Rainbow's Quest

by Zetriax

Ragnarok

Chapter 33- Ragnarok
Chrono glared at the two of them, excitement sparking in his eyes. A loud gong penetrated the sound of the machinery as if it were a bell, tolling the midnight hour. Chrono hovered from the throne, his green mane ruffling in an out of place breeze. Rainbow followed his ascent into the air and energy swirled around him. Bolts of electricity erupted around, encasing him in an orb of brilliant light. The orb expanded and filled the room, forcing Rainbow and Shadow to back away from it.
Then the orb exploded. Where Chrono had been hovering was now and enormous black dragon. Thirteen horns curled out of its head and flaming red eyes gazed out from an armored brow. Spikes ran all along its spine and along its immense wings which were folded to its sides. Chrono hadn’t summoned Ragnarok after all. He became Ragnarok.
Then Rainbow noticed the golden watch lying on the ground between its enormous claws. Maybe there was still a chance to save the world. If she could get the Fate Stone, go back, and fix the timeline, the world would be saved!
“Shadow! I see the Fate Stone! We can still do this!” Rainbow yelled. Shadow acknowledged her with a nod. Together they charged at the dragon, ready for the fight of their lives. Ragnarok roared at them and smashed his claws into the floor before the two ponies. The wall behind the smashed throne shattered like glass so they could see the star-studded sky outside.
The black dragon twisted and launched out of the tower, spreading its enormous wings so that it seemed to cover half the sky. Rainbow lunged forward to grab the golden watch but the chain snagged on Ragnarok’s claw as he took off.
“After it!” Rainbow yowled.
“But I can’t fly,” Shadow pointed out.
“You don’t need to. Just shoot at it,” Rainbow said, kneeling down so that he could climb on.
“What? Are you sure?” Shadow asked.
“Yes! He’s getting away! Hurry up!” Rainbow shouted.
Shadow clambered on her back and Rainbow instantly shot outside after the apocalyptic beast. The extra weight proved to be a little troubling, but she was determined to keep up. This was her last chance. Shadow began casting magic in the dragon’s direction, but it was too far. Rainbow needed to get closer.
Ragnarok opened his massive maw and let out a roar. An orb of pure black energy launched out of its mouth and struck the ground. Instead of exploding or something of the like, the ground began to cave in on itself, sucking everything around it in as well. Ragnarok shot another blast into the air and it hung there, beginning to suck clouds and stars into its ruthless vortex.
“That can’t be good,” Shadow said. “We need to get closer, fast!”
“I’m working on it!” Rainbow flapped harder and as she approached, the dragon made a sudden turn, its tail whipping behind it. The tail swung at Rainbow, forcing her to jerk to the side to avoid getting hit. The action caused Shadow to slip and fall. Rainbow grabbed him by his hoof and he hung there helplessly, gazing up at her.
“Hold on!” she said through gritting teeth.
“If you get close enough, you could drop me on his back!” Shadow suggested.
Rainbow glanced up at Ragnarok. They were close. The cyan pegasus put on an extra burst of speed and struggled forward to hover over the dragon’s back.
“You ready?” she asked.
“Ready,” Shadow replied.
Rainbow let go and Shadow slipped from her grasp. He plummeted through the air and landed with a thud on his scaly back. Ragnarok roared and twisted his neck towards Shadow Flare, unleashing a geyser of flame. He ducked behind one of the spikes along his spine, avoiding the raging heat.
Assured that Shadow could handle himself, Rainbow shot down below the dragon and searched its claws for the Fate Stone. She spotted it hooked precariously on one of its talons on its foreleg. Rainbow maneuvered between its humongous legs and reached for the watch. She snatched it just as it slipped off the claw. Rainbow flew back up to get Shadow and a pillar of flame engulfed her.
She let out a shriek and plummeted towards the ground. Her feathers had not caught flame but her feathers were singed, preventing her from flight.
“Rainbow!” Shadow called after her and jumped off Ragnarok for her. He dove towards her and wrapped his forelegs protectively around her. They fell towards the ground locked in a powerful embrace.
“Are you okay?” Shadow asked.
Rainbow nodded. She still had the watch clutched in her hooves. “What’s going to happen to us?”
“I got this,” Shadow assured. A green aura surrounded his horn. Suddenly they were tumbling across the grass at the base of the tower. Ragnarok was still roaring far above, but they were safe.
Rainbow stood up, a little shaky from the fall, but okay. This was her chance. After all this time, she finally had the Fate Stone, but she didn’t want to return to her time.
“Rainbow, it’s time for you to go,” Shadow said, walking up behind her.
Rainbow turned to look once more into his beautiful green eyes. She wished they could be together forever, but fate was determined to keep them apart. Rainbow knew this was probably the last time she would ever see him again. She tried to fight it but tears began to form in her eyes.
Rainbow shook her head. “I can’t,” she said, her voice shaking. “I want to stay here with you!” She flung herself at him and hugged him tightly.
“I know, I know,” he said, stroking her mane. “But there’s no choice. You have to go and restore the timeline.”
“Maybe you can come back with me?” Rainbow suggested, backing up to look into his face.
“You know as well as I do that that can’t happen.” He gazed deep into her eyes as he wiped a tear from her cheek. “I love you. Just carry that in your heart always. Maybe that bond will keep me alive in the Void and we’ll meet again one day.”
Rainbow embraced Shadow one last time. “I love you, too,” she whimpered. She then backed away and placed the watch on the ground. As she placed her snout on it, the watched morphed into a familiar white stone with her cutie mark emblazoned onto it. Heaving a shuddering breath, she let herself be pulled to sleep by it.
“Goodbye,” she heard Shadow say just before she slipped from consciousness.
---
Rainbow opened her eyes to see the moonlit grass. The cyan pegasus glanced around. She was at the edge of the Everfree Forest. In the distance she could see the Ponyville like she remembered it. This was her time. Then she heard laughter coming from a little ways into the forest.
“Thank you, Zecora. These’ll make for great cupcakes in the morning,” came Pinkie Pie’s voice.
So, this must be where Pinkie found the Fate Stone. Rainbow hesitated for a moment. She was going to have to destroy it wasn’t she? Closing her eyes, she brought her hooves down on the relic, feeling it crumble beneath her hooves.
Suddenly, she was bombarded with visions. They were her memories. It all whisked past her: the meeting with Shadow Flare, the race between her and Dash, the cheer up party, and Jade’s appearance. The more serious memories showed up, too. The fight with Dash, the dream, the war, and the Clockwork Tower. But most of all, she recalled three words: I love you.
Rainbow shuddered. The visions disappeared from her head. The timeline had been corrected. None of that had ever happened. She collapsed unconscious to the ground. Her work was finished.