End of the Beginning: Darkness Falls

by NerdyByrd

Train Wreck

"He can use magic", Twilight asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yup", Rainbow Dash said.

"But how", Twilight asked, now staring at Spark intently as if he was about to open a portal to another world, or some other abnormal thing. "Do something right now", Twilight ordered.

"No", Spark simply said," And stop looking at me like that! I'm not apart of some freak show you know!"

Shining Armor was just standing behind Twilight, shaking his head," I hit him pretty hard. He shouldn't have been up already." He looked at Flash Sentry. "How long has he been out?"

"About twenty minutes", Flash replied.

"Yeah he should of been out for an hour or two", Shining Armor said with a frown.

"Wait a minute", Spark said, now sounded quite upset," So you're the guy who knock me out!" He jumped up and got into Shining's face. "So do just knock out strangers or do you knock out everypony you come across?!"

"I thought you were a spy or a some other danger", Shining Armor said defensively.

"Yeah that's what they all say", Spark said waving him off," Now anypony care to explain why you all knock me out, and where the heck this..." He looked around at his surroundings. "This pretty nice looking train's heading to?"

"I just told you why I knocked you out", Shining Armor pointed out.

"No", Spark argued," You just said you thought I was dangerous. The question is why did you think I was dangerous. I mean, I would just be an innocent pony on a normal daily basis, right?"

"Haven't you heard", Hope asked," Nightmare Moon return and totally took over Canterlot Castle."

"Nightmare who", Spark asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rainbow Dash starred at him in shock," You don't know who Nightmare Moon is?! She attacked awhile back!"

Spark let out a nervous chuckle," I'm not really from around here."

Rainbow Dash just shook her head," Anyways, we're heading to the Shadowlands."

It probably wasn't a good idea to tell Spark about where they were headed. He could easily be a spy for Nightmare Moon, and already having Nightmare Moon's guards ready to attack them when they get there. But there was something about him that made him seem familiar. Especially when he had his cloak on. She felt like she saw him somewhere but where. Then the pieces fell together.

"Wait", Rainbow Dash said," Were you the pony who dropped that crystal when Nightmare Moon returned at Canterlot Castle?"

"Uhhhhhhhhh", Spark said, looking up towards the ceiling. Then he lowered his head slightly," Yeah."

"And attacked the Shadowbolts back at the wall?"

"Yes."

"And followed me from my home to Wonderbolt practice?!"

There was an awkward silence before he said," You know in some kingdoms that is perfectly legal."

Some would say that Rainbow Dash was furious. That, sadly, was understatement.

"YOU WERE STALKING ME", she shouted. In fact, she shouted so loud she was pretty sure it would be consider the Royal Canterlot Voice.

Spark gave a forced smile," Would it really be consider stalking? Would it really, truly be?"

"YES!"

"Well then", Spark said," You would really hate to learn that I went inside your house."

"WHAT!"

***

He stared out into the sunset, looking past the force-field that comes from the magic of the Crystal Heart. He stared into the white blizzard, wondering why Rainbow Dash had to leave so soon. He missed her and she had only been gone for a few hours. He missed Mommy and Daddy and Wisp and Hope.

Why couldn't he go?

"Lightening, are you okay", he heard Fireball, Rainbow Dash's friend, asked.

"No", Lightening whimpered," I miss Dashie and Mommy. And Daddy. And Hope. And-" He sniffled, but he didn't want to cry.

Fireball patted his head let out a sigh," I do too."

"When will they be back", he asked.

"I don't know kiddo. Don't know."

Lightening looked out the balcony once more into the distant. Then saw a small black mass in the white snow. And it slowly began to grow. He looked closer and the black mass what began looked like a group of bat -like creature.

"Hey Fireball", Lightening called to her," What's that?"

Fireball looked off the balcony, and frown. She picked up the telescope that was next to her and looked through it. Then he watched as Fireball's face went from confused to terrified. Lightening took the telescope out of her hooves to see what she saw. He saw that the group of bat-like creature were those Bat-Ponies. And Nightmare Moon was leading them. Lightening tried to let a whimper out, but it seemly was caught in his throat. He threw himself into Fireball's chest. He just needed a hug. He just need somepony to tell him everything was going to be fine.

But Fireball didn't hug back. She didn't say it was going to be fine. Instead she said the most scariest thing.

"Sweet Celestia, help us."

Lightening closed his eyes, wishing it was just a nightmare and he'll just wake up.

But he didn't wake up.

He cried out for Dashie.

***

Spark was now a laughable mess. Rainbow Dash had totally wrecked him. She didn't just slap him across the face. She didn't just punched him in the shoulder. She threw him halfway across the train, bucked him in the stomach, and body slammed him. The greatest part was nopony tried to stop her. In fact, Hope was cheering her on.

"Go Rainbow Dash", Hope shouted," Knock the crap out of him!"

"You know what", Spark groaned," I probably, totally deserved that."

"You think", Rainbow Dash growled.

Spark open his mouth to say something, but the words never left his mouth. Immediately, the world around them was thrown into chaos. As Shining Armor began to shout, Rainbow Dash felt herself thrown into the wall. The train around her suddenly became a blur. Rainbow Dash felt herself slamming into things. Finally she came crashing down on the floor. She open her eyes her vision was blurry, and she heard voices but they didn't make sense. She tried to move but pain shot through her leg. She held in a scream. She turned her head slightly, rewarded with an enormous, pounding headache. Rainbow Dash saw the green turtle shell.

Tank.

She reached out and grabbed Tank, and held him to her chest. Tank's head came out slightly, but quickly went back in when a load moan sounded. Rainbow Dash looked up and saw her Dad. He seemed unscathed except for a few cuts. He lean towards Rainbow Dash and whispered something, but she didn't understand. They were words, she new that, but they didn't have any meaning. They the words were just noise. Her Dad picked her up and another sharp pain shot through her leg. Every breath now felt like fire. She heard screaming, but she couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Her vision began to go out.

Don't worry, Rainbow Dash , Color Streak's voice echo, Mother will take care of you.

Rainbow Dash felt herself leave the world behind her.

***

Rainbow Dash eyes flutter open. Her head pound. And a very unfamiliar stallion lean over her.

Rainbow Dash yelped and jerked up ready to run, but she was stopped by sharp pain that went up through her leg and up her back. She let out shout as she tried to stop the pain.

"Whoa", the stallion said, slowly laying her back down on the bed. "Calm down."

The stallion had a thick black mane and a pure white coat. He dark circles around his blood red eyes. He was a Pegasus and he had a scythe for a cutie mark. The stallion smile down upon her.

"Hi Rainbow Dash! My name's Grimm", the stallion chirped.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow," Grimm."

"Yeah", he said, giving a small laugh," Strange name, huh?"

Rainbow Dash paused for a moment, realizing another strange thing. "How in Equestria did you know my name", she asked.

"E...quest...ria", Grimm said very slowly like a foal trying to pronounce a new word.

Rainbow Dash open her mouth to question him, but her Mom ran in the room. "Oh Rainbow Dash", her Mom whispered. She grabbed Rainbow Dash and held her in a tight hug. During that time, Rainbow Dash noticed she wasn't in a hospital. She was in a bedroom, and it look more like a guest bedroom. It didn't have anything that looked like personal belongings. In fact, the only things in the room was a bed, a nightstand, and a small dresser. Besides that, the room was empty. Her Mom finally released Rainbow Dash from her death grip.

"What happened", Rainbow Dash groaned.

"A group called the Shadowbolts attacked us. Are you okay", her Mom asked with concern.

"My hind legs hurt, my chest hurts, my back. Everything", Rainbow Dash sighed.

"I can help with that", a voice said.

She looked over and saw a white, Pegasus mare. Her red and black bangs fell into her face while the rest of her mane was pulled back in a high ponytail. She too shared Grimm's blood red eyes. Her cutie mark was a black thorn. The mare smile at her happily, pulling out a small tin container. Rainbow Dash stared at it, wondering what it's contents my be. The mare walked up to her, opening the container.

"Here", the mare said. The mare reached for her legs. Her legs. Rainbow Dash watched as the mare pulled her hind legs out from under the covers. The mare slowly unwrapped the bandages, revealing her cut up, scraped up legs. They looked absolutely awful. The mare began to rub a white cream on her legs. Rainbow Dash watched in awe as the cuts and scrapes disappeared. She looked back up to the mare.

"Thank you...", Rainbow Dash said before realizing that she didn't even know the mare's name.

"Thorn", the mare said with pride.

"Thank you Thorn", Rainbow Dash said with a small smile.

Thorn let out a sigh," I'm sorry but I can't do anything for your chest. Not until I find out the cause. This cream's only for cuts and scrapes."

"That's okay", Rainbow Dash said, trying to hide her disappointment," I feel much better then I did before."

"That's great", Thorn laughed and went to leave.

"Wait", Rainbow Dash called out. Thorn turned around and looked at her," Do you know where Tank is? My tortoise?"

Thorn's face brighten," Of course. He's upstairs. Your brother is watching him. Hope, I believe it is." With that she turned around and left.

Rainbow Dash pulled herself out of bed, shaking off the pain. Her Mom walked with her through the hall, and down the spiraling staircase. Grimm trotted up ahead of them, leading them to the kitchen. And there was Spark sitting in the chair across from a small, Pegasus filly. She also had a full rainbow mane, and was black. She had one magenta eye, like Rainbow Dash, and the other was a dark green, reminding her of Colby. She also lacked a cutie mark.

"This is important, Spark", the filly whined," I need a scooter! If I don't get one, I'll die!"

"Yeah, Iri", Spark said, rolling his eyes," I said the same exact thing when I wanted a scooter. And you know what? I didn't get mine until two years later, and I didn't die."

"Well that's because your boring", Iri argued. "And you did things like playing outside for...", she wrinkled her nose in disgust," fun."

"Irina, you are impossible", Spark said, putting his face into his hooves.

"Stop with the flattery", Iri, or Irina, said shaking her head.

"Hi", Rainbow Dash said, catching their attention.

Iri gasped and ran up to Rainbow Dash, looking her directly in the eyes. "Your eyes are like mine! Kind of", Iri said happily.

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows. Spark shrugged," Magenta is not the most common eye color around here."

"You must be our cousin", Iri said a matter-of-factly.

"Why would you say that", Rainbow Dash asked, curiously.

"Because you have a rainbow mane. Everypony has something rainbow about their mane in our family. Unless they're only related by marriage." She cocked her head to the side," Unless your mane is dyed. Did you dye your mane that way?"

"No. It's natural", Rainbow Dash smiled.

Iri returned Rainbow Dash's smile," Then you're part of our family!"

"Interesting", Rainbow Dash said, cocking her head. She looked at her Mom. "Where exactly are we."

"Were in the Shadowlands, Rainbow Dash", her Mom whispered," Nightlin, to be exact. This is your father's town." Her Mom looked her deep in the eye.

"This is where you father grew up."

Suddenly, everything begin to fall together. The rainbow manes, the strange ponies who seemed to be so friendly with her, the part when Grimm didn't know what Equestria was. It was her Dad's town. His home. In a way, Rainbow Dash was part of this. The amazing stories her Dad would tell her at night about his town, and his amazing adventures with his friends. The place she always wanted to see. To learn about. Now she was here. She was standing on the very soil of the Shadowlands. Breathing the very air of the Shadowlands. And even though there didn't seem to be anything different about this place.

She felt more free.

Author's Note:

I feel so bad for Lightening. But everything is starting to fall into place, as Rainbow Dash had mention. Soon you will have all of the puzzle pieces. But not today! Also you are going to meet a lot of wacky ponies along the way. If you thought some of the things in Ponyville was weird, you won't believe what you find in Nightlin. MAHAHAHAHA!

Comments

[Purple Pony]

Exactly 2500 words. nice. Keep it up, really getting onto this.