End of the Beginning: Darkness Falls

by NerdyByrd

Clinging To Hope

Rainbow Dash dried her eyes, stood up, and walked away. Her family had to be safe. Twilight was an Alicorn, and could easily protect them. Although Twilight's recent behavior gave Rainbow Dash doubt, she couldn't think about the terrible assumptions that whispered in the back her mind. Not right now. Rainbow Dash slowly began to make her way to Ponyville, trying not to be seen from the sky. She couldn't fly; the Bat-Pony-Guards are probably hording the sky. She moved her hooves lightly, and tried to mask her scent in some mud she found near the outskirts of Ponyville. Do bats have a keen sense of smell? Do bat-pony-hybrids have a keen sense of smell? Rainbow Dash shook her head and slipped through the allies. Finally, she came across Twilight's castle.

Crap, Rainbow Dash thought, there's no trees for cover! Gonna have to make run for it.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, and ran out in to the open field. OH CRAP, OH CRAP, OH CRAP, Rainbow Dash chanted in her head as she neared the castle. Luckily, she made it inside and wasn't brutally attacked by the Bat Ponies. Wait, Rainbow Dash thought, should I call them Bat Ponies or Vamponies. Rainbow Dash looked outside to check for any signs for the guards. Well... since they're not running around sticking their fangs into anypony, sucking their blood out, I'm gonna go with Bat Pony. Rainbow Dash slowly backed away from the window, and began to head towards the thrones. It was eraily quiet. She softly, called out for Spike and Starlight.

"Spike. Starlight. Where are you?"

Suddenly, a purple-and-green blur pounce on her.

"Go back where you came from, you mutant bat thingy", Spike's voice rang out.

"Spike, get off! It's me, Rainbow Dash", Rainbow Dash hissed.

"Rainbow Dash", another voice whispered. Rainbow Dash looked up to find Starlight Glimmer slowly coming out from behind one of the thrones. Behind her followed Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. A sense of relief wash over her. Rainbow Dash ran up to Scootaloo and held onto her tightly.

"Thank Celestia you're okay", Rainbow Dash muttered to nopony but herself. She glance around the room realizing it was just them.

"Where's everypony else", she asked, looking at Starlight.

Starlight shook her head," These bat-like ponies came out nowhere, and started gathering everypony up. They took them to that castle over there; where Canterlot Castle once stood. It was terrible."

Rainbow Dash shuddered. She turned to the door," We got to go now."

"Wait", Spike called out. He disappeared up the stairs and came back with all the mane six's pets," I went got them as soon as a suspected something was wrong."

"Tank", Rainbow Dash said happily, grabbing her lovable tortoise," I can't believe I forgot about you!" Rainbow Dash smiled at Tank for a moment, but then she remembered where they were. She tucked Tank under her wing, and motioned everypony to the doors of the castle.

"Okay", she whispered," Scoots, Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and Spike, you're in the middle. Starlight, you guard from behind. Everypony carry a pet. I'll lead."

Rainbow Dash peeked outside. Nopony, she thought. She sprinted out onto the field, and stopped. She waved to the others to follow, and continued on. She needed to get to her family. That was all Rainbow Dash could think about.

***

"Mom! Dad! Twilight! Anypony!"

This was the tenth time she called for her friends and family, but like the last nine times, there was no answer. They already made it into the Everfree Forest, but they were still in danger. The Everfree Forest was a unpredictable place, and anything could happen. Rainbow Dash hugged Tank against her chest to comfort herself. She was getting worried. Starlight laid a reassuring hoof on her shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll answer soon", Starlight said cheerfully. At that very moment, a distant voice called out. Rainbow Dash jerked around, straining her ears to confirm she heard the sound. The voice sounded again, this time louder. Clearer. It was her Mom.

"Mom! Dad", Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Rainbow Dash", a distant muffled voice called once more.

Rainbow Dash took off racing through the dense forest, dragging Scootaloo behind her. The branches smacked into her face, and the briars pierced her skin, but she didn't stop. She kept on running until she came to a small cave... and her Mom and Dad were standing a the entrance. Rainbow Dash let go of Scootaloo's hoof, and ran into her parents embrace. She nuzzled her head into her their chests, seeking their warmth. Her Mom held her tightly while her Dad rubbed her back. Rainbow Dash felt a few tears slide through her tightly shut eyelids.

"I-I was scared when Canterlot C-castle fell down. I-I thought were dead", Rainbow Dash sobbed, completely loosing it.

"Shhhh", her Mom hushed," It's okay, Dashie. Nopony got hurt. We all made it out okay."

Rainbow Dash felt her eyes get heavy. She felt herself sinking to the ground, slowly slipping away. She breathed in her Dad's lily-earth smell, and closed her eyes.

***

Rainbow Dash. You need to get up.

Rainbow Dash eyes fluttered open. At first it was too dark to see anything, but her eyes slowly began to adjust. It was cold, and her bones ached. Rainbow Dash sat up, and notice she was in a dark cave. She was laying on a black jacket. It was thin, so the reason she ached was because she was laying on the stone ground. Rainbow Dash got up, and step outside the cave, gazed around the forest. There was thirty ponies at the most. Most of then looked confused or dazed.

Only thirty ponies, Rainbow Dash thought, there has to be more than that.

She looked up towards the sky. The sun was out, but it was mostly blocked out by the storm clouds. Rainbow Dash shuffled along to her brother Wisp, who sat separated from everypony else. Wisp was hiding behind a tree, trying to avoid any contact with anypony. Her brother always seemed... off to her, but the time he ever went off hiding like that was when he was scared. Rainbow Dash plopped right next to him. Wisp pulled his ears back, but said nothing.

"What's eating you", Rainbow Dash asked.

"Darkness coming", Wisp whispered. He looked over at Rainbow Dash, his eyes narrowing," Do you hear the voices too?"

Rainbow Dash stared at her brother as a chill went down her back. She had been taking to Smoke, Fractured Light, and Color Streak. Could they been the voices he was referring to.

"Everypony! Please listen", Princess Celestia called out, interrupting Rainbow Dash's train of thought," I understand that you are all frighten by the recent events of last night. The only option there is at the time is to retreat to Crystal Empire." As soon as the words left her mouth, the crowd broke out into gasps and whispers. Fortunately, Princess Celestia was able to silence them with a wave her hoof," We are not surrendering. We are just gathering everypony in a safe place until we come up with a plan. We leave now. Please find your family and friends, and stay together no matter what. Follow me."

Princess Celestia turn around, headed deeper into the forest. Rainbow Dash grabbed Wisp's hoof, and lead him to the rest of the crowd who were just now following Princess Celestia. Wisp tried to resisted. He never liked crowds much, and being around that many ponies he didn't know at one time frighten him. Slowly, Wisp's jerky pulls became more subtle. He lean against Rainbow Dash as she slipped into the crowd. She immediately spotted her Dad's rainbow mane in the colorful sea of ponies. Rainbow Dash shoved her way through the crowd, finally making it to her Dad. Her Mom was staring off into the distance, while her Dad tried to comfort her younger siblings. Rainbow Dash looked around for a second before realizing that her brother Hope was no where in sight. She began to panic.

"Looking for me?"

Rainbow Dash turned around to find Hope grinning like an idiot.

"That's not funny Hope", Rainbow Dash scowled," Right now is not a time for jokes."

"Right now is a perfect time for jokes", Hope argued, sticking his tongue out at her. He raced ahead of Rainbow Dash, and shoved his way through line.

"Why was that", Rainbow Dash grumbled.

Hope gave her a look, and slowed his pace to match hers," Are you okay Dashie? You seem a little off."

"Well", Rainbow Dash snapped," You would be a little off too if you saw Princess Celestia get shot down by some long gone she-demon, and your friend could've been killed, and your dealing with the guilt of not telling your friends about the real you when you haven't even told them the whole truth! So please, do tell me, what is off about me!"

"Oh Dash", Hope whispered. He put a comforting wing around her," I told you should have never tried to keep that a secret."

"I know."

"You should of just told them."

"I know."

"Really", Hope asked , raising an eyebrow," Because it looks like to me you don't know."

Rainbow Dash just shook her head," Where's Twister?"

"Up ahead."

"Thank you Hope."

"Anytime."

Rainbow Dash continued to dodge ponies until she came to Twister, and she tapped him on the shoulder. Twister jerked around and gave Rainbow Dash a warm smile.

"Hey Dash. You okay?"

"Yes Twister, I'm fine", Rainbow assured, putting on the best smile she could.

"Good, 'cause it looks like the Princess what to talk to you and your friends", Twister said nervously, pointing a Celestia who was up ahead.

"Of course", Rainbow Dash sighed. Why couldn't she talk to Twister with out being interrupted every five minutes. Does the world hate her or something? She struggled through some more ponies, which she is pretty sure one of them growled at her, and finally reached Princess Celestia.

"Yes Princess", Rainbow Dash asked, but came out more like a sigh. Luckily, it didn't seem like the Princess caught it.

"Rainbow Dash", Princess Celestia said," As soon as we get to the Crystal Empire, I am sending you and your friends on a special mission so we can-"

"Like heck you are", an all too familiar voice rang out. Rainbow Dash turned around to find her Mom quickly gaining speed as she raced right towards Princess Celestia. As soon as her Mom got in front of Princess Celestia, she gave her an intimidating glare. " Celestia, may I speak to you. In private", her Mom hissed.

Rainbow Dash watched in shock as her Mom started lecturing Princess Celestia. She looked like she was scolding Princess Celestia like a young child. What surprised her the most was that the Princess didn't seem the least bit mad at her Mom. As if her Mom was an old friend. Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow. Everything was just getting more and more confusing. Finally her Mom slowly backed away giving her an icy glare. Her Mom began to walk back into the crowd, disappearing into the sea of ponies. Rainbow Dash looked at the Princess.

"It was nothing serious", Princess Celestia said with a warm smile.

Really? She's a terrible liar.

Rainbow Dash almost jumped when the voice echoed in her head. Truth be told, she had gotten used to Smoke's voice whispering occasionally in her head. But this was a new voice. But it was one she still knew.

Fractured Light?

No, it's your long lost brother. What do you think?

Sorry. Gosh.

Listen, you have to go on that mission.

Why?

Don't ask questions, just do it!

Suddenly Rainbow Dash felt a his presence disappear. Odd. Before she couldn't tell when they were there, or when they were gone. There also was something different. She now felt... alone. Rainbow Dash shook the feeling away as she notice Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's horns started to glow. A blinding white light shined before them, forcing Rainbow Dash to squint. Slowly, the white light became more like a picture. Rainbow Dash could see crystal like streets and glistening houses. She knew very well what place the white had transform into. There before them was some type of portal to the Crystal Empire. Rainbow Dash watched as Princess Celestia looked towards the crowd of ponies, her horn still glowing with its powerful aura.

"Quickly Everypony. This is a portal to the Crystal Empire. Go through one at a time", Princess Celestia said calmly.

Rainbow Dash walked up to the portal. She wasn't very sure and had an unsettling feeling for some reason. Rainbow Dash shrugged it off, and took a deep breath. Finally, she walked through the portal as the world around her turned white.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long wait. Things popped up. Hope enjoy the chapter.

Comments

[MrEditor]

Yay!

[NerdyByrd]

Everybody reading this, give your honest to goodness opinion of what you think of this story as a whole so far.

[MrEditor]

7603689 A good fanfic.