//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Forgiveness and Love 
// Story: The Biggest Racetrack 
// by ConArtistAlpha 
//------------------------------//

Now it’s my turn to be paralyzed. I can feel the sorrow overtake me like a tsunami. After stating the most sincere and honest apology I have ever given, she still does not forgive me. After contemplating on what to say next, I found myself at a loss for words. Until Twilight chimed in.

“How could I forgive you if I don’t have to? By my standards, you didn’t do anything awful. You just got mad, which isn’t bad, although you could tone it down a bit on the insults, and controlling your anger can be a good thing to learn as well. But it happens to everypony. In addition, that apology just shows me how dedicated you are to our friendship, and for that I thank you. That actually may end up in my next letter to Princess Celestia. And of course I know you didn’t mean to say what you did. I can understand the anticipation you must be going through at this moment. You are my friend Rainbow, and nothing will ever change that.”

I feel my eyes beginning to swell up. I knew what she said about “not having to forgive me” was just her way of trying to be polite. But even so, I’ve never heard Twilight speak to me in such a caring way before. I guess she could see the tears that were about to spill down my snout, for the next thing I know, she pulls me into an embrace I would never forget. This is friendship. This is what it’s about. Love and forgiveness. I’ve never felt quite like this before, but I love it, and accept it. 

Knowing she has forgotten all about my outbreak of anger, I pull away from the embrace, and manage to squeak out a “Thank you,” through my sobbing. She nods at me and smiles forgivingly. I feel awful for what I did, so I decided it would be best to stop the whole space expedition. I can’t ask anything of her now. It is not my place anymore.

“You don’t have to help me with my quest, Twilight,” I begin, “My actions deserve consequences, and this is my punishment.” 

“Are you kidding?” I hear a surprised Twilight blurt out, “Now more than ever, I want to do everything I can to help you reach happiness. What is life without happiness, and what is happiness without friendship, and what is friendship without friends who are willing to help one another? Nothing. I WILL continue my desire to make you happy, and if you are a good friend, you would let me, because making YOU happy is what makes ME happy. 

Now I am REALLY about to lose it, but I hold my tears in as best I can. “You…you really mean it?” I mutter. 
“Of course,” Twilight assures me, “It would make me the happiest mare in Equestria!” 

“Thank you…so much,” I say, still holding back tears. Little did Twilight know that she just made ME the happiest mare in Equestria.

“It’s getting late, I think it’s time you went home and got some rest, Dashie, for tomorrow marks the beginning of your training. And don’t you worry. Six months will go by in a flash. I promise.”

All I could do was nod my head, and with the most enormous smile I have ever seen on my own face, I trotted out of her tree house, and began the ascent to my home in the clouds.

**********

Bright stars shine their lights throughout the void of space, lighting my way. Planets swirl around me in an eternal dance of color and beauty. I feel myself soaring past them at speeds incomprehensible to any living organism, a rainbow trail appearing behind me, showing the universe where my previous path was. Gravity has no presence or authority over my body. This is what it feels like to fly in space. This is my dream fulfilled. This is my freedom granted. 

Out of the endless darkness, a rotating funnel of light materializes to my front, sucking me into its wormhole of nothingness.

And then I wake up. 

Tears form in my eyes and I weep quietly to myself, hooves covering my eyes. Why must the universe be so cruel as to grant me this dream? Why must it mock my inability to be free? 

But is it really mocking me? Or is it just trying to help me by giving me a glimpse into the future, assuring me that my time will come? My sorrow is replaced by confusion, and then replaced once again, but this time by extreme exhaustion. I glance over at the clock. Three in the morning. What a way to start off these six months.

I just hope every night won’t be like this one. I might kill myself if that happens. No…why would I think like that? 

After a few minutes of lying there, I realize that I am too restless to sleep. My thoughts are clouding my mind, and I’ll only get to sleep if I clear them. 

I get out of bed and go downstairs to get a late night snack. A full stomach always lets me clear my thoughts. I pour myself a glass of water and make a spinach sandwich. After I gobble it down, my brain seems satisfied, and is finally willing to let me rest. 

But before I can head back upstairs, I hear a loud “THUMP,” and my house seems to rumble a bit from the suspected impact. I quickly fly outside, and see a lone, male, Pegasus lying on my cloud of a front lawn. He has dark blue fur with a long, luscious, sleek white mane. Not a bad looking stallion. Judging by his position, he knocked himself into the wall of my house. Pretty clumsy if you ask me. But I still need to see if he’s alright.

“Are you okay?” I say, shaking him around a little to help him regain consciousness. 

“Uuuhhhggg, yeah I think so, thanks,” I hear him groan as he gets to his feet, “Wow, I guess I wasn’t paying too much attention to where I was going. Who might you be?”

“I’m Rainbow Dash. I live here. Are you sure you’re okay? You took a pretty good hit, considering my whole house shook.”

“Yeah, I’m really sorry about that. I was studying the night sky, when I saw a shooting star. I got so excited, that I flew in the direction it was going, leading me to your house, and to my unfortunate accident. Anyway, my name is Stargazer. Nice to meet you.” 

“Yeah, you too,” I say a little uncomfortably. Stargazer looks alright, but I’m not sure he’s all too bright. He seems very polite, though.

“Well, I guess I better get back home. Keeping track of time really isn’t my thing when I’m studying the stars.” He starts to fly off, but I had a sudden surge of curiosity.

“Wait!” I call out to him. He stops and turns around to face me, a smile on his face. Wow, that smile. It looks so… so… warm… and friendly. I’m so caught up in the moment, he realizes I’m staring at him, and starts to look a little worried.

“Yes?” he says with a hint of concern in his voice. I immediately snap back into reality.

“Oh, right, it’s just… I’ve never seen you around here before. Are you new in Ponyville? 

“Uh-huh. I just moved here from Fillydelphia. It’s a nice city, but there’s too much light down there, you can barely see the stars. But in a sleepy town like this, you can practically see the whole galaxy!”

I look up, and I see he was telling the truth. Yes there are stars, but clusters of different colored light can be seen as well. It’s extraordinarily beautiful. 

“Well I really should be getting home now,” Stargazer says, “I guess I’ll… see you around?” 

“Yeah, I guess so,” I respond, “Bye.” And with that, he takes off into the night. I stood there for a few seconds, admiring his graceful flying. As he disappears, out of sight, I turn around and head back into my house.

As I climb the stairs, my mind starts to wander back to Stargazer. I enter my bedroom and lay down on the mattress, finding a comfortable position to fall asleep in.

Once again, thoughts of Stargazer pop back into my brain, and  a grin slowly spreads across my face. I lay there, thinking of him and only him, as I finally find peace in lasting slumber.