//------------------------------//
// Fight or Flight 
// Story: Rainbow's Redemption 
// by AstonMartinLover 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 15: Fight or Flight

The ponies bolted away from the beast. It was a massive creature, at least twenty stories tall.

It stomped it's foot, cracking the pebbled streets of Canterlot. The ensuing shockwave caused all nearby windows to shatter.

A swipe of it's hand and a block of buildings became a dangerous cloud of shrapnel and debris.

The main six dove behind any cover they could find. Scootaloo stayed close to Rainbow Dash.

"You cannot hide my little ponies!" The creature shouted.

Rainbow Dash took Scootaloo aside. "I need you to go find a safe place. Like a...a basement or something. I need you to hide, okay? Don't let this thing find you."

Scootaloo nodded. "Dash? Are you gonna be okay?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Of course I am squirt." She kissed the filly on the forehead. "Stay safe. Good luck." She turned to look up at the oncoming beast. Scootaloo scampered off.

Rainbow Dash swallowed hard, coming out into the open. "Oh, this is gonna suck."

"I agree." Thunderspark said, assembling to her left. "But somepony has to take that thing down. I mean...we do have wings."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "We have to try." She flicked out her wings. Thunderspark followed suit, his sharp dagger-like wings glistening in the milk filled air. There was more fluttering.

"Fluttershy? What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"I heard you need wings." Fluttershy said softly. "Three pegasi are better than two."

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Be really careful Fluttershy. Don't let it hit you."

Fluttershy nodded nervously. They all looked up at the still advancing monster.

Rainbow Dash let out a roar and blasted off towards it. Thunderspark and Fluttershy followed.

Twilight began firing cones of energy from her horn. "Rainbow Dash! Make it mad!"

"Piece of cake!" Rainbow Dash shouted back. She blasted towards the monsters face. "HEY BLOCKHEAD!"

The monster swiped at her. She darted out of the way and began flying circles around it.

Before long, a tornado of debris had formed around the creature. It roared in frustration.

"You mad bro?" Thunderspark shouted. He went in hoof first, smacking the creature on the nose. It reared back and sneezed, disintegrating the tornado, and sending Rainbow Dash hurtling back to the street.

She moaned as she got up. "Owwww!" She shook it off and looked up angrily at the beast.

Fluttershy was dodging blows now. Rainbow Dash flew up to attack it once again.

She caught sight of Titan. He had been knocked out of the sky by a blow. She hurtled towards him with outstretched hooves. Her arms buckled as she caught the ex-wonderbolt. She groaned, but managed to keep her grip on him.

Titan blinked weakly. "Nice catch Dash."

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Thanks old timer."

Shining Armor arrived. He had brought reinforcements now. Royal Pegasi.

"Get airborne everypony!" He shouted. "Bring that thing down! For Celestia! For Luna! For Equestria!"

Rainbow Dash flew up at full velocity, her hooves extended. The creature turned to face her. She punched the creature hard in the nose. A piece of rock chipped away. The creature felt little pain.

Rainbow Dash's ears went back. "Sorry..."

It extended it's massive arm and slapped her out of the sky. She was sent flying through the wall of the adjacent building, skidding to a stop on the marble floor of a lavish kitchen.

"Jerk." She groaned, getting to her hooves. She chuckled at the laughably awful situation she was in.

Bones broken. Coat dirty and covered in blood and sweat. Wings crying out desperately for a rest they could not receive.

"Some kind of...cruel joke." Rainbow Dash panted. There was a crunch above her. The creature lifted the roof off the building. Rainbow Dash ducked behind a column.

There was a dead silence. Rainbow Dash swallowed hard.

"You think you can hide Rainbow Dash. That's all you've ever done your whole life. Hiding. Hiding from your failures. Hiding from that voice. That voice inside your thick skull that yells 'faster, faster' every time you take to the air. Stop hiding Rainbow Dash. Come on out and end the pain."

Rainbow shuddered. "End this!"

Summoning a great strength she tore the column out of the ground, and hurled it at the monster's face. Then she blasted out through a side window, emerging in the street. The monster looked confused. He looked around, then returned to his previous activity of tearing apart the city.


Scootaloo buried her head in her hooves. She was inside the lobby of a luxurious hotel. A place where all the rich snobs used to spend their weekends. A place of wealth and indulgence. Now it was empty. Those snobs who could get away were in hiding, others imprisoned in Cloudsdale pen along with most of the Royal Guard. 

Scootaloo was conflicted. While a part of her wished she was out there fighting that creature, a larger part of her was terrified.

What if the ponies lost? What if this creature took over Equestria? What if it found her?

Almost in response to this thought, a giant rocky arm smashed through the front door. Scootaloo ducked down and lay there, shaking. When she looked up, the hotel was no more. She was in the open air, surrounded by debris.

The creature had spotted her. It seemed to smile.

"Oh look. It's Dashie's pet rat." Discord's voice sneered. "Come here you little brat."

Scootaloo sprinted away, but a giant finger lifted her up high in the air.

"Hello there. Going up?" Suddenly wings sprouted from the creature's back. It began to lift off the ground.

Rainbow Dash stomped her hooves in frustration. "Are you KIDDING ME?" She squinted to get a closer look at the monster, and identified the tiny orange and pink filly in it's grasp.

"SCOOTS!" She shouted, flying up towards the monster. "Hold on Scootaloo! I'm coming!"

The monster looked down at her. "Looks like you're wanted little one. Guess you better go!"

The Creature blew. The wind blasted Scootaloo back. She reached out and clung to the edge of it's massive finger for dear life.

The creature looked down, amused. "You really are a pest aren't you?" It laughed. Scootaloo looked down at the ground, thousands of feet below. "Oh please Discord sir, please don't..."

The creature blew again.
"...DROP MEEEE!!!!!" Scootaloo finished as she went into freefall.

She desperately extended her wings. Rainbow Dash had gotten a late break, but was now accelerating towards her.

Scootaloo flapped desperately. Her short life flashed before her eyes. She did her best not to scream. Rainbow would approve. She may have lived the life of a filly. But she would die a mare. Still she closed her eyes.

Suddenly she began to slow down. She opened her eyes and looked up. Rainbow Dash was still far away. She looked at her back.

"Oh...I...I'm flying! I'm flying!" Scootaloo shouted triumphantly.

Rainbow Dash's mouth gaped as she saw this. Her little stubby fledgling wings were beating manically. They were supporting her weight.

She flew up next to the filly. "Alright squirt, you got this! Keep going! C'mon!" She shouted encouragingly.

Scootaloo banked left, her control a little shaky. The sensation was amazing. Rainbow Dash continued egging her on.

"Alright, land on that building!" Rainbow Dash shouted. Unbeknownst to her, the creature was now chasing them. It put up it's arm to swipe at them.

"HEADS UP!" Thunderspark shouted. He zoomed in behind them. The creature's arm came down, slamming into his body. He was sent hurtling into the window of the nearby building. Rainbow Dash grabbed Scootaloo and went after him.

Thunderspark groaned in pain. His whole body felt shell shocked. He struggled to get to his hooves.

"Hey take it easy Sparky. Don't try to get up." Rainbow Dash said as gently as she could.

Thunderspark slammed his hoof on the floor. "Can't believe it. I'm the first pony to fall."

Rainbow Dash looked out the window. The royal pegasi were getting swatted out of the sky one by one.

"You certainly aren't the last." She said grimly. "We can't win this can we?"

Thunderspark sighed. "It's not looking good. The royal guards can't even hurt it with their horns. I don't see any...any way." He collapsed to the ground again.

"It's alright. You did good." Rainbow Dash said softly.

Thunderspark looked up at her. "Hey...look. I know we kinda have a, well...a rocky history. I was a bully to you."

Rainbow Dash stroked his silver mane. "It's okay, we were young."

Thunderspark shook his head. "No, that's not an excuse. I singled you out. It might have been that colorful mane of yours, or maybe your big mouth. And I'm sorry. I...I was such a jerk..."

"Really it's okay!" Rainbow Dash smiled. "I've been a jerk to you since, so I think we're even."

Thunderspark smiled. "So if we all make it through this...dinner? Someplace nice? Just you and me?"

Rainbow Dash blushed and looked over at Scootaloo. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't overdo it Sparky. We still gotta make it through this."

Thunderspark laughed weakly. "I didn't hear a no."

Dash turned to leave. Before she did, she grabbed Scootaloo and hugged her tightly.

"Look at you fly out there! I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo said with bittersweet excitement.

"Watch over Thunderspark okay? I'll...probably be back."

She turned and flew towards the ground. The Royal Guards had been decimated. Canterlot lay in ruins. There was little left to save.

Rainbow Dash touched down next to her friends. "I have an idea."

Twilight Sparkle looked sadly at her. "What's the point Dash? We've lost. Discord won. We were so unprepared. We should've known he'd make it this difficult for us. Our weapons are useless. Let's just...let's just surrender."

"I'm trying to ask you something Twi. Could a sonic rainboom beat that thing?"

Twilight frowned. "What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash looked at the creature, as it destroyed buildings in the distance. "What if I got inside it? Somehow? And did a sonic rainboom? Could that destroy it?"

Twilight looked up at it. "I suppose so. I mean, you'd have to time the rainboom perfectly, as well as your angle of approach, and the thing would have to try and eat you. No. No you can't do it. You couldn't possibly survive."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "The way I see it, we'll all die here anyway if I fail."

Applejack shook her head. "We'll find another way. We've always found another way..."

"We've never faced something this bad before girls." Rainbow said. "If anypony should die to stop it, it should be me." The others were silenced by these words.

"After I went to Cloudsdale pen I...I stopped caring about you ponies. I felt abandoned. But...I should've tried harder. I wasted all this time running. I should've spent it trying to prove to you that I was innocent."

Pinkie Pie began shaking her head. Rainbow raised a hoof. "I made a mistake..."

"We all made a mistake." Twilight said. "Not just you..."

"But I was the centerpiece of it. I was the piece that made everything in his plan come together. And I want...no. I need redemption. I can save everypony in Equestria. I swear it. And if it costs me my life, so be it."

Applejack sighed. "She's right Twi. We need to let her go." She came and hoof pounded Rainbow Dash. "Good luck RD."

Rarity was beginning to tear up. "Oh Rainbow Dash! This is so unfair! We've been bff's for only a few hours now! And now you have to sacrifice yourself? No I can't agree to this."

"You don't have to. I already did." Rainbow Dash said gravely.

Pinkie Pie couldn't even speak, the tears had overcome her. She was bawling incessantly.

Fluttershy was the last one. She gave Rainbow a hug. "Come back safe okay?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, admiring her pained optimism.. "Of course."

She turned to leave. "Hey Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight stammered through tears.

"What...would my chances of survival be?"

Twilight thought it over in her head. "20%."

Rainbow Dash smiled. Then she turned and blasted off towards the creature. She had to gain altitude fast, in order to have enough speed to perfectly time her sonic rainboom.

The creature looked up at her and smiled. It slowly began lifting off the ground after her.

She positioned herself over Canterlot Lake. A soft place to land, she figured.

She looked down at the creature approaching her, and suddenly her mind became clouded with doubt.

Memories came flooding back. Her first failed sonic rainboom. Her feeling of helplessness as her father fell to his death. Her countless failed attempts since.

"No. No stop it." She muttered to herself. "I've done this enough."

She pounded her hooves against her chest and let out a great battle roar as she blasted towards her foe.

She felt the roar blocking out her doubt, her fear. Her focus was now solely on this giant mountainous monster in her path.

A sonic bubble appeared in front of her face. She blinked away tears as the wind whipped at her face, chilling her nose. So close now.

The sonic bubble became a cone. Her scream grew louder, like a monster in her chest, building onto her speed and momentum.

The monster opened it's mouth to devour it's speedy prey. Rainbow Dash flew in, immediately surrounded by darkness.

Scootaloo watched, holding her breath, as the monster swallowed Rainbow Dash whole. Her heart sank. "No. Rainbow Da..."

Before she could finish, an ear popping explosion was heard. The rainbow colored waves blasted through the midsection of the monster. It's eyes went blank, and it's body began to crack and fall apart. 

The crowd was silenced as the great creature fell to pieces. The larger sections of it collapsed into the lake. A great wave of rainbow covered the Canterlot sky, much to the wonder of the crowd. Discord's plan had failed.

Cheering erupted from all around Canterlot.

"SHE DID IT!" Fluttershy shouted. "SHE DID IT!"

Thunderspark shielded his eyes from the blaze. "It's...It's beautiful."

The monster fell to pieces. The mane six scanned the skies for any sign of Rainbow Dash. But there was none.

"No. Oh Celestia please don't tell me she's gone." Applejack murmured.

There was a clinking of metal in the distance. The ponies ran to it.

There it was. Amongst a pile of ash. The element of loyalty. No sign of it's guardian.

The mane six were silent, absorbing the gravity of what they were seeing.

Titan collapsed to the ground. "Rainbow...Rainbow baby..." He sobbed loudly. "My little filly..." He trailed off, unable to manage comprehensible words.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie sobbed as well. Applejack's lip trembled. She remembered the fight from a month ago.

"I...I hit her. I fought her. And I could've beaten her. And she'd have been in jail and not...oh Celestia..."

Scootaloo and Thunderspark watched from above. Scootaloo was wailing, while Thunderspark did his best to comfort her.

As they mourned their fallen hero, a cyan blue hoof reached out and grabbed the small necklace.

"I believe this is mine. What's with everypony?"

They looked up. Battered, bleeding, dirty Rainbow Dash stood before them, smirking like the fool she was.

"RAINBOW DASH!" The six shouted in unison. Rainbow Dash accepted the group hug that came next.

"Oh come on everypony. If I died, who'd manage the weather?"

The five laughed cheerfully as they were reunited with their friend. "Oh and Applejack." Rainbow said.

Applejack looked up.

"I'm sorry, but you could never beat me in a fight."

Applejack nodded and laughed, tears of joy streaming down her muzzle. "You're probably right."

Raggedy, unkempt ponies came from the homes and from behind debris, stomping their hooves on the ground.

"Let's hear it for Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted. Rainbow Dash smiled as the people applauded her heroics. It was good to be home.

Twilight tapped the ground in front of the palace with her horn. A green flame made a halo in the ground. Princess Luna rose from that halo. Along with her was the petrified statue of Celestia.

Luna blinked her eyes as the bright sun hit her. "What happened?"

"We defeated Discord." Twilight Sparkle said happily. "Well...Rainbow Dash defeated Discord."

Luna smiled as she spotted Rainbow Dash. "Ah yes. Rainbow Dash. Why am I not surprised?"

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Because I'm awesome Princess."

Twilight Sparkle uttered a spell. The statue of Celestia slowly began to crack. Then with a great boom, she broke free.

Rainbow Dash bowed instinctively. The others did as well.

She looked around, momentarily blinded by the bright light now shining over the nation. She saw Twilight Sparkle and smiled.

"Thank you for freeing me, my pupil." She looked upon all her subjects. "We must commend these five for performing their duties towards the good of Equestria!"

"Mostly Rainbow Dash." Luna muttered to her sister. Celestia looked upon Rainbow Dash, somewhat wide eyed. "Rainbow Dash. I see you returned. I must...sincerely apologize for sending you to that horrible place. It was a horrible mistake, and I don't expect any forgiveness from you."

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "It's okay. It was all Discord anyway. He really threw me for a loop on this one."

"Rainbow Dash, you are deserving of a reward for your duties towards protecting Equestria." Luna whispered something in her ear. "I shall give you the Equestrian medal of freedom!"

Rainbow Dash's face lit up. "Seriously?"

"I am very serious Rainbow Dash. It's the least I can do after making so many mistakes."

The guard ponies came down, bearing the shining medal. They placed it around Rainbow's neck.

"Thank you princess."

Celestia shook her head. "No. Thank you Rainbow Dash."

Scootaloo touched down behind her. She jumped and landed on Rainbow's back. She groaned in pain. But she shook it off and hugged the filly tightly.

"Let's go home squirt."