Rain without Rainbows
!Disclaimer!: Don’t bother asking. You think I’m capable of creating the phenomenon known as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? No, nope, nuh-uh, no way. You can thank Hasbro, the Hub, Studio B, and Lauren Faust for that. I sure will.
Well everyone, welcome back. I’m still very surprised and honored at how well this story is being taken. The idea that spawned it was very small, and I’m extremely happy with the following it has gathered, regardless of the size. So thank you. Thank you all.
Anyway, enough blubbering. I sure hope you’ve all read chapter five of this story, because it was pretty much crucial to the adventure that’s coming around. To recap, a floating blue-black sphere of dark magic arrived in Ponyville and began attacking Twilight and Rarity, who just barely managed to hold out before help arrived in the form of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and the Canterlot royal guard.
With that in mind, here’s what you can expect in this chapter. The two princesses hold a conference with Twilight and her friends, where several truths and a plan of action are laid bare. They all learn that time is of the essence if they want to beat back the magic. But to do so, they will need one very specific pony to aid them.
ACT I- The Paragons
Chapter six: A Dark Tree
There were times when Celestia wished she could simply lower the sun in order to match her mood. Today had taken a turn for the worse, yet the sun still beat down a gentle wave of warmth and life that sharply contrasted how she felt. Not that she was outside, enjoying the warmth of the sun – she was inside the Ponyville library, looking out from the loft’s window upon the town below her. The sight ate at her insides.
Where various ponies should have been enjoying the afternoon, the town square was now swarming with mares and stallions who all wore lustrous gold armor. Those with magic were focusing on a large manifested wave, which was shifting and jumping from the dark mass contained within. Those who could fly were circling the town, locating townsponies and giving them orders. Those with neither magic nor wings were organizing the residents for an evacuation to Canterlot, an evacuation Celestia wished she had never had to order.
The princess wasn’t altogether scared. She was anxious, yes, but not scared. The fact that Luna had arrived when she did had saved at least one pony’s life – and if that same pony and her friend hadn’t been available to help, it was likely other lives would have been put in danger. The fact that the residents of Ponyville were all safe was a huge relief to Celestia. But still her anxiety remained.
“Sister?”
Celestia tilted her head, casting one eye on Luna, who had scaled the steps behind her. The younger alicorn stood with one hoof on the landing, ready to trot down the steps once more.
“Twilight Sparkle says she’s recovered enough to talk. She and her friends await us below,” Luna informed.
Celestia stood silent, gazing at her beloved sister for a moment. Her anxiety was spawning a multitude of thoughts, most of which were ridiculous. She thought of the last time she had to combat dark magic. She thought of what weapons she had to wield, and what it took to finally vanquish her enemy. She thought of what had happened to her sister as a result, and the torment it had caused them both.
She never wanted to have to deal with it again. But now something new had arrived, something that wasted no time in harming her subjects. It had even come close to killing her protégé. That fact alone made her both fear and respect the magic that was now being held down. And now that Luna stood near her, she was reminded of her words from mere hours ago.
“Relax, we both know I’ve handled worse,” Luna had said. The thought worried Celestia. This magic was prepared to kill…didn’t that make it worse than anything before?
Luna took another step forward, placing a second hoof on the loft landing. Her sister’s silence was making her worry. “Tia?”
Hearing her name broke Celestia out of her thoughts. She withdrew the worry on her face, adopting the guise of Ruler of Equestria again. At least this way, she wouldn’t pass on her anxiety to others.
“Very good,” she said, turning to face her younger sister. Shadows danced across the loft as her body moved in front of the window. “Let’s go down and face their questions.”
Luna nodded and turned. The sound of her descending hoofsteps reached Celestia’s ears. It was a small comfort – it was proof that Luna was there.
Twilight Sparkle, the pony who had nearly been killed by the dark orb, rested on her stomach with her eyes closed. She breathed steadily, happy to have finally convinced her worried friends that she was, indeed, all right. Even though she was still wrapping her mind around it (occasionally, she thought she could feel a bite at her coat as though the dancing white lines were digging in to her) and felt very tired, she knew she would be perfectly fine.
None of that mattered to Spike, who had not left her side for a moment after they met in the library. He leaned his back against her side, both as a way to relax his panicked nerves and as an assurance that she was still with him.
Rarity and Fluttershy had quickly found Applejack and Pinkie Pie. In the years spent since the tragedy with the Wonderbolts, both ponies had had their share of changes. Applejack’s competitive spirit, while not gone, had dwindled significantly. Lately she didn’t bother to push her sales as hard as usual, choosing instead to be more direct with her business. It had been the same thing every year as the Autumn season approached, because with it came the annual Running of the Leaves – and with that came memories of her long-lost friend.
Pinkie, however, had changed drastically. After the harrowing experience with the Wonderbolts (and their captain, Spitfire), the pink party pony had become more reserved. She would still host parties and events for her friends; however, they would often have much less effort put in to them. While Pinkie was still keen on having fun and cracking a joke, she often didn’t go looking for it anymore.
The group either sat or stood, silent as they waited. Luna had gone up to the loft to find her sister, and she was taking longer than any of them expected. After several moments spent in the same silence, the sharp clops of hoof-on-stair floated down to them. There were two sets.
Twilight opened her eyes at the sound. Everypony lifted their gaze toward the stairs, watching as both princess descended to their level. Luna arrived first, casting a worried glance around the group. For a reason she couldn’t yet explain, the group of friends seemed odd…not strange or corrupt or anything, but simply odd. Celestia followed, who did more than simply look – she immediately went to Twilight’s side.
“How are you feeling, my student?” she asked softly.
Twilight closed her eyes for a moment. “I’m good, I guess. Tired, mostly, but good.”
“And your magic?”
“It’s still coming back to me,” the purple unicorn explained. “If I had to guess, I think I’ll be back to normal later tonight.”
Celestia smiled, more relieved than she dared to show. She turned to Luna, who nodded without needing to be asked anything. The moon princess stepped forward, gaining the attention of everypony and the dragonling.
“Twilight Sparkle,” she addressed, “and all of you here. I wish there were an easy way to explain all of this, but there isn’t. I’ll try my best to answer all of your questions after I-”
Applejack, who had stopped listening after hearing ‘answer,’ stepped forward. “Just what the hay is goin’ on, Princess?”
Luna turned to the farm pony. “I’ll explain everything I can in time, but you need to-”
“’In time?’ Sorry, but that ain’t good enough fer me. Ah was back at mah farm, gatherin’ apples fer the harvest, when Rarity runs up an’ tells me Twi was almost killed! Ah reckon that deserves an answer sooner instead o’ later!”
There was a mattering of agreement from Pinkie and Fluttershy as this was said. Luna’s gaze hardened; she couldn’t help but feel a little affronted by the forwardness that Applejack had displayed.
“Very well,” she said. “An answer to your question. What is going on here, Applejack, is a sudden and relentless attack against this town and its inhabitants by a rogue segment of dark magic, which, among other powers, has the ability to absorb spells cast upon it.”
Needless to say, the answer given spawned many more questions. “An’ just what does all that mumbo-jumbo mean?”
“That’s what I wish to explain, Applejack,” Luna replied. A hint of smugness showed through in her tone. “May I?”
Applejack sat down and kept her comments to herself.
“Thank you.”
Luna looked at Celestia, who gazed back with a hardened look. She nodded once more, silently prompting her sister to carry on.
“Here’s what I believe,” she began. Calling upon her magic, Luna drew an apparition in the air, which took the likeness of the orb they all were so familiar with. Twilight visibly cringed. “This dark magic, for whatever reason, is attacking the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony - you five - with an intent to do as much as kill. I don’t yet know why or who is behind this.”
“Kill?” Fluttershy echoed, the color draining from her face. “Somepony wants to...kill us?”
“I don’t think so, not quite. We’ve seen the power it holds when it blew apart those shop walls. That force alone would easily fatally injure a normal pony. Yet, when it held down Twilight Sparkle earlier, it was taking its time - it chose not to attack with the same force as before.” The apparition shifted, imitating the corona of magic that had held the lavender unicorn down only hours ago. “This makes me believe that it doesn’t want you all dead, at least not yet.”
The room was silent for a moment as everypony watched the glowing projection. After the moment passed, Applejack spoke up again.
“Okay, okay...so somepony wants us outta the way. But why would they use magic to attack us? An’ just what are they after, anyhow?”
“It’s possible,” Luna continued, calling back her magic - the apparition vanished with a wink, “that this magic isn’t being controlled by anypony at all. It’s far more likely that this magic is rogue, wandering around the world with nopony actually influencing it.”
“But how can that be possible?” Rarity asked, stepping forward. “I might not be as talented in magic, but I certainly know that it doesn’t just wander without direction. How can there be nopony responsible for it?”
“Oh, there’s probably somepony responsible. But that doesn’t mean that pony is in control.”
“What?”
Luna called on her magic again, forming another projection of a ghostly silhouette of a unicorn. It stood still as a statue. The pony’s horn was long, an indicator of how skilled it was with magic.
“As you are no doubt aware, our magic allows us to take control of material things, like lifting books or moving food. This is our power of telekinesis, where we can affect the physical. Telekinesis allows us to make things that we choose to happen, happen.”
Twilight had a moment of nostalgia as she recalled one of her early soap-box moments. She had said the same thing to her friend Pinkie many years ago.
“However,” Luna pressed on, “what do you suppose happens whenever a pony has too much power? More than what she can control?”
Her projection shifted. The silhouette seemed to leap into the air, magical lines pouring out from it. The pony was clearly struggling with the magic, fighting a losing battle for control.
“Even though the magic can still be directed, it’s still far too much for the pony to handle. The magic can be directed, but not commanded - it will cast spells that the pony never intends.”
The pony moved once more. A corona of magic burst from its horn, and waves of magic swept around it. Miniature bursts of magical reactions were seen. Twilight had a flash of memory from when she had to endure an experience like that - her parents had been turned into plants. It was not a pleasant experience, they had told her.
“Over time, the magic will eventually stabilize, and the spells that were cast will wear off. In theory, these periods of magical instability only occur when a unicorn is scared, empowered, or goes through a sudden stimulus related to startling her. But what would happen if the pony were removed from the equation?”
Luna’s projection changed. The ghostly form of the pony vanished, leaving behind the unstable field of magic. It pulsed with power, slowly growing in size. Even the color grew denser, turning to a shade of gray that resembled the dark orb that they all knew so well.
“Now the magic is both unstable and without direction. It’s similar to running water - just as loose water flows down the path of least resistance, this rogue magic wanders toward centers of magical activity, drawn like a magnet without anypony directing it.”
The group of friends watched as Luna’s projection shifted, the ghostly magic moving down a manifested trail toward a small village. Twilight stared with keen interest before raising her question.
“Princess Luna?”
“Yes?”
“I’m not entirely sure how it would be possible to remove a pony from her own magic. Telekinesis is a magic that can affect the physical world, yes - but telekinesis itself is not actually physical. Once the pony casting the magic is removed from it, the magic should cease to exist, shouldn’t it?”
There was silence as everypony considered this. Luna could feel the air of agreement that the others were having - they felt that Twilight’s argument held merit. And she had to admit, it was a good counter-point.
“Very good question, Twilight Sparkle. Which will lead into my next point, where things will no doubt become more complicated,” she replied. Luna changed her magic once more, playing the projection in reverse. The images shifted from the flashing orb to the expanding corona of magic, where the figure of the unicorn faded in. The magic died down, and the silhouette of the unicorn was left alone once more.
“What I’ve told you is hinging on the assumption that the magic is just that - magic, with no derived spell to be cast or task to be done. It’s no more than a unicorn calling upon her magic, but she hasn’t yet decided what to do with it.”
The ghostly image of the unicorn shifted its head from one side to the other, as though lost in thought.
“But let’s take it a step further. What if the magic was already directed? What if it were a spell, magic given purpose?”
Above Luna’s head, the projection moved - the unicorn was moved to one side as a separate orb of magic appeared on the other side. It rippled lightly, like it was awaiting a command.
“And what if the spell was meant to harm somepony? Somepony who did not know how to defend herself?”
The ghostly orb rushed forward, catching the unicorn off-guard. It fired off lines of magic, and the pony just barely matched its power. The two beings struggled for dominance, but it was obvious the orb would win. It was a battle similar to the one Twilight and Rarity had held with the dark mass only hours before.
“Finally, what if the spell wasn’t meant to face with a unicorn? What if it were to target a different kind of pony - say, a pegasus? What if it were meant to bond with the pegasus rather than try to injure her?”
The unicorn transformed, its body changing to match the narration of Luna. The horn receded, and a pair of strong wings grew. After the wings appeared, the orb of magic rushed forward again, this time contacting the pony and surrounding it in a large field of power. The pony struggled from within the field, unable to fight free, until finally the field of magic faded from view. The pegasus seemed to glow with an ethereal power as it recovered itself, no doubt wondering what had just happened.
Applejack could stay silent no longer. “Slow down, will ya?”
Luna blinked, and her magical projection faded away. “I apologize...I’m getting ahead of myself.”
“Gettin’ ahead of the rest of us, too.”
“Sorry,” Luna murmured, looking around at the young, confused faces all directed toward her. “Perhaps I should explain what I’m saying.”
Applejack said nothing, but she made sure her eye-roll was exaggerated.
“What I mean to say,” the princess began again, “is that the magic that is being restrained outside might be part of the magic that was previously bound to a pony, one who has no magic to call her own. It was fused with her, and over time, she came to possess a knowledge of it - not enough to put it at her beck and call, but just enough to give it a command of some sort.”
“One moment,” Rarity said. “A pony with no magic can command magic?”
“If it’s a part of her, yes. It’s possible.”
The white unicorn shot a glance to her left, gazing at both Twilight and Celestia. “A part of her? What pony in her right mind would accept dark magic as a part of her?”
Celestia turned her gaze toward Rarity, giving her a gentle-but-firm look. “It sounds unbelievable, yes, but please let Luna finish.”
Rarity wouldn’t have it. She focused on Twilight. “You don’t believe any of this, do you?”
Twilight responded by tightening her lips in thought and saying nothing. Rarity could see a glimmer of belief behind her friend’s confusion, one she couldn’t emulate. She turned back around, prompting the moon regent to carry on.
“You bring up a good point,” Luna conceded, “in that no pony in her right mind would consent to bonding with such dark magic. I also believe that. However, that’s assuming the pony knew what she was getting in to.”
Pinkie, who had been following along in silence, finally perked. “So you mean somepony might have accidentally allowed herself to be bound with some super, big, ginormous, dark, evil, and hideous magic?”
“Precisely.” Luna smiled, happy that she was finally being understood (though disturbed that Pinkie understood first). “She might have been tricked, or stumbled into something, or simply been at the wrong place at the wrong time. But the circumstances don’t matter as much as the fact that she had magic bound to her, and over time, learned to give it a command.”
“A command...to attack us,” Fluttershy whispered.
Everypony considered this for a moment, keeping their thoughts to themselves. Twilight’s brow was deeply furrowed as she mulled over it, until she finally rose her head. A spark of resolve shone in her eyes.
“I still don’t think that can be possible. Intriguing, yes, but I can’t see how it’s possible.”
Luna was prepared. “But it’s not unbelievable to think that somepony can influence a power that she wields, is it?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, not that a pony can give a command to magic within her. It’s the act of bonding magic to a non-magical pony in the first place.”
The moon princess remained silent. Twilight continued.
“Thinking back, I know it’s possible to cast spells that allow physical changes and magical augments to other ponies, such as a spell that gives flightless ponies a set of wings for three days. But those are specific spells, made exactly for that purpose. Bonding raw magic to a non-unicorn is unheard of - I’ve never read anything about magic itself being bonded to somepony, least of all without her knowledge of it happening!”
Again, Luna was prepared. “Perhaps you haven’t read about it, but you’ve certainly seen it.”
Twilight was stunned for a second. “S-seen? I’m sorry, but I’m certain that I’ve never seen magic bound to-”
This time, Celestia called on her magic to draw an apparition in the air. A golden field of her power hung in place for a moment before rippling and spiraling inward. The spiral then began to take shape.
It began with four legs, leading to a toned torso. A neck and head appeared next, curving inward make the appearance more slender. Innumerable strands of a mane and tail sprouted and were divided into six sections, each a different shade of Celestia’s golden magic. Next, a pair of strong wings vibrated into the visible spectrum, standing rigid and proud. Finally, a shining image flashed on the apparition’s flank, which solidified into a jagged bolt - also divided, this time into three sections - spearing out of a billowing cloud.
A moment passed by as everypony watched the spectacle. Though none spoke, Celestia knew they were all thinking the name of this phantom pegasus, with whom they were all so familiar.
Finally, Applejack let out a breath of shock. “R-Rainbow...Dash...”
Luna allowed the moment of awe to stretch on a little longer before continuing. “You have seen it before, Twilight Sparkle. You all have seen it. Magic as dark as the one that has attacked you today, bound to a pony with no magic to call her own. She was even marked for it, if I recall your testimonies correctly - a shining blue-black spot along her stomach with thin dancing lines of white.”
Celestia released her magic, and the phantom image of Rainbow faded from view. As the image vanished, she spared a look at her student, and was surprised to see her expression. She seemed devastated to watch the image go, almost like the thought of losing her friend a second time was unbearable.
Luna noticed the expression too, and something clicked in her mind. She finally knew why the group of ponies seemed odd to her - it was because they were missing an integral part of their lives. They were short by one, and all of their lives were incomplete because of it.
The mood in the room deflated. Nopony seemed willing to speak. Luna had to urge herself on to keep talking, and even when she did, the Ponyville residents seemed to listen halfheartedly.
“The magic outside, being held down - I believe it’s cut from the same magic that was bound to your friend four years ago. It’s like a branch, reaching out, following the whims of a ‘root,’ the pony who is responsible for it. Like the rest of you, I don’t believe Rainbow Dash would intentionally command the magic to harm any of you...but again, just because somepony is responsible for the magic, she doesn’t need to be in control of it.”
Fluttershy took a step forward, drawing Luna’s focus. “Wait, why do you think Rainbow is responsible for that...thing outside? If it’s like a spell, then couldn’t it belong to anypony?”
“You had a look at that orb outside, yes? Even you cannot deny it’s similar to what you say was following your friend that day. And besides, how often have you seen magic with those traits? She’s the only one we know of who has anything like this,” Luna reasoned, twirling her hoof in the air.
Rarity looked forward. “So then, can’t we just destroy it somehow? Or at least stabilize it?”
“Right now? No.”
The fashionista stood up, angrier than she ought to have been. “So what are we to do? Simply wait around for it to ruin everything we’ve made?”
Rather than answer Rarity’s question, Luna faced Applejack. “Tell me, have you ever had to deal with sick and dying trees before?”
“What?” the farm pony started, not expecting to be addressed. “Oh, uh, yeah. Sometimes a tree or two runs outta apples, and it’ll die off later in the year.”
“And what must you do to remove the trees from your farm?”
“Why, we dig out and destroy the roots o’course. That way we can plant a few new trees in its place an’ keep the town fed.”
Luna turned to face Rarity once more. “There you have it.”
The unicorn didn’t follow. “What do you mean, ‘there you have it?’ What are you suggesting?”
“As I said, the magic outside is like a branch of a dark tree. If we destroy the branch, then that only delays the problem - it’s highly likely that another branch will stretch out and attack you as this one has. And if we destroy that one, then another might appear.”
Realization dawned on Rarity, and everypony else, before Luna concluded her point.
“No,” she pressed on, determined now, “we cannot destroy that magic outside. In order to stop the problem altogether, we need to dig out and destroy the root. We must locate your friend, Rainbow Dash.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Spike, I don’t want you hurt.”
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to be apart from you for a moment!”
“Spike, please! Do it for me, please!”
Twilight and her assistant, Spike, were in the second-floor loft above the rest of their friends. She had called him up while she was preparing three pairs of saddlebags with various items and maps, the necessities of a pony about to travel for days.
Celestia had given them their tasks. Applejack and Rarity were to head out into the wilderness in search of their estranged friend, which was why Twilight was preparing their supplies. To aid them, Luna was teaching Rarity a way to track down the pegasus via the dark magic that would still be inside her. From the sounds wafting up to the loft, the teaching seemed to be going poorly.
Pinkie and Fluttershy had volunteered to aid with Ponyville’s evacuation effort. They were to go to Canterlot with Celestia and help the citizens with getting settled in for however long a stay would be needed. It was one prospect that Pinkie was jubilant for - being able to help her fellow ponies would keep her mind clear of why they were there in the first place.
That had given Twilight her idea. As she was preparing the saddlebags, she had called for Spike to join her. And it was there she had asked him to accompany her mentor to Canterlot, where he would be safely away from the dark orb. However, Spike would have none of it.
“Why can’t I stay with you? I can help you stay in contact with Princess Celestia while I’m here!”
The lavender unicorn shook her head as she tightened the now-full bags. “I’m not staying here, Spike.”
“Say what?”
“I said I’m not staying. I’m going with Applejack and Rarity to help them find Rainbow and bring her back.”
Spike sat on her well-made bed, staring outside the loft’s window. “Then I’ll come with you!”
“No, Spike.”
“I can help you with making camp or cooking!”
“I said no! And we won’t be stopping if we can help it,” Twilight added, turning to face the window as well.
“You’re kidding!” Spike exclaimed. “You have no idea where Rainbow might be - you could be searching for days!”
“That’s just it, Spike. Every moment we spend is another moment for that magic outside to absorb some power of that blanket keeping it down. If we take too long, we might not be able to contain it at all. The sooner we find Rainbow, the sooner we can get rid of it.”
The two sat in silence for a moment, watching the scene outside. In the short hours since their conference began, the orb had grown considerably larger - the bulge beneath the Canterlot unicorn’s magic was larger than a chariot, and occasionally the white lines would eat through the power and tear a hole. The guards would scramble to mend the hole with more magic, but it was becoming more taxing for them. Already, several drained unicorns sat and rested on the perimeter of the town square, waiting for their magic to return to them.
After the moment passed, Spike let out a concern he had been hiding. He turned to look at his guardian. “What do you...think will happen to Rainbow?”
Twilight lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze. “I’m not sure. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
“I hope she doesn’t...I mean, you know...”
“Yeah, I know.”
They remained silent for a moment longer. Then:
“That’s why I want you to go with the princess, Spike. At a time like this, there is no place safer than Canterlot.”
Spike turned to protest. “But-”
“Besides,” Twilight interrupted, “you know Canterlot like the back of your hand. You can help Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy get settled in, as well as the rest of the refugees.”
“But I don’t want to go, Twilight!”
“And I do.” Twilight stood and turned in one movement, throwing a foreleg around her dragon friend. “You’re one of the most precious creatures I know. If anything were to happen to you, I would never, ever forgive myself.”
He remained still for a moment, simply allowing himself to be held. “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind, is there?”
Twilight’s response was only a tighter hold.
Spike returned the hug, finally conceding defeat. “Well...alright. I don’t like this, but I’ll...I’ll go.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, feeling immense relief come over her. “I promise I’ll make this up to you, once all this is over. How does a fireruby sound?”
To her surprise, Spike laughed. “Twilight, I’m not such a baby anymore. You don’t need to buy me off just to get your way!”
Twilight laughed along with him. It felt good, being able to laugh - the entire day made such a simple action seem impossible. “I suppose you’re right!” she said, releasing her hold. She turned around and lifted the saddlebags with her magic. As she made for the stairs, Spike followed.
“But, since you offered...I’d love a fireruby. Brushed with diamond dust.”
The sound of their laughter invaded the thoughts of everypony on the first floor, who all silently wondered what was wrong with them.
Rarity stood still, the glow of navy magic receding from her body. She had her eyes closed, but her expression of abhorrence was still very much present. At Luna’s behest, she had been subjected to a special augment to her tracking spell - that augment being a special link to the same dark magic that was trapped outside the library.
‘I’m surprised,’ Rarity thought, fidgeting as the uncomfortable power settled. ‘Not only did Luna know about binding magic, she knows how to do it.’
It was not an idea that Rarity liked. Using Rarity’s proficient knowledge of tracking down gemstones as a focal point, Luna had suggested that she use the same power to track down the dark magic that should still be bound to Rainbow Dash. But the only way this would be possible was if Rarity took some of that dark magic as her own.
“Not a lot,” Luna had assured, holding a pea-sized sample of the orb inside a shield spell, “just enough to make it want to return to where it came from.”
“I don’t like this idea at all,” Rarity announced for the third time in as many minutes. “This magic is tainted with the damaging of my home, not to mention the fact that it nearly killed my friend. Who’s to say it won’t hurt me?”
“This entire plan is focused on finding Rainbow Dash as soon as possible,” the moon princess explained - also for the third time in as many minutes. “If you search quickly and find her, then it won’t have enough time to cause any lasting damage to you.”
“And if it does?” the fashionista challenged, opening one eye to gaze upon Luna.
“Well, if it does, then think about this. This is the same basic idea as what happened to Rainbow Dash. She’s been holding this magic for four years now. If we can fix that after four years, then we can fix yours after a few short days.”
Applejack was standing nearby, watching with keen interest. “And just how d’you plan on fixing Rainbow Dash?”
Luna stood still for a moment. “I’m working on that,” she replied, refusing to meet the farm pony’s gaze.
As Luna finished with her bonding spell (much to Rarity’s annoyance), Twilight descended the flight of stairs to meet with them. She held aloft three sets of saddlebags, all filled to the brim. “I hope this will cover everything we’ll need. How is the spell going, Rarity?” she asked, setting the bags gently on the floor.
The white unicorn groaned. “Perfectly, I’m afraid. I can feel that piece of filth settling in just fine.”
“I’m sorry,” Luna said as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. “This is the only way I can think of to find her, without leaving anypony alone to fend for themselves.”
Rarity wasn’t convinced. “Tell me, why does it have to be me? Why can’t you go out and track her down instead of me?”
“Several reasons. The first is that you’re better with tracking magic than most other unicorns, so you know what to look for. The second is I want to stay here so I can help with holding the dark magic down, if it gets too powerful for the guards. I also think...”
Luna trailed off, casting a glance toward Applejack that hid what she felt.
“What?” Applejack said. “You also think what?”
“No...nothing, never mind.”
“Don’t play that game with me, missy. What were you about t’say?”
Luna turned around, this time locking gazes with Twilight. The princess couldn’t help but think that maybe the lavender librarian knew what she was about to say.
She was right. ‘It’s because she’s afraid that if she goes to find Rainbow, she’ll get scared and might run away again,’ Twilight thought.
Clearing her throat, Luna took notice of the three pairs of saddlebags Twilight had filled. She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve over-prepared, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight blinked. “What? How so?”
“You have three sets of bags here. Only two are needed.”
“I don’t understand,” she replied, looking over the bags she had brought down. “We’ll be one pair short if we only take two pairs. I have one for each of us - Applejack, Rarity, and myself.”
‘Ah, so that’s why,’ Luna thought. “You’re mistaken, I’m afraid. You’re staying here with me.”
Simultaneously, the three ponies around Luna said “What?” at differing levels of shock. She winced at the sudden burst of noise.
“I need to you stay here with me, Twilight Sparkle. I request your help with researching the magic outside, and with keeping it contained if the situation calls for it.”
“Oh?” she began. “But what about-”
“I’m certain that your friends will be able to search for Rainbow Dash without your help. I’ll need your expertise here,” Luna said with a tone of finality.
The librarian’s ears lowered, dismayed. She had been eager to see her friend again, despite what kind of state she would be in. With a sigh, Twilight wrapped her magic around the saddlebags she had prepared for herself, and floated it up to the loft.
Princess Celestia’s personal chariot stood outside the library, flanked by a set of guards who stood tense. Behind them, they could hear the quiet chatter of two ponies as they discussed what was happening.
“I’m nervous,” one said barely above a whisper. “I’m happy to help the refugees, but...I just don’t know how much help I’ll be.”
“Cheer up,” said the other in a higher-pitched voice. “It’s not like this evacuation is a permanent thing. We’ll probably be there for a week before the Princess tells us we can return home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah! You just do what you do best, Fluttershy - take care of those you care about. Let ol’ Pinkie Pie do the worrying for the both of us, deal?”
The guards didn’t bother to listen in any further, because at that moment the alicorn they had sworn fealty to arrived from the town square. Celestia stood tall, her wings folded against her back. She walked around her chariot to meet the two ponies who were waiting for her.
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked up, gasped, and instinctively bowed their heads. Celestia smiled down on them. ‘A state of emergency, and they still hold on to little manners such as this,’ she thought.
“We’ll need to set off as soon as possible, I’m afraid. Have you two said your goodbyes to your friends?”
Fluttershy looked up. “Yes, we finished not too long ago.”
“Good. Please climb in and get settled - I’ll join you in a moment.”
The sun regent walked past them and into the library, leaving them to clamber into the gold-brushed chariot. Fluttershy had an easier time, simply flapping her wings to give herself enough height to reach the seats. She reached down and helped pull Pinkie Pie in, who took the seat opposite her.
The two friends sat, neither speaking. It couldn’t be said that they sat in silence, for the trapped orb of dark magic would let out a vibrating growl every few moments. It was unnerving, like hearing the heavy breathing of some great beast, while being inside the beast.
After a few moments spent in the tense atmosphere, the library door opened again. Celestia walked out, closely followed by her sister, Spike, and the three remaining ponies. The group all spared a glance toward the town square, where the bulging mass of magic seemed to grow larger by the minute.
The sun regent walked aside a ways before turning to address everypony. “You all have your assignments,” she began, “and have been prepared as best as possible, given the short amount of time we have. Luna and Twilight will stay here to research the darkness and form a plan. Applejack and Rarity will track down Rainbow Dash, without whom we can’t hope to defeat the magic we have trapped. Fluttershy and Pinkie will come to Canterlot with me, to help with the Ponyville refugees settling in. Spike will be joining us.
“I wish we had more information, but we cannot spare more time to find it. Is everypony ready?”
A moment of consideration befell them all. Nopony wanted to go through with any of their tasks, but they all knew that if they didn’t act, then the dark magic would break free and wreak more havoc. After the moment past, Luna looked up and spoke for the group.
“We need to be as ready as we can be, but we just don’t have enough time. Now will have to do.”
The group of friends spent some time to wish each other one last ounce of good luck and good byes. The moment was short-lived. Celestia’s chariot had taken off before the occupants had realized what was happening, while Applejack and Rarity had been pushed along the path out of Ponyville, towards Everfree.
‘Good luck, my little ponies,’ Celestia thought as her chariot soared higher into the air.
Before long, only Luna and Twilight remained. They stood in front of the library door, unsure of where to begin. Finally, after the dark mass emanated another growl, Luna turned back. “Come,” she said. “We have much to do and less time to do it in.”
Twilight sighed, suddenly feeling empty without her dear friends nearby. She turned and followed the moon princess inside. As the door closed behind her, an invasive thought broke through her melancholy.
“Princess?”
Luna didn’t turn around, but called out behind her. “Yes?”
“Earlier, you had said that the magic outside wasn’t telekinesis magic. If that’s true, then just what kind of magic is it?”
A book floated down in front of her face, wrapped in the navy corona of Luna’s magic. The title read The Magician’s Way: A Starting Guide to Magic Types. Twilight took the book in her own magic.
“That’s the first thing we’re going to find out,” Luna replied, using her magic to reach another, thicker book. “I’m going to need your expertise for that. I hear you enjoy reading, yes?”
Twilight gazed over the edge of the book toward the princess, who had already opened her tome and was flipping through the contents. The unicorn set the book down as well, opening it with a flick of her head - her magic opened the cover as though it were blown. The two began pouring over the lines on each page, sitting in a silence constantly broken by the vibrating growls outside.
Cold dirt gave way to sharp hoof as Applejack ascended a hillside. She and Rarity had long since left the boundary of their home, yet they could still feel the shaking of the world as the magic protested again and again. The farm pony had not said a word since giving her best wishes to her friends.
Rarity kept her eyes forward, her horn aglow with her tracking spell. She could feel a gentle tug at her senses as she trotted on; she knew from experience that the tugging would strengthen as she drew nearer to her goal.
As they reached the peak of the hill, the two friends looked back. Ponyville stood in the distance, cozy, grand - and utterly devoid of its residents. They gazed upon their emptied home, both friends silently wondering what would happen next. This was not how either of them had planned their day. Applejack had not even had a chance to see her family off before they were pushed into a pegasus-drawn chariot.
The sight of their home was disquieting to them both. After a moment, Rarity turned away, starting along the path again. She walked on for a moment before she realized that Applejack was not with her. The unicorn turned her head and saw the farm pony on the crest of the hill, looking up at the sky.
There, above the buildings of Ponyville, floated a grand cloud structure. One that was built to last years of neglect. One that was being neglected, and remained resilient. It was Rainbow Dash’s cloud home, abandoned after she fled. And it held the rapt attention of Applejack, who stood like a vigil.
“Applejack?” Rarity called.
“Yeah?”
“I know it’s not much to go by, but believe me when I say we will find her.”
Behind them, back in the square of their town, the dark orb absorbed more power and grew larger. Time was running out.
End chapter six
Author’s comments: My apologies in the delay it took to get this one done. I kid you not when I say I worked on all of the second half of this chapter over the span of ten straight hours. Editing and proofing with Kevin took a glorious three more hours. Consider this one of my new year’s resolutions - completing the stories I’ve made quicker than before.
This officially concludes Act I of this story. Act II picks up with chapter seven.
Co-author’s comments: Hell. That’s what this chapter was. Fun to read, but a bitch to work on. There were quite a few tough cookies to crack in this chapter, and I was glad to help Aaron with them. There was a lot of explaining done in this chapter as well. Sorry if it was boring. We’ll try not to have as much in the next chapter. Promise.
Next chapter: As the search for Rainbow Dash begins, Applejack and Rarity discover there are some secrets they both have been hiding from their friends. Truths ring out that fracture their faith in one another. Meanwhile, Twilight and Luna pour over history and lessons. Twilight starts to wonder what the princess has planned.