Rainbooms and Royalty

The Return

“RAINBOW DASH!” Five mares yelled at once, seeing the chromatic blue blur smash into and *through* the wall. Dust and debris was scattered everywhere. Twilight barely remembered to use her magic to keep the sprayed bits of rock from hitting her and everypony else in the face or, Celestia forbid, their eyes. Even so, there was an agonizing twenty or thirty seconds where all she could see was swirling clouds of dust and a gray streak.

One zebra bowed her head reciting a poem she had heard long ago: it served as prophecy and now as eulogy.

Demons run when a good mare goes to war

Night will fall and drown the sun

When a good mare goes to war

Friendship dies and true love lies

Night will fall and the dark will rise

When a good mare goes to war

Demons run, but count the cost

The battle's won, but the mare is lost

Zecora sighed gravelly as she looked out of the hole Dash made when she was hurled through it. Her eyes widened as she promptly fled from the room before the smoke and dust cleared.

Nightmare Moon flapped her wings, once, and cleared the room. The battle royale between the Shadowbolts on one side and the gargoyles, diamond dogs, and seaponies somehow seemed to be relegated to the background. The evil princess stepped over the prone form of one of her Shadowbolts and inclined her head to one side to avoid a gargoyle plummeting through the air.

Instead she walked over to loom over the five distraught friends of Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie’s lip trembled and her eyes went wide. When Dash didn’t return her hair seemed to deflate and streams of tears seemed to burst from her eyes. Rarity bawled into a scented lace hanky so overwrought that she didn’t seem to notice her makeup was running. Applejack had her hat tugged low over her face as she held Twilight tight, the unicorn sobbing and shaking. Fluttershy…was silent. Her face was hidden behind her long pink mane.

Nightmare Moon smiled. “What ever is the matter?” She asked coldly, startling them into noticing her. Except for Fluttershy. She was unmoved. “Ah yes, could you be missing your newfound friend? A shame.” The dark princess walked around them, her voice sounding like she was half musing to herself and half carrying on a civil conversation. “But really, she brought it upon herself. Now, if you’re through with the folly of challenging me, perhaps we can resolve this amica—”

“You.” The one simple word, softly spoken, cut through the Nightmare’s dissembling like a hot knife through butter. Everypony turned to see its source: it was Fluttershy.

“What was that?” Nightmare Moon asked, smugly. “I didn’t quite catch that. You’ll have to speak up…oh that’s right. You can’t. You’re Fluttershy, meek, cowardly, defenseless Fluttershy. The pony who always hid under Rainbow Dash’s wings like a fledgling. But she’s not here anymore, is she? So tell me…what do you have to say for yourself?” She tilted her head, curious.

Fluttershy, raised her head, her mane falling to the side and revealing her face. Her soft teal eyes were hard and cold as ice. “You.” She said again, her teeth gritting together. “You. Big. JERK!” Her voice raised itself to a loud roar that shocked everypony. “Now you've made me angry.” She pawed the ground with her hoof. Very…VERY…VERY…ANGRY!!!” Fluttershy snarled the last word as she hurled herself at Nightmare Moon, her hoof outstretched. There was a resounding crack as her hoof connected with Nightmare Moon’s jaw, sending the dark alicorn hurtling backwards. Stumbling, she fell head over hooves over a pile of rubble and collapsed—pitched against one of the remaining stone pillars.