…Warning…

…Warning…

…Warning…

Pinkie Pie:Warning? Already?

Yes, 'Already.' This is important.

A fair warning to anyone reading this story, What I saw in this chapter got very intense, very fast; it borderlines on M rating. Anyone uncomfortable with this, feel free to skip the chapter. I'll make a detailed review in the next, so don't worry about missing anything. Everyone else, well, just proceed downward, but remember… I warned you.

…Warning…

…Warning…

…Warning…

Pinkie Pie: Wow that was spooky

Right… by the way, aren't you supposed to be in Appaloosa right now?

Pinkie Pie: Applejack and Sonic are still arguing, so I' m using the down time to come help you.

Hmm… Fair enough, Shall we then?

Pinkie Pie: Yeah, Yeah, so what should we do first?

Well, we should probably say the disclaimer and start the story.

Pinkie Pie: Aww, that's it?

Well what did you expect? A big party?

Pinkie Pie: Widely gasps

Forget I said that! Disclaimer!

Disclaimer:

My little pony is property of Hasbro and the Hub

Sonic the hedgehog is property of Sega and Sonic team

Now to the story… and Pinkie, get back to Appaloosa.

Pinkie Pie: Yes sir; she saluted and disappeared.

…Oh Pinkie

Preview: Rainbow Dash got left behind again; let's see if she can find anything to do.

Chapter 26- Bathed in the Light (pt.3)

Canterlot Castle (courtyard): Past morning

Ever since the changeling attack on Canterlot, the whole town had been on high alert, or as alert as a town constantly being attacked could be. Most of the towns-ponies had been cowering within their homes in fear of the changeling's return. Guard-ponies searched for any threats through town, anything worth reporting to the princess. Luckily there were none, yet. Luna waited within the castle, keeping an eye on both the patrols and the emeralds. Lower down, above the courtyard, Rainbow Dash was resting on top of a small black cloud, watching over any guards Luna might miss and wishing she wasn't.

"Hmm…" Rainbow groaned, "This… sucks." Rainbow rolled onto her back and looked up to the sky, "why is it I'm the one left behind, again, while every-pony else is out there on their big adventures." Rainbow rested her head and tried to relax, "uhg, ya know, this might not be so bad if Fluttershy hadn't left." Rainbow started to recall the events of a few minutes ago, when Luna gave out the final mission.

Canterlot Castle (throne room): Past Morning

"Alright then," Princess Luna said as she stood by the looking-glass, having sent out the last team to find the final emerald. "These hunts should conclude soon enough (I hope), as for the rest of you," Luna turned back toward Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Fluttershy.

"What about the rest of us?" Rainbow Dash said, still flying before Luna's gave, "Now that you've sent out your 'treasure hunters', what do you expect the rest of use to do? Sit here and twiddle our hooves?"

"Be calm Rainbow Dash," Luna tried to calm the rowdy mare, "I have tasks for you as well, do not worry about that."

"Really? Any chance they're just busy work to keep us out of your way?" Rainbow Dash argued.

"Of course not," Luna assured her, "I am going to need all of your help in this grave time; do not sell yourself short."

"I never do, (I just hope you don't)"

Fluttershy and Spike were a bit in shock to see Rainbow Dash talking back to a princess, Luna of all princesses. They couldn't decide if she was being really brave or really dumb. "Now as I was saying," Luna's voice snapped sense back into the two, "As for the rest of you. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, I shall be staying in this chamber to keep the emeralds from getting into the wrong hooves. While I do, I request that the two of you help to keep watch on Canterlot. Our guards will patrol the grounds for anything unusual. If they find something, I will need you two to get the information to me as quickly as possible. Rainbow Dash," Luna got Rainbow's attention, "I will be depending on your speed more than anything, and I know that my trust is well placed."

"Hmm," Rainbow Dash thought hard on these words (how strange), "(this still sounds like busy work to me, but…) alright, you can count on me," Rainbow Dash said with hollow words.

"Now Spike," the little dragon looked the princess's way, "I… (Hmm, what should I have you do?) I… want you to stay close to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. While they watch over the town, I want you to watch over them; keep them safe from any harm while they scan the town. (I really hope this task will suffice.)

"Yes ma'am, I won't let you down," Spike said as he saluted her.

"Good, that's what I wanted to here, (he actually bought that; lucky.)"

"(I can't let them down; I owe them that much… after the invasion.)"

"Alright, now that that's…" as Luna spoke some-pony interrupted her.

"Actually princess," Fluttershy spoke, "I kind of have something to ask first."

"Hmm," Luna looked back, "what is it?"

"If it's alright with you," she walked up to Luna, "I, kind of, would like to go home,"

"What!?" Luna was taken by the request, "Fluttershy, I understand that what I'm asking is a bit dangerous, and you might be scared, but we need you as much as every-pony else."

"I know," Fluttershy responded, "I don't mean permanently, I would come back, I promise. It's just that… I didn't really expect to be away from home for so long and I'm worried about my friends back home."

"Your friends?"

"Yes, if I'm not home to feed or look after them, I'm not sure what could happen."

"(Oh, she must mean her pets) Well… I suppose if you return, I can allow you go check on your 'friends'"

"Oh," Fluttershy's face beamed, "thank you Luna," she got a little carried away and caught Luna in one of her 'iron-gripped' hugs, "Thank you so, so… uh," she quickly realized she was strangling the princess and let go, "Ah… I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry," she apologized and bowed hysterically.

"Calm yourself, it's alright (mostly)" Luna rubbed her neck and cleared her throat before trying to speaking again.

"I guess…I'll just go now," Fluttershy tried to walk out of the room, in embarrassment.

"Wait," Luna stopped her and began walking toward her, Fluttershy was worried, "before you leave, at least let me improvise an escort party for you, I would prefer you not go alone."

"Oh… of course," Fluttershy calmed herself.

"I guess that means I'll be guarding Canterlot alone then." Rainbow said as she finally flew down to the ground, "don't worry about me."

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with genuine sympathy, "but don't worry, I'll be back before you know it, I promise." Fluttershy gave an assuring smile, which forced the same out of Rainbow, before her and Luna exited the room. Spike followed close behind for some reason.

Canterlot Castle (courtyard): Past Morning

"'Before you know it'," Rainbow Dash said, still lying on the cloud overlooking the town, "hmm, that's not nearly fast enough. And of course, Spike decides to tag along to 'prove he can help,' or something, so now I'm stuck here as a stinking guard pony, while even Fluttershy and Spike get to leave Canterlot on a mission, of course going home to check on her pets isn't exactly much of a mission, but still." Rainbow got back to her hooves, "oh well, I might as well do something to pass the time," she hovered over the cloud, "let's check out the town," she flew deeper into Canterlot, hoping to find something interesting, (Mistake)

Canterlot (town square): Noon (I warned you)

Hours went by, and no matter where Rainbow Dash looked, there was no sign of any major disturbances, not even regular disturbances. Rainbow was moments away from forgetting the whole thing and leaving to find something better to do someplace else; she didn't care if it was against Luna's orders. "This is ridicules," she complained, "Those changelings wouldn't be dumb enough to attack us when we already have five of the seven emeralds. If anything they probably went after the last two, and the girls will be more than enough to take care of those bugs if they did." Rainbow stopped mid-flight, "this is a waist of time. Maybe I'll just go back to the gym, at least that will be more fun than flying around like an idiot." Before she had a chance to even turn her head, Rainbow heard something coming from below "What the…?" she looked down and saw a big commotion coming from one of the streets alleys. "Finally," Rainbow thought as she listened, "I should probably report…" Rainbow paused, "on second thought, why report it. I bet it's nothing too major, Luna wouldn't mind if I took care of it myself," she decided and flew down to the alley alone. (Big Mistake!)

Rainbow Dash entered the alley to see that it was just as big a mess as the noise would have you believe. Crates of produce had been smashed to pieces, trash cans were torn to foil, and the alley walls seemed to be stained, but it was far too dark to see what stained them. At the alley center, a single figure stood on its back hooves, strangling a white pony, with a blond mane and the cutie-mark of an orange, in its right hoof, seemingly unconscious. It wore a dark cloak, so the only areas visible were the fronts of its light-grey muzzle and hooves. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you're finally here," it said in a soft-feminine voice with a natural echo emanating from the vocals.

"(What is it with bad guys and cloaks?) So you were waiting for me?" Rainbow responded to the cloaked mare.

"Well of course; these ponies were a bunch of wimps, no fun at all, but i knew my good friend Rainbow Dash would a much better match."

"Good friend?" Rainbow didn't know what she meant by that.

As the two were speaking, the white pony in the cloaked one's hooves started waking out of unconsciousness, "oh," the cloaked pony raised her free hoof to the white's neck, petrifying him with fear, "You're still alive, man you're stubborn." Dash wondered why the pony looked so scared, but eventually noticed what the cloaked pony was wearing. It looked like a griffon's talon, but metal and opened right at the white pony's throat.

"'Alive?'" Dash shuttered at the words. The cloaked pony started moving one of the talons across the white's throat, slowly cutting it open, "hey! What are you doing!?" Dash shouted, "Just cool it, this is between you and me now! Let that pony go!"

"Hmm?" the cloaked pony looked at her victim, who began tearing up at his own near death. "Well, since you asked so nicely," She slowly moved the claw away from the pony's throat, letting him, and Dash, breath easily for a moment, until she moved her second, quickly slashing it across his body.

"Huh!" Dash couldn't believe what just happened, the white pony had been slashed by a second claw Dash didn't even see, "W…What…"

"You told me to let him go, so I did," the cloaked pony admired the claw on her hoof, now dripping wet. Rainbow looked at the wet claw and the new stain along the wall and finally noticed what those stains were. As she did, the light in the alley started to change. "Oh, it looks like Luna finally decided to re-position the sun. It's about time; she's late."

Like she said, the sun started changing position to the center of the sky, allowing light to flood into the alley, revealing the scene. The dark stains along the walls were shown to actually be bright, crimson, pony-blood streaks, still fresh. They covered much of the walls and ground, the broken debris, and of course the cloak and claws of the cloaked pony. Rainbow didn't even notice when she entered the alley that she had flown into a massacre, and now there was no way out (she would discover that the hard way).

"What's wrong Dash?" the murderous pony called her, "you're shaking; I hope that doesn't mean you're going to punk out before we even start." Rainbow was shaking uncontrollably, she wanted something to go wrong, just so she could relieve her own boredom, but she never saw this coming. The first thought in her mind was to just run and not look back, but something was keeping her from doing so. "For bucks sake Dash, I thought you were suppose to be the most competitive pony around, not the biggest wimp," Dash scorned at the comment, "by Tartarus, even these two tried," she stepped aside to show Dash two more 'stained' pony bodies, the bodies of two castle guards, not moving an inch. "They didn't last very long, but at least they never quit, I was almost sad when they broke." She turned her attention to the white pony lying on the ground, "and they were way better than this orange pony," she looked back towards Dash, "I mean don't you just hate when a pony only does things half way. Seconds into our 'game,' he just kind of went down," Rainbow couldn't take much more, "Doesn't that just suck?"

Rainbow was at the boiling point. This pony was talking about others like they're just playthings, calling them broken, saying this was a game, she couldn't take anymore. "Why you…" Rainbow grunted, "Damn Psychopath!" Rainbow flew to the killer with all her force, trying to take her down quickly, but the mare just dodged her like she was nothing and caught Rainbow Dash's rear hoof with one of her talons, making a deep cut. "Ahhh!" Rainbow screamed as the pain forced her to fall to the ground, hard.

"That's more like it," the killer said, "but do you mind if I get ready first, 'sheesh.'" Dash tried getting off the ground, but her back leg was in too much pain. It had been cut clean open, blood streamed out of the long gash, and Rainbow could barely move, let alone stand. "Alright," the killer said, walking toward Dash, "now I'm ready. So what should we play? Oh I know," she got to Dash's side and placed one of the talons on the open wound, making Dash wince in pain, "How about a game of Chase."

Dash didn't like the sound of that. She could see how it would go, Dash would try to run, but her leg would keep her from getting away. She could try flying, but how would she get off the ground in all that pain, and even if she could, she would bleed out before she got too far. She could heal it, but she didn't know how, she could fight, but against a pony like this? All-in-all, Dash saw no way out; she couldn't fight, she couldn't run, all she could do, was… lose.

"Now, let's get started," A tear ran down Rainbows face as the killer kept messing with her cut, she really wished she had gotten Luna now, "You mind chasing first?"

"Huh…?" Rainbow didn't expect that, "you… want…" Rainbow tried talking in between the pain.

"…What's wrong? This bothering you," the cloaked pony said as she rubbed the cut, "alright, hold on," the cloaked pony quickly ripped a portion of her cloak off and used it to make a quick bandage to rap around Rainbow's leg, stopping the bleeding. "There, it ain't pretty, but ya got nothing to complain about now," Rainbow was confused, "so ya ready to go?"

Rainbow Dash just couldn't put it together, she was on the ground, seriously wounded, and the cloaked pony could have just finished her, but helped her instead. "Why… why did you help me?" Rainbow asked.

"What do you mean?" The cloaked pony answered, confused, "what fun is it competing with an injured pony, I hate advantages."

"But…" Rainbow chocked on her words, "But…, who are you!?"

"…That's just mean Rainbow Dash," the cloaked pony hung her head in disappointment, "Forgetting a friend so easily? What happened to loyalty?"

"A friend?" Rainbow was completely confused now, she admits that the ponies voice did sound familiar, but she's positive that she would never be friends with some-pony like this. (…)

"Whatever… I guess I can let it go, this time…" a pair of light grey wings unfolded from inside of the cloak, lifting the pony into the air as she flapped, "…why don't we get this game started."

"(Uhg, of course she has wings,)" Rainbow said as she tried getting up again, this time succeeding, thanks to the bandage.

"Are you ready?" the cloaked pony began flying away, "now, catch me if you can." Rainbow was still questioning if she should play her game, "Oh and by the way," the cloaked pony stopped and looked back towards Rainbow, "If you get cold wings again, feel free to quit, I'll always find some-pony else to play with instead," Rainbow's eyes widened as the pony started to fly away again. Rainbow know there was no choice anymore, she had to play, so she sucked it up, unfolded her wings, and started after the psychotic pony, just hoping the bandages didn't unwind.

The two ponies started there little 'game' of cat and mouse. The cloaked pony flew to keep out of Rainbow's reach while Rainbow Dash struggled to keep up. "Come on Rainbow, is that as fast as you can go? Your not going to let me of all ponies out fly you, are you?"

"Why you…" Rainbow grunted, getting annoyed by the pony's constant taunts.

"If you can't keep up, maybe we should end it now. I'm sure there are plenty of other ponies that would love to take your place," the cloaked pony kept taunting as she increased her distance little by little.

"Not a chance!" Rainbow Dash screamed as she started flying faster and faster, ignoring her leg and focusing on flying. Whether she was doing this to keep the pony away from others or just for her pride was unclear.

"That's more like it, let's have some real fun," the real game started now.

The cloaked pony did everything she could to stay out of Rainbows reach; weaving though buildings, flying through clouds, climbing to massive altitudes; she did all of this and more, and with every maneuver, Rainbow got farther and farther away.

Almost half and hour into the chase, the cloaked mare decided to head into a straight vertical climb, Rainbow following, and at her peak, the cloaked mare decided to end with a free-fall, tucking her body and diving straight down, just missing Rainbow in the fall. Rainbow tried following, but the pain from her wound started taking affect again, and she was forced to ease up.

"Is that really all you can manage," the cloaked pony teased as she turned her body, mid free-fall, to look Dash's way, "you can't even keep up with me in a free-fall? I really expected more." Dash just kept getting more and more annoyed of her taunting, but the anger couldn't make up for the pain this time, she kept falling back. "I guess you're really at your limit, oh well, it was fun when it lasted," the cloaked pony looked back toward the ground, "Now who would make a better play thing?" Rainbow couldn't hear her, but she knew what she was doing, "…maybe that brown earth-pony there, or how about that green unicorn or… oh that's perfect!" the cloaked pony held out her steel talons, "that grey pony will be a great playmate, and pegasi always make such better noises when they break. Later Dash!" The cloaked pony sped up as she fell toward a small grey pegasus that had a blond mane and the cutie mark of seven bubbles, ready to 'play' with her.

"No!" Dash tried to catch up but she was still in too much pain. She watched as the talons shifted to striking position the farther they went. "No… I… won't let you!" Dash was done moaning in Pain. She pushed her body to its limit, and even though the wind from the fall tore away her make-shift bandage, she kept gaining speed until she got closer to the cloaked pony. Without realizing, dash's speed started forming a mach cone around her, but she still increasing speed until the cone finally broke, causing a Sonic-Rainboom.

Going near mach speed herself, the cloaked pony heard the sonic boom and began to smile. "(So she did it,)" she thought, "(well played Dash. It was fun when it lasted.)" Dash finally started getting close to the pony, but she was still a good distance away and wasn't sure she could make it in time. The doubt occupied Rainbow's attention, so she didn't notice when the cloaked pony quickly turned her way and opened her body, harshly decreasing speed. Before Dash knew what was happening, she had been inches from the pony and, by instinct, shot her wings outward as they crossed paths. A stream of blood began following from the two as they continued down.

On the Canterlot grounds, the grey pony, the cloaked had aimed for, had heard the sound of a loud boom, forcing her attention upward. The first thing she saw was two ponies falling directly toward her; she quickly moved out of the way. Rainbow was the first to reach the ground, having trouble stopping, she practically smashed hoof fist into the pavement. Her wound didn't like that too much, opening wider and bleeding harsher, but that seemed to be the only injury she had. As for the cloaked pony, she landed almost immediately after Dash, but she landed head first, practically bouncing off the ground and landing at Rainbows hooves. A small down poor of blood followed the two, Rainbow's and the cloaked one's. The grey mare had run from the scene at this point.

Rainbow Dash tried to collect herself after the fall. She looked back to were the cloaked pony was laying, bleeding out from a large slash across her torso were Rainbow's wing hit. "'Cough,'…I guess you caught me Rainbow," the cloaked pony said, coughing up blood as she lifted her head, "That means… you win, I hope you had fun," she dropped her head.

The echo in her voice had faded, so she sounded like a normal mare now; one that Rainbow was positive she recognized, but would not admit, until she saw something. A strand of the cloaked pony's hair had been peaking out of the side of her hood, probably from the cloak shifting after Rainbow hit her. The sight of the light grayish-pink hair strand terrified Rainbow; she had to know who this pony was, so she started removing the hood from her face. Rainbow fell back when she saw who was underneath.

"Ha, ha…I told you… I would be back before you knew it," the de-cloaked pegasus struggled to say, "didn't I?"

"Flu…Flu…" she didn't dare finish that name. Rainbow just looked at the bleeding pony, then at her wings, still dripping the pony's blood, and she said nothing. There was nothing she could say.

Canterlot Castle (throne room): Noon

Luna was still waiting in the castle for either word that something was going on in town or that Fluttershy had returned.

Luna: I can't take this, how long has it been? She paced the floor; Fluttershy has yet to return from Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash still hasn't reported any disturbances, then again I guess I should be relieved about that, but this feeling; Luna walked to the window; I sense that there is something wrong. Maybe…

A loud boom interrupted the princess's thoughts. When she looked up, she noticed a large circular-rainbow spreading across the Canterlot skies.

Luna: What the… Rainbow Dash. She must have found trouble, and from the looks of it, she's trying to handle it alone (why am I not surprised?). I have to…

Before Luna could finish her thought, a massive force struck her in the back of the head, knocking her out, again.

Luna: Ahg… Uh…; before losing conscience completely, she tried to turn her head to see her attacker, but all she made out was a tall, dark-figure before she went under.

Next chapter: Back to Appaloosa. Yeehaw!

Discord: My that chapter really was a bit darker than your normals

What the! Discord!?

Discord: In the flesh, did you miss me.

Yeah, I was all choked up wondering where you were.

Discord: I thought you'd be.

Where were you anyway?

Discord: Oh you'll figure that out in a few chapters. Now where is that that little…

Pinkie Pie: Discord!; Pinkie gave the draconequus a tight hug; It's been too long, how have you been?

Discord: Oh just peachy Pinkie, but how about you. I hear that you've gotten a bigger part in the story.

Pinkie Pie: Yeah, I'm helping Sonic and Applejack find an emerald in Appaloosa.

Discord: That's wonderful, and how is it going?

Pinkie Pie:…well actually…

Pinkie! Isn't it time for you to close the chapter.

Pinkie Pie: Oh, okay. Well we all hope that you all are enjoying the story so far.

Discord: I'm sure that Writer is very sorry for making all of you wait so long to read the next chapter of this story…

I have other things to do Discord!

Discord: So write any complaints or comments you might have below and well be sure to rub them in his face.

Pinkie Pie: Oh, can I do the rubbing!?

Discord: Of course Pinkie.

Your jokes are getting worse.

Discord: Who's joking?

Anyway, favorite the story if you…Pft…; Pinkie rubbed a sheet of paper in my face; Uhm…; she lets me breath; Pinkie! What are you doing!?

Pinkie Pie, showing me the papers: Here are the reviews so far.

…Uhm, anyway… Favorite-and-follow-if-you-like-the-story-and-well-see-you-in-the-next-chapter-Until-then…; I leave the room.

Pinkie Pie: Hmm…, he seemed kind of upset.

Discord: Well not as upset as some-pony is about to get.

Pinkie Pie: Huh? She wondered what Discord could mean. She would soon find out.