Rainbow Dash poked her head out of the giant pile of snow she had been buried in and searched her surroundings. She had fallen deep into an underground cavern which seemed to be lit by glowing crystals scattered around the walls and ceiling in various shapes and colors. A short while later Pinkie Pie shot out of the same pile of snow she was in.
"Whee! That was fun! let's do it again" she said bouncing around the cavern as if she didn't just barely escape with her life after a fifty foot fall. At least that's what it looked like to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash struggled to dig herself the rest of the way out of the pile of snow. Once she had freed herself she looked back up at the hole they fell into. She then looked to her sides and attempted to flap her wings or move them in some way but to no avail. She growled to herself in frustration and pain due to the soreness the fall gave her.
Ugh, stupid suit. Why couldn't they make it so pegasi could fly? That would make this job so much easier for me.
"Wow, Dashie, that was quite the fall we had huh?" said Pinkie Pie. "Guess we won't be going back up that way. I mean it's not like that suit allows you to fly us out of here. I mean, if you could do that then problem solved right there, right?"
"I know, Pinkie," Rainbow grumbled in an irritated tone, "You don't have to remind me."
I can only handle so much of this.
Suddenly, Rainbow could hear the voice of Twilight echoing down from above, saying, "Rainbow! Pinkie! Say something! Are you two okay?!"
Rainbow's ears perked at the sound as she stood straight and looked up. Surely, she thought, that if anyone could get her out of ths mess it would be Twilight. "We're alright! A little bruised up, but we're okay! It's hard to see down here, but I think we landed in a cave system of some sort! Doesn't look like there is a way out other than going through it!"
Before she could utter her next sentence, Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "It's so shiny down here!"
"Pinkie's right, there are a lot of weird glowing crystal things down here!" said Rainbow
The two ponies waited for another response from Twilight. "Go ahead and follow the cave system to find a way out!" she said, "After you do make it out you should be able to use you wrist device to find us on the map."
Rainbow Dash's heart sank. What Twilight just said was that she was going to leave her trapped in a cave system with Pinkie Pie, which may or may not have a way out, and expected them to find a way out on their own.
While Rainbow Dash was taking all this in Pinkie Pie blurted out, "Okie, dokie, lokie!"
Rainbow Dash snapped out of her trance and responded as well. "Alright! We'll see you on the other side then!" and suddenly silence fell upon them which made Rainbow Dash's heart sink even deeper. The rest of her friends had left her.
"Come on Dashie! Why the long face?" said Pinkie, when she noticed that her friend wasn't as enthusiastic as she had been before.
Rainbow Dash lifted her head and looked Pinkie Pie dead in the eyes. "Leave me alone, Pinkie," she said, "Let's just get moving." She then began to reluctantly travel through the cave system.
Pinkie Pie, however, didn't take getting shrugged off too lightly.
"Gee, I wonder what's gotten into Dashie lately." she said to herself, "She seems so moody all of a sudden. I guess I should find out why." Pinkie Pie ran to catch up with Rainbow Dash and asked her, "Is the something wrong Dashie?"
"No," Rainbow Dash replied as she continued to keep her bearing and walk deeper into the cave.
"Then why the long face?" Questioned Pinkie.
"Just leave me alone, Pinkie." Rainbow Moaned once again keeping her bearing and continuing to walk into the darkness of the cave.
"Come on Dashie! You'll never see your friends again."
T'his time Rainbow Dash quickly snapped her head back to look at Pinkie who was standing there with a malicious looking grin on her face. "Wait. What did you just say?"
"I saaaaid, We'll make it out of this cave."
Rainbow Dash stared back at her awkwardly for a while. Did I just hear her say... She thought before slowly turning back to face the tunnel and continue down it's path.
"Your only escape is through the grave."
This time the voice was different. Is was darker and malevolent. Rainbow Dash was more hesitant to turn around and see what or who was now following her because only one thing was certain in her mind: It was no longer Pinkie Pie. Slowly she turned her head to face whatever was now behind her. When she finally finished turning she had looked a pitch black stallion with a white flowing mane in his sky blue eyes. An overwhelming sense of fear entered her body and shivers ran down her spine at the sight. "W-Who are you?" she questioned in a nervous tone.
The stallion began to chuckle to himself as he began to walk closer to Dash. "Who am I? What an insult. After all we've already met. I am the chill that so gently caresses your skin. As of this very moment I am in your body. I flow through your veins and eat at your soul until you have nothing left but emptiness. Simply put, I am despair and I have come for you for you have lost hope."
The stallion stopped right in front of Rainbow who was frozen in fear and just when she was about to give up what little hope she had left the crystals around her began to glow with intense power and a light shown from the caverns behind her.
"GAH!" the dark stallion shut his eyes and yelled in pain. "GALACIA!" Rainbow Dash's fear had subsided and she now stood in amazement as she watched the evil entity suffer in front of her.
Suddenly a voice called out from within the light saying, "Do not lose hope, Rainbow Dash. Now is your chance. Run to me while the monster is blind. I can only hold him off for so long."
"NO!" Shouted the stallion, "She is MINE! You will not take her from ME!"
Rainbow looked back towards the light at the end of the cavern.
"Quickly, to me my child!" The voice called out again. This time Rainbow Dash obeyed and took off down the cavern towards the light.
As she approached the source the light began to fade and she started to make out two silhouettes. A tall one and one about her size standing at the tall one's side. By the time she had reached the source the light had faded and Rainbow could see the two ponies who she had been running to. The tall one was a beautiful white alicorn with a white coat and long white hair. The other had been none other than Pinkie Pie who was overjoyed to see her lost friend.
"There you are Dashie," she said giving her a tight hug, "Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you."
"There is no time Pinkie," said the taller pony, "Our enemy approaches with rage. You must keep him at bay while I awaken your friend."
To this command the pink pony released her friend and saluted the tall pony saying, "I'm on it your highness."
Pinkie Pie turned to face the dark cavern which Rainbow Dash had just ran out of, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The crystals on the walls and ceiling began to radiate light. After the light had grown exponentially the light left the crystals and traveled to coat Pinkie Pie in the form of sharp heavy armor from head to hoof. Along with the armor came a set of what seemed to be sheathed throwing daggers along a strap that trailed from one of her shoulders across her body turning around at her opposite hip and traveling back up her back to meet itself where it started at her shoulder. Two longer daggers were also sheathed at her sides attached to a belt around her waist.
She stood ready at the mouth of the darkness as the dark stallion jumped out at her.
The stallion growled at her and said, "Step aside, fool! The rainbow one is mine!"
Pinkie vanished suddenly and reappeared riding on the dark stallion's back ruffling his white mane. "Sounds like somepony's having a bad day."
The stallion reared up and attempted to knock Pinkie off but she had already disappeared and reappeared back in her space between the taller pony and the stallion.
"FOOL!" shouted the dark stallion, "You toy with forces you do not understand!"
"Oh I understand," said Pinkie, "Understand that your a big meanie who's trying to hurt all of my friends and take over Equestria."
The dark stallion roared and lurched forward to bite the pink pony with his razor sharp fangs but Pinkie had once again disappeared and reappeared behind him throwing a couple of blades made of pure light at him which lodged themselves in the stallion's stomach to which he moaned in pain.
"Hey, Dashie!" said Pinkie cartwheeling to the side to doge another attack and throw a couple more blades of light at the stallion, "Hurry up and get hopeful or else you'll miss out on the fun!"
Rainbow Dash turned back to the alicorn and said, "What the hay is going on right now?!"
The tip of the alicorns horn began to glow and suddenly there was a giant flash of light which caused Rainbow Dash to close her eyes. When she was able to open them again she found that her surrounding had changed completely and she was now alone. There was no light anywhere and she couldn't even tell if there was a floor even though she knew she was standing on something.
"Where am I?!" she shouted into the darkness. She heard her own voice echo on for miles.
A voice came back from an unknown origin saying, "It seems you have forgotten something Rainbow. This is where you will remember."
"Remember what? I haven't forgotten anything." Rainbow replied.
"Your friends," the voice echoed back.
Rainbow closed her eyes and began to think about her friends. She visualized each of them in her mind and when she opened her eyes again there they were. All standing in front of her.
"Guys?" she said, "Are you actually there?"
The images faded away.
"Hey, what gives?" she said, "What was that? Why did you take them away?"
"I didn't take them away, Rainbow." the voice answered, "You did."
Rainbow's heart sank a little in her chest.
"Your friends have always been with you, Rainbow. Through all of your adventures, your hardships, and your milestones."
Memories of all of the adventures that Rainbow had with her friends and they began to show up in the darkness. With every memory that showed up the area she was standing in began to get brighter.
"No matter what, Rainbow, friends will always be there for you." The voice said, "But sometimes things happen and it may seem like they are gone. Like they are not there for you anymore."
Rainbow remembered when she fell into the giant fissure. Sure enough the memory showed up in the darkness and she watched as she fell into the hole, losing sight of her friends as she fell into the darkness. She remembered thinking that she wasn't going to survive the fall.
The area went completely dark again and Rainbow's heart sank the rest of the way and she sank to the floor. A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, and another.
Rainbow Dash began to cry.
Over her shoulder a mysterious white light appeared and crept closer to her. When it had stopped she looked up and saw the white alicorn standing there smiling.
Rainbow reached over and grabbed a hold of one of the white alicorns front legs continuing to sob and said, "I didn't want them to go. I didn't want them to leave me in the dark to die. I don't even know if there is away out."
The white alicorn began to caress Rainbow's mane. "But you weren't alone, my child." she said.
Rainbow took her face out of the alicorns leg. She saw Pinkie Pie cuddled up next to her in a ball sleeping. She could feel a bit of warmth enter her body coming from Pinkie Pie and the area got a bit brighter.
Rainbow's crying began to calm down. She looked back up at the alicorn and said, "What do I have to do to see my friends again?"
The alicorn smile even bigger and said, "Persevere, my child. You must not lose your determination. You must remember your friends and that they are always there for you. Even when you can't see it. They are there. You must remember that there is something worth fighting for. There always is. Once you realize this you will find the endurance to survive the coldest of snowstorms. Even light the darkest of caverns."
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and began to remember her friends again. As she did she began to feel more and more warmth fill her body until she finally opened her eyes to see that she was now surrounded by her friends cuddling her and keeping her warm. The area began to radiate with what seemed like the purest white light she had ever seen.
Rainbow turned and looked up at the alicorn with tears of joy now hanging from her eyes. "Your friends are counting on you," the alicorn said, "Do not let despair take a hold of you. Remember, there is always something worth fighting for." The light began to radiate brighter and brighter. It became so bright that it started to overwhelm Rainbow's vision and she closed her eyes once more. "Now go." she heard the alicorn say, "For you are the only one who can master your own despair."
After a while Rainbow Dash felt the light die down and began hearing the sounds of the fight she was watching before she had left. She opened her eyes again to see that she was in the same cave system and that Pinkie Pie was fighting a losing battle with the black stallion. By this time he had her completely disarmed and pinned to the ground.
"Your time has come, pink one." said the stallion, "Now you must pay for the setback you gave me."
Pinkie Pie just sat there with a look of indifference on her face. "Yeah, yeah," she said, "you don't know how sill you sound when you say that."
At that moment a rock came flying from across the cavern hitting the stallion in the head causing him to growl and turn towards it's origin. He saw Rainbow Dash standing before him.
"Leave my friend alone," she said, "I'm the one you want, right?"
The black stallion smiled showing off his razor sharp teeth before charging at Rainbow pinning her to the ground.
"Have you come back to accept your fate?" he growled, "What a shame. I like it more when they struggle."
"No, I haven't," Rainbow Dash replied, "I've come to show you what I've learned."
At that moment, the the crystals in the cave began to radiate light once more.
The black stallion looked around at the crystals in fear. "No!" he said, "This cannot be!"
The crystal's light left them to coat Rainbow just like they had done with Pinkie Pie. Once all the light had reached her she let out a pulse of light which threw the black stallion off of her and rammed him into the wall opposite them. When the light settled once more it revealed Rainbow Dash now equipped with the same armor as Pinkie Pie only instead of knives each individual feather on her wings were made to be sharp blades made out of light and she had regained her power to fly which she was now doing with pride.
The black stallion growled to himself. "You may have won this battle, but in order to truly defeat me you must set me free and once I'm free I will be even more powerful than you could ever imagine."
Rainbow Dash took off at full speed flying in a spiral like patter until her razor sharp wings made contact with the stallion, cutting him clean in half. What remained of the stallion fell to the floor motionless, dissolving into shadow until nothing was left. Rainbow Dash then skidded to a halt moments after and stood in triumphant glory in her new suit of armor.
Pinkie Pie ran up and embraced her victorious friend. "Woo-hoo!" she cheered, "You got the moves Dashie!"
"Thanks Pinkie," Rainbow replied, "I still have no idea what's going on though. Care to explain what you've learned?"
"Sure thing Dashie," Pinkie replied releasing Rainbow Dash, "But I'll have to tell you on the way to the Ice Flow Empire."
"The what?" questioned Rainbow Dash.
"Duh," replied Pinkie, "The Ice Flow Empire. You know. The conduit of hope and all of that fancy business."
"I have no idea what you are talking about Pinkie," said Rainbow.
"You mean Queen Galacia didn't tell you?" said Pinkie.
"Queen Galacia?" questioned Rainbow, "Was that the name of the tall white alicorn?"
"Yup, and the black one's name was Hoarfrost. He's the one causing the snowstorms." answered Pinkie. "That's enough for now, I'll tell you the rest on the way. Come on, you fly and I'll give you directions. Although really it's just a little ways to the north from here. Oh well. That just gives me more time to talk."
"Fly?" questioned Rainbow, "But I thought I couldn't fly in my..."
"The armor your wearing allows pegasi to fly and keeps you warm." replied Pinkie, "I know mine keeps me warm."
"Really!?" shouted an excited Rainbow Dash, "Alright! I love this armor!" Rainbow flew up slightly and picked Pinkie up by wrapping her legs around her and squeezing as tight as she could while Pinkie did her best to hold on herself. "Now hold on tight, Pinkie. It's going to be a bumpy ride until we get out of this cavern."
Rainbow Dash took off as fast as she could down the cave system going down the same tunnels as they did before dodging columns of ice left and right until they saw the light that was coming in from the hole they fell through above. When they got to that point Rainbow Dash pulled up almost suddenly and withing a few seconds they had cleared the hole and flew straight up into a white sky that was no longer snowing. Once Rainbow got to a decently high altitude she leveled off and began to head north, breaking the sound barrier and causing a sonic rainboom in the process.
"Woo-hoo!" cheered both ponies as they zipped off into the distance.