When Rainbow’s eyes fluttered open, sunshine was streaming through a window. She had been up late with her burning head pain, and her wings had felt strange, as if they were falling off, but that was probably side effects with the potion she had drank. She sat up, and no pain came. She smiled, and lay back down. That strange potion had worked!
Rainbow felt immensely better than she had yesterday, despite the burning head pain. Before she examined her now fixed wing, she realized all her friends were sleeping beside her bed. They all looked exhausted and were sprawled out in various places by the bedside. Rainbow smiled sleepily.
“Morning!” she cried, a little too cheerfully. One by one, her friends began to slowly wake.
“Morning,” said Pinkie, and her eyes fluttered open and she peered at Rainbow Dash. Then she turned as white as a sheet and her eyes became as big as saucers. She was looking at something on Rainbow’s forehead.
“Morning, Pinks. How are you?” said Rainbow.
“F-F-Fine.” she stammered.
Rarity lifted her head and Rainbow wasn’t surprised to find her mane already in a perfect style.
“Morning!” said Rainbow, cheerily again. Rarity started to say good morning back, but then her eyes became as wide as saucers when she saw Rainbow. Same with Applejack. And Fluttershy. They were all lined up by the sides of where Rainbow lay and were staring at her, as white as sheets, looking at her forehead.
Is something wrong! Are they surprised by how fast I have healed?, she thought to herself.
Finally Twilight woke and groggily pulled her head off the foot of the bed. Her mane was in disarray, and she had bags under her eyes. Twilight was probably up late tending to me. Not that she'd need to, , thought Rainbow.
As her purple head reared up, her violet eyes came from sleepy slits to wide awake saucers. She turned as white as a sheet, just like everypony else in the room, and began breathing hard. It was then that Rainbow began to feel terrible about something. She slowly turned around, fearing the worst. Yet, nothing was there. It looked as it had always.
“Why’s everypony looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?” prompted Rainbow, not really suspecting much. She had frequently gotten up the morning after practicing a new trick to find a spot of her pillow damp. Maybe they were surprised someone as awesome as she drooled. They already knew she snored.
“R-R-Rainbow Dash…T-T-T-There’s been an accident…” said Twilight shakily.
Before Twilight could enlighten Rainbow on the accident, the door swung open and Spike appeared with a broom. He was about on his morning duties. When he saw Rainbow, his eyes widened, but he didn’t turn as white as a sheet. In fact, he didn’t look surprised at all. To be honest, he looked rather upset.
“Twilight Sparkle! How could you?” he asked, and Rainbow saw tears in his eyes.
“Do what?” she asked, absentmindedly.
“Turn Rainbow into a-” He didn’t finish, because Twilight had clamped her hoof over his mouth.
“A nothing!” she singsonged in Rainbow’s direction.
“Everything’s just fine, Rainbow. You might have some head pain…”
A chorus of yeses sounded from her other friends, and they all wore unsure smiles. By then Rainbow knew something was up. They were trying to tell her something wasn’t wrong, but something indeed was. She whipped back the blanket to look down at her wings. One look assured her fears. Her back was completely bare. There were no bandages. There were no signs of heal. There were no wings.
Rainbow was at first struck with depression and extreme remorse. Where had her wings gone? Why were they gone? Would she ever fly again? WOULD SHE EVER FLY WITH THE WONDERBOLTS AGAIN? What about Soarin’? Now that she was wingless…he could find somepony else! She shoved that thought away. It was unbearable to think about what Soarin' would.
She did not keep the tears from coming. They sprinted down her cheeks faster than she could run. She yelped in remorse and sobbed uncontrollably. The only thought that ran through her head was: My wings are gone. My wings are gone. MY WINGS ARE GONE!! She didn’t know whether they’d come back or they were gone forever.
Then a pang of red hot anger surged through her. She finished crying and grieving and shoved those thoughts down deep inside her. Right now what she wanted to do was get. Them. Back.
“Twilight Sparkle!” she barked, forcefully, and everypony in the room jumped. This time, Twilight DID turn as white as a sheet. Beads of sweat came streaking down her forehead.
“WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY WINGS?” she yelled, filling the entire air with her anger. She was sure all of Ponyville could hear her, but she didn’t care. She charged straight at her purple friend and tackled her to the floor, snorting wildly. She ignored her friend’s protests and moved her muzzle straight in the purple unicorn’s face.
“Where are they?” she deadpanned, her eyes baring into Twilight’s.
Before Twilight could do anything, Applejack and Pinkie had hoisted Rainbow off Twilight and safely on the bed. They each chose four corners of the bed to stand by, and watch Rainbow, if she were to attack again. She tried, kicking and snarling, before they pushed her back.
“Rainbow,” said Applejack softly. Rainbow’s head whipped in Applejack’s direction.
“I know you’re upset. But you have to give Twilight a chance to explain.”
Rainbow whipped in Twilight’s direction and discovered her friend weeping softly. She softened. She did not like seeing her friends cry. Ever, for that matter.
“What happened?” she asked quietly.
“I made this potion yesterday, and I did all the steps perfectly.” said the purple unicorn, tearfully.
“But something happened. It was supposed to be yellow and orange marble, just like the book said. The only thing you weren’t supposed to add was clouds. I didn’t, but somehow…” her voice trailed off.
“What?” demanded Rainbow Dash.
Wordlessly, she levitated a hand mirror over to Rainbow. Rainbow, took it and peered inside.
The creature in the mirror was surely not Rainbow Dash. She looked just like her, though. She had the flowing rainbow mane and the pinkish purple eyes. She had the sleek sky blue coat and the chunky eyelashes that Soarin’ loved so much. The only thing that was different about this pony was a sky blue unicorn’s horn, sticking out of the flowing, wild rainbow mane.
“Haha, nice trick mirror, Twilight.” said Rainbow, giggling. Surely this was just a joke. She was game for a good prank. It must have taken such a long time to pull this off. Pinkie must have worked overtime on this. Rainbow laughed harder.
“Good one, guys. Hey, high hoof! You guys seriously freaked me out. Joke’s over.” she said, but her smile faded as she realized nopony else was laughing or smiling. Her expression became terrified.
“It is a joke, right?” she asked, her voice cracking.
In response, Rarity took Rainbow’s hoof in her own and lifted Rainbow’s hoof to Rainbow’s forehead. One touch made Rainbow realize the truth. There was absolutely no denying it now.
Rainbow Dash had become a unicorn.