The Last Hope Ch1
Chapter 1
Rainbow Dash woke up in the middle of the night, terrified eyes surveyed the room. She was in her bedroom. Not that horrible place the "voice" called her dreams. She tried to go back to sleep, within an hour, she succeeded. Not caring about the voice, or the nightmares. She just wanted peace.
She woke up that morning, her magenta eyes slowly opening to the safety of light. Realizing that it was day, she hopped out of bed to make some breakfast.
The clock read 9:37 AM. Rainbow Dash was happy that she hadn't missed even half of that day, even after the mostly restless night.
"I can't repeat last night"
she said to herself, hoping she was right. Tank was making his slow way to the table so that he could also get something to eat. Slowly he walked, slowly he blinked, slowly he smiled, but quickly and knowingly his mind worked, probably the quickest part of his body. He took note of Rainbow Dash's state of discomfort. Trying to be a good friend, he waddled over to her, and nuzzled her hoof, trying to comfort her.
"Was it in vein?"
He thought. Being able to think in the pony language while still not being able to speak it had it's pros, and... Cons.
"I.. I don't know how these dreams... No... Nightmares, started, Tank. I don't know how to deal with them either, they feel so real, but I know they're not."
She said, voice slightly trembling.
"I just want them to go away."
Tank could see his plan worked. He had shown that loving gesture to get Rainbow to share her feelings and concerns with him. He was proud that he could be of some use as what he called "a good friend".
After the both of them had breakfast, Rainbow went into town. Flying from her cloudhouse, she could see no one. The entirety of Ponyville was completely deserted. The barren wasteland was almost too plain for even a tumbleweed. No noises, no living things, nothing.
"What's going on?"
She thought to herself. Then she saw it. All of the buildings... some scorched, others plainly abandoned. There was an Erie feeling crossing over Ponyville. It was slowly, but surely, what could only be described as "creeping up on you without making a noise"
Rainbow panicked, not knowing what to do. Ponyville was empty, and was on the verge of being considered abandoned. The only logical thing she could think to do is go to Twilights castle and see if she could get some information. So, off to Twilight's she went.
Trotting through Ponyville instead of flying, just in case there were any ponies that she would've missed if she was airborne, she finally got to Princess Twilight's castle. The new building looked ruined and run down as the rest of the town did. She walked through the door, and found her jaw drop lower than it ever had before. Her sudden surprise wasn't due to happiness or joy, it was due to dread and horror. The castle was completely trashed, with blood coating the walls. Corpses of the royal guard were sprawled across the floor. There were five of them, each killed in a different way. The most gruesome, being the one to the far left. He had multiple stab wounds and was decapitated. Rainbow trudged out the front doors and proceeded to bear her breakfast on the ground before her. She flew as fast as she could to Carousel Boutique, in which she found in the same state. SugarCube corner... Sweet apple acres... Even Fluttershy's cottage. None of her friends were anywhere to be seen, and all of their homes.... Destroyed..... That's when she noticed a heavy fog rolling in.
"Was that scheduled for today?"
She thought to herself.
"What happened? Where are my friends?"
She went to the only place she thought she was remotely safe; home. When she got there, tank was hiding in his shell under the couch. Rainbow didn't notice him at first, but then she checked when she didn't find him anywhere else.
"What's wrong tank?"
She asked. One, green foot came from the shell, and pointed towards the stairs, then quickly retracted back into the tortoise's shell when a loud "BANG!" echoed throughout the house. It came from upstairs. Rainbow didn't want to find out what it was that made that noise, but if she was going to find any clues about what happened overnight, she had to.
Tip-hoofing upstairs, she was met with another jaw dropping sight of horror, all five of her friends were in her house, nearly covered in blood and whatever else they picked up while dragging themselves there.
"How did you get up here?!?"
"KILL ALL UNWORTHY"
They chanted in unison about four times.
Rainbow didn't realize that they had seen her.
"Guys?"
She asked, her voice squeaking. The Five broken elements turned around and looked at her with the largest, most disturbing and most painful looking smiles she had ever seen. When she saw their faces, she cringed, and her ears dropped.
"guys? What are you doing? Are you okay?"
Not a single answer from any of them. They just stood there, staring at her. Rainbow Dash didn't know what to do, but she thought of a plan, a choice. She had made up her mind, run downstairs, grab Tank and her laptop and get out of there. And, she did just that. They flew for what seemed like an eternity to Rainbow Dash, but was barley minutes considering she was flying at over 150 Miles Per Hour. The two of them reached a cave, in between Canterlot and The Griffon Empire. It was a small cave, nothing had been there for quite some time, so she didn't worry about anything lurking in the shadows. She was terrified. She hadn't been in such a situation, EVER.
She was tired, so she went to sleep. The "nightmares" last night, were warning her of something tragic that was going to happen to her today, she didn't listen, she was scared of the voice, the voice didn't know why. When she fell asleep, the voice asked:
"It happened like I said it would, didn't it?"
"Y-yes"
Rainbow responded.
"Was it as I said it would be?"
"Yes"
responded Rainbow, again.
"And-"
The voice was cut off by the cracking voice of the terrified and confused Pegasus.
"YES! Okay, you called it, it happened. Now that you are right, aren't you going to kill me or something?"
She said, slightly angered the voice was trying to get her to say it won.
"What?"
The voice said, slightly confused, but understanding why she said that.
"No. I'm not like that. Was that what you thought I was going to do this whole time?" It chuckled.
"Yeah, it seemed like you were trying to kill me or something"
The speedster said.
"Sorry if I came off like that, I have that affect on ponies sometimes."
The voice laughed nervously, as a pony would while scratching the back of their head awkwardly.
"I.. I'm here to help. Not to harm. You probably need my help anyways, after all, the only other one you've got now is that tortoise of yours. He's a good little guy by the way."
The voice said, sounding very impressed.
"T-thanks"
Rainbow responded, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"By the way, my name is Darkness. I'm a disembodied voice that travels around in ponies minds that are in grave danger, and walks them through how I think to get out of their, ahem... bad situation."
"Darkness?"
Rainbow asked.
"Correct! And I really can't hurt you anyways, I'm only a voice. By the way, if you're wondering, I'm a male."
Darkness said, sounding plainly offended. At what, Rainbow wasn't sure, as she hadn't said a word about it.
"So, do you know what happened to them?"
Rainbow said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Sorry, no. But boy, I wish I did! It seems like your friends have simply gone insane. Any remote truth to that you think?"
Rainbow nodded.
"Yeah, I honestly think so. I wish I could've talked some sense into them though"
the Pegasus replied.
"Maybe you should find out?"
Darkness said.
"WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO??"
Rainbow shouted angrily, Darkness was surprised by the sudden outburst of anger.
"Woah woah woah, I wasn't trying to make demands, just give recommendations."
Darkness said, apologetic as ever.
"I.. I'm sorry... I'm just scared..."
The Pegasus admitted.
"Worth the risk?"
He asked.
"Not at all" Rainbow replied.
"Remember, your choice. Now, wake up, Rainbow Dash, they don't sleep."
just then, she woke up, in the middle of the night, she could make out the entrance of the cave, but just barely.
"Wow, that was so surreal"
she silently said to herself.
"But I know it wasn't real, and I need to stay strong if I'm going to survive. "Darkness" as he called himself, sounded friendly, not like last night."
She looked back, at her tail, and Tank was laying on it, sleeping like a foal.
"What are we going to do tank?"
Just then, the tortoise popped his head out of his shell, gave Rainbow an empathetic look, then smiled. Rainbow smiled too.
"I love you buddy"
she said to her green friend. Tank had the heart of a lover and he would try to comfort his best friend.
Rainbow Dash found herself talking to the voice again. "Darkness" as he called himself.
He had warned her of the dangers of today, he deserved SOME credit. He told her to watch out, he hadn't said much fresh of that, but still, he had told her.
There was little hope, Rainbow thought that her friends would surely try to kill her if she went near them, so she just stayed away.
Rainbow had wanted to go to the princesses badly, but was unsure of what would happen if they thought that she was slipping into insanity. Surely not a dream, she felt it all to real.
"What now?"
Rainbow asked, unsure of when she would find her answer. Soon, the sun rose, and it was another sunny day full of clear skies even though most Pegasus ponies were missing.
Rainbow Dash stood up, stretching out her legs and wings before grabbing tank and trotting out of the cave.
She had slept through the night, not remembering falling back asleep after Darnkess had woken her up. He was on her side, that was very clear.
Rainbow flew to the only place she deemed the crazed killers had most likely not been yet, the Crystal Empire. There, it looked normal, all of the princesses were there too, Rainbow could see Celestia and Cadence talking near the crystal heart, and Luna watching over the empire from a balcony.
Another pony caught her eye, it was Fluttershy.
"How is this possible?"
She asked herself. Rainbow flew down to Fluttershy.
The speedster landed behind the yellow mare with an audible thud. This sudden noise made the mare squeak and jump ten feet in the air.
"Hey Fluttershy"
Rainbow said, happy to see her friend.
"Oh, um, Hi Rainbow Dash..."
Was all the terrified pony could get out before getting her bearings and standing back up.
"What are you doing here? Where are the others? Are you guys okay?!?"
Rainbow frantically asked.
"Um, yes. We are all here, we told you that we were going to the Crystal Empire, you said you wanted to stay home because you had things to do in Ponyville today, so we just left without you, expecting you to catch up when all your duties were finished"
The yellow Pegasus said.
"B..but...I... WHAT?"
Rainbow Squeaked out.
"A...are you okay Rainbow?"
The timid flyer asked.
"I don't know, I'm so confused...."
The blue mare said.
"Why?"
Fluttershy asked.
"I.....I saw you guys in Ponyville! You were all insane and you were destroying my whole house!!"
Rainbow said, her voice cracking like never before.
"W...what? The five of us are here though, what'd you see?"
The Pegasus asked Rainbow, unsure if she was ready for her answer.
"All the blood..... All of the death....."
Rainbow said blankly.
Fluttershy looked at tank,
"Is this true?"
The tortoise nodded to confirm her worst fears.
"B....but..."
Was all the yellow mare could squeak out.
"You need to go tell the princess!"
Fluttershy said, Rainbow agreeing, flying up into the air and shooting toward the center of town, leaving the yellow mare to wonder what happened in Ponyville by herself.
After telling everyone she knew, Rainbow had got the word out, and it was confirmed by tank every time, with all her friends knowing he became sad whenever somepony lied.
"We need to save Ponyville! Or... What is left of it..."
Applejack said, Shaking violently.
"If we're here, and you saw us there... Could there be evil doubles of us?"
Twilight said, honestly terrified.
"If there is, than I have no way of knowing what they are capable of."
Celestia said, in a grim, serious tone.
"That's not good."
Rainbow heard in her head.
"If none of the princesses know what to do, it looks like I'll be here for awhile."
Darkness said, with a slightly sarcastic laugh present with his words.
The next day
"Wow, no information yet?"
Princess Twilight said.
"Nope! None..."
Spike said, slightly angered.
"Hey guys, any news yet?"
A voice came from the hallway.
"No Rainbow.. I'm sorry we can't help!"
Twilight said with a sad expression.
"It's alright, I'll just have to find some way to get back to Ponyville alive."
"Why are you going back?"
Spike asked.
"Because spike, we have to save Ponyville."
Rainbow responded.
The nervous tension between all the six friends was growing. There was Fluttershy, who was cowering in a corner, afraid for her animals, Rarity, who was worried about Sweetie Belle, Applejack, who was terrified for her family, Pinkie Pie, who was worried about the cakes, Twilight, who was just terrified because everypony else was, and then there was Rainbow. Scared and scarred, from the sights of all of her insane friends, the trashed castle... And those god damned smiles.... those smiles that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
Or what's left of her life.