Chapters 01: A Misfortunate Meeting
On a typical day, Rainbow Dash could be seen lazing about in the clouds. Or by some stroke of luck, actually doing her weather duties. Today was different. The daring pony had decided to race around the lands and practice her skills. Maybe even set off a sonic rainboom. The sky was literally the limit.
On her excursion, she noticed something out of place. Ahead of her, a purplish alicorn was also maneuvering through the clouds. Except no one ever came out here. No one except Rainbow Dash.
I wonder who that is? Looks familiar but…nah, it CAN’T be Luna! She smirked and banked left, slowly gaining altitude for a possible sonic rainboom. Yet that thought still nagged her. A princess out here in nowhere. What business could she possibly have?
Ugh, I just have to know! Even if it’s not my business. I could just say I was looking out for her.
Rainbow Dash abandoned the sonic rainboom and declined back to a lower altitude. Of course she had lost sight of the mysterious pony but it wouldn’t be that hard to find her again. Rainbow Dash was fast, fast enough to zip around and locate the subject of her curiosity.
A glimmer just happened to catch her eye down below her some 100 feet. The glint of that same purplish mane. Dash made quick little spirals and alighted smoothly onto a cave ledge. By now the alicorn was nowhere to be seen.
Well there’s nowhere else to hide out here. She probably went into that big, dark, s-scary cave…NO, you are NOT afraid of a cave. You are Rainbow Dash! The fiercest, bravest pony ever! If Princess Luna is in there, it is your, no, MY job to make sure she is safe. Get your hindquarters in there!
Dash dragged her hoof along the ground twice and snorted before yelling, “CHARGE!” and sprinting into the cave.
“Princess Luna! Are you in here? Luuuunnnaaa. Uh, hello? Anyone home? You know, I SAW you come in here. So don’t try and hide.” Dash frowned and tried to peer through the darkness surrounding her. She could just barely see her own hooves beneath her.
Ohmygosh, this is kinda scary. I know I’m supposed to be brave but this is a little too weird…
“WHO DARES INTRUDE UPON OUR BUSINESS?! FURTHERMORE, WHO DARES TO STALK US?!”
“Er, uh, OH! Me, Rainbow Dash! I do! I didn’t know if you were safe or not so I came to check up on you. You know, ‘cause you’re a princess.” Dash grinned meekly, in the hopes that Luna would see her innocence (okay, she was prying) even in this dark cave.
“Oh, is that you, Rainbow Dash? Well I suppose I can let you in on what I’m doing. Just come further into the cave, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, uhhhh okay. If you say so.” As soon as Dash trotted off to find Luna, the cave became illuminated—but the entrance also became sealed by an iron gate. A metal grate slid over the front of it to prevent anyone seeing in. Or out.
Uh oh. This is not looking good. But you’re brave, you can do it!
What Dash didn’t know was that the cave was vastly huge and had many rooms and turnoffs. She rounded the next right and saw Luna patiently waiting for her. Luna looked regal and divine. Her hooves were crossed and her dark mane was flowing.
“I want to take you on a tour of my, er, second home. Yes, I visit this cave frequently. It’s not even really a cave, more like a home. What with all the modern accommodations I’ve made.” Luna looked back at Dash as she walked, a pleasant, somewhat-knowing smile aimed at Dash. Luna giggled slightly and then turned her head back around.
“Oh that sounds great . But uh can we hurry this up? I haven’t cleared my quota of clouds today and I think there’s some big things schedule—.” A purple hoof was jammed into Dash’s mouth, a grim gaze locked onto the mare’s violet eyes. Tension crowded Luna’s face.
“Oh don’t worry about such things. There are plenty of efficient ponies in Cloudsdale that will handle your clouds. One pony missing won’t be noticed.” At this Luna squinted her eyes, her cheeks tilted up into something cunning and mysterious. Suddenly Luna reverted back to her happy, royal self. “Now, come on! We’ve got a lot to see and do, my friend!” She trilled. Her hoofsteps reverberated off the cave walls, sounding light and happy despite the foreboding feeling Dash was getting. She gulped and mustered up some remaining bravado before following after the quirky princess.
As Luna proceeded to show Dash around, the worried feeling in Dash’s stomach continued to grow. She was getting gradually more and more lost with all the twists and turns Luna had her taking. She couldn’t help but suspect that the princess’ mindless babbling and tour was really only to get her stuck in the caves forever. Dash forced her shivers away.
Oh, don’t be silly. She’s not evil anymore!
Lost in her brief thoughts, she didn’t notice that Luna had stopped before the final set of caves, so the flustered pony ran right into her.
“O-oh, I’m so sorry, Lu—!“
“SILENCE, YOUNG MARE! WE ARE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT AND PRIVATE!” Luna loomed over Dash, ominous and angry. Her mane rolled like a thundercloud and seethed just as darkly. The spark of anger and pure violence in her narrowed eyes forced a small squeak out of the cowering Rainbow Dash.
“I said I’m sorry. Come on! I’ll listen, I promise. I promise!” Dash looked into Nightmare Mo—Luna’s eyes. She tried to look back firmly but Luna’s crazed eyes quickly had her looking away. Luna was so close to Dash’s face that her breath tickled the blue pony’s muzzle. Her breath was hot and heavy with anger.
“You are forgiven.” The dark mare backed off of Dash and turned so that she faced both the caves and Dash. Dash noticed the difference in darkness here. It felt more…cold…like it was creeping into your soul. She noticed that it didn’t feel natural. She even caught the strange way that it covered everything, as if hiding secrets. Sweat started to seep into her pelt.
This isn’t right. Its not—natural! I have to get out, and get out fast. B-but Luna is so scary and…dangerous. Besides, she locked the entrance. JUST WHAT THE HAY IS GOING ON HERE?! I can’t stand these bucking caves any longer!
Dash’s frustrations welled up inside of her but she just managed to suppress them. Losing her temper around Luna wouldn’t be good. There was just something off with the formerly villainous princess. Something dark and wild. Untamed and dangerous. Dash did not want to see that side again. Then Luna looked at her with a piercing gaze that forced her to pay attention.
“Listen closely. In these rooms are my secrets. Dark, dark secrets. And you cannot tell my secrets for you have already become one of my secrets and you will take it to your grave. What I show you in these rooms is only for the strong. You are strong. So be prepared. The stronger you are will determine your final activity.” Luna grinned widely, trying to be encouraging. Dash was not buying it though. She was scared. Shaking in her hooves scared. Luna could already tell it was going to be a long, sadistic night…well maybe.
T-t-this ISN’T happening. Princesses just don’t do this! I’m scared and I admit it. I want to leave and go home. I’m tired of these mind games. Sick of it! Please, Celestia, oh please help me. PLEASE!
But her pleas would never be heard. It was already too late the moment she saw Luna on this day.
“Come on, Dashie. I have fun surprises for you!” Luna grinned as she prodded Dash in the side with her horn. “Everyone loves surprises, right? Don’t you want to see it?” Princess Luna was excited. Finally a strong pony to toy with! This was what she had longed for. To destroy the strongest of Equestrian ponies!
“N-nononooo! I don’t want to play this anymore, Luna. I’m done, tired. I wanna go home and, surprisingly, I want to work!” Dash glanced around nervously, quickly. She was very scared and desperately wanted to escape. Except it was impossible and she knew it. But still…
Luna laughed and shouted out in the royal Canterlot voice, “FOOL! WE CANNOT ALLOW YOU TO ESCAPE NOW! WE ARE SORRY THAT YOU DON’T WISH TO PLAY BUT IT WAS NOT YOUR CHOICE!” Luna kicked Rainbow Dash into the nearest room and locked the entrance while Dash enjoyed her ‘surprise’. The indigo mare pounded her hooves in the air. Her laughter boomed throughout the cave system, coming back to her and multiplying so that there was a symphony of evil ponies echoing in the caves.
Suddenly purple magic filled the room, blinding Rainbow Dash. Leather straps ripped out of the ground and tightly bound her legs. A cold metal table slammed into her back and pushed her up and over so that her stomach was facing the ground. Cutlery of all sorts appeared on metal carts that unearthed from the cave floor. It was quiet for a few moments. A dim glow from an unexplained source cast a dreary glow over the assortment of knives. Only Dash’s own frantic, erratic pulse and rapid breathing reverberated off the walls. As she waited and listened, eyeing the darkness at the edges of the cave, her mind began creating all sorts of scary things to fill the void. Adrenaline buzzed through Dash’s veins, making her illusions even more vivid and out of proportion.
Sweat began to drip from her brow, plopping to the dark floor. In the low light, it looked like blood.
“Hello, my little pony. Are you ready for your final surprise? No, don’t answer. Who wouldn’t be excited?!” Princess Luna cantered in, speaking in a way too cheery voice. Dash immediately noticed the new differences in the Princess. White froth clung to the sides of her muzzle. Luna’s eyes were almost twice their normal size and the pupils were so small it seemed as if they were nonexistent. Luna’s legs and body quivered with barely contained excitement. And insanity. The Princess was gone. In her place, a new demon had stepped in.
“Well, if it’s a surprise for me, can’t I choose not to take it?” Dash’s voice came out raspy from fear. She grinned so sheepishly, trying to be endearing. All she wanted was to go home and never leave Cloudsdale.
“Well, no, this isn’t the type of surprise you can opt out of. You must partake in it, Dashie Washie. “ Luna squeezed Dash’s face until her lips puckered out. “Now that we’ve gotten past that, its time I make my preparations.” Purple magic lit up Luna’s horn, which she touched to Dash’s forehead. She found the cracks in Dash’s sanity caused by her earlier trials. In her mind, she prepared a barrage of images to attack Dash with.
“Princess please. You’re really scaring me. I let you have your fun with me but now can we stop? I’ll go home and never tell anyone. Heck, I’ll never leave my house again. No one will find out.” Dash’s voice rose up at the end into a terrified squeak as the images warred with her mind. Bloody and beaten Twilight, the bones jabbing out at all angles out of her mangled flesh. She watched as Luna showed her what she had done to Fluttershy, ripping her legs off, the muscles stretching and then giving a fleshy rip. Strong, honest Applejack had ended up into the shape of a red and bloody apple with her hat sitting on top. A stream of crazy, high laughter mixed with horrid, shrill screams invaded her mind. It could only be Pinkie, and Dash couldn’t fathom what Luna could do to wrench these noises from her. Finally Luna showed her Spike, his skin flayed off with Rarity’s hide replacing his scales, her curly hair sewn to Spike’s tailless rump and bare head.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Rainbow Dash couldn’t take anymore. Hot, burning tears flowed fast and thick from her squeezed shut eyes. They too splattered to the cave floor. Luna backed away while she observed Rainbow Dash’s spirit shatter. After a few minutes of sobbing, relentless screaming, and wing flapping, Dash finally settled down. Well, Dash’s shell. She didn’t look at Luna, only at the floor. No noises were uttered from her. Dash didn’t even move. She was dead inside.
Luna cackled and pounded the salty air with her hooves, her tail and wings lashing out. The excitement was almost too much for her to handle. She listened to her own laughter echo back to her, over and over.
“Let us begin, Dashie dear. I promise, it’ll be soooo much funnnnn! For me aaaand yoouuuuAHAHAHAHA!” The Princess couldn’t help the bout of laughter at the end. When Dash had broken, so had she. Dash didn’t make any sort of reply at all. “Well that’s quite alright. I’m excited enough for booooth of ussss! HEE HEE!”
Princess Luna whipped around and eyed her admirable collection. “No, no….oh not that, I’ll save it for later possibly. Hmm….nope….OOOOOHH how about thiiiiis oooone!” She scooped up a wicked looking blade. Its sharp edge was heavily ridged and it was rather small. Luna wouldn’t get too crazy with this diminutive blade. She had plenty in store and didn’t want it to end too soon. “Now then, let’s proceeeeeed!”
She trotted over to Dash. After careful scrutiny, the Princess finally decided where she should start. At the ends. She would work her way up so that Dash would stay alive the longest possible amount of time. The blade pressed against the base of Dash’s tail. Luna made a small cut to get it started. Dash barely mumbled. This small amount of pain could barely faze her after what her deceased mind had recently been put through. Luna reared her leg back and then slammed the blade forward and into her previous cut. Rainbow fibers fluttered to the ground and tangled with Dash’s tears and blood. Dash was now screaming again. Luna scooped up the bright tail and carefully wove it into a braid. She would deal with it later.
The next part to go was Dash’s mane. Luna loved her rainbow colors and wanted to collect them before they became too dirty. She pulled Dash’s hairs tight, causing Dash to squeak. In one smooth movement, Luna had the dismembered mane for herself. She added it to the tail.
“I think these will look sooooo lovely woven into my own tail and maaaaane. “ Luna spoke to the hair, not at Rainbow Dash. “Now let’s get to the real fun fun fuuuuun!” She spotted a ragged pair of scissors, specifically made so that the blades were uneven and rough. Her purple hooves slipped through the handles. Luna opened the scissors and placed them around Dash’s right ear. Harshly, she opened and closed the scissors several times before Dash’s ear was ripped off. Dash kicked out and nailed Luna in the face. This made her angry. Really angry.
“You shouldn’t have done that! You really shouldn’t have done that!” Luna picked up the ridged blade again and ripped it up and through Dash’s other ear. The blue pony screamed again. “I’ll show you the pain of my wrath!” Luna was now done with that blade. She shoved it brutally into Dash’s wound where her tail used to be. Blood dripped onto Luna’s hooves and forelegs, then onto the ground. She lapped at the blood greedily. Dash was thrashing and writhing again, her screams louder than ever. It hurt Luna’s ears but she enjoyed it.
Luna wheeled around and pushed a cart full of nothing but needles and hammers over to her ‘work area’. She picked up a random assortment of sharp objects and hammered them through Dash’s muzzle in all angles. There would be no more loud screams from Dash. Luna returned the cart and grabbed a syringe filled with acid. She pried Dash’s teary eyes open and carefully inserted the fire liquid. Dash couldn’t keep her mouth closed. It was just that painful. She ripped open her bloody, needled muzzle a few centimeters. Acidic tears flowed into her wounds and mixed with her blood. Dash screamed so loud her voice gave out. It became a raspy noise, barely audible.
Luna had one last final plan for Dash’s head. She grabbed a small knife. It was going to be used as a carving tool. Luna cut out wounds in the shape of Dash’s cutie mark on either cheek. The pieces of flesh slapped to the ground, spraying more blood onto Luna’s hooves. Luna jammed the knife into Dash’s muzzle, cracking her jaw bones. Once blue, now dripping red, Dash’s head was completely changed forever. Laughter echoed around the cave once again.
The Princess grabbed random knives and shoved them through each of Dash’s joints throughout her entire body. Dash could not move anymore. It was as if Luna was reducing Dash to nothing. She could not talk, she could not see, she could just barely hear, and now she couldn’t even move.
Luna spotted a cheese grater close to her and swiped it up. She raked it against all available surfaces of Dash’s body. Flakes of fur, skin, and bloody tissue littered the floor and clung to Luna. She only stopped when there wasn’t any fur left. Dash was now completely red. Her mangled muscles were on fire but she couldn’t express the pain. Luna knew Dash wasn’t going to last much longer. She grabbed a large meat tenderizer and smashed Dash’s wings off. The bones cracked and crumbled. Blood sprayed into Luna’s face, which she licked up. The blue wings fell to the ground where they were trampled. Luna really was trying to destroy Rainbow Dash completely. And she was winning.
“It seems our time together is almost over. So I’ll finish this quickly. I want you to feel the most pain. You darned ponies can never harm or stop me again! For you are the last one alive. And even that is almost at its end!” The evil mare grabbed a rather large butcher knife and ripped it down Dash, starting from her neck to her rump. Blood poured to the ground. Dash’s organs flopped out but still clung to the inside of her body.
Huh, that’s realllyyy oddddd. Even her organs are rainbow colored. Such a shame I’ll have to destroy them! The Princess didn’t care anymore if Dash was alive. Her heart had stopped beating anyways. She ripped all of the colorful organs out with her bare teeth and mashed them between her molars before spitting them into the bloody mess beneath Rainbow Dash. It wasn’t long before the rest of Dash landed on the ground, blood spattering in all directions.
“Look at that. It seems your nickname really is true! You truly are Rainbow CRASH!” The mare laughed carelessly and pounded Dash with her hooves. Bones shattered and ripped through the remainder of her flesh, their fragments flying about. There was one last thing to be done. Princess Luna grabbed a sledgehammer and slammed it into the bloody mess she had destroyed. Blood and flesh flew everywhere under the blows of the hammer. The cave room was covered in destroyed pony parts. When there was nothing left to smash, she dropped the hammer. Her lungs heaved with effort, blood spraying from her nostrils as she breathed. She fell to the ground and laid there. She never got up again. Her corpse rotted into the cave. To this day, the cave is still locked. Nopony was ever able to get inside its strict security. Not even Princess Celestia. There is just one more thing to add to this tale. Written on the walls, in each victims’ blood, there was a message.
“Dear Princess Celestia,
I have learned that friendship isn’t magic. It doesn’t exist. There is only hatred and cruelty in this world. So I have purged Equestria of the evil. Now you can rule without fear. Equestria is safe.
Your Sister And Co-Ruler,
Luna”
“Ouuuch!” Rainbow Dash rubbed her side where Luna had powerfully kicked her.
Definitely gonna have bruises. What the hay, Luna?
The pain in her side momentarily distracted her from her surroundings. Or more importantly what she was lying on. There was a reason why Luna had kicked her so hard, other than to be cruel. The pile of somewhat fresh intestines, still oozing excrements and other bodily fluids, Dash was lying on softened her fall. When she landed on them the excrements and fluids were squirted onto her body, coating her pelt and making it reek even more.
“G-g-g-GROSS! What the hay is this? Wha—what! I-I can’t eve—MY GOSH!” Rainbow Dash scrambled back and forth helplessly, falling all over herself and the dead ponies’ innards below her. Her face kept landing back in the pile. Finally, though, she regained control of herself and managed to stop slipping. A high-pitched wail of disgust, disbelief, and pure terror wrenched its way out of Dash’s soul.
“I can’t take this…these ponies…everything…around me.” Hyperventilating, pupils dilated, Dash’s head whipped back and forth taking in the full extent of the room. The room was lined with pure pony gore. Blood dripping from the walls and the still draining bodies coated the floor. It was everywhere—it was everything. The gore invaded her mind and trapped it. Slowly it began to work Dash’s sanity free. She didn’t realize this yet though. Blindly she stumbled onwards, tripping in the dark, gut strewn room.
Occasionally the now red-streaked mare would encounter the terrorized faces of long dead ponies, forever frozen in agony. She would scream her throat out but never felt remorse. The fear was too great on her mind, she couldn't think of anything or anyone else. Just her. Getting free.
There has to be a way out. Because, because…THERE JUST HAS TO BE! This is a game, right? So, there must be at least one exit. Maybe it’ll be something worse but I don’t care. I just—I just CAN’T take this!
She began to sob then, the tears mixing with the excrement and blood on her face. It dripped down to remix with the gore on the floor. Dash had been wandering so long now that she didn’t even care about the gore. Either way she’d have to stumble through it, smell it, touch it, and encounter it.
Just be brave. That’s what you’re good at it, right? You can do this, Dash. Just—GO!
She spread her wings and took off full force through the room, bouncing across all the walls and corners, desperately looking for a way out.
“BUCK THIS! Why isn’t there a way out? Come on, Luna, you can’t be as lame as this.” Dash sighed and landed back into the gore. She folded her wings carefully and realized the door must be hidden somewhere under the dead body parts in this room of hell. “Guess I better start digging. I’m sorry everypony…really am.” She sniffled and began to toss the intestines and limbs aside.
After tossing the whole room up and discovering there actually wasn’t a way out, Dash concluded that she must just be stuck here forever, forced to rot into the forever image of all these other ponies. Dash completely broke down. She pressed her gore caked hooves to her face and cried. Cried everything she had in her being. Her soul.
This is…this is it. Isn’t it?
Eventually her sobs quieted down and she managed to fall asleep. Dash thought that maybe she would be able to dream a way out, maybe even be so lucky as to die in her sleep. WRONG!
“Hello there my…not so sweet dear. Did you have a nice night?” Luna peered down at Rainbow Dash. Luna was perfectly clean despite being surrounded with blood. A wide smile spread her lips, revealing brown, blood stained teeth.
Ohmy…ohmyGOSH! Did she—eat the...ponies?!
Dash almost retched at this thought, her mouth in a silent gag. Unlucky for her. Luna took this opportunity to shove a pre-chewed wad of feces in Dash’s mouth. This time Dash really did retch.
“From here on, you must be cunning and smart if you want to live. I’m not going to go easy on you. Any errs and you will suffer, just like that mouthful you enjoyed.” Luna threw her head back and laughed. “Now, let’s proceed to your final activity.” The evil princess’ smile spread even farther as she cackled and cackled. She grew tired of it though and returned to the entrance of the gore room. Rainbow Dash hadn’t followed.
“I would rather die here, among these ponies and pay them their respects!” Dash stamped her foot, realizing only too late that it would send a spurt of fluids into her face. “Ohyuckptth!” She shook her face and then went back to glaring at Princess Luna, who, of course, was smiling.
“No, like I said, nothing is your choice anymore. You do as I command. AND I COMMAND YOU COME WITH ME!” Her horn glowed dark purple and reanimated some ponies lying beside Dash. They bit at Dash and pushed her forward with painful chomps.
“He—hey! Ouch! Stop that! I jus—just wanted to be he—here for you guys! Why?” She growled in frustration at what Luna was doing to her. Mercifully she reached the entrance quickly but her buttocks and hind-legs ached terribly, bleeding only slightly. The zombie ponies had been careful enough to leave minimal damage. No, the real fun lay ahead in the final activity.
“Come now, Dashie Washie. Don’t fight, it only makes it worse.” Luna laughed quietly and prodded Dash forward into a completely dark room. It was like an abyss. Silent. Devoid of light. Anything. Everything. Even Luna wasn’t around.
Wh—what’s going to happen to me now?
Dash’s legs began to quiver out of nervous fear. She just wished Luna would end this already.