Chapter 13: Loyalty
"You must be Rainbow Dash." Grey Dash sneered.
"The one and only." Rainbow growled.
"But of course I already knew that. I know a lot about you Rainbow Dash. I know about you and your daddy. Guess you weren't feeling very fast that day huh?"
Rainbow Dash snarled and pounced on the changeling. She dodged and punched Rainbow in the back of the head. She was thrown to the ground.
"Such a typical Rainbow move. All aggression. No tactical thought. I know absolutely everything about you Dashie. Give up."
Rainbow Dash glared at her. "You came to my home. You threatened my friends. I'm taking you down."
The others came in to help Rainbow up. She put up a hoof and shook her head. "Stay back. I have to do this."
"You don't have to do this alone." Twilight said.
"Please. Let me do it." Rainbow Dash pleaded.
Grey Dash sized her up and immediately found another weakness. Anger. An angry fighter was uncoordinated and unfocused. She just had to get Rainbow angry.
Rainbow looked at her friends as they begged to help her. Soon the choice was taken from them. More rock soldiers arrived and formed a perimeter around the two Dashes.
"You should've listened to your friends. You can't beat me Rainbow Dash. I'm the best there is. I lack an identity. I am the ideal impersonator." She circled Rainbow Dash, trying to rile her up. "But you see, impersonating is such a simple career choice. I prefer to earn my living by getting...inside my victims."
Rainbow Dash glared up at her. The dreams. The memories. "It was you. You were the one who made me remember my past. It wasn't Discord that was in my head. It was you."
Grey Dash nodded. "Yes it was. I was hired to take you out. Not physically. Mentally. And I used the greatest weapon I know. Memories. Memories are such powerful things. They can lift us up. And they can tear us down. And nopony can outrun them. Not even you."
It worked. Rainbow Dash got up and charged at her. She dodged again, this time grabbing her tail and smacking her into the ground.
She laughed. "Come on Rainbow Dash. Show me something new."
Rainbow Dash groaned as she got up again. A slight drizzle turned into heavy rain, pelting the ground around them.
"You're right. Those memories destroyed me." She said weakly.
Grey Dash grinned. "Of course. It's what I get paid to do."
"But you overdid it Changeling." Rainbow Dash hissed.
Grey Dash felt a surge of rage. "What? What do you mean I overdid it?"
"You gave me one memory too many." Rainbow Dash grunted. "You gave me the memory of the day I met my friends. I guess you just got carried away. Heh, and you call me arrogant."
Grey Dash gritted her teeth. "When I'm done with you, you'll wish you stayed in the forest."
She charged at Rainbow. Rainbow sidestepped her and then punched her into the ground. She transformed, turning back to her changeling form. As she got up Rainbow hit her again. Grey Dash snarled and charged her.
Rainbow Dash was ready. She timed her kick perfectly. Grey Dash was sent sprawling back.
Rainbow Dash grinned. "Not so tough without your disguises are you?"
The changeling transformed again. Rainbow Dash trotted slowly towards her.
"I know I told you I'd kill you the next time we met. But I'll forget that if you leave now." She warned. But her mouth gaped when she saw the changeling's new form.
Her coat was blue now. Her mane was green.
"D-Daddy?" Rainbow Dash stammered.
The changeling looked up at her. Her voice now replicated Lightning's perfectly. "Squirt? Why...Why are you doing this to me?"
Dash's breathing became heavy. "I-I'm sorry daddy. I didn't...I didn't know..."
"She's tricking you!" Twilight shouted. "Don't pay attention to her!"
Rainbow Dash turned to her, her face tearing up. "Shut up! You don't know anything about my dad!"
She extended a hoof down towards the changeling. "Let me help you up Daddy. I'm so sorry."
Grey Dash grabbed her hoof. Then she pinned Rainbow to the ground.
"You always were weak squirt." The changeling hissed, still in the voice of her father. "Don't you know, you gotta beat your enemy while he's down!" She hit Rainbow again and again. Rainbow Dash was sent sprawling back into the grass.
"You can't save yourself, just like you couldn't save me. You worthless punk! Why did I give my life for you? It sure wasn't so you could grow up into some bucking loser!"
Rainbow Dash buried her head in the ground, sobbing. She embraced the changeling. Grey responded by punching her into the grass.
She lay there in the grass and mumbled something inaudibly. She repeated her mumble.
Grey Dash leaned down and lifted her up. "What?"
"You're not...my dad." Rainbow snarled, jabbing her hooves hard into the changeling's ribs.
She backed off and returned to her original form. "You are so gullible." She kicked Rainbow down again, laughing gleefully.
"Get up." She hissed. Rainbow struggled to get to her hoofs. As she got up, Grey Dash greeted her with a kick to the face. She collapsed to the ground again.
"You should've killed me when you had the chance." Grey Dash growled, throwing a smirk at Scootaloo.
The changeling showed no mercy. She continued beating down on the pegasus, kicking her mercilessly in the ribcage.
"This is the third job I've done in Equestria. First one was way back. Getting into Princess Luna's head. Not an easy feat." She kicked rainbow in the ribs again. Rainbow yelped in pain as she felt them crack.
"Then I served Queen Chrysalis. Helped her get into Shining Armor's head. That was just fun."
At these words Twilight let out a low growl. The rock soldiers held her back.
"But you...you've been the easiest so far. You were a timebomb before I even got here. I gotta commend you for coming back though. Brave. Stupid but brave."
Rainbow smiled weakly. "That's me."
Grey Dash hurled her against a tree. "And those wings of yours. They were truly something special. Such a waste."
Rainbow had felt a bone break as she hit the tree. She shook it off and came up smirking. "I can take this all day..."
"Really?" Grey Dash punched her to the ground again.
Rainbow weakly stumbled across the grass. "You...You can't beat me..."
These words were empty. Her body was giving out. She could feel it. Even as she told herself to get up, her battered body responded slowly.
But this was Rainbow Dash. She would continue fighting long after her body had given up. Long after most sensible ponies would have decided to throw in the towel.
She looked and saw her friends. They all looked scared. Why were they scared? She thought to herself.
She couldn't lose. Not now. Not after coming back. Not after all this self confidence had returned. She couldn't fail them now.
She got up and charged at the changeling. Grey grabbed her mane and kicked her stomach hard. She slammed her head onto the wet grass, sending drops of blood and water flying.
As she tried to get up, Grey kicked her in the side. She groaned in pain.
"I got you...right...where I want you..." She muttered weakly.
But she realized now the harsh truth. Her legs didn't have the power anymore. She could not get to her hooves. She could not stand.
And she looked now at the Changeling. Death danced in her eyes. No mercy. Only death. She would only be satisfied with a kill.
Rainbow was going to die. This hit her harder than any kick or punch ever could. Her first instinct was to panic. She looked around for a way out. But without the ability to stand, there was no escape this time.
She saw her friends gathered behind the rock soldiers. She saw Scootaloo standing in front of them, her eyes wide in terror. If only she could reach her.
She painfully crawled across the wet ground, towards the panicked filly. She had to at least say goodbye. She got close and reached out her hoof towards her. Scootaloo saw this, and extended her tiny hoof as well. They touched.
"Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked fearfully. "C'mon Rainbow. Get up. Please?" She pleaded.
Rainbow wanted nothing more than to oblige the filly's request. If anything, just to take those tears out of her eyes. To make her smile again. But the pain was too much. She opened her mouth to speak some reassuring words.
"Oh no." The changeling sneered. "I'm not done with you yet." She gripped Rainbow's tail in her teeth and dragged her back towards the center.
"It's such a sad life Rainbow Dash. All this time wasted looking for something to prove. All this time pretending to play the hero, while trying to forget about your failures." She paused as she watched the struggling pegasus sputter and cough from her injuries. "You had so much potential Dash. Such ability. And you wasted your gifts. You wasted your talent. You wasted your life."
Rainbow looked up at her, forcing down her fear as she stared death in the face.
If she had to die, she wasn't going to do it with fear. She managed a slight chuckle.
Grey Dash chuckled back.
"I find it amusing too. You escape prison. You leave paradise for hell. And death is the punishment for your nobility." She looked down at the crippled Dash beneath her. "I guess you should've stayed in your cell."
Rainbow Dash lifted herself up, one last time, prepared for the end. She felt the rain running down her coat. It had taken her until now to understand just how good rain made her feel. She would miss it. She looked around at the home she had expected to triumphantly return to. The townspeople she had called friends for the last seven years. She regretted nothing. She stared defiantly at the changeling.
"I'm right where I'm supposed to be. So go ahead. Do your worst."
Grey Dash shrugged. "Fair enough."
Rainbow thought back now to that first flight. That last truly great moment. A fitting final thought.
Grey Dash raised her hoof and slammed it against the side of Rainbow's skull. Her head rolled to the side, and her body became limp. She crumpled to the ground. This time she did not get up.
The others stood on the rain soaked ground, frozen in shock. Rainbow Dash lay motionless before them.
They all rushed forward towards her body. The soldiers held them back.
"Alright everypony! Get back in your homes!" Grey Dash shouted.
But nopony moved. The whole town stayed, a silent vigil.
"Are you ponies hearing me? GO HOME!"
But the ponies stayed in place. Grey Dash looked at them in anger. "Have you all forgotten? She abandoned all of you! She ran away and left you all to die!"
Still the ponies remained, standing in quiet sorrow around the bloodied ground where the body lay.
"She was a selfish pig!" Grey Dash continued. "Did you ever notice? She only helped when it was convenient for HER! She deserves no remembrance!" She looked down disgustedly at the body. "She doesn't even deserve a burial. Now everypony! Back to your homes!"
Twilight shook her head. "She was so much more than that."
Grey Dash stared at her. "What? She was a pestilence. She loved only herself. She cared only for herself."
"She came back." Applejack said. "We turned our backs on her. And she still came back. That's all that mattered."
Scootaloo looked up angrily at the larger Changeling. "Yeah! And she cared for me!"
"She cared for all of us." Rarity added, gesturing to all the other ponies, who nodded solemnly.
Grey Dash relented. She waved a hoof at the guards. They stood down. The ponies all trotted slowly towards the body.
Only Fluttershy stayed in place. She was staring at Grey Dash. A rare surge of rage and sorrow was coursing through her body. "You monster."
"Come again?" Grey Dash asked.
"YOU MONSTER!" Fluttershy roared. She charged at Grey Dash. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were quick to hold her back.
Thunderspark cradled the lifeless body of his rival. He felt a tear come to his eye. "Oh Dash. You deserved so much better than this."
The rest of the town came out from their hiding places. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle ran up to the body.
Scootaloo gently nudged Rainbow's head. "Sis? Answer me. Please."
Thunderspark felt for a heartbeat. There was none. His face scrunched up as more tears welled up. "Oh Celestia. You can be so cruel."
"Sis? Come on Rainbow answer me. I'm sorry I left you in the woods! I...I didn't mean to hurt you Rainbow! I love you so much!" Scootaloo stammered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I bugged you so much. I'm sorry for everything. Just come back okay? PLEASE!" She hugged Rainbow's body tightly.
"Please." She repeated, weaker this time.
All of Ponyville gathered around the body of their fallen hero.
Fluttershy gently stroked her mane. "Please stay with us Rainbow..." She trailed off as the tears overcame her. She buried her head in her hooves. Twilight embraced her.
The other two fillies hugged Scootaloo, trying to offer comfort when none could be found. Grey Dash watched from afar and laughed.
"Geez. This job was worth every Bit. Goodbye Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. She was surrounded by a bright light. She put up a hoof to shield her eyes. She looked around. She was in a bedroom.
"W-Where am I?" She stammered.'
There was no answer. Her last image had been of the changeling's hoof coming against her skull. She quickly raised a hoof up to her head, feeling the area. It was undamaged.
She looked down at her body. Her ribs were unbroken. All the cuts and scratches from the fight were gone. The pain was gone. Now Rainbow was panicking.
"Where am I?" She repeated, louder this time.
She looked around the room. It had a familiar feel. She had been here before. Many times.
She looked at a small chest. Without thinking, she trotted over to it and opened it slowly.
The goggles. The Wonderbolt goggles. She was home. In Cloudsdale.
She looked around quickly. Her father. Could he be here?
She ran down the hallway. Yes. She knew this house. She knew the kitchen was through one more corner.
And there it was. And there he was.
He was reading a newspaper. He looked up and frowned.
"Excuse me? Are you lost?"
Rainbow Dash stood there, stunned, unable to comprehend what she was seeing.
"Look kid. I don't think I have to tell you, I ain't signing autographs right now."
Rainbow mumbled something incoherently. Lightning looked back down at his paper.
Rainbow looked around. Lightning looked up again, irritated now. "You still here? Get out?"
"D-Don't you remember me?"
Lightning looked her up and down. "Naw. I'd remember somepony like you. What are you thinking? Break into my house, I'll give you an autograph? I swear, you fans get crazier every day."
Rainbow felt tears come to her eyes. "You don't remember me. Oh Celestia..."
"Get out! This is my home! Come on now girl, I ain't got time for any filly business. You wanna see me, go to the Wonderbolts this afternoon! Don't ever come into my house again!"
He got up and pushed her towards the door. "Go on now!"
Rainbow turned. Tears were streaming down her muzzle. "D-Daddy?"
Lightning froze. He looked at the pony standing before him. His eyes became blank as he absorbed himself in deep thought.
"No. It can't be. Rainbow?"
Rainbow Dash nodded through the tears.
Lightning was looking at her with a distant sadness. "I...my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Rainbow Dash. My one and only."
She pulled Rainbow into a hug. "Come here squirt!"
They laughed together. Rainbow hugged him tightly, feeling that warm coat again. It still brought comfort to her after all these years.
"Daddy. I missed you so much."
"I missed you even more sweetheart." Lightning replied. "Come along now. Let's sit down. Talk about what's happening."
And so they talked. Rainbow updated her father on how her life had gone since his death. About her second sonic rainboom. About her triumphs and failures. About her present situation. But Rainbow continued to sidestep the issue of his death. Lightning didn't seem to notice.
But Rainbow knew she would eventually have to bring it up.
"Dad...I need to tell you something."
"Anything squirt."
"Daddy...I've...spent the last fourteen years trying to forget about...the accident."
"What accident?" Lightning asked curiously.
Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "You don't remember? You...You kinda died."
Lightning Dash seemed distant, his eyes focused on something else. "I still remember that day. I was struck down by...Lightning. Ironic huh?"
Rainbow Dash looked back at her wings. "I let you fall..."
"Shut up squirt. You didn't let me fall. I remember my last thought as I was tumbling to the ground. I saw you up there, coming at me faster than Ironwing in his prime could've. And in that moment...I was so proud of you. I probably died right after that. I'm almost certain I died before I hit the ground..."
"You couldn't know that." Rainbow Dash said, her voice cracking. "You couldn't. Nopony could."
Lightning shook his head. "Quiet that mouth squirt. You did your best." He paused. "Something I didn't do."
"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked.
"I could've raised you so much better Dash. If I had taken my ego, and my arrogance, and my pain out of the equation. If I had moved on from your mother's death. I didn't deserve you Dash. You deserved a real father..."
Rainbow shook her head. "No. You were a great dad. You always took care of me. You always played with me. You pushed me. You made me understand how to become a champion flyer. Even if I wasn't worth loving." She paused. "But it's always been eating at me. That I let you fall. And I want...no. I NEED your forgiveness. Please."
Lightning placed his hoof over hers, trying to calm her down. "Squirt. You had my forgiveness all along. And if you really do need to hear it, I love you."
Rainbow nodded. "I know. I guess I just...needed to hear it again, you know?"
Lightning nodded understandingly. "I know. I've had such a hard time, being away from you. I've had your mother to keep me company, but she's been away for a while. And...the worst part was when I forgot what you looked like. I couldn't even remember my own daughter. I guess...I guess that's what death does to you."
Rainbow Dash put her head down on the kitchen table. "I can't believe I tried to forget you. You were my hero dad. You were everything I wanted to be. But...after you fell, I just...I began wishing you never existed. So it wouldn't..." She trailed off, unable to find the right words.
"So it wouldn't hurt so much." Lightning finished. "I understand. This place takes so much away from you...you get eternal peace. But you can barely remember the name of your wife. The name of your daughter."
Rainbow looked at him funny. "But...I remember my life perfectly. I was in Ponyville. I was in a fight. With...a changeling. And she beat me. Did...Did she kill me?"
Lightning looked at her closely. "No. You're not dead. Not yet."
Suddenly, the house began to shudder from some great force. Lightning looked around. "Nope. You're definately not dead."
Rainbow looked around, panicking. "What's going on?"
"This realm is collapsing. For you anyway. It means you have a choice to make."
"What?"
Lightning held Rainbow close. "Look at me. You can stay here. With me. Or you can go home. What is your choice?"
The windows of the home shattered. Cracks formed in the walls.
"Daddy. I really want to stay here with you." Rainbow said. Lightning looked at her and arched an eyebrow.
"If that's what you want."
She looked down out the window. "They're down there. I failed them. I thought I could save Equestria all by myself. How stupid was that?"
"Sounds gutsy kid. You sound like you're itching for a second chance."
Rainbow looked at him, her eyes still moist. "But...I want to stay with you so much."
"So make a choice Rainbow." Lightning said again.
Rainbow looked deep into his eyes. Then she looked out the window of the home.
"I have to go. To Ponyville. My friends...and my job, it's not done yet."
Lightning looked away towards the collapsing home. Water began leaking in through the cracks.
"I understand baby. You've got your whole life ahead of you. I want you to go live it. I'll be here waiting. Go."
Rainbow nodded. "Thanks dad."
They both got up and watched as the water continued to pour in through the cracks.
"So what is this really?"
Lightning looked at her. "Once the water takes us, you will awaken. I don't have much time left."
Rainbow looked at him, her eyes still glimmering from the tears. She hugged him hard.
"I love you so much daddy."
"I love you too sweetheart. Go save your friends now." Lightning kissed her on the forehead. "And enough with this dream business."
"But...how did you...?"
The water crashed through the wall of the home and flooded the kitchen. They watched it approach them.
"I'll be waiting..."
Thunderspark hung his head as he held the still lifeless body. Suddenly, from within her chest was a mighty thump.
He felt it. He put his hoof up to her chest again. More thumping.
"I got a heartbeat. I GOT A HEARTBEAT!"
Everypony got up on their hooves. Grey Dash whirled around, enraged at even the possibility.
Rainbow's eyes snapped open. She looked around. Most of Ponyville had gathered around her now. They gasped as they saw her come to life.
"She's coming back." Thunderspark said excitedly. "Dash? Are you okay?"
She groaned as she tried to get up. Fluttershy and Applejack got on either side of her and supported her weight as she got onto her hooves.
The pain was fading. Even as her wounds remained, she could feel her strength returning.
Grey Dash glared at her, her eyes wide with shock. "You just don't die do you?"
Rainbow Dash shook her head and smirked. "One last chance to leave."
Grey Dash turned and began trotting back towards her. "Guess I have to do this again."
Suddenly, a gust of wind picked up. It blew strong against the group of ponies. The wind began to encircle the cyan blue pegasus. She felt a great power stir within her. She felt something cold hit her neck. She looked down at it.
A gold fragment. Suddenly several gold fragments began to revolve around her. All around her now, a tornado of small gold fragments. They united in front of her.
The mane five watched the element of loyalty rejoin with it's guardian. Piece by piece fell into place.
Finally the red lightning bolt slid into it's slot. It began to glow.
Grey Dash stared at it in wonder. She shook her head and bared her sharp teeth.
"Soldiers! Assistance!"
The soldiers lined up around the pegasus. Her eyes became clear. She began to levitate off the ground as the power coursed through her.
"Now you die." The changeling hissed. She charged along with the soldiers.
As she approached, the necklace seemed to explode. A red energy wave erupted from the center.
Grey Dash had almost a moment to cry out, as the wave disintegrated her. The rock soldiers crumbled to the ground around her.
The Ponyvillians cringed, expecting the same end. But the energy wave passed through them, leaving them unharmed.
The element ceased glowing. Rainbow Dash collapsed back to the grass, panting heavily. She opened her eyes again and rubbed her head.
"Oh Celestia. What happened?"
There was a calmed silence among the Ponyville residents. Of course Pinkie Pie was the one to break it.
"Group hug!" Pinkie Pie shouted. The five jumped on Rainbow Dash.
Scootaloo watched in shock, then dove into the pile with them.
"Oh my gosh! I was so worried Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy squealed.
Rainbow Dash grinned. "So was I Fluttershy." She gave her old friends each a hug. "It's good to be back."
She looked up. "If you'll excuse me."
She flew straight up into the sky. "Just ten seconds flat." She whispered.
The others watched in awe as the rainbow streak clashed with the dark clouds above.
She assaulted the clouds. She hammered and kicked at them, punching holes through which the sun brightly shined.
All of Ponyville came out of their homes to bask in the summer sun once again. They danced and sang joyfully. Rainbow watched them as they began chanting her name. She turned red.
She did a few showboaty acrobatic stunts before touching down on the ground again. Scootaloo ran over.
"Hey squirt." She said, rubbing the little filly's mane. "You miss me?"
Scootaloo smiled and hugged her. "Rainbow Dash! I'm so happy you're okay! I was so scared!" She looked up at her. "I thought I lost my big sister."
Rainbow Dash waved her hoof. "Please. Takes a lot more than that to take down Rainbow Danger Dash. Now hop up on my back squirt. I'll give you a ride."
Scootaloo hopped up on Rainbow's back. She extended her wings and flew back towards her friends. Scootaloo cried out in excitement.
"This is so awesome!"
Rainbow Dash touched down in the warm sunlight. "Just wait till you're the one flying up there. It gets even better."
Twilight came up to her with a bittersweet expression on her face. "Look. I'm really sorry Rainbow Dash. We've been friends for such a long time...I never should have doubted you. I..."
"Stop. It's okay. It was just a con Discord pulled. Everypony fell for it." Rainbow explained. "Even me. Now we have to stop him."
"I think you need a hospital first." Twilight said. "You look like kinda chewed up right now."
Rainbow Dash waved her hoof. "What this? No. I just let her beat up on me a bit. So I'd look cooler. Give her a fair chance you know?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you haven't changed a bit."
The ponies looked to the South. Canterlot. It remained shrouded in dark storm clouds. Twilight Sparkle sighed.
"It's not over yet."