Valley Of Rainbows: Seeking Solutions

by Sparx

Last Ride of the Day

Last Ride of the Day

The clacking of the train on the tracks was the only sound Dash heard, separating herself from the others in her own car. The train was mostly empty outside of the party. They’d been on the train since that morning, and the sun was beginning to dip; most ponies were getting ready to go to bed for the day.

She took this time to reflect and think.

I’m dying.

She could only sigh now. I have to tell Spitfire…spend all the time I have left with her, flying at her side. I was away from her too long. She shook her head. “Let’s also think of the others,” she thought aloud, needing to hear what came next. “We have all the elements gathered…for now. What happens when I’m gone? Will they be able to find a new element bearer, or use mine without me? Will we have to use them at all? Will Gallows back off the instant he hears we’re all together again and he won’t have to know I’m gone at all?”

All the questions swam rapidly through her mind. They still knew so little about this trinket around her neck. Suddenly, Discord’s words rang through her mind once again.

“What will you do when you can’t collect the pieces needed for your winning play? When one is taken out of the game?”

“He probably knew,” Dash sighed as she shook her head. “Hell, it was probably as direct a warning as he would ever give.” She tapped on her head, racking her brain for some kind of answer.

The elements are older than I am. I can’t have been the only one to wield mine; I probably won’t be the last. Then a thought came to her mind. The princesses were once able to wield the elements alone. They must know more. But I don’t know where to start looking for them either. Maybe Twilight or Cadence could put my element to use? I could live long enough for Cadence to get back if we need her to.

---

As Rainbow thought in her own private car, in another, just as empty, Applejack struggled to try and fall asleep. It ain’t just mah thoughts anymore, but Ah’m actin’ out. Doc says rest, but Ah’m more sleep deprived than Applebloom when she tried gettin’ an insomnia cutie mark. Ah’m goin’ crazy, an’ Ah don’t know why. Her eyes opened wide, red replacing white and sweat running down her muzzle. She jumped as she heard the sudden noise of thunder outside. Her paranoia demanded her to look out the window, searching wildly for anything big and blue flying overhead.

Rain began to lightly patter against the window, and she shook her head, having spotted a few pegasi pushing clouds into position. “No dragon. Least there’s that.” She let herself relax, at least a little. Sleep, Ah just need ta get a bit of sleep.

“You don’t need sleep; you know your problem, fix it. Take her for your own,” the voice hissed again.

Applejack shook her head violently, placing her hooves over her ears in a vain attempt to block it out. “There’s nothin’ wrong with me. Ah’m just stressed. Doc says so.”

“He was a fool. You still hear me, don’t you? And if I’m not a problem, perhaps I am a solution?”

---

Lyra looked out to the rain on the other side of her window. Everyone in the group seemed tense and unpleasant. Applejack, despite what the doctor said, had something going on with her. Nerves seemed to run high with memories of the blue dragon, brought to mind in the rain, and worst of all, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying too hard not to come off as utterly depressed. They were hiding something that Rainbow obviously didn’t want to talk about. Lyra had her suspicions but couldn’t do anything about it, so she put it to the back of her mind.

At the very least, Pinkie brought some life to the party, jumping about and smiling. Lyra also felt her heart lighten when she would see Gilda and Rover stealing quick glances and smiles to one another. It reminded her that she was approaching her dearest Bon Bon. The reminder calmed her and she exhaled wistfully. “Be home soon, love,” she whispered to herself.

A sudden crash took her back to the inside of the car where Pinkie Pie had ended up upside down on her head, giggling. “I’m so glad to be back with you guys!” she squealed. “I can’t wait to see Twilight and Spike again! And Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and Berry, and Big Mac, and Sweetie, and Colgate, and Pinchy, and Raindrops, and Scootaloo, and Mr. Breezy, and Granny Smith, and Pip, and Bulk, and Vinyl, and Octavia, and Rose, and Mr. Waddle, and…”

Pinkie continued to list names, getting Lyra to chuckle, but Gilda let out an audible annoyed sigh.

“Oh! And of course Gilda and the dogs should visit all the time. Or move in!” Pinkie gasped. “You should move in!” Her head turned to Lyra so fast, the unicorn could have sworn she must have broken something. “Lyra! We should ask Mayor Mare if we can get them homes!”

Lyra looked over to Gilda and shrugged her shoulders. “I think I remember Rainbow telling me she offered you something similar. I know you’re a sailor now, but wouldn’t hurt to have a place to come back to ‘eh?” She turned back to the dogs. “And considering how long you guys have been away from your kin, I’d assume you don’t have a permanent place to call your own?”

Gilda and the dogs were all silent for a moment, looking to one another in silent conversation. Rover was the first to make a noise. “I don’t think dogs would disagree when I say…we feel quite honored and will accept.” He smiled, Fido and Spot nodded in agreement.

Gilda gave a bit of a sigh. “Sure. Why not. Gonna be a bit until I can find a new boat and crew. Wouldn’t object too much to the neighbors either.” She gave a grin to everyone around and a sly wink to Rover, making his face redden. “Won’t you have a bit of an issue with us being one of the creatures threatening war and three belonging to a race of thugs and bandits?”

“Oh, our kind isn’t as prim and perfect as some would have you think, darling. We’ve met a few uncouth folk in pony kind as well, even excluding dark forces behind the scenes,” Rarity said in comfort.

“And aside from that, you’re all a lot of fun and came to help us all even though you didn’t have to!” Pinkie chimed in. She was beaming.

Soon enough, it seemed everyone in the car was smiling, even the recently gloomy Fluttershy. Lyra joined in.

Perhaps the mood is looking up after all. Lyra thought. At least here. Hope Applejack and Rainbow are doing alright.

---

Rainbow Dash sighed to herself, rubbing her hooves on her eyes. “…I should tell them. I’m going to tell them. They need and deserve to know. By Tartarus, one of them can probably help me come up with an idea on how to make sure my element isn’t left useless.”

Rainbow brought herself onto her hooves and took a deep breath. “I’ll tell Lyra first and see if she knows a way to break it to them slowly,” she muttered to herself. She turned to walk to the door and noticed fog rolling in outside to accompany the rain. “Should probably hurry; looks like the weather team has a doozy planned tonight.”

She stepped out to walk to the other cart. The wind was powerful and very warm, almost knocking her over. A bit harsh for a simple storm. She looked up and saw one of the weather team. “Hey, guys need to tone the wind down a bit!” she called out.

“Sorry!” the pony called back. “We’re working on it!”

Dash nodded and went through the door to Lyra’s car. Most everyone’s heads turned to take notice of her.

“Heya, fearless leader!” Lyra chimed with a grin. “Glad to see you’re still tickin’.”

The irony hit Rainbow like the very train she was in. “Lyra, I need to talk to you.” Her voice was serious and could even be described as grim by the others.

Lyra stood and walked over to Rainbow as the others returned to talking amongst one another, Pinkie taking the lead with a story involving a pony made of chocolate.

“Something up?” Lyra asked.

Dash sighed. “You hit the nail a bit too hard on the head with your living comment,” she started. She paused for a moment as Lyra looked at her, confounded and attempting to decipher the meaning of her words. Dash had a hard time picking out her next ones before bluntly stating, “I’m gonna die…not long from now. Doc let me know.”

Lyra didn’t seem shocked, but she nodded her head. “I had guessed as much. I’m guessing Freezer?”

Dash nodded. “Apparently so. I’m gonna freeze up and never thaw.”

“Then we need go get you back to Twilight as soon as we can. Pass right through Ponyville tonight and go on to Canterlot. We can see if she can fix this, but I doubt the possibilities of that.” Lyra’s face spoke with as much certainty as Bone Saw’s words. Simple magic won’t fix it. “She needs to know though, might be able to come up with an idea.” She locked gazes with Rainbow Dash. “How long.”

“No longer than two weeks,” Rainbow confessed. “More likely it’s less than that.” The very thought of the affliction seemed to summon it, slowing her speech and causing her to shiver a bit. “Two weeks seems incredibly generous. I’ll be a bit surprised if I survive to see the sun rise.”

Lyra could feel a chill in the air by standing near Rainbow Dash. “No sugar coating? I’ll be surprised as well.”

“Think I should tell the others?” Dash asked.

Lyra shrugged. “Somehow you should. Not gonna be easy though. If you’re looking for advice on it though, I can’t give you any other than just tell them and be willing to talk about it.”

Dash sighed heavily. “Welp, let’s get it over—”

Before Rainbow could finish her thought, the train creaked violently as they felt it rock. Pinkie was smashed against the other side of the car in mid jump; the others were flung following her.

“What the hell!?” Gilda roared. “What is up with the weather team?”

Another crash came from the opposite side of the car, tearing it apart and knocking the entire train off the rails. Rainbow, Lyra, and the rest of the party were flung into the mud and fog; splashed with hot rain.

Dash groaned as she stood herself up again, the only light she could see was fire from the now destroyed train. Black clouds completely blotted out the sun, occasionally rumbling with the threat of lightning. “What the…” Then her eyes dropped and she saw two electric blue orbs coming closer towards her.

The dragon’s voice shook Rainbow Dash as he chuckled. “Hello there, pony. Good to see you again.”

Comments

[Dusk_Writer]

Oh boy