//------------------------------// // Choice // Story: A Hero Of War (UNEDITED) // by DontWakeTheNeighbour //------------------------------// She held her element in her hooves as questions began to pour into her mind. ‘What’s my element doing here? How did it get here? Did it find me? Did somepony send it to her? Does this mean I can go home? How is this even possible?’ She shook her head before she stroked the red jewel; she smiled before she quickly put it around her neck. The cold metal felt uncomfortable around her bruised neck as it clipped into place, she always felt safe wearing it, every time she used it’s magic she felt like nothing could touch her, almost like how she felt when she slept by Bishop’s side in the hospital that night. She sighed, looking at herself, she noticed that she was still colorless, her body was still just as grey as when she left her concrete prison. She hung her head as she started to carry on walking, she flapped her wings, lifting herself off the ground again as she took off, she looked into the sky, she didn’t know what she was looking for, whether it was some kind of a portal or a bright light hanging ominously in the sky. All of a sudden a sense of static electricity strangled her neck as she choked, an invisible force was pulling her, as she grabbed onto her element she felt herself being engulfed by a chilling breeze as her vision turned white. ********** “Urrgh. ….. Hey! Where am I?” The Pegasus found herself floating in blackness, she felt cold, she tried to move but she felt like she was swimming in syrup. “Rainbow Dash?” The colorless mare froze, hearing the all too familiar tone of Twilight’s voice. “Twilight?!” “Rainbow!!” “Twilight!! Where are you Twilight?!” “Oh my gosh are you alright?!” “I’m fine!! Where are you?!” Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes as yet another white flash caught her by surprise. “DARN IT!! Will you stop with the flashing?!! I’m gonna go blind!! ….. Huh?” Through a thick mist in front of her Rainbow Dash saw all her friends, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie. Rainbow Dash gasped in joy as she looked at her friends, as they stared back at her, with concern clear in their eyes. Rainbow Dash tried to reach out for them but they weren’t physically there. She had never felt so relived in all her life as she thought she would never see their faces again. “Gosh golly!” Applejack gasped on the verge of tears. “What in Celestia’s name happened to you?!” “Nice to meet you too Applejack.” Rainbow Dash grinned, all she wanted to do was hug her friends and never let go of them again. “I’m fine now that you guys are here. …. Wait.” She snapped out of her moment of joy before her mind began questioning. “What am I doing here? How did you find me? What happened?!” The five ponies looked at each other, exchanging glances before turning back to their grey friend. Twilight stepped forwards looking to her left, away from her friends before looking back at Rainbow Dash. “I can’t explain it myself. …. But I know somepony who can. Rainbow Dash, meet Doctor Whooves.” All of a sudden a brown colt jumped into Rainbow Dash’s view. “Hello there! It’s me the doctor!” He chirped with a slightly eccentric attitude. Rainbow Dash gasped, she recognized him, the dreams, the blue box, the strange accent, the anonymous pony she chased in that cave, it had come together in her mind. “You?” She growled, taking the six ponies in her vision by surprise. “You did this?!” “*Ahem* Well strictly speaking, it was you’re fault.” “MY FAULT?! …. You just wait till I get my hooves on you!! You littl-” “Listenlistenlisten! It was all a terrible accident, okay. But it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. As a matter of fact everything’s ready. …. Hmm. Twilight! Press that big green, blue and yellow button.” “What’s happening?!!” Rainbow Dash yelled at the top of her lungs, despite her sore throat. “Will somepony PLEASE tell me what’s going on?!!” Everyone was silenced, the doctor turned to Twilight before taking a deep breath and turning to Rainbow Dash. “The blue box you found in that ancient tomb was my Tardis, T, A, R, D, I, S. Time and relevant dimension in space, it’s a ship which has the ability to travel in time but in some cases it does malfunction, when you came into contact with the Tardis you were sucked into the time vortex which spat you out in a random time AND dimension, three trillion and four light-years north east to be exact, luckily the Tardis automatically followed you but we landed a few miles off course from where you landed. When we returned to Equestria we noticed a strange flux of foreign energy coming from planet earth but by the time we discovered it you disappeared off my radar. But later I discovered that you’re necklace had an infinite bond with the electromagnetic charges in your brain cells. So by connecting you’re element to the Tardis’s mainframe and having Twilight send it to you, using her magic, I’ve been able to construct a kenilocolovical tether, which connects you to my ship, so it can take you back home.” Rainbow Dash’s mind went blank, she didn’t understand a word that just came out of his mouth, apart from that whatever he’s done means that she can finally go home. She became pensive, home, it’s what she wanted right? “ALRIGHTY!!” The doctor shouted. “Batten down the hatches! Fasten your seatbelts. …. And enjoy the ride. You ready Rainbow?! …….. Go!” Rainbow Dash felt her body being hoisted through the blackness, she forcefully brought her hooves up to look at them. They were still grey, her whole body was still lifeless with color and her soul still felt empty. She was kind of relived, she was going home, but something felt strange. …. She didn’t want it. Memories of her moments with Bishop began to flash into her mind as a white light appeared in front of her. All the times when he was there for her, when she slept soundly by his side, when he took those bullets to protect her. She started gritting her teeth, ever since she wound up on earth she wanted nothing more than to go back to Equestria and spend the next three weeks laying in her comfy bed, she missed it so much. To be with her friends, to live in a peaceful world once again, no fighting, no war, no disharmony and no more pain. But it didn’t feel right, it wouldn’t be right. Without a moment’s hesitation she began to lift her hooves which felt like deadweights, as they got closer to her element, the light in front of her grew brighter, she knew it was only a matter of time. She felt lighter as it got closer and closer, she could smell the fresh Ponyville air, a scent she had yearned to breath in again, but she wasn’t ready yet, she needed to make sure Bishop was safe. Her arms got heavier as sweat began to pour from her body, her muscles were burning, her joints were aching, the pain was excruciating. Screaming a primeval roar she used the last ounce of her strength to reach the back of her element before grabbing the hinges holding it together. “I-I can’t. …. I can’t go back. Not yet!” With one firm tug the clips detached the necklace from around her neck before floating off into the distance. She watched as the vision of her friends reaching out, screaming for her disappeared with the blackness and before she knew what had happened she found herself falling through the sky, towards the forest ground.