Rain without Rainbows

by Leoshi

Ten: Defiance

Rain without Rainbows

Author: Leoshi

Co-Author: Cyros Lugoth

!Disclaimer!: Princess Cadence locked me in a dark cavern, and said I couldn’t come out until I claimed ownership over MLP. Well, I guess I’d better get comfortable down here. Oh, and if you see Lauren Faust, Jason Theisson, the Hub, Hasbro, and Studio B, give them my thanks for making such a stellar show.

Here we are, back again. For those just joining us (why?), you should know that the trip Applejack and Rarity underwent to find Rainbow Dash was successful! After some tense conversation, the pegasus was convinced to return home with her friends and face whatever troubles have befallen the town.

As for this next one, you’re about to be taken for a ride. Yes, Rainbow reunites with her friends, and yes, she becomes freed from the magic that’s plagued her. And, in case you’re wondering, yes, something bad is going to happen. This is gonna be a long one (10K+ words), so strap in!

ACT II - The Pariah
Chapter ten: Defiance

Cold dirt once more gave way to sharp hoof as Applejack descended the same hillside she had scaled five days prior. It was mid-morning; the denizens of Equestria were already awake and tending to their daily business. All save those from Ponyville, who were forced from their home and thus unable to do more than be patient. Ponyville itself was occupied with much different folk - Applejack could see the unclear forms of Canterlot guardponies, dashing to and fro with their tasks.

Rarity was further along, her head lowered as her severe fatigue threatened to topple her where she stood. She had long since halted any use of magic - even providing light in the Everfree Forest had given her a migraine. She, too, was gazing upon Ponyville in the distance, allowing a flutter of elation in the possibility that it might be saved, very soon.

Rainbow Dash, however, was apprehensive. She paused where she stood, looking upon the scene in the town with a growing sense of anxiety. Even though her friends had described the magical sphere to her, she was unable to see it well beneath the magic which held it down - to her, it looked like a dark spot against the green and brown of the terrain. However, that only allowed her imagination to form her own picture of it, a picture which scared her.

To her left, Applejack looked over. She had sensed the exile’s nervousness. “Hey, Rainbow?” she plied.

Rainbow glanced over, her blank eyes focusing on the farm mare. “Yes?”

“I’m here for ya,” Applejack assured. “Stay with me, alright?”

Rainbow was far from in good health, but she had managed enough strength to walk on her own. The trip was agonizingly slow, taking them three days to return on the same path that had taken only two days on the first hike. She had tried to eat the food her friends had offered her, but wasn’t able to swallow much. Not that she wanted to; in fact, she had grown so accustomed to the feeling of starvation, she would have sooner avoided eating altogether. The only reason she bit into the apples and hay was to ease the worry her old friends were sharing. Naturally, the weight of the food only made her severe hunger more pronounced.

All the same, she was walking on her own. Slowly, of course, but walking.

The three made their way down the hill. In very little time, they were entering the territory of their town, crossing the path that wound past Fluttershy’s cottage. Despite not having seen the town in so long, Rainbow didn’t take time to admire the sight. She seemed occupied with her thoughts on the magic that was trapped in the town center.

Before long, they entered the town proper, turning around the corner of the marketplace. And there, finally, was the full view of the magic orb, trapped beneath the corona of combined magic from the Canterlot unicorns. Not that anypony could tell - the orb had grown exponentially, easily towering over the unicorns, the shop wagons, and even the light poles surrounding them. Thankfully, it was not vibrating with the trademark growls, but that didn’t make the image any less frightening.

Rarity breathed in anxiety. “It’s so much larger than when we left,” she noted.

Each of the Canterlot unicorns were pouring their power into the magic that held down the assaulting orb. Several of them were sweating with fatigue, their resolve to help the only thing keeping them standing. A few who saw the newcomers nearly lost focus, and scrambled to regain their hold.

Rainbow Dash was rooted to the spot, unable to look away. She wasn’t able to see the orb - the unicorns’ magic kept the view from her. Rather, she felt it, her body tingling with the sensation of being watched. The feeling scared her, and coupled with the fact that the magic was similar to what had killed her idols, she was flooded with fear.

Applejack walked up to her, gently placing a foreleg across her shoulders. “Stay with me,” she urged.

Rainbow Dash swallowed a lump in her throat, forcing herself to turn away from the sight. She slowly moved on, desperate to get away from the dark orb, yet scared to make any sudden movement.

---

A set of knocks sounded at the library door, drawing the aggravation of Princess Luna. She had specifically instructed that her guards do away with the niceties of knocking during such a crisis. If an emergency were to happen, the few seconds wasted on the knocks and replies could mean the integrity of her efforts going awry. With a scowl, she rose from the book over which she was mulling - which was easily denser than a grown dragon’s scale - and moved to the doorway.

The door glowed with the navy-blue of her magic, soon opening with barely a sound. “Report,” she commanded, “and it had better be good.”

“Well ain’t you in a dandy mood today.”

Luna’s coat bristled, offended. She turned her gaze downward, a retort on her lips, ready to reprimand the cocky guard. But when she finally bothered to open her eyes, she saw no guard before her. What she did see, however, halted her words.

Grouped tightly together were the two mares she had tasked with the most important mission of finding Rainbow Dash. In front of her, Rarity stood disheveled, her eyes bloodshot and her mane a disaster. Behind the unicorn was Applejack, tired but jubilant, the glimmer of triumph in her green eyes. And there, between the two, stood somepony she didn’t recognize.

Standing aloof, the newcomer kept her head down, trying to hide behind the purple tail of Rarity. The darkness of her coat contrasted sharply with the neutral dirt underhoof, ruining any chance she had of blending in. What was more, she wore goggles which were a drastic white against her coat of blue-black.

“We found her,” Rarity said.

Luna, unable to believe the words, stood still and looked at the third mare once more. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the pony who was shying away wasn’t wearing goggles at all. Her eyes were white, wide, and blank. Her mane held several shades of grey, and her coat was moving in the same manner as the magic which the guards currently held down.

The sight of Rainbow Dash left Luna without words. Even she hadn’t been expecting this.

A noise behind her caught her ire. “Rarity! Applejack!” sounded a voice, shortly accompanied by a darting furry thing that ran past Luna’s hind leg. The thing, of course, was Twilight Sparkle, who had rushed to greet her friends in her excitement. They hugged, tired and filthy and happy.

Rainbow Dash tried to shy away even further, taking one small step away from the library door. She didn’t get far, however, due to Applejack blocking her only route of escape. In a few short seconds, the exile was forced to meet the gaze of a certain lavender unicorn.

Twilight looked upon Rainbow with nothing short of abject sadness. The unicorn struggled to form words, but the sight of her long-lost friend in such a state left her unprepared. As for the pegasus, she gave a weak, sad smile, just as she had smiled in the caves.

With a half-choked sob, Twilight rushed Rainbow, pulling her into a tight embrace. She hugged her with all the years she had been gone, all the smaller adventures she had missed. Though the lavender unicorn still wanted to speak, she was content to go without words, just this once. Her contact with the magical suit was giving an uncomfortable tingle on her coat. It was harmless, but unwanted nonetheless.

Slowly and awkwardly, Rainbow Dash wrapped a foreleg around Twilight and returned the embrace. “Hey,” she managed to say. “How’s your studying going?”

The question was so simple, so sudden, and so incredibly stupid that Twilight couldn’t help but laugh. She released the hug and stepped back, smiling with the knowledge that Rainbow was, indeed, alive. For the first time since being attacked five days previously, Twilight Sparkle felt a calm happiness settle over her. She knew it couldn’t last, but for now it would be enough.

“Miss Rainbow Dash,” Luna began.

The group of reunited friends all turned to look at the princess. They were taken aback to find her staring sharply down upon them. Luna, for all intents and purposes, seemed to be judging her.

“How do you feel?”

All eyes turned to Rainbow, who tried to stand a little taller. She lost her footing. “Not good.”

“Are you ready to help save your town?” the moon regent continued, taking one royal step forward.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, I...yeah.”

For a moment, nopony said anything. Luna continued to gaze on Rainbow, who was trying her best to stand a little taller without stumbling. The moment passed, and Luna waved over a Canterlot guard. A pegasus.

“Fly to the capital,” she told the guard, “and go directly to my sister. Tell her that Rainbow Dash has returned.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the pegasus replied. “Will she need to know anything else?”

“No, she will know what to do. Now fly.”

The guard took off without a moment’s hesitation. Luna turned around and entered the library, closely followed by the four ponies behind her. With a soft flick of her head, she closed the door. As the four friends moved to one side of the library, Luna remained in the middle, keeping her thoughts to herself.

Twilight brought out some water for her friends. Rarity drank greedily, sitting on her haunches and enjoying the well-earned reprieve. Rainbow Dash refused the offer, choosing instead to sit in silence. Her blank eyes were trained on the floor - she no longer bothered with trying to appear tall. For the moment, she remained meek and quiet.

Twilight moved to Applejack’s side. “How is she?” the unicorn whispered.

“Terrible,” the farm mare whispered back. She took a long drink of her water, enjoying the refreshing taste. “I dunno how she’s managed all these years. Whatever’s in her, it’s nothin’ friendly, I can tell ya that.”

The two of them gazed at Rainbow’s backside, marveling at how thin and frail she was. She should be dead, but she wasn’t - that fact alone both excited and scared Twilight.

“Rarity thinks that she’s planning somethin’,” Applejack continued.

The purple-coated pony leaned closer. “Planning something? Like what?”

“That’s the thing - I dunno. I betcha Rarity’s jus’ being a tad short on her cider. I mean, Rainbow’s gotta want to come back, right? Jus’ look at her.”

“Yeah,” Twilight murmured, lost in her own sea of thoughts. “Yeah, she’s got to.”

Several minutes passed by in the tense silence. Each pony remained occupied with her own thoughts, and each thought centered around the one who was marked with the magic. Rarity, simply too exhausted to speak, rested on the library floor. Finally unable to bear the atmosphere, Luna turned.

“I think we shouldn’t wait any longer,” she announced. “The magic outside is too strong for my comfort. The sooner we defeat it, the better we all will be.”

The friends all stood, roused by the princess’s words. Applejack looked up, suddenly remembering the conference from five days ago. “You know how to help her?”

Luna paused. The memory of her talk flashed in her mind, as well as every day spent researching since that meeting. After a moment, she nodded. Slowly.

The nod didn’t convince Applejack. “Are you sure you know? Your whole talk about diggin’ out and destroyin’ the root of the problem makes me think you don’t have our best interests at heart.”

For the second time that hour, the moon princess felt her coat bristle. “I do know what I am doing, Applejack. I would appreciate a bit more faith on your part.”

“I put mah faith in facts, princess. I just want to know what you’re planning, is all.” The farm mare crossed her forelegs, defiant yet reasonable. Twilight stood agape, shocked to see such a bold display of dissatisfaction for one of Equestria’s rulers.

Luna felt her annoyance give way to a low anger. What had she done to offend Applejack so? “If you must know, I plan on removing this bound magic from Rainbow Dash, using it as a magical lure for the orb outside, then bombarding the orb with attacks until all that’s left of it is a bad memory. And I plan on doing so with or without your support. So tell me, what must I plan to do in order to win your support?” Her voice had steadily risen while she spoke, bringing a fierce tension to the already-unwanted atmosphere.

To her credit, Applejack wasn’t daunted. She merely shrugged. “I’m a simple pony. I want my friend back, that’s all.”

The tension hung in the air, heating up as the air buzzed with a sudden adversity. Luna felt a very strong desire to put this farmer in her place, but thought better of it. Now, of all times, was not a time to nurture a grudge. Besides, she had to admit that the orange mare had a point.

“Fair enough,” Luna conceded. “Everypony keep your distance. Rainbow Dash?”

The pegasus, who had remained silent through the whole affair, lifted her head. She continued her silence, allowing her blank gaze to answer for her.

The alicorn took a few steps back. “With me, please. We’ll begin.”

Rainbow hesitated, chewing on a hidden thought, before standing and moving weakly toward Luna. The dark magic surrounding her seemed to buzz, like it were anticipating some coming change.

For the three remaining occupants, the atmosphere changed from tension to apprehension. Now came the moment for which they all hoped the best, but feared the worst. Applejack stood still, while her unicorn friends moved to either side.

Silence claimed them all. Two full minutes passed with barely a loud breath. But Twilight knew that something was about to happen - the ambient magical energy around them all was moving faster, drawing closer to the powerful alicorn who commanded the night. Finally, after four years of exile and five days of siege, it was time for a change.

Luna started small. Closing her eyes and slowing her breathing, the alicorn mentally probed with her magic, gently sensing the bound mare before her. Reaching with her magic, she slowly drilled into Rainbow’s being - it was like swimming in a cosmic ocean. The dark magic that held Rainbow captive reacted, white lines dancing in a flurry - but nothing happened. The darkness conceded to the probe of Luna’s magic, revealing Rainbow’s very soul to her.

Viewing the soul of someone isn’t as simple as one might think. It has no distinct shape, and is never quite what is expected. In the case of Rainbow Dash, her essence appeared as a flowing, solitary flame, a vibrant blue standing defiantly against a red-orange sky. The flare was unhealthy, an obvious sickness causing it to suffer. That, Luna knew, was the magic that was bound to her.

Of course, the only pony who saw any of this was the princess. To the other occupants of the library, it simply looked as though Luna were casting a spell with her eyes closed.

The princess pushed forward, closing the gap between her spell and Rainbow’s being. As she neared the spectral flame, it began to dim, falter, and change shape. No longer like fire, the image rippled like oil, darkening to an unsightly violet. An indication of how far the foreign magic had overtaken the pegasus.

Lune paused, mentally double-checking her intention. If she went carefully and precisely, she could lure out the unknown spell without doing any harm to Rainbow’s soul. In theory, she would immediately regain her body and actions - it would be like waking up from a distressing sleep. But if Luna was wrong, or made a mistake...

‘No,’ she chided. ‘This is the only way to save her. I cannot afford to misstep.’

Luna took in one deep breath to calm herself, and held it. She pushed farther, wrapping her magic around the oily image.

That was the moment that their bodies began to react. Luna’s body began to emanate a soft navy-blue shine, which rotated in time with her horn’s magic. At the same time, a dark glow spread from Rainbow’s magic-encased body, spreading a malicious blackness around the room. The three ponies who stood by instantly felt their coats stand on-end. The glows deepened, took shape in single, rippling rings, and closed in on their respective subjects - a dark blue for Luna, a tense black for Rainbow. The magic spun around their bodies, creating a clashing hum that would have shaken crystal. The pegasus began to breathe heavily, and she nearly lost her balance despite standing still.

The two ponies, Princess Luna and Rainbow Dash, began to float with the power of their rotating rings. The hum intensified, as did the speed of the spinning rings. Before long, they hovered a few feet above the library floor, neither one using their wings for flight (though Rainbow could not even if she tried). In Luna’s view, the oily image of Rainbow’s soul was desperately flailing against the soft touch of her regal magic, as though it were being electrocuted through touch alone. That was bad - it meant that the magic had completely permeated Rainbow Dash.

Luna would not be stopped, however, and pressed on. She covered the struggling blackness in her spell, coaxing it to calm down. With a little effort, she saw it begin to fight less, and move a little more smoothly, like a flame should. After a heartbeat more, she was able to calm the image enough that it flowed like the fire she had seen before. Now, Rainbow’s soul was exactly like a flame with its’ light stolen away, perfectly black against the sky of orange.

Now, Luna realized, came the hard part. And it was no longer necessary to be gentle.

The alicorn released the breath she had been holding, grinding her teeth at the same moment. With a grunt that went unheard beneath the hum of the rings, Luna began to pull back her magic - all of her magic - through the way she had trespassed. The sudden action caused the darkness in the flame to leap, the hums to sound louder, and Rainbow to cry out in anguish. She panicked, flailing against the magical hold that kept her suspended in the air.

On the ground, the onlookers began to panic as well. Not able to see what Luna saw, they were victims to their own imagination, and assumed the worst. But if any of them wanted to move, they were stopped by the hums, which continued to grow louder and higher-pitched until they resembled screeching. The sheer presence of the sound forced each of them to cover their ears and crouch.

The magic attached to Rainbow’s essence leapt again, instinctively trying to follow the retreating force of Luna’s spell. With a third leap (and a third cry of agony from Rainbow), the magic broke free, and gave chase to the new, healthy, irresistible power that was Princess Luna. It followed the path that her spell had carved, closing the gap far too quickly. Within the span of seconds, the two magics were nearly touching.

Luna shouted and pulled harder, finally removing her conscience from Rainbow’s, and instantly shifted her magic. The blue ring surrounding her body split, shot forward, and stood rigid before her head, pointing from floor to ceiling. Instantaneously, the ring surrounding Rainbow did the same, only it pointed forward like a spear, aiming for the middle of Luna’s magic.

And there the two lines held. Everything stopped. The scream, the shout, the hums, everything. The only thing that dared move were the eyes of the three friends on the floor, darting back and forth between each other, the ponies who floated without wings, and the lines which looked set to do battle. Luna had her eyes open as well, but she dared not breathe nor blink. Rainbow, on the other hoof, had closed her eyes.

This, this right here, this was the moment she both sought and dreaded. Luna had succeeded in luring the magic that had caused Rainbow Dash such grief. What she didn’t yet know was whether or not the magic took any of Rainbow’s soul with it. If this failed, then the pony’s death was certain. But if she was right - if Luna was successful - then...

...then? Then what?

Still glowing with the light of her magic, Luna’s eyes widened in fearful realization. She had only ever used Nightmare Moon’s ability to bind trees and create projections. When had she ever removed bound magic from a pony?

The answer was never. She had never removed magic from a living pony in her life, so how was she supposed to know what would happen? What in Equestria made her capable of such a feat? It was just as likely - no, more likely - that she would cause the death of the bound pony. She didn’t know what she was doing! She had no idea what would happen!

Luna’s inner conflict continued for a moment, during which time she felt angrier than when the Elements of Harmony formed and defeated her. Except this time, her anger was at herself. She cursed herself, believing she was a hapless foal, a naïve little schoolfilly who thought that just because she had magic, she knew magic. She stared at Rainbow, the two colored lines, and finally the worried faces of the ponies below her. Nobody dared speak.

Then...movement. Silent as a breeze and sudden as a cannon shot, there was movement. The magical ‘suit’ around Rainbow Dash began to ripple forward, waving in the direction of the black line. The white patterns of the spell moved in a frenzy, dancing forward as well. With a strained groan, Rainbow’s eyes opened, revealing two dulled orbs of magenta.
Applejack saw this first, and her hopes leapt. Rainbow’s eyes! Her real eyes!

The magic continued to ripple, finally flowing off of Rainbow’s body and into the black line which remained rigid. The magic’s removal began at her tail and continued from there. Before the eyes of the onlookers, color began to spread on Rainbow’s body. Her tail, once a proud declaration of six colors, now began to show those colors again. The magic receded further, revealing the still-vibrant image of Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark. And still, the darkness roiled.

The bound magic moved from Rainbow’s body to the dark line before her. As the power merged, the line shifted and condensed into a small sphere. It was similar to the orb that assaulted the town, only much smaller and without the absorbing lines of white. It shifted like a pond, constantly changing shape in midair.

The exile’s body continued to be released from the hold of the bind, but the magic slowed when it reached her neck. She began to whimper, clearly in distress, as the dark magic made one last-ditch effort to remain with her. A sharp pain twanged at the top of her spine, causing her to jerk her head in reflex. The magic, so determined to remain, was burning her.

“No,” Luna breathed. It was as she feared - the magic was holding fast to her essence, refusing to let go.

Thinking quickly, the princess halted her spell, spreading her wings to help keep her in the air. The blue line in front of her dissolved, leaving only the black oily mass between the two ponies. Luna leaned forward, gently speaking to the darkness.
“Why bother with her?” she crooned. “You’ve taken all you can get with her, right? Aren’t you ready for something more?” She was tempting it.

Her temptation worked. Without sparing a second, the magic moved forward again, slowly revealing the vibrant colors of Rainbow’s prized mane. But it wasn’t perfect - a raw line was revealed, ringing the base of her neck where the magic had burned her. The coat had been singed and the skin beneath rubbed raw. But the magic moved on, finally.

Without meaning to, Rainbow Dash released a sigh. The last of the magic finally drifted away, taking residence in the oily mass before her. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she lost consciousness. Without magic to suspend her, she fell.

Applejack reacted first, as always, catching Rainbow in a tackle before she hit the unforgiving floor of the library. She rolled in the air, landing on her back to keep her friend above her. Rarity and Twilight didn’t move - concerned though they were, their gaze was held by the development above them.

Luna had cast her spell once again, holding her rigid blue line against the dark magic which drilled desperately to reach her. Her ply to tempt the magic had left her defenseless for a moment, and when it had released the pegasus, she had just barely reared her defenses in time. Now she hovered in the air, her eyes dots of focus, as she pushed against the surprising force of the root magic.

The princess was still angry with herself. She knew it wasn’t yet time to celebrate - Rainbow’s body may have been freed, but she still didn’t know if her soul was spared. Still, she would have time for that later. Right now, her goal was before her. The root magic was finally out in the open, and with it, the promise of completely obliterating the assaulting orb outside.

As though realizing it had been deceived, the root magic pulled away from Luna’s spell and hung in the air. It rippled in fury and fear, holding for several tense seconds, before it dived for Rainbow’s prone body.

Applejack moved on instinct, covering her friend’s body with her forelegs. She dared the magic to take her instead of her friend.

But Luna moved faster. The princess cast her spell all around the room, creating an effective cage which stopped just short of the four ponies on the floor. The root magic struck the inside of the cage and bounced away, unable to reach its target.
Fearful, it made a second and third attempt to bind, this time at Twilight and Rarity in turn, before darting back toward Luna. But the alicorn still held her blue line in front of her, and the darkness made to progress. It spun in the air, panicking.

Fixing her glare on the magic, Luna quickly halted her defensive spell and drew her cage-like magic in on itself. The change was rapid, and would completely seal the root magic in an inverted shield-spell.

However, the magic was quick, and managed to slip through an opening that Luna had missed. It spun in a tight arc, flitted about the library ceiling, and paused for a heartbeat. Rather than deciding on making another attempt at binding, the root magic thought it best to save itself. Four sets of eyes watched in shock as it darted for the balcony, burst through the door, and shot through the air.

Luna was moving before the sound of breaking glass could reach their ears. She pushed herself upward, giving chase to the darkness. Twilight thought she heard the princess shout, but what she said didn’t register.

Rarity moved to the nearby window, tracking Luna’s flight. The alicorn flew with an awe-inspiring speed, no doubt directly after the root magic. Her path led toward Everfree, away from the town. Rarity’s glance shifted to the orb that had attacked her less than a week before, marveling at how large it had grown. She felt a flutter of relief - soon, that orb would be gone, and life could continue.

In the distance, Rarity saw a shimmer of sunlight being reflected. Soaring through the air toward Ponyville, a Canterlot chariot was being pulled forward. Despite the distance, it was obvious that the chariot was one reserved for royalty. Clearly, Celestia had received the news that her sister had sent, and decided to come in person.

Applejack slowly moved her forelegs away, letting them fall to the ground. She was still on her back, with a thin Rainbow Dash facing away from her. With a soft chuckle, the farm mare sat up, placing one hoof on her old friend’s shoulder.

“Hey, Dash, we did it,” she praised. “It’s over now.”

But there was no answer. Rainbow was breathing, but it was shallow. Applejack furrowed her brow, worried.

“Hey, Rainbow?” she whispered, shaking the pegasus’ shoulder. Rainbow’s body listed without resistance, limp and flaccid. “Rainbow Dash?”

The silence was deafening. Applejack pulled, rolling Rainbow onto her back, where she lay still. She had her eyes open, but they stared without seeing. Her breathing came in short, rapid gasps, sounding dry and raspy. She was completely unresponsive.

Applejack’s worry became fear. She gently called out her name and shook her, gaining no progress. Twilight approached, herself unsure of what was happening. Finally, Rarity looked over.

“Rainbow!” the orange earth pony cried. “Get up! C’mon, now, get up!”

Nothing.

In the span of a heartbeat, Rarity finally realized what she had been overlooking. Her eyes sparked with the truth. ‘That’s it...!’

“Applejack!” she called, trotting over. “That’s it!”

Applejack ignored her, so Twilight responded in her stead. “What’s it? What’s wrong?”

Rarity looked to her unicorn friend, giving her the summary of their meeting with Rainbow. “When we found Rainbow in the cave, she was so certain that she was going to stay. She didn’t want to return until she heard us mention Princess Luna. As soon as she heard her name, she decided to return. She knew the princess would be able to remove the magic from her!”

“What’s your point?” Applejack spat, swinging her gaze around. Her eyes were panicked.

“Don’t you see? Rainbow Dash still blames herself for what happened to the Wonderbolts! She still feels guilty over their deaths, to the point that she’s attempted suicide!”

“I asked you, what’s your point, Rarity?” came the harsh reply.

Rarity shook her head, the revelation making her mind reel. “She hasn’t eaten in years, Applejack! And that magic was the only thing keeping her alive! With it gone...!”

Time seemed to slow as the bit dropped. Of course, that was what Rainbow Dash had planned. She had been correct - the bound magic was her link to life. With it removed, her body would pick up as though waking up from a very long sleep. But without the proper sustenance of food and drink over the years, her body would not be capable of recovery.

The gazes of the three friends all turned to look at the colorful pegasus. Twilight held a hoof to her mouth, barely containing her horror. Rarity stood by, unable to speak any further. Applejack simply stared, desperate for a reason - any reason - to tell Rarity that she was wrong. But no reason came.

There was nothing she could say or do. Rainbow Dash was dying before her eyes.

Nopony seemed to notice the library door opening. But the surprised gasps of the new arrivals did draw the attention of Rarity, who turned to look. As she had guessed, Princess Celestia had arrived, bringing with her Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The two pegasi guard who had carried them took post at the door. Needless to say, the scene that lay before them halted any words they may have formed.

Seeing Rainbow’s twitching body caused Fluttershy and Pinkie to rush forward, calling out for her. Celestia blinked, just as unnerved to see such a drastic turn of events. However, unlike the rest, she was not surprised. In fact, she had been expecting such a bold move.

The sun regent stepped forward. “Away,” she commanded, her horn aglow with golden strands of power.

Rarity and Twilight hastily stepped aside, allowing the alicorn room to work. Without waiting for questions, Celestia lowered her head and wrapped her magic around the colorful pegasus. Her body was lifted from the ground as the princess probed, sending raw energy into Rainbow’s body.

Slowly, she began to improve. Rainbow’s breathing deepened and slowed, her chest rising and falling comfortably. Color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes finally closed. Celestia knew that it wasn’t a permanent solution, but it would buy them time.

“Somepony get her food and some water,” she murmured, not once breaking her spell.

After a moment of hesitation, Twilight departed for the storeroom. She returned a minute later, magically holding a pair of apples and a shallow bowl of water. As she helped her mentor, Applejack gazed at the exile. An internal battle was raging.

‘Why?’ she constantly wondered. ‘Why would you do this, Rainbow? Didn’t you want to be saved?’

Applejack’s throat was dry, and she longed to ask Twilight for some water as well, but she didn’t speak. She pulled herself to a nearby bookshelf, resting on it as she waged war with her thoughts.

A few minutes passed in silence. Rarity had returned to the window, deciding it best to watch for Luna’s return. She stood in silence, trying to focus on the clear sky and delightful peace of the world outside.

The unicorn blinked. Peace? But what about...

Fluttershy moved to her side, timidly hoping to hear about her friend’s adventure to find Rainbow Dash. “Um, Rarity?” she began. “Are you okay?”

Rarity blinked once more. “The magic,” she murmured simply, narrowing her eyes.

“Oh, yes, it looks like Luna was able to help Rainbow Dash!” The yellow pegasus flapped her wings in happiness, enjoying the welcome news. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

“No, no, I mean the magic. Where is it?”

The caretaker looked at her quizzically before turning her gaze to the window as well. She, too, saw the peaceful scene just outside - and in that, the disturbance. Peace was there, when it shouldn’t be. The magic that was held down, that had been trapped for five days, was gone.

Rarity turned and ran, galloping past Celestia’s pegasi guards. She threw the door open, rushing outside. Without waiting a moment, she cast her gaze about the town outside, and learned that peace was definitely false. Where the magic had been, now only a scorched spot on the ground remained. Surrounding the area were the Canterlot unicorns, all of them defeated, most of them unconscious. Of the two dozen who were tending to the dark orb, only three were awake, groaning in confusion and pain.

The sound of the opening door caught Celestia’s attention, who turned to look outside without releasing her hold on Rainbow Dash. The sight caused her breath to seize, her insides to leap, and her throat to go dry. A leaden dread dropped in her stomach.

She fixed her gaze on her two pegasi guards, momentarily forgetting her stoicism. “Did you see which way Luna went?” she asked, her voice harsh.

The guards nodded, knowing it wasn’t a time to speak.

“Take the chariot and go to her. Now.”

The tone in the princess’ voice drew the worry of the rest of the ponies in the room. They each wondered what had her so concerned. But before anypony could ask, they heard Rarity scream.

Outside, in the distance, a resonating explosion sounded. Ominous clouds spawned as though from nowhere, spreading their bleak presence outward from the Everfree. The sunlight from mere moments ago was instantly covered.

Celestia’s dread grew heavy. “Go!” she ordered. Her guards hitched themselves to her chariot and took off at a full gallop. The vehicle bounced awkwardly along the dirt road before it gained height, and the princess tracked its’ movement until it became lost against the unnatural sky.

Had she known what had just happened, there beneath the clouds, Celestia might have flown to her sister herself. It would have made the coming horror a little simpler to bear.

---

Luna flew faster than she thought possible, driven by her fierce determination to end this struggle as soon as she could. Wind stung her eyes and formed tears, but she didn’t blink them away – her gaze remained fixed on the dark magic ahead of her, slowly growing larger as she neared it.

In her peripheral vision, she noticed a line of browns and reds coming nearer – the edge of Everfree Forest. The root magic dived, making a desperate effort to shake the princess. Luna realized the move in an instant, and dived as well, folding in her wings as G-force shook her insides. She drew closer to the magic and Everfree.

Luna’s horn glowed a solid dark blue, dark as the night, as she plummeted after her prey. With a shout of exertion, she shot a powerful wave of magic ahead of her, unfurling her wings at the same time. Her spell made a beeline for the retreating darkness, closing the distance in less than a second. Her spell shifted form, becoming a tightly-woven cocoon of shield magic attached to a twisting line of power, which led back to her horn. She pumped her wings and pulled her head back, slowing her descent until she stopped. She looked around in satisfaction – the magic had never made it to Everfree. It was trapped in her magic. It was at her mercy.

She nicked her head to one side, calling her shield spell close to her. Within the field of her spell, she could see the dark root magic, desperately pushing against the inner walls if its cage. She gazed at it grimly as she hovered above the ground.

“Such a small segment of magic to cause such trouble and pain,” she murmured to herself. “I don’t care what you are or where you come from. I won’t let you harm anypony again.”

“Well then, I suppose it’ll be up to me, won’t it?”

Luna spun in midair, nearly releasing her spell in her surprise. “Who is there?!?” she demanded. She cast her eyes around the forest edge and the grassy plains that lead up to it.

“Oh, me?” a voice called. It was quiet, yet strong, much like the growls that the orb in Ponyville would make. And also like the orb’s growls, the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. “I’m nopony of any real significance.” The voice began to laugh a dry, mirthless laugh.

The princess rose a few feet in the air, eyes focusing as she shouted. “Do not try my patience! I am Princess Luna, regent of the moon, sister to Celestia! By that authority, I command you to show yourself!”

“Show myself?” the voice called back, so strong the speaker could have been right next to Luna. “But I’m not even hiding. Why don’t you look closer…”

Luna’s eyes narrowed to slits. She scanned the area below her, searching for anything that stood out. But after half a minute passed by in a tense silence, she spotted nothing. Everything blended together well with what was around it.

She passed her gaze over the forest edge again, and stopped. Ahead of her and to the left, there was one spot that seemed to blend too well. It was just on the edge of an old tree, resting in the shade it cast – the area was darker than it should have been, like shadows shifting over each other.

“Well,” the voice began, a single laugh cracking out like a dried tree limb, “good afternoon, princess.”

A stallion stepped out of the tree’s shade, entering the gaze of both the sun and the hovering mare above. He walked out calmly, exuding an air of superiority. He was the same size as Luna. As he exited the reach of the Everfree Forest, he looked up, and a flash of electric black light flared from his forehead. As the light died out, Luna’s eyes widened.

An alicorn. A black-coated alicorn with a mane of white. A set of strong wings stood half-rigid along his backside, casting a short shadow in front of him. He stared up at the princess with eyes of the deepest red. They didn’t blink, which unnerved Luna, though she didn’t show it. Powerful magic rippled from his horn, waving calmly like a pond’s surface.

“I’m glad you could make it,” the stallion spoke, his voice even stronger than before. “For a moment, I thought that little piece of me would escape from you, and then you wouldn’t have come here. That would have been a shame – I’ve been hoping to meet you for a long time, you see.”

Luna’s breath stilled for a moment. ‘Did he just say a piece of him? …does he mean this root magic?’

The magic around his horn flared momentarily, and he chuckled. It was not a pleasant sound. “Root magic? That’s what you’ve taken to calling it? Well, at least it’s simple, I suppose, but it doesn’t really do me justice.”

Luna said nothing, instead choosing to glare down at the stallion in an effort to contain her surprise.

It didn’t work. “Curious how I know, are you? It shouldn’t be too hard – you explained it very well to those Element Bearers a few days ago. Although, I think ‘forbidden art’ was a little harsh.”

Her calm snapped. “Tell me your name!” she shouted. Nearby, the captured magic had stopped fighting its bonds. It floated inside Luna’s manifested bubble of magic, slowly rippling as though it were contemplating a riddle.

“My name?” the black alicorn asked in mockery. He brought a hoof to his chest, feigning pride. “The moon princess wishes to know my name? I’m honored!”

“How dare you!”

“Relax, dear princess…you shall have my name. You shall have everything you need to know about me.”

The stallion extended his wings to their full span, and began flapping. His body lifted smoothly off the ground. He ascended to Luna’s altitude in a few short seconds. Not once during his rise did his gaze waver or his horn cease to radiate with magic.

“My name is Alucard. Like you, I am an alicorn. And I am the stallion responsible for the recent trouble in little Ponyville.”

Luna’s eyes betrayed her shock. She glared at Alucard, who calmly gazed back. His eyes were sharp as razors, but Luna didn’t relent. He smirked, amused.

“Did you like my handiwork?” he asked. “Not many magical beings can give their magic its own body and purpose. It takes talent, patience, and years of mastery.”

“You’ve damaged several pieces of property, nearly killed innocent ponies, and incited a mass evacuation from Ponyville,” Luna accused, rising a few feet higher in the air, suddenly wanting to put some distance between her and those eyes. “Yet you do not speak as though you regret it.”

“Of course not. I’m quite proud of my achievements.” He pumped his wings, again matching Luna’s height. He inched his face closer to hers, his unblinking eyes like glass marbles.

“Achievements? What you have done is a serious crime. You’ll be banished from Equestria for this, if not worse.”

“How can you banish me from a country I yet have no claim?”

Luna was silent, processing his question. Nearby, the captured darkness had become still as a stone. It gave off a steady glow as it waited.

“Slow down, princess,” he said coolly, pulling a few feet back from her. “Don’t overthink this. It’s actually not all that hard.” His grin narrowed in contempt, still there but filled with hidden motives.

A few moments passed with nothing but the sound of their beating wings. Alucard’s eyes never blinked, and his horn continued to ripple calmly, a faint light spreading across his white mane. Luna was silent. Then:

“You’re a foreigner.”

“Very good.”

“And you command dark magic.”

“In a sense, certainly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Alucard laughed his dry laugh. It seemed to echo off the Everfree trees, like the forest was laughing with him, mocking the princess. “Come now. Even you know that magic’s color is correlated to the owner. The uses of magic are never-ending, and the user’s goals are boundless. I could just as easily use my magic to promote your virtue of friendship.” He drawled the word, clearly not impressed. “The only reason my magic seems ‘dark’ is because I am dark.”

Luna blinked. “So be it. Then why have you attacked Ponyville?”

“Go on, take a guess.”

“You mock me!” she screeched. Her anger flared, and her eyes flashed white with power – a talent she held when commanding powerful magic. After a brief moment, the light receded, returning her eyes to their natural turquoise. “What reasons have you for assaulting my country? Do you wish war?”

Alucard didn’t laugh, but his grin expanded. Somehow, it seemed worse than a laugh. “War? Now that’s a new one.”

“Answer my-“

“No, dear princess, I do not wish war. I have my own reasons, and my own goals.”

“Then what reasons? What goals?” Luna felt an unsettling buzzing in her nerves. She did not like this Alucard one bit.

“Now, now, let’s not get too far into details. All in due time, my princess.”

“You will give me an answer or I will take you into custody and personally question you!”

This time, Alucard’s smile melted away. Without the contrast of his grin, his gaze became even more pronounced – razors that had become daggers. “You plan on taking me into custody whether I give you answers or not.”

Luna’s glare intensified. She wasn’t sure if he had simply guessed correctly about her intents.

“Don’t insult me,” Alucard spat. “I don’t have to guess.”

Realization settled over Luna. Her eyes danced with the truth, or at least one truth. “I see now. You’re a telepath.”

“Congratulations!” he sang, lifting his forehooves forward and clopping them against each other in applause. “You deserve recognition for this, princess! I think perhaps I should show you my talent firsthand…won’t that be entertaining?”

The buzzing in her nerves increased, and she shifted. Her magical field moved in sync, rising an inch. “So then, why would a telepath foreigner mark Ponyville as his goal?”

Alucard was quiet for a second, then began cackling. Slowly at first, which soon grew into raucous laughter. He was finally forced to close his eyes, so overcome was he by his laughing. As before, the sounds echoed off of the Everfree trees – the laughter came from everywhere at once.

Luna waited. The black alicorn’s mirthless laughter had sent shivers running up her spine, but she hid it beneath her royal composure. She glared, waiting for him to come around.

Finally, after a full minute spent in his fit of glee, Alucard’s laughter quieted and his eyes flew open. “You think Ponyville is my goal? That backwoods, speck-on-the-map little waste of a village?”

Luna said nothing, continuing to glare. Her nerves went taut, and a fierce foreboding overcame her. She was suddenly thirsty.

“No, no, dear princess,” he said, and his voice was dry and hollow. “You want to know the goal I sought from attacking Ponyville? Why, she’s right here in front of me.”

At this, a heavy silence befell them which seemed to slow down time. They stared at each other, unblinking red meeting anxious turquoise. Even the sound of their beating wings seemed to melt away. Luna held her breath, waiting.

Alucard’s eyes flashed. He sped forward, launching from his space in the air as quickly as though he had leapt from the ground. The dark glow of his horn increased, and a set of three small spheres formed, each one orbiting his horn. A thin, dancing strand of white connected each sphere to each other – similar to the white lines that the assaulting orb that attacked Ponyville had. He let out a shout, bearing down on the royal mare before him.

Luna reacted quickly. She pumped her wings, sending her head-over-tail, until she faced downward. She angled her wings and dived, never releasing her shield spell that trapped the loose root magic. Once out of Alucard’s reach, she evened out, rotated, and faced upward, eyes shining with white power. The tip of her horn glowed as she called upon her magic. The magical prison dimmed, weakened, but did not fade.

She spotted Alucard as he turned for another rush. She fired off a dark blue lance of magic, which curved to meet him. He spun, sending one of his three miniature spheres to intercept Luna’s attack. For a brief moment, she thought maybe he was simply stupid – there was no way his sphere would challenge her spell. Her attack dwarfed his.

The two spells connected, and very suddenly, Luna’s spell was wrapped in dancing white lines that brought it to a halt. The lines connected it like a loose net, vibrating with activity. Then her spell faded- no, was absorbed into the lines, until nothing remained but the miniature sphere of telepathic magic.

Alucard hovered there for a moment as the sphere returned. When it reached his forehead, it melted and spread over his horn. The corona of magic that he maintained seemed to grow a deeper shade of electric black. He closed his eyes in satisfaction, as though savoring some morsel of food.

When he opened his eyes again, they were trained on Luna. “Thank you for that. Mind showing me how you would handle it?”

Alucard’s horn burst with magical energy, sending a copy of the lance of power Luna had fired at him. Only this one was blue-black, with white lines falling out from the sides like loose feathers caught in the wind. The air vibrated with energy, and for a moment, all Luna could see was the magic heading her way. Instinctively, she knew that if she again tried to use a spell parallel to the shield she was holding on to, it would not be enough to beat back Alucard’s own.

Very well. If she couldn’t use a second spell, she would just use one.

Luna jerked her head to one side, yanking the shield spell – and the root magic held within – in front of her. She poured magic into the line that connected her horn to the spell, which expanded and glowed brilliantly. The color of the shield magic deepened to a solid blue and shifted to a three-dimensional triangle. It pointed outward.

Alucard’s dark lance struck her spell head-on. The triangular prison held and split his attack into three separate steaks of power, which diverted harmlessly to the surrounding air. The world seemed to roar as the dark magic was cut through – Luna’s magical mane and tail whipped back and forth by the resulting crosswinds. Beads of sweat spouted, and she grimaced as she continued to pump magic into her shield, the only thing that could protect her now.

After a moment, the dark lance cut out, and the streaks that had been cut and diverted faded from existence. Luna kept her shield raised, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. “Attacking the royal rulers of Equestria is a serious crime! You’ll be hunted down and punished severely for this!” she shouted, using her tone to mask her surprise at his display of raw power.

“Being hunted down is nothing I’m not already used to,” he called back. He calmly shifted from right to left to right, taunting Luna with his very presence.

The princess lifted her spell finally, calling some of her energy back. The shield shifted to a simple hollow sphere once more, with the captured magic buzzing violently. “You will face the might of the Equestrian country and its people! There will be no escape for you, stallion!”

He stared down at her, red eyes as unblinking as ever. He seemed to consider her words for a moment. Finally, he spoke. “Tell me, princess, where does a pony’s honor lay?”

“What?”

“A pony’s honor. You know, the difference between mares and fillies, guards and villagers, rulers and beggars. Where does it lay?”

Luna was silent for a moment as she thought over his question. “Simple,” she began, “it lies with her hard work and sacrifice to the betterment of her friends and family.”

“Sorry, but that’s not correct,” he called down, rising higher in the air. His horn glowed even brighter as his two remaining sphere orbited faster. “A pony’s honor lies in whether or not he attacks from behind.”

Luna’s coat stood on-end, and she spun around to face behind her. She saw it – coming her way at breakneck speeds was a massive wave of dark magic. It curved upward, heading straight toward her.

She dropped, barely avoiding the wave as it sped over her. Unfortunately, her shield spell was caught in the rush like a fish on a hook, and her magical line was severed from it. The force of the disconnection yanked her head backward, spinning her. She let out a surprised cry and fought to regain her control of herself. Loose white lines of telepathy magic shot out and stung her, almost in a passing greeting.

When at last the rushing of the wave ceased, she opened her eyes. She knew exactly what that wave was – it was the same magic that was supposed to be held in Ponyville, the same one that had nearly killed Twilight Sparkle only days before. Now it shifted into the dark orb she knew too well and floated to Alucard’s left. To his right, her shield spell was being dissolved and absorbed by the second of his three horn-spheres. In a matter of seconds, the captured magic was free, and it too hovered next to him.

For the first time since being banished to the moon one-thousand years ago, Luna felt an inkling of fear.

“I really should thank you, princess,” Alucard began, and his voice was once again hollow. “Your decision to stay just one step ahead of my magic gave it lots of time to absorb and learn. This will all be so much simpler because of your choice of action. So…”

The two loose segments of dark magic inched closer. Alucard’s horn glowed brightly, and the light expanded until it covered his body. His red eyes cut through the glow, staring at Luna with what resembled hunger.

“…thank you.”

The two segments of power met, merged, and became one. They melted into the light of his horn, covering every inch of his body. For a moment, he resembled a shifting shadow with two red orbs. Then he began to cry out.

Alucard arched his spine, throwing his head back as he shouted incoherently. A thin pillar of magic shot from his horn, firing directly at the sky above. From that pillar, dark clouds shifted and appeared, completely obscuring the light of the afternoon sun. They thickened and spread, casting the darkness of impending rain on the Everfree Forest and the meadows surrounding it. Thunder roiled.

But Luna did not notice this at first. She was watching, stunned, as Alucard changed. His body shifted and grew as the knowledge and power from both segments of his magic became one with him. The light that surrounded him rotated like a spinning top. His shouting intensified, and jolts of black lightning were loosed in random directions.

When Alucard finally stopped shouting, he had completely changed. The light of his horn flashed and dissipated, revealing himself. Luna was speechless.

His legs and body had extended to make him taller and larger than before. His wingspan had increased, and every beat sent a small gust of air rushing toward the ground. The light of his horn was more intense than ever before, with dancing white lines running up and down his corona of magic. His eyes had remained the same, but they seemed more frightening than before.

But the most shocking change was his mane and tail. Just like Celestia and Luna, his mane and tail had shifted and transformed from the magical fallout. It waved calmly, mockingly, a shade of pearl-white to contrast his coat of black. His mane swept backward and flowed down, splitting in half at his neck. Both halves rested on his front haunches, curving and rippling. Telltale lines of white danced across his mane and tail, from one edge to the next.

A dry chuckle bubbled in his throat as he gazed upon the stunned alicorn in amusement. “Well,” he spoke, his voice amplified by the magic he had claimed, “good afternoon, princess.”

Luna shook her head, unwilling to believe what she had just seen. She glared at Alucard, her eyes betraying her surprise and fear. She flapped her wings, noticing how tired she was becoming of flying – the combat had taken a larger toll on her than she thought. “What was all that?” she demanded, her voice one of regality. “What have you done?”

Alucard smirked, and that one moment sent a shiver up her spine. “I’ve merely taken back what is mine…and claimed what comes with it.”

“You…you…”

“Don’t think too hard, princess,” he said, his tone dripping venom. “It’s not as fun if you overthink everything. Here, why don’t I help you…”

He lunged forward again, faster than before, a blast of thunder sounding as he launched. Luna didn’t have time to react. He plowed into her, spreading the blue-black light of his horn over her body. She cried out in pain – the force of his body had twisted her foreleg, and the stings of invading white lines dug into her coat. She struggled, firing off flares of her own magic, but every flash was quickly lost to the field that held her.

Alucard flew very quickly, turning in the air in a circle, rotating faster and faster. As Luna flailed her limbs and even bit him, he couldn’t help but grin a little wider. This was too easy.

“RELEASE ME AT ONCE, CRIMINAL!”

He winced involuntarily. Since when did royalty need to shout?

“RELEASE ME!” Luna cried, her eyes white and filled with power and anger.

Alucard’s horn flashed once more, commanding the third and final miniature sphere of magic forward. It drifted lazily until it reached Luna’s horn, and there it waited.

“Princess…”

Luna’s eyes flashed back to their normal color. She stared at the sphere, anxious.

“…make a wish.”

The sphere shot downward, breaking and spiraling around Luna’s horn. Jagged white lines appeared and drilled into the solid matter. She was silent for a moment, then began to shout and grunt as white-hot lances of pain flared across her senses. The spiral around her horn flashed, blue-black lightning feeding back into Alucard. Luna scratched at her forehead with her hooves, trying to physically remove the magic, though she knew it was useless to do so.

The process continued for many long moments. Alucard began to talk, almost musing. “You know, it’s such a shame, using this spell. Being able to copy and steal magic from other ponies is such a useful talent, but it never leaves the pony as weak as it should. I end up feeling cheated because of it. But that’s alright, because there are always other ways to leave somepony weak. Isn’t that right, moon princess?”

Luna opened one eye, baring her teeth in pain and rage. “You’ll never get away with this, stallion!”

And once again, Alucard’s smile faded away, leaving the full force of his sharp eyes completely unhindered. “You don’t yet understand, do you? You cannot hope to defeat me, princess…”

He shifted, calling back the spiral that was now full to the brim with stolen magic. He gazed into Luna’s eyes with his own, entrancing her.

Distracting her.

“...your Harmony lies broken.”

Crack.

A lance of pain, white-hot and massive, shot through Luna’s system. She screamed, the sound tearing at her voice, fresh tears of agony springing to her eyes. Before she knew what was happening, she felt herself falling. Luna opened her eyes through stinging tears and saw the ground rushing up to meet her. On instinct, she tried to flap her wings, only for a second, more terrible wave of excruciating pain to shoot through her.

She hit the ground hard, her scream cut off by the impact. She had landed on her left foreleg - an instant numbness took hold, and she laid there for a moment, both desperate to know what had happened yet terrified of what she would see. Finally, unable to take the pain of not knowing, she opened her eyes. Instant dread settled over her.

“Oh...nooo...”

Her right wing was a mangled, bloody mess. It stuck out at an odd angle, severely broken. Several feathers had fallen off during her drop, and a warm line of blood flowed slowly down her stomach. Hot pain throbbed from the fracture, and she fought every urge to cry. It was a sight that would haunt her dreams for years.

Her mind was consumed with the desire to get as far away as possible. Unable to fly and drained of any useful magic, she had no choice but to crawl. Her left foreleg was sprained after having landed on it. She struggled to rise onto the three legs that would hold her. She fell over once, letting out a scream of pain as she contacted the ground.

On the second time she rose, Alucard slammed down next to her. A sudden kick to her midriff sent her sprawling along the darkened meadow. She landed on her injured wing, and the resulting wave of white-hot pain completely stunned her system for a moment. She turned onto her left, taking a moment to rest, unable to form a thought. She held her eyes closed, her teeth clenched as she fought the pain.

Alucard set one hoof against the side of Luna’s head, slowly applying pressure. Her head was forced against the grass. She cried out, weak sparks of magic flying in a failed attempt to fight back.

Thunder rolled overhead as he spoke. “You see, Princess, there’s nothing you can do to me. Your powers are my own, and your mind is an open book. Your sister is unaware, your people are scared, your allies are in disunity...I am untouchable.”

Luna opened one eye, the tears behind it giving it a proper glint of hatred. She spoke from behind her teeth. “Kill me, then,” she said, her voice a grating whisper of pain. “Kill me and be done with it.

Alucard laughed his dry, mirthless laugh – and for the first time, it did not echo. “I’m sorry…I thought you would have known from your friend Rainbow Dash. I don’t grant wishes.”

A flash of lightning lit up the clouds above. Beneath the sound of resulting thunder, a telltale clinking was heard. The clinking of moving parts, metal on wood. Alucard’s ears perked up, and he shifted his gaze toward the sky. A moving speck of gold and white could be seen, heading his way.

“Ah,” he murmured, lifting his hoof away from Luna’s head. “Your sister is worried for you.”

Luna turned her head, straining her gaze forward until she, too, saw the speck of gold and white. She recognized it immediately – a chariot of the Canterlot Palace, hitched to two white pegasi guards. They flew hard, apparently having seen her situation.

“Take some time to recover, princess,” Alucard said, turning back toward the edge of Everfree. “Tell your sister all about me. And make sure you’re prepared for the coming storm.”

Luna turned her gaze to face him, but found nothing. He had gone.

The Canterlot chariot arrived a short minute later, and the two pegasi immediately unhitched and ran to their princess’ side. Before they could get a word in, she spoke, still grating through the throbbing pain that devoured her senses.

“Take me to my sister.”

The guards blinked in unison. “Your Majesty, you’re in no shape to return to Ponyville! We need to get you to the palace hospital-“

“Take me to my sister,” she repeated.

After a brief moment, the guards nodded to each other. With their help, Luna was able to crawl into the chariot. She leaned against the inner walls, unable to move further. She was utterly spent.

As they soared through the sky, she shut her eyes, suddenly very tired and wracked with worry. She could still see his eyes – those unblinking eyes of red which saw everything.

End chapter ten

Author’s comments: One magic fact about this chapter is that I’ve had the entire third scene written for about eight months now. I’ve been slowly and systematically leading up to this point, and I can honestly say it’s been one hell of a ride. And yet, we’re only past the halfway mark!

And now we’re re-introduced to Alucard, the colt from the first chapter. Clearly, he’s no friend to the people, but what are his intentions? I’ll never tell, so you’ll just have to mull it over.

Another magic fact is this: this entire concept of Rainbow trying suicide one more time was not originally planned. On that note, I’d like to give a hearty thanks to SatoshiKyu, who first mentioned the idea and fed the fire which became what you just read. Be sure to give him a visit! He’s a great mind, and without his input, this chapter would have been a few notches less enticing.
http://www.fimfiction.net/user/SatoshiKyu
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1103377/

Co-author’s comments: The first real action seen with my OC. I feel proud. Despite that scene being written eight months ago, it wasn’t because of me. Aaron just had it bothering his mind, so he had to write it out. We’ve kept it since and finally put it here where he knew it was going to end up. It had slight changes from when it was first written, but the overall concept of the fight stuck.

The rest of the chapter felt thrilling. Mainly because I sometimes see myself as a sadist. Anyways, as you can see Dash’s situation is still not solved. Sure, she’s freed from the magic, but the problems are far from over. Keep tuning in for more fun and exciting chapters!

Next chapter: Rainbow Dash awakens to the sight of Celestia’s furious glare. Now without any chance of escape, the exile recounts what really happened with the criminal Alucard. But the real trouble lies in the gazes of her friends - how can she possibly face them now?

Comments

[SatoshiKyu]

Sweet Odin, that was freaking awesome. Gotta let the epic sink in, so as not to take it for granted.

Oh, saw just the one thing you might want to look at, here:

“A pony’s honor. You know, the difference between fillies and mares, guards and villagers, rulers and beggars. Where does it lay?”

The first part of your three comparisons on honor is backwards, I think. If you're setting them up as 'more honor -> less honor', I'd expect Mares would come before Fillies.

[/nitpicking]

[Leoshi]

628406 Hmm, you have a point. I never considered that line too much after I wrote it, especially since I wrote it over half a year ago. I'll take a look.

[Leoshi]

632915 Think so? I love how she turned out, personally. Don't forget all that she's lost - her bitchiness isn't unfounded.

[Leoshi]

655263 Glad to hear it. That has been one of my goals with this project.

[Leoshi]

656163 Read on, brony, read on.

[Leoshi]

656450 Be prepared to be taken for one hell of a ride. The best is yet to come. That I promise.

[Leoshi]

706991 Om nom nom.

Good thing Rainbow played Mario as a filly. She knows exactly what mushrooms are safe to eat.

[Tempestus]

I really want to run Alcard through with my twin dragon bone swords and light him on fire now... No one attacks my kings daughter and lives, especially the younger daughter! Ave Lunarium.

[Psitally]

As for this next one, you’re about to be taken for a ride. Yes, Rainbow reunites with her friends, and yes, she becomes freed from the magic that’s plagued her.

Please dont include spoilers in the pre-info part. I almost didnt want to read this chapter because it ruined the suspension!