They were off!
Rainbow Dash and the two camp bullies tore from the starting line with lightning speed. Deftly they soared through the series of cloud rings placed throughout the sky at breakneck speed, as fast as their little wings could carry them. Rainbow easily took the lead, driven as much by the thrill of the race as the need to defend Fluttershy from these two jerks. She had to win. There was no other option.
She glanced back for a moment just in time to see the one in the rear completely miss the next ring, plunging headfirst into one of the cloud pillars surrounding the track. She smirked confidently. This was almost too easy.
Just as she was really getting into the ecstasy of flight, the remaining competitor came shooting in from the side, colliding painfully with Rainbow and knocking her off course. "Heh! Later, Rainbow crash!" he jeered as he tore towards the finish.
"Hey!" Rainbow yelped indignantly, regaining her bearings. Nopony messes with me! She gritted her teeth, folding back her wings and diving headfirst towards the final ring. Time to get serious!
She blew past the mean colt in a blur of color, sending him spiraling out of control with the force of her passage. Barely able to keep her eyes open as the wind whipped against her face, she saw a distortion forming in the air before her as she flew faster than anypony had ever flown before. Just that last ring, and then her momentum would carry her all the way to the finish. Closer and closer she sped toward victory, the distortion flexing into a sharp point as she pushed with all her strength...
*twitch*
That was all she felt as a loose flight feather separated from her right wing and sailed off to parts unknown. Betrayed by her errant primary, she was taken forcefully by the rushing wind and hurled, spinning helplessly, into the ground.
She lay, in muddled confusion and pain, for what felt like hours. She was only slightly aware of the camp medics falling to earth next to her, bearing her away on a stretcher, towards the hospital. Broke both wings, she barely made out from one of the medics. At that speed, it's a wonder she's still alive, another said.
She slipped away into unconsciousness, a tear rolling down her face at a single, glaring truth.
She had lost.
~~~
"Cock-a-doodle doo," Applejack called mournfully from her second story bedroom window as the sun rose over the Manehattan skyline. She could just make out the shapes of the buildings back home in Ponyville on the horizon. "Oh, I wonder what Granny Smith and Big Macintosh are up to... I'll bet they're applebuckin' their way through the red delicious trees. What I wouldn't give for just one bite!"
She sighed, gazing out into the empty streets of the big city. Save for one or two early risers, most ponies were still only just waking up. How am I ever gonna fit in here? Everypony dresses so fancy, talks so fancy, thinks so different! And the meals! Her stomach growled as if in emphasis, the meager portions of the previous night not nearly enough for the workhorse.
Chin up, Applejack, she thought to herself, taking a deep breath and looking once more at the bright sunrise. It's a brand new day. There's still so much more of the city you haven't seen yet! There are sure to be ponies around here you can get along with!
She smiled confidently, striding towards her door. If anypony can make a livin' here, it's you. And besides, you can still go and visit home every once in a while.
Another growl. She grinned sheepishly. Well, a little breakfast couldn't hurt. I am a mite peckish.
~~~
"I love everything!" Sang Fluttershy in an uncharacteristically loud voice, surrounded by animals of all shapes and sizes. She beamed widely. Mere moments ago, she thought her life was over as she fell to the strange world beneath the clouds, wings paralyzed by fear. But this was so much better than she could've dreamed! They were all so friendly! So cute! Totally unlike those bullies up at flight camp. Except for Rainbow Dash...
Rainbow Dash, she thought, a pang of concern now rising for her friend. What happened to the race? Did she win? Oh, she's probably looking for me, she must be so worried...
She smiled sadly at her new little friends. "I'm so sorry to leave you so soon after meeting you, but I have to go back now. I have to tell them I'm all right."
A sudden tug on her mane caught her attention, and she looked down to see a tiny white bunny with huge, shimmering eyes. Her heart nearly melted at the sight of the little angel. "Oh, I wish I could take you with me, but the clouds are no place for a baby bunny. Please don't cry," She nuzzled its face, drying its eyes. "I'll come back and see you when I get the chance, okay?"
Regretfully, she turned and took to the sky.
~~~
THUD
The little white unicorn filly bounced painfully off of the monolithic edifice her horn had led her to. Wincing, she stood and beheld her destiny.
"A rock?!" she shrieked indignantly. "That's my destiny?! What is your problem, horn? I followed you all the way out here for a rock?!" She growled in fury. "Dumb rock! Now I have to walk all the way back to Ponyville with nothing to show for it! There's no way I can finish those costumes in time now!" Gritting her teeth, she began her long trek home.
Suddenly, a flicker of motion in the corner of her eye. Rarity whirled about to see--
Nothing. She blinked. What the hay. this day just keeps getting better. Once more, she turned and resumed walking.
~~~
"I'm sorry I wasted your time." The little purple unicorn slumped sadly to the floor, utterly spent, a tear of frustration and misery forming in her eye. She'd never come across anything like this in her books! How could they expect anypony, let alone a little filly, to know how to hatch a dragon's egg?
"Next!" called the examiner, and Twilight ran tearfully back to her parents, Wrapping them both in a powerful hug and trying not to cry.
"It's all right sweetie," Her mother spoke soothingly. "You did your best. You are our daughter, and we will always be proud of you."
Twilight sniffled. "But I failed! What am I supposed to do now?!"
"Just keep practicing your magic and studying your books, just like you've been doing so well." Her father smiled reassuringly. "You know Shining started out just like you, and look how he turned out! You'll get it next time, I'm sure!" He reached down and dried her eyes with a hoof, and she smiled slightly. "Tell you what, let's stop by the library on the way home, okay?"
"Okay," she sniffled, grinning a bit more now as they left the classroom.
~~~
It was another quiet, dreary day on the rock farm as the Pie family worked in silence. Rocks jutted from the cold, hard earth, ready to be harvested and shipped to construction sites around Ponyville.
Pinkamena Diane Pie sighed to herself as she rolled small rocks into a little pile of her own. She and her sisters were too small to move the bigger rocks yet, so she picked up the little ones her parents had missed on their last pass through the field.
Ponyville. It looked so bright. So colorful. So happy. She'd only been there once or twice to help deliver some particularly large shipments of loose stone and pebbles. What she'd seen had been wonderful, and only made life on the plain, boring farm all the more unbearable.
She'd made a promise to herself, that when she got bigger, able to take care of herself, she'd move into Ponyville and be a part of that colorful, vibrant community. No more hauling rocks for her!
But until that day... she farmed. Day in and day out. In silence. Alone.
She sighed deeply.
~~~
"Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last." Nightmare moon chuckled evilly, the swirling mists of dark magic shrouding her form. "From this moment forth, the night will last forever!"
"No."
The jet black mare spun to face the speaker, and her eyes widened in terror. There before her stood Celestia, Princess of the Sun and ruler of Equestria... and her sister.
"It has been a long time, Celestia," sneered Nightmare Moon, regaining her composure. "A thousand years to the day since you imprisoned me within the Moon!" She grinned wickedly. "But what's this? Those accursed Elements... They've turned to stone! What do you plan to do with those? Bludgeon me to death?"
Indeed, there hovered five stone spheres alongside the Princess, each emblazoned with a cryptic symbol, but otherwise unremarkable.
"Always so caught up in appearance..." Celestia spoke softly, sadly. "You haven't changed at all, my sister. We were meant to rule together, as equals. Neither Sun nor Moon holds greater importance over the other. With my light I sustain life, and with yours the night is safe. Monsters shun the light of the moon, that is why it is necessary. You know this... you used to know this."
"And yet they chose to fear my night, not to love it!" Shrieked the Nightmare, lightning flashing dramatically around the eternal pair. "I say let them fear it! I will show them the true terrors of the night! Then will they turn to the moon and love it! It's too late for you, Celestia!" She grinned triumphantly. "It's too late for everypony!"
"Then I am truly sorry that I must do this... again." Celestia closed her eyes, igniting her horn with brilliant, golden light, bright as the sun she guided. The orbs around her shattered, revealing the beautiful, glittering gemstones of Harmony within. Her eyes opened, a burning, blazing white as she rose into the air.
The nightmare faltered, eyes wide once more in abject horror. "No! You will not defeat me again!" A prismatic beam of light erupted from Celestia's horn, wrapping Nightmare Moon in a cocoon of light. "Nooo!!!" She screamed as she was flung to the heavens, and the image of the alicorn appeared on the lunar surface once more.
The ponies of Ponyville, who had until this point been shuddering in silent fear, erupted in tumultuous praise and celebration. The Princess had saved Equestria once again, and the sun rose to mark the new day.
And yet, there was no cheer in Celestia's heart. She said her goodbyes and spread her wings, taking off towards her glorious palace in Canterlot. She lit on her balcony and closed her door, instructing the guards to leave.
And there, in the solitude of the moment, she wept for her lost sister.
~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTE
There you have it. A single event prevents the rainboom from ever happening, leading up to Luna's continued imprisonment. I'd like to think this is an original thought, but it probably isn't.
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe, the horse was lost, and so on and so forth. I'm kind of unsure if the mane six would get different cutie marks entirely, or just take longer to get them. Either way, an interesting concept.
Comment, criticize, whatever. Just let me know what you think.
And I'll try to hurry up with the Tale of Flux, but I'm starting a new job soon, so we'll see.
