Once a Hero

The Crystal Castle

With a loud 'Thunk', the cyan pegasus collided with the pillar and slumped to the floor, unconscious. Blood trickled down her hooves to the floor.

Twilight turned to confront the attacker, and almost ran into her brother. Shining Armor's horn was smoldering. The guards were spilling into the top floor behind him.

"We came as fast as we could, how are the others?"

Shining Armor motioned for the guards to bind Rainbow Dash. Twilight hurriedly stood between them and the unconscious mare.

"She's alright now. Discord was decieving her with his tricks. I don't know about the others, though"

Shining Armor visibly relaxed. The guards drew back and focused on untying the others.

"They are just knocked out, sir. No serious damage was done."

Shining Armor nodded.

"Very well, We'll proceed to Canterlo-"

Something on the ground caught Shining's eye. A red cone shaped object was sparking on the crystal floor. A dark mist was swirling around it.

"Sir..? Sir?!"

Shining Armor froze as a outline of a pony began to show in the mist. Deep laughter echoed. He would recognize that voice anywhere. He panicked

"Everypony! Evacuate the Castle, NOW!"

The royal guards were trained to avoid panic at all costs. But, so was Shining Armor. The sight of their captain panicking was enough to make the bravest guard shudder in fear.

"Grab the unconscious ponies! GO! GO! GO!"

The entire group scrambled for the stairs, pegasi immediately taking to the sky. Twilight was about to take off, when she noticed her brother was still standing. She decided to wait for her brother.

Five earth ponies picked up the unconscious mares, and put them across their backs. Shining Armor was the last one to leave the floor, with one blast of energy at the mist for good measure.

Twilight hurried down, she had recognized Sombra's voice also, and she was scared. The crystal heart was nowhere near them. There was no way they could defeat them.

Shining Armor noticed that the five earth ponies were significantly slowed down by their knocked out passengers. He checked his back nervously.

All the mist seemed to contract into a small dark ball at the tip of the tower. He gulped and urged the  guards to move faster.

There was a loud BOOM as the ball exploded outwards in a wave of dark magic.

Twilight shut her eyes, as Shining Armor constructed a barrier spell.

The wave collided.

A roaring noise echoed in Twilight's ears as she fainted.

A few hours later

Canterlot Hospital

Twilight woke up in a white room. Shining Armor smiled weakly.

"Feeling better, Twily?"

"Yeah, I guess"

Twilight groaned as she sat up.

"So, I guess your barrier worked?"

"Yeah, It did. But.. Twi, I could only protect you and me from the wave. Soo-"

Twilight felt a hammer smash her stomach. Shining Armor avoided her gaze.

"No.. No.. NO..!"

"I..I'm really sorry, Twi"

"So.. Are they all.. De-"

"Nono, not like that. They've been.. taken"

A terrible thought occured to Twilight. What if they were all wiped of their memories. What if they came back as villains? Like Rainbow did?

Wait.

Rainbow.

What if Discord didn't know she was back to normal?

Twilight gulped.

Rainbow Dash was their only chance.

Around Midnight

The depths of the Everfree

Applejack was the first to wake up from her coma. Apparently they were in some sort of cage. She tried bucking the bars, but they were too strong. A cluster of trees and bushes surrounded the outside of the cage.

"Looks like we're in the middle of the Everfree"

Fluttershy muttered. Her chest was still sore, from where her former best friend had bucked her.

Rarity wasn't whining about the dirty cage for a change. Applejack almost missed the dressmakers constant whining. Pinkie was oddly silent, her mane flat instead of her poofy self.

"Pinkie, darling.. Are y..."

Pinkie twitched as she rocked back and forth. Tears welled in her eyes as she whimpered.

"I miss my Dashieeee....sniff sniff "

Applejack moved in to comfort the pink pony. Fluttershy reached through the bars and felt the ground.

"It's dry, it must be the Appleloosa part of the forest. Maybe I could call the bi-"

"Forget it Flutters, Sombra, Chysalis and Discord are around here. We can't get any help from the outside"

Applejack slumped against the walls of the cage.

"Uh.. I can help"

Rainbow Dash emerged from a bush with a hopefull expression.

Applejack snorted.

"Yeah, we're not gonna fall for that, twice."

Rainbow Dash approached the cage. Her expression turning to one of genuine sadness.

"I.. Applejack, I'm really sorry about what I've do-"

"But being sorry won't change anything would it?"

Rainbow hung her head, lost for words.

"We trusted you, you were our friend Dash. And you betrayed us"

Applejack continued, coldly.

Rainbow was now right in front of the bars. She tried again to convice the stubborn farmer.

"I.. Discord was decieving me.. It.. I.. didn't.. He.. Look, I'm really sorry. Please.. trust me.."

Applejack turned away.

Rainbow turned to Rarity.

"Rarity, I.. I'm speaking the truth! I didn't mean anythi-"

Rarity ignored the pegasus's pleads. Rainbow was practically begging now, tears flowing from her eyes. She could barely string the words together to make a sentence.

"Pinkie, I.. you trust me.., right?.. I Pinkie Promise that's the truth! Please..?"

"Dashie.. I.. I... really wanna trust you, but.. I really can't. I'm really sorry for this!"

"Don't be"

Applejack remarked coldly.

Heart breaking, Rainbow Dash turned to her best friend. She would understand, she would trust her.

"Fluttersh-"

"No"

That single word stabbed Dash's heart like a knife. Rainbow stumbled, tears blurring her vision, before backing away  from the cage.

A minute of silence passed before Pinkie opened her mouth.

"She.. seemed really sorry. Maybe she was really under a spell? "

Applejack sighed.

"I really want to trust her, Pinkie. I really do. I'm just.. scared that... that.."

"That your heart just couldn't take more, and you're afraid she'd betray us again."

Rarity finished for her.

"Yes, Exactly"

Somewhere next to the Cage

Rainbow wiped her tears in the stream flowing by. They didn't believe her. She didn't blame them.

Rainbow made sure, her eyes looked normal. She trotted to the meeting, Discord had arranged for that night.

"Ah, there's the mare herself"

Discord nodded with a grin as the pegasus arrived. Chrysalis still seemed wary of the mare, and watched her every move with suspicion. Rainbow noticed a new member of the group.

"Thank you for my release"

Sombra commented. Rainbow still wasn't used to Sombra speaking in a normal voice. He had claimed he only used his demonic voice for theatrics.

"Uhh, You're welcome. I guess?"

Rainbow grinned back, trying to press the urge to punch the king is his face.

She asked Discord casually.

"So, What are we gonna do with the captives?"

Chrysalis answered for her.

"He is planning to corrupt them, and change them to our side"

"Then there would be nothing that could stop us!"

Discord laughed. Sombra leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"You really need to work on your evil laugh"

Chrysalis groaned.

"Like yours is any better. Your voice sounds horrible"

Rainbow gulped. Discord was planning to corrupt her friends.

She had to save them.

But how..?

Next morning

The Cage

The ponies were forced awake by the icy water. They opened their eyes to see Discord gloating ouside the cage.

"What do you want, Discord"

"Oh, nothing special. I'm just here to tell you your schedule for today."

Discord suddenly reappeared in a secretary's uniform.

"We have Mind-sweeping courses after lunch. Applejack will be first, Fluttershy is ne-"

"Wait, wait. Mind sweeping?"

Rarity exclaimed.

"Oh, yes. Mind sweeping. You'll be helping me by the end of the day"

"So, Rainbow Dash is.. she..?"

Discord chuckled.

"Yes, yes. She's wiped. She's completely evil now, if you hadn't noticed."

The ponies exchanged glances. Rainbow was telling the truth. And if she was trying to break them out.

She had only a few hours to go.

It didn't take too long for Rainbow to burst out of the woods, after Discord left.

"Girls! You gotta believe me! Discords planning on corrupting all of you!"

"We know. He's planning on it after lunch"

Fluttershy muttered.

"It's sure good to have you back, Rainbow. We honestly though you were gone for good"

Applejack smiled weakly.

"And I'm sorry for not trusting ya earlier"

Rainbow sighed.

"I don't blame you. But, we really need to work out our escape plan."

Pinkie's mane inflated a little bit.

"Okie-dokie-lokie"

Canterlot

Celestia paced nervously. Twilight watched the princess anxiously.

"She'll have to be back soon"

Celestia checked the window for the 137th time. Finally, a blue alicorn soared through the window and landed.

"Did you find anything..?"

Celestia asked nervously.

"I think they may be in the Everyfree forest. I saw a few changelings here and there"

Luna replied.

"But, the Everfree is enormous!"

Twilight exclaimed.

"Well, it's a start"

Celestia nodded grimly.

The Cage

"We'd need a diversion"

Applejack exclaimed after a few minutes of discussing. The others agreed.

"If only I had my party cannon, I could create a party diversion!"

Pinkie was almost back to her normal self. Fluttershy giggled.

"I could create a diversion"

Rainbow Dash added thoughtfully.

"But, that would mean you'll be left behind, darling"

Rarity frowned.

"We are not leaving you"

Applejack agreed. Rainbow objected.

"I have to, It's the only chance we've got"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to object. But, Rainbow Dash cut her off.

"Besides, nopony can create a diversion as big as my Rainboom"

An unexpected voice suddenly joined the conversation, causing the others to jump in alarm.

"Now, to that I must object, I'm sure my spells have more effect"