Thirty-Minute Pony Stories

by Silvernis

394/399: Loyalty - Part II

394/399: LOYALTY - PART II

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Wind and rain and sunlight had bleached the once-red barn to a dull pinkish grey, but inside, the scent of straw and apples was exactly as Rainbow Dash remembered. It was a warm, homey, comfortable scent, the scent of an honest, hard-working farm run by honest, hard-working ponies.

The tang of blood was new.

“AJ, please,” Rainbow pleaded. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” The barn was plunged into darkness as she closed the door behind her, as if she could hide what she was about to do from the sunlit world outside. The idea was laughable, of course—there was no hiding, no running.

“Why, Dash?” asked a voice. Oh, that voice. Quiet, weary, hoarse with pain, but still the voice Rainbow remembered. She would give her right wing to hear that voice laugh and call her sugar cube one more time.

“Tell me, Dash,” demanded Applejack. “Why are you doin’ this?”

“Because I love her,” said Rainbow. She took a slow step into the blackness, her armor clinking. “Because I promised I’d be with her until the end.” She took another step, flicking open the claws on her gauntlets. “Because I’m Loyalty.”

“Loyalty?” snapped Applejack. There was a rustle and clatter from the back of the barn, then a strangled whimper. “Dammit, Dash, can’t you see what that dark magic turned her into? Yer servin’ a monster!”

“I know,” Rainbow said softly. She kept moving forward, following Applejack’s voice. The ruby that had replaced her right eye buzzed as she activated its night-sight enchantments and targeting spells. It was probably overkill, but she wasn’t taking chances this time. Applejack had already escaped her twice before.

“She’s turned you into a monster!” said Applejack. “Yer more machine than pony now, and after what you did to Pinkie and Fluttershy . . . ”

“I know.”

“Dash, you—why, Dash? Twilight ain’t the princess she once was! You don’t gotta stick by her and help her crush Equestria like this!”

“Yes, I do,” said Rainbow. “I love her, AJ. It’s not her fault she ended up like this, and I’m not abandoning her no matter what.” She let a little venom seep into her voice. “Unlike some ponies.”

“Dash . . . ” Rainbow suddenly noticed just how exhausted Applejack sounded. “Dash, we tried. You know we did. We tried to stop her, to save her.”

“You gave up on her,” Rainbow corrected coldly. “And now you’re leading a rebellion against her.”

“Rainbow Dash, she’s a monster! She’s gotta be stopped!”

There, by the hidden door in the back wall.

“She’s my monster,” said Rainbow, striding forward, her wing blades unsheathing. “I won’t leave her hanging. I don’t care what I have to do to protect her.”

She could hear Applejack trying to open the door, could hear the ragged panting, the dripping of blood, the rattle of chains, the former farmer’s curses as she realized that the door had been locked from the outside. Rainbow had learned from the last time.

Slowly, Applejack turned towards her. “Even if that means torturin’ and murderin’ yer friends?” she asked.

Rainbow flinched, but nodded. “I’m Loyalty,” she whispered. “And I’m Twilight’s.”

Applejack glanced at her cracked spear, the mangled remains of her left foreleg, the not-so-secret door, then up at Rainbow Dash. With a sigh, she nodded and pulled off her hat with her good leg. Waiting.

“I’m sorry, AJ,” whispered Rainbow. She lifted her claws.

“Me too, sugar cube.”

The claws shook, but they still descended in a quick, efficient, well-practiced blow.

“I’m sorry,” said Rainbow again. She leaned down, nuzzled the wet hat, then turned and walked slowly out of the barn, closing the door behind her.

Author's Note:

Ever since the season three opening, I've been curious about that dark shadow magic stuff that Twilight apparently picks up from Celestia. I expect it was just a convenient plot device for those two episodes (not unlike Sombra himself), but what if it had lingering effects? What if Twilight tried to use/study it later on and accidentally corrupted herself, becoming a Terrible Princess of Darkness and Doom™? What if I tried to work Twidash into every damn thing I write?

Comments

[Valhuir]

I really didn't like the concept of this one, myself... I'd think RD would snap and go catatonic before choosing one loyalty over another, myself, and could not picture this event occurring.

[Silvernis]

2794066
Yeah, this one's kinda meh. In hindsight, there's a LOT more untold backstory here than I usually come up with for these prompts, and without it, the scene feels a bit random and unconvincing. I do think the idea of Dash being confronted with a terrible choice of whom she'll be loyal to (i.e., corrupt Twi whom she still loves vs. the rest of her friends) makes for an interesting story, but it obviously needs way more development than I could squeeze into ~600 words. I guess I'll add it to my ever-growing list of fic ideas.

[crusnikjab]

I don't have a problem with dash, the problem I have is with the whole corrupt twilight concept. I just don't find it believable.

It should be expanded on though. I probably wouldn't read it though i try to stay away from tragedy and grimdark titles and this most likely would fall under one of the two.

[Silvernis]

2796843
I agree that it might seem like a bit of a stretch as presented here (i.e., without proper backstory), but remember Lesson Zero. Twilight might be harmlessly neurotic most of the time, but she clearly has a darker, not-entirely-sane side. Combine that with Sombra-style dark magic -- which Twilight is able to perform easily without any formal instruction -- and I'd say the whole Dark Princess thing is disturbingly plausible. (And yes, that would definitely be a tragic grimdark fic!)

[crusnikjab]

2797286 Yes but in Lesson Zero after Twilight casts the "want it, need it" spell she quickly comes to her senses and realizes what she was doing was wrong. Also as of season 3, Twilight has gotten better at controlling her neurosis( where or not this is permanent or just for the sake making her an Alicorn is unknown).Not to mention Twilight going from helping everyone to hurting everyone is a little hard to believe. I'd also I'd think that since Twilight knows everything about everything I don't think that she would be seduced by evil beings(Chrysalis, NM, Discord etc.).

Just to be clear I'm not solely referring to your story, I'm referring to Evil Princess Twilight stories in general.

I do realize that it's not impossible. I think that the Joker was right when he said "All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy". But I think that in Twilights case it would have to be a REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY bad fucking day.