On The Edge

by Roxxi

A Party To Remember

A cyan pegasus stood at the edge of a high cliff. She looked down at the rocky terrain at the bottom, she breathed slowly. How easy it would be, to just jump, and not pull up. To just let gravity take her to the sharp, jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe how it had ended up this way, how she was pushed to her limits, and was now feeling as if giving up were the only way out. Closing her eyes, she thought back to everything that had brought her to this moment. Not only the bad moments, but the good as well, a certain party in particular, to be precise.

A group of best friends had all gathered at Ponyville’s top bakery, for a party in honor of something nopony could honestly say they had expected.

“Ah still can’t believe ol’ Rainbow Dash was the first one to get married and be expectin’! That just beats all, don’t it?” An orange earth pony said, giving the expectant pegasus a friendly knock on the shoulder with her hoof. Dash laughed, it was a laugh that was warm and full of life, the laugh of a mare who had so much to be happy about.

“Jealous AJ? I’ve been married to Soarin like forever and you’ve only been dating for a few months with what’s-his-name. And I’ve got a little filly on the way too!” Dash laughed again, grinning at her farm pony friend.

“Shoot Dash, yah know I’m happier than Granny Smith when she’s makin’ Zap Apple jam about all this for yah. And his name is Topsoil, beg yer pardon.” Applejack replied, trying her best to look upset as she said the last part, but a smile ruined the effect.

The orange earth pony had been with Topsoil, a stallion who’s coat was a deep rich brown, with a dark green mane, giving him the overall appearance of a tree when he stood on his hind legs and held arms out, for just under 6 months, but the stallion was treated like family when he first started staying at Sweet Apple Acres with the Apple Family. Dash had to admit, the two made a great pair, and Topsoil was a hardworking farm pony, and the orchard’s trees had seemed to be doing much better the longer he stayed, which made it easy to understand why his cutie mark was a group of thick, tall trees.

It had brought memories of her own stallion, Soarin. Rainbow Dash’s marriage to the Wonderbolt was a happy marriage, as it had always been, ever since Soarin had proposed to the cyan pegasus five years ago. She had to admit that she was shocked to tears when not only all of her friends, but the rest of the Wonderbolts, and even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had attended the wedding. The reception was originally going to be in Cloudsdale, but for the convenience, not to mention space, to accommodate all the extra guests, the princess sisters had graciously offered to hold the event in the castle in Canterlot, and Princess Celestia herself would be the one to wed the two pegasi.

And after Soarin and Rainbow Dash moved in together, they had a few years to themselves, to enjoy the love they had for each other. Eventually, Dash had asked Soarin about having foals, who naturally agreed to his mare’s request. Their little pegasus filly was going to be born soon, and this predictably led Dash’s pranking partner to throw her a “Congratulations Rainbow Dash On Getting Pregnant!” party, which brings us back to the aforementioned party.

“OH BOY! I just can’t wait to see my little niece Dashie! Auntie Pinkie Pie is going to teach her how to throw super duper fun parties for everypony! And how to make cupcakes, pound cakes, hotcakes, pancakes, ice cream cakes, and even-“ Pinkie had started rambling enthusiastically, before having a cupcake shoved into her mouth by a lavender unicorn. Twilight smiled apologetically at Dash.

“I’m sorry about that Rainbow Dash, you know how Pinkie Pie can get.” The librarian pony said, laughing slightly at the pink earth pony beside her who was still failing her arms enthusiastically, not seeming to notice she couldn’t speak.

Dash chuckled at the antics of Pinkie. “Yeah, I thought maybe dating you would calm her down a bit, but that failed, right egghead?”

Twilight Sparkle blushed slightly at the cyan pegasus’ words. Even though she had been marefriends with Pinkie Pie for almost a year now, she still blushed every time somepony mentioned it. Not from embarrassment at being with such an eccentric pony as Pinkie, but more so at being in a ‘more-than-just-friends’ relationship at all.

“Well, I’m going to take Pinkie over to the punch bowl and try to get her to settle down, I’m not sure she can breathe to well with the cupcake in her mouth.” Sure enough, Ponyville’s premiere party pony was still smiling and waving her hoofs in the air, but her normally bubble gum pink color was turning a slight, almost Twilight-ish purple, not that she showed any indication of being in distress as Twilight used her magic to lift her into the air and towards the buffet table and punch bowl.

Rainbow Dash just shook her head grinning. “Man, those two are so random.” She trotted over to Rarity and Fluttershy, who were having a pleasant conversation about French fashions.

“Um.. Rarity, I think you should try a more Renaissance style in- Oh, h-hello Rainbow Dash, did you need to talk to Rarity? I can go talk to somepony else if you want.” The timid yellow pegasus whispered, hiding in her faint pink mane. She shuffled her hooves, not wanting to speak anymore till Dash had made a decision.

“Nah Fluttershy, I’m just seeing what’s up with two of my best friends, ya know? So what’s up you two?” Dash asked, looking between both the fashionista and animal lover. Rarity was the first to answer, as Fluttershy was still hiding in her mane.

“Well darling I have been very busy with the simply massive order Fancypants placed last week, you know how it is dear. And Fluttershy, bless her heart, was kind enough to offer some of her opinions and advice, she’s very knowledgeable about the matter to be quite frank. I haven’t forgotten your maternity clothes, don’t you worry one feather about that. I’ve even put slits for you wings in them, so you can still stretch your wings. You needn’t ask me about your special requests dear, I put you cutie mark on each and every one of them!” Rarity gushed, as nothing excited her more than designing dresses and such. Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes and turned to her fellow pegasus, who looked at her from behind her mane as if it were a security blanket.

Dash knew just how to get Fluttershy out of this phase. “Hey Fluttershy, you’re still helping with the delivery, right?” She chuckled as the introverted pegasus before her immediately brightened, and seemed to glow.

“Oh yes! I wouldn’t miss that for anything Rainbow Dash!” A faint pink blush started creep up on her face, which, thankfully in the timid pegasus’ opinion, went unnoticed by Rainbow Dash. “We are best friends after all, so I’ll be there to help you with everything, since you decided to have an at home birth. I just need to get some things from Nurse Redheart though, because foal births are different from bunny births you know.” Fluttershy smiled gently, hesitantly reaching out a hoof to the slightly bulging stomach of the expectant mare, touching her stomach gently after getting a nod from Dash that it was okay. “Oh my, I can feel her moving ever so softly. She’s going to be beautiful, just like her mother.”

“Yeah, her mom is pretty awesome, like 20% more awesome than anything in Equestria, and my little Sunny Skies is gonna to grow up to be just as radical!” Dash grinned, already thinking about her daughter’s future, even though she hadn’t even entered the world yet. “Well I’m gonna see how AJ’s holding up, I kinda got sidetracked by that crazy Pinkie Pie. See ya Rarity, see ya Fluttershy!” With that, she trotted away, leaving the other two ponies to their previous conversation.

Applejack as it turned out, was leaning on a table, empty cups of cider littered the table, and the apple loving earth pony blinked and grinned at Dash. “Why hey there Sugarcube! Hic! Great purty.. Err, porty… Ah mean party! Yeah, party! How yah doing Rainbow Cider, want some Apple Dash?” Applejack had apparently managed to stun herself with the cider, which Dash had not had been able to drink any of. Again.

“Uh AJ, I think you might wanna go home, before you pass out here like the last time you overdid it with the cider.” Dash sighed, smiling slightly as she hoisted the farm pony back up on her hooves.

“And miss the rest of yer party? Nu-uh! Nothin’ doing! Ah’m staying!” Applejack emphasized her point by putting her hoof down forcefully on the table. Or at least that’s what she had meant to do, but she missed the table completely and ended up sprawled out on the ground. “Well… Maybe Ah am gettin’ a little dizzy. Hey Rarity! Ah’m gonna need help gettin’ back home, unless yah really need to stay that is.” The orange earth pony called out across the room. The unicorn in question simply rolled her eyes, smiling wryly.

“I’m sorry everypony, but I have to leave and take Applejack back to the boutique, you understand, right?” Rarity smiled apologetically to the rest of the room, all of which gave general replies of understanding, and wishes for Applejack to have as smooth a morning as possible after her cider caught up with her and she had to fight a hangover, a fight which Applejack had always inevitably failed to win. The white unicorn took a page from Twilight’s book, lifted the red-faced farm pony up with her magic, and trotted out the door, back to her dress shop.

“Wait a minute, did she just say the boutique?” Rainbow Dash asked, the surprise on her face was obvious. She would never admit it to anypony, but she could be very oblivious. How she could have missed this new revelation though, had stumped her.

Fluttershy was the first to speak, an almost amused smile on her face from the look on the stunned pegasus’ face. “You didn’t know? Rarity and Applejack have been together for three months now. You must be very focused on your foal and Soarin to not have noticed it.” Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said, and immediately backtracked, trying to fix the damage she thought she had caused. “I m-mean, not that you shouldn’t pay attention to them, but it.. was kind of… obvious… and…….” The already quiet peagsus’ words had grown steadily quieter, until they had reached the point where her mouth could be seen moving, but her voice was audible.

Rainbow Dash snorted and waved a hoof dismissively to dissuade Fluttershy’s fears of upsetting her. “Relax, I’m not mad, and I guess I was caught up with everything that’s been happening lately. Hehe, who would’ve thought those two would end up together? Rarity’s a drama queen who hates dirt and anything ‘unfashionable’, and Applejack’s a farm pony who loves to get dirty and work hard.” Dash chuckled, putting a hoof to her chin. “But then again, a boring librarian unicorn and a pranking party pony don’t seem the likeliest pair either.”

Fluttershy giggled softly as she looked around the room. “I think maybe we should… Um… Leave, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie seem… busy…” Fluttershy squeaked, a blush overtaking her face as she pointed the pair, who were sitting in a corner, nuzzling each other, thinking they were hidden by a potted plant Twilight must have magicked up to try an hide them, but it didn’t do a very good job.

Rolling her eyes, the soon-to-be mother trotted to the door, holding it open for the other pegasus, who graciously thanked her, told her to be careful flying home in the dark, and headed home after a last good-bye.

Rainbow Dash took one last look at the now entangled ponies in the bakery, reminding her of her own love, who was waiting for her to return. She unfurled her wings, and after giving them a few test flaps, took to the night sky, flying back to her cloud home.

Rainbow Dash, sighed slightly, a broken smile on her face. It was odd, she thought, that such a happy event was part of the reason why she currently standing on the edge of this lonely cliff, preparing to jump. But the memory of the party had always dragged with it sadder moments of her life. It was almost ironic when she thought about it, that the day the joyful celebration in her honor had been on a bright and sunny day, with skies as clear and blue as her coat, and one of the saddest, soul crushing moments of her life had been on a very similar day.

The memory was emotionally and physically painful for Rainbow Dash, because every time the memory came up, it always seemed that the skies had been mocking her, the sun Princess Celestia raised shining in a tauntingly bright manner. It was a day she could never forget, even if she could rid herself of it, she would never have the heart to. After all, it was the only time she had been able to see her daughter, even if royal blue pegasus foal hadn’t been moving when Dash had first seen her. The day was painfully burned into her mind, her heart, and her soul forever.

The day that Rainbow Dash’s daughter, Sunny Skies, had died at birth.

Hi there everypony, this is my first attempt at something sad and I would like some feedback, please? I hope this chapter makes you want to stay around and read the next chapter.

To my fans, NO I am most certainly not abandoning any of my other stories, The I'm The Villain? fans will get their mischievous moon mare's update soon, and Discord's Day and Ping Pong Just Got 20% Cooler will get continuations asrequested when I have the time and caffeine.