II

by adcoon

II.1 - Heartless

A branch hit her across the muzzle and left a sharp tang of blood on her trembling lips. Tears streamed down her cheeks and nose as she made a sudden turn and snatched the offending branch in her teeth, pulling and twisting it violently. The wood broke with a loud snap that echoed among the dark trunks of the forest. The trees loomed high above her in the still summer air as the forest fell silent again. Now the stillness was broken only by her frantic sobbing and struggle for breath.

The forest seemed as if it was listening.

She spat out the branch and looked around. She had no idea where she was. She hadn't looked where she ran or cared to stop and think about it. She didn't care. She just wanted to be lost and forgotten in the forest. It didn't matter if they never found her. It didn't even matter if she died, she thought as she pushed through the thicket. Thorns and branches tore at her frazzled mane and wings. They probably wouldn't even care, so why should she?

Her life was ruined, and it had all started with a letter.

***

The letter had been delivered by Derpy, who had for once endeavored to put it under the door of the cloud manor instead of a nearby tree or faraway bush. It had been waiting neatly on the floor for her when she came back from working late on the weather team. Rainbow Dash had been so stunned by this that she had decided to buy the friendly mail mare something nice from Sugarcube Corner when next they met, as thanks for a job well done.

Then she had picked it up and promptly forgotten everything else. Had somepony asked her then and there, she probably wouldn't have been able to recall her own name if it wasn't written on the envelope. It was a simple envelope, the kind of plain cover that suggested it wasn't very formal but not from a close friend either. But it had a little logo stamped on the back, showing a simple pair of wings with a bolt of lightning down the middle. The logo wasn't very prominent, as if it didn't want to get you too excited.

It had gotten Rainbow Dash excited, and she had carried it delicately over to the couch. She had sat for what was probably hours just staring at the envelope, turning it over and over while being too afraid to open it. Finally she had ripped it open with her teeth, very carefully, and pulled out a small letter written in a large, steady hoof.

“Heyo, Dash,” it had begun, very informally, and continued in the same manner,

“How is Ponyville? I hear it is a lovely place this time of year. I have a few weeks vacation coming up before our next big tour, and I was planning a week or two in the country when I thought of you and your lovely friends. It would mean much to me if you could show me around and introduce me to the town. If you have the time, that is. I wouldn't impose, of course, but I am sure I can think of a way to repay you for your kindness, wink.”

“Let me know. Looking forward to it. Soarin'.”

***

Rainbow Dash slipped as the ground unexpectedly sloped down into a small dale. She rolled and tumbled several feet before she caught herself, hovering unsteadily off the ground. Leaves and twigs were stuck in her mane, her feathers were a mess, and blood and dirt smudged her coat. Tears left wide streaks down her face as she continued on wing, flying in and out among the densely scattered trees.

She picked up pace as frustration and anger welled up inside her at the memory of the letter and the weeks that had followed. The warm night air rushed through her mane as she raced through the forest, moving in and out among the trees. She spun around and kicked out at one in passing. Her leg slipped in the haste and scraped painfully against the rough side of the tree. She cried and kicked again, making the tree groan under the force of the kick.

She hated it. Hated it all!

***

Twilight Sparkle had left two days earlier on a vacation of her own, presumably on the advice of the princess, because Twilight would never take a vacation if it wasn't more or less an order. She had left the library in Spike's capable claws, although not before emptying the shelves for some light reading to drag along with her.

Rarity had been in Canterlot for the week to showcase her latest creations at some fancy fashion fair, and the Apple family was visiting Applejack's cousin Braeburn in Appleloosa.

This had left Pinkie Pie with only two of her bestest friends to throw parties for, but Rainbow Dash had other plans for how to spend her summer nights. Rainbow Dash didn't always want to admit it, especially when it involved such things as butterfly migrations, but she loved spending time with her shy pegasus friend. They had always been close, so she had invited Fluttershy out a few times. The two had spent a lot of time alone without Pinkie, just the two of them, which was why the pink pony had a lot of pent up partying when Soarin' arrived. The whole town was invited. It was wild.

Soarin' had thankfully taken it all in stride and really seemed to enjoy being the center of attention. He had gotten along quite well with everypony, all of them eager to meet the famous stallion. Things had quieted down after the first few days, and Rainbow Dash got to spend some time showing him around or just hanging out. Sometimes he had come by when she was working and even helped out with the clouds, but most of that idle time he had spent with Fluttershy, possibly—as Rainbow Dash had reasoned—because the shy pegasus offered some peace and quiet from all the partying and other excitement.

He had really seemed to get along well with her friends.

It had been like a dream come true. Two whole weeks with one of the Wonderbolts, and all she had to do was to make sure she made a good impression so he would speak well of her to Spitfire. That had been easy. Right up until today, only a few days before Soarin' had to return, when the dream had become a nightmare …

***

… and she was now running away from it.

Rainbow Dash was forced to land in a small glade as the memories from less than an hour ago hit her again. She found it hard to breathe, sobbing painfully and hating herself for it. She hated it all. Hated Soarin', hated Fluttershy, hated Ponyville, but most of all she hated herself.

She had gone to see Fluttershy after working the evening shift. Nights were warm, and the window to her friend's room had been open …

***

Soarin' broke the kiss and nuzzled Fluttershy's cheek. The yellow pegasus was blushing brightly and smiling but looked down as he led her towards the bed. “I-I'm not sure, um …” she said quietly and trailed off.

He stopped and ran a hoof through her mane as he looked into her eyes. She had a small blue flower behind an ear. Blue like her eyes. Rainbow Dash noticed that Soarin' had a small yellow feather in his mane. “You don't have to be afraid,” he said.

Fluttershy continued to look down at her hooves. “I-it's not that. I … I'm just not ready yet,” she said in a tiny voice. “I want us to know each other better first.”

Soarin' reached out and gently lifted her head back up, smiling at her as he hugged her. “I wouldn't dream of doing anything you're not comfortable with,” he whispered, barely heard through the window. “I can wait for you.”

Rainbow Dash felt a strangled cry escape her throat, the only thing her screaming mind could express at the moment. They both turned around and must have seen her. She could hear Fluttershy calling her name behind her as she raced towards the forest, but she didn't care. There was nothing to explain.

***

“I thought you loved me too,” she sobbed as she tried to bring herself to stand back up again. She was tired and hurt all over. “I thought we had something,” she cried and felt herself collapse again. The anger rose back up. How could Fluttershy do this to her? After everything—

She thought she heard something move in the darkness behind her and turned, glaring at the shadows. She knew the forest was dangerous, but she was angry, and she wasn't thinking. She just didn't care. “Come on out! I'm not afraid of you,” she cried into the dark. The forest was listening again. There were no sounds. Then a twig snapped behind her. Rainbow Dash spun around again and rushed forward, but one of her legs stayed behind. She fell over with a pained cry as the leg was twisted and pulled.

Through tears she looked back at where her leg was stuck among the roots. The glade she was in was full of roots, ancient and gnarled, winding in and out among each other until you couldn't even see the ground below. She tried to pull herself free, but the pain almost made her faint.

Something touched her other hoof. She pulled it away and looked down at a root snaking its way around her. She tried to move away, but the movement made her leg hurt. Angrily she lashed out at the root, hitting it hard. The whole mass of roots began to tremble under her as all the roots came to life like a pit of angry snakes, and she was sitting right in the middle of it!

Desperately she clenched her teeth hard and pulled at her leg. The world exploded in a red daze of pain as the hoof came free, but before she could regain herself a root caught her across the face, knocking her over. Another one wrapped around her and pulled her down hard against the writhing mass before she could unfold her wings.

Rainbow Dash cried as she struggled against the roots, but they were all over her now. She gasped for breath as a thick root wrapped around her neck and slowly tightened its grip. There was nothing she could do. It was over before she had had a chance. Rainbow Dash knew she was going to die. A moment ago she had almost welcomed the thought, but now as the grip of death closed around her she didn't want it to end like this. Now that it was too late, she suddenly didn't want to die.

“H-help …” she croaked feebly with the last bit of air in her lungs. She knew no pony would hear it.

A sudden flash of pure white light lit up her world in a blinding vista of shifting landscapes and faces too fast gone to make out. Rainbow Dash gazed into the sea of light and saw two figures descending towards her, their wings beating. It was the last thing she saw before the light died.

***

“…s everywhere up thar, searchin' fer somethin'. Dinna ken whut they be after, but we better be stayin' low doon here. How's the bonnie lass? Any better yet?”

So that's how angels talk, Rainbow reflected vaguely as words and unfamiliar voices filtered through to her. She thought she could hear a river nearby as she listened, and the air felt damp.

“Out like a light,” another voice said almost right by her ear. It was a stallion's voice and somehow more like she had imagined the voice of an angel, if only because she had never imagined angels with an accent. It was a strong but pleasant voice.

“Aye, thar's a blessin',” the first voice said. It was a mare's voice, quite soft and wary. “Ye be keepin' an eye on 'er in any case, will ye?”

There was a moment of silence. Rainbow felt like she was being carried through the air, her aching body dangling from a pair of strong hooves. After a while the stallion spoke up again. He sounded worried. “It wasn't natural, I tell you. I don't like it. And I still don't think she's—”

“Aye … aye look, I dinna ken whut's up either, but the Queen will want tae know right quick, so giddyup an' lets get the puir lass …”

Rainbow didn't catch the last words. The voice faded and soon seemed to come from very far away. She groaned before unconsciousness took her again.

***

“Rainbow Dash?!”

A voice called. Dash blinked. Was it a dream?

“Rainbow … oh no! Rainbow Dash, can you hear me?”

She coughed painfully, tasting the blood on her tongue, and looked up through a haze of pain into a pair of purple eyes. “Twil…” she managed to say before she passed out for what felt like a second time.

***

“…light,” she whispered.

A cool mist of rain washed her face and woke her from the dream. It was silent except for the wind in the leaves and the sound of falling water. For a moment she lay in silence, her mind blank. Slowly memories returned, dreamlike wisps at first but quickly taking root. She groaned as her body remembered the pain and opened her eyes slowly.

A figure sitting nearby had turned to look at her in the dim light of the moon filtering through the dense leaves of the trees. “Welcome back to the land of the living,” he said, while working with something she couldn't see. The stallion was dressed in black and purple with yellow lightning patterns. Rainbow recognized the uniform instantly.

“We almost thought you were gone for good back there,” he continued conversationally, looking again to see if she was still awake or had passed out again. “Would have been a hay of a downer to tell the truth.” He smiled brilliantly, although his eyes seemed to study her curiously.

Rainbow tried to move. A stab of pain shot through her leg and made her cry.

“Don't move,” the Shadowbolt cautioned as he got up and trotted the few steps towards her, carrying something in his teeth. He sat down next to her and held out a large leaf with a bit of water to her lips. “Drink this, then chew the leaf if you can. It'll help, or so I hear,” he said, smiling when he realized that perhaps the words didn't sound so reassuring. “Newt's Tail … er, the plant, not an actual newt's tail. Sorry if it's a little primitive, but we didn't count on being stuck out here. This was all I could find.”

“Who are you?” Rainbow asked, before opening her mouth weakly to accept the drink. When she had finished, she took the dripping green leaf and chewed it slowly. It had a slightly sweet taste with a prickly aftertaste.

“Call me Blaze,” he said and rubbed his hoof on his outfit. “Frostfell should be back any minute, and hopefully then we can get you to somewhere more comfortable.”

“Where are you taking me?” Rainbow managed to ask, feeling tired. She sank the leaf and blinked to keep her heavy eyelids from closing.

“Somewhere safe and hidden,” Blaze said as another pegasus clad in black and purple appeared from among the nearby trees. “Don't worry about it, though. Just try to get some sleep.”

The mare stopped and pointed in the general direction of north. “They be headin' t'wards the north noo. I reck'n we can risk the flight from here.” She looked down at Rainbow. “How's she doin'?”

Rainbow's eyelids closed slowly and her body relaxed as sleep returned.

***

Somepony was crying.

Dash tried to focus on the world around her. There was a fresh scent of flowers, and the air was cool and peaceful. She was on a bed from what she could tell. It was soft and warm. She lay for a while taking in the sensations, trying to pick out the sounds. There were sounds, and a voice. Dash's ear flicked as her attention was drawn to a conversation nearby.

“I am sorry,” a voice said, marked by sorrow and a hint of uncertainty as if the speaker wasn't really sure what to say. It seemed vaguely familiar, a powerful and regal voice despite the mood. “I know this is painful, but I must report to my sister with haste. If you can think of anything else … anything at all,” she said.

There was a long silence except for a faint sniff. “I don't know, Luna … I have no clue. Nothing makes sense at all.” This voice was definitely familiar. Twilight Sparkle sniffed again. “Maybe she called them somehow, but I don't know how she could.”

“I understand,” the princess said slowly. There was another brief pause. “I shall have to leave for now. Would you like me to deliver the news?”

“No,” Twilight said. Dash could imagine her shaking her head. “I'll do it. They will appreciate hearing it from a friend first. It's the least I can do.”

Dash wondered what they were talking about. It sounded so somber. She turned carefully and winced, expecting a stab of pain but found to her surprise that all her legs seemed to be unbroken. Her head felt like it had hit a concrete wall in the middle of a Sonic Rainboom, though. She opened her eyes and winced at the light. Twilight was sitting nearby with a hoofkerchief and her head low. The princess had a comforting hoof around her shoulders but was about to get up.

“Exc…” Dash tried to speak, but barely a choked whisper escaped her. She wanted to ask for a glass of water. The sound seemed to startle Twilight. Both of them turned to look at Dash with surprise. “C—” she tried again and coughed.

Twilight got up and approached her bed uncertainly, looking at her with disbelief. “Rainbow Dash?” she asked and examined Dash. “Are you … how are you feeling?” Luna was standing behind her, watching Dash with an unreadable expression.

“W-water,” she managed to say and shivered slightly as Twilight's cold hoof touched her neck. The unicorn looked thoughtful, while Luna looked around and levitated a glass of water from a nearby table towards Dash. Twilight took over the glass and gently held it up to Dash's lips.

Dash drank slowly, feeling better as she sank the cool liquid. “Thank you. I'm … better,” she said. “What happened? Where am I?”

Twilight glanced at Luna briefly, before putting the glass away and examining Dash again. “What do you remember?”

Dash concentrated. She did feel a bit hazy now that she tried to remember. “I remember running. I was … angry,” she said, not wanting to get into details. The memories came back now, and she didn't want to remember them. Not in front of Twilight.

“Where were you going?” Twilight asked.

“I … I don't know. I just ran. I guess I didn't care,” she said, a little annoyed. “Away. I was going away, alright? Then there were all these roots grabbing me, and I couldn't get free. There was a great light and two ang—” she paused, confused. “The Shadowbolts. There were two Shadowbolts. Did they rescue me?”

Twilight exchanged another look with Luna. She looked back at Dash. “I found you in the forest. You were alone. There had been a flash of light—we are investigating that, and it's why I was there—but I don't remember any roots. You looked like you had crash landed at a very high speed.”

Luna's brow furrowed slightly. “I do not recall the Shadowbolts being on patrol tonight. I shall have to look into that.”

“Might have been …” It was hazy, now that she tried to remember. She suddenly wasn't so certain. “Could have been a dream, but I'm sure about the roots. They were strangling me, and I thought I would die for sure.”

“Do you remember the Elements?” Twilight looked at her carefully. Luna was watching too.

Dash blinked at the strange question. “Elements? Sure. I guess.” She wasn't sure where this was going or what was going on. She was confused and mildly annoyed. She hadn't expected this kind of questioning. “Is something going on? What's the deal with all these questions? I almost died, you know. You could show a little concern.”

Twilight leaned over and gave her a light hug, careful not to squeeze her. “Sorry, it's just—”

Luna levitated something off a nearby shelf and held it up. Dash recognized the five golden necklaces and the crown. “You were wearing these,” the princess said, putting them down on a table.

“What?” Dash stared at the princess and Twilight, looking for some sign of a joke, but both looked serious. “I never … that's not right!”

Twilight nodded. “Nevertheless, that is how I found you: crashed in the forest with all six elements and nopony else around. They are the real thing in case you're wondering. I would know. But they should be in the castle back at Canterlot under guard and wards.”

“I … I don't know,” Dash said, desperation creeping in now.

Twilight looked down sadly. “We had hoped you would remember something that might explain it.” Dash didn't know what to say.

“I need to inform my sister,” Luna said after a brief silence. “I will return as soon as I am able,” she added. There was a brief deepening of the shadows, like an inverse flash, and the princess was gone.

Dash looked down at herself in the bed. She was in a small, well-decorated room with ancient stone walls and floor. There were flowers on the table, and the window was open to let in the cool night air. She lifted a hoof and inspected it. She was dirty, and her coat was covered with scratches and wounds, but she could move all four legs without much pain. “I could have sworn my leg was broken,” she said quietly, bending the leg.

Twilight watched her silently, before reaching out to take her front hoof in hers. “I don't know about that either, but it is not the greatest mystery,” she said and placed the hoof on Dash's chest above her heart.

Dash looked at her friend. She was looking back at Dash sadly, as if waiting for her to realize something. Dash wasn't sure what was expected of her. She looked down at where Twilight was holding her hoof over her heart. “I don't understand …” she said.

“Me neither, and that's putting it mildly,” Twilight said and moved the hoof up a little to press firmly against Dash's neck. “Dash, do you … feel anything?”

Dash stared at the ceiling in a creeping realization. “But …” She looked at Twilight in horror, feeling a sudden panic rise in her chest, which was heaving as she breathed. But there was no heartbeat. “I-I'm dead, then?”

Twilight removed her hoof slowly. “I … don't know,” she said.

Comments

[Ehrlichkeit]

You spelled lose wrong in the description.

Hmm. *Reads checklist for great stories*

1. Dark tag. Check.

2. Romance tag. Check.

3. Luna. Check.

4 Rainbow Dash. Check.

5. Badass Twilight. Hmm only one way to find out!

[Epic07]

Huh? What?

In confused... I want chapter 2! :p

[TwiSpark42]

Dun dun duuuuuunnnn!
That's the only way I can describe this whole chapter.

[soulwinds]

welp, another story to keep an eye on, thumbs up for now but I won't fav until really like it and I need more to decide if I do. Chapter 2?

[adcoon]

1168588

Very soon. It's almost done

[JustAnotherBadSonicOC]

1168784 I can't resisit saying this but.... I F*yay*G LOVE YOUR AVATAR PIC! It's so adorable!

[MellowMabari]

Oooh, interesting premise. At first I was kinda like, eh, Flutterdash, Rainbow running off and getting hurt in the Everfree, pretty run of the mill, if quite well written... and then, bam! crazy undead-y shadowbolty multiple-realities/clone-y shenanigans! Needless to say, I'm hooked. Well, only one thing to do now, onward!

[themanesix]

[PinkiePieCupCakeSlayer]

And now we wait for the TwiDash make out scene... Oh wait... There no TwiDash?!?

[bvdwow]

Chapter one done! That ending was cool can't wait to continue tomorrow