The Legend of Starlight-Book 2: Love at Second Sight

by twow443

....Must Come to an End

Chapter 7-....Must Come to an End

Rainbow Dash was flying over to Sugercube Corner to talk to Pinkie Pie when all of a sudden she was pushed onto a passing cloud. “Hiya, Dash.” Gilda said, landing infront of her.

Rainbow stood up and flexed her wings. “Hey Gilda, where you been?” she asked.

“Oh here and there. I was helping ponies get to a safe place when the “accident” with Twilight's magic happened.” Gilda said.

Rainbow looked at her old friend. “Do you have any idea how that could have happened?” she asked.

“Nope, I went to the library in Canterlot after that happened, sorry I wasn't here to help you figure it out.” Gilda said.

Rainbow tapped her. “It's fine. I think that Prince Starlight is back in Ponyville now, might say hi to him later.”

Gilda nodded. “I got some stuff to do, I might swing by and say hi. Later Dash.” She leapt off and flew in the direction of Ponyville.

Rainbow smirked. “Hook, line and feathers.” She flew off in the direction of Canterlot as fast as she could.

…

I was sitting at Fluttershy's watching her with the animals. I could tell why she was the Element of Kindness. She was so patient with all of them, especially little Angel, who it seemed wouldn't listen to her if I was anywhere near him. He rather liked me though, so he'd mind. Fluttershy shyly walked up to me. “Prince, I think that she's on her way.”

“Thanks, Shy. If she asks, tell her I'm at Rarity's.” I jumped up and tapped into Rainbow's cutie mark. I rose in the air and zoomed away to the boutique.

I crossed from Rarity's to Sugercube Corner, then to Sweet Apple Acres to back to Twilight's. All of them were suppose to stall Gilda in some way. Fluttershy had asked for help with the animals, Rarity gave her a makeover, Pinkie had her bake treats with her and Applejack had asked for help with gathering apples. “Phew!” I said to Twi. “I think it's working. Gilda's been stalking me all day.”

“It's not enough.” The purple unicorn said. “We need more time for Rainbow to get what she needs.”

As we saw Gilda land outside the house I said to Twilight. “I'll handle this.”

“Careful Prince.” she said. “Remember, Gilda will apparently do anything to have you.”

“Just gotta make sure she doesn't have a chance.” I said, leaving though the front door. “Hey Gilda. You up for a little race?” I rose in the air.

Gilda nodded. “I've been flying all day, but I never miss a chance to destroy somepony in a race!”

“That's what I'm counting on.” I said to myself. “Race ends when you catch me!” I yelled to the griffon, then took off.

…

Rainbow wasn't allowed to fly really fast in the library, but after saying that she was on an official errand for the prince, she was allowed to fly at all. In the spells section of the library, she asked the librarian pony. “So, did a griffon come in here in the last few days?”

“Why, yes.” he said. “It was about 2 days ago. Before the party Ponyville tried to throw for the prince.”

“And did she check any books out specifically?”

The librarian thought for a second. “No, but she did spend a lot of time looking at these two books.” He left the aisle and returned with two books. Rainbow read the cover of one. “The Art of Spell Changing.”

“Thanks!” Rainbow said. “I'll bring these back later!” She glanced at the title of the second book and paled. “Sorry, gotta dash!” she said, zipping out the door.

Twilight had cast a special telepathic spell on herself and Rainbow before she left for the library, so it was no surprise when Rainbow heard in her head. "How's it going, Rainbow?"

"I think I found something." she said. "I might need to look more..."

"Don't know if that's a good idea, Dash." Twilight said. "Gilda's racing with Starlight now."

"Dang! I didn't know we would get this far in the plan yet!" Rainbow said. "Buck! Good thing I'm on my way back. See you in a bit!"

Rainbow quickly returned to Twilight's with the books. Bursting though the front door, she saw all of her friends there. “Oh Rainbow, you look absolutely tired!” Rarity said, walking over to her. “Come, sit down and rest for a while.”

Rainbow shook her head. “No time. Twilight, look at these!” She pulled the books out of her bag and set them on the table. Twilight came over to look at them.

“The Art of Spell Changing? Well, that would explain how the words she wrote actually worked. She must have been planning this for a while.” Twilight said.

“That isn't the worst part.” Rainbow said, pointing at the second book.

Applejack looked at it. “The Practices of Darkness? Now what kind of nonsense is that?”

Twilight started flipping though the book, stopping where a page had a claw mark. “She must have been planning to look at this part again....” She sat down, lost in the pages.

Pinkie started bouncing around. “You all have GOT to try the cake Gilda and I baked. It is YUMMY!”

“Pinkie.” Applejack said. “Ah don't think we have much time for that.”

“Oh you silly!” Pinkie said, laughing. “There's always time for sweets!” She stopped bouncing as they all heard Twilight gasp.

“We might have a problem.” Twilight said.

“Pardon me dear, but I thought we already did.” Rarity said.

“It's worse then we thought.” Twilight explained. “Gilda somehow cast a hex on herself that gave her the power of darkness.”

“If that's the case.” Rainbow said. “Why didn't she just use it against Starlight?”

“Because she needed to see darkness first.” Twilight said. “That's why she messed up the spell. It filled my horn with darkness. The book says that you have to witness true darkness before you can wield it. And when the prince drew all the dark magic from my horn, he made himself temporally weaker to it.”

Applejack gasped. “She's gonna blast him until he gives into her!”

“Not while I'm here!” Rainbow said. Suddenly they heard a loud crash outside the house. Running outside they saw Starlight lying on the ground half conscious with Gilda over him, trying to kiss him. Rainbow's eyes flashed and she flew at them, proceeding to buck Gilda straight off of Starlight. She landed infront of her, rage in her eyes.

“Don't do anything rash, Rainbow!” Twilight yelled.

…

I slowly stood up, rather tired. I had Gilda chasing me from Ponyville to Canterlot, twice. She had finally caught up to me around the area with me and Rainbow's cloud. I watched the pegasus and the griffon face each other, ready to jump in if needed.

“So you tried to steal him from me, Gilda!” Rainbow said, with barely suppressed anger. “Just like back in flight school.”

“Oh come on, Dash.” Gilda said, rolling her eyes. “You didn't need that stallion in the end anyway. Remember how you used to say, “I fly better alone?” Besides, he was a jerk anyway.”

“That's not the point!” Rainbow said. “I learned something from my time living in Ponyville. I don't need to keep living in a shell.” She looked at us and smiled. “These are my friends, Gilda. They helped me learn how to live, to REALLY live.”

“Oh yeah?” Gilda asked, narrowing her eyes. “And what is that human doing for you?”

I narrowed my eyes, but Applejack stood in front of me. “Not yet, Sugercube. This is Rainbow's part.”

“That “human” is the prince of Equestria as you very well know.” Rainbow said.

“Enough!” Gilda yelled, unfurling her wings. Rainbow stepped back and I saw an aura of darkness around the enraged griffon. “Guess what Dash, I think it's time to show you how I was always the best flyer!” The sky above us darkened and Gilda's feathers turned completely black.

Applejack moved from in front of me. “Now you can go.” I smiled and yelled, “Now, Fluttershy!” Gilda turned and flapped her wings extremely hard, blowing us all back. She then grabbed Rainbow in one of her claws and flew straight up. Fluttershy and I followed.

“I'm not sure I can do this, Prince.” She said, shy as ever.

“I believe in you, Fluttershy. Just remember the routine we went though.” I said. I used a spell and shot up.

Summoning Stormtide, I stabbed Gilda in the claw, forcing her to let go of Rainbow. Rainbow's wings had been pinned, so she couldn't fly yet. But right on schedule, Fluttershy swooped up and caught her. “House! Now!” I yelled. She nodded and flew back down.

Suddenly I felt a claw around my throat. “Fine then. I'll just beat you up until she gives you to me!” Gilda said softly.

“I'm not a birthday present!” I gasped. She then proceeded to throw me in the direction of Ponyville.

I slammed into the ground and rolled as Gilda almost crushed me. “Stop Gilda!” I yelled. “You really don't want to tick me off more than you already have!”

“Too late for that!” She said. “You could have had me, Starlight. ME! But you decide to chose some flight school dropout instead?”

“There's a difference between the two of you.” I said. “Rainbow actually loves me, whereas you just wanted to use me for my powers and my title.”

Gilda reeled back. “How would you...?”

“My magic isn't really under control, so I accidentally read your mind. Good thing, huh?” I said mockingly.

Gilda's eyes turned completely red. Not good. “Won't change a thing!”

She then picked up a piece of the ground and threw it at me. I sliced it in half and charged at her. She somehow grew her claws out so far that they were more like big daggers. She started slashing at me, I parried with my sword. Finding an opening, I slipped between her claws and sliced completely though them. I then back-stabbed her in the backside. She roared and fired a dark lazer beam from her mouth, hitting me in the chest.

“Ahhhh!” I yelled, flying into a applecart. Gilda rose in the air, gathering darkness and shaping in into a ball, then threw it at me. I shot myself out of there as she blew up the cart behind me. I tapped into Rarity's power and blocked a steady dark beam with a hastily summoned diamond. The diamond started to break from the sheer pressure of Gilda's attack.

“Getting tired, prince? Too bad!” She yelled, and redoubled the power. The beam broke though the diamond and slammed into me, sending me flying again. Gilda then flew behind me as I was flying and whacked me into the air. She then whipped above me and slammed me down, sending me into the ground. She then walked up to me. “You can always surrender yourself.”

“Not..gonna..happen.” I gasped. Gilda smiled and picked me up with her dark magic.

“Leave him alone!” We turned and saw my friends standing there. Twilight and Rarity had their horns sparking and they blasted Gilda, making her drop me. Rainbow landed infront of me. “You'll have to go though us first.”

“Fine by me.” Gilda said. "Let me just even the odds first." She pointed at my horn and it turned completly black. I felt drained and passed out.

...

"Starlight!" Rainbow yelled, flying to him. Gilda swooped over and rammed into Rainbow, the two of them sent flying.

Twilght took charge. "Applejack, help me move the prince to a safe spot! Pinkie, and Fluttershy, get every other pony somewhere safe! Rarity, run back to my house and grab my healing spellbook!" The other ponies ran to do what she said.

"Hurry, Applejack!" Twilight said. The two of them slowly pushed Starlight behind the applecart that Gilda had thrown him into eailer.

"Ah'm not gonna lie to you, Twilight." Applejack said. "I'm worried about Rainbow."

Twlight fliched as Rarity teleported back with the book. "We need to wake Starlight up, before Gilda does."

...

Rainbow slammed into the ground painfully as Gilda shot at her over and over. The cyan pegasus rolled and leapt to her hooves, dashing down the road.

"Give up now, Dashie!" Gilda yelled. "I don't want to have to kill you!"

"Oh don't worry about that!" Rainbow panted. "You won't get the chance!" She rose up in the air and back-hooved Gilda in the mouth.

Gilda recovered and slammed her wings together, creating a dark shockwave. Rainbow flew over it and brought her front hooves into the griffons face. She then turned and kicked her in the face, knocking her away. "How do you like that, you bucking jerk!"

"I'll send you back to Starlight in pieces!" Gilda's eyes turned completly black. Rainbow gasped in horror.

...

Twilight and Rarity, their horns glowing pure white, stood in front of Starlight. They pointed at the prince and covered him in the light. Starlight started to stir.

"I think it's working!" Twilight said.

"Good, we don't have much time!" Rarity said, looking at the darkening sky.

...

I slowly opened my eyes, regaining my strength. Twlight and Applejack helped me stand. "Are you ok, Prince?" Twilight asked.

"What happened?" I said. "I couldn't do anything at all."

"She tried to absorb your magic." Twilight said. "Apperently alicorns are immune to that."

"Still knocked me out." I said, flexing. We all flinched as we heard a thunderclap. "Come on! To the square!" I yelled, the other ponies close behind.

I looked up and saw Gilda and Rainbow fighting. I wasn't strong enough to fly yet, so I started to charge up some magic. "No, you might hit Rainbow!" Twilight said. The ponies stood around me, worried.

I could see the darkness rising off of the griffon. Gilda whipped around Rainbow and blasted her in the head with a ball of darkness, sending her to the ground. I ran forward and caught her. Gilda slammed on the ground so hard that I fell over and Rainbow flew out of my hands. Gilda levitated Rainbow and threw her at the other ponies, hitting them and knocking them over.

At seeing my friends hurt, something snapped within me. I remembered what I had told my sisters at my coronation, that I would protect Equestria.

And I wasn't about to fail now.

I looked up at Gilda, fire dancing in my eyes. “So that's how you want to play it then?” I held my right hand up and yelled, “Celesta! Grant me the power of the stars!” In a flash of light, my sword was glowing and so were my eyes. I saw that Gilda had fear in her eyes.

Without any warning I rushed at Gilda and upward slashed her into the air. I shot upward, continuing to slash her. I then turned and kicked her upward. I raised my hand and a thin white beam shot out and wrapped around her leg. I pulled her downward, and myself up. Rising above her, I yelled, “Falling Star!” A ball, not much bigger then a baseball grew in my hand. I threw it at the falling griffon. It struck her and caused a explosion, slamming her into the ground. I fell then, faster and faster...and drove my sword into the fallen griffon. The force of the impact cause a mini shock wave. I pulled the sword from her and flipped off her as my friends galloped up to us. Suddenly, Stormtide disappeared and I fell over, my eyes not glowing anymore. Rainbow supported me up.

Gilda was still clinging on to life. “Star....light. Thank you. I guess I never realized what I was doing to everypony around me.” She raised a claw to Rainbow. “Please, when you think about me, remember our good times.” Rainbow nodded, clearly upset.

She then turned to me, with a little anger. “Prince, do me a favor and wipe that lame-o Nightmare from Equestria.

“She's the one that put you up to this, isn't she?” I asked.

She nodded. “Tell her...tell her that I won alright?” We all nodded. Rainbow held Gilda's claw.

“Finally,” Gilda said. “Now for the ultimate race. Give me a decent head start this time Dash.” Then she laid her head back, and died.

I laid my hand on her and said, “Dwell with the stars, Gilda.” Above us, the sky turned blue again.