The night in Ponyville seemed like any other. The quiet hills and the lovely stars above courtesy of Luna were making for a wonderful spring evening. Sadly, in this serene silence, a cry followed by sounds of drops falling onto a river interrupted it. A cyan pegasus was on the side of the bridge, with her head between her hands, trembling in defeat.
“Why does she not love me?! It’s not fair, it’s not!” the mare cried, her rainbow mane a dirty mess, as she banged her fist on the handrail. Her jeans seemed to be teared, and her sneakers full of mud. She had just ran from the farm, not even thinking to fly away.
Only after all her tears were spent did Rainbow Dash move from her spot, and slowly fly to her home in Cloudsdale. She wondered why she bothered though, as her heart and soul were on the ground, in tatters just outside Apple Acres. After many years, she had finally come clean to Applejack, as how every challenge she had given her, every fight they had was just an excuse to keep coming back to see her, to see the mare she had fallen in love with.
And that night, as she smiled sheepishly and timidly, the one moment when she layed down her guard, she was shot down. Applejack had said no, honest as ever. The blond mare looked sincere in apologizing in not feeling that way, but it mattered little.
Dash opened the door to her home, and not bothering to close the door, laid onto her bed, face down. She thought about Applejack, herself, the other gals, and their friendship. They had a visit to The Crystal Empire in a few days, and she could only chuckle sarcastically. The train ride was going to be a lot quieter, that was for sure.
The doors finally opened and Dash was first off the train, trotting ahead past the people waiting to greet them. As she’d expected, the train ride had been quiet. AJ wasn’t in a speaking mood, which convinced Pinkie something was wrong, until finally Dash had snapped at her, leaving Fluttershy to pick up the pieces.
Now she just wanted to get some space from the girls before she had to meet them at the palace tonight. Already she’d taken a few turns and gotten herself far away from the others. She began to grind her teeth as she fumed about AJ, how she could just stand there and be so brutally honest when she’d opened herself up.
Years of hanging out on the farm, adventures, and her love all shot down by a single word: no. Part of her wanted to make sure Applejack would never say no again, it was a vile word that hurt more than she could ever know.
As she wandered around town, content in the fact she was lost, Dash thought about how to win AJ back. Maybe she just hadn’t been with a mare before, or it had something to do with her upbringing? If Dash could find a way to get through to her…
No, it wasn’t going to happen. Dash had to think of something better, something that would prove how much she loved Applejack or life just wasn’t worth living.
As she was lost in her thoughts, a faint sound of vibrating crystal caught her ear. It was a peculiar buzz that was alien, yet very enticing. As an odd sensation as it was, she had to follow it. Her steps were now in tune to the buzz, each one increasing its volume. Only until Dash had reached the end of the alley, and right behind the last house, did she see it.
A pedestal made out of purple crystal, seemingly out of place, with a smaller spear-like one on it, black and pulsating. Common sense would be to run, and find a guard, or even Twilight, but in her distraught state and with the allure of the shiny carbon, Dash opted for her usual tactic of going towards it, hell or high water.
The dark crystal approved it seemingly, it’s cycle increasing in speed and power. Only as Dash was in grabbing distance, did the pattern change.
“Yes…” a booming voice came from the alien artifact, making Dash’s heart skip a beat, not to mention making her jump back.
“Ah! What are you?!” Dash screamed, her cockiness disappearing in an instant.
“I was… a unicorn. Now… I am power.” the voice continued, his gravitas not lost on Dash.
In that moment Dash pierced it together. Only one stallion had such dark power in The Crystal Empire, and she and her friends had defeated him a couple years ago.
“Sombra, you fiend! Get away from me!” Dash growled, her posture becoming defensive.
“I was… I am no longer a man. I am power… power that you called…”
“I don’t want anything from you.” Dash replied, her resolve still there, but the scream gone.
“... You are right. It is her that you desire.” the voice continued on, never wavering.
Dash’s reply stopped, as her mouth became dry. There was truth in those words, but how would Sombra know, or whatever the rock was.
“... She can be yours, yours forever.”
Words, like swords into Dash’s resolve, stabbed right into her desires. She wanted Applejack, more than life itself.
“... What do you want from me?” she said coldly, knowing it was the wrong way, but seemingly the only one.
" I ask from you everything, and I will give you everything."
"Everything?" Dash asked, the notion giving her some dread, but the voice and the power she felt from the crystal making it impossible to completely come back to her senses.
"Your body, your soul, your existence. My power, your mind, melding into one being of dark magic..." the voice echoed as Dash's mouth became dry with forbidden ideas.
"... I... I want her. I need her. I will have her."
"No." the voice replied coldly.
"...No?" Dash asked, her need desperate, and obvious for the voice to see.
"...We shall have her." the voice explained, making Dash look down.
The silence following it was like a heavy fog, clouding even the loyalest of hearts, and the purest of spirits. A million combinations began to interchange in Dash’s mind. There were better ones, sane ones and even ones where she had given up. But none of those were right here in front of her, giving her heart’s deepest desire.
"...As long she not someone elses. Ever." she said in her usual cocky way, hiding her fear and desperation.
"... It will be so pegasi."
"Yes."
As Dash released the sound from her lips, the crystal jammed right into her heart. Dash began to cough blood immediately, the sharp behemoth making her drop to her knees. The alley faded to black, as her mind began to lose oxygen, and her blood spilling onto the crystal floor. With her dying breath she pictured Applejack, and smiled. All for her, her or oblivion.
Her heart stopped, only to pulsate with the crystal after it. One beat, then another.The dark entity began to slowly melt, into her heart as it too became dark. Her once clear eyes became green, fire erupting from it. Thoughts, names, ponies melted into a chaotic scene, with only Applejack as the constant. Dark desires of a stallion defeated melted with the perverted ideas of a mare that wanted only one thing. Friendship, loyalty gave way to possession and lust. The scene of death lingered for a few more moments, only for the open wound to heal. The young mare stood up, and smiled wickedly. her fangs gleaming as she smiled.
"Applejack...." the mare said, her voice still feminine, but now booming with dark authority.
Dash opened her eyes and look at her arms. Her vision seemed more crisp and clear, but she still looked the same. Power was surging through her body and she became aware of an additional sense she had gained, that felt the currents of magic all around her. She felt her head but there was no horn, so instead she closed her eyes and focused on it.
The energy was intoxicating and exhilarating. With all her willpower she focused on absorbing this magic, letting it flow into her, change her, into what she truly had become. Slowly she felt her skin go cold as if immersed in a river, the change washing over her body from head to tail. Her fur was tucked inward as if putting on a flight suit, and then seemed to vanish completely. A sense of compression replaced her fur, cool but rapidly warming. Dash recognized the feeling as rubber, shuddering as the transformation continued to consume her.
As the shadowbolt suit fused to her skin she began to feel aroused, picturing Applejack in her mind and how she would have no choice now but to submit. The suit finished sealing itself around her ass, hiding her old cutie marks forever, and folded inward against her womanhood, sending a shiver down her spine.
Dash opened her eyes once more, only that name seemed out of place for her. The sight before her was one she had only seen once before, that of a Shadowbolt. She’d based a nightmare night costume off it, but had never expected to truly become one. From deep in her belly she began to laugh, flexing her wings which felt more powerful as she shot into the air.
With her new body she was gone, high into the clouds, before anypony nearby could catch a glimpse of her. She couldn't resist the urge to see just how fast she could go. As she sped up, her suit seemed to split the air with ease, turning the wind to the side as she raced towards the horizon.
As the familiar feeling of breaking the sound barrier came upon her she began to turn back towards the empire. Dash couldn't wait to see what this looked like, and dove towards the ground.
There was a large explosion, a rolling thunder that shook the trees on the ground. Lightning sprang forth, igniting the trees it hit on fire. Dash skidded to a halt and looked back at what she had created, and smiled.
“It seems Dash’s time has passed. Applejack will be property of The Shadowbolts.” she mused to herself, the dark cloud she had created seemingly purring in agreement.
Author's Note
This lovely tale of love, corruption, devotion and dominance is coming from yours truly and the lovely Kaidan! She is a lovely writer, and we had a lot of fun writing together, especially the next chapter...
