Harmony's Warriors: Soar

Chapters

Prologue - 00 - You Live to Break Me
Act I - 01 - I Have Inside Me Blood of Kings...
Act I - 02 - Where the Wind Will Whisper to Me...
Act I - 04 - I Call to You Across the Sky
Act I - 05 - We Pretend It's Alright
Act I - 06 - A Grim Intimation of What is to Be
Act II - 07 - Let 'Em In
Act II - 08 - A Momentary Lapse of Reason
Act II - 09 - Encumbered Forever by Desire and Ambition
Act II - 10 - The Pain of Staying the Same
Act II - 11 - No More Turning Away
Act II - 12 - A Certain Look in the Eye and an Easy Smile
Act II - 13 - Engulfed in a Fever of Spite
Act III - 14 - O That These Hands Could So Redeem My Son!
Act III -15 - I See the Bad Moon Arising
Act III - 16 - Hammer to Fall
Act III - 17 - The Calm Before the Storm
Act III - 18 - Skyfall
Epilogue - 19 - The Levee Breaks
Act I - 03 - I've Been a Fool and I've Been Blind

Prologue - 00 - You Live to Break Me

Prologue:

"You Live to Break Me"

Celestia took one last look in the full body mirror and took a deep cleansing breath. She was clad in the finest armor that could be forged: each piece was shaped from steel then coated in gold and inscribed with the symbols of the Royal House. She levitated her helmet and grimaced as the frigid metal stung her flesh, encasing her entire head in a cast of diamond encrusted gold, the only outlets for her horn, eyes and muzzle. She always found the alabaster wings protruding from the sides to be excessive.

“Sister.” She turned towards the source of the voice. It was her youngest sister, Mi Amore Cadenza, but she preferred to be called Cadence by everyone. On her back was a dozing Pegasus filly with a sky-blue coat and a ruffled rainbow striped mane.

“Yes, Cadence? What is it?” Celestia asked. “And why did you bring Rainbow Dash here? I’m about to go into battle.”

“I felt that one shouldn’t go into battle without bidding farewell to one’s kin,” Cadence replied, looking somewhat concerned.

Celestia gazed at Cadence compassionately. “It’s fine, Cadence. There’s no reason to worry for us. I’m sure Father will be able to sort this matter out.” She put a comforting hoof on Cadence’s shoulder.

“I don’t believe the Changelings are serious about this mad scheme of conquering the realms. And even if they are, we are more than able best them in a battle—and they know it. They wouldn’t dare a full-scale battle.”

Cadence sighed. “I know. I still feel that you should say farewell, it still might be some time before she sees you again.”

Celestia smiled. “I understand.” She looked over at the sleeping filly and leaned close, gently nudging the filly.

“Rainbow Dash, Dashie. It’s Mommy,” Celestia said in a gentle voice. The filly slowly stirred, stretching her downy hooves out and giving a squeaking yawn before slowly opened it's cerise eyes. When she looked up into Celestia face her eyes bulged and her face contorted into the portrait of terror.

The filly scurried up Cadence’s neck and clung to it, wailing piteously into her aunt’s coat.

Celestia instantly started her best to calm the crying filly, with Cadence stood awkwardly with Rainbow Dash clutching her neck and shrieking.

“No, no, no…” Celestia shushed. “Look it’s just me see?” She removed the helmet and laid it at her hooves, letting her ethereal pink hair fall loose. She lifted her forehooves to her face. “Lookie. Where’s Mommy?”

Rainbow Dash stopped crying and tilted her head, looking confused.

Celestia dropped her hooves from her face. “Here I am!”

Rainbow Dash’s face broke into a brilliant grin and began to convulse with giggles. She reached to her mother with her forehooves and Celestia gently levitated the filly to her chest, enfolding her with her wings.

“See, I always said that helmet was fearsome,” Cadence said smugly.

“You were right,” Celestia laughed gently. “Now, if you will, I will say goodbye to my daughter.”

Cadence nodded. “I will go and see Luna. Faust believes she’s probably fussing over some small detail in the armor design as always.” With that she turned and walked towards the door. She hesitated in the doorway. “If and when you become the All-Mother, I would recommend Luna for Bifrost Guardian. She’s got the eye for detail, she does.”

Celestia looked up from Rainbow Dash. “Cadence, I don’t believe we’d need to consider such things for a long time.”

Cadence nodded faintly but her expression was troubled and she left the room.

Celestia sighed and cupped Rainbow in her right wing, drawing her close to her face and nuzzling her tenderly. “Your mother loves you very much, you know that, don’t you Dashie?”

Rainbow responded with gurgled baby speech and started to nip at Celestia mane.

“You’re so innocent,” Celestia cooed. “I wish it had not come to this. But it will only be a little while and will seem like dream when I return.” She took a deep breath. The little filly cradled securely in her wing had no concept of the dark, gruesome deeds her mother was about to undertake.

Celestia kissed her daughter’s forehead and Rainbow Dash cooed softly. Apparently playing with her mother’s mane had tired her. Celestia smiled and carefully set the filly down on the nearby bed, pulling the cover over her sleepy child.

“Rest well my dear,” She whispered before once more kissing the now sleeping Pegasus on the forehead.

Celestia straightened up and turned again towards the mirror. Her golden armor reflected the light from the candles, surrounding her in an aura of gleaming spangles. She let out a long, deep sigh and once again levitated the helmet onto her head. It felt somehow far heavier.

She heard a sudden spiking sound and could distinguish her younger sister Luna’s voice.

“Forsooth! This armor’s left clip for mine shoulder is most uncomfortable!”

She could hear her father, Odin, attempting to calm Luna.

“Now daughter, please, let the armorer do his job.”

“But Father, doth he not realize this clip is causing me the most agonizing discomfort?”

And on it went.

Celestia laughed to herself and quietly walked out of the room, pausing to take one last loving look at her sleeping daughter. “May the sun shine forever more on you, my child.”

With that she closed the door carefully and walked towards her sister’s room.

“Now, Luna, what’s this about a clip?”

////////////////////

Celestia’s armor chafed her raw flesh and every pebble on the ground threatened to send her collapsing to her knees, but she compelled her sore and strained muscles to continue through the desolate ruins of the changeling hive.

The smoky air should have been searing her lungs and eyes but they were already numbed from weeping over the bodies of her father and husband.

She forced the image of their shredded, bloodied corpses from her mind. No more weeping. It is time to finish this.

Their power must be taken; Hjerte Eske must be found. In case Chrysalis ever returned from hiding in the labyrinth of tunnels Hekkerhiem, in case she was ever mad enough to attempt such takeover again, in case these monsters ever tried to lift their infernal heads again…

She swallowed a hot, sticky sob. “Hate, the most useless of all causes,” Father always said. He wouldn’t want this. He wouldn’t want you to hate them. He *wouldn’t.***

A short, sharp sob burst from her lips.

But it will be hard to forgive them, Father. So hard…

She rounded a corner. Straining to lift her head higher, she brightened the glow of her horn revealing a spacious cell containing a huge bed, a massive nightstand and a small crib.

This must have been the royal bedroom, She thought, taking notice of the half-destroyed royal crest hanging above the bed.

Everything was covered with shards of glass, splinters of stone and shreds of cloth and Celestia stood for a good two minutes, seized by a sneezing fit. When her fit passed, a faint noise pricked her ears.

It was such a soft sound a normal pony might have missed it; her ears only just caught it. She increased the light from her horn until the entire room was bathed in light. The sound suddenly grew louder and now she could clearly hear that it was emanating from the crib.

Warily she began to approach the crib, her heart hammering in her ears and her breath coming short.

RELAX. It’s too small to hide a changeling. And there’s nothing left on this planet that could possible hurt you…

With that forbidding thought in mind, she leapt at the crib and thrust her glinting horn within…

…Just missing a tiny foal.

The foal’s eyes bulged at the horn hovering a mere breath from her muzzle and her entire face crumbled as it let out a heartrending wail. Celestia, instinctively drawing her horn back, stood staring at the foal.

It was a filly, unnaturally small, with the sable coat characteristic of changelings with punctures in her legs, wings and crooked horn.

“Shhh, child…” Celestia said but the foal’s crying older grew louder and she began to flail her legs about.

Is this Chrysalis’s child? Who else’s foal would be here…Chrysalis left her child behind? Celestia wondered.

The foal’s cries echoed throughout the cell and Celestia wasn’t sure if it was the holes in her flesh or her minute size but she expected the filly’s wracking sobs to tear her into pieces.

She seems so fragile…

She levitated the foal out of the crib and drew her to her chest. The foal instantly stopped crying and gazed up at Celestia with huge, dark green eyes as if the sudden show of concern shocked her.

“Where’s your mommy?” Celestia asked idly. She began to rock the foal, an almost unconscious impulse. She’s only a little younger than Dashie…

The foal didn’t even blink, it was like she hadn’t heard her speak, and her gaze was so intense Celestia was becoming disconcerted.

“Did she leave you here? Why didn’t she take you with her?” Celestia asked.

Suddenly, the foal’s entire body flushed pale blue. The holes in her legs and horn were filled with indigo and her wings shrank until they disappeared entirely. Celestia was so shocked she nearly dropped the foal.

“Holy Faust—”

A smile burst across the filly’s face and she cooed happily, lifting her hooves toward Celestia’s face. The way the filly looked at her now, her face radiant with an expression of pure joy while her face was still damp from her tears, it broke something in the alicorn’s heart.

She wrapped her wings around the foal and pressed her muzzle against her indigo coat.

“Hate, the most unless of all causes,” Father always said. “Love, the only worthy cause.”

“You’re coming with me,” she whispered and walked out of the royal bedroom with Chrysalis’s child cradled against her chest.

"You poor sweet innocent thing.

Dry your eyes and testify.

You know you live to break me.

Don't deny sweet sacrifice."

Sweet Sacrifice by Evanescence

Act I - 01 - I Have Inside Me Blood of Kings...

Act One:

"Pride Comes Before the Fall"

Chapter One

"I Have Inside Me Blood of Kings":

A FEW YEARS LATER:

Celestia’s mane was no longer its original pink, but now a beautiful rainbow of colors that constantly ebbed and flowed as if carried by a gentle breeze. Her right eye had now changed to show the very sun itself engraved into her iris. She stood much taller now and more regally, and she spoke with a melodic and noble voice. She was now the All-Mother, defender of all the realms and queen of Equisgard.

But none of that mattered right now, for she was also a mother and she was entertaining two very special fillies.

“…and so it was that with that final battle, we defeated the once mighty Changeling Empire, and brought peace to these realms.” Celestia finished her story and turned away from the Hjerte Eske and looked at her two young daughters.

To the right stood Rainbow Dash, ardent and grinning, a constant ball of energy.

To the left stood Trixie, somber and with knitted brow as if she was deep in thought.

“Mother? Do the changelings still live?” the young Trixie asked, tilting her head in with a look of fearful curiosity on her face.

“Well—” But before Celestia could finish Rainbow Dash shot up a hoof.

“Don’t worry Momma! When I become queen, I’ll go and hunt down the nasty things and slay them all! That way Trixie and I can rule in peace!” She mimed some punches before throwing a hoof around Trixie’s shoulder, who smiled.

Celestia smiled. “My dear, you must remember this.” She suddenly became very serious. “A truly wise ruler never seeks out war. War is an awful, devastating thing that only causes pain and suffering.”

Rainbow Dash and Trixie both looked down at the floor as if in disappointment.

“However,” Celestia said, her tone returning to the loving and calm tone of a mother. “A truly wise ruler must be ready for war, for sometimes it is the only solution.” With that she walked over to her daughters and spread her wings.

“Now, how about a hug for your mother?” The two fillies smiled and ran over, hugging Celestia tightly. She brought her own wings together to hug them back.

“Momma?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes?”

“Which one of us will be the queen?”

Celestia hesitated. “Well, dear…”

“Yeah momma? Which one?” Trixie echoed eagerly.

Celestia sighed deeply. “It does not matter now which of you will be queen right now. All you need to know is that both of you were born to be queens.” With that she scooped them both up and plopped them on her back.

“Really momma?!” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Yes, darling. Now, let’s see what Auntie Cadence is doing huh?” Celestia said as she walked out the chamber. “I think she has some presents for you.”

“Awesome!” Rainbow Dash cheered as they walked out of the weapons chamber and closed the door behind them.

////////////////////////

PRESENT DAY:

Cadence quietly walked through the palace hallways. Today was the day of Rainbow Dash’s ascension to the throne, since Celestia felt that now was as good a time as any.

Cadence herself was uneasy. She loved her niece dearly, but she still believed Rainbow Dash simply wasn’t mature enough for such responsibility. Even as a foal Rainbow had always possessed a healthy dose of self-esteem but in recent years it had acquired an abrasive edge and she felt it had morphed now into full-blown arrogance.

Anyone outside of the court might not have noticed it since ego was expected from royals, but Cadence couldn’t help keeping count of all the times Rainbow Dash ignored the rules, put herself first in activities, was overbearing with her companions and generally overlooked the feelings of others.

None of these things were intentional of course; she wasn’t by any means cruel…yet. But she was showing clear signs of a growing bullying disposition, and Cadence was convinced there was nothing more dangerous than a bully with power.

She had even talked to Luna about it, but Luna would always answer the same thing. “Cadence, who are we to doubt the wisdom of our sister.”

Cadence sighed. No use ruminating over such gloomy thoughts, she thought. She’s kind at heart and as queen she will be in a place where she will be more aware of the weak and helpless. It might teach her to be more conscious and gentler of other’s hearts. And some real accountability would do wonders for her, she has been idle and uninhibited for too long.

Suddenly a loud noise from behind her snapped her out of her thoughts. She quickly turned and saw a dark green Pegasus with a brown mane stumbling from around the corner, a look of utter terror on his face.

“Please don’t hurt me!” he shouted behind him, tripping over his own hooves and falling face-first to the floor.

Directly behind him came several guards, all of whom had their respective weapons drawn and pointed at him.

“Halt!” the leader of the troop said, pressing his sword to the terrified Pegasus’ neck.

“P-please d-don’t hurt me!” the Pegasus begged, holding his hooves out in front of him.

Bewildered, Cadence walked over. “Excuse me Commander Bulwark, but what is the meaning of this.”

The Pegasus guard saluted. “Your majesty, we found this commoner wandering around inside the palace. Nearby the princess’ room.”

“Which princess?” Cadence asked, already having a sinking feeling of exactly who they were talking about.

“Princess Trixie, your Majesty,” Bulwark said and the look on his face said he was thinking the exact same thing.

Cadence sighed. “May I speak with the trespasser?” she asked Bulwark.

Bulwark nodded. “You’re wish is my command, dear Princess.”

She nodded and turned to the still terrified Pegasus.

“Excuse me, sir, but do you know how you got here?” she asked in her kindest voice.

The Pegasus looked at her, his face the picture of confusion. “E-excuse m-me?”

“I asked do you know how you got here.”

“Um, w-well, y-your M-majesty, l-last n-night, my w-wife and I went out to dinner and afterwards to a bar a-and after a few drinks, we decided to go home. I…I….”

“Yes?”

“I d-don’t really remember anything after that, b-but I woke up this morning…here.”

He looked on the brink of tears so she Cadence quickly asked, “Is that all you remember?”

“Y-yes. And there-there was this blue mare with me that’s not my wife! And then-and then I ran out and these g-guards started to chase after me and now I’m stuck here with no idea how to get out of this palace and my wife’s probably wondering were I am and I really do love her and I have no idea who that other mare is and…” His words were now running together and he began to hyperventilate, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Cadence leaned down and put a hoof on the Pegasus’ shoulder. “It’s okay, relax. Here” She levitated a handkerchief from Bulwark’s uniform. The crying Pegasus gingerly took it and blew his nose.

“It’s going to be fine, understand?”

The Pegasus nodded.

“Well, then,” Cadence said, standing up. “Bulwark?”

Bulwark snapped to attention. “Yes your Majesty?”

“Bulwark, please, escort this poor fellow to his home. Make sure no harm comes upon him.”

“But your Majesty, shouldn’t he be questioned just in case,” Bulwark said, looking troubled.

Cadence raised an eyebrow. “Bulwark, does this poor creature look like a threat? He has obviously been barbarously misused for the sake of some cruel joke. He needs to go home to his wife and recuperate.”

Bulwark nodded, though resultantly. “Yes, your majesty.” With that he turned to the still quivering Pegasus.

“Come you, we’re going to take you home now.” He reached out a hoof.

The shuddering Pegasus looked at Cadence, almost as if to make sure that Bulwark wasn’t deceiving him as well and Cadence gave him a reassuring nod.

“Don’t worry. I give you my word he is taking you straight home,” She said.

The Pegasus nodded, and cautiously took Bulwark’s hoof.

“T-thank y-you, y-your m-majesty.” He bobbed his head up and down in respect.

Cadence simply smiled. “Think nothing of it.” She waited until Bulwark and his troops lead the Pegasus around the corner and out of sight before releasing the breath she was holding.

She knew exactly who to blame for the poor Pegasus’ trauma and after taking a deep breath she made her way to a certain bedroom.

She arrived at the bedroom and knocked on the door, just beneath the inscription of two intertwined serpents.

“Who is it?” A singing voice called from within.

“It’s Cadence, may I come in?”

There was a long pause.

“Hold on.” There was a sound of various objects moving around and the sound of magic being employed. The doorknob finally glowed and opened to reveal a blue unicorn, still dressed in a dark green nightgown.

“Oh hello Auntie, how are you this morning?” Trixie asked, her voice saccharine with innocence.

“May I come in?” Cadence said, her voice tight in an effort to contain her frustration.

“I—I have to dress for—”

Cadence pushed her way into the room and shut the door, locking it with magic. She glared at her niece who was busy smoothing out some invisible wrinkles in her nightgown.

“Explain.”

“Explain what, Auntie?”

“Why was there a strange stallion running through the halls?” Cadence demanded, her anger finally causing her voice to explode in a shout.

“What does that have to do with—”

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Trixie!”

Trixie winced at her aunt’s thundering tone. Cadence rubbed her temple with her hoof and attempted to reign in her fury.

“Trixie, today is your sister’s coronation. Couldn’t your exploits wait a day?”

Trixie’s face darkened and without answering she stalked across the room, throwing herself on her couch. Cadence caught the last words of her mumbled rant: “...I’m acting morally reprehensible but no it’s Dashie’s special day…”

Cadence sighed, “Trixie, I’m not bringing up the immorality of your actions because we have had this conversation already ten million times! How do you know that poor pony won’t report this incident to the courts, or worse, go to the papers like the last one did?”

Trixie sat up abruptly, her face a flawless mask of innocence, and held out her hooves as if pleading for pardon. “I’ll come out and say I’m vewy, vewy sorrwy and everyone will forgive me, because I’m a royal and what business is it of theirs what I do?”

“Your mother—”

“Will be the first to forgive me as always. Mother gave up on reforming me ages ago, I don’t know why you persist.”

“Because you are a royal and should respect your station. We are here to serve the people, not the other way round.”

“Tell that to your favored niece.”

“This isn’t about Rainbow Dash.”

“Really? You could have fooled me; the way things run round here I could swear it’s all about Rainbow Dash!”

“Was what you just did about her too? Was that about Rainbow Dash?”

Trixie paled and Cadence felt remorse twist her stomach but she set her jaw firmly; this filly had to stop rearranging the blame.

When Trixie didn’t say anything, Cadence asked softly: “Why do you avenge yourself on those who did you no wrong? Can it bring back what was taken?”

“Nothing can give me back what I lost,” Trixie practically spat, her face flushed with anger.

“Then why do you do it?”

Trixie looked down so Cadence couldn’t see her expression. “Because I want to,” she muttered, but her voice sounded limp and defeated.

Cadence stifled a sigh. There was no point trying to reason with her when she was like this, and she didn’t have the time today.

“Hurry and dress, it’s almost time,” Cadence said and left the room without another word.

///////////////////////////

Today is the day.

Rainbow Dash nervously tugged at her crimson cape as she paced the inside of her private chamber. She shot a quick glance in a mirror. She was in a truly stunning suit of armor of silver and black that covered her legs and body, leaving her head free. She was rehearsing her speech in her head, her lips silently mouthing the words.

You can’t muddle this, Rainbow Dash. It’s your coronation after all, wouldn’t want to get tongue-tied or something or get your cape caught in something and then end up face first in front of thousands of ponies. Then you’ll look like a total idiot.

She continued to run through the routine in her head, now speaking the words aloud.

“…And then I say, ‘I foreswear to protect this and all other realms from—”

“Dashie.” A voice snapped Rainbow out of her mental checklist. She turned to see her Aunt Cadence standing in the doorway.

“Oh, Auntie Cadence. What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked, trying her best to appear calm.

“I came to check on my niece,” She said, smiling knowingly.

“Oh. Okay. Well then.”

“How are you feeling Rainbow? You seem…a tad anxious,” Cadence said calmly as she walked in.

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “What, me? Anxious? I’m not anxious. Not anxious at all…” She impulsively ran her hoof through her mane, then caught herself and looked at the floor, blushing. She let out an uneasy chuckle. “Not at all…”

Cadence smiled. “Don’t worry, there’s no shame in being frightened.” She put a hoof under Rainbow’s chin and coaxed her up from looking up into her eyes.

Rainbow sighed shakily. “I know, I know. But…Auntie, what if I fail?”

Cadence smiled. “Everyone fails sometimes. But you still have your mother, Luna and I to advise you. You won’t be alone in this.”

“I just…I don’t think I can do this.”

Cadence pulled her into an embrace. “Yes you can, and do you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because you are Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder, and she never ever backs down from a challenge and never abandons one until she masters it. Am I right?” Cadence said, pulling back and smiling at her niece.

Rainbow Dash smiled, her innate confidence beginning to return to her face. “Of course you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Cadence said with a smile. “Now go. Your sister’s waiting for you.” She motioned towards the door.

“Thanks Auntie.” Rainbow pulled her in for another hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Rainbow Dash started for the door.

“Rainbow? Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Rainbow Dash hesitated, confused, and felt around her armor. She then gasped. “Oh Faust! I’m losing my head…”

She reached out with her hoof and from across the door a large hammer shot towards her, automatically lashing itself around her hoof.

“Thank you, Auntie,” she said and again turned to leave.

“Rainbow…”

“What?”

Cadence nodded toward the bed and Rainbow Dash blushed. “Oh, yes.”

She walked sheepishly over to the bed and picked up a beautifully crafted silver helmet with a pair of wings sprouting from the sides and her cutie mark etched on the forefront. She placed it on her head, grimacing as the cold helmet settled around her head. She never liked the thing; it was too flamboyant and cumbersome for her tastes, she felt it would looked better on her sister more than herself. Yeah Trixie probably would’ve liked it a lot more. Not to mention it weighted a ton and it threw off her aerodynamics.

She turned back to her aunt. “Anything else I’m forgetting?”

Cadence smiled. “No. You looked positively royal. Now, I’m going to go to take my place in the throne room. I’ll see you in a few moments.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’ll see you.”

With one last smile Cadence trotted out of the room.

Before she followed, Rainbow Dash took a look at herself in her mirror and had to smile to herself.

I do look royal. I look like the queen of a mighty kingdom.

Her confidence restored, she trotted out of her room, her hoof steps echoing down the massive palace hallway towards the throne room. Paintings of past kings and queens, her noble and mighty ancestors, graced the walls. She eventually figured that flying would be a quicker way then just trotting, so with a quick beat of her wings, she lifted off the ground and glided lazily towards the doorway.

She preferred flying to walking anyways. Why walk? Flying was better, the wind in her mane, the clouds in the sky, the sheer freedom of it all. Walking was for peasants. Just like the helmet.

She finally reached the doorway leading into the throne room and landed gently. Now all there was left for her to do was wait until she was called upon.

“Servant?” she called out. A young earth pony quickly trotted up.

“Y-yes, y-your M-majesty?” he stuttered, obviously stressed.

“Bring me some cider. I’m thirsty.”

“Y-yes, y-your M-majesty.” He quickly bowed, spun around and ran off.

Rainbow let out a cleansing breath and straightened her cape.

“Hey.” Rainbow spun around to see a blue unicorn step out from behind a nearby wall. She was wearing a dark green gown and a matching cape, both embroidered with silver snakes along the hem, and a rather absurd looking helmet with lofty horns curved like those of a goat.

“Morning Trixie. How are you?” Rainbow asked, relaxing a little.

“Good. Good.” Trixie nodded. “Are you nervous, sister? You seem a little strained.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Trixie, be honest for once. Have you ever known me to be a worrisome pony?”

Trixie put her hoof to her chin. “Well, let’s see: there was that one time in Dragehiem…”

“Pfft, that wasn’t me being worried. That was me in the rage of battle!”

“Oh, sure it was.” Trixie’s voice virtually dripped sarcasm. “That explains why you were pale as a ghost when that dragon was going to bite your head off, am I right?”

“That was just the white fire of my fury. And who, pray tell, was the one who pulled us through that massive sea of dragon warriors without a single scratch?” Rainbow Dash insisted, giving her sister a playful shove.

Trixie feigned deep reflection. “Well, that would be me since I was the one who was smart enough to conjure that smoke that veiled our escape, correct?”

Rainbow laughed. “True, true. But I was the one with trusty Mjolnir to strike down any who followed.” She impulsively pulled Trixie in for a hug.

After a moment Trixie pulled out of the hug and began straightening her dress. “So tell me Rainbow, how does it feel to be the soon-be-queen of Equisgard?”

Rainbow hesitated then quickly said, “It feels amazing. For one, I’ll finally be able to get rid of that ridiculous fancy speech we always have to speak during court.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You mean like ‘Thou hast been very loyal my most beloved and kind sister Trixie, I shall now as a show of my eternal gratitude bequeath unto thee half my kingdom?’” She said in a perfect copy of Rainbow Dash’s own voice.

Rainbow laughed. “Exactly. Except maybe not those exact words. Excellent impression by the way.”

“Well of course. I only go for the best.” Trixie chuckled.

Just then the waiter pony returned with a mug full of cider balanced on a silver platter that he held in his mouth.

"Ah ahdar yah guynuss" he tried to say around the platter in his mouth.

"Ah, thank you," Rainbow Dash said, reaching out and grabbing the mug off the platter. She tilted her head back and chugged the cider down.

"Well Rainbow, you consume cider the way Soarin does pies,” Trixie said.

"What?" Rainbow turned to look at Trixie. "Really?" She whipped away some cider that was dribbling down her chin.

"Yes. It looks rather vulgar," Trixie said, in an exaggerated snobbish voice.

Rainbow Dash snickered and turned to the waiter, who stood there, silver platter still in mouth.

"This drink.” She shook the mug. "I like it. ANOTHER!" She flung the mug down to the floor.

"GAH!!" The waiter leapt for the cider mug, grabbing it a fraction of a second before it hit the ground.

"Well," Trixie said. "You have some fast reflexes, my boy. Here—" She levitated what appeared to be a thread from somewhere out of the folds of her cape, her horn gleaming. "—Take this."

She dropped the bag on the silver platter, which the colt had now moved to his forehoof.

"T-thank y-you, y-your h-highness. W-what i-is i-it—AUGHH!" The colt shrieked as the string transformed into a silver serpent who hissed and lunged at his nose. The colt leapt nearly three feet in the air, sending the platter, mug and serpent crashing to the floor.

Trixie laughed and her horn stopped glowing, the serpent melting back into the form of a thread.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Why do you tease the poor colt like that?”

“I have my reasons,” Trixie said and levitated the thread back into her cape. “Get a hold of yourself!” She snapped at the colt. “It was only an illusion. Take the mess back to the kitchen.”

Trembling, the colt snatched up the platter and mug and galloped away.

Trixie started to laugh again, and even though she knew she shouldn’t Rainbow Dash couldn’t help laughing as well. It was such a relief to laugh.

“Thanks, Trixie, I needed that,” Rainbow Dash said after they had recovered, giving Trixie another nudge.

"You're welcome," Trixie said, smiling.

Just then a loud fanfare emanated from the throne room.

"That’s your cue. Ready?" Rainbow Dash said, poking Trixie.

"Naturally. You?”

“Of course!”

“Just remember one little thing.”

"And what’s that, little sister?”

Trixie paused and suddenly her expression became solemn. She put a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder and looked directly into her eyes. "I do love you, big sister. Don't let being queen make you forget that or me.”

"Now look who's the worrywart." She patted Trixie’s shoulder reassuringly. "Nothing could make me forget you. Now, hurry before everyone starts missing you.”

“Please. You know they never do.”

Laughing, Rainbow Dash stepped back and let Trixie step through the door.

She counted the seconds under her breath until the second fanfare sounded and, with another shaky breath, pushing the doors open and stepped into the throne room.

/////////////////////////////////

Celestia stood at the end of the throne room, in front of a truly massive throne that was coated with the purest gold. On both sides perched her two pet ravens, Thought on the left and Memory on the right and directly in the center was Philomena, her phoenix.

Cadence trotted up next to her.

“Well, is she ready?” Celestia asked, checking her reflection in the gold plated floor.

Cadence nodded. “If by that you mean she’s in full regalia, then yes, she is.” Cadence sighed.

Celestia raised an eyebrow, noticing Cadence’s apparent lack of enthusiasm. “What’s on your mind Cadence?”

Cadence sighed. “Do you want me to be honest?”

“Yes. Why would you be dishonest?” Celestia asked.

“No reason, I just don’t think Rainbow Dash is quite ready for this level of responsibility.” Cadence replied.

“Really?” Celestia replied. “Why wouldn’t she be ready?”

“I just think she needs to learn some humility first, that’s all.” Cadence sighed.

Celestia scoffed. “Humility will come to her Cadence. It came to me didn’t it?”

“Yes, yes it did.” Cadence answered.

“Exactly. And what better way to learn responsibility than for her to take over? Think of it as a crash course. Trust me.” Celestia said, pulling Cadence in for a hug.

Trixie suddenly trotted up. “Hello mother.”

“Hello Trixie. Is Dashie ready?” Celestia asked as Cadence moved to her position.

Before Trixie had a chance to answer the trumpets sounded in the throne room and the doorway across the room opened to reveal Rainbow Dash, who jumped into the air glided through over the crowd, waving at the ponies below. She suddenly did a cartwheel in the air and landed loudly at the foot of the throne.

Celestia's smile faded slightly. She’d had hoped that maybe, just maybe, Rainbow Dash would show a little more decorum.

Rainbow Dash took her helmet off and shook her mane free, before turning to wave back at the crowd and hold Mjolnir up for all too see.

The crowd was of course, going wild with Rainbow Dash’s antics.

Rainbow Dash turned back to Celestia and smiled.

Celestia smiled back and tapped Gungnir on the ground. The stick made a loud booming noise and the crowd went silent.

“Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden,” Celestia said, her voice noble and calm. “Thou doth stand before me, with a destiny unequaled. Thou art unequaled in thy might and strength. Thou art a princess of these realms, and therefore immortal, in thy veins runs the blood of many a noble king and fair queen. Thou art destined to rule these realms.” She paused for a moment before continuing.

“Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder, as mine eldest daughter, dost thou forswear that thou shall protect and defend thy subjects as thou would thine own children?” Celestia said, her emotions starting to get the better of her as her eyes started to water slightly.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I forswear to protect and defend mine subjects as I would mine own children.”

“And, as Queen of Equisgard and All-Mother, do you, Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, forswear that thee shall reign over thine subjects with true mercy and with true justice?”

“I forswear that I shall reign over mine subjects with true mercy and with true justice.”

Celestia smiled. “Then I, Celestia Odinmaden, All-Mother, declare thee, Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder, to be-”

Celestia suddenly froze as her felt the distinct feeling of foreign magic coming from the weapons chamber.

Rainbow Dash’s smile faded as she realized that something was wrong.

Without saying another word, Celestia’s horn glowed and she gently tapped Gungnir on the ground, sending a magical signal to the weapons chamber.

/////////////////////////

Meanwhile, in the weapons chamber, two guards kept watch over the various weapons that were kept inside.

“You know what Strong Arm, I honestly don’t think they pay us enough for this.” One of the guards, an eggshell colored unicorn with a powder blue mane said.

The other guard, Strong Arm, a rather large Pegasus simply rolled his eyes. “Twinkle, you always say that. For me it’s an honor to serve the Allmother.”

Twinkle sighed. “Yeah, I think it’s an honor too, but really, don’t you think they should give us, I don’t know, some benefits of some kind? Like if we die or something?”

Strong Arm groaned. “Twinkle, please, I don’t have time for your constant rambling. Shut up.”

“Ugh, fine Mr. Pouty Pants.” Twinkle muttered before turning back to his watch.

Unbeknownst to either guard however, several pairs of glowing green eyes watched them carefully.

Suddenly a sound caught the ears of the two guards. They both raised their weapons.

“Who goes there?” Strong Arm called out.

Suddenly a female voice spoke. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m lost.” A shockingly beautiful Pegasus stepped out of the shadows.

The two guards relaxed a little. “Well, little mare, where were you heading? Maybe I can show the way out.” Strong Arm turned his swag on and strode forward, a practiced grin on his face.

The Pegasus blushed. “Aw, how sweet of you, come here.” She made a kissy face.

Twinkle meanwhile simply watched baffled. “Um, Strong Arm, are you sure we have time for this? Aren’t we on watch?”

Strong Arm simply waved a hoof dismissively. “Relax, Twinkle, this lady is obviously lost.” He put an arm around her shoulder.

The Pegasus smiled. “Oh, why thank you! You’re so noble and strong.” She suddenly gave Strong Arm a kiss on the neck. Strong Arm raised an eyebrow at the strange kiss and tried to return it, only to suddenly feel the distinct feeling of being bitten by a pair of very sharp fangs.

Twinkle meanwhile, watched horrified as the Pegasus’ fur disappeared in a burst of green flame to instead reveal a black bug like creature with a jagged horn and insect like wings. Strong Arm meanwhile dropped to the ground, two small holes in his neck that dripped blood.

“That’s one.” The monster hissed its voice no longer the sweet voice of the Pegasus, but a strange buzzing voice that was distinctly male. It turned to look at Twinkle, who was now shaking like a leaf. The monster wiped some stray blood from its lips before grinning, showing off its two bloodstained fangs.

“And now for two.” The creature leapt at Twinkle and everything went black.

/////////////////////////

Incubus calmly wiped the stray drops of blood from his chin. At his hooves lay the dead bodies of the two pony guards. He clicked his tongue. Out of the shadows immerged five more changelings.

“Okay, let’s get Hjerte Eske and get out of here.” He signaled telepathically as he and his troops walked forward. They found the Hjerte Eske sitting atop a pedestal, glowing dark green.

A grin crossed Incubus’ face. “May the queen in all her glory reign forever.” He signaled as he stepped forward to take the casket off the pedestal.

A loud noise caused him and his troops to freeze. “What was that?” one of his underlings singled.

Before Incubus could answer the wall behind the pedestal started to move and a truly massive dragon seemingly build out of metal stepped forward.

“Oh no,” Was all Incubus managed to think before the dragon opened his mouth and blasted forth a torrent of flame that roasted the six changelings to a crisp.

/////////////////////////

The doors to the weapons chamber opened to reveal Celestia, Rainbow Dash and Trixie standing there. Celestia quietly surveyed the weapons chamber. The Destroyer, its duty carried out, stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

Celestia, Rainbow Dash and Trixie made their way down into the chamber, surveying the damage. There were several dead bodies, of both the guards and the invasive changelings. The changelings hadn’t gotten far though, since the Hjerte Eske still sat on its pedestal, its foreign magic still glowing its characteristic shade of dark green.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe the insolence of these bug-like monsters. She turned to Celestia.

“Mother, don’t you see what happened?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes, yes I do.”

“Well then don’t you think that the Changelings should pay for what they’ve done?” Rainbow Dash angrily asked.

“They already have paid. They paid with their lives. I believe that is a sufficient recompense.” Celestia calmly replied. “As you both saw The Destroyer did its work faithfully and to the letter and all is now well. No need to be worried.”

Rainbow Dash simply couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her mother was just going to let the changelings march right in and try take their power back? Not while Rainbow Dash was here.

“All is well?!” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “How can all be well, when can all be well when the Changelings can just break into our Weapons Chamber? If they had taken any of this stuff we-”

“But they didn’t take anything.” Celestia cut Rainbow Dash off, her voice still calm and collected.

“But I want to know why!” Rainbow Dash was almost shouting now.

Celestia sighed. “Rainbow, if you must know, I made a pact with Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings.”

“Well, it’s obvious that Chrysalis doesn’t care about the truce now, isn't it? She obviously thinks that you are vulnerable, and therefore she can just walk right in and take her stuff.” Rainbow Dash said.

Celestia quietly turned to Rainbow Dash. “Well, then, what would you, as queen, do in response to this?”

Rainbow Dash shifted on her hooves. “Well, if I were queen, I take our army and march into Hekkerhiem and make sure that they are never capable of challenging our authority again.”

Celestia shook her head. “Then you are thinking like a warrior, not a queen. As you can see, this was but a small band of changelings and thereby a doomed mission.”

“Doomed mission?!” Rainbow Dash said, now frustrated. “How can you call this a doomed mission? If it weren’t for The Destroyer, they could have easily escaped!”

“But they didn’t.” Celestia answered her voice growing stern. “And we’ll find the hole in our defenses and seal it shut.”

Rainbow Dash huffed. “But I, as Queen-”

“But you are not the Queen!” Celestia suddenly shouted. “Not yet.” Her voice instantly went back to her loving tone.

Rainbow Dash instantly shut her mouth, her mother’s sudden outburst being enough to make her not want to continue the fight.

Celestia sighed and quietly walked past Rainbow Dash and Trixie, who this entire time hadn’t even said a single word.

They both turned to follow. Celestia looked at the frustrated Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash, you will not take any action against the changelings. Is that understood?”

Rainbow Dash simply grumbled a response. “Yes mother.”

////////////////////////////////

Rainbow Dash stormed into the dining hall. She was angry. Angry at the changelings, who had ruined her big day. She was angry at her mother, who still thought she was nothing more than a little filly. She made a beeline for the large table and gave it a good hard buck in her anger, sending it flying.

Content with her frustration she sat down to brood. She sat there, grumbling to herself.

“Stupid changelings….” She grumbled. Suddenly she could feel a pair of eyes on her.

“Trixie, I know it’s you.” She grumbled. At that, Trixie dropped her invisibility spell and became visible again.

“Well, Rainbow, that poor table will never see another feast, that’s for sure.” She motioned to the now completely destroyed dinner table.

Rainbow Dash simply grumbled a response. “It’s not wise to be around me when I’m like this, you know that.”

“Yeah huh.” Trixie said, sitting down next to her anyways.

Rainbow Dash gave her an angry look. Trixie simply greeted with a smile that made the angry look seemingly bounce off like a rubber ball.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Damn it Trixie, today was supposed to be the day of my greatest triumph. I was going to be made Queen and everything would have been totally awesome and spectacular.”

Trixie nodded, and put a reassuring hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Dash, that day will still come.” She paused, almost as if she was looking for another thing to say. “It’s just not today that’s all.” She finally said.

“Ugh, I know, I know….stupid dumb changelings.” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

“What happened in here?!” Suddenly a voice made Rainbow Dash and Trixie look towards the door.

In the doorway stood four familiar pegasi. One of them, a sky blue pegasus stallion looked like he was about to cry at the sight of the flipped over table with its contents scattered all over the floor.

The other three, who were mares, consisted of a bright yellow pegasus with a fiery mane and two nearly identical lavender pegasi, who could be told apart only by their mane styles. All had varying degrees of shock on their faces.

“Wow Rainbow, what did that table do to you?” one of the lavender pegasi with three dragonflies for a cutie mark asked.

Trixie waved a hoof dismissively. “Nothing Flitter, positively nothing at all.”

The yellow pegasus raised an eyebrow, looking at the table. “You call this nothing?” she asked as she and the stallion set the table back up, with Cloudchaser popping out a chess board.

Trixie ignored her and turned back to Rainbow Dash.

“Dashie, if it’s all the same to you, I think you’re right. Right about the changelings, right about Chrysalis, everything.” She whispered. “And, who knows, what if next time it’s not just six little changelings coming, but a whole army of them, ready for battle?”

Rainbow Dash nodded, Trixie was making a lot of sense. She started to get up. “Exactly, that’s why I think we should-”

Trixie held up a hoof. “But, there’s nothing you can do without going against the direct orders of mother.”

Rainbow Dash sat back down and huffed, thinking. Suddenly an idea popped into her head. Yeah, she thought, that’ll show them. A mischievous grin appeared on her face.

Trixie took notice of the grin. “Oh no, no, no, no, Dashie, I know that look…”

Rainbow Dash bolted up right and turned to Trixie. “Trixie, it’s the only way they’re going to know who’s in charge.”

Trixie shook her head. “No, it’s madness. Complete and utter madness.”

“Everypony, I know what we’re going to do.” Rainbow Dash declared, ignoring Trixie.

Flitter and Cloudchaser looked up from their chess game. Spitfire looked up from her sword, which she was sharpening. Soarin looked up from his pie.

“Really? What?” Flitter asked, curious.

“My friends, we are going to Hekkerhiem!”

Everypony’s mouths dropped open, while Trixie facehoofed.

“Excuse me?” The other lavender pegasus said her face the very picture of confusion.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You heard me Cloudchaser. We, as in you, me, Trixie, Soarin, Spitfire and Flitter, are going, as in heading the general direction of, Hekkerhiem, as in the changeling home world. Wadda say?”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Cloudchaser said, getting up from the chess board. “We can’t just run on over to Hekkerhiem. This isn’t like a quick little romp to Equestria, where you can just summon some thunder and lightning, make a big show of things and then everypony suddenly falls down on their knees and worships us like gods. This place is a place where everything wants to either kill you or suck all the love and feeling from your soul, leaving you nothing more then an emotionless husk of a zombie pony.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed and trotted over to her friends. “Oh come on, don’t be so glum. Anyways, it’s just us. Have you forgotten all the amazing things we’ve seen and done together!” She turned to Flitter. “Flitter, Cloudchaser, my friends, who was the totally awesome pony who lead into the most awesome battles?”

Flitter rolled her eyes. “You did.” She said, faking reluctance.

“Of course I did! Because I’m awesome!” Rainbow turned towards Soarin, who was licking his lips at the sight of another beautiful freshly baked pie.

“Soarin! My brother in arms!” Soarin jerked his head around, pie crumbs scattering about.

“What?” he said around a mouthful of the now mangled pie.

“Soarin, who was the awesome pony who showed you the best and most tasty pies in all the realms? Pies so tasty that you could have sworn you died and had ascended to Marehalla?”

Soarin grinned. “You did!” he replied around a mouthful of pie.

“Exactly!” Rainbow Dash said, giving a playful nudge on the shoulder. She turned towards Spitfire.

“And you, Spitfire, who was the pony that proved all those other ponies wrong when they laughed at the idea of a poor peasant pony rising to become one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever had?”

Spitfire smiled. “Me. And don’t you forget it.”

Rainbow Dash stopped for a second. “Right. But always remember that I was the pony who had your back the whole time.” She gave Spitfire a hoof bump.

“So,” Rainbow Dash trotted over next to Trixie and turned to face her friends. “Who’s up for some battle?”

The other ponies cheered.

"I am immortal

I have inside me blood of kings (Yeah, yeah!)

I have no rival

No man can be my equal

Take me to the future of you all"

Princes of the Universe by Queen

Act I - 02 - Where the Wind Will Whisper to Me...

Act One:

"Pride Comes Before the Fall"

Chapter Two

"Where the Wind will Whisper to Me"

The Rainbow Bridge was a truly massive structure, stretching almost three miles in length from the end of Equisgard to the edge of Hrosscant, where the planet ended in sheer cliff. The bridge was constructed out pure crystal that enabled massive amounts of magical energy to flow through it. It was so named because of the various colors that the crystals would refract as the energy surged through, making the bridge a constant kaleidoscope of colors.

Perched at the end of the bridge, and seemingly suspended over the edge of a cliff, was the Bifrost itself.

It was a massive golden sphere with a large golden spire that jutted skyward. When activated the sphere would spin at blinding speed and the spire would point out into space, slicing a sliver in space time that could be used to travel the vast distances between the realms that formed Yggdrasil, the world tree.

Of course, none of that was Rainbow Dash’s mind as she came in for a landing in front of the Bifrost, followed by Spitfire, Soarin, Flitter and Cloudchaser, with Trixie galloping up behind them.

In front of them stood a large midnight blue alicorn, whose mane ebbed and shimmered as if it were made of the very night sky itself. She stared ahead unblinking, her blue eyes keeping steady watch on the horizon, her left iris glinting with what looked like a crescent moon. She was dressed in cool silver armor engraved with constellations, galaxies, and belts of asteroids; and a scabbard containing an immense sword hung at her side, primed to cut down any who would dare to enter without her permission.

Trixie whispered to Rainbow Dash: “Now, let me handle this.” Rainbow Dash nodded and Trixie trotted up to the alicorn, her entire face shifting into an expression of the most bright and candid openness.

“Good eventide Auntie Luna, I—”

“Best beloved Trixie, thou art not suitably equipped for where thou art headed,” Luna said, her stoic tone severing through Trixie’s sunny one.

Trixie chuckled, her laugh like the chiming of little bells. “Whatever dost thou mean, my dearest Aunt?”

Luna leveled her impassive gaze at Trixie. “Trixie, thou canst not have deluded thyself into the belief that thou canst cloud thy purpose from mine eyes.”

Trixie’s smiling mask faltered. “I…I, well—”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and trotted up. “Auntie, can you let us through?”

Luna turned to look down at Rainbow Dash. “Not in all mine years as The Sentinel has an enemy crept past my watch.” She paused and her expression wavered ever so slightly, her brow tightening pensively. “Until today.” Her voice was tinged with disappointment.

“I know, Auntie,” Rainbow Dash said gently, nodding in agreement.

“Indeed, I wish to know by what sorcery such strange occurrences happened this day,” Luna said, turning to face the distance again.

“Tell no one, even Mother, of our jaunt and I promise you I will find out what happened today.” Rainbow Dash paused, then added solemnly, “It must be grave, Aunt, to have slipped past your watch…grave enough to threaten Equisgard.” She watched Luna expectantly.

Luna turned to look again at Rainbow Dash. “Thou hast mine sacred oath as Sentinel of the Bifrost.”

Rainbow Dash smiled. “Thanks, Auntie!” She turned to her friends and beckoned them to come.

Her friends all smiled and trotted up, offering their timid thanks to Luna, who simply nodded.

Spitfire glided up to Trixie, a smug grin on her face. “What’s the matter, Trixie? Did your silver tongue turn to stone?”

“No, but if you continue I’ll make certain yours does,” Trixie hissed, her eyes flashing a ferocious green.

Spitfire was about to make a comeback when Soarin nudged her along. “Come now, let’s not fight.”

Spitfire nodded and, giving Trixie one last glare, flew ahead with Soarin, with Trixie and Luna following behind.

They entered the spacious chamber which had star maps and ancient runes crafted into the globular walls. Luna’s horn glowed as she lifted her sword and placed into a large socket in the very center of the room, directly beneath the spire. A blinding light burst from the sword and shot up into the spire and the Bifrost roared to life. The light unfolded outward and split apart like branches of a tree, reaching up and around the golden colored walls.

The vast amount of magical energy caused the fur on the ponies bodies to tingle, sending shivers down their spines.

“I must warn thee, my children, I shall uphold my oath unto my sister to protect these realms,” Luna announced. “If thy return threatens the safety of Equisgard and those who inhabit it, the gate will remain shut unto thee and thou wilt be left to whatever fate is ordained for thee there.”

The thought of an ordained death sentence was at the forefront of the ponies’ minds. Soarin was the first to speak.

“Um, Miss Gatekeeper ma’am, couldn’t you just keep the gate open for us? That way if something goes wrong we can just come right back, right?”

Luna shook her head. “My child, keeping the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bi-Frost and destroy Hekkerhiem, and thee with it.”

Soarin’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks and he turned pale. “Oh. I…I always wondered about that.”

“Don’t worry, Auntie. We have no plans to die today,” Rainbow Dash said, doing her most to sound assertive, despite the queasiness pinching her stomach.

“None do,” Luna said coldly. “Yet I have seen Death still manage to catch them. It caught my father, it caught thine; beware lest you go unto them and follow Death.”

“We’ll be sure to remember that Auntie,” Trixie said, sounding unusually anxious as well.

“Well, off we go,” Rainbow Dash said.

She stepped forward and let the gravity of the wormhole pull her in, followed by Spitfire, Flitter, Cloudchaser, Soarin and last of all, Trixie.

/////////////////////////////

The trip to Hekkerhiem was over in less than a minute as the six ponies traveled through what looked like a tube made of pure spinning rainbow of lights.

The Bifrost set them on the desolate world that was Hekkerhiem, leaving a knotted rune imprint in the ground beneath their hooves. Trixie looked over her shoulder.

“What do you know, Luna managed to drop us off on the edge of a cliff. How delightful.”

The other ponies turned to see that, indeed, they were standing on the edge of a steep overhang with the snarled, shadowy land of Hekkerhiem stretching out for miles beneath.

They also found that they were surrounded by a clinging green mist that limited vision to no more than eight feet in any direction.

“Well, at least this means nopony can sneak up on us from behind,” Spitfire said, gripping the hilt of her sword.

“Stay sharp, okay?” Rainbow Dash said tersely.

The others nodded, each taking out their weapons. All except Soarin, who stumbled around for a few seconds trying to get his bearings.

“You know, I’m really starting to hate these trips,” he said as he finally settled onto his hooves and pulled out his axe.

Spitfire rolled her eyes and chuckled. “You always say that, and yet here you are.”

Soarin shrugged. “What can I say; Rainbow Dash is a great persuader.”

Cloudchaser shook her head. “We really shouldn’t be here.”

Flitter nodded. “Yeah, it’s creepy.” She looked up at what appeared like a withered tree that had strange green goo dribbling off it.

“Let’s move,” Rainbow Dash said. She started to trot into the mist. “Remember, stay close or you’ll get lost in the mist.”

“And no flying, you never know who might be up the sky with you,” Trixie said, glancing upwards into the clouded skies.

“Oh joy divine,” Cloudchaser whispered to herself as they all trotted along.

The wind moaned sorrowfully and hissing, creaking and snapping sounds wafted through the air as the ponies marched steadily through the mist. Now and then they caught sight of what seemed to be ruins of disintegrating fortresses and castles.

Every so often a rumble sounded in the distance as if something large was collapsing in on itself, sending shivers down the ponies’ spines, or strange wails and moans that the ponies hoped were some kind of native creature and not ghosts or some form of restless spirit.

They continued to walk for what could have been a few minutes or a few hours, there was no telling the time in the dimness, the ponies whispering feebly amongst themselves to lighten the tension.

“Where are they?” Spitfire finally said what everypony was thinking, wariness evident in her voice.

“They’re probably hiding. Like cowards,” Rainbow Dash said contemptuously.

“Or they're just waiting to jump out of the mist and cut our throats,” Cloudchaser pointed out. Flitter groaned.

“By Faust, Cloudchaser, you’re such a downer.”

Trixie, who had been bringing up the rear much of the walk, now came up beside Rainbow Dash at the head of the company. She leaned close and whispered, “They might not be here at all, Rainbow. I’ve heard the war so ruined the planet that the changing of the seasons agitates the magic toxins left here. They fill the air so the changelings must migrate beneath the surface of the planet.”

Rainbow Dash simply shrugged. “We’ve been walking for hours and we’re still alive.”

Trixie shook her head. “You understand Rainbow, there are also magical traps leftover from the war still embedded all over this place. Injurious spells, lethal poisons and illusions that lead you into quicksand and pits filled with—”

“Stop. You’re giving Cloudchaser a run for her money,” Rainbow Dash huffed.

“Grandfather and Father died here and they were greater warriors than we,” Trixie answered.

“The changeling queen killed them, not some hedge witch’s spell,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice brittle with bitterness.

Trixie paused for a moment, and then spoke in a lower, almost quavering voice, “I think I hear them, Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes darted about and her muscles becoming taut. She instinctively tightened her grip on Mjolnir. “Changelings?”

“No. Father and Grandfather.”

Rainbow Dash almost stopped dead in her track. “What?” She said so loudly that the others jumped and everything fell into a sudden, startled silence silent, even the mist seemed to freeze.

Rainbow Dash flashed a smile over her shoulder at her friends and continued forward. She waited until the others started whispering among each other again before she turned back to Trixie.

“Trixie, you were the last pony I thought some smog would get to.”

“This isn’t smog,” Trixie snapped. “This is the scars of a damaged atmosphere.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “So it’s advanced smog.”

“I’m serious, Rainbow Dash. I hear their voices, I can’t catch their words but I can perceive their whispering.”

Rainbow Dash paused, her eyes scanning the terrain. “It’s just the wind in the...rocks.”

“I know what wind sounds like, might I remind you we spent a horrible fortnight on that moor in Vindhiem. The wind was so loud we could barely sleep. This isn’t wind.” Trixie’s voice had become eerily faint and her eyes seemed to glass over with a flinching dread. “This—these—are voices…and there’s lots of them. And they are angry.”

Rainbow Dash turned to directly face her sister. “Trixie, stop it,” she said, trying her best to imitate her mother’s tone when she was issuing a command. “Grandfather and Father were not some wicked souls damned to wander the land for their sins. They were killed in battle, their deaths were honorable.” She leaned in to stare into Trixie’s eyes, her own eyes beginning to burn and sting with emotion. “That’s why we’re here. To prove to her, to all of them, that our fathers did not perish in vain. That the victory they won with their deaths is still ours, turning even her triumphs into the instruments of her defeat.”

There was a strained silence between them for long moment.

Trixie pulled back abruptly, her expression suddenly calm. “My, how poetic we are today.”

Rainbow Dash stifled a sigh of relief but couldn’t hide a smile. “I’ve been practicing it since we landed, just in case I need to make a rousing speech. Did it sound rehearsed?”

Trixie smiled, but the smile seemed somewhat distant. “No, you sounded very fierce and resolved.”

Suddenly, the mist cleared away to reveal a decaying, massive structure that was the Changeling Palace.

It had various blackened spikes clawing their way into the sky, only to have their tops broken off jaggedly, giving the palace the appearance of a thorned crown.

“Well…this looks all very welcoming,” Trixie muttered.

Soarin shuffled from one hoof to the other, chewing his lip. “Do you think it's smart going in there? Looks like the perfect spot for an ambush.”

The other ponies glanced at each knowingly but Rainbow Dash plowed forward without a word. The others looked at one another, sighed deeply in unison, and then followed grimly.

The roof had several gigantic holes in it, allowing the ponies to look up and see the hazy skies above. Occasionally, some scaled creatures would scuttle by, apparently frightened by the sounding of their hooves, and vanish into the various piles of debris that lay scattered around.

Spitfire cursed under her breath after nearly tripping over a piece of broken crockery. “By Faust, this place goes on forever.”

“How do we even know we haven’t passed through this place before?” Flitter said.

“All these halls look the same,” Cloudchaser said.

“And I’m pretty sure I recognize that pile of rocks over there...” Soarin said.

“Anyone have some oats we could mark a trail with?” Rainbow Dash asked.

The other ponies all looked at Soarin. He frowned. “What?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Kidding, ponies. Just kidding.”

“Ohh…” Everypony said together and then laughed softly, all except Trixie, who again was lagging behind. She kept wincing and stumbling like she was walking through some unseen brambles and she sometimes even balked at the corners and doorways they went through, eyeing the murky passage and only just managing to creep after her companions.

Spitfire eyed her suspiciously and trotted up to Rainbow Dash’s side. “What is wrong with Trixie? She’s been acting bizarre since we landed.”

“She’s just upset because this is where our father died,” Rainbow Dash said, hoping that sour memory would shut Spitfire up. But apparently the pony was determined to be troublesome.

“She’s not acting upset, she’s acting scared. She’s walking around here like the whole place is set to swallow her up any minute. And you two were whispering just before we got here and she looked downright scared.”

“Are you scared?” Rainbow Dash asked sharply, casting a glance over her shoulder.

“Of course, but I don’t go creeping around like a frightened filly! Everypony’s spooked as it is, we don’t need her acting like the place is jinxed.” Spitfire insisted, her voice terse.

Rainbow Dash turned to face Spitfire. “Leave her be, Spitfire. You do your job and I’ll handle Trixie.”

There was a brief silence between the two, as Spitfire stepped back. “Fine. But keep in mind my job is only as good as the help I’m given. One weak link breaks the chain.”

Spitfire fell back with the others and Rainbow Dashed marched on, her jaw set tight.

For the first time she doubted the wisdom of taking her friends along on this mission, the consequences and the risk didn’t seem to sit well with any of them.

Was she the only one in the entire realm who understood what this mission meant, why they had to do this? This wasn’t a game or a leisure trip or an adventure seeking like any before; this was queenly business, this was her royal duty to her kingdom and her ancestors.

Was she the only one thinking of any of this? This was why she should be queen, this was why Mother needed to step down, this was—

“Trixie?”

Soarin’s voice snapped Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts and she along with the rest of the ponies turned to hiss, “Shhhhh!”

“Trixie’s still down there,” Soarin said, pointing down the hall they had just come down.

Trixie stood at the entrance of the hall but her face was turned to the right, looking down another narrower hallway they had passed by.

“Trixie!” Soarin called softly.

“Get over here!” Spitfire hissed.

Trixie didn’t seem to hear them but remained frozen in place, staring down the tight, dark passageway.

Spitfire gave Rainbow Dash an I told you so look before Rainbow Dash, sighing in exasperation, walked back down the hall to her sister with the others at her heels.

“Trixie, why don’t you—” She stopped short when she finally caught sight of Trixie’s face.

It was so pale Rainbow Dash thought she was about to faint and her pupils were nothing but specks floating in the icy ocean of her lavender eyes. Her entire body was drawn so tight she looked as if she had been turned to stone. The only thing moving were her ears, twitching as if trying to catch a wavering note of noise.

“Trixie…”

“They’re down there.” Trixie’s voice was rasping as if it were being wrung out of her. She lifted her hoof and pointed it, quivering, down the passage.

Later, Rainbow Dash knew the only thing her sister could have meant was what she eventually answered, but in the moment with the look on Trixie’s face, all she could think and say was, “Father?”

“Changelings.”

"I linger in the doorway

Of alarm clock screaming

Monsters calling my name

Let me stay

Where the wind will whisper to me

Where the raindrops, as they’re falling, tell a story"

Imaginary by Evanescence

Act I - 04 - I Call to You Across the Sky

Act II - 04 - I Call to You Across the Sky

Act II:

"All Equal in the End"

Chapter Four:

"I Call to You Across the Sky"

Daring Do pulled her coat tighter around her body. She was reminded of the various times she’d been up various nights across Equestria and she had to admit she’d yet to see a night this beautiful.

Firefly would have loved this weather.

Daring Do instinctively glanced at Scootaloo, as if afraid she might have heard her thoughts, but the orange filly was too consumed staring at the stars, lifting the camera hanging from her neck every now and then to snap a picture.

“What’s the name of that one, Comet Tail?” Scootaloo asked the greenish yellow unicorn with a powder blue mane sitting beside them.

The unicorn turned from his immense telescope and squinted where the filly was pointing.

“That’s Borr the All-Father. You see that large flashing one? That’s his eye and those five clustered around it are his ear, his forehead and his nose.”

Scootaloo frowned. “Who named these constellations? It looks more like rabbit to me.”

“Well, they had no TVs or radios and few books so our ancestors spent all their time looking at the sky. And whenever you look at something long enough you start seeing what you want to, not what’s really there.”

Daring Do stared at the unicorn. “That was deep, Comet Tail.”

Comet Tail gave a smug grin. “I have my moments.”

They fell silent for a few moments, with each of them looking back at the sky.

“Can we do this every night?” Scootaloo asked.

Daring Do glanced at her then quickly away. “Sure, if you like,” she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could.

“…Cause I won’t have to go to school this year, right?”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

“Cool.”

Daring Do resisted the urge to continue the conversation. Tonight was the first time in nine months Scootaloo had spoken of the future. She had seemed to be living each day just waiting for the end of the world, simply lying in her room reading the same comic book and her listening to some old records she found in Daring Do’s attic.

When Daring Do had mentioned accompanying Comet Tail on his extra credit stargazing project she had merely shrugged and trudged along after her aunt. But nopony could stay miserable around Comet Tail—at least not for long.

Scootaloo abruptly tilted her head as if she noticed something. “Hey, Aunt Daring?”

“Yeah, Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo pointed a hoof at the sky. “What’s that?”

Daring looked to the point in the sky where Scootaloo was pointing and saw something strange. It looked similar to the Equestrian Lights but whereas the Lights were often white or bluish, this was a wild rainbow palate that shimmered and flickered against the night sky.

“Hey Comet Tail, what the hay is that?”

Comet Tail turned from his telescope and looked in the direction where Daring was pointing. His eyebrows shot up. “I’m not sure…it really doesn’t look like any aurora I’ve ever seen.”

“What’s it doing?” Scootaloo said. The aurora had suddenly compressed into a tornado shape and stretch towards the ground, whirling like a kaleidoscope.

“Um, okay, that’s definitely not normal,” Comet Tail said, lowering his telescope and standing up, squinting at the sky. “It seems to be almost solid!” His voice changed from confusion to excitement. “I’ve gotta get a better look!”

He bolted off into the desert babbling wildly, leaving a very confused Daring Do and Scootaloo in the dust.

“Wait your—! He forgot his camera, Aunt!” Scootaloo said and started after Comet Tail.

“Scootaloo wait!” Daring Do launched herself in the air and started flying after her friend and niece.

They didn’t know what that thing was—it was starting to remind her a little too much of a tornado—and if there was one thing Daring Do had learned after years of traveling Equestria: you never, EVER go towards a force of nature.

“Hold up you two!” Daring called down as she came in for a landing beside Comet Tail and Scootaloo, who had finally stopped a short distance from the funnel.

“Oh my gosh Daring, this extra credit thing was the best idea I’ve ever had! And Scoots brought the camera!”

Just as he reached for the camera hanging around Scootaloo’s neck the funnel shaped aurora made a noise like a snarl. The three ponies looked skyward.

“Okay, now that,” Comet Tail said, obviously spooked. “That is NOT normal at all.”

“It sounded like thunder…are you absolutely sure there was no storm scheduled?” Daring Do asked.

“Yeah, I asked about earlier, remember.”

Daring Do bit her lip. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this. I’m taking Scootaloo back—”

She was cut off by a roaring sound from the aurora. A white light came streaking down from the top of the funnel and upon reaching the ground it detonated in an explosion of light, sending a wave of dust toward the three ponies.

Daring leapt to cover Scootaloo and Comet Tail threw himself on the ground. The dust swallowed them up, raking over their coats and hissing in their ear.

When the dust cleared, the ponies tentatively opened their eyes and looked around. The sky was clear once more and the air crisp, as if nothing had happened.

“What just happened?” Scootaloo whispered.

“I have no idea…” Comet Tail and Daring Do said at the same time.

Scootaloo wriggled out from underneath Daring Do’s wing, beginning to shake her head to rid it of the sand but suddenly froze.

“Who’s that?!” she shouted.

The two other ponies turned to look in the direction Scootaloo was. In the exact spot where the explosion had been was now a ring etched in the desert floor filled with strange twisted shapes. And in the center of the ring lay what looked like an earth pony with a rainbow colored mane.

“Oh no…” Scootaloo said and before Daring Do or Comet Tail could stop her she ran over the unconscious rainbow-haired earth pony.

“Scootaloo wait!” Daring Do shouted and, followed by Comet Tail, they raced after the filly.

Scootaloo reached the pony and began shaking it.

“Hey! Hey, you okay!” she said.

“Scootaloo, get back!” Daring Do said, coming up to her niece and quickly pulling her away. She glanced down at the pony and gaped. She didn’t have a single scratch on her!

The pony was coming to, lifting her head tentatively and blinking slowly. “Ugh…” she rubbed her head. “What the Faust…” She paused and suddenly spun around to face the three ponies, squinting. “Who…this isn’t Equinsgard…”

“Equinsgard? Where’s that?” Before Scootaloo could get an answer the rainbow-maned pony stood up and began to stumble around, looking up at the clear sky.

“Hey! HEY! Auntie Luna?! Auntie, you can open the Bifrost now! Tell Mother I’ve learned my lesson!” she shouted at the stars, her voice ringing with panic.

Daring Do glanced at Comet Tail who was looking at her with anxious bemusement.

The strange pony whipped around and started to stagger over to Comet Tail, nearly stepping on top of Scootaloo. “Mortal! Where am I? What realm is this?”

Comet Tail stepped back nervously. “What? Wadda mean ‘realm’? We’re outside Appleloosa; I don’t know anything about…” Before he could finish the pony made her way over to Daring Do, who shoved Scootaloo behind her, who keep trying to look around her aunt at the pony.

“Appleloosa? In which realm is that?”

Daring Do stared at her. “Um, Equestria…”

The strange pony facehoofed. “Oh, no, no no! Not here!” she said and looked back up at the sky. “Is this some kind of perverse jest Mother?! Are you—” She stopped short and started darting around the etched circle.

“Hammer!” she shouted and now her voice was completely hysterical. “Hammer! Hammer!”

“You’re hammered alright…” Comet Tail muttered.

The pony stopped and turned towards him, her face the portrait of anger. “What?!” She started to stomp over towards the unicorn. “How dare you, a mere mortal, suggest that I, Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder is intoxicated? I am going to…”

Before she could finish her threat, she was greeted by a blast of magic to the face, and dropped to the ground unconscious.

Comet Tail stood awkwardly over the unconscious earth pony. “What?” he said, looking at Daring Do and Scootaloo. “She’s crazy! You saw her, she was threatening me.”

“We didn’t say anything,” Scootaloo said.

“We’re going to have to take her to the hospital,” Daring Do said.

“It was just a stun spell,” Comet Tail said.

“That funnel tornado thing hit her!”

“She looked fine to me!”

While Daring Do and Comet Tail argued the definition of “fine” Scootaloo slipped away from her aunt and over to the pony. She didn’t look so crazy now, but she was unconscious now of course. She looked like she was sleeping, like Mom and Dad did when—

Scootaloo shook her head to rid it of the images that came flooding back. I’m not going to think about that, I’m not going to think about that…

She quickly walked away from the pony and started looking at the strange twisting symbols carved in the ground.

What are these?

They looked like someone had been trying to draw snakes and vines but kept getting distracted and just kept running them together.

They looked like some of the runes from one of Aunt Daring’s traveling books. She probably knows what they are.

“Hey! Aunt Daring! Come look at these!”

Daring Do stopped yelling at Comet Tail. “What?!”

“There’s these really weird doodles on the ground.” Scootaloo said, pointing at the ground.

Daring glided over followed by Comet Tail.

“Hmmm….” Daring Do knelt down and began to closely study the symbols. “Scootaloo hand me the camera. Comet Tail please light me up here.”

Comet Tail lit his horn up and Scootaloo handed over the camera. Daring Do snapped about a dozen photos from different points around the circle. When she was done she reached out to touch the symbols and frowned.

“What is it?” Comet Tail and Scootaloo asked at once.

“These runes…they look like dust but you can’t wipe them away…but they aren’t etched into the ground either. It’s like they’re a stain or something…”

“Runes? From where?” Scootaloo asked.

Daring Do shook her head. “I feel like I recognize them but I can’t remember where…we’ll have to go back home and check my library.” She stood up and looked at the strange pony, biting her lip. “But right now we need to get this pony to a hospital. Scootaloo, help me get her on Comet’s back.”

Comet Tail groaned. “Why my back?”

“Because you’re a stallion and it’s your fault she’s unconscious anyways,” Daring Do said.

“Ugh….fine….” Comet Tail grumbled and stood silently as the aunt and niece hefted the pony onto his back.

“Wow she’s heavier than she looks…” he said.

“Scootaloo take the camera, I’m going to help Comet Tail here…”

Daring Do and Comet Tail started shufflng toward the cart with the strange pony drabbed across their backs with Scootaloo following carefully behind.

Unbeknownst of any of the ponies, a small meteorite made its way across the sky and disappeared behind a mountain, hitting the ground.

/////////////////////////////

Scootaloo and Comet Tail sat in the plastic chairs in the admissions office of Appleloosa General Hospital. It was a rather humble place with only one computer, where a lemon yellow unicorn in scrubs covered with cartoon kittens typed away, as Daring Do gave him the necessary information.

“And the pony’s name?” the unicorn looked up from the computer screen over his reading glasses.

“She said her name was Rainbow Dash,” Daring Do said.

“Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder,” Scootaloo added from her seat.

The unicorn raised his eyebrows. “First name…Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh, yes,” Daring Do said.

“One word or two?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Celestiamaden is the surname?”

Daring Do glanced at Scootaloo who just shrugged. “I assume,” Daring Do said.

The unicorn typed the name in. “Okay then. And 'First Princess of Storms and Thunder' is…what exactly? A title?”

Daring sighed. “I don’t know I’m just telling you what she told me. What she could tell me before my assistant shot her with a magic blast.”

The unicorn sighed. “What kind of magic blast?”

Comet Tail piped up. “A stun spell. She tried to attack me.”

“O-kay then. Is that everything?” the unicorn asked.

Daring sighed. “Yes, that’s all we know.”

The unicorn nodded. “Okay then. Thanks for bringing her in and have a good evening.”

“Too late,” Comet Tail muttered.

“Thanks.” Daring said and picked up her pith helmet from where she had laid in the desk. She motioned to the two sitting ponies. “Come on guys, let’s go home. I’m exhausted.”

“So we’re just going to leave her here?” Scootaloo asked as she hopped off her chair.

“Yeah, they’ll make sure she’s taken care of. They’ll do a better job of it than us.” Daring said.

Scootaloo looked reluctant but followed her aunt and Comet Tail followed out the door.

“Sorry about stunning her,” Comet Tail said.

Daring simply rolled her eyes. “That’s fine. She’s probably crazy anyways, what with that crazy mane color and all.”

/////////////////////////////

Rainbow Dash tried opening her eyes. Her eyelids felt as if they were made of solid lead. She had a headache that felt like an army of diamond dogs were hammering at her skull with pickaxes.

The last thing she remembered was being reprimanded by her mother about her mission to Hekkerhiem and being blasted into the Bifrost. Then nothing else. She hoped that maybe, just maybe, the events of the night before were nothing more than a horrible nightmare and she’d wake up in her bedchambers, nice and warm under her goose down covers.

Mother would never do such a thing, she never gets so angry. Faust, Trixie has done worse things and gets off with just a grounding. I’m going to wake up in bed and everything is going to be as it was.

She finally to managed to pry her eyes open and her heart froze. This was most definitely NOT her bedchambers. The room was blindingly white and devoid of furniture except for a small night table to her left with a small lamp and a small sofa against the right wall.

She could feel something stuck into her forearm. She looked down and her eyes were greeted by the sight of at least five tubes of various shapes and sizes that ran from her leg to a nearby box like object that hummed. A steady beep also came from the machine. She tried to lift her other forearm and even though it felt like liquid she was able to drag to her other side and fumble with the tubes.

An oddly condescending voice greeted her ears.

“Oh no ya don’t sugar, ya’ll not supposed to be doin’ that now.” Rainbow Dash turned in the direction of the voice. A pastel blue earth pony in a white outfit sat next to her bed.

“Where am I?” Rainbow Dash asked, feeling her energy slowly return with the natural authority in her voice.

“Why yer in Appleloosa, sugar,” The pony replied, in a voice that sounded like it was made of liquid sugar.

“Appleloosa?” The name was strangely familiar, as if Rainbow Dash had heard it somewhere before. “In which realm is that?”

The pony’s saccharine smile faded slightly. She thought for a moment, as if confused by Rainbow Dash’s question. “Um, well, hon, I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no realms, but I know that this here wonderful town is in Equestria.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. Suddenly the events of the past 24 hours came flooding back to her. The desert, the three ponies, getting zapped by that stupid unicorn.

Everything.

She suddenly exploded off the bed, and made a flying leap towards the blue pony. Instead, she fell like a stone, the tubes connected to her forearm suddenly going taut, and she went sprawling on the floor, dragging the metal box down with her.

The blue mare bolted over to the opposite wall and flipped a small lever.

Suddenly Rainbow Dash’s ears were greeted by a deafening blaring noise. Suddenly, what seemed like a veritable army of ponies came bursting into the room, all dressed in identical white coats.

Rainbow Dash yanked the tubes out of her arm, causing several sharp pains to go shooting through her arm. She shook it off however, and made a break for the door, leaping into the air, ready to spread her wings and-

*CRUNCH*

Instead of making a glorious escape, she crashed into the floor, blasting her face across the icy floorboards. Rainbow Dash’s head spun and she looked at her back.

It was completely bare. No wings, no feathers, absolutely no sign that she’d ever had wings in the first place. She simply stared at her back for a few seconds, her stomach twisting, completely stunned.

The sound of a stallion in a white coat galloping up to tackle her snapped Rainbow Dash back into reality, and she sent him flying with a well placed buck. Within seconds however, the other ponies came and dog piled her.

“RELEASE ME! DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!?!” Rainbow Dash roared, still struggling towards the door. If she could just reach the door she had a chance at escape.

“Hold her down boys!” The familiar sugary-sweet voice of the blue mare shouted over the sounds of struggling.

“IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT A PRINCESS OF EQUINSGARD?! HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME IN SUCH A MANNER!!” Rainbow Dash shrieked. “NONE OF YOU CAN HOLD YOURSELVES IN COMBAT WITH RAINBOW DASH CELESTIAMADEN FIRST PRINCESS OF STORMS AND THUN-”

A sudden sharp pain shot through Rainbow Dash’s flank. Everything suddenly shifted into slow motion and looked almost as if everything was melting, along with her herself.

The blue mare stepped into Rainbow Dash’s line of vision.

“Now, now, sugar, we’ll have none of that in this here hospital,” her voice was now strange and warped, like she was speaking through water. “Sleep tight, sugar.”

The mare smiled and everything once again went black.

/////////////////////////////

Meadow Song quietly hiked along the hill side, his guitar slung over his back and whistling a new song to himself.

He eventually made his way over the small hill and sat down. Taking off his saddle bags, he pulled out his guitar and began to strum a random tune, his eyes lazily scanning the terrain below.

He trailed off as something strange caught his eye and he outright dropped his guitar.

At the bottom of the hill, in the center of a small valley was a large crater. In the center of that crater was a small object Meadow Song couldn’t quite make out.

“What in Equestria?” He muttered as he made his way down the hill and into the crater.

He trotted into the center of the crater, he found an abnormally large, rather old and beat up looking hammer, its handle pointing skyward.

“Well fancy that…a hammer…” Meadow Song said to nopony in particular. He looked around. There was nopony else but him and there wasn’t even a sign that had been anypony here in the first place, except the hammer of course.

An idea started to form in his mind. Yeah… He thought. Just like that nifty sword from the stories.

A smile appeared on his face. “Well, Meadow Song, it seems Lady Fate has decided ta smile on ya.” With that he grabbed the hammer’s handle and pulled.

Nothing. No angelic choir, no bright light and no wizard popping up out of nowhere telling him “You’re a king, Meadow Song!”

Meadow Song let go of the hammer and sat on his haunches. “Maybe I just pulled it wrong.”

He got back up and tried again. Once again, there was no response. The hammer didn’t budge. It seemed almost as if it were super glued to the rock.

“Well that’s just plain weird if ya ask me.” He said as he turned back and hiked up the hill. “Maybe the Sherriff will know what ta do…”

"And no one sings me lullabies

And no one makes me close my eyes

So I throw the windows wide

And call to you across the sky...."

Echoes by Pink Floyd

Act I - 05 - We Pretend It's Alright

Act II - 05 - We Pretend It's Alright

Act II:

"All Equal in the End"

Chapter Five:

"We Pretend It's Alright"

Rainbow Dash let out a long groan and slowly opened her eyes. She was in yet another white room except this time it was just her lying on a small bed with no covers or sheets.

She tried to move her legs. Something tightened.

What in Faust’s name? She looked down at her legs to see that she was pinned across each of her legs by tight black straps. She felt a wave of panic burn through her heart like a hot coal and it made her brain buzz like a hive of hornets. She felt her breath coming in dry and short gasps despite that her lungs were aching to draw them out.

A sudden memory of the unsettling earth pony with the saccharine voice flashed across her mind. She clenched her eyes shut.

Stop, Rainbow, and THINK. You make too much of a scene and that pony will return with her horde and spell you again. You’ve been in worse situations before. These are mortal bonds after all. Surely they do not think to hold me down with such simple bindings.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, slowly coming down from her panicked state. Then, she jerked her legs up sharply. But instead of snapping and falling off, the straps remained securely fastened. She let out a puzzled sigh.

“Okay…let’s try that again,” She mumbled as she tried again, this time attempting to push against the straps with her entire body.

Nothing. Not a single strand loosened.

“It can’t be…” she grunted as she began thrash violently. “Must be…some sort…of enchantment…”

She gave a final mighty tug. Nothing.

She let out a frustrated growl. “Think, Rainbow… think!”

Faust, I sound like Trixie. She probably would have been out of this by now.

With that thought in mind she looked down at her hooves again, this time carefully inspecting the straps.

Maybe…

She very slowly drew her hoof out from the straps and the strap released it willingly.

“Excellent!” she nearly shouted, quickly catching herself.

After using her free hoof to undo the rest of her bindings, Rainbow Dash sat up slowly and placed each of her hooves on the ground carefully, putting her weight on each one before trying the next. She wasn’t going to make the same rushed mistakes as before. She took several, small, tentative steps forward, smiling as she found her footing.

Satisfied that she was strong enough to walk—and run if she had to—and perhaps even fight if necessary, she started towards the door, walking as quietly as possible. She reached the door and glanced out the small eye-level window. Nobody stood guard outside.

Fools, not even a single guard for their most valuable prisoner?

Never mind, so they were foolish. Simply made getting home simpler for the likes of her.

/////////////////////////////

Daring Do and Scootaloo sat in the restaurant, quietly going about eating their food. Comet Tail had decided to sleep in that morning, so it fell on Daring’s shoulders to take Scootaloo out for breakfast. Daring had the morning paper spread in front of her, but she couldn’t focus on the words because the symbols Scootaloo had pointed out the night before kept appearing in her eyes.

She intended to search through her library the night before, but she had been so exhausted that she simply crashed as soon as she made sure Scootaloo had made it to bed. No matter how hard she tried to shake them from her mind the symbols kept resurfacing like shells through sand; they felt maddeningly familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before, but she couldn’t place a single one or where she had seen them.

She sighed, shutting the paper in frustration and defeat, glancing out the window near where they were seated. Her sleep ringed eyes nearly popped out of her skull at the sight that greeted her.

Walking down the street, looking slightly bewildered but brash, was a frighteningly familiar bright blue earth pony with a rainbow mane.

“Dear Celestia—”

Scootaloo looked up from her hay fries. “Auntie?” she asked, turning her head to look outside. She gaped. “They let her out already?”

“Looks like it. Maybe she just had a bad trip last night.” Daring replied.

Scootaloo shrugged. “She didn’t look stoned.”

Daring gave Scootaloo a look—How would she know?—but didn’t say anything. Maybe she was right, the mare hadn’t looked high.

Scootaloo abruptly banged on the window with her hoof, waving towards the blue mare. “Hey! Hey, you!”

“Scootaloo what—” Daring Do exclaimed but the pony had already seen them and was approaching the café.

Daring Do gave her niece a dirty look but Scootaloo just stared back innocently. “Scootaloo, we don’t know her.”

Scootaloo shrugged, apparently unfazed. “I just want to say hi.”

Daring huffed, “She might—”

Just then the rainbow maned pony pushed through the café door, instantly narrowing her eyes at the sight of them. She pointed an accusatory hoof toward them. “You!” she bellowed as she strode over to them, causing the other patrons to turn and look at them.

Daring Do quickly stood up and positioned herself between Scootaloo and the pony defensively.

“You were the peasants who delivered me to that ivory prison!” the pony said darkly.

“Now listen here—” Daring Do began but was interrupted by Scootaloo, who peeked her head from around Daring’s wings.

“You mean the hospital? Yeah, you were stoned or something and passed out so we brought you to the doctor.”

There was a pause as the pony opened her mouth to respond, then hesitated and seemed to be pondering intently. “Well then, I suppose I should be thanking you.” She bowed abruptly, so low that her rainbow bangs brushed the floor. “For your assistance in my time of need you have my eternal gratitude, call on me whenever you have a need.”

Daring Do glanced around the café and saw to her dismay more than half the customers were gaping at them. She blushed slightly.

“Um…thanks?” she said slowly, feeling rather awkward.

“Did they feed you at the hospital?” Scootaloo asked.

“No,” the pony replied, standing up and shaking her head, looking somewhat disappointed.

“Then sit with us!” Scootaloo grinned, beckoning towards the table.

The pony was about to say something when Daring Do raised a hoof.

“Just a moment, please,” Daring Do said. She turned towards her niece and whispered, “Scootaloo, stop. We don’t know who this pony is or what the matter is with her.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Oh c’mon, Auntie! Does she look dangerous?” she pointed towards the pony, who was now sitting at the table, tinkering with the utensils.

Daring Do shook her head. “That’s not the point! She’s a stranger who we found wandering in the desert and babbling like a lunatic!”

“But she didn’t do anything to us! It was Comet Tail who spelled her.”

“Scoot—”

Scootaloo crossed her forehooves. “Auntie Daring, you’ve been telling me I have to start socializing again and here I am willingly socializing with somepony and you’re not happy.” Daring Do was about to reply but Scootaloo cut her off with a pleading tone: “Just let her have some coffee with us, that’s it! We’re in a café with a bunch of ponies, what could she do anyway?”

Daring Do was about to resist, but hesitated. This was the first time Scootaloo had really asked for anything in months, the first time the old spunk was back in her eyes. She really wanted this, wanted to do something new again, have an adventure.

And really, this pony didn’t really look threatening. Daring knew a threat when she saw it and though the mare was physically imposing, she didn’t give off any indication of danger.

What would it take except a few minutes out of her day and a few bits from her wallet to buy this pony a coffee and let Scootaloo out of her shell for the first time in six months? If she didn’t, they would finish their food in silence, trudge home and Scootaloo would lock herself away in her room with her records for the rest of the day. Again.

Daring Do sighed and turned back to the pony. “Why don’t you have a seat? I’ll buy you some coffee.”

The pony made a perplexed face. “Coffee?”

Scootaloo nodded emphatically. “Yeah! Coffee. Auntie drinks it a lot and Comet Tail says it’s awesome.”

The pony looked at Scootaloo and raised an eyebrow. “Really? I’ve had many a drink, but I’ve never heard of this…‘coffee’. I must try some now, since it seems to bring you such joy.”

“Okay then,” Daring Do said and motioned towards a waitress. “Excuse me, waitress!”

The waitress, a dark green earth pony, trotted over. “Yeah, wadda need?”

“Just some coffee. Straight please,” Daring asked. The waitress nodded, jotting down the order on a paper.

“And the filly?” The waitress asked, pointing towards Scootaloo. Scootaloo was about to open her mouth before Daring held up a hoof to silence her.

“And some chocolate milk for her.”

Scootaloo visibly sagged at the words, muttering under her breath. “But I wanted coffee…”

The waitress nodded again and walked off.

There commenced a long, strange silence between the three. Daring Do attempted to appear engrossed in her newspaper while peering over the pages to keep watch over the strange pony, while Scootaloo skipped all pretenses and settled for staring at the pony intently. The new pony simply leaned back in her seat and scanned the café with a decidedly unimpressed expression, seemingly unaware of the other two ponies.

Just when Daring Do had decided this had been a bad idea and was thinking of a way to excuse herself and Scootaloo, the pony spoke.

“My friends, I have not had a proper chance to introduce myself,” the pony said in a stately voice.

Well, thank Celestia we’re learning something about this pony, thought Daring Do.

The pony straightened in her seat and lifted her head proudly. “I am Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder, Daughter of All-Mother Celestia from the line of Borr, the Father of Faust.”

…And she’s completely insane. Great judgment there, Daring Do.

“Wow. That’s totally metal,” Scootaloo said. “It’s like something out of a rock song.”

The pony—Rainbow Dash was the only proper name Daring Do had gotten from the pony’s spiel—didn’t seem to understand what Scootaloo was saying but perhaps her tone was clear enough and she smiled. “I feel compelled to again express my deep gratitude for the assistance you have rendered me. Although I must tell you that I most likely would have found my way to this...” she paused, glancing out the window and eyeing the street rather distastefully. “…village soon enough.”

The waitress pony appeared again and placed two steaming cups of coffee in front of Daring and Rainbow Dash.

“Here’s yer coffee, and yer hot coco. Enjoy.”

Daring Do hardly had enough presence of mind to say “Thank you” before the waitress trotted off to another table.

How in the name of Celestia am I going to get us out of this?

Rainbow Dash took up the steaming cup the waitress had just placed before her in her hooves. “This does not resemble any drink I’ve seen before,” she said.

“It’s awesome! Try it,” Scootaloo said.

Rainbow Dash shrugged and took a sip. Her eyes widened and she threw her head back, downing the cup in one gulp. She held the mug out in front of her and eyed it with wonder.

“This drink! I like it!” She beamed.

“Uh huh. Great isn’t it?” Scootaloo said, grinning at her aunt, who could only shrug as she edged herself to the end of her seat.

I’ll just get up, say we have an appointment somewhere and drag Scootaloo away before she has a chance to—

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash threw the mug to the floor where it exploded into a thousand shards that shot across the polished diner floor. “ANOTHER!” she bellowed. Every pony spun around and gaped at them, except a coffee brown mare with a hammer and lightning cutie mark, who proceeded to throw her coffee mug down.

“YEAH! ANOTHER!” the mare shouted in agreement.

“Sorry, sorry guys, was a little accident,” Daring Do said helplessly as she got up and assisted the unicorn waiter who had come to pick up the pieces of coffee mug. “So sorry, I’m so sorry,” She repeated until the shards were cleaned and the waiter trotted off after giving her a dark glare.

Daring Do turned on Rainbow Dash. “What the heck was that about?” she hissed, though she figured after that display there wasn’t much use in keeping anything confidential.

Rainbow shrugged, looking distinctly unconcerned. “It was delicious. I want another. What’s the matter?”

“Well, I don’t know about where you come from but around here ponies don’t just throw their coffee mugs on the ground when they want another cup! They ask.”

“But I did ask,” Rainbow replied forcefully, as if Daring Do was dim. “I said that I wanted another.”

“Yes we all heard but you didn’t have to smash the cup!”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and Daring Do felt ready to slap that smugness right off her face but Scootaloo cut in.

“It’s just different here. Promise not to do it again and she’ll get off your back.”

Daring Do glared at her niece but Rainbow Dash sighed deeply.

“Very well. You have my word as a Princess of Equinsgard,” She said, though sounding displeased.

Scootaloo looked at her aunt and gave her most pleading smile. “See Aunt Daring? She won’t do it again.”

“Well excuse me if I don’t wait to see the proof of that promise,” she snapped. She tossed some bits on the table, grabbed a protesting Scootaloo and marched out of the café.

“—But Aunt Daring she—”

“Is insane!”

“But she—”

“No, Scootaloo we’re going home.”

“It’s not my home!” Scootaloo shrieked and flung herself off of the sidewalk, almost causing Daring Do fall over her.

“Scootaloo, get up, I don’t have time for this,” Daring Do said and attempted to lift her niece off the ground.

Scootaloo started biting and bucking. “You don’t have time for anything!”

“GET UP, young filly!”

“You can’t tell me what to do you’re not my mom!” Scootaloo screamed and her right hoof hit Daring Do square between the eyes. Daring Do yelped and gripped her face which throbbed with white-hot pain.

“And I don’t want to go!” She heard Scootaloo yell as she blinked fiercely against the pain and the tears welling in her eyes, clearing them just in time to see Scootaloo darting across the street…

…Right in the way of a galloping earth pony and his cart. The earth pony saw Scootaloo and skidded to a halt, sending his cart swinging around him, leaning dangerously to its side. The cart’s contents, a pile of iron parts, began to tumble off.

Scootaloo simply sat in their shadow, paralyzed.

Across the street Daring Do stood, just as immobile as her niece, her mouth opened as if to scream but no sound coming out.

The first iron piece was falling—in excruciating slow motion it seemed to Daring Do—closer and closer to the terrified Scootaloo. That one piece might just knock her out, another would break a few bones, and one more would kill her on impact.

This can’t be happening, not again, NOT AGAIN.

And Daring Do could do nothing about it. Again.

The iron piece was a breath from Scootaloo’s head when there was a rainbow colored streak, the sound of galloping hooves mixed in with the sound of metal impacting with the ground.

Several pieces of metal and wood went sailing like ballistic missiles, impacting windows and sending ponies sprawling for cover. Daring Do daring do ducked as a piece of wood went spinning past her head. As soon as it passed, she bolted upright, her eyes instantly moving to the same spot as before. She blinked in shock at the sight before her eyes.

What was left of the cart lay scattered across the street, shattered in a hundred pieces. The pony who had been driving it sat sprawled on the ground in a daze. The thing that really shocked Daring Do however, was the total and complete absence of Scootaloo.

A yellow unicorn suddenly ran up to Daring, coming around the corner and gasping for breath.

“Daring!” Comet Tail panted. “You two were taking so long I came to get you and I saw—Holy Celestia what WAS that?”

Daring Do blinked and shook her head which was suddenly rushing with blood. “I-I don’t know…”

“Hey, where’s Scootaloo?” Comet Tail asked.

Daring Do stared at him blankly for a moment then gasped, turned and ran back to the café at top speed. She shoved the doorframe open—there wasn’t a single shard of glass left in it—and ran inside, spinning in circles to take in the whole café. Every pony was where they were when she and Scootaloo had left, just on the floor and some with a few cuts and bruises. Every pony except Rainbow Dash. Her eyes darted wildly, searching everywhere for the rainbow maned pony. She caught sight of her darting around the corner, carrying something on her back.

It was Scootaloo.

The ponies left in the café heard Daring Do make a sound like a squawk and barrel back out of the café, nearly running over Comet Tail.

“Whoa, Daring, wait! What’s—”

“Comet Tail, go to the police station and tell them that pony we rescued last night has Scootaloo!”

“Wait what?”

“Just go!” She shouted and took off into the air in the direction of the rainbow maned pony.

/////////////////////////////

Scootaloo clutched Rainbow Dash’s mane tightly, still trying to process what had just happened.

One minute, she had been mere seconds from being crushed by that cart and the next she was riding on Rainbow Dash’s back, going faster than any earth pony Scootaloo had ever seen. The wind was ripping tears from her eyes and dragging at her mane, the world passing by in strips and streams of blurred colors.

“Um…t-thanks f-for s-saving m-me!” Scootaloo stuttered around the violent bumping of Rainbow Dash’s stride.

“That flying debris would have killed you if I hadn’t intervened,” Rainbow Dash shouted over her shoulder. She abruptly began to slow down, looking confused as her eyes rapidly scanned the buildings they galloped past.

“Faust…where am I?” she said. “Filly! Where are we?”

“Um…I can’t tell! Why?” Scootaloo paused.

“Because I must take you somewhere safe,” Rainbow Dash replied forcefully, as if it were obvious. “It’s obvious this is a treacherous place for a foal such as yourself and I must ensure your safety.”

Scootaloo’s first instinct was to deny being a “foal” but something stopped her, Rainbow Dash had done nothing but try to help her.

“Slow down, let me see where we are!”

Rainbow Dash slowed to a steady canter and Scootaloo inspected the buildings as they breezed by. “Celestia, we’re almost home!”

That was *fast.***

It was ten minutes from Aunt Daring’s house to the main street of town and they couldn’t have been riding more than half of that.

“Where shall I go?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Keep going straight for another block—”

“A block?”

“Another ten houses. And then stop at the yellow one with the green gate.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and sped back up to a gallop so fast Scootaloo wondered how she was able to see at all. But apparently she could because in what felt like five seconds she stopped so suddenly Scootaloo almost fell over her neck.

“Is this the abode you speak of?” she said, sounding dubious.

“Yeah, this is my aunt’s house. I live with her.”

Scootaloo slipped off Rainbow Dash’s back and went up to the gate, unlocking it and pushing it open. “C’mon, Aunt’s probably on her way here to look for me.”

Rainbow Dash eyed the house doubtfully but followed Scootaloo inside.

It was a small place, more like a hut to Rainbow Dash’s eyes, but very comfortable if somewhat disarrayed. There were books, maps and loose papers scattered on every flat surface, jars filled with plants, insects, shells and beads were in every cranny and strange statues and carvings of bizarre masks and creatures Rainbow Dash didn’t recognize.

It reminded her somewhat of Trixie’s workroom with all the artifacts she gathered from every wizard they came along in their travels. She treated the most minuscule amulet, foulest potion and the dustiest book like some ancient relic and hoarded them away as if she was stowing away for some future siege.

“What, are you anticipating an assault from some hidden order of dark wizards? Leif the Upright annihilated them,” she remembered teasing her sister once.

Trixie just tenderly stroked the book she had just acquired from some wandering vendor. “It is a royal’s place to be prepared for any threat.”

Rainbow Dash suddenly realized she couldn’t breathe around the lump in her throat.

What is Trixie doing now?

She fiercely swallowed the stickiness in her throat.

Don’t be ridiculous. She probably lying low until Mother’s mood improves and she calls me back.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Scootaloo’s voice calling to her.

“Hey, you want some food? I think I have some sandwiches or something…”

Rainbow Dash hesitated, not sure exactly what a ‘sandwich’ was. However, a rumbling in her stomach quickly decided things for her.

“Yes, that would be nice.” She replied, walking towards the sound of Scootaloo’s voice.

“Awesome!” Scootaloo called out, “and maybe I can show you some of the old records I found in the attic too!”

/////////////////////////////

Daring Do had been flying for hours, her mind swarming with panic.

I knew it! I knew that pony was bad news, why did I let her sit with us? Oh Celestia, what do I do?! She’s got to be somewhere close, she’s an Earth pony, she can’t have gotten far.

Daring Do’s wings were beginning to cramp violently and she was dropping altitude fast. She was nowhere near as spry as she used to be; years of traveling through remote locations had taken a vicious toll on her body.

Damn it please don’t fail me now, I need you…I can’t let you stop me…I can’t let Firefly down. I promised I’d take care of Scoots and what happens? She gets ponynapped by some crazed pony we find in the desert.

Just then she caught sight of her house. Her wings decided to take this as a sign to clock out, seizing up. Groaning in frustration, she glided down and landed before her gate. At least this was a chance for her to call the neighbors and ask if they had seen Scootaloo.

She walked up to the door and was about to reach under the doormat for the key when she heard something.

Voices.

And one was Scootaloo’s.

Daring Do forgot all about the key and barreled through the door (luckily for her it was already unlocked). She froze, her eyes whirling to catch the direction of the voices.

There it is! It is Scootaloo! Oh thank Celestia!

She charged through the house, up the stairs and burst into Scootaloo’s room, almost blasting the door off its hinges. Sprawled on the carpeted floor with the record player between them emanating some old tune and sipping mugs of chocolate milk were Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash.

“Auntie!” Scootaloo said, smiling broadly. “Finally, I thought—” she began but was cut off as Daring Do pulled her into a tight hug.

“Thank Celestia you’re safe,” Daring Do gasped, the tears she had been holding back burst out and streamed down her face. She could feel all the tension pouring out of her body and she thought she might disintegrate. “I thought I lost you…I thought I lost you…”

“Umm…okay. But you should be thanking Rainbow Dash, she—”

At the sound of Rainbow Dash’s name, Daring Do’s crushing relief mutated into frothing rage. She released Scootaloo and turned on the blue mare, who was still lying on the floor looking completely uninterested in the proceedings.

“What do you think you were doing running off with Scootaloo like that?!” she shouted.

Rainbow Dash blinked, looking only mildly confused. “Pardon?”

“I said ‘what did you think you had the right to grab Scootaloo like that’?!”

“Excuse me, but I believe I was the one who—”

“Don’t start that with me!” Daring Do said, cutting Rainbow Dash off. “Around here you don’t just grab fillies and run off with them!”

Scootaloo took a step forward. “Auntie what are—”

Daring Do grabbed Scootaloo and shoved her out the door. “Go to my room until I call you!”

“But—”

“Now!”

Scootaloo shrank at her aunt’s abnormally harsh tone and crept down the hallway to Daring Do’s room. Daring waited until she shut the door behind her before turning back to Rainbow Dash.

“I want you out of my house immediately,” She said darkly. “I don’t care who you are or where you came from but I want you to stay away from Scootaloo you understand?” She shoved a hoof in Rainbow’s chest. “She’s experienced enough madness in her life and the last thing she needs is some lunatic mare inciting more!”

Rainbow Dash looked at her, eyes narrowing. She slowly lifted a hoof and pointed it towards Daring. “Hear me well peasant, if you attempt to assault me again you will most certainly suffer grave consequences! And furthermore, what sort of madness do you speak of? The only madness this filly has experienced in my eyes is your incompetent guardianship! You stand by dumbly as she is about to be crushed and now slander the very pony who rescued her! What kind of guardian are you?”

That was it. Daring finally lost all sense of self-control and saw nothing but red. She never knew what possessed her; she never even recalled grabbing the mug Scootaloo had left on the floor and hurling it at the pony. The only thing she could remember afterwards was the mighty crack as it collided with Rainbow Dash’s skull that sent the pony sprawling to the floor and the strange mix of extreme guilt and satisfaction that accompanied the sight.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF FAUST ABOVE WAS THAT FOR YOU NAG?!” the pony shrieked, rubbing her forehead with her hoof.

“GET. OUT!” Daring Do shrieked, still unable to control herself, her own voice now sounding like daggers to her own ears.

Rainbow Dash simply glowered at her hatefully for a few seconds before slowly standing and walking out of the room, shouting complaints all the way down the stairs.

“…To think I thought you worthy of my debt of gratitude! You are a barbarian, a base plebeian! You shall rue the day that you affronted Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, First Princess of Storms and Thunder!”

And with those words, there was a deafening crash as Rainbow Dash slammed the front door behind her.

Daring Do stood in the empty room and staring out the empty doorway, thinking that she should be calling the police or Comet Tail to let them know everything was alright now. But she heard Scootaloo start to cry down the hallway and realized, no matter how hard she pretended things were okay, nothing was alright, nothing was going be alright and she could do nothing about it. she had allowed herself to be reduced to a seething cauldron of rage and anger.

What had that accomplished? Nothing. Nothing at all.

Daring Do then collapsed on the ground and buried her face in her hooves, sobbing.

/////////////////////////////

Rainbow Dash stalked through town, grumbling to herself.

“Foolish mortal, how dare she treat me in such a way?! And after I saved that filly’s life?! Doesn’t she know who I am?!” the last words came out more as a shout then a grumble, and several ponies shot her funny looks. She simply glared back at them.

“What are you looking at?!” she spat at a particular pony that quickly darted the other way.

“Foolish mortals...” Rainbow Dash grumbled to her herself as she stalked down what she assumed was the town's main street. "How dare that foolish pegasus challenge my authority?! Doesn't she know who I am?! I'm Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden! First Princess of Storms and Thunder!! She shall pay for her trespasses!"

She looked around, searching for somewhere to drown her frustration. All this griping had made her thirsty. She spotted another random pony walking the streets and beeline towards the brown mare.

“You! Peasant!” she ordered, catching the slightly portly mare’s attention.

“Whadda y’all call me?” she asked, slightly indignant.

Rainbow Dash ignored the question and continued her line of questioning. “Verily, I am in need of a good spot of mead. Where might I find such an establishment in this…” she paused, scanning the town with a distasteful eye. “…township.”

The mare raised an eyebrow. “Ya wanna a drink?”

Rainbow Dash nodded emphatically. “Aye.”

The mare pointed towards a rather bedraggled looking establishment tucked between two other buildings with a large blinking sign that said “Hip Flask’s Bar, Grill and Gun Emporium.”

“I presume that is the establishment in question, peasant?” Rainbow Dash turned back towards the thin earth pony.

The earth pony looked noticeably miffed at Rainbow Dash’s question and nodded. “Yeah…that’s the place. Y’all want a fancy crown with that?” she started to trot away, muttering something that Rainbow Dash perceived as “jerk” or something along those lines, she couldn’t quite make it out.

Rainbow Dash meanwhile bristled at the mare’s thinly veiled insult but decided she had bigger fish to fry and stalked towards the bar. A trio of shady looking stallions loomed around the front door, eyeing her suspiciously.

She ignored them, and strode by, head held high. She was better then them after all. They were mere mortal peasants. She was a goddess compared to them.

“Hey little mare! Nice plot ya got there!” One of them, a dark brown earth pony stallion slurred, obviously quite drunk. Rainbow Dash instantly stopped walking and slowly turned around.

“Who dares speak to Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden in such a manner!!” she spat.

“I did.” The stallion replied, puffing his chest out in pride. He was accompanied by three similar looking stallions that snickered along with him.

Rainbow Dash grated her teeth and stalked over towards the clutch of stallions, which were now snorting and giggling amongst themselves.

“Art thou the one who hast spoken such slander against me?!” she practically roared at them, causing them to all step back in unison.

There was a tense silence between them, before the head of the gang started to laugh.

“Oh, look out, fellas! This little mare got quite a burr under her tail now don't she?!” he guffawed, quickly joined in by his fellow colts, who were now all laughing quite loudly in her face.

“And take a gander at her mane!” a somewhat thin coffee brown stallion snorted, pointing towards Rainbow Dash's mane. “Looks like this here mare plays on both sides of the fence don't she?” he nudged the dark brown stallion, who gave her a lustful smirk.

“That's right! Whadda say I convince ya of the advantages of a good strong stallion?” he asked, leaning in towards Rainbow Dash, a lustful look in his eyes.

He was swiftly greeted by a good hard buck to the face, sending him stumbling backwards, clutching his bloody nose. He slammed into the other two, sending the three of them sprawling into the street.

“You dare insinuate that I, Rainbow Dash Celestiamaden, would partake in intimate relations with a base low-life such as you?!” she spat in his face and emphasized her words with a kick at the ground, sending a thick cloud of dust into the three stallion’s faces. They hacked and coughed. Rainbow Dash then turned back into the bar, her anger now practically boiling over.

“Oh you’ll pay for that!” the stallion with the bleeding nose shouted after her. “You hear me! You’ll pay for this!!”

Rainbow Dash simply ignored him.

“Perverted swine…” she spat under her breath as she made her way to towards the bar, ignoring several dozen drunken catcalls and wolf whistles that she assumed were all directed towards her. These all only managed to make her angrier. She flopped herself in front of the bar and slammed a hoof down on the bar.

“BARKEEPER! I thirst!!” she shouted towards what she assumed was the bar keeper. A rather burly looking earth pony stallion with a graying mane strode over.

“’kay, what’s it ya want?” he asked, pulling up a note pad.

“Whatever’s the strongest…” she grumbled.

The bartender paused. “Are ya sure? I’ve got some pretty strong stuff here…”

Rainbow Dash shot him a dirty look. “Do I look as though I am jesting? And bring me it in a tankard, these glasses…” she motioned to the various shot glasses that scattered the table. “Won’t be enough to quench my thirst.”

The bartender simply rolled his eyes and reached under the bar, pulling out several small bottles. He then pulled out a beer glass and a container of some kind. He then poured the contents of the bottles into the container and closed it, shaking it rapidly. He then poured some of the fiery mixture into the shot glasses. The mixture bubbled and fizzed menacingly.

“There ya go missy, that’s Dragon’s Blood. That’ll knock ya down faster than a barefoot jackrabbit on a hot greasy griddle in the middle of summer in...”

He was cut off by Rainbow Dash taking the beer glass in hoof and downing it in one shot. His jaw dropped as the only symptom Rainbow Dash showed was a slight eye twitch.

“That was most unimpressive.” She grumbled. “MORE!” she unexpectedly shouted, flinging her beer glass down at the ground, where it shattered.

The bar tender simply blinked, utterly gobsmacked. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Well?!” she shouted at him, “I ordered more!”

The bar tender seemingly snapped out of his daze and nodded, pouring her another beer glass full of the concoction, and leaving the container full of it next to the glass.

“Help yerself missy.” He said, his voice sounding somewhat dazed as he turned to address the bar fly sitting next to her, muttering something Rainbow Dash couldn’t quite make out. Rainbow Dash simply grumbled in response, and sulked, downing glass after glass, until she started to feel a tingle. The alcohol was finally doing its work and she smiled grimly.

However, another drunken catcall that she assumed was directed towards her snapped her back into griping. She eyed the bar angrily.

“Cretins,” she muttered, “as soon as my power’s back…they’ll get what they deserve…”

She continued to mutter and grumble to herself, until she caught a glimpse of the bar fly sitting next to her, who had been occasionally casting a weird glance in her direction, mutter something under his breath.

“What’s the matter?” he muttered, “You on your period or something?” he then downed a shot of his drink.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Rainbow Dash’s anger boiled over and she picked up her beer glass and slammed it down on the bar fly’s skull, where it shattered into a thousand pieces, sending him sprawling to the floor. She promptly leapt on top of the stallion, barraging him with a series of hard punches to his face.

The next thing she knew, she was being dragged out of the bar, kicking and screaming and was thrown into the back alley, face first into a puddle of muddy water that reeked of vomit. She dragged herself to her hooves, hacking and coughing. She spun around and screamed at the thuggish stallions in the door way.

“You dare treat me this way?! I was defending my honor and you see fit to evict me from your establishment like some drunken miscreant?!”

The thuggish stallions simply turned around and walked back inside the bar, slamming the door behind them. Rainbow Dash continued her tirade unabated.

“How dare you?! Have you no knowledge of my identity?! I AM RAINBOW DASH CELESTIAMADEN! FIRST PRINCESS OF STORMS AND THUNDER AND I SHALL NOT BE TREATED LIKE A DRUNKARD!!!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!!” she shrieked at the top of her lungs at the closed door. There was no response. She flopped down onto her flanks and sat still, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Why was it that every pony in this town treated her like dirt? Couldn't they recognize her? Why did they constantly treat her like some sort of peasant? She was a goddess compared to these...these...provincials.

First she had been expected to clean up after herself like some kind of maid, then, after saving that filly’s life, what had she been repaid with? Hatred and spite. She had been mocked and objectified like some kind of strumpet by every stallion she met. Now, here she was, thrown out of the bar as if she were some kind of drunkard.

Suddenly the sound of hoof falls greeted her ears and she turned around to see the same three stallions whom she had fought with earlier. The leader had several pieces of cotton stuffed up his noise. Alongside the three stood three more stallions, all large and burly.

“Hey! You! We told ya that we’d get ya for this,” he pointed at his bleeding nose. “And now you’re gonna pay!”

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Surely you jest! I am above your mortal laws and…” she was cut off by a good hard kick to the abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. Before she had a chance to recover, however, the other stallions joined in and assaulted her with a rapid series of punches and kicks.

Rainbow Dash attempted to stand her ground, but the combined efforts of three full grown, burly stallions sent her tumbling back into the mud, where she was reduced to curl into a ball to protect herself.

“Yeah not so tough now are ya?!” the stallion gleefully sneered, continuing his assault.

Rainbow Dash tried to get a word out, but any sounds she made were merely greeted by another sharp kick.

The world started to fade into blackness, when she heard the voices of the stallions suddenly change from the mocking, cruel tones from before to panic and then galloping away from her. A blurry figure of a brown pony walked up towards her, saying something Rainbow couldn’t understand in a distorted voice.

The pony seemed oddly familiar to Rainbow Dash, but she couldn’t even answer, the pain simply becoming unbearable. She simply let out a sigh and let her eyes close.

"Day after day, love turns grey

Like the skin of a dying man.

Night after night, we pretend its all right

But I have grown older and

You have grown colder and

Nothing is very much fun any more.

And I can feel one of my turns coming on.

I feel cold as a razor blade,

Tight as a tourniquet,

Dry as a funeral drum."

One of My Turns by Pink Floyd

Act I - 06 - A Grim Intimation of What is to Be

Act II - 06 - A Grim Intimation of What is to Be

Act II:

"All Equal in the End"

Chapter Six:

"A Grim Intimation of What is to Be"

Trixie had come to the Serenity Chamber hoping to avoid either of her aunts and the questions they would obviously have; she didn’t know they would be looking for her in her usual haunts first—her room, the library, or her laboratory. The Serenity Chamber was a spacious room with a low ceiling that was often used for unwinding after a long hard day. It was furnished with downy cushioned couches and seats, warmly lit by a fire that was kept lit no matter what the season. The shadows playing on the walls and the quiet sounds of the fire sparkling gave the impression of being submersed underwater.

Also, there was always wine in this room and Trixie badly needed a drink. She hadn’t noticed during the entire banishment ordeal, but she had developed a brutal headache in the back of her skull and the place in her shoulder where the changeling had been hurt was starting to prickle icily.

Trixie shivered and took another mouthful of her wine at the thought of the incident. The way her skin had morphed and the changeling’s voice in her head…

Stop! She shook her head, despite how it seemed to make the throbbing in her head intensify. Don’t think about it. That whole planet was spelled, it was most likely the work of some hex. Just calm down, there are other things to worry about. Many other things…

She groaned and levitated the wine bottle over her glass.

There was a loud crash that almost caused Trixie to drop the bottle as Soarin strode into the room with Flitter, Cloudchaser and Spitfire in tow.

I’m going to need a lot more wine, Trixie thought. She brought the wine bottle to her lips and took a long swig.

“…the physician said you had to take it easy,” Flitter was saying as she trailed closely behind her injured friend.

Soarin threw himself on the largest couch, visibly wincing, but when he spoke it was his usual boisterous tone: “Stop clucking like a hen, Flitter. He said it wasn’t severe and that I just needed rest to fully recover. And I intend to rest.” He eyed the bottle that Trixie was guzzling. “Hey Trixie, save some for a wounded comrade, won’t you?”

“Please, you’ve gotten worse wounds from pie eating contests,” Spitfire said, seating herself in the seat besides Soarin.

“Don’t you disregard those contests, the competition is brutal.” Soarin said, nudging Spitfire with a hoof.

Spitfire rolled her eyes but before she could retort Cloudchaser spoke grimly, “You should thank Faust you’re alive, Soarin. A changeling bite is nothing to take lightly; greater warriors have fallen to them.”

“Oh, do stop being so dour,” Flitter said sourly. “The whole palace is gloomy enough as it is.”

She went over to the low table in front of Trixie’s seat where she had placed a line of wine bottles and took one of them without asking, popping off the cork with her teeth.

“Besides,” she said, walking back over to Soarin and handing him the bottle. “Whatever troubles we’ve had today, they’re nothing compared to Rainbow Dash’s.”

Trixie nearly dropped her bottle again. Dear Faust, who told them?

Spitfire actually shivered. “Yeah. I can’t imagine the reaming she’s getting from the All-Mother.”

Trixie felt her body loosen slightly. So they didn’t know yet, this meant Mother had not told Luna or Cadence either. A secret between two never lasted long in the palace that was for sure.

“Trixie should know,” Soarin said, glancing towards her. Trixie felt all her muscles spasm.

“Yeah, you didn’t follow us when Princess Luna escorted us,” Flitter said, looking towards Trixie with a raised eyebrow.

“I thought I heard the All-Mother order you to stay,” Cloudchaser said, nodding in agreement.

“What happened back there?” Spitfire asked.

Trixie reached for another bottle and feigned having trouble removing the cork with her teeth.

“Why aren’t you using your horn, Trixie?” Soarin asked.

Damn him. She mumbled some gibberish around the cork.

“Was the All-Mother very angry?” Flitter asked anxiously.

“Is there really to be war?” Cloudchaser asked.

“What did she say to Rainbow Dash?” Spitfire demanded.

They were all staring at her, breathless, waiting. The one time in her life she managed to attract their attention and she couldn’t have wanted it less. The cork had unfortunately come out and despite using her teeth to pour the wine, causing it to spill slightly and taking an extra long sip they still waited.

Trixie sighed and pretended to take great interest in stirring her wine. “She said that…we had acted extremely foolishly and by her manner of speech I assume that yes, it is war with the Changelings.”

The four ponies glanced at each other apprehensively.

“I knew it,” Cloudchaser said grimly, shaking her head. “I knew this mission was cursed from the start. We should never have gone.”

“No one can sway Rainbow Dash when her mind is set,” Flitter said, shrugging slightly.

“No one except…” Spitfire let her voice trail off and her eyes rest on Trixie, who was kneading her forehead with her free hoof. “Are you okay, Trixie? You look sick.”

She certainly felt sick. Trixie couldn’t remember ever experiencing a headache this…severe. It made her ears feel like they did after an explosion in her lab, buzzing like a swarm of hornets.

“Trixie?” Spitfire once asked, her voice sounding a little more terse this time.

“What?” Trixie grumbled in response.

“Are you feeling alright?” Spitfire said pointedly.

Trixie nodded, waving a hoof. “I’m fine.”

“You look a little green,” Flitter said.

Trixie had a sudden recollection of the Changeling Queen’s eyes—glinting green. “I said I’m fine, I’m just tired after all that foolishness.”

Spitfire was about to say something but Flitter put a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. When Trixie was in a mood, it was unwise to press her.

“What I can’t understand is why the All-Mother came for us,” Soarin said. “Did Princess Luna break her oath?”

“The Princess would never break an oath,” Cloudchaser said firmly. “Someone must have seen us in battle array and reported it to the All-Mother.”

“I did,” Trixie said softly, unsure whether she meant to be heard or not.

Spitfire, who had not taken her eyes off her, caught her words. “You?”

Exposed, Trixie lifted her head haughtily—despite how brutally it was pounding—and spoke in her most poised tone, “Yes. I knew the work was folly from the beginning, so while you were all dressing up to provoke an interplanetary scandal I was alerting a guard to report it to Mother. He should be flogged for taking as long as he did.”

He probably thought it was another one of my tricks, she thought bitterly. “So really, I saved our lives.”

She glanced at the four ponies, recalling how quick they always were to thank Rainbow Dash for simply inviting them on a war campaign but when Trixie saves their lives, they suddenly can’t find a word of thanks. Her head throbbed sharply and she shut her eyes tightly, taking another sip of her wine. Her stomach was already feeling queasy; strange, she usually could stand much greater doses.

Just at that moment, Aunt Cadence burst through the door. Her eyes darted about the room frantically and when she spoke her voice was shrill, “Have any of you seen Rainbow Dash?”

Flitter, Cloudchaser and Soarin looked at one another while Spitfire glared at Trixie, who simply stared at the floor.

“No, Lady, not since Princess Luna brought us to the Healing Room,” Flitter said.

Cadence nodded distractedly and left without another word. Soarin, Flitter and even Cloudchaser began to all talk at once amongst themselves, while Spitfire kept eyeing Trixie suspiciously.

Trixie still held onto her glass but only stared at the remaining wine, unable to even consider sipping anymore. Her head was in such agony now that even the gentle light of the fire seemed to claw at her. She caught the last bit of a whisper in her left ear and glared at Spitfire.

“I heard that,” she snapped.

Spitfire frowned. “I didn’t say anything.”

Trixie glared at her then looked away again, determined not to engage the other pony. If she thought she could draw Trixie in with such a blatant trickery she was wrong—

She heard another whisper, like nails against a chalkboard, and whirled to look at Spitfire. “Shut up you ignorant filly!”

Her tone was far louder than she had intended and all the ponies now turned to look at her.

Spitfire blinked. “What?”

“I can hear you,” Trixie hissed.

“I told you I didn’t say anything!” Spitfire replied, her whole body visibly tensing up.

Trixie scoffed. “A likely story.”

Spitfire shot up from her seat, her eyes flashing angrily. “If I wanted to insult you I would do it to your face!”

Trixie opened her mouth to answer but snapped it shut as another whisper murmured in her ear, this time her right ear. She glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. No one else had come into the room and all the other ponies were seated on the other side of her. Was someone hiding in the room…?

“Hey, look at me!” Spitfire’s voice was so enraged Trixie couldn’t help but turn back to look at her. “Don’t think just because you’re a princess you’re exempt from showing a common courtesy as looking at a pony when they’re speaking!”

“You said something?” Trixie asked. She still felt like somepony over her right shoulder was speaking in a low tone but she resisted turning to look again. It’s not possible that anypony is there…

Spitfire looked ready to, well, spit fire—right in Trixie’s face. “Do you think that’s amusing? Playing head games with ponies? Does it make you feel superior to everypony else?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“Stop it!” Spitfire actually shrieked and stamped her hoof. “Even now, when we’re on the brink of the first war in centuries you can’t resist taking the time to plague others for your pleasure!”

“Oh, will you stop talking, Spitfire,” Trixie said in exasperation. She rubbed her thudding forehead tenderly.

There was a tense pause between the two, before Spitfire spoke. “You think I’m stupid don’t you?”

“What?” Trixie asked, becoming more and more confused.

Spitfire strode up until she was hoof-to-hoof with Trixie, her orange eyes boring into the unicorn’s. “You think I’m just a simple country bumpkin who cannot possibly hope to fathom the depths of your intellect and wisdom. You think you’re so very clever and powerful, like some great wizard of old but you are so wondrously deceived, everypony knows that really you’re just a hedge-witch playing with potions in a dark lab!”

Trixie slammed her glass down, causing it to shatter into a thousand pieces, spilling wine everywhere.

“And I suppose it was just a hedge-witch’s smoke and mirrors that jinxed your wings the day so you plummeted nearly one thousand feet and would have died if Rainbow Dash hadn’t caught you?” Trixie spat back. “Or the time your blade melted when you were dueling Flitter? Or when your shoes weighed a ton each and you couldn’t lift your legs an inch above the ground? No, you’re greatly deceived, Spitfire, if you imagine you’re anything more than what everypony knows you are: just a token peasant taken under the All-Mother’s wing to keep the mob in check with that mythical hope that someday they might get a chance to fly with the princesses and live in this glorious palace.”

“At least I earned my place here—you’re nothing but a leech sucking the purity out of the royal family’s name!” Spitfire spat back with equal fervor.

Trixie scoffed. “Oh yes, the depraved and malicious Trixie’s actions that will single-hoofedly bring down the Borrsons and usher in an age of darkness!”

“Why not? Everypony knows how you mate with every base creation and produce monsters like that wretched spider-foal of yours!” Spitfire said.

“Don’t you speak of my child, you wretch!” Trixie hissed.

“I can talk any way I please about the son of a pathetic witch who couldn’t conjure enough magic to keep some drunken Equestrian colt from violating her!”

Spitfire immediately slapped her hooves over her mouth. The other three ponies gasped and Trixie just stared at her as if Spitfire had just put a knife through her heart.

“Trixie, I apologize I was—”

Trixie spat in her face and before Spitfire could even respond she leaned forward and hissed in her ear: “The day you have a child I hope you love it, love it so much you see its face when you dream. I hope you do because I want to be the one who rips it out of your hooves.”

Then she whirled around and stormed out of the room, the double doors crashing like thunder behind her.

Every pony was silent for a long time. The only sound in the room was the crackling of the fire.

Finally Cloudchaser said softly, “You deserved that, Spitfire.”

Spitfire slowly wiped at her face. “I know.”

/////////////////////////////

I need to see the physician—now. Damn me for not going the instant we returned…what was I thinking, this wound could be infected with Faust knows what kind of diseases …

Trixie limped down the corridors—her head felt like an anvil and her shoulder like lead—Spitfire’s words kept sounding through her heart.

How dare that peasant *nag** mention my child? She isn’t fit enough to clean my baby’s hooves…*

My baby…

She stumbled and ducked into a shadowy alcove, covering her mouth with her hoof. She felt like there was a stone in her throat and she couldn’t draw breath around it.

My baby, my babies, all my poor babies.

Sleipnir and all his perfect little hooves. Jörmungandr’s skin that had more colors than the Rainbow Bridge. Fenrir with his downy coat. The ribbons in Hela’s black curls.

It never mattered how they came about—even Sleipnir—she of all ponies knew what it was to suffer for things that could not be helped or controlled. Just because their father was a rake or a fool didn’t change the fact that they were her children first; their fathers only instigated the process but she carried them, she nurtured them and she birthed them. They would never know or remember their fathers but they knew her—the lilting sound of her voice, the graceful canter of her walk, the wonder of her magic—and remembered it somewhere in their souls, even if they never unearthed it. She of all people knew the soul never forgot, even if the mind did.

I’ll never forget. They can take them away from me, give them to other mothers, keep them hidden from me but they can’t make me forget a single thing about them. They were mine and they were perfect—

Her line of thought was cut off by a spear of pain biting into her mind. The choirs of whispering voices had swelled like a roaring inferno—she could practically feel it now—and her shoulder felt frostbitten. Again she was vaguely aware of wisps of words echoing in the noise but she could not gather the presence of mind to grasp them. She had endured magical injuries, war wounds, and labor pains but nothing compared to this…torture.

Faust, what is happening to me?

She stumbled out of the alcove and back into the hallway, nearly slamming into two pony pages coming in the opposite direction. The pain spiked and Trixie wanted to scream but only managed a strangled sob.

“My Lady, are you well?” one of pages asked in a concerned voice. He reached out as if to support her and Trixie drew away as if afraid of being bitten.

“My Lady, do you need—”

“Get away from me,” Trixie’s voice came out like a warped snarl.

Both ponies jumped back as if from the strike of a serpent.

“My Lady, are you—” the other pony began but was cut off by Trixie.

“Get. *Away.*”

They didn’t need further encouragement; they took off down the hall and Trixie continued in the other direction, now unable to walk without leaning against the wall. The whole world seemed to tilting and tumbling in some crazed dervish and she was certain her head was going to implode before reaching the physician and would have berated herself for not asking the pages to fetch him but there were so many sounds in her brain she didn’t want to add another with her own thoughts.

She was about to give up and just faint on the floor when something tickled at the very edge of her consciousness…

…Silence.

Trixie paused, her body now slicked in sweat and shivering, hugging the wall. It was still there: a sliver of stillness in the hellish tumult. Oh Faust, there was nothing she would ever experience as long as she lived as wonderful as that tiny flake of quiet.

Trixie didn’t realize she was moving until she caught sight of the armored guards ahead of her. She hesitated and realized she was down the hall from the Weapons Chamber. The silence was definitely coming from within it; it was now a steady stream curving through her mind and although the noise hadn’t decreased, it at least was endurable.

I need to get in there. Once I can think clearly again I can send for the physician or Mother. This might be some curse they cast upon me.

But she knew no one was allowed in since the attack and she couldn’t imagine tolerating the pain any longer. It was still quite a walk to the physician’s office and even at a gallop it would take longer than she cared to fathom for him to reach her or for her to be carried there. No, there was relief close by and she needed it. Now.

Even with a head ready to split from the noise it was such an easy matter to locate the secret hidden passage into the Weapons Chamber. The guards never even batted their eyelashes.

Trixie staggered down the Chamber corridor, having to twice lean against the pillars on either side. She wanted to collapse right there on the glossy floor but the silence kept her going.

It’s just ahead, just a few more steps…

And then she stood before the Hjerte Eske, the Changeling’s Casket. It sat dark and cool on its pedestal and utterly quiet.

Trixie frowned. There were other weapons in the Chamber all very inanimately silent but this was different, it wasn’t the absence of life or sentience that caused their dull inward stillness, this silence literally emitted out from the Casket and pooled about it like mist.

This is some Changeling trick, some infernal work. I should go.

But Trixie didn’t move. She stared at the Casket, basking in the cool quietness like a sweet aroma. How different it felt from the wild, demonic hysteria that filled her brain now. She could sell her soul for a second of that beautiful, wonderful silence.

The silence was there, just a touch away. Her hooves trembled. Her hooves moved forward as if they had a mind of their own.

I just need a moment’s peace… she thought as her hoof edged closer.

She ground her teeth and grasped the handles.

The reaction was instantaneous. All the noise without suddenly died as if snuffed out and the Casket beginning to shudder violently.

Don’t be scared; what did you expect Trixie, it’s a powerful weapon—

The thought was cut short as Trixie felt a sudden pain in her chest, as if a knife had been plunged into her flesh through her muscles and bone, cutting a path to her pounding heart. The icy feeling in her shoulder spread through her whole body and she could feel her body shift and change around her. her normally blue coat quickly shifted to the same pitch black as the Changelings. She opened her mouth to cry out, but instead, she felt as if her scream was being sucked down into her soul, into the phantom wound in her chest and sucked straight into the Casket.

The Casket suddenly ceased trembling and Trixie was about to remove her hooves when it emitted a sudden icy blast that shot up her arms, through the wound and right into her heart.

Her every muscle seized except her heart: it’s every tendon and sinew was stimulated with what felt like flaming frost that licked through the chambers and its beating accelerated until it was one continuous humming hammer. Trixie felt her heart grinding open a door within itself and somehow knew that if it did there would be no closing it again.

She tried to move, to sever whatever connection to the casket she could feel was being formed, but her muscles wouldn’t or couldn’t respond.

Oh Faust save me!

Too late.

The door flung open and sent the fiery ice blasting through her whole body from the ends of her ears to the tips of her hooves. And with it came the scream it had stole from her, shooting upwards through her chest, neck, and finally into her skull where it exploded like thunder.

But it wasn’t just her scream, her voice. It was many voices, some in pain, some of joy and with horror, but every single one was a scream.

Everything went searing white and she didn’t feel, think, or know anything except the screams, they filled her up to the brim, they took hold of her, they possessed her.

Trixie felt something like a gear clicking into place in her mind and the voices instantly lowered but did not cease, allowing her body to loosen but not release. The cold fire calmed to a simmer and her heart steadied to a familiar easy beat.

The voices began chanting in unison:

…Trixie, Trixie, Trixie…

Trixie blinked slowly. What—

But before the thought even formed they answered: The Caset. We come through the box and bleed through you, Trixie.

Who are you? She thought.

As if in response, the white fell from her eyes like a curtain and Trixie could again see. Not with her eyes however, but with her heart. It functioned almost like a projector, projecting moments before her in vivid color as if she was really there.

She saw Changeling kings and queens each in their time come to the Casket both to imbibe and unleash its might; how when they laid their hooves upon it, their every emotion was absorbed so the very essence of their hearts and the outline of their minds was carved into it.

And she could feel herself rupturing and dissolving into their winding depths. She could feel her dribbling out of herself, like sand through a sieve, steady and unstoppable as the tide of emotions that blasted and dragged her.

Am I afraid?

There were so many feelings saturating her she could not tell the difference from one to another. It was all just bile blackness—oh yes, everything was black: the passions for their obsessions, the thoughts for their malignant plans, and finally the faces, furiously fanged and hideously holed.

But there was one face that remained steady in her eyes that all the others seemed to emanate from, one as black as a night without a moon or stars with fangs as long as dragon teeth and eyes gleaming like dragon’s scales.

And as those blazing emerald eyes glared directly into hers Trixie felt the thousand whispers of the dead kings and queens speak in unison so it created a roar in her head:

Penumbrus.

The name was so dread it made Trixie’s body shudder so violently she thought she would drop the Casket. But the Casket was the one holding her, it seemed sunk into her hooves like the fangs of a rabid beast.

Trixie knew the name and like all good Equinsgardians she feared it like death itself. Penumbrus—the firstborn son of Borr, the first All-Father, by his first wife Freyja and half-brother to Faust, the first All-Mother, daughter of Borr’s second wife Frigg. Every foal learned the story before they learned their names:

Long ago, Borr the Mighty had two children, Faust, whom he loved with all his heart, and Penumbrus, his first born son. Now Penumbrus soon grew envious of the young Faust, believing her to be usurping his rightful place at the right hoof of Borr. He attempted to slay her, but was found out and banished. The Dread Son wandered amongst the four winds, and was found by the dread spirit of Nightmare Moon, who bargained with him, promising love and affection. However, Penumbrus was cheated, and instead was transformed into the first Changeling.

But as Trixie stared into the eyes of the Dread Son she saw not only the hate (though there was much of that) swarming there but pain: such staggering anguish and desolation. It poured through Vein into Trixie’s heart like pain through a broken leg, lancing and scorching. Her body wanted to double over in agony but the Casket refused to release her.

Why do I feel his pain so clearly? All the others come through in waves, like smoke on the horizon. Why is his so strong?

The Casket growled and images began to string themselves before her eyes: Penumbrus asleep in his tent, wings drawn about his face. A shadow fell over him and a younger stallion stood before him—his son Eroberer as the Bleed told her—leaning over his father. Trixie saw his horn glowing the same wicked green as Chrysalis’s and his face was twisted in resolute hatred. There was a glint of a blade, a burst of red, and then the son was cradling something in his hooves, something dripping and quivering.

His father’s heart.

Hjerte Eske.

Heart Casket.

No. Trixie could feel the rejection throbbing through the casket and she could taste the bitterness. Not Hjerte Eske: *Den** Hjerte Eske.*

“The* Heart Casket.”*

**The* Heart of Penumbrus—the Dark Father of the Changing Children, the Shifters of Souls, the Firstborn son of Borr the Father of All and the One Right Lady Frea. The Vein that into the children of his body it alone Bleeds.*

The Heart is Life, the Vein is Breath, the Blood is Motion.

The heart of Trixie.

Trixie Penumaden.

Daughter of Nyphomanos, daughter of Chrysalis, Prince and Princess of the Changelings, Lord and Lady of Hekklheim, the Land of Memories and Motion.

Blood enemies of the Borrsons, baseborns of the Great Whore, the Marauding Murderess.

“Stop!” the clear sound of Celestia’s voice, with all the magic lancing through it reenacted the suppression spells and the enchantment was broken. Trixie dropped the now silent casket, its landing thud resounding through the chamber. She didn’t turn around. The spells were like a tourniquet and the voices stopped as of a door was shut.

“Mother,” she said slowly but her voice was hoarse. “Am I cursed?”

“No,” Celestia said coolly. Trixie had heard that tone before; it was her Just Judge voice—dispassionate, detached, disinterested—it had cooled many a heated conflict. But Trixie was already cold all through. she took a step forward, her now hole ridden hooves clicking on the hard stone floor and her insectoid wings buzzing behind her.

“Then what am I?” Trixie whispered, her eyes narrowing.

“You are my daughter,” Celestia said firmly.

Now Trixie turned around to face her. “What more than that?”

Celestia stared at her with queenly impassiveness and Trixie stared back with icy resolve.

“The casket wasn’t the only thing you brought back from Hekkerhiem, was it?” Trixie said slowly, her voice cold.

This time Celestia cast her eyes down and her voice lost its stateliness. “No.”

Trixie took a step forward. “What happened?”

Celestia looked noticeably older all of a sudden, as if a great weight were on her shoulders. The color faded from her mane slightly, and Trixie noticed she had looked the same when speaking with Chrysalis back on Hekkerhiem. “After the Penumbsons fled before us and we had gathered our dead I went into the enemies’ castle to the royal bedroom. There was a cradle there and inside was a foal, so small for a royal child, abandoned and alone. Queen Chrysalis’ child.” Celestia said, her voice heavy.

“Chrysalis.” Trixie said.

“Yes,” Celestia said.

Trixie didn’t hear her. She saw an image of those dark green eyes, so malignant and aggrieved. Had her own victims seen them when she had lifted whatever veil she had set over their eyes with her petty parlor tricks?

“Why?” she heard herself ask.

Celestia looked up and seemed poised to answer but didn’t speak.

“You were steeped in changeling blood—why did you spare me?” Trixie found herself repeating, her voice dripping with emotion.

“You were only a child, Trixie, innocent of any—”

“No!” Trixie’s voice rose sharply. “No. You had just seen your father and your husband slain. You were bereft, you were angry. You took me from my cradle for a purpose. What was it?”

Celestia again looked as if she wanted to speak but did not seem to dare. The tourniquet suddenly loosened, the door opened, and the rage of a thousand past changeling kings and queens surged again through Trixie.

“TELL ME!”

Trixie’s voice sounded like all the voices of the casket came swarming out of her mouth, hissing and moaning and wailing.

Few could have endured such a magical release—Celestia did, but not without grief. When she spoke her voice was gentle, as if she sought to calm all the cries from the past.

“I thought we could in time join our two households. I first purposed for you to marry Thunderlane but you were so young and he was already grown so wild it seemed an unsteady goal and so we adopted you. We hoped to set you upon the throne in Hekkerhiem and so bring an end to the conflict of our fathers and peace to our houses. But none of that matters now.”

But Trixie had the power of the Changelings roaring through her—a connection to Pemumbrus’ own heart—and everything turned black before her eyes. “So I am nothing but another looted plunder, captive in your mighty fortress until I am sufficiently servile to be of use to you?”

Celestia shook her head. “Hjerte Eske has twisted your mind—”

“It is NOT just Hjerte Eske, it is Den Hjerte Eske. The Heart Box. You stole their heart; my mother’s, my people’s. My heart.” Trixie spat back.

“No, no, no,” Celestia said. “I only sought peace, it is all I ever sought, for yours and mine.”

“Driving my father to end himself, hounding my mother into the depths of the earth, and abducting me from my family?” Trixie asked, taking a step forward. “Deceiving me as to my true lineage, my true person, so I was suffered to be mocked and derided by all for my strange affectations and features for no fault of my own?” Another step forward. “So that I became so discouraged that I began to thirst like a slave after love I let myself be brought low by vile persons for the frailest hope of warmth and meagerest pretense of affection, and thought myself base and not merely pitifully ignorant and untutored in my natural impulse?” Another step forward. “Then when I birthed children of strange proportions and bizarre appearance they were cursed to be entitled monsters and sent from me as if they were a thing of shame and not the function of my natural order?”

“Trixie—”

Trixie continued her tirade unabated. “And it all makes sense now! Why you favored Rainbow Dash all these years, of course because she was your true daughter and I was only a foundling foisted upon you by your godly feeling of compassionate usage!”

“Trixie cease this madness, this is folly!” Celestia finally spoke but her voice was pleading, almost prostrate begging. “You must know that I love you as my own child—are you are my child! I have cradled you, taught you, and comforted you, what more must I do to assure you of my true and genuine love?”

As she spoke she drew near to Trixie and laid a hoof on her shoulder, as if to entreat her to reason. At the touch Celestia could feel the power coursing through Trixie’s body, but to Celestia it drained all the sentiments brimming inside of her and seemed to be working at melting the will and strength of her very soul. On impulse her magic reacted defensively, reaching out to cauterize the wound and dam the flow, closing over Trixie like a fist. Trixie felt the power stop again, like a door slamming shut, and her body cool from a broil to a simmer and her flesh rearrange itself into its light blue, Borrson form.

“I abhor you,” Trixie said softly but there was steel in her voice. “You may love me, but only in the image of your Father—your image.” She shoved Celestia away violently. “You grafted me into your family with the intent of implanting your mores and your standards into me and casting me into your image!” Celestia once more looked noticeably weaker with each passing second, and unexpectedly fell to her knees in front of Trixie.

“Trixie, please…” she whispered, her noble voice now quiet and fearful. Trixie ignored Celestia’s pleas and once more stalked forward.

“You think yourself a goddess and me your clay, to people my Father’s home with your Father’s blood!” she shrieked. “So it ever was with you Borrsons, you Users and Usurpers, Drinkers of Blood and the Stealers of Names! I CURSE YOU! I curse and yours forever!” she said the final words in an explosion of unbridled rage and fury, and she could feel the power from Den Hjerte Eske burst forth and assault Celestia with a blast of magical power and energy.

The last bits of color, which had been steadily fading the entire time, disappeared from Celestia, leaving her body and mane a sickly pale shade of grey. Her knees gave out and her body fell to the ground, unconscious.

All of a sudden, as if the door that had opened was slammed shut, all the anger and rage of the past changeling kings and queens faded away, and as if a fog had cleared, Trixie found herself reaching forward with a hoof to gently touch Celestia.

“M-mother?” she whispered, now feeling a tremendous sense of guilt.

What have I done?

"And he talks to the river of lost love and dedication

And silent replies that swirl invitation

Flow dark and troubled to an oily sea

A grim intimation of what is to be"

Sorrow by Pink Floyd

Act II - 07 - Let 'Em In