Meh. School is taking all my time away…

~Chapter 4~

It was still. That was all Fluttershy knew.

The wild, deranged storm zephyrs had stopped throwing her around, and now she was lying somewhere, possibly broken. She didn't feel any serious pain apart from the bruises on her shoulder and flank from her abrupt landing. With a small shiver zinging up her spinal cord, she wondered if she was in shock, or had broken her spine so she wouldn't feel anything ever again.

Slowly, very slowly, the world began to materialize one sense at a time to the pale yellow Pegasus. First touch. Her nerves fired back up, busily transmitting the pain of jostled bruises and cuts to her brain, making her wince. She twitched her forelegs, both of them clasping something big between them. Slowly, as if scared to try out if her body was paralyzed or not, Fluttershy made her movements small, innoticable, inconspicuous…

The movement ended with a broader movement of her legs, and slowly she lifted her head, knowing now that nothing must be broken, and she was still mobile. Somehow, she was alive. Her eyes opened.

Between her forelegs, she still held the unmoving form of Rainbow Dash. It took a moment for her memories to catch up, and struck by a sudden wave of panic, she shook the pale blue mare, "R-Rainbow Dash?" she murmured shakily, "Please…please wake up. Rainbow Dash? Wake up…"

What if she was dead?

The thought of just that sent tears leaping to the shy pony's eyes, blurring the sky-colored form of Dash beneath her. Fluttershy nudged Dash again, "Please!" she whimpered, and held the body closer, burying her tear-streaked muzzle into the mane of her friend. A glow of warmth could be felt through the fur, and the slow heartbeat of a sleeping pony.

Alive.

Fluttershy felt it, and she let go of Dash, standing up. She winced as she put weight on a twisted ankle, but it was a minor concern right now.

She nudged Dash again and again, calling to her softly, until the shape suddenly jerked. Dash drew her legs close to her body, and her eyes squinted, and her ears flattened.

"Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy murmured.

The blue Pegasus stretched out her legs, a small groan sounding from her throat. Her eyes flicked open, hazy but sharpening with focus. She twisted her head to look up at Fluttershy standing over her, "Fluttershy…?" she murmured groggily, "Wha' happn'…?"

Fluttershy lowered her head, and scanned her surroundings. It was the first time she had noticed them, and she suddenly felt a great fear, despite the area looking very familiar to her.

She looked back at Dash, who was gaining her hooves, "Something bad happened…" she murmured softly.

…

Luna was staring in horror.

Hard, dusty gray rock was all around her, stretching out to all horizons. Not a breeze stirred, nor did the sun's touch light the dark, gloomy gray world.

Stars sparkled overhead, like flecks of ice scattered across the sky, and that was the only light Luna could see.

She felt a horrible weight on her chest, forcing the breath out of her with an audible gusting sound.

The prison on the moon.

She was back?

For another millennium here, or forever? And what had she done to deserve it? Maybe Celestia had decided Luna couldn't be trusted at all, and should be forever banished to the moon…

Luna felt weak, very weak, and hot tears spilled effortlessly from her sea-blue eyes. She shivered, and whipped around. Her eyes took in a new sight, and she screamed.

A midnight-black mare towered over her, wings outstretched and muzzle raised in defiance.

Nightmare Moon.

Luna shrank away from her dark side that now faced her. That beast was the reason why she had ever had to experience the horrors of living a thousand years in this desolate hell.

"You recognize this place, Luna." Nightmare Moon murmured, this time the voice reverberated strongly around them on the moon.

Luna stared back up at the tall black alicorn.

"Indeed, this was our prison. And it will be again, Luna. Soon, Celestia will think that she is the only being needed for the sun and moon. She will grow a greed, a raw hunger for power. And humbleness, my dear, will not help you escape her rising ambition." The dark mare said.

Luna blinked at her, "Celestia is my sister…" she murmured, "She would never turn on me…"

"Ah, but she has!" Nightmare Moon stepped closer to Luna, making her cringe. She lowered her head, her horn lightly grazing Luna's, and her breath stirring her mane, "Celestia holds much power right now. Soon, very soon…she will want all the power as the one and only monarch of Equestria. You will be discarded like trash." She spat.

Luna whimpered, "No…not Celestia."

"Think, stupid child!" Nightmare Moon stomped the gray rock beneath them. She grabbed Luna's head between her hooves and roughly jerked her head to look out to the distance, "Do you see this? Do you see where we are Luna?"

Luna tried to pull away. She was near hysterics with denial and fear, her cheeks wet with tears and hiccupy cries tearing from her maw.

"Where are we, Luna?" Nightmare growled.

Luna said nothing.

"Where are WE?" The black alicorn roared.

"Th-the…moon…" Luna sputtered, "The prison on the moon…"

"This will be your eternal domain, a lifetime of solitude and nothingness, until insanity drives you to your own grave! This is where Celestia will place you if you do not act." The taller alicorn release d her grip on Luna.

Luna moaned sadly, "But…what do I do…"

Nightmare Moon was fading into the spacial sky right before her eyes. A huge glowing orb ascended over her. The gray rock was singed black. The sun was hurtling for her moon prison, threatening to burn her alive.

…

Luna blinked open her eyes, gasping raggedly. Her entire body was shaking, and she lay still on the ground for a moment to catch her breath.

When her poise came back, Luna stood. Her gaze took in the sight around her, and she winced.

It was Ponyville. But at the same time it wasn't.

The shops and streets seemed to be rinsed in a grayscale coloring, as well as the sky. The expanse of sky above looked like a sheet of ash gray, laced with paler gray streaks of clouds that seemed more like high-flying haze.

Luna blinked, shivering as an icy breeze pushed its way by.

This is not right.

That was all she could think.