Chapter 8: All of her Tears.

To most, the setting of Celestia's sun in Cloudsdale would have been a sight to behold. For Rainbow Dash, it held no beauty. Where other's saw the brilliance of the many different colored clouds being magnified to such an awe inspiring effect, Dash could only see the shadows that crept around the those clouds that faced away from the sun creeping through into everyones lives now that the sun was no longer holding them back. The customary closing of the flood gates that spewed forth Rainbows reminded her that all good things have their end. This place haunted her, more so in Luna's night then at any other point in the day.

The only bright thing she could find in this place was Spitfire. The golden pegasus inviting Dash here meant she still had friends here in this city of eloquently designed demons. Part of her wanted to believe that the entirety of Cloudsdale was like this now, happy, bright, friendly. She knew better than to be that naive.

They were sitting outside some posh café now, the slow and soothing sound of violins playing in the background. Spitfire had brought her here for dinner, trying to get her to see the beauty of Cloudsdale. Spitty could see how hurt Dash was, how the demons of this place haunted her.

"You've been here a week, one would think you'd have lightened up by now Dashie," Spitfire pronounced, taking a bite of her salad. Rainbow Dash ignored her and took a sudden interest in the food she'd ordered, just as she had every other time Spitty had brought this conversation to the table. She'd already told herself that there was no such thing as lightening up here without Twilight or the others. Even Applejack, with her jealous nature, would've made this place a bit brighter.

That's not to say the cyan pegasus didn't try to have fun, but this place was just too full of bad to see the good anymore.

When Dash didn't respond, Spitty continued,"look, I know this place is Hell for you. In fact, it's probably worse, but you only have three weeks until he returns, and you and I both know you won't be able to. . ." She let herself drift off, Dash knowing full and well what she was getting at.  

"I don't know if I can even stay here that long Spitty," Rainbow responded," I-I can't even look at these streets without seeing him smiling that evil smile." A tear fell from her eyes as she spoke. Spitty walked over to her and let her cyan friend rest her head on her shoulder and cry.

Dash's sorrow felt infinite, this place was just too much, she didn't know how she was going to survive this whole month for Spitty. She kept crying through the sunset, and as Luna's moon rose, calling forth those dark shadows that haunted her, the torches being lit around the city and the golden coat of the pony she was leaning on offered her the only solace she could find.

"I have another gift for you," Spitfire spoke after Rainbow Dash's tears had ran their course.

"What is it?"

Spitfire smiled at her sky-coloured pegasus, and opened her saddlebag with her wings. She stuck her maw into the bag and when she came out, revealed an odd contraption between her teeth. It was a mechanical object, made to fit onto a hoof. Five odd appendages jutted out at different angles, yet each seemed to conform to a certain pattern as they surrounded the hoof shaped core.

"It's called a K-law," Spitty started to explain, noticing her friends confused look and smiling," they were originally made during the wars that built Equestria. Modeled after gryphon talons, they were meant to be a type of weapon used in CQC,-close quarters combat- but the weaponised model never saw much action. Very few had a weaponised model, my great great grandmother Firefly was one of them. She left us this set, said it was meant for someone like her. So we've been passing it around the family line, hoping one of us will have earned it, but I think you deserve it a lot more than I do."

Rainbow Dash took the K-law and smiled at her friend. She looked closer at the design and noticed it was full of vibrant colors, all the colors of the rainbow to be precise. She couldn't have been given a better present. "Thanks."

"Just make sure you don't go waving it around all the time, weaponised versions of that are illegal, but if you just wear it around ponies will just think it's a recreation model." Rainbow Dash half nodded and took note of that. It's not like she would be using it to fight anyway, or at least, that's what she thought.

She was wrong.

Rainbow Dash smiled at Spitty and the others sweetly. It was the last day before his return, and she had just finished the most amazing moment of her life. After practicing all month, she had finally been ready for her first ever performance as a Wonderbolt. If she ever worked up the nerve to come to Cloudsdale while he was around, she'd have to bring Twilight up here and show off her amazing moves, she could see her favorite filly now, watching her with such amazing awe. It brought a smile to her face as she removed the Wonderbolt suit.

"Oi, Dashie, how bout you come to the club with us, it'll be fun. We can all see how much Fleetfoot can-" Spitfire had started, but she cut herself off. Her eyes darted towards the door of the locker room they were all in as everything went silent. There he stood, in the door, watching everyone with an angry look on his face his blue hair wet with the sweat of an all day flight. Soarin had returned early, too early.

"Well, look at this," came Soarin's voice as he wallked up to Rainbow Dash. Her eyes went wide at hearing  him, and she turned around on the spot to face him.  His eyes narrowed and his mouth curled in a grin as he watched her cower in fear. "I heard you had chose some kind of temporary replacement didn't know you'd chosen her of all people. Liar Rainbow Dash, trying to spread more of those lies of yours about me?" Soarin laughed as hard as he could, and all the eyes in the room narrowed in a combined assault of scowls.

Rainbow Dash started to tear up, but flew away as fast as her somewhat tired wings could carry her. She flew for hours, in the night, passing over Ponyville and skipping it completely as her tears fell from her face uncontrollably. She had to get to Canterlot.

She needed her egghead now more than ever.