightning Dust pounced on Spitfire and placed one hoof on the fiery mare's neck, and the other on the joint of her immobilized wing. Soarin saw this,, and instantly understood that he had no choice.

"Fine. . .let's just get it over with," he grumbled.

The ponies soon found themselves in the pool room. Fleetfoot looked over Rainbow Dark and Soarin as the pair stood inside of the emptied swimming pool.

"Why did she bring him here for?" Fleetfoot asked herself aloud, confusion and disgust evident on her face, "What is she planning? Why not just beat some sense into him and be done with it?"

"Just be quiet and let our Commander work her magic on that one," Lightning Dust said while always keeping one eye on Spitfire, keeping her hooves pressed against her neck and wing joint. Spitfire remained silent, observing silently, albeit a bit worriedly.

Soarin stood across from Rainbow Dark, those evil purple snake eyes thoroughly creeping him out. He gave one quick look at Spitfire, still held securely as a hostage, and then turned to the approaching dark Pegasus.

"Alright. What is it that you want from me?" Soarin asked.

"A DANCE!" she replied loudly with a wild glint in her eye.

"What!?" Soarin exclaimed.

Rainbow Dark zipped over to Soarin and grabbed his forelegs with her own, pulling the both of them up onto their hind legs.

"The Tango is a popular dance among Pegasi. Is it not?" she said seductively.

"What!?" Soarin repeated.

The evil Pegasus took long striding steps forward, pushing the stallion forward. "You got a lot of spirit, and strength. You're headstrong. I'd be wasting my time if I tried to turn you into a Shadowbolt." Rainbow Dark leaned in close to Soarin's face and said, "You'd never betray Equestria, or your precious Princesses. Luckily you don't have to. I don't want you to. All I want is. . . satisfaction."

"What!?" Soarin said a third time, still in shock.

"I want you to be. . ." Rainbow Dark closed in and whispered seductively into his ear, "Mine. . ."

Rainbow Dark pulled Soarin up with a jerk, and the pair were soon stepping hard to the intense beat of the Tango, a dance mostly associated with the Pegasi tribe due to the fact that wings were needed to keep the dancers up on their hind legs. Earth ponies and unicorns would normally fall over if they were to attempt the dance.

"I am not Rainbow Dash, yet I am! I do not have her restraints or ideals, but I do have her emotions. . .her deepest, darkest desires!" Rainbow Dark ranted, her purple eyes burning with passion. She licked her lips and said, "When I look at you, I just can't hold back these feelings of intense lust! You. Will. Be. My. KING!"

As the evil mare lead the tense routine, she sung passionately to the stallion she held close to her at the moment.

Lightning Dust and Fleetfoot looked down in disbelief.

"What the Tartarus-?" Fleetfoot said slowly, "So. . .Rainbow Dash and Soarin-? Oh, for the love of. . ."

Spitfire could also clearly see the dance that Soarin was being forced to partake in. She also heard the words Rainbow Dark had said, and they created a stabbing pain in her heart, caused by a knife made of a mixture of rage, disgust, and despair. That tormented feeling was evident in her voice.

The dance immediately stopped, just as Soarin was in the middle of dipping Rainbow Dark. The pale blue stallion's mouth was agape. He slowly turned to look up at Spitfire. The orange mare had a hoof placed lightly over her mouth, and she was blushing. Spitfire never blushed. This was most certainly something new. Spitfire looked down with fearfully expectation, cursing her unlucky stars that put this moment in such dire circumstances. However, when Soarin gave her that warm, elated smile, all of her worries seemed to evaporate for that single moment.

"I see. . . ."

Soarin hardened his gaze, although he didn't actually turn to look at Rainbow Dark. The grey maned Pegasus simply smirked her sharp teeth. "You want something that I can't let you have, seeing as it goes against what I want. Don't you know that I'm supposed to always be the center of attention?" She smiled as wide as the Cheshire cat. "So. . .what are you going to do now?"

Soarin still didn't turn to Rainbow Dark. Rather, he kept his eyes on Spitfire. They locked gazes, communication silently. Spitifre nodded once. Soarin nodded twice. And then, they both acted simultaneously. Spitfire tossed the surprised Lighting Dust off of her and tackled Fleetfoot, while Soarin grabbed Rainbow Dark and threw her to the ground with all the force he could muster.

What happened next could only be described as a brawl. In the end, it was all futile for the two Wonderbolts. However, as Rainbow Dark subdued Soarin, and Lightning Dust and Fleetfoot took down Spitfire, the two love struck mares partook in a shouting match.

With two heavy thuds, Spitfire was rendered unconscious. A spark of dark magic from Rainbow Dark's mane struck Soarin's forehead and laid him out on the bottom of the pool.

Rainbow Dark just shrugged down at the unconscious stallion and said, "Well, I'm not too worried. He'll come around soon enough. Besides, getting it on with an attractive male isn't my highest priority. Gaining enough power to subdue Equestria is my main goal." She breathed out slowly, as if fatigued, "It seems this whole operation has left me slightly drained. This isn't good. I am the Rainbow of Darkness. I am the beacon of evil and malice in this world. Being locked away for so long caused me to get too weak. I need to recharge. . .perhaps I could drain the malice from the hearts of ponies?"

Rainbow Dark closed her eyes and focused for a moment. A strange breeze came from nowhere and whirled around her, moving her man slightly. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and she very nearly fell over. "What a surge of evil!" she gasped, "And all in one pony! Unbelievable! And she's close too! If I feed off of her, I'll be as mighty as I was when I first came into being!" She flapped her wings and took flight. She turned to Lighting Dust and Fleetfoot and said, "Lock those tow back up, and keep an eye on all the Wonderbolts. Feel free to beat any and all fight out of them!"

As Rainbow Dark flew off, Lightning Dust smirked maliciously and said, "It'll be my pleasure."

Button Mash burst out of the large bath in the Ponyville Spa, gasping for breath. "Am I me again? Am I?" he asked nervously, checking himself over.

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Yep. You're fine now, Button."

Button sighed in relief and jumped out of the bath. He shook himself dry and said, "That Poison Joke is the worst thing ever! Blue Shells got nothing on them!"

Applebloom smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Button. I should've told you about Poison Joke before we had gone to try and get Mushroom Hunting Cutie Marks. But it is kinda your fault for touching plants that you never saw before."

"But they looked so cool! Like a shinny rare item drop!" Button said.

Applebloom then began to laugh, "Well, it sure was funny! You were all square and blocky! You looked like- like-."

"Like a Minecraft Pony, I know, I know," Button said grumpily.

"Don't be mean, Applebloom!" Sweetie Belle said angrily.

Button hung his head low and said, "It's okay, Sweetie Belle. Lots of ponies saw me, so I really should get used to being laughed as soon as I can."

Applebloom smiled kindly and said, "Don't worry, Button. Twilight and her friends got pranked by Poison Joke, and no one laughed at them. You don't have to worry at all. Now come on. Let's see if Scootaloo is done hanging out with Rainbow dash. Maybe our Crusades will go better if there were four of us."

At that moment, the sound of a pair of fillies laughing obnoxious reached their ears. They all turned to see none other than Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, with cruel smiles on their faces.

"Oh, look, Silver. Button Mash is back to. . .well, I was going to say normal, but 'normal' to him is 'freak' to everypony else!" Diamond Tiara remarked.

The bullies laughed at this comment, but Diamond Tiara wasn't done yet.

"But I think that blocky look fit him better. He's an idiot blockhead!" Diamond crooned.

"Stop it," Button said shakily, his lip trembling.

"To bad he isn't a video game character. Then we could delete him!" Diamond declared with a smile.

Tears began to fall from Button Mash's eyes as he fell to his knees and started sobbing.

"THAT'S IT!" Sweetie Belle shouted, and she ran up in front of Diamond Tiara. She stood an inch away from Diamond Tiara's face, seething with rage, and said, "Why in Celestia's name do you always do this? What the hay is wrong with you anyway! I demand to know why you bully ponies! You gotta tell me! Right now! And don't you dare tell me it's just because we're Blank Flanks!"

Diamond Tiara looked surprised at first, but then she quickly regained her confidence and smirked in defiance. "Okay. I'll tell you," she said, "But first, a question for you: How does one pony assert her power over another, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle frowned at Diamond Tiara. "Why does that even matter? I don't care!"

Diamond Tiara didn't seem to hear what Sweetie Belle said. She just smiled sweetly and answered her own question, "By making her suffer."

Sweetie Belle blinked her eyes and actually stepped back from Diamond Tiara out of reflex. Button, Applebloom, and Silver Spoon all just stared at Diamond Tiara in shock.

Diamond kept up her smile as she continued, "And power feels good. Thanks to my daddy, I'm rich. And money is a kind of power. And when you got power, you want more. And as I just said, making other ponies suffer gives you more power. I don't care about feelings, or other ponies in general; I only care about power. That's why I bully ponies who I think are worthless. That's why I insulted Applebloom's senile old granny. That's why I tormented everypony in Ponyville with that Gabby Gums Gossip Column. That's why I crushed that stupid cripple Scootaloo by shoving her defect in her face. Sure, you can get power through money or influence, like when I wanted in on Twilight Time. But personally, I think the best kind of power is the kind you get from crushing ponies poorer, weaker, and dumber than you."

Diamond put a hoof to her mouth and giggled a bit. "You know, I just realized something. My worldview is the exact opposite of what that nerd Twilight Sparkle and her stupid goody four shoe friends stand for! No Loyalty, except loyalty toward myself. No Honesty, except when it benefits me. No Laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a victim. No Generosity, no Kindness, and no Magic. I got power, so what do I need magic for? All I want and I all need in life is control and power. That's what my Cutie Mark means. Imagine me as the Mayor of Ponyville, or Manehatten. Always, at every moment, I'll have the thrill trampling on an somepony who is helpless."

Diamond Tiara smiled mischievously and said, "Picture. . . my hooves stamping on all your dumb faces. . .forever! Every day, every time; you and any other Blank Flank, cripple, or undesirable will be defeated, discredited, ridiculed, and spat upon by ponies like me. That's how it's been, that's how it is, and that's how it always will be."

For a long silent moment, everypony stared at Diamond Tiara with a look of horror. Even Silver Spoon looked appalled by what had just come out of Diamond Tiara's mouth. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of slow clapping. Everyone turned to see Rainbow hovering in, her wings flapping slowly, dark shades over her eyes, and a mane of seven shades of gray.

"Excellent, my little filly. Simply wonderful. I've never felt such raw hatred and cruelty. And from somepony so young. I'm impressed," she said.

"I don't think that's the real Rainbow Dash," Sweetie Belle whispered softly.

"No kidding," Applebloom hissed, "You think she's a Changeling?"

"I'm scared. . ." Button Mash whimpered.

Diamond Tiara looked up at the Pegasus as she approached. The pink earth filly couldn't help but feel a little nervous as the older mare got close to her. A dark aura seemed to be emanating from her.

"Stay away from me!" Diamond shouted.

Rainbow smiled and said, "I can sense the evil inside you, and it's so delicious! With your evil, I will be able to completely restore myself to full power!"

Rainbow Dark threw aside her shades, revealing her purple snake-like eyes. Those purple eyes shone brightly, and Diamond Tiara was surrounded by dark magic. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Instead, a stream of pitch black dark energy shot out of her mouth, and flowed right into Rainbow Dark's eyes. As the energy flew into the Pegasus, her six shaded mane became ethereal, like a dark version of Celestia's mane.

Button, Silver Spoon, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle looked on in pure terror as Diamond Tiara was suspended in mid air, a look of intense pain on her face. As the last of the dark energy was sucked out of her body, Diamond Tiara's Cutie Mark disappeared. The dark magic holding her up vanished, and she fell to the ground; pale, Blank Flanked, and lifeless.

Rainbow Dark laughed victoriously as he mane blew in a dark magical breeze. "YES! YES! I AM COMPLETE!" She looked down at the four young ponies around her and said, "And you four will be the first to feel the dark corruptive power of the Rainbow of Darkness!"

Rainbow Dark ethereal mane shot out beams of dark rainbows at the four young ponies. No screams came from their mouths as they were all caught in whirling spheres of dark magic. After a few seconds, the spheres burst, revealing four huge, ugly dragon-like creatures, each bearing a pair of long, sharp tusks. The creatures stood about three times the height of an adult pony.

"Excellent! My Army of Darkness grows! Just you wait, Elements of Harmony. The real battle is just about to begin for you. The Rainbow of Darkness will be your ultimate downfall! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaa!"