A World Without Rainbows

So, we all know how much of an impact Rainbow Dash's first sonic rainboom had for the Mane Six. However, in the grander scheme of things, how important was it exactly? And how much different would things be... if it never happened?

Well, like it or not, Twilight will have to see this for herself as she wakes up one day in a world of eternal night.

A World Without Rainbows can be found here and here and is currently in Act III.

This page Needs More Love.

Tropes used in A World Without Rainbows include:

• Axe Crazy: Silver Shield.
• Alternate Universe Fic: Sort of a given.
• The Bad Guy Wins: "A world of eternal night", huh? ...sound familiar?
• Body Horror: It turns out the sonic rainboom helped prevent Fluttershy from cutting off her own wings.
• Composite Character: Of a sort. The Doctor Whooves seen in the story is the brown one who looks like David Tennant (who played the Tenth Doctor) but Word of God is that his personality is based off of the Eleventh Doctor (played by Matt Smith).
• Crapsack World: Thanks to the rainboom not happening, the world is... not a fun place.
• Despair Event Horizon: Faced with the "realization" that she is not a good flyer, Fluttershy... um... became an earth pony.
• Doorstopper: Although it is currently in Act III, this journal entry currently states that the current plan is that this story will have 6 acts.
• For Want of a Nail: Oh dear, if it weren't for that rainboom...
• Face Heel Turn: Twilight, in the alternate universe.
• Face Hoof In Chapter 10 (chapter 1 of Act II), Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie pass the time playing I Spy.

"My turn!" the pink mare shouted excitedly. "I spy something rainbow-colored."
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "It's me, isn't it? Nothing else in this room is rainbow."
Pinkie Pie gasped in surprise. "Fine then, Dashie. I've got a harder one. I spy something wearing a hat."
Rainbow buried her forehead in her front hoof.

• • And later on in the same chapter.

[Alternate Twilight] levitated a book off of one of the shelves and opened it, tearing out two pages.
Rarity gasped, and Twilight shifted her eyes toward her, concerned.
"What?" Twilight said. "The book's already in terrible condition. It looks ancient. Really, how valuable can a book like that be?"
Rainbow Dash facehoofed for a second time.

• Ghost Memory: Caused by Alternate Twilight when swapping minds.
• Grand Theft Me: In order to travel to our world, alternate Twilight swaps her mind with our Twilight.
• It's Personal: Silver Shield's lover Stone Wall was killed by Alternate Twilight. He wants blood.
• Meaningful Name: Inverted. Silver Shield was raised by arrogant unicorns who thought unicorns were better than everyone else. When he was born, this family looked down on him because he wasn't a unicorn, and named him Silver Shield, as Silver is not good for making shields.
• The Night That Never Ends: In the alternate Universe.
• Painting the Medium: Each chapter begins with a placard colored red or blue (or a gradient). The chapters with a red title are set entirely in the canon universe, while the blue chapters are set entirely in the alternate universe. The gradient chapters focus on both. Sound familiar?
• Schizo-Tech: Okay, DJ tables, and horse-drawn steam locomotives are understandable, but Madam Orange's helicopter balloon thingy is a little harder to explain.
• Shout-Out: The author points out that in "Act II - Part 7: Loyalties", Pinkie's speech is based off of the Doctor's in the Doctor Who episode "Bad Wolf". Funny, considering how Doctor Whooves is involved with the plot.
  • The way this story is told has sort of a Quantum Leap/Sliders feel to it.
    • According to the author, parts of the story, including the alternating universes throughout the first act, is inspired by Fringe doing the same at the start of Season 3.
• Spot the Imposter: When Applejack reminds Twilight to write her Friendship Report of the week, Twilight is for some reason extra nervous. As Twilight writes it, Applejack reminds her to address it to "the person who more or less raised you." Twilight addresses the letter to her mother. "Wrong answer."
• Trapped In an Alternate Dimension
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Alternative Twilight has shades of this.
• Zeppelins from Another World: Our world has a hot air balloon. The other world has a freaking airship.