//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Icarus // by Tamar //------------------------------// Rainbow… Twilight stood on a cloud far, far above Equestria. Her hooves were glued in place, and the harder she tried to move them, the more firmly they stuck. Rainbow! Rainbow Dash wasn’t listening, and Twilight’s voice grew more and more feeble no matter how loudly she tried to shout. She was flying away from Twilight without making any distance between them. The ground beneath Twilight was far away and she struggled with her hooves uselessly in the cloud. Rainbow, come back! Rainbow’s figure slipped out of sight into the mist. The clouds around Twilight billowed with dark shades of rainbow, until she was engulfed by the smoke and plummeted towards the ground at ever-increasing speed– Twilight jerked her head up sharply from where she had been sleeping. She was in Applejack’s barn, along with Spike and her friends. Morning had risen on the third day of the fog in Ponyville, but it brought none of the sun’s warmth. Only the thinnest tendrils of light managed to break through the fog, bathing the orchards in a paltry dim glow. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, and put a hoof to her forehead. She had been sweating. The previous night, they had agreed to group together to wait for Rainbow to return, and for the letter to come from Princess Celestia. Until either happened, there was nothing the ponies could do. Twilight looked around. Pinkie was there, with Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy and Spike, and Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were sleeping huddled together in the corner. Rainbow Dash was not among them. Twilight trotted to the door miserably and looked out into the thick soup. She couldn’t even see far enough to the firefly lanterns. Twilight sat down on her haunches and stared at her hooves. She could feel the telltale sting of tears welling up behind her eyes, and rubbed at them with her hooves. “Twilight?” It was Applejack’s voice. Twilight sniffed and tried to breathe evenly. The attempt was unsuccessful. Applejack came and sat beside Twilight, giving her gentle a nuzzle. “Are you all right, sugarcube?” Twilight made no reply. “Rainbow hasn’t come back yet.” Twilight shook her head. “An’ still no news from the princess?” Twilight shook her head again. Applejack sighed. “Shucks. I thought at least one of them would turn up in the night. When did we fall asleep? I thought we were going to stay up and wait for them.” “I think we must have fallen asleep a bit past midnight,” Twilight said. “It doesn’t matter. Even if we had stayed up, neither would have arrived anyway.” “Well, I want to do something today,” Applejack said. “I don’t like all this sitting an’ waiting. It’s worrying not to get a response from the princess.” Twilight turned to Applejack. “But what can we do? I don’t have a book about evil fog that steals your friend away from you.” “No,” Applejack said firmly, “But we’ll think of something.” Behind them, the other ponies began to stir. Applejack took hold of Twilight in her hooves. “Twilight,” she said quickly and in a lowered voice, “I know you’re missing Rainbow. I know you’re worried for her. But please, for the sake of everypony else, stay positive. There’s no reason to believe anything’s happened to her. She’s probably in Cloudsdale right now, leading the team that’s putting this whole mess right. Everypony looks up to you, Twilight, an’ it’s up to you to keep them in good spirits. You can’t break, because if you do, then so will they.” Twilight looked back at Applejack, her ears drooping. “But I…” Applejack pulled Twilight into a hug. “I’m here with you, Twilight. Don’t you worry nothin’ about Rainbow. She’ll be fine, an’ so will we. Now come on, let’s go an’ see the others.” Twilight gave a weak nod and followed Applejack to where the other ponies were waking up. “Mornin’, Rarity. Did you sleep well?” “Oddly enough, yes. I never thought a haystack would be so comfortable, even if a little… untidy.” Rarity sat up and began to pick bits of hay and straw out of her hair. “It’s the most delicious bed ever!” Pinkie declared around a mouthful of hay. “Did Rainbow arrive? Is she here?” Fluttershy asked anxiously. Applejack was about to respond, but she was cut off by Twilight, who answered in a surprisingly upbeat voice. “No, she didn’t. But there’s no reason to worry. She probably just got roped into a big job clearing up the mess at Cloudsdale. Don’t fret, Fluttershy, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Applejack smiled, and Fluttershy seemed reassured. “Twilight Sparkle!” A loud, authoritative voice boomed from outside the barn. Twilight’s ears snapped upright. “I know that voice!” She galloped to the door and called out into the gloom. “Princess Luna! Princess Luna! We’re over here! Follow the lanterns!” After a few moments, Princess Luna materialised out of the fog. Twilight gasped when she saw her; the princess was dishevelled, her mane unkempt, and her eyes heavy. “Princess Luna! What’s the matter? What’s happening in Canterlot?” Luna held up a hoof. “A moment please, I need to catch my breath. I flew here directly from Canterlot as fast as I could.” Applejack appeared at the door. “Please come inside, Princess. It’s warmer in here.” Luna gladly followed, and sat down on a haybale. “Princess Luna, what’s happening in Canterlot? Is Celestia all right?” Twilight asked urgently. Luna looked over to the corner where the three fillies were huddled, pretending to be asleep. “Scootaloo, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, please go and find Granny Smith and make sure she is well,” Luna commanded. Applebloom turned to Applejack. “But–” “Do as she says, Applebloom,” Applejack said. The three fillies gave a collective aww of disappointment and filed out of the barn towards the farmhouse. Once they were gone, Luna looked around her at the anxious faces, then said with a heavy sigh, “No. She is not all right. Canterlot is smothered in the same thick fog that covers Ponyville, and that covers all of Equestria by this point.” The five ponies gasped in unison. “But, Princess Luna... what does this mean?” Rarity asked. “It means that Celestia is in a lot of trouble,” Luna said gravely. “Her power as ruler of Equestria comes directly from the sun. Its magic beams down onto her and Equestria, and gives her her powers. Since both she and Equestria are cut off from the sun, she is very sick, and it’s taking all of my power to keep her steady. I only have just enough time to come and tell you this before I must go back and tend to her. But I cannot continue for long, and soon my powers will fade too.” Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Princess Celestia! She’s sick?!” “What are we going to do, y’all?” Applejack said, looking from Twilight to Luna. Luna heaved a deep breath. “I am afraid that I don’t have the answers. But Celestia was able to tell me that the solution lies in Cloudsdale. I wish I could go with you, but my place is by my sister’s side. All five of you will need to make the journey. I fear Rainbow Dash is in great danger.” Twilight’s heart stopped, and she sat down with a thud. Applejack put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “We’ll do whatever is necessary to get our friend back, Princess Luna,” she declared, “An’ to free the Princess.” “You can count on us,” Rarity agreed. “We’re as loyal to Rainbow as she is to us!” Pinkie said. “Rainbow,” Twilight mumbled, unnoticed by all except Applejack. Princess Luna spread her wings. “I am afraid that I have already stayed longer than I should have. I must return to Canterlot at once. Farewell, my little ponies, and good luck.” Luna cantered out of the barn door and with one powerful beat of her wings, she was gone. Applejack trotted out to look at the fog where Luna had disappeared. She couldn’t make out anything out in the gloom, until something caught her eye in the distance. It was only visible for a second, but she knew she had seen it – a streak of rainbow. “Rainbow’s back!” Applejack called eagerly to the ponies in the barn. They rushed to join her at the door. “Rainbow! Where?” Pinkie squeaked, hopping up and down. The other ponies peered into the gloom. “I can’t see anything,” Fluttershy said. “No, no, I only saw her for a moment,” Applejack said. “Just a flash of rainbow in the fog, but it was definitely her, I know it! Come on, it looks like she was heading for the library.” Twilight’s ears perked up. “The library? What for?” “I don’t know! But come on, let’s go an’ find out!” The five ponies galloped out of the barn towards the library, following Applejack’s trail of firefly lanterns. Twilight’s heart beat fast, and she flew on a surge of joy and relief. Rainbow was back, which meant she was safe, and she could explain what in Equestria was going on. Everything was going to be all right. They arrived at the library to find the door swung open. “Rainbow!” Twilight called. There was no answer. They trotted through the door and gasped in shock. All the books had been pulled off their shelves and lay in a massive pile on the floor. Rainbow was in the process of ripping the last set of books down. She hissed with frustration as she threw the last of the books to the floor. “Rainbow Dash!” Applejack said. Rainbow turned with surprise to see the five ponies in the doorway staring at her open mouthed. “What?” she snapped. Taken aback, Rarity said, “What did you find at Cloudsdale?” “Nothing that would interest a unicorn.” “What do you mean by that, Rainbow? What are you looking for?” Twilight said, shocked. Rainbow wordlessly backed away from the five ponies slightly, as if she had only just noticed that she was outnumbered. Her gaze darted between them, finally landing on Fluttershy. Her eyes widened, then she narrowed them into a piercing glare. Fluttershy squeaked and cowered under Rainbow’s stare, as though she were trying to hide in her mane. Pinkie looked from Rainbow to Fluttershy and stood in front of her, facing up to Rainbow with a pout. “What are you doing, Dashie? That’s not very nice to Fluttershy.” Rainbow shot across the room, landing inches from Twilight. She pushed her nose into Twilight’s face and demanded, “Where are the Elements of Harmony?” “What?” Applejack interjected. Her face contorted in shock, then anger as she paced towards Rainbow. “Rainbow, don’t you talk to Twilight like that! What are you doing? An’ what in tarnation do you need the Elements for?” “None of your earth pony business!” Rainbow snarled. Applejack gasped and stepped back. Rainbow turned back to Twilight and grabbed her shoulders in her hooves. “Where are the Elements of Harmony, Twilight? Tell me!” Twilight squealed and struggled, but her eyes flicked up involuntarily to a chest at the top of the stairs. Rainbow saw her accidental slip, released her and flew up to the chest. “Oh no you don’t!” Applejack cried, racing up the stairs after Rainbow. “Those Elements are staying right where they are!” She collided with Rainbow just as the pegasus delivered a powerful kick to the padlock on the chest. Together, they tumbled over, the chest falling to pieces to reveal a large ancient book inside. Each struggled to pin the other down. As the ponies below watched in alarm, Rainbow pushed Applejack into the wall, knocking her head against a shelf and making her see stars. Rainbow took her opportunity while Applejack shook her head clear and made a dive for the book. Applejack’s vision returned just in time to see Rainbow making to take off with the ancient book in her mouth. She leaped towards Rainbow, grabbing her tail, and for a few heart-stopping moments they struggled until finally Rainbow wriggled out of Applejack’s grasp and flew for the door. The others let her fly past, too shocked to intervene. “Rainbow!” Applejack cried furiously, picking herself off the ground and galloping towards the open door. She snorted into the fog, but Rainbow was long gone and nowhere to be seen. “Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh,” Fluttershy squeaked, hopping up and down. Pinkie was speechless. Twilight still hadn’t said anything, her ears flatly pressed down. Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder, saying, “Twilight, darling, are you all right? Rainbow didn’t hurt you, did she?” “That wasn’t Rainbow,” Applejack snarled. “I don’t care what you say, that was not Rainbow. Something’s happened to her. She’s changed. That was not the Rainbow we know an’ love.” “Twilight, please say something!” Rarity said desperately, giving Twilight a shake. Twilight shivered, and then stood up. “We need to go to Cloudsdale,” she said with determination. “Everypony, go an’ get your saddlebags,” Applejack commanded. “We’re going to need supplies for this, an’ we’re going straight away. Fluttershy, do you know the way to Cloudsdale?” Fluttershy whimpered. “I know how to find it, even in this fog, but there’s no way I can fly all that way–” “That won’t be necessary,” Applejack said, cutting her off. “We’re all coming too. Meet back here as quickly as you can, everypony.” Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie galloped out of the library to their respective homes. Applejack turned to Twilight, who hadn’t moved beyond standing. “Twilight? Are you all right?” Twilight closed her eyes and gave her head a shake to clear it. “No. I… no. That’s why I- why we need to go to Cloudsdale. We need to get Rainbow back, for her sake as well as ours.” “An’ we will, too,” Applejack said, speaking through gritted teeth. “I don’t care what happened to her, or who’s responsible, but anypony who tries to hurt one of our friends has the rest of us to answer to.” The two ponies galloped out of the library and back to the farmhouse in the fog. While Applejack collected her saddlebags, Twilight spoke to Spike, who was waiting with the three fillies. “Spike, we’re going to Cloudsdale to help Rainbow. You need to stay behind and look after Applebloom and her friends. Keep them safe.” The three fillies looked from Spike to Twilight, sensing the seriousness in her voice. Spike nodded quickly, saying “What’s wrong, Twilight? Was it Rainbow Dash?” Twilight nodded. “It was.” “Has something happened to Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo piped up. Her eyes were round and quivering. “I want to come with you!” “Rainbow is going to be all right,” Twilight said. “She just needs a little help. But I’m sorry, the journey to Cloudsdale on hoof is too dangerous for fillies. You need to stay here and look after Ponyville while we’re gone.” The three fillies nodded and huddled closer together. Spike hugged Twilight tightly. “Stay safe, Twilight. I need you.” Twilight hugged Spike back. “I know,” she said. “I will.” She trotted out of the farmhouse, unable to bring herself to return Spike’s hopeful wave of goodbye. Applejack returned with her saddlebags and gave Granny Smith a hug. “Goodbye, Granny.” “Go give ‘em hell, girl,” Granny Smith said. “You got right on your side.” Applejack gave a weak smile and galloped out of the farmhouse towards the library, leaving Spike, the three fillies and Granny Smith behind. The other ponies had gathered outside the tree house library. “Is everypony ready, girls?” Twilight said. “Yes.” “Y-yes.” “Yes, darling.” “Yessiree!” “Right then. Fluttershy, lead the way. We need to go with speed. Stay close, everypony, I don’t want anyone getting lost in the fog.” “Oh, my...” Fluttershy squeaked. She looked up, sniffed, then said, “Th-this way, everypony.” As they galloped off, Applejack said to Fluttershy, “What was that? How do you know where we’re going? I can barely see my own hoof in front of my face.” “It’s something only pegasi can do,” Fluttershy answered. “Pegasi can smell approaching weather formations, which also means we can tell where Cloudsdale is by its smell. It’s like tracking something by scent.” “Well, shucks, you learn something new every day.” *** “Rainbow Dash is approaching, General!” In Cloudsdale, General Icarus stood on top of the Council Building’s dome. He watched with a smile as a rainbow-coloured bolt cut across the sky. “Go and meet her,” he said, turning to one of the white stallion pegasi who flanked him. “She will be tired after her flight.” “Yes, sir!” The pegasus unfurled his wings and leaped off the dome. He flew up to intersect the rainbow bolt, and escorted her down to the roof. Rainbow Dash landed beside Icarus with an ancient book held in her mouth. “Mff hmmf.” “Don’t just stand there!” Icarus said. “Help her with it!” The stallion complied, reaching over to take the book out of Rainbow’s mouth. “Mff hmmf!” Rainbow said through gritted teeth, flaring her wings angrily. She took the book out of her mouth and tucked it under her wing. “Get your teeth off it. This is mine; I fetched it.” Icarus laughed. “Well done, Rainbow. You have done very well!” “I thought you wanted the Elements of Harmony?” the stallion said, confused. “That’s just an old book. I don’t get it.” “And that, Pan, is precisely why I didn’t send you. I knew that only one of the Element’s bearers would be able to find them in Ponyville.” Pan scratched his head. “Ponyville? Wouldn’t they be with Celestia in Canterlot?” Icarus sighed. “No, Pan, not since the Discord fiasco. They were very quietly moved to Ponyville, so that they would be closer to the bearers of the Elements should they be needed again. Now be quiet, please.” Icarus turned to face Rainbow. “I trust you located the Elements without much difficulty?” “I knew they were in the library,” Rainbow said. “I just had to make the Twilight tell me exactly where they were. Applejack tried to stop me, but I managed to escape. There’s no way they could have kept up with me!” She puffed out her chest. “Hmm,” Icarus said, thinking hard. “No, I don’t think so. Princess Celestia’s pupil must have figured out what’s going on by now. They’ll try to make their way to Cloudsdale and stop us. We must complete the process soon.” Pan gave a curt laugh. “To Cloudsdale! How are earth ponies and unicorns ever going to find us here through all that fog?” Icarus turned back to Rainbow. “Is there a pegasus with them?” “Yes, she’s called Fluttershy.” “Then we have less time than we thought. Come, Rainbow. Bring the Elements.” Icarus led Rainbow to the stairway down into the dome. Rainbow followed Icarus down the steps, arriving in the grand Council Chamber. “Wow. The Chamber’s changed a lot,” Rainbow said. “It’s all part of the plan, Rainbow,” Icarus said. “We needed a place to work.” Most of the tables of the Chamber were pushed to the sides of the room, leaving a large space in front of the speaker’s podium, in which was a single table. A group of pegasi were crowded around it, pointing at a series of diagrams drawn out on pieces of paper and intricate models made from wood. When Icarus entered, the pegasi stood stiffly at attention, hooves raised in salute. Icarus waved them off, saying, “As you were, pegasi. I want this all completed at the greatest possible speed. Time is no longer on our side. Come, Rainbow.” Rainbow followed Icarus through the chamber, drawing curious glances from the other pegasi. She kept the book firmly held under her wing. Icarus led her up another flight of stairs, back into the Mayor’s grand office. “Sit down, Rainbow. Would you like another drink?” “I’m fine, thanks.” Rainbow remained standing, tightening her grip on the elements. Icarus gave her a look. “Sit down, Rainbow. Would you like another drink?” Rainbow snorted impatiently and sat down. “Fine,” she said. “Good,” Icarus said. He presented Rainbow with a mug of the same drink he had given her the day before. “Drink up, now, it will help you rest.” Rainbow took the mug and drank deeply, enjoying the warm fizzing feeling as she swallowed. When she had finished, Icarus said, “Now then, Rainbow, let us have a look at the Elements.” Rainbow took the book in her mouth from under her wing and placed it on the table. It was latched shut. Icarus studied the book for a few moments, eyebrows creased with thought. “Do you want me to open it for you?” Rainbow said impatiently. She reached out to the book, only to have her hoof pushed away sharply. “No!” Icarus said. “Don’t touch it! Celestia wouldn’t just leave the Elements there for anypony who wanted to take them. There could be any number of defences on them.” Rainbow rubbed her hoof, giving Icarus a resentful look. “The chest came open easy enough,” she protested. “Don’t be fooled,” Icarus said. “The chest may have come open with little effort, but believe me, the real locks are on that book.” Rainbow fell silent and watched as Icarus studied the book, muttering to himself. Eventually, he stood up and said, “It’s no use. I can’t possibly tell what charms Celestia has put on this, and I won’t risk one of my pegasi in finding out.” “What do we do, then?” Rainbow said. Icarus clapped his hooves together. “Pan!” he called. After a few moments, Pan appeared in the doorway, wings flared. “Yes, General?” “Bring us the unicorn, Pan. We have need of her powers.” “Yes, General.” Pan disappeared quickly down the stairs again. Rainbow turned to Icarus, her eyebrows raised. “You have a unicorn here? Why?” “We picked her up after she was found wandering around in the forests under Cloudsdale,” Icarus explained. “Until I can master the Elements, it was thought that having some magic in our arsenal would be useful, and she has quite a talent for it.” Rainbow heard multiple hoofsteps ascending the stairs. “What’s her name?” “Her name is unimportant,” Icarus said. “As is the name of any unicorn. Remember that, Rainbow.” The door was opened once more and a shivering, dirty unicorn was pushed into the room. Rainbow gasped and took a step back. There were deep marks on the unicorn’s blue coat, and her ice-blue mane was matted and tangled. She hung her head, and on her back were the tattered remains of some sort of cloak, hiding her cutie mark from view. “Look up there!” Pan barked. “Stand straight when you’re in front of the General!” The unicorn jerked her head upright with a whimper. Her eyes danced around the room, full of terror. Suddenly, she stared at Rainbow with wide violet eyes, eyebrows raised. Rainbow backed away from her. Icarus looked from one to the other and said, “Do you know this unicorn, Rainbow?” Rainbow tried to search her memories, but found them to be as impenetrable as thick fudge. She gave up and said, “No, I don’t.” “Good,” Icarus said. The unicorn’s wide eyes snapped back to focus on him. “Unicorn, we have need of your services. On the table over there is a case disguised as a book. It has almost certainly been enchanted to defend its contents from thieves. I need you to use your magic to find out what sort of charms have been put on there, and how we can get round them.” “Th-the great and-” “Silence!” Icarus said, cutting her off. “I told you to stop calling yourself that! You are nothing but a unicorn, and you should be grateful for a chance to help in founding the new Pegasopolis. Do as you’re told.” The unicorn sniffled and limped over to the book, staring at Rainbow as she went. Rainbow bit her lip, thoroughly unsettled. She almost felt sorry for the unicorn and how she had been treated. Even so, Rainbow still wished the unicorn would stop staring at her like that. Finally, the unicorn turned her penetrating gaze to the book. She closed her eyes and bent her head, so that her horn pointed towards the book. Her horn glowed, and the book rose slightly off the table. She turned the book over, examining it from all different angles, then returned the book to the table and turned to face Icarus. “Th-the book has been given a very simple charm,” she said, her voice wobbling slightly. “It will only open itself to somepony who is truly l-loved by another. Otherwise it will stay shut, and nothing will happen. The pony who opens it must think of the pony that truly loves them; then and only then will it open.” “Very good,” Icarus said. “You have done well. Pan,” he said, turning to the pegasus, who was standing by the door, “After today, we will have no more need of this unicorn. You may return her to the ground and leave her to go on her way.” “Yes, General,” Pan said. He laid a firm hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder, propelling her towards the door. “This way, unicorn.” As the unicorn was pushed to the door, she stared back at Rainbow with wide eyes, until it finally closed behind her. Rainbow breathed a sigh. “Whoo. I’m glad she’s gone, she was starting to creep me out.” Icarus had ignored the unicorn’s departure and begun to examine the book again. He picked it up and turned it over, examining it from different angles. Rainbow came over to stand beside him. “Well?” she said. “Only somepony who is truly loved by another can open it. So...” “This is problematic,” Icarus said, putting the book down and stroking his chin. “We may have to search the city for a couple who can open this.” Rainbow picked the book up. “Funny sort of charm to give a book,” she said, turning it over. “I bet Twilight would have a book about–” With a snap, the book fell open. Rainbow gasped and stared as the Elements tumbled into her hooves. “Rainbow! You opened it!” Icarus said. “I... I did!” Rainbow said, eyes wide with shock. She put the Elements down on the table and held the flimsy book in her hands. “Weird. Or maybe that unicorn was wrong.” “Never mind that!” Icarus said breathlessly. He lifted the tiara reverently, holding it up to the light. “Finally, the Elements! Over a thousand years of secrecy and silence, and here they are, in my hooves!” Rainbow dropped the book and looked down at the Elements dispassionately. They were all there; the Elements of her friends and their friendship. The term seemed oddly distant in her mind. The Elements seemed to represent some strong bond between her and the ponies in Ponyville, but she couldn’t remember any such connection. “Hey,” she said, pointing to the Elements on the table. “One of them’s a funny colour.” Icarus turned from where he had been examining the tiara. “What?” “This one.” Rainbow pointed to the necklace that had a lightning bolt-shaped jewel. Its colour had faded to a deep shade of grey with only a slight tint of red. “It doesn’t matter,” said Icarus, replacing the Elements in the case. “They will serve their purpose whether they want to or not.” “Want to?” Icarus stopped himself, as if he had let something slip he hadn’t meant to. “Don’t worry about it. The discolouration is unimportant to our purposes.” Rainbow stood. “So what are our purposes? You haven’t told me anything about our great plan, except that you needed me to get the Elements for you. What are you going to use them for?” Icarus smiled. “Patience, Rainbow! All will be revealed in good time, and I promise you will be pleased when you see what I have in store.” “I certainly hope so. I don’t like all this waiting and planning. Why can’t we just act now?” “The process takes time to prepare, and it would be catastrophic to get it wrong by even the tiniest fraction.” Rainbow stifled a yawn. “And what is the process?” “Enough questions for today. You must rest.” Even as Icarus spoke, Rainbow felt waves of tiredness washing over her again. “I suppose you’re right,” she said, struggling not to yawn a second time. “I could do with some sleep.” “You have worked hard, my little pony, and there are even bigger things still to be done. Let Pan take you to your quarters, and I will oversee the preparation of the Elements.” *** “Fluttershy! How far is it to Cloudsdale?” Rarity called, slightly breathless. The five ponies had been cantering for what felt like hours, following Fluttershy’s nose. In the thick, cold fog it was impossible to judge how far they had travelled. The Equestrian plains took on a new appearance when clothed in the fog. Where before they were wide, easy and pleasant, now they were dark and eerie. The fog hemmed them in from all sides, and mysterious shadows loomed at them in the gloom. More than once, Twilight had put a hoof wrong and tumbled into a hedge, or one of her friends. “It’s hard to tell!” Fluttershy called back. “I know we’re going in the right direction, but the fog makes it very difficult to judge the distance!” “How long does it usually take?” Pinkie replied, cantering beside Twilight. “I’ve only ever flown it with Rainbow, I’ve never actually gone on hoof! And even then, I don’t go very often!” “It’s all right, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “We’ll get there when we get there. You just lead the way. We’re making very good time.” Twilight said nothing. She didn’t want to speak up, but she disagreed with Applejack. Cloudsdale could be miles away as far as they knew, and she had no idea how much time Rainbow and Princess Celestia had. All she could do was hope against hope that they arrived before it was too late. Too late for what, she tried not to imagine. Her mind was a whirl of rainbow colours, so she focused instead on putting one hoof in front of the other, and reaching Cloudsdale in time. “Keep going, ponies!” Applejack panted, seeing her friends with grim expressions and lowered ears. She increased her pace slightly. “We’ll get Rainbow back, you’ll see. And then I’m first in line to give her a cuff round the ear.” *** In her lavish bed in the Council building, Rainbow dipped in and out of fitful sleep, plagued by worries. She stared up at ornate decorations on the ceiling above her, with vignettes of old-fashioned pegasi from the past. It seemed as if they were all staring at her accusingly, and she didn’t like it. Something about what she had done didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t work out what. Icarus, her master, had told her to go and fetch the Elements. That was easy enough. She knew roughly where they were, and the journey to Ponyville was one she always used to do when she was Ponyville’s weather representative. She had been looking in the library when the five other ponies arrived. She knew them. She knew their names, and she knew who they were. She also knew that the purple one called Twilight knew where the Elements were. That was why she had forced the information from her. She didn’t know why or how she knew who these ponies were, but that was unimportant. But something tugging in the back of her mind told her it was important. She hadn’t thought so before, but the more she thought about it, the more the purple one’s expression when Rainbow grabbed her seemed wrong. It was fear; that was understandable. She might have expected there to be a bit more anger, but that could be explained by the fact that she was in shock. There had been enough anger in the orange one called Applejack, though. But it was the purple one’s eyes that unsettled Rainbow. They looked hurt. Not in a sense of anger, but disbelief. The eyes bored through Rainbow’s memory into her skull, making her feel guilty. But why should they look hurt? And why should she feel guilty? It wasn’t as if it was a personal offence. She would have been fine if her eyes were purely angry or afraid. But they were hurt. Rainbow turned over and buried her head under the pillow. It didn’t matter, she told herself. The purple one called Twilight was a unicorn, and she would be dealt with when the new Pegasopolis came to fruition. They all would. Even the yellow pegasus called Fluttershy, probably. She was no unicorn or earth pony, but she lived like them and didn’t like flying more than was necessary. Rainbow sat up. The yellow pegasus called Fluttershy didn’t like flying. How did she know that? How did she know her name? How did she know she didn’t like flying? Rainbow scrambled about in her mind, desperately scraping at the walls of her memory. The white one called Rarity designed clothes. Rainbow couldn’t remember anything about those clothes, but she knew she designed clothes. And the pink one called Pinkie threw parties. In the back of her mind, a tiny voice whispered to her. They’re your friends, Rainbow. “Ugh.” Wherever that thought came from, it sounded stupid. Rainbow lay back down, holding her hooves over her eyes. She was doing too much thinking and it was making her head hurt. Besides, Icarus had told her to rest until when he called her, when he promised his great plan would be complete. He would chastise her if she was tired. Rainbow turned over and put all thoughts of unicorns, earth ponies and grounded pegasi out of her mind, instead choosing to fantasise about flying through the skies of their brand new land of Pegasopolis. *** “Are the winds ready?” Icarus said. “They await your command, sir.” “Very good, Pan. Not long now. Leave me.” Icarus dismissed the stallion with a wave of his hoof. Pan bowed and left Icarus alone atop the dome roof of the Council building. Icarus surveyed the expanse of fog and mist below him. Equestria, like a moth in a cocoon, was ready to be reborn, once more proud, noble and mighty, once more Pegasopolis. The unicorns and the earth ponies would all fall and bow before him, Icarus, the First Emperor! As for the royal pony sisters, they would both be too frail and weak to do anything except flee. When Icarus took full power, he would find them and banish them both to the surface of the sun for a hundred thousand years of torture. “General! General Icarus!” Icarus turned to see a green pegasus eagerly cantering across the dome towards him. “Is it finished?” Icarus curtly said. “It’s ready, General!” Icarus allowed himself a smile. “You have done well. This is ahead of schedule.” “I checked it myself, General. The operation was a complete success.” Icarus nodded. “Take me to it.” Icarus followed the pegasus down into the Council Chamber. The pegasi were again crowded around the central table, eagerly pointing and whispering amonst themselves. The pegasus who had fetched Icarus now shooed them away, saying, “Back, back! The General has come to inspect!” The ponies stood back from the table, breaths held. Icarus put his hooves on the table, and examined their handiwork closely. In the centre of the table, woven into a set of mayoral chains, were the Elements of Harmony. The jewels had been cut loose from their original necklaces, and the Element of Magic had been torn from its tiara. “Very good. Impressive,” Icarus breathed slowly as he examined the construction from every angle. “Did it take much work?” “Less than we thought,” the first pegasus answered. “They came free from the necklaces relatively easily. But we were just wondering one thing.” “Yes?” “Well, I’m sure it’s nothing, but they seem to be losing their colour. The lightning bolt was quite grey already, but now the others seem to be going too. We didn’t do anything to them, they just started going like that.” “They’re mourning for their lost bearer,” Icarus said thoughtfully. “Most impressive, and rather sad. No matter, they will bend to my will whether they are happy with it or not.” “Lost bearer?” The pegasus asked, confused. “What do you mean?” Icarus rounded on him angrily. “What, must I explain everything to you, fool? Go and tell them to start the winds! I want the fog around Cloudsdale to be cleared within the hour. There must be clear sky between Cloudsdale and the land, or you will know my anger!” The pegasi scurried out of the chamber, clambering over each other to not be the last one left behind. Icarus, now alone, leaned in closer to examine the Elements. The lightning bolt had almost completely lost its colour. “Do you miss your mistress?” Icarus asked quietly. “Do you wish she’d come back to you, Loyalty? How ironic. Loyalty itself betrayed.” He chuckled. “Don’t look so sad. You don’t know the meaning of suffering yet. Just wait until tonight, when we are united. You will do as I command, all of you, and I will be unstoppable.” Icarus stood up and clapped his hooves together loudly. Pan appeared at the door. “You called, General?” “Yes, Pan. I want you to go and supervise the ponies at the weather factory. They need to blow away all the fog in this area, so that Cloudsdale has a clear and unobstructed view to the land. When I perform the ceremony of unity, it’s vital for me to have my hooves on the ground and a clear view of the sky, so that I can draw power from all that is above and below. Do you know why I am telling you all of this, Pan?” “I don’t, General.” “I have a special job for you, Pan. When I have ascended to my full powers in unity with the Elements, I will need you to go to Cloudsdale and bring me the royal pony sisters. They will try to flee.” Icarus laid a hoof on Pan’s shoulder. “I trust you, Pan. You have been my most faithful pegasus. If you do well in this, you will be rewarded greatly in the new Pegasopolis empire.” “It is an honour, General.” “Go to the weather factory. Make sure they complete their task.” “It will be done, General.” Pan turned and left. Icarus gave one last look back to the Elements, then with a contemptuous snort he left the chamber, closing the door behind him.