Chapter 1
Rainbow Dash dropped in front of the barn, landing squarely on her four hooves. She stretched her wings and swiped her hoof across her eyes one last time before nudging open the door.
"Hey, Applejack, what did you need me f-" she began, before her friends burst out of hiding, screaming wishes of a happy birthday. Dash's wings instinctively unfurled in a defensive position from the surprise, but her face brightened. She chuckled. "My birthday was last week, guys."
"Well, yes, but we decided to wait to celebrate until you were back from Cloudsdale. We didn't want to bother your training," Twilight said.
"Yeah, how'd th' tryout go, Rainbow?" Applejack asked.
Dash's ears flattened and she pawed the ground. "I, uh, didn't get in. Something about my weight."
She looked up to see her friends nodding somberly. Pinkie Pie nuzzled Dash's neck. They all looked sad- all of them, except Twilight, who was just studying Dash, looking puzzled. The unicorn began to say something, but Rarity spoke first.
"Rainbow Dash, dear, I'm sorry. At least it's something you can fix."
All the others chimed in with helpful suggestions. Except, again, Twilight, who was still studying Rainbow Dash.
Dash avoided meeting her eyes.
Dash stood near the punch bowl. She had just finished dancing with her friends, and the party was beginning to wind down. It was nearly time to open presents and eat cake, and Dash wanted to rest before it happened. She was leaning against the wall, sipping the juice, when Twilight approached her.
"Rainbow Dash," she whispered. "We checked your weight before you left. Together. What really happened?"
Dash bit her lip. "You can't tell."
"I won't. I promise."
"I'm... I failed the vision test. I'm color blind." She hung her head. "I can't ever join the team. Ever."
Twilight gasped. "Oh, Rainbow Dash. What happened?"
The line for Ds was surprisingly short. Dash was nearly to the front, ready to get her number for the performance portion of the tryouts. Tables made a solid line across the room, each representing a different letter. On Dash's side were the competitors who hadn't yet gotten their performance number and time, all patiently lined up. On the other, Wonderbolts were welcoming the newly-numbered participants, wishing them luck on the tryouts and pointing them to the waiting room. Spitfire was helping sort out ponies that had issues with registration- health, improper forms, or whatever else could go wrong.
Dash stepped in front of the burly gray unicorn behind the table, who was shuffling papers.
"Name."
"Rainbow Dash."
He lazily picked through the papers until he found her. He levitated her picture in front of her. "This you?"
Dash raised an eyebrow. The mare in the picture couldn't be anypony else. "Obviously."
The stallion glanced up at her from his papers. "It's a safety precaution," he said, before looking back at her file. "Okay, Rainbow Dash, it seems like your weight is fine, your wings are fine, no joint problems... why does it say 'failed'?"
Dash paled. "What now?"
The unicorn's eyes flickered up at her, then back at his paper. "Oh."
"Oh, WHAT?"
"You, er, failed the vision test," he said. "You're colorblind."
"What? How is that an issue? It doesn't-" she tried to stifle a sob, but it came out anyway- "that doesn't affect my flying." Tears were falling down her face.
The stallion looked behind him and waved Spitfire over. He turned back to Rainbow Dash. "Well, it means your depth perception could be off. It can lead to other problems, and we can't risk having a pony that might now be able to see right. These tricks are already high-risk, and we can't afford making them riskier."
Spitfire reached the unicorn's side. He whispered in her ear, and she looked at Rainbow Dash, aghast. "Dash- I am so, so sorry."
Spitfire blurred as tears filled Dash's eyes again. "Spitfire- you know I'm the best flier... well, in Equestria. You KNOW it. Can't... can't some exception be made? Can I at least try out?"
Spitfire shook her head sadly. She spread her wings and flew over the table separating them, landing next to Dash. "I would if I could," she whispered. "Here, I'll walk you out."
She turned and waved at Soarin. "Take over for a minute, okay?" she called. Soarin made a "what's going on" gesture, but Spitfire just shook her head. She returned to Dash's side and put a wind around the crying pegasus. "Come now, Rainbow Dash. It'll be okay."
She led Dash outside. The sun blinded them, and Spitfire's wings automatically moved to try and shade her eyes. Dash slipped out from under them and walked to the edge of the cloud, watching the world float by below, miles away. Spitfire watched her warily, but when Dash only stood near the edge, Spitfire approached her.
"You know, you don't need us," Spitfire told her.
Dash's hair obscured her face, but she turned to look at Spitfire. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she looked tired. So different than the cocky pegasus Spitfire knew. "Yeah, I know. It's just, you know. Big dream, and I failed."
A voice came from behind them. "Spitfire, we need you to come inside to judge." It was the unicorn that had broken the news to Rainbow Dash. She hadn't thought about it, but it was odd that a unicorn was working for the Wonderbolts. He couldn't even fly, and he was with them, even if it was just a paperwork job. It wasn't fair.
"Just a minute!" Spitfire yelled back. She nuzzled Dash's neck. "Listen, Dash. You've achieved so much. This isn't a failure. Don't do anything stupid," she warned. "I'm not sure what your friends would do without you. Or what I would do without you."
"Thanks, Spitfire."
Spitfire started to leave, then leaned over to kiss Dash on the cheek. "Don't ever forget, you're still the best flyer in Equestria."
Spitfire opened her wings and flew over the side of the arena. Dash couldn't see over the high walls- meant to keep the auditions private- but she could still hear the cheers.
"Oh, Dash, I-" Twilight started, after her friend finished telling her what happened, but Dash just shook her head.
"It's okay, Twilight. I realized... at least it wasn't because of something I did. It was out of my control. I should have known that you have to- that you can't be colorblind and be a showpony. I'm probably better off as a one-mare show, anyway."
Twilight just nodded. She could tell that Dash was only saying it to make them both feel better, but Twilight didn't want to show she could see through the lie.
"And, plus," Dash continued, "it's not even the Wonderbolts that have me down about it. It's just, every time someone compliments my mane, or talks about how beautiful the Sonic Rainboom is... it depresses me, that I make these colorful things that I can't see. I don't know, Twilight. It's hard to explain."
Twilight nodded. "I understand," she murmured.
"Presents!" Pinkie Pie screamed behind them, bringing them back to reality. Twilight jumped, and Dash giggled at her. They both trotted to where the rest of the group were standing.
Rainbow Dash opened each of the presents. From Applejack was a bushel of apples and a jug of cider. Pinkie Pie had a bag of prank supplies, and Dash laughed when she squeezed the whoopee cushion. Fluttershy had given her some pet supplies, and Twilight a book called The Book of Aerodynamics, which Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrows at.
"It's really helpful!" Twilight said defensively. "Really!"
Rainbow Dash hefted the 800-page textbook. "Right, I'll keep it in mind if I ever decide I'd rather read than go outside ever again."
The last package was from Rarity. It was wrapped in white paper with a purple bow, which was lopsided. Dash picked it up, but Rarity screeched, "Hold it!" and grabbed the present. She ran off.
The other five ponies sat in silence while they waited for Rarity to return, but after a few moments, Pinkie lost patience. "Cake!" she exclaimed, She dashed into another room and wheeled out a huge, cloud shaped pastry. When she cut it open, everyone ooh-ed, except for Rainbow.
Pinkie looked at her expectedly. "It, uh, looks delicious, Pinkie," Dash managed, unsure of what Pinkie wanted.
"No, silly billy, the inside's rainbow! Don't you like it?"
"Oh! Yeah, of course I do! I thought you meant besides that," Dash said, catching Twilight's eye. "Sorry," the unicorn mouthed.
They had just finished cutting it into six pieces when Rarity ran back in. "Okay, Rainbow Dash! Here's your present," she trilled. The bow was back in the center, perfectly tied.
"Oh, thanks, Rarity," Dash said thickly, spraying rainbow bits all over the white packaging. Rarity cringed and backed away.
Rainbow Dash gulped down the cake and tore open the present. Out fell two things- a sparkling, beautiful necklace, and a pair of flying goggles.
Rainbow Dash just stared at them as her friends complimented them.
"Wow, Rarity, those match Rainbow Dash's colors exactly!"
"Ah've never seen such pretty colors. Where'd you find those gems?"
Rarity beamed. "Well, it was difficult finding all of Dash's colors, but someone so vibrant can't have anything less!" she said, then continued apologetically, "The goggles were for your Wonderbolts coronation, and the necklace for the Ball afterward, but you can save them for the next tryout, of course. You could always wear the necklace to any other event, it will go with nearly anything!" She paused. "Er, Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow Dash was still staring at the goggles and necklace. Twilight watched her, biting her lip anxiously. After a moment, the pegasus realized everyone was staring at her, and she broke into a grin. "Thanks, Rarity!" she said, wiping her face with her hoof. "They're perfect."
"But, Rainbow Dash, dear, why are you crying?"
"It's just.... they're great. I just feel so lucky having such great friends."
Twilight nuzzled her. "Of course, Dash. We're always here for you."
Rarity was beaming again. She pointed at the gems on the necklace. "The green and blue were easy enough to match, but the yellow was harder, you know, it can be difficult to find those because they're so rare, but I managed. Don't you just love the colors?"
Dash nodded, smiling sadly, wishing for all the world she could see them.
Note: The colorblindness Rainbow Dash has is a fictional, black-and-white kind where she can see no colors at all.
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At First I Was Like:
i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj580/charlieg1999/thatssotrue_2458_1330389986.gif
But Then I Was Like:
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I cried! Dude, make Twilight use a spell so Rainbow can have her sight!
P.S. You may want to put this in the "Alternate Universe" category too.
Really good. Nice idea. Too bad for RD.
MAKE MOAR CHAPTERS!!
I hate to be that guy, but how did Rainbow Dash not figure out she was colourblind before all of this?
How did she know the picture was off a blue mare with a rainbow mane if she's colour-blind? Also this may just me being nit-picky but in the show she has picked out colours before so this just didn't seem realistic to me because it wasn't exactly explained very well. I mean the reason they rejected her was actually really good and that was well thought out so that's a good point.
In your fic it just seems a little silly that she doesn't tell her closest friends she's colour-blind, even though she has pride it's something that kind of comes up with your best friends. It's not badly written but it's just I didn't buy the plot.
My teacher had the same problem.
Only not to get in the wonderbolts...
He wanted to become a jet pilot but he's colorblind, so no game.
Like the story, though I wonder how being colorblind leads to Dash straying from her friends. Can't wait till next chapter.
AW THIS IS SO SAD!!!!!!!!
But it's SO GOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!
An interesting idea, but with one with plotholes. It's not entirely clear whether Rainbow Dash knew she was colourblind or not already. If she wasn't, then she's very silly, and there's a bunch of examples that would make you think she would already know - like how her hair is a rainbow. If she was already aware, then surely she would've known (being a big a fan of the Wonderbolts she is) that she would not be accepted into the Wonderbolts due to them using colour flashes.
Additionally, I understand about Dash and her pride, but I see no reason for her not to tell her friends she's colourblind, or for them to have found out in some way previously.
But what the hell, I've read the first chapter now, so I'll track this anyway.
The premise had promise, though I must echo the sentiments of the others. How could she not have known you can't be colorblind to fly with the wonderbolts? Also, why would they use colored signals? Wouldn't it just be easier to memorize the routine? Why would Rainbow lie about being colorblind to her friends?
It was pretty well written, but the plot just didn't seem to get off the ground. You did well bringing the sad by having RD unable to see the beauty she creates, but that was about the saddest part, and then it just kind of ends, though you say it isn't complete, so the abrupt ending can be forgiven. I like the premise, and the writing is solid, I just feel this could have been executed a little more efficiently if you had built up the admission of colorblindness. Say you started with the tryout, and then built up to the reason why she was kicked.
I was being a touch nit picky, but overall, it was pretty nice. I'd like to see where you take this.
The 'why didn't she know this already?' problem could be solved by making her only partially colorblind. If she can't tell the difference between, say, indigo and violet, that would come up a lot less often than not being able to tell any colors apart at all.
Despite the plot holes that the others have pointed out, I still find this idea interesting. You write well, and I'm certainly interested in finding out more
621828
Fixed! Now alternative universe.
621831
I should've explained better. She knows, she just didn't know it was a requirement to be in the Wonderbolts.
'"It's okay, Twilight. I realized... at least it wasn't because of something I did. It was out of my control. I should have known that you have to- that you can't be colorblind and be a showpony. I'm probably better off as a one-mare show, anyway."'
Is that better? She kind of mentions that she knows she's colorblind but didn't realize now.
621836
'How did she know the picture was off a blue mare with a rainbow mane if she's colour-blind?'
Oops, haha. Fixed.
She's kind of embarrassed by it, because she sees it as a weakness. It's going to come up with her friends later.
621837
Aww.
621876
Changed the color flash thing. Now it's just a liability.
621891
Yeah, I had quite a few plot points and no idea how to order them.
Thank you.
622074
I'll look that up. It sounds like a great way to get around it, and I hadn't even thought about it! Thank you.
622161
Thank you!
622174 Thanks for replying! Like I said this wasn't badly written, just a few plot things bothered me. Good luck with this story!
622186
Thank you!
There's another issue. Colorblindness doesn't mean you can't see colors. Color blindness means you have issues where you confuse one color for another. Not the inability to see colors at all. The kind of color blindness indicated here is entirely unrealistic and fictional. Though as this is fiction, I suppose that makes it a bit easier to swallow. But physically speaking, Dash would be more likely to have troubles with say, mistaking red for green and vice versa (This is a true form of color blindness and is actually helpful in the motion picture adaptation of The Shadow, as a color blind scientist saves the world accidentally, as he cuts the red wire on a bomb, mistaking it for green.), than being utterly incapable of seeing color altogether.
622271 Depends on the conditions. Colorblindness varies. But yes, while colorblindness usually affects only perception of red and green, it can sometimes be only specific hues. Also, for color mixtures, like purple, it sometimes can be perceived incorrectly.
622409 Exactly. I was simply giving a general example. But to not be able to see anything except in grey-scale or black and white is, from all I know, a fiction-only form of the condition. Even dogs don't see the world that way, despite commercials which depict them as such.
As interesting as this is, I don't think you understand what color blindness is. Being colorblind doesn't mean you can't see colors, it means that at least 2 colors are screwed up for you (ex. If it were blue and orange, you would see oranges as blue, and blues as orange). You made it sound like Dash couldn't see colors at all.
Sadness. But really I agree with everyone else, color blind means you mistake colors for one another. Godspeed and goodluck.
622271
622409
622575
622605
Yes, I know. I was using the fictional kind of colorblindness that Warwolf brought up, where things are in black-and-white. Should I make an author's note on the description to make it clearer?
Thank you for the comments!
622800 I'd recommend sticking one at the end of the chapter, yeah.
622839
All right, thank you.
622990 No problem.
Oh wow....so sad and beautiful and tragic. This definitely deserves a follow up.
621831 she did know she was color blind, shenjust didn't know it would stop her from joining the wonder bolts.
623504
When Fireseeker said something, I didn't quite have it worded right. I changed it because he mentioned it.
Favorited this to see where it goes, but so far it has been a good solid start :)
623911
Thank you!
622174
Yep, that makes it clearer. Just here to help
this song goes good with this story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY0yKxMwRGg
628678
Oh man, I knew there was a song I had heard, and that's it! Thank you.
630603no problem :D
IT'S JUST SO SAD!!!!!!!!!!
Update?
710233
Glad you thought so!
An update is coming... soon-ish, but I have a million ideas of where to take this and can't decide which to go with.
Plus, most of my writing is going towards my Origins fic. I want to get the plot of that all worked out before I start writing. I really like the idea and don't want to mess it up
Thanks for your comment!
No problem! I hope you get everything sorted out in that brilliant noggin of yours!
To nerd out your author's comment, it is true that there isn't true color blindness that causes the total lack of color.
But...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achromatopsia
Meet another disorder that does actually cause things similar to what you're suggesting. It's likely not a perfect match, as a quick skim of the article seemed to suggest that other problems with the eye, such as fuzzy vision or blindness in bright light, can exist. But it's not that big of a stretch to have only the lack of color.
621836 She sees it without color, yes, but that's the way she's always seen herself. So even without the cyan coat or the rainbow mane, it wouldn't be hard to identify herself in a photo from the other features. It goes back to a question of philosophy: If you see a green apple, but everyone else says it's red, is the apple green or red? We're all used to seeing Rainbow Dash with her color; in this universe, she never has so that isn't even going to be how she would identify herself in a photo.
725194
Unfortunately, that's a little long for a title. I would rename the chapters that, but it would get confusing. Thank you so much, though!
Ah, thank you!
Oh hell. That's beautifully made, but still sadening at the same time. It works into canon too, considering her frequent crashes and her apathy towards her Gala dresses colour, considering she can't really judge it properly without colour... I think.
Took forever to leave a comment, but very nice work mate, hope to see more sometime.
878941
Thanks!
Yeah, I was hoping to incorporate some in-show moments to the story, eventually. I've got a bit of writer's block because I got a great idea for a new one, but can't seem to write it quite right and it's keeping me from working on my others.
879724 Hmm... Have ya gotten anyone to help ya/bounce ideas off? Could be useful if you're stuck.
For some reason I can see Rarity finding out through observation and a trick question. Despite her personality she's far from stupid.
It's also a little surprising, yet completely understandable that Fluttershy doesn't know, since while she's known Dashie the longest, Dashies personality'd have it so she never informs anyone about any flaws she may have, her fault or not.
919666
That's a great idea, with Rarity!
I do have this really great person, but I don't want to bother them too much. I kind of talked it through with them, then they read the first couple of pages. It did help, although the idea for the end it still murky, and I'm trying to write myself out of the block with a couple of easy one-shots. They're taking about ten times longer than usual, but it's working.
Real Life Trivia: Horses can't perceive color the way we do.
They can definitely see the difference between blue and gray, between yellow and gray, and between green and grey. They can also tell red from grey to some extent, but they find this much harder.
So Rainbow Dash has the vision of a Colorblind Horse, basically.
Please!!! Thy must continue this!!! It's too good to be dead!!!
It has just occurred to me that if you are unsure of how to continue this story that you might want to read chapter one of the Oliver Sacks book An Anthropologist on Mars titled "The Case of the Colorblind Painter". I read it recently and it seems like it might be (at least somewhat) relevant even though Rainbow Dash does not paint (as far as I know).
I thought something felt a bit odd about her type of colourblindness until I read the last line. Because if she had the real kind, she'd still be able to distinguish between some of the colours. Red, purple, or green wouldn't exist for the most part, but Rainbows would still have six distinct shades of yellow and blue.
Anyway, great story, and perfect use of the ironic situation to convey deep emotions.
Actually, the form of Color Blindness Rainbow Dash has is a real thing.
It's called Monochromatic Color Blindness, and those affected can only see in black, white, and gray.
It's incredibly rare, but it does exist.
7596445
Yea im one of them. My life sucks