The Tale of RariDash - Series 1

"Dash! Dash! Dash!"

Where was she? The darkness was so thick, unforgiving. Moving through it was almost agonising, as if each step tore at her flesh, clawing at everything she had.

"Dash!"

An echo now, nothing more than a forgotten whimper. Where was she? She must have been close. But the path had disappeared, lost from sight.

"Dash..."

Weaker now. Nothing more than a final goodbye. A murmur that barely left the lips that produced it, hanging in the dead space between the tangible and the fictional.

And then, silence. Sickening, horrifying silence. A nasty, callous silence, with the combined voices of all those lost to the darkness. A choir of silence that drew yet another soul to the unending black. But it was not their soul to take.

"Love is true. Hearts entwined. Something lost that you must find."

"Rarity?" called Dash to the nothingness around her.

The question was one of blind hope. That last voice wasn't Rarity's. But what did those words mean?

Dash awoke in a cold sweat, her body shivering as a nasty jolt of fear ran down her spine. Her entire night of sleep had been restless, first with the dreams of darkness and judgement given to her by an angry Rarity. And then that chase, the distant voice of her beloved calling on her name in fear, in desperation. Dash rarely had nightmares, and none as vivid as the one she had just experienced.

As soon as it was sun-up, Dash had darted down to Ponyville, eager to meet up with Rarity and put her fears to rest. A silly nightmare didn't mean anything, as long as Rarity was safe and sound. And that's where she found her, the white mare stood with Applejack by Sugarcube Corner. Dash came into land, clopping up slowly to the consulting pair as not to look too eager in her approach.

"Hey guys! What's going on?" asked the young pegasus nonchalantly.

"Oh hey there, Rainbow!" chirped Applejack as Dash came to their side, "Rarity was just tellin' me about Twilight. She was called off to go see her brother in the Crystal Empire!"

The news confused Rainbow, peeking over to Rarity who had a rather uninterested look on her face, "She did, huh? Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. She said it was just for a visit," replied Rarity, giving Rainbow a half hearted glance and nothing more.

"So...she just left without telling us? A bit weird, don't you think?"

"No Rainbow, I don't! Honestly, must everything be a conspiracy to you?" snapped Rarity, giving a shake of her head.

"I'm sure she was just eager to catch the train, is all," added Applejack, "She'll be back before you know it."

"Oh dear, it seems I'm out of time. I really must get back to the boutique!" began Rarity, a severe lack of urgency in her voice, giving a polite bow to each mare as she turned away, "I'll see you girls later."

This was all too weird, too wrong. Something had happened, Dash watching her once affectionate partner trot away as if not even caring about Dash's concern.

"Rarity," responded Applejack, giving a polite tip of her hat before peering curiously over to Dash, "I finished my bucking for today Rainbow, if you fancy hangin' out."

Eyes didn't leave that white mare as she disappeared down the street, "Didn't she seem to be acting a little funny to you?"

"Funny?" replied Applejack as her muzzle bunched up in confusion, "Aw shucks, you know how busy that girl gets! Gotta get back to her dress making and what not."

"Yeah, but the way she looked at me," sighed Dash, turning back to her orange coated friend.

"Aww that's just Rarity. What did you expect? If you hadn't noticed, you two ain't the closest apples in the bunch!"

Applejack had her there. Or, at least, she thought she did! Perhaps she would never know of all the nights the pair had spent together, the kissing and touching, the sessions of role-play! All of those seemed but a distant memory now. Rarity had seemed to get so cold, yet Dash could only worry for her safety.

Rainbow had decided to give it a few hours, spending the afternoon with Applejack on the farm to take her mind off the suspicious turn of events. Although she kept a brave face for her friend, Dash was torn on the inside. A large part of her still loved Rarity. But maybe it was best to leave her alone; she seemed upset and there must have been a reason for that! But as the day drew to a close, Rainbow found herself moving towards the Carousel Boutique, eager to make amends for whatever was bothering Rarity. A soft knock on the door was met by silence before Dash moved inside.

"Rarity?" asked Rainbow Dash timidly, "Are you here?"

The lights were off and the shop was quiet, the dull darkness giving way to a sickly green glow from up the stairs. It was noticeable but it wasn't pronounced. Dash stepped forward, the strange light beginning to dim as she approached. Finally, the familiar white mare clopped down the staircase.

"Dash. Can I help you?" came a plainly put question from Rarity, almost seeming a little upset from the intrusion.

"Can't I pop in to see my girlfriend?" replied Dash with a joke, eager to lighten the rather cold situation.

"I suppose." No laugh, no smile. Cold as the night.

"Are we okay?"

"Of course we're okay. You still love me, right?"

Dash gave a bashful snort, "Yes! You don't have to keep asking!"

"Good. Then everything's fine."

"No, everything is not fine!" snarled the pegasus, "You've been really nasty ever since you had those wings! I never asked you to stay around mine or dress up or anything, that was you! So if you're upset, I'm sorry!"

A moment of confusion soon came to her. The wings! Rarity had gone to see Zecora in the evening. And the next morning, Rarity had her horn back. That was much less than 24 hours, the time stated by Rarity for the effect to wear off. And Rarity was not one to skip detail.

"How did you--" began Dash, pointing with a hoof to Rarity's horn.

"Oh darling, you can be so silly!" bleated Rarity, trotting closer as she lovingly nuzzled into Dash's cheek.

As many questions as Dash had, the loving contact was a good way of distracting her. Eyes closed as the warmth of her girlfriend's cheek rubbed into her own. White forelegs pulled Dash closer, cradling her into her form.

"Just love me, Dash. Like I love you."

The words were a soft hum, almost a whisper. Dash could feel her body give way, her mind began to haze in the warmth of that embrace. The words were repeated, almost hypnotically. Dash had to love her, there was no other choice. Eyes drifted shut, heart slowed to a soft thump. It felt like she was being drained of all she had. But her body seemed too relaxed to panic or fight back. Nostrils gave a final flare, eager for that wonderful scent.

It wasn't there. What was there definitely wasn't Rarity. No hint of spice, no sugary blossoming undertones, no feminine musk. That wasn't her girlfriend's scent.

Eyes opened. Back straightened. Rainbow pushed away.

"Who are you?" sternly questioned Rainbow Dash.

Rarity gave a confused look, "Why, whatever are you talking about, darling?" I'm Rarity!"

Dash took up a defensive posture, upper body pointed down, wings up in preparation to tackle the imposter.

"You don't smell like Rarity. You don't act like her either. You ain't my Rarity!"

Before that growling pegasus could think, a burst of sickly green magic flew from the grinning Rarity's horn, knocking her back and slamming her into one of the clothing racks. A green glowing aura flowed through that blue coat, pulling the pegasus from beneath the clothing pile and slammed her to the wall, pinning her there.

"Guess I can't get everything exactly right," came a spiteful grunt, eyes watching the vain struggle of the trapped pony before her, "Then again, I've never had to worry about that. Not even Shining Armour picked up on that. Of course, the chump was under my complete control. If I had my full power, you'd be my mindless slave by now!"

It was almost as if Rarity began to dissolve away. Those deep blue eyes would now gleam a dark green, like the dankest, most putrid bog. Hair would straighten and shift colour, almost as if decaying like hanging vines on a dead tree. Holes began to appear in her body, chunks of her form missing or rotten away. Horn would extend and crack, fracturing into a spire of corruption. Fangs burst from her maw, sharp tongue soon following on. In a swirling flash of dirty green magic, all that was left was the tall figure of death and deception.

"The changeling Queen!" snarled Dash, trying to force herself off the wall.

"Queen Chrysalis, my little pony prisoner!" chuckled the dark figure in a heavy, echoed voice, "Thank you for the feast. As I told your little girlfriend, you both made quite the meal!"

"If you hurt her, I swear I'll--"

The thrashing and growling of Dash was cut short by a firm squeeze of magic around her throat, catching her at a breath.

"You'll do nothing! Besides, she's probably long gone by now. She'll make a hearty feast for my children. And as soon as I get rid of you, I'll use that little purple unicorn to feed. I'm sure her magic will give me the last of the power that I need."

That magic around her throat would only tighten, Dash still struggling against the dark energy. But she was becoming dizzy and her fight was fading fast.

Eyes began to close and in came the darkness. All seemed at an end.

That door flew open, the crash of the wood disrupting the concentration of the evil Queen. Princess Luna stood at the door, eyes fixated on her target.

"Relinquish her, changeling!" exclaimed the dark Princess, trotting closer to the twisted mare.

"Ah, the disgraced little Sister! You truly believe you could stand against me when Celestia could not?"

Luna's eyes would check on Rainbow Dash, the filly unconscious but still alive. The Princess paced forward against her enemy.

"A thousand years on the moon have made you weak. But I had no idea it also made you so stupid!" boasted the Queen, turning to face the approaching mare.

"You forget where you are," began the dark Princess, eyes began to blaze like the full moon on high, "This town is under my protection. And it was wrong of you to come here. Especially at night..."

The Queen's eyes would catch the shadow moving through the door frame. It was as if they came of Luna's command, reaching like streams of darkness past their commanding Princess and towards the changeling. Shadows from the windows, from the stairs, all encroaching upon the lone enemy. They began to rise up, taking shape and form to swirl violently around Chrysalis. A burning maelstrom of the darkest void enclosing upon the decaying mare. She could feel the cold, the unending blackness.

"To the shadows with you, demon!" snarled Luna, those burning white eyes the only source of light in the room.

With a flash from her horn, the evil Queen burst into a green pillar of dark flame, shooting past Luna and out the door in retreat. With the disappearance of Chrysalis, the lifeless Dash slumped to the floor. The darkness slowly began to recede, the shadows began to fade and the Princess was left to attend to the pegasus she had saved.

It was some time before Dash's vitality would return to her, weighty lids barely able to slide back open. Her head was pounding, flesh uncomfortably hot from the dark magical influence she was subjected too. Sight was still hazy, unable to make out who was beside her...who was holding her.

"Hey, welcome back to the world," half joked the blue mare holding her. The voice was familiar, very feminine and at the same time very authoritative. Like a Commander or a drill instructor. That blue on her body didn't look like fur, seeming too flat and with noticeable creases at the joints. It was a flight suit.

If she weren't half way out of reality, Dash would have been screaming and screeching. Spitfire gave a bright smile, forelegs delicately cradling Dash from beneath as she tried will her back onto her hooves.

"Come on, up and at'em Rainbow Dash," ordered the Wonderbolt Captain as she tried to keep Rainbow stable. Luna stood behind the pair, face subtlety showing concern for the rainbow pony's recovery.

Rainbow was still held up by Spitfire, her legs feeling like jelly, "Princess Luna, she has Twilight...and Rarity."

"She has Twilight Sparkle?" repeated the dark princess, her expression turning to a frown, "She has a great source of magical power. I was right to call the Wonderbolts."

"Princess Luna, are you sure we would not alert your Sister?" asked Spitfire once more, as if the idea seemed not even worth asking.

"No! I can handle this situation. Last time my sister was up against the changeling Queen, she lost. And without Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, we cannot use the Elements of Harmony."

Luna's tone seemed to show a little anger, as if she was using this crisis to prove herself.

"Princess Luna!" called Soarin' as he galloped through the doorway, "There is a strange glow coming from the Everfree Forest. Some ponies said the flame had headed that way!"