Ashes and Dust

Soft air swirled around me in perpetual cyclones. I felt the soothing cloud of white pass me and reform into an alicorn. A dark blue alicorn. I looked at her image, the stars speckled on her flank, and recognized her.

"Hello again Rainbow Dash. Welcome back."

I stammered out disbelievingly, "Princess Luna...?"

She looked down sadly. "That title no longer belongs to me, I am merely Luna."

Her presence seemed to cause a distortion in the air, the very reality of my dream ebbing in response to her. I couldn't understand why she was here.

"Why have you been in my head?"

She looked straight into my eyes. "When I felt myself begin to die, I retreated into the realm I call home. I transported into the unconsciousness of the nearest pony. You were the only one alive in a large radius."

My eyes sprung open and I took some steps back. "You could see everything?"

She shook her head. "Only your thoughts and memories, but I am far more attentive to them than you are. Why did you run?" She cocked her head questioningly.

"I couldn't travel with a murderer! Twilight is worse than I am! I didn't have a choice!"

Luna gave a glare so sharp in burrowed into my skull, "You think she did?"

"How do you know she didn't?"

"Since when is her magic red?"

"I don't know? Can't it change?"

Luna closed her eyes. "Only under dramatic changes in personality would an alicorn or unicorn's magic change shades."

"Then that's the explanation, she obviously isn’t the friend I used to know," I stated. Something then clicked inside my head, and I spoke to her again. "If you survived, did...?"

She shook her head. "I am not alive, not truly. This is merely my soul residing within your mind. I cannot affect the world, only you. Though perhaps I can change the world by changing you. And as for my sister..." She looked off sadly, before glimmering tears gently flowed down her face in utter silence.

"She is gone. More powerful than me, and she is gone. I am certain she could've survived. I sometimes think I see her visage in the light at the end of the tunnel. But I dare not enter, for I fear what is beyond it. Maybe she was braver, going on. I fled into this imitation of life, while she braved the unknown."

"Why would Celestia do that? Couldn’t she have done what you did?”

Luna smiled. "Probably, but Celestia always knew more than she let on. I'm half sure she knew the entirety of Equestria's future. She must have known she wasn't needed anymore. She always had a plan for every contingency, and I feel that this is no different.”

“If she had stayed, even if it was only through the mind of ponies or whatever, that would’ve been an enormous boon to the ponies of Equestria! Countless numbers would gather here and rally to her side, and not just ponies either!”

Luna gently spoke. “Of course they would have. I don’t think Celestia would’ve wanted that though. She would not be able to withstand ponies giving their lives for her, she never has before. Celestia always preferred to take things into her own hooves rather than involve the lives of those she cherished. Twilight and Celestia are alike in that way; both attempt to spare others their own hardships.”

Noticing the conversation shift to Twilight, I turned away and walked among the orbs as they floated. Glancing once more upwards at the ebony orbs floating above the others I wondered what other sick repressed memories I would have to relive before I returned to my physical body.

“They would rally behind you too.”

Luna cocked her head. “Perhaps, but I would think not. Memories of my mistakes are still too fresh in the minds of Equestrians, and I am not fit to lead them. They are already being led by an alicorn; I would provide no assistance that is not already being given. No, my place is here.”

“Why didn’t you tell me who you were before?”

Luna fidgeted behind me. “I wanted you to come to conclusions about what has transpired, but you needed help. So I attempted ambiguity to let you come to the certain conclusions without being convinced by one of your Princesses, for then it would be meaningless. I still hope you can reach these realizations without much prodding from me. It is imperative that you think logically about these things lest your emotions run you astray. However, I am afraid you will lose your will to continue without somepony to encourage you.”

I sat down and shook my mane in a fit of frustration. “Why does it matter whether or not I realize things of my own will?”

“I was told that it would become important eventually, in a time that I couldn’t help you.”

I almost screamed at this point.

“Is there some time traveling asshole that has convinced everypony that I don’t need to know anything?”

“Maybe,” Luna mused. Her tone turned serious as she returned to a previous topic.

"About Twilight. I see that showing you the truth of those two days did more harm than it did good. I only wish you could understand the trials she has overcome that made her this way," Luna said, apparently hoping that the more she talked about Twilight the less I would hate her. It was having the opposite effect.

"And you somehow know what she's been through?"

"I've seen her dreams, Rainbow Dash. She's scared. Always full of hatred and surrounded by death. I think she is afraid of herself. While I do not understand how she became this way, it is obvious she has been affected somehow."

Huh? "Afraid of herself? I don't understand." I said exasperated. "It doesn't even matter anyways! I never want to come near that psycho again! What kind of pony would want to associate with anyone like that?"

"You forget yourself, Rainbow Dash. Why don’t you ask yourself the same question?”

I sat quietly, turning away from her so she didn’t see my tears.

“You are the one known as the traitor to all pony kind. The remaining ponies of this land would greet you with nothing more than harsh words and a crossbow bolt through the eye at best, but the mare that you would so readily turn your back on is in fact the one pony that has traveled by your side and risked her life for you despite your transgressions.” She stood a safe distance from me as I got up and looked about.

I trotted around the shining baubles, glancing briefly at my own memories. The happy ones twinkled lightly whenever I tapped them, but I couldn't enter them for some reason. I turned to ask Luna but she was otherwise occupied. Her eyes were closed and she muttered silently while magic gently flowed through the air around her. After watching her for a while I sought out the nearest large orb and traced my hoof over the surface. The edges of the sphere bubbled beneath my hoof. Then a few images flashed before my eyes.

A cyclone of vicious strength tearing up clouds.

Several pegasus ponies flew in horror as the sky blackened.

A purple ma…

I backpedaled several feet before sitting on the ground. I fell over crying, the memories scything through my mind. Ones I had sought to forget forever.

I heard mumblings, and a hoof pushed me over.

"The hell is wrong with this bitch?"

"I dunno. She looks like a softie."

"Lay off her. That mare is Rainbow fuckin' Dash."

"Well hell, she's just as fucked as we are."

"She ain't gettin' my fuckin' blanket!"

"Shut the hell up Gorge.”

"To hell with you, I don't wanna deal wit' that mare."

When I finally opened my eyes I was graced with the sight of a blindingly white room. The floor and walls were made of solid ice and large stalactites hung threatening from around the cavern. There was a large pillar of ice that practically hid an entire corner of the room. The corner opposite had a metal grate in the ceiling that was currently shut and appeared to be bolted shut. The air was so cold it almost made me shiver, despite my natural resistance to cold as a pegasus. Even with the freezing temperature of the room there were only two blankets I could see from where I was, one laid out in the center and one draped over a large earth pony.

There were roughly a dozen ponies in the room. Four pegasi, three unicorns, and six earth ponies stood around me. They all eyed me with anger and fear in their eyes, some backed away while others stood closer, curiously judging me. Two stood before me, but only one looked familiar.

He stepped forward and stood above me impressively. His orange fur and mostly blonde mane took up most of the visible space. When he spoke it was concise and commanding. "Is the Apple family from Ponyville okay?"

"Uh..." I got up to my hooves and looked back at him before taking a step back. "I'm not sure about most of the family."

He took a step forward. "What do you know Dash?"

My eyes glazed over again, and I looked down. "Applejack didn't survive. I’m sorry Braeburn."

He shook his head and started to trot away. Or at least I thought he had. Looking down I didn’t notice him turn around until his powerful hooves bucked me a few feet into the wall. I felt and heard something crack. Most likely several somethings. I slumped down to the cold ground and groaned in pain.

He turned back to me and spat. His spit landed on my face and made me feel worse than trash. "Welcome to the Ice Cellar."

Another green pony pushed him away and said, "Leave 'er be mate. We get more food if she's alive.”

The orange pony looked back at him. "Fine Lucky. But she better stay a good barley field away from me or I'm kicking her teeth out."

I tried to get up, but the pony called Lucky held up a hoof. "Stay still. Your rib is poking out. I'll get the doc."

He walked off, leaving me to my pain. My eyes blurred and refocused several times. I could see some blood slowly oozing down my cyan coat onto the icy ground. Shit. I wasn't cloaked in the changeling serum anymore, so now a dozen ponies who blamed me for the state of the world could have their fun beating me until I wished I was dead. My blood slowly pooled around my body as I cursed my rotten luck. I had nearly passed out from shock when I heard Lucky again.

"Hold on miss. The doc will patch you up right quick."

Another pony began tending to my chest with practiced motions. Lucky kept talking about some nonsense to him. After what felt like an hour or so, the doctor bandaged my wound and stood up. He dropped a few pills onto a metal bowl and tossed it in front of me. He was a grey pony with a smoky mane that was cropped short and jagged. His cutie mark was a bonesaw.

"One every meal." He croaked. "If it bleeds, come back. I'll find a way to bill you later." He trotted off to some other area in the room.
I tried to sit up. It was slow, but I managed to lean against the wall and glance around. The ponies seemed to have returned to various activities. Lucky though, stood before me and smirked.

"So yer really Rainbow Dash?" He said with a smirk, his yellowed teeth visible between his jaws. His mane was shaved off, and his green coat was tattered and unkempt.

I looked back at my hooves and turned slightly to glare at my mane before turning back to him. "I sure look like it." I responded sarcastically. His grimace faded.

"Hey, you wanna be alive to see your second meal? Work with me a little here. You won’t last long down here without me ‘elping ya.”

"Help me? Why would you want to do that? What's the catch?"

He smirked. "All I want is a cut of your food. I was the newest here before you, and we newbies got to stick together anyways, eh?"

I took an instant dislike to him. His demeanor seemed fake and his actions were too practiced. He stood too close, acted too friendly, and his eyes pierced forward like knives. I felt like I shouldn't trust him. I didn’t even know what he had done to get in here. For all I know he might murder me for the fun of it later. Before I could ponder the matter any further he continued speaking.

"A lot of ponies fear you. But in here that won't last. Half of these ponies will brain you for your morning rations within a day. You either get them to keep that fear, or you'll be chained to the wall, and given just enough to stay starving. Understand?"

Begrudgingly, I nodded. He saved my life. As shady as he seemed, if I want to live, I'll need his advice.

"Good." He looked around. "Stay away from the other pegasi. They aren't good for your health." His brow furrowed.

"What's wrong with the other pegasi?"

"They made the hole in the corner of the room that leads into the water, convinced they can escape. I've seen them send a pony to swim every once in a while, but after they go we never see them again. No one is even sure if there is a way to the surface from the water. The bastards killed one of my mates who tried to talk a colt out of it. Fucking nutjobs, the ‘ole bunch of ‘em."

Escape?

He trotted over to the grate, and I followed him. He explained how meals worked. The more ponies in the prison, the more food shuffled down. The rations were split evenly by the leader of the prison, who just happened to be my best buddy Braeburn. Then a fifth of my food would be given to Lucky. He told me that if I lasted long enough, I might get a blanket.

These 'luxurious' blankets were nothing more than a thin sheet of cloth, but in this frozen box it was better than nothing. Blankets are reserved for the top three in the prison or those in medical emergencies. If someone was dying, efforts were made to keep them alive for the sake of more rations. Lucky told me that Gorge, a large silver earth pony with a dull brown mane was number two. And number three was a unicorn named Scoring who had a dark blue coat and a maroon mane. The leader made decisions, Gorge kept order, often by hurting anyone that disobeyed orders, and Scoring kept information like ration ratios, medical supply lists, and the number of ponies at all times.

After a few moments to take in this new information I had a question of my own for him. “Why are all of us being kept down here anyway?”

"The new Princess, quite the bitch by the way, is determined to keep everyone civil. She claims that the evil is something that is fostered not only in a manifestation, but in each other. She is always on about the Magic of Friendship needing to be revived in the people at any cost. Load of shit if you ask me. She usually doesn't get personally involved, but she runs a tight shift. It only took two days for her to set everything up. Emissaries sent to the griffons and the dragons and the zebras. New governments and representatives have been popping up in all the cities and reworking the system. But she doesn't watch everything the way we do. She sees the goodness in ponies, ya know? Blind to the evil we can see down here. She doesn't know anything about the place except that nobody escapes alive, and that's enough for her. I heard that you got beat up by her guards. That true?"

I grumbled, "Yeah. Almost saw her face, she hunted me personally."

He looked at me in surprise, almost slipping on the icy floor as he stood up from the makeshift bed he attained. The "bed" was a few scraps of clothing in a circle. "Really now? You must be the real one then. I wasn't sure to be honest. Didn't see the bitch's face? Eh, we'll all see her in hell anyways."

I asked him if he had ever talked to the pegasi.

"Well, I used to know a mate of mine who was a pegasus that got put down here only a bit ago. Great flier. Within an hour of talking to the other pegasi over there and he wouldn't speak to me. Kept talking about the only hope being down that hole. Time and rituals and sacrifice were all I could make out. Then he went down and swam through the hole. Haven't seen him since, poor bastard."

What was going on here? "Is everyone aware that there is a destroyed Equestria above the hatch? What's with the cult activity stuff? Can't we just... Ugh!"

He chuckled. "That 'bout sums it up filly. No matter what state the world is in there's always going to be some loons who only care about themselves. So..." He turned to face me, eye to eye, "How do we get out of here?"

"What?"

"Listen here, I know you are one of them elements of harmony. And while I couldn't care less about it, you are gonna wanna go fix shit. So you are gonna want out. I also happen to want out.”

I looked at him, and I mean really looked at him. He was thinner than a majority of ponies I had seen in New Appleoosa. His mane was gone and there were various bruises and cuts along his sides. Despite the fact that he was the most recent prisoner besides me, he already seemed disconnected from the world above. It was as though he had been here for years and gone stir-crazy; when in reality he had only been here a few days at the most.

I then felt something for him I hadn’t expected to. I felt sorry for him. I also realized the reason I had initially disliked him; it was obvious that the changes in the world had snapped him somehow because he clearly was off-kilter.

"I’ll figure it out Lucky. I’ll get us out somehow.”