//------------------------------//
// The Phantom Pegasus 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	It was three flaming breath dodges and two fallen body hurdles later that Rainbow Dash finally saw Sunset Shimmer.  The unicorn flinched and trembled on the sidelines to the melee.  Her knees wobbled and her coat had gone all pale.

Rainbow ducked a squirrel-fly-by and bucked aside a lurching diamond dog.  At last, cradling the crystal to her chest, she slid up to her target.  "Hey!  Sunset!"

Sunset Shimmer's eyes instantly jolted in the mare's direction.  Her teeth showed as she snarled:  "You..."

"Quick!  Take this!"  Rainbow held the crystal out.  "You gotta take this and—" ZAP!  A manabolt struck her forehead.  "OW!  Sonuva..."

"This is all your fault!" Sunset shook, sneered.  She dragged a hoof across the floor as her horn sizzled.  "Look at what you've done!"

"A little hard to..." Rainbow rubbed her forehead, winding, frowning.  "...when you're giving me electrosuck treatment!"

"Shut up!  I've lost everything!" Sunset sobbed.  "Everything because of you!"

"Look, will you just calm down and—"

"Do you have any idea... any idea how much I gave up to get th-this far?!"  Sunset heaved.  Her bulging eyes jerked towards the fight, and blossoming tears glittered with the sporadic breaths of flame.  "This was going to be my chance.  My one last chance to make things right!"

"No, Sunset..."

"Nnnngh!"  Sunset turned to gallop away.  "Get away from me—!"

Swooosh!  Rainbow flew in front of her, blocking her way.  "THIS..."  She held the teleportation crystal out in her hooves.  "...is your one chance!"

"What...?!"  Sunset jerked in place, tears flying loose.  "The teleportation crystals..."  She reached out with a trembling hoof, barely touching it.  "You..."  She looked up at the pegasus.  "You saved one?"

"Is it enough for you to get home with?"

"Yeah, but—"

"But nothing!"  Rainbow thrusted the thing forward.  "Take it!"

"I... I can only take m-myself!" Sunset's pale expression wafted over the maddening fight beyond.  "What—... the others?"

"You don't owe them a darn thing.  You never have."

"No... it's too late..." Sunset seethed.  "If I go back to Equestria, I'm a fugitive."

"Maybe.  Maybe not."

"What w-would I-I even do?!" Sunset exclaimed, grasping her mane.

Rainbow leaned forward.  "Go to Celestia."

Sunset's lungs emptied in a gasp. She stared straight ahead, pupils shrunken.

"Go to her.  Confront what you love and hate... instead of... grnnngh... running around all half-baked trying to fit your square-shaped life through a round hole!"

"Uhhhh..." Lancie poked his head out of Rainbow's saddlebag.  "Sparky?"

Rainbow batted him off and glared at Sunset.  "Dang it, girl, I'm giving this to you and you alone because you're attached to the Princess' hip!  And if my loyalty to Twilight means anything, then I'm gonna make this happen even if I have to drag you there myself!"  She pointed.  "But it's a long friggin' way flying back with dragons on your tail so take the stupid crystal!"

She shoved it into Sunset's grip.

Sunset clasped her hooves around the ruby.  She shivered in place.  "But... b-but what if Celestia doesn't even take me in?"

"Of course she will, you idiot."  Rainbow smirked devilishly.  "She's Celestia."

Sunset stared, gaping.

"Listen to me."  Rainbow leaned forward once more.  "Clean up your life.  Make something good out of yourself or else jerkfaces even worse than these guys and me combined will be dragging you into an even deeper pit of Tartarus.  Got that?"

Sunset shuddered.  Eventually, a dull nod shook through her body.

"Now go!"  Rainbow flew backwards, waving.  "Let... the bacon come back to life.  Or something.  I dunno."

"What... wh-what do I tell her?"  Sunset glanced around at the ongoing mayhem.  "About this?"

"I don't care."

Sunset blinked.

"I know what I'm here for," Rainbow said, flying off.  "I always have.  Now beat it!"

Sunset took several deep breath.  Her horn glowed, and she held the ruby tightly to her chest.

FLASH!

As the yellow strobe dissipated, Rainbow snuck a look over her shoulder.

Beyond the fighting bodies and random explosions, she saw the corner empty where Sunset had been.

Rainbow took a deep breath. Flapping her wings harder, she ascended above the chaos, flying towards the nearest stairwell.

"Well, Sparky?" Lancie leaned towards her ear.  "What now?"

"Now..."  She clenched her teeth.  "...we win the day."