Silent Night

Three months had gone by since the wedding.

Luna staggered towards the window, eyes watering and her legs buckling.

"Help... Me..." She whispered to apparently nopony. Her back legs gave out and she collapsed, a fresh wave of tears flowing down her face. One forehoof extended towards the door and attempted to use her horn again. There was a spark and then a hiss as it went out. She whimpered and dragged herself forwards, forelegs shaking and wet with sweat. Her hooves pushed the doors open and she felt cold night air hit her face. Another bout of agony struck her and she rolled onto her back with a scream of pain that split the peaceful air.

"HELP. ME." Nothing happened, nopony came to the Princess's rescue.

DISCORD! Why did you have to go out!?

She tried magic again and this time managed the easiest spell she knew. Her eyes flashed white and her mind steeled as she conjured up the message in her mind. Her horn flashed and a stream of purple flew from her horn, past her city and into a large patch of clouds. She wailed again and kicked out her back legs, smashing the glass doors. Her hooves scrabbled and she found her footing long enough to stagger back into her room before collapsing past the shattered glass and letting the tears flow freely, the occasional moan escaping her lips.

~~~

Rainbow Dash felt something zap inside her mind.

Her rose eyes opened and she looked around, mane frizzy and eyes wide.

She saw a small ball of sparking light flashing at the foot of her bed and as her eyes watched, it grew long legs, a head, a flowing mane and tail, wings and a horn. Princess Luna's image was lying on her bed, but she felt nothing. It was a spell projection and she heard small whimpers come from the image.

Luna's head turned to face Rainbow, eyes pleading.

"Rainbow Dash... Help!" The image screamed. "Please Rainbow, Discord is out and I'm at the palace alone!" She wailed, one foreleg extended towards the cyan pegasus before the image went out with a pop!

Rainbow rubbed her vibrant mane, confused before suddenly standing up on her fluffy cloud bed, her figure erect and stiff as a statue. "Princess Luna is in trouble!"

She crouched, extended her wings and took off, a bright trail of color behind her speeding form.

~~~

Luna looked through blurry eyes at the ceiling, her sobs echoing around the room. She heard a whistle of wind and Rainbow Dash appeared in the distance. She won't make it before I pass out. Luna realized, then remembered something.

"The Rainboom!"

She wheezed, voice cracking and tight with pain. She mustered the last of her magical strength, unfurled her wings and blasted them with magic, turning them rainbow and they flashed bright enough for Rainbow to see.

Rainbow Dash saw the blaze of rainbow light. []iYou won't make it in time, I'm/she's about to pass out! Use the Rainboom! Her and Luna's voice rang through her mind at the same time and she put on a burst of speed, a cone of thin white light surrounding her.

Her forelegs came to a point in front of her so she sliced through the air like an axe going through butter. The white light flashed, turning into more colors with each bright glow. Tears flew from Rainbow's eyes and she bucked out with her back legs, pumping her wings harder.

BOOM!

An explosion of rainbow flashed in the sky, making the ears of everypony ring. A brighter trail made up of Rainbow's mane and tail blazed behind her and lit up the night sky. She flashed into the castle, grabbed Luna around the waist and lowered her head, smashing through the wall and soaring across the sky, making a U-turn and flashing back to Cloudsdale and the nearest hospital.