> Iris > by Daydreamfire > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The nightmare > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash was in a black abyss and had no idea what was happening. Then there was a bitter wind that sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly a blizzard appeared out of nowhere. Dash was cautious and took a few steps. She was absolutely freezing and then the storm came. Rainbow's energy was slowly fading away and she was forced to the ground by the conditions. She felt something an her hoofs. She opened her eyes to see vines with thorns crawling up her hoofs and to her chest. Dash recoiled, pulling her hoofs, panicking as the vines reached her wings. "So you are the mighty warrior," a stallion's voice echoed, frighting Rainbow even more than she already was. "I wonder was the element warriors saw in you," the stallion cackled. Dash was very confused at this point. Who are this element warriors? What did then want to do with her? All question disappeared as she tried to escape. The vines just grew tighter. She winced when one the thorns cut into her hind leg. "Join me Rainbow Dash and I will make you more powerful than all the princesses combined," the stallion offered, then glowing red eyes appeared from the darkness. They were so hypnotizing that Dash couldn't look away. She couldn't feel her hind legs and it was spreading to her flank. "You are strong young foal, but I can make you stronger," the stallion tempted. Dash's wings were now dead and it wouldn't be long before she was too. Her eyes matched the glowing ones in the distance. She couldn't move. Her eyes were about to close. It was the end of Rainbow Dash. "Join me young warrior and you'll have more power than you can ever imagine. Join me and you will survive," the stallion finished as Dash's body became lifeless. * * * Rainbow Dash woke up with a scream and startled everypony around her. Dash realized she was in Twilight's throne room and so were her friends. Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Spike were stare at her each with a concerned look. Well, everypony except for Pinkie Pie, she was just delighted Dash was awake, unlike Dash. "And AHHHHH to you too, Dashie," Pinkie screamed, making Dash's ears ring. "Rainbow Dash are you OK?" Fluttershy whispered louder than usual because she was worried about Dash. "Yeah, I'm fine," Rainbow grumbled, leaning back in her throne. "You sure? You look like you haven't slept in days," Twilight stated. "I have to agreed. Your mane is even messier than usual, darling," Rarity expressed and levitated a mirror over to Dash. Even Dash had to admit she looked awful. She hadn't noticed the bags under her eyes, unpreened feathers, bloodshot eyes and a very messy mane. "Whoa, that's bad," Dash agreed with Rarity. "So, what were you talking about?" Dash asked, trying to change the subject. She hadn't told anypony about the nightmares she was having and she would like to keep it that way. It was the same dream that she has had for days "Well, as I was saying, Celestia will be coming here later. She says it's very important that all of us are here. It might have something to do with the elements of harmony," Twilight announced but then she stopped smiling and a look of horror covered her face. "What if there's a villain coming back? What if it's Sombra or Chrysalis or Tirek or-" "Or maybe yer just gettin' into a tizzy. Ah'm sure everything is just fine, Twi," Applejack interrupted, which calmed Twilight down a bit. Twilight took a deep breath. "So can everypony be back before eight?" Twilight checked and they were four yeahs and one okie doki loki ( guess who ). When Dash was trotting out Twilight stopped her. "Are you sure you're OK?" Twilight worried. Yeah, Twi I'm fine. You gotta stop worrying about me," Dash answered but Twilight wasn't convinced. "OK," Twilight finished uneasily then she shut the door. When Dash resumed trotting she felt a sharp pain up her hind leg. She looked back and saw a large cut. The same cut she got during the dream. Dash flew the rest of the way and she almost started sleep flying. She sighed. Dash wanted to sleep but she knew she would have that nightmare again. She didn't care anymore, she needed sleep. Dash picked a comfortable cloud and was out like a light * * * The same thing happened. First the the wind, then the blizzard, the storm brewed and finally the vines. The creepy voice once again temped her to join him. The mesmerizing eyes appeared and Dash had enough of it. She was sick and tried. "It's not fair that your friend Twilight became an alicorn and your still just a pegasus. But I can make you an alicorn too, more powerful then Celestia and you will rule Equestia but only if you join me," the stallion promised. "Join me and your friends will be powerless against you." 'Wait, what did he mean 'powerless against me'. He wants me to betray my friends. Well, that's not gonna happen,' Dash thought angrily then she glared at the eyes. NO! I will not join you, because I'm loyal to my friends!" Rainbow yelled. Then everything around Rainbow Dash disappeared. A multi-colored light surrounded her and hit her in the chest. It felt like magic covering her body and giving her energy and power. * * * Rainbow Dash woke with a sharp breath. She noticed the cloud she was on was now a dark rain cloud. Dash lightly tapped it and it started lashing rain. Gallons of water poured from it. This was definitely not a normal cloud. Dash tried to get it to stop but it wouldn't. "How do I get it to stop!" Dash yelled, as soon as she said 'stop' the cloud stopped raining and turned white again. "What the ..." Dash wondered, not a single thing could explain what just happened. She decided to pretend that never happened. She felt a lot better so she decided to fly home. She flared her wings and with just one flap she was already there. She just went from one side of town to the other in a fraction of a second. "What just happened?" Rainbow wondered for a minute, then she shrugged it off and zoomed inside. She glanced at a clock that show it was quarter to six. She had enough time so Dash went into the kitchen to make a sandwich. She grabbed an empty glass and left it on the table then flew back to make her sandwich. When she finished she breezed over to the table and found the glass had water in it. She was masked with confusion then she smirk and rolled her eyes. "Good one, Pinkie. You're trying to mess with me, aren't ya?" Dash laughed but she didn't hear Pinkie. Well, if it wasn't Pinkie who filled the glass. Maybe Dash did it. And now she felt stupid. She continued on, ate her sandwich, preened her wings and brushed her hair. Now it was six and she was late. She stood outside her house and once again flared her wings and with one flap she was in Twilight's castle and sitting on her throne. Everypony (and dragon) was there on their own thrones and staring at her in shock. Well, everypony except Pinkie. Again. "Wow Dashie! You were really fast, even faster then usual and that's fast!" Pinkie giggled and bounced over to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, you've been acting weird lately," Fluttershy shared, surprising everypony. "She does have a point. First, yer dead on yer hoofs. Now, yer flyin' a gazillion miles per hour," Applejack stated and everypony else nodded in agreement. "I just had a good sleep that's it," Dash replied honestly. She found it weird too and had no idea what was happening either. Just then, Spike bleached and a letter appeared with Celestia's seal. "A letter from Celestia?" Twilight questioned, receiving odd looks from her friends. "To my faithful student," Twilight began to read out loud. "I am sorry to inform you at this time but I will not be visiting Ponyville," Twilight stopped, a bit disappointed as were her friends. "It seems we have found a situation to our problem, Princess Celestia." * * * The next day, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were chatting as they walked to Sweet Apple Acres. Dash was going to the wonderbolts the next day so she was telling Applejack all about it but she was busy. So she offered to help on the farm, now they were bucking the apple trees. Applejack went to get more buckets so Dash was alone. She walked over to a tree and bucked it hard. A load the apples fell and she just checked to see if some didn't fall. Dash saw there were still apples, in fact, they were more apples then before she bucked the tree. Rainbow wanted to see how that was possible so she got empty buckets and place them under the same tree and once again bucked the tree. This time she looked at the top of tree and saw the apples falling then tiny apples appeared and started growing into large apples. Dash's jaw hit the ground. How was that even possible? Then she felt something on her hoofs. Vines were growing around her hoofs like in her dreams. She darted into the air and shouted in fright. The vines continued growing. "Rainbow, is somethin' wrong?" a country accent questioned, for behind her. Applejack was back with the buckets and a concerned look. Rainbow panicked and started ranting. "No, what? No way, why would anything be wrong, everything is perfectly fine, why do you ask? Is something wrong?" Dash rambled. This was the third weird thing that happened to her and she still didn't want her friends to know about this. Sadly she was almost as bad as Applejack at lying. "OK then, if ya say so. Hey, aren't ya goin' be late for wonderbolt training?" Applejack reminded Dash, who was relieved A.J. changed the subject, then annoyed with herself that she forgot about her work. "Oh horse apples, I forgot! Thanks for reminding me. I'll see ya," Dash hurried. Applejack laughed. "I'll see-," Applejack was stopped when dash took off. She was gone in the blink of an eye, all that was left was a rainbow trail. Applejack could only stare at the sparkling rainbow wondering how she could even fly that fast. > The beginning > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash used her new found speed, flew from Sweet Apple Acres to the Wonderbolt headquarters in a blink of a eye. But she didn't stop, she darted right into a door and bounced back onto the floor. Dash was amazed she was still conscious. She lifted up her hoof to feel for the door and accidentally pulled on the door handle. She fell into the room and there was a roar of laughter. Everything was blurry to Dash including a yellow-orange pony walking up to her. "Nice entrance, Crash. You're just on time," Spitfire greeted and she helped the dizzy pegasus up. Dash took her seat beside Soarin. "Hey Rainbow," Soarin addressed, making Dash blush. She might of had a tiny, little, super massive crush on Soarin but she didn't tell anypony (mainly because it is so obvious, not that Dash or Soarin knows). "Hi Soarin," Dash chirped, then Spitfire started talking. "OK, the Summer Sun celebration is coming up and we have been asked to preform at Canterlot. We will be flying in the Icaranian Sun Salutation pattern," Spitfire showed a chart with everyponies positions. After Spitfire explained everything, the pegasi flew outside. "First, we're gonna have a little race," Spitfire announced and everypony groaned, Soarin was the loudest. Dash giggled at the stallions enthusiasm. What Spitfire called a small race was 750 miles and it was going to be harder because the wind was blowing against them at 45 miles per hour. 'Wait, how did know that?' Dash thought, it probably just a random number off the top of her head. Spitfire called out four names at a time and those ponies raced. Finally, Dash's name was called out. "Fleetfoot, Soarin, Crash and myself." Everypony started muttering. Everypony knew Spitfire, Fleetfoot and Soarin were the fastest but were surprised Spitfire wanted Rainbow to race with them. They lined up at the start of the course and Fire Streak was about to start the race. "On your mark," Dash leaned towards the ground. "Get set," Dash flared her wings. She smirked. "GO!" Dash bolted through the course. The wind current was flowing with her instead of against. To Dash everything was in slow motion, even the other wonderbolts seemed way slower. To everypony else Rainbow was just a blur going at impossible speeds. She crossed the finish line and Fire Streak stared at the timer. One tenth of second. Dash completed the race in one tenth of second and she looked as rested as she did before the race. Spitfire finished a few minutes later, then she was joined by Fleetfoot and Soarin. Everypony was staring at Dash making her feel uncomfortable. Spitfire was the first to speak. "Nice work, Crash," Spitfire gaped, she was struggling to say anything at all. For the rest of the training, everypony was staring at Dash now and then. Dash could not feel more awkward. At the end of training, Dash landed on the green beside the runway. She heard another pony behind her. She turned around and saw Soarin. "Hey, Dash. Congrats on winning the race. I still can't believe you bet Spitfire," Soarin praised, making Dash blush a dark shade of red. "Thanks. It was probably just luck anyway," Dash stuttered. She found it hard to have a normal conversation with her crush. Neither saw the flowers growing or the temperature suddenly rising. "I don't think so. I think you're an amazing flier. Well, I'll see you around," Soarin responded, then he took off. Dash couldn't contain her joy and let out a girlish squeal. She took off her wonderbolt gear as fast as she could (which was now very fast) and dashed home. On the way home, Dash saw smoke coming from Ponyville and decided to check it out. As she thought, there was a house on fire. A few ponies escaped but Rainbow heard crying inside the house. An injured mare was about to run into the house but two firefighter stallions stopped her. "My daughter is in there!" the mare protested as they lay her on a stretcher. Dash heard the crying once again and she flew to the mare. "Don't worry ma'am. I'll save your daughter," and then Rainbow out of sight. Once she was in the house she looked around at the fire surrounding her. She ran up the stairs and checked there "Help, I'm trapped!" a terrified voice screamed and Dash looked to see where it was coming from. She saw a very small filly against a wall, fire closing in on her. The ceiling was crumbling so Rainbow couldn't fly, so she took the dangerous option. Dash took one step into the fire and it felt like she was being tickled. Wait a minute, fire doesn't work like that. Rainbow Dash was confused but didn't care. Her main priority was saving the filly. She ran through the harmless fire to the filly who was shaking. "It's OK. Everything is fine, OK?" Dash soothed softly, trying to be like Fluttershy. The filly nodded, still petrified. "Good, now climb up on my back and I'll get you outta here," Rainbow instructed as kind as possible. The filly did as she was told and scrambled up Rainbow's wing to get to her back. "OK, now hold on tight," Dash advised and she felt the filly tug on her mane. Dash ran through the house like a maze, glancing back to see if the filly was alright. When she reached the door, many ponies crowded around her and the filly, some taking pictures for the newspaper. The little filly slide down Dash's wing and hugged her hoof. Dash was caught off guard then she smiled at the cute filly. The mother pushed through the crowd and embraced the filly. Rainbow was admiring the adorable scene and was surprised when the mare hugged her. "Thank you so much, you're a life saver. Is there any I could do to repay you?" the mare asked. Rainbow blushed. "I just did what anypony would do. You don't have to repay me," Dash refused, she learned a lot about humility since a certain incident *cough* mare do well *cough*. The filly grabbed onto her hoof again. "Thank you for saving me. You're my hero," the filly squealed. Dash was speechless and just smiled at the filly. "Are you OK, ma'am?" Dash worried about the mare. The filly went over to her mother and the mare put her hoof around the filly. "I'll be just fine. Thank you again," the mother and daughter walked away from the crowd. Dash flew to her cloud house. She just wanted to sleep and forget everything that happened. First, the cloud raining and stopping, then, the apples growing from seeds to ripe apples, when the vines grow around her hoofs, after that, she was flying ten times faster, at the same time, the wind seemed to flow with her and against the others with her and finally, she walked through a fire and it tickled her. Six weird things in one day. That a new record as Spitfire would say. Dash saw a necklace on her bed. It was constantly changing from blue to orange to green to purple. Dash walked over to the unfamiliar jewel. She reached to pick it up but when she did, everything turned white. * * * Rainbow opened her eyes to see what happened. She in a white void but she wasn't alone.There were four alicorns in armor surrounding her but the pegasus couldn't recognize anyone of them. Each one kinda looked like the elements. "Hello Rainbow Dash," the tallest greeted. The alicorn had an orange fur with a mane that was flowing like fire. She was wearing red armor. "What am I doing here. Wait, you know my name?" Dash questioned, freaking out. "Yes we do. My name is Amphitrite, this is Hestia, Gaia and Aura. We need to tell you something," the second smallest answered. Her fur was aqua blue with a mane that looked like the ocean. Her armor was dark blue. "You see a thousand years ago, Equestria was at war with a power alicorn known as Erebus," the Gaia started. This alicorn had light green fur and her mane looked like green and brown vines. She wore a green armor. "We banished him but he has broke free from his prison and he will return to destroy Equestria," the Aura piped up. She was purple and her mane was like misty, pinkish purple air. Like the others, she had dark purple armor. "So, why am I here?" Rainbow wondered. Sure, she saved Equestria multiple times but not without her friends and she was alone with the armored alicorns. "Well, we defeated Erebus with our power over the four elements. But we can not do that again," the blue alicorn explained, she then looked at Hestia who nodded to her. The orange armored pony finished for the other alicorn. "So you shall be the new guardian of the elements." Her horn started to glow and the others joined in. They blasted there magic into the air above Dash. The magic formed a sphere that looked like the necklace Rainbow found. "Wait what?!" Dash asked, staring at the magic above her as it grew. So many questions ran through her head. What's a guardian of the elements? Who's Erebus? But most of all, what the heck was happening?! But before she could ask any of those questions, the magic suddenly surrounded her giving her a strange sensation throughout her body. She could hear the alicorns chanting 'Aqua, Ignis, Terra, Caeli'. * * * Dash's eyes snapped open. She was back in her room again. 'Maybe it was just a dream or my imagination' Rainbow thought, until she copped the same necklace as before hanging around her neck. Suddenly she heard a scream and she bolted to the window. Dash couldn't believe what she saw. Ponyville was under attack by a giant hydra. What was weird was the hydra was wearing black armor with a crest on it. It's one of Erebus's monsters. Dash turned around to see who was behind her to find no pony. You can defeat him with your new power. Rainbow released the whispering was coming from the necklace. Aqua, Ignis, Terra, Caeli. The pegasus had no idea what that meant but she thought the voice wanted her to repeat it. And she did. "Aqua, Ignis, Terra, Caeli." Rainbow Dash was terrified when light from the necklace almost blinded her. A tingling feeling spreading through her again. The light dimmed and Dash opened her eyes. She looked down at her hoofs and saw she was in armor. She ran to the mirror and saw an unfamiliar pony. She had a blue, orange, green and purple tied up in a plait. Her shoes were green and the body of the armor was blue. She wore an orange helmet and a purple chest plate. Her fur was white and she was almost as tall as Princess Luna. She was an alicorn and her cutie mark was an eight pointed star separating the four elements. The only part of herself Rainbow recognized were her magenta eyes. Rainbow heard a loud roar and ran to the door. The hydra was still on a rampage and ponies were still panicking. Dash flared her wings. She noticed her wings matched her mane and were larger than Princess Celestia's. With a powerful flap Dash darted for the monster. Rainbow landed right on top of the hydra, knocking him over. The alicorn stood waiting for the monster to rise. When he did he roared and two heads attacked her with fire. Dash noticed a few ponies behind her about to be cooked. She flew up and used her new horn. Water swerved around her horn and towards the advancing fire. The hydra was about to attack on foot. Rainbow imagined vines growing around his legs and vines appeared tripping the massive creature. One head shot fire out of his mouth directly at Dash. The mare in armor just walked forward, not phased by the fire. Then a fiery aura lit her horn as she cast a spell. She blasted the creature, completely disintegrating him. The crowd of ponies started cheering and coming out of their hiding places. Then Dash noticed the filly she saved earlier pushing through the ponies. "Who are you?" she asked. You can't tell them who you are. The voice was now inside her head. Dash started flying away slowly. "I'm Iris and I will protect Equestria at any cost," and with that the alicorn dashed away.