Across the oceans from Equestria, war has plagued the distant continents of Europa and Neighsia. The Axis Powers of Germaneigh, Istallia, and the Empire of Neighpon have been brutally conquering their neighboring nations since September of 1039 After Celestia (AC) while Princess Celestia has vowed neutrality for as long as she possibly could. Six months after Princess Twilight Sparkle's coronation in October of 1043 AC, the fear of entering into the war has finally gone public as tensions grow both internationally and domestically. For the past few months, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have argued about Equestria's neutral state in the war after Luna ordered a military reconstruction and modernization.

Rainbow Dash, like most Equestrians, worries about the war and is unsure whether or not Equestria should get involved. However, on a bright October day, her life will be forever changed when she meets somepony who has witnessed, not only the war, but something much, much worse...

***WARNING*** Detailed descriptions of warfare and the Holocaust will be present, and historical accuracy is not entirely a priority as the WWII timeline is slightly altered and other early 20th century historical events are mixed in.

Based off of true events, and in the memory of the tens of millions who lost their lives in the Second World War, the Holocaust, Polish-Soviet War, the Winter War, and other events.

"Who are you? Where am I?"
"Am I...dead?"

Rainbow Dash explores the darkest recesses of her soul. Can she handle the truths of her past and her present, or will breaking the walls she has spent a lifetime building be more than she can handle? When one must come to terms with who they are, It can lead to a painful rebirth or an empty death.

Essence of a sunrise: That which is left behind

For as long as Rainbow Dash could remember, her life was simple, straightforward, and planned out with one goal in mind: become the best flyer in all of Equestria. Simple. But when she unwittingly comes across a tool that allows her to relive the memories of her ancestors, that simplicity is challenged when she discovers dark secrets hidden in her family's past as well as Equestria's history that not only challenge her perceptions of reality, but threatens to alter her very psyche.

As she's thrust into the remnants of a centuries-long war, as she questions the morals of those around her, as she battles to separate reality from fantasy, will Rainbow be able to hold on to her own beliefs or will she embrace her family's blood-stained traditions and finish what they started?

Hey, I'm Rainbow Dash. You probably know me, right? What am I saying, of course you do. Best flyer in Equestria, and all that.

Well, the thing is, I'm kind of in trouble. You probably heard about my friend Twilight becoming a princess, right? Well, she cast this crazy spell and now I don't know where I am. I mean, it looks like Ponyville, but I know it isn't. It doesn't feel right. Ponies are paranoid, and the guards are everywhere.

Worst of all, though, everypony seems to run in fear at the mention of Twilight Sparkle.

What am I going to do?

This story is a sequel to That Which Makes up a Rainbow

What are we? Are we just memories or is who we are something more? When everything is gone who are we in the end?

For one mare, that is a question with only one answer. She has a life with no past, but also with no scars. Follow her through the pain of building anew, when everyone around her clings to the past and to hope. What can be wrought from the turmoil of loss and birth? Could it be... a soul?

War is at the border of Equestria, Princess Celestia has requested an old tradition. The elements of Harmony are to choose one among them to enter the war, but will that pony be the same once she comes back? Or will that pony even come back alive?

Sequel: The Past of a Shy Mare

Rainbow Dash has never been seen around her parents. Nopony knows what they even look like. She's been raising herself since she was a little filly after what happened. She's alone in Ponyville. Her friends have moved on to much bigger things. They write to her and keep in touch, but they never visit. Their schedules are full of other things that need to be done. She tells her parents story now because of the dark secret she has kept since her friends leaving.
This is my first Slice of Life and Sad fic, so I don't know how it will turn out. The idea came from a picture I saw with RD and Fluttershy. I hope you like it!
Also, check the date of this story. I started writing it before we saw her dad in episode 12 of season 3.

It had been one year since Twilight Sparkle vanished in the battle against the evil unicorn Xander, and her friends were still trying to overcome the grief of losing her. On the anniversary of her presumed death, her friends gather at her memorial. What was suppose to be a day of remembrance was shattered by a strange metal object that landed right beside them. Their anger quickly turns to shock as a familiar unicorn emerges... and boy does she have a story to tell.

Rated Teen for violence, language, and sexual content. Rating and tags may change in future chapters.

This is not a Halo fic. It IS however loosely inspired by Halo as well as Star Wars, Mass Effect and several other sci-fi movies, books, and games.

Edited by Jack-Pony, HuskSummers, Coldwall, and sadron

Cover art by Sonic Rain

After the Changeling invasion, Celestia and Luna make the decision to have Twilight investigate the Elements of Harmony and solve the mystery of their power.

A thousand years later, Rainbow Dash awakens in a world she does not recognize. She has no idea how or why she came to be there. She does not know the language, the geography or any of the rules of this new time. She soon finds allies in Star Fall, a scholarly pegasus whose Talent is Magic, and Astrid, Star Fall's Griffin guardian. Together they set out to discover why Dash has been sent to the future, and how she might return to when she belongs.

War threatens the nations, a Nightmare stalks the shadows, and Rainbow Dash's arrival has turned her into a wild card in a deadly game that pits the law on both sides of a broken Equestria against a mysterious criminal figure, Max Cash. Yet the stakes are higher than anyone knows, for in her research Twilight Sparkle discovered a dark secret about the Elements, something that will shake the foundations of the world.

Cover image by SierraEx
Has a TvTropes page

5 years after Twilight Sparkle became a Princess of Equestria,
Rainbow Dash dreams of her induction into the Wonderbolts.
But will she ever fly among her heroes?