Chapter 3: An old friend
Fluttershy was stopped in her path by the rocks, and started to calm down. Rarity helped Twilight to her hooves, and then the two of them started floating rocks out of the way.
"Zecora," Twilight asked, "How did that silver guy know you?"
"He has been a thorn in my side before. I wish to speak of it no more."
"Well, whoever he was, he seemed rather charming." said Rarity.
"But he's evil!" said Rainbow.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEVIL!' yelled Pinkie, purely for emphasis.
"I know he is, but there's just something about him, something I find... enthralling."
The rocks were now cleared out of the way, and the seven of them proceeded to move ahead. The deeper they went in more dark decor decorated this damp, dank, dismal den of despair and disorder. This was the first time they really looked around. the walls were a shade of dark taupe, with purple banners hanging from them. As they continue their walk, they reach a spiraling staircase with a large pool of water at the bottom. The ponies begin to head down, as a large chunk crumbles away!
"These stairs are horribly unstable!" said Twilight.
"And mighty old." remarked Applejack
"And very out of style." said Rarity
The ponies were very hesitant to continue, except for Pinkie, who was happily hopping her way down the stairs. Rainbow caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure down below. She had a strange feeling about this, as if she knew this particular person.
"I'm going to fly ahead and scout out below, make sure nopony is waiting to trap us." she said. She wasn't completely sure why she didn't tell her friends, but she felt as though this was her battle, and hers alone. She sped swiftly down the spiraling staircase and confronted the figure.
"Who...who are you?" she asked, but felt as if she already knew the answer. The figure did not say a word, and could not be revealed by appearance as she was fully cloaked in a flowing black hooded robe. The figure did not say a word, and simply hovered with her large white wings above the water. The figure then quickly bolted across the lake down a tunnel. Rainbow followed, and the two were keeping an even speed.
"How can she possibly match my speed?" thought Rainbow.
She followed the figure to a opening in the tunnel, and once she was in a large portcullis slammed downhard and trapped the two of them inside. The figure pulled back her hood to reveal an all too familiar face.
"Gilda!?" exclaimed Rainbow in disbelief and shock.
"That's right, dweeb." Gilda said. Something didn't seem right about her voice. It seemed very bleak and close to monotone.
"What...what are you doing here?" asked Rainbow
"After you humiliated and degraded me, I left Ponyville for the clouds. I had lost my last friend, and the only pony I even remotely cared about. I just flew and flew, until I couldn't any more. I then landed on a cloud and just stared at the ground. It was then that a pegasus flew up and told me she understood how I felt. She knew how it felt to be hated, to be... different. She told me about a place I could come where i would be accepted. The Followers of Shadow let me in, and here i am. "
"Gilda, this cult is just using you for their own goals. Even I can see that, so I know you can."
"Maybe, but I don't care anymore. This is where I belong, and I have to stop you, Dash."