//------------------------------//
// Equestria Needs You 
// Story: Rainbow's Redemption 
// by AstonMartinLover 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 11: Equestria Needs You

The balloon was ready to go. Thunderspark had offered to pull it in order to get them along the path faster. 

"So what if she resists?" He asked Applejack.

"She won't resist. I can vouch for her. She's always one to help during a rough patch."

Thunderspark nodded. "Alright. Let's get moving. Quickly before the guards come."

He slipped the reins into his mouth and stretched out his sharp wings.

"Alright Everypony. I've been along this trail many times. It's safe. I promise. Nothing we can't handle."

He lifted off. The Balloon lurched to life. "We're coming Rainbow." Twilight whispered. "Hang on."


"Ah Princess Luna. What a pleasure." Discord sneered.

The soldiers had surrounded the royal palace. Canterlot had fallen.

Luna glared at him. "You've made a grave mistake invading my nation." She hissed.

Discord laughed. "Oh dear Luna. You're starting to sound like your sister. I always thought of you as the more reasonable princess. I guess not."

The rock soldiers held their spears against Luna. She showed no fear.

"If you've come to accept my surrender, you've been misled as to who I am."

Discord laughed again. "Well I don't think it's really a choice anymore Princess. You're people are suffering at my hoof. I think it's time you abdicate the throne."

Luna shook her head. "I'll die before surrendering to you."

Discord rolled his eyes. "Oh come now. What would you be dying for? A society that hates you. That fears you. Am I right...Nightmare moon?"

Luna continued to glare at him.

"Oh come now Luna." He leaned in close to her. "You know...when I become king, I'll need a queen. Imagine it. King Discord and Queen Nightmare ruling Equestria."

Luna spit on the god of chaos. He shuddered and wiped the saliva off his face. "Class act Princess. Very well. To the dungeons."

Discord tapped the ground. A green fire formed around the princess.

"You're not gonna get away with this Discord." She snarled, as she was sucked into the ground. The vortex closed. She was gone.

Discord sighed. "It seems I already have."

Luna awoke in the crystalline dungeon. She looked at the mirror like crystals surrounding her. Her eyes easily adjusted to the darkness. She got up and began inspecting her prison.

She began kicking viciously at the crystal formations. "C'mon! C'MON!"

She smashed through. Before her stood her sister, trapped in stone.

"Oh no. No." She ran up to it. "No sis." She collapsed at the feet of her trapped sister. "He'll pay for this. I promise."

Above them, Discord spoke with his servant. Grey Dash.

"How goes the Rainbow Dash situation?"

"Well. I sense she is near breaking. However...there is a slight snag."

Discord eyed her with a twinge of anger. "What is this snag?"

"The filly. Scootaloo. I sense she has become a...balancing force on the mental state of my target."

"Balancing force?"

"She's provided support to her. I feel that if she were to be...eliminated, the mind hacking would go much smoother."

Discord nodded. "If it must be done. Rainbow Dash must be broken. I imagine, losing the filly will drive her even closer to the edge of insanity."

Grey Dash nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

Discord sighed. "Very well. Find the filly. Take care of her. Leave."


Scootaloo couldn't believe what had occurred over the last few hours. Rainbow Dash, always so confident, always so cool and collected, had broken down in front of her. Her childhood had been explained to the filly in great detail.

Rainbow told her everything. How she'd been having these memory dreams, and how she had developed a crippling fear of failure.

After it was all over, there was almost an hour of silence between the two.

"Right." Rainbow Dash managed. "We gotta get moving. This path can't be much longer now."

They walked onward in silence. Rainbow Dash had mentioned something else in particular that troubled Scootaloo. Rainbow had told her that she never wanted to fly again.

Rainbow Dash. The greatest flyer in Equestria. And she never wanted to fly again.

"Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked.

"Yeah squirt?"

"Why don't you want to fly?"

Rainbow Dash sighed. "These wings have caused more problems than they've solved. It's time to hang em up. I've worked so hard to be a great flyer. To join the Wonderbolts. To become famous. And here I am. I have nothing to show for it."

"That's not...really true." Scootaloo said. "You got fans."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Who?"

"Well I have a fan club. For you."

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "Isn't it the Mare Do Well fan club now?"

Scootaloo's ears went back. "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. We didn't know it would upset you so much..."

"Forget it kid. I'm way over that."

"Oh and sorry about the whole hoofacure thing."

There was a twinge of anger on Rainbow's face. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Yeah. You'd better be sorry."

Scootaloo looked down at the ground, her ears back again. "Yeah. Gabby Gums got a bit out of hoof."

Rainbow Dash looked down at the remorseful filly. She smiled and tousled her mane. "It's all good squirt. No hard feelings."

"And Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not a failure. You're the most awesome pony I know. And...well..."

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash pushed.

"Well...I wanna be just like you when I grow up."

Rainbow Dash smiled at the filly. "Thanks kid." She pulled her in for a noogie. "You're alright."

As they continued on, Rainbow spoke. "Kid, you don't want to be me."

Scootaloo frowned. "Why not? You're so awesome."

Rainbow sighed. "It's not as easy as it looks. Being me. Always have to satisfy everyone, all the time. It's...well it's kinda pathetic."

"Rainbow you're a lot of things. But you're not pathetic."

They came to a clearing. The path had ended. Rainbow Dash looked ahead and smiled a wide grin.

It was beautiful. Bushes filled with food. A waterfall. Seemingly endless meadows that were ideal for teaching a filly how to fly.

"I think we're here Scoots."

Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash looked around mouths agape at the paradise that lay before them.

"Wow. This is...amazing." Scootaloo whispered. "Is this..."

"Yeah. This looks like a nice place to settle, don't you think?"

Scootaloo looked up at her. "Really? We can live here?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I don't see why not. This place looks perfect."

Scootaloo ran ahead to check out their new home. Rainbow Dash watched her and smiled.

"Well...I guess it's not too bad having a sidekick." She found a nice patch of grass to lay down on. She sighed.

Not as comfortable as a cloud. But it would have to do.

Flying was something that she couldn't handle anymore. Ever since she had lost the fastest flyer record to Thunderspark month ago, she had felt awkward about using her wings.

She had decided now to become an earth pony. To keep her wings bandaged up and walk the earth as a normal pony.

It was a difficult decision. But her wings had caused her nothing but trouble.

False pride and trouble. It was time to say goodbye to the skies and the clouds.

But it was time for Scootaloo to say hello. Dash had come to realize this.

She was a spitting image of her in her youth. The same tenacity. The same disadvantages. Fear. Laziness. But she also had the same advantage.

The intense desire to prove herself.

But a thought now occurred to Rainbow Dash. Was this an advantage? Had this truly worked positive results for her? Or had this hampered her development? Had this been dragging her down?

Rainbow Dash shook her head wildly. Enough of these thoughts. She had reached paradise. Time to enjoy it.

"Hey Scoots!" She shouted.

"Yeah?" Scootaloo asked.

"You ready to fly?"

"I was born ready sis." She replied

Rainbow Dash paused. Sis. Sister. She felt a warm feeling in her heart. She ran after the enthusiastic filly.

As night fell, Scootaloo fell asleep quickly. She was exhausted from a day of hard work. She had done well. But she was still unable to conquer the skies.


Rainbow Dash was not asleep. She was using every ounce of willpower she had to keep herself from falling asleep.

She could not handle another night of nightmares. Her heart still ached from the night before. She didn't really think about the implications. She couldn't go the rest of her life without sleeping.

But she could try.

In a way, she missed the prison cell she had once called home. In Cloudsdale Penitentiary, sleep was almost impossible.

Out here, it was so peaceful, sleep was dangerously easy.

She panicked as she felt herself dozing off. Suddenly a great rustling was heard from a bush.

She jumped up. She almost laughed at herself. These dreams had made her into a coward. She looked around.

More rustling. Now the fear became real. Rainbow Dash slowly trotted over to where Scootaloo was sleeping, next to the fire.

There was a horrifying scene before her. She saw herself, standing over Scootaloo.

She rubbed her eyes, unsure of how real her vision was. She was looking at a copy of herself. The other Dash reached down hesitantly and grabbed the filly's neck.

"NO!" Rainbow shouted. She jumped in, punching the copy aside.

Grey Dash groaned as she got up. She locked eyes with the incredulous Rainbow Dash.

"What are you?" Rainbow demanded.

"I'm death." Grey Dash replied. "And I've come to claim that one." She gestured to Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash punched her again, harder this time. She was sent sprawling to the grass.

"You're not death. You're just a changeling."

Grey Dash smiled. "You're smarter than most. But please. Step aside. I have to..."

"Don't you dare touch her." Rainbow snapped. "You may have ruined my life, but you're not ruining hers."

Grey Dash smirked. "Such strange nobility from such a selfish creature. I assure you, I do not appreciate killing children. I'll make it as painless as I can..."

"No you won't. You won't touch a hair on her mane. Or I swear to whoever's up there listening that I will kill you."

Grey Dash sighed, frustrated. "What do I tell Discord then?"

"Tell him you did it. Tell him she's dead. Please." Rainbow begged. "She's got her whole life ahead of her."

Grey Dash laughed. "What? With you? Staying in this god forsaken forest? You call that a life?"

Rainbow Dash's face hardened up. "We'll make it work. Go back to Discord. Tell him she's dead."

Grey Dash sighed. "I guess I have no other choice. I mean, the only other option is to kill you both. And that would deviate from the plan."

Rainbow drew herself up to full height. "Get out. Now."

Grey Dash nodded. "Alright. Just one more question Dash. What would your daddy think if he saw you now? Burning down towns and fillynapping youngsters?"

Rainbow felt as though she'd been kicked in the heart. She tried as hard as she could to contain her anger. But it was too much.

She pounced on the Changeling. Grey Dash fought back this time, slamming her into the ground. Rainbow shoved her back and got her hooves around her neck. She began squeezing.

Grey Dash coughed and sputtered. She couldn't breathe. Rainbow continued squeezing as hard as she could, trying to suck the life out of this changeling. She let out a low roar as she increased pressure.

"RAINBOW!"

Rainbow Dash paused. She turned around. Scootaloo. She was awake.

"What's going on?" Scootaloo asked. "Rainbow? What...What are you doing?"

Rainbow barely registered the question. Her grip became tighter. The Changeling began flailing, desperate for air. Rainbow felt her breathing become tighter, felt the life leaving her body. Just a little more pressure...

"STOP IT!!" Scootaloo shouted.

Rainbow froze. She looked into the green eyes of the changeling. Her grip relaxed. She fell back.

The Changeling took deep breaths, grateful at the air now once again flowing through her lungs.

"She's fine squirt." Rainbow said breathing heavily.

Blood ran down the changeling's muzzle. She was smiling. Rainbow was closer to insanity than she could've ever imagined.

"Alright Rainbow. I'll tell him the kid is dead. 

Rainbow Dash let her leave. But her anger remained.

"I hope I never see you again. Cause if I do, I WILL kill you." She said coldly.

The changeling smiled. "Fair enough." With a purple flash she was gone. Back to Equestria.

Scootaloo came up behind Rainbow Dash. "Who was that?"

Rainbow did her best to soften up. "Nopony. Don't worry about it. Go get some sleep squirt."

"But..."

"I said go to sleep. Now." Rainbow snapped.


Discord sat upon his throne. He felt a yelp of joy escape his body as he touched it. "Oh it has been far too long. But I must say. It is good to be king."

Grey Dash trotted in. "The filly is dead. I believe we have payment to discuss."

Discord rolled his eyes. "Oh I do hate this part. I guess you can only buy loyalty huh?"

Grey Dash suddenly changed shape. She turned back to her natural form. A black changeling.

"I want my payment." She hissed. "I think I've earned it."

"Very well. I should've heeded the warnings. You changelings are greedy aren't you?"

"We prefer to think of ourselves as hungry." The changeling replied. "But my job is done."

Discord chuckled. "No it isn't. You destroyed Rainbow Dash. You destroyed her reputation. You destroyed her mind. But she still lives. So do her friends. They are going to find her. And bring her back."

Grey Dash glared at Discord. "So then what do you wish for me to do?"

"They will inevitably return. Be waiting for them. They have defied me. Teach them never to defy me again."


It had been several days. The balloon was nearing the end of the trail.

"How close are we?" Twilight shouted.

"Real close. We'll see it any moment now." Thunderspark replied.

Applejack and Rarity looked through binoculars. A familiar color appeared on the horizon.

"I see orange and pink!" Applejack shouted. "It's Scootaloo!"

"Touch us down!" Twilight shouted. "C'mon, take us down!"

The balloon slowly began losing elevation. Thunderspark released himself from the reins and zoomed towards the filly.

The balloon crashed to the ground. The five dusted themselves off and trotted off after the rude Pegasus.

Scootaloo was giving him a strange look. "Who are you?"

"You don't know who I am?" Thunderspark asked. "You sure? I'm like, the fastest pony in Equestria."

Scootaloo chuckled. "Yeah I don't think so. I know the fastest pony in Equestria. Her name's Rainbow Dash. And she is not you."

Thunderspark rolled his eyes. "Alright. Where is she?"

Scootaloo frowned. "You should probably go before...APPLEJACK!"

"SCOOTALOO!" Applejack shouted. She ran up to the filly and gave her a massive hug.

"I missed you so much Applejack! How are Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?"

"Oh they're back in Ponyville. They miss you a bunch."

Their moment of joy was interrupted. Suddenly all became silent. Rainbow Dash had returned. She dropped the bushel of fruit that she had been carrying.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded harshly.

Pinkie Pie hopped up to Rainbow Dash. "Oh Dashie thank celestia you're okay!"

Fluttershy came in and gave Rainbow a huge hug. Rainbow Dash was knocked down by the force of it. She groaned in pain.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" Fluttershy squeaked. "I'm just so happy to see you!"

Twilight Sparkle trotted up and offered a hoof to help her up. Rainbow glared at the hoof and slapped it away. She got up on her own. "What do you want?"

Twilight's ears went back. "I...I want to say sorry. We're all very sorry."

"Yeah. We shoulda given you a chance to tell your side of the story." Applejack said.

"Agreed. You weren't given your fair say. We promise it won't happen again." Rarity added.

Rainbow Dash looked at all her happy friends. She also spotted Thunderspark.

"What about him?"

Thunderspark came forward. "I'm not very sentimental as you may know. So I'll just spit it out. Equestria has been invaded. Discord has taken the throne. Ponyville is ground zero. We need you back."

Rainbow Dash looked around at her five friends. Then she laughed sarcastically.

The others looked around confused. "Somepony say something funny?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah. Thunderspark that was hilarious." Rainbow Dash said.

Pinkie Pie burst out laughing. The others glared at her.

"What? Dashie said it was hilarious!"

The others looked at Dash. "What's so funny?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash's smile disappeared. "I'm okay with you guys giving up on me. Fearing me like I'm some kind of monster."

"Look Rainbow, we're sorry. We thought it was you. We were wrong..."

"I don't care." Rainbow Dash said. "Did you believe it?" She was talking to Applejack.

"Um...well not exactly..."

"DID YOU BELIEVE I HAD DONE THIS?" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Yes or no?"

Applejack sighed. "Yes. I did believe it. You were wrapped around tight enough to snap after Sparky broke your record..."

"That's why I'm laughing." Rainbow Dash interrupted. "Because you turned your backs on me. And now you want to come by, say you're sorry, and ask me to come back. Am I right?"

Applejack nodded slowly. "We're real sorry..."

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "You betrayed me. Loyalty goes both ways you know. Now go home. I'm done with you."

She turned and stormed away. Thunderspark ran after her.

"Would you at least take those old bandages off? Those wings must have healed by now."

He put a hoof on the bandage. Rainbow Dash slapped his hoof away.

"Don't touch them. I'm done flying Sparkhead. I'm not using these wings anymore."

Thunderspark frowned. "What? That's ridiculous. Those are great wings you got there Dash. C'mon let's just go back to Ponyville. We'll talk about this on the way."

Rainbow Dash shoved him away. "You got hearing problems sparky? I'm not going anywhere with any of you!"

Thunderspark sighed. He paused to collect his thoughts. Rainbow Dash glared at him.

"You want to know the truth Rainbow Dash?"

"What?" Rainbow Dash snapped.

Thunderspark took a deep breath. "I got into flying because of you. You were my inspiration. And you have to understand I hate to admit that."

Rainbow Dash continued glaring. "For real?"

Thunderspark nodded. "Yeah. You have such a gift Rainbow Dash. Even if you are a bit of a tool sometimes." He sighed again. "Look. I wouldn't have put that bandage on you if I didn't care what happened to you. Wings or no wings, come back with us."

He reached out to grab Rainbow's arm. She slapped him away. "Don't touch me."

"Come with me."

"If you really care about me, then you'll let me go." Rainbow Dash hissed.

She looked at the others. "You want me to come back too?"

They all nodded enthusiastically.

She jabbed her hoof at the ground. "Beg."

They looked at her, confused. "W-What?" Fluttershy stammered.

"Beg. Beg for my forgiveness. I think I've earned it."

They looked at her. "You feeling okay sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"DO I LOOK OKAY?" Rainbow Dash snapped. She jabbed her hoof at the ground again.

They all got down in the grass. Twilight spoke for all of them.

"Rainbow Dash. We beg of you. Come home with us. Help us stop Discord."

Rainbow Dash looked down at her, her face tightening up. "No."

They sat there in shock. "What?" Fluttershy asked, dumbfounded.

"You made your choice. You chose to leave me in prison. I'm done with you ponies. Go home. I'm happy here." She stared at Thunderspark. "Without my wings."

She turned to trot away. "Come on squirt."

But Scootaloo didn't come. Rainbow Dash turned around. "Hey! Scootaloo! What's up?"

She looked away. "I kinda...want to go home Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash stared at her and smiled back tears. "You too huh? You're with them? Fine. Go! I don't want you here anyway!"

Scootaloo's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash. It's been really fun, I just...I want to go back to Ponyville. I wanna see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle and them. Get back to finding my cutie mark."

Rainbow Dash glared at the filly. "You betray me too? You of all ponies. Well GO ON THEN!"

Scootaloo shied away. "Sorry big sis..."

"I'M NOT YOUR BIG SISTER! I was trying to be your master. Your teacher. But you're just like the rest of them. GO AWAY! I DON'T NEED YOU PONIES! I'LL BE MORE THAN FINE ON MY OWN!"

The heartbroken ponies, and the one filly, turned and headed back towards the balloon.

Twilight stayed behind for a moment. "Discord won. He divided us up. Just like he planned. I'm sincerely sorry Rainbow."

She could see now, that Rainbow was lost. Whatever Discord had done to her mind, it had changed her. No point trying to reason with her now.

Scootaloo took one long look back at her idol. They locked eyes for a moment. Then Rainbow quickly looked away. 

Dash kicked up dirt in a sorrowful rage. The only other pony she'd ever truly known. Scootaloo. And even she had left her.

She looked up. Only Fluttershy remained behind.

"I-I'm really sorry Rainbow Dash." She said softly, tears in her eyes. Rainbow Dash suddenly felt a wave of remorse.

"Fluttershy...I didn't..." Before she could say finish, Fluttershy flew off crying, back to the balloon.

Thunderspark took his position. Fluttershy lifted Scootaloo into the balloon.

With one final look from all of them, the balloon lifted off, and accelerated back towards Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash collapsed to the ground. She looked at the waterfall next to her. Then to the great empty plains on the horizon.

Paradise. This was paradise. But now, loneliness set in.

This was no paradise. This was exile.

She began weeping. "I hate being alone." She smashed her hoof into the ground, sending up more dirt.

She continued crying until nightfall.

She had not slept in almost a week. She did not want to experience the memories that she would inevitably face in her dreams. But now, the memories were all she had left.

So she slept.